《Superman Termination Manual》


 Chapter 111 - <div class=

    Chapter 111 ¨C 092: Black Judge x Qing Ya x Dice Monster


    ¡°Please, I really want to know what happened between big brother and that magic girl¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye leaned the back of his head against the sofa, muttering to himself.


    So far, the people involved in this matter included at least his dad and his elder brother. Apart from his mom, these two were the most taboo subjects for Ke Mingye in his family.


    But he was also curious about what dispute Ke Yinzhi had with that magic girl, yet watching a live stream on the dark web was not an option¡ªas Qing Ya was famously known for opposing videographers, and with him around, anyone trying to stream near Wine Reflecting Coast would immediately see a huge crow swooping in.


    The better outcome would be having one¡¯s phone confiscated by the crow, hanging by its feet in mid-air; the worse outcome was having filming equipment buried in the sand.


    Ke Mingye looked up at the ceiling and sighed softly, his spirit of gossip still burning fiercely within.


    ¡°No, I must find out this gossip.¡±


    ...


    He hesitated for a moment, but the desire to gossip ultimately overcame his fear. He excused himself to the bathroom upstairs and once again released the Deception Puppet, heading towards Wine Reflecting Coast.


    Then he returned to the living room downstairs, sat on the sofa, and logged into the Dark Pigeon dark web to openly watch the live broadcast.


    At this moment, the Mechanical Castle was still slowly moving towards the shore.


    Its upper half resembled a whale, while its bottom half was much flatter, with metal fins opening and closing, densely packed mechanical tentacles contorting behind the castle like a fish¡¯s tail, chaotically flapping in the water, propelling the castle forward, stirring a tumultuous tide as it slowly approached the city.


    Logically, this Mechanical Castle should have multiple modes; otherwise, such a form would be quite difficult to maneuver on land.


    At this time, most of the comments on the Dark Pigeon network were discussing who the ¡°Black Judge¡± actually was.


    After all, unlike the Superhero Association, the Anomaly Control Bureau kept the identities and code names of every operative strictly confidential. Ordinary people might never come in contact with the Bureau in their lifetime, let alone know the code names of the operatives.


    Bai Qiuwu glanced at Ke Mingye¡¯s phone with the corner of her eye and asked quietly, ¡°Our little friend Mingye is even watching the dark web, for real?¡±


    Ke Mingye was nonchalant, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t have the dark web saved on their phone?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to see on the dark web?¡± Bai Zini, embracing a giraffe cushion, spoke indifferently, ¡°Boring, better to watch a movie with your dear sister.¡±


    ¡°Yes yes yes.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself that she was used to dealing with superheroes and magic girls daily, probably sick of seeing their faces, so of course, she wouldn¡¯t find the dark web interesting.


    ¡°By the way, you haven¡¯t gambled on the dark web, have you? Don¡¯t fall into bad habits.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu looked at him earnestly, asking with concern.


    Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    ¡°How could I?¡± Ke Mingye sighed, ¡°I just occasionally watch some live streams, never gamble.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it, big brother is definitely on the dark web watching those erotic superhero videos.¡± Bai Zini said as she hugged her chest and vehemently turned her face away, ¡°Ew¡­ just like a pervert, it¡¯s scary just breathing the same air as you.¡±


    Ke Mingye fiddled with his phone, casually replying, ¡°You¡¯re too dramatic, whoever watches that stuff on the dark web is a dog, okay?¡±


    Just then, several live streams on the Dark Pigeon network were engulfed by a massive flock of crows, losing signal.


    The audience of the live stream could only see pitch darkness while a harsh crowing sound came through.


    Ke Mingye sighed, put down his phone. With the speed of the Deception Puppet, it would take about six minutes to travel from Old Jingmai District to Wine Reflecting Coast.


    While everyone on the sofa made small talk, the puppet was already nearing the scene.


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    Meanwhile, at the Wine Reflecting Coast.


    ¡°The famous Black Judge of the Management Bureau¡­ also owes emotional debts?¡±


    Qing Ya stood at the top of the lighthouse, looking down on the figure descending the coastal stairs, his words dripping with sarcasm.


    ¡°You misunderstand, Mr. Qing Ya, it¡¯s just her clinging to me one-sidedly, and I¡¯m not interested in kids,¡± the Black Judge responded reluctantly, adjusting the V-shaped mask on his face as his coat¡¯s tails fluttered in the wind.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t bring unnecessary trouble to the city over your little romance,¡± Qing Ya said coldly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    The Black Judge left the remark hanging and walked towards the sea, leaving uneven footprints in the sand.


    As he approached, a pathway formed from dark shimmering light materialized over the sea. He stepped onto the dark flat surface and traversed the tumultuous ocean, slowly nearing the Mechanical Castle.


    Magic Girl Yuffie, standing on the platform in the middle of the Mechanical Castle, blinked upon seeing him, then lowered her face. Her dark violet shoulder-length hair and dress fluttered in the sea breeze, a shift of light moving in her eyes.


    Soon, the Black Judge stopped on the platform where Magic Girl Yuffie stood, looking up at her from behind the mask.


    ¡°Long time no see,¡± his tone was like that of greeting an old friend. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yuffie paused for a moment, asking, ¡°You finally agree to see me?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you saying it backward?¡± the Black Judge cocked his head, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who locked yourself away in Marselisborg Forest, unseen by anyone?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you want from me, still about that thing last time?¡±

 Chapter 001 Sons and Daughters

    "Lately, there have been many Superhuman crime incidents, so be extra careful on your way to and from school and keep in touch with your siblings more often. Also, don''t linger on the streets after school; head straight home,"the middle-aged man sitting across the dining table picked up a pair of chopsticks, advising unhurriedly.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye lifted his gaze from his phone screen and gave the man a helpless look, "I got it, old man, you''ve said it so many times," he drawled.


    The moment his eyes landed on the middle-aged man, he saw a panel appear above the man''s head.


    [Name: Ke Youqing]


    [Age: 45]


    [Gender: Male]


    [Strength: A+ level (possesses top-tier combat power far surpassing 90% of the Superhumans in the world)]


    [Hidden Identity: Justice Knight Azure Crow (Ranked NO.7 within the Superhero Association, one of the five giants of the Superhero Round Table)]


    [Annotation: Only in China, people would refer to officially employed extraordinary characters as "Justice Knights"; in other countries like the "United States" and "England", they are commonly known as¡ª "Superheroes".]


    "Are your elder and second brothers on university break yet?"


    Ke Youqing said, accepting a bowl of rice passed by his wife and looked up at Ke Mingye.


    "They''re both off, the eldest brother texted saying he''ll take the high-speed train back in a couple of days, the second brother said the same."


    Ke Mingye picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks and sent it to his mouth, vaguely answering while chewing.


    Ke Youqing fell silent for a while, "Since they are on break, let them come back early. It''s not very peaceful outside recently, it''s safer at home." After saying that, he picked up a piece of spicy tofu, mixed it with rice, and put it in his mouth.


    "Okay."


    Ke Mingye casually responded, then lowered his head to continue playing with his phone. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Old Qing, you are just too neurotic, can''t you stop scaring the kids,"


    the voice came from in front of the kitchen sink where a woman, wearing gloves and a kitchen apron tied around her waist, was washing dishes and sighed reproachfully.


    Ke Mingye glanced at her. That was his mother, or more precisely, the mother of this body. Just like his old man, a panel also slowly appeared above her head at this time.


    [Name: Bai Wenna]


    [Age: 43]


    [Gender: Unknown (Non-human species, does not have fixed sexual characteristics)]


    [Strength: Unknown (suspected to have exceeds the limits of Earth''s species)]


    [Hidden Identity: An extraterrestrial spy from "Fangong Tower Star", disguised as human and has long infiltrated Earth, providing basic data required for Fangong Tower Star people''s Earth invasion.]


    [Based on your environment, a very important emergency side mission has been formulated¡ª "Approach Bai Wenna in disguise to hide your identity and try to delay the ''Off-world Colonizers'' attack on Earth".]


    (The difficulty of this side mission is initially estimated to be¡ª SSS level)]


    [Warning: The completion of this mission will seriously impact future developments, please proceed cautiously.]


    "Damn terrifying, indeed, never mess with a woman..."


    Ke Mingye mused silently with chopsticks in his mouth, not daring even to glance out of the corner of his eye at Bai Wenna, who was washing dishes.


    Ke Youqing turned his head and said to Bai Wenna, "Don''t just nag at me, you should come eat too. Otherwise, the dishes will get cold, and you can leave the cleaning to the kids."


    Bai Wenna snorted coldly, "Huh, I wonder who said they would do the dishes yesterday, and when I stepped out, I found the dirty dishes piled up in the sink."


    "That was an accident," Ke Youqing paused, "I''m getting older, not so good with memory."


    Listening to their conversation, Ke Mingye shrugged. He knew it wasn''t an accident. The central district of Huanjing had suddenly experienced a Superhuman crime incident the previous night. At that time, Ke Youqing was in the kitchen washing dishes, and upon hearing the news, he immediately put down the dish, wiped his hands, and went out without saying a word.


    No one knew what he went to do; his sister "Bai Zini" even sneered, saying the old man must have craved a smoke, leaving the dishes halfway to go down to the supermarket for cigarettes, which was not normal at all.


    Anyway, Ke Mingye only knew that last night''s incident was resolved by a timely arriving "Justice Knight." No casualties, all involved Superhumans were sent to prison.


    Ke Youqing still thought he was well-concealed; he came back holding a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, with one hanging from his mouth, provoking his sister to exclaim, "See, I told you the old man definitely went for cigarettes."


    But in Ke Mingye''s eyes, the identity of every family member was completely transparent to him, so such cover-up tactics were meaningless.


    "Okay, okay, an accident, an accident." Bai Wenna washed her hands, took off her apron, picked up a pair of chopsticks, walked over to the dining table, and sat down to the right of Mingye, saying to him, "Go call your sister down to eat."


    "You can''t call her down, she''s playing with her phone. She''ll come down when she''s hungry."


    Ke Mingye picked up another piece of meat into his bowl, responding listlessly.


    "You have to call her even if you can''t." Bai Wenna became more irritated and turned her head to shout at Ke Youqing, "Look at you, being a father. This is the result of spoiling them, all spoilt beyond recognition. Come mealtime, not a single one is to be seen, they only come down when the food is cold!"


    Ke Youqing sighed and placed his chopsticks on the table, "Alright, I''ll call them." He said slowly rising from his chair and walking towards the staircase.


    Bai Wenna "hmmphed" and supported her chin with one hand, the other hand picking up a piece of ribs with the chopsticks and putting it into her bowl.


    Something''s not right. Should I give a heads-up to the upstairs sisters...


    Ke Mingye glimpsed Ke Youqing''s departing figure, thinking this to himself.

 Chapter 001 Sons and Daughters_2

    Then, taking advantage of his mom not paying attention, he exited the short video app he was browsing on his phone and opened WeChat. He clicked into the family group named "Family Mutual Aid", which contained seven members in the chat¡ªbesides his parents, all his siblings were in this group.He held his chopsticks in his mouth, eyes lowered, and typed a message into the group with his other hand, "Dad just went up to call you all down. Come down and eat if you don''t want to get an earful."


    No sooner had he sent the message than a series of "clatter" and "ding dong" sounds came from upstairs.


    Following that, his two little sisters tumbled down the stairs, pitter-pattering as if they hadn''t seen him, breezing past their father who was standing at the top of the stairs, and then grabbed a pair of chopsticks and a bowl from the cabinet before joining the dinner table. Their movements were more nimble than one another, like two little rabbits scurrying with carrots in their mouths.


    Ke Youqing, with hands on his hips at the top of the stairs, looked at these two little bunnies, helplessly stroking the stubble around his mouth, "Smart move."


    Ke Mingye put away his phone and looked at the two sisters squeezing by his sides.


    The one sitting to his left was his older sister "Bai Zini", sporting a shoulder-length bob with delicate and graceful features, still dressed in her middle school uniform. Every year during family visits, Bai Zini always received comments like, "Our little Xiao Ni is becoming more and more spirited; she will definitely be a great beauty in the future."


    [Name: Bai Zini]


    [Age: 14 years old]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Power: B+ level (absolute elite among superhumans)]


    [Hidden identity: As "Magical Girl Ash", she had been active in China for a long time and is also one of the core members of the Magical Girl Alliance.]


    Bai Zini bit into a grain of rice and typed on her phone, quietly sending a message in the "Family Mutual Aid" group.


    "Thanks for the emergency help, big bro," she typed.


    Ke Mingye replied in the group, "No worries, just do me a favor later and buy two bottles of drinks from the supermarket downstairs."


    Bai Zini responded with a sticker of an angry panda with puffed cheeks.


    Ke Mingye put away his phone and slightly turned to look at his quiet younger sister sitting on the right¡ª "Bai Ziling". The face that met his eyes was very much like Bai Zini''s, or rather it was almost identical, as if God had crafted them using the same template.


    Yes, they were twins.


    But aside from their faces, there were many differences between Bai Ziling and Bai Zini. For instance, Bai Ziling''s pale white hair cascaded behind her head like frozen spruce on a winter''s day; her pupils were a strange red, different from ordinary people; her skin was pale as a specimen, without a hint of color.


    "Albinism" was the greatest difference between Bai Ziling and Bai Zini. Influenced by albinism, her personality was much more indifferent than her sister''s and was not as lively.


    [Name: Bai Ziling]


    [Age: 14 years old]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Power: A- level (possessing top combat abilities that far surpass 90% of the world''s superhumans)]


    [Hidden identity: "Vampire", also referred to as the Blood Clan.]


    Suddenly, Bai Ziling nudged Ke Mingye''s shoulder and whispered, "Bro, can you help me with a signature?"


    "A signature?"


    Chomping on a piece of tempura shrimp, Ke Mingye looked puzzled at his sister.


    "Didn''t pass the physics exam, mom will scold me if she signs," Bai Ziling answered straightaway.


    No sooner had she finished speaking than a panel popped up in front of Ke Mingye''s eyes.


    [Event Analysis: The "Blood Clan" possesses an extremely special talent on the "Spatial Cognition" level, but during early growth, this talent could result in an inability to normally recognize certain spatial structures.]


    "Scram, scram, scram, don''t drag me into this, mom will definitely lecture both of us if she finds out I''ve signed for you."


    Ke Mingye whispered, taking his gaze away from the panel above her head and disdainfully shaking off her elbow.


    Bai Zini, sitting next to Ke Mingye, heard the conversation and leaned in, bravely volunteering, "I''ll sign for you, I''ll sign for you!"


    "No good, your handwriting doesn''t look like mom''s," Bai Ziling rejected her firmly.


    "Shucks, if it doesn''t look like it, then it doesn''t. I can use magic to change it for you!" Bai Zini joked.


    You better not actually use magic to change it... Ke Mingye looked at Bai Zini''s "Magic Girl" identity above her head, sweating bullets.


    Honestly, Ke Mingye was quite curious if the two sisters who got along so well were aware of each other''s identities¡ªone as a Magic Girl and the other as a vampire¡ªboth keeping their secret identities hidden from the rest of the family.


    Time ticked away second by second, the wall clock''s ticking never ceased.


    As the sun set, the last rays dipped below the horizon, lighting up the clouds with a bright transparency. The warm orange light entered the house, casting a faint golden hue on every shadow in the kitchen. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The parents and two sisters were laughing and talking around the dinner table, but Ke Mingye didn''t seem in the mood to joke with his family, simply resting his chin on his hand and gazing out the window absent-mindedly.


    The color of the sky was turning a shade between flushed red and silver-gray, with a spiral trail of a jet strewn across the ruddy sunset. A child from some family had let go of their kite, and in the dim twilight, it wobbled upwards into the sky like a solitary martyr.


    The cool evening breeze wafted through the French windows, brushing lightly against his cheek.


    Ke Mingye bit into a piece of chicken he held with his chopsticks in front of his mouth and turned his gaze back inside. As he looked at his family, a sudden chill ran through him involuntarily.

 Chapter 001 Sons and Daughters_3

    No matter how many times he looked, Ke Mingye always felt that the scene before him was too eerie, too absurd¡ªan ostensibly "superhero" father, a mother with the true identity of an "alien spy," an older sister who secretly played the role of "Magic Girl," and a younger sister who seemed to have albinism but was actually a "vampire."Put them anywhere, and you''d have an exceptional family, outdoing even Mr. and Mrs. Smith. But most crucially, apart from his alien mother, the rest of the family seemed to be unaware of each other''s true identities.


    So, what sins have I committed to deserve this...


    Ke Mingye heaved a deep sigh in his heart.


    Three days ago, Ke Mingye had been reading in the library, and in the time it took to nod off with his book closed, he had crossed over.


    In this world teeming with Superpower Users, mutants, and other superhumans without number, he replaced the soul of the unfortunate man with the same name and surname, becoming a member of this Chinese middle-class family.


    According to his memories, Ke Mingye''s family consisted of nine people¡ªtwo parents and seven children.


    It might seem bizarre, but it was quite normal in this parallel world. According to the policies of this parallel universe, Huaxia families could have up to four children. When planning for the fourth child, they happened to conceive the twins Bai Zini and Bai Ziling, and thus they were born.


    At that time, the family already had five children.


    Then the mother, disguised as an alien, proposed to adopt a child.


    Referencing policy, a family with children could only adopt one child, so they adopted "Ke Mingye," the predecessor of this body. At that point, the family already had six children.


    Subsequently, in the orphanage, the mother felt particularly sorry for a frail and sickly child whom no one would adopt.


    According to policy, if one wishes to adopt a child with such special circumstances, it can be considered on a case-by-case basis. So, she successfully adopted this child and named him "Ke Yongzhu."


    Thus, up to that point, the family had a total of seven children.


    Ke Mingye ranked fourth, and due to his neither high nor low position, he often got bullied.


    But after more than a decade, life had been fairly warm and ordinary. Although his father was often as invisible as a ghost, busy with work, his mother had still raised seven children from infancy to adulthood.


    Having referenced these memories in his brain, Ke Mingye, upon first arriving through the cross-over, really thought it was the same ordinary and happy family from over a decade ago.


    But the player panel in Ke Mingye''s eyes didn''t tell him that. It even slapped his predecessor in the face, saying you''re an idiot for not realizing that your home is full of monsters.


    It wasn''t until Ke Mingye personally witnessed his family members and saw the panels above each person''s head displaying extremely eerie data¡ªalien, superhero, Divine Communicator, dragonkin, Magic Girl...


    Only then did he know that the predecessor of this body had been deceived by this family of superhumans for sixteen whole years.


    Yes, after sixteen years of living together, this body''s former occupant had not realized that his seemingly ordinary family members each had their secret identities.


    Keep in mind that according to Huaxia''s policy, regardless of the family members, everyone must undergo "Superhuman Gene Testing" twice a year to avoid genetic mutations.


    If one is tested to possess extraordinary genes, then they must be separated from ordinary people, attending different schools or doing different jobs.


    Each year, the results of Ke Mingye''s family''s biannual tests were very consistent. Without exception, every time, the entire family was normal, containing not a trace of extraordinary genes within their bodies.


    Perhaps also for this reason, aside from the mother who was an alien, other members believed that apart from themselves, there were no other superhumans in the family.


    However, whether each member is as peculiar as that still remains to be seen.


    After all, Ke Mingye had only been on this side for three days, having only met his father, mother, older sister, younger brother, and two younger sisters. As for the eldest brother and the second brother, he had yet to meet them¡ªbecause they usually studied at universities in other places and only returned home for the holidays, truly modern-day college students.


    Summer vacation was approaching fast, so in a few days they would be home, and then Ke Mingye would be able to fully grasp the whole picture of this family.


    To be honest, he was already under enough psychological pressure.


    Despite not harboring much hope, he still earnestly wished that the elder brother and second brother who would soon be returning home would, like him, be ordinary people rather than some Magic Girl, superhero, vampire, alien, or the like.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye suddenly paused, took a spoonful of hot rice, and mocked himself in his mind. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That being said, I''m actually not an ordinary person right now... I''m a player after all. But what exactly this system wants from me, I still have no clue after three days."


    Just then, a panel of black and red suddenly popped up in front of him, almost occupying his entire pupil, sending a slight shiver through his body.


    On the panel, text formed by flowing blood pulsated.


    The text continued to update.


    [Having survived three days in the parallel world, the player''s ultimate mission has been updated¡ªExterminate all superhumans.]


    [Please do your utmost, by any and all means, to exterminate all the superhumans of this parallel world, until only ordinary people remain on Earth.]


    [Mission deadline: 365 days.]

 Chapter 002 Extinction Plan

    [The ultimate task for all players is now unified: Extinct the superhumans on Earth. (Time limit: 365 days)][Consequence of failure: All players will be exterminated together.]


    The vivid, blood-red characters danced on the panel, flickering dimly and brightly like the fleeting flame of a candle.


    Ke Mingye paused for a moment, but his expression quickly returned to calm. He glanced at his family around the dining table almost imperceptibly, relieved that no one had noticed his unusual demeanor just now.


    [Current number of surviving players worldwide: (99/100)]


    [Daily report: Today, the player whose spawn point was Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan¡ª "Amemiya Kazuko" was brutally murdered by a superpowered criminal, with not even their bones remaining. Players are advised to avoid revealing their identities to anyone until they become sufficiently powerful, especially those close to you.]


    [End of today''s report.]


    After reading the continuous notifications, Ke Mingye took a light breath and brushed his hair back from his forehead with his hand.


    "What''s wrong, big bro?" Bai Zini, seeing his behavior, nudged his elbow and asked.


    Ke Mingye didn''t turn to look at her, and made an excuse on the fly, "I saw the ''function question bank'' the teacher posted in the group chat, almost threw up. Want to help me with it?"


    Bai Zini gave him a disdainful look: "Please, I am just a middle schooler."


    Bai Wenna, who was eating, couldn''t help but join their conversation, "Seriously, you, as the brother, want your sister to help with your homework? Have you no shame?"


    "I''m just joking, can''t you take a joke, mom? Isn''t high school stressful enough as it is, are you trying to kill me?"


    As Ke Mingye was talking tough, he was also worried that his alien mom might suddenly decide to pierce his skull with her laser eyes.


    Ke Youqing chewed on a piece of fish and said softly, "If you can''t handle it, ask your sister for help. She gets good grades; she can teach you. It would be good for next year when she''s in senior year and you''re in junior, to look out for each other."


    Ke Mingye thought to himself that she was busy fighting crime and wouldn''t have time to tutor him. Out loud he said, "My sis runs out as soon as school is over every day; don''t even see her shadow, let alone asked her to help me."


    "Why don''t you mention how your sister is ranked in the top ten of your school, and you?" Bai Wenna said, glaring at him.


    "Me, me, me, oh, about me? I might as well go to a community college," Ke Mingye responded in a sarcastic tone, thinking if superheroes weren''t extinct by next year, then it would be my turn, still f***ing sitting here fretting about your college entrance exam scores and striving to be better than others.


    "You..."


    Bai Wenna was so angry at his words that she put down her chopsticks and reached out to pinch Ke Mingye''s shoulder, but fortunately, Ke Youqing stopped her in time, helplessly persuading, "It''s just a kid''s joke, don''t take it so seriously all the time. It''s not good for the child''s physical and mental development."


    Bai Ziling and Bai Zini, the two younger sisters, didn''t dare to speak, silently nibbling on their rice, occasionally glancing up at their parents'' expressions.


    "If you''re not in the top fifty on the next monthly test, see if I don''t teach you a lesson," Bai Wenna said, word by word.


    Ke Mingye looked down at his bowl and sighed in frustration, thinking that''s enough already, do you, an alien spy, really need to maintain such a fierce image on Earth? Can''t we switch to a gentle and beautiful girl disguise, or even a deaf-mute one, least likely to slip up, is it really necessary to be so down-to-earth?


    Even though he knew his mom was an alien, he didn''t dare point it out. After all, Bai Wenna''s combat power was a question mark; who knew if she might even surpass his A+ ranked dad.


    The best way to deal with this affectionate mother would probably be to find evidence of her collusion with extraterrestrials and report her to the Superhero Association, then let the officials use the "Superhero Round Table" elites to deal with her.


    It sounds easy, but gathering evidence is the hardest part. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Wenna had been lurking on Earth for over a decade, and even Ke Youqing, her husband, hadn''t noticed anything amiss, let alone Ke Mingye.


    Moreover, Ke Youqing was a member of the "Superhero Round Table." It meant he was one of the world''s strongest superheroes, and he hadn''t detected Bai Wenna''s alien identity, which only illustrated how terrifying her abilities must be.


    His thoughts drifted to that inhuman task set by the system.


    "Extinct the superhumans, what an easy thing to say." he mused, "With only one hundred players coming to this world, how is it possible to wipe them all out without missing a single one in a year?"


    Thinking thus, Ke Mingye nibbled on shrimp while he opened his phone and searched for the Superhero Association''s official data for the year.


    The results showed that currently, the number of superhumans officially registered in the global population is fluctuating around 25,000.


    Not to mention the unregistered wild superhumans, their numbers definitely aren''t negligible. The Ke family was a case in point: every member had evaded the compulsory annual genetic test through various means, so none were officially registered as superhumans with the authorities.


    And seriously, if one were to really extinguish the superhuman population, one would have to confront, even topple, numerous formidable powers, like the Superhero Association, Magical Girl Alliance, Anomaly Control Bureau, Super-Dimensional Supervision Bureau, Time Management Bureau...


    And these are just the organizations known publicly; no one is in the dark about the number of organizations operating behind the scenes, nor how many nuclear-bomb level superhumans they hide.


    If one cannot extinct the superhumans within a year, will all one hundred players who came to this world die? That''s hilariously absurd, haha, see if I''m not laughing...


    As he mused, Ke Mingye turned off his phone and died a little inside.


    If not dead, he pretended he was already dead.


    "Little sis, some people are alive, but in truth, they are already dead," he whispered to Bai Zini next to him.


    "Have you gotten addicted to Lu Xun?" Bai Zini asked with her chopsticks in her mouth.


    "Xun is truly a master of human nature, I really feel like I''m alive in appearance but already dead inside."


    Ke Mingye said with a face full of despair, as he popped another piece of fish into his mouth.


    "It''s just the college entrance exam, is it worth all this?" Bai Zini glanced at him and slowly said, "Bro, didn''t you just describe to Mom in vivid detail, how at worst you''d go to a university..."


    As soon as Bai Wenna heard this, she erupted again, slamming the table as she shouted, "Who dares to bring up community college again!"


    Bai Zini was at a loss for words, blinking and mumbling, "Mom, I was wrong. I promise I''ll definitely get into a university, and I''ll make sure big brother does too."


    "Might as well be dead..."


    Ke Mingye muttered, thinking that being born into this family was indeed the worst luck of his past eight generations.


    The task assigned by the system was "exterminate the superhumans," yet he had transmigrated into a family where every member but him was a superhuman...


    The more pressing issue was that each of these superhumans was a one-man army elite, not a single one could be considered weak. This was no different than forcing a little Peppa Pig into the set of The Lion King for undercover assassination missions, was it?


    Ke Youqing rubbed his forehead and tried to educate these little rascals, "Can you just eat your meal? How do you manage to make such a fuss over a simple dinner?"


    He paused, then turned to look at Bai Wenna, "And you complain every day that I''m not at home. If I was home every day, wouldn''t you drive me into anxiety and depression?"


    "Are you even human?" Bai Wenna started screaming in a high-pitched voice, "This is like widowhood parenting, widowhood parenting! Understand? I''m at home alone taking care of the kids, do you think it''s not tiring? For so many years, if you''re not working, you''re working, and now recently when I asked you to wash the dishes, you managed to sneak off to smoke downstairs!"


    "Okay, okay," said Ke Youqing with a woeful look, almost ready to kowtow at the dining table, "My bad, my fault. The kids are at that rebellious age, it''s normal. Don''t get so emotional..."


    As he spoke, he turned to look at Ke Mingye, who was silently looking down, mumbling, "Look how scared the kids are, is this the family atmosphere we want?"


    "Ke Youqing, will you ever stop?"


    Just as Bai Wenna was about to erupt, Ke Youqing interrupted her, "I''m done, I''m done. Let''s eat, let''s just eat." He patted Bai Wenna''s shoulder, murmuring comfortingly, no longer raising his voice.


    Ke Mingye thought to himself that their power levels were quite fitting for the scene, realizing that the only one in the family to be feared was Mom, right?


    As he was nursing his headache, a new panel with fresh text popped up before his eyes.


    [In accordance with the newly added "ultimate task," a number of "main missions" have been devised for you, which can be viewed in the mission panel later.]


    [1. Actions against alien visitors.]


    [Mission details: "Approach your mother¡ª''Bai Wenna'' under a disguised identity, kill her, and destroy the ''Celestial Colonizer'' spacecraft coming to Earth."]


    [Difficulty of the main mission one: SSS level (Apocalyptic grade)]


    [2. Actions against members of the Round Table Council, Justice Knight Azure Crow.]


    [Mission details: "Approach your father¡ª''Ke Youqing'' under a disguised identity, gain his trust, infiltrate the international headquarters of the Superhero Association, become a member of the ''Round Table Council'', and afterwards, find a way to kill Ke Youqing and all the superheroes in the council."]


    [Difficulty of the main mission two: SS+ level (Dark Moon grade)]


    Ke Mingye scanned the content of these two side missions emotionlessly.


    He complained inwardly, "Great, just great, what a wonderful filial piety script, as if I can''t even get rid of this dutiful son script."


    No matter how uncomfortable he felt inside, or how many times he cursed the system as a beast among jet fighters, the mission panel kept mercilessly updating.


    [3. Actions against Magical Girl Ash.]


    [Mission details: Approach your younger sister¡ª"Bai Zini" under a disguised identity, while also contacting other members of the Magical Girl Alliance, and find an opportunity to completely destroy the alliance.]


    [Difficulty of the main mission three: A level]


    Looking at this, Ke Mingye turned his head and emotionlessly stared at Bai Zini, who sat on his left, "Little sis, could you die for a moment?" he asked straightforwardly, dropping the pretense.


    Bai Zini, with chopsticks in her mouth, turned her head to stare at him and said discontentedly, "Bro, Are you even human? I just defended you a moment ago, so why are you pouring all your anger at Mom onto me?"


    "Never mind if you won''t die, what do I care," Ke Mingye retorted as the mission panel kept refreshing. He shifted his gaze away from his sister, continued to chew on the fish, and read the text above.


    [4. Approach your second younger sister¡ª"Bai Ziling" under a disguised identity, make contact with the surviving Blood Clan through her, ensure the slaughter of all the Blood Clan, and ensure the Blood Oath is completely lost.]


    [Difficulty of the main mission four: S level (Red Tide grade)]


    Ke Mingye looked at the text and then turned his head to stare at Bai Ziling who sat on his right.


    "So, second sis, can you die for me?" he asked earnestly.


    Bai Ziling glanced at him and turned to look at their parents, about to suggest her brother might be mentally unstable, when a loud "thud" interrupted her as she attempted to speak.


    Turning back, she saw that Ke Mingye had banged his forehead on the dining table, "Sorry." He put his hands together, apologizing with a defeated tone.

 Chapter 003 The Violent Madman

    "Qiuwu still hasn''t come back?" Ke Youqing asked."She went to pick up Yongzhu. Yongzhu had a basketball game today; he''ll be back late," Bai Wenna answered.


    Ke Mingye, with chopsticks in his mouth, listened to his parents'' conversation. Bai Qiuwu was his sister; Ke Yongzhu was the youngest brother in the family and, like him, was adopted.


    Bai Wenna seized the opportunity to scold Ke Youqing, "Look at you, claiming you care about the kids."


    "You''re right, I won''t argue with you," he said.


    Ke Youqing shrugged his shoulders; the earlier drama at the dinner table had already taught him a lesson.


    Ke Mingye glanced at the "Justice Knight Azure Crow" identity above Ke Youqing''s head and thought to himself that his old man did care about his kids, just didn''t have the time to show it.


    He had searched for news about "Azure Crow" on his phone, knowing that it had been exactly twenty-eight years since this Chinese superhero first appeared globally. Calculating based on Ke Youqing''s age, it indicated that he had worn the mask and donned the battle suit at seventeen and had been combating troublesome super-criminals around the world ever since.


    However, in every country, the reputation of Azure Crow was consistently terrible.


    In China, "superheroes" are referred to as "Justice Knights."


    With the concept of "Justice Knight" gaining popularity nationwide, the national government began a serious examination of each Justice Knight''s image management, overall quality, and especially their impact on the public, particularly minors, to ensure they set a proper example with their actions.


    If a Justice Knight received numerous complaints from the public and faced mass vilification in the media, the Superhero Association might take measures to "force them offline."


    If the issue wasn''t too severe, they might first put them on ice for a while before enrolling them in courses like "Justice Knight Behavioral Management." They would then cautiously leak some updates on the superhero''s recent activities in the media and buy traffic to boost posts to salvage their reputation, until public sentiment warmed up again, legitimizing the superhero''s return to the public eye.


    In this complex era, superheroes have gradually moved beyond the scope of "special police" and have replaced most celebrity idols worldwide. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As such, public expectations for their image have steadily increased, making each superhero ensure their conduct is flawless lest minders leverage any slip-up into a storm of public fury.


    Yet, under these conditions, "Azure Crow," who was Ke Mingye''s old man, had become someone who completely acted against the norm.


    His reputation in the media was especially poor. People described him as a vigilante who used peace as a guise for his tyranny, a rogue who didn''t hesitate to impose his own brand of justice, a beast who only brought psychological shadows and violent influences to teenagers, utterly unworthy of the superhero title symbolizing hope and peace.


    Despite "Azure Crow''s" extreme and controversial methods among superheroes, he was still a veteran figure of the Superhero Association and held significant influence within the Round Table Council.


    So, even as the public criticism grew louder and hot searches came in waves, he remained active and only received a few mild sanctions from the Association.


    On his first day transplanted here, Ke Mingye delved into "Azure Crow''s" details on the internet.


    In every photo, "Azure Crow" was always in the same unchanging attire, his face covered by a sinister mask meticulously crafted with sharp contours, his eyes within the eye sockets glowing bright and deep. The center of the mask featured a protruding blue bird''s beak, sharp like a sickle, making him appear brooding and beastly aggressive.


    His attire was a sleek black metallic bodysuit and a cape that enveloped his whole body.


    Overall, true to his moniker, he indeed dressed like a giant raven. The "Azure" in his nickname, Azure Crow, came from the blue bird''s beak on his mask.


    Quite the eccentric, bordering on mentally disturbed; it''s no wonder why a "superhero" dressing so frighteningly villain-like received complaints.


    That was Ke Mingye''s first impression upon viewing the photos.


    He couldn''t help but internally remark, "Funny that you lecture at the dinner table about ''correcting a slouch to be taken seriously first for appearance, then for skills'' when you dress like this to fight crime. Maybe there''s something seriously wrong with your head?"


    Reflecting on this, he took another look at Ke Youqing. His heart still found it hard to imagine how his normally affable old man, once masked, could act so dark, tyrannical, and extreme. Whether the man at home was the real him, or the one behind the mask, remained unknown.


    As his thoughts wandered, the "click" of a lock suddenly reached his ears.


    Then, the front door at the entrance was opened.


    "Who''s here?" Bai Wenna asked.


    Bai Ziling poked her head out from the kitchen, looked with a blank expression, and said, "Sis, and the little brother." Then she lowered her head and continued eating.


    The two who entered locked the door behind them, washed their hands in the bathroom, and then walked into the kitchen where Ke Youqing and Bai Wenna greeted them and told them to hurry up and sit down to eat.

 Chapter 003 Violent Rogue_2

    Ke Mingye lifted his gaze toward Bai Qiuwu, who was his older sister.Bai Qiuwu had delicate features, clear, cold eyes, and a clean aura. Her soft, lead-gray hair shone brightly, topped with a green hairband, and she was still wearing her blue and white school uniform.


    She was about the same height as Ke Mingye, around 1.72 meters, though Ke Mingye was slightly taller.


    [Name: Bai Qiuwu]


    [Age: 17 years old]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Strength: A level (possessing top combat power far exceeding 90% of the world''s superhumans)]


    [Hidden identity: Divine Communicator ¡¤ Wukong (holder of one of the twenty-seven Divine Pathways, the "Sun Wukong" pathway)]


    [Promotion pathway deduced for this Divine Pathway: Immortal Stone ¡ú Spirit Monkey ¡ú Monkey King ¡ú Immortal ¡ú Horses'' Fortune ¡ú Great Sage Equalling Heaven ¡ú Prisoner of the Five Elements Mountain ¡ú Golden-Hooped Monk ¡ú Fighting Buddha.]


    [Currently, this Divine Communicator is at the "Horses'' Fortune" stage of the "promotion pathway".]


    As Ke Mingye was staring in a daze at the absurdly long Divine Pathway, Bai Qiuwu had already taken a seat at the dining table. She looked at him and asked, "When did Big Brother and Second Brother say they''d come back?"


    "They both said soon, probably in the next couple of days."


    Ke Mingye replied casually. His gaze then shifted to Ke Yongzhu, who had entered the kitchen, the youngest brother in the family.


    Ke Yongzhu had a buzz cut and was wearing school uniform. He looked somewhat cute with his features, but he always had a stern face, like someone owed him money.


    [Name: Ke Yongzhu]


    [Age: 10 years old]


    [Gender: Male]


    [Strength: A+ level (possessing top combat power far exceeding 90% of the world''s superhumans)]


    [Hidden identity: Juvenile form of the disaster dragon kind.]


    Looking at this family, what Ke Mingye was most curious about was his younger brother''s identity. After all, a 10-year-old kid with A+ level combat power indicated that this so-called "disaster dragon kind" was undoubtedly dangerous without saying.


    "I''m full."


    "Me too, I''m full."


    Bai Zini and Bai Ziling spoke in unison, rising from the dining table and walking out of the kitchen, both playing with their cellphones as they settled onto the living room sofa.


    Ke Mingye couldn''t even be bothered to talk, put down his chopsticks, rose from the dining table, and followed them to sit on the sofa.


    Seeing both of them looking down at their cellphones, he took the initiative, stretching out his hand first to grab the remote control from the sofa armrest, and only after securing the upper hand did he ask, "What do you want to watch?"


    "''Scream''." Bai Ziling suggested. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No way, if you watch that I''m running away right now." Bai Zini said.


    "What do you want to watch then?" Bai Ziling turned her head to look at her.


    "Isn''t ''Harry Potter'' fine? You always have to think about your horror films." Bai Zini gave her a sidelong glance.


    Hearing the movie title, Bai Ziling yawned, with strands of her pale white hair swaying subtly by her ears. "I''m sleepy," she murmured with a smack of her lips.


    "You two make such a fuss, let''s not watch anything, just listen to the news."


    Ke Mingye leaned back against the sofa, pressing the remote and exiting the on-demand channel to enter the financial news channel as he spoke.


    As a result, the three of them ended up hanging out on the sofa, listening to the news anchor''s broadcast while playing with their cell phones.


    Soon, Bai Qiuwu and Ke Yongzhu had also finished eating in the kitchen, each grabbed a bottle of drink from the fridge, and sat down on the living room sofa.


    Arriving late, Ke Yongzhu could only sit on the armrest of the sofa, but he didn''t mind, after all, that''s the fate of being the youngest brother.


    "You guys are listening to finance here?" Bai Qiuwu took a sip of orange juice, her lips curving into a smirk, teasingly saying, "Not bad, all future bosses."


    "Can''t I improve my financial IQ?" Ke Mingye retorted offhandedly.


    "That''s right, that''s right."


    Bai Zini agreed verbally, not even lifting her head, insisting on playing with her cellphone, not even listening to what the host was saying.


    At that moment, 10-year-old Ke Yongzhu took a sip of Coke and said, "Anything is fine to watch, just stop listening to this finance stuff, a bunch of morons."


    Ke Mingye sarcastically countered him, "Younger brother, how come you''re so high-class? It''s one thing to act like this outside, but at home, you''d get spanked by me."


    Bai Qiuwu took a sip of orange juice and casually put an arm around Ke Yongzhu''s shoulder, asserting, "I protect him at home, what''s it to you? Got a problem with that?"


    Her voice was melodious, yet carried a maturity beyond her years.


    Ke Mingye rolled his eyes, thinking you''re one with A level strength and the other with A+ level, who could be tougher than you guys? Fine, if you say so!


    "No one in elementary school can beat me." Ke Yongzhu added.


    Ke Mingye put away his phone and stated without expression, "Okay, little tyrant. Don''t go eating elementary students'' brains raw or they''ll think you''re all noble and virtuous."


    "How can you talk as if our little brother isn''t an elementary student himself?" Bai Qiuwu asked with a smile.


    Ke Mingye nibbled on a melon seed, "He''s calling us all morons, and you still treat him like an elementary student? Quality education starts at home, and then at school and society."


    Still unrepentant, Ke Yongzhu said, "A bunch of high schoolers listening to financial news, aren''t you guys morons? I''m just a grade schooler here, wasting my life with you."


    "Watch your tone, I''m a middle school student, okay?" Bai Zini commented absently while playing on her phone.


    "I''m also in middle school." Bai Ziling chimed in, not having heard what they were talking about.


    "Middle schoolers don''t listen to finance, I''m still in elementary, wasting my life here with you all," Ke Yongzhu said, as he tried to snatch the remote from Ke Mingye''s hands.


    Ke Mingye refused to give it up, "You''re in such a hurry; we all have phones to play with, we''re certainly not lacking TV to watch, nor do we feel like we''re wasting our lives. The grade schooler is the one in a hurry, huh? Dare to have mom and dad buy you a phone too."


    Ke Yongzhu was about to lose his temper, but Bai Qiuwu, with quick reflexes, grabbed the remote control from between them.

 Chapter 003 Violent Madman_3

    Ke Yongzhu glanced at her, not saying anything. At home, he only listened to his eldest sister, ignoring his other brothers completely."Big sis, can you not coddle him so much? His rotten temper is all because of you," Ke Mingye turned his head, glancing at Bai Qiuwu.


    "Alright, stop picking on your brother."


    As Bai Qiuwu was speaking, she finished her orange juice and was about to pass the remote control to Ke Yongzhu.


    Just then, the TV screen changed, and the voice of the host changed as well. Bai Qiuwu stared at the TV, her slender right hand suddenly tightened around the remote control slightly but didn''t continue to pass it to Ke Yongzhu.


    A buzzing sound like the flapping of gigantic wings came from the TV, it was a pair of pitch-black wings rapidly swirling in the night.


    This noise drew the attention of everyone on the sofa, who looked toward the TV where the interior of a helicopter was in view.


    A reporter standing bent over in the helicopter aimed the camera at the city below, shouting into the microphone:


    "Breaking news! The superhuman criminal ''Ghost Tree'' has appeared in the densely populated center of Huanjing and has now climbed to the top of Huanjing Tower!"


    "Another superhuman crime incident?"


    Ke Mingye muttered, following the camera''s view to a high tower constructed of steel that stood in the center of the city.


    At the very top of the tower, around twelve stories high, stood a blurry, minute figure. The helicopter''s searchlight fell on him, making his profile pale and sharp.


    As the camera zoomed in, Ke Mingye could finally see the full figure of the silhouette.


    He was completely naked, showing clearly human contours, but his chest was embedded with a complex assortment of plants. Vines and thorns spread from the heart, enveloping all of his limbs. Most noticeably, antelope-like horns thrust skyward from both sides of his forehead, and these proud, curved horns framed him like a sinister deity.


    Before Ke Mingye could react, the man had already leaped from the top of the tower, and cries of surprise and screaming came from the crowd on the streets below.


    The camera continued to focus on the non-human creature. His figure, leaping from the top, continuously rotating in the air, brushing against the cold wind, created a chilling trail of fire-red behind him, cold and blood-like.


    Subsequently, he slowly coiled into a ball, his muscles fluttering and swelling, as if about to be torn apart by the strong currents created by his rapid descent.


    Finally, he crashed heavily onto the ground amidst the roaring screams of the crowd below.


    "Bang¡ª!" Accompanied by a deafening noise, numerous cracks spread out, creating a deep crater about three meters deep.


    "It''s ''Ghost Tree''!"


    Within the densely packed crowd, someone pointed at the figure that had landed and yelled.


    Ke Mingye had tried before, only by seeing the target with his own eyes could he show detailed information about them; if using live TV broadcasts, only partial information appeared before his eyes.


    But that was enough, at that moment the information of that uninvited guest was already in his eyes.


    [Code Name: A-Level Wanted Criminal ¡¤ Ghost Tree]


    [Name: Majiel ¡¤ Dike]


    [Age: 47]


    [Gender: Male]


    [Strength: A-level (possesses top-tier combat capabilities far surpassing 90% of superhumans in the world)]


    [Identity: Divine Communicator "Yudelaxil" (holds one of the twenty-seven Divine Pathways "World Tree")]


    [Related Introduction: "Yudelaxil" is the World Tree in Norse mythology, described in the books as a massive gray oak tree supporting nine worlds, including the central world of humans, "Midgard" (Midgard), and the residence of gods, "Asgard" (Asgard).]


    [It is currently impossible to deduce the extrapolation route of this "Divine Pathway" and the realm in which this Divine Communicator resides.] Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Bring Sun Wukong to me..."


    The Ghost Tree spoke in a deep voice as he slowly emerged from the pit, his fierce body wrapped in thorns fully exposed under the colorful neon lights, as if bathing in a sea of light. He extended his huge, root-like arms forward, and his rapid breathing accompanied by a furious roar echoed among the crowd.


    "I won''t say it a second time, call Sun Wukong out, or... I will slaughter everyone here without exception!"


    Ah, Sun Wukong? Ke Mingye slightly raised his eyebrow, thinking that he must be referring to the Divine Communicator, which would be my older sister?


    Thinking this, he subtly turned his face, using the corner of his eye to confirm Bai Qiuwu''s information panel.


    At that moment, Bai Qiuwu was holding an orange juice, her face still calm. But both her slightly clenched hands and the cold, sharp light in her eyes revealed her nervousness.


    [Name: Bai Qiuwu]


    [Hidden Identity: Divine Communicator "Wukong" (holder of one of the twenty-seven Divine Pathways "Sun Wukong")]


    In the next moment, the Ghost Tree''s colossal right arm, shaped like a tree root, suddenly aimed at the sky, which was also aimed at the journalist holding the camera.


    That right arm twisted at an insane speed, turning in an instant into millions of sharp thorns that surged forward, spanning a length of a hundred meters. Following this, it slashed through the night sky, shredding the helicopter''s cabin photographer into a spray of blood that dispersed into the night.


    On the television, the camera smashed onto the cabin floor, but the image it captured remained.


    Once the Ghost Tree pulled on his arm, the thorn twisted and condensed into a huge hand that erupted violently inside the helicopter''s cabin. The terrifying force instantly caused the whole helicopter to tilt and sway erratically mid-air. In a matter of seconds, the helicopter turned into a fireball skyrocketing into the sky, along with the pilot vanished into the horizon.


    Just then, Ke Youqing finished washing dishes and walked out of the kitchen, standing behind the children leaning against the couch, "What are you watching?" he asked, hugging his arms and looking towards the television, his brows slightly furrowed.


    As the thud of the explosion settled, the entire television screen darkened, no longer showing any movement.


    At the same time, almost to the minute, several people gathered around the couch spoke simultaneously.


    "I''m going downstairs to buy some cigarettes," said Ke Youqing.


    "I suddenly remembered that I''ve agreed to meet a friend at the coffee shop tonight, so I won''t join you for TV." said Bai Qiuwu.


    "Ah, speaking of which, I also need to buy some stationery." said Bai Zini.

 Chapter 004 Timed Betting

    As the camera exploded, the TV screen first flickered with intertwined black and white static, and then was left with nothing but a deep blue background.Only the English words "No signal" remained, stretched across the middle.


    At that moment, Ke Youqing and Bai Qiuwu both suddenly announced one had to go buy cigarettes, the other had a date with friends, so they quickly headed towards the entryway.


    Bai Zini said she needed to go buy stationery but first rushed upstairs to grab something from the bedroom, making so much noise on the floor that she got yelled at by her mother, who was applying a face mask.


    Ke Mingye found it somewhat amusing and shrugged his shoulders.


    He had anticipated that upon seeing such a scene on TV, someone in the house would inevitably become restless. He just hadn''t expected Ke Youqing, Bai Qiuwu, and Bai Zini to come up with such neatly aligned excuses, so overly perfunctory, truly a family trait.


    But it was also normal, the one who made an appearance in Huanjing this time was rated as an A-class super villain by the system.


    With the strength he demonstrated by casually shooting down a helicopter, the superheroes commonly seen were no match at all, going against him would merely be a death sentence.


    And although Ke Youqing was notorious and had a history of bad deeds, he was still a signature Superpower User in China Huanjing and would not possibly ignore such a situation. He may have already notified other heroes of the Superhero Association''s China branch not to act rashly, waiting for his personal arrival.


    "Xiao Ni, if you need any stationery just send me a list on your phone, I''ll pick it up for you on my way back, it''s not safe outside."


    Ke Youqing stood at the door, hand on hip, hesitated for half a second, and then called out upstairs.


    "No need! I''ll be home soon." Bai Zini''s voice came down from upstairs.


    "I can just go with her if it comes to that, old man, just go buy your cigarettes and don''t suffocate yourself,"


    Sitting on the living room couch and munching on a sunflower seed, Ke Mingye spoke up to smooth things over for Bai Zini.


    "You lack respect."


    After dropping that comment, Ke Youqing left the house, taking the elevator up with Bai Qiuwu.


    It wasn''t until they had left on the elevator that Bai Zini slowly came downstairs to the entryway, put on her shoes and hurried out the door with her backpack. Just as she stepped out, her shoelaces came undone again. She slammed the door forcefully, and then quickly crouched down to tie her laces.


    "Does that door have a grudge against you?"


    Ke Mingye teased her casually.


    "Mind your own business!" Bai Zini retorted, and without even waiting for the elevator, she dashed down the stairs, halfway through she changed her mind and called out, "Bro, can you close the door for me?"


    Ke Mingye raised his middle finger behind her back, but Bai Zini was already far gone.


    "Look at this child, so impatient, wonder who she takes after," Bai Wenna, who was applying a face mask in the bathroom, sighed.


    "Yeah, wonder who she takes after."


    Ke Mingye thought to himself, it''s obviously your temperament she''s got, and sighed softly, stood up from the couch, took a few steps to the entryway, and closed the door.


    When he returned to the living room, only Ke Yongzhu and Bai Ziling were left sitting on the couch.


    At the moment, Bai Ziling was squatting on the couch, her pale blonde hair draping over her knees. She looked up from her phone screen and turned to Ke Mingye, "Watch a movie."


    "No thanks."


    "Then watch what?"


    "The news."


    Bai Ziling looked at the "No signal" on the TV and said, "It''s nothing new." In today''s era, news of superhuman crimes would appear nearly every few days.


    Ke Mingye kept silent, thinking to himself that your two older sisters and dad are going to be on TV in a bit, it may not be newsworthy to you, but it surely is to me.


    "If you''re not watching the movie then I''m leaving."


    "Actually, the remote isn''t with me," Ke Mingye reminded her.


    The remote control on the couch was already in the hands of Ke Yongzhu, the one-meter-tall youngster imperiously situated in the middle of the couch, muttering,


    "What''s so interesting about the news, that criminal looks pretty weak."


    Ke Mingye sat down on the couch, arm resting on the armrest, "Ha, he could take a hundred of you little brats."


    While he said that, he was also aware that Ke Yongzhu''s hidden identity was terrifying, known as the "Juvenile Form of the Storm Dragon," with a paper strength rating of A-class, not less than that of the criminal who attacked the Huanjing Tower, and might indeed have the strength for a battle.


    ```


    But he also knew that if he wanted to play "Ke Mingye" well in front of his family, he had to relax a bit; that''s how he would resemble the Ke Mingye in their memories. If he was too cautious because of their hidden identities and dared not talk back to them, it would actually have the opposite effect, making them more suspicious. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once these monsters found out that he was not the original "Ke Mingye" but a player who had taken over his body, he would be finished.


    At best, he figured his bones would not be found.


    "Forget it, you guys watch the movie."


    Having said that, Ke Mingye got up from the sofa and headed upstairs with his phone in hand.


    He thought that the officials would probably not allow reporters to continue broadcasting the situation on-site, so it was definitely not possible to watch it on TV.


    Ordinary people would think to turn on live streaming platforms, but domestic live streaming platforms would also restrict such scenes from appearing. Even if someone was live streaming on-site with their phones, they would be immediately banned once discovered by officials.


    If it were those less dangerous superhuman criminals, it wouldn''t matter, but in the face of high-risk criminals, it was necessary to strictly prohibit the footage from the scene to prevent the exposure of extremely bloody and violent images that could cause panic among the public.


    However, human nature being what it is, although official orders forbade it, there were still many "illegal superhero" websites that escaped the eyes of censors on the internet.


    The types of videos uploaded on these websites are either battle videos of superheroes and wild superhumans shot by passersby, or erotic videos of famous female superheroes filmed by motels with hidden cameras, or even more bizarre, unspeakable videos.


    Some videos are not worth watching, as one side is much stronger and knocks down the other with a single blow; others are full of blood, with scenes of villains tearing superheroes apart not being uncommon.


    The developers of these sites generally fall into two categories: one is die-hard fans of superheroes or supervillains; the other is individuals looking to profit from site traffic.


    Anyone who grew up in this era, especially children interested in superheroes, would save at least one or two such websites to understand their favorite superheroes.


    A few years ago, Ke Mingye''s predecessor secretly logged onto an illegal video website and saw a video of the criminal "Timekeeper" torturing the superhero "Phoenix" to death, which left him with a great psychological shadow.


    "Phoenix," a superhero serving the United States, was not a superpower user or mutant, but a Divine Communicator like his older sister, Ghost Tree.


    The powers of a Divine Communicator come from the inheritance of deities in mythology. They usually have a crest appear somewhere on their body, granting them a portion of the deity''s power.


    Just as Bai Qiuwu''s path to Divine Communication is "Sun Wukong" and Ghost Tree''s is "World Tree";


    The superhero with the codename "Phoenix" had the path to Divine Communication with the same name, one of the twenty-seven pathways to Divine Communication¡ªthe "Phoenix" pathway.


    In Ancient Greek mythology, the phoenix has the power to "rise from the ashes."


    Similarly, this superhero had incredibly strong regenerative abilities; even if he suffered catastrophic damage, he could revive in seconds, almost as if he were eternally living.


    However, in the video on the website, the villain known as "Timekeeper" exploited this, using different methods of execution to torture Phoenix to death time and time again.


    Revive once, get tortured once.


    So it went on repeatedly.


    During this, Timekeeper''s methods of torment included breaking fingers one by one, drilling nails through the skull, chopping off limbs... When he lost interest in the punishment, Timekeeper uploaded the video to these illegal websites for others'' amusement.


    It was also his way of telling the world that their admired superheroes were nothing but pigs to be slaughtered in his hands.


    Incidentally, five years ago, Ke Mingye witnessed this scene. His stomach churned, and he vomited directly into the trash can.


    If he hadn''t turned off the sound in time, with Timekeeper''s maniac laughter and Phoenix''s cries of agony accompanying the video, the mental contamination would probably have doubled. Since then, Ke Mingye''s predecessor never dared to enter any illegal superhero video website again.


    Fortunately, now the body was used by another person.


    "Normally, at this time, just about any illegal website should have a live broadcast of the Huanjing city center," he thought.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye decided to try whether that website was still accessible. He typed in the address of the site into the browser on his phone and clicked to enter.


    As the page refreshed, a video website with a black and red UI appeared, named "Grey Pigeon Network." Ignoring the dense array of ads, the largest live streaming box was placed at the very top of the site. It was live-streaming the scene of "Ghost Tree" wrecking havoc on vehicles in the city center.


    Countless vehicles were flipped over by the thorny arms twisted from brambles; what was a bustling area full of people and flowing traffic instantly turned into a sea of flames.


    At the top of the live streaming box, in eye-catching red letters, was marked a line of text: "Live broadcast! Breaking news, ''Divine Communicator¡¤Ghost Tree'' has appeared below Huanjing Tower!"


    Next to this red text, there was another line of text marked with a "Hot!" tag at the end: "Limited-time betting is in full swing. Register an account, purchase virtual Superhero Coins, and immediately bet on which wild superhuman or superhero might appear to confront the event!"


    "Limited-time betting?" Ke Mingye curled his lips, "Okay, okay, so we''re betting like this?"


    He thought that in the entire world, probably only he could accurately predict at least three superhumans who would appear in the city center in this live broadcast.


    Without a doubt, Ke Youqing, Bai Qiuwu, and Bai Zini would soon appear in this live stream under another identity.


    ```

 Chapter 005 Magic Girl

    Upon clicking in, the list of heroes available for betting was a whopping 5,000 strong, all active vigilantes and wild superhumans in China.According to the website''s betting rules, each person could bet on up to two superheroes.


    Among them, "Justice Knight Azure Crow," the one with the most bets, was no surprise, since Ke Youqing pretty much showed up in Huanjing wearing a mask every day, earning the reputation as a model worker with the worst public reviews; for the populace, his presence had already become too commonplace.


    Upon reaching the second floor, Ke Mingye entered his room, locked the door, sat on his bed.


    Figuring that it was almost a sure-win situation, he casually registered an account and navigated to the recharge interface. He used WeChat Pay to exchange the pitiful 100 yuan in his wallet into virtual currency, then entered the betting screen to filter names.


    Before long, he picked out these three characters from the list: "Magical Girl Ash," "Divine Communicator ¡¤ Black Wukong," and "Superhero ¡¤ Blue Crow."


    They corresponded to Bai Zini, who had just left the house, Bai Qiuwu, and Ke Youqing, respectively.


    It was clear that under the names "Justice Knight Azure Crow" and "Divine Communicator ¡¤ Black Wukong," there were a large number of bets. No need to mention Azure Crow, but Black Wukong was specifically sought out by the nefarious "Ghost Tree," so naturally, people assumed he would accept the challenge.


    Betting on these two, even if one guessed correctly, wouldn''t result in a particularly large sum of money received.


    Therefore, Ke Mingye decisively placed all 100 yuan on the name "Magical Girl Ash."


    And he prayed in his heart that Bai Zini wouldn''t let him down, hoping she really wouldn''t go off to buy stationery instead; since she was already out the door, she might as well follow her father and elder sister to the scene to fish in troubled waters.


    As the "Successful Bet" pop-up appeared, Ke Mingye walked to his room on the second floor, locked the door, sat down on his bed, and clicked into the live streaming page.


    At this moment, the protagonists of this event had already begun to appear one after another.


    The cameraperson specialized in shooting such illegal videos, so instead of only focusing on the villain "Ghost Tree," the camera kept moving.


    Waiting for... the appearance of any superhuman.


    After a while, the camera captured a silhouette, the lens gradually zooming in and focusing.


    It was the figure standing atop Huanjing Tower, under the night moon, where the orange glow radiating from the tower mingled with the clear moonlight, highlighting the lone figure standing atop the spire.


    She lifted her small face, her demeanor clear and majestic. Her jet-black hair, like a cascading waterfall, lay behind her head, wearing a grey gothic dress, pleated with layers of petal-like ruffles, tied at the front with a bow, her right hand grasping an open umbrella held sideways.


    That umbrella was her "Magic Wand."


    The umbrella''s surface shimmered with a mottled grey and black hue, patterned with a series of clustered grey ornaments, an overwhelming variety of flowers with roses appearing particularly intricate. In the middle of the umbrella''s pattern, a circle of thorny vines stretched out, as if connecting each blooming flower together.


    With just one glance at this umbrella, almost no one in Huanjing wouldn''t be able to name its owner.


    The moment the camera zoomed in, the real-time comments on "Ash Pigeon Net" exploded exponentially, and Ke Mingye could hardly see the screen anymore.


    ¡ª¡ª"Woccccccc, it''s Ash!"


    ¡ª¡ª"Lady Ash, I''m your loyal fan!"


    ¡ª¡ª"No way, had I known, I would''ve bet on her, isn''t she usually only around on Saturdays and Sundays? I would''ve made a fortune if I''d bet on her just now!"


    ¡ª¡ª"I thought the first one to show up would either be ''Qing Ya'' or ''General Lingdong.'' They''re not going to bail, are they? I bet my entire fortune on them!"


    Ke Mingye clicked into the settings and blocked ninety percent of the bullet comments, thinking to himself, can you guys not drool over a middle schooler please, and for the love of God, quit the betting already. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, I''m one of those bettors too, so I guess it''s fine."


    With that thought, he checked his earnings. Because he had bet all 100 yuan on "Magical Girl Ash," and since she had indeed made an appearance, he won big. His earnings from this bet were fifty times his original stake, amounting to five thousand yuan.


    "At least I don''t have to ask my old man for money now."


    Muttering to himself, Ke Mingye continued to watch the livestream.


    The dignified grey umbrella on display in the livestream is one of the iconic items belonging to Magical Girl Ash, and also a weapon she commonly uses in combat.


    Being her own brother, Ke Mingye had researched her extensively online.


    This umbrella, named "Cinderella," has a lower section that is a "Magic Wand," and once the upper part, the umbrella canopy, is opened, it continues to spread out layers of gray magical ripples. It is these ripples that create an upward thrust, enabling her to fly in the sky and offering tremendous mobility.


    Moreover, by pointing "Cinderella''s" tip at the enemy and pressing the umbrella handle, the tip automatically opens into a gun barrel.


    According to some of the videos uploaded by her enthusiastic fans, Magical Girl Ash can not only shoot special magic-guided bullets far more powerful than ordinary ones from the umbrella, but when necessary, she can also fire a devastating energy beam from the tip that is said to be capable of obliterating almost anything.


    Logically, that move should be Ash''s trump card¡ªshe only used it once against a superhuman criminal appraised as "Catastrophic" by the Superhero Association. That time, she didn''t just kill the criminal but also took out the top of a skyscraper.


    Besides that, when facing superhumans skilled in close-quarters combat, she would pull out a magic-enforced longsword from the base of "Cinderella."


    However, unlike most Magic Girls, Ash seems not adept at using "Magic Books" and the "Magic Cards" contained within them; she has rarely used a Magic Book. In contrast, most Magic Girls who have appeared in countries like Japan, Norway, France, and Denmark invariably rely heavily on the cards from their "Magic Books" as their main method of combat.


    Because of her uniqueness, despite not appearing often, she has accumulated an incredibly horrifying amount of popularity on the internet.


    "Please, what kind of magic disguise is this?"


    Ke Mingye couldn''t help but cover his face, peering through his fingers at the face of that "Magic Girl" in the livestream, feeling somewhat doubtful about life.


    He thought to himself, no wonder no one at home could recognize her; after all, "Ash''s" features were much more strikingly cold and beautiful, like an older Bai Zini by two or three years, with British-styled makeup, wearing a cold expression on her face.


    The face that appeared before his eyes kept overlapping and colliding with his memory of what his sister actually looked like.


    This naked feeling of shame was like a subtle electric current traveling from his head down his bones to the tips of his toes. If he had to make an analogy, it felt quite similar to watching his sister, whom he had grown up with, one day completely transform into an internet celebrity sensation, twisting her waist with contrived expressions while singing "Sunshine Rainbow Little White Horse" on TV.


    Luckily, this so-called "Magical Girl Ash" was of the cold and stunning type, with few changes in her expressions and unpretentious movements, so no one at home could connect Bai Zini with her. Compared to those Magic Girls in London and Tokyo who scream slogans every time they appear, she seemed relatively normal.


    At this moment, along with the screams of people on the scene and the moving livestream, this evening''s second guest also made an appearance on camera.


    The number of bullet comments on the Grey Pigeon Network livestream spiked once again.

 Chapter 006 The God Communicator

    "Big sis is here too, huh? But how come she''s so much later than Bai Zini? It''s not like Somersault Cloud can''t beat an umbrella..."Ke Mingye thought puzzledly, his eyes shifting to the figure that had just appeared in the live broadcast.


    He suddenly remembered that Bai Qiuwu had left with their father, so he speculated that the two might not know each other''s identities because they had left the building together, hindering each other until they were out of each other''s sight before they could truly start moving.


    With that in mind, it was no surprise that Bai Qiuwu was slower than Bai Zini by a beat.


    "And where did Dad go?"


    Before he could dwell on his confusion, Ke Mingye''s attention was drawn to Bai Qiuwu''s appearance.


    At that moment, in the background of the live stream,


    a uninvited guest was standing in mid-air, stepping on a mass of fog as deep as the night. The object under his feet shimmered like rising tide water and also resembled a pitch-black cloud.


    He wore a black hood and his face was covered with a monkey mask. Clad in a metallic long coat reminiscent of a trench coat, it gleamed with a cold metallic luster under the neon lights. His right hand, protected by a steel wrist guard, held a pitch-black staff upright behind his shoulder, its body occasionally visible and then disappearing under the LED lights.


    "Somersault Cloud."


    With just one glance, Ke Mingye recognized the origin of the foggy mass that Bai Qiuwu was floating on¡ªDivine Communicator''s power came from their corresponding mythological figure, and when talking about the symbols of Sun Wukong in Chinese mythology, besides "Jingu Bang," it naturally was "Somersault Cloud".


    "The thing in her hand, that must be Jingu Bang," Ke Mingye thought again.


    The camera zoomed in, showing a chain descending from the sleeve of her trench coat. This chain was connected at one end to the folds of the right sleeve and wrapped around the surface of the Jingu Bang at the other.


    From afar, the black chain seemed to fuse her right arm and the Jingu Bang tightly together, inseparable.


    The eye sockets of the monkey mask were hollow, so through the holes, one could see a pair of crimson, sinister eyes that seemed to burn with fire.


    Divine Communicator: Sun Wukong.


    This was her original codename, like all Divine Communicators, they were referred to by the name of their deity. But because of her dark attire, the fervent followers on the internet had given her a distinctive nickname:


    ¡ª "Black Wukong."


    Such a tightly packed outfit made it impossible to tell whether the person inside was male or female. The vast majority believed that "Black Wukong" was a male.


    So far, it was very possible that no one in the world knew the true identity of this Divine Communicator, "Black Wukong," who had appeared out of nowhere two years ago.


    Except for one person.


    Ke Mingye stared at the sinister figure on his phone. If the system''s information was correct, then undoubtedly, this person was his sister, Bai Qiuwu.


    The Ghost Tree, which had been making a big show in the city center, was trying to draw out Black Wukong for a battle. Being one of the catalysts of this event, it was natural for her to appear in the city center as expected by all.


    At this very moment, Black Wukong was standing with her arms crossed, tilting her head slightly, looking down at the Ghost Tree without saying a word.


    The chain bound to her hand fluttered in the wind, with electronic billboards arrayed behind her.


    The LED screens mounted on the surfaces of skyscrapers were displaying a red exclamation mark set above two long swords, the warning sign for a "Superhuman Crime Event."


    Loudspeakers placed throughout the city were uniformly broadcasting "Evacuation Warnings," with a monotonous, cold female voice reminding every citizen to follow police orders and leave the city center as soon as possible.


    In the midst of the nearly world-drowning siren sounds, vehicles on the streets inevitably jammed together, many drivers angrily beating their steering wheels, taking their families to abandon their cars and flee following the crowd, led by the police.


    From above, it looked like a colony of ants moving along tree roots, orderly escaping the scene.


    ¡ª "Fuck, Black Wukong is here."


    ¡ª "His fans must be going crazy right now; he''s really come out to battle!"


    ¡ª¡ª"What kind of grudge does Ghost Tree have against him anyway?"


    ¡ª¡ª"They fought in the United States six months ago and almost destroyed half of the Empire State Building. After that, Black Wukong didn''t appear in the United States anymore, but went back to China, and Ghost Tree followed him there." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡ª¡ª"Can you focus the camera on my Miss Ash, stop filming this monkey all the time, or I''ll switch to another channel!"


    On PigeonNet, one barrage after another quickly swept across the top of the live streaming interface.


    In another corner of the street, Ghost Tree seemed to sense someone''s presence and suddenly looked up, staring at the figure hovering on a cloud.


    In that moment, his expression twisted violently, and lines of blood slowly spread in his green eyes.


    "You¡­ have come."


    He first muttered to himself, then his tone gradually became heavier, almost pausing between each word, filled with a grinding, blood-sucking fury.


    "You finally¡­ came!"


    As his voice fell, his arms transformed into thousands of thorns wrapping towards the ground, instantly lifting his body a hundred meters into the air, stopping just above the LED screen on the fa?ade of a tall building.


    Next, he turned one of his arms into roots and smashed them into the display, igniting sparks. The massive screen immediately lost a chunk, exposing the tangled, intertwined wires inside.


    Ghost Tree forcefully clutched the indented corner of the display, keeping his body flush against the surface of the high-rise a hundred meters in the air, his green eyes staring fixedly at Black Wukong.


    "Do you know how long I''ve been looking for you? Since that fight we had in New York."


    Ghost Tree said with a demented laugh, while gripping the entangled wires inside the screen. The neon lights reflected on his fierce face and yellowing teeth.


    The relentless wind blew down from the night sky, slightly lifting the hood of ''Black Wukong,'' but she remained silent, just calmly looking at Ghost Tree through her monkey mask.


    "When did they fight in New York?"


    Ke Mingye was puzzled but soon remembered: About six months ago, his mother had taken his older sister on a trip to New York, and that''s probably when his sister and Ghost Tree started their feud.


    He chuckled softly, thinking how deep this villain''s obsession was, following his sister all the way from the United States to China. He also felt his sister''s sense of justice was truly overwhelming. Going to New York as a tourist was one thing, but there was no need to bother with the criminals there, especially since the Superhero Association''s New York branch had plenty of formidable heroes.


    Like: Divine Communicator Zeus, Mutant: Red Wolf Warrior, Superpower User: Two-Dimensional Swordsman¡ªthere were plenty of renowned figures who could have stepped in.


    Yet, during just those two days of vacation, Bai Qiuwu still managed to stir up such a mess, which was totally not worth it.


    In the video, Black Wukong slowly raised her right arm, with the Jingu Bang, connected by a chain to her hand, also lifting, aiming at Ghost Tree''s head.


    Initially, Ke Mingye did not understand the purpose of her using the chain to bind her arm and the Jingu Bang together.


    But taking his sister''s personality into account, he thought it likely that she used the chain to remind herself to always conserve strength, lest she accidentally kill the criminal with a single strike.


    "Can''t you follow some rules, I was here first."


    Just as they were about to begin fighting, a clear and cold voice suddenly came from above, causing Black Wukong and Ghost Tree to both look up at that person.


    The newcomer held a gray umbrella, floating mid-air, her snow-white chin lifted as she looked down upon the two from above.


    Waves of magic rippled from "Cinderella''s" umbrella, supporting her steady flight through the air.


    Relying on that umbrella, she descended gracefully, hanging slightly above the other two in a position slightly higher than theirs.


    Magic Girl Ash gently pulled at her black glove, the hem of her dress fluttering in the wind.


    With her left hand resting on the elbow of her right, which held the umbrella handle, she stepped through the air, slowly approaching Black Wukong. With a haughty and cold tone, she spoke:


    "Last time was really careless of me, allowing you to escape. We still have a score to settle¡­"

 Chapter 007 Family Affairs

    As the goth-styled Magic Girl walked towards Diviner Black Wukong on the screen and left behind a line dripping with sarcastic undertones, Ke Mingye was left dumbstruck, his expression the epitome of astonishment."Ah? When did you two sisters start having issues with each other?"


    It took him a full two seconds to come to his senses, thinking to himself, can''t they resolve whatever the issue is at home, must they don a disguise and lose face in public like this?


    Under the cloak of night, Magical Girl Ash and Black Wukong stood face to face. In the distance, a steel train rumbled across the elevated railway, its friction with the tracks scattering a shower of bright sparks.


    The cascade of sparks flew over their heads, so bright that even the neon lights on the buildings seemed dimmed for a moment.


    Seeing that the other party remained silent, she asked coldly, "Can''t you speak? You were mute the last time we met too."


    True to her words, this Divine Communicator "Black Wukong," whenever he appeared before people''s eyes, indeed remained silent from beginning to end, not uttering a single word, perhaps not even half a word.


    Bai Zini was different though. It was obvious that her voice had been magically altered¡ªcompletely different in tone and timbre from her usual speech, like two different people.


    If Ke Mingye hadn''t been mentally prepared and absolutely sure that this character was his sister, he might not have recognized her at all.


    The sister who only knew how to throw tantrums at home suddenly adopted a domineering attitude outside, just short of bossing people around by riding on their necks, the contrast was simply too stark.


    "At home, would you dare to speak to your sister with such arrogance¡­"


    Hearing Bai Zini mock Bai Qiuwu like that, Ke Mingye couldn''t help but lose his composure.


    He pictured it, if Bai Qiuwu actually responded to her, Magical Girl Ash would be scared out of her wits upon hearing the familiar voice. Her eyes might just pop out of her head.


    Then, following her usual style, she might first cross her arms and maintain her composure for a while, and after everything had settled, find a secluded spot to begin whining:


    "Sister, why is it you? There were too many people just now, I didn''t mean to. Your servant knows she''s wrong, wuwuwu." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The more Ke Mingye thought about it, the more outrageous it seemed. He had originally thought the main character of the night was that villain, but now all the attention had shifted to his own family.


    "Please, if you''re going to create an alias to strike at a criminal, could you not make a mockery of your own family? Do you think you''re being funny..."


    He thought to himself but also came to some conclusions.


    It''s another matter whether Bai Qiuwu knows that Bai Zini is "Magical Girl Ash";


    However, it seemed certain that Bai Zini had no clue that Bai Qiuwu was "Diviner Black Wukong," otherwise she wouldn''t be so aggressive, every line she spoke clearly itching for a fight.


    At that moment, the ghost tree frowning at being left out was draped over a high-rise building''s LED display, the electrical wire clutched in his hand producing a flickering light that illuminated his baffled, complex expression.


    Wasn''t he the damn villain?


    Having thrown the whole district into chaos, with alarms blaring and smoke billowing, shouldn''t the spotlight be on him?


    Why was he suddenly sidelined?


    Three succinct questions popped into his head, his brow furrowing deeper as he felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation.


    Meanwhile, as this weird scene unfolded, the number of comments on Pigeon Net exploded yet again, reaching a new peak.


    According to official information, both Magical Girl Ash and Divine Communicator Black Wukong were not part of the official camp and thus were considered superhumans but not quite superheroes¡ª at most, they were vigilantes.


    Since they could present themselves as vigilantes "not under official control" before the public, and their identities were not in the superhuman database, they must have been illegal superhumans who had escaped genetic testing, and they should have been captured by the Superhero Association for a thorough interrogation.


    When such characters took action, they not only faced the pressure of criminals but were also under scrutiny by official forces¡ªofficials never supported "unregistered" wild superhumans donning tight suits and pretending to be law enforcers, which was undoubtedly contrary to the law, essentially defecating on the Superhero Association''s doorstep.


    But it was precisely because of their controversial status, as well as their unique outfits and abilities, that they kicked up a frenzy on the internet.


    The global discussion about "Magical Girl Ash" and "Divine Communicator Black Wukong" even rivaled some of the official superheroes in popularity.


    So now, a large group of people on Pigeon Net were asking if anyone could explain when this Magic Girl and Black Wukong became rivals.


    But Ke Mingye, who sat on the bed, was arguably the most shocked of all; the scene before him didn''t quite align with his expectations.


    He had thought that if his father, older sister, and younger sister showed up together, even if they didn''t know each other''s identity, as righteous characters, they should logically join forces to take down the criminal who dared to cause trouble in Huanjing. Right?


    But when he arrived at the scene, it turned out that it was his sister and his younger sister who started to quarrel first¡­ Yes, two righteous characters started fighting in front of a villain. If this got out, the discussions would certainly not be lacking.


    At this moment, looking at the panels above the heads of the three of them, Ke Mingye suddenly remembered that Bai Zini''s combat rating was only B+ level, a full tier below Black Wukong and the Phantom Tree.


    Yet among the three, it was she who behaved most arrogantly, striking an unyielding stance.


    Thinking back to Bai Zini''s reaction half an hour earlier, Ke Mingye suddenly understood why she rushed out in such a fury after hearing the news on television, insisting on joining the commotion.


    Ke Mingye held his forehead and sighed, "So she was out for revenge against our older sister? No wonder she was so fierce¡­"


    At that moment, the Phantom Tree was staring at the two from a distance, narrowed its eyes, and pulled up the corners of its mouth coldly as it said, word by word, "You two pieces of trash, are you here to play house?"


    Dude, they''re really not playing house¡ªthey are indeed family.


    Ke Mingye covered his face, feeling slightly inebriated; watching his siblings tear each other apart on live TV was indeed a unique experience.


    As soon as he spoke, the Phantom Tree suddenly roared, viciously aiming its left arm at Magical Girl Ash, not far ahead.


    In an instant, that arm morphed into thousands of thorny vines that stretched out, aiming straight for Ash¡ªwith one swipe of this move, the Phantom Tree had effortlessly knocked down a helicopter before, and its danger was imaginable.


    If Ash were to be hit, she might be shredded to pieces by the encircling thorns in the blink of an eye.


    Catching a glimpse of this out of the corner of her eye, Ash didn''t even turn her head; instead, she triggered a gust of air from the tip of "Cinderella"''s umbrella, using the reaction force to propel her body in the opposite direction and avoid the countless thorns.


    The thorns, like a giant python, slithered past her body with a thunderous noise, the howling cold wind lifting her hair strands.


    "She can even dodge that¡­"


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking that Bai Zini indeed had some skills. The Phantom Tree had attacked in less than a second, and Bai Zini had reacted immediately after speaking with Black Wukong.


    As the wind died down, Ash''s blown hair also fell back into place. She slowly lifted her gaze from her hair, her expression still calm, but the displeasure on her face was now more evident.


    "Wait till I take down this ''Phantom'' something, then I''ll come after you, monkey," she said.


    With that, she drew a lake-clear long knife from the base of Cinderella''s umbrella handle, turned her head slowly, and shifted her gaze to the enraged Phantom Tree.


    Too cocky, little sis, can''t you restrain yourself a bit¡­ Ke Mingye felt embarrassed for her while pouring himself a glass of water from the bedside.


    Even in the face of such provocation, Black Wukong remained silent, just standing on the Somersault Cloud, tilting his head to watch her.


    Then, he pulled out a cellphone from the pocket of his metallic coat, typed swiftly with one hand, and turned the screen towards the Magic Girl who had drawn the long knife from beneath the umbrella.


    The cameraman secretly filming the scene lay atop the rooftop of a high-rise building, and he zoomed his lens in countless times.


    Finally, everyone watching the live broadcast could clearly see the content on the cellphone screen.


    On the phone was a blank memo with the message written on it:


    ¡ª"I don''t have time to play with kids, I suggest you step aside, he came looking for me."


    Ke Mingye had just taken a sip of water and, upon seeing this text, sprayed it out, coughing while thinking to himself, "With the situation this heated, it seems unlikely that you two sisters won''t have a fight tonight to settle things."


    Just then, Ke Mingye suddenly remembered someone¡ªthat was Ke Youqing, who hadn''t yet appeared on the scene.


    So he couldn''t help feeling puzzled: based on the usual pace, Ke Youqing should have put on his battle dress and arrived at the scene by now, appearing in front of the camera.


    "Wait, where''s dad?"


    Ke Mingye sighed and thought to himself.


    "Could you be a bit useful, hurry up and go over there, blast the criminal with a punch, and while you''re at it, discipline your two daughters¡ªdon''t let them create a scene in public anymore."

 Chapter 008 Midnight Ravens

    Ke Mingye took a sip of plain water and set down the cup. His pupils reflected the fiery scenes on his phone, his ears inundated with the roaring of bursting air currents.It was as if he were right there.


    The quality of the video and audio from the livestream suggested that the filmmaker had used sophisticated equipment.


    Such effects could only be captured by illegal filmmakers specializing in recording such scenes for profit, a far cry from random passersby whipping out their phones to take a video.


    However, although the actions and dialogues of the three characters in the sky above Huanjing were mostly captured, Ke Mingye wasn''t entirely engrossed.


    Compared to the three people in the frame, he was more concerned about where Ke Youqing had gone. Could he have been intercepted by other superhuman criminals?


    After all, he had many enemies.


    But then, another possibility occurred to Ke Mingye¡ªKe Youqing was most likely helping the police rescue the vehicles previously hung up on Huanjing Bridge by the ghost tree.


    At this moment, the illegal filmmaker knocked the camera against the railing of the rooftop, drastically adjusting the lens to better capture the three figures darting between skyscrapers and dazzling neon lights.


    Every frame was like glimpsing flowers through the fog, fleeting and elusive.


    Amid the roars, glass curtain walls and LED giant screens on the surface of the steel buildings shattered consecutively. As the skirt of Magical Girl Ash fluttered, millions of glass shards poured down from mid-air like a furious snowstorm, lavishly sprinkling onto the streets congested with vehicles.


    As the glass splattered down, hitting car after car, the piercing alarms of car security systems once again filled the streets.


    Ke Mingye''s eyelid twitched.


    He thought, why does it feel like you guys are going to have to renovate the entire city center if you keep fighting like this?


    Can''t you pull out your big moves earlier instead of probing each other? Are you really going to escalate like in "Dragon Ball" from Super Saiyan one to Super Saiyan five?


    Especially with "curfew time" fast approaching at home, Bai Zini and Bai Qiuwu, you two better not get locked out by mom.


    Just as Ke Mingye was getting absorbed, suddenly, a hoarse and grim voice sounded almost within arm''s reach, casually asking:


    "What are you doing?"


    Ke Mingye was slightly startled then blurted out, "What the hell?"


    Soon, he confirmed that the voice seemed to have come from... beside the filmmaker?


    But wasn''t the filmmaker secretly filming from the rooftop of a nearby residential building? Then who could be speaking right beside his ear?


    "You are committing a crime... Filming fights involving superhumans is strictly prohibited by law."


    The voice stated so. Sinister and hoarse, it echoed eerily on the silent rooftop.


    Like a giant crow was cawing, chilling to the bone.


    The filmmaker turned his head, only to see a profound shadow swaying in the moonlight at a corner of the rooftop, resembling a giant crow.


    At that moment, the camera also reflected the corner of the rooftop, revealing the elongated silhouette hidden in the shadows.


    His face was adorned with a sinister, finely arched mask. The eyes peering out from the eye sockets were bright and deep as torches in the darkness. A blue bird''s beak protruded from the mask, and his cloak, like a large robe, concealed his body as though melding him into the night.


    Seconds before, eagle-eyed viewers had already recognized the source of the voice. Upon seeing this image, the upper part of the livestream was instantly filled with lines of commentary.


    ¡ª"It''s Qing Ya, I told you this jerk would show up?"


    ¡ª"He finally came, I bet thirty thousand on him, thought I was gonna go bankrupt!"


    ¡ª"Holy shit! Qing Ya is here! This is the first time an illegal livestream has captured Qing Ya''s face up close!"


    ¡ª"What are you waiting for, start recording!"


    As Ke Mingye was tearing open the packaging of an instant bread roll, he caught sight of this scene and couldn''t help but pause.


    "Old Daddy''s finally turned up." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was thinking while tearing open the bread''s packaging.


    "You are way too slow, your two daughters have already fought the villain for two or three rounds up there..."


    At this moment, dressed in a battle suit, the superhero "Qing Ya" was leaning against a corner of the rooftop, his deep eyes behind the mask staring straight at the surveillance stealer.


    The sharp bird beak on his mask seemed like a blade poised to take a life, aiming directly at the camera.


    The surveillance stealer saw him and, while aiming the camera at him, screamed incoherently, "Don''t come any closer! A lot of people are watching!"


    The camera shook wildly, highlighting his fear.


    Seeing the man''s ghostly reaction, Ke Mingye couldn''t help but laugh, thinking to himself: Big brother, you''re really funny. Is such a reaction necessary? The guy in front of you is dressed a bit terrifyingly and quite shabbily, but he is an officially recognized superhero after all, right? Do you need to be so startled?


    Plus, you are live streaming, even if my dad has a bad temper, he shouldn''t really...


    He shouldn''t really...


    Ke Mingye was thinking this when, in the next instant, Qing Ya disappeared from the spot. At the same time, the camera lens suddenly darkened as if covered by a cloth.


    What remained was only silence.


    Death-like silence.


    "...Huh?"


    "Huh?"


    Ke Mingye let out two questioning sounds one after another, his fingers tearing the packaging pausing, and his expression froze for a second.


    "Wait, dad didn''t really get rid of him, did he?"


    At this time, the entire live stream was dark, with only lines of pale barrage flying rapidly across the top.


    After a brief silence of two seconds, he put down the bread, exited the live stream room, and opened the live stream list on Grey Pigeon website, only to discover a whole page of live streams about the "Ghost Tree."


    So he breathed a sigh of relief: "As long as there''s something else to watch."


    He was about to click into another stream when, in just that split second, all the thumbnails for the live streams turned black, one page after another.


    Just like toppled dominoes.


    In the end, what was left was the death-like darkness and stillness.


    Seeing something was wrong, Ke Mingye''s expression changed: "We really won''t have anything to watch now, will we?" he said, then flipped through two more pages, only to find the next page''s ten live streams also turned black one by one.


    As if someone had turned off the lights.


    Without exception, the last scene in these surveillance thieves'' live streams was a huge crow swooping down from the sky or bursting out of the shadows.


    After three seconds of silence, Ke Mingye, gripping the half-opened package of bread, sighed deeply.


    He was feeling very mixed, as if someone had unplugged his internet connection. He had been curious to see what kind of chemical reaction would occur when his dad, sister, and younger sister got together.


    Well, now no one will see it.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye flipped through Grey Pigeon website, randomly clicking into a few live streams. As he expected, the barrage in these streams was furiously cursing "Qing Ya."


    He finally understood why the superhero "Qing Ya" had such a bad reputation on the internet; some things really weren''t without reason.


    "Dad, what on earth are you doing, dad?" he muttered, hanging his head and complaining softly.


    "You show up at the scene, do nothing, and start by unplugging everyone''s internet, right? You''re really classy as hell..."

 Chapter 009 The Dragon of Calamity

    Ke Mingye took a bite of his instant bread and flipped through a few pages of Grey Pigeon Station''s live broadcast, only to realize that Ke Youqing had indeed cleaned out all the illicit photographers thoroughly.Not one survived.


    "I guess hundreds of illegal websites'' bystanders watching the live broadcast all got banned overnight. The number of detractors sure grew by a few blocks, huh."


    "That''s our Chinese superheroes for you. First off, they show up like ghosts from a horror movie scaring people; then, instead of dealing with the criminals, they pull the plug on the common netizens'' internet."


    "Might as well stop calling him ''Qing Ya'' and rename him ''The Terror Crow Man''."


    "Haha, do you guys have these dark heroes abroad or what? Dark heroes, you know? Not to mention others, even your son is thinking of filing a complaint against you at the Superhero Association."


    As Ke Mingye muttered sarcastically, he operated his cellphone and logged out of "Grey Pigeon Network."


    Just as he put down his phone, a system panel suddenly popped up in front of him.


    [System Announcement 1: Up until now, all the players who survived have passed the three-day adaptation test¡ªthe purpose of this test is to help players understand and adapt to the current situation of this parallel world. (Warning again: do not reveal your identity to the superhumans around you until you have sufficient strength.)]


    [System Announcement 2: Tomorrow morning, features like "Daily Missions," "Global Instances," "Player Communication," "System Store," etc., will officially be launched...]


    "Great, finally I can discuss these past three days with the other ninety-something unlucky ones chosen, hoping their start was as hellish as mine¡ªsurrounded by a bunch of superhumans with magic dad data. Otherwise, I really might kill myself..."


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye selected [Confirm Receipt of Notices] at the bottom of the panel, got out of bed, and walked out of the room in his slippers.


    Just as he reached the second floor corridor, Bai Wenna''s voice came from downstairs: "Mingye, call Zi Ling down to get the cut fruit!"


    "Coming."


    Ke Mingye casually responded to her while walking in front of Bai Ziling''s room.


    The door was closed, so he gently knocked and said with annoyance, "Mom''s calling you downstairs for fruit."


    As he finished speaking, there was no response from inside. He knocked again, still no response.


    "She''s sleeping this early?"


    He raised an eyebrow, turned the doorknob, hearing a "click," it was locked. He glanced at his phone, only seven o''clock.


    "She''s not inside..."


    Ke Mingye found it weird; Bai Ziling''s room was eerily quiet yet tightly locked.


    But then, remembering that his younger sister Bai Ziling was from the Blood Clan, he figured it all out. Ke Ming felt she had probably snuck out the window by now, off to the hospital to steal blood bags or, more directly... attack passerby to replenish her blood.


    "So what does it have to do with me anyway."


    He stretched lazily, moved under the orange cucumber lights left from last Christmas, and started walking downstairs when he suddenly heard a door opening.


    Following that, Bai Wenna''s surprised voice came from downstairs: "Eh, isn''t that Xiao Mo? How come you''re back so early?"


    Ke Mingye paused at the stairwell.


    My brother is back, at this time? How so sudden, when he just told me this morning he might not return for another couple of days...


    With that thought, his pupils constricted, and a wave of inexplicable unease welled up inside him.


    .....


    .....


    Half an hour earlier, Huanjing, Old Jingmai District.


    In a secluded alley rarely trodden by foot, a white-haired girl slowly raised her head from the neck of a corpse, the moonlight brushing over her bloodstained lips and her silver-dyed hair.


    Her gaze was calm, devoid of any emotion.


    Bai Ziling wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, looking away from the corpse.


    "Full..." she muttered softly.


    Just then, from the deep shadows of the alley, a hoarse yet majestic voice came, sounding like a bell yet with a childish tone.


    "Are you eating a human?"


    The voice asked.


    Bai Ziling paused for a moment before slowly turning her head, lifting her eyes from beneath the silver bangs.


    With the sensory abilities of the Blood Clan, it was the first time she encountered someone who could approach her silently. But soon she realized... that hidden in the shadows was not a human.


    It was...


    A dragon.


    This dragon, about two meters long, had upright pupils swirling with a lava-like hue. Its dark scales, metallic and layered, gave it a textured look. Currently, it sat on the ground, its tail hanging down like a broom, casting a long shadow.


    Believe it or not, it was somewhat cute, resembling a young dragon.


    Bai Ziling stared at it for a while, her expression softening.


    She was a vampire herself, so what was so strange about a world with Magic Girls, superheroes, or even a dragon?


    Thinking this, she shook her head: "No, I never eat humans."


    "Then what are you doing?" asked the dragon from the shadows.


    "Drinking blood," Bai Ziling answered.


    The young dragon cautiously moved its claw forward, revealing more of its body from the shadows, and said tentatively.


    "Wouldn''t it be more convenient to just eat him?" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Slowly, its face emerged into the harsh moonlight, displaying the fierce yet juvenile aspect of dragons¡ªsometimes childlike, at times like a born executioner.


    After looking at it for a while, Bai Ziling asked softly: "Are you hungry?"

 Chapter 009 The Dragon of Calamity_2

    "Hmm, can you give him to me?" the young dragon asked, swallowing a gulp of saliva.She fell silent for a moment, "But you need to eat a bit cleaner, or it might leave my traces."


    "Don''t worry, neither you nor I want to be caught by humans..."


    As the young dragon spoke, it crawled over, lifted the corpse with its claws, and slowly dragged it into the corner.


    Bai Ziling blinked those blood-red pupils, hugging her knees and sitting on the ground, staring at it for a while. She was still curious, why was there a dragon here?


    But she was afraid her mother would check her room and find her missing, so she patted her buttocks, climbed up the ladder hanging from the wall, and stepped onto the iron plate holding an air conditioning unit.


    Then with a light jump, she leaped onto the roof of the residential building.


    Once on the roof, Bai Ziling turned back, casting her eyes down at the young dragon crouched in the shadows.


    It seemed the dragon didn''t want her to see it eating, so it just crouched like a cat on the ground, raising its head, quietly waiting for her to leave.


    Human and dragon, a pair of red eyes met in the dark night.


    In the moonlight, she whispered softly,


    "Dragons and vampires alike, everyone hates us."


    The young dragon stared blankly for a moment.


    Having said that, Bai Ziling slowly turned around, her hands behind her, and walked along the edge of the roof as if she were walking a zebra crossing on the road.


    Gradually, her figure merged into the night.


    The young dragon, lifting its head, gazed blankly at the empty night sky for a long time, then placed its claws on the corpse and began to eat silently.


    Much later, a dense pool of blood flowed out from the shadows; the corpse was no longer there.


    It sighed deeply, flapped its still undeveloped short wings, and flew towards the night sky, hiding on the rooftop of an apartment building.


    Huddled in a corner of the rooftop, the young dragon''s body gradually changed, taking the form of a human boy.


    Ke Yongzhu, embracing his naked body, curled up in a corner of the rooftop. He spaced out for a while, mumbling, "Yes, sister, we are both monsters."


    This wasn''t the first time he had seen Bai Ziling drink blood, but... this was the first time he had mustered the courage to transform into a dragon form to say a word to her.


    Usually, he would always hide his presence, stealthily following behind her, silently hiding in a corner.


    At those times, he would think, it turns out it''s not just me who''s a freak in the family; sister is too.


    "Oh well, she has gone home, I should go home too."


    Ke Yongzhu sighed, picked up the clothes he had removed before transforming, put them on, and then strolled across several rooftops.


    Following Bai Ziling''s scent, he walked toward his home.


    Shortly after he left, the color of the shadow on the ground in the alley he had left slowly grew darker, and a figure emerged from within the shadows.


    It was a young man, his features so delicate they were nearly feminine, who watched expressionlessly the pool of blood on the ground.


    After a long while, the youth murmured softly.


    "Indeed, the descendant of the Calamity Dragon has emerged..."


    He took out a scroll-bearing green bird and a brush from the sleeve of his clothes. Opening the scroll carried by the bird, he used the brush to write:


    "Report to the Ninja Sect, the descendant of the Calamity Dragon is in Huanjing. From the remaining traces, it is still in its juvenile form. It''s not too late to find it now. Requesting reinforcements."


    Having done all this, the youth closed the scroll, secured it to the back of the bird, and let it fly from his palm. It flapped its wings rapidly and soon disappeared into the moonlight with the scroll.


    The young man''s figure once again turned into a mass of ink, melting into the shadows under his feet.


    Soon after, the youth emerged once again from a pool of shadows, appearing in front of a residential building, with no one around.


    He looked up at the sign of the building "Old Jingmai Street Unit 1 Phase 5 Building 1201," then entered the staircase and took the elevator to the ninth floor.


    The elevator doors slowly closed, and just at the moment they were about to shut, a young hand reached in, wedged in the middle of the elevator doors...


    Watching this eerie scene, the youth was first stunned, then slightly focused.


    He wiped the sweat from his forehead. Thinking, from such a distance, could the Calamity Dragon possibly have detected his scent? No, he couldn''t be sure yet.


    With a hand wedged in the middle of the elevator doors, they slowly opened to each side.


    Under the flickering lights at the hallway entrance, a boy dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt stood at the entrance.


    He withdrew his hand that had been blocking the elevator door and expressionlessly looked at the nervous young man standing inside.


    The two exchanged a glance, and one of them spoke.


    "Second brother?"


    Ke Yongzhu looked at his face, slightly stunned, and spoke first. He thought to himself that he had just finished consuming someone and happened to run into his second brother returning from outside.


    Ke Xiaomo also paused slightly.


    Then, looking at that familiar, kindly face, he relaxed deeply. He thought to himself that he had really been too paranoid, given that earlier, in the alley and from such a distance, using the utmost stealth methods and focusing on consuming the disaster dragon, how could it possibly have noticed his presence?


    So stupid...


    Ke Xiaomo chuckled as though laughing at himself.


    "Little brother, long time no see," he said.


    Ke Yongzhu, with his hands in his pockets, walked into the elevator, looked back at him, and asked curiously, "Uh, why didn''t you say you were coming back? Mingye said you were still at university and would be back in a couple of days?"


    "Something came up, so I came back early," Ke Xiaomo answered.


    Accompanied by their lukewarm conversation, the elevator doors closed smoothly this time. With a faint hum, the elevator began to ascend slowly.


    Ke Xiaomo reached out and ruffled his hair, asking, "You must be in sixth grade by now, right? How has it been at school lately? You haven''t been bullying any classmates, have you?"


    "Hey, whether I bully classmates or not is another matter, but brother, stop touching my head; it''ll make me not grow taller."


    Ke Yongzhu brushed away his hand, complaining.


    Ke Xiaomo just smiled and remained silent.


    Soon, the elevator doors slowly opened. He glanced at the elevator indicator; it was the ninth floor, no mistake. Thus, he and Ke Yongzhu stepped out of the elevator together and pressed the doorbell next to the apartment door.


    The door slowly opened, revealing their mother''s face in the light; she quickly looked surprised.


    Bai Wenna looked at him: "Eh, isn''t that Xiaomo? Why did you come back so early?"


    Ke Xiaomo scratched the bridge of his nose and explained, "A friend here made plans with me, so I came back from university two days early. Just now, I even ran into my little brother on the way back."


    Hearing this, Bai Wenna put her hands on her hips and glared at Ke Yongzhu, "This rascal, you said you were going to the supermarket downstairs to get some Coke, and it took you so long."


    "Can''t I walk around a bit after buying the drinks?"


    Ke Yongzhu, looking down, said this a bit guiltily while wiping the corner of his mouth, thinking he had used the disaster dragon''s abilities to eliminate the blood scent, hoping it wouldn''t be detected.


    Speaking of which, how does our third sister manage to remove the scent of blood? She goes out to suck blood every once in a while, yet no one notices. He thought again.


    "Mom, don''t be too strict with them; it''s just a walk."


    Ke Xiaomo smiled gently, hugging the visibly annoyed Ke Yongzhu as they walked into the house.


    He stopped in the familiar living room and suddenly sensed a covert, strange gaze, causing him to suddenly look up and follow the staircase toward the entrance on the second floor.


    There, a youth stood by the railing of the second-floor staircase, his head lowered, emotionlessly playing with his phone. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Xiaomo, looking up, blurted out a name.


    "Ming...ye?"


    While calling his brother''s name, he felt it strange. He had clearly sensed someone watching him, and that gaze had lasted a solid two seconds.


    Undoubtedly, with a ninja''s intuition, he could feel that it was a stare full of hostility, as if looking at a stranger.


    But when he looked up, all he saw was Ke Mingye playing on his phone, appearing as if he hadn''t even noticed him.


    At that moment, having heard the noise, Ke Mingye looked up from his phone and glanced downstairs at Ke Xiaomo, his expression somewhat surprised.


    He raised his eyebrows and said, "Brother, when did you get back? Weren''t you supposed to come back in a couple of days? Are you fooling me with your phone?"


    Ke Xiaomo, staring expressionlessly at Ke Mingye, met his gaze.


    At the same time, a thought crossed his mind: his brother... seemed somewhat strange.

 Chapter 010 Enemies on a Narrow Road

    June 18th, night, inside a duplex apartment.Ke Mingye rested his arms on the railing of the second-floor staircase, leaning forward slightly. While staring at his phone, he kept an eye on his second brother and younger brother as they entered through the door.


    At this moment, Ke Xiaomo, with his arm around Ke Yongzhu''s shoulder, walked into the living room. Simultaneously, in Ke Mingye''s eyes, their information panels emerged above their heads.


    [Name: Ke Xiaomo]


    [Age: 20]


    [Gender: Male]


    [Strength: A+ (Possessing top-tier combat power far surpassing 90% of the world''s superhumans)]


    [Hidden Identity: Ninja of the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect and also "The Big Disciple of the 27th Sect Master".]


    A ninja, my second brother?


    So, was his insistence on going to college in Xi''an because it was closer to Shadow Sail Mountain? The entire family was trying to persuade him to change his college preference, but he wouldn''t listen to a single word.


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye let out a sigh of relief. "Ninja" didn''t seem too dangerous. They probably still belonged to a law-abiding and righteous faction.


    If the family had someone like a serial killer music enthusiast, then he would have to worry about his own safety.


    [Note 1: When a ninja is nearby, always be careful of the shadows around you, as they could appear from them at any moment.]


    [Note 2: The "Shadow Heir Ninja Sect" and "Disaster Dragon Clan" are hereditary arch-enemies whose war has lasted for hundreds of years. While the "Disaster Dragon Clan" has now disappeared, the "Shadow Heir Ninja Sect" still believes the descendants of "Disaster Dragons" possibly remain alive in the world.


    Therefore, the primary objective of the Ninja Sect is to find all the "Disaster Dragon Offspring" in the world and eradicate them completely.]


    [Note 3: The base of the "Shadow Heir Ninja Sect" is located at Shadow Sail Mountain.]


    "So, this Ninja Sect and Disaster Dragons are arch-enemies?"


    "Arch¡­ arch-enemies?"


    While thinking about this, Ke Mingye''s brain froze for a second, wondering if he was seeing things, "But isn''t this guy hugging a Disaster Dragon Offspring right now?"


    He glanced again at Ke Xiaomo''s panel description, and at Ke Yongzhu next to him.


    [Name: Ke Yongzhu]


    [Age: 10]


    [Gender: Male]


    [Strength: A+ (Possessing top-tier combat power far surpassing 90% of the world''s superhumans)]


    [Hidden Identity: A juvenile form of the Disaster Dragon Offspring.]


    As Ke Mingye grasped what was going on, his mouth almost formed an "O" shape in astonishment.


    In his eyes, Ke Xiaomo''s gesture of hugging Ke Yongzhu turned horrific and glaring, as if beholding something as eldritch as The God Cthulhu.


    Despite his restraint, Ke Mingye couldn''t help the twitch at the corner of his mouth, his eyelids constantly twitching.


    He thought to himself, Second brother, can you open your eyes and see what you''re hugging? So the age-old enemies are just buddy-buddy with each other?


    Tell me, are you a double agent in the Ninja Sect, or just one of its liberal leftists?


    Despite struggling to suppress his snarky remarks, Ke Mingye knew that these two were probably unaware of each other''s identities, which was why such an absurd situation had arisen.


    Retreating a ten thousand steps back, Ke Yongzhu might not even know what the Ninja Sect is. From his birth, he was abandoned in the streets in human form and then adopted by a nearby orphanage institution. It might have been during his growth that he gradually became aware of the peculiarities inherent within himself.


    Fortunately, his mentality matured faster than ordinary people''s, allowing him to hide the fact that he was actually a dragon both in the orphanage and in this family.


    As an orphan, he hadn''t been schooled by a dragon on how to avoid risks, nor would he be told that the "Shadow Heir Ninja Sect" was the greatest nemesis of their disaster-stricken Dragon Clan.


    Therefore, Ke Yongzhu was mostly unaware that there was a large group of people in the world, scheming to find him and then slaughter him thoroughly.


    Compared to these, Ke Mingye admired the alien mother even more, thinking it kind of twisted that she managed to bring together a pair of generational enemies.


    On his first day arriving at this place, he couldn''t figure out how his mother could have given birth to so many children with vastly different abilities and origins.


    First of all, he and Ke Yongzhu were adopted, so there were no blood relation concerns.


    The predecessor of this body, "Ke Mingye," was an ordinary person; this point was unquestionable, as the traversing Ke Mingye retained all the memories from before;


    Ke Yongzhu was different. Bai Wenna probably targeted him for his "disaster dragon" identity and picked him up from the orphanage to bring him home.


    Let''s rule out those two first.


    Then, among the other five biological siblings in the house¡ªThe eldest brother "Ke Yinzhi" was still at university and had not returned home, so his true identity was not known;


    The second brother "Ke Xiaomo" was a Ninja;


    The sister "Bai Qiuwu" was a Divine Communicator;


    The eldest sister "Bai Zini" was a Magic Girl;


    The second sister "Bai Ziling" was a vampire.


    In such a small family, the emergence of such a complex ecological situation surely couldn''t be blamed on their father Ke Youqing. He was simply a Superpower User, without such a muddled array of genes.


    So no matter how one thought about it, the problem definitely lay with the mother, an alien spy sneaked onto Earth.


    If Ke Mingye wasn''t wrong, Bai Wenna must have meddled with her own reproductive system and used Ke Youqing''s genes along with other special genes collected on Earth to perform various breeding experiments, resulting in a series of children with disparate bloodline and clan backgrounds.


    Thinking of it this way made sense. But what was the meaning behind her actions?


    About this question, Ke Mingye had only one guess in his mind, and he believed that the accuracy of this guess should be 100%.


    In order to provide the necessary preliminary investigation details for an attack on Earth by her home planet, Bai Wenna''s main task was likely to thoroughly collect detailed information on the various superhuman types on Earth.


    Otherwise, there was no need for her to have spent so much effort secretly infiltrating Earth for so long. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To achieve this goal, she needed to place children with different superhuman characteristics close by to observe, and she had surely stealthily guided these children to use their own methods at home to conceal their abilities, to prevent their father from finding out.


    Thinking about it, Ke Youqing was the biggest unfortunate soul in the household.


    He had been active as the super-hero "Qing Ya" since he was seventeen, and for the past thirty years, he had helped the authorities solve countless large and small superhuman criminal cases. In recent years, through a series of ruthless measures, he had managed to reduce the crime rate in Huanjing to an unprecedented level.


    Yet, he had never imagined that the greatest threat to the nation and people he protected could stem from his own unguarded family.


    It was simply tragically inhumane.


    So... what was the meaning behind Bai Wenna adopting me, an ordinary person?


    That was Ke Mingye''s greatest curiosity.


    Perhaps Bai Wenna also needed a normal human child as a reference point for her other superhuman-type siblings, but with so many ordinary people on Earth, was it necessary to personally adopt one?

 Chapter 011 The Way Home

    Ke Mingye felt it strange, but precisely because of this point, Bai Wenna''s attention on him should be much less than on the other children in the family.Therefore, he was likely the only person in the family whom Bai Wenna did not know thoroughly.


    Because Bai Wenna could not possibly guess: just three days ago, the one child who had been ordinary for sixteen whole years was suddenly replaced by a soul from a parallel world, thereby becoming a "player".


    Heh, now we''re looking at a case of spy meets spy...


    Ke Mingye felt increasingly that the two of them were fated. Bai Wenna came from an extraterrestrial planet, and he was from a parallel world, both essentially spies lurking on Earth, with overlapping objectives; Bai Wenna aimed to help her mother planet invade Earth, while his goal was to exterminate superhumans.


    If Bai Wenna''s alien species was not counted as "superhuman", then Ke Mingye might have even considered revealing his identity to her once he had enough power, to see if they could join forces.


    After all, compared to other players, his only advantage and biggest disadvantage was that "all around him were superhumans" from various forces, none of whom were unimportant within their respective forces:


    ¡ªBai Wenna was a spy from an alien planet, Ke Youqing was a member of the Superhero Round Table, Bai Zini was a main member of the Magical Girl Alliance, and Ke Xiaomo was the grand disciple of the Ninja Sect Master...


    For that reason, Ke Mingye could plan to level up traditionally, boost his strength to a certain level, and then adopt a second identity, exploiting his knowledge of his family members to get closer to them.


    If this process went smoothly, he would then try to get in touch with the powers behind them, then attempt to blend in, and bide his time.


    But, sadly, the reality before him directly negated one of Ke Mingye''s ideas.


    Based on the main tasks listed by the system, Bai Wenna was also fated to be one of the hundred players Earth had to eliminate behind the scenes... S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And there was likely a time limit to eliminate her before the alien attack on Earth; otherwise, once the alien spacecraft descended on Earth, their troubles would increase considerably.


    So, collaborating with Bai Wenna was mostly unlikely.


    Of course, all of this was not something he needed to consider at the moment, since judging from the player panel, his attributes were still not as good as an ordinary teenager''s.


    However, if the game system believed that the players could exterminate superhumans, it would definitely provide them with the conditions to match that belief.


    As long as he increased his power step by step, he would eventually understand at what level Bai Wenna''s power really was.


    And before he grew strong, his primary task was to ensure that none of his family members noticed anything unusual about him.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye leaned on the railing of the second floor, pretending to look at his phone, while secretly observing the panel above Ke Xiaomo''s head.


    Xiaomo, in the Ninja Sect, must also be among the elite, but his combat power still hadn''t exceeded the A rank, stopping at A+.


    So far, apart from Bai Wenna, no one else in the family had shown any S-level combat capabilities, which was doubtlessly good news for Ke Mingye.


    He thought to himself, surely in this family, apart from his brother Ke Yongzhu''s terrifying potential, it really was mom who was the undisputed final Boss¡ªsince everyone else''s ratings fluctuated around A rank, only Bai Wenna''s combat rating was three question marks, perhaps even far exceeding S rank.


    "Mingye?"


    Ke Xiaomo suddenly looked up, staring at him with a strange expression for a while, then called out his name.


    Ke Mingye looked up from his phone, his face showing a surprised expression.


    "So, second brother, why are you back?"


    "I had some business here, came back early," Ke Xiaomo said.


    "You didn''t even give a heads-up, dad keeps asking me when you and big brother will be back, and so does big sister."


    "Where are they?"


    "They all went out, but they should be back soon," Ke Mingye said.


    It made sense for him to say that, since Ke Youqing had already arrived, the combined forces of "Justice Knight Azure Crow", "Divine Communicator ¡¤ Black Wukong", and "Magical Girl - Ash" should have more than enough power to handle a ghost tree with only A-rank combat power with no suspense.


    The ghost tree was not very powerful to begin with, at best evenly matched with Bai Qiuwu. Adding Bai Zini was already pressing, barely scraping by, not to mention the immensely experienced Ke Youqing joining the battle, which directly tipped the scales.


    ......


    ......


    At this moment, in a school located on Yandai Commercial Street.


    A charming figure streaked through the deep night sky, descended from the heavens with the umbrella in hand, and landed on the rooftop of this abandoned elementary school.


    This school, which had closed ten years earlier, served as the base for all the Magic Girls in Huanjing.


    Many of China''s Magic Girls had visited this school, gathering in the empty classrooms to discuss their adventures, occasionally complaining about how uncomfortable their dresses were to wear and how their magic weapons were clumsy to use;


    Some of them, who fought relying on their Contracted Beasts, often publicly punished their beasts right in the classroom, passionately declaring how these creatures had tricked them from being ordinary young girls into Magic Girls endlessly busy with missions.


    When they became emotional, they''d shed tears and murmur, "What''s the difference between being tricked into becoming a Magic Girl and being duped into studying Civil Engineering?"


    Since Magic Girls generally skewed younger in age, many of them absolutely detested the word "school".


    They had strongly resisted using this school as their base at first, but, for convenience''s sake, this historic base was still in use until now.


    At such a late hour, the abandoned school was naturally empty, providing a convenient place to shed their magic dresses. Thus, Magical Girl Ash thought of this place immediately after detaching from her battle.


    The instant her toes touched the rooftop, her clothes fell away like an invisible gauze to the ground, disappearing and replaced by her usual school uniform.


    Meanwhile, the battle umbrella called "Cinderella" in her hand also transformed into a plain, folding black umbrella.


    "Ah¡ªchoo!"


    Bai Zini folded her umbrella while sneezing in the cold wind. She stretched out a finger to rub her nose and stamped her feet hard, mumbling incessantly.


    "Damn it! It''s so late, I haven''t bathed yet, and I didn''t catch that damn monkey! It''s infuriating!"


    "And that annoying Qing Ya, just a puppet for the officials, I feel sick just seeing him!"


    She still remembered the last time she encountered Qing Ya, this bizarre "Crow Man" had followed her all across half of Huanjing, and she had exhausted every trick in the book to finally shake him off.


    She actually knew why Qing Ya followed her; after all, being directly subordinate to the officials, they naturally tasked him with thoroughly investigating the backgrounds of these unknown vigilantes.


    But every time she thought about it, Bai Zini first felt creeped out, followed by indignation, thinking: "Aren''t we all fighting criminals? How does tagging along with the officials suddenly make one superior?"


    "I''m done, I''m done; if I don''t go home soon, my phone will be blown up by my mother."


    Bai Zini hugged her shoulders with her left hand and took out her mobile phone from her school uniform pocket with her right. The sight of multiple missed call notifications from "Mother" made her shiver.


    She put away her phone, lightly clicked her tongue, and entered the stairwell from the rooftop door, clomping noisily downwards.


    Just then, a shaft of moonlight brushed through the window at the stairwell entrance, casting her face onto her phone screen.


    "Oh, I almost forgot to change back my face."


    Bai Zini got the shivers and hurriedly pulled out a vintage folding mirror from the pocket of her school jacket¡ªthis "Magic Mirror" was a gift from her mentor, "Magical Girl - Lilai."


    As long as she concentrated, by imagining her desired appearance while looking into the Magic Mirror, her features would instantly shift.


    Bai Zini never failed; she always imagined her face a few years older, pairing it with a gothic dress and a complimenting British-style makeup ensemble.


    That way, no one would recognize her.


    Bai Zini looked into the mirror until her face reverted to its original appearance, only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.


    She put away the Magic Mirror, raised her head, and following the streak of moonlight overhead, looked out the window from the stairwell entrance.


    "Mentor, are you doing okay over there in London?"


    She murmured softly, her pupils reflecting the sky.


    The moon played hide-and-seek in the clouds, on a mackerel sky night, with wave-like cloud patterns filling the deep blue night sky.

 Chapter 012 Each with Their Own Thoughts

    June 18th, night, Huanjing, Wine Reflecting Coast, inside an old lighthouse at a corner of the coast.Divine Communicator ¡¤ Black Wukong stood on the observation deck, silently gazing at the distant horizon. After a long while, he slowly removed the mask covering his face, taking off his metallic silver-white coat.


    Like a goldfish surfacing for air, Bai Qiuwu closed her eyes and gently took a breath. When she opened her eyes again, her pupils were still as bright as a turbid fire burning.


    She removed the hood on her head, and her long hair tied behind cascaded down immediately.


    Then, she raised her right hand and stroked over her eyes. Soon, the crimson in her pupils, like a tiny flame, flickered and extinguished, leaving only darkness.


    Bai Qiuwu''s eyes drooped, and it took a long while for the burning sensation in her eyes to ease slightly. She took a deep breath, lifted her face, and remained silent for a while outside the observation deck.


    Under the moonlight, waves sparkled as they continuously lapped against the shore, breaking into white foam, rustling loudly.


    "It really is her..."


    In the empty exhibition room, she muttered softly.


    The ability "Eyes of Golden Flame" brought by the divine path "Sun Wukong" allowed her to see through all "Illusion Techniques" and "illusions".


    Perhaps the Eyes of Golden Flame couldn''t penetrate to see who was behind a mask, but when she cast her gaze on someone who had altered their appearance through magic or deception, she could definitely see their true form.


    Therefore, through these eyes, Bai Qiuwu saw the true face of Magic Girl Ash clearly. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was an incredibly familiar face.


    A face she had known since childhood, a face that had been in her memory for over a decade, a face that kept growing but still was affectionately familiar.


    She knew what this face looked like as a child, had seen it cry, pout, but she had never seen it show her a cold expression before.


    "Zi Ni, why is it you..."


    With her shoulders hugged, Bai Qiuwu''s gaze shifted as she murmured softly.


    "Does anyone else in the family know her identity?"


    She shook her head.


    "No, it should be only me who knows."


    "Should I tell mom and dad about this?"


    "No, that would easily expose my own identity too, but letting her continue like this could easily lead to trouble."


    Bai Qiuwu slightly tilted her head, her fingers brushing her jaw, continuously weighing in her mind.


    The repeated calls of "sister" from Bai Zini still echoed in her ears, contrasting with the stern face of Magic Girl Ash, leaving Bai Qiuwu somewhat bewildered.


    She couldn''t understand why Bai Zini had become a magic girl so quietly, without anyone at home knowing.


    The situation had arisen so suddenly that it caught her off guard.


    In fact, Bai Qiuwu had already seen through with Eyes of Golden Flame that the so-called "Magic Girl Ash" was Bai Zini during their last encounter.


    At that time, Bai Zini was fighting a criminal, and to keep her from being hurt, Bai Qiuwu had almost instinctively summoned the Somersault Cloud and forcefully dragged her away from the battlefield.


    However, what she didn''t expect was that Bai Zini would hold a grudge against her for a long time because of the instinctive action she made, even deliberately seeking her out this time.


    In Bai Zini''s eyes, this so-called "Black Wukong" simply seemed to be making trouble out of nothing. She was fighting well when suddenly she was whisked tens of thousands of miles away by a cloud, which would annoy anyone.


    Now as Bai Qiuwu recalled, not treating her as Bai Zini, but as Magic Girl Ash, her ability was indeed more than sufficient to handle that criminal.


    But seeing her for the first time, she inevitably viewed her as that vulnerable little girl and instinctively wanted to whisk her away from danger, hence the meddling...


    If it had not been so, Bai Zini wouldn''t have harbored resentment towards her, endlessly chasing after her."


    "Never mind, I should head home first."


    Bai Qiuwu gently shook her head, no longer speculating on Bai Zini''s thoughts, but instead put on a sports jacket from the table and wore a baseball cap.


    After waiting for a while at the bus stop on the coastal highway, she boarded the last bus, gazing out the window at the brightly lit city, everything seemed so elusive, like a mirage.


    Soon, the bus stopped at its station on Old Jingmai Street.


    As soon as she got off, she saw a familiar figure next to the station.


    Ke Youqing, who hadn''t returned home yet, was sitting on a public bench next to the supermarket, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, a pack of cigarettes and a lighter in his hand.


    Seeing Bai Qiuwu, Ke Youqing did not speak, but just calmly sat there, squeezing his eyebrows at his daughter.


    "Dad, have you been smoking here for an hour?" Bai Qiuwu asked him with a chuckle, her arms folded.


    "No, after buying the cigarettes, I went for a walk."


    As he spoke, Ke Youqing bowing his head near the lighter, clicked it and lit the cigarette hanging from his mouth, and asked with a muffled voice, "Did you have fun with your friends?"


    "It was okay, just went shopping and then came back," Bai Qiuwu tilted her head and added, "pretty boring."


    "Then we should head home, otherwise your mom is going to get mad."


    "Yeah."


    The two left the supermarket, took the elevator to the ninth floor of the duplex building.


    As Ke Youqing unlocked the door, looking through the foyer, he could see the children all gathered around the large TV in the living room watching a movie.

 Chapter 012 Each with Their Own Thoughts_2

    "Oh, Xiao Mo is back too?"He had a cigarette in his mouth and looked surprised as his eyes fixed on the tall, slender figure in the living room.


    Bai Qiuwu was also surprised, thinking to herself, didn''t Mingye say that Elder Brother would come back in a couple of days? How come he''s home already?


    Upon hearing the voice, Ke Xiaomo turned his head toward Ke Youqing and said, "Dad, I came back early because I had some things to take care of." He then glanced at Bai Qiuwu, "Why did you come back so late?"


    "Went out with friends." Bai Qiuwu replied, "Brother, are you staying here the entire summer vacation?"


    "Yeah, I don''t have much going on this summer; just staying at home," Ke Xiaomo said, "But what about you? You''re going to be in senior year next semester, feeling the pressure?"


    "Not really, just keeping a normal mindset," Bai Qiuwu said.


    Sitting on the couch and munching on chips, Ke Mingye spoke up: "She goes out to have fun every day, doesn''t even need to review, and still always in the top ten of our grade, Elder Brother, you don''t have to worry about her."


    "What about you?" Ke Xiaomo said, looking at Ke Mingye, "I heard your grades have dropped dramatically recently. Don''t mess up and end up unable to get into a first-tier university."


    Ke Mingye chuckled: "Then I''ll definitely follow your lead, scoring over six hundred points, not going for a 985 university, but instead heading to Xi''an to attend an ordinary first-tier university, you nearly drove Mom and Dad mad."


    Though he said this, he knew that Ke Xiaomo did so to attend a university closer to Shadow Sail Mountain, making it easier to connect with the Ninja Sect.


    Bai Zini popped her head over the back of the sofa and shouted, "Dad, emergency! The TV membership is about to expire, recharge it quickly!"


    "Got it, I''ll recharge it soon, just keep watching for now."


    Ke Youqing said in annoyance, still with a cigarette in his mouth, as he walked upstairs.


    Bai Qiuwu closed the door, her eyes constantly on Bai Zini.


    She was watching a movie with Bai Ziling, Ke Yongzhu, Ke Xiaomo, and Ke Mingye¡ªthe "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. It was the usual scene, Bai Zini loved sticking next to Ke Mingye, who had been her playmate since childhood, apart from Bai Ziling.


    Does Zi Ling know that Xiao Ni is a Magic Girl? Bai Qiuwu thought. And what about Mingye? Maybe I should talk to them about it, but what if they don''t know?


    With that thought, she fixed her gaze on Ke Mingye. As usual, while everyone else watched the movie, he was engrossed in his phone, yawning from time to time.


    Highly unlikely, Bai Qiuwu shook her head.


    Taking a sip of boiled water, Ke Xiaomo looked at her, "Why are you standing at the door? Why not join us for the movie?"


    "You guys go ahead; I''ll join you after my shower."


    Bai Qiuwu said, stripping off her sneakers and slipping on sandals, she moved toward the staircase.


    "Why come, don''t you have school tomorrow!"


    Bai Wenna had just come downstairs, grumbling, "A bunch of little brats, always hiding behind your Elder Brother, thinking you don''t have to sleep because Xiao Mo is home?"


    Bai Qiuwu brushed past her, responding helplessly: "Alright, Mom, Elder Brother is back, and we are happy about it. What''s wrong with staying up a bit late?"


    Bai Wenna glared at her: "You still talk back, especially you and Mingye who are high school students. You should sleep when it''s time to sleep, don''t think you don''t have to study just because summer vacation is coming soon!"


    Bai Qiuwu smiled, choosing not to retort further.


    Walking up the stairs, an idea suddenly struck her: What if she used Eyes of Golden Flame to scan every single person in the house?


    Would it be like the moment she looked at Magical Girl Ash, as if her entire worldview was turned upside down?


    With that thought, she stopped her steps and silently stood in the shadow on the stairway, turning to look at the side profiles of her family.


    It was evident, Ke Mingye had no interest in the movie and was already thinking of sneaking out, but Bai Zini blocked him, chattering about something;


    Ke Yongzhu and Elder Brother Ke Xiaomo were discussing his school tyrant tales; Bai Ziling was silent, her red pupils quietly reflecting the movie''s screen.


    Despite everyone growing up, every person was still the same as in her memories.


    Like every year and each summer vacation to date, everyone gathered in front of the TV, sitting on the sofa, inseparable, without any barriers, just sharing joy and laughter.


    Even in a chaotic era, it was an ordinary, happy family. For Bai Qiuwu, returning home after fighting fiercely outside always felt like returning to a tranquil harbor.


    She didn''t want to break the status quo.


    At that thought, Bai Qiuwu silently dismissed the idea of discussing the matter of Bai Zini with her parents, or her other siblings.


    After all, she too harbored her own secrets. Since she didn''t wish to reveal her own identity to her family, Bai Zini surely felt the same.


    Why bother then? Bai Zini was no longer a child, she knew what she was doing.


    Just like me two years ago, I thought I was invincible after gaining immense power beyond ordinary humans and could not help wanting to do something.


    "We are all the same..."


    Bai Qiuwu murmured to herself, her gaze lingering on Bai Zini for a second before she moved towards the stairs.


    At that moment, Ke Mingye, seated on the sofa, stealthily glanced at her retreating figure, then quickly averted his gaze.


    "Look, look, I really can''t stay awake..." he said languidly, his eyelids almost closing.


    "Come on, bro, just stay up with me for this one last part! We''ll watch the last part tomorrow." Bai Zini pulled on his shoulder again, her eyes fixed on the TV, pleading with her mouth.


    Ke Mingye shrugged, thinking to himself that compared to her throwing tantrums in front of him, the so-called "Cinderella" parasol held to his neck might be a bit more persuasive.


    If he hadn''t seen the other side of Bai Zini, where she would call him brother only when she needed something, he might actually believe that her sister was just clingy.


    Perhaps, Bai Zini was just using him, an ordinary human, as a tool to conceal her identity at home.


    Thinking about it, he truly was a prime example of a tool among tools.


    "Wait for your elder sister to finish her bath, she''ll come and watch with you. I''m out¡­"


    Having said that, Ke Mingye had already risen from the sofa.


    In fact, it wasn''t that he didn''t have time to watch a movie with them, but he realized that tonight, his second brother Ke Xiaomo was often quietly observing him.


    The reason was unclear, but it seemed like he had become suspicious of him.


    But why? As Ke Mingye walked up the stairs, he thought to himself: I shouldn''t have given away any clues, and I tried my best to act like the original owner of this body.


    Could a Ninja read minds, knowing that his brother had been replaced by me? Even more absurdly, does he think I''m the calamity dragon?


    Please, open your eyes and look¡ªthe dragon you''re looking for is sitting right next to you. It''s that bratty sixth grader, you know?


    Ke Mingye was filled with doubts, knowing it would be better to keep his distance from Ke Xiaomo for now, and to be careful when alone.


    According to the system, a Ninja could merge into shadows, so he had to always beware of the shadows in the room, lest his second brother was hiding in the shadows, secretly watching him.


    "It''s really like dealing with a ghost..." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye got goosebumps, silently complaining to himself as he stepped onto the second-floor, took a few steps into his room, and locked the door.


    He propped one hand on his neck and lay on the bed, checking the date on his phone; today was June 18. He then looked up the vacation dates for several schools.


    Ke Yongzhu''s elementary school still had three more days before summer vacation;


    Bai Ziling and Bai Zini''s middle school had one more day;


    Ke Mingye''s high school, where he and Bai Qiuwu studied, had two more days;


    His second brother''s university had already ended for the summer and he had returned home early today;


    As for his eldest brother, it might take another two days for him to return. So far, his eldest brother "Ke Yinzhi" was the only one whose details Ke Mingye did not yet fully understand.


    No matter what, this summer vacation was bound to be lively...


    Ke Mingye looked at the ceiling spotted with a few gamboge stains, thinking to himself.


    First, he needed to locate other players in the city and establish a quiet connection with them, to arrange a time to play some instances together, and quickly elevate his levels and powers;


    Second, he had to make sure his "player" identity did not get exposed at home, because otherwise... any random family member would be able to mince him up and feed him to the pigs.

 Chapter 013 Instance Unlocked

    Because his second brother "Ke Xiaomo" had returned home and seemed to take an unusual interest in him, Ke Mingye didn''t dare make any careless moves even when he was alone in his room, for fear of inadvertently revealing any information detrimental to himself.After all, according to the intelligence provided by the system, his brother "Ke Xiaomo" was not only an A+ level superhuman but also happened to be a ninja¡ªa profession skilled in gathering intelligence and scouting enemy situations, not to mention the extremely buggy ability of "phasing into shadows," which was nearly impossible to guard against.


    Ke Mingye knew that as long as Ke Xiaomo was at home, in the dead of night, there might always be a pair of eyes observing him from some shadow in the room¡ªunder the wardrobe, the shadow cast on the desk by the lamp, or even in the silhouette his own back projected onto the bed behind him...


    Just imagining the scene in his mind was enough to make Ke Mingye''s scalp tingle, let alone experiencing it firsthand. So he secretly decided that he should try not to burn the midnight oil this summer vacation.


    Having nothing pressing tonight, Ke Mingye washed up and went to bed early.


    A silent night passed.


    When Ke Mingye opened his eyes again, he yawned gently and, aided by the dim light coming through the window, glanced at the clock on the wall¡ªit was already six in the morning.


    He didn''t know if anything had happened last night, but he had slept soundly anyway.


    The ancients spoke of a "beheading meal," but at least he had had his "beheading sleep," which should be enough for now, regardless of how dire the situation might become later.


    What caught his eye was a little different from yesterday; Ke Mingye could now see an "email icon" in the upper right corner of his field of vision.


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, took a sip of water from his cup, and picked up a book from beside his bed. Pretending to flip through it, he tried tapping the icon with his finger.


    The moment his fingertip touched the icon, a "ding" sounded unexpectedly in his ear, and one email after another popped up.


    [Notification Email 1: Functions such as "Daily Tasks," "Player Panel," "Player Mall," "Communication," and "Dungeon Atlas" are now open all day¡ªevery city in the world is scattered with randomly generated instances. The daily limit for instance challenge attempts is 1, please actively search for instances scattered throughout the city.]


    [So far, the instance challenge progress in Huanjing City is: (0/100)¡ªnot a single instance has been conquered.]


    "Does every city have a hundred instances? Would that mean players who spawn in smaller cities would find instances at a much higher efficiency than those in larger cities?"


    "Or perhaps, there are more instances distributed in larger cities than in smaller ones..."


    Ke Mingye pondered for a moment, his finger sliding over this email.


    Meanwhile, six new icons appeared in the upper right corner of his vision, lined up in a vertical row beneath the "email icon."


    He glanced at them, and next to the icons, a line of tiny text emerged, explaining the functions they represented, which were "Mall," "Knapsack," "Personal Panel," "Task Bar," "Dungeon Card Atlas/Dungeon Detector," and "Communication List."


    As the icons materialized, the second email unfolded before his eyes.


    [Notification Email 2: "Halloween Event Dungeon" advance notice. On October 31 of this year, traveling to Huanjing''s "Huanjing Happy Valley" amusement park will open the dungeon.]


    [Note: This email will only be received by players who are in Huanjing City, China.]


    While Ke Mingye was reading the second email, a song with a spooky atmosphere suddenly sounded in his ear.


    He raised an eyebrow, recalling that he had heard this song before¡ª"Thriller," by "Michael Jackson," which indeed could be considered a symbolic song for "Halloween."


    "A Halloween instance, huh? It must be designed with a festive atmosphere... sounds downright spooky," Ke Mingye thought. "But a dungeon that won''t open until four months from now and you''re starting the teasers already, afraid we''ll forget and miss out on your surprises, huh?"


    With that thought, he emotionlessly swiped away the email, only to be met with another of the same format.


    [Notification Email 3: "Spring Festival Instance" advance teaser. On January 25th of next year, travel to "Winter City Avenue" in Huanjing City to activate the instance.]


    "Great, great, you''re previewing all the way into next year. I''d be lucky to survive this summer and might need to light incense and pray¡ªby this time next year, the grass on my grave could be as tall as me."


    Grumbling in his mind, Ke Mingye placed the cup on the bedside table and swiped past the email.


    His expression slightly changed as he saw the content of the next email.


    [Notification Email 4¡ª¡ªDeath Notice: Last night, players born in New York, United States¡ª"Wilmer Hogue" and "Sean Cameron"¡ªwere captured by an Abnormal Regulation Bureau S-Level Enforcer "Ke Yinzhi" and tortured to death.


    In their final moments, these two players committed some despicable acts: they confessed all known intelligence regarding "players."


    The Anomaly Control Bureau has now transferred this intelligence to the organization "Super-Dimensional Supervision Bureau," in charge of matters related to transmigrators. The concept of "players" will gradually spread within superhuman forces, and they will learn that the mission of "players" is "to exterminate superhumans."


    All surviving players must be extremely cautious of inspections by these two organizations and avoid arousing suspicion amongst the surrounding superhumans.]


    [Current number of surviving players: 97/100]


    Ke Mingye was stunned.


    "But... you two Americans, just dying was not enough, had to screw over your teammates before you went, thinking our undercover work wasn''t hard enough, huh?" he thought.


    He had originally believed the script of this game was: if we''re not strong enough, just lay low and endure, at worst endure a few days, then rely on the game system to grow stronger and suddenly rise up to overturn this world.


    Reality, however, immediately slapped him hard, and this slap came with a critical hit, damage x2.


    Yes, he never expected that, just on the fourth day, three players were already dead¡ªincluding the two Americans, who not only died but had turned traitor just before.


    Both of you gave up the word "players," so what''s the point in playing anymore? Who knows what means the Super-Dimensional Supervision Bureau, specifically targeting "transmigrators," will use to single us out from the crowd...


    "Damn it, I''m already starting in hell, and you guys want to fuel the fire of my hellish start, thinking it''s not burning fiercely enough, wanting me to go straight to heaven, is that it..."


    Ke Mingye struggled to keep his composure and took a deep breath. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On one hand, he was dismayed by how incredibly useless his teammates were. Despite the dire situation, he had managed to stay alive, but did these two Americans have no acting skills at all?


    On the other hand, he was also taken aback by the high efficiency of the Anomaly Control Bureau. What had those two players done to get themselves targeted?


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye took another look at the email and realized he had overlooked a name¡ªthe so-called "Abnormal Regulation Bureau S-Level Enforcer" who had captured the two players mentioned in the system email.


    The enforcer''s name was:


    ¡ª "Ke Yinzhi."

 Chapter 014 Wheel of Fortune Rewards

    [Notification Email 4 ¡ª Death Notice: Last night, players born in New York, United States¡ª"Wilmer Hogue" and "Sean Cameron"¡ªwere captured by the S-level Executor "Ke Yinzhi" of the Anomaly Control Bureau and tortured to death.]"Wait a minute, why does the name of this executor look so familiar?"


    Ke Mingye stared at the name "Ke Yinzhi" on the email for two or three seconds before he finally came to his senses, realizing that he had been focusing on the wrong thing from the start¡­


    The point was not the two American players who were captured, but the name of the person who had caught them.


    The next second, he cursed inwardly, belatedly conscious of the fact.


    "Damn it, isn''t that my older brother?"


    Ke Yinzhi, the eldest son at home, 21 years old this year. As far as Ke Mingye could recall, this person had been frighteningly excellent since childhood and was currently attending university in Qifan, China.


    At this thought, Ke Mingye wanted to tell himself that his big brother was studying in China, and the executor in the report was just in New York, United States, probably just someone with the same name.


    But quickly, he metaphorically slapped himself, forcing the thought of escaping reality out of his mind.


    "Please, what are the odds? How many people in China would have such a tongue-twisting name as ''Ke Yinzhi,'' not to mention among those of Chinese descent."


    Ke Mingye massaged his forehead for two seconds and let out a sigh.


    He was ninety-nine percent certain that the S-level executor affiliated with the Anomaly Control Bureau mentioned in the email was his big brother.


    He had been curious why his brother, despite being on university vacation, had not yet returned home. Now the truth had been laid bare in a way he least wanted to hear¡ªit turned out Ke Yinzhi was acting as a dog for the Anomaly Control Bureau, busy traveling around the world carrying out missions. And just yesterday, he had unfortunately captured two players.


    Now, Ke Mingye finally saw the full picture of this family.


    Indeed, just as he had predicted, there wasn''t a single normal person in this family. Moreover, his eldest brother was a freak among freaks; in just a few days, he had captured players lurking in New York.


    No matter how Ke Yinzhi had managed to capture those two players, it was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for Ke Mingye.


    "My spawn point design is really awesome, isn''t it? Maybe I should find a pistol and shoot myself in the head before big brother comes home, just to check if this game has a Remake function."


    Ke Mingye thought to himself cheerfully as he put down the book he had been using as a disguise. The reason he had kept the book up to his face was that he was worried his second brother, Ke Xiaomo, might be observing him from some shadow in the room at this very moment, looking for something odd about him.


    He got out of bed, put on his shoes, cleaned up in the bathroom, then looked back to see the second-floor rooms still tightly shut, without any sign of life.


    All his siblings were lazy dogs; getting up at six was as good as eating shit to them, so Ke Mingye didn''t bother waking them up.


    Before leaving the house, Ke Mingye made sure to take his backpack with him. Ke Youqing and Bai Wenna tended to get up late and had no time to prepare breakfast, so they usually gave their children money for breakfast and lunch the night before. Ke Mingye planned to stop at a roadside stall on the way to school to deal with breakfast.


    After leaving the house, he took the elevator down to the ground floor. As the elevator doors opened, his gaze through the lobby''s entrance fell upon the desolate street outside. Each shop''s door was firmly shut, only the supermarket across the street remained open, with the electronic sign "7-Seven" flickering on and off in the morning light with its neon glow.


    Looking up, he saw a slightly oppressive dark blue sky, cloudless.


    Fortunately, the air was still relatively fresh in the early morning.


    "Can I really survive this..."


    "I guess I just have to take it one step at a time."


    Muttering softly to himself, Ke Mingye walked along the deserted street, pretending to look at his phone and opening the taskbar.


    [Daily Task One: Run 3000 meters in the morning. (This task must be completed before 8 a.m.)]


    [Reward for this task: A chance to spin the lucky draw wheel.]


    [Daily Task Two: Do one hundred push-ups.]


    [Task Reward: Receive one attribute point to allocate freely.]


    [Daily Mission Three: None (Each day there is a 10% chance to refresh a special daily mission; completing this mission will yield richer rewards than ordinary daily missions.)]


    [Note: Daily missions will refresh at 0:00 the following day, please aim to finish the missions before the time limit ends.]


    After reading the mission details, Ke Mingye left his backpack with the supermarket owner and started running along the streets of the Old Jingmai District.


    He ran and ran, sprinting without holding back, until the sky changed from a dark blue to pure white and his school uniform was drenched in sweat, only then did he stop.


    Ke Mingye placed his hands on his slightly bent knees and bent over, gasping for breath.


    After a while, he lifted his head from his sweat-drenched forehead and looked at the mission prompt floating before his eyes.


    [You have completed Daily Mission One and have earned an opportunity to spin the prize wheel. Would you like to spin it now?]


    "Spin it."


    As his words fell, a round prize wheel slowly unfolded before his eyes, with intersecting red lines dividing it into six sectors, each marked with text and icons.


    From sector one to six, the rewards are as follows:


    [1. C-class Weapon¡ªElectromagnetic Pulse Pistol (Ammunition can be purchased in the mall);]


    [2. 500 Mall Coins (Can be used to purchase items in the player''s mall);]


    [3. One attribute point to allocate freely;]


    [4. Unique Item¡ªSpider-Man''s Web Shooter (Derived from the superhero franchise in the second parallel universe "Spider-Man");]


    [5. B-class Item¡ª"Firearms Mastery Card";]


    [6. Thank You For Participating.]


    Ke Mingye walked forward while checking each sector''s reward on the prize wheel.


    Since he wasn''t familiar with the game''s items, he naturally didn''t know which reward was the best; he only knew that if it landed on the sixth reward, he''d seriously have to check if the system had a remake function.


    Without hesitation, he immediately pressed the "Start Wheel" button below the prize wheel.


    The prize wheel spun like a windmill, the top pointer remaining stationary. Ultimately, the segment it landed on was the fourth sector.


    [Congratulations, you have obtained the prize from the fourth sector: Unique Item¡ª"Spider-Man''s Web Shooter".]


    [Item has been added to your inventory; open the inventory to check.]


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow: "Nice stuff, but my current physical fitness probably won''t cut it, might have to put it on ice for a while."


    At that moment, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned his head, only to see a huge panel materializing above an abandoned train station in front of him. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Congratulations, you have discovered the "7th instance" of "Huanjing City", which has been recorded in your dungeon atlas. You can open the atlas at any time to check.]


    [Instance Name: Crazy Train Station]


    [Instance Location: Old Jingmai District, Abandoned Train Station]


    [Instance Difficulty: F-class (Recommended for players below level 10 to form a team)]

 Chapter 015 Spider Web Device

    "The entirety of Huanjing only has a total of one hundred instances, and I just happened to stumble upon one just by walking around, seems like my luck isn''t too bad," thought Mingye, looking up at the instance panel above the abandoned train station.The panel was as big as a cinema screen, embedded in reality, which undeniably created a surreal visual impact that was hard to miss.


    If every instance panel was this big, then logically, even if there weren''t many players in Huanjing, each one could still find several instances.


    He didn''t dare enter an instance alone, fearing that once in, he might not come out again. Better to wait and contact other players in the city and form a team before entering.


    With this thought, Mingye withdrew his gaze and glanced at the list of daily tasks.


    [Daily Task 1: Run 3000 meters (Completed)]


    [Daily Task 2: Do one hundred push-ups (Uncompleted) (Current: 0/100) (Reward: One attribute point to be assigned freely)]


    "The next task''s reward is an attribute point, huh¡­"


    Mingye thought, as he opened his personal panel.


    [Player Level: Lv.1]


    [Player Experience Points: 0 points/500 points (can be obtained via "instances," "tasks," "killing superhumans," etc.)]


    [Player Attributes: Physical fitness: 9 points; neurological reaction: 9 points; mental strength: 10 points]


    [Below are the attribute standards for different levels of humans:


    Normal adolescents: 13 points;


    Normal adults: 20 points;


    F-level superhumans'' outstanding attribute: 30-60 points;


    E-level superhumans'' outstanding attribute: 60-100 points;


    D-level superhumans'' outstanding attribute: 100-140 points;


    C-level superhumans'' outstanding attribute: 140-180 points;


    B-level superhumans'' outstanding attribute: 180-250 points;


    A-level superhumans'' outstanding attribute: 250-400 points.]


    Mingye raised an eyebrow, doing some quick calculations.


    "Based on these calculations, Bai Zini could beat two hundred and fifty of me; Bai Qiuwu could beat three hundred of me; Dad could beat four hundred of me; Mom could beat at least five hundred of me."


    In that moment, he felt genuinely thankful to God from the bottom of his heart, for having the honor to be born into this family and becoming an indispensable part of it:


    ¡ª as a unit of measurement for combat power.


    [Player Abilities: Firearms proficiency not yet activated, Lock-picking expertise not yet activated¡­ (Open abilities list to view all your ability details)]


    [Player Skills: None (Each player can equip up to ten skills, and can replace skills in the skill slot after it is filled.)]


    Ke Mingye clicked the close button on the panel and headed towards the supermarket where his backpack was stored, pondering along the way.


    "Although the attribute point given by the daily task doesn''t seem effective for now, it will be useful as it accumulates. One a day adds up to 365 points a year. If they are all added to physical fitness, then I''d nearly be a superhuman whose strength is an A grade."


    "Logically, by that time, it shouldn''t be a problem to smash a Magic Girl with one punch."


    "Not to mention, I should also be able to gain attribute points by ''leveling up'' or ''entering instances.''"


    "However, my current physical fitness is really pitiful, darn it, only 9 points, a normal teenager has 13 points, that''s a whole 4 points lower. Doing a hundred push-ups in a row would definitely be hopeless, I might even pass out. When I get to school, I''ll do a few during the breaks, that should roughly add up by the end of the day."


    Walking absentmindedly, Ke Mingye soon arrived at the supermarket at the entrance to his home. He retrieved his stored backpack from the owner and slung it over his shoulder.


    He checked his phone, and it was already seven o''clock.


    "Young man, I haven''t seen you go for a morning run before," the owner asked.


    "The world is so dangerous nowadays, better to work out vigorously and strive to smash a Magic Girl with one punch."


    Saying this, Ke Mingye took a pineapple bun and a bottle of oat milk from the supermarket''s cabinet, held them in his hand, and paid by scanning a code.


    "You don''t say, I encountered a superhuman in the western district before, and it was a Magic Girl who saved my life. She used an umbrella as a gun, and she was so impressive that both my spouse and I were stunned. On the way back, my spouse and I discussed on the bus about these Magic Girls and this one with the umbrella was the most delicate looking."


    The owner said laughing. He picked up a folding fan and fanned his face with it.


    Ke Mingye laughed along, thinking to himself that Bai Zini not only appealed to both genders but also didn''t spare the elderly, proving that in this era, the charm of Magic Girls is indeed more trendy than that of traditional celebrities.


    Not only do they have the underage Buff, but those who become Magic Girls are generally good-looking. Combined with their strong ability to protect the people, their appearance alone comes with a dazzling filter, making them hard not to be popular.


    Even the past idol agencies are no longer promoting idols. Perceptive agents have promptly aligned themselves with some not-so-serious superheroes or Magic Girls. With a little repackaging and some purchased online traffic, becoming an overnight sensation on the internet is no difficult feat.


    Those who still stick to the old idol routine are swimming against the current, attracting few followers, becoming the outcasts of the era.


    "You''re not a fan of hers, are you?" Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While he spoke, Ke Mingye tore open the package of the bread and glanced at the owner.


    "I''ve always seen her videos on TikTok."


    "Really? My classmates say that these Magic Girls never bathe, wearing the same outfit every day, which is really bad luck. Whenever we see them, we immediately block, unfollow, and report them. Time to go to school, see you later, boss."


    Ke Mingye took a bite of the pineapple bun, casually maligned Bai Zini''s reputation, and then left the supermarket with his backpack, heading towards Huanjing Third High School.


    His older sister, Bai Qiuwu, also attended this high school, although they were a grade apart. Once this summer vacation was over, one would be in the second year, and the other in the third year of high school, the academic pressure was indescribable. Luckily, Ke Mingye had good grades in his past life and handled it like a fish in water.


    On his way to school, he clicked on the "Knapsack" icon in the upper right corner of his vision. This thing was like a backpack in an online game, used for storing equipment and materials.


    Upon opening it, he saw a total of fifty slots in the knapsack panel, with forty-nine of them empty except for the first slot, which held an item.


    The only item in the knapsack was a "Web Shooter" he won from a spin-the-wheel lottery, from the well-known movie "Spider-Man" in another parallel world.


    Ke Mingye had looked this up on his first day here; because this world already had superheroes, most "superhero movies" had become "documentaries" or "biographical movies," hence there were no such fictional characters as "Spider-Man," "Batman," or "Superman."


    Instead, there were superpower Users, mutants, Magic Girls, or characters adapted based on their images who had really existed in history.


    Thus, he guessed that when people from this world see him pull out the Web Shooter, their first reaction would probably be what on earth is this, rather than asking with a smile, "Are you cosplaying Spider-Man?"

 Chapter 016 Contact List

    In the grid of the travel panel, the item icon for the "Web Shooter" resembled a watch. A touch of the finger on the icon instantly popped up a series of small options.Ke Mingye sipped some oat milk and clicked on the "View Item Description" option, and a panel the size of a palm appeared before his eyes.


    [Equipment Name: Web Shooter]


    [Equipment Strength: B- grade (this equipment can be modified and enhanced by betting Mall Coins)]


    [Rarity: Unique (only one piece)]


    [Equipment Description: A prop used by the protagonist Peter Parker in the famous superhero work from Parallel World No. 2, "Spider-Man".]


    Beneath the description was a top view of the item, and players could move the perspective by sliding their finger to get a comprehensive view of the equipment''s appearance.


    Ke Mingye was already familiar with this, but he still took a quick look.


    The Web Shooter''s appearance resembled a "metal wrist guard," the difference being that it had a display the size of a watch on top, overall it was lightweight and sturdy, designed with a strong sense of technology. According to the description, the display could be used to check the time under normal conditions, but during battle, it could be used to check the remaining amount of webbing.


    Players could use the [Appearance Settings] option below to adjust the color of the "Web Shooter": according to the system''s settings, there were two color schemes to choose from, one was black, and the other was a mix of red and blue¡ªseemingly generated based on the classic color scheme of the Spider-Man costume.


    Moreover, they could also change the activation conditions of the Web Shooter through the [Trigger Mechanism Adjustment] option, with several conditions available to choose from, generally involving a special pressing gesture.


    Ke Mingye couldn''t be bothered to fuss over it and directly chose a gesture closest to that from the film "Spider-Man" as the trigger condition, mainly as a tribute to the classic.


    A few videos were placed in the introduction panel, demonstrating how to use this equipment.


    The protagonist in each video was Spider-Man himself, using the Web Shooter to shoot out webbing, grabbing it to swing between skyscrapers; using the Web Shooter to bind the limbs of villains with webs; and using the shot web to stick to a car, grabbing the webbing and tossing the car towards the villains.


    All these kinds of usage methods were available, as if fearing that players wouldn''t learn how to use this gadget. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Besides, this equipment could be upgraded and strengthened, not remaining static.


    According to the item''s description, by spending enough Mall Coins, the "Web Shooter" could be modified in many ways, such as: increasing "the maximum capacity of webbing," enhancing "the toughness of the webbing," adding "neurotoxicity" or "electric shock effects" to the shot webbing, and so on.


    What bothered Ke Mingye more was that the "webbing fluid" needed for the shooter, once depleted, had to be purchased in the players'' mall using Mall Coins.


    But he still didn''t know how to obtain Mall Coins. Would daily tasks refresh them? Or did players need to play instances, and currently, the game system had not provided any rewards for instances.


    "Anyway, I''ll find an open space after school to try out this thing."


    Ke Mingye finished the last sip of oat milk through a straw, casually tossed it into a roadside trash bin, and exited the travel panel.


    He then clicked on the "Friends Communication" icon in the upper right corner of his vision.


    Rows of text entered his pupils.


    [Among one hundred players, your serial number is NO.007, and the serial numbers of the three deceased players are NO.093 (Wilmer Hogue), NO.095 (Sean Cameron), NO.023 (Amemiya Kazuko).]


    [According to system detection, the players currently in "China, Huanjing" with you total three, their codes respectively are: NO.039, NO.035, NO.032.]


    [If you do not want other players to know your real name, you can choose to create a virtual ID the first time you enter the friends communication list.]


    [Would you like to create an ID, or communicate with other players under your real name?]


    Isn''t this obvious? Ke Mingye blurted out, "Create."


    [Please enter your ID on the panel, this ID cannot be changed, and other players will see this ID when they communicate with you in the communication list.]


    Ke Mingye raised his eyebrows, walked into a deserted alley, and almost instantly thought of the ID "Failed Man", so he immediately typed it into the panel and submitted it.


    This was a homophone for Spider-Man, which he slapped onto the keyboard in a flash.


    [Are you sure you want to use "Failed Man" as your ID going forward?]


    "Confirm."


    Ke Mingye thought to himself, could he not fail since he was surrounded by eight Superhumans right from the start, all of whom were tough guys, which was no different from being in prison?


    [Welcome to the Friends Communication List, Failed Man.]


    [Your initial avatar is set to: Mario.]


    [There are currently no friends in your list. Players must interact in person to add each other as friends. However, players in the same city can create a temporary discussion group before they become friends. Would you like to initiate a discussion group to include other players from the city?]


    Ke Mingye bit off the last piece of bread and summoned the command.


    "Initiate."


    [Discussion group created successfully, other city players have been added to the group, all players can leave at any time.]


    [You can mentally input and proofread text without needing to type.]


    A neutral notification tone sounded, and a chat panel appeared in front of him. It was very user-friendly, pretty much like the group chat UI on WeChat.


    Ke Mingye clicked on "Group Chat List" and glanced at the other members of the discussion group. Everyone had registered their IDs by then, no one was using their real names. The avatars were all default ones, Mario. After all, since they were using fake IDs, surely no one would upload a selfie as their avatar, right?


    The IDs of the three people were "Fan Quan," "Good Ju Zipi," and "Undefined Dream."


    He thought to himself, why are these IDs so abstract? Could they have randomly mashed the keyboard to create them? Especially the last one, it''s too unconventional.


    Ke Mingye tried inputting text with his mind, and clicked send.


    [Failed Man: Hello, anyone up for teaming up to run an instance?]


    No response.


    [Failed Man: Where are your starting points? Are there many Superhumans at home?]


    Still no response.


    Ke Mingye had to get serious, he pushed himself to use his short essay writing skills, input, and send.


    [Failed Man: How about this, let''s take turns speaking, okay?]


    [Failed Man: If Superhumans aren''t extinct in a year, we will be, stop hesitating. In this tense period, we are a community of fate, got it?]


    After sending this, no one in the discussion group still paid him any attention.


    Ke Mingye, expressionless, typed a new line in the chat box, "If no one responds, your horses won''t escape unscathed."


    Ready to fire, his finger was about to send it.


    But just then, suddenly a chat notification sound came into his ears.


    Finally, someone noticed him.


    He had never found the "ding" sound so pleasant, so he quietly retracted the finger he had on the send button, but the text he had typed in the chat box still went through.


    [Undefined Dream: I''m an orphan.]


    [Failed Man: If you don''t reply, your horses won''t escape unscathed.]


    Ke Mingye was quick to retract.


    [Notification: "Failed Man" has withdrawn a message.]


    He glanced at the message from "Undefined Dream," casually typed a reply with his mind, and sent.


    [Failed Man: Although I sympathize with you, what does that have to do with whether you have Superhumans at home?]


    [Undefined Dream: Your mom, I mean the game character I''m using is an orphan, my starting point is in an orphanage, not that I was an orphan in my past life, get it?]


    [Failed Man: Sm¨¦e maase.]


    [Failed Man: Now that you mention it, I get it. Are there Superhumans in the orphanage?]


    [Undefined Dream: None.]


    Seeing this line of text, Ke Mingye burst out a curse in vernacular.


    "Damn."


    He took a deep breath, and after a long while, with a look of utter dejection, he accepted a fact: "It turns out I''m the only one who started in hell surrounded by eight Superhumans."

 Chapter 017 Campus Daily Life

    After that brief moment earlier, the player had not spoken again. The other two local players in the discussion group remained silent, eerily so.Ke Mingye understood, given that a player''s identity at the start should be random: office workers, orphans, fugitives... anything was possible. They might have been in situations where they couldn''t break away, like paying respects at their parents'' graves, so not replying for the time being was not a big deal.


    He didn''t bother with that discussion group anymore and finally arrived at the school''s teaching building at 07:20.


    Just as he ascended the stairs, he brushed past a familiar figure, and a faint voice reached his ears.


    "You''re up so early, yet you arrive at school so late?"


    Bai Qiuwu spoke, pausing two or three steps higher on the stairs, turning her head to look down at Ke Mingye.


    "I went for a run, so I was a bit late," Ke Mingye replied, lifting his eyes from his phone to meet her gaze.


    A ray of morning light streamed through the window at the end of the corridor, falling on her lead-grey bright hair, as if one could see their own reflection in her crisp pupils.


    Bai Qiuwu casually tossed him a bottle, "Here, Mom asked me to give this to you."


    "Oh."


    Ke Mingye caught the bottle and glanced down at it. It was a bottle of calcium tablets.


    "Study hard."


    Bai Qiuwu quirked the corner of her mouth at him, then continued upstairs.


    "Sure, sis, same to you," Ke Mingye casually replied as he watched her back.


    The students walking up the stairs, both boys and girls, would mostly give sidelong glances towards Bai Qiuwu. Ke Mingye didn''t want to talk to her at school for this very reason¡ªif this were a Japanese school setting, she''d be the type to find love letters overflowing from her shoe locker when she opened it in the morning.


    Ke Mingye continued up the stairs and stopped on the second floor. The first classroom around the corner was his class.


    He put his phone in his drawer and sat down in his seat. By then, the classroom was already full of students. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In any parallel world, high schools in China are always among the most competitive.


    The reason why it''s rare to see Chinese high schoolers saving the world in fantasy themes is typically because their daily schedule is filled with classes from morning to afternoon, followed by evening self-study after dinner, with their time clearly organized.


    Luckily, with summer vacation approaching, the school had discontinued the evening self-study. This allowed Ke Mingye to stay home last night.


    However, for Ke Mingye, being at school was far more relaxing than being at home.


    After all, compared to being trapped with a bunch of secretive monsters, forced into playing a hair-raising pretend game, he would rather stay in school, do some questions, and ease his tight nerves.


    This body''s former self didn''t have many friends either due to a very solitary personality; he usually kept to himself, which minimized the trouble of socializing.


    Upon entering the classroom, Ke Mingye heard the boys and girls gathered together, fervently discussing the superhuman attack that had occurred in the city center last night.


    In this world, the essential nature of the Superheroes video dark web was similar to that of adult websites in his past life: officially prohibited, yet most people have a link or two saved just in case.


    At that moment, a boy sitting in the back row had placed his phone on the desk, playing the live broadcast recording from last night, with other students crowding around the desk.


    As the volume of discussion and exclamations rose, few remained in their seats, all drawn to the commotion.


    When, at the end of the recording, Qing Ya suddenly burst out from the darkness, his eerie mask filling the entire screen; although many students were mentally prepared, they still jumped in fright when they saw the scene, scattering away from the desk with screams.


    The entire classroom fell quiet for a second, and those who weren''t watching looked up from their desks, exchanging glances as if they expected the class teacher had arrived.


    Ke Mingye, toying with his phone, had already grown accustomed to such commotion.


    He yawned, thinking to himself, "Do they understand? This is the ''terrifying Crow Man''s'' oppressive presence. Anyone who wants to play a villain in the future had better learn a thing or two..."


    There were also many high school girls who were fans of "Magical Girl Ash." When they saw last night''s video on TikTok, they were screaming in excitement, saying how elegant and stylish the outfit was, determined to save their pocket money to buy one.


    It was common for students to purchase one-to-one scale replicas of the Magic Girl Cosplay outfits on online shopping platforms, similar to how people buy merchandise related to their favorite celebrities.


    As stars gradually fade from people''s sight, naturally, another kind of person replaces them to stimulate a similar economic effect.


    At this moment, the whole teaching building was bustling with noise. Just about every student was discussing last night''s events with no sign of stopping, indicative of the high level of attention the matter received.


    Mostly, it was naive boys fiercely debating the combat capabilities of the superhumans, afraid that their favorite superhero might seem inferior.


    Ke Mingye sat quietly in a corner of the classroom, resting his chin on his hand.


    He was quite curious, what these people would think if they knew that Magical Girl Ash, in reality, was a junior high student two grades younger than them.


    However, considering the chaotic personalities fostered by internet culture that beset contemporary high school students, even after learning of this Magic Girl''s identity, they would likely become even more zealous in their speech.


    Well, at most, the supportive comments would shift from "Sister is so awesome, I love her!" to "Ash, mommy loves you!"¡ª such bizarre remarks.


    Among the high school male crowd, the fans of "Diviner Black Wukong" were especially numerous, and it wasn''t unusual for figurines of this Divine Communicator to sell out overnight.


    However, the students in the class were discussing members of his own family.


    Having grown up with them, Ke Mingye knew each person''s true nature, so the mystery that otherwise attracted others was absent for him. Even knowing their secret identities didn''t captivate him with their charm.


    He couldn''t fathom why Bai Zini''s popularity was so frighteningly high in China, even outpacing other members of the Magical Girl Alliance by a large margin.


    Perhaps in a country as conservative as China, where everyone was used to watching magic girls who were pure-hearted and well-mannered on TV, a Magic Girl who flaunted her disobedience and independence so boldly was a refreshing sight.


    Of course, speaking of such characters, there was an even more independent figure involved in last night''s events¡­


    To be precise, that individual had been so headstrong that he had faced universal condemnation¡ª undoubtedly, it was Ke Mingye''s father, Ke Youqing, also known as the vigilante "Qing Ya."


    It was a harsh reality that in Chinese high schools, admitting to being a fan of a widely condemned, subpar vigilante like "Qing Ya" could lead to isolation and ridicule, and even get you labeled as "mentally abnormal."


    Even political studies teachers would proclaim in class that it''s totally fine to idolize superheroes and Magic Girls since they are the heroes of the people and the country; however, low-grade characters like "Qing Ya" should be avoided to prevent negative influence.


    That said, there were always a few eccentric individuals in every class who insisted on going against the tide and liking something different, so despite being overwhelmingly rejected by society, "Qing Ya" did in fact have a significant fan base in China, although the composition of this group was somewhat questionable.


    There were four classes in the morning. Each time the bell rang for the break, Ke Mingye would make sure to find an empty spot to silently complete twenty push-ups.


    So by the time school ended at noon, he had managed to drag his sluggish, tractor-like body through the hundred push-ups required for his daily task without missing a single one.


    [Daily Task Two: Do one hundred push-ups (Completed)]


    [Reward received: One freely assignable attribute point]


    Ke Mingye, looking dejected, slumped in his seat, gasping for air as he looked at the panel.


    He was genuinely worried he might drop dead any second now. Starting out in hell wasn''t a joke; his body was beyond being described by the mere words "poor constitution."


    "Frail" would be a more appropriate term.


    He rested his head on the desk for a moment before opening the player panel, pretending to scroll through short videos on his phone so as not to attract attention from his classmates.


    He clicked the plus sign next to the "Physical Fitness" attribute, prompting a notification to pop up.


    [Notification: "1 attribute point" has been added to the "Physical Fitness" attribute.]


    [Current player attributes are as follows¡ªPhysical Fitness: 10 points; Neurological Reaction: 9 points; Spiritual Power: 10 points]


    Ke Mingye moved his shoulders a bit and couldn''t be sure if it was just his imagination, but the feeling of fatigue seemed to have eased somewhat.


    At the same time, a subtle warmth flowed back and forth through his bones and muscles like the tide.


    After allocating the points, he closed the panel. With nothing else to do, he lay his head down on the desk and began scrolling through videos.


    Just opening an entertainment app in this world, like Douyin or Weibo, would almost immediately present a superhero''s face, or at least be on the way to seeing one.


    As soon as Ke Mingye opened the video app, the first recommended video was a highlight reel of the "Superhero Round Table''s" top hero¡ª"Channeler Zeus."

 Chapter 018 Mythical Carriers

    Firando Gomez, this superhero''s code name is "Channeler Zeus." He is also a member of the "Superhero Round Table" and is ranked No.3 on the Association''s leaderboard.When Ke Mingye came across this video, he thought to himself, "What bad luck. Am I cursed to watch highlight reels of the final boss again?"


    As the name suggests, Firando Gomez is a Divine Communicator. The path he channels symbolizes the supreme God King of Greek mythology¡ª "Zeus."


    Every time Firando appeared on camera, he consistently presented the same image: his face always bore the smile of an all-American boy. To be more precise, it was the kind of smile that was slightly na?ve yet candid, offering a row of neatly aligned teeth.


    With blond hair and blue eyes, his features were handsome, and his countenance rugged. His looks could rival the peak-era David Beckham, and some might say he even surpassed him. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Combining a superior appearance, impeccable power, and a universally recognized status, he was almost like a presidential figure in the United States.


    After a national vote, multiple American media outlets named him "the most perfect man in the world" No.1; now he is undeniably the most popular superhero in Europe.


    On the internet, one can easily find news and articles that lavishly praise his heroic stature to a tiresome degree.


    But even as such a figure, he is ranked only No.3 within the Superhero Association.


    Being third means that ahead of him, there are two more mysterious figures with abilities surpassing his, and like the No.7 ranked "Qing Ya," their information is not disclosed to the public.


    Ke Mingye considered that perhaps the top two individuals in the Association''s ranks would only take action in the event of an apocalyptic crisis.


    After all, as a player, if he survived until the end, an inevitable confrontation with those two figures was unavoidable.


    Ke Mingye''s mission was to become that "crisis capable of destroying the world."


    About "Firando Gomez," Ke Mingye had watched a public speech about him on Weibo the day before, discussing how "superhumans and humans should coexist harmoniously in society," touching upon various issues like employment and education for superhumans.


    But Ke Mingye hadn''t absorbed a single word, as at that time, his attention was entirely focused on the character panel above Firando''s head:


    ¡ª¡ªThe combat power rating given to "Firando Gomez" by the system was "S+ grade."


    In other words, apart from Bai Wenna, he was a notch stronger than anyone else in Ke Mingye''s family; one could say he stood at the very pinnacle of the world without exaggeration.


    It''s no surprise that in the world of this parallel universe, among the chaos of superhuman categories like "Superpower Users," "Mutants," "Magic Girls," "Divine Communicators," "Blood Clan," and so on, "Divine Communicators" naturally had the highest potential.


    The power system used by Divine Communicators is derived from mythology, inherently one level above the rest, saying they''re ahead at the starting line is not an overstatement.


    It''s worth mentioning that Divine Communicators tend to appear rather average in the first five stages of their path, but once they reach the sixth stage, they achieve a qualitative leap in their capabilities.


    To use "Bai Qiuwu" from his family as an example, she too is a Divine Communicator, channeling the path of "Sun Wukong" from Chinese mythology.


    According to the system''s extrapolation, the normal evolutionary path for this route is, Immortal Stone ¡ú Spiritual Monkey ¡ú Monkey King ¡ú Immortal Acolyte ¡ú Horses'' Fortune ¡ú Great Sage Equalling Heaven ¡ú Prisoner Under the Five Elements Mountain ¡ú Golden-Hooped Monk ¡ú Fighting Buddha Sun Wukong.


    Presently, Bai Qiuwu is cultivating at the fifth stage of the path, "Horses'' Fortune."


    And once she reaches the next stage, "Great Sage Equalling Heaven," she will be able to transform into the mythological "carrier" corresponding to the path. In layman''s terms, she can temporarily take on the appearance of a deity, with a significant increase in divine power obtained from the path during this period.


    At that point, her combat power rating in the system would likely leap directly from A grade to S grade or even higher.


    Ke Mingye could not imagine what Bai Qiuwu would truly look like when transformed into the appearance of the mythological carrier, but there were already real-life examples, such as the previously mentioned "Channeler Zeus."


    This monster, who ranked at the very top of the Superhero Round Table and even surpassed Ke Youqing, had already explored the sixth stage of the Divine Communicator''s path.


    According to the system''s analysis, his divine communication pathway''s evolution direction was:


    [Oracle''s Son ¡ú Thunder Wielder ¡ú Lightning Conductor ¡ú Thunder Liberator ¡ú Storm''s Heart ¡ú King of Olympus ¡ú Sky Chain ¡ú Divine Arbiter ¡ú God King Zeus]


    Half a year ago, he had already reached the "King of Olympus" stage, which is the sixth realm. Thus, he was qualified to summon the mythic vessel "Zeus."


    Ke Mingye didn''t need to search deliberately. He simply logged onto a dark web and clicked on the video with the highest views. The first video was the scene where Firando Gomez transformed into the "Mythic Vessel, Zeus."


    The video documented a prison riot from half a year ago.


    Firando Gomez received orders from the Superhero Association and immediately took a helicopter to the Eiffel Tower for a rescue mission.


    By that time, a rebellion had erupted inside the superhuman prison in Paris, France. The plotting superhumans had killed thousands of guards, broken out of prison, and were murdering innocent civilians along their way, singing a high-pitched song as they paraded through the streets.


    They finally converged and partied all night under the brightly lit Eiffel Tower, as if declaring the sovereignty of the city.


    All of Paris was submerged in a hysterical swamp.


    At that moment, the helicopter carrying Firando Gomez flew unobscured to the airspace right above the Eiffel Tower, capturing the attention of all the criminals below.


    In an instant, he leaped from the cabin, falling alone towards the bottom of the Eiffel Tower.


    The criminals at the base of the tower, upon seeing this, immediately mocked the foolhardy fellow. Weapons raised, they sneered and pointed at Firando Gomez as he fell from the sky. Some whistled at him, others hurled frenzied insults, and a few jeered in mock mourning, as if conducting a ritual of a cult.


    But just as he was about to reach the tip of the tower, a sudden burst of lightning shot down from the sky, engulfing Firando''s body completely and forming a ball of light with arcing electricity.


    Immediately afterward, a torrential roar, powerful enough to drown the world, emerged from that cocoon-like giant sphere of light.


    It was as if day and night changed in that instant. The video was filled with blinding auroras, obscuring all sight, and no sound was recorded.


    Dead silence...


    It felt as if the world was a grand stage, performing a monochromatic mime. The sky was instantly covered by layers of clouds, and torrents of rain fell like burst floodwaters.


    Beneath the widespread clouds, thousands of peals of thunder accompanied a singular figure.


    That was a majestic silhouette, standing as if it were at the heart of the world, proudly upright on the black and white stage of this silent play, greedily and despotically basking in the spotlight upon itself.


    The next moment, that majestic form slowly emerged from the lightning, lifting its head.


    It wore a helmet forged of steel, and under the helmet''s shadow, its eyes shone with the brilliance of the midnight sun. Its armor reflected the flickering lightning, glistening brightly. A pair of luminous wings, like those of a giant bird, unfurled from behind, sonorously sweeping away the harsh curtain of rain.


    At this moment, Zeus''s entire body was pulsating with violent lightning. Against the backdrop of lightning, its sacred and inviolable head appeared more arrogant and brutal, like a monarch surveying the world.


    The rumble of thunder, like solemn ceremonial music, sounded endless in the sky above.


    Looking down following the gaze of this deity, the sinners gathered at the base of the Eiffel Tower stared blankly at the towering figure in the sky, and one by one, they knelt to the ground. Only a handful still harbored the desire to resist, but their frail bodies shivered inevitably in the wind and rain.


    The video stopped right there.


    Until the end, no one knew what became of those superhuman criminals involved in the "Paris Riot Incident." A few informed individuals reached a consensus on this matter, keeping a verbal silence to avoid trouble for themselves. Meanwhile, the Superhero Association employed all its resources to conceal the truth of the event from the public.


    The whereabouts of those criminals remained unknown half a year later.


    To others, this video might be significant for appreciating the heroic stance of a superhero and witnessing the divine power of a superhero standing at the world''s apex.


    But to Ke Mingye, this video was nothing short of a "final Boss preview scene."

 Chapter 019 Skill Selection (Part 1)

    "What kind of mythical avatar will my older sister have? When she shows up, will she also bring full special effects like Zeus, stirring up the weather?"Ke Mingye was thinking this and had already roughly envisioned Bai Qiuwu''s mythical avatar in his mind¡ªafter all, Sun Wukong''s appearance is well-known to every household, how far off could it possibly be?


    Now Ke Mingye needed to pray that within a year, Bai Qiuwu''s path to divinity through "Sun Wukong" hadn''t reached the sixth realm yet; otherwise, that would be another tough enemy to deal with.


    But no matter how powerful those superheroes at the top of the Superhero Association were, those were concerns for six months down the line.


    At this moment, no player had grown powerful enough to contend with them.


    The pressing issue hanging over Ke Mingye''s head was how to survive the encounter with his older brother "Ke Yinzhi," who was about to come home¡ªhe had just caught two players who were Anomaly Control Bureau employees, one of them an S-class enforcer. Surely you couldn''t just pull out a web shooter and slap a web on his face, then turn tail and run, right?


    As his thoughts drifted, the school bell rang in the teaching building, yet the classroom remained empty.


    This was the last afternoon class, and the schedule indicated it was time for P.E. Turning to look out the window, his classmates had all gathered on the playground, leaving him alone in the classroom.


    Ke Mingye had asked the class president to excuse him from the physical education teacher, claiming he had a stomachache. Since final exams were over and vacation was near, most teachers wouldn''t be too hard on him.


    Now, he turned his attention to the "mall icon" in the upper right corner of his field of vision; he had clicked it once before, and the system had clearly indicated that this function would be unlocked today at 15:00.


    The time was just right, and he clicked on the mall icon once more, finally entering the "Player Mall" smoothly and without any hindrance.


    A light blue background panel appeared before his eyes.


    [The current version of the mall is divided into three pages: a page for daily consumables, a page for equipment and tools, and a page for skills.]


    [You currently have 0 Mall Coins.]


    Ke Mingye casually browsed through the first two pages.


    In the daily consumables page, most were items like "Fast-acting Healing Spray" and "Stamina Recovery Potions";


    One noteworthy item on this page was something called a "Travel Ticket"¡ªaccording to the description, by using a travel ticket, you could instantly move to any city in the world and return to the starting point at any time.


    However, the functionality of the travel ticket couldn''t be used during combat, so it wasn''t very practical for escape. Its price was also outrageously high: 10,000 Mall Coins per ticket.


    As for the "equipment and tools page," there were ten slots, each loaded with a piece of equipment or a tool, with a wide variety of items.


    Regarding equipment, there was everything from ancient cold weapons, to modern cold weapons and firearms, and even something as specific as "Magic Girl''s Magic Wand," with an overarching theme of diversity;


    As for the tools, "Poisoned Dentures" and "Magic Cards" were the two strange and oddly shaped items that appeared.


    According to the system''s introduction, at midnight every day, this page would timely refresh to showcase ten new pieces of equipment or tools for players to purchase.


    Also, the equipment and tools refreshed are only available for purchase within 24 hours. If the time limit is exceeded, they will be replaced by another batch of equipment during the next refresh¡ªhowever, players can lock an item to make it stay unrefreshed until the next day, but they cannot repeatedly lock the same item.


    This means that a piece of equipment will stay on the page for a maximum of two days. If not purchased by then, it''ll be gone, and you can only hope to be lucky enough to see the same item appear in a future refresh.


    The lower the player''s level, the lower the probability of refreshing high-level equipment on the page; conversely, the higher the level, the higher the probability.


    Ke Mingye''s level was only Lv.1, so the current probability of refresh for this page was¡ª[E-grade equipment 80%; D-grade equipment 10%; C-grade equipment 8%; B-grade equipment 2%; A-grade equipment 0%; S-grade equipment 0%].


    The most outrageous thing would be to refresh a B-grade equipment item¡ªa mere 2% chance, but even if it did refresh, it would be useless without money.


    After reading the first two pages, Ke Mingye flipped through the textbook while clicking on the [Skill Exclusive Page] in the marketplace.


    Just as he entered this page, a system prompt popped up, covering his pupils.


    [As this is your first time entering the marketplace, the system will gift you the right to obtain two skills for free (please use within 24 hours, the right will vanish after the skill page is refreshed).]


    "Free to obtain two skills, a zero-cost purchase, huh?"


    Ke Mingye''s eyes brightened with interest.


    As the prompt disappeared, the contents of the Skill Exclusive Page also came into view.


    Compared to the previous page, the mechanism here was utterly the same. Every day, 10 skills would be refreshed, and the chance of getting higher-level skills also increased with the player''s level.


    The current refresh rate was: [E-level Skills 80%; D-level Skills 10%; C-level Skills 8%; B-level Skills 2%; A-level Skills 0%; S-level Skills 0%].


    Since players could only use their "free two skills" privilege before the next refresh on the exclusive page, trying to play slick by waiting for powerful skills to refresh before using the privilege was impossible. Therefore, the choice had to be made from the existing 10 skills.


    "Out of the ten skills, everyone gets to pick two for free. But luck is another story; maybe some player will hit that 2% and get a B-level skill right at the start on the exclusive page," Ke Mingye thought. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye mused, "I hope my luck is a bit better, don''t just give me 10 E-level skills, or I might as well just remake..."


    After roughly understanding the rules, he began to filter through the information: setting aside what the skills could do, he first checked the names and levels of the ten skills.


    This was the only way to determine just how bad his luck was.


    The filtering complete, the skill information slowly appeared on the panel and came into full view.


    [¢Ù: Hundred Percent Slap (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢Ú: Snap Finger Gun (D-level Skill, refresh rate 10%)]


    [¢Û: Moon Stomp (C-level Skill, refresh rate 8%)]


    [¢Ü: Deception Puppet (B-level Skill, refresh rate 2%)]


    [¢Ý: Thought Delivery (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢Þ: Sword Draw Strike (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢ß: Animal Communication Skill (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢à: Flat Ground Takedown Expert (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢á: Same-Sex Charm Skill (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢â: Disaster Dice (D-level Skill, refresh rate 10%) (Note: This skill can be leveled up through usage)]


    Ke Mingye stared at the sparkling skill in grid ¢Ü, expressionless. For a long time, he clenched his fist tightly, took a deep hiss of breath, almost on the verge of howling at the sky.


    "Well, that settles it, the king of luck is none other than myself."

 Chapter 020 Skill Selection (Part 2)

    Ke Mingye had barely played any games in his past life, only occasional rounds of Minesweeper and Tetris. His head was always buried in literature, and just when he got into university majoring in literature, he found himself transported to another world. As a result, he had little concept of the terms and core gameplay that many games revolved around.Fortunately, the former inhabitant of this body was without doubt a web-addicted teen who, starting from the age of six, had played every game adapted from real superhuman figures, ranging from single-player to pay-to-win mobile games, and he had dabbled in all the popular ones.


    It must be said that the capitalists of this world also had their own set of slick money-making schemes, from superhero movies to figurines and clothing, then to client-based games, and finally, the most critical moneymaker: the superhero mobile games.


    They crammed Magic Girls, super villains, and superheroes with superpowers into the games, luring players into the game to pay for unlocking heroes based on their popularity in real life.


    Therefore, having inherited the memories of his predecessor, Ke Mingye now effectively had ten years of web-addicted teen experience and naturally wouldn''t fall short in understanding various games...


    You must know that all the skills in this game were exorbitantly priced, far surpassing items and equipment of the same level, so the opportunity for a "free skill selection" laid before him was extraordinarily precious, and to say it could directly determine the entire early progression of the game wasn''t an exaggeration.


    In Ke Mingye''s view, if his situation were likened to a game, then the early main theme of this game would inevitably include elements like "spy," "assassin," "romance development," "family-friendly," "campus life," and so on, before gradually revealing its true nature, transforming into a full-fledged "Musou hack and slash game."


    All that spy stuff, campus romance development, family-friendly themes¡ªget as far away from me as possible.


    No more pretending; players would switch to mowing down mode like Zhao Yun in "Dynasty Warriors," slashing through hordes on the battlefield, killing from the Arctic to Antarctica, clearing the Earth of grunts, focusing on blood and violence, with the occasional need to call on teammates to gang up and fight when facing a boss like "Lv Bu," just to avoid a beating.


    But that was the late game strategy. If one only focused on the late game and skipped the early and mid-game, Ke Mingye would definitely be picking skills like "Invincible Overlord Fist" or "Super Genesis Light Wave," without thinking twice, grabbing them all decisively, considering everything for the sake of killing as easily as mowing the lawn.


    However, given that he was currently in the early stage of the game, he had to choose his skills based on doing his undercover work well; otherwise, forget reaching the "fighting feels awesome" phase¡ªhe''d choke in frustration with an early Game Over without any talk of later stages.


    In summary, the strength of the skills wasn''t as important as imagined; selecting the most fitting skills out of the ten available that matched his current situation was the urgent priority.


    Ke Mingye''s gaze scanned over the descriptions of each skill, weighing the value of each.


    The No. 1 skill, "100% Slap," an E-rank skill, ensures a slap will hit an enemy. It''s a fearsome causality skill, but its limitation is that it only deals fixed damage, so it''s not very useful and was passed over directly.


    The No. 2 skill, "Snap Finger Gun," a D-rank skill, allows you to enter the "Snap Finger Gun" mode for five seconds. Every snap of the right hand fires an air bullet forward, with the damage linked to the player''s "Physical Fitness."


    "The more snaps in five seconds, the more air bullets fired in that period, sounds pretty interesting¡­" Ke Mingye thought as he tried snapping his fingers a few times in the empty classroom and then gave up. With the agility of his fingers, he couldn''t manage multiple snaps in a short period, so this skill wasn''t cost-effective for him.


    If it were Tengmura Satoruyuki who had broken the Guinness World Record by snapping 296 times in a minute, perhaps this skill would have been boosted from "D-rank" to "C-rank" or even "B-rank" with the right technique.


    The No. 3 skill, "Moonstep," a C-rank skill, allows for a jump with added buoyancy for a short time, lasting 30 seconds.


    "A flying skill... could compensate for mobility, but I''ve got a web shooter already. If I improve my physical fitness, I won''t need this bit of mobility. This skill must be pretty tempting for other players," Ke Mingye thought.


    The No. 4 skill, "Deception Puppet," a B-rank skill.


    The effect of this skill is to create a puppet. The player shares vision and hearing with the puppet and can control it while changing its voice and appearance at any time to deceive others.


    ```


    And when the puppet is destroyed, it emits a terrifying laughter and explodes in a small radius, causing a continuous fear effect that stuns nearby enemies for 2 seconds.


    [With the current level of players, the maximum number of puppets that can exist is: 1.]


    "Class B really is Class B..." Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, his right hand stroking his chin, "It has quite a few uses, at the very least it can help me with my classes. Being tied down by the school is really annoying." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No matter what the skills behind it were, at least this skill was one he had decided on. From the description, it seemed that it could be of significant use not only in battle but also in other situations.


    Ke Mingye stretched out his finger and clicked on the skill name, and a panel immediately popped up.


    [You currently have two opportunities to acquire skills for free. Do you confirm the acquisition of the skill "Deception Puppet"?]


    Ke Mingye didn''t hesitate and clicked "Confirm."


    [Skill "Deception Puppet" acquired. The skill has been automatically loaded into the first slot of your skill bar. The skill bar can hold up to 10 skills, and must be replaced when full.]


    [You still have one opportunity to acquire a skill for free. This privilege will disappear after the exclusive skill sale page refreshes, please use it promptly.]


    [Note: You can release the skill by calling out its name in your mind or aloud.]


    The following number 5 skill "Thought Delivery" allows the expression of thoughts in an email, and immediately sends the email to any target in the world.


    Ke Mingye already had a friend communication panel, and while this skill might have some uses, such as passing information to characters other than players, which might be miraculously effective in certain situations, it wasn''t currently very useful to him.


    Skills number 6 "Sword Draw Strike" and number 7 "Animal Communication Skill" in the exclusive sale page were the kind that one could tell their uses just by their names. Ke Mingye glanced at them and skipped right over, the latter even reminded him of his friend, the Cheese Snow Leopard in another world, eliciting a wave of sentiment.


    Right after these two skills, number 8 "Ground Throw Expert" and number 9 "Same-Sex Charm Skill" both seemed very interesting.


    The former was a causality skill, incredibly powerful: within twenty seconds of activating the skill, any character standing on a flat surface within a ten-meter radius around the player must inevitably perform an irresistible ground throw, but this skill could not affect the same target twice during its activation period;


    The latter makes a person of the same gender drastically increase their fondness for you, and when their fondness reaches a certain level, you can issue an "irresistible" command to them.


    Ke Mingye agonized for a long time; he was quite satisfied with both skills and wanted both if possible, but he only had one more free opportunity to acquire a skill.


    Especially the "Ground Throw Expert" skill was so cunning it was almost unimaginable. The moment he saw the skill description, Ke Mingye imagined a scene: walking into the Superhero Association''s meeting room, activating "Ground Throw Expert," and watching as the likes of Zeus, Qing Ya, and everyone else thudded to the ground at the same moment, with not a single one able to resist...


    Just imagining the scene, Ke Mingye thought it was outrageously powerful, especially since he really wanted to see Qing Ya fall to the ground, with Ke Youqing''s expression of dumbfounded shock behind the mask.


    Thus Ke Mingye secretly decided that if the tenth skill did not bring him enough surprise, then it was highly probable that his second skill would be "Ground Throw Expert."


    ```

 Chapter 021 Calamity Dice

    Ke Mingye turned his attention to the last skill on the dedicated page, skill number 10.[Skill Name: Calamity Dice]


    [Skill Level: D Level]


    [Skill Effect: Produces a dice in hand and allows for an "irreversible" throw of the dice, after which an event corresponding to the number rolled will occur in reality. (Each occurrence brings a different event.)]


    [Skill Cooldown Time: One day]


    [After accumulating 10 uses of this skill, it will evolve: the evolved "Calamity Dice" allows for two throws, and you can choose one event from the two numbers rolled.]


    [Each use of this skill presents a different event corresponding to the number on each face of the dice, below is an exhibition of a part of the publicly available events from the event library:


    ¢Ù: A gigantic Mario will soon run through the street; ¢Ú: A band will soon run in front of you and play loudly; ¢Û: A dance troupe will appear and perform the seaweed dance in front of you; ¢Ü: A huge hot-air balloon ship will fly across the sky; ¢Ý: A massive whale will fall from the sky; ¢Þ: Someone will aim a machine gun in your direction and fire¡­]


    "This is defying the heavens."


    This was Ke Mingye''s first thought after reading the skill description.


    He considered that this skill was purely about luck¡ªbad luck could abruptly disrupt an ongoing scenario with a tragic event risking his own life; but then again, he thought that if luck was on his side, perhaps rolling the dice in a desperate moment could drastically change his fate and wasn''t an exaggerated idea.


    A double-edged sword indeed.


    But for Ke Mingye, this skill was definitely not something to use in good times, but rather as a last resort in adversity: the worst outcome could only be death, so no matter what the dice roll resulted in, it couldn''t get any worse.


    What to do? I only have one more skill acquisition right left, but I really want both this "Calamity Dice" and that "Flatland Fall Expert." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye let out a long sigh. He suddenly understood the feeling the protagonist of a harem anime must feel when forced into pure romance by the author. He could have chosen both, but he was forced to make a choice.


    The more he thought, the more confused he got. He decided to act decisively, and so he extended his finger to click on the "Calamity Dice" panel, using his last authority. He acquired this skill for free from the system¡ª"Flatland Fall Expert" was after all a skill with a high gag component. It might sometimes work wonders, but relying on it to miraculously change fate was unlikely.


    From a practical standpoint, it was far inferior to Calamity Dice.


    After all, what true man doesn''t want to defy fate with a roll of the dice in a dire situation? The spirit of a gambler burns deep within everyone''s soul.


    Having chosen both skills, the gym class was also nearly over. The high school wouldn''t officially start summer vacation until tomorrow noon, so he still had to come to school tomorrow morning.


    He glanced at today''s date, June 19.


    Both Bai Zini and Bai Ziling had already started their junior high vacation¡ªthis meant that for this entire summer vacation, all of China could witness a Magical Girl Ash freed from school''s gravity, instead of one who could only appear on Saturdays and Sundays; additionally, the likelihood of passersby being attacked by vampires at night might also increase.


    For other students, the approaching summer vacation would absolutely be a mood-lifter.


    But Ke Mingye was different. The words "summer vacation" meant that he had to spend two months stuck with the monsters at home, especially his eldest and second brothers, whom he currently wanted to avoid the most.


    One was an operative at the Anomaly Control Bureau and the other a ninja, both of them top-tier in their respective organizations, not just any ordinary members.


    Ke Mingye could deceive the younger kids at home, but getting close to these two made it really easy to blow his cover, especially since Ke Xiaomo was already keeping an eye on him.


    "Not only do I have to hide my identity from them, but I also have to find time under their watchful eyes to go out and meet other players and play the instance. It''s like walking on thin ice," thought Ke Mingye. "Should I just sacrifice the other people in the house to distract them?


    Maybe use some subtle tricks, hint a little to Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo about the real identities of Bai Qiuwu, Ke Yongzhu, and Bai Zini, so both of them will focus on them and should have no time to bother with me, a muggle..."


    Thinking this, he shook his head, thinking it was not a great idea after all. It was very likely that in the process of leaking information and guiding them, he would be discovered, so it would be best to avoid taking the initiative for now.


    Ke Mingye did not think it was unlikely that his second brother, Ke Xiaomo, wouldn''t come to school to observe him; hence, even when he was alone in the classroom, he tried to cover up small movements that had to be made on the operation panel by pretending to "flip a book" or "open a backpack," handling most other operations with his mind, so no worries were needed.


    Right as he opened his backpack again, the "Contacts" icon in the upper right corner of his vision suddenly began to tremble, and a bubble with the number "1" appeared above the icon.


    As Ke Mingye pulled out his history textbook from his backpack, he raised an eyebrow. He knew this meant that he had received a message from the contacts list.


    He used his mind to click on the icon, opening the contacts list.


    [A message from the Local Players Discussion Group has arrived in the discussion group including players "Unclear Dream," "Fan Quan," and "Good Tangerine Peel."]


    [Fan Quan: Today at five-thirty PM, assemble at the Meiyijia Supermarket on Yandai Commercial Street downtown. Another player "Unclear Dream" and I will be waiting for you two there.]


    [Fan Quan: Also, I only trust those who show up. If I don''t see you, I''ll assume you don''t exist in this city. Don''t expect me to provide any information via the communication board. Exchanging information with someone I haven''t confirmed face-to-face holds no benefits for me.]


    After reading these two stern messages, Ke Mingye looked down and ran his fingers through his hair.


    "How humorous, neither of you have anyone watching your starting points, so you can freely stroll around," he thought. "Now, how am I supposed to slip away when my second brother is watching me?"


    He knew this player with the ID "Fan Quan" was trying to take control, and he didn''t mind letting him take the initiative to gather the players. However, this person was a bit too eager, without considering the situations of other players.


    Ke Mingye thought, however, from someone else''s perspective, that if someone couldn''t even make it to a supermarket downtown within two hours, there really wasn''t much point in collaborating¡ªafter all, a player who couldn''t move freely in the city and was constantly watched, how could they collaborate with him? The risk of being dragged down was much greater than the potential benefits.


    If Ke Mingye''s starting point were relatively safe and free, he would undoubtedly do something similar, isolating players in precarious situations and contacting players whose circumstances were safer and who could move freely.


    Ke Mingye knew he was surrounded at home by eight superhumans, leaving him in a perilous situation. Meeting other players now could easily drag them into trouble, especially if his elder and second brothers ended up watching them too, leaving them with nothing but the prospect of a group wipeout.


    Though he was aware of this, he didn''t expect someone else to consider it so soon and even bring another player into the stance, leaving him caught between a rock and a hard place.


    If this continued, he might end up cutting contact with the other three local players entirely, left to struggle alone.

 Chapter 022 Urgent

    "Truly, you leave me no wiggle room. Let me at least think about how to evade my family''s surveillance before meeting with you."Ke Mingye turned his head towards the playground and took a deep breath.


    According to the player "Fan Quan" in the discussion group, only those who arrived at Yandai Commercial Street by five-thirty in the afternoon were qualified to collaborate with him.


    Ke Mingye did want to meet them, but he couldn''t even be sure of his second brother''s whereabouts now, how could he dare to act rashly.


    Maybe his second brother was lurking in some shadow in the classroom, secretly watching him.


    If he rashly checked with other family members about Ke Xiaomo''s whereabouts, it could lead to trouble, especially since his younger siblings, Bai Zini and Bai Ziling, were unaware of his situation:


    ¡ªHis message asking "Little sister, is the second brother at home?" could be seen by Ke Xiaomo, who might be sitting next to them, instantly confirming his suspicions.


    Ke Mingye looked at the date on the classroom wall, pondering methods to break the situation. If nothing else worked, he thought of asking the player in the discussion group if they could postpone the meeting until tomorrow, although the chances of being rejected were quite high.


    "Right, today seems to be, the second brother''s birthday."


    With this thought, Ke Mingye suddenly raised his eyebrows, having devised a way to break the impasse. He decisively picked up his phone and sent a message to Bai Zini.


    "Little sister, is the second brother at home?" he asked.


    "Yeah, he and Zi Ling are watching TV in the living room. What''s up, big brother?"


    Bai Zini''s response came quickly; her middle school had let out at noon, and she had only gone in the morning to collect her final exam grades and certificates. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Like Bai Ziling, she was at home now.


    Ke Mingye typed on his phone and sent: "Little sister, then please keep an eye on the second brother for me. If he disappears or goes out, tell me right away."


    In other circumstances, he wouldn''t dare send such a message. But today was Ke Xiaomo''s birthday, so he had a reason to send the message without it seeming abrupt or strange.


    Bai Zini paused for a moment before typing back: "Not to be weird, big brother, what are you up to?"


    "Did you forget today is his birthday?"


    Bai Zini got it immediately: "Oh, are you going to buy him a cake to surprise him?"


    "Yeah," Ke Mingye replied by text, "so don''t let the second brother get away even for a second and keep me posted constantly. Otherwise, if I bump into him face to face, wouldn''t it be awkward?"


    Bai Zini quickly sent a message: "Geez, I never saw you make such an effort when it was my birthday."


    She paused again before adding: "Fine, go ahead. I''ll keep an eye on the second brother for you, making sure he doesn''t leave the house, or I''ll break his dog legs."


    Receiving the message, Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief. After all, Bai Zini was a Magic Girl, and with her vision and hearing, keeping watch on the second brother wouldn''t be too difficult.


    He had just received a sum of money in his Alipay account, earnings from last night''s bet on the Superheroes dark web, totaling 5,000 yuan.


    However, Ke Mingye couldn''t possibly use this personal money to buy a cake. Instead, he opened WeChat to ask his parents for reimbursement. This also helped make the action seem more believable, preventing the second brother from becoming suspicious.


    After completing these actions, it was definitely too late to order a birthday cake, so he would just buy a ready-made one from a cake shop later.


    The bell for class dismissal rang just then. Ke Mingye grabbed his backpack and left, not forgetting to pilfer a set of new, unopened school uniforms from an unlucky classmate''s drawer and a box of Nike sneakers from another.


    If it weren''t necessary, he wouldn''t have done this. After all, his life was at stake, and he could discard a bit of moral sense if needed.


    He placed the shoebox and the bag containing the school uniform into his backpack and turned his head toward the toilets in the teaching building. He chose a cubicle, closed the door, sat on the toilet lid, and opened his contact list.


    Mentally typing, he spoke in the discussion group.


    [Failed Man: Five-thirty, right? Wait for me.]


    [Fan Quan: Okay.]


    Soon, a new face spoke up, the never-before-heard-from "Ju Zipi".


    "Good Ju Zipi: I''m also in, just got off work. Even after crossing over, I still have to slave away at my job¡ªI''m literally sick of it."


    "Unclear Dream: We''re waiting here for you guys, hurry up."


    Ke Mingye sat on the toilet, closing the panel.


    He tried to chant the skill "Deception Puppet" in his mind. As soon as the words fell in his heart, he summoned an extremely bizarre-looking puppet.


    "Successful release of the skill ''Deception Puppet.'' Using this skill consumes 20% of your physical energy. Your current physical energy remains at 80%."


    "Skill description: Create a puppet that shares the vision and hearing of the player, and can be controlled at will to change its voice and facial features in order to deceive others.


    Moreover, when the puppet is destroyed, it emits a terrifying laugh and explodes within a small area, causing a fear effect that stuns surrounding enemies for 2 seconds."


    "Maximum lifetime of the puppet: 3 hours."


    Ke Mingye glanced at the upper right corner of his vision where a new grey bar appeared, symbolizing his physical energy, akin to mana in online games, with no energy left, no skills could be deployed.


    He then turned his gaze toward the summoned puppet above him. It was about 1.8 meters tall, shrouded in a hazy gray all over, but its mouth was twisted into a sinister smile. To draw a comparison, it was like the little black figures used in "Detective Conan" to demonstrate crime methods.


    Since that player wasn''t giving him a chance to breathe, if the puppet''s test results met his expectations, Ke Mingye shouldn''t need to meet them in person.


    Instead, he would use the puppet.


    But before that, Ke Mingye had to test if his idea was viable, as the precision with which he could control the puppet directly determined the outcome.


    "This thing looks pretty abstract, but according to the skill description, I can freely adjust its appearance. Molding it into the figure of an ordinary high school student shouldn''t be hard."


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye first unfolded the school uniform he had swiped from a classmate''s drawer and draped it over the naked body of the Deception Puppet.


    He then took out a pair of sneakers from the box, placed them on the floor, and like helping a child put on shoes, stuffed the puppet''s feet into them.


    Next, Ke Mingye mentally controlled the puppet to crouch down on the ground, and then tried to manipulate its physique.


    The moment the thought was placed, the puppet''s body began to violently transform, shrinking rapidly from 1.8 meters to 1.7 meters in just two seconds, fitting perfectly into the school uniform and matching the size of the sneakers, resulting in a less awkward overall appearance.


    Ke Mingye examined it for a moment, then focused his attention, starting to imagine a face of a normal high school student in his mind.


    The next moment, the Deception Puppet''s face began to change as well, slowly distorting into a slightly juvenile and delicate face, with a healthy wheat-complexion continuing from its face throughout its body, turning the dark shade to the same wheat coloring.


    At that moment, the puppet dressed in a school uniform truly looked like a handsome high school student.


    "Quite convenient, I thought it''d take a lot more effort to make it look human."


    Ke Mingye was quietly surprised internally, but wasn''t idle. He heard the voices of two high school boys chatting by the urinal outside the restroom and began to try making the puppet mimic one of the students'' talking manner and voice, then he had it speak softly.


    However, just then, Bai Zini sent a message, Ke Mingye stopped testing and looked down.


    "Big brother has been in the rest room for a while now, could be constipated, so just go ahead and buy the cake. Hmph, if it comes to it, I''ll trap him in the restroom and won''t let him out." Bai Zini.


    After reading the message, Ke Mingye''s heart suddenly sank. Ke Xiaomo had been in their home bathroom for a long time?


    "Something''s not right. Big brother might have already escaped into the shadows from the restroom and left home, but Bai Zini doesn''t know he has this trick¡­" he thought, "Oh no, that means Big brother could have already been looking for me minutes ago. I need to hurry."


    While thinking, Ke Mingye quickly double-checked the Deception Puppet''s speaking voice, then saw the puppet opening its mouth, speaking in a mosquito-like voice:


    "Those mock test questions are really tricky, especially that last big problem¡­"


    Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief. Whether it was the timbre or the intonation, the imitation was nearly perfect. It sounded almost exactly like the boy who had been by the urinal just moments before, and the similarity was so uncanny it was a bit eerie, almost creating an uncanny valley effect.


    He had the Deception Puppet crouch down, hiding in a corner of the stall, then he stepped out of the restroom first, casually closing the door; afterwards, while washing his hands at the mirror, he controlled the Deception Puppet to stand and walk out of the stall, joining him to wash its hands beside him.


    Then, the two walked out of the restroom side by side, split back-to-back in the hallway, and headed in different directions, disappearing into the shadows by the hallway entrance.

 Chapter 023 Double-Sided Action

    June 19, dusk, the rooftop of an abandoned teaching building at Huanjing Third High School.The setting sun cast a bloated shadow from a corner''s solar panel on the ground, the rusty metal frame seemed on the brink of collapse.


    After a moment, a figure slowly emerged from the shadow, clearly a youth dressed in a white shirt and jeans. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Xiaomo leaned against the railings, motionless as he oversaw the whole school. His gaze drifted from the playground to the school gates, from the infirmary to each academic building. Whether it was students chatting in the hallways or figures running on the field, he saw them all.


    In just a few seconds, his gaze locked onto a figure on the second-floor corridor of a teaching building.


    The figure, with a backpack and head down, was engrossed in a cellphone, walked slowly out from the restroom, hurried towards the stairwell, then descended the stairs as if in a rush.


    Ke Xiaomo''s gaze followed him without wavering for a moment.


    Ke Mingye made his way out of the teaching building and headed towards the school gates before boarding a bus at a nearby station.


    Ke Xiaomo memorized the appearance and license plate number of the bus, and then his form dissolved like ink "splashing" down into the shadows at his feet.


    Soon, the rooftop of the abandoned teaching building returned to silence. As if no one had been there, under the sunset''s glow, it resembled a slowly decaying piece of orange peel.


    ...


    ...


    At this very moment, on bus number 07 route 09 in Huanjing.


    Ke Mingye stood in an inconspicuous corner, holding onto a handrail while scratching his nose, the smell of mothballs and disinfectant mingling unpleasantly in the air.


    It was rush hour, and the bus was crowded. It swayed violently from time to time, causing him to bump into the sweaty man next to him. The cacophony of short video sounds, the bus engine''s buzzing, and a woman scolding her child piled up into a messy heap, almost suffocating.


    He sighed softly, lowering his gaze to his phone.


    On WeChat, Ke Youqing finally responded to his message, sending him five hundred yuan to buy Ke Xiaomo a cake, and told him to be frugal with the rest before stopping his replies.


    "Quite stingy, considering the salary you draw from the Superhero Association every year could buy at least two houses in Huanjing," Ke Mingye grumbled to himself.


    Though displeased, his fingers honestly tapped to receive the payment. In reality, Ke Mingye wasn''t short of those few hundred yuan, especially since winning five thousand yuan on the dark web the previous night was quite a sum for a high schooler.


    However, a sudden influx of money could arouse suspicion, so he should ask his parents for reimbursements like an ordinary high school student would.


    Ke Mingye pocketed his phone, slipped his left hand into his jacket pocket, and gripped the handrail with his right, turning to look out the rumbling, vibrating window.


    Although his pupils reflected the swiftly passing landscape outside the window, at that moment, his attention was entirely focused on another scene unfolding in his mind¡ªDeception Puppet shared its vision and hearing with the player. Hence, everything it saw and heard was synchronously transmitted to Ke Mingye''s brain.


    The experience was starkly disorienting, akin to a schizophrenic playing Fps and Moba games in dual windows; it was normal to be overwhelmed, but he was trying his best to adapt to the tearing sensation of controlling two bodies simultaneously.


    Over time, the irritation of being on the bus gradually eased.


    After controlling the puppet to leave the school, Ke Mingye commanded it to walk toward Yandai Commercial Street on foot.


    It was only now that he realized he had miscalculated, he should have at least stuffed a couple of coins into the uniform pocket of the puppet before they parted, so it could take the bus.


    However, manipulating the puppet to walk did have the effect of getting used to it, so it wasn''t too bad.


    He put on headphones on the bus, closed his eyes to rest, while concentrating on controlling the puppet''s movements.


    First, he had the puppet look at its face in the glass showcase of a clothing store, making several expressions to check for smoothness. After becoming proficient, there was hardly any sense of incongruity, even to the extent of being able to precisely control the puppet''s micro-expressions.


    Ke Mingye also took this time to check other matters, finally confirming that the Deception Puppet could use Skills, props, and equipment, but couldn''t use other functions of the panel.


    The puppet''s three attributes were entirely on par with a player''s attributes; which is to say, though frustratingly, it inherited Ke Mingye''s frail body.


    Beyond this, the biggest difference between this puppet and the player themselves was probably "weight."


    The weight of the puppet was far lighter than that of a normal person, so if not carefully controlled, a casual jump could send it three to four meters high, as light as a balloon.


    If there was a chance of being exposed in front of other players, it would definitely be this issue.


    But Ke Mingye had thought it through, he could explain to other players that the body was so light because of a "passive Skill" that reduces body weight learned from the skill specialty page, or perhaps the body itself was superhuman, inherently possessing a superpower that made it light...


    Generally speaking, they wouldn''t verify it that thoroughly.


    However, looking at it from another angle, the puppet''s lightweight also brought a benefit¡ªthat it could do something Ke Mingye currently could not: using a web shooter to fire webs and swing through the air, moving at high speeds above the city like Spider-Man.


    Ke Mingye couldn''t do it due to insufficient physical fitness, lacking the strength to support his weight; the puppet, on the other hand, was different. Although its strength was the same as Ke Mingye''s, its weight was much lower, so it could potentially achieve this.


    After preparing, all that was left was to control the puppet to head to Yandai Commercial Street. That place wasn''t far from Huanjing Third High School, only a half-hour walk.


    On the bus, Ke Mingye opened the system panel again, looked at some introductory items in the settings, and confirmed again those rules that were relatively important to him:


    ¡ª¡ªPlayers cannot see each other''s game panels, so there''s no need to worry about being identified through the panel by others, as the Deception Puppet won''t give away itself;


    ¡ª¡ªPlayers can only read superhuman identities.


    ¡ª¡ªIf it''s not a summon with its own consciousness but entirely controlled by the player, it can enter an instance as a unit representing the player, this is often used to probe the situation inside an instance.


    ¡ª¡ªThe same instance can only be challenged once a day; if a player dies inside an instance, they will not die but will be respawned outside of the instance.


    ¡ª¡ªSome instances take place in real-world scenarios, while others whisk players into a separate dimensional space.


    ¡ª¡ªAfter an instance ends, all players who participated in the instance will appear nearby in a "confirmed unmonitored" location.

 Chapter 024 Happy Birthday

    After confirming that everything was correct, Ke Mingye let out a soft sigh of relief and opened the communication list on the bus. He was still inputting his thoughts to type and clicked to send in the discussion group.[Failed Man: How much longer until you all arrive?]


    [Fan Quan: Didn''t we say 5:30? It''s only four now.]


    [Unclear Dream: We can get there early.]


    [Good Ju Zipi: I''m already on my way, waiting for you guys here.]


    Ke Mingye thought that the Deception Puppet''s maximum duration was 3 hours; he had summoned the puppet exactly at 4 p.m., so it would disappear at 7 p.m.


    If he had to wait until 5:30 to meet the other local players, he needed to resolve things within an hour and a half to slip away from them in advance.


    So the sooner he met up with them, the better, otherwise, if he was chatting with them and the puppet suddenly exploded or disappeared, the consequences would be self-evident.


    Boarding the bus in front of the school, the journey from Huanjing Third High School to Old Jingmai District took merely 5 minutes; he was already nearing his stop.


    While using WeChat to pre-select a cake with the owner of a cake shop in the district, Ke Mingye typed and asked in the communication panel.


    [Failed Man: Open the mall, on the Skill exclusive page you can choose two skills to obtain for free, have you chosen?]


    [Fan Quan: I have.]


    [Good Ju Zipi: I refreshed two C-grade skills and took them both.]


    [Unclear Dream: Then you''re quite lucky, the ten skills I refreshed on that page only had one C-grade, the rest were all E and D-grade.]


    [Fan Quan: Normal, the refresh rate for B-grade skills is only 2%. As players level up in the future, the refresh probability for high-level skills will become higher.]


    Originally, Ke Mingye had been wondering whether the first refresh of the Skill exclusive page was guaranteed to produce a B-grade Skill; he appeared lucky but maybe everyone was the same.


    Now it seemed he truly did just get lucky: he encountered a B-grade skill with a 2% refresh probability and got it for free through his starting permissions; if he were trying to refresh such a high-level skill at any other time, he wouldn''t be able to purchase it due to a lack of Mall Coins and could only watch helplessly.


    "It''s rare to have such luck; I hope things continue to go smoothly..."


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye''s gaze moved to the window outside, high-rise residential buildings captured in his pupils, fleeting; pedestrians rode by on electric bikes, getting stopped by traffic police for not wearing helmets.


    Looking at the silhouettes of people hanging laundry on their rooftops, Ke Mingye couldn''t help wondering whether Ke Xiaomo was currently trailing him or perhaps really staying in the bathroom at home playing on his phone. Or could it be that Ke Xiaomo was actually hiding on the bus, and he just hadn''t noticed?


    No matter what, he couldn''t confirm and had to proceed with the most conservative approach, ensuring precision at every step.


    Ke Mingye placed his hand on his phone but then set it down again. Soon enough, the ''huffing and puffing'' sound of the bus''s exhaust reached his ears, and the bus stopped at a station in the Old Jingmai District.


    There were quite a few passengers getting off the bus at the same district, and he followed the stream of people off the bus.


    Meanwhile, at a billiards club in Old Jingmai District.


    In an empty rooftop area, Ke Xiaomo''s figure emerged from the shadows. Looking down, under the dusky twilight, Ke Mingye left the crowd and turned into a lane, walking slowly forward.


    Ke Xiaomo slowly moved across the rooftops of several high-rise buildings, keeping his eyes locked on Ke Mingye''s movements, never letting him escape his sight for even a moment.


    Soon, Ke Mingye walked into Old Jingmai Street No. 3 and entered a cake shop with a sign that read "Sam Bakery." He walked directly to the counter, took out his phone, and said something to the shop owner. The owner glanced at him, then brought out a large package from the back kitchen and handed it to him.


    "A cake shop?"


    Hiding behind a large standee, Ke Xiaomo cautiously peeked out his head, stealthily observing Ke Mingye inside the shop.


    Ke Mingye, having taken the package from the owner, exited the shop with it in hand. While playing with his phone, he strolled towards home, looking every bit like a delivery boy.


    Ke Xiaomo followed Ke Mingye in silence until he saw him enter the duplex apartment building and get on the elevator. Only then did he stop walking.


    He watched the elevator doors close and ascend slowly before stepping out from behind a large billboard and turning into the deserted alley behind him.


    "After school, Mingye only went to that cake shop before heading home," he thought. "He didn''t meet with anyone. If there''s an issue, it should be connected to that cake shop. It seems the owner knows him; I wonder what they talked about. Mingye had a box in his hand when he returned; I don''t know what was in it, but I''ll check it out later."


    With these thoughts, Ke Xiaomo looked around the alley to make sure no one was watching, then slowly disappeared into the shadows at his feet.


    When he opened his eyes again, he was seated on the toilet in his home bathroom. The sound of the doorbell echoed from outside the bathroom, Ke Xiaomo listened to Bai Zini''s pitter-patter footsteps rushing to open the door, knew that Mingye had returned, so he pressed the toilet flush lever.


    Amidst the noisy flushing, he turned on the faucet, washed his hands, and only then approached the bathroom door.


    His hand on the doorknob, he slowly turned it and pushed the door open. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, a sudden "snap" sound startled him.


    Ke Xiaomo had already noticed someone outside and knew it must be his sisters'' doing, so he pretended to be surprised and extended his hand to protect his head.


    When he looked up, the lights inside the room were off, and in the dim corridor, colorful confetti fluttered down from the sky, landing on his hair and face.


    Ke Xiaomo paused slightly, then slowly lowered his hands from his forehead. He touched the paper confetti dangling on his face and looked bewilderedly at the three people standing in front of the bathroom.


    Bai Zini stood there with a mischievous smile, holding a paper popper the size of a horn in her hands;


    Bai Ziling stood beside her expressionless, arms stretching out a banner that read "Happy Birthday ''Ke Xiaomo''";


    Ke Mingye stood between his two sisters, hands cradling a cream cake lit with several candles. The candlelight reflected his awkward expression, as if he was somewhat reluctant.


    Surrounded by scattered confetti on the floor, the three of them spoke almost simultaneously.


    "Happy birthday, second brother!" Bai Zini said.


    "Happy birthday, I want a red envelope," Bai Ziling said.


    "Happy birthday, another year older for you," Ke Mingye said.


    Ke Xiaomo stood at the bathroom door for a long while, then slowly extended his large arms to hug his two sisters and brother, bringing their heads close together.


    "Thank you... I am touched."


    He said softly, his gaze meeting Ke Mingye''s in the middle.

 Chapter 25 Birthday Party

    On June 19th, at twilight, a modest birthday party was happening in a duplex apartment.Bai Zini and Bai Ziling had turned off the lights in the living room early and drawn the curtains; Bai Zini passionately claimed that this was the only way to create an atmosphere, asking if you understood what a birthday was.


    Ke Mingye brought the birthday cake to the table. The room was dim, lit only by the light of the few candles. Turning his head to look at the balcony, the light blue curtains fell loosely, blocking most of the light from the setting sun. The twilight illuminated just an inch of the floor near the wall, elongating the shadow of the floor-to-ceiling windows.


    Bai Zini took it upon herself to open a karaoke channel on the TV. She plugged in a microphone with a USB cable, sat in front of the TV, and led the singing of the Happy Birthday song in an off-key comical tone.


    Bai Qiuwu and Ke Yongzhu, after coming back from school, quickly joined their ranks.


    The siblings gathered around the birthday cake. In the soft candlelight, they each took a turn with the microphone, singing a few perfunctory lines¡ªjust that their sister Bai Qiuwu sang with some semblance of talent, while the others'' voices seemed possessed by indescribable ancient gods from the Cthulhu mythos.


    The birthday song rose intermittently in the living room, often interrupted by the laughter of others. A breeze blew through the twilight sky, lifting the gauzy curtains.


    Through the curtains, you could see several figures gathering around the cake, one of whom, tall and thin, had their eyes closed and hands clasped in front of their chest making a wish, with someone placing a paper wreath, made on the spot, on their head.


    Out of the six, Ke Yongzhu especially found singing this kind of song a big ask.


    When the microphone reached this temperamental elementary school student, he had a scowl with lines across his forehead. He would open his mouth without making a sound, pretending to start singing then suddenly turning his head, glaring with probing eyes at his family''s reaction. If someone laughed out loud, he could put down the microphone without singing and feel justified.


    Those sitting on the sofa, as if they had reached a consensus on a "do not laugh challenge," kept a straight face, trying their best to hold back laughter¡ªlaugh and you lose.


    The corners of Bai Zini''s mouth twitched slightly, and later, unable to hold back any longer, she stuffed a piece of cake into her throat, bowed her head, and chewed vigorously while trying to stifle her laughter, her cheeks puffed out like a panda''s; this was her last resort.


    Finally, after several rounds of testing by Ke Yongzhu, he reluctantly moved his mouth close to the microphone. Hardly had he begun the first word of "Happy Birthday" when the usually silent and indifferent Bai Ziling suddenly snorted, giggling lightly, prompting Ke Yongzhu to turn and glare at her right away.


    Seeing Ke Yongzhu look her way, she tried to play it off by raising a slice of neatly cut cake to cover her mouth and cheeks. Eyes cast downward and tinged red, she purposefully coughed twice, her pale hair slightly swaying on her shoulders.


    Seeing her like this, Ke Mingye sitting beside couldn''t hold back any longer. He appeared to be occupied with his phone, but in fact, he was slapping the sofa hard with his right hand, nearly breaking the armrest.


    Ke Yongzhu dropped the microphone with a dark face and pounced on Ke Mingye, knocking him into the sofa and persistently nudging against his chest with his head, causing Ke Mingye to upend his piece of cake onto the sofa, shouting "Stop it, I haven''t had my cake yet," while laughing uncontrollably.


    It was clear that the little rascal was holding back; not transforming into a dragon and biting him was an act of extreme mercy.


    Just as the two were roughhousing, the door opened, and Ke Youqing and Bai Wenna came home.


    Bai Wenna, seeing a piece of cake smashed on the living room sofa, with cream tracing a path down the armrest, was about to get angry, but Ke Youqing stopped her, removed the cigarette from his mouth, and said something. She sighed, and in the end, merely stated it could not happen again.


    Bai Zini jumped off the sofa, ran to the entrance, and grabbed their hands, pushing them to sit on the sofa. Then she forcefully handed the microphone to Ke Youqing''s mouth.


    The usually stoic father took a deep breath, gazing solemnly at the lyrics.


    However, the moment he started singing in that deep, honest voice, people around him were laughing so hard they fell to the ground, rolling about; some sprayed the cola they were sipping from their mouths, others rubbed their Tianming Acupoint and started chanting Buddhist scriptures.


    Time flew by quickly; the sunset slowly sank below the horizon, taking away the afterglow that spread over the city.


    Bai Zini went to the restroom, leaving her smartphone on the sofa. Her second brother, Ke Xiaomo, picked up the phone, holding a slice of cut cake, and walked towards the corridor entrance.


    He had remembered the gesture Bai Zini used to unlock her screen, so he easily entered the correct password, opened WeChat, and glanced at her chat messages with Ke Mingye.


    [Ke Mingye: I''m on the elevator, is second brother still in the restroom?]


    [Bai Zini: Yes, he hasn''t come out. What if he passed out?]


    [Ke Mingye: Maybe he''s playing with his phone inside. You often play with your phone in the restroom too, sometimes staying in there for half an hour.]


    [Bai Zini: I''m just following your lead, ''like father like son.'' I''ve already turned off the lights at home and drawn the curtains; Zi Ling even went to find the leftover firecracker and banner from last year. We''re just waiting for you to come back, big bro, hurry up!]


    [Ke Mingye: Okay, if I''m not there yet, you and Zi Ling just wait outside the restroom door, don''t let him come out, I''ll give him a surprise when I get there.]


    [Bai Zini: Okay.]


    After reading the messages, Ke Xiaomo put away the phone, leaning against the wall with half of his face shrouded in shadow.


    "Is my judgment off? Mingye is still the same Mingye, maybe I''m just being paranoid." Thinking this, he turned his gaze towards Ke Mingye. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye was sitting on the armrest of the sofa, sipping cola, his eyes fixed on the TV screen. However, his mind wasn''t there but rather on the Deception Puppet all along.


    The time was exactly the agreed 5:25 PM, and the Deception Puppet had arrived at the Meiyijia Supermarket on Yandai Commercial Street.


    This place was the meeting spot mentioned by a player with the ID "Fan Quan," though the supermarket appeared to have closed down, with a sign stating "Temporarily Out of Business" pasted on the firmly locked doors.


    But Ke Mingye''s attention wasn''t on the sign because there was a massive panel floating in front of him.


    [Congratulations, you have discovered the "Huanjing No. 5 instance." It has been recorded in your dungeon atlas, which you can open and view at any time.]


    [Dungeon name: Massive Zombie Chase]


    [Dungeon location: Yandai Commercial Street, Meiyijia Supermarket]


    [Dungeon difficulty: F-rank (recommended for players below level 3 to form a team to tackle the instance)]

 Chapter 026 Player Meeting

    "The zombie element in this instance, too classic."Ke Mingye glanced over the instance''s introduction and then shifted his focus back to himself. With a thought, he opened the communication panel and sent a message to the discussion group.


    [Failed Man: Have you all arrived?]


    [Ju Zipi: Here.]


    [Indistinct Dream: 1.]


    [Fan Quan: The game experience shop next door, third room on the second floor. Just tell the owner you''re with us and it''ll be fine.]


    [Failed Man: Okay, on my way.]


    After sending the message, Ke Mingye moved his viewpoint back to the Deception Puppet. Controlling the puppet to turn its head, sure enough, there was a video game store not far from this supermarket.


    He maneuvered the Deception Puppet into the video game shop, said a word to the owner, and then went up to the second floor. Entering the third private room and lifting the black cloth, three unfamiliar figures came into view.


    In the private room of the video game shop, the orange light illuminated three faces. As the Deception Puppet walked into the shop, they simultaneously turned their faces away.


    "Who are you?" Ke Mingye asked.


    "Fan Quan."


    The first to speak was a young man with glasses, wearing a black long coat and jeans. He was carrying a book with a black leather cover, and the look he cast was profound and lucid.


    "Qing Meng. I typed the ID randomly, so just call me that."


    The next to speak was a girl wearing a baseball cap. She had dyed light blue long hair, her hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket, her neck slightly raised, looking quite aloof, with a blue heart tattooed near her eye.


    "Then, I''m Ju Zipi."


    The last one they saw was a handsome young man dressed in casual clothes. He was squinting and smiling, giving off the impression of being carefree and easy to approach.


    "Why choose a console shop?"


    Ke Mingye ordered the puppet to sit on the sofa while asking this question.


    "It''s safer to have a conversation in this kind of shop, which is facing closure, than in places like cafes," said Fan Quan.


    "Makes sense."


    Ke Mingye had already noticed when he came in that the video game store indeed didn''t have many customers. It was very quiet.


    After all, with the economy developed, those who need consoles like the PS5 and Switch can easily buy one to play at home. There is no need to specifically go to a console experience shop. If it were a somewhat busier shop, it could act like a club for gaming enthusiasts. But for a small shop like this, the fewer customers it has with time, the worse the vicious cycle becomes.


    "Let''s have a chat. You must have seen the Meiyijia instance too," Fan Quan said.


    "Talking about a zombie chase, pretty classic," Ke Mingye responded.


    "Qing Meng and I have found a total of seven instances in Huanjing in the past two days. Among these seven instances, only this one has the lowest difficulty. The system recommends it for players ranging from ''Lv.1 to Lv.3'' to attempt the challenge, so as our first instance, it should be the best choice."


    Ke Mingye couldn''t argue; indeed, it was tough to find an instance with an even lower difficulty.


    "So, are we starting today?" he asked.


    "After gaining the Skill at three o''clock, Qing Meng and I already tried challenging that instance, but we failed," Fan Quan said unhurriedly, "The gap wasn''t very big; we just lacked a player who can attract the attention of the monsters for coordination." With that, he took a sip of coffee.


    "Drawing fire? I think I can do that," said Ke Mingye. He had a web-shooter, and the Deception Puppet was quite lightweight, so in terms of mobility, it was absolutely sufficient for drawing the instance monster''s aggro.


    He added, "But let me be clear, I haven''t learned any damage-dealing Skills, just have..." Just as he was halfway through, he noticed Fan Quan sliding a handgun across the table, so he changed what he was about to say to, "Never mind, then."


    "Where did you get that gun?" Ke Mingye asked, puzzled.


    "This body''s father gave it to me," Fan Quan said as he slipped the gun back into his coat.


    "Huh?"


    Ke Mingye was taken aback for a moment, thinking to himself that this was China, not the United States; which father was so bold as to give his son a handgun to play with?


    "It''s a long story."


    Speaking of which, Fan Quan started to introduce his family background.


    His father was an illegal arms smuggler who occasionally gave him several guns to play with, so he could provide handguns for his teammates, but his father had also warned him that if he was discovered by the police, it would be the end for him.


    He had enrolled in a top domestic university but had taken a leave of absence due to health reasons, and his family didn''t really monitor him, which basically allowed him to move around freely at all hours.


    "That''s pretty good, having the freedom to move and the ability to provide guns," Ke Mingye commented.


    "It''s nothing; players born in the United States can easily get their hands on guns. My background only gives me an advantage in China," Fan Quan said calmly.


    "That''s true."


    The punk girl with the ID "Qing Meng," seated next to Fan Quan, also shared her background.


    She said, "The previous owner of this body was a rebellious punk girl. As I mentioned in the chat group, she was an orphan who had organized a band in the orphanage using other orphans as a gimmick. Later, after attacking the police, she was sent to juvie, and the band dissolved."


    As she spoke, she popped a piece of gum into her mouth, "Anyway, now I can climb over the wall from the orphanage anytime, so I guess I''m quite free too. Contact me if you need anything."


    "That such things can happen in China is pretty sci-fi." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye remarked as he turned his gaze to the young man with the ID "Ju Zipi."


    Ju Zipi chuckled and said that the background of his body was that of an ordinary person from a normal family who was now on college vacation and had returned home to work in a bubble tea shop for the summer.


    Finally, it was Ke Mingye''s turn, and all three looked at him.


    Ke Mingye thought if he really had to introduce his family history, he''d need to write at least a ten-thousand-word thesis. So, he made the Deception Puppet take a sip of water from the glass on the table before introducing himself:


    "Well, my father and I are filial and loving, and we have a harmonious family; everything''s normal, Over."


    In fact, he hadn''t brought his real body partly to avoid involving these players in his family issues, so he chose to only infiltrate the player troops with a Deception Puppet and lay low.


    If he could mooch off the instance rewards, that would be a win, and even if not, he wouldn''t lose anything¡ªafter all, with his background, not getting discovered by his family and just idly watching other players perform was the most pragmatic approach; trying to achieve greatness while shackled was like dancing in fetters.


    "It seems that players typically take over the body of some normal person in this parallel world and largely come from normal families, with no Superhumans. This is probably to prevent players from developing emotions for the Superhumans, given that you also inherit all the previous occupant''s memories when you travel here.


    These memories can easily cause you to develop feelings for your family members, leading to indecision."


    After hearing everyone''s stories, Fan Quan analyzed without hesitation.


    Ke Mingye forced a smile through the Deception Puppet and said, "Yes, it''s all too human."


    "Anyway, we''ll meet here at this time tomorrow to get through the instance. In the time afterward, we''ll take on the responsibility of finding the instance; whether you need to go to school or work doesn''t matter. Just make sure you can make time to gather," Fan Quan said.


    "Alright, then see you tomorrow," Ju Zipi said, "I''ll be going first."


    "Bye," Qing Meng said, looking down at her phone and waving her hand.


    "Okay," Ke Mingye said, "I''ll be on summer break after my classes tomorrow; call me in the chat group when needed."


    After finishing, he made the Deception Puppet be the first to leave the private room. The moment he left the host experience store, he changed his face. Turning down several streets, he then turned into an alley where he was sure there were no surveillance cameras.


    He let the puppet shrink, reverting to its original form and curling up in a trash can. The next moment, the puppet exploded from within, with cracks burning with fire engulfing every inch of its ''skin,'' consuming it entirely.


    Soon after, a bizarre laugh spread through the alley.

 Chapter 027 A Step Away

    [Notice: The "Deception Puppet" has been actively destroyed; the next release of the puppet will require 10 minutes.]Ke Mingye massaged his Tianming Acupoint and let out a gentle sigh of relief, thinking that if that thing didn''t disappear soon, his brain would have overloaded.


    When he opened his eyes again from the sofa, the only image left in his mind made him feel like the world was significantly more peaceful.


    Simultaneously controlling two bodies was no easy task, especially when the auditory and visual senses of both intertwined, creating a mental strain nearly akin to severe schizophrenia¡ªenough to drive someone mad over time.


    Ke Mingye sat on the sofa to recover for a moment, then glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. It was 6:25 PM; night had fallen, and the family birthday party had long since ended.


    After dinner, except for his second elder brother who was in his room, everyone else had gone out for a walk, leaving the house very quiet.


    With nothing pressing to attend to, Ke Mingye joined Bai Qiuwu and Bai Zini to watch TV for a while. He picked up the remote control and pressed the numeric keys to switch to a news channel.


    On the reasonably large screen, the host broadcasted a blurred video, describing it as it played:


    "Last night, ''Diviner Black Wukong'' and ''Magical Girl Ash''¡ªtwo superhero vigilantes¡ªassisted the superhero ''Qing Ya'' in arresting a criminal ''Diviner Ghost Tree'' causing trouble in the center of Huanjing City. The Superhero Association highly commended their brave actions and pledged a generous reward if they decide to join the association;


    Huanjing City''s mayor also made a personal appearance in a media interview, urging the vigilantes to register with the Superhero Association soon and become official members, to uphold the law with a legal identity."


    Did you hear that? It''s about you two, always running around with masks on, not caring about legality... Ke Mingye thought to himself while casually glancing at Bai Qiuwu and Bai Zini on the sofa.


    Bai Qiuwu was coolly playing with her phone, perfectly indifferent, displaying outstanding acting skills;


    In contrast, Bai Zini was also fiddling with her phone while she carefully shifted her position on the sofa, moving closer to Ke Mingye, and asked in a seemingly casual tone,


    "Big brother, don''t you think that Magic Girl on the news looks pretty, with a kind of fresh and ethereal beauty?"


    Upon hearing her, Ke Mingye looked up at the photo of Magical Girl Ash on the news and tilted his head.


    "It''s hard to say," he said.


    "What do you mean by ''it''s hard to say''?" Bai Zini pressed.


    "Well¡­it''s just average," he reluctantly said.


    Bai Zini''s mouth gaped open, but she hesitated, and after a brief pause, she gently clapped her hands and said, "Look more carefully; is she really just average? I think she''s the prettiest Magic Girl who has debuted lately."


    After speaking, she seemed a bit unconvinced and continued muttering, "Also, many classmates in our school are her fans! Some even say she looks a bit like me, what do you think, bro?"


    "My goodness, if she really looks like you, then she''s really unlucky, must have struck negative karma for eight lifetimes,"


    Ke Mingye teased nonchalantly, lowering his head back to his phone.


    "You!" Bai Zini, unable to retort, just glared at him and angrily crinkled her nose, ignoring him thereafter.


    She instead turned to Bai Qiuwu and asked, "What do you think, big sister? Doesn''t this Magic Girl look much prettier than that darkly dressed monkey next to her?"


    Hearing this, Bai Qiuwu tilted her head and looked up at the three photos broadcasted in the news¡ªfull-body shots of "Qing Ya," "Black Wukong," and "Ash."


    "Hmm... but aren''t all three of them dressed in dark colors?"


    She pinched her chin, curling her lips, and teased earnestly.


    Just as Bai Zini was about to argue, she glanced at the three photos and could only purse her lips.


    "That''s true," she said.


    Ke Mingye chuckled twice, thinking it was all too true. He couldn''t understand why this whole family preferred dark-colored battle suits; it must have been an inherited sense of aesthetics.


    Ever since the first time he went online to look at photos, he couldn''t help but complain¡ªBai Qiuwu''s battle suit was a mix of silver and black; Bai Zini''s "magic dress" was gray tinged with black; their dad, Ke Youqing''s battle suit was even more ridiculously exaggerated, except for a patch of green on the mask''s beak, it was utterly pitch black, making him completely invisible at night.


    It might just be that the three happened to think alike, since they often roamed at night, designing their battle suits in darker shades made it easier to conceal themselves.


    "Either way, I can''t figure why this monkey has fans..."


    Bai Zini muttered under her breath, picked up her phone to check a message, "I left something at school, I''m heading out first, bye." After saying that, she stood up from the sofa and turned to walk toward the hallway.


    "Isn''t your middle school already on summer break? Shouldn''t it be closed by now?" Ke Mingye asked.


    Bai Zini''s voice came from the hallway: "Mind your own business, pretty girl things."


    "Sorry princess, should I kowtow twice to cool you off?"


    Ke Mingye said sarcastically, though he was still quite curious about what Bai Zini was up to.


    Because just five minutes before, Ke Youqing had said he was meeting a colleague tonight, put on his coat, took a cigarette, and headed out, but Ke Mingye definitely didn''t dare to follow him;


    Not long after, Bai Zini also said she had left something at school, and if she didn''t go back to get it now, the school would lock up. She rushed out, perhaps they were dealing with the same thing.


    There weren''t any criminals around now, right? Ke Mingye checked the trending topics on Weibo to make sure nothing was happening.


    "Big bro!" He suddenly shouted upstairs.


    "What''s up, Mingye?"


    Ke Xiaomo, hearing his shout, slowly walked down from the second floor.


    "Little sister said she needs to go back to school to get something. Why don''t you give her a ride on the electric bike?" Ke Mingye suggested, standing up from the sofa and walking towards the second floor, brushing past Ke Xiaomo.


    "Sure." Ke Xiaomo stopped on the stairs and looked toward Bai Zini who was putting on her shoes at the door, "Shall I put on a coat and wait for you?"


    "No need, I''ll just take the bus."


    Bai Zini said while putting on her shoes and glared at Ke Mingye''s retreating back.


    While they talked, Ke Mingye quickly returned to his room. Taking advantage of the fact that his big brother Ke Xiaomo was still on the first floor, he locked the door, opened the window, and once again used the "Deception Puppet," making the puppet appear outside the window.


    [Skill "Deception Puppet" successfully released. The release of this skill will consume 20% of your energy level, leaving 80% remaining.]


    [The current maximum number of Deception Puppets is 1; the maximum existent time is 3 hours; there should be a one-hour interval between releasing puppets after one disappears, but if you actively destroy a puppet you can reduce the interval to 10 minutes.]


    At this moment, the puppet was clad in grey, grinning from ear to ear, looking quite eerie. But Ke Mingye didn''t have time to change its appearance, he immediately made it jump down from the windowsill, rolling onto the rooftop of the neighboring residential building. Because of its light weight and the rolling reducing the impact, it landed unscathed. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, another image appeared in Ke Mingye''s mind¡ªit was the Deception Puppet''s point of view.


    He closed the window, flopped down onto his bed in a spread-eagle position, thinking, "Might as well give it a try, see if it can keep up with her pace."


    Ke Mingye pulled out his phone and casually opened a video app. His fingers unconsciously swiped the screen, but his mind was controlling the movements of the Deception Puppet.


    He commanded the puppet to crouch on the railing of the adjacent building, intently surveying the neighborhood. Soon, Bai Zini walked out of the duplex apartment on the ground floor, entering the puppet''s field of view.


    "Here she comes." Ke Mingye thought.

 Chapter 028 Spider Web Tracking

    Bai Zini twisted her head around to survey the street, and after confirming that no one was around, she entered a camera-free alley and pulled out a folding umbrella from her bag.In an instant, starting from the tip of the umbrella, a haze of interwoven gray and black colors flowed past, like a tide sweeping over the body of the umbrella, and then the lower half of the folding umbrella gradually transformed into a magic wand.


    Time seemed to stand still as intricate designs blossomed terrifyingly on the surface of the umbrella, finally linked together by a circle of thorns, and the magic umbrella "Cinderella" was fully formed, unfurling in the night.


    The bearer was enveloped in that stream of light, trapped within a cocoon of light.


    Magic Girl Ash brushed the hair from her forehead with her hand, shattering the cocoon of light instantly, her black hair cascading down her back like a waterfall, her gothic gray skirt fluttering in the wind.


    She tilted her face upward and slowly lifted her eyes, her pupils cold and clear under the moonlight.


    Nonchalantly, she reached upward and removed a classic mirror from the inside of the umbrella, looked at her own face in the mirror, and her features subtly altered.


    If it wasn''t for the Deception Puppet''s vision being sharper than 1.5, given the darkness of the night, even Ke Mingye himself might not have seen these actions clearly. The entire transformation process took less than 3 seconds, smooth as flowing water.


    The girl took two or three steps forward, nonchalantly raising Cinderella. Accompanied by the ripple spreading from the umbrella, her slender body ascended into the night sky along with the umbrella.


    "Little sister, can you slow down? I can''t keep up." Ke Mingye was secretly shocked.


    Even so, the moment Ash soared into the sky, he immediately ordered the Deception Puppet to crouch down, gathering all its strength in its legs and stomping fiercely, drawing a nimble arc in the air and leaping onto the top of another residential building. Firmly grabbing the ninth-floor railing to climb upward, he continued to dash forward after stepping onto the corridor.


    Then, it stepped on the railing again to leap further, rolling onto the rooftop of an office building. It sprinted forward on the solar panels, the metal beneath its feet crying out.


    During this time, the puppet''s gaze was fixed on the silhouette of Ash flying through the sky, her body light as a kite, running among the towering buildings.


    Because this body was terrifyingly light, it could easily jump several meters high, but Ash''s flight speed was increasing. Regardless of how far or high the Deception Puppet jumped, it couldn''t match the speed of flight. If this continued, they would soon lose sight of her completely.


    Fortuitously, just up ahead was a steel jungle of high-rise buildings crowded together, with a sea of traffic on the city roads below. Thus, Ke Mingye ordered the Deception Puppet to equip the "Web Shooter" and give it a shot. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Alert: Your summons "Deception Puppet" has been equipped with the "Web Shooter".]


    As the system voice fell, a high-tech metal device appeared on the right wrist of the Deception Puppet, resembling a watch. It pointed the shooter toward the high-rise ahead, pressing down with its hand to activate it, and immediately a white spider-thread stretched out from the night, crossing the wide road and sticking to the glass curtain wall of the building like a palm.


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath, controlling the Deception Puppet to grab the spider thread and leap forward from the apartment building below.


    It clenched its fingers around the thread, swinging in a beautiful arc in mid-air, and at the moment it was about to crash into the building ahead, it again lowered its hand, shooting another thread toward an adjacent high-rise.


    The moment the thread snap-stuck to the building''s facade, the Deception Puppet let go of the original thread and gripped the new one tightly, slanting its body as it swung forward.


    Despite Ke Mingye''s intense focus, he still couldn''t match the speed of Ash. Due to a lack of proficiency, the balance control in the air wasn''t quite right.


    Meanwhile, Ash just held the handle of the umbrella, soaring leisurely through the night sky, not even at full speed, making it difficult even to see her silhouette.


    "Hey hey hey, does it need to be so exaggerated? Now I know why she flies faster than my older sister''s Somersault Cloud¡ªI need to speed up, or I''ll lose her right away."


    Ke Mingye was frantic, yet his control over the puppet remained precise.


    The puppet accurately grabbed each spider silk, wildly swinging forward under the neon lights as if shuttling through a bizarre world of movie trailers and beauty ads.


    The howling wind brushed past his cheek, and the horns of the trucks below blared deafeningly, but its movement was unimpeded, his pupils seemingly focused only on the flying skirt of the girl with the umbrella in mid-air.


    About thirty seconds later, the Deception Puppet released the last spider silk attached to a skyscraper, somersaulting into the rooftop of a long-closed school hotel, finally surpassing this modern jungle of neon and steel.


    Behind him, the strands of spider silk crisscrossed in the air like complex function graphs, connecting nearly dozens of skyscrapers'' glass facades; several drivers on the road looked up at the dazzling web, got out of their cars to check, even causing minor traffic congestion.


    Ke Mingye had no intention to make the puppet turn its head, so he couldn''t see the bizarre spectacle he had woven in his frantic movements. Soon, through the puppet''s eyes, he finally saw Ash stop.


    She eventually landed on the rooftop of a long-closed school in Yandai Commercial Street, slowly descending with her umbrella, tiptoes touching down, folding up her umbrella, and walking toward the school building without looking back.


    "Thank goodness, you finally stopped..."


    Watching Ash land on the rooftop, Ke Mingye couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Though he was just lying in bed at home, his back was already soaked with cold sweat.


    He even played a horror movie on his phone to ensure no one at home was monitoring him and wondering why he was breaking out in cold sweat for no reason.


    It has to be said, following the Deception Puppet''s first-person perspective as it flew over the city was thrilling beyond measure. Leave aside the visual bombardment; his ears were nearly deafened by the honking of road trucks and the howling wind. His head spun, his heart racing as if he were a complete gaming newbie experiencing VR for the first time, feeling like his heart might just burst out.


    Now that he knew where Bai Zini had landed, Ke Mingye didn''t have to worry about losing her.


    "No need to panic, you can take your time now. Just now was damn terrifying."


    Ke Mingye thought so, picking up the water glass from the desk and taking a sip of boiling water.


    He commanded the puppet to slowly lower its right hand, launching a spider silk from a nearby residential building, sticking it to the school building''s rooftop railing, then leaping into the air, swinging around, and slamming face-first into the rough wall. Luckily, it was light, hitting the object like a balloon, not making much noise.


    At that moment, the puppet''s raised arm clung tightly to the spider silk, its body pressed against the surface of the rooftop railing, slowly sliding downward.


    Ke Mingye didn''t intend to let the puppet directly enter the school building; that would be no different from suicide, so he had it observe from outside instead.


    Soon, he heard a faint murmur of voices emanating from the fifth floor of the derelict school building.


    Ke Mingye softly exhaled, commanding the Deception Puppet to dangle precisely outside the classroom by the spider silk, making sure to keep its body away from the windows to avoid being noticed by anyone inside.


    What is Bai Zini doing? Why did she specifically come to this place, and who is she meeting?


    Once calm, these questions slowly emerged in Ke Mingye''s mind, but he wasn''t in a rush because the answers were soon to be revealed.

 Chapter 029 Secret Meeting

    Who was Bai Zini meeting with? Could it possibly be Dad, who had also gone out not long ago?As Ke Mingye pondered this, he ordered the puppet to move.


    The puppet used a strand of spider silk to stick to the railing of the rooftop, hanging upside down in midair, slowly descending along the wall until it came to rest just above the first classroom window on the fifth floor.


    The noise was coming from inside there, where the classroom was brightly lit, the firelight shining through the windows illuminating the night. The puppet slightly lowered its body, the back of its head sticking close to the wall as it neared the window, looking in from an angle.


    Inside, three hollow pumpkin heads with internal ghostly fires floated in midair, providing a warm light source for the classroom.


    Below the pumpkin heads was a square "conference table" made up of more than ten wooden desks stacked together, around which sat six figures.


    They were divided into two sides, each with three people sitting face to face.


    On the side of Magical Girl Ash, two other figures came into the vision of the Deception Puppet. When the image reached Ke Mingye''s brain, the system naturally superimposed the information panel provided.


    [Code Name: Magical Girl Rainbow]


    [Age: 13]


    [Strength: Grade C (slightly better than a small portion of superhumans)]


    This magic girl was clad in a pink pleated skirt, with her pink hair tied up with a red band. She sat prim and proper, hands resting on her knees, appearing somewhat constrained.


    [Code Name: Magical Girl Feng]


    [Age: 15]


    [Strength: Grade C++ (slightly better than a small portion of superhumans)]


    The other magic girl had short blond hair and a short skirt colored elegantly like maple leaves. Her face was androgynous, like a boy who was overly handsome.


    Her posture was more relaxed compared to Magical Girl Rainbow, but still quite proper;


    Looking back at Magical Girl Ash sitting between the two, she was sitting cross-legged, her right hand, clad in a black leather glove, propped under her chin, and the index finger of her other hand gently tapped on the table, showing a hint of impatience.


    Both of these magic girls were Grade C, Ke Mingye thought.


    In comparison, he suddenly felt that Bai Zini''s strength was actually quite outstanding among the various magic girls.


    The puppet hanging outside the window shifted its eyes, quietly observing the demeanor of the three magic girls, still unnoticed for the moment.


    At that moment, Ke Mingye felt relieved that he hadn''t arbitrarily changed the appearance of the puppet. After all, its original grey exterior was perfectly suited for hiding in the cover of night¡ªif one didn''t look closely, it was virtually impossible to notice a grey, indistinct face hidden outside the window.


    Furthermore, since the puppet was hanging upside down, only its eyes and forehead were visible at the top of the window, making it even harder to detect.


    He manipulated the puppet, slowly shifting its gaze toward the other three figures sitting across from these three new magic girls. He was very curious who they were meeting with so late at night.


    The answer was soon revealed. The puppet''s vision captured three enchanting figures, their beautiful appearances exuding grace and grandeur, forming a stark contrast to the three newcomers sitting opposite them, especially the nonchalantly seated Ash.


    In fact, the moment Ke Mingye''s gaze touched the other three figures, he had already recognized the names of these notable individuals. Yet, the system gave the information panel, unsolicitedly adding to the picture.


    [Name: Udina]


    [Age: 19]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Strength: A+ (possessing top-tier combat prowess far surpassing 90% of the superhumans in the world)]


    [Identity: Magical Girl Udina (a magical girl from Russia, currently one of the three giants of the Magical Girl Alliance, she is a rare holder of a "mutant magic wand", whose prototype is a sword handle. When infused with magic power, the handle transforms into a blazing lightsaber, capable of instantly melting a high-rise building at its maximum power)]


    Udina was clad in a magic ceremony dress resembling Knight''s Armor, unlike the luxurious beauty of other magic dresses, her attire was shrouded in steel in multiple places¡ªshoulder guards, gauntlets, chest plate, resembling a set of heavy knight armor, with only the lower half being a long dark red skirt reaching to the floor.


    Her face was handsome, and between her brows lay an uncontainable heroic air. Her gaze was piercing, captivating the soul. Her supple red hair cascaded down from the back of her head, this bright mane was the most distinctive feature on her. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Russian girl "Udina" was after all one of the pinnacle figures among magical girls, and Ke Mingye had learned about her through social media and short video platforms to a certain extent.


    Similar to Bai Zini, also known as Magical Girl Ash, Udina was a bearer of a "mutant magic wand," the most unique category among the magical girls.


    The difference lay in the fact that Udina''s magic wand was a sword handle, while Bai Zini''s was an umbrella handle, which after transformation would become the magical umbrella "Cinderella" and the holy sword "Galohua" respectively.


    Udina set the Magical Sword Galohua aside and sat expressionlessly on the left of the three; in the middle sat a figure who was on par with her, also one of the three giants.


    [Name: Lilai]


    [Age: 18]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Strength: A+ (possessing top-tier combat prowess far surpassing 90% of the superhumans in the world)]


    [Identity: Magical Girl - Lilai (a magical girl from England, currently one of the three giants of the Magical Girl Alliance, she is the only "ice magic" card user in the world, possessing the power to create and control ice elemental cards, hence earning the nickname "Extreme Ice Witch")]


    Lilai had nearly silver light golden hair that shone with a cold light under the lamps, pure as snow upon glaciers.


    Her features were elegant with a hint of the beauty of a classic beauty. Those ice-blue eyes resembled lakes frozen beneath layers of dust, mysterious and deep, radiating an unreachable aloofness.


    She was draped in a magic dress of blue and silver, exuding a lofty air, as if a noble young lady from English classical literature had stepped out of the pages.


    Under the orange glow of a jack-o''-lantern, Lilai lowered her eyes, slowly flipping through a dossier; in contrast to her meticulous behavior, an Asian girl sitting to her right was absentmindedly nibbling on a zongzi with her head bowed.


    [Name: Xizi Yue]


    [Age: 18]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Strength: A++ (possessing top-tier combat prowess far surpassing 90% of the superhumans in the world)]


    [Identity: Magical Girl Xizi Yue (a magical girl from China, currently one of the three giants of the Magical Girl Alliance, she is the magical girl with the most thorough mastery of various elemental magic cards in the world, her skill is so exquisite that she even created several trait-specific cards, for instance, the "Space-Time Train" from the "Magic Catalogue NO.3," a Space Department card, is one of her masterpieces)]

 Chapter 030 Problematic Girl

    Xizi Yue wore her hair in a bun at the top of her head, with ponytails on either side twisted into round shapes, making them resemble panda ears. Her appearance was pure and ethereal, her distinct features so pristine as if untainted by the mortal world.Moreover, unlike other magic girls'' dresses, the dress worn by Xizi Yue was very rare¡ªa light blue cheongsam. Its design was only slightly modified from the traditional cheongsam, and the difference was not significant.


    With her exceptional appearance, coupled with her genuine Chinese nationality, one could predict that Xizi Yue''s popularity in China was considerable.


    She had once continuously topped the "National Style Goddess" rankings and appeared multiple times as the cover figure on famous domestic magazines such as Vogue China and Rayli. In any major city in China, taking a few steps on the street would likely expose one to this magic girl''s beauty or fashion advertisement campaigns.


    Though it seemed like she endorsed many ads and appeared on numerous magazine covers, Xizi Yue was in fact an extremely lazy and casual person.


    If possible, she would have been happy to lie in bed for days on end without doing anything, simply sleeping and eating upon awakening.


    Xizi Yue only resorted to endorsing advertisements as a means to gather funds to prevent the Chinese branch of the Magical Girl Alliance from shutting down.


    In this country, minors were deeply restrained by law, and the majority of magic girls were not older than eighteen years, placing China''s magic girl division in a dire and precarious situation.


    Although the death rate of magic girls had been rising along with superheroes over the years, the mortality rate between the two was about the same. However, discussions on the internet about "magic girls dying in battle" were far more widespread than those concerning "superheroes dying in battle."


    Thus, opinions originally intended to show care and concern inadvertently propelled the existence of "magic girls" into fierce controversy.


    A surge of domestic experts, previously silent, emerged atop this whirlwind of debate.


    They repeatedly expressed online that "upholding the peace" should be the duty of the heroes from the Superhero Association, not left to a group of underage girls wearing bizarre dresses flitting through the skies. This not only set a bad behavioral precedent for young girls within the country but also severely breached laws protecting minors.


    In this difficult situation, China gave rise to "Xizi Yue," a prodigy hailed as "once in three thousand years among magic girls," who completely reversed the decline of magic girls.


    Her mastery in magic cards had reached a precedent unmatched by predecessors and probably unsurpassed by any to come, fitting to be called the new "Mother of Magic Cards."


    For the past three centuries, the fighting power of magic girls born in China had been slightly inferior to those from other countries, but the emergence of Xizi Yue directly altered this scenario.


    Undoubtedly, she now represented China''s magic girls and was their true pillar of strength.


    If it hadn''t been for Xizi Yue''s efforts in single-handedly turning the tide and staunchly holding out, the title of "magic girl" might have already vanished from China''s historical stage, completely replaced by the heroes of the Superhero Association.


    At this moment, Xizi Yue, Udina, and Lilai, each representing the strongest magic girls from China, Russia, and England, respectively, had gathered together, evidently to discuss important matters.


    The Deception Puppet was concentrating intensely, sticking its head out above the window, its upright eyes fixed on the three spokespersons of the magic girls'' community.


    This image transmitted into Ke Mingye''s mind, revealing a hint of surprise in his eyes.


    "Bai Zini actually managed to connect with these significant figures, but there are two new magic girls beside Bai Zini, so this must be a routine meeting," he thought.


    Being among the strongest magic girls, according to the system''s provided data, Udina and Lilai''s combat power was ranked A+, all while the Magic Girl Xizi Yue was just a step away from S rank at A++.


    Their power levels were tremendously exaggerated. If there were no other superhumans to stop them, with their combined strength, they could easily destroy the borders of a country, and there were few superhumans in the world who could match them.


    However, if all members of Ke Mingye''s family were combined, they could potentially clash with them. Not to mention there was also their alien mother, whose combat strength was unknown, so Ke Mingye didn''t think too highly of them.


    At this moment, since they had not yet spoken, Magic Girl Ash, Feng, and Rainbow, sitting directly opposite, naturally did not dare to speak either.


    Apart from Ash, the expressions of the other two were as if they were primary students waiting for the teacher to grade their papers, nervously shivering.


    Udina hugged her shoulders, closed her eyes in thought, and her dress''s steel shoulder guards reflected a cold light under the lamplight;


    Lilai, with one hand on her forehead, brushed back her light blonde hair, while the other hand flipped through documents, her ice-blue eyes scanning the contents on the table intently;


    Xizi Yue played with her cellphone while casually munching on a rice dumpling, the munching sounds notably clear in the silent classroom.


    Feng and Rainbow watched her carefully, thinking to themselves that what they read on Weibo was indeed true: this national idol had an enormous appetite, able to devour two buckets of tubed rice in one meal.


    While eating, Xizi Yue seemed to suddenly remember something and looked up to ask the gothic girl sitting across from her, "Xiao Ni, do you have free time after the meeting?"


    Magical Girl Ash, who was playing with her phone, was momentarily stunned by the question, hurriedly put away her phone, and looked up, "I am free; I''m on summer vacation." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She paused for a moment, "But Master, what do you want to do?"


    Mingye was slightly taken aback before he realized: Master? Xizi Yue is my little sister''s master? Her judgment really is lacking...


    "Well later, when Wild Fox logs on, join me for a couple of rounds of Go," said Xizi Yue.


    "That''s fine, but I''ll have to see if my brother is willing to let me use the laptop," said Ash, propping up her chin and speaking indifferently, "My brother is really mean, always picking on me at home."


    Mingye''s eyelids twitched, thinking to himself that even in such a setting, she has to seize the opportunity to speak ill of me, right?


    "You''re not allowed to," Lilai looked up from her documents, adding coldly, "And no staying up late." She flicked up her light blonde hair as she spoke.


    Magical Girl Ash pouted, staring straight into Lilai''s ice-blue eyes, and said innocently,


    "But Second Master, didn''t you pull me into pulling an all-nighter playing Dota last time? You even said your Ice Maiden was the best in England, and if you weren''t a magical girl, you''d have gone pro!"


    Upon hearing this, the two new Magic Girls sitting nearby were flabbergasted.


    They thought to themselves, we all debuted as magical girls in the same period, how come you''re the only one referring to the three chairpersons of the Alliance as ''Master'' and speaking so out of line? That''s totally outrageous.


    Mingye, who was secretly listening, felt similarly.


    "Second Master, too... then the one sitting next to her, Udina, must be your Third Master. All the strongest modern magical girls are your masters, one teaches you swordplay, while the other two teach you how to control magic power, right?" he thought.


    The reason he specified magic power control rather than Magic Cards was that, like Bai Zini, Udina also rarely used Magic Cards in battle, primarily relying on her mutated magic wand for combat ¡ª her "Cinderella" umbrella had so many forms, she naturally needed someone to teach her how to integrate and use them effectively in combat.


    "Enough chatter," Lilai still expressionless, "We''ve come here to discuss several recent issues, most of which you''ve caused."


    "Like what?"


    Magical Girl Ash sat in her chair, swinging her legs, and asked nonchalantly.


    "First, the Alliance clearly stipulates that magical girls are not to kill. Yet, a month ago, you personally killed a superhuman criminal, and the resulting media storm has yet to settle down."


    "I didn''t want to kill him, but just..."


    Before Ash could finish, Lilai coldly interrupted her, "Secondly, there''s the issue with your identity. You are currently the only magical girl in China who has not officially registered her identity with the authorities. Do you understand the severity of this issue?"

 Chapter 031 First Negotiation

    As the voices in the classroom gradually turned into accusations directed at Ash alone, Ke Mingye also raised his eyebrows, remembering the incident from a month ago when Magic Girl Ash had accidentally killed someone.At that time, she had released a magic power beam with the tip of Cinderella''s umbrella at the superhuman criminal "Ghosthand Buddha," creating a large hole in the criminal''s chest. The body of Ghosthand Buddha slid down the glass curtain wall of a tall building, with blood pouring out and cascading down the high-rise building like a waterfall.


    The scene was so gruesome that it was unbearable to look at, causing the people on the street to scream in terror.


    In the video, Ash stood suspended in mid-air, silently watching the river of blood smeared across the surface of the high-rise building and quietly clenched the black umbrella.


    It was as if she hadn''t realized she had killed someone.


    As for her identity issue, that''s been a long-running topic.


    Magic Girl Ash wasn''t strictly a formal Magic Girl, as she hadn''t officially registered her identity. She acted as a vigilante to help citizens without any compensation.


    But on second thought, if she truly chose to compromise and officially register her identity with the authorities, then, with Ke Youqing''s resources at the Superhero Association, he would soon find out about it.


    Considering the importance he places on family, he would probably take off his mask and directly come over from the nearby Superhero Association, and forcefully demand that Bai Zini cease her involvement in the Magic Girl world.


    At this moment, in the brightly lit classroom, despite being sternly reprimanded by the president of the Alliance, Ash remained unfazed.


    She rested her elbow on the table, her fingers in black leather gloves propped against her chin, while her other hand''s index finger lightly traced circles on the table''s surface.


    She muttered coldly, "I don''t want my family to worry about me, nor do I need their support. What I want least is for them to restrict my steps; that''s why I conceal my identity."


    She paused, then turned her cheek slightly, her tone growing darker.


    "Asking me to reveal my identity publicly? What''s the difference between that and putting handcuffs on me? If that''s the case, I might as well not be a ''Magic Girl'' at all. It''s too troublesome."


    "That is your responsibility." Udina spoke while opening her eyes wide, looking straight at her, "From the first day you became a Magic Girl, you should abide by the rules."


    "Why should I?"


    Saying so, Ash lifted her eyes from the table, locking eyes with her, and retorted angrily, "Third Master, who set the rules in your mouth? Those jerks who sit above us and do nothing while watching us risk our lives?"


    Seeing this scene, the two new Magic Girls beside her were stunned into silence, chilled to the bone. It was their first time seeing someone dare to talk back to Udina with such an intense tone.


    "I advise you to watch your words carefully," Udina said, "especially in public. Speaking like this could not only put you in a difficult position but also damage the reputation of the Alliance."


    The gothic skirt girl straightened up, leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and still spoke defiantly:


    "Why must a Magic Girl have to publicly disclose her identity? Why must I not kill anyone, when not killing might result in my own death, might allow more people to die before my eyes? If I had to cross that line, must I be punished then? Or would you rather see him kill more citizens before I act? I don''t mind, perhaps more deaths would prove my point."


    Toward the end, she tilted her head slightly and scoffed coldly, her jet-black hair cascading down like powdered lead.


    Hearing these radical statements, Xizi Yue impassively continued to eat her sticky rice dumplings, and Udina maintained her silence as well; both appeared to dismiss it as if they were watching a child''s rebellious antics.


    Both concurrently glanced at Lilai sitting between them, as if waiting for her to speak.


    "So, putting all that aside for the moment," Lilai began slowly, then suddenly asked coldly after a pause, "Did you even remember to bring a witness to the meeting this time?"


    Upon hearing this, Ash turned her head to glance at the two newcomers sitting beside her, and asked puzzledly, "Wasn''t it you who asked me to bring them here, Second Master?"


    "I don''t mean them. Could you explain who was the person crouched at the window, watching us for so long?"


    Lilai rested her chin, her tone calm, as she slanted her gaze toward a corner of the window, directly meeting the Deception Puppet''s eyes.


    "I thought you hadn''t noticed, I was wondering whether to mention it or not," Udina said.


    "Now that you mention it, I''ve been curious since earlier about that thing hanging outside the window, looking like a giant spider ¡ª it''s seriously ruining my appetite," Xizi Yue also said.


    Had I been discovered?


    Ke Mingye, through the puppet and facing the one known as the "Extreme Ice Witch," remained calm.


    In fact, he wasn''t at all surprised that he''d been discovered. On the contrary, it would have been normal to be discovered since he hadn''t used any "invisibility" skills and was just peering through the window. In front of a group of the world''s top powerhouses, this was no different from blatantly squatting right beside them.


    He''d been waiting for these people to unveil him. If not, he''d just go with the flow, ready to deactivate the puppet anytime and not worried about leaking any information.


    Since he had already mentally prepared himself, at that moment, he ordered the puppet to release the web strand linked to the balcony railing, and his figure fell beneath the school building, swiftly blending into the night.


    Ash then realized what had happened and suddenly turned her head towards the window where the noise came from, her pupils showing disbelief before her expression gradually darkened.


    Lilai stared at her face, as if mocking her, and slowly added, "He came with you, so you handle it ¡ª bring him here to meet us."


    Ash remained silent, having nothing to say this time as she gazed back at Lilai with revolving emotions. Her pride was too strong to endure such a scenario. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My mistake, it won''t happen again," she said.


    Upon finishing her words, the handle of Cinderella flashed, the tip of the umbrella bursting with a powerful current that propelled her out like a cannonball. The classroom window shattered under the head-on force, opening the exit for her.


    Cinderella at full power, the body of the umbrella sending out ripples like ocean waves, lifting Ash''s skirt as she swiftly traversed beneath the moonlit night like a dark cloud.


    Before long, her gaze locked onto a figure.


    The figure, swinging between skyscrapers by strands of web from unknown origins, finally climbed onto an overhead railway, sticking webs to the oncoming high-speed train above it, seized the strands in a flickering motion, and threw himself upward in an arc, landing atop the train.


    It was as if mocking Ash, just standing atop the steel dragon, motionless. He raised his hands, moving forward with the high-speed train along the track, racing over the bustling city below.


    "Not moving anymore?"


    Magical Girl Ash frowned, thinking something was wrong. That person seemed to be baiting her into a trap.


    But still, she chose to lean the umbrella backward, thrusting out a majestic air stream, propelling her like a nail piercing the night sky, shooting forward tens of meters to catch up with the high-speed train.


    At that moment, the man on the train, among the sparks from the wheels grinding against the rails, turned to look back at Ash, who was slowly retracting her umbrella, landing atop the high-speed train.


    The two stood atop the train, facing each other against the thunderous noise of the engine.


    "Did you think you could escape just by getting on a high-speed train?" Ash said.


    "No, I was waiting for you," the other replied.

 Chapter 032 The Puppet Girl

    Magical Girl Ash stood atop the train, her gaze fixed intently on the figure opposite her, not far away. She frowned and raised her voice, questioning them amidst the thunderous engine noise:"What do you mean you''ve been waiting for me?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, the moonlight intertwined with the sparks flying from the friction of the train against the rails, illuminating the ghastly appearance of that shadowy figure.


    It was a human form shrouded in a hazy gray mist, its mouth twisted into an exaggerated smile, nearly reaching its ears. The closer one looked, the more chilling it became, prompting a quick avert of the gaze.


    Ash''s eyes twitched wildly, feeling her sanity points nearly depleted, but she did not let her gaze wander for a second, lest it seized the opportunity to launch a sudden counterattack.


    What in the world is this hideous thing?


    While pondering this, she lifted Cinderella with one hand, pointed the umbrella tip at Deception Puppet, and said deliberately, "Move one more step, and you''ll be reduced to ashes."


    Is this really something a Magical Girl should be saying? Could you maybe take a course in image management at the Magical Girls'' Preparatory School before showing up?


    Ke Mingye complained in his mind while maneuvering the puppet to raise its hands in a sign of surrender.


    "Calm down, calm down, I have no intention of fighting you," it said with its mouth still stretched in a grin.


    "As if you have the strength to fight me..."


    With those words, Ash shot the puppet a disdainful look, then extended her right hand toward the base of Cinderella''s umbrella and drew out a tachi, "I don''t know who or what you are, but thanks to you, I''ve been utterly humiliated in front of my master. I''m quite irritated at the moment, so I''ll be venting my anger on you first. Let''s hope you''re as durable as I imagine."


    The blade reflected the cold moonlight, mirroring the girl''s pitch-black pupils. Her words were nearly drowned out by the rumble of the high-speed train, but they still reached the other''s ears.


    The Deception Puppet shrugged nonchalantly and continued, "Let me reiterate, I''m not your enemy. I know who you are."


    "Out of options, so you''ve resorted to playing oracle?" Magical Girl Ash said sarcastically.


    The puppet lowered its face, its hollow eyes fixated on her, and whispered a name softly.


    "Bai Zini."


    Upon hearing this, Ash instantly froze in place, and within the next second, her gaze turned cold. The gun barrel at the tip of Cinderella''s umbrella was already open, the dark hole ready to emit dangerous sparks at any moment.


    "You have three seconds to explain," she said gravely, "or I''ll shoot."


    "Three..."


    As the countdown fell, the puppet maintained its raised hands, silent. Its slight body swayed atop the speeding train, like a humanoid weathervane.


    "Two..."


    Ash counted down, her right hand already poised on the handle of Cinderella''s umbrella, with magic missiles in the chamber ready to launch.


    "One..."


    Just as Ash was about to pull the trigger, the puppet suddenly started speaking with a smile.


    "I know who Black Wukong is; it''s the person you''ve been chasing," it said hauntingly.


    Ash''s expression turned even colder, "And so?"


    "I also know about your family, friends, everything around you. It''s not difficult. Once you know your name, all your information is accessible," the puppet said, tilting its head, "So, I understand why you hide your identity. It''s for your family, isn''t it?"


    "Shut up! You strange thing!"


    "Oh, did you know? I was originally thinking of being called ''Riddle Man,'' but ''strange thing'' has a nice ring to it. Call me Strange Thing from now on," the puppet suggested, raising a nonexistent eyebrow.


    "There won''t be an ''after''; you''re going to die by my hand right now."


    "Didn''t your master just teach you that Magic Girls can''t kill?"


    "So what?" Ash sneered coldly, "You don''t think I really dare not kill you, do you?"


    "Impulsiveness is the devil, I advise you to cool down your head."


    The puppet spoke softly, raising its right hand slowly and putting up a finger: "Each time I appear, I will tell you a secret. As long as you''re willing to maintain long-term cooperation with me, I will tell you all the truths of this world."


    "I don''t need your secrets, but I will tear off that fake face of yours and see who you really are."


    "You''re really violent, Magic Girls should be cuter." The puppet paused for a moment, "So, here''s the gift for this meeting: ''Black Wukong is right beside you.''"


    Ash was startled for a moment, then shouted lowly, "Nonsense!"


    "Believe it or not, that''s up to you." The puppet laughed and said, "Well, it''s time for me to go, see you next time."


    "Next time? I''ll just catch you and take you back to the division; we can see each other every day."


    The moment she finished speaking, Ash held the blade in her right hand and the umbrella in her left, the tip of the umbrella aimed behind her burst forth with a current, propelling her towards the Deception Puppet, the blade tip pressed against his jaw.


    "Hey, I would advise you to stay away from me, I''m about to explode," the puppet abruptly said. "By explode, I don''t mean ''I''m going to fight you to the death,'' I mean¡­ I''m seriously going to explode."


    "You think you''re funny, huh, strange thing?"


    Ash said coldly, pointing the gun muzzle of the umbrella tip at his forehead, while her other hand pressed the tachi against his jaw, "Move one more time, and your head will fall to the ground."


    The puppet said, "Even if you chop off my head, I will still explode, so you better stay away from me." And with that, it began to count down aggressively.


    "Three..."


    In that second, the temperature of the puppet''s body surface skyrocketed.


    "Two...."


    In the next second, crimson cracks filled the puppet''s entire body.


    "One..."


    Before the final countdown could finish, Ash swiftly swung her blade and decapitated the puppet using the tachi.


    At the same time, she forcefully aimed Cinderella''s gun muzzle at its chest and did not choose to shoot a magic bullet, but rather blasted out a strong current of air, blowing the puppet''s body from the top of the bullet train into the night sky, avoiding an explosion that could harm the passengers below.


    At that moment, the puppet''s head flew across the night sky.


    It opened its mouth, staring at Ash''s silhouette, and still said composedly, "We will meet again, Miss Ash. I may die, but there are thousands and thousands of me that will return."


    The puppet''s voice fell with the cold wind, replaced by a sinister laugh.


    The body that was hurled into the air exploded completely, turning into a flash of fireworks-like light that briefly illuminated the sky above the bustling district.


    Listening to the neurotic laughter echoing in the air, Ash felt as though a large hand was squeezing her chest. She stood rooted to the spot, unable to move.


    Since becoming a Magic Girl, it had been a very long time since she had felt the emotion of "fear," so it took her a while to come back to her senses.


    "What the hell is this thing¡­"


    She stared at the flash of light disappearing into the night sky and muttered softly to herself.


    Suddenly, as if realizing something, she quickly covered her mouth with her hands, eyes widening, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, a Magic Girl just swore."


    Ash murmured to herself while hugging her shoulders and squatting on the roof of the train, shivering twice in the oncoming cold wind.


    "Amitabha... Master, forgive me, I didn''t mean to swear, it''s all because of this damn strange thing!"


    The more she spoke, the angrier she got, so she stood up and fiercely stomped a few times on the train roof, then raised her hand holding Cinderella and swiftly flew into the night sky.

 Chapter 033 Qing Yas Letter

    After Magical Girl Ash had left, the classroom was enveloped in deathly silence for a long time, with three floating pumpkin lamps flickering intermittently in the semi-darkness.The faces of the people below alternated between light and shadow, making their expressions unclear.


    In such an uneasy atmosphere, two rookie Magic Girls rested their hands on their knees, occasionally scratching their hands and looking at each other, as if searching for an excuse to escape.


    Finally, Lilai from the top three leaders of the Alliance broke the silence, looking up at the two newcomers and said indifferently,


    "As you have seen, an unexpected incident has occurred, so we will end the meeting here. You two should go back, and be careful on your way."


    "Okay, then dear seniors, we''ll take our leave now!"


    The two Magic Girls, finding an opportunity to exit, quickly spoke in unison, immediately stood up to bow, and fled the classroom like a streak of smoke, leaving only the three presidents of the Alliance under the pumpkin lamps.


    "Xiao Ni is still the same, impulsive, reckless, and stubborn." Lilai glanced at the shattered glass on the floor and spoke unhurriedly, "Honestly, should we not discuss who has been spoiling her character like this?"


    "Whether during training or at other times, I have never relaxed my expectations of her for a moment," Udina explained calmly for herself.


    At that moment, both turned their gaze to Xizi Yue, who was sitting on their right, silent.


    "You guys are quite humorous, don''t tell me you think it was me¡­" Xizi Yue had just started speaking when she saw the aggressiveness in their eyes intensifying and sighed lightly, changing her words, "Fine, let''s just say it was me who spoiled her that way. If you all are going to be like this, what can I say? Whatever suits you."


    She finished her sticky rice dumpling, clapped her hands, and continued,


    "But on the bright side, at least she''s quite lively, isn''t she? Otherwise, having ''magic'' without ''girl'' would render the title ''Magic Girl'' meaningless."


    Lilai shifted her gaze away from her, her tone cold, "That sounds easy for you to say, but who knows what trouble she might cause in this coming year."


    "Rather than worrying about these things that haven''t happened yet, why don''t we discuss the person who was following her? Doesn''t that concern you?" S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Speaking of which, Xizi Yue cleverly and smoothly shifted the topic, "Though the eavesdropper was weak, otherwise he wouldn''t have hidden so poorly, we should not take it lightly. Maybe he allowed himself to be discovered on purpose, aiming to lure Xiao Ni to follow him."


    With those words, a heavy book with intricate patterns engraved on its cover appeared in her hand and gently rose into the air as if held by an invisible hand from below.


    Immediately, a card flew out from the book and shot towards the window, disappearing into the night without a trace.


    Xizi Yue grabbed the Magic Book, closed it, and while placing it on the table, she explained, "If something happens to her, this card will teleport you there the moment you need to be."


    Lilai noticed something off in her words and gave her a sharp look, "Us? What about you?"


    "Eating, sleeping, and gathering strength. I have a pile of adverts to shoot tomorrow," Xizi Yue replied naturally.


    "I really wish your fans in China could see what you''re really like," Lilai said.


    "I am only paying homage to our national treasure, the panda," she responded.


    "Don''t insult pandas, they are not as lazy as you."


    Udina interrupted their idle chatter, "In any case, putting aside her personality, Bai Zini is indeed the most promising Magic Girl we have seen. Given her rate of progress, she might match us in less than a year. It''s precisely because of her clearly visible potential that you both are focusing on nurturing her, aren''t you?"


    "It''s only regarding the speed of her magical power''s growth; she might indeed match us within a year," Lilai slowly said, "But speaking of actual combat, this child is a true specialist at neglecting her studies, a Magic Girl who doesn''t use Magic Cards, which is utterly unreasonable..."


    "Speaking of specialists, isn''t there one right here?"


    Xizi Yue lightly mocked as she glanced sideways at the primly seated Udina.


    Udina spoke noncommittally, "Bai Zini''s potential is far greater than mine. Variations in magic wands are one in ten thousand, and the emergence of a magic umbrella type is the first of its kind, unrivaled in thousands of years."


    Just then, the magic book placed on the table by Xizi Yue slightly trembled. Both Udina and Lilai turned their gaze and asked, "Is Xiao Ni in danger?"


    "No, I had my phone tucked inside the magic book."


    Xizi Yue said, reaching out to flip open the magic book on the table and took out the vibrating Huawei Nova13 phone from inside.


    The two beside her cast a disdainful look at her, thinking to themselves, what kind of Magic Girl puts her phone inside a magic book? Ash''s poor behavior management must have rubbed off from you; why are all Chinese Magic Girls alike?


    Xizi Yue looked down at the message she had received, pausing for half a second.


    Then, lifting her eyes from the phone screen, she said, "The Superhero Association''s ''Qing Ya'' wants us to visit their headquarters, saying there''s some important matter to discuss with us."


    "Wait a minute, you actually have contact with that weirdo?" Lilai noticed that Xizi Yue was checking WeChat instead of some work-related software.


    Udina''s eyes also showed a bit of disbelief. She shifted her gaze, staring intently at Xizi Yue''s profile.


    Qing Ya was notorious worldwide as a superhero.


    Especially in China, Qing Ya''s image is akin to a mediocre artist who had dabbled in marijuana, and criticizing him had gradually become a politically correct consensus.


    If someone as popular as Xizi Yue were to be exposed for maintaining a private contact with Qing Ya, her fandom might vanish overnight by seventy to eighty percent, directly jeopardizing the operations of the Chinese Magical Girl Alliance branch.


    "Why can''t I have his contact?"


    Xizi Yue typed on her phone, her bangs shadowing her profile, leaving the other two only able to see the two bun-style hairdos on her head.


    "Did the upper management want you to contact him?" Lilai speculated.


    "No." Xizi Yue paused briefly, cheeks flushing slightly as she said expressionlessly, "Embarrassingly enough... but... I am his fan."


    As her words fell, the entire room''s atmosphere seemed to darken momentarily. The three pumpkin-shaped floating chandeliers controlled by Lilai lost their brilliance in the sky, regaining their orange glow only after two or three seconds.


    She took a deep breath and after a moment, questioned, "Are you joking?"


    "Why would I joke?" said Xizi Yue, "Are you going or not? If not, I''ll go alone and later relay to you whatever he tells me."


    With that, she rose from the table.


    Udina spoke up, "Of course we''re going. The Alliance isn''t yours to dictate alone." She paused, "Also, I must tell you something."


    "What is it?" Xizi Yue glanced at her.


    Udina looked her straight in the eyes and used the warning she had once given to Ash, now directed at the strongest Magic Girl in the world.


    "Watch your image. Your actions might not only put you in trouble, but also affect the public image of the Alliance."


    "Okay," Xizi Yue nodded lightly, "Let''s go. Qing Ya is waiting for us."


    With that, she walked out of the brightly lit classroom with the other two, stepping into the corridor. Moonlight flowed like mercury on the ground, and tonight''s night was beautiful.

 Chapter 034 Black Judge

    "I feel like there''s still plenty of room for improvement in managing my villain image... Maybe I should study some footage of my old man in action; his good guy persona is more terrifying than any villain''s."Ke Mingye slouched against the headboard, yawning while sarcastically mulling over in his mind. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had thought that since he was playing the villain, it wouldn''t hurt to come up with one or two memorable exit lines like Team Rocket or the Big Bad Wolf, to let loose and vent some stress while he could use clones, so he wouldn''t go crazy from playing too many roles in this house of monsters...


    But the actual footage was somewhat unbearable to watch.


    Bai Zini probably saw it as some ugly, bizarre Weeble wobbling on a train, spouting nonsense, blabbering on and thinking he was so cool, only to have his head lopped off and, damn, did it fly high.


    Show off all you want, the only trick in the book is self-destructing. Mysterious words and actions that completely mismatched the demonstrated power. Overall, for now, he''s nowhere near a cool and mysterious villain.


    Being a villain is so frustrating, when will it ever be my turn to chop off someone else''s head?


    Ke Mingye thought about it, then figured getting beheaded by his own sister was one thing, but if someone else beat him up like that, wouldn''t that give him a heart attack?


    However, the pain from the puppets isn''t shared with him, so it doesn''t really matter how they are tormented. He could just blow himself up directly and deny others the chance.


    "My head''s flown off, can''t even pretend to be cool, it''s tough being me."


    As Ke Mingye grumbled to himself, suddenly a prompt popped up before him.


    [Congratulations, you have completed the primary mission "Destroy the Magical Girl Alliance''s" first node¡ªby infiltrating under a disguised identity "Magical Girl Ash."]


    [The next target node for this main mission is: Approach the Magical Girl Alliance through "Magical Girl Ash."]


    [Node reward received: 1000 Experience Points, 5 attribute points, 1000 Mall Coins.]


    [Your level has been increased to Lv.2 (500/1000 points), and you have received 1 attribute point as a level-up reward.]


    [You currently have a total of 6 idle attribute points available, please allocate them promptly.]


    "What a surprise, I thought rewards only came after completing the whole mission. But I guess that''s right, by the time I''ve destroyed the Magical Girl Alliance, the ship would have long sailed on any rewards."


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself as he summoned his personal panel. He kept clicking the plus icon next to the "Physical fitness" attribute, and suddenly a prompt popped up.


    [Notice: "6 points of attributes" have been added to the "Physical fitness" attribute.]


    [Current player attributes as follows¡ªPhysical fitness: 16 points; Neurological response: 9 points; Mental strength: 10 points]


    [Congratulations, your "Physical fitness" attribute successfully surpassed "the average level of normal adolescents" (13 points).]


    Ke Mingye looked at the word "Congratulations" on the panel, thinking thanks for reminding me of how great my start was.


    As he shut off the panel, thinking about the 1000 Mall Coins from the recent task reward, he opened the "Player Mall". He skipped straight through the first two pages, heading directly for the "Skills Exclusives" page. As it wasn''t midnight yet, all ten skills remained unchanged.


    [¢Ù: Hundred Percent Slap (E-level Skill, price: 5000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Ú: Finger Gun Snap (D-level Skill, price: 12000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Û: Moon Step (C-level Skill, price: 30000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Ü: Deception Puppet (Already Owned)]


    [¢Ý: Thought Delivery (E-level Skill, price: 5000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Þ: Sword Draw Strike (E-rank Skill, price: 5500 Mall Coins)]


    [¢ß: Animal Communication Skill (E-rank Skill, price: 5500 Mall Coins)]


    [¢à: Flat Ground Slam Expert (E-rank Skill, price: 5200 Mall Coins)]


    [¢á: Same-Sex Charm Skill (E-rank Skill, price: 6000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢â: Calamity Dice (Already Owned)]


    Ke Mingye briefly glanced at the list, noting that even the lowest E-rank skills started at a minimum price of 5000 Mall Coins, let alone the more advanced skills; with his meager sum of 1000 Mall Coins, he could afford nothing.


    After some thought, he clicked on the "Flat Ground Slam Expert" skill on the page, which immediately prompted three options: [Buy], [Introduce], [Lock].


    He chose the "Lock" function to prevent this skill from being refreshed away by tomorrow morning.


    [The ¢à skill "Flat Ground Slam Expert" on the skill exclusive page has been locked; it will be preserved for one more day and will not be replaced by new skills in the 3-hourly scheduled refresh.]


    After completing these actions, he closed all the panels in one breath, and the world suddenly became quiet.


    "Now, I know what Bai Zini is up to, but what about dad, what is he up to?"


    Ke Mingye thought casually.


    The reason he dared to track Bai Zini was partly because her alertness was relatively low at home, and partly because she was the only person at home who ranked only B+ in strength, while the others were fierce men of A rank or higher;


    If it were Ke Youqing, Ke Mingye wouldn''t even dare to think about it, with Qing Ya''s anti-surveillance capability, he might have been spotted the moment the Deception Puppet perched on the rooftop of the residential building.


    However, it was worth noting that having not seen her for just one day, he noticed that Bai Zini''s strength had advanced from B+ to B++. He did not know what she had done, perhaps she broke through a minor bottleneck.


    With such a pace of progress, Bai Zini would soon become a superhuman of A-class combat strength, a truly formidable younger generation.


    "Forget it, whatever dad is doing, I can''t manage it; I''ll just go to sleep for today."


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye put down his phone and lay on the bed.


    Drowsiness surged up, prompting him to close his heavy eyelids, and he soon fell deep into sleep.


    ........


    .......


    At this very moment, in the city center of Huanjing, on the 79th floor of the Superhero Association''s China branch building, in a private resting room.


    In the cramped, silver-white metal passageway, Ke Youqing was deep in thought in front of a full-body mirror.


    The reflection in the mirror, save for his face, showed his body covered in that suit of pitch-black metal armor. A long cape fell to the floor like a tail, making him appear like a beast standing upright.


    He gazed into the profound eyes reflected in the mirror, as if looking at himself, a cold light swirling in his pupils.


    "The Black Judge, huh... He''s back from New York."


    Qing Ya murmured softly to himself, then slowly put on the mask he held in his hands. The eyes of the mask gradually opened, and the sinister beak of the crow stretched forward like a blade.


    Tonight, he, along with three world-class Magic Girls from the Alliance, would meet a high-ranking executive from the Anomaly Control Bureau in the conference room on the 99th floor of the Association branch building:


    ¡ª¡ª"The Black Judge".

 Chapter 035 Secret Meeting

    June 19, night, the Superhero Association branch building.Qing Ya stepped out of the rest room and boarded the elevator reserved exclusively for Round Table Council members. He took an ID card from within his cape, swiped it through the card slot, and at once, the silver-white cabin started moving upward with a low hum.


    Shortly after, the elevator stopped at the 99th floor, where the most secretive and secure meeting room of the entire Association''s high-rise was arranged.


    He exited the elevator and walked for a moment down a corridor that seemed endless until a door-shaped gap opened slowly in the metallic wall on his right side, and a cool-toned light brushed over him.


    Qing Ya stepped into the meeting room and sat down beside the technologically advanced circular table at the front, silently waiting for the arrival of his guests.


    According to the message, the three giants of the Magic Girl troupe from the Alliance had already reached the 79th floor of the branch and were waiting downstairs for him. However, the Anomaly Control Bureau''s agent had stated a desire for a one-on-one conversation, so here he was, alone in the meeting room.


    The official status of the Anomaly Control Bureau was slightly above the Superhero Association. Their work differed from the Association''s¡ªthe former was responsible for investigating anomalous phenomena, while the latter dealt directly with disasters and superhuman criminal incidents.


    But that was only the official story. In actuality, the United Nations had created the "Anomaly Control Bureau" organization with the fundamental aim of thoroughly preventing any possibility of an uprising within the Superhero Association.


    Experts within the Anomaly Control Bureau studied the abilities and characteristics of each superhero day and night, devising countless countermeasures against them. Should any superhero show signs of losing control, the Management Bureau would subtly issue a warning. If ineffective, they would then intervene directly.


    Most of their time was occupied dealing with "out-of-control superheroes," "rule-breaking superheroes." The number of superheroes who died at their hands or were imprisoned in the Management Bureau was in the hundreds, if not thousands, although to the outside world, these superheroes were either already dead or had vanished without a trace.


    Therefore, they only took action in two scenarios: first, when a significant bizarre event occurred that was difficult to explain, and second, when it was time to warn or handle a superhero.


    Ke Youqing hoped it was the former.


    Because if it were the latter, it meant that the Anomaly Control Bureau''s visit from the "Black Judge" was a clear sign that it wouldn''t be long before they moved against him.


    But he was well aware that as "Qing Ya," he had been ruthlessly attacking criminals for nearly decades, so it wouldn''t be surprising if he caught the attention of the Management Bureau.


    At that moment, a series of footsteps could be heard slowly approaching along the corridor outside the meeting room.


    With his eyes closed behind his mask, Qing Ya slowly opened them as the wall in front of him opened a door-shaped gap, and a narrow, tall figure slowly walked into the meeting room.


    The newcomer was dressed in an all-black tailcoat and wore a sharply contoured mask. At its center was a prominent blood-red "V," while the rest was covered in pitch black. That unique and eye-catching V-shaped mask alone was enough for Qing Ya to identify the other''s identity.


    "Black Judge," the monster rookie of the Anomaly Control Bureau.


    Within just two years, he had risen from E-class to the highest rank of S-class in the Management Bureau, becoming a much-discussed figure. He was almost universally known.


    Black Judge approached the metallic round table and, without ceremony, pulled a swivel chair and sat down, resting his elbows on the table surface, his fingers interlaced just below his jaw.


    His V-shaped mask faced Qing Ya as he said mockingly, "Wow, what an honor to actually meet the famous ''Qing Ya.'' I thought the Association''s Chinese branch would send ''Ink Writer,'' ''Tai Chi Customer,'' ''Liquor Sword Feng,'' or some other people of empty fame to meet me."


    "No, if it weren''t for your specific request to see me, I wouldn''t have come here," Qing Ya said slowly.


    In the meeting room, both men''s voices, altered by their masks, echoed. Qing Ya''s voice was hoarse and sinister, while Black Judge''s had a metallic magnetism, resembling machinery.


    "Yes, but I didn''t expect to meet you," Black Judge chuckled. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Time is precious," Qing Ya glared at him with piercing eyes, "For what urgent matter has an agent of the Management Bureau taken the trouble to come here?"


    "You misunderstand, I''m not here for you," Black Judge shifted his head, the blood-red V on his mask tilting as he spoke, "Mr. Qing Ya, have you ever heard about ''players''?"


    "Players?"


    "That''s right," Black Judge smiled, "Just yesterday at dawn, I was shopping in a supermarket chain in New York when I happened to encounter two armed robbers. I was in a bad mood, so I hacked off their hands and feet, captured, and beat them up. Guess what they confessed?"


    Qing Ya remained silent, staring intently at Black Judge''s mask.


    Black Judge let out a metallic snicker, raising his voice, "They actually thought this world was a game and all of us were NPCs, so they could act as they pleased without being bound by the law. So, the first thing they did when they came here was to try out an armed robbery. Ridiculous, isn''t it?"


    "They''re delusional?"


    "No, don''t be hasty, you''ll understand," Black Judge shook his head and continued with a smile, "Initially I treated it as a regular robbery case, as you said, anyone else might consider their confession to be the ravings of a schizophrenic or someone with a persecution complex, but I was intrigued by what they confessed, so I had the Management Bureau''s people use the latest brain-imaging equipment to replicate their vision of the world into a series of images.


    Guess what I found then?"

 Chapter 035 Secret Meeting_2

    ```"What have you found?" Qing Ya asked.


    The Black Judge pressed a button on the table, and a groove opened, slowly raising a metal projector shaped like a fountain pen.


    He picked up the projector, and methodically loaded a memory chip he carried, and then said,


    "I''ve discovered that in the perspectives of these two ''players,'' there''s a row of icons similar to game functions, just like... uh, those tacky online games. Moreover, they can open a game store by touching these icons, make purchases within it, or open a mission panel issued by the game system. As long as they complete the tasks on the panel, they escalate in level and receive rewards.


    And the ultimate goal given to them by the system is..."


    He paused, continuing with a ghostly tone, "to annihilate the superhumans within one year."


    "Are you joking with me?" Qing Ya fell silent for a moment before asking.


    "No, I''m not joking," the Judge said calmly, "Based on the intelligence I''ve extracted from those two players, there are currently a hundred players in the world. Whether this number will increase is another matter. Excluding the two players I''ve captured and one who has already died, there are ninety-seven players remaining.


    They are lurking all over the world: the United States, England, China, India... players could appear anywhere."


    Having said this, he pressed a button on the pen-like projector, casting an image onto the meeting room wall.


    Qing Ya turned his head, staring at the picture projected by the Black Judge on the wall.


    The screen was displaying a first-person view of the scenery visible to a character''s eyes. This person was staring blankly at a blank ceiling; his field of vision in the upper right was lined with seven tiny "icons."


    Soon, a bright red warning panel popped up in front of him, on which large black letters read, "WARNING, do not disclose any information about ''the players'' to any superhuman. Your actions will seriously disrupt the progress of other players'' missions and directly endanger their personal safety! WARNING, you are violating the Taboo Treaty! You are violating the Taboo Treaty!


    You are violating the Taboo Treaty! WARNING ineffective, your body and soul will be forced to die in five seconds."


    The next moment, all the panels and functional icons in the player''s view disappeared, replaced by a giant blood-red number "5," which was counting down by the second.


    Accompanied by a burst of panicked screams and wails, the timer''s numbers dropped from "5" to "4," then to "3," and finally only "2" remained...


    The lower the number, the more violent his resistance became.


    But when the number reached "1," the player completely stopped resisting, and his brain imaging scene gradually darkened.


    The recording ended there. The Black Judge casually pressed a button on the projector, and the projected image on the wall disappeared.


    Qing Ya was silent.


    The meeting room was briefly shrouded in absolute silence, as though the two had reached a tacit understanding and said nothing.


    "This is the brain imaging of that player," the Black Judge was the first to break the silence. He twirled the projection pen between his index and middle finger, saying, "The technicians from the Anomaly Control Bureau put in quite a bit of effort to meet my demands, even utilizing some neuro-decoding technologies, to barely realize this concept."


    He spread his hands out, "It''s a real pity. They got snuffed by that thing called ''the system'' before I even had a chance to toy with them a bit more."


    "When did they start appearing?" Qing Ya asked.


    "Four days ago." The Black Judge put down the projector pen, "Although currently they only possess the combat capabilities to rob a supermarket with guns, they are still dangerous. Based on my current conjecture of the system, it can likely enable these players to achieve incredible power boosts in a short period of time.


    So don''t look at them as weak now; a year from now, they might be something entirely different, like... a humanoid nuclear bomb."


    "Are you telling me this because you want the Superhero Association''s assistance in helping the Management Bureau to find these ''players''?"


    "Correct."


    "From ten billion people, you want to find ninety-seven..." Qing Ya said sarcastically, "Quite the pipe dream."


    "This task should technically fall to the Superdimensional Control Bureau, but ''players'' are not traditional transmigrators. Their souls transferred to this world, directly occupying the bodies of some of the locals to disguise themselves, which means the Superdimensional Control Bureau''s usual methods don''t work on them... thus the job has fallen into our hands at the Anomaly Control Bureau."


    ```


    Judge paused, "But I believe this matter is far more significant than they imagine, which is exactly why I''ve come to seek your help."


    "So why should I assist you? This is not part of my job."


    "Because even you, Mr. Qing Ya, everyone around you might already have been silently replaced by players, they''re just very good at hiding it, without alerting you."


    "Are you any different, then?" Qing Ya snorted coldly, "Worry about the people around you first."


    "Of course, I won''t deny it," Black Judge laughed, "It''s even possible that at this very moment, either you sitting between us, or I, have already been replaced by the so-called ''players.''" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qing Ya stared at Black Judge''s mask for a moment, then scoffed, "To treat our world as a game, how arrogant..."


    Black Judge''s hands were on the armrest of the swivel chair, fingers intertwined, and a mechanically textured chuckle came from behind the mask.


    "It seems we have, surprisingly, reached an agreement."


    After speaking, he slowly rose from the swivel chair, "Then, please convey my words to the three Magic Girls next door, they should be informed of this too."


    "You won''t meet them personally?"


    "No, I''m not quite adept at dealing with these ostentatious people," Black Judge said, "That''s why I specifically selected you as my intermediary. I have great respect for you, Mr. Qing Ya, you are a true hero. But you should know the Anomaly Control Bureau has been watching you closely in recent years. One day, if you truly lose yourself and cross that line, we will be on opposite sides."


    As he spoke, he suddenly laughed, "Of course, should that day come, I would be quite thrilled because I''ll finally be able to tear off your mask myself and see who you really are..."


    "You''re not worthy to be my opponent," Qing Ya said flatly, facing him.


    "Without trying, who can know?"


    "It''s time for you to leave."


    "Yes, then, goodbye, Mr. Qing Ya."


    With an unhurried farewell, Black Judge turned and walked towards the exit of the conference room, walking down the corridor to the elevator at the end.


    Soon, he arrived on the 45th floor and entered the private guest room prepared for him by the Superhero Association.


    Black Judge first checked the room with a device on his wrist to confirm there were no surveillance devices, then he took off the V-shaped mask on his face, exhaling a breath.


    He stood by the window, pulled back the curtain, and flipped the slats of the blinds.


    His gaze overlooked the brightly lit city; trains thundered over the elevated tracks, and the traffic flowed endlessly like waves on the roads.


    "Well, after a year of fighting, I''m about to have enough, and in a couple of days, it''s time to go home and enjoy a vacation."


    Ke Yinzhi curled his lips and muttered softly. He looked down at his phone.


    The phone''s lock screen was a family photo, and he remembered that summer, six brothers and sisters crowded on the sofa, he and his parents standing in the back, and as the camera clicked, every child''s face lit up with a smile.


    "Hopefully those maggots... haven''t made their way into my home."


    He murmured to himself, his pupils reflecting a profound light, the smile at the corner of his mouth slowly fading away.

 Chapter 036 No Other Choice

    June 20th, early morning at 6 o''clock.Ke Mingye slowly lifted his heavy eyelids, opened his eyes from the bed, and what came into view was a panel.


    His eyes filled with the tears of sleepiness as he scanned the text on the panel.


    [Daily tasks have been refreshed.]


    [Daily Task One: Morning run of 3000 meters. (This task must be completed before 8 A.M. There are 2 hours remaining until the deadline.)]


    [The reward for this task: A chance to spin the roulette wheel once.]


    [Daily Task Two: Do one hundred pull-ups.] Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [The reward for this task: An attribute point to be added to "physical fitness."]


    [Daily Task Three: None (There is a 10% chance each day that a special daily task will refresh. Upon completing this task, the reward will be much richer than for normal daily tasks.)]


    [Note: Daily tasks will refresh at midnight the following day, please try to complete them before the deadline.]


    "Yesterday, I raised my physical fitness to 16 points, a bit higher than that of an average teenager. I should be able to complete one hundred pull-ups if I rest a bit, but I still have school today, so I''ll just do them during the breaks," Ke Mingye thought.


    He stepped out of bed, put on his slippers, opened his bedroom door, and went into the second-floor washroom to freshen up. Afterward, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed downstairs, but then he suddenly turned his head and realized someone was sitting on the living room couch.


    She was squatting on the couch in her pajamas, hugging a pillow, her head drooping on her slightly bent knees. Her eyes, unblinking, stared at the television, reflecting its glow.


    Ke Mingye had first thought it was Bai Ziling when he heard the sound of the TV, but when his gaze landed on her face, he realized it was actually Bai Zini.


    She woke up this early? Ke Mingye was a bit surprised, as she was usually the last of the seven children to get up, normally needing to be pulled out of bed by Bai Ziling otherwise Bai Zini''s tardiness would surely rank first in her class.


    "Staying up late just after the holidays started?" he asked as he approached.


    "I can''t sleep," Bai Zini replied without looking up or turning her head.


    "Why can''t you sleep?"


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he glanced at her face and marvelled inwardly that, true to a Magic Girl, she showed no dark circles even after staying up late.


    "Just can''t sleep," Bai Zini paused, then said, "Right, brother, don''t you still have a day of school before vacation?"


    "Yeah," he replied.


    "Oh, I wanted you to keep me company watching TV," Bai Zini said casually.


    Ke Mingye fell silent and followed her gaze to the TV. She was watching a movie called "Guling Street Young Murderers." Whenever Bai Zini was in a bad mood, she would turn to that film.


    "Are you in a bad mood?" he asked.


    "Not good," Bai Zini whispered softly.


    "What happened?"


    Ke Mingye asked knowingly, sitting down beside her and setting his backpack down, his attention returning to the television.


    After a moment of silence, Bai Zini thought of an excuse and said, "A friend I play with a lot was attacked by a superhuman, and then I started thinking... what if that happens to you guys too?"


    "Why worry about something so unlikely? Our family has been safe for so many years, have we ever had trouble?"


    While Ke Mingye said this, he thought to himself: Little sister, each member of your family is a tough A-lister, you don''t need to worry about them. It''s okay to worry about me a little, since I''m pretty much like a zombie right now, but strictly speaking, I''m not really a part of your family.


    He could guess it was probably the words he had spoken through the Deception Puppet the previous night that had unsettled Bai Zini. After all, it was her first time dealing with an enemy who knew her identity, and unlike Ke Mingye, she wasn''t able to easily identify the true nature of every person in the house, so her worry about her family being involved was understandable.


    "I''m off to school, and since dad and mom haven''t woken up yet, you should head back to sleep quickly. Otherwise, if they find out you''ve stayed up late, they''ll catch you and give you a good scolding," he said as he stood up from the couch and grabbed the strap of his backpack.


    "Can I not go to school?"


    Just as he stood up, Bai Zini''s voice reached his ears, low as a whisper of insects. She buried her head even deeper, her bangs obscuring her face, making it hard to see her expression.


    Startled, Ke Mingye paused, set his backpack back down, and sat down again. "Then, I''ll just take a leave," he shrugged. "After all, it''s the last day, and there''s no particular class I must attend."


    "Forget it..." Bai Zini changed her tune, "You should go, otherwise Mom will scold you."


    "Are you kidding me?"


    "No?"


    Bai Zini squeezed out a sly smile, just like she usually did, as if she didn''t want him to worry.


    Ke Mingye looked at her, silently reached out, and ruffled her hair a bit. The girl''s soft hair flowed through his fingers like water.


    "The sky could fall, and your brother would be there to hold it up," he said calmly. "One brother isn''t enough? You''ve got two. If something''s bothering you, just talk to us. Big brother will be back in a couple of days, won''t he?"


    Bai Zini looked up from her knees at him, her face showed a rare ripple of emotion.


    "Bro, why are you so nice all of a sudden today, possessed by a ghost or something?" she asked curiously.


    "If you don''t know, just ask. If you''re not in a good mood, who am I supposed to pick on?"


    Ke Mingye gave her a look and grabbed his backpack from the sofa to head out.


    Bai Zini stuck up her middle finger from the couch, puffed up her cheeks, stuffed her chin back into her knees, and looked down at her TV.


    Ke Mingye closed the front door and took the elevator. Inside the cold-tone cabin, he stared at the panel in front of him, lost in thought.


    [Ultimate Goal: Exterminate the superhumans on Earth.]


    [Time Limit for the Task: 363 days]


    [A new feature has been updated in the upper right corner of the player''s field of vision - "Leaderboard". It will be settled once a month, and the player who ranks first in the superhuman kill count leaderboard will get an additional reward.]


    "So what can I do about it..."


    Ke Mingye hung his head low, his hanging bangs hiding his eyes. The elevator door slowly opened, and the sky that greeted his eyes was just like any other morning''s, presenting a lifeless dark blue.


    He left his backpack with the owner of the supermarket opposite his house and ran three laps around the perimeter of Old Jingmai District. To him, whose physical fitness had been raised to 16 points, the three-kilometer route no longer required intermittent effort to complete.


    Soon, he slowed down and used the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his cheeks.


    [You have completed daily task one and have earned a chance for a lottery spin. Would you like to draw now?]


    "Draw," he whispered.


    At the command, a circular wheel unfolded, with intersecting red lines dividing it into six areas. Each area was marked with text and icons.


    The prizes represented by areas one through six are as follows.


    [One, 1000 Mall Coins;]


    [Two, 500 Experience Points;]


    [Three, a travel voucher (allows travel to any city in the world, returning to the original place after one day);]


    [Four, a Magical Girl Transformation Experience Card (after using, you can wear a magical dress for a short time and obtain a special Magic Wand);]


    [Five, a friend addition card (after using, you can send a friend request to a player with a specific serial number without meeting them);]


    [Six, thank you for participating.]


    Ke Mingye walked forward, checking the rewards for each area of the wheel.


    "Not four, not four, not four..."


    He prayed in his heart and pressed the "Start" button beneath the wheel.


    The wheel then began to spin like a windmill, with the upward-facing pointer remaining still. At last, the area that the pointer hovered over was revealed as "Area Two."


    Ke Mingye secretly breathed a sigh of relief and walked into the "7¡¤Seven" supermarket opposite his house to get his backpack back from the owner.


    [Congratulations, you have received the prize from Area Two: 500 Experience Points.]


    [Your level has been raised to Lv.3 (0 points/1500 Experience Points), and you have earned one attribute point to allocate freely.]

 Chapter 037 Preparation Time

    Ke Mingye, as usual, bought breakfast at the supermarket and then headed towards Huanjing Third High School.On his way, he casually added the attribute point he gained from leveling up to his physical fitness.


    [Congratulations, your "Physical fitness" attribute has been raised to 17 points.]


    With a backpack slung over his shoulder, having finished his soy milk and pineapple bread, he arrived at the high school. Today was the last day before high school vacation began, and the students he saw on the street looked a lot more spirited than usual, not so listless.


    After Ke Mingye sat down in the classroom, he used his thoughts to click on the new icon that appeared in the upper right corner of his vision, and a rectangular black panel popped up immediately.


    [The current global player superhuman cumulative kill rankings are as follows.]


    [First place: 9 kills¡ª¡ªID: Ripper Z (Serial No.002)]


    [Second place: 7 kills¡ª¡ªID: Top Bull (Serial No.025)]


    [Third place: 5 kills¡ª¡ªID: A Zhe (Serial No.098)]


    [Fourth place: 3 kills¡ª¡ªID: Fan Quan (Serial No.039)]


    [Fifth place: 2 kills¡ª¡ªID: Dark Blade 01 (Serial No.021)]


    [Sixth place: 1 kill¡ª¡ªID: Cai Bing (Serial No.009)]


    [...¡­]


    [Your ranking: Currently tied with a total of 93 players for 7th place overall, with 0 kills.]


    [Note: Other players'' English IDs have been automatically translated into Chinese IDs for you.]


    "Are they really that fierce?" Ke Mingye thought, surprised, "The first place has already killed nine superhumans. But it''s the beginning of the game, maybe the ones he killed are superpower users with rather weak abilities..."


    In his mind, some lower-level superhumans and harmless superhumans weren''t much different from ordinary people, and to kill them, all you needed was to shoot them in the head.


    So, for players born in the United States, as long as they got their hands on firearms, they could basically start aiming at some weaker superhumans; if one shot wasn''t enough, then two would do.


    Ke Mingye quickly skimmed and found a familiar name on the leaderboard¡ªFan Quan from Huanjing, the young man who clutched a Bible and whose father was an arms smuggler.


    This guy had also already killed three superhumans, though it was unknown whom he targeted.


    However, from what Ke Mingye had seen, Fan Quan didn''t seem like the kind of player who acted without thinking and likely took perfect precautions before making his move.


    Since killing superhumans could yield experience points, and players could receive rewards based on their ranking on the leaderboard each month, those with a higher kill count had a more significant advantage over other players; however, they also faced greater risks. After all, it''s only the early stage of the game, and their abilities to hide their presence are limited.


    If, in order to develop quickly, they recklessly target weaker superhumans, it could very well bring about their own demise.


    It would be one thing if regular superheroes were to investigate the case, but with bad luck, running into a rare zealot like Qing Ya, even if you did a great job cleaning up the clues, you could still get caught by the tail.


    Therefore, Ke Mingye was definitely not in a hurry.


    His thought process was very clear; his current task was steady development because if other players took action first and disrupted their rhythm, they couldn''t be considered steady anymore.


    "Compared to them, my advantages are not small," Ke Mingye rested his chin on his hand as he gazed at the writing on the blackboard, thinking, "For instance, that main quest where one gets rewards for approaching family members with a disguised identity, the reward for getting close to Bai Zini has already been secured...


    Among the rest of the family, I''ll avoid Dad and Mom, those two monsters, and in the short term, I can approach Bai Qiuwu and Bai Ziling with my second identity to claim the node rewards. It''ll add up to a decent amount."


    On this day of June 20, Ke Mingye still, just like the day before, managed to complete the hundred "pull-up" activities during the break between classes, and just finished his second daily task at noon.


    [Daily Task Two Completed: Perform a hundred pull-ups.]


    [Reward Obtained: Gain one attribute point to be added to "Physical Fitness".]


    [Congratulations, your "Physical Fitness" attribute has increased to 18 points.]


    The afternoon classes were also insignificant, mostly about the teachers from different subjects announcing the final exam results. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye, with the memories from his previous life and having already gone through the college entrance examination once, handled things naturally and adeptly.


    He intentionally kept his grades in the upper-middle part of the class, around the top hundred in the whole school, maintaining his usual standard so as not to draw his mother''s attention¡ªalthough Bai Wenna might not take action against him even if she noticed something was amiss, he still feared her the most in the family, as one could never predict what means an alien might possess.


    In the meantime, Ke Mingye also opened his knapsack to check the web fluid level of the "Web Shooter". After a spree of misuse the night before, it was down to 30%.


    [Would you like to spend 140 Mall Coins to purchase "Web Fluid" from the mall and refill your Web Shooter''s "Web Fluid Volume" to the maximum?]


    "Seventy percent of web fluid costs 140 Mall Coins, so each percent of web fluid costs 2 Mall Coins, not as expensive as I imagined," Ke Mingye thought to himself, using 140 Mall Coins to buy web fluid and refilling the internal web fluid of the Web Shooter to full capacity, ready for any emergencies.


    [Thank you for your patronage, your current balance of Mall Coins is 860.]


    In the third period of the afternoon, which was also the last class, his younger sister Bai Ziling sent him a message.


    She said she was going to the cinema to watch a movie later and asked if Ke Mingye would like to join. If he was coming, they could head straight to the cinema after school without going back home.


    Through this message, Ke Mingye confirmed that his older brother Ke Xiaomo was staying at home, so he decisively raised his hand and asked the teacher to go to the bathroom.


    In the bathroom, he took out a set of spare school uniforms and a pair of cheap trainers, which he had tucked into his backpack in the morning, and then summoned the Deception Puppet. After adjusting its physique, appearance, hairstyle, and voice to be the same as yesterday, he ordered it to put on the school uniform and the canvas shoes and then to sit on the toilet and await orders.


    Ke Mingye then returned to the classroom and opened the discussion group using the communications panel.


    [Failed Man: I''ll come straight after school. I should arrive at Yandai Commercial Street around 4:30. Tight on time, so we''ll start the instance right away, OK?]


    [Fan Quan: No problem. We three will wait for you here.]


    After making all the preparations, Ke Mingye looked at the blackboard, steadied his breath, and quietly waited for the school bell to ring.


    He had to ensure that, in this instance battle, the Deception Puppet wouldn''t die.


    Otherwise, according to the rule that "players will be resurrected in reality after dying in an instance", he would immediately expose a fact in front of the other players: he was deceiving them and attempting to maintain long-term contact with them using the puppet.

 Chapter 038 Meeting Preview

    June 20th, in the afternoon, Huanjing Third High School.As the school bell rang throughout the building, the two-month summer vacation was announced. The students, who had already been restless, dragged their backpacks out of their drawers and noisily ran out of the classrooms, the festive sound of desk legs scraping the floor echoing in every corner of the building.


    Ke Mingye slung his backpack over his shoulder, standing still at his desk. He commanded the puppet, which had been crouching in a toilet stall, to stand up while he texted Bai Ziling on his phone.


    "Where did you say the cinema is?" he asked.


    "Yandai Street, it starts in half an hour," Bai Ziling replied quickly. Her text style was as brief as her way of speaking.


    Ke Mingye was taken aback, thinking, Why do you have to watch a movie at Yandai Commercial Street, it must be to monitor us playing the instance. But he still replied to the message calmly.


    "Are your family members coming too?" he asked.


    "Everyone but my parents," Bai Ziling typed, "You and big sister come by the same school, take the public bus."


    No sooner had the message been sent than Ke Mingye turned his head and noticed someone outside the classroom staring at him¡ªit was Bai Qiuwu, dressed in a school uniform.


    She glanced at her phone then gently tapped the window with her finger, signaling him to move faster.


    Ke Mingye pursed his lips, walked out of the classroom, and left the building shoulder to shoulder with Bai Qiuwu. Along the way, he attracted quite a few glances but didn''t mind, as he was busy controlling the Deception Puppet that followed them.


    The three of them maintained a steady pace to the bus stop outside the school, the puppet blending into the crowd.


    Before long, a bus heading to Yandai Commercial Street arrived. Bai Qiuwu and Ke Mingye got on one after another, followed by the Deception Puppet amid a group of students.


    In the slightly swaying bus, Bai Qiuwu stretched languidly, the upward motion of her uniform outlining her body''s curves.


    The setting sun shone through the window, casting a light golden hue on her cheeks, and the downy hair by her ears fluttered gently like bird feathers.


    "Finally, it''s vacation," she said.


    "Yeah, we''re liberated," Ke Mingye responded, though his gaze subtly shifted toward the puppet in the corner of the bus.


    Suddenly struck by a curious idea, he wanted to see if Bai Qiuwu could recognize the puppet''s original appearance, so he controlled the puppet to move forward a couple of steps and grab the hanging ring next to her.


    Bai Qiuwu turned her cheek and glanced at the puppet''s face.


    As the puppet drew closer, she seemed to realize something, and a barely perceptible red sheen crossed her pupils.


    Immediately following that, the face of the puppet transformed in her perception into a grotesquely unusual humanlike visage, its corners of the mouth almost reaching the ears in an upward curve.


    Are the Eyes of Golden Flame really that powerful?


    Ke Mingye observed Bai Qiuwu''s changing expression out of the corner of his eye; he was pretty sure she had seen the puppet''s true appearance. While silently breaking out in a cold sweat, he lowered his head to open a short video app.


    Bai Qiuwu glanced at the puppet and was silent for half a second before speaking to him, "You¡­"


    "What''s up?" Ke Mingye controlled the puppet to turn its head towards her and asked.


    "Your shoelace is undone, classmate."


    Bai Qiuwu said this as she casually swept back a strand of hair from her forehead and calmly directed his gaze to the oversized shoes.


    "Oh, thanks."


    The puppet said as it crouched down and tied its shoelaces leisurely. Ke Mingye even deliberately changed to a shoelace tying method he didn''t usually use, to avoid his sister associating it with himself.


    He wondered why he hadn''t triggered the contact reward with Bai Qiuwu. Was it because she was using her normal identity, rather than her hidden identity "Black Wukong"?


    Having arrived at this conclusion, he felt somewhat disappointed.


    Since the instance location and the place where the family was watching a movie were both at Yandai Commercial Street, not too far apart, he had planned to send the Deception Puppet straight from Meiyijia into the cinema after finishing the instance, burst into Theater Number Three, roll twice in front of his five siblings, and hop onto the stage to act cute and introduce himself.


    Doing so, he might have bagged all the rewards for the "contact family mission" objectives.


    But now it seemed unlikely.


    Moreover, he felt that if Bai Zini saw the puppet tumble twice on stage, she would probably be shocked to the point of dropping her jaw, ignore everything else, and chase after it, which would not be too good.


    "You''re welcome."


    Bai Qiuwu stared at the puppet''s face again, then shifted her gaze back and said to Ke Mingye beside her, "I just remembered I have something later, how about you go to the cinema alone?"


    "No way."


    Ke Mingye knew what she was planning and firmly vetoed it.


    He looked up at Bai Qiuwu, sighed and said, "If you don''t go, then I won''t either. I''ll follow you, do whatever you do. It''s rare for us all to watch a movie together, can you stop bailing out all the time, it''s really disappointing."


    Bai Qiuwu, finding him amusing, asked, "But usually at home, aren''t you the one who ducks out on us the most?"


    "We''re talking about you now, don''t change the subject. You see, even our second sister asked me to keep an eye on you because you always disappear suddenly, ditching us."


    Ke Mingye continued his tirade and turned the phone screen toward her, showing her his recent chat history with Bai Ziling.


    "Alright, I won''t run away this time, and you''re not allowed to either."


    Bai Qiuwu said indifferently while shifting her face again, pretending to look out the car window but glanced sneakily at the school uniformed youth amidst the crowd.


    At that moment, she saw him, expressionless, holding up a piece of paper.


    On it in black and white was written, "Black Wukong, meet at 8 p.m. on Huanjing''s No. 7 Overpass. Don''t approach me, don''t make any sound, or the people and your brother in this car will be in danger."


    The moment she read the text, Bai Qiuwu''s gaze turned cold, like a beast ready to spring. She slightly frowned, and a layer of scarlet mist spread out in her pupils, as if fire was burning within.


    Just then, Ke Mingye''s voice came from beside her, breaking her concentration.


    "Let''s not ditch each other."


    Bai Qiuwu turned her head back, not looking at Ke Mingye''s profile, but lowered her head, covering her wide-open eyes with her hand. Her pupils expanded and contracted, conveying a burning sensation like fire.


    She had experienced this many times; whenever her emotions got out of control, the Eyes of Golden Flame would involuntarily reveal themselves.


    At that moment, her face was shadowed by the locks of hair on her forehead, but the blood-red color in her pupils couldn''t be erased.


    Bai Qiuwu struggled to even her breathing, her eyes trembling incessantly as they stared at the ground, her lips barely moving, murmuring to herself almost inaudibly.


    "Calm down... calm down... calm down."


    She breathed deeply, over and over, slowly closing her eyes. When she opened them again, the flame burning within had quietly died down, and the color of her pupils had returned to normal.


    Ke Mingye noticed her odd behavior, then twisted his head to look at her, "Sis, what''s wrong?"


    "It''s nothing, just not used to these contact lenses."


    Bai Qiuwu casually dismissed it, lowering her hand that had been covering her eyes and slowly lifting her head.


    She took out a literary magazine from her backpack and quietly flipped through it in the dying light.


    Seven minutes flew by quickly, and the bus slowly stopped at the entrance to Yandai Commercial Street. Along the bustling street, Ke Mingye ensured Bai Qiuwu got off the bus with him, and they walked towards Yandai Cinema City.


    From a distance, Bai Zini was already shouting and waving at them, standing next to Ke Xiaomo, Ke Yongzhu, and Bai Ziling.


    Meanwhile, the Deception Puppet also got off the bus, mingling in the crowd, and soon arrived at a secluded corner of the commercial street, heading towards the electronic game store near Meiyijia. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 039 Supermarket Instance

    Upon reaching the second floor, Ke Mingye slid open the door to enter the first booth. Under the tangerine light, the doll raised its eyes, and the three familiar faces were still what caught his gaze.Fan Quan sat in the middle of the sofa, flipping through a black leather bible without looking up as he spoke.


    "It seems everyone is here. Let''s make a quick introduction of our skills, then we can get started."


    Ke Mingye made the doll bow its head to glance at the three handguns on the table, and asked, puzzled, "Are we ready to start now? Shouldn''t we distribute the guns first?"


    Fan Quan shook his head, his eyes signaling towards Qing Meng, "No, all three guns are hers."


    Qing Meng was still clad in a punk-style jacket over a white T-shirt, and her pale blue hair was tied back into a ponytail.


    Leaning against the sofa with her left hand on her shoulder and toying with her phone in her right, she said, "I have a C-level skill called ''Fire at Will'' that can enhance the firepower of all firearms for 20 seconds; another skill enhances my concentration, increasing the accuracy of any attack."


    "Tough girl," Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, "Then indeed, the guns should be yours."


    He turned his gaze to the three people and introduced his own skills, "Er, my first skill makes my body lighter, a passive skill." As he spoke, Ke Mingye made the doll lightly jump, shooting up to the ceiling before coming back down.


    "Aren''t you afraid of exposing yourself?" Fan Quan grasped the crux, "Since this skill doesn''t have an off button, your weight will always be lower than normal people''s, and with your identity as a regular student... PE tests, genetic screening, many situations could easily¡­"


    "It''s fine, I have a handle on it," Ke Mingye quickly interrupted him, shifting the topic, "My other skill is rolling out a die."


    As he spoke, he began explaining how bizarre the D-level "Disaster Die" skill was, and the three listened with a mix of belief and skepticism.


    Fan Quan was silent for a moment, "Regardless of whether what you''re saying is true, let''s skip this skill and not use it in the instance. Unless our whole team is wiped out and you''re the only one left inside, then you can try it."


    "Okay, I was thinking the same," Ke Mingye spoke through the doll, then tapped open the gear panel and strapped a newly acquired "Web Shooter" to the doll''s wrist, "Also, I need to show you guys this piece, won from the ''Rewards Wheel''¡ª''Web Shooter''. You all must have seen ''Spider-Man'', right?"


    Qing Meng raised an eyebrow, eyeing him sideways, "You managed to get that?"


    "Lucky me."


    "Impressive..." Ju Zipi exclaimed, "So that''s why your ID is ''Failed Man'', a tribute to Spider-Man, huh?"


    "No wonder you have the confidence to take on the role of drawing the Boss''s aggro, reducing body weight combined with a web shooter, mobility-wise you''re indeed much stronger than us," Fan Quan commented.


    Subsequently, the three introduced their skills in the booth, and Fan Quan elaborated on the attack patterns of the Meiyijia Supermarket instance Boss.


    After exchanging information and discussing strategies, the four of them left the booth and gathered in front of the closed-down Meiyijia Supermarket.


    Taking advantage of the quiet surroundings, they pressed their palms against the instance panel simultaneously. The moment they made contact with the panel, their figures began to vanish.


    When Ke Mingye made the doll open its eyes again, the sight that met his gaze was a supermarket much larger than he had imagined.


    From the outside, one could never imagine that the interior of the Meiyijia Supermarket hid such a vast space¡ªit was as if two or three supermarkets of the same size had been folded together. Even the space itself seemed to find its arrangement unreasonable, subtly distorting as if it were a twisting mirage.


    Old light bulbs embedded in the ceiling flickered intermittently, casting a cold light from above that illuminated the desolate scene within the supermarket: ATM machines embedded in the walls, supermarket shelves toppled chaotically, shopping carts broken into pieces, and the floors, walls, and shelves were splashed with dazzling, dripping blood.


    At that moment, one could see a huge hole in a corner of the supermarket''s depths. Looking inside, it was pitch black, with no human figures visible.


    A rumbling noise was coming from the hole, and as the four people looked toward it, they could vaguely make out a huge, swollen silhouette emerging from within.


    The next moment, a strange smell, somewhere between blood and tobacco, hit their nostrils as the massive shadow roared out of the hole like a long-dormant porcupine.


    What appeared in the eyes of the four people was a gigantic zombie, four meters tall, with skin a mix of pale and dark green, so decayed that exposed sores leaked pus that dribbled down and evaporated into white gas as it hit the ground.


    It wore a chef''s tall hat and a white robe, using a pig''s trotter as a "belt" to tie four horrifically disfigured "self-detonating zombies" around its waist, treating these little creatures as hand grenades.


    [Instance Boss Name: Zombie Chef]


    [Instance Boss Level: Lv3]


    [Instance Boss Description: The Zombie Chef never uses kitchen utensils; instead, it has a special cooking method. It lifts both its prey and self-detonating zombies, allowing the latter to explode its prey into a charred mess before joyfully chewing the remains.]


    [Instance Boss Kill Rewards: Experience Points, Rare Items, Mall Coins, Unknown Rewards (additional rewards distribution based on players'' overall performance during the battle, with players contributing more getting richer rewards)]


    Ke Mingye directed the puppet to the front, took a deep breath, and slightly lowered his right hand, ready to release the spiderweb shooter at any moment;


    Qing Meng lifted her gaze, her pale blue ponytail swaying in the approaching turbulent air, each of her hands gripping a dark pistol, aiming at its waist;


    Fan Quan lowered his gaze, flipping through the Bible in his hands. Three pages tore out automatically without a breeze, transforming into three little paper figures that hopped onto his shoulder;


    Ju Zipi slightly bent forward, extending his right hand, and a long sword formed from gathering water slowly appeared, waving rhythmically like a wave.


    [Total number of players participating in this instance: 4]


    [Damage Percentage Leaderboard is as follows.]


    [NO.1 ¡ª Failed Man: Damage percentage 0%]


    [NO.2 ¡ª Fan Quan: Damage percentage 0%]


    [NO.3 ¡ª Good Ju Zipi: Damage percentage 0%] sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [NO.4 ¡ª Indistinct Dream: Damage percentage 0%]


    [The instance battle officially begins, please defeat the instance''s Boss by any means necessary.]

 Chapter 040 Battle with the Boss of Instance No. 5

    ```[Warning: The battle against Boss Zombie Chef has started. All players, please fight with all your might!!!]


    Ju Zipi, gripping the katana forged by the tidal waves, squinted and whispered to Ke Mingye, "It''s coming, be careful."


    "Don''t worry, I''ve got this."


    Speaking, Ke Mingye leaned forward slightly, his pupils reflecting the oncoming charge of the Zombie Chef.


    Accompanied by a deafening roar, the Zombie Chef spat out viscous saliva. Its massive feet stomped over the shelves along its path, leaving behind one bloody footprint after another.


    The "bang, bang!" of its footsteps, like an earthquake, tugged at everyone''s heartbeat, almost syncing with it.


    Ke Mingye took the lead, dashing forward to attract all of the Zombie Chef''s attention, pulling its hatred toward himself.


    Meanwhile, lowering his right hand and making a trigger gesture, a strand of spider silk shot out from the nozzle of his web shooter, rapidly sticking to a pillar on the right.


    Just before colliding with the zombie, his right hand clenched the spider silk tightly.


    With a push against the ground, his lithe body was catapulted into the air, tracing a clean arc around the pillar at high speed.


    The Zombie Chef, roaring, pursued him, and with a palm, drew a tied-up suicide zombie from its waist. Holding it in its grasp, it then clenched its fingers into a fist and swung it at the pillar.


    At that moment, the suicide zombie in its palm detonated instantly, turning into flames that rose through the gaps in the giant zombie''s fingers¡ªits force was no less than setting off several hand grenades in the palm of one''s hand.


    The Zombie Chef''s fist transformed into a column of flame at that moment, the surrounding air shrieking as it tore, moisture rapidly evaporating, turning into a white wave of steam rolling in.


    "Is it really that exaggerated?"


    Ke Mingye''s pupils shrank, nearly stunned.


    He had heard from Fan Quan about the Zombie Chef''s attack method, but seeing it with his own eyes still shocked him to the core. He thought if he were that detonated suicide zombie, wouldn''t he scream, "Born from the same root, why be so quick to fry each other?"


    Watching the incoming fist, he quickly released the spider silk sticking to the pillar and dropped to the ground, rolling to cushion the impact from the high fall.


    He had barely landed when a boom came from mid-air. The explosive force of the giant fist smashed into the pillar, blasting it into scattered fragments that dissolved into nothingness amidst the flames.


    Ke Mingye propped himself up with his left hand on the ground and looked up to observe the situation. As the vanguard of the team, he had to continuously attract the Zombie Chef''s hatred by maneuvering around it.


    Just then, the Zombie Chef smacked its lips and sneered, pinching another suicide zombie from its waist and twisting off its head like pulling a grenade pin.


    Then, with a flick of its wrist, it hurled the "zombie grenade" toward Ke Mingye.


    The gesture was so excessive that it broke protocol, making Ke Mingye break out in a cold sweat, thinking, "You really don''t treat zombie comrades as people, using them like hand grenades..."


    The suicide zombie''s body rapidly heated up in mid-air, cracked open, and then transformed into a violent fireball reaching out with its hand, almost catching Ke Mingye''s form in its grip.


    Fortunately, he managed to shoot a strand of spider silk at the ceiling using his launcher before the suicide zombie exploded. Grabbing the silk, he swung up into the air, hanging from a single arm in midair.


    Ke Mingye looked down with a gaze from above, seeing the area within five meters below engulfed by the explosion''s blaze.


    "That was close," he exhaled.


    At that moment, Qing Meng, from a distance, pulled the triggers of the two handguns she held.


    "Bang!"


    The muzzle flashed, and two bullets shot straight for the Zombie Chef''s waist, aiming for the other two suicide zombies tied there¡ªthose zombies were like an enhanced version of grenades, and it was definitely better to eliminate them early on.


    If it weren''t for Ke Mingye, few players at this stage would be able to handle the suicide zombies hurled by the Zombie Chef. The range of the explosions was too wide, making it extremely difficult to escape unscathed.


    At the moment, the Zombie Chef''s waist belt still had two suicide zombies attached. Hearing the gunshots, it reflexively brought one of its decaying hands to shield its waist.


    "Clang!"


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


    As if hitting an iron wall, the two bullets were effortlessly deflected by its palm, failing even to penetrate.


    Qing Meng frowned, lowering her pistols, "Tch, it was the same last time. Shots aimed at its waist are always blocked."


    "Don''t waste bullets; let Spider Man give it a try," said Fan Quan, calmly speaking. Three paper figures on his shoulder whispered something into his ear, audible only to him.


    At this moment, because of Qing Meng''s two shots, the Zombie Chef shifted its target of hatred.


    Its bloodshot eyes turned toward Qing Meng, and with a slight movement of its right hand, it effortlessly tore off another suicide zombie''s head. Then, with a swing, it threw this "zombie grenade" in Qing Meng''s direction.


    "Doesn''t this skill have a cooldown?" Qing Meng was caught off guard. She broke into a run, but it was too late.


    The blast spread, sweeping towards her like the scythe of the Grim Reaper, inevitable.


    "Hey hey, punk girl, are you okay?" Ke Mingye hung from the spider silk in midair and was shocked at the sight. He thought, if our main firepower dies, how are we supposed to continue fighting?


    ```

 Chapter 040 Instance No. 5 Boss Battle_2

    At this moment, as if delighting in others'' misfortune, the three paper figures on Fan Quan''s shoulder simultaneously raised their arms and cheered.Fan Quan had introduced his skills beforehand.


    The two skills he obtained for free from the specialty page¡ªone was a B-level skill called "Portal of Humanism"; the other, an E-level skill named "Resentment Transference."


    The former was a unique skill; its strength depended on the player''s "knowledge reserve" in subjects like "Theology," "Philosophy," and other humanities¡ªthe deeper and broader the player''s knowledge in humanities, the higher the skill''s level would be.


    For an ordinary person encountering this skill, its rank might only be E or D level, limiting its strength within a certain range.


    But Fan Quan had lifted it to B-level with his solid knowledge reserve.


    According to the skill''s effect, the Portal of Humanism would open a gate for him, summoning a number of paper figures ranging from "3" upwards, depending on his level.


    Each paper figure would randomly bear three famous theories of some great figure.


    Each theory had been adapted into a special skill with different effects. Once a skill was used, the corresponding paper figure would disappear.


    Fan Quan also stated that since even he could only enhance the skill to B-level, he believed there were very few people in the world who could raise "Portal of Humanism" to A-level.


    When Ke Mingye heard the introduction of this skill, he silently gave a thumbs-up and labeled him "cultured" in his mind.


    Time rewinds to this moment.


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses. The bible in his hand flapped open without any wind, and each paper figure on his shoulder was chirping out three semantically obscure phrases.


    The first paper figure raised its right arm and shouted in German, "God is dead!," "Will to Power!," "Eternal Recurrence!"


    The second paper figure, with a somber face, repeated in German, "The ego.," "The id.," "The superego."


    The third paper figure, with a tranquil face, spoke in Romanian, "Sacred Time," "Sacred Space," "Eternal Return."


    "Will to Power."


    Fan Quan calmly uttered one of the phrases.


    As his voice dropped, the first paper figure on his shoulder quickly withered, turning into a wisp of ash that dispersed.


    In the distance, Qing Meng, who was about to come into contact with the explosion, had already shielded herself with her arms, but suddenly she realized that her body wasn''t engulfed in flames, nor did she feel even a trace of pain.


    So, she lifted her head in a daze and discovered that her body was enveloped in a faint golden glow, which was the light protecting her from the outside world.


    [Player "Indescribable Dream" has received the buff skill "Will to Power" from player "Fan Quan," making her invulnerable and impervious to all control for 2.5 seconds under the state of "Will to Power."]


    Nevertheless, the self-destructing zombie''s napalm ignited everything around it¡ªvending machines, rows of shelves¡ªthe "Will to Power" could only last 2.5 seconds, and she was unable to escape from it in one go. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sacred Space."


    Fan Quan spoke softly, and the third paper figure on his shoulder withered away like a flower dissolving in the wind.


    Immediately after, a vortex constructed of dense religious texts opened beside both Fan Quan and Qing Meng, about two meters wide.


    "A teleportation portal?"


    Looking down at the scene, Ke Mingye couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow.


    Qing Meng seemed to realize something too, and without hesitating, she turned and stepped into the swirling vortex, disappearing in the blaze; in her place, she emerged from the temporal vortex beside Fan Quan.


    "I said, don''t fire indiscriminately, it''s easy to attract the boss''s aggro," Fan Quan said.


    "Okay, my fault."


    Saying this, Qing Meng turned and glanced back, where only the last paper figure remained on Fan Quan''s shoulder.


    "He truly is a cultured man." Ke Mingye, hanging in mid-air, breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that a B-level skill was indeed impressive, thankful that their main position was preserved.


    After all, he was currently using a B-level skill-generated puppet to run the instance with his teammates; without this skill, he''d have no choice but to bear the agony in the cinema with his family. He couldn''t deny the significant impact of this skill tier.


    At this moment, the aggro of the chef zombie once again shifted. This time its target was Fan Quan; it lowered its body and, like a bull, bellowed and charged towards him.


    "Resentment Transference."


    Fan Quan, with a calm expression, leisurely activated his second skill.


    Unlike "Portal of Humanism," "Resentment Transference" was just an E-level skill that could affect the mind of a specific person for 3 seconds, causing them to shift their target;


    When used on an instance boss, it could directly shift its aggro target.


    Thus, at this moment, the chef zombie suddenly shifted its ominous gaze away from Fan Quan, raised its head, and fixed its attention on Ke Mingye, who was suspended from the ceiling.


    During this lengthy period, Ke Mingye wasn''t idle.


    He seized an opportunity, shot out a strand of web and latched onto a pillar to the right of the chef zombie, swinging diagonally downwards through the air in a circle, and positioned himself behind the chef zombie.


    Then, he abruptly released the web, spinning his body in the air like a circus trapeze artist, followed a graceful arc and landed on its neck.

 Chapter 040 Instance No. 5 Boss Battle_3

    Meanwhile, he stretched out both hands, firmly grasping the tall chef hat atop its head, as the shoes stepping on the chef zombie''s neck were almost eroded and rotted by the pus oozing out of the blood sores.According to Fan Quan and Qing Meng, inside the chef zombie''s tall hat was a tied-up "self-destructing zombie" ¡ª to see this self-destructing zombie, one must lift the hat off.


    This was a "key point"; if they could detonate that zombie, it would inflict massive damage on the chef and also stun it.


    However, the chef hat was far heavier than its appearance suggested, and its size was so large that even shooting it twice would hardly knock it off.


    But Ke Mingye had his own idea. After hearing it, even though the others thought it was absurd, they agreed to let him try.


    At this moment, the chef zombie sensed someone climbing up its neck, so it stopped running, threw back its head, and started twisting its neck madly while snarling with wide eyes.


    Ke Mingye was not panicked in the least, only raising his right hand and aiming at the tall hat on its head, from which a web shooter device discharged a strand of webbing like an arrow, tightly sticking to the back of the hat.


    Right after, he clenched the webbing with both hands, channeled all his strength into his legs like a bungee jumper, kicked its shoulder, and fell backward.


    Driven by the violent force of the chef zombie shaking its head, Ke Mingye was thrown around in the air like a fly holding onto the webbing, but he clenched his teeth and never let go of the web attached to the hat.


    "Someone help!" he yelled while in mid-air.


    "Hold on, I''m coming!"


    Just then, Ju Zipi responded with a low roar and rushed under him. He bent his knees slightly, the "blade" of his tidal wave saber turned into rings of water swirling around him.


    Enveloped in the water streams, a buoyancy lifted his body and he dashed upward, almost instantly arriving beside Ke Mingye. Together, they grabbed the webbing.


    With the combined strength of the two and the help of gravity, they tugged hard on the webbing and gradually made the tall hat tilt backwards.


    After about two or three seconds, the tall hat finally detached from the chef zombie''s head and fell backward onto the floor, raising a cloud of dust.


    The webbing snapped, and both Ju Zipi and Ke Mingye fell to the ground, thankfully not from a great height.


    "Are you okay?" Ju Zipi struggled to his feet and turned to look at him.


    "I''m fine," Ke Mingye said as he got up and turned his gaze to Qing Meng. He called out, "Punk girl, your turn!"


    At this moment, the chef zombie slowly stopped its frenzied neck twitching.


    Now that the tall hat was off the chef zombie''s head, everyone could see a self-destructing zombie, tied up like a pork hock, lying on its head.


    Qing Meng initially wanted to retort, "Who are you calling a punk girl, that''s just the persona my original self had!", but stayed silent and lifted her handgun instead.


    She activated her D-level Skill "Aggressive Focus". Strings of data-like light flashed through her pupils¡ªas a result of this skill, for one minute, the user''s hit rate for all offensive means would be greatly increased, naturally including firearm shots.


    Then, she pointed the black muzzle at the self-destructing zombie, her index finger on the trigger, and pressed down forcefully.


    "Bang!"


    From the chambers of the two un-silenced handguns flames burst forth, and two bullets traced parallel red streaks forward. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Clear out!"


    After firing the shot, Qing Meng yelled, and upon hearing this, Ju Zipi and Ke Mingye immediately started to run.


    In that instant, two bullets precisely hit the self-destructing zombie on the chef zombie''s head, entering its head and abdomen respectively. The self-destructing zombie then began to heat up and its body started to melt and crack under the high temperatures.


    In the next moment, it exploded into a burst of flame, engulfing the chef zombie''s head!


    "Roar¡ª¡ª!!!"


    The chef zombie''s form slowly knelt to the ground, clutching its head and screaming; its head gradually drooping in the flames.


    [Wonderful Hit!!!]


    [Boss Chef Zombie''s health: 100%¡ú64%]


    [Successfully hitting the target''s "fatal weak spot", Boss Chef Zombie has entered a paralysis state for 7 seconds, please hurry up and attack.]


    As the panel information appeared in her eyes, a hint of red light flashed at the corner of Qing Meng''s vision, and both guns in her hands took on a faint red hue.


    This was the effect of the C-level Skill "Full Firepower", which multiplied the firepower of all her guns by one and a half times for a duration of 20 seconds.


    The chef zombie''s head was the only part with weaker defenses, so she aimed all her gun barrels at the zombie''s head and pulled the trigger repeatedly with her slender fingers. As the guns furiously spewed fire, the recoil was also ravaging her fingers.


    Qing Meng used Colt 1911 handguns, each with a maximum magazine capacity of 7 bullets.


    The characteristic of this gun was heavy recoil, and because the barrel was too thin to support rapid fire, emptying the magazine in seven seconds while ensuring accuracy was not an easy task.


    Still, Qing Meng shot with all her strength, trying to use up all the bullets in the magazine. If the ammo ran out and still wasn''t enough to finish the match, she had a spare handgun strapped to her waist, which she would use to end the fight.

 Chapter 040 Instance No. 5 Boss Battle_4

    At the same time, Ju Zipi was also busy.Carrying the long sword forged by the tidal wave, he stepped on the scorching body of the chef zombie and climbed upwards, finally stepping on its shoulder, his long sword slashing down.


    "True Self."


    Fan Quan watched the scene unfold, muttering softly as the last paper figure on his shoulder disappeared.


    [Player "Fan Quan" used the amplification Skill "True Self" on player "Ju Zipi", releasing their True Self, attributes significantly enhanced for a short period.]


    At this moment, Ju Zipi''s eyes were shrouded in darkness.


    His sword swinging movement was fluid like drifting clouds, yet extremely ferocious, with his speed increasing from before. The Blade tip of the tidal sword snaked through the air like a dragon, striking repeatedly at the chef zombie''s most vulnerable head.


    Meanwhile, gunshots continuously echoed through the supermarket.


    The barrage of gunfire intertwined with the flowing sword strikes, painting a violent picture of red and blue, with filthy blood flowing like a river from the top of the chef zombie''s head.


    [Perfect Team Hit!!!]


    [Boss chef zombie''s health: 64% ¡ú 6%]


    Drenched in the gushing blood, the chef zombie let out a furious roar from deep within its throat. If it was not defeated within seven seconds, it would rise again, thus the two main attackers were desperately outputting damage. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed the only one idle at this time was Ke Mingye, who hung beneath the ceiling with his silk, quietly contemplating what he could do.


    He couldn''t just run over and punch the zombie a couple of times, right?


    Such blows might not even result in one percent damage and could potentially have a negative effect¡ªonce he entered Qing Meng''s range of fire, it would impact her shooting accuracy.


    Not to mention using the "Catastrophe Dice"; in such a situation, using it might just get his teammates lost as well.


    As he was thinking, Ke Mingye suddenly noticed a self-destructing zombie tied to the chef zombie''s waist with a pork hock. He raised an eyebrow, and at the moment just before the stun effect ended, he used his silk to wrap around the self-destructing zombie''s head and forcefully pulled like pulling a grenade''s pin.


    Now that his Physical fitness had reached 18 points, surpassing that of an ordinary teenager, and since the head of the self-destructing zombie was quite loose, with one pull...


    He really managed to pull it off.


    "Bang!"


    The body of the self-destructing zombie rapidly heated up, cracked open, and then burst into flames, completely engulfing the lower half of the chef zombie.


    [Final Strike!!!]


    [Boss chef zombie''s health: 6% ¡ú 0%]


    "Hmm, technically, did I just steal the kill?"


    Ke Mingye thought to himself as he slid down the silk, landing timidly on the ground.


    He turned around and sighed in relief. Fortunately, the looks from his other teammates were calm, without any hint of anger. Ju Zipi even gave him a smile.


    [The current instance battle declared a victory, current damage ratio panel as follows.]


    [NO.1¡ª¡ª[Indescribable Dream]¡ïMVP: Damage Ratio 61%]


    [NO.2¡ª¡ªGood Ju Zipi: Damage Ratio 33%]


    [NO.3¡ª¡ªFailed Man: Damage Ratio 6%]


    [NO.4¡ª¡ªFan Quan: Damage Ratio 0% (AFK detection will be conducted for this player)]


    [AFK Detection in progress for player "Fan Quan"...]


    [Detection complete, player "Fan Quan''s" contributions besides "dealing damage" are significant, AFK penalty has been cancelled.]


    [Congratulations to all players for successfully defeating Huanjing''s instance No. 5¡ª"Zombie Pursuit", commemorative card has been sent to each player''s dungeon atlas.]


    [Current Huanjing Dungeon Conquest Progress: (1 out of 100)]


    [Players will return to the real world in five minutes, please prepare beforehand...]

 Chapter 041 Post-war Settlement

    Not long after the chef zombie died, his bloated body was stained by blood into a black statue, standing motionless like the shape of embers solidified, right in the center of the supermarket.The one flickering and broken light bulb on the ceiling was acting as the only source of light at this moment, occasionally making a "pop pop" noise, and the sparks it scattered vanished in a flash in the darkness, drowned in the air filled with the smell of blood.


    Four players sat down against a cold wall.


    Their eyes were fixed on the panel in front of them, their fingers skillfully sliding across the screen, quickly checking the loot from instance No. 5.


    [You will leave the instance in two minutes, instance rewards have already been delivered to each player''s bag, please confirm receipt...]


    [You have received the standard completion reward for instance No. 5, one, 3000 Mall Coins; two, 1500 Experience Points; three, one "E-class Equipment" Lottery Ticket; and four, a one-time summon card, "Suicide Zombie."]


    [Your level has been elevated to Lv. 4 (0 points/2000 points), and you have gained one attribute point to allocate at will.]


    [The attribute point has been added to "Physical Fitness," and your "Physical Fitness" attribute has been elevated to 19 points.]


    Ke Mingye closed the panel and looked ahead.


    Right before the chef zombie died, he vomited a solid piece of fresh blood, which stuck to a column in a sticky mess.


    Now, that solid piece of blood was melting slowly like ice, occasionally dripping down one or two drops onto the floor, making a ticking sound.


    They had just checked the large hole at the depth of the supermarket, the place where the chef zombie had charged out from, and found nothing but a huge pulsating heart inside.


    Ke Mingye signaled the other three with his eyes and then shot a strand of spider silk from his right hand that stuck to the heart and slowly pulled it outward.


    The next moment, the heart burst open, splashing blood all over everyone. They thought some rare item would explode out, so they pinched their noses and searched through the pool of blood.


    They came up empty-handed.


    Having lost both manpower and effort, their current appearance was very disheveled, covered in blood that they couldn''t wipe clean.


    But since the instance couldn''t be entered again after a successful challenge, it would be a pity to miss any hidden levels; bearing this thought, they had investigated once and were reassured.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye, with his Deception Puppet sitting cross-legged on the ground, was the first to break the silence.


    "Are you guys hurt?"


    "I''m fine." Ju Zipi turned and smiled at him, "Shouldn''t we be asking you? Weren''t you the main target of its hatred all the way?"


    "Not an issue, I think we should be more concerned about Punk Girl," Ke Mingye said.


    "Warn you, stop calling me Punk Girl, if it wasn''t because this body''s predecessor was a punk, I wouldn''t need to fit in with the persona so tiresomely every day."


    Qing Meng said this with a cold sideways glance at him.


    "Personality largely depends on experiences, and the predecessor''s memory counts as an experience. Thus, it''s not strange for you to be influenced by her and gradually become a punk girl through subtle influence," Fan Quan said as he sat on an overturned shelf while staring at a bible in his hand, not looking up.


    He paused, "Besides, in the instance, it doesn''t matter if we get hurt since we''ll heal instantly when we return to reality."


    "Okay," Qing Meng said. "Since it doesn''t matter, can I shoot you in the head?"


    "Go ahead."


    "Tch, you really are a freak."


    Qing Meng stopped looking at him and began disassembling the handgun in her hands while continuing to practice the assembly process of the firearm.


    In the player panel, "General Skills" like "Cooking Skills" or "Firearms Use" all have proficiency progress, the higher the proficiency, the higher the skill level.


    If you want to increase the level of the "Firearms Use" General Skill, practicing the disassembly and assembly of firearms is also a good way, not only firing them.


    "Punk Girl, can you not be so terrifying?" Ke Mingye said. "Even though shooting him in the head won''t kill him, it will still hurt, right?" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So what, it''s not like he won''t get shot in the future, let him get used to it early," Qing Meng said.


    "That''s how it should be," Fan Quan spoke emotionlessly, "I suggest you all take advantage of being still in the instance to experience the stimulation of pain more, to prevent giving up too soon in real battles due to unbearable pain. For instance, if your arm is severed, you can still run, but if you just kneel down clutching your arm and yelling, it''s over."


    "Makes sense,"


    Ju Zipi nodded and echoed.


    In their past lives, everyone had been workers or students. If things truly came to blows with those superheroes, even a little scrape could leave them wincing in agony, not to mention whether they could still think clearly if an arm or leg were broken.


    Ke Mingye understood this very well, especially when it came to Qing Ya. He always felt that even if the old man had a huge gash in his stomach, he could still think calmly about what to do next.


    If the enemy could do that, then they had to achieve the same, otherwise, how could they stand against them?


    Qing Meng pointed her index finger at Fan Quan and squinted at Ke Mingye, "Do you know how bizarre this guy is?"


    "How bizarre?"


    Ke Mingye asked curiously, looking up at the cultural person sitting on the shelf.


    Ju Zipi answered the question for her, slowly explaining.


    "On the way to Yandai Commercial Street today, we got tangled up with a couple of beggars. Initially, I thought about giving them a couple of dollars, but Fan Quan said that wouldn''t solve the real issue. So he joined the beggars'' line, taught them some more urbanized methods of begging, and even made a deal to take a cut of their earnings periodically.


    As a result, he was cursed and chased by the two beggars all the way here."


    Ke Mingye was stunned for a moment; he had thought this man was merely aloof from reading too much, but now he realized the guy might actually be bordering on insane.


    "He doesn''t seem like a normal person."


    Qing Meng shrugged her shoulders while clicking together a handgun and complained.


    "It''s better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish, I taught them how to beg for money to survive, so they wouldn''t have to worry about food and drink in the future," Fan Quan defended himself. "Their begging methods are still rural; they haven''t adapted to new ideas in the city."


    "See, that''s what happens when you read too much," Ju Zipi said as he did push-ups with his hands on the ground and teased him.


    "Right?" Qing Meng said.


    "Yes," Ke Ming replied, nodding.


    "If there''s a Skill in the mall that could check a teammate''s educational level, I might consider buying it outright," Fan Quan said as he flipped through a book with a cold sneer.


    "Alright," Ju Zipi got up from the ground, dusting off his hands, "It''s almost time to leave the instance. Should we all add each other as friends?"


    "No."


    Fan Quan refused decisively.


    "Playing mysterious, huh, cultured person?" Ju Zipi started to call him that too.


    "Alright, I''ll keep the mystery too. Let''s not add anybody," Ke Mingye said.


    While he said that, he had a reason for not adding friends: Deception Puppets couldn''t use the contact list, and adding friends required being face-to-face, which he couldn''t always manage.


    "You guys are really childish."


    Muttering under her breath, Qing Meng successfully assembled a handgun, inserted the magazine, and cocked the gun.


    "If we''re not adding, then we''re not," Ju Zipi glanced at the countdown on the panel and waved, "The countdown''s almost up, see you guys later."


    "See you next time, Brother Ju," Ke Mingye also waved at him.


    "Bye."


    Qing Meng bid them farewell while packing three handguns into her backpack and slung it over her shoulder.


    "We''ll let you know when we find a suitable next instance, see you then," Fan Quan dropped a lukewarm comment and shortly after, the four of them disappeared within the supermarket.


    After a brief plunge into darkness, the Deception Puppet came to its senses, standing in a deserted alley on Yandai Commercial Street.


    After leaving an instance, the exit location in reality was chosen by the player; the system provided some "unmonitored" locations as options. Ke Mingye chose the alley behind Yandai Cinema City, while the other three chose different locations, so there were no signs of them around.


    At that moment, the school uniform on the puppet, stained with blood, had reverted to its clean state, just as it was before entering the instance.


    "Well, the instance is done, I hope the movie is over too," Ke Mingye thought, having the puppet stay put in the alley while he himself opened his eyes in the cinema.

 Chapter 42 Cinema Crisis

    Ke Mingye lifted his eyelids and slowly "woke up" from the dim movie theater.He raised the back of his hand to shield his eyes from the light of the screen and deceptively pinched his nose bridge with his index finger and middle finger, signaling to his family that he had indeed taken a nap.


    Looking around, "Spirited Away" was playing on the Imax screen, an animated film by Hayao Miyazaki. The movie had premiered twenty years ago but had just been re-released, so Bai Zini had excitedly gotten their dad to cover the cost of the movie tickets and dragged everyone to watch it.


    The light from the huge screen waxed and waned, occasionally illuminating the faces of those seated nearby.


    Ke Mingye was sitting in the middle of this row, with Ke Xiaomo on his right. To his left, in order, were Bai Zini, Bai Ziling, Ke Yongzhu, and Bai Qiuwu.


    Bai Qiuwu was propping her chin in her hands, lost in thought, her mind clearly not on the movie.


    Without even thinking, Ke Mingye knew she must be pondering what had happened on the bus earlier.


    Bai Zini nudged him gently with her elbow and whispered, "Brother, you came to the cinema to sleep, didn''t you? That''s so like you."


    "Exactly," Bai Ziling echoed in a low voice.


    Could I even tell you that I was actually focused on playing an instance? Ke Mingye curled his lips and said, "I was dead tired after school, and then you guys dragged me to watch a movie. Can you blame me?"


    "Watch attentively now that you''re awake," Ke Xiaomo said.


    "Alright."


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye looked around the theater.


    The auditorium was basically devoid of strangers; it might as well have been booked by the six of them. After all, the re-showing had ended several days ago, and this cinema city had only just been built, not enjoying much popularity.


    Just then, he suddenly noticed a young man in a cap and the uniform of the cinema staff walk in from the entrance of the theater and place a sign at the door that read "As a lucky screening, guests watching in this theater will receive a free trial of a ''brain imaging helmet''."


    Immediately afterwards, the young man closed the door to the theater, placed his hands on his abdomen, and his eyes were hidden under the brim of his cap. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, as if he was quietly waiting for someone.


    A brain imaging helmet, what is this thing?


    Ke Mingye glanced at the text on the sign and felt something was off, so he stared at the staff member a bit longer; his information panel gradually became visible before him.


    [Character Name: Ke Yinzhi]


    [Age: 21]


    [Gender: Male]


    [Strength: A++ level (possessing top fighting power far beyond 99% of superhumans in the world)]


    [Hidden Identity: Black Judge (A key figure in the Anomaly Control Bureau, one of the five S-level officers)]


    "...Huh?"


    "Huh?"


    Ke Mingye mentally typed out two big question marks.


    He suspected he had read it wrong or that there was a bug in the system, so he took another look at the unassuming staff member, trying a different approach.


    But the result was the same.


    [Character Name: Ke Yinzhi]


    Ke Mingye paused for half a second, then quickly averted his gaze. "Big brother? Why is he here?" he thought, his sweat pouring down, instantly soaking his back.


    He had imagined a thousand scenarios of meeting his brother at home, but never had he thought that his brother would appear before him in this way.


    In a cinema, disguised as a staff member?


    From the sign, his aim was to get us to wear this brain imaging helmet, but why?


    The myriad thoughts in Ke Mingye''s mind fell to the floor like a ball of yarn, unraveling into thousands of strands.


    Brain imaging...


    The biggest difference between players and ordinary people is that the images captured by our eyes go through the system in our brains, allowing us to see prompts given by the system.


    Ke Mingye''s face gradually turned pale, a flicker in his eyes.


    He pondered for a moment and soon came to a conclusion, "Big brother wants to use this helmet to confirm if any of us has been replaced by a ''player''."


    No, just sitting here won''t do, he has a thousand reasons to not let me leave, and the moment I put on that helmet, I''d truly be done for...


    With that thought, Ke Mingye spoke up, "I need to use the bathroom, I''ll be back in a bit." After saying that, he started to get up from his chair.


    "Wait a second."


    Ke Xiaomo spoke as he suddenly reached out and held his arm.


    "What''s wrong, Second Brother?"


    As Ke Mingye asked, he slowly turned his head, his face expressionless as he met his gaze.


    "Don''t wander off. Come right back after using the bathroom," Ke Xiaomo said.


    Ke Mingye stiffened slightly, cold sweat trickling down his forehead, thinking to himself that with a second brother and a big brother, they''re teamed up to screw with me in the cinema, huh? Did you two coordinate this in advance?


    "That''s right, now that you mention it." Bai Zini also said, "Last time, big bro, halfway through the movie with us, you said you were going to the bathroom and then ditched to play games at the next-door arcade!"


    Please, can you stop throwing daggers, little sister? If I don''t make a run for it, I''m straight up going to die here, right?


    Feeling as if he had plunged into an abyss of ice, Ke Mingye glanced out of the corner of his eye at the staff guarding the entrance to the screening room.


    "Why are you bothering him?" Ke Yongzhu spoke with her chin propped on her hand, speaking impatiently, "If he wants to leave, just let him be; don''t disrupt my movie experience."


    "No way, Ni and I finally managed to get Dad to reimburse us for this,"


    Bai Ziling turned her head too, her face expressionless as she stared at Ke Mingye.


    Her red eyes were especially conspicuous in the dim light.


    Hearing their conversation, Bai Qiuwu''s thoughts were interrupted, and she also glanced at him sideways, "That''s right. Just now, someone on the bus said to me, ''We''re going to watch a movie, and nobody is allowed to leave early.''"


    Ke Mingye jolted with fear, thinking to himself that if it really came down to it, he would have to confront them all¡ªdamn it, a vampire, a magic girl, a ninja, and a Sun Wukong, really all teaming up against me, a simple player?


    Even with these thoughts, Ke Mingye still remained calm.


    He yawned, his eyes brimming with tears of tiredness, and spoke with a lethargic voice, "Alright, alright, you win. I won''t make a run for it. I''ll just go to the bathroom and come straight back." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You said it," Bai Ziling stared at him for a moment, "Don''t try to deceive me."


    "Second Brother, let him go," Bai Zini said, satisfied.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo released his arm, "Go and come back quickly. You''ve already slept through most of it. Pay attention to the rest."


    "Just you guys are fussy,"


    Ke Mingye looked at them with disdain, feigned relaxation as he shrugged his shoulders, then rose from his seat and walked towards the exit of the cinema.


    With each step he took through the dimly lit auditorium, he drew closer to the door where Ke Yinzhi stood, his heart beating faster and faster, as if a myriad of tiny people were tap dancing on it.


    What will big brother do...


    If I simply walk past him and out, will he stop me?


    What if he grabs the helmet and forces it on my head? With his strength, I wouldn''t stand a chance, but just sitting there until the movie ends is tantamount to sitting ducks.


    But even if, by a long shot, big brother doesn''t stop me and I do manage to escape the cinema, Second Brother''s suspicion of me will only deepen.


    Damn it...


    I might as well take the risk; it''s better than waiting for death.


    With that in mind, Ke Mingye purposely scuffed his shoe against the leg of the chair, causing his shoelace to come undone.


    Then he squatted down, pretending to tie his laces while he manipulated the Deception Puppet outside the cinema to change its appearance, bursting out of the alley, firing a strand of web at the traffic light sign post above the street, caught onto the web, and jumped up on top of the traffic lights.


    The puppet crouched down, looking ahead towards Yandai Cinema City, and used the skill¡ª"Dice of Catastrophe".


    Immediately, a black die appeared in its hand, with blood-red numbers engraved on each of its six faces. Simultaneously, six possible events corresponding to these numbers were input into Ke Mingye''s brain.


    The puppet stretched out its hand and rolled the die forward. The die tumbled through the air above the street before finally landing, bouncing, and coming to rest.


    Shortly after, the corresponding event took place.

 Chapter 043 Disaster Dice

    [D-level Skill "Catastrophe Dice" has been released, and the six events drawn from the event library are¡ª¡ªNumber ¢Ù: A whale will fall onto the street;


    Number ¢Ú: A famous historical band of the deceased will appear on the street to perform songs;


    Number ¢Û: A parade of elephants will march through the street;


    Number ¢Ü: A minor earthquake lasting five seconds will be triggered on the street;


    Number ¢Ý: A team of lion dancers will appear on the street to perform;


    Number ¢Þ: A group of men will streak through the street.]


    The Catastrophe Dice slowly descended from above the traffic light, flipping through the air above the street, as Ke Mingye manipulated the Deception Puppet to intently watch the black-and-red dice land.


    Thud...


    The metallic dice hit the ground with a crisp sound, attracting the attention of many passersby to the Deception Puppet.


    The dice rolled a couple of times on the asphalt surface and gradually came to a stop, and in the puppet''s pupils, the upward-facing number of the dice was reflected; the result turned out to be... number "¢Þ".


    Event number six? sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [The event represented by number ¢Þ has been triggered: a group of men will streak through the street.]


    "Huh?"


    Ke Mingye was crouching on the floor of the theater, tying his shoelaces, and paused for a second when he saw the result, belatedly thinking.


    "Actually... it seems sort of alright?"


    The next moment, the Catastrophe Dice turned into a puff of black smoke and dissipated, followed by a scream from within the congested crowd. The people on the street turned toward the source of the scream, following the gaze of the screaming woman towards a corner of the street.


    They saw ten completely naked, muscular men running wildly through the street like bulls. If a vehicle blocked their path, they would leap over it like hurdle runners, jumping with an unbelievable amplitude, clearing the vehicle, and then landing heavily on the ground, punching a deep hole as they ran forward relentlessly under the setting sun.


    The Deception Puppet, perched on the traffic light, arched its non-existent eyebrows, observing the scene with interest, muttering to itself.


    "Truly amusing¡­"


    Meanwhile, Ke Mingye finished tying his shoelaces, stood up leisurely, and walked forward while playing with his phone, keeping an eye on the staff member at the door out of the corner of his eye.


    With Ke Mingye''s hearing, he could hardly hear the noise outside the cinema from inside the soundproof theater;


    But it was different for his older brother. Ke Yinzhi''s combat rating was A++ level, and with such a commotion caused by the streaking men on the street, even from the inside of the well-insulated theater, he would definitely not fail to notice the situation outside.


    The "staff member" at the door looked up, one hand behind his back, the other hand lowering the brim of his hat, his eyes shifting. After hesitating for half a second, he pushed open the door and stepped outside through the gap.


    Seeing that Ke Yinzhi had already left the entrance of the theater, Ke Mingye secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.


    He walked to the door, looked up from his phone screen, and pushed open the door. The auditorium''s exit corridor was dimly lit and deserted, with promotional posters of the newest movies plastered on the walls. In just a blink of an eye, Ke Yinzhi had disappeared inside the cinema, most likely having run outside to check out the situation.


    Since he had briefly diverted his brother''s attention, Ke Mingye''s goal had been achieved.


    The Deception Puppet''s body rapidly heated up and cracked, the bursting flames engulfed the traffic light signs, and even the six-meter-high traffic signal pole was affected, crashing down onto the street, causing screams from the crowds.


    [The "Deception Puppet" has been actively destroyed. It will take 10 minutes before another "Deception Puppet" can be released.]


    After leaving auditorium three, Ke Mingye casually walked towards the corner and then entered the men''s restroom next to auditorium four.


    He went straight to the last stall, closed the door, sat on the toilet seat, and stared at the door in front of him while thinking.


    "You can dodge on the first day but not on the fifteenth, even if I avoid it today in the movie theater, once I get home, big brother will probably use this brain imaging helmet on me, then what will I do?" he thought.


    "Moreover, it was not easy to eliminate the suspicions of my second brother, and if I now run away from the cinema, he is very likely to start suspecting me again. This is more uncomfortable than being targeted by big brother, after all, the second brother is a Ninja, being watched by him all day during the summer vacation, no matter how I disguise myself, I will eventually expose myself..."


    Ke Mingye sighed gently and, tilting his head back, continued to think.


    "Judging by the name, that ''brain imaging helmet'' must be something that captures the brainwaves entering the brain and converts them into images. If my guess is right, once I put on the helmet, big brother would see through my eyes and confirm I''m a player, not his brother."


    "Big brother has already caught two players, I don''t know how much information those two players confessed."


    "In any case, this helmet must have been created to confirm whether there are any players sneaking into the house; otherwise, he wouldn''t need to go to the trouble of disguising as a cinema staff member."


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye suddenly came up with a way to deal with his big brother.


    Ke Yinzhi using the brain imaging helmet extracted the scenes he saw, which indeed would show a bunch of game system panels and icons;


    But if what is read is the brain of a Deception Puppet, the result would be different¡ªthe brain structure of a Deception Puppet is no different from a normal person, usually, the images seen by the puppet''s eyes are shared to Ke Mingye''s brain for data processing to see some system data.


    So, if just the Deception Puppet is taken out, it is just a lightweight human template, even if wearing the brain imaging helmet, the images formed in its brain from its eyes would be no different from ordinary people.


    But to accomplish this, there was a necessary premise.


    That was, Ke Mingye must first divert Bai Qiuwu from the auditorium; otherwise, the outcome would be like on the bus, the moment the puppet got close to her, it would be immediately exposed by Eyes of Golden Flame.


    That way, no matter how much the puppet''s appearance and behavior resembled Ke Mingye, in front of Bai Qiuwu, it''s merely an act of futile deception, and Ke Mingye''s identity would also be exposed along with the appearance of the puppet.


    Whether exposing his identity in front of big brother or big sister, the nature of it for him was the same¡ªwhether "Black Judge" or "Black Wukong," either was enough to kill him a thousand times over.


    Although the likelihood of success was very low, Ke Mingye believed he only had to try. If he couldn''t dispel big brother''s suspicions here, then he would be severely restricted throughout the entire summer vacation.


    Moreover, if he escaped today, the situation he would face afterward would be even more dire. There was an opportunity in the cinema for the puppet to take his place, but at home, could he ensure that he was never caught by big brother?


    The answer was no.


    So Ke Mingye didn''t plan to run, he had to dispel big brother''s wariness today.


    Of course, he had also prepared an escape route for himself; if his identity was exposed later in the cinema, he would break the restroom window and flee the cinema, then contact "Fan Quan" through the communication list to see if Fan Quan could provide a hidden residence for him, and then slowly find a chance to leave Huanjing. Continue reading at empire


    Since Fan Quan was confident in killing three Superhumans at this kind of times, he surely had plenty of means to mask his tracks, finding a hideout for him should not be difficult.

 Chapter 044 Enemy on Both Sides

    Ke Mingye pulled out a second-hand mobile phone from the pocket of his school uniform jacket.Last night, he had asked a classmate whose family owned a mobile phone shop to bring him a second-hand phone from the store. That afternoon, he met that classmate in a corner of the playground, took the phone, and paid him 600 out of the 5000 yuan he had earned from bets on the dark web.


    Ke Mingye held the second-hand mobile phone, which didn''t have a SIM card, and quietly watched the time. As the ten-minute cooldown period slowly passed, he was able to summon the Deception Puppet again.


    According to the length of the film, there were four minutes left before it would end. Ke Yinzhi would then pretend to be a staff member and leave his younger brothers and sisters in the cinema hall.


    Using a recently popular prank app, Ke Mingye sent two untraceable text messages to Bai Qiuwu''s mobile number from the second-hand phone.


    ¡ª¡ª"Sun Wukong, guess whether I am possibly across from Yandai Cinema City right now?"


    ¡ª¡ª"The Italian pasta at this western restaurant is really good. I bet the movie you''re watching is nice too, but don''t forget our secret meeting on the overpass tonight. Of course, if you''re free now, we could meet up sooner."


    After sending the texts, Ke Mingye turned off the second-hand phone and put it in his pocket. Simultaneously, he took out his usual phone and sent a message to Ke Yongzhu on WeChat.


    "Elementary kid, are you there? I forgot to bring paper, bring me a pack to the restroom."


    "Are you sick in the head? Who goes to the toilet without paper," Ke Yongzhu''s reply came back quickly.


    "My stomach hurts, what can I do?" Ke Mingye replied as he took off his pants, "If you don''t want to bring it, let Big Bro do it. Is he in the cinema? Tell him to hurry up and bring me a pack of paper."


    "Big Bro is a Hayao Miyazaki fan, and he''ll be annoyed if you interrupt his movie," Ke Yongzhu typed, "Haha, are you sure you want me to call him?"


    Gazing at the message, Ke Mingye confirmed that Big Bro was still in the cinema. He silently pulled his pants back up, thinking pretending to have diarrhea might become an unforgettable experience for his lifetime.


    He was really worried that Ke Xiaomo was in the restroom''s shadow watching him at that moment; but if that were true, Big Bro wouldn''t be called Ninja, he would be a peeping tom.


    Bending over to type, Ke Mingye wrote: "Forget it, don''t call Big Bro then. He''ll nag me about it. If you really don''t want to help, ask Big Sis to sneak it over, okay? Oh, and don''t let her come into the men''s restroom. Just have her throw the toilet paper in from outside. I can pick it up off the floor when no one''s around and open the door to retrieve it."


    His previous message had been a probe to see if Big Bro was still in the cinema hall, while now he was testing to see if Bai Qiuwu had been lured away by the two "anonymous texts" he''d sent.


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    Ke Yongzhu replied quickly: "Sure, Big Sis was just about to go to the restroom anyway. Call her."


    "When?"


    Ke Mingye felt assured but, just to be safe, asked on his phone.


    He knew well that Bai Qiuwu wasn''t likely to really be going to the restroom but had found an excuse to search the western restaurant across from the cinema for the Deception Puppet after receiving his message.


    Of course, Ke Mingye wasn''t actually there waiting for her; meeting with Bai Qiuwu was scheduled for tonight.


    "She just left the theater and hasn''t reached the restroom yet. Call her," Ke Yongzhu typed.


    "Okay," Ke Mingye replied.


    He breathed a sigh of relief, opened the stall door, and moved to the edge of the washroom, outside the range of the cameras. He quietly watched the entrance to the women''s restroom but never saw Bai Qiuwu appear.


    Once sure, Ke Mingye went back into the restroom stall, closed the door, and summoned the Deception Puppet again. The 1.8-meter-tall, grey humanoid crouched on the ground, resembling a benign dog.


    "Transform into my appearance."


    As Ke Mingye undressed, leaving only his boxers, he mentally commanded the puppet.


    The Deception Puppet''s appearance and build changed rapidly. When he reopened his eyes, its appearance had become indistinguishable from Ke Mingye''s.


    Ke Mingye looked at the puppet that bore no difference from himself, as if looking in a mirror, and felt a sense of uncanniness, a disturbing creepiness.


    Still, he calmly dressed the puppet in his clothes, ordered it to put on the pants, and then adjusted its hair slightly. This made its image look just like him when he had exited the cinema hall.


    Finally, Ke Mingye took off his own shoes and let him put them on, while he himself sat on the toilet.


    He took a deep breath and then ordered the Deception Puppet to walk out of the stall. After closing the stall door, it left the bathroom and turned a corner in the audience corridor, heading towards the entrance of Theater Three.


    ...........


    ..........


    At this moment, at the entrance of Yandai Cinema City, Ke Yinzhi, dressed in a staff uniform, was bowing his head, noting something down in a small notebook. Then he looked up, surveying the street and the collapsed traffic light pole on the ground.


    "A gray strange man threw dice from the traffic signal and self-destructed; ten naked men vanished at the end of the street... No sign of them after a search around the area, as if they had evaporated from the world. It seems that the Anomaly Control Bureau''s file of oddities will have another entry these next few days."


    He closed the notebook and tucked it into his uniform pocket, thinking, "What an unfortunate day. Should I report this to the Management Bureau first..."


    "No, better to settle the family matters first, so I can work with peace of mind."


    Thinking this, Ke Yinzhi was about to turn and enter the cinema when he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure sweeping past him. He lowered the brim of his hat to conceal his gaze.


    After Bai Qiuwu had walked away, Ke Yinzhi slightly relaxed the brim of his hat, raising his eyes from under his hair. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Qiuwu?"


    He glanced sidelong at Bai Qiuwu''s retreating figure, pondering, "Players possess the ability to read identities; she might have recognized me from inside the cinema, hence why she left early. Keep this possibility in mind, test her when I get home, and sort out the safety of the other little ones first."


    Ke Yinzhi moved into the cinema, deftly put on a face mask at the corner, and pressed a tiny metal device on his fingertip against his throat; the device seamlessly merged with his skin.


    He coughed softly into his fist, and the sound was starkly different from before.


    Greeting the ticket attendant with a nod, he entered the dimly lit audience corridor. At the entrance, two other men dressed as staff were each holding a helmet, waiting for him. They followed Ke Yinzhi quietly, slowly heading towards Theater Three.


    At this moment, in Theater Three, the movie "Spirited Away" had already ended.


    Ke Yinzhi and the two "staff members" pushed open the door and stepped into the theater together.


    They wore standard, commercial smiles and stood at the entrance of the theater, quietly waiting for the arrival of Ke Xiaomo, Ke Mingye, Ke Yongzhu, Bai Ziling, and Bai Zini.


    Soon, Ke Xiaomo led his younger brothers and sisters towards the entrance of the theater.


    "Sir, the audience in Theater Three for this showing has been selected as the lucky participants in our cinema promotion, and we would like to offer you a free chance to experience the ''brain imaging helmet''."


    Ke Yinzhi spoke with a gentle and detached voice, reminiscent of the smell of disinfectant, seamlessly fitting the image of a staff member.


    As his voice faded, not waiting for Ke Xiaomo to reply, Ke Yinzhi''s fellow staff members had already approached the group of children, introducing the rather intimidating and technologically advanced brain imaging helmet, claiming it could capture their brain signals and convert them into real images.


    Bai Zini was the first to clap her hands in delight, her eyes lighting up as she said it sounded really interesting.


    Ke Mingye was playing with his phone, muttering about how they could stop having so many events because he wanted to go home and sleep.


    Ke Yongzhu appeared indifferent, but his eyes kept sneakily glancing at the helmet, seemingly eager to try it on.


    Bai Ziling didn''t show much reaction, but every now and then, she lifted her red eyes from her phone screen to watch the staff demonstrate how to use the helmet.


    Ke Xiaomo, watching their reactions, sighed softly and asked Ke Yinzhi, "Is this thing safe? Could it possibly damage the brain nerves or something?"


    "Absolutely safe," Ke Yinzhi assured him, responding steadily, "Sir, I guarantee it."


    Ke Xiaomo looked into his eyes for two seconds before saying, "Alright, then let''s give it a try."

 Chapter 045 Imaginary Time (Part 1)

    In the bathroom of the projection area, Ke Mingye leaned over, sitting on the closed toilet lid with his hands clasped in front of his chest, his heart pounding away."Could this get any more thrilling?"


    He muttered to himself, while planning his escape route for after he was exposed and from the perspective of the Deception Puppet, he eyed the staff member standing in the middle.


    At this moment, the "staff member" in the cinema hall looked nothing like Ke Yinzhi from his memory: it was as if he had put on a human skin mask, even the size and color of his pupils had changed, perhaps due to contact lenses, or maybe his elder brother had used some ability to alter his appearance.


    Ke Mingye was not at all surprised; rather, it had become quite normal for him.


    Living in this house of monsters, disguising oneself had already become an essential skill. Everyone wanted a second identity; if they couldn''t change their faces, at the very least, they had to wear a mask, otherwise, wouldn''t their identities be easily seen through by a family member?


    What played with people''s minds was that those who could change faces were almost always seen through by Bai Qiuwu with her Eyes of Golden Flame; otherwise, Ke Mingye wouldn''t have needed to specifically distract her to let the Deception Puppet enter the cinema hall.


    From the experimental results on the bus, Ke Mingye thought it was possible that Bai Zini''s identity had already been discovered by Bai Qiuwu.


    He had observed the process of Bai Zini transforming; in the end, it was by means of a mirror that she changed the details of her face¡ªsuch an illusionary, rather than physical, face change was easily seen through by Bai Qiuwu''s "Eyes of Golden Flame."


    So, it was very likely that Bai Qiuwu already knew that Bai Zini was "Magical Girl Ash," she just kept it a secret, not mentioning it outright.


    The vibration of the spare mobile phone in his pocket interrupted his thoughts.


    Ke Mingye opened the spare mobile phone, on which, on the prank app, he had received a reply from Bai Qiuwu.


    "I''m at the Western restaurant now, where are you?" she asked.


    "Received, wait for me there for a bit."


    Ke Mingye typed and sent the message, trying to keep Bai Qiuwu hanging at the Western restaurant a bit longer.


    This moment, he had to pray that this damned helmet experience would end soon; otherwise, if the Deception Puppet walked out of the cinema hall and just happened to run into his elder sister coming back from the Western restaurant, it would indeed be an utterly tragic drama.


    ........


    .......


    "This helmet currently has two functions. The first is to replicate the images you see in your eyes. Its principle is to directly extract signals from the ''visual processing area'' in your brain and convert them into real images,"


    Ke Yinzhi paused, then continued.


    "The second function is that you can try to imagine some images. Similarly, the helmet will try to read your brain signals and transfer them into images on the screen, but... due to technical limitations, the second function is not yet perfect and stable, and sometimes the captured images may be incomplete and not so clear."


    After listening to his explanation, Yongzhu hugged the helmet from the staff member and said, "What''s the point of the first function? It''s just like a eyeball camera, let me try the second function."


    Ke Mingye, looking down at his phone, thought to himself that the first function of this helmet was not prepared for you guys, but for me, right?


    "So exciting, I want to try it too!" Bai Zini exclaimed like a grade-schooler, hands clasped together, eager to give it a go.


    Ke Mingye glanced at her sideways, thinking to himself, Ash my friend, can''t you act less exaggerated? You weren''t this naive and harmless when you pinned Cinderella on my forehead.


    Maybe she could make it to Hollywood, and bring back an Oscar Little Yellow Man the next year. Being a Magic Girl really buries her talent.


    "Of course, everyone can try," Ke Yinzhi said with his hands behind his back, turning his head and smiling at her, "Although there are only two helmets, everyone present has the opportunity to experience them, taking turns."


    I was wrong; big brother, you are the real acting talent. Ke Mingye disdainfully thought to himself.


    In Ke Mingye''s memory, Ke Yinzhi had always been a very neurotic person, and every school he had ever attended had rumors circulating about him.


    Like accidentally blowing up the lab during an experiment, or targeting fellow dormitory mates who had inexplicably dropped out within a semester; or like skipping two grades in high school to attend the best key university, later humiliating the principal in a public speech upon returning to his Alma Mater, openly criticizing the school''s education system;


    Even more extreme, saying that two years ago, "Kafu," the national idol-level panda that vanished from the Beijing Ring Zoo, was abducted by Ke Yinzhi, which was downright absurd.


    Despite being the eldest son at home, the only sibling Ke Yinzhi got along with was his second elder brother, Ke Xiaomo. The others didn''t really like hanging out with their big brother because you could never understand his thought processes.


    Fortunately, ever since big brother returned from university three years ago, that unabashed neuroticism had subsided a lot, as if he had become a different person.


    It was as if... something had been released during his time at university. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You can imagine any scene freely. If you really don''t know what to think of, perhaps I can give you a keyword," Ke Yinzhi spoke slowly, "For instance, when I say ''player,'' what do you think of?"


    Bai Zini listened to him while wearing the helmet, deep in thought with her eyes closed.


    When she took off the helmet and looked up at the image on the cinema''s giant screen, what appeared was a "My World" style mosaic world: under a dark sky, a mosaic version of the Bai Ke family stood atop a sky city built from mosaic blocks, pointing guns at each other''s heads.


    Bai Zini was stunned, "It really did recreate it... How magical."


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, thinking this was too absurd considering the current world''s progress in brain imaging technology, it was impossible to do something like this.


    So, this thing must have been brought out by his elder brother from the Anomaly Control Bureau, only the Management Bureau could produce technology far beyond the common knowledge.


    But how could his second brother not realize this? He shouldn''t be that obtuse, right? Or could it be... indeed, his elder and second brothers were in cahoots from the start, each aware of the other''s identity?


    "Quite an imagination." Ke Yinzhi looked at the giant screen, smiling as he commented, "It''s inevitable for the image to be a bit incomplete and blurry, after all, this technology is not yet able to precisely recreate the images you imagine."


    Next, it was Yongzhu''s turn to wear the helmet, and the image he conjured appeared on the screen.


    Displayed on the giant screen was a white-haired girl in a bikini, with a pair of black, bat-like wings on her back. She stood expressionless on the beach, with black tides behind her and a blood-red moon in the sky.


    He took off the helmet and looked at the cinema''s giant screen, opening his mouth only for his face to instantly turn red.


    "Pervert!" exclaimed Bai Zini, "You, a grade-schooler, are thinking of such inappropriate images!"


    Bai Ziling looked up at the image and slightly stalled.


    "Looks a bit... like me?"


    She murmured softly, her red eyes wide open, pupils slightly constricted.


    "What is this, a monster girl?" Bai Zini said, then suddenly realized an oversight, "Ah! White-haired too, you were imagining it based on your sister Xiao Ling, huh, perverted grade-schooler!"


    "No, this is an angel, okay!" Ke Yongzhu retorted with flushed face and hot ears. "Angels have gold hair and black wings. I just accidentally imagined the gold hair as white!"


    Bai Zini didn''t let him off, pressing him aggressively, "What kind of angel has such a gloomy backdrop? The angels you imagine are so bizarre. Anyway, you can''t escape being a pervert!"


    "Boring! I''m never playing this again."


    Saying this, Ke Yongzhu frowned, placing the helmet on the seat, even his ears reddening.


    "Grade-schooler, the angel you imagined looks a bit like a vampire, huh?" Ke Mingye initially wanted to tease him with this remark, but he paused for half a second, belatedly staring at the screen for a while.


    Wait a minute, did Yongzhu know that Bai Ziling was a vampire?


    Thinking this, he glanced at Bai Ziling.


    Her face was expressionless, but her eyes, under her pale blond hair, were wide open, as if she had seen something incredible.


    Ke Xiaomo, however, didn''t take it seriously, thinking it was just child''s play.


    Following this, it was Bai Ziling''s turn to wear the helmet. Her experience ended quickly, and when she took off the helmet, a new image appeared on the cinema''s giant screen.


    The image Bai Ziling conjured was of a young dragon squatting like a cat, its head raised in the moonlight as it quietly stared into the night sky from the shadows.


    "What a cute dragon baby." Bai Zini clapped her hands, not forgetting to tease Ke Yongzhu, "Look at how imaginative your sister Ling is, much better than a certain grade-schooler who only thinks about bikinis and angels."


    "A dragon?"


    Ke Mingye was again startled, subtly watched Ke Yongzhu from the corner of his eye.


    Ke Yongzhu looked up at the image of the young dragon on the screen, frozen in place. He pursed his lips and scratched his nose, his face inexplicably growing redder, even unable to look at Bai Ziling again.


    Ke Mingye, watching the reactions of his brother and sister, became thoroughly convinced of one thing: Bai Ziling must have seen Yongzhu in his dragon form, and Yongzhu must know that Bai Ziling was a vampire¡ªhow else could this be such a coincidence?


    Aside from Ke Yongzhu, everyone else''s reactions were quite calm.


    Only Ke Xiaomo''s pupils contracted at this moment, he stared intently at the screen as if he had seen something sinister, muttering in a hoarse voice.


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    "Isn''t this... the juvenile form of the Calamity Dragon?"

 Chapter 046 Imaginary Time (Part 2)

    Ke Yinzhi glanced sideways at Ke Xiaomo''s profile while muttering softly, "Kids sure do have vivid imaginations, don''t they?"After Bai Ziling''s imagined scene had been displayed, it finally came time for Ke Mingye to don the helmet, and everyone in the cinema turned their attention to him.


    "It''s time?"


    Inside the restroom, Ke Mingye murmured to himself, commanding the Deception Puppet in his mind to put the helmet on its head. It stared ahead with eyes wide open for a while before closing them under the staff''s instruction.


    "Clear your mind; don''t think about anything," Ke Mingye continued to instruct.


    The Deception Puppet complied, and the rest of the people in the cinema looked toward the big screen only to see that the image presented was nearly empty, almost a complete blank.


    "Brother, are you too nervous?" Bai Zini, sitting beside the puppet, asked.


    Ke Yinzhi watched this scene and interjected, "If you really can''t come up with anything, maybe consider the key words I just mentioned, how about that?"


    He paused, then repeated to the Deception Puppet, "When you hear ''player,'' what do you imagine?"


    Cold sweat trickled down Ke Mingye''s temples, but a smile formed on his lips as he thought, you''re still trying to plant suggestions in my mind, but what''s sitting in the cinema isn''t human at all; how could your words sway its thoughts?


    As he thought this, he ordered the puppet in his mind: "Imagine that you are playing a shooter game on the screen, CS:GO will do, holding a gun and blowing the enemy''s head off."


    As the command was given, the big screen in Cinema Hall Four gradually displayed Ke Mingye''s thoughts: He sat in front of a computer, playing a shooter game from a first-person perspective, holding an AK-47 in his hands, the aim of the mouse fixed on an enemy''s head popping out from around a corner, ready to shoot. Then, the whole scene froze there.


    "Wow, is it that responsive?"


    The puppet removed the helmet and looked up at the big screen in the cinema with a tone of surprise.


    Bai Zini sighed with her hand on her forehead, unable to help but say disdainfully, "Brother, even with a helmet on, you imagine yourself playing a game¡ªis your internet addiction really that severe?"


    Ke Yongzhu snorted derisively, "And he says I have no imagination; he''s even worse. It figures for someone who slips out of a movie halfway to play games¡ªhis mind is filled with nothing but games."


    Ke Xiaomo and Ke Yinzhi looked at the big screen in silence, then turned to exchange a glance.


    "It''s your turn, second brother!" Bai Zini took the brain imaging helmet from Ke Mingye''s hands and ran to Ke Xiaomo''s side.


    "No, I''ll pass," Ke Xiaomo replied, his mind still full of the image Bai Ziling had conjured up, of the disaster dragon''s young form crouched in the shadows.


    "Ah? You''re really not going to try? That''s such a letdown," Bai Zini said, looking at him eagerly.


    "You guys have fun, I''ll just watch," Ke Xiaomo said.


    "Alright then," Ke Yinzhi spoke up, "Have all the kids had enough experience? If you want to save the images, please leave your WeChat info, and I''ll send them to you on my phone later."


    "Hold on, I haven''t had my fill," Bai Zini said, then turned to ask a staff member behind her, "Wasn''t there another feature you mentioned?"


    The staff member explained, "Do you mean the feature that converts your vision into images? The images were already automatically recorded when you put on the helmet."


    "Exactly, that''s it! Let me see how this ''brain camera'' captured everything," Bai Zini said curiously.


    Hearing this, the staff member tapped on his phone, and the big screen in the cinema began to display a series of more than a dozen photographs, all scenes they had seen with their eyes while wearing the helmet.


    Ke Yinzhi stared at the screen quietly as one photo after another flipped by.


    But within these photos, there was not a single scene that included a "player icon," each image''s scene was normal¡ªin other words, what everyone saw was normal, and nobody''s vision had been subjected to a secondary processing by the "gaming system."


    Ke Yinzhi took a few steps closer to Ke Xiaomo and whispered, "It''s been confirmed. Luckily, at least for now, none of these little ones have been replaced by ''players.''


    "What about Mingye?"


    "Yes, even though you said he was a bit odd, his visual scenes didn''t exhibit any player characteristics; otherwise, there would be a bunch of strange icons appearing."


    Ke Xiaomo also shifted his gaze from the screen, "That''s a relief, I was just being paranoid."


    "Buddy, you''ve been looking somewhat odd since a while ago," Ke Yinzhi paused, then asked, "Is it related to the scene Zi Ling imagined?"


    "Yes..." Ke Xiaomo hesitated for a second and then whispered in a lower voice, "That was the juvenile form of the disaster dragon; I''ve seen it once before, so I''m certain of its characteristics."


    "You mean to say... Zi Ling has seen the disaster dragon?" Ke Yinzhi raised his eyebrows.


    Ke Xiaomo nodded, "That''s right, but I don''t know when it happened. She must have seen the Catastrophe Dragon at least once, which is why she could sketch out its details in her mind so precisely."


    Ke Yinzhi looked at him and reached out to place a hand on his shoulder.


    While thinking, he slowly said, "Don''t worry, perhaps the Catastrophe Dragon had its eye on her some day earlier, but she was lucky to get away... Anyway, as long as she''s alright, that''s what matters. Hasn''t the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect already started searching for the Catastrophe Dragon in this city? We should have results in a few days."


    He shrugged his shoulders, "Besides, you and I are both going to be at home during these days of summer vacation, so she''s safe." S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I hope so," Ke Xiaomo said in a low voice, his gaze shifting, "I really haven''t been acting as a responsible elder brother, not knowing when my sister encountered the Catastrophe Dragon... Ever since earlier, I''ve been thinking, what if she was eaten by that dragon? I might never forgive myself in this lifetime."


    "When that dragon is dead, she will no longer be in danger," Ke Yinzhi said lightly, "Everyone will be alright, stop worrying."


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a long while, "Who in the family has not yet been confirmed?"


    "Qiuwu, she left the cinema earlier than the rest," said Ke Yinzhi with an expressionless face, "So there''s a slim chance that she might have been replaced by a ''player.''"


    He paused for a moment, "Of course, that''s just a possibility. None of us want to see something like that happen to our family, right?"


    "What about our parents?" Ke Xiaomo asked again.


    "According to the information provided by the two players we caught before, players only possess ordinary humans between the ages of ''10 to 35'', and since our parents are beyond that age range, there is no risk of them being possessed by players, which means we don''t need to have them wear any brain imaging helmets."


    Ke Xiaomo thought for a moment, "So, that leaves only Qiuwu?"


    "Right, I will confirm it myself, you get some rest," Ke Yinzhi said with a smile, "Stay sharp and wait for the Ninja Sect''s information. If I''m free the day you find it, maybe I''ll come to lend a hand."


    "No need for that, the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect and the Catastrophe Dragon are sworn enemies of generations. Killing them is our generational duty, and per the rules of the Ninja Sect, outsiders are not allowed to interfere."


    Ke Yinzhi chuckled, teasingly asking, "So, I''m already considered an ''outsider''?"


    "No," Ke Xiaomo shook his head, "but this is different, brother, I hope you understand."


    "I get it," Ke Yinzhi said with a smile as he patted his shoulder, then glanced over at the few people in the movie theater, "I''m going to look for Qiuwu now. You take these little guys home."


    "Alright, you be careful too," Ke Xiaomo paused before adding, "And, if Qiuwu really is a player..."


    Ke Yinzhi cut him off, "If any creature dares to crawl into our home and harm our family, I will make them pay a heavy price."


    He spoke calmly, as if stating a fact.


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a while, "I''m not against that, but let me confirm it first before you take any action."


    "We''ll talk about it then... I''m off."


    Ke Yinzhi said in a low voice, retreating his right hand from his shoulder, giving a signal with his eyes to the two staff members. They took back the brain imaging helmets from the children''s hands and followed him out of the movie theater.


    Before long, Ke Mingye came over, touching Ke Xiaomo on the shoulder, "Let''s go, second brother, why stand here doing nothing?"


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    "Nothing, let''s go," said Ke Xiaomo, shifting his gaze away from Bai Ziling. No sooner had they left the movie theater than Ke Mingye said, "I''m going to hit the restroom, wait for me."


    Ke Yongzhu glanced at him, "How many times do you need the restroom for one movie, lazybones? Don''t forget to bring paper this time."


    Bai Ziling chimed in, "Exactly."


    "Two little brats talk too much."


    The Deception Puppet grumbled, roughly messing up their hair, then entered the corner restroom. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, he opened the door to the last stall and went inside.


    "At least I got through that..."


    Sitting on the toilet, Ke Mingye closed the stall door and exhaled in relief. He commanded the puppet to strip off its clothes and shoes, then put them on himself.


    "You just squat here until I leave, then lock the door."


    After speaking, Ke Mingye tucked his hands into his jacket pockets and slowly left the stall, leaving behind a grey figure squatting silently inside, watching his retreating back, then closing the stall door.


    Half an hour later.


    As Ke Mingye and the others left Yandai Cinema City, the grey figure opened the window of the restroom and climbed out.


    It found a trashcan in the alley outside the cinema, stuffed the body inside, and immediately exploded, fire consuming everything around it.

 Chapter 047 Lonely Person

    The ceiling cast a cold, desolate light, illuminating the entire subway car, permeated with the scent of disinfectant in every corner.Those going home at this hour mostly had weary expressions, some placed their briefcases on the ground, their glasses still on as they leaned back and closed their eyes, their heads vibrating gently with the windows.


    Ke Xiaomo sat on the left side of the car, flipping through a yellow-paged ancient book without looking up, addressing Bai Ziling who was sitting beside him.


    "In the cinema, did you see that dragon''s image online?"


    "Just imagined it." Bai Ziling answered.


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment, "Really?"


    "What''s wrong?" she looked up and asked.


    "Nothing." Ke Xiaomo paused, then changed the subject, "Do you think Mingye has changed recently?"


    At this, Bai Ziling shifted her face, her red eyes looking towards Ke Mingye sitting diagonally opposite.


    Ke Mingye leaned against the back of the seat, looking down at his phone, the light and shadow flickering on the window behind him. Bai Zini was leaning on his shoulder, deeply asleep, her nose reddened, her breath softly tapping on his neck.


    "Big brother seems very lonely." Bai Ziling lowered her head.


    "Is it different from before?" Ke Xiaomo pressed.


    Bai Ziling lowered her eyes, shaking her head, "A little, seems lonelier."


    "But he''s been quite talkative recently."


    "Lonely people understand how lonely people feel." she said.


    "So, were you very lonely before?"


    Speaking, Ke Xiaomo stopped flipping through the pages, turned to look at her, and met her red eyes.


    "Sometimes, I feel different from others."


    "Is it because of albinism?"


    Ke Xiaomo still remembered, because of her red eyes and white hair, Bai Ziling was often bullied by her classmates during childhood¡ªfor throwing away her homework, secretly throwing her backpack into a pond, calling her a foreigner, a mixed-race. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once she locked herself in the bathroom, cutting off half of her pale white hair with scissors, then huddled in a corner, unable to persuade her to open the door.


    Ke Xiaomo wanted to sneak into the shadows to check if Bai Ziling was alright in the bathroom, but at that time, someone at home successfully convinced her to open the door.


    That person was Ke Mingye.


    That night, he sat leaning against the bathroom door, whispering something. After a long while, the door opened. He took Bai Ziling by the hand and led her out of the bathroom, his eyes obscured by his drooping bangs. Everyone watched Bai Ziling, whose hair was cut finely, in silence, just allowing them to walk through the middle.


    Ke Mingye quietly walked her out of the house, took her on his bicycle to a nearby barbershop, then handed over the pocket money he had saved up from the new year to the hairstylist, and got a weird, half-haired haircut like Bai Ziling''s.


    Ke Youqing smoked at home for a long time, asking Ke Xiaomo and Ke Yinzhi to follow them to see how things were.


    So they followed all the way to the barbershop, and when they opened the door, Bai Ziling and Ke Mingye were clutching their stomachs, laughing into the mirror like two fools.


    But as she laughed, Bai Ziling suddenly started crying. She rubbed her red eyes, sobbing, and said, "Brother, why am I the only one like this? Everyone hates me."


    Ke Mingye didn''t say anything, just gently rubbed her hair and looked down at her.


    Explore hidden tales at empire


    The next morning, big brother Ke Yinzhi said he had something to do and incidentally dropped Bai Ziling off at school. After that day, the children who had bullied her mysteriously transferred schools.


    The subway, like a creeping white giant snake, roared through the pitch-dark tunnel. Every now and then, an orange-yellow wall lamp cast light into the carriage, enveloping each lonely figure.


    Ke Xiaomo thought, do lonely people understand how other lonely people think?


    Bai Ziling said, "Dad always tells us that the third brother is adopted and that we must be kind to him. He''s afraid that our kindness is because Dad asked us to, so he always keeps to himself. He hasn''t changed; it''s just that you don''t understand him. The younger brother is the same; he always seems fierce, but he''s actually very sensible."


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a long time then closed the ancient book in his hands, "I''m sorry, I''ve been busy with my own things. I haven''t been there for you, and I don''t understand you all at all."


    He glanced at Ke Mingye a couple of times, then averted his gaze, thinking it should stop here. Because of one look, he had doubted his own brother for so long, which was somewhat ridiculous...


    Bai Ziling shook her head, her pale blond hair swaying gently.


    She didn''t speak again and quietly moved her gaze away from Ke Mingye, her head bowed as she fiddled with the Pikachu doll Ke Mingye had won from the cinema''s claw machine.


    Ke Mingye looked up from his phone screen to the digital display in the subway, then gently brushed Bai Zini''s hair with his fingers.


    "Wake up, you sleepyhead, we''ll be home in a few minutes."


    "Let me sleep a little longer," she said.


    Ke Mingye withdrew his finger and toggled between playing on his phone and checking the shop panel, looking at the nine skills refreshed on today''s special sale page.


    [Player currently holds: 3860 coins]


    [Player''s current level: Lv.4, probability of skill page refresh: E grade skills 75%; D grade skills 12%; C grade skills 10%; B grade skills 3%; A grade skills 0%; S grade skills 0%]


    He could see that with the increase in level, the probability of B grade skills being refreshed had risen from two percent to three percent, and similarly, the probabilities for D and C grade skills had also increased;


    Correspondingly, the probability of E grade skills had decreased significantly, which actually wasn''t a good thing at the beginning of the game, because the higher-level skills were too expensive and unaffordable.


    Ten skills gradually appeared on the panel.


    [¢Ù: Personality Split (E grade skill) (Your main personality splits into two secondary personalities for a short time, reaction speed and thought processing are doubled, thinking is expanded)]


    [¢Ú: Mental Link (E grade skill) (Link to any person''s mental world, share thoughts with the individual during the skill''s duration)]


    [¢Û: Lion''s Roar (D grade skill) (Make a roar powerful enough to burst eardrums in front of you, easily stunning enemies)]


    [¢Ü: Growth of All Things (C grade skill) (Enter a state lasting three minutes, during which any plant you touch grows abnormally and serves your purpose)]


    [¢Ý: Timekeeper''s Craft (D grade skill) (Create a clock, press its button and after ten seconds it will either explode or stop time for 1.5 seconds, during which you can act slowly) (The probability of explosion or time stop is one half each)]


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye slightly raised an eyebrow, thinking this was the superpower of the infamous villain "Timekeeper," the one who repeatedly tortured the Divine Communicator Phoenix to death and uploaded the videos on the dark web.

 Chapter 048 On the Overpass

    Ke Mingye''s gaze lingered on the #5 Skill "Clockwork Artistry" for a moment then continued to scroll down.The only Skills he could currently afford to purchase were of E-grade, so he passed over all other grades, no matter how good their effects were.


    [#6: Superhero-Style Landing (E-grade Skill) (This Skill can only be used when falling from a height above 8 meters from the ground. It allows you to land gracefully on one knee, immune to damage from the impact of the fall, and causes a violent tremor on the ground beneath your feet.)]


    "This one seems awesome. In case I flip over a car with a web slinger from a tall building, I could use this Skill to save myself, or I''d be toast from such a high fall," Ke Mingye thought.


    His finger slid across the phone screen and simultaneously across the corresponding position on the exclusive sale page, bringing several other Skills into view.


    [#7: Night Walking Skill (E-grade Skill) (This Skill can only be used at night, rendering your body ''invisible.'') (Cannot be used in combat state.)]


    Ke Mingye''s eyes lit up, thinking he was indeed lacking a stealth Skill.


    "It''s worth considering, but it can only be used at night; isn''t that too restrictive?" he wondered. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [#8: Ground Fall Expert (E-grade Skill) (The "reserved" Skill from yesterday will disappear after the next refresh, and cannot be "locked" again.)]


    [#9: "Lights Out" (E-grade Skill) (Within ten seconds, cause all light within a fifteen-meter radius to temporarily vanish.)]


    [#10: Portrait Concealment Skill (E-grade Skill) (Temporarily turns your body into a portrait and seals it inside a frame, which can appear on nearby walls or the ground at your will.)]


    "Why are all the Skills I get functionality-related? I''m really lacking an E-grade damage Skill, otherwise I''d just be watching my teammates perform in a group instance fight."


    After scanning today''s Skills for sale, Ke Mingye thought to himself.


    "Forget it, right now I only have 3,800 Mall Coins. The cheapest E-grade Skill costs 5,000 coins. After meeting with big sis tonight and getting the node reward, I should have enough to buy an E-grade Skill."


    With that thought, he closed the mall. Just then, the subway stopped at Old Jingmai Street Station, and he tapped Bai Zini''s head with his fingertips to wake her up.


    "Are we there?" she asked.


    "What else?" Ke Yongzhu said, coming over from the next carriage, where he had gone because it was too crowded and he didn''t want to stand.


    "Right, where''s sister?" Bai Ziling asked again.


    "She said she''s having dinner out with friends and told us not to wait for her," Ke Mingye said, showing her his WeChat conversation with Bai Qiuwu on his phone.


    "Then let''s go home first," Ke Xiaomo said.


    "Yeah."


    As soon as they got off the subway, Ke Mingye put away his phone and said, "Uhh, I need to take a major dump, you guys go ahead."


    As he spoke, he didn''t forget to pull out a pack of tissues from his pocket, as if to say, this time I didn''t forget my toilet paper, so no bickering.


    Ke Yongzhu shoved his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, gave him a disdainful glance, and sneered, "How many times do you have to go to the bathroom in a day?"


    "See a doctor if you have a bad stomach," said Ke Xiaomo indifferently.


    "I don''t need you guys to wait for me." Your next read awaits at empire


    Ke Mingye shot up his middle finger, turned around, and walked towards the subway''s restroom without looking back, quietly queuing up for his turn.


    "Let''s head back first," Ke Xiaomo said without another look at him, turning to his younger siblings, "It seems like big brother has come back tonight."


    "Big brother is back?" Bai Zini lifted an eyebrow.


    "Really?" Bai Ziling also tilted her head quizzically.


    Ke Yongzhu clicked his tongue, "For real? Can''t we just not let him come back? He always knows how to annoy me."


    Deep down, he was really annoyed by Ke Yinzhi, especially the vivid memory of being abandoned by Ke Yinzhi in the zoo as a child and getting lost alone. He couldn''t find his way out and was extremely hungry, so he transformed into a dragon, crawled into the animal enclosure, and had a hearty meal. The last thing he remembered was quietly eating a plump, dark-eyed bear.


    He couldn''t recall what that animal looked like anymore, only that he had been really hungry at the time and wasn''t picky about his food. Later that night, he was flying in the sky, following the scent to find his way home.


    That evening, he saw a missing report about the plump bear on television.


    At the time, he didn''t pay much attention to it, telling himself, what is a bear compared to me? I am a dragon, after all, don''t you know that the Chinese people are descendants of dragons, just like my descendants.


    It wasn''t until half a year later, when he started kindergarten and during a lesson about small animals, that he realized that the chubby creature he had eaten at the zoo was a national treasure. He had caused a disaster, and for a time, he was shivering at home, his tears almost rolling down, not attending school for two full days, wondering whether he should turn himself in.


    In the end, he spent two yuan at the zoo for a few posthumous photos of the panda and would kneel on the ground every day with the pictures by his bedside, exhaling a small flame from his mouth to light a cigarette, bowing silently to show his remorse.


    Years later, having matured quite a bit, he cringed and couldn''t sleep whenever he thought about this embarrassing ordeal, tossing and turning in his bed. He ultimately decided to blame all his conflicted feelings on Ke Yinzhi, cursing him for abandoning him in the zoo, which led him to do such a foolish thing.


    "Yes, big brother is coming back tonight," Ke Xiaomo''s voice broke into Ke Yongzhu''s reverie, continuing, "Mom and Dad even prepared a big meal. Let''s hurry home."


    After speaking, he walked with his arms around their shoulders towards the subway exit, and the silhouettes of the four gradually vanished into the crowd.


    After his siblings had left the subway station, Ke Mingye also left from another exit and then turned into an alley in the Old Jingmai District.


    He checked the time on his phone; it was now 7:30 in the evening. He still had half an hour before his agreed meeting time with Bai Qiuwu on the Number 7 overpass, enough time to get there.


    So, he released a Deception Puppet from the alley, and afterwards, they went in different directions, disappearing into the dark shadows.


    Twenty minutes later, as Ke Mingye reached home, the Deception Puppet, using a web shooter, swung to the top of the Number 7 overpass, perched on the railing, quietly waiting for the arrival.


    Soon, as a line of moonlight emerged from fish-scale clouds, the first glimpses of moonlight touched down on the city, and an enigmatic figure appeared in the space above the overpass.


    He wore a monkey mask on his face and a black hood on his head, clad in a silver and black metallic windcoat that fluttered in the chilling wind above Huanjing. In his right hand, he held a long staff behind him, and beneath his feet was a clump of dark clouds, shimmering like lake water.


    At this moment, the eyes behind his mask flashed with a fiery red glint, like a wild beast ready to devour its prey.


    The Deception Puppet stood up from the railing and grinned at him, saying,


    "You''ve arrived, Black Wukong. I''ve been waiting for you for a long time."

 Chapter 049 Uninvited Guests

    The night of June 20th, on the Ring 7 Elevated Bridge.Due to structural safety hazards, this elevated bridge had been officially decommissioned years ago.


    The police had set up barricades at the entrances, strictly forbidding vehicles from entering. Streetlights, which one could see every twenty-five meters, were dimmed now, the only source of light being the moon hanging in the night sky.


    The deep moonlight brushed down, each streetlight emitting a cold glow, casting long shadows on the empty road, like chilly-breathed devils.


    Above the desolate elevated bridge, a puppet had just risen from the railing only to find that a ten-meter radius around it was enveloped in a layer of reddish-gold flames, tightly sealed as if submerged in lava.


    The puppet stood on the railing, casually surveying its surroundings.


    The air on the bridge rapidly grew warmer, its slender body slightly distorting and swaying in the steam rising off the road, like the bizarre human figure in Edvard Munch''s painting "The Scream," about to perish in the hot wind.


    "Samadhi True Fire?" Ke Mingye thought, "So this power is also within Sun Wukong''s range of abilities... Quite enlightening. I''ve never seen my sister use this trick before on the dark web; she''s really going all out."


    Black Wukong stood on a cloud high in the moonlit sky, looking down at the puppet trapped in the Samadhi True Fire, his crimson pupils devoid of any emotion, like a warden watching a prisoner in his cell.


    She took a mobile phone out of the pocket of her metal coat, quickly typed something in her notes, and then turned the screen towards the puppet.


    It read: "You lied to me. I waited for you at that Western restaurant for a long time."


    The puppet lifted its hollow eyes to look at her and tilted its head, saying,


    "I know you''re angry, but can you not be so fierce?"


    Black Wukong''s cold gaze from behind the mask seemed to replace any verbal response; she extended the dark-gold staff positioned behind her and aimed the tip at the puppet''s head.


    Soon, even the staff itself faintly glowed with a layer of reddish-gold fire, resembling a torch used for executions.


    "What is this, Samadhi True Fire? It looks like you plan to roast and eat me..."


    Saying this, the puppet spread its hands: "Causing such a disturbance over the city, someone will come soon. I suggest you extinguish these annoying flames, and then we can have a proper chat?"


    Seeing no response, it reached out to touch the Samadhi True Fire burning on the railing, its entire left hand instantly consumed by the flames, vanishing without a trace.


    "Hot hot hot, I''m dying, I''m dying¡ª!"


    The puppet theatrically shouted while flinging its severed arm around, stamping its right foot on the bridge''s surface, then the next second, it regained composure, raised its hands high, casting its hollow gaze down, staring solemnly at her.


    "Just kidding, it''s actually not hot at all. You can totally burn me to death; I permit you to do so..."


    The puppet paused, dragging out its words: "But then you''ll never know the truth, never find out why I know your identity, and... that your sister Bai Zini is the Magic Girl Ash."


    Upon hearing the name "Bai Zini," Black Wukong''s pupils were instantly covered by reddish-gold flames, but that flash of fire was fleeting.


    She narrowed her eyes, still maintaining her composure, and a cold voice came from behind the mask: "Tell me, what exactly are you?"


    "You''re finally not using your phone to type?" the puppet grinned broadly, "That''s like burying your head in the sand, as I clearly know who you are."


    "Stop the nonsense, answer my question..."


    Black Wukong''s voice was deep, as the fire on the bridge raged even more violently.


    "I''m called ''strange thing,'' a jobless vagrant, and I just became disabled."


    The puppet said, raising its arm that had lost its hand, shaking it in front of Black Wukong, "Look, I only have one hand now; my life is ruined. It''s all your fault. Is this what superheros should do?"


    "That''s not your body. You''re just a puppet, or a machine," Black Wukong coldly stated.


    "Oh, you''ve figured it out." The puppet, raising its non-existent eyebrows, said, "Yeah, that''s exactly why I dare to meet you carelessly."


    "What is your real objective?"


    "Just to be your friend."


    "Are you joking?" Black Wukong asked almost word by word.


    "No, I am very lonely, so I need friends."


    The puppet raised a finger, speaking in a low tone, "Listen, I have a superpower that allows me to clearly see everyone''s identity in the world, the truth hidden behind them. That''s why, on the bus... I recognized you at first sight, you are the ''Black Wukong'' from the TV."


    He paused, then asked, "Oh, right... when you usually appear, you bind your right hand and Jingu Bang with chains, why not this time?"


    "Because I came prepared to kill you."


    "I see... So, you wrap that chain around your hand normally to remind yourself to hold back, not to kill people, right?" the puppet asked.


    "It seems you understand me quite well." Black Wukong''s eyes were cold.


    "Of course, I can see the anger in your eyes, Divine Communicators really are a fearsome existence... Whether unconsciously, your humanity has been twisted by so-called gods, becoming like this... dark, violent, strange.


    And whether, from one day, you realized you were no longer like yourself, you started to lose control over the rage smoldering within you, you started to fear losing control, and so... you picked up that chain, tightly winding it around your arm and that so-called Jingu Bang."


    The puppet said solemnly, his hollow gaze locked onto the eyes behind Black Wukong''s mask while they faced each other in the light of the fire.


    He fell silent for a moment and said, "People foolishly seek the power of gods, yet they are devoured by it, how overconfident, isn''t it?"


    Black Wukong drew a deep breath and slowly asked, "How much exactly do you know?"


    Ke Mingye pondered for half a second, then began his classic bluff and bluster.


    "I think, I know everything in this world."


    The puppet looked toward the brightly lit city, his expression somber, saying, "But precisely because of that, I am very lonely. Do you understand? I''m so lonely I almost want to kill myself. Knowing too much isn''t always a good thing. I often want to empty my mind, but I can''t. Those pieces of information flood into my brain like a tide, choking me." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Black Wukong was silent for a while, "So you approached me just for fun?"


    "Of course, I won''t harm your family, nor will I harm you, nor affect your family relations, but¡­" the puppet said, "if you don''t become friends with me, then I will go and befriend those big villains."


    He paused, "Maybe one day, they suddenly ask me, ''Who is the real Black Wukong, do you know?'' and then I would give away your name, along with all your family members."


    Behind the mask, Black Wukong''s gaze sharpened, she stepped on the surging clouds beneath her feet and came in front of the puppet, raising the Jingu Bang to his neck.


    "You dare?" she said coldly.


    "It''s not that I dare not, but I don''t want to... as long as you are willing to be friends with me."


    The puppet covered his face with a hand, tilting his neck and slowly lowering his face, his voice as low as a drowning canine.


    "Listen, lady, I''m not a villain. It''s just... I''m just too lonely, lonely to the point where I can only attract your attention in this way."


    Black Wukong remained silent for a long time, drew close, and stared into its hollow eyes.


    "You are a monster..."


    "Oh, I admit that, otherwise your sister wouldn''t have called me ''strange thing''." the puppet said dejectedly.


    "Wait, she gave you that name?" A trace of surprise appeared in Black Wukong''s eyes.


    "Yes, you can ask her," the puppet muttered to itself, "It''s a good name, isn''t it?"


    Just then, a voice with a distinctive mechanical magnetism suddenly came from behind them, teasingly sounding on the elevated bridge.


    "You guys seem to be having a lot of fun, can I join you? It''d be best to put out the fire first; it seems like it doesn''t quite welcome me."


    Following the source of the voice, both turned their heads and through the flickering flames, they could see a figure slowly approaching from the other end of the elevated bridge, the tapping of footsteps resounding in the deadly quiet on the bridge.


    Looking up, the uninvited guest was dressed in an all-black tailcoat, wearing a sharply defined mask. In the center of the mask was an eye-catching blood-red "V," the rest covered in pitch black.


    At that moment, his information also passed through the puppet''s eyes into Ke Mingye''s mind.


    [Code Name: Black Judge]


    [Power Level: A++]

 Chapter 050 The Number One Person

    "Damn, big brother? No, how could he be here..."Ke Mingye''s eyes twitched fiercely as he looked up from his phone, puzzled.


    Before him was the wooden door of his home, with a penguin ornament still hanging on its ring. He then realized he had been standing at his doorstep playing with his phone for almost ten minutes.


    During this time, he had been pretending to play with his phone while intently manipulating the Deception Puppet and having a conversation with Bai Qiuwu on the elevated bridge.


    He stood frozen in place for a full two seconds, his thoughts slowly transitioning from their stunned state.


    Ke Mingye, while controlling the Deception Puppet, reached out with a hand dripping with cold sweat and pressed the doorbell.


    Soon, Bai Ziling opened the door for him.


    She lifted her red eyes and stared at him motionlessly, "Why have you been in the bathroom for so long?"


    Ke Mingye ignored her question, and, while taking off his shoes, he scanned the living room, "Didn''t you say big brother was back?"


    "Big brother said he''s got something to take care of and would be back later," said Bai Zini, who was playing with her phone on the sofa. "Mom and dad have kept the dinner warm, just waiting for the two of you to come and eat."


    "Oh, big brother always likes to stand us up, not surprising."


    With that, Ke Mingye took off his shoes, slipped into a pair of slippers, and slowly walked through the entryway to sit down at the dining table in the kitchen.


    "It''s also not surprising..." as he picked up chopsticks and put them in his mouth, he thought, "Was it the text I sent to my older sister that blew my cover? But at the time, I really had no choice but to do so, did that mean I screwed over my sister?"


    ........


    .......


    Half an hour ago, Old Jingmai Cafe. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Yinzhi sat in a private room on the second floor of the cafe, holding a cup of coffee, and studied the event footage collected by the Anomaly Control Bureau from the public ¡ª which was about "the ten naked men running in front of Yandai Cinema City and the Dice Monster who threw dice from atop a traffic light."


    He soon noticed that the grey, humanoid figure that swung to the top of a traffic light on a spider''s thread was wearing a high school uniform, a jarring sight.


    He looked at the uniform in the footage and raised an eyebrow, "This uniform looks like it''s from Huanjing Third High School, which is... the high school that Mingye and Qiuwu are attending." Experience tales at empire


    Ke Yinzhi pondered for a moment and requested from the technical department of the Management Bureau all of Bai Qiuwu''s text and social media messages from the past month.


    He sipped his coffee, set down the cup, and quickly skimmed through the documents, finding all the text messages from the previous month to be normal.


    It was not long before he found an anonymous message sent to Bai Qiuwu through a prank app today.


    ¡ª Anonymous User: Classmate Sun Wukong, guess whether I could be right across from Yandai Cinema City now?


    ¡ª Anonymous User: The spaghetti at this Western restaurant is really good. The movie you''re watching must also be great, but don''t forget our secret rendezvous on the elevated bridge tonight. Of course, if you''re free now, we could also meet up earlier.


    ¡ª Bai Qiuwu: I''m at the Western restaurant, where are you?


    ¡ª¡ªAnonymous user: Received, will you wait for me there for a moment?


    "¡­Sun Wukong, my dear?"


    Ke Yinzhi gazed at the text on his phone and silently repeated the name in his mind, quickly associating it with a character who had been active in China for three years as a superhuman vigilante¡ª"Diviner Black Wukong".


    He had a profound impression of this person because on the Anomaly Control Bureau''s top-secret list of dangerous individuals, both "Diviner Black Wukong" and "Diviner Zeus" were included, which meant the Management Bureau had been watching them for more than just a day or two. They shared a common trait¡ªthey were both "Divine Communicators".


    After years of research by the Anomaly Control Bureau, they concluded that "all Divine Communicators would inevitably spiral out of control after reaching the sixth stage; this trend was unavoidable." Any Divine Communicator would sooner or later become uncontrollable.


    They were too powerful; for humankind, they were akin to human-shaped nuclear bombs ready to detonate any second, representing a tremendous threat to human civilization.


    Therefore, they had to be dealt with before they lost control.


    But Zeus was a world-renowned superhero now, ranking No. 3 among the top-tier figures of the Superhero Round Table. His name was almost synonymous with the "Superhero Association," so naturally, the association went to great lengths to protect him.


    Consequently, because of Zeus''s status, the Anomaly Control Bureau had refrained from taking action against him, waiting instead for an opportune moment, a chance to pull him down from his pedestal.


    However, the situation was different for "Diviner Black Wukong". He didn''t have the same powerful background as Zeus, which naturally placed him at the top of the priority list for handling.


    In other words, there would eventually come a day when the Anomaly Control Bureau would initiate an anomalous extermination operation against "Diviner Black Wukong", and even against "Diviner Zeus".


    And as one of the five S-class agents of the Anomaly Control Bureau, Ke Yinzhi would, of course, participate in this operation.


    At this moment, seeing the words "Sun Wukong" here, a trace of disbelief inevitably flitted across his eyes.


    Ke Yinzhi lowered his gaze, brushing his fingertip across his lips while shifting his focus, with his attention locked on the phrase "a covert meeting on the elevated bridge".


    "Elevated bridge."


    He knew without having to search that among the elevated bridges around Huanjing, there was only one currently out of commission.


    That was Ring 7 Elevated Bridge.


    The official reason given for the decommissioning of this bridge was structural safety issues, but in fact, it was because of a paranormal event that had occurred there two years ago and remained unsolved to this day.


    In that event, five superheroes died; the Anomaly Control Bureau took over the investigation and eventually suspected that the supercriminal "Timekeeper" was involved, but lacking evidence, they temporarily closed the operation of Ring 7 Elevated Bridge. To this day, it has not been fully reopened as the incident remains under investigation.


    "Ring 7 Elevated Bridge, huh¡­"


    Ke Yinzhi rose from his seat at the table and walked down the spiral staircase, a profound light swirling in his pupils, "Let''s see with my own eyes what little Qiuwu from my family is up to."


    Shortly after, he changed into his agent uniform and personally arrived above the Ring 7 Elevated Bridge.


    It was there, above that bridge, that his view penetrated a blazing curtain of flames, revealing two figures encircled by fire.


    They looked into each other''s eyes, speaking words to one another.


    The former was the "Dice Monster" who had made an appearance earlier that afternoon on Yandai Commercial Street, the same individual who had inexplicably blown up a traffic light post;


    The latter was the world-renowned superhuman vigilante¡ª"Black Wukong", also one of the top individuals on the Anomaly Control Bureau''s highest classified dangerous individuals list.

 Chapter 051 Family Gathering

    "Isn''t this Judge himself? What wind brings you here?"The puppet raised its non-existent eyebrows, then lowered its right hand and shot a cobweb towards a street lamp in the distance, sticking to the yellowing lampshade. It pushed off from the bridge surface, leaping upwards, caught the cobweb and swung out of the range of the flames, and landed with a splash before walking over to Black Judge.


    Then, it extended its burned and severed arm towards him, "How about we become friends, Mr. Judge? I''ve admired your name for a long time."


    "Are you extending the wrong hand?" Black Judge asked, tilting his head, the blood-red V on his mask tilting accordingly.


    "That seems to make sense."


    Upon this reminder, the puppet looked down and then stretched out its intact hand.


    The next moment, a dark and profound light flashed through Black Judge''s hands, and the puppet''s right hand was severed in an instant, flying across the cold wind above the elevated bridge.


    "Honestly, one an agent from the Management Bureau, the other a quasi-superhero, and just like that, you''ve broken both my hands. Really low quality... Let me guess, you both must be fans of Qing Ya; I suggest you don''t emulate such poor-quality superheroes, it''s easy to lead the kids astray."


    The puppet stared at its flying right hand, helplessly waving its broken arms and muttering to itself.


    "I''m sorry, you don''t have the privilege of shaking hands with me," Black Judge said slowly. "I''m not interested in you. Step aside, I''m not looking for you." He walked towards Black Wukong as he spoke.


    Right after that, he pulled up his glove and a smear of dark light spread from the back of his hand, engulfing the Samadhi True Fire on the flyover like dark matter, and the wall of flames vanished in a moment.


    Is this the strength of an A++ rated being? Ke Mingye wondered, so what exactly is my big brother? A superpower user?


    Black Wukong turned his head to watch this scene, typed on the memo of his phone, and showed him the screen, which read, "Are you a superpower user?"


    "If I have to say..." Black Judge rubbed the lower part of his mask, "I suppose I could be considered half a mutant."


    "Big brother is a mutant? Now the family''s ecological environment is complete. Does mom have some kind of OCD, where she has to collect all types of superhumans?" Ke Mingye thought.


    Black Wukong continued typing, lifting the screen, "Who are you?"


    "Black Judge." A mechanical and magnetic voice came from behind Ke Yinzhi''s mask, "An agent of the Anomaly Control Bureau."


    Black Wukong lowered his head to type, then turned his screen towards him: "What a coincidence, we both have ''Black'' in our code names. But it was others who named me; I don''t need a code name."


    "Quite a coincidence, but it doesn''t matter. You committed arson on the flyover, in violation of the law. I now request on behalf of the Anomaly Control Bureau..." Black Judge paused, "Take off your mask."


    Black Wukong calmly looked at his V-mask, typed, and lifted his phone: "I refuse."


    "It seems I need to clarify something," Black Judge said with a touch of resignation, "From the scene just now, you should have already realized that you''re no match for me, or do you want to verify it personally to be convinced?"


    Ke Mingye thought to himself, you''re still fooling yourself, aren''t you? She is your little sister; what''s so hard to admit?


    While manipulating the Deception Puppet, he recklessly jumped between the two, "Hold on, did you ask me before you got violent with her? I''m her good friend."


    As he spoke, the puppet patted Black Wukong''s shoulder with its broken arms.


    Black Wukong typed, coldly lifting the phone to the overly familiar figure: "Who''s your good friend?"


    "Me." The puppet pointed to itself, then to Black Judge, "It couldn''t possibly still be him, right?"


    "Truly a jumping clown," Black Judge turned and looked at him, the V on his metallic mask flashing with a scarlet glow, "I already let you go; aren''t you leaving?"


    "Why should I go?" The puppet said, placing its two broken arms akimbo, "I can''t die, and I can even stick my tongue out at you." Stay updated through empire


    It opened its mouth to stick out its tongue, only to quickly cover its mouth again, sweating profusely as it said, "Oh, right, I don''t have a tongue, do I?"


    As soon as the words were out, a glint too fast for the naked eye to catch flashed in the Black Judge''s hand, and the puppet''s head had already hit the ground, rolling twice on the surface of the overpass before stopping by Black Wukong''s feet.


    "Looks like now you don''t have a tongue, or even a head," the Black Judge said with a shrug.


    "Er, to be precise, it''s not that I don''t have a head; it''s that I don''t have a body anymore."


    The puppet''s head stood upside down on the ground and said, "Do you know how cruel you are, treating a little underling like me..."


    Before it could finish, Black Wukong casually swept the Jingu Bang on the ground like swinging a golf club, sending the head flying off the overpass and into the city.


    "Looks like it doesn''t have a head now, either," the Black Judge continued.


    Immediately after that, the puppet''s remaining body swayed in the wind for a moment before slowly falling to the ground, its body cracking and heating up violently.


    In the moment before the explosion, the body was wrapped tightly in the dark glow released from the Judge''s hand, like a black mummy. The explosion occurred inside that layer of darkness, and its sound was muted before it could even spread out. Even so, a creepy laugh abruptly filled the air over the overpass and invaded the ears of the two people.


    As the laughter faded, the Judge turned his gaze back to Black Wukong and said softly, "Now, let''s get back to our topic. Please remove your mask."


    Black Wukong stared at him, silent, the Somersault Cloud beneath her feet churning noisily like a steam engine. In the next instant, the cloud took to the sky, swiftly carrying her silhouette into the night.


    The Black Judge raised his right hand, the tips of his fingers coming together slowly aiming at her retreating back. Countless tiny, dark particles rose slowly from in front of his fingernails, gathering into a small sphere.


    He was absolutely confident that, even from a hundred meters away, this strike could knock Black Wukong off the Somersault Cloud.


    But two seconds later, the dark orb at his fingertips dispersed, falling like rain onto the ground and "eroding" tiny holes across the bridge''s surface.


    The Black Judge looked up, silently watching Black Wukong''s figure disappear into the night sky, gradually escaping his vision. After a while, he withdrew his gaze and walked toward the overpass railing.


    "What a hassle... Why do I have such a rebellious little sister?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Yinzhi muttered to himself softly, removing his V-shaped mask, with the cold wind blowing his shoulder-length black hair in his face.


    He rested his arms on the railing, overlooking the brightly lit city, and whispered to himself, "The good news is that Qiuwu is not a player, because a player wouldn''t possess a superhuman; the bad news is that she is the Divine Communicator Sun Wukong, a T0-level target on the Management Bureau''s eradication list."


    As he said this, he flipped over the railing, resting his back against it, took a deep breath, and lightly tapped his fingers against the railing.


    "So, what to do now... The Management Bureau already has an eradication plan prepared for Black Wukong. It will be executed soon, and, with Qiuwu''s strength, she can''t possibly withstand them."


    Ke Yinzhi hung his head, the hair on his forehead obscuring his eyes, his lips curling into a shallow smile, "Maybe before that, I''ll chop up the other four S-Class operatives from the Bureau and feed them to the pigs. I''ve been fed up with them for a long time anyway..."


    Just then, a phone call interrupted his thoughts.


    Ke Yinzhi raised an eyebrow, glancing at the caller ID. It was his younger brother Ke Mingye calling.


    He answered the phone: "What, missing me?"


    "Miss you my ass, the dinner Mom cooked for you is getting cold. Hurry up and roll back home, will you?" Ke Mingye shouted on the phone.


    "Alright, alright, I''m coming back, hanging up."


    After saying that, Ke Yinzhi ended the call.


    "The kid''s still the same." He chuckled, slipped the phone into his coat pocket, and slowly walked toward the shadowed side of the overpass.

 Chapter 52 Selecting Skills

    "Okay, okay, okay, you two siblings keep me out of the loop, huh? Well, you just carry on by yourselves; I''ve already got my node reward anyway."After having dinner, Ke Mingye grumbled about Ke Yinzhi and Bai Qiuwu inwardly as he made his way back to his room.


    As the Deception Puppet''s head got swept towards the edge of the overpass by Black Wukong, the second perspective in his mind vanished, and his brain instantly felt a lot lighter, as if he had turned off a program that was hogging a high percentage of his CPU.


    He lay down on his bed, played with his phone, and checked the rewards for completing the node objective.


    [Congratulations, you have completed the first node objective of the main quest "Myth Terminator"¡ªapproach "Diviner Black Wukong" under a disguised identity.]


    [The next target node for this main quest is: Find other Divine Communicators in the world through "Diviner Black Wukong," and kill them by any means necessary.]


    [Node reward received: 2000 Experience Points, 8 attribute points, and 2000 Mall Coins.]


    [Congratulations, you have completed the first node objective of the main quest "Heretics'' Burial Day"¡ªapproach the Anomaly Control Bureau''s S-ranked Executor "Black Judge" under a disguised identity.]


    [The next target node for this main quest is: Collaborate with the "Black Judge" to kill other S-ranked Executors from the Management Bureau.]


    [Node reward received: 2000 Experience Points, 8 attribute points, and 2000 Mall Coins.]


    Ke Mingye suddenly raised an eyebrow, thinking why his brother''s main quest style was different from the other family members, why would it be "collaborate with Black Judge to kill other Executors of the Management Bureau"?


    "Is there something wrong with this thing?"


    He muttered to himself but didn''t dwell on it and continued to click confirm on the panel, collecting his node rewards.


    [Total rewards acquired: 4000 Experience Points, 16 attribute points, and 4000 Mall Coins.]


    [Your level has been raised to Lv.5 (2000/2500 points), and you have received 1 attribute point as a leveling reward.]


    [You have a total of 17 idle attribute points. Please allocate them promptly.]


    Without much thought, Ke Mingye added all the attribute points to "Physical fitness." It was best to stack up physical fitness at the early stage, otherwise, getting one-shotted by someone before you can even fight back would be pointless.


    [Notice: "17 attribute points" have been allocated to the "Physical fitness" attribute.]


    [Current player attributes are as follows¡ªPhysical fitness: 36 points; neurological reaction: 9 points; mental strength: 10 points]


    [Congratulations, your "Physical fitness" attribute has successfully broken through the "standard for a normal adult" (20 points).]


    [Congratulations, your "Physical fitness" attribute has successfully broken through the "minimum standard for F-rank Superhumans" (30 points).]


    The pleasing notification tone sounded in his ears a satisfying two times.


    Ke Mingye instantly felt the thrill similar to a protagonist of a fantasy novel crossing two realms at once; however, he still needed to raise one of his attributes to 60 points to completely exit the category of F-rank Superhuman.


    He clenched his slightly warm fingers, feeling just like the descriptions in those ubiquitous fantasy novels: "Strength was surging forth inexhaustibly."


    Calculating with his fingers, Ke Mingye thought: "F, E, D, C, B, A¡ªlooks like I need to cross five realms to reach the average level of my family... But at least I''m now a low-level F-rank Superhuman. If I roll the dice of catastrophe well enough, it might not be a problem to take down one or two Superhumans who are above my rank."


    As he was thinking, Bai Wenna''s voice came from downstairs, "Why hasn''t your big brother come back yet? Mingye, give him a call!"


    "Can''t someone else make the call?" Ke Mingye opened the door and yelled downstairs.


    "Everyone else went out for a walk. Who''s going to call if you don''t? Your brother has changed his phone, I don''t know his new number, are you trying to kill me with worry?"


    "I''m calling, I''m calling, you just take a breather, Ma."


    Ke Mingye quickly conceded, thinking that he couldn''t afford to provoke this tigress from another planet. He then closed his room door, pulled up the contacts on his phone, and dialed his older brother''s number directly.


    "Miss me?" Ke Yinzhi asked right off the bat.


    If you don''t know, just ask¡ªwho the hell just chopped off my hand and head, and you think I miss you? Not cursing you to get hit by a car as soon as you step outside is already merciful.


    Mingye cursed Yinzhi twice in his heart but said aloud, "Miss you my ass, Mom''s cooked meal is getting cold, can you hurry up and roll back home?"


    "Alright, alright, I''m coming back, hanging up now," Yinzhi replied and ended the call.


    Mingye sighed, thinking to himself that it would be great if everyone were as friendly with masks on as they were normally.


    He used his thoughts to click on the knapsack panel and began checking out the spoils of the day.


    [Mall Coins held: 7860]


    [Knapsack slot one: Spiderweb Shooter]


    [Knapsack slot two: One "Grade E Equipment" Lottery Ticket]


    [Knapsack slot three: One-time summon card¡ª"Self-destructing Zombie"]


    Before his puppet''s head got blown off, he quickly stowed the Spiderweb Shooter back in the knapsack so as not to lose it along with the puppet. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The items in the next two slots were trophies won from defeating the Meiyijia zombie instance.


    Mingye clicked on the "Grade E Equipment Lottery Ticket" in the second slot of the knapsack, and the introduction panel popped up [Introduction: Use to receive a random piece of Grade E weapon or Grade E item].


    Without overthinking it, he clicked on use.


    [Draw complete, congratulations, you have received a Grade E Item Card¡ª"Magical Girl Transformation Experience Card"].


    Mingye''s eye twitched, thinking to himself that some nuisances never go away, huh? I managed to dodge you in this morning''s daily draw, and now, the evening''s lottery ticket still finds a way to bring you back?


    "This must be fate," Mingye muttered as he clicked confirm and pocketed the experience card in his knapsack.


    He closed the knapsack panel and, using his thoughts, clicked over to the mall''s Skill Exclusives page, not forgetting to scroll through short videos on his phone, getting better at his acting by the day.


    [¢Ù: Personality Split (Grade E Skill, price: 5100 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Ú: Mental Link (Grade E Skill, price: 5000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Û: Lion''s Roar (Grade D Skill, price: 11000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Ü: Growth of All Things (Grade C Skill, price: 30000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Ý: Clockwork Artistry (Grade D Skill, price: 12000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Þ: Superhero Landing (Grade E Skill, price: 5500 Mall Coins)]


    [¢ß: Night Walking Skill (Grade E Skill, price: 5200 Mall Coins)]


    [¢à: Flat Ground Slam Expert (Grade E Skill, price: 5200 Mall Coins)]


    [¢á: "Lights Out" (Grade E Skill, price: 5150 Mall Coins)]


    [¢â: Portrait Concealment Skill (Grade E Skill, price: 5100 Mall Coins)]


    Mingye confirmed the levels and prices of these ten skills and considered quietly in his mind.


    "I have 7860 Mall Coins on hand. So the question is, which skill should I choose... or should I wait until after midnight for the page to refresh and check out other skills."

 Chapter 53 All Members Present

    Due to the scarcity of resources in the early stage of the game, each skill selection seemed so precious, with Ke Mingye staring at the ten skills on the panel, carefully weighing them in his mind.He first passed on all skills of Grade D and above, for a very simple reason: he couldn''t afford them.


    Because of the existence of the communication panel, Ke Mingye immediately skipped the "Mental Link" skill, and besides, sharing thoughts could be dangerous. If he couldn''t control his own mind and accidentally leaked important information, that would be a disaster.


    So, Ke Mingye turned to look at the descriptions of the "Night Walking Skill" and "Lights Out" skills.


    "Night Walking Skill and Lights Out, neither of these is much use. Many superheroes have strong senses and night vision, so even if I block out light or become invisible, I could still be easily discovered," he pondered.


    After dismissing most of the skills, he glanced at the "Portrait Concealment Skill," "Personality Split," and "Superhero Landing" skills, thinking to himself.


    "Personality Split sounds okay; it can let me use a puppet in combat to achieve a 2v1 situation. But the more I think about it, the spookier Personality Split sounds."


    "Portrait Concealment Skill sounds quite flexible. Although it''s easy to be seen through, it can be useful to muddy the waters if being tracked or chased, and it might even be possible to dodge mortal danger."


    "As for the Superhero Landing, while it may seem to have many loopholes, this thing can act as a life-saving skill, a mobility skill, and even a damaging skill. It''s pretty versatile."


    With that thought, Ke Mingye accessed the introduction screen for Skill No. 6, "Superhero Landing."


    Looking up, the details of how the skill''s damage is calculated were recorded at the top.


    The concussion damage caused by the landing depended directly on the player''s "Physical Fitness" attributes, as well as the height above the landing point: the farther from the landing point, the higher the damage caused, and vice versa.


    "So, if I swing higher with a web shooter, the higher the damage of this move would be¡­" Ke Mingye thought, "Then, if I drop down from the stratosphere at three thousand meters using Superhero Landing, wouldn''t I just squash Qing Ya flat with one stomp?"


    More importantly, the damage from this move isn''t related to "weight" but to "Physical Fitness."


    This meant even a Deception Puppet could potentially inflict high damage with this move¡ªbecause while the puppet''s weight was low, its "Physical Fitness" attribute was identical to Ke Mingye''s.


    "It''s you, then."


    Ke Mingye made his decision inside, located the [Purchase] option below the skill introduction page, and lightly tapped it with his finger. A panel popped up before his eyes immediately.


    [Thank you for your purchase. You have bought the Grade E skill¡ª"Superhero Landing."]


    [Total cost "5500" Mall Coins, your current Mall Coin balance is "2360."]


    [Skill "Superhero Landing" has been automatically equipped in your third skill slot, you still have seven vacant skill slots left.]


    Ke Mingye thought for a moment and used the "Lock" function on Skill No. 1, ensuring it wouldn''t be refreshed away in the daily update in a few hours.


    [Personality Split has been locked and will be retained until the end of tomorrow.]


    "That''ll do for now; I''ll find some time to try out the skill later."


    Ke Mingye switched to the equipment special sale page.


    After a quick scan, the ten pieces of equipment updated today were nothing special. There were Grade E items like "Chieftain''s Trident," "Never-extinguishing Torch," and "Templar Assassin''s Hidden Blade"¡ªthings that made him want to shout, "Sir, the times have changed!" Isn''t a handgun much more useful than all these combined?


    However, the special sale page surprisingly had a Grade B item, a piece of equipment called "100% Shield," which allowed players to perfectly block damage from one attack, even unharmed against a nuclear blast.


    Unfortunately, priced around 30,000 Mall Coins, it was something Ke Mingye couldn''t afford, so he didn''t take another look and immediately closed the mall panel.


    "I''m home, open the door," Ke Yinzhi sent a WeChat message.


    "Don''t you have hands? Press the doorbell and let mom open the door for you," replied Ke Mingye.


    "I rang the doorbell. She''s not home."


    Ke Mingye sighed, got up from the bed, slipped on his slippers, and dashed downstairs to open the door at the entrance.


    Before him was a handsome face with distinct contours, a dash of elegance in his casual demeanor, bright eyes, a prominent nose, and shoulder-length black hair.


    Ke Yinzhi would usually wear two layers of masks when outside: a symbolic V-shaped mask of the Judge, and a human face mask. But now that he was home, he wasn''t wearing any masks, revealing his true face without any disguise.


    His true appearance was almost similar to that of his second brother, Ke Xiaomo, both delicate enough to be mistaken for a woman. However, Ke Yinzhi''s features had a more relaxed air to them, not as austere as his brother''s. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, he was wearing a brown trench coat, with his hands casually tucked in the pockets. Standing about 1.82 meters tall with broad shoulders, he made the coat look quite striking on him.


    Ke Yinzhi leaned on the door frame, yawning with teary eyes from fatigue, and muttered to himself, "Took the high-speed train all day today, really tiring..."


    After that, he shrugged his shoulders and smiled at Ke Mingye, asking, "Is there any dinner left for me?"


    Right, right, right, you''ve been on the high-speed train all day, and as soon as you get home, you start acting, right? Let''s see if I buy that.


    Ke Mingye couldn''t be bothered with this attention-seeker, absorbed in his phone and responding half-heartedly.


    "Nope, I dumped it."


    "Heh, that means there is some."


    Saying this, Ke Yinzhi casually ruffled Ke Mingye''s hair and was about to brush past him when the elevator doors opened, and Bai Qiuwu, still dressed in her school uniform, walked out.


    Ke Yinzhi paused, slowly turning his face, his bright eyes shifting to the person emerging from the elevator.


    Seeing Ke Yinzhi standing at the door, she was slightly startled: "Old brother?"


    "Oh, what a coincidence," Ke Yinzhi raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise as he said, "Isn''t this our little friend Qiuwu? Have you eaten?"


    Bai Qiuwu gave an excuse upon being asked, "Not yet... I was planning to go out with a friend, but I got stood up."


    Hearing her say so, Ke Mingye sneered inwardly: "Please, I was the one who stood you up, but you don''t really think I''d go eat with you at a Western restaurant, do you?"


    "Then come have dinner, I haven''t eaten yet either."


    With that, Ke Yinzhi gave a small smile and stepped into the living room, removing his boots first.


    Ke Mingye stood at the door, lifting his eyes from his phone to gaze at Bai Qiuwu.


    "So, the question is, what were we talking about on the bus? I went through an entire movie at the cinema, while someone ditched halfway through."


    He knew he was playing the villain by accusing her first, after all, he was the one who lured Bai Qiuwu away with a text message, but he still had to play his part.


    "I had an emergency, what could I do?"


    Bai Qiuwu reached out and ruffled his hair, dismissively saying like she was placating a child.


    Ke Mingye swatted her hand away and sighed, "Stop it, every damn time you guys come home, you ruffle my hair, if I don''t grow to 2.1 meters, it''ll be your fault."


    "You want to grow to two meters?" Bai Qiuwu laughed.


    Done with talking, she glanced at Ke Yinzhi, who was opening the fridge, and asked in a low voice, "By the way, when did big brother get back?"


    "Just now, same as you," Ke Mingye answered.


    "Is that so..." Bai Qiuwu paused for a moment, "That''s quite a coincidence." She said this and, changing into sandals, walked into the house.

 Chapter 054 The Dragon and the Girl

    On the evening of June 20, the Ke Bai residence was particularly desolate.Ke Yinzhi and Bai Qiuwu were eating at the kitchen table, chatting about the events of the past six months. The two of them were deceiving themselves and each other with nonsense so natural, it seemed as if it had all really happened.


    Ke Mingye monopolized the sofa in the living room, sitting there, head down, playing with his phone, while silently listening to their conversation.


    If one were to say that perhaps one or two of the things Bai Qiuwu talked about that happened in high school were true;


    As for the college life anecdotes his older brother recounted, such as "hanging out with transfer students," "going to internet cafes to play games with roommates," or "being punished by the teacher for failing classes," Ke Mingye would never believe that even a single word of it was true. It was all made up on the spot.


    And it was made up poorly and perfunctorily, sticking to the most basic stereotypes of college students.


    As he figured, for the past six months, Ke Yinzhi probably spent most of the time wearing a mask, flying between countries to handle supernatural events, punishing superheroes who broke the rules.


    College was merely a name on paper; how could he possibly have time to really stay there? Most likely he just let the Management Bureau find a substitute to take his classes.


    Ke Mingye grew tired of the two of them spewing nonsense back and forth, finding it more and more insulting to his intelligence, so he picked up the remote and pressed the power button on the TV.


    The TV screen had only just lit up when a photo from a news event caught his eye.


    In the photo, two rookie Magic Girls were making a cute pose for the camera. Magical Girl Ash stood between the two, arms crossed, looking like she was forced into it, very reluctantly striking a victory sign. Her face almost screamed I want to escape, her eyes looking off into the distance, not even facing the camera.


    The female host sat elegantly, reporting a sudden incident in her standard announcer''s voice.


    "Just half an hour ago, Magic Girls Ash, Rainbow, and Feng successfully assisted the police in capturing the superhuman fugitives ''Landmine Man'' and ''Qima.'' According to police records, these two superhuman criminals escaped from prison a month ago, attacked police due to a grudge, creating a critical situation,"


    "Fortunately, amid the police struggle with the criminals, the three Magic Girls stepped forward. With their courage and intelligence, they successfully captured these two fugitives, resulting in no casualties among the security personnel and bystanders during the incident."


    I was wondering why she wasn''t at home, so she took the new recruits on a mission... Ke Mingye stared at the TV at Bai Zini, thinking, what were the others doing?


    ......


    ......


    At the same time, at one end of the Wine Reflecting Coast.


    Bai Ziling stood on the deserted beach, her back against a huge rock, her right hand clutching a bag of blood, sipping it through a straw.


    Today she had not found a suitable person to prey on; the criminals, robbers, and such were nowhere to be seen, and she was too lazy to purposely travel far, so she ended up stealing a blood bag from the hospital.


    Her feet were bare, her sandals set aside, as the seawater gently caressed her toes.


    The black tide broke onto the shore, shattering into white foam. An unexpected sea breeze blew, chillingly lifting her bangs, her pale strands of hair seemingly scattering in the wind.


    Bai Ziling scratched her forehead with her hand, quietly gazing at the distant horizon.


    Suddenly, she turned her red eyes and said softly, "It''s you again."


    The young dragon hid behind some nearby rocks, cautiously peeking its head out, carefully watching her: "If you don''t want to see me, I''ll leave right away."


    Bai Ziling looked at it for a while, then shook her head: "Have you been following me all this time? Since when?"


    "For a very long time, a very long time ago."


    "That long... Then why haven''t you spoken to me?"


    "I was afraid you''d dislike me," the young dragon paused, its blood-red eyes drooping down in the shadow, "I am a dragon."


    "I am a vampire," Bai Ziling looked down at the sea at her feet, "I''m also afraid to tell people I''m a vampire, afraid they''ll dislike me."


    "Is it the family?" the young dragon asked.


    Bai Ziling fell silent for a moment, then gently nodded.


    "Though they''re right beside you, you find you cannot speak. Though they''re all kind to you, only you are the odd one out, forever feeling as if separated by an entire world... Is it that feeling?" the young dragon slowly said.


    Bai Ziling paused, then said softly, "You''re clearly a dragon, but you understand human thoughts so well."


    "Because I have observed many humans," the young dragon said.


    "Is that so..."


    Bai Ziling hugged her knees and sat down on the beach, her eyes looking towards the undulating sea; the young dragon hesitated for a moment, then slowly moved its paws to sit beside her, crouching like a cat at her side.


    A human and a dragon sat quietly on the beach under the moonlight.


    "I know you''re not a bad person," the young dragon said.


    "I drink human blood, you know."


    "I''ve even eaten a panda."


    "You''ve eaten a panda?"


    Bai Ziling raised her eyebrows slightly and turned her head to look at it with curiosity.


    "I was young then and didn''t know it was a panda," the young dragon said softly, "Everyone liked it a lot, and every day many people came to the zoo to see it. The internet was full of people cursing me, saying I deserved the death penalty, but at that time I was thrown into the zoo, I was very hungry and didn''t know anything, and before I knew it, I had eaten many animals." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s so pitiful."


    "Do you think the panda is pitiful?" the young dragon''s head drooped along with its tail, like a child who had done something wrong, "I think so too, it did nothing wrong..."


    "No, it''s the dragon that''s pitiful," Bai Ziling said as she reached out to touch the horn on its head, "You must feel very guilty, right?"


    The young dragon didn''t speak, only gently scratched its cheek with its paw and nodded.


    "Will I grow up to be very frightening?" it suddenly asked.


    "No," Bai Ziling shook her head, "At least not to me."


    "Sometimes I can''t tell... who I am. I always feel very lonely," it said.


    "So do I," Bai Ziling said softly.


    They both fell silent for a while.


    "I have a question I want to ask you," the young dragon spoke up.


    "What is it?"


    "Can you be my friend?" the young dragon asked cautiously.


    "Aren''t we already friends?" Bai Ziling said.


    Hearing this, the young dragon was stunned for a long time. It scratched its cheek with its paw, its tail lifted slightly, and it partly opened its mouth, but could not utter a single word.


    They watched the sea quietly for a while, with the waves gently lapping at the young dragon''s feet and Bai Ziling''s ankles, the moonlight casting long shadows of the two, one large and one small.


    "I have to go," Bai Ziling turned to look at it and softly broke the silence.


    "Okay."


    The young dragon nodded, cautiously retreating back into the shadows behind the rocks, waving a paw to the white-haired girl.


    "Goodbye," it said.


    "Goodbye."


    Bai Ziling also waved back, then stood up from the sand, picked up her sandals placed to the side, leaving behind shallow footprints in the sand as she slowly walked away under the moonlight.

 Chapter 055 Ninja Sects Letter

    June 21st, early morning.Ke Mingye''s eyes trembled as he opened them, waking up from his bed. As always, what met his gaze was not the old, yellow-stained ceiling but a notification panel against a black background with red font.


    It was like some sort of mental pollution that he found repulsive.


    [Obituary: On the night of June 20th, born in Washington, United States, the player with the ID "Dark Blade 01" was killed by the supervillain "Timekeeper."]


    [Current number of surviving players worldwide: 96/100]


    [No version updates for today.]


    "This guy must have a few screws loose, picking a fight with a supervillain."


    Ke Mingye, holding his throbbing forehead, slowly got out of bed, thinking that the Timekeeper was rated A+ in the system, and one should steer clear even from a mere glimpse.


    But it was probably just bad luck for that player. Given the Timekeeper''s psychopathic level, even an innocent person who glanced his way could attract his lethal attention.


    [Today''s Daily Tasks are as follows:]


    [1. Run 4000 meters (Reward: One spin of the lottery wheel)]


    [2. Use a disposable item once (Reward: 1 attribute point on "neurological reaction")]


    Upon seeing "disposable item", Ke Mingye immediately thought of the "Magical Girl Experience Card" in his bag.


    He rested his hand on his chin, thinking it might be fine to let the puppet try it, since he wasn''t using it himself. Controlling a magic girl, instead of a drab grey figure, seemed like a novel experience. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Logically speaking, couldn''t he have the puppet approach Bai Zini and get close to the Magical Girl Alliance?


    As Ke Mingye thought this, he switched the panel to the main mission tab, looking at the mission node for "Magical Girl Ash".


    [The next target node for this main mission is: Approach the Magical Girl Alliance through "Magical Girl Ash."]


    "It seems like it might actually work," Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, "This would nail the second task too. I should try it when I find the time."


    Just as he was about to close the mission panel, the previously empty "Daily Task 3" slot suddenly refreshed, displaying a striking task in dark red font.


    [3. Kill a superhuman (This task is a rare daily mission that appears with low probability and carries extra rewards) (Reward currently unknown)]


    "Kill a superhuman, isn''t that a bit extravagant... The rewards are still unknown; what if they just give me 100 Mall Coins as compensation?"


    Ke Mingye yawned as he got out of bed, put on his slippers, and reached for the doorknob. Just as he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of Ke Xiaomo, dressed in a plain white outfit.


    Leaning against the wall of the hallway, Ke Xiaomo looked up from the ancient book in his hands: "Going for a morning run?"


    "Uh¡­ yes."


    Ke Mingye paused for a moment and then nodded his head.


    He thought to himself, seeing a villainous boss first thing in the morning¡ªif this kept up every day, how long before it gave him high blood pressure?


    "Together, I am heading out too," Ke Xiaomo closed his ancient book.


    "Sure, let me wash up first."


    Ke Mingye said as he passed by him and entered the bathroom, closing the door.


    "I''ll wait for you downstairs."


    Ke Xiaomo gently knocked on the bathroom door as the emotionless voice came from outside the bathroom.


    My big brother wants to run with me in the morning? What is he up to? But it seems fine, as long as he doesn''t suddenly go mad, pull out a brain imaging helmet, and clamp it on my head.


    Ke Mingye picked up his toothbrush and cup, turned on the faucet, caught a mouthful of water, and pondered in front of the mirror.


    After freshening up, Ke Mingye changed into his sneakers in his bedroom and, together with Ke Xiaomo, took the elevator down from their apartment.


    Today was the first day of summer vacation¡ªno school, free to do whatever they wanted, a day for fun and relaxation. Of course, this also meant that over the next while, every family member might be active in the city under a secondary identity.


    The early morning mist always enveloped Huanjing, with the sky tinged a sleepy hue of blue around the edges. The rising morning sun cast warm rays that gently burned through the fog.


    Ke Mingye shared his usual running route with Ke Xiaomo, and then the two of them started running around the perimeter of the district, the cool air rushing into their noses and ears, painfully tickling their throats and eardrums.


    "Do you usually run around Old Jingmai District?"


    Ke Xiaomo asked him while running forward.


    "Yes, I''ve been working on my physical fitness recently," Ke Mingye answered.


    "I can tell, you''ve gotten much more robust recently," Ke Xiaomo paused, "Has anyone been bullying you at school or anything?"


    "Bro, don''t worry about it, I just really want to get in shape so I''m not always called skinny,"


    "That''s good. I just feel like I haven''t cared enough for you guys before."


    Ke Mingye sighed, "You''re just our older brother, not our dad. It''s our always-absent dad who should be reflecting on himself, right?"


    "Really¡­" Ke Xiaomo said as he slightly increased his running pace, "Keep up. Since you want to work out, put some more effort into it."


    "I made a mistake, so you want to be my drill sergeant?"


    Before long, under Ke Xiaomo''s urging, Ke Mingye finished running three kilometers intermittently. He bent over, hands on his bent knees, and pretended to pant heavily.


    In reality, given his physical fitness, which far surpassed that of an ordinary human, running three kilometers wouldn''t even make him breathe hard, but he still had to put on an act in front of Ke Xiaomo.


    "Tired?"


    Seeing him like this, Ke Xiaomo slowly stopped and handed him a towel.


    Ke Mingye took the towel, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and gasped, "I can''t... run anymore."


    Just then, Ke Xiaomo suddenly looked up at the sky, where a blue bird with a scroll tied to it was flying from afar. It slowly folded its wings and landed on the railing of a rooftop nearby.


    Ke Xiaomo turned to Ke Mingye, "I''ll go to the public restroom nearby to relieve myself, wait here for me."


    "Okay."


    Ke Mingye did not even lift his head, continuing to feign the exaggerated breathing, mimicking the expected reaction of a weak body, but he noticed the unusual glance his brother had given earlier.


    Ke Xiaomo walked leisurely into the alley, heading toward the deep-set public restroom. Halfway there, he turned his cheek and glanced back to make sure Ke Mingye hadn''t followed, then he gently whistled.


    The blue bird carrying the scroll heard the sound and flew over, gently landing on his fingertip. Ke Xiaomo unfastened the strap on its back, took out the scroll, and the bird flapped its wings vigorously, flying towards the azure sky.


    Ke Xiaomo unrolled the scroll, which contained writing, elegantly and energetically penned. He recognized it as his master''s handwriting, the very leader of the Ninja Sect.


    The message read:


    ¡ªWe have confirmed the location and identity of the disaster dragon, which is masquerading as a human hidden among the populace. I am gathering disciples scattered around the world to form an elite squad, and we are likely to act on July 4th.


    ¡ªMo, remember to conserve your strength during this period, do not startle the snake by hitting the grass, and quietly await our arrival.


    "Half a month then¡­" Ke Xiaomo murmured to himself, "I can''t slack off on training recently." After reading the message, he closed the scroll and let go, allowing it to fall towards the ground.


    If things went as he expected, then when the scroll hit the ground, it would be swallowed by the shadows there.


    But just at that moment, a strand of spider silk shot from above, sticking to the scroll about to hit the ground and forcefully dragging it upwards.


    Ke Xiaomo was startled and looked up towards the source of the spider silk.

 Chapter 056 Monster Family

    Ke Xiaomo''s brows furrowed slightly, then he looked up into the sky and saw that the thick spider silk tethering the message scroll was coming from the roof of a residential building adjoining the alleyway. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.At that moment, a sinister figure sat atop the railing of the rooftop.


    They were slightly hunched over, swaying their elongated legs, skin shifting in liquid-like shades of ashen grey. The corners of their mouth were raised high toward the sides, almost reaching the roots of their ears.


    "Hey, friend, what were you just muttering to yourself? I''m quite interested."


    As they spoke, the Deception Puppet yanked up the scroll stuck with spider silk, grasping it in their palm, and casually flipping it open to look down at its contents.


    "Uh, the Dragon of Disaster has already been found... How intriguing. So why would ninjas and dragons be opposing forces, when they are two completely unrelated things? Oh, speaking of which, this reminds me of a game called ''Ninja Dragon Sword Legend.''


    Ke Xiaomo observed him quietly, as if gauging the strength of his enemy.


    "Right, why didn''t you hold onto the scroll, giving it up to me like this?"


    The puppet paused for a moment. "Or is it that... you''ve already decided to kill me to silence me, so you think it doesn''t matter?"


    Before the words had even finished, Ke Xiaomo had transformed into a shadow and dived into the ground, moving along the walls of the residential building like a snake running through the jungle, sweeping past the glass reflecting the morning light.


    In less than a second, the elongated, weasel-like shadow exploded onto the rooftop floor.


    Ke Xiaomo emerged from the shadow, capturing the puppet from behind, and pulled a dagger from his sleeve, pressing it against the puppet''s throat.


    The dagger was covered with a layer of faintly dispersing shadows that were eroding at the puppet''s neck.


    "Who are you?"


    He whispered almost word-for-word into the puppet''s ear.


    "Who I am is not important, but perhaps there will come a time when you need me. In half a month, your family will be in danger, and then on whose side will you stand? Will it be with the dragons or with the ninjas?"


    The puppet spoke calmly, toying with the scroll in their right hand, occasionally opening and closing it.


    "Nonsense."


    Ke Xiaomo said, moving the icy dagger a fraction closer, carving a notch into the puppet''s neck.


    "How about we become friends? That way, when the time comes, I might come and help you protect your family."


    The puppet raised three fingers, still speaking unhurriedly, "You know, my connections are vast, with characters like Qing Ya, Black Wukong, Magical Girl Ash¡ªthey''re all my friends. Maybe I could ask them to come and lend you a hand, perhaps?"


    "If you think I would waste time with a lunatic, you''re mistaken."


    As the words fell, Ke Xiaomo swiftly decapitated the puppet with his dagger.


    He thought this would end the farce, but upon glancing down, he saw the puppet''s head roll on the ground twice and then continue to babble.


    "Ah, why does everyone in your family have to be so ill-mannered, chopping off hands and heads at every turn? All fans of Qing Ya, not one with a healthy psyche."


    Watching this scene, Ke Xiaomo said softly, "You''re not human."


    "Of course I''m not human; I am called ''strange thing'', pleased to meet you."


    As he spoke, the puppet suddenly broke into manic laughter, his tone getting faster and faster.


    "You will understand me soon enough, Mr. Ninja. I am simply reminding you out of goodwill... Perhaps when you face that choice, all the knowledge you have ever had will collapse in an instant...


    The heart you thought to be impregnable will be torn into thousands of pieces within a few short seconds, and when it''s all over, no matter how humiliatingly you bend your waist, kneeling on the ground, you won''t be able to piece it back together."


    "Like its name... a strange thing," Ke Xiaomo said with a frown, his mouth uttering the sarcastic remark coldly. Just then, a shout came from the alley, its clear voice falling into his ears.


    "Big bro, are you done yet? Why''s the bathroom taking you so long?!"


    "Your brother is waiting for you, do you still want to tangle with me?" the puppet asked in a low voice.


    Ignoring the puppet''s words, Ke Xiaomo took two steps forward, sheathed his dagger, and closed his eyes to take a deep breath.


    The next moment, the puppet''s body and head began to slowly sink into the shadow cast on the ground, as if absorbed by a layer of gray, murky swamp.


    "Hey, what are you doing? This lump of shadow is about to devour me."


    The puppet''s head sank deeper into the shadow, as if being consumed. It looked down at the patch of darkness, its tone filled with surprise, "This isn''t fun at all."


    Ke Xiaomo gave no response, and merely transformed into a weasel-like shadow pressing against the wall, rapidly weaving through to the interior of the public restroom, and finally emerging from the shadow of one of the stalls.


    He casually flushed the toilet and walked slowly outside amid the thunderous sound of the water.


    At the same time, the puppet''s body and head were entirely swallowed by the shadow on the rooftop, disappearing without a trace as if it had never existed.


    "That move was really vicious, huh? The Deception Puppet got swallowed by that shadow?"


    At this moment, the second perspective in Ke Mingye''s mind faded away, indicating that the puppet was dead.


    He thought to himself, "This method of killing and disposing of the body, I bet no one would be able to find where it is, no wonder he is an A+ ranked ninja. Big bro must be one of the top combatants in the Ninja Sect..."


    Ke Mingye reflected for a moment, recalling the information from that scroll, on July 4th, two weeks from now, the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect would launch an encirclement and suppression operation against Ke Yongzhu.


    Moreover, they did not mention the disaster dragon''s human identity in the scroll, it seemed that they were deliberately concealing it from Ke Xiaomo.


    They probably believe that when Ke Xiaomo learns that the disaster dragon is actually his family member, even if he turns traitor, it would be more than enough to gather the entire strength of the Ninja Sect to fight against him and Ke Yongzhu.


    Ke Mingye was also unclear about what choice Xiaomo would make when he found out that the last disaster dragon breed was his own brother.


    At least he knew well that killing Ke Yongzhu would be far from as simple as the Sect Master had imagined.


    Thinking of this, Ke Mingye couldn''t help but snicker, thinking to himself that what they were facing wasn''t just a dragon, it was an entire family of monsters...


    [Congratulations, you have completed the first node objective of the main mission "Destruction of the Ninja Sect" ¡ª¡ª getting close to "The Sect Master''s Great Disciple¡ªXiao Mo" in a disguise.]


    [Node reward points obtained: 2000 Experience Points, 8 attribute points, 2000 Mall Coins.]


    [Your level has been raised to Lv.6 (1500/3000 points), and you have gained 1 attribute point as a level-up reward.]


    [You have a total of 9 unused attribute points, please allocate them promptly.]


    [The next node target of the main mission is: Observe what choice "Xiao Mo" will make, and depending on his different choices, either aid him in slaughtering the last of the disaster dragon breed, or help him completely destroy the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect.]

 Chapter 67 Listing Comments

    I received a notification from my editor¡ªthe book has been released.Thanks to everyone''s overwhelming support, I had thought such a pioneering (or rather, haphazard) beginning would likely be short-lived, so I had braced myself for an early exit. Surprisingly, it held on for four rounds and even broke into the top 10 of the new book overall rankings.


    Unfortunately, it just missed the chance to be featured in the Sanjiang list by a whisker, but the launch has still scored a homepage new book promotion, which is pretty awesome.


    As everyone knows, the author is busy with end-of-term exams for the fourth grade of elementary school. Having not written for half a year, the writing feels a bit rusty, but I''ve gained a more relaxed attitude. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When I started this book, my goal was simply to entertain myself and give my brain a break, so I adopted a very casual writing style. Fortunately, many readers have resonated with it. As a semi-ensemble piece, the book''s performance during the new release period is somewhat acceptable.


    Also, a big thank you to members of the Drunk Soul Out-of-Fans group "Fan Quan, Dark Blade01, Qing Meng, Cai Bing, Ju Zipi, Yeye, A Zhe" for making cameo appearances in my book. The characters were adapted with some stereotyping, and they deviate significantly from the real persons; everyone is much more complex than what''s portrayed in the book.


    This book might have multiple endings; currently, the author has prepared three different ones.


    Without further ado, I plan to release the launch chapters around 11 tonight. I''d appreciate your support with a first subscription.


    .


    Last but not least, let me recommend a few new books from friends:


    ¢Ù Universe Survival Guide¡ªMy sister calls it a stream-of-consciousness masterpiece, unique in its narrative style.


    ¢Ú Monster Manual¡ªMy sister says it''s a daily life masterpiece with clear, profound text and a vast, lingering charm. Its greatness speaks for itself.


    ¢Û The Chronicle of Ending Myths¡ªMy sister describes it as a mythological masterpiece with great writing and atmosphere.


    ¢Ü Ubume: Starting from Yamata no Orochi¡ªMy sister recommends this unlimited flow masterpiece for those who love female-lead stories and lively action. Not to be missed.


    ¢Ý Said to Practice Martial Arts, But You Cultivated a Heavenly Gang Portrait?¡ªMy sister says it''s a fantasy masterpiece, extremely thrilling.


    ¢Þ Not a Witch, It''s a Magic Girl¡ªA masterpiece for kids about Magic Girls. My sister says it''s fun, hilarious, and adorable.

 Chapter 057 Who Isnt a Magic Girl Now?

    "Could my second brother really become an enemy of the family for the sake of the Ninja Sect... And if big brother and dad found out that Yongzhu is the Dragon of Calamity, what would they think? Would they really protect a dragon?"Ke Mingye stood on the street corner, playing with his phone while scanning the text on the panel and thinking.


    He quickly dismissed the thought, telling himself to take it one step at a time. After all, the Ninja Sect wouldn''t act until July 4th.


    Before long, Ke Xiao Mo emerged from the depths of the alley. He asked, "I''m done, shall we go to a nearby breakfast diner?"


    "Let''s not. I''m really dead tired after the run. How about you go buy it yourself, second brother, and grab Zi Ling and the others'' share on the way?"


    Ke Mingye let out a sigh of relief, scratching the reddened tip of his nose and spoke in a disheartened tone.


    As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something. Dragons and vampires probably find it hard to digest human food, they may even feel nauseated.


    So, how did Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu manage for so many years? Although they didn''t eat much at the dining table, at least they really did eat something, right...?


    "Have they gotten used to it?" He wondered.


    "Alright, you look quite tired, just go home then," Ke Xiao Mo said and turned, heading towards the breakfast diner.


    Ke Mingye didn''t linger either. He pretended to rest for a while, then walked home.


    In the elevator, he opened his personal panel and added 9 spare attribute points to "Physical fitness."


    [Your "Physical fitness" attribute has been increased to 45 points (36 points¡ú45 points).]


    Right after that, he opened the task panel and received the reward for daily task one, "Run two kilometers"¡ªa chance to use the reward wheel.


    "Activate the wheel."


    With the command, a circular wheel unfolded, with intersecting red lines dividing it into six sections. Each section was marked with text and icons.


    [1. 1500 Mall Coins;]


    [2. A low-level General Skill Proficiency Card (Can be used to increase the proficiency of general skills like "Cooking," "Firearms Use," etc.);]


    [3. E-level Skill Card¡ªBasic Medical Technique;]


    [4. A fragment of "Titanic Beast Godzilla" (50 Godzilla fragments required to craft a summoning card);]


    [5. C-level Equipment¡ªParalysis Watch;]


    [6. Thanks for participating.]


    "Godzilla fragment?"


    Seeing the reward on area four of the wheel, Ke Mingye''s brain froze for a second, thinking if someone really would bring Godzilla to life in the later stages of the game?


    This could be hope for exterminating the superhuman species, after all, even nuclear bombs can''t deal with Godzilla, what are superheroes in comparison, right?


    He stretched out his finger and pressed the "Activate wheel" button below the wheel.


    Following that, the wheel spun like a windmill, with the pointer above remaining still. In the end, the section above the pointer showed "Area 1."


    [Congratulations, you have won the prize for Area 1: 1500 Mall Coins, your current balance: 5860.]


    "Not bad, enough to buy another E-level skill."


    Ke Mingye immediately opened the skill specialty page and secured the "Personality Split" skill he had locked in yesterday.


    Even though this skill wasn''t very useful at the moment, down the line, when facing a strong enemy, it could allow a combined battle mode of "Deception Puppet" and "Personality Split" to outflank the opponent.


    It was a nice card to hold.


    [Thank you for your purchase. 5100 Mall Coins have been deducted, your current balance of Mall Coins is now 760.]


    [The skill "Personality Split" is now loaded into your slot four.]


    "I''ll try it out when I find the time," Ke Mingye thought.


    Amidst the rumbling sound, as soon as the elevator doors cracked open, Ke Mingye saw Bai Zini grabbing a denim jacket and running out. She had intended to take the stairs, but upon seeing the elevator doors open, she lightly trotted back.


    "Bro, you''re up this early during the summer break?"


    Bai Zini looked up to meet Ke Mingye''s gaze. Hiding the folding umbrella in her right hand behind her back while putting on her denim jacket, she curiously asked.


    "Never mind that, where are you going?" Ke Mingye asked.


    "To a meeting," Bai Zini said instinctively, stepping past him into the elevator, then shook her head correcting herself: "No, that''s not right, I meant to go for a run."


    A meeting?


    "Then take me with you," Ke Mingye said.


    "No, no, no, I like to run alone," Bai Zini quickly replied, wrinkling her nose and spoke hastily, pushing him out of the elevator with her left hand, "You need to get out now, I''ll accompany you next time."


    "What''s the rush?"


    Ke Mingye was pushed out of the elevator, and by the time he turned his head, the doors had already closed, with Bai Zini waving at him through the narrowing gap.


    He already had a hunch¡ªBai Zini was most likely heading to a meeting with the big three of the Magical Girl Alliance.


    Ke Mingye took off his shoes, entered the house, and closed the door behind him. Glancing towards the living room, he saw that Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu were already up, leaning forward as they watched a morning animation show on television.


    Ke Youqing was sitting calmly at the dining table, his legs crossed, as he read this morning''s "Superhero Society Publication" newspaper.


    Ke Mingye glanced at it out of the corner of his eye. The headline on the paper was, "Look What Our Superhero ''Qing Ya'' Has Done Now?"


    In his memory, old man Ke practically watched the "Superhero Society Publication" every week without fail. Of course, every issue was filled with blackening remarks and complaints from the citizens about him.


    Ke Mingye couldn''t help but marvel at his dad''s psychological toughness; every week he''d routinely see how others bad-mouthed him. But after being widely criticized online for several years with no reaction, he probably didn''t mind this little bit of agitation.


    Ke Yinzhi was in the kitchen brewing coffee with a grinder, wearing an apron. Seeing Ke Mingye walking in without turning his head, he asked, "Want a cup?"


    Breakfast was generally prepared by the big brother when he was at home. Although everyone didn''t quite like his edgy personality, they did acknowledge his cooking skills in their hearts, which were certainly much better than Bai Wenna''s.


    "Sure, make me a cup as well," Ke Mingye answered.


    "Want sugar?"


    "Yes, and pour some milk too, I can''t take it too bitter."


    "So many requests, come down and get it later."


    Ke Yinzhi slightly smiled and continued to stir the pot of coffee gently with a spoon.


    Ke Mingye moved back to his room on the second floor, closed the door, opened the window to look outside, and prepared to release the Deception Puppet.


    Twenty minutes ago, just as the Deception Puppet was about to be engulfed by the shadows, Ke Mingye had detonated it in time to prevent Ke Xiaomo from trapping it in the shadow space for research.


    After all, he didn''t know whether the Deception Puppet would still be under his control after being swallowed by those shadows.


    Since the puppet was self-destructed, the cooldown was only 10 minutes, and it was time to release the puppet again.


    He made the Deception Puppet appear outside the window. With its hands clasping the windowsill, it kicked off the wall, and the whole person fell toward the rooftop of a nearby residential building like a deflating balloon.


    Watching this scene, Ke Mingye took a deep breath, mentally prepared himself, and used a certain prop from his bag on it.


    [The "one-time Magical Girl Transformation Experience Card" has been used on the Deception Puppet.]


    The system''s prompt box appeared, and the puppet''s body was gradually enveloped by a layer of enchanting cocoon light, looking like a colorful mummy.


    "What''s going on?"


    Ke Mingye wondered, then suddenly remembered that to complete a transformation, a Magical Girl must perform a symbolic action.


    Thus, he commanded the puppet to imitate Magical Girl Ash''s pose, lifting non-existent hair from the forehead and slowly raising its eerie face.


    The next moment, the cocoon light cracked open with a snap.


    The Deception Puppet slowly lifted its hollow eyes.


    At the same time, it was dressed in Santa Claus-like attire¡ªa red ceremonial dress, a red pointed cap, and a fur-lined red cloak draped over the shoulders with a white fur fringe. It also held a magic wand embedded with red gems in its hand. The overall color scheme was red and white, with a touch as cool as snow.


    "Quite an eyesore..."


    Ke Mingye sighed with his hand on his forehead and quickly changed the puppet''s appearance. The next second, it became a 15-year-old beautiful girl with golden hair and blue eyes, fair skin, and a much more pleasant appearance.


    [The time limit of the Magical Girl Experience Card is one day. During this day, the subject using the experience card can freely transform into a Magical Girl and is granted the permission to use the Magic Book.]


    [The self-contained ability of the magic wand: to manipulate snowflakes, allowing oneself to fly in the air or to freeze enemies.]


    "Now that I''ve got the ability, do I need to pick a code name?" Ke Mingye closed the window, thinking to himself, "Hmm... How about ''Magical Girl Xiaohongmao''?"


    Before long, Bai Zini walked out of the bottom floor of the duplex apartment and appeared in the puppet''s line of sight.


    Having been tracked by the Deception Puppet at the last meeting and having lost face in front of the three masters, Bai Zini was more vigilant this time before she left.


    She quickly noticed the "Magical Girl" on the rooftop observing her, and the girl in the red furry cloak turned and ran upon being seen, as if she had done something guilty. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hold on, is that a Magical Girl?"


    Bai Zini was taken aback as she saw the girl on the rooftop raise her magic wand, conjuring layers of snowflakes that danced beneath her feet and lifted her into the air.


    A Magical Girl who controls snow? Why is she spying on me, and I don''t think I''ve seen this Magical Girl in Huanjing before.


    Without time to think, Bai Zini walked briskly into a nearby alleyway, raised her collapsible umbrella, and was immediately enveloped by a faint grey cocoon light.


    The next instant, time seemed to stand still as ouses blossomed alarmingly on the umbrella, linking together with a ring of thorns in the blink of an eye. The collapsible umbrella wholly transformed into the "Cinderella" magic umbrella.


    Magical Girl Ash also donned an elegant Gothic pleated dress. With a cold look, she tugged her gloves, opened the umbrella, and the grey ripples spreading from it lifted her into the sky.


    Her skirt fluttered, and the girl with the umbrella shot across the sky like a murky cloud, and soon found the red-hatted girl''s silhouette above Huanjing.


    "Stop right there!" she called out coldly.


    The red-hatted girl turned to look at her, then quietly continued flying forward on the snowflakes, eventually landing on the roof of a residential building, where the snowflakes beneath her faded.


    Magical Girl Ash retracted her umbrella, pointed her toes to the ground, and descended slowly, then gently raised her face to look at the uninvited guest.


    The "Cinderella" in her hand swiftly shifted its shape, and the sharp edges along the umbrella began to interconnect at the tip, the gun barrel opening in an instant with a clicking metal clank.


    "Who are you?" she asked.


    "Magical Girl, Xiaohongmao," the other replied, turning around.


    At the same time, Ke Mingye decided to learn on the fly and opened Baidu on his phone, typing "How should a proper Magical Girl act" into the search box.


    Then he clicked to search, ready to start his own performance.

 Chapter 058 Qiyamate Comet

    "I''ve never heard of you before," Magical Girl Ash said.Given the current shortage of magic girls in China, if there was another magic girl in the same city, there''s no way she wouldn''t know her.


    "The comet fragment inside me awakened just three days ago, so it''s normal for you not to recognize me as a newcomer magic girl," Magical Girl Xiaohongmao said.


    Ke Mingye had checked on his phone, and the reason why magic girls become magic girls goes back thousands of years to a comet named Qiyamate as it passed by Earth¡ªit left millions of fragments each time which some young girls absorbed into their bodies.


    These girls who came into contact with the comet fragments thus became magic girls.


    Moreover, the return period of the Qiyamate Comet is every 20 years. At these times, it gathers all the comet fragments from around the world and then disperses new fragments.


    Every twenty years, as the comet returns, the old magic girls lose their powers while new magic girls are born under its favor.


    Like plants and trees changing with the seasons, one withers while another thrives.


    Sometimes, the fragments of the Qiyamate Comet attach to animals, transforming them into ''Contracted Beasts.''


    These Contracted Beasts choose a suitable human girl to make a contract with and share their power with her.


    The girls who sign these contracts become so-called ''Contracted Species Magic Girls,'' fundamentally different from ''Comet Fragment Species Magic Girls'': their power comes from the comet fragments inside the contracted beasts, and not from within themselves.


    In Ke Mingye''s version, Magic Girl Xiaohongmao, ahem, was a Comet Fragment Species Magic Girl; otherwise, he couldn''t explain to Bai Zini why she didn''t have a Contracted Beast.


    "Then why are you following me?" she asked, her tone even colder, "and how do you know who I am?"


    "It''s a long story, I met someone called ''strange thing'' two days ago," Xiaohongmao said.


    "¡­Strange thing?"


    Ash frowned slightly, muttering the name as if it sounded familiar.


    Suddenly, she remembered that day on the elevated tracks, seeing that eerie gray figure whose head had been cut off yet could still speak.


    "Strange Thing, what an appropriate name."


    "We''ll meet again, Miss Ash, I''ve died, but there are countless others like me who will return¡­" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her mind echoed with those words and that uncanny, soul-shivering laughter, making her right hand tremble slightly on the umbrella handle, her expression colder.


    That ugly thing is still alive? she thought and now it''s spreading my identity everywhere, endlessly.


    "Why do you know it?"


    Magical Girl Ash fell silent for a moment, then turned her face and asked. The breeze lifted the gray ribbons on her head, causing her jet-black hair to flutter elegantly in the wind.


    "That day I was watching television. There was news about you on the TV, and I quietly wished, ''I really want to meet Miss Ash.'' When I turned my head, it was waving at me," Xiaohongmao said, pressing her finger against the brim of her hat and speaking softly.


    Upon hearing this, Ash got goosebumps, thinking to herself, does that strange thing enjoy eavesdropping that much?


    "And then what?" she asked, frowning.


    "I was scared at first, but then I thought, since I''m a magic girl, I opened the window. It immediately started talking, ''I know Ash, she''s Bai Zini, your classmate at school,''"


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao paused: "Then, to confirm what it said was true, I started following you."


    Magical Girl Ash was silent for a moment, her eyes downcast and hidden by her falling bangs.


    After a while, she slowly began to speak.


    "If you meet it again, pass on a message for me," she said.


    "What message?"


    "Next time I see it, I will kill it," she declared.


    Ke Mingye, caught off guard, thought to himself that''s too violent, isn''t it, little sister? Isn''t this what a magic girl should say? You''re already showing signs of becoming a witch.


    "Okay, I understand," Xiaohongmao said. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to follow you."


    "Undo your transformation," Magical Girl Ash said coldly, looking into Xiaohongmao''s eyes, "Let me see what you really look like, then I''ll believe you."


    Ke Mingye paused for a split second, thinking but I didn''t put any clothes on the Deception Puppet, what should I do now?


    "But senior, I''m not wearing any clothes," Xiaohongmao said.


    "Why aren''t you wearing clothes?"


    "Aren''t you supposed to take off your clothes before you transform?"


    "Who on Earth taught you that?"


    "It was mentioned in the comments of the Magic Girl Support Association," she explained.


    Ash took a cold breath and scolded, holding her forehead, "Please, that''s just a bunch of perverts who don''t understand magic girls at all. How could you believe them? Stop browsing those sites, okay? There''s no one normal there."


    "Because I''m a fan of yours, I often browse your fan site," Xiaohongmao said hesitantly, "I know, there are even men commenting there wanting to wear your¡­"


    "Stop! Enough!"


    Magical Girl Ash''s ears turned red all at once, and she quickly interrupted what Xiaohongmao was saying. Even though she tried to appear calm, the anger in her eyes was very apparent.


    She hugged her shoulders, her gloved fingers gently tapping her arms as she spoke.


    "As a magical girl, the first thing you should learn is to spend less time online reading comments about yourself; otherwise, your blood pressure might rise. Understand?"


    "I understand."


    "So what do you want to do now?" Ash asked again.


    Please, after talking for so long, we finally got to this point. Ke Mingye sighed and commanded the Deception Puppet.


    "I want to join the Magical Girl Alliance," said Magical Girl Xiaohongmao.


    "You can."


    "Ah?" Xiaohongmao was stunned by such a decisive reply, "Is it that casual?"


    "It''s fine. You''ll soon find out that the president of the Alliance is an even more casual person," Ash said. "And this thing isn''t as great as you think; the China branch is almost closing down, all held together by Senior Xizi Yue alone."


    "Okay, then how do I meet them?"


    "Right here." Ash pointed to the ground beneath her feet.


    "Here?"


    "I''ll send her a WeChat message, and she will come over right away."


    Ash spoke softly, reaching inside Cinderella''s umbrella and pulling out a Magic Book.


    "No, not this," she muttered, putting the Magic Book back and continuing to fumble inside the umbrella, finally managing to find her phone and pulling it out.


    So, your Cinderella can also serve as a Hundred Treasures Bag, huh? How do you manage to hide both the phone and Magic Book in there?


    Ke Mingye tilted his head, completely astonished, thinking how multifunctional Bai Zini''s Magic Wand was.


    Ash looked down, opened WeChat, clamped the umbrella handle under her arm, and began to type. She typed a message in the chat box and sent it.


    "Master, a magic girl wants to join the Alliance; hurry over," she said.


    Two seconds later, a huge hole the size of a soccer field net suddenly broke open near the rooftop, filled with chaotic grey-blue flowing lights, resembling the chaotic code that makes up space and time.


    Immediately afterward, a dark green tram thundered out from it, the wheels pressing down on the ground. The sounds of the engine and the horn overlapped and echoed in the mid-air.


    A massive beam of light from the headlight shone on Xiaohongmao''s face, making her cover her eyes unwillingly. Looking through the glass, one could see a figure sitting in the driver''s seat.


    Ke Mingye''s brain had crashed, thinking, so you magic girls have your exclusive means of transport, huh?


    "This is a Space Department Magic Card created by Senior Xizi Yue, serial number 03, Space-Time Train."


    Ash, expressionless as she was used to it, held one arm across her shoulders while pulling the frightened Xiaohongmao to her side, introducing the situation to her.


    After a while, the tram calmed down, all lights turned off, only leaving two pumpkin lanterns still lit on the roof. Dressed in a light blue cheongsam, Magical Girl Xizi Yue opened the tram door and slowly stepped down the steps.


    "Is it her?" Xizi Yue asked.


    "Yes, Grandmaster, she is the one who wants to join the Alliance," Ash said.


    Xizi Yue looked at Xiaohongmao for a moment, "Your magic power nature is quite special, Snow. This is the first time I''ve encountered this type of magic power; maybe you can, like Lilai, create a new Magic Card."


    As she spoke, she summoned the Magic Book, and a book engraved with strange patterns fell from mid-air into her hands. She opened a page and pulled out a blank file.


    "This is your resume, fill it out, and then contact us using the details above."


    After speaking, she handed the file to Magical Girl Xiaohongmao.


    Xiaohongmao caught the file, looked down at it, and then Magical Girl Ash let go of her shoulder and followed Xizi Yue, stepping onto the Space-Time Train.


    "I and Master are heading to New York for a meeting; we''re leaving first."


    Magical Girl Ash sat in the passenger seat, fiddling with her phone without lifting her head, and casually waved twice through the window to Xiaohongmao.


    Xizi Yue sat down in the driver''s seat and picked up a pack of chips from it.


    "The file''s details can be filled out casually; I''m reviewing the China division, and my demands are not that strict," she said to Xiaohongmao while pulling the lever on the vehicle.


    The next moment, the tram clattered again, sounding like thousands of wind chimes swaying. A rift in space-time quickly formed in front of the tram, sucking the whole vehicle into it.


    The booming engine noise settled, and only Xiaohongmao was left on the rooftop, holding the file in a daze.


    "Congratulations, you have completed the second node target of the main quest ''Destroy the Magical Girl Alliance''¡ªapproaching the Magical Girl Alliance through ''Magical Girl Ash''."


    "The next target node of the main quest is: infiltrate the Magical Girl Alliance under the guise of Xiaohongmao, bide your time, and assassinate the three heads of the Alliance (Lilai, Udina, Xizi Yue)."


    "Node reward obtained: Near A-level item¡ª''Permanent Magical Girl Transformation Card,'' 2000 Experience Points, 5 attribute points, 1500 Mall Coins."


    "Your level has been raised to Lv.7 (0/4000 points), and you have gained 1 attribute point as a leveling reward."


    "You have a total of 6 spare attribute points; please allocate them timely."

 Chapter 059 Preview of Mr. Fan Quans Instance

    Ke Mingye sat cross-legged on his bedroom bed, eyes downturned, flipping through a book called "Five Years of College Entrance Exams, Three Years of Mock Tests.""Playing a game of house every day isn''t enough, and now I have to add a magical girl role-playing game."


    As he twirled a pen, he looked at the node reward, ''Permanent Magical Girl Transformation Card,'' and thought to himself.


    "But even if they give me this thing, I can''t let the doll mix in with them all the time... With such a hollow background, a single check would spell doom. Nonetheless, this transformation card is still a combat enhancement item."


    "I can put the magical girl mainline on hold for now; the next node goal is to defeat the three giants of the Alliance, which requires at least the strength of an S-class superhuman." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye pondered that the family mainline node goals were set unreasonably. The difficulty of such tasks should generally escalate progressively.


    The first node was fine, but the second node was like jumping straight from newbie difficulty to hell mode.


    For example, Bai Qiuwu''s mainline node goal is "to find the other Divine Communicators in the world and kill them."


    Ke Xiaomo''s mainline node is "to wait for the day the Ninja Sect begins their move on July 4th, observe his choices, and assist him."


    Bai Zini''s mainline node is "to kill the three giants of the Alliance," and Ke Yinzhi''s mainline node is "to cooperate with Black Judge and kill the other S-class executives of the Enforcement Bureau."


    No matter how you look at it, these are out of his league¡ªoverstepping would be like courting an explosion.


    So, if he got the chance next, he would have to start the mainlines of "Ke Yongzhu (Dragon of Calamity)," "Ke Youqing (Qing Ya)," and "Bai Ziling (Vampire);"


    As for mom, of course, she could only be left alone for now¡ªwho would dare provoke a hidden final boss at the beginning of the game?


    With that in mind, Ke Mingye opened his personal panel, assigning 6 attribute points gained from leveling up and node rewards to the "Physical Fitness" category.


    [Attribute points have been added to "Physical Fitness", your "Physical Fitness" attribute has changed: 45¡ú51 points.]


    From the player''s attributes, the progress was incredibly swift. The "Physical Fitness" category was approaching the minimum standard for an E-class superhuman.


    This was thanks to the advantage of the "family mainline tasks," which other players did not have.


    Without these missions, Ke Mingye''s development speed would probably be at the bottom among the players as others did not face the same restrictions as he did.


    Ke Mingye got up from the bed, put on his slippers, and headed downstairs.


    Walking down the stairs, something occurred to him, and he slowed his pace.


    "Wait a minute, could it be possible that the magical girls are gathering in New York because the Girl''s Alliance already knows about the ''players''..." he wondered.


    Ke Yinzhi, while drying his hands with a towel, turned to him and said, "Your caf¨¦ au lait is ready."


    "Call Qiuwu and mom down for breakfast."


    Ke Xiaomo had also returned home; he unlocked the door, speaking as he stepped out of his shoes and walked into the kitchen, carrying a clear bag filled with plastic food containers.


    "Oh, I''ll go call them."


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye paused on the stairs, turned back to the second floor, and knocked on the second bedroom door: "Sis, it''s time to eat. Second brother brought breakfast back."


    "Shh, let me sleep a bit more, you guys start without me."


    Bai Qiuwu''s listless voice came from the room, as if she hadn''t slept well and was murmuring into the pillow.


    "Alright."


    Ke Mingye didn''t insist, moving to knock on their mother''s bedroom door. Hardly had he knocked once when he got yelled at, so he went back downstairs, covering his ears, and shrugged at his elder brother.


    "Can''t wake them," he said in silent lip-speak.


    "Then let''s eat without them," Ke Xiaomo said as he placed the containers on the dining table.


    Ke Yinzhi set up the tableware on the edge of the table and, with a smirk, called out to the two children watching TV in the living room: "Zi Ling, Yongzhu, time to eat."


    "Oh, I''ll be there in a sec."


    Bai Ziling responded in a low voice but still squatted on the couch without moving.


    "I''m almost done watching; what''s the rush?"


    Ke Yongzhu chewed his gum, his muffled voice countering as he remained focused on the TV showing "Kung Fu Panda," not even blinking.


    Ke Mingye silently approached the back of the sofa, and while they weren''t paying attention, he grabbed the remote and changed the channel to a news station¡ªPo''s big face vanished in a flash.


    Instantaneously, both kids shot unfriendly glances at him, especially Ke Yongzhu, who seemed ready to bite with a darkened expression.


    "You''ve watched ''Kung Fu Panda'' several times already; are you going to miss this one time? Come on, hurry up and eat," Ke Mingye said indifferently.


    "Fine," Zi Ling got off the couch expressionlessly, slipped on her slippers, and walked into the kitchen.


    Ke Mingye disdainfully looked at Ke Yongzhu, who still refused to give in. "How much do you even like pandas?" he asked, holding the remote out of reach of the schoolboy.


    "Go eat, Yongzhu, don''t force people to repeat themselves," their father finally spoke from his spot reading the newspaper, prompting Ke Yongzhu to concede with a scowl, get off the couch, and obediently head to the dining table.


    Just as Ke Mingye was about to switch off the television with the remote, the host began reporting breaking news: "We interrupt our regular programming with urgent news. A bank robbery has occurred in Huanjing West District. Law enforcement has been in a standoff with the criminals for a long time, and the Superhero Association claims that the superhero ''Ink Writer'' is on his way to the scene..."


    He promptly pressed the power button. The TV screen went black, and the host''s voice cut off abruptly.


    "Dinner''s ready, old man."


    Ke Mingye said, while counting down in his mind: "Three... two... one."


    Just as the countdown hit "one," Ke Youqing folded up the newspaper, placed it on the table, then rose from his chair and said, "I''m going downstairs to buy a pack of smokes."


    "Can''t you go after dinner? Forget about your damn cigarettes for once."


    Ke Mingye said hopelessly, thinking to himself that the news already reported other superheroes taking care of things, so could you please stop worrying?


    But Ke Youqing had already put on his leather shoes and left the house, leaving behind a sentence neither warm nor cold.


    "Don''t learn to smoke from me; that way, you won''t get addicted..."


    After speaking, he closed the front door with a bang.


    Right, right, right, I guess your "smoking addiction" won''t quit unless you wipe out a whole nest of supervillains, right? Ke Mingye muttered to himself internally as he walked into the kitchen and pulled up a chair next to Bai Ziling.


    He picked up a pair of chopsticks and, resting his chin in his other hand, said, "Hey, there sure are a lot of lazybones in this house."


    Ke Yinzhi took a sip of coffee and, smiling, asked him, "Speaking of which, what''s got you up early lately? Used to be you''d have lunch for breakfast, right?"


    "Physical education exam. If I don''t put in the effort, it''ll drag down my overall grade."


    "Both your second brother and I scored full marks. I hope you don''t drag down the family average," Ke Yinzhi challenged with a raise of his chopsticks.


    "How could I compare with you two old monsters."


    Ke Mingye muttered with his chopsticks in his mouth and rolled his eyes at them.


    Ke Xiaomo looked around the kitchen and living room, then asked Ke Mingye, "Where''s Xiao Ni?"


    "In a meeting," Ke Mingye replied, "Oh no, wait, she''s out jogging."


    Ke Xiaomo took a sip of soy milk, then continued, "Why didn''t you stop her? Her breakfast is getting cold."


    "Please, like I could stop her. She''s got such a temper. Best to let her run and find something to eat outside afterward."


    Saying this, Ke Mingye used his chopsticks to lift a piece of shumai to his mouth, thinking to himself that the food in New York must be awful.


    But considering Xizi Yue could use the time-space train to commute, they didn''t necessarily have to breakfast in the United States.


    During this not-too-short, not-too-long breakfast time, Ke Mingye kept observing Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu out of the corner of his eye, aiming to see how a dragon and a vampire reacted to ordinary human food.


    Bai Ziling managed quite well; the food was truly being eaten.


    However, she frequently transferred food from her bowl to Ke Mingye''s, under the noble pretext of "Here, big bro, I don''t like this one; it''s for you, no thanks."


    Ke Yongzhu was different, after eating half she would usually visit the restroom to vomit what she ate into the toilet and flush it away, then pretend to wash her hands and go back to the restroom to continue vomiting.


    So it appeared, either Bai Ziling was more tolerant than Ke Yongzhu, or the Cataclysmic Dragon felt a greater aversion to human food than the vampire.


    After breakfast, Ke Mingye sat on the living room sofa and picked up the remote control to turn on the TV.


    As he expected, the news currently being broadcast was about the superhero ''Qing Ya'' handling a bank robbery incident; the culprit had been handed over to the police, and there were multiple casualties during the event.


    As a model worker of Huanjing, Qing Ya was pretty much monopolizing other superheroes'' opportunities, so many Chinese superheroes were reluctant to work in Huanjing because Qing Ya had a tendency to hog the credit for all events, big or small.


    Thus, not only did he have a poor reputation among the general populace, but even most of his colleagues would spit at the mention of his name.


    Meanwhile, Ke Youqing used his key to open the door and enter the house, bending down to take off his shoes.


    "Did you save me any food?" he asked, with a cigarette dangling in his mouth, his voice sounding gruff.


    "How dare we not? I suggest you register the name ''Tobacco Hero'' and make your debut as a supervillain straight away," Ke Mingye sarcastically shot back.


    "You little rascal..."


    Ke Youqing chuckled, tousled his hair from behind the sofa, then made his way to the kitchen and sat down at the dining table, snuffing out his cigarette butt and disposing of it in the trash can.


    He began eating the leftover breakfast while flipping through the ''Superhero Society Publication'' he hadn''t finished reading.


    Right then, a bubble popped up in the top-right corner of Ke Mingye''s vision in the communicator''s chat list, signifying that he had received a message from the local players'' discussion group.


    [Fan Quan: Found a suitable instance, today at three in the afternoon, at the abandoned train station on Old Jingmai District No. 4 Street.]


    [Good Ju Zipi: Received.]


    "WTF, isn''t that the ''Crazy Train Station'' instance I encountered on my jog the other day?"


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking to himself.


    "Looks like... since Fan Quan has already notified everyone to gather, they must''ve tried challenging the instance once. The boss inside must not be as tough as imagined."


    He typed his thoughts in the chat group as a response.


    [Failed Man: All right, I''ll be there at three sharp.]


    [Fan Quan: Try to arrive early if possible; we still need to discuss tactics, and I have something on tonight.]


    Ke Mingye read the message and stretched on the sofa, thinking to himself that it was another classic instance run timing, perfect for testing out my new skill and seeing how effective it really is.


    With his current level and physical attributes, facing other players of the same stage should be practically a dimension-reducing blow.

 Chapter 060 The Warrant for the Dice Monster

    June 21st, 2:30 PM, at the Ke Bai family residence.Ke Xiaomo went upstairs, hesitated for half a second, and with slightly bent fingers, gently knocked on the wooden door in front of him, producing a thunking sound.


    "The door''s unlocked," Ke Yinzhi said. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Ke Xiaomo reached out, turned the doorknob, pushed the door open, and entered the room, promptly closing the door behind him.


    Looking up, he saw Ke Yinzhi lying on a black recliner, holding a copy of "Ulysses" in one hand and constructing a tower with playing cards on the windowsill with the other.


    He pulled a playing card from the deck, pinched it between his index and middle finger, and slowly laid it atop the inverted V-structure made by two other cards.


    After ensuring that the tower remained stable, Ke Yinzhi closed the book in his hand and moved his gaze to ask, "What''s up?"


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment before asking, "This morning during my run, I encountered a strange character. He called himself ''a strange thing.'' Do you have any clue about him?"


    "Strange thing..." Ke Yinzhi mumbled the name then suddenly raised his eyebrows and turned to him, "Are you talking about ''Dice Monster''?"


    "You''ve met it?" Ke Xiaomo asked, his expression curious.


    "I have," he said.


    Speaking, Ke Yinzhi shrugged and set the book on the table, "Ah, that thing isn''t exactly human. It''s more like a kind of robot or puppet. The person controlling it probably doesn''t care if it gets destroyed, which is why they let it wander in front of us without any fear."


    Speaking, he self-mockingly smirked, "Uh... at that time, my mind was so preoccupied with Bai Qiuwu, I didn''t bother with this Dice Monster. Looking back now, seems like I ought to have given it some respect."


    Ke Yinzhi hesitated for half a second, debating whether to tell Ke Xiaomo about Qiuwu meeting the Dice Monster on the overpass the previous night, but ultimately he decided to keep it to himself.


    "Do you think there''s a chance?" Ke Xiaomo suddenly asked.


    "A chance of what?"


    "That it''s a player," Ke Xiaomo proposed.


    "There''s a chance," Ke Yinzhi paused, "but it can''t be confirmed yet."


    "Why not?"


    "Based on the information I have, these players should still be quite weak. Like the two players I caught before, they robbed a convenience store with rifles, not superpowers," Ke Yinzhi added, pausing, "so, I think, at this stage, it''s unlikely for a player to possess such complex abilities."


    Ke Xiaomo recalled the morning''s events and said softly, "Even though the guy looked intimidating, his combat strength was weak. What was unique was his ability to shoot highly adhesive, tough spider silk, and even that wasn''t his own ability, but achieved through some sort of technological device on his wrist."


    "Indeed," Ke Yinzhi looked up, "so, what else did it tell you?"


    "It mentioned something about ''Ninja Sect'' and ''Catastrophe Dragon Kind.'' It was rambling, and the gist was that I would face a painful choice eventually, but it wasn''t very clear," Ke Xiaomo explained, pausing, "It also said... that it''s friends with Qing Ya, Magical Girl Ash, and Black Wukong, and maybe they could help me when the time comes."


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yinzhi couldn''t help but chuckle, as if he had heard some grand joke.


    After coughing twice, he said lightly, "The moment you heard ''Qing Ya,'' you should have known it was bluffing. In my memory, Qing Ya never privately associates with others, even including me."


    "Indeed, but I don''t know why..."


    Ke Yinzhi cut him off, "Are you very concerned about it?"


    "A bit," Ke Xiaomo admitted.


    "You know, if I took every villain''s illogical rantings seriously, letting them disturb and influence me, by now I would probably not be sitting here but locked up in England''s Bedlam Asylum," Ke Yinzhi remarked.


    Sipping his coffee, he continued, "So, I suggest you not take that unknown character too seriously, lest you entangle yourself unnecessarily."


    He shrugged, "Especially since it doesn''t seem to be mentally stable."


    "Right," Ke Xiaomo said softly, "it''s embarrassing that I thought I had disciplined my mind well, yet I was still affected by it."


    "Don''t worry, I already submitted its file to the Management Bureau''s upper echelon last night. According to them, they''ve forwarded its details to the Superhero Association, which means this matter is now under their jurisdiction," Ke Yinzhi said, "The Superhero Association has already issued a warrant for ''Dice Monster'' on their official website.


    Superheroes will soon join the effort to capture it."


    Setting down his cup, he asked with interest, "Speaking of superheroes in Huanjing, who''s the first one that comes to your mind?"


    "Qing Ya?" Ke Xiaomo blurted out.


    Apart from Qing Ya, other iconic superheroes in Huanjing largely fell short, with only a few exceptions. Thus, Ke Yinzhi once said that if they worked together, they could take on half the Superhero Association with no problems.


    "Right, meaning this matter is now Qing Ya''s responsibility. Given his abilities, it shouldn''t take long to uncover the truth behind the Dice Monster and arrest it," Ke Yinzhi said with a smile, "If you are still uneasy, I can ask about those nonsensical ramblings on your behalf when I go there."


    "I''m relieved to hear that," Ke Xiaomo said, lowering his eyes and letting out a long sigh, "let me know the moment you get any information about that Dice Monster."


    "Of course, but you should rest a bit, don''t be too tense," Ke Yinzhi replied, looking straight at Ke Xiaomo, "It''s just a juvenile disaster dragon species, not as difficult to deal with as you imagine. Your Sect Master is making too much of a fuss over it, and moreover, he''s underestimating your strength; you might even be able to handle that dragon perfectly on your own."


    "Being cautious is a good thing."


    "But being overly cautious can trip you up. Since we were kids, that''s one thing I''ve never understood about you," Ke Yinzhi said slowly.


    "That''s the difference between us, otherwise I wouldn''t be a Ninja, and you wouldn''t have become an officer in the Management Bureau."


    "That''s just your old ''personality determines fate'' spiel," Ke Yinzhi said, "but I really can''t see myself ever becoming a Ninja. How is that any different from being a Taoist?"


    Ke Xiaomo was frank, "If it wasn''t for that accident, I think you''d most likely have ended up a gambler."


    Ke Yinzhi brushed it off, picking up the book from the table again, "Then I should be grateful I became a mutant, at least I don''t have to bear the unpleasant title of a gambler."


    "Anyway, I''m off now," said Ke Xiaomo.


    "Heading to training?"


    "Yes, conserve and build up energy, preparing for the battle in two weeks'' time."


    "Good luck."


    Ke Xiaomo turned the doorknob, walking slowly out of the room and casually closing the door behind him.


    He lowered his head, thinking that if it were Qing Ya, he would be able to dig up the details on that Dice Monster soon.


    By then, they would be able to know whether all those cryptic words were just nonsense or if they really meant that something was about to happen¡­


    ......


    ......


    Time rewound to a few minutes earlier.


    Ke Mingye listened to the faint conversations coming from the adjacent room. Although he couldn''t make out the details, he confirmed that his second brother was in there talking with his oldest brother.


    He glanced at the clock on the wall, thinking, "It''s almost time; I need to hurry and meet up with Fan Quan and the others at the instance site. While my second brother is in the next room, I''ll let the Deception Puppet out."


    With that in mind, Ke Mingye walked to the coat rack and took out a casual T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Then, he walked to the French windows, opened them, and placed the Deception Puppet on the windowsill before stuffing the two pieces of clothing into its arms and commanded it to jump up to the rooftop of the duplex.


    Subsequently, the Deception Puppet slowly dressed in the T-shirt and jeans, its feet still bare.


    Regarding the shoes, Ke Mingye planned to have the Deception Puppet steal a pair of children''s shoes from a nearby children''s clothing store. It must be said that the web shooter was perfectly convenient for stealing, grabbing whatever it touched as it retracted the sticky web.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye ordered it to transform into the appearance of a 16-year-old boy, a look familiar to Fan Quan, Ju Zipi, and the other three players.


    After a series of preparatory actions, he let it leap from the rooftop, using the web shooter to move quickly through the streets towards the children''s clothing store in Old Jingmai District.


    The Deception Puppet shot a web towards the eaves of the store, dangling down as it stretched out its hand to open a window high up.


    Then, it lowered its right hand, shooting a web through this hidden window, sticking to a box containing new shoes, pulled it forcefully into its hand, quickly unwrapped it, and slipped on the shoes.


    Shortly after, the puppet released the web and gently landed in a nearby alley, straightening its tousled hair.


    While stepping out of the alley, it turned its head to glance at its reflection in the glass of the children''s clothing store, looking completely like the vibrant young teen it was supposed to mimic.


    "Should I light some incense and pray that this instance doesn''t go south? If the puppet dies even once, they''ll immediately figure out I''m deceiving them," Ke Mingye lay on the bed, placing his right arm under his head while staring at the mold spots on the ceiling, pondering.


    Honestly, ensuring that no instance goes south is a difficult task, but luckily Fan Quan only alerts them once the necessary preparations are made.


    As ironic as it was, this actually gave Ke Mingye the courage to bluff his way through.


    Soon, the puppet approached the entrance to the abandoned train station on Old Jingmai District No. 4 Street, where three figures clothed from head to toe were waiting for it.


    Simultaneously, the instance panel also appeared in its vision.


    [Instance Name: Crazy Train Station]


    [Instance Location: Old Jingmai District, Abandoned Train Station]


    [Instance Difficulty: F Level (Recommended for players under level 10 to team up)]

 Chapter 061 Instance 7 Boss Battle (Part 1)

    June 21st, three in the afternoon, Old Jingmai District Street No. 4.This was one of the most deserted streets in Old Jingmai, under the eaves of the abandoned train station entrance, where three figures leaned against the wall, quietly waiting for someone''s arrival.


    Mingye recognized them at first glance through the perspective of the Deception Puppet.


    Fan Quan was wearing a dark-high neck jacket, a Lustig''s hat atop his head. He was looking down at his phone, the raised collar hiding his profile;


    Qing Meng wore a band-printed tank top under her jacket, with her light blue hair still tied in a ponytail. She hugged her shoulders, bored, looking around;


    Ju Zipi was dressed in casual clothes but also wore a cap. He was reading a novel from the Cthulhu Mythos titled "Fantasy Tales," with a slight smirk on his lips.


    Mingye walked slowly towards the trio and leaned against the wall next to them. The three of them silently shot a glance at him, with two quickly looking away.


    "You''re here, Spider Man," Ju Zipi said with a smile.


    "Always the last one to arrive, quite typical of you," Qing Meng said.


    "Punk girl, what do you mean ''always the last one''? It''s only been twice, okay?" Mingye glared at them, "Also, can''t you call me ''Failed Man''?"


    Fan Quan said, "It''s too long and complicated, Spider Man is just fine."


    Mingye turned to him, "Cultured man, in this hot weather, aren''t you a bit too suspicious dressed like that?"


    "Am I not allowed to feel cold, mind your own business."


    "Speaking of which, the leaderboard says you''ve killed four superhumans, hasn''t the Superhero Association issued a warrant for you yet?"


    "No, they''re not sure it''s the same person who did it. I''m actually looking forward to what nickname they''ll end up giving me," Fan Quan adjusted his glasses.


    "What if Qing Ya comes after you?"


    "I''ll just die and show him," Fan Quan said expressionlessly, "Enough chitchat, everyone''s here, let''s enter the instance. I told you I have something else today, let''s make it quick."


    With that, he closed the black leather book in his hands, stood up from the wall he was leaning against, and led the way to the entrance of the station.


    Mingye was taken aback, "Just like that we''re entering the instance? Shouldn''t we discuss tactics first?"


    "We''ll talk specifics inside the instance, it''s not that complicated. This instance is different from the last one, we need to walk a bit after entering before we reach the Boss battle area," Fan Quan explained as he walked ahead.


    Mingye looked towards Ju Zipi and Qing Meng, pointed towards Fan Quan''s receding figure with a facial expression that screamed ''this guy is nuts'', and silently mouthed, "You guys okay with this?"


    "He''s the strategist," Ju Zipi said.


    "Dog-headed strategist," Qing Meng remarked.


    They brushed past Mingye, and although confused, he didn''t fall behind and quickly caught up, stretching out his hand.


    As the team''s four hands touched, the panel seemed to surge with energy, gradually brightening.


    The next second, their figures had already vanished from the spot.


    [You have entered the "Crazy Train Station" instance, soon you will arrive at the Boss battle area.]


    Mingye opened his eyes, and what met his pupils was a damp, cramped corridor with walls embedded with a sign, showing a blue background and black font that read "Platform 7 ahead."


    Looking back, he saw the path blocked by layers of rocks, seeming to signify that there was no turning back.


    At this moment, Qing Meng had already taken out two firearms from her backpack. Unlike last time, she was wielding two Desert Eagles, their silver-white bodies stood out in the dark.


    The four moved forward, with Fan Quan at the front speaking, "Once we leave this corridor, we''ll be at the Boss battle area."


    "Train platform?" Mingye said.


    "This time the Boss is a train conductor."


    After this, Fan Quan began describing what this instance''s Boss looked like and the specific mechanics involved.


    Mingye and Ju Zipi listened intently, unfamiliar with this instance, unlike Qing Meng and Fan Quan.


    "Strategist, why does my role sound so dire?" Mingye couldn''t help asking after learning about his part from them.


    "Just like last time, only you can do this," Fan Quan replied.


    "Why does this sound so much like a pyramid scheme sales pitch? Is Myanmar Train Station up ahead?"


    "I''m just telling the truth."


    Soon, the four of them reached the end of the corridor, and what came into view was a stairway leading upwards, with the adjacent elevator having ceased operation. Light poured in from above the platform.


    As they followed the source of light upwards, it was as if they were about to step into heaven, their eyes squinting slightly, unable to adapt to the sudden bright light.


    They finally arrived at the boss battle site.


    Ke Mingye turned his head to look around, finding himself on a long-abandoned platform.


    The sign marked "Platform 7" was covered in moss, the ground pockmarked and wet with stagnant water, and the columns of the platform were marred with age-old cracks, spreading out like the arms of ghosts in all directions.


    Water accumulated on the eaves and formed thin streams through the gaps, which slowly fell to the ground, tirelessly tapping on the old tracks with a drip-drop sound.


    "Get ready, just a few more steps forward, and the boss battle will start."


    "Is it that exaggerated?"


    Ke Mingye whispered, the sound of their footsteps overlapping with the falling water made him shiver, and the deep, eerie atmosphere in the air seemed to intensify.


    [Total number of players participating in this instance: 4]


    [The official raid instance begins now, please do whatever it takes to defeat the boss inside the instance¡ªCrazy Train Conductor.]


    As they walked, a warning panel popped up in front of them.


    Following that, the platform under their feet began to change, the world seemed suddenly compressed, and the rectangular ground eventually narrowed into a square platform about ten meters wide.


    In the sunset, an old rail track encircled the bizarre square platform tightly. Then, deep, bottomless tunnels appeared at each corner of the platform, their destinations unknown.


    As the boss arena was set, the main character of this place made its entrance.


    Puffing steam whistle sounds along with the thundering engine noises roared above the platform, nearly piercing Ke Mingye''s eardrums; a dark train then burst from the tunnel on the northwest side of the platform.


    This train seemed endless, with a squad of pitch-black figures stationed on top of the carriages, resembling a cloud of dark clouds hovering over the roof.


    They held flame guns or machetes.


    Their faces were fierce, with a hint of red glow at the corners of their eyes, as if they could squeeze out blood.


    [Boss name of the instance: Crazy Train Conductor]


    [Boss level of the instance: Lv6.5]


    [Introduction of the instance boss:


    The conductor has gone mad. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A hundred years ago, he got lost on this Mobius Strip-like track, no matter which direction he went or which tunnel he entered, he would inevitably return to this square platform.


    Many times, he tried to escape from the train with the passengers, to see if they could escape from the platform. But every person who disembarked died, turning into a burst of blood foam before his eyes.


    Since then, the conductor has traveled on this looping track for many, many years.


    He prayed every day, and slowly despaired, knowing he would never reach his destination and never see his child again.


    But for the passengers, and for those lovely lads, he made a secret decision in his heart.


    He decided to take up the responsibility of the train conductor, to form a team with the unfortunate passengers who arrived at this platform, and to ride forever on this track until death.


    Then one day, after he woke up from the driver''s seat, he found a strange figure reflected in the mirror of the driver''s cabin.


    The person was holding his stomach, laughing wildly at him.


    The conductor placed his arms on the table, constantly moving his face closer to the mirror, staring blankly for a long time, only to realize that the one laughing was...


    ¡ªhimself.]

 Chapter 062 Instance 7 Boss Battle (Part 2)

    [Warning: The battle against Boss "Mad Train Conductor" has commenced. All players, engage with all your might!!!]Ke Mingye crouched down, his face upturned as he intently observed the dark train that rushed out from the tunnel.


    To clear this instance, they had to kill the train''s conductor.


    The conductor was located in the driving cabin at the front of the train.


    To get close to him, they first had to figure out a way to climb to the top of the train, then bypass the group of gunmen and swordsmen on the roof, before descending into the carriage through a narrow opening from above.


    Finally, they needed to rush from carriage five all the way to carriage one and into the driver''s cabin to finish off the powerless Boss, the conductor.


    The real difficulty of this instance lay in how to get inside the train. The "Mad Train Conductor" seemed to be the Boss, but actually had no combat capability.


    "The train is coming!"


    Fan Quan dashed over, taking shelter behind one of the thick pillars on the platform, and reminded the others, "Quick, get behind the pillars!"


    "Take cover first, don''t get shot!"


    Qing Meng hunkered down behind another platform pillar, as she spoke.


    "I know," Ke Mingye gasped, quickly taking cover behind another thick pillar along with Ju Zipi.


    The four watched the train speed past the tunnel from the east, as the ragged "passengers" standing on the roof raised their muskets, continuously firing at them.


    Muzzles flared with shots that struck the pillars, scattering sparks and flashes of light.


    The blistering wind roared past the cheeks of the four players.


    Then, accompanied by a weird laughter, the train entered the tunnel on the northeast side.


    Yet, though it seemed to head into the distance, the next moment, the train emerged from another unconnected tunnel, appearing on the southeastern side of the square platform.


    Ke Mingye silently watched this scene unfold.


    Just as Fan Quan said, each time the train entered a tunnel, it would emerge from one of the other three tunnels in a set pattern, cycling on the tracks to the north, south, east, and west of the platform. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was as if they were trapped in a Mobius Strip-like world.


    The four quickly shifted their positions to the other side of the pillars. With their backs against the pillars, they evaded the fierce barrage from the passengers'' muskets on top of the train.


    Sheets of gunfire rained down like a torrent, but they failed to touch the players, only leaving fierce black marks on the pillars.


    In barely four seconds, the mad train once again charged along the tracks and into the pitch-dark tunnel.


    "Which tunnel will it come from?!"


    Qing Meng peeked out from behind the pillar and shouted toward Fan Quan. The night before, when the two had entered the instance, Fan Quan had already memorized the train''s travel pattern.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, Fan Quan loudly replied to her, "The same one, it will burst out from the tunnel it just entered!"


    "If you lie to me, you are dead!"


    Qing Meng dropped to a knee, raising the barrels of her two Desert Eagles, her gaze fixed on the entrance of the southwest tunnel.


    Simultaneously, she activated the skill "Aggressive Focus", significantly increasing her hit rate with all forms of attack for one minute.


    In her pupils, reflected the entrance to the southwest tunnel, while strings of rushing data swirled, overlapping to form a bizarre world of light and shadow.


    Then, with the thunderous sound of the engine and the bright glare of the headlights, the train shot out from the tunnel.


    Well-prepared, Qing Meng aimed her guns at the roof, the setting sun casting a reddish tinge on the silvery gunmetal. At this moment, she pulled the triggers.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    The successive gunfire, like windows being battered by a storm, sent lead-colored Magnum bullets flying from the barrels unrelentingly, tearing through the twilight mist and sweeping toward the gunmen on the roof.


    Ignoring the recoil, Qing Meng''s fingers continuously squeezed the triggers.


    Her cheeks were lit a fiery red by the muzzle flash, her eyes unblinking, bright as torches, her light blue ponytail wavering like the tide in the scorching wind.


    In less than three seconds, all eight gunmen on the roof were wiped out, but the remaining bullets were precisely deflected by the knife-wielding "passengers".


    This was not something humans could do.


    According to the system settings, the thirteen swordsmen on the roof could not be taken down by ranged attacks, so Qing Meng''s bullets only worked on the other eight gunmen.


    But this was enough, as dealing with the swordsmen was the job of another two team members, and that was the real show.


    The next moment, the train rumbled into the tunnel on the southeast side, and the world briefly fell into silence.


    Seeing this, Fan Quan didn''t hesitate to shout, "The train will appear next at the northwest tunnel."


    "Got it!"


    Upon confirming the train''s next appearance from Fan Quan, Ke Mingye immediately dashed from behind the pillar with Ju Zipi.


    The former lowered his arm and shot a thick web towards the pillar on the southwest side of the platform, pulling on the strand to leap off the ground and swing diagonally upwards into the sky;


    The latter released a constant stream of water from his fingertips, which gathered in his hands to forge a wave-crafted longsword, and then into clusters of waves that flew around his body, providing an invisible buoyancy that allowed him to soar into the air!

 Chapter 063 Dice Monster, Isnt That You?

    After the conductor died, the train slowly came to a stop on the ancient tracks.The rumbling engine sound disappeared, and the exhaust pipes that had been working day and night let out one last puff of turbid white steam before falling silent, as if finally at rest.


    In the dead silence, the train under the twilight was slowly rotting like orange peel.


    If they didn''t leave within five minutes, they would automatically exit the instance, so all four of them boarded the train to search for any hidden stages or rewards inside.


    The first ten carriages of the train were standard, the middle five were sleeper carriages, and the last ten carriages were of various types: dining carriage, movie carriage, aquarium carriage, botanical garden carriage...


    Walking through each carriage was like traveling through a miniature of the wide world. However, with limited time, they merely glanced at these wonders and didn''t stop to appreciate them.


    Compared to the dignified environment, the shadows flitting across the train windows were as thin as blank pieces of paper-cut art.


    Unfortunately, they didn''t find anything valuable. Most items, such as "movie tapes," resulted in a prompt that said "This item cannot be taken out of the instance" upon closer inspection.


    "I didn''t expect this instance to be so easy," Qing Meng commented as she stopped in the aquarium carriage and looked at the rotting, mutated fish in the tank.


    Their bodies emitted a strange, flickering glow that faintly illuminated her face.


    "Normal," Fan Quan said, "The difficulty of this instance lies in changing one''s way of thinking to find the key. If we really had to fight those little monsters, we would be dead meat."


    "Isn''t it because Spider Man is overly strong?" Ju Zipi remarked.


    Ke Mingye turned and looked at him, "Ah, what does that have to do with me?"


    "I''m very curious about your physical fitness attribute score," Ju Zipi said, squinting his eyes at Ke Mingye.


    "Not much," Ke Mingye replied, "Doesn''t everyone have attributes in the tens? What''s there to talk about?"


    Ju Zipi pondered for a moment and said with a smile, "Hmm... why do I feel like your words are like someone who''s 199 centimeters tall saying that everyone is in the one meter range, and there''s nothing to ask about height?"


    "Then I''ll phrase it differently, personal privacy."


    "Uh, didn''t you just say something in the discussion group about how we share a common fate..."


    "Stop the chit-chat," Fan Quan cut off their conversation, "If you''re free, scoop out these four fish and check if there''s anything inside them." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye was about to pull out his web shooter to see if he could lift the fish out with webs, but then he thought there might be someone more suitable for the job right next to him.


    Ju Zipi summoned the Wave Blade, manipulating the water currents to drag the fish out of the tank and dissect them.


    As the fish were torn apart, irregularly shaped crystals and innards fell out en masse onto the ground, still smeared with blood. It seemed the light inside the fish came from those crystals.


    They bent down to pick up the crystals¡ªexactly four, seemingly spawned according to the number of players who entered the instance.


    [Item Name: Mutated Fish Crystal]


    [Item Level: Unknown]


    [Item Description: If you''re not afraid of death, swallow it and see. Something amazing might happen.]


    [Judgment: This item can be taken out of the instance and exchanged for Mall Coins in the shop.]


    After reading the description, Ke Mingye looked around at his three teammates and asked, "Anyone want to swallow one and give it a try?"


    They remained silent, shooting him a "are you stupid?" look.


    "Why are you looking at me? Maybe eating it will increase attributes," Ke Mingye shrugged.


    "You might as well say that eating it could turn you into a mutant, like a fish-person who can breathe underwater," Fan Quan suggested, "I think that would be quite a spectacle. Maybe there are instances hidden beneath the sea. Training underwater could be much faster than in a big city, with no superheroes or vigilantes watching over you."


    He paused, then continued rambling,


    "Besides, this world is full of wonders. You might come across an underwater ruin between the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas that holds the legacy power of Poseidon. Then with that, you could gain a divine connection with Poseidon. Wouldn''t that be great? You''d leave the other players miles behind."


    Ke Mingye nodded thoughtfully and put his hand on his shoulder, "I think the cultured man has a point. Do you two want to try? Poseidon is waiting at the bottom of the sea for you."


    "Rather be swallowed by a whale," Ju Zipi said.


    "Damn mutants, damn Poseidon, you two talk so fancifully, why don''t you try it yourselves?" Qing Meng scoffed, glancing disdainfully at them both.


    "Fine, let Fan Quan cast a ''Superhuman Will'' on me, and I''ll swallow it within 2.5 seconds," Ke Mingye suggested.


    "It''s Fan Quan, not Fan Dog," Fan Quan corrected him, then paused, "Also, it''s not every time you cast Gates of Humanities that you get Nietzsche. That skill is more about adapting on the fly and choosing the right theoretical skill from the randomly refreshed ones to use depending on the situation."


    "Forget it then, let''s just turn it into Mall Coins, who knows what might happen after swallowing this stuff," Ke Mingye concluded.


    Though he said this, Ke Mingye was actually quite curious to let a Deception Puppet swallow the Mutated Fish Crystal to see what would happen.


    Who knew, it might truly turn into a fish-person, then when being chased, jump into a sewer when in doubt¡ªthere certainly couldn''t be any superheroes who would swim through waste as he could.


    A perfect escape route was born just like that.


    "One crystal per person, if there are no objections, let''s get off the train. We have one minute to exit the instance," Fan Quan said, stepping off the train first.


    Then the four of them just sat on the platform, quietly watching the rusted tracks under the setting sun. The train car lay there forlorn, the sunset casting a faded red hue over it.


    "Exterminating the superhumans, do you think it''s really possible?"


    Ju Zipi suddenly asked.


    "If not, just treat it as a trip, since the world we come from is pretty boring anyway."


    Qing Meng gathered all the guns into her backpack, slung it over her shoulder, and spoke with indifference.


    Ke Mingye remained silent for a moment, then lifted his head to gaze at the giant sun.


    "Compared to that, could you kill innocent people?" he asked.


    "Your question is meaningless," Fan Quan said expressionlessly. "For example, we''re just insects trapped in a cage, without the right to contemplate the actions of those outside the cage, nor should we consider whether the other insects we fight with are innocent."


    He paused: "To struggle by any means necessary to stay alive is the most basic, and the last, right of every life."


    Ke Mingye was silent, his gaze lowered to the rusted track.


    He was about to speak when Qing Meng beat him to it.


    "Please, can''t your ideas be less formulaic?" she said. "This thing you call a system already calls you a player, so just go with it and treat this world like a game. You''ve played things like Grand Theft Auto, right? Do you feel guilty about killing in games like that?"


    "Believe it or not, I''ve never played it," Fan Quan said.


    "Neither have I," Ke Mingye said.


    "Feels not as good as... Genshin Impact."


    Ju Zipi looked down at the book ''Fantasy Tales'', mumbling to himself.


    Qing Meng opened her mouth, nearly suffocating with frustration.


    She was on the verge of pulling out a handgun from her bag and firing a bullet into each of their heads, but just then, the instance settlement panel appeared, diverting everyone''s attention.


    Ke Mingye looked up at the panel.


    [You will leave the instance in thirty seconds. The instance rewards have been delivered to each player''s inventory. Please confirm reception...]


    [You have received the standard completion reward for instance #7: One, 5000 Mall Coins; Two, 3000 Experience Points; Three, a set of train conductor uniforms (consisting of coat and trousers) (Grade E equipment).]


    [You have received the MVP additional completion reward for instance #7: One, 500 Experience Points; Two, 1000 Mall Coins; Three, the train conductor''s cap (Grade D equipment).]


    "Is this really the MVP reward?"


    Ke Mingye was astonished, thinking to himself that MVPs had such great benefits; he really shouldn''t slack off in the future.


    [Current experience progress: Lv.7 (3500 points / 4000 points)]


    [Current Mall Coins amount: 8260]


    "Knowing this is enough, saying it out loud makes you sound like a total pain," Qing Meng said.


    "I feel like the settlements are imbalanced. I should have been the MVP for both instances..."


    Fan Quan''s gaze swept over the settlement screen, his head lowered, murmuring to himself in confusion.


    "Cultured man, you had a damage share of zero in both instances. The fact that you weren''t flagged for being AFK is already lucky," Ju Zipi said with a smile. "Anyway, see you next time."


    In the final seconds before leaving the instance, Fan Quan suddenly turned to look at Ke Mingye: "By the way, Spider Man, I need to talk to you alone. After we leave the instance, you set the place."


    "Is there anything you can''t say now?"


    "There isn''t time, can''t do it now."


    "Then let''s meet at the dessert shop on Third Street."


    "Deal."


    As they were talking, the figures of the four disappeared. On the empty tracks, the train disintegrated into a heap with a mournful cry, melting into the desolate earth to nourish the weeds.


    When Ke Mingye opened his eyes again, he was in a deserted alley nearby. He walked out of the alley, and right around the corner was the meeting place he had arranged with Fan Quan.


    What does Cultured Man want to talk to me about?


    He wondered as he maneuvered his Deception Puppet into the dessert shop, taking a seat on the second floor.


    It wasn''t long before Fan Quan walked up the stairs of the dessert shop. He pulled up a chair opposite Ke Mingye and looked directly at him through his glasses, his gaze piercing.


    He said, "You''re on the Superhero Association''s official wanted list."


    "Me?"


    Ke Mingye asked, pointing at himself.


    He thought to himself, come on, how could a model youth like me be on the wanted list? Did Qing Ya accidentally upload his son''s handsome photo when he was posting the list of wanted criminals?


    Seeing Ke Mingye''s reaction, Fan Quan took out his phone unhurriedly, operated it for a moment, and then turned the screen towards Ke Mingye.


    He asked straightforwardly, "The Dice Monster, a Level C wanted criminal, that''s you, right?"

 Chapter 064 The Arsonist

    "C-level wanted criminal ''Dice Monster,'' charges: destruction of public facilities, arson on an overpass, and from his known behavior, he is suspected of having self-detonation abilities and can cause supernatural phenomena by throwing dice."Fan Quan took a glass of lemonade from the waiter, speaking unhurriedly. His voice was as low as possible, audible only to him and Ke Mingye.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye was stunned for a few seconds before he realized, thinking to himself, "Is this for real? I''ve made it onto the wanted list, and the Superhero Association has marked my level so high?"


    He commanded the Deception Puppet to look up, gazing intently at the "C-level wanted criminals list" on the Superhero Association''s official website.


    The first photo that caught his eye was "Dice Monster."


    In the photo, a gray figure squatted above a traffic light sign. It was dangling its hollow eyes downward, the corners of its mouth turned up high, and its right hand was throwing a die toward the street below.


    The reasons for the warrant and the display of abilities were exactly as Fan Quan had said, without a single word of difference.


    Fan Quan continued slowly, "This must be your doing, considering both the dice ability and the school uniform on the body, the details mostly match up. The appearance is a bit strange, but I''ll go ahead and assume that this mechanical body of yours can change its appearance at will, especially given the ''suspected self-detonation abilities''..."


    "Of course, if it were just the above, it would still be speculation without evidence."


    He paused, "So, most crucially, this photo was taken yesterday afternoon, right in front of Yandai Cinema City, which is close to our meeting place at Meiyijia, and the timing was just after we came out of the instance."


    As he spoke, he put away his phone, pocketing it: "All these points, if merely a coincidence, would be far too coincidental."


    Ke Mingye was silent for a while before he couldn''t help but shrug, "So you''re dressed up like Sherlock Holmes today and even wearing a Lustig''s Hat just to show off your deductive skills?"


    "That''s irrelevant to our discussion," Fan Quan said.


    Ke Mingye calmly asked, "So, can I at least try to argue that this thing isn''t me?"


    In fact, he had anticipated this. It was only a matter of time before he was exposed, ever since he mentioned that he took a passive Skill for weight reduction¡ªthe very fact he wouldn''t be able to pass a genetic test or school physical examination made it ludicrously obvious.


    At the time, he seemed to brush it off, but it made sense for Fan Quan to harbor suspicions about him.


    Had he really been exposed, Ke Mingye would certainly not reveal his situation to the other party.


    Given the severe ecological environment at home, one wrong step would finish him. To divulge that information would be to place his life in the hands of others, and Ke Mingye was not that naive.


    "You may try to argue, but it would be pointless."


    As he spoke, Fan Quan''s hand, which had been holding the phone, slid into his pocket, leaning back in his chair, he raised his eyes to meet the face of the puppet: "Considering all the evidence, this matter is basically inseparable from you. I hope you can give me an acceptable explanation."


    Ke Mingye took a sip of tap water brought by the server, thinking to himself that he really had caused trouble.


    If he had known, he would have remembered to have the puppet take off the school uniform back at the cinema, so he wouldn''t have slipped up, but at that moment his brother was blocking the entrance to the cinema, and he didn''t have time to think so much, he had to act quickly.


    Besides... even if the puppet hadn''t been wearing the school uniform, Fan Quan most likely would have connected "Dice" to him anyway.


    But it didn''t matter, even without cooperating with other players, he was confident that he could still become stronger on his own. It''s just that at the beginning, he was lacking in offensive methods, so being able to blend into an instance was an advantage.


    Ke Mingye leaned his head against the wall behind him, exhaling gently, speaking slowly and calmly, "Indeed, there''s not much to refute. I lied to you all; my first Skill wasn''t weight reduction but creating a puppet."


    "So, the ''Dice Monster'' is your puppet, and the last time you went through an instance with us, you used this puppet?"


    "It''s the same now."


    Ke Mingye was straightforward.


    "Is it because you don''t trust us?" Fan Quan speculated, "But it also makes sense. If I had an ability to manipulate puppets, I surely would have it meet up with other players in my stead."


    Ke Mingye met his gaze, explaining.


    "It''s not really about trust, it''s just that my situation is very complicated. I can''t discuss the specifics with you, all I can say is that where I come from isn''t quite the same as you, and just about anyone around me could threaten my life... So, if I want to meet you, I can only use a puppet; I have no choice."


    He paused: "If you think I would endanger your safety or expose your movements and identities, then I have no problem leaving the team right now. I''m not shy about saying so."


    There was a brief silence before Fan Quan said, "I see, let''s leave it at that."


    "Fine, then I''ll leave the team."


    "No, you''ve misunderstood me."


    Fan Quan took a sip of his lemonade and said, "What I mean is, let''s just leave it at this, it''s enough for you to use the Deception Puppet and join us in the instances."


    "Ah?"


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow. He had expected the cultured man to confront him directly, but the matter being concluded like this felt odd.


    He didn''t know what Fan Quan, that old schemer, was really thinking, so he just quietly waited for his companion to speak.


    Fan Quan stated, "Your identity is indeed very suspicious, but judging from your performance in this instance, you are an indispensable part of the team, and there''s no reason to let you leave."


    "I''ve said it before, my situation is dangerous. Aren''t you worried I''ll drag you all down with me?"


    "I''m also a potential fugitive. Since our ultimate goal is the extinction of the superhuman race, we are all in the same boat. What''s the difference?" Fan Quan spoke calmly. "Besides, since I can manage my own troubles, I think you should be able to control yourself well enough not to implicate your own people."


    Ke Mingye''s eyelid twitched. Bro, my troubles are not on the same level as yours, I have eight A-class superhumans watching me at home.


    It''s just a few superhumans you killed, at most, some minor heroes will come out to play hide and seek with you. If they can''t catch you, they might just let it go. After all, there''s a major incident every day in this world.


    Leaning back in his chair, Fan Quan flipped through the black-leather Bible and continued, "Also, if you have any powerful skills, just use them directly in the instance next time. No need to hide them away."


    "It''s not that, why do you think I''m holding back any major skills?"


    "After all, I''ve killed four superhumans, but my wanted level on the official website is only E-class, nowhere near yours... This shows that the Superhero Association regards you with higher importance, and your strength is likely far beyond what you have shown. Otherwise, they wouldn''t pay so much attention to you." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Also, your performance in the instance is too outrageous. Your ''Physical fitness'' attributes must far exceed the average value of the players, otherwise, you wouldn''t have been able to break through those knife-wielding men."


    After a two-second hesitation, Ke Mingye asked, "Cultured man, do you think there''s a possibility?"


    "What possibility?"


    "That the Superhero Association values me highly only because I was lucky before, and the results of my Dice Monster''s throws were good. Maybe I''m not as profoundly adept as you think."


    "That''s possible."


    "Right?"


    Mingye said that, but he knew the high level of his wanted status was definitely because his big brother had spiced up his criminal record.


    The charge of "arson on the overpass" suggested that the wanted information was one hundred percent submitted by Ke Yinzhi.


    After all, apart from his brother, no one else knew about his meeting with Black Wukong on the overpass.


    In fact, when Mingye first saw this charge, he couldn''t help but secretly retort, "For fuck''s sake, arson on an overpass is pinned on me, when it was clearly Black Wukong''s doing. Don''t pin the things your sister did on me, big brother. Don''t criminals have any rights?"


    Following this line of thought, it was most likely his brother who submitted his file to the Superhero Association and even exercised his authority as the highest executive officer of the Management Bureau to deliberately raise his threat level, purportedly to make the Association take notice and catch him as soon as possible.


    But being classified as C-level was really too exaggerated...


    Scanning the wanted list, Ke Mingye found the Deception Puppet out of place among the C-level fugitives, like a clown from a circus stuffed among a group of strong men.


    So, starting today, superheros will begin to bother me... he thought to himself. Yet, they won''t catch me, after all, the most troublesome bunch is playing house with me; I can perceive their movements instantly, so what is there to fear from anyone else?


    "Okay then, let''s leave it as it is for now. Same as usual, I''ll contact you when needed," said Fan Quan, closing the book.


    "Thanks for speaking with me about this alone."


    Fan Quan said expressionlessly, "I didn''t want to affect the other two. If there is discord, it would not be easy to cooperate in the instance. That would be a headache for me as the commander."


    "That makes sense," said Ke Mingye.


    "Goodbye, and if you encounter a special situation later that requires evasion, don''t send the puppet recklessly, lest you expose your whereabouts."


    "Of course," Ke Mingye said after a pause. "Goodbye... I hope we both live to the end."


    Fan Quan gave him a glance, stood up from his seat, and swept past him.


    Mingye waited a moment, deliberately offsetting his timing from Fan Quan''s, then left the cafe. He changed his face, took a bus to the coast, and crammed his body into the sea to self-destruct.


    The flames were swallowed up by the turbulent waves, yet the sun remained fiercely bright.

 Chapter 065 Bai Zinis Brain Imaging House Party! (Part One)

    June 21, 4:30 PM.Ke Mingye walked out of his room, picked up a wireless controller from the sofa, and joined Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu in playing a cooperative game on the Switch platform, "Overcooked 2," on the TV. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Yinzhi was playing chess with his father at the nearby table, the former propping up his chin and the latter holding his forehead, both deep in a closely contested game.


    Ke Xiaomo leaned against the wall with arms crossed, quietly observing the chess game.


    After eating a late lunch, Bai Qiuwu went back to her room on the second floor to continue resting.


    She seemed quite down today, barely speaking during lunch as she fiddled with her chopsticks and remained mostly in bed, hardly moving.


    Bai Wenna had gone shopping with a close friend, telling them to eat dinner out as she wouldn''t be back in the evening due to another commitment.


    The fan slowly spun, and at the moment the clock hand hit 4:45 PM, the front door of the Bai Ke household suddenly clicked open, and someone hurriedly pushed through.


    All eyes in the room instinctively turned towards the sound.


    "The fabulous Magic Girl returns¡ªdid you miss me?"


    Bai Zini steadied herself, hands on hips and a smile curling on her lips as she looked around at everyone. She was clutching a heavy shopping bag, its contents unknown.


    Seeing that it was her, everyone quietly returned to their own affairs.


    "Why is no one paying attention to me?" Bai Zini puffed her cheeks sullenly and frowned, "Guess what I brought back from my friend''s house. It''s this..."


    She paused for effect, then pulled a black item from the shopping bag.


    "Ta-da! A brain imaging helmet!"


    At this revelation, everyone''s gaze shifted back to her.


    The quickest to turn their heads were Ke Yinzhi, Ke Youqing, Ke Xiaomo, and Ke Mingye, all of whom displayed an almost identical mix of surprise... befuddlement... perplexity, and even shock.


    Bai Zini held up the metallic helmet with excitement glittering in her eyes.


    At that moment, her brilliant mind was buzzing with thoughts as follows.


    "Just wait, I''m about to find out if there are any gamers in the family! It seems like my second brother and big sister haven''t used this helmet before. My oldest brother just got back from university and hasn''t tried it either... The master just mentioned in the meeting that people over thirty-five won''t be ''possessed'' by gamers, so there''s no need to test mom and dad, just skip them."


    "So... my targets are my oldest brother, second brother, and big sister. I must get them to wear the helmet today to confirm there are no traitors in the family!"


    As Bai Zini thought this, her gaze shifted to her oldest brother and father playing chess, her eyes gleaming with a "you can''t escape now" look, and her smile even wider.


    At that moment, several in the room were still processing what was happening.


    Especially Ke Youqing and Ke Yinzhi.


    Ke Youqing furrowed his brows, eyes intensely fixed on the helmet. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then just rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    The corner of Ke Yinzhi''s eye twitched, his usual composure gone, his pupils flickering with a profound light.


    He thought, "What''s going on? Why does Xiao Ni have a brain imaging helmet? According to the Management Bureau, only the three heads of the Magical Girl Alliance and Qing Ya from the Superhero Association should have these helmets at this time..."


    Meanwhile, Ke Xiaomo slowly unfolded his arms, staring in stunned silence at the helmet in Bai Zini''s hands, his stern brows filled with disbelief.


    "What''s going on? Why do dad and my older brothers look so suspicious? Could they really be gamers?"


    Bai Zini, observing everyone''s reactions, slowly lowered the helmet, sensing that something was off, and continued brainstorming intensely.


    "It''s okay, I have the winning ticket! If there are any players among them, they won''t be able to escape now. Damn, why do I feel so anxious? Maybe my older and second brothers have really been possessed... Right, what about my older sister? Is she sleeping upstairs?


    Maybe she''s feeling guilty; after all, she was the first to flee in the cinema last time," she thought.


    As she considered this, her gaze suddenly became resolute, yet her face still wore a happy smile.


    Ke Mingye turned his head, staring blankly at the brain imaging helmet in Bai Zini''s hand.


    Although his face was expressionless, his back was drenched in cold sweat; he was nearly scared to fall off the sofa.


    "Holy shit, what the hell is this?!" he thought, "You go to New York for a meeting and bring this ominous thing home? Isn''t your secret identity as a Magic Girl completely ruined now?"


    He guessed that Bai Zini had probably gone to New York for a meeting with the top three of the Magical Girl Alliance concerning ''players,'' and then obtained this brain imaging helmet from them.


    Without even thinking about it, it must have been Xizi Yue''s doing; only Xizi Yue would carelessly give such a thing to Bai Zini to mess around with.


    Right after getting the helmet, Bai Zini hurried home, wanting to see if there was a mole among them. If there really was one, she would blow his head off with a Cinderella shot!


    Ke Yongzhu was the first to turn his head back, staring emotionlessly at the TV while dismissing with disdain, "Boring, didn''t we already play with this lousy helmet last time in the cinema?"


    "Yeah, it''s not interesting at all, only elementary school students would enjoy playing with it," Ke Mingye added mockingly.


    After speaking, he shrank back apprehensively against the sofa, cold sweat streaming down his forehead, thinking to himself, "Bai Zini, you fool, if you want to blow your cover, just don''t drag me into it¡­"


    Bai Ziling said nothing, just stared at the helmet for a while, then slowly turned her head back too. It seemed that compared to this helmet, she found playing Switch games with the family more interesting.


    The three on the sofa resumed the paused game of "Overcooked" and continued playing, acting as if it had nothing to do with them.


    Ke Youqing thought for a few seconds, then turned to the three on the sofa with a somewhat hoarse voice asking, "Are you saying you played with this thing last time at the cinema? When was that?"


    His eyes moved, scrutinizing each child''s expression.


    Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo exchanged a glance, both seeking an answer from the other. However, the confusion in their eyes was clear ¡ª indeed, it was the two of them who had cooperated last time at the cinema, trying to test with the brain imaging helmet to see if their younger siblings had been possessed by players.


    But what was happening now? Why did Xiao Ni have a brain imaging helmet?


    While Ke Xiaomo thought, he averted his gaze and began to explain, "Dad, it was yesterday afternoon. I took Mingye and the others to the movies, and then we met a staff member. That staff member offered a free trial of this helmet as part of the movie experience, and we all tried it."


    "Right," Bai Ziling said softly, "Last time only my second brother and Qiuwu didn''t play, everyone else did."


    As she spoke, she cocked her head, the light-colored strands of her hair swaying, her slender fingers quickly pressing the glowing button on the controller. In the game, the chef avatar moved swiftly around the kitchen, chopping up salmon with a knife.


    Ke Mingye and Ke Yongzhu on the sofa were equally silent, their eyes following the game characters as if their souls were sucked into the game, completely oblivious to the conversation around them.


    Ke Youqing was silent for a long while, his gaze fixed on Ke Xiaomo, he asked in a deep voice, "Then... did anyone have any problems while playing with the helmet, like brain damage or something?"


    On hearing this, Ke Xiaomo shook his head, his expression blank as he said, "No, they assured us that it was very safe. They even demonstrated it themselves; otherwise, I wouldn''t have let them play."


    "Yeah, yeah, we tried it once in the cinema," Bai Zini hummed, "My classmates also assured me it was very safe, so I thought I''d bring it home for everyone to play with."


    Saying this, she placed the brain imaging helmet on the table, looking around every corner of the home, puzzled, she asked:


    "Eh, where''s older sister? We''re only missing her. It''s a shame she missed out last time!"


    "I was resting upstairs..." Bai Qiuwu yawned as she came down the stairs, saying, "Why is it so noisy today, is there something going on at home?"


    "Exactly, sister, how did you know there was a big event!"


    Speaking seriously, Bai Zini raised the brain imaging helmet from the table, "It''s... a Brain Imaging Party!"

 Chapter 066 Bai Zinis Brain Imaging Family Party! (Part 2)

    "Zi Ni, where did you get this helmet from?"Ke Youqing paused for a moment, lifted his eyes to Bai Zini, and asked.


    At that moment, Bai Zini was explaining the usage of the brain imaging helmet to Bai Qiuwu. While multitasking, she casually answered her father''s question.


    "A classmate lent it to me."


    "What''s the name of this classmate?"


    "Qiu Xia, she''s in the same grade as me but in class two, right next to mine."


    "Do you have her WeChat?" Ke Youqing continued, "If you do, send it to me. I want to ask her about this helmet, see if it''s safe."


    Bai Zini turned her head annoyingly and frowned heavily at him, saying irritably:


    "So annoying! Dad, why do you care so much? Is this helmet going to explode or fry my brain or something, you stick in the mud!"


    Ke Youqing ignored her and simply held his arms with a serious expression, pinching the bridge of his nose.


    "Qiu Xia..."


    He silently repeated the name, thinking he had heard it somewhere before.


    Soon, he remembered that this was the real name of the recently debuted "Magical Girl Feng."


    As a member of the Superhero Round Table, he had almost the highest level of access and could freely log into the Magical Girl Alliance''s official website, and look through the Magic Girl profiles submitted by the Alliance, which he usually skimmed whenever he had time, so he had remembered this name.


    "Just let us play, Dad, it''s not dangerous, big brother can vouch for us. We used this helmet at the movie theater last time and nothing happened!"


    Bai Zini, puffing her cheeks like a panda, said while poking Ke Xiaomo''s shoulder with her index finger.


    "Stop poking me, if Dad says no, then there''s nothing I can do. This thing belongs to someone else and should be returned," Ke Xiaomo said expressionlessly, blocking Bai Zini''s finger with one hand. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fine, you guys play then, I''m going to the bathroom."


    Saying this, Ke Youqing moved to the restroom, closed the door behind him, and sat on the toilet lid. He unlocked his phone using his fingerprint, logged into his second WeChat account that he seldom used.


    He glanced through the contact list and found Xizi Yue, one of the three heads of the Magical Girl Alliance.


    He opened the chat window, hesitated for two seconds, typed a message on the keyboard, and pressed send.


    [Qing Ya: The brain imaging helmet from the Management Bureau, who have you given it to?]


    Xizi Yue was a surfing enthusiast who always had her phone with her 24/7, so she quickly replied to the message.


    [Xizi Yue: Two kids from around Huanjing, Magical Girl Rainbow, and Feng, you''ve met them before. They said they wanted to check if there were any players in their families, so I just let them have the helmets.]


    Ke Youqing stared at the message and sighed softly, thinking how Xizi Yue was still as casual as ever. Even though she was the world''s strongest magic girl, her approach to important matters was utterly disregardful of protocol.


    [Qing Ya: Where are they now?]


    [Xizi Yue: After the meeting this morning, I already sent them back to Huanjing, what''s up?]


    [Qing Ya: Tell those two kids you escorted not to casually lend the brain imaging helmet to friends, especially not to ordinary people. This is a serious matter.]


    [Xizi Yue: Is that so?]


    She paused, then continued to send messages.


    [Xizi Yue: Hmm... probably it''s because Xiao Feng and Xiao Hong are quite kind to the people around them. They might be worried that a friend''s family member has been replaced by a player, so they made an exception and lent it to them.]


    Ke Youqing stared at the message, pondering for a moment.


    Just to be safe, he logged into the Superhero Association''s official website with the account that had the highest authority and unlocked the information of those two newcomer magic girls, quickly scanning it again.


    He then checked the latest news about them. In the photos, Magical Girl Ash was shown with them on a mission, and the three were giving a "''yea" sign to the media.


    Ke Youqing switched back to WeChat and continued to send messages to Xizi Yue.


    [Qing Ya: What''s the relationship between Magical Girl Ash and the two newcomers?]


    [Xizi Yue: She''s kind of an old cadre now, I asked her to take the new ones under her wing, no issues there, right?]


    [Qing Ya: Has Ash''s identity still not been officially disclosed?]


    Experience more on empire


    [Xizi Yue: No, she''s stubborn, just like you, absolutely refuses to register her identity.]


    [Qing Ya: What''s her real name?]


    [Xizi Yue: Why do you ask, do you like that type of girl?]


    Ke Youqing suddenly fell silent, thinking, I''m practically half in the grave, could you please show some respect when you speak, especially since you''re still a face of the Alliance, totally lacking any sense of propriety.


    He then typed a reply.


    [Qing Ya: Just answer me.]


    [Xizi Yue: That''s private, I promised her I''d keep it secret, even from you, Comrade Qing Ya.]


    [Qing Ya: Just one question then, how old is she?]


    [Xizi Yue: Our little Ash is about 17 years old this year, a young high school student. If you were to act inappropriately towards a minor, even a superhero would provoke public outrage, not to mention that you are the notorious Mr. Qing Ya, it might just land you execution by the Anomaly Control Bureau this time.]


    [Qing Ya: Cut the nonsense, what is the Magical Girl Ash doing now?]


    [Xizi Yue: Hanging out with me at Le Bernardin in New York, having fun and dining.]


    After typing the message, she sent a photo.

 Chapter 066 Bai Zinis Brain Imaging Family Party! (Part 2)_2

    ```In the photo, a round table draped with a white tablecloth was set with a dazzling array of seafood dishes: tuna tartare, salmon tartare, pan-seared cod, saut¨¦ed flounder, steamed Australian lobster, along with French caviar. A waiter was bringing the next dish to the table, a plate with cr¨¨me br?l¨¦e and an assortment of chocolate desserts.


    It must be said that the lives of these top-tier Magic Girls are indeed luxurious, especially for Xizi Yue, who had control over the Magic Card "Time-Space Train."


    In an interview, she had said that her greatest pleasure was to travel all over the world, tasting delicacies from every place, and the "Time-Space Train" Magic Card was created specifically to fulfill this purpose.


    Why would such a person become a once-in-three-thousand-year genius Magic Girl? Couldn''t there be someone more discreet and ethical for the role?


    Qing Ya had reflected on this point in his heart. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Qing Ya: It''s nothing, you guys go ahead and play.]


    After sending this message, Ke Youqing turned off his phone.


    "Is it just a coincidence..." He lowered his head, thinking to himself, "Xiao Ni''s classmate who is a Magic Girl is quite close to her, and she must have secretly lent her the brain imaging helmet."


    What about the children mentioning having experienced the "brain imaging helmet" at the movie theater? It sounded like the work of someone from the Anomaly Control Bureau, but the bureau''s people should not be aware that I am Qing Ya...


    And even if someone did know my identity, they would have to be incredibly bold to make a move on my child behind my back.


    Cold light swirled in Ke Youqing''s pupils, like a predatory beast ready to strike.


    "I''ll find the ''Black Judge'' some other day and have a good talk with him, but for now, let''s see if any of these kids at home has actually developed a problem..."


    .....


    ...


    At the same time, on the other side of the house.


    Ke Yinzhi opened his smartphone in the shadow of the stairway entrance and activated a secure Anomaly Control Bureau communication software, authenticating his identity with both fingerprint and facial recognition.


    "Welcome to the Anomaly Control Bureau operatives'' exclusive APP, Mr. ''Black Judge.''"


    A gentle yet distant female voice emanated from the phone, as if carrying the scent of disinfectant.


    Ke Yinzhi operated his phone and sent a message to the Information Department of the Anomaly Control Bureau: "Qiu Xia, help me look up the background of this name."


    The response was mechanically and concisely delivered: "She awakened the Comet Fragment within her body on February 1st of 2028, which was 131 days ago, and thus became a Magic Girl. A week later, Qiu Xia was discovered by the Alliance leader Xizi Yue and joined the Alliance under the alias ''Feng.''


    Ke Yinzhi lightly touched his philtrum with his right hand.


    Upon receiving the message, he pondered for two seconds and said, "Send a message to the three leaders of the Alliance, asking them to verify who has handled the brain imaging helmet dispatched to the Alliance today, and report the list to me... the situation is urgent; they must respond within ten minutes."


    After speaking, Ke Yinzhi sat on the stairway''s handrail, quietly waiting, the shadow concealing his eyes while his index finger tapped slowly and rhythmically on the old mahogany handrail.


    Less than a minute later, a voice message arrived.


    "The head of the Alliance''s China division, Xizi Yue, claims that the helmet has only been in the hands of the new Magical Girls Feng and Rainbow from Huanjing; there are no other records of its movements."


    Hearing this, Ke Yinzhi exhaled gently and closed his phone expressionlessly.


    "So Xiao Ni''s friend turns out to be a Magic Girl..." he thought to himself, "Should I warn her in private to stay away from Xiao Ni?"


    "Forget it, let it be for now."


    ```


    A moment later, Ke Yinzhi shook his head and slowly walked out of the shadow at the top of the stairs.


    At this time, the living room was thrown into chaos by Bai Zini, and Ke Xiaomo, sitting on the couch, was so annoyed he could barely stand it, so he was forced to put on the brain imaging helmet.


    A few seconds passed, and he took off the helmet.


    Bai Zini came over, glanced at the images displayed on the back of the helmet, breathed a sigh of relief, and thought it was good that her second brother wasn''t a gamer.


    She suddenly looked up, staring at Ke Yinzhi and Bai Qiuwu like a little lion seeing its prey, and continued to pester them, "That leaves only you, big brother and big sister, to have a try. Come over and experience it!"


    Ke Xiaomo sighed, placed the helmet on the couch, then stood up and approached Ke Yinzhi.


    "How is it going?" he asked quietly.


    Ke Yinzhi chuckled lightly, "Xiao Ni''s friend is a Magic Girl, and that Magic Girl just took the brain imaging helmet from the Alliance. She lent it to her."


    Ke Xiaomo was shocked.


    "Are people from the Alliance always this casual?" he asked.


    "Just look at who the president of the China division is; it''s her influence. It would be strange if they weren''t casual," Ke Yinzhi replied.


    "Xizi Yue?"


    "Exactly," Ke Yinzhi shrugged, "Almost everyone in the Management Bureau knows her name. If she wasn''t so gifted, with her work attitude, she probably would have been dragged down from the president''s position by the Alliance''s top leaders long ago."


    As they were talking, Ke Youqing walked out of the bathroom with a cigarette dangling from his mouth and asked Bai Zini, "How''s it going? Your brain alright?"


    Bai Zini gave him a look, "Dad, are you just wishing to see the helmet explode and your dear daughter done for?"


    "That''d be nice. With one less troublemaker like you, I''d have one less worry," he said.


    With that, Ke Youqing took a deep drag of his cigarette, puffing smoke. His gaze moved, and now it was Bai Qiuwu''s turn to put on the brain imaging helmet.


    "Xiao Ni, is it as amazing as you said?"


    Bai Qiuwu held the helmet but hesitated to put it on, asking softly.


    She tilted her face slightly, wondering to herself, where exactly had Xiao Ni gotten this thing from... Did she get it from the Alliance as Magical Girl Ash?


    "Yes, ask third brother; he''s tried it once in the cinema," Bai Zini said.


    After speaking, Bai Zini hugged Ke Mingye''s neck from the back of the couch, her eyes filled with annoyance, and said word by word into his ear:


    "Big brother, speak up, will you! Why have you been playing dead since just now? Don''t want to acknowledge me as your sister anymore, huh?"


    Ke Mingye was, in fact, playing dead, not daring to utter a single word from beginning to end.


    Now being hugged from behind by Bai Zini, he almost blacked out and nearly fainted on the couch. Experience tales at empire


    Upon recovering, he quickly shifted his shoulders forward to wriggle out of her embrace, saying impatiently, "I''m playing a game, can you not touch me, I''ve been stuck on this level for a long time."


    While he seemed to be responding quite calmly, Ke Mingye was at that moment praying devoutly in his heart.


    "Om Amitabha, may the Buddha reveal himself, demons and ghosts stay away, demons and ghosts stay away, demons and ghosts stay away..."

 Chapter 067 Bai Zinis Brain Imaging Family Party! (Three)

    "Wow, I was really just thinking about this image."Bai Qiuwu took off the helmet and gazed down at the screen on the back of the brain imaging helmet with her clear, limpid eyes, in silence.


    The image printed on the screen was of fireworks blossoming in circles above the city, the brilliant pyrotechnics lighting up the night sky.


    Bai Zini picked up the helmet, fiddled with it, and brought up the image that had been read from Bai Qiuwu''s visual processing area, relieved to see that there weren''t rows of icons in the upper right corner of the visual field.


    Ke Youqing stood behind her, smoking and observing the imagery on the display.


    "Alright, now that I''ve had my turn, can I go back to resting?" Bai Qiuwu turned her head and asked Bai Zini.


    "Go ahead, sister, love you," Bai Zini said without looking up.


    Good, the older sister wasn''t a player, which seemed to leave only the eldest brother who hadn''t tried it. Thinking this, she shifted her gaze, searching for Ke Yinzhi''s figure in the living room.


    At that moment, Ke Yinzhi was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, his gaze lowered as he read a book. He rested one arm on the back of the sofa, his fingers lightly tapping against it.


    So suspicious, no, extremely suspicious!


    Thinking this, Bai Zini walked over to Ke Yinzhi with her hands clasped behind her, holding the helmet, and whispered, "Eldest, eldest, eldest brother, I command you to try on this helmet too!"


    "Why ''eldest, eldest, eldest brother''?" Ke Yinzhi asked, puzzled.


    Bai Zini explained, "Since the third brother is ''eldest brother,'' the second brother would be ''eldest, eldest brother,'' so when it comes to you, the eldest, you''d be ''eldest, eldest, eldest brother.'' Is that not okay?"


    "What can I possibly say to that, you''re the one with the highest standing in the house," Ke Yinzhi laughed.


    "Don''t know what to say? Then don''t say anything! Just put on the helmet and try to imagine something, anything at all."


    As she spoke, Bai Zini came closer and forcefully placed the helmet on Ke Yinzhi''s head, not leaving him any room for resistance.


    Ke Yinzhi shrugged helplessly, "I say, Xiao Ni, can you not be so aggressive? It''s like a cop slapping handcuffs on a criminal, could I even escape?"


    "This is the handcuff, no moving!"


    "Fine, fine, fine, I surrender," Ke Yinzhi said as he raised his hands and closed his eyes, "Has it started?"


    "Yes, if you can''t think of anything, I''ll give you an example... hmm... I remember last time at the movie theater, the example that the staffer gave went something like this..."


    Bai Zini paused for a moment and lowered her voice, "When you hear the words ''player,'' what comes to mind?"


    Ke Mingye picked up a cup from the table, took a light sip, and almost spit out the water he had just drunk when he heard the phrase that popped out of Bai Zini''s mouth.


    "Man, the tables have turned, last time the eldest brother set you up, and now it''s your turn to set him up, huh... Truly worthy of our Magical Girl Ash, effortlessly doing what I wouldn''t dare to do," he thought to himself.


    Although within the eight family members, Bai Zini didn''t even know the identity of one, Ke Mingye still silently gave her a thumbs up in his heart. There weren''t many in the world who could get the Black Judge to wear a brain imaging helmet, little sister, you should take pride in this one day!


    At this very moment, Ke Youqing standing behind them furrowed his brow.


    Upon hearing the word "player" from Bai Zini''s mouth, he was completely certain that the cinema employee was indeed from the Anomaly Control Bureau.


    But why would someone from the Anomaly Control Bureau appear in a movie theater? Was it to randomly test the safety of the brain imaging helmet on a group of ordinary people?


    It was also too coincidental that they stumbled upon my child, indeed... I must go and ask about it.


    Thinking so, he gently took a drag of his cigarette.


    "Is it done?"


    Ke Yinzhi said, opening his eyes from within the helmet.


    "Done."


    Bai Zini picked up the helmet, the image shown on the screen depicted a blood-red sky above a desolate graveyard, with black crows circling above the crosses.


    "Wow, big bro, your imagination is quite stylish."


    Bai Zini remarked as she turned the screen towards Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo, letting them both take a look, and took the opportunity to tease Ke Xiaomo,


    "The images imagined by our older brother are the most boring, all mountains and rivers, clear skies, serene breezes, like something an old man would think of."


    "What''s wrong with mountains and rivers? Young people should look at more scenery to cultivate their demeanor."


    Ke Xiaomo said emotionlessly, arms crossed over his chest.


    "Can you stop calling me ''big big brother''?"


    Ke Yinzhi just glanced briefly at the image before lifting his head to ask with a smile.


    "I also don''t want to hear the name ''big brother'' anymore," Ke Xiaomo added his two cents.


    Holding the brain imaging helmet in her arms, Bai Zini spoke earnestly, "Alright, big brother, second brother, thanks for your cooperation, I am extremely satisfied!"


    She paused and then continued, "So, this ''Brain Imaging Party'' is now over, everyone can disperse."


    "You sure are dramatic," Ke Mingye, who was on the couch, couldn''t help saying.


    "What''s it to you, someone who only has eyes for games, so heartless!"


    Bai Zini said coldly, turning her cheek away while walking behind him, reaching to place the helmet over his head.


    No way, what is she walking over here for, she''s not seriously going to put that thing on my head, is she?


    Ke Mingye appeared to be playing with the game controller but was actually keeping an eye on the reflection in the TV screen, his eyeballs nearly popping out of their sockets as cold sweat streamed down.


    Just as he was about to stand up and make an excuse to go to the bathroom, thankfully, his great father spoke, "Xiao Ni, stop it now. We have had enough fun with this thing; it''s time to return it to your friend."


    Continuing after extinguishing his cigarette and casually throwing it into the bin, Ke Youqing said, "It looks expensive, we can''t afford to lose it."


    Bai Zini turned her cheek and stated with conviction, "Pshaw! If we can''t afford it, I will just find a Contracted Beast and make a contract with it to become a Magic Girl on the spot and collect a salary from the Alliance every month, right?"


    "Please, you really don''t even know the basics?"


    Ke Mingye couldn''t listen any longer, playing his game while criticizing, "Unless a Contracted Beast comes to you for a contract, there''s no chance, okay? Every year, there are loads of girls trying to get the temple''s Contracted Beasts to make a contract with them. Everyone wants to be a Magic Girl, but first, you need the right qualifications, got it?"


    Bai Zini was in an unconvinced mood, "Am I not qualified? I think I can become a very strong Magic Girl too, it''s just that no Contracted Beast has chosen me yet." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye was about to speak when Ke Xiaomo replaced him, asking in a calm tone, "Xiao Ni, do you know how many Magic Girls die around the globe every year?"


    "How many?"


    Before Ke Xiaomo could speak, Ke Yinzhi took a sip of his tea, speaking unhurriedly.


    "Nearly a hundred Magic Girls die each year. Don''t be fooled by their glitz and glamor on TV, you can''t imagine how horribly one could be tortured if caught by criminals."


    Bai Zini glanced at the three of them, the anger bubbling within her, "Fine, fine, fine, so the three of you, big brother, second brother, and third brother, are ganging up on me, right? Then I''m not playing with you guys anymore."


    With that, she put the brain imaging helmet into her backpack and briskly walked towards the second floor, leaving behind an angry silhouette.


    "I''m going to sleep, just you guys are amazing¡­ then you go be Magic Girls!"


    Her muttering faded away as her figure vanished into the shadow of the stairwell.


    Catching this scene from the corner of his eye, Ke Mingye finally let out a breath, his tense nerves relaxing.


    "To deal with this drama every day, it seriously shortens one''s life¡­"


    He rubbed his Tianming Acupoint, thinking to himself that the afternoon had been too agonizing, feeling like seconds ticked by like years.


    Ke Yinzhi glanced at his phone and spoke up, "Mom says she''s not coming home to cook tonight and wants us to eat out. It''s almost six, should we go now?"


    "Okay, I''ll go call Xiao Ni and Qiuwu to come down." Ke Xiaomo stood up and headed to the second floor.


    "Have you three had enough fun?"


    Ke Yinzhi put away his phone, smiling at the three on the couch, then glanced at the TV where they were playing "Overcooked 2."


    Ke Mingye yawned, set the game controller on the couch, and turned to Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu beside him, "I''m tired of playing, let''s go eat."


    Ke Yongzhu gave him a sidelong glance, "You''re hopeless, no help at all. Even a pig plays better than you."


    "Exactly."


    Bai Ziling nodded lightly in agreement, her pale forehead-framing hair gently swaying along.


    "You guys are real tyrants, what with your Darwinian gamers, so no one can play games poorly?"


    Ke Mingye slumped on the couch, pouting, thinking he''d been on edge the whole time, fearing Bai Zini would suddenly go crazy and jam the helmet on his head¡ªhow could he focus on the game seriously?


    "Let''s go, dinner time."


    Ke Xiaomo had one hand on Bai Zini''s shoulder, the other on Bai Qiuwu''s, leading the two downstairs from the upper floor.


    "Uhh¡­" Ke Mingye posed an important question to everyone, "So, with seven of us going out to eat, who''s picking up the bill?"


    The seven siblings exchanged looks, and then, collectively, their eyes settled on their dad sitting on the couch, smoking a cigarette.


    "A bunch of brats, I''ll reimburse you," Ke Youqing said disdainfully, lighting up another cigarette, "I''ll just find some leftovers from lunch at home. You guys go ahead."


    Ke Xiaomo asked, "So what do you guys want to eat?"


    "I''m easy," Ke Yinzhi casually replied, fiddling with his phone, "Let''s hear what the little ones have to say."


    "If dad''s paying, we''ve got to have Wellington steak for each of us," Ke Mingye suggested.


    "Lobster," said Bai Ziling.


    "Panda," Ke Yongzhu chimed in.


    Ke Youqing turned his head, about to say you kids really want to eat me out of house and home, but before he got the words out, the seven children were already neatly shod and out the door.


    He rested his arm on the back of the sofa, lighting a cigarette with his lighter, taking a deep drag, "Really, these little devils are such a worry."


    The seven of them took the elevator down and had just stepped out of the house.


    Ke Mingye stood behind his older brothers, walking quietly in the middle, and lifted his gaze from his phone screen.


    The sun was setting, casting a spiral contrail against the evening''s madder-colored sky. The last rays of the sun slowly sinking into the city bathed everyone''s cheeks in a flickering twilight glow.


    It felt as if reaching out to touch it would cause it to shatter into a puddle of foam.


    "What are you daydreaming about?" Bai Ziling tugged at his sleeve.


    "Nothing," Ke Mingye lowered his gaze, meeting her eyes, "I was just thinking, when we all grow up and go our separate ways, whether we can still gather like this."


    "There you go, getting sentimental. It''s true what they say in books; adolescent boys do get overly sensitive," Ke Yongzhu commented, arms behind his head, yawning and muttering.


    "Looking for a beating, are you, elementary schooler?"


    Ke Mingye chuckled, reaching out to roughly ruffle his hair.


    Listening to their conversation, Bai Qiuwu turned to look at Ke Yongzhu and asked amusedly, "There you go, making fun of others. Won''t you also be hit by puberty in a couple of years?" Discover more stories at empire


    "Exactly," Bai Ziling added.


    "That''s what elementary schoolers are like," Bai Zini chimed in.


    "Let''s go, enough with the chatter."


    "Fine, whoever speaks first is a pig."


    "You¡­"


    "Pig."


    "Pig."


    "There''s the pig."


    "Knew it, a pig."


    Amidst the soft chatter, seven elongated shadows stretched out by the setting sun slowly receded into the dusk, reminiscent of a distant shot in a movie gradually fading out.

 Chapter 068 What are you doing, Fan Quan, Fan Quan!

    After dinner on Hong Ge Food Street, it had already grown dark; a few people took the subway back to Old Jingmai District and were walking home.As Ke Mingye walked, he suddenly noticed his older brother standing still ahead of him, so he raised his eyes to Ke Xiaomo''s profile, then followed his gaze to the corner of the street.


    The next second, Ke Mingye was frozen in place.


    "Fuck... what the hell is going on here, Bai Zini just finished messing with me, now it''s your turn to mess with me..." he thought, utterly shocked.


    In view, a figure wearing Lustig''s Hat, draped in a coat, and a mask covering the face stood in front of the vending machine.


    The light inside the vending machine faintly illuminated his face, but sadly, it was tightly covered, making it difficult to see his features.


    At this moment, he was observing this side with a subtle gaze, holding a bottle of orange juice, the lenses under the brim of his hat reflecting light.


    "This stupid outfit has to be Fan Quan, but what''s he doing here?"


    "Damn, he doesn''t think he won''t get caught by my brother just because he''s observing from afar, does he? If my brother has caught his scent, how could he possibly escape... they say my brother''s tracking skill is the second best in the world, and honestly, few would dare claim the first."


    Ke Mingye''s mind felt like a ball of yarn dropped on the floor, his thoughts scattering like the threads, messy and endlessly stretching forward.


    All possibilities began to play out in his mind, but without exception...


    In the endings he imagined, Fan Quan''s fate was definitely not going to be pleasant.


    Either die at the hands of the oldest brother or at the hands of the second brother, or perhaps even faster, be captured and tortured by the Anomaly Control Bureau, dissected, and who knows, maybe even spill my own information... If the oldest and second brother combine this information, wouldn''t they directly expose my true identity?


    Ke Xiaomo shifted his gaze from the vending machine, turned back to his younger siblings, and said calmly, "There is a vending machine there, do any of you want a drink? I''ll buy."


    Are you sure you''re going to buy drinks, not catch someone? Ke Mingye''s eye twitched slightly; he was clear that Ke Xiaomo had already noticed Fan Quan secretly watching them.


    Ke Mingye lowered his head, eyes on his phone, and was the first to speak, "Cola."


    "Add a cola."


    "Add two."


    "Sprite."


    "Mai Dong."


    "I don''t need any." Ke Yinzhi, fiddling with his phone, said, "Then I''ll take them home first; you can catch up after buying the drinks."


    "By the way, isn''t there a supermarket right by our house? Why buy from the vending machine?"


    Ke Mingye stared at his phone, speaking nonchalantly to Ke Xiaomo, trying hard to cover for Fan Quan.


    At the same time, he summoned the communication panel and opened the discussion group page.


    Ke Mingye''s fingers hesitated, contemplating whether to type in the discussion group to warn Fan Quan to run away.


    He thought, Fan Quan had already been spotted by my brother, and if he doesn''t run now, it''ll be too late... But if I type on the player panel, wouldn''t that be the same as telling him straight that I''m the player "Failed Man"?


    Luckily, he didn''t need to warn him, as Fan Quan seemed to have realized something was off. He turned around, clutching that orange juice, and slowly walked into the street corner, leaving Ke Xiaomo''s line of sight.


    "The supermarket by our house hasn''t been open these past few days, the owner had some matters, I''ll just buy here."


    Having said that, Ke Xiaomo had already started walking toward the vending machine.


    "Uh, do you need help carrying the drinks, you sure you can manage all those bottles on your own?"


    Ke Mingye shrugged his shoulders, continuing to ask.


    "No need, I grabbed a bag on my way out of the restaurant, I''ll just put them in there. You guys go ahead home," Ke Xiaomo said without turning his head.


    Fuck, this is it, it''s all fucked. What can I do now? I can''t exactly make a scene and keep my brother from going there, right? Fan Quan, what the hell are you doing? Isn''t this just seeking death?


    Did he figure out my identity, or was it just bad luck that we bumped into each other on the road? How unlucky can you get...


    Ke Mingye glanced at Ke Xiaomo''s back, a cold sweat running down his forehead, inwardly thinking, "It''s come to this, you might as well get your neck ready for the west, buddy; this is as far as I can help."


    "Let''s go; the game starts soon tonight. It would be a shame to miss it."


    Ke Yinzhi said with a smile, leading the younger siblings away from the street.


    Ke Mingye put his hands in his coat pockets and walked forward while looking up at the dark night sky.


    His eyes flickered as he felt certain¡­ by tomorrow morning, he would receive the death notification of the player "Fan Quan."


    Fan Quan was already a dead man.


    ........


    .......


    An hour earlier, in a dimly lit rental room in an urban village.


    The curtains in the room were drawn tightly, and only a cold-toned desk lamp was turned on.


    Under the lamp''s light, Fan Quan sat at the table flipping through a booklet that contained information about superhumans recorded while watching live streams on the dark web.


    "The first time Spider Man posted in the discussion group, he said, ''How many superhumans does each of your families have''¡­ At the time, I was puzzled, but looking back now, this question implies that there is at least one superhuman in his family; otherwise, he wouldn''t have subconsciously asked in that manner."


    "In this afternoon''s conversation, he said his situation was very dangerous, anyone around him could kill him, which further implies that there are at least two superhumans in his family to start with, and¡­ the strength of these superhumans is not weak, definitely not the harmless level of superhumans, otherwise he wouldn''t need to worry."


    Fan Quan flipped through the booklet, muttering to himself.


    "Superhumans who are active in this area, whether villains or heroes, are not that many when you actually filter them down."


    "For villains, there are Boundary Serpent, Fly Immortal, etc. But because of Qing Ya, the criminal organizations in Huanjing are mostly disorganized. Moreover, if Spider Man was born into a criminal family, he could have just run away completely. Those villainous characters can''t overtly seek him out, after all, they are still under Spider Man''s control..."


    "Thinking this way, if I turn my focus onto the heroes, the commonly active ones include Ink Writer, Liquor Sword Feng, Tai Chi Customer, Magical Girl Rainbow, Magical Girl Feng, Qing Ya, Black Wukong, and other characters..."


    "Ink Writer, real name, Ma Yingchuan, combat power B-..."


    "Liquor Sword Feng, real name, Ma Linye, combat power B..."


    "Tai Chi Customer, real name, Gu Linchun, combat power A-..."


    "Qing Ya, real name, Ke Youqing, combat power A+..."


    Fan Quan''s gaze lingered on Qing Ya for a moment.


    "Apart from Qing Ya, in Huanjing''s resident heroes and magical girls, there basically aren''t any with the surname ''Ke,'' which is not very common." Fan Quan thought. "Speaking of the surname ''Ke''... Previously, the system had reported that the Anomaly Control Bureau agent who had killed those two players in the United States was called ''Ke Yinzhi.''"


    He pondered for a moment.


    "It''s overly coincidental, aren''t they family... But it''s also not good to directly search for the information under the names ''Ke Youqing'' and ''Ke Yinzhi.'' Given their status, the resident records are either locked or publicly displayed as bait. Once someone looks up the records, it will send an alert to the person concerned."


    "Ink Writer and Tai Chi Customer both have the last name Ma, but they are following the idol route, with their real identities disclosed to the public. They can temporarily be ruled out."


    "Next, Black Wukong, real name, Bai Qiuwu, combat power A."


    "Magical Girl Ash, real name, Bai Zini, combat power B++."


    "These two have the same last name, and they are not backed by the officials, meaning with just a casual check, one can find out their family identities."


    Fan Quan thought this and opened a secret chat interface, sending a message to a user named "Cai Bing."


    [Fan Quan: Do you have time to help me check on Bai Qiuwu and Bai Zini, see if they are family and also send me their family names and address.]


    "Cai Bing," the world''s top hacker from his previous life.


    He was also Fan Quan''s friend. Three days after travelling to this world, on a whim, he tried entering a website only the two of them knew about in his former life.


    He hadn''t expected that he would actually log into that website. The page was empty, nothing in it.


    But soon, a line of neon-green text slowly appeared at the center of the webpage:


    ¡ª¡ª"Hello, old friend."


    Fan Quan communicated with Cai Bing through this webpage, learning that she too had crossed over to this world as a player.


    Cai Bing had set up a similar website on her first day in this world, acting as a cipher, to confirm whether a few old friends from her past life were among these hundred players, but she had not expected to actually find one.


    Fan Quan was recalling this when Cai Bing had already sent a message.


    [Cai Bing: They are family. They live at Old Jingmai Street, Unit 1, Period 1, Building 5, Apartment 1201. You don''t say, this family is quite peculiar. It consists of nine members; aside from the parents, they have seven children, two of whom are adopted. In addition, according to official records, this family are all ordinary people, no superhumans. Wait a sec...]


    [Fan Quan: What''s up?]


    [Cai Bing: Are you messing with me?]


    [Cai Bing: Why is their dad named ''Ke Youqing''? What the hell did you have me look up?]


    Seeing the name "Ke Youqing," Fan Quan paused for a second, then quickly started typing.


    If there were players who may not have paid attention to "Black Wukong" and "Magical Girl Ash," then "Qing Ya," a widely renowned character, would definitely be known to them, and they would have searched his real name using the information panel.


    Put differently, there might be only those ninety or so players in the world who could potentially know Qing Ya''s real identity.


    [Fan Quan: Bai Zini is Magical Girl Ash''s real name, Bai Qiuwu is Divine Communicator Black Wukong''s real name, I noted this down during a livestream from the system provided information panel.]


    [Cai Bing: You mean, their dad is Qing Ya?]


    [Fan Quan: Cut the crap, did you directly hack into the official records database to get this info?]


    [Cai Bing: Yes.]


    [Fan Quan: Then you''re screwed.]


    [Cai Bing: Yeah, you know that? It''s all your fault.]


    [Fan Quan: I didn''t expect it to be such a coincidence. They are Qing Ya''s family, and surely Qing Ya had tampered with their records.]


    [Cai Bing: I really can''t handle this anymore; you always get me into trouble.]


    [Fan Quan: Get ready to run. Qing Ya must have set a visitation alert in his family''s records. He probably knows your location by now. With his counter-surveillance skills, he will soon find you.]


    [Cai Bing: What the hell do you mean, are you messing with me?]


    [Fan Quan: I''m not messing with you, I just didn''t expect that Black Wukong and Magical Girl Ash were Qing Ya''s family. I thought these two being not under the officials, using their real names to query the corresponding records, wouldn''t be noticed by anyone.]


    [Cai Bing: Explain better next time. I need to get moving now, logging off.] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After sending the last message, Cai Bing''s avatar went dark.


    "Old Jingmai Street, Unit 1, Period 1, Building 5, Apartment 1201."


    Fan Quan glanced at it, memorized the address, then picked up the hat from the table, placing it on his head, and slowly walked out of the cramped rental.

 Chapter 069 Fan Quans Wonderful Adventure

    June 21, dusk at seven o''clock, Old Jingmai District No. 4 Street."Old Jingmai Street, Block 1, Phase 1, Building 5, Room 1201, Qing Ya''s residence is just ahead on the next two streets..."


    Fan Quan walked slowly with his head lowered, his hands buried in the pockets of his coat in the street where one could barely see their hand before their face.


    Putting together the clues he had gathered earlier, he was nearly ninety percent certain that the true identity of Spider Man was hidden within this family of nine.


    "Enter the high-rise building opposite the duplex apartment and place a miniature camera beneath the railing of the rooftop. Then I''ll be able to observe the comings and goings of the family¡ªthe players can see the info panel of the superhumans through the live camera feed, just like in real-time video footage, so later, I can make judgments based on the images captured by the camera."


    Fan Quan touched his pocket to confirm that the miniature camera was still there as he continued to think.


    "At the same time, players can''t see the info panels of ordinary people and other players, only those of the superhuman kind."


    "So among this family, the first step will be to filter out those without info panels above their heads, then carry out a secondary selection based on age and characteristics within this narrowed pool to most certainly identify Spider Man''s true identity."


    "But I must first ensure I have an escape route ready... If the ''Door of Humanities'' doesn''t yield a practical skill for survival, then the plan will have to wait for another day."


    With this in mind, Fan Quan preemptively activated the skill "Door of Humanities," and the Bible he was holding opened by itself as if blown by an unfelt wind.


    Three pages tore themselves out and curled upward, transforming into three paper figures that slipped into his sleeves, clutching at his wrists and chattering away in dispute.


    The first paper figure was muttering in Romanian, "Holy time," "Sacred Space," "Eternal Return"; sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The second, in Ancient Greek, was muttering "Allegory of the Cave," "Metaphysics," "Rationalism";


    The third, in Classical Chinese, was muttering "The Doctrine of the Mean," "Benevolence as the Foundation," "Unity of Knowledge and Action."


    Each paper figure had a maximum lifespan of 2 hours. Within those 2 hours, unless one of the three theoretical skills was used up, they would not disappear.


    So there was no problem with releasing them ahead of time; on the contrary, it allowed him to verify the effects of the theories that had emerged.


    "These will suffice..."


    Fan Quan listened to the whispers of the three paper figures in his sleeves, and in his mind envisioned the effects of the skills corresponding to each theory.


    Once he had prepared his contingencies for escape, he tucked the Bible into an inner pocket of his coat and put on a face mask to prevent his face from being exposed by nearby surveillance cameras.


    Fan Quan commanded the three paper figures in his sleeve to be quiet and then he stepped out of the alley.


    Just as he passed by a vending machine, he suddenly noticed seven figures slowly passing by a corner ahead, causing him to halt in his steps.


    Fan Quan lowered the brim of his Lustig''s hat and took a ten-yuan coin out of his pocket, inserted it into the vending machine, selected a canned orange juice using the interface, all the while keeping an eye on the seven figures with his peripheral vision.


    Leading the group was a white-haired girl in a white dress. With her gaze lowered and hands clasped behind her back, she moved lightly forward, her pupils casting a faint red glow in the dark.


    [Name: Bai Ziling]


    [Strength: A-minus grade (possessing top combat power far surpassing 90% of the world''s superhuman population)]


    [Hidden Identity: "Vampire," also known as the "Blood Clan."]


    "An A-grade vampire?" Fan Quan was startled for half a second, thinking, "Are there such superhuman species in the world that aren''t listed in the Superhuman Encyclopedia..."


    Following closely behind the white-haired girl was a girl in a denim jacket, her head lowered as she played with her phone, while the breeze fluttered the ribbon atop her head.


    Too far to see her face clearly, Fan Quan could, however, see her info panel unfold before his eyes.


    [Name: Bai Zini]


    [Strength: B-double-plus grade (an absolute elite among superhumans)]


    [Hidden Identity: As "Magical Girl Ash," she has long been active in China, and is also one of the core members of the "Magical Girl Association."]


    With a "thump," a canned orange juice fell out of the vending machine''s collection port.


    "Magical Girl Ash, huh... So these people must be Qing Ya''s children."


    Fan Quan bent down to take the drink out of the vending machine, all the while considering and observing the fleeting figures at the end of the street.


    Next in his field of vision was a boy in overalls with a panda design.


    The boy yawned with his arms behind his head, his gaze filled with sleepiness. His attention briefly shifted from what was ahead and glanced in Fan Quan''s direction for a fleeting moment before swiftly turning away.


    [Name: Ke Yongzhu]


    [Strength: A-plus grade (possessing top combat power far surpassing 95% of the world''s superhuman population)]


    [Hidden Identity: A juvenile form of the Calamity Dragon kind.]


    From the casual glance Ke Yongzhu had cast, Fan Quan felt a deep unease in his heart... It was as if he was being looked down upon by a dragon, contempt and amusement filling its gaze.


    "A-plus grade combat power?"


    Fan Quan murmured, his deep-set eyes narrowing slightly and shrouded by the shadows under the brim of his hat.


    "Calamity Dragon kind, another superhuman category that I''ve never seen before... No, that''s not quite right, it shouldn''t be counted as a human category; this is more like another animal entirely."


    "Did it notice me with that glance just now, yet it seemed too disdainful to bother with me..."

 Chapter 069 Fan Quans Wonderful Adventure_2

    Before Fan Quan could react, a girl wearing a brown hoodie with a distinct, crisp air about her entered his field of vision. She wore her hood up, her hair strands falling over her shoulders.[Name: Bai Qiuwu]


    [Strength: A-level (Possessing top-tier combat power far surpassing 90% of superhumans in the world)]


    [Hidden Identity: Divine Communicator ¡¤ Black Wukong (Holder of one of the twenty-seven pathways to communicate with the divine, the "Sun Wukong" pathway)]


    "It''s really true, Divine Communicator Black Wukong and Magical Girl Ash are family..."


    As Fan Quan thought this, he bowed his head and twisted open the orange juice bottle cap, using it as a cover to observe.


    "But why is it so strange? The four people I''ve seen so far basically all have A-level strength. Could this whole family be such characters... It''s truly absurd. If Spider Man''s real form is truly in this family, how has he managed to live until now and secretly contact us without his family knowing?"


    "Is he really a player?"


    "Or did I... make a mistake in my judgment, and Spider Man isn''t in this monstrous family at all?"


    A chill spread from his spine, spreading to every inch of his skin, and his pores clenched shut.


    The more he thought about it, the more his heart was filled with deep confusion and vacuity. He took deep breaths, feeling the evening air becoming stickier, like gel.


    It was like a dense and hopeless black tide surging over him.


    The glue-like air was nearly flowing into his nostrils and through his lips into his parched throat, filling every corner of his body, almost mummifying him right there.


    An instinct from his rationality kept reminding him, "You should leave now, you should get out, quickly, don''t look back... " Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cold sweat continually streamed down his back, and his temples were soaked with sweat, making the Lustig''s Hat on his head feel all the heavier at this moment.


    But Fan Quan just lowered his hat brim, took a deep breath, and did his best to suppress the fear in his heart.


    He expressionlessly sipped his orange juice.


    The cool liquid crossed his tongue, flowed down his throat, and fanned out towards his organs. One by one, his agitated nerves gradually calmed down.


    At this moment, Fan Quan had made up his mind.


    The truth was right in front of him. Spider Man could very likely be among these people... If he backed down here, he would only lose his grip on the truth.


    After steadying his breathing with great effort, he raised his eyes and continued to observe the group of people walking past the end of the street from the corner of his eye.


    Behind the hoodie-clad girl was a handsome young man with a casual demeanor.


    He had shoulder-length black hair and wore a black sweater with a cross necklace hanging on his chest.


    Dressed like that on a hot night was insane, but his appearance and demeanor were too outstanding and unique, like a beautiful sculpture fitting for the front of a church.


    Every line on the young man''s face was perfectly placed, as if he were a work of God. Yet, his eyes and brows held a disdain and frivolity for all doctrines, giving off the vibes of a Jesus who would stick out his tongue on the cross, unconsciously making one ignore his out-of-season bizarre attire.


    [Name: Ke Yinzhi]


    [Strength: A++ level (Surpassing 99% of superhumans, at the pinnacle of world combat power)]


    [Hidden Identity: Black Judge (A figurehead of the Anomaly Control Bureau, one of the five S-tier agents)]


    "Black Judge... the agent of the Management Bureau who recently massacred two players in the United States. He really is Qing Ya''s son, no wonder they share the last name."


    He adjusted his glasses, took a deep breath, and lowered his orange juice.


    At this moment, his suspicions were confirmed.


    Just then, the level of shock in Fan Quan''s mind was comparable to when he took the "Ice Bucket Challenge": he closed his eyes, someone poured a bucket of ice water over his head... He shuddered for a whole ten seconds, thinking he had made it through, but when he opened his eyes, he saw the bucket was filled not with ice water, but rather a mix of urine and feces.


    "What exactly is the background of this family... Could it be that among these nine people, a full seven are superhumans, no, plus Qing Ya, that makes eight."


    "So, within this family, could it be that only the wife is a regular person?"


    Fan Quan pondered in surprise, a slight twitch caressing his facial muscles.


    Even someone as calm as he was found his thoughts slipping into disarray at that moment...


    At this instant, despite his strict orders against the three paper figurines in his sleeve speaking, they were still hopping on his wrist, trying to catch his attention.


    "Run, run, run..."


    The paper figurines spoke simultaneously in three different languages, like the sincere and fearful whispers of children.


    But before Fan Quan could react, his thoughts were thoroughly disrupted the next second.


    A handsome young man in a white shirt entered his line of sight, and almost as soon as Fan Quan spotted him, the young man shifted his gaze, meeting his periphery.


    The young man''s gaze was unmasked, staring at him frankly, devoid of any emotion.


    Like a seasoned hunter examining his prey.


    [Name: Ke Xiaomo]


    [Strength: A+ level (surpassing the pinnacle combat power of 95% of superhumans)]


    [Hidden Identity: The grand disciple of the 27th sect master of the Ninja Sect¡ª "Mo."]


    Although they were half a street apart, Fan Quan and Ke Xiaomo''s eyes met for that instant.


    "I''ve been discovered... Ninja, are there really still ninjas in this world? No wonder he noticed me observing him at first glance, looks like I must leave."


    Fan Quan''s pupils slightly constricted, and he leisurely swallowed a mouthful of orange juice, his Adam''s apple bobbing.


    He knew he had to leave.


    Every cell in his body almost screamed in despair, and the three paper figurines on his wrist also bounced crazily on his arteries as if mad...


    Yet, he chose to linger for that one extra second.


    It was during that final second that he caught sight of a boy wearing a white T-shirt in his field of vision.


    In the moonlight, the boy''s face was indifferent, his eyes downturned looking at his phone screen.


    Meanwhile, unlike the six people walking ahead of him, there wasn''t a bright information panel appearing above the boy''s head.


    This meant he was not a superhuman.


    Instead, a regular human, or else...


    ¡ª a Player.


    At that moment, the boy also looked up at Ke Xiaomo, then followed Ke Xiaomo''s gaze to the vending machine over here, meeting Fan Quan''s eyes.


    Fan Quan stood in front of the vending machine, turning his head to gaze at the boy''s face and those bright, clear eyes.


    Simultaneously, in that brief second, he used telekinesis to tap on the communication list icon in the upper right corner of his vision, entered a discussion group, and used the "Add Friend" function on a player named "Failed Man"...


    According to the system''s rules, only when two players meet face-to-face and make eye contact can they send a "Friend Request" to each other.


    This means if the boy in front of him was a player, at the same time as Fan Quan sends the friend request, a notification panel saying "Friend Request Sent Successfully" would pop up;


    If not... then a crimson panel would appear in front of him, with the words¡ª"You are too far from each other, friend request failed to send."


    Next second, a panel with a fluorescent green background also popped up in front of Fan Quan.


    [Ding, you have successfully sent a friend request to the player with the ID name "Failed Man."]


    [Awaiting the other party''s response...]

 Chapter 070 The Death of Fan Quan

    "Indeed... he is Spider Man, without a doubt."Fan Quan whispered to himself, the light behind his glasses shifting. As he had expected, this unremarkable-looking youth was the real identity of Spider Man and also the son of Qing Ya.


    His objective achieved, he couldn''t stay put; that would have been tantamount to waiting for death. He picked up the bottle of orange juice and slowly turned around, stepping towards the corner of the street and into a damp, narrow alley.


    The moment his right foot stepped onto the alley floor, the three paper figures hidden in his sleeve began to tremble.


    Fan Quan lowered his gaze, calmly glancing at the three little figures within his sleeve.


    Through the reaction of the paper figures, he could clearly sense that the person named "Ke Xiaomo" was catching up to him from behind.


    At the same time.


    After bidding farewell to Ke Mingye, Ke Xiaomo slowly walked towards that vending machine.


    In his eyes, Fan Quan slowly turned and entered an alleyway.


    As his relatives entered the corner behind him, Ke Xiaomo''s figure instantly dissolved into a splash of ink towards the ground.


    Subsequently, transforming into a long eagle-like shadow clinging to the ground, flapping its wings, as if a bird of prey soared straight up to the clouds from the bottom of a valley, that shadow quickly navigated to the alley behind the vending machine.


    Half a second later, Ke Xiaomo rose to his feet from the center of the deserted alley, looking around, detecting no human presence. This was a one-way alley with no other exit.


    The next second, he halted his roving gaze.


    In the darkness, he glimpsed a colossal eye standing erect, its pupil shimmering with mesmerizing, colorful ripples, reminiscent of the aurora above the Arctic.


    [Skill Name: Medusa''s Eye]


    [Skill Effect: Unfurling an eye of Medusa mid-air, anyone who makes eye contact with it for a single second will be petrified on the spot; duration varies based on the ''mental strength'' attribute of the person, with higher mental strength resulting in shorter petrification time and lower mental strength leading to longer duration (max petrification of 2.5 seconds).]


    What sort of ability is this? he thought.


    In the instant of making less than half a second of eye contact with "Medusa''s Eye," Ke Xiaomo had already shifted his gaze away, quietly observing the eye from the corner until it dispersed into a vague dust, scattering into the night sky.


    "The man must still be nearby, otherwise there would be no need for such a tactic to delay me."


    Ke Xiaomo came to a conclusion in his mind.


    As the strange vertical pupil disappeared into the darkness, Ke Xiaomo saw a golden-light-flecked crack hidden behind it.


    Looking intently, inside the crack was teeming with dense religious script, almost enough to make someone with trypophobia scream and tear at their own throat.


    However, in the blink of an eye, the crevice dispersed, the twinkling glow falling to the ground.


    "That thing looks like... a door; it must be some kind of transportation medium. So, there''s no mistake, he''s likely nearby." S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking this, Ke Xiaomo''s shape once again scattered across the ground like spilled ink, merging into an intense shadowous vapor.


    Time rewound three seconds.


    As Fan Quan entered the alley, he activated the D-grade skill "Medusa''s Eye" that he had just purchased on the skill sales page.


    Subsequently, he recited the theoretical phrase for one of his paper figures: "Sacred Space."


    Using this ability, which he had once exhibited in an instance, he opened a portal to a location 20 meters to the west behind Medusa''s Eye and quickly stepped in.


    Inside Sacred Space, there were bizarre scenes all drawn with "religious script," at times revealing China''s Exorcism Rituals... at times, Christianity''s baptismal ceremonies... and at times, the Midsummer Night festivities of Medieval Nordic.


    It seemed as if every scene he witnessed was related to the word "purification."


    When Fan Quan emerged from Sacred Space, he had stepped into the interior of a standard residential building.


    Looking around, it was a very Chinese living room, complete with a mahjong table with an ashtray, old folding stools, an outdated television set, a Chinese knot, an embroidered wall hanging, and a six-person family photo.


    Noises came from the toilet, where a woman in her fifties was applying a face mask in front of the mirror while shrilly shouting towards the living room, "Who''s there?!"


    Fan Quan made no sound, simply stepping back two paces to press against the wall while looking down at the paper figures in his sleeve.


    The first figure had already disappeared along with the "Sacred Space" pathway.


    There were two paper figures left inside his sleeve.


    One of them clung to his wrist, murmuring "The Allegory of the Cave," "Metaphysics," "Rationalism";


    The other sat cross-legged on his wrist, reciting "The Doctrine of the Mean," "Benevolence as the Core," "Integration of Knowledge and Action."


    Fan Quan blurted out: "The Allegory of the Cave."


    As his words fell, the wall behind him seemed to transform into an ancient cave with a blazing fire, dragging his shape into it.


    Hearing the murmurs, the curly-haired lady rushed out of the toilet, hands on hips, scanning the living room, muttering to herself.


    "What was that noise?"


    She took a feather duster and circled the living room. After confirming no one else was there, she cursed "Crazy" under her breath, then strutted back into the toilet, continuing to apply the unfinished mask.

 Chapter 070 The Death of Fan Quan_2

    The next moment, a sinister figure slowly rose from the shadows of the living room. He moved his gaze through the darkness, silently surveying this seemingly ordinary living room."His scent disappeared right here. Did he use that teleportation skill to leave again? No, it''s possible he''s still here, just using some method to conceal his form."


    Ke Xiaomo''s face was expressionless as he observed in the darkness for a full five seconds.


    His figure slowly merged into the shadows, wandering shadows appearing successively in the rooms of the house, as if a pitch-black owl had flown through every corner.


    In the end, he was forced to enter the bathroom where the old lady was, hiding behind the door''s shadow to watch her movements.


    Could that strange man from before have possessed this woman using some ability? Ke Xiaomo thought, and after a long while, he shook his head.


    "Has he escaped..."


    He sighed softly, his figure sinking quietly into the lake at his feet, becoming one with it like a drop of ink.


    The old lady, hearing the faint sigh behind her, turned around tremblingly, her lips quivering, "Just, just now, what was that sound? Seems like I really can''t live in this house anymore, it''s truly haunted I tell you..."


    At the same time, Fan Quan entered the cave created by the "Allegory of the Cave," looking up into its interior.


    Deep inside the cave, in front of a blazing bonfire, there sat two primitive people tied up hand and foot, backs turned to the entrance.


    They were ragged and their faces fierce yet numb, mumbling to the shadows on the wall.


    Those shadows were their own reflections.


    Watching this scene, Fan Quan recalled the "Republic," written by the philosopher Plato from Ancient Greece. The story of the "Allegory of the Cave" came from there.


    "A group of prisoners lived in a cave, bound hand and foot, unable to turn around, facing a wall with a fire behind them. They saw shadows of themselves and things on the wall and believed those shadows were the reality. Later, someone climbed out of the cave and discovered the real world." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He silently recited the story to himself.


    [Skill effect of "Allegory of the Cave": Enter a primitive cave independent of the outside world, where you can avoid all dangers within. However, the shadows on the wall will speak to you. Their words can be deceiving and may trap you there forever, so consider carefully how long you want to stay.]


    [Note: You might try convincing the two prisoners in the cave to leave. If you manage to do so, they will become your puppets and fight for you.]


    After reading the skill description, Fan Quan found a wall in the cave to sit down.


    He slowly turned his head to look at the two prisoners, who were stupified by the shadows'' whisperings, then lowered his gaze to his own reflection on the ground.


    The shadow slowly curled its lips, whispering something to him.


    "Look, what''s so great about the outside? On those sleepless nights... you always try to pop pill after pill into your mouth, every nerve seems to be torn apart by anxiety and agony, you''re always running away from the arrival of daylight... Isn''t it nice to hide in this cave, where the outside world will never matter to you, where there''ll be no pain...


    no fatigue, just this warm bonfire and me to accompany you... go to sleep, you don''t have to worry about anything, just have a good sleep."


    Fan Quan suddenly felt his head grow heavy, so he shifted his gaze away from the shadow, looking instead toward the last paper figurine in his sleeve.


    The little paper figure was sitting cross-legged on his wrist, muttering the words "benevolence as the essence," "unity of knowledge and action," and "doctrine of the mean."


    "Unity of knowledge and action."


    Fan Quan picked out this phrase.


    Then he repeated a sentence to himself.


    "No matter what happens, no matter what I hear, I will leave this cave in ten minutes... No matter what happens, no matter what I hear, I will leave this cave in ten minutes."


    As he finished speaking, his expression suddenly became vacant, as if his soul had been stripped away.


    [Skill effect of "Unity of Knowledge and Action": You can give yourself a command, and your body will act in absolute accordance with it.]


    At this moment, in the outside world.


    Ke Xiaomo moved like an arrow shot through the shadows, darting through every building within a three hundred meter radius, searching almost every corner of the Old Jingmai District.


    But he did not find the man''s scent again... not even a trace.


    Having given up, he finally returned to the street where he had started, leaning against a vending machine, bowing his head and looking at the ground, silent for a long while.


    "He actually got away... and I thought tracking was my forte."


    Filled with a trace of unwillingness, Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath, slowly lifting his head to stare at the night sky, murmuring to himself.


    "So there''s someone in this city who can evade my tracking... seems like I need to have a serious talk with my brother when I get back."


    After a moment of melancholy, Ke Xiaomo stood up from the vending machine he had been leaning on, extended a finger, and pressed it on the corresponding icons for the beverages.


    "Xiao Ni wants Coke, Mingye wants Coke, Qiuwu also wants Coke, Xiao Ling wants Sprite, Yongzhu wants Powerade."


    He murmured softly, his fingers moving swiftly over the icons, the vending machine''s glass reflecting his expressionless face.

 Chapter 070 The Death of Fan Quan_3

    Soon, five bottles of drinks clattered down from the dispenser. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Ke Xiaomo felt his pants pocket and realized the food bag hidden inside was gone, so he had no choice but to hug all five bottles and turn to walk towards home.


    The vibration of his cell phone in his pocket prompted him to free one hand, pick up the phone, and turn on the screen. He saw a WeChat message from Ke Mingye.


    [Ke Mingye: Where the hell are you, dude? I''m dying of thirst here, where''s my Coke?]


    [Ke Xiaomo: Don''t worry, I''m on my way.]


    Ke Xiaomo replied using voice-to-text and then walked into the pitch-dark street, a hint of a smile flickering at the corner of his eye.


    "Hmm, let''s head home."


    ......


    ......


    Meanwhile, Fan Quan emerged from a mountain cave and once again stepped into the familiar old-fashioned living room.


    Turning his head, he saw an auntie with a face mask, holding a feather duster in her left hand and a ghost-expelling talisman in her right, cowering in a corner of the living room. Her face was pale as she muttered repeatedly, "Namo Amitabha, demons and ghosts, quickly leave, demons and ghosts, quickly leave, demons and ghosts, quickly leave¡­"


    "Sorry to interrupt."


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses, left behind a cool remark, then walked expressionlessly toward the front door, turned the doorknob, and left the house.


    Shortly after, he returned to his rented room.


    Closing the door, he turned on his computer and logged onto the specialized website to contact Cai Bing.


    [Fan Quan: Are you still alive?]


    [Cai Bing: Died.]


    [Fan Quan: Good death.]


    [Cai Bing: Seriously though, thanks to you, I had to destroy over a dozen machines, and the local networks I just set up are gone as well. There''s basically no difference from being dead, right?]


    [Fan Quan: What are you planning to do next?]


    [Cai Bing: Fortunately, Qing Ya and I aren''t in the same city. He can only send association people to catch me. Before I left, I checked through the mini-surveillance cameras I left at home. Shortly after I finished messaging you, my place was surrounded by an armed troop, including one or two superhumans with B-level combat abilities.]


    [Fan Quan: So, did you escape their search area?]


    [Cai Bing: Might have escaped, but in any case, I can''t stay in this city anymore.]


    [Fan Quan: Where do you plan to go?]


    [Cai Bing: The opposite direction, I''m coming to Huanjing.]


    [Fan Quan: Good, do I need to welcome you with a song called "Huanjing Welcomes You"?]


    [Cai Bing: Crazy, I really want to slap you dead. So what''s the deal with Spider Man?]


    [Fan Quan: Confirmed, his character background is as Qing Ya''s son, and out of his nine family members, at least seven are superhumans.]


    [Cai Bing: That exaggerated? So, what are you planning? Gonna take him by surprise and let him expose his identity in front of his family?]


    [Fan Quan: No, his existence is definitely a trump card the system arranged for us. If we really have a chance to exterminate the superhumans, his role in the future can''t be overlooked.]


    [Cai Bing: I get it, you want to be his nanny?]


    [Fan Quan: I need your help. He is an important trump. We can''t let his identity be exposed to other players, and certainly not to his monster family.]


    [Cai Bing: You wanna be a nanny and you''re dragging me along to suffer with you?]


    [Fan Quan: Qing Ya will soon start his investigation on ''Dice Monster''. From my observations, Spider Man likely left quite a few clues, such as the photo of Dice Monster wearing ''Huanjing Third High School''s uniform'', which will directly lead Qing Ya to his son''s school and prompt him to pull up relevant surveillance footage, undoubtedly revealing weaknesses.]


    [Cai Bing: Huanjing Third High School, huh?]


    [Fan Quan: Right, we need to delete some surveillance footage related to the school before Qing Ya takes over the case, specifically on June 19 and June 20. Those were the days he learned the skill and started using puppets at school for a double life. With Qing Ya''s scouting skills, he definitely won''t overlook the school''s surveillance, especially footage involving his own son.]


    [Cai Bing: Okay, I''ll reluctantly help you cut those days'' surveillance footage from that school, hoping your judgment isn''t wrong.]


    [Fan Quan: Thanks.]


    [Cai Bing: Still in the limelight, we''ll have to wait until I get to Huanjing to contact again. I''m taking a boat tonight to smuggle myself over, should arrive in about two days.]


    [Fan Quan: Understood.]


    After sending the last message, Fan Quan closed his laptop and leaned back in his chair, taking a deep breath.


    It was then he noticed the "communications list icon" in the upper right corner of his field of vision was flashing a bubble with the number 1. During the entire process of escaping from that Ninja, he hadn''t noticed.


    After hesitating for two seconds, Fan Quan reached out his finger, clicked the icon, and the prompt panel popped up.


    [Player "Failed Man" has accepted your friend request.]


    [Notification: Friend "Failed Man" has sent you a message.]


    [Failed Man: Rest in peace, Fan Quan. If I''m still alive this time next year, I''ll remember to come offer you incense.]


    [Fan Quan: ?]

 Chapter 071 Skill Exclusive Sale Page, Spider Sense

    The night of June 21, at the Ke Bai family residence.Ke Mingye was the last to enter the house, leaning against the shoe cabinet as he took off his shoes, when he noticed a bubble with the number 1 popping up on the communication icon in the upper right corner of his field of view.


    He raised an eyebrow and clicked on the icon with a thought, and immediately a prompt message popped up.


    [Player "Fan Quan" has sent you a friend request. Do you accept?]


    "Looks like he must know that I''m Spider Man..."


    Ke Mingye looked at the notification, silently sighed, and thought it''s bad luck to keep a dead man on his friend list. Maybe it''s better to decline.


    "Really, literate man risks his life just to confirm who I am. I wish you''d die cleanly and not let my brother drag you off for questioning and accidentally expose my information too. Wouldn''t that harm both of us?"


    Grumbling inwardly, he put aside the friend request for the moment and walked into the living room.


    By now, his siblings were all sitting on the sofa, each doing their own thing. Normally, people would be tired after just stepping outside, but everyone at home was a superhuman; they didn''t even breathe hard after walking for miles.


    Ke Mingye looked around and didn''t see Ke Youqing. He thought, this guy really can''t sit still. Even if there aren''t criminals, he feels fulfilled only if he helps an old granny look for her lost cats and dogs, right?


    Mom is still out hanging out with her group of sisters, and dad usually doesn''t mind her because he''s so busy with work and hardly gets involved in family matters. What right does he have to comment?


    "Big bro, you can''t leave!" Bai Zini raised a game cartridge from the sofa and turned to ask him, "Wanna play ''Double Act''?"


    "Another round and I''ll die of exhaustion. I''m heading to my room to lie down. Ask Zi Ling to play with you."


    With that, Ke Mingye took two steps at a time, bypassed the crowded sofa, and walked upstairs to his room.


    He locked the door, flopped down on the bed in a spread-eagle position, and stared blankly at the yellowing ceiling.


    "Surviving today feels so great, first Bai Zini, then Fan Quan, one drama after another is almost giving me a heart attack..."


    "Looks like my brother hasn''t come back yet. He must''ve already torn Fan Quan to shreds. That guy was asking for it, wasn''t he? If you don''t understand something just ask, why trouble me? If you don''t die, who will?"


    Ke Mingye thought this and picked up his phone to send a message to Ke Xiaomo: "Dude, I''m dying of thirst over here. Where''s my Coke?"


    Soon, the reply came: "Hang on, I''m coming."


    Ke Mingye quietly looked at the message, did not grieve for Fan Quan for even a moment, and instead opened the task panel and glanced over the three daily tasks.


    [One, Run 4000 meters (completed)]


    [Two, Use a disposable item once (completed, unclaimed reward) (Reward: 1 attribute point added to "neurological reaction")]


    [Three, Kill a superhuman (special mission, uncompleted)]


    He stretched out his finger and lightly tapped the second daily task, claiming the corresponding reward.


    [Daily Task Two Reward Claimed, your "neurological reaction" attribute has changed: 9 points¡ú10 points.]


    "I need to boost this attribute too. Otherwise, being strong isn''t enough. If I can''t keep up with an opponent''s moves during a fight, it''s too easy for those with control powers to take me down with one move," he thought.


    Ke Mingye yawned, his eyes brimming with weary tears, then turned to the skill sales page.


    [Player currently holds: 8260 coins]


    [Player''s current level: Lv.7, Skill sales page refresh probability ¡ª E-grade skills 68%; D-grade skills 15%; C-grade skills 12%; B-grade skills 5%; A-grade skills 0%; S-grade skills 0%]


    The probability of B-grade skills refreshing is getting higher. Ke Mingye thought, does that mean when I reach level 10, there''s a chance that A-grade skills will appear on the sales page?


    He could hardly imagine how strong an A-grade skill would be, considering just one B-grade skill was strong enough¡ªif he hadn''t come across the B-grade skill "Deception Puppet", he might already be dead in the cinema.


    "But I couldn''t afford it anyway, upgrading even slightly is exorbitantly expensive."


    Ke Mingye''s gaze moved downward, looking at the panel of skills.


    [¢Ù: Personality Split (Skill retained from yesterday, purchased)]


    [¢Ú: Dream Weaving (E-grade skill) (Enter the dream of a target character, where you can converse or manipulate the environment and progress of the dream.)]


    "Wow, a skill exclusive for charlatans, huh?" Ke Mingye thought, "But what''s the point? If you can enter their dream, why not just kill them while they''re still asleep?"


    [¢Û: Martyr''s Belief (D-grade skill) (Absorb and store any source of damage received to your own body for 10 seconds, and after 10 seconds, create an explosion centered on your body, to which you are immune) (The more damage your body absorbs in these 10 seconds, the higher the resulting explosion damage and the wider its coverage will be.)]


    "Sounds like a double-edged sword... Sustain damage for 10 seconds before activating the skill. Normal people would have been knocked out in that long, especially in a fight against a superhuman."


    Ke Mingye looked at the skill description, thinking to himself.


    "But how come I feel like it''d be amazingly effective on a puppet? After all, it doesn''t matter if it dies. Maybe it can trigger the skill right before death and take the enemy down with it."


    [¢Ü: Flashbang Incoming! (E-grade Skill): Creates a strong flash of light centered on the user, possibly blinding nearby enemies for a short duration, while the user himself is immune to the flash''s effect.]


    "This is similar to the skill called ''Lights Out'' from yesterday, but this seems a bit more useful." Ke Mingye thought, "I''ll skip it for now."


    [¢Ý: Gravity Control (D-grade skill) (Gain the ability to alter the gravity affecting a target within a five-meter radius around the player for a short duration, making the target float or fall)]


    "Looks pretty decent, good for offense and defense, and can even be used on myself. It''s a pity this is a D-grade skill. The lowest price would be 10,000 Mall Coins. In the early stages, rather than saving up for a D-grade skill, it would be more practical and flexible to get two E-grade skills for the same price."


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye scrolled down the exclusive sale page to look at more skills.


    [¢Þ: Frost Hands (E-grade skill) (Creates a controllable low-temperature field around the hands, useful for freezing small objects or creating ice weapons.)]


    "This skill seems cost-effective, but it would be better if it could be released with one hand. Using both hands might damage my ''Web Shooter,'' better leave it."


    Ke Mingye pondered for two seconds, internally snarking.


    [¢ß: Life Link (D-grade skill) (Establishes a link with another creature, sharing the damage received by the player with the linked individual for a short duration)


    (Note one: The damage shared to the other individual won''t exceed their maximum sustainable damage, hence it won''t be lethal.)


    (Note two: Similarly, damage received by the other party from external sources will also be shared with you through "Life Link".)]


    "Great stuff." Ke Mingye''s eyes lit up as he praised it silently, "Using it on a puppet is pretty cheeky too, cheeky to the extreme. It can save lives and harm others."


    [¢à: "Ding Dong, Here I Am!" (E-grade skill) (Creates a rat to gather intelligence, with the player able to control the rat''s movements and share its vision and hearing.)]


    "Not necessary for me, given I already have a puppet. Getting another rat would be impolite." Ke Mingye thought.


    [¢á: Shadow Weaving Step (E-grade skill) (Upon activation, every move made over the next 10 seconds creates an afterimage, making it difficult for enemies to pinpoint your real location.)] S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fancy stuff, superheroes aren''t that easy to fool."


    [¢â: Spider Sense (B-grade skill) (An active skill that, upon use, grants a spider-like sense for ten minutes¡ªallowing you to ''anticipate danger,'' ''evade pursuit,'' and thus acquiring ''battle instincts'' and ''spatial awareness,'' while greatly enhancing your ''neurological reactions'')]


    "What is this, am I seeing things?"


    Ke Mingye stared at the name of the skill, instinctively tilted his head and rubbed his eyes.


    He blinked, confirming the skill name was correct.


    "Damn, isn''t this tailored for me? Now I''m truly ''Spider-Man'', just missing a genetic mutation. Maybe tomorrow a visit to the lab and getting bitten on the back of the hand by a spider¡­ wait, why is this an active skill? A low-grade Spider Sense? If it were passive, wouldn''t I be unbeatable?"


    With this thought, he finally noticed he hadn''t checked the skill''s grade, and looking down, his excitement subsided.


    "No worries then, I was reaching too high. Hopefully, we can meet again someday."


    Ke Mingye finished browsing today''s exclusive sale page, thinking the E-grade skills today were quite useless. Better save a D-grade skill for tomorrow; after completing a series of tasks, he should have enough money to buy a D-grade skill.


    He then sat on the bed silently for a while, mentally clicked the icon in the top right corner, and accepted Fan Quan''s friend request.


    [Failed Man: Rest in peace, Fan Quan, if I am still alive next year, I will remember to come and pay tribute to you.]


    [Fan Quan: ?]


    [Failed Man: The system is really thoughtful, huh? Creating an intelligent AI similar to a deceased friend to converse with us, like playing ''My 360 Days with a Dead Person'' romance simulation game.]


    [Fan Quan: You''re a bit paranoid.]


    [Failed Man: Wait, hang on, you''re still alive?]


    [Fan Quan: Got time to meet up later? Yandai Commercial Street, the usual place, that video game store.]


    Ke Mingye looked at this message, hesitated for a few seconds, wondering if this was a trap set by his elder brother, and that Fan Quan had already been controlled¡­


    Just as he was contemplating whether to meet with Fan Quan, Ke Xiaomo''s voice came from the living room downstairs, "Mingye, come down and get your drink."


    Hearing his elder brother''s voice, Ke Mingye made up his mind, quickly walked to the window, opened it, and while releasing the Deception Puppet from the windowsill, replied to Fan Quan''s message on the communication panel.


    [Failed Man: Okay, I''m on my way. Wait for me there.]

 Chapter 072

    After releasing the Deception Puppet from the windowsill, Ke Mingye turned and walked out of the room. He didn''t expect that as soon as he went downstairs, he could no longer see Ke Xiaomo''s figure in the living room."Where''s Second Brother?"


    He asked the people on the sofa.


    Bai Qiuwu, sitting on the armrest of the sofa and holding a pen, looked at some college entrance examination math materials and responded, "He went out with Big Brother. They said they wanted to sit at the caf¨¦ nearby, your cola is on the table."


    "Oh."


    Ke Mingye didn''t even need to think to know that Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo must have gone out to discuss cultural matters.


    So did Fan Quan really escape from Second Brother''s hands, or did Second Brother and Big Brother already have Fan Quan under control, and were now setting a trap for him together...


    The more Ke Mingye thought about it, the more confused he became, so he picked up the remaining bottle of cola on the white round table in the living room, then sat down on the sofa to watch Bai Ziling and Bai Zini playing "Double Act."


    They were on the space level.


    Bai Zini controlled the thin female protagonist standing on a gigantic sphere;


    Bai Ziling controlled the fat male protagonist, who magnified his body and pushed the sphere while reminding Bai Zini to press the movement key, careful not to fall off the sphere.


    Ke Yongzhu, with his chin propped on his hand, sat on the side, mocking Bai Zini''s skills.


    Each time she died in the game, this elementary schooler would click his tongue, his face screaming "Let me play if you can''t handle it." Eventually, Bai Zini, frustrated, grabbed a pillow from the sofa and threw it at his face.


    Ke Mingye unconsciously twisted off the bottle cap, and steam erupted from the mouth of the bottle. Startled, he quickly brought his mouth close to the bottle to catch the cola that was about to overflow.


    Then, he gulped down a few mouthfuls of the cold cola and then released the bottle, breathing out deeply.


    He coughed twice, his eyes twitching, thinking to himself that Second Brother definitely did not come back home in the usual manner but had flown back from the shadows, and the cola had even fucking exploded.


    "Forgot to remind you, do you need paper?"


    Bai Qiuwu, with a pen against her chin as she looked at the math materials, nonchalantly offered him a pack of paper.


    "Really forgot?"


    "Guess how my cola spilled."


    "Don''t need the paper, mine didn''t spill. Annoyed much?"


    Ke Mingye taunted her without even turning his head, continuing to watch the game on the TV.


    While his gaze seemed fixed on the television screen, his brain was actually controlling the Deception Puppet in the sky above the city, grabbing onto spider webs, weaving between tall buildings, flying towards Yandai Commercial City. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Ke Mingye opened the equipment panel, looking at two pieces of gear lying inside¡ª[Train Conductor''s Uniform] and [Train Captain''s Hat].


    These two items were rewards from the "Crazy Train Station" instance at Number 4 Street in Old Jingmai District; it was highly unlikely that Ke Mingye himself would wear them, as they would be too out of place.


    But thinking differently, it was perfect for the puppet to use.


    This way, there was no need to go through great trouble stealing shoes or school uniforms anymore, although a train conductor''s uniform was still too conspicuous when worn.


    It would be perfect in the future to buy a set of modern clothes in the store to keep in the bag.


    Having been busy all day, Ke Mingye hadn''t really looked at the description of the two trophies.


    Just then, as he was about to rush to meet with Fan Quan, he took the time to read the descriptions of the gear.


    [Equipment Name: Train Conductor''s Uniform]


    [Quality Level: E-rank]


    [Equipment Description: A complete set of train conductor''s uniform, including a badge, jacket, shirt, pants, and shoes, which has been transformed by the Mobius Tunnel, making it fundamentally different from ordinary clothes.]


    [Equipment Ability: Whenever this train conductor''s uniform is damaged, as long as there is enough left, it will regenerate itself and automatically clean every corner of the uniform, making it look brand new.]


    .


    [Equipment Name: Train Captain''s Hat]


    [Quality Level: D-rank]


    [Equipment Description: The hat of a train captain, which has been on his head for over two hundred years. Although it has blocked many bullets for him, it did not block the last one that was fired at his head.]


    [Equipment Ability:


    ¢Ù When you receive a fatal injury to the head (such as from a gunshot) the hat will take over, bear the injury instead of your head, and then return to your bag to slowly self-repair.]


    "Not bad at all, worthy of being an MVP reward from the instance. The hat can protect against headshots, and it even shares the self-repair feature with the conductor''s uniform," thought Ke Mingye.


    He clicked on the icons in the bag, equipping the Deception Puppet with the two pieces of gear.


    The next moment, the puppet''s body was instantly covered in a clean, neat train conductor''s uniform, the outer part a dark blue suit jacket with a badge from a last century train company on the front, and a white shirt inside. Around the neck hung a blank name tag, with neither a name nor an employee number filled in.


    At the same time, a dark blue hat appeared on its head, with a clear brim extending forward, shielding its eyes from the neon halos dancing on the high buildings.


    However, just as the puppet donned the new uniform, about to skim over the highway, a sudden large commotion came from nearby Huanjing Bridge.


    Ke Mingye heard the noise and immediately ordered the Deception Puppet to halt its motion, grabbing onto a spider web and hanging upside down on top of a building, turning its head to gaze at the upper part of Huanjing Bridge.


    There, the vehicles on the bridge were congested, seemingly blocked by something up ahead. Drivers abandoned their cars fleeing with their children or wives, screaming towards the exits of the bridge.


    Then, from a dense forest of vehicles piled up, a lithe and powerful figure gradually rushed forth.


    It resembled a horse yet was akin to a person, its body structure melding the aesthetics of both creatures, the lower body of a horse, the upper body of a person, each segment of the body possessing robust muscles, exuding a wild sense of power.


    "Centaur?"


    The Deception Puppet blurted out.


    The moment he saw this scene, the name of a Class C fugitive emerged in Ke Mingye''s mind:


    ¡ª"Ghost Horseman."


    That afternoon, when Ke Mingye was looking at the wanted list that Fan Quan had searched for in the dessert shop, the name Ghost Horseman appeared right next to "strange thing," so he inadvertently remembered the name.


    Little did he think that in just half a day, he would encounter this equally overestimated brother in difficulty.


    Although the Ghost Horseman''s wanted level was not low, his actual strength was considered the weakest among the Class C fugitives¡ªhe only had the strength equivalent to an E-class superhuman, one level stronger than Ke Mingye, a quasi-F-class superhuman, but that was it.


    The reason his wanted level was so high was because his past deeds were utterly unforgivable, from eating children alive to setting fire to the residences of five innocent families in succession, to attacking police officers. Just a few dozen words were not enough to list all his crimes.


    Over the past five years, Qing Ya had repeatedly arrested the Ghost Horseman more than ten times, but the Ghost Horseman, with his "ghostly body" ability, often managed to escape from various superhuman prisons.


    At this moment, the Ghost Horseman was holding a huge cleaver in each hand, crashing wildly on the bridge, leaving terrifying hoof prints on top of one vehicle after another.


    He sprinted forward, wildly swinging the two cleavers, cutting the vehicles he passed by in two like a fierce wind.


    The formerly sleek cars were no more, leaving behind nothing but pieces of "paralyzed" scrap metal.


    The screams of the crowd gathered together, almost covering the entire bridge like a tide, making the silhouette causing such a commotion appear even more fearsome like a ghostly deity.


    "Speaking of which, I haven''t finished my daily task three yet, what was it..."


    The puppet was hanging upside down over the city, its pupils reflecting the Ghost Horseman rushing across Huanjing Bridge and successively killing two innocent civilians.


    "Right, it''s ''kill a superhuman.''


    "Since dad refuses to deal harshly with criminals, I''ll help him take down this Ghost Horseman... to save him the trouble of sending him to prison again."


    Thinking this, the Deception Puppet lowered its right hand and shot a web toward the giant screen of a tall building ahead, sticking to it like an open palm.


    Then, it released the original web and, grabbing the new strand of web, swung forward, while mentally rehearsing the Ghost Horseman''s path of travel.


    Subsequently, at the moment the puppet swung to its highest point, it released a skill from a hundred meters above.


    The skill was called, "Superhero Landing."


    [Height detected as suitable (above 8 meters from the ground), skill successfully released ¡ª "Superhero Landing"]


    In that instant, the Deception Puppet''s body suddenly bent, its right knee cocked forward, and its forefinger on its forehead. Holding this comical pose, it plunged toward the ground like a beam of light.


    "Boom!"


    A deafening crash ensued as the puppet accurately smashed onto the top of the rampaging Ghost Horseman.


    It let out a hysterical horse''s neigh as a violent jolt of force pressed him downward, all four horse legs bent simultaneously, and all four hooves knelt on the ground.


    Immediately thereafter, a huge crater formed on the asphalt road.


    At this moment, every giant screen on the buildings in the downtown area focused its camera on this figure descending from the sky, dressed in a train conductor''s uniform, a gray oddity; the neon light halo enveloped its silhouette like an ocean.


    "Who goes there, dare to... dare to..."


    The Ghost Horseman supported himself on the ground with his arms, both cleavers falling into the depths of the crater, buried in the blood-soaked mud.


    "Dead men talking, huh..."


    The Deception Puppet mocked with its mouth as it slowly lifted its head from the back of the Ghost Horseman, straightening up while lowering its right hand to shoot webs toward his hooves.


    With several "snap" sounds, the highly adhesive web firmly fixed each of his hooves inside the crater.


    The Ghost Horseman struggled, supporting himself on the ground with his remaining two human arms, attempting to lift his torso out of the crater.


    But at that moment, Ke Mingye ordered the Deception Puppet to pull out the "One-time Summon Card: Self-Destructing Zombie" from its bag, and a card appeared between the puppet''s fingers.


    It crouched on the centaur''s back, bit the card apart, and the next moment, a fierce-looking zombie appeared on the centaur''s back, clutching tightly onto its head.


    "What is, what is this?!"


    The Ghost Horseman screamed in panic; he couldn''t see the creature clutching him, only feeling an intense heat rapidly rising from its body.


    "Surprise."


    The Deception Puppet grinned, shot a web and grabbed onto a nearby traffic light, kicked off the centaur''s back, and shot up high, catching the web and swinging to above the traffic light.


    In the next instant, the zombie''s body rapidly heated up and cracked, turning into a violent blaze that engulfed the Ghost Horseman''s head.


    The thick black blood splattered from his skull evaporated into gas in the flames, and in a blink, it vanished.


    After a long moment, a red-background panel popped up in front of Ke Mingye, announcing the Ghost Horseman''s death.


    [You have successfully completed "Daily Task 3: Kill a Superhuman." This task is a special task; please collect your reward promptly.]


    The Deception Puppet crouched above the traffic light, confirming that the Ghost Horseman was thoroughly dead, and was about to leave when it suddenly noticed a figure standing beside it.


    It froze for two seconds and slowly moved its face to look at the figure. It was a man, shrouded entirely in a black cloak, wearing a pitch-black mask, with an aggressively sharp blue beak protruding from the center of his face.


    "You seem to be having quite some fun."


    The dark figure rasped, his ominous voice almost seeping into the Deception Puppet''s mind.

 Chapter 073

    The night of June 21, in the center of Huanjing, a steel jungle of towering skyscrapers surrounded electronic signs densely packed together, like a deck of poker cards spread out on a table.In the square, every giant screen was broadcasting the same scene, featuring a gray creature squatting on top of a traffic light, with a deep pit beneath him.


    In the pit lay a bloodied figure, the villain "Ghost Trickster," who had just been defeated by him.


    The world first fell briefly into dead silence, followed by everyone in the city pointing at the figure squatting on the traffic light and beginning the classic post-battle cheers.


    It was still the old trilogy indispensable in superhero movies, some people knelt and wept, others clapped, some screamed in applause and then a child stretched out his finger pointing at him and shouted, "Mom, it''s a superhero, we''re saved!"


    The Deception Puppet scratched his cheek, thinking that his cool photo was still hanging on the wanted list on the Superhero Association''s official website. But since you guys want to do this, let''s do it.


    "Such a strange-looking superhero, why haven''t I seen him on the official website?"


    "Why is he wearing a flight attendant''s outfit?"


    "He''s mixed up with Qing Ya, does that not make him a sketchy superhero? Is that weird?"


    "Qing Ya?"


    When the Deception Puppet heard that name, he realized something was not right, and just then, a raspy, sinister voice rang in his ear, making it quiver as if his brain marrow was trembling.


    "You seem to be having a lot of fun."


    That voice said so.


    The puppet sharply turned his head to look at Qing Ya, who was also standing above the traffic light. Some children in the crowd started crying upon seeing him, as if they saw a nightmare that kept them awake at night.


    Ever since Qing Ya debuted and became a model worker of the Superhero Association''s Huanjing branch, every child in the city''s sleep quality had noticeably declined. Frequently, people would dream of a giant crow swooping down at them, gnawing at their flesh.


    That was the impression Ke Youqing left people, his exceedingly brutal methods not only put an end to most crimes but also resulted in a situation where he faced public scorn.


    At that moment, Ke Mingye himself was sitting on a couch, sipping on a Coke, watching Bai Ziling and Bai Zini play "Double Act."


    Just catching sight of Qing Ya''s face was as terrifying as turning around in a horror movie to see a ghost screaming into one''s face. He flinched, and his hand shook, tilting the Coke bottle and spilling the drink on a schoolchild''s shoulder.


    "Damn it, are you sick?!"


    Ke Yongzhu was initially stunned, then frantically jumped up, quickly getting to his feet and patting his clothes. He asked Ke Mingye with a dark face,


    "It''s okay, you''re going to take a shower later anyway."


    Ke Mingye''s back was drenched with cold sweat, he gave a couple of evasive responses, and after taking a breath to calm himself, he patted Ke Yongzhu''s now-damp shoulder.


    Back when he used to watch live broadcasts on the dark web, he would mock those who were spied on and the arch-villains. Every time he saw how exaggerated Qing Ya''s reactions were, was it really necessary, afraid of being eaten or something... Only after having experienced it himself did he understand what it was like to not have a clue until you''ve been through it.


    It was no different than being kicked off a cliff before your bungee jumping gear was securely fastened.


    Not wetting himself was already proof of good mental strength.


    At the moment, the puppet raised his non-existent eyebrows, slowly rose from the traffic light post, and took off his train conductor''s hat to salute him.


    "Isn''t this Mr. Qing Ya, my apologies, I just didn''t notice you were here."


    "Don''t salute me, you''re a wanted criminal," Qing Ya said.


    "Right." The puppet put on his train conductor''s hat again, "But I just dealt with a criminal who''s on the same wanted level as I am, that should make up for my crimes, right? After all, my only offenses were setting fire on an overpass and blowing up a traffic light pole, as for causing a major streaking incident, that''s a completely fabricated charge that I will never admit to..."


    He paused, "Mr. Qing Ya, don''t look at me as a villain. I actually have a heart that aspires to be a superhero."


    "Do you really think you could kill him with your power?" Qing Ya asked.


    The puppet pointed at the mangled corpse in the pit and turned to Qing Ya, "What else could it be, his body has already cooled, yet you still doubt me?"


    "While you pinned him down in the pit, I shot him with an inhibitor, injected inside his body, making his ''ghostly body'' ineffective," Qing Ya spoke slowly, "Otherwise, you would soon discover that Ghost Trickster not only survived the explosion but also escaped from your web."


    The puppet suddenly realized, lowered the brim of his hat, and muttered to himself.


    "I see... I said this super villain had an ability to make his body untouchable, how come he didn''t use it at the brink of death."


    "He''s not a super villain, just an insignificant character like you."


    Qing Ya looked down at the corpse on the ground and spoke with sarcasm.


    "Alright, alright, an insignificant character." The Deception Puppet spread its hands. "But let''s get back to the point,, even if I didn''t kill him with my own strength, I at least helped you take care of it, don''t you think that should count as atoning for my wrongs?"


    "You''re a wanted criminal; we''ll consider that at the police station."


    "What if I don''t go?"


    As it spoke, the Deception Puppet had already kicked off from the top of a traffic light and leaped into the air above the street, while simultaneously lowering its right hand and shooting a web towards a screen embedded on the surface of a high-rise.


    But in the next moment, it almost didn''t realize what had happened before its body was seized by a swift dark shadow, and then dragged along, shooting towards the surface of a tall building, climbing up along the glass curtain wall and finally reaching the upper airspace of the city.


    In this relentless assault, the entire curtain wall''s glass shattered continuously, raining down on the street like a downpour, causing the crowd below to scream in horror.


    Qing Ya remained in midair, his cloak continuously releasing flock after flock of pitch-black crows, as if these birds were buoying his body, floating in the sky.


    Among the flock of crows, he grasped the puppet''s neck, smashing its head viciously into a screen promoting a movie, creating a dent in the giant screen instantly.


    Bang!


    Behind the screen were tangled wires, the sparking electricity savaging the puppet''s face, nearly tearing apart its brain.


    Seeing this scene, screams rose from the downtown area, the entire street buzzing with conversation. The cars grinding on the road all stopped, and every person poked their heads out of their car windows, looking up at this bizarre spectacle:


    ¡ª "Qing Ya has just subdued the superhero who had just saved Huanjing Bridge inside an LED display."


    It was as if he were administering electric shocks.


    "Behave, don''t think about running. A thousand of you couldn''t escape from my palm."


    Qing Ya whispered hoarsely, the light in his eyes behind the mask gleaming ferociously. With each word he spoke, his hand around the puppet''s neck tightened, as if he was about to crush its neck any second.


    "Cough¡­ cough cough, buddy, do you even count as a superhero?"


    The puppet''s face twisted, but its mouth was still turned up in a grin.


    "You should look at the eyes of the people down there, see their slightly open mouths. They clearly want to resist you, they want to scream at you, but they can''t utter a word, just standing there dumbfounded. Do you know why that is?"


    It paused, leaning close to Qing Ya''s ear, almost uttering each word carefully, "Because they are afraid of you¡­"


    "So?" Qing Ya lowered his face and asked coldly, "what are you trying to say?"


    "So?" The puppet stared into the eyes behind Qing Ya''s mask, laughing maniacally, "In their eyes, I am the hero, while you... are not a hero at all, just a thug."


    "I don''t care if I am considered a hero in anyone''s eyes; I only care whether what I am doing is right."


    Qing Ya said coldly, staring straight at him, his black cloak flapping in the night sky.


    He held the puppet in his right hand, propelled into the sky by countless crows, bursting through the air like a black tidal wave, disappearing into thousands of cameras in an instant.


    "What a pity, I suppose I won''t be accompanying you back to the police station, Mr. Qing Ya."


    The puppet, watching itself get farther and farther from the ground, sighed softly: "You are really annoying, like a brute beast with unevolved intelligence. Perhaps those so-called supervillains are more reasonable than you."


    As the words fell, his body rapidly heated and cracked in the night, the violently glowing cracks spreading across his body, eventually reaching his face.


    Qing Ya noticed this and stopped midway in the air, ceasing to rise.


    "No one will remember you, this tyrant... no one will."


    After dropping this eerily toned phrase, the puppet''s body exploded completely. Qing Ya released its neck and simultaneously vanished from the spot.


    After a while, a burst of intense firelight rose in the center of Huanjing, lighting up the dark night like fireworks, causing the crowd on the street to point at the sky and cheer.


    "What''s with the fireworks tonight?"


    "It''s fireworks!" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Such beautiful fireworks!"


    But the next moment, a strange laugh sounded in the sky, enveloping everyone''s ears like an electronic broadcast.

 Chapter 074 Superhero or Supervillain

    [Congratulations, you have completed the first node objective of the main quest "Destroy the Superhero Round Table" ¡ª approach the superhero "Qing Ya" in disguise.][This main quest has split into two paths. If you wish to pursue both paths simultaneously, you will need to play two roles: "superhero" and "supervillain".]


    As a red and black panel popped up in front of him, Ke Mingye came back to his senses on the couch, his hand empty from the cola he had just finished drinking, and he casually tossed the can into the trash can.


    "Damn, is that the terrifying Crow Man?" he thought. "Why do I feel like facing him is even more stressful than facing my brother? Our first encounter and he hits me with a combo without explanation, sending me straight to heaven. He doesn''t make any sense at all."


    Just in case, the moment Qing Ya caught him, he dismantled the web shooter and the train conductor uniform from the puppet. These items were far more precious than the puppet itself.


    "Two paths?"


    Ke Mingye focused on the red and black panel in front of him, which was still refreshing with new text.


    [The following are the two target path contents for the main quest "Destroy the Superhero Round Table".]


    [The first path''s node objective is: "Not a superhero, but a justice-driven supervillain" ¡ª disguise yourself as a superhero through another false identity, infiltrate the inside of the Superhero Association, and raise your superhero rating within the association to D rank (the lowest rank of superheroes is E rank).]


    [The second path''s node objective is: "The Day of the Tyrant''s Demise" ¡ª raise your wanted level on the official Superhero Association website to B rank (currently a C rank fugitive).]


    [Note: The two target paths can be pursued concurrently and interchangeably.]


    "Please, can the difficulty get any higher?" Ke Mingye thought. "Acting as a villain on one hand and pretending to be a superhero on the other, isn''t that going to cause a mental split?"


    What he was more curious about was how to infiltrate the Superhero Association. To accomplish this, wouldn''t he need a world-class hacker to fabricate a flawless identity for him?


    But he didn''t have such a person by his side.


    [You have received the node reward: 2000 experience points, 8 attribute points, and 2000 mall coins.]


    [Your level has been raised to Lv.8 (1500/4500 points), and you have received 1 attribute point as a level-up reward.]


    [You currently have a total of 9 idle attribute points, please allocate them promptly.]


    Ke Mingye opened his personal panel, and without much thought, directly added all 9 attribute points to the "Physical Fitness" category.


    His approach was to stack one outstanding attribute first, then use skills and equipment to compensate for the weaknesses from other attributes, and start to distribute attributes evenly in the mid-game.


    "A person can have flaws, but cannot be mediocre. You must have one strength to truly stand out in society."


    In memory, Ke Youqing had taught this lesson to the seven children at home.


    Every time he remembered this, Ke Mingye couldn''t help but scoff in his heart: "That''s all well and good, but Dad, you sure have too many flaws, right? Look at what people say about you online and then reflect on yourself, okay?"


    Especially the other six sisters at home, like Magical Girl Ash and Black Judge, their extreme and dualistic personalities were probably largely thanks to Ke Youqing''s genes and upbringing.


    However, Ke Youqing was indeed as prolific in his strengths as he claimed, otherwise how could he have lasted so many years against a full-on internet backlash without being toppled.


    Ke Mingye found this approach to life very convincing and decided to apply this life formula to his attribute allocation: to fight the dragon with the way of the dragon, and the day to trample Qing Ya underfoot is not far off.


    [Physical Fitness attribute change: 51 points¡ú60 points.]


    [Congratulations, your "Physical Fitness" attribute has successfully broken through the "E rank superhuman minimum standard" (60 points).]


    "This is so easy, thankfully the player leaderboard doesn''t rank player strength, but rather the number of superhumans killed, otherwise I''d be permanently at the top of the leaderboard."


    Ke Mingye thought to himself and opened his friends list, clicking on Fan Quan''s Mario avatar.


    [Failed Man: Hey, you there?]


    [Fan Quan: What''s up?]


    [Failed Man: I got caught by Qing Ya, looks like I won''t be able to meet up with you.]


    [Fan Quan: Fine, I just watched the live stream, you really got beaten up pretty bad by your dad, let''s do it tomorrow afternoon then.]


    Ke Mingye''s eye twitched a bit as he thought to himself, why does this guy''s words subtly give off the vibe of "a primary school student sneaking out to an internet cafe at midnight getting caught and beaten on the buttocks with a stick by his father"?


    For heaven''s sake, it was supposed to be the destined battle between the superhero "Qing Ya" and the super villain "strange thing," can''t he show a little respect?


    So, Ke Mingye''s rebellious spirit was stirred up right then and there.


    Just because he got caught by his father, he thought, he''d fire back with a retaliatory shot¡ªit wasn''t possible to get caught a second time, was it?


    With that thought, he clicked on the skill cooldown icon at the top left of his vision, and a panel popped up: [Since you voluntarily destroyed the "Deception Puppet," it can be cast again after ten minutes].


    Then he typed his reply on the panel.


    [Failed Man: Why don''t you wait at the arcade for a bit longer, I''ll be there in ten minutes.]


    [Fan Quan: Oh, I''m planning to stay here until ten o''clock tonight anyway, do as you please, just don''t let your dad catch you again.]


    [Failed Man: Screw off.]


    Ke Mingye closed the panel, and the world suddenly became peaceful.


    He was sprawled on the sofa like Ge You, turning his head to look at Bai Ziling and Bai Zini next to him. They were both tired of playing video games and were leaning back on the sofa, each playing with their phones.


    At that moment, Bai Zini''s expression became a bit strange, her complexion unusually cold. Her eyes were fixed on the phone screen, which was showing a trending video from Weibo.


    Ke Mingye leaned over to take a look.


    In the video, the superhero Qing Ya was talking to a grey humanoid figure dressed in a flight attendant''s uniform, perched atop a traffic light. In the next instant, the grey figure shot a thread towards an electronic screen on a high-rise building, then leaped up, grabbing onto the thread, about to take flight.


    Suddenly, Qing Ya used some method to blink in front of it, stretching out a hand to tightly grasp its neck.


    "Damn, what the heck is this drab thing, a new super villain?" Ke Mingye commented.


    "Don''t know, first time seeing it," Bai Zini said calmly.


    She paused for a moment, put away her phone, "I''m going for a walk, been playing games for too long, my eyes are sore."


    "It''s the middle of the night, I''ll go with you."


    "No, I like walking alone."


    "You were just saying this morning that you wanted me to go running with you next time."


    "Bro, when did you become so clingy?"


    After speaking, Bai Zini gave him a sidelong glance, silently rose from the sofa, walked over to the entrance, put on her shoes and headed out.


    Ke Yongzhu watched this for a while and finally could take over Bai Zini''s position and pick up the game controller, but Bai Ziling was already tired of playing and they ended up resting their heads together to watch TV.


    "Little Shadow."


    Ke Yongzhu watched the television with her eyes, but her mouth issued a comment directed at Ke Mingye.


    "Exactly."


    Though Bai Ziling didn''t know what was going on, she followed with a faint echo of agreement.


    "What''s it to either of you?"


    Ke Mingye glanced at them dismissively, wondering since when they had become so chummy. His attention was quickly diverted by something else.


    Just as Bai Zini had walked out the door, she returned, lowering her head to Ke Mingye and said, "Forget it, let''s go for a walk together."


    "Didn''t you have something to do?"


    Ke Mingye looked at her with a strange expression, thinking to himself how she seemed to be in and out constantly.


    He knew that Bai Zini had most likely intended to seek out Qing Ya to inquire about the "strange thing". But what was the point... He had already extricated himself from Qing Ya''s grasp by self-destructing, and there was no finding him now.


    "Not going anymore, I''d rather go for a walk with you."


    Bai Zini remained silent for a while, then said softly.


    "Then let''s go. We can also check the nearby caf¨¦ for our eldest and second brothers on the way."


    Ke Mingye hesitated for a moment, thinking about going upstairs for his phone to find an excuse, then releasing a Deception Puppet. But after a second thought, he decided against it and opened his friends'' panel, sending a message to Fan Quan.


    [Failed Man: Something suddenly came up, won''t make it tonight.]


    [Fan Quan: Did your dad catch you again?]


    [Failed Man: No, can''t say more, see you tomorrow.]


    After sending the message, he closed the panel and moved to join Bai Zini at the door, squatting to put on his sneakers.


    "Why so preoccupied lately?" he asked as he tied his shoelaces.


    "Am I?"


    "It''s written all over your face, you''re terrible at hiding worries. Anyone at home can tell."


    "Oh."


    "So what happened?"


    Ke Mingye uttered as he entered the elevator, pressing the open door button on the panel, and quietly waited for Bai Zini to step into the cabin.


    Bai Zini stood outside the elevator with her hands behind her back, her head bowed, and strands of loose hair obscuring her eyes.


    "Can you just not ask, okay?" she said.


    "Alright, if you don''t want to talk about it, then never mind." Ke Mingye tilted his head, his finger continuously pressing the ''Open'' button on the panel, "My hand is getting sore, what exactly do you want to do?"


    Bai Zini stayed silent for a while, weariness in her eyes. Slowly, she looked up from beneath her hair, opened her mouth as if to say something but then slowly stepped back.


    "What if I told you, I am a magi..."


    Ke Mingye was taken aback, swallowing nervously, thinking to himself he hoped she''s not about to blow up on him.


    "Um, you are what?" he probed.


    Bai Zini was silent, one of them standing in the brightly lit elevator cabin, the other in the dimly lit corridor.


    After a long pause, the person in the corridor said softly, "Do you remember when I was little, I said I wanted to be a Magic Girl, so I could protect you in the future?"


    "I remember."


    Ke Mingye quietly lowered his head, recalling the event in his mind.


    Back in primary school, he frequently got picked on for being adopted, with classmates calling him a parasite and cursed, leading him to fight every day and come home with a bruised face. Once, while still in preschool, a sympathetic Bai Zini hugged him while her eyes turned red from crying.


    Amidst her tears, she loudly declared that she would become a Magic Girl when she grew up, so no one could bully her brother. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest of the children in the house laughed at her then.


    Especially Bai Qiuwu, who even though she tried to contain herself by pressing a fist against her lips, eventually couldn''t help shaking with laughter.


    Only Ke Mingye had been stunned for a long while before he ended up patting her back.


    As Ke Mingye thought about it, he suddenly paused, looking up at Bai Zini, wondering if the reason she had become a Magic Girl was really because of that incident.


    "You were so silly back then." He scratched his nose, saying softly, "Everyone was laughing at you, dad even made a video of it. It used to be played every year on your birthday and eventually, everyone forgot about it."


    "That''s so mean."


    Bai Zini got angry, her face turning red as she retorted, "Back then, I just didn''t want to see you hurt."


    "Haven''t I always been fine? I haven''t been bullied since then, maybe I owe it to your lucky charm."


    With that, Ke Mingye released the open door button on the elevator panel, stepped out of the elevator, took her hand, and while the elevator doors hadn''t closed yet, he pulled her into the cabin.


    Their figures passed through the narrowing gap, as if crossing into another world.


    The elevator doors closed, and with a humming sound, the cabin began to descend.


    Ke Mingye let go of her hand and instead picked up his phone, checking the time.


    "Let''s get home before 9:30, or dad will nag us again. But we could stop by the caf¨¦ to find our eldest brother, get him to cover for us. We''ll say he dragged us out to play," he said with a crooked smile.


    "Okay."


    "Don''t be upset anymore."


    "I''m not upset now."


    "That''s good then."


    "I feel like you''ve changed a lot lately, you never used to care about me this much."


    "Was I really that heartless before?"


    "No, it''s just that you never said it out loud, but I knew."


    "Well, that''s settled then."

 Chapter 075 Skill Enhancement Card, Two Puppets

    On the late night of June 21st, Ke Mingye and Bai Zini walked on the lakeside path, where the moonlit lake shimmered with waves, reflecting the fleeting moon shadow amidst the clouds."Have you had enough of wandering?"


    "Enough." Bai Zini turned her head to look at him, speaking somewhat irritably, "I feel like you, big bro, are about to fall asleep. I''m really afraid you''ll doze off on the way."


    Ke Mingye shrugged, "Then let''s hurry and find our eldest and second brothers to pass the blame onto them, otherwise mom will definitely scold us for coming back so late."


    "Old bro, you know it best; you must have done this quite a few times before."


    "Otherwise, how would we survive with mom''s temperament?"


    While speaking, Ke Mingye suddenly remembered something, "By the way, what was the reward for that mission of killing a superhuman? I haven''t claimed it yet."


    So, he opened the mission panel and glanced at the special task in the third slot.


    [Daily Task 3: Kill a Superhuman (Completed, Reward Unclaimed)]


    Ke Mingye mentally clicked on that red special task, and immediately, a reward notification popped up.


    [You have successfully claimed the reward for Daily Task 3, receiving the following two items: ¢Ù 1000 Mall Coins; ¢Ú a fragment of a Skill Enhancement Card.]


    [Current possession of Mall Coins: 10260 ¡ú 11260]


    "My goodness, no wonder it''s a special task with only a percent chance of refreshing. The rewards are so generous." Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow and thought, "Skill Enhancement Card, what exactly is this thing?"


    He opened his inventory panel to check the introduction of that shard.


    [Item Name: Fragment of a Skill Enhancement Card]


    [Item Description: Collect three pieces of the Skill Enhancement Card fragments to acquire a "Skill Enhancement Card" which can be used to expand the capabilities of your current skills or to enhance the damage of the skills. (Note: Skill Enhancement Cards can only be used on skills of Grade C or above.)]


    [Item Source: ¢Ù This item has a 2% chance of appearing on the equipment item purchase page of the mall; ¢Ú This item can occasionally be obtained by completing special daily tasks.]


    Ke Mingye clicked on the special term ''Skill Enhancement Card'' in the introduction, and a new interface popped up.


    [Currently, in your skill bar, the skill eligible for the Skill Enhancement Card is Grade B skill - "Deception Puppet."]


    [When using the Skill Enhancement Card on "Deception Puppet," the following changes will occur:]


    [¢Ù Allows you to simultaneously summon two Deception Puppets, but the attributes of the second puppet will only be 80% of the first one.]


    [¢Ú The duration time of Deception Puppet''s existence will enhance from 3 hours to 6 hours.]


    "Is this for real? This is so overpowered..."


    Ke Mingye stared at the text on the introduction panel, his mind whirling with thoughts, and it took him a couple of seconds to snap back and think that there was no reason not to grab this Skill Enhancement Card.


    Once he got it, he''d just create two clones, one turning into the super villain ''strange thing,'' the other becoming the Magic Girl ''Xiaohongmao,'' while he himself could masquerade somewhat as a superhero. They could freaking perform a stage play with three identities interacting and supporting each other - was there still any worry about revealing his identity in front of his family?


    This was unbeatable now. If one person couldn''t defeat Qing Ya, could three combined still not manage it? S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only issue was how to get the fragment... Through the mall and special tasks, that was only by luck given the small chances, but it wasn''t impossible.


    "Speaking of finding our second and eldest brothers, where did you say they were again?"


    On the quiet lakeside path, Bai Zini turned her head and asked, breaking into Ke Mingye''s thoughts.


    Ke Mingye looked down at his phone and answered, "Second brother sent me his location, at the Old Jingmai Cafe on Seventh Street."


    ........


    ........


    Half an hour ago, on the second floor of Old Jingmai Cafe.


    Beneath the warm orange glow of the ceiling chandelier, two figures sat opposite each other in a compartment, sipping coffee while speaking softly.


    "So... you didn''t catch him?"


    Ke Yinzhi raised his eyes, asking slowly, his tone slightly surprised.


    Earlier, upon spotting a passerby covertly observing them on Fourth Street, he had asked Ke Xiaomo to confirm the person''s identity, but he hadn''t expected this outcome.


    Ke Xiaomo shook his head, answering, "No, he got away."


    Ke Yinzhi raised an eyebrow, surprised as he appraised him, "Uh... are you sure you didn''t let him go on purpose?"


    "No, I did my best to look for him."


    Ke Yinzhi said with interest, "Oh... so there are actually people who can escape from your grasp? I''m not even confident I could get away from beneath your view, who could that be?"


    "Do you think there''s a chance he''s a player?"


    "I''ve said it before, players at this level shouldn''t be that formidable, at least none capable of escaping from you are likely to exist."


    Ke Yinzhi shrugged his shoulders as he spoke, changing the topic, "Rather, even if you look at the top superhumans in the world, there aren''t many who can evade your tracking."


    "I think so too, but he just ran away right under my eyes..."


    "That is indeed very strange."


    Ke Yinzhi sipped his coffee, looked him in the eye, and curiously asked, "Do you think the person we encountered just now was a player?"


    "Yes, but it''s just intuition, no evaluation..."


    Ke Xiaomo nodded and said softly.


    "I trust your intuition. Ever since we were kids, your intuition has always been accurate, quite mystical."


    "While practicing in the valley, my master once told me that I have a spiritual sense, so I often sense things others wouldn''t expect," Ke Xiaomo said. "That''s why I always feel that the officials take the ''player'' matter too lightly, perhaps they are far more dangerous than we imagine."


    "It seems you and I share the same view."


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi chuckled softly, teasing, "After all, if a hundred people could exterminate the world''s superhumans, including two American sweethearts who rob convenience stores with guns... if you were in the shoes of those battle-hardened antiques, would you really take it seriously?"


    "No, it sounds too absurd..."


    "That''s the point, I can''t convince those old-fashioned folks either," Ke Yinzhi spread his hands, "They even said, since you think it''s so important, you should try to find those hundred people yourself." Saying this, he took a sip of coffee, "So I had no choice but to seek help from Qing Ya and the Alliance members."


    "That''s really not your style."


    "Actually, I wanted to take this opportunity to get to know them better, I always focused on fighting and killing, never caring about these social niceties."


    While speaking, Ke Yinzhi''s coat pocket vibrated with his phone. He held the coffee cup in one hand and with the other, he pulled out the phone and placed it between his shoulder and ear to answer.


    Listening to the voice on the other end, he raised his eyebrows, "Is that so, I understand... okay."


    After finishing, Ke Yinzhi hung up the phone, put it back in his pocket, and looked at Ke Xiaomo, "Guess what news I just heard?"


    "What?" Ke Xiaomo asked, perplexed.


    "Your favorite Dice Monster has appeared again, and who knows what madness he''s up to, he subdued a Class C wanted criminal ''Ghost Horse Man'' by Huanjing Bridge, and now he''s been caught by Qing Ya."


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo''s expression changed, and he asked:


    "Did Qing Ya catch him then?"


    "Unfortunately, no." Ke Yinzhi shifted his gaze, speaking casually, "Well... you know, that thing is just a puppet, catching the puppet is useless, we need to catch the Puppet Master."


    "Is that so..."


    Ke Xiaomo''s gaze shifted, each time the name Dice Monster was mentioned, he couldn''t help but feel a palpitation.


    "But no worries, the Dice Monster has already caught Qing Ya''s attention, so it probably won''t be long before its true body is exposed by Qing Ya."


    "You really have a lot of confidence in Qing Ya."


    "Please..." Ke Yinzhi bit into a cookie, jokingly said, "We all know Qing Ya might not be the strongest superhero, but he certainly has the best investigative skills, like a hound, no one he targets can escape."


    "Hopefully." Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath, "I just hope this matter gets resolved quickly."


    "It will be fine, brother, don''t worry too much."


    Ke Yinzhi rested his chin in his hand and sighed lightly, speaking nonchalantly, and patted his shoulder.


    At that moment, Ke Xiaomo looked down at a message on his phone, then shut it off: "Mingye and Xiao Ni said they want to come over to find us."


    "Let them come, after all, we''ve discussed everything we needed to, and we might as well treat them to some dessert."


    "Okay." Ke Xiaomo picked up his phone to send a message to Ke Mingye, and then asked Ke Yinzhi, "Will you be here on the 4th of July?"


    "It''s summer vacation; unless there''s an emergency, I won''t be going anywhere," Ke Yinzhi paused, "Is it about the matter of the Calamity Dragon?"


    "Yes. I just can''t understand why Master would keep the whereabouts of the Calamity Dragon a secret from me..."


    Ke Xiaomo put down his phone, silent for a long time, "I might not be able to handle it alone, I need you by my side, then I''ll be confident."


    "I promise you that''ll be okay, whatever happens that day, I''ll be here."


    Ke Yinzhi smiled slightly, picked up a cookie and casually chewed on it.


    "Thank you."


    "We are family, always have been."


    "Yes... Always have been."

 Chapter 076 The Crow Chorus

    June 21, in the dead of night, the 79th floor of the Superhero Association building.Ke Youqing removed his mask, placed his hands on the sink countertop, and hung his head low, breathing deeply.


    Qing Ya''s mask fell to the floor, emitting a metallic humming sound.


    From the shadows of his forehead, he raised his eyes, and the mirror reflected a tired, gloomy face, his bloodshot eyes staring at the mirror''s surface.


    A crow stood on his shoulder, cawing: "He got away, they all got away, you caught no one, you''re really useless..."


    Hours earlier, an unidentified hacker had breached the official records database, searching for him and his family''s records. Ke Youqing, using a pre-set counter-surveillance alarm, located the hacker''s address at the first instance and dispatched a top-tier police squad and two B-level superheroes from the local Association branch to search.


    But the hacker reacted quickly, immediately destroying all clues and evidence, and furthermore, managed to escape unscathed from the encirclement of the police force.


    Thus, Ke Youqing was especially irritable tonight.


    Who could it be... hacking into the record database, just to search for information on him and his family?


    He couldn''t stop pondering this question, the more he thought about it, the more agitated he became.


    The follow-up investigation by the Association branch had not yielded any results so far.


    He could only wait...


    If he were decades younger, he believed he was accustomed to waiting, and good at it, too¡ªit was key in apprehending those criminals, patiently waiting for the right moment to act, never doing anything uncertain.


    But now he was too tired to qualify to wait any longer.


    So he could only act like a mad dog, recklessly aggressive, making the most of the last breath that still lingered in his throat.


    "Go back, go back... you useless thing."


    The crow on his shoulder taunted him, its blood-red eyes filled with disdain.


    Ke Youqing remained silent, and after a long while, lifted his gloved right hand and pressed hard against the crow''s head, crushing it.


    There was no blood spurting out, just crow feathers fluttering down to the floor, melting away like a black rain.


    He took a deep, raspy breath, irritably turning his head away to see two crows dancing a tango on the toilet lid; three crows on the windowsill playing bungee jumping games, plunging down from the ledge, fluttering their wings just before hitting the ground, flying back up to the windowsill; ten crows lined up in a corner of the restroom singing "London Bridge is Falling Down," the leading crow wielding a baton, conducting left and right, their hoarse singing echoing in the bathroom; the narrow bathtub piled with countless crow corpses, thick blood about to spill out.


    Ke Youqing had gone mad.


    But he didn''t think he was mad yet.


    Rather, he couldn''t afford to go mad¡ªif he did, who would take over his post, who would protect this city?


    He didn''t know how much longer he could maintain his sanity. If he ever fancied that he could change the world, then he had utterly lost.


    He simply hoped that his family could remain safe, that every child could grow up successfully, find an ordinary life, and live peacefully.


    As for his ideals, he planned to find a successor he could entrust with them, to train him within this year to the best of his abilities, to take his place.


    Then, with a clear conscience, step away from this tangled stage.


    Ke Youqing remained silent for a long time, slowly removing his battle suit, step by step, he walked towards the bathtub.


    The dead flock of crows suddenly came to life, screeching hoarsely as they flew to the sky. Ignoring everything, he submerged himself in the warm pool of blood.


    He knew that it wasn''t blood, but bathwater, yet his nose seemed to detect the thick scent of blood.


    Ke Youqing picked up the pack of cigarettes on the edge of the bathtub, drew one out, placed it in his mouth, and looked up at the ceiling.


    After decades of non-stop fighting, he still saw no sign of the world improving. In the end, he was covered in scars, protecting his family like a sick dog, praying they wouldn''t be drawn into the other side of the world, into the unchanging darkness, yet... today''s events had completely broken his last line of inner defense, invading the last safe haven in his heart like a violent storm.


    ¡ªSomeone had set their sights on his family.


    "Is it a player?" Ke Youqing wondered as he soaked in the blood pool, "Or someone from the Management Bureau? Since the Management Bureau used a brain imaging helmet to scrutinize my child in the cinema, it''s evident that someone among them knows who I am, so they searched the records of people around me..."


    Half an hour ago, he contacted the external affairs department of the Anomaly Control Bureau, requesting a meeting with the S-class operative, "Black Judge," but the Black Judge said he was enjoying his vacation time, had no time to meet him unless he helped expose Dice Monster''s true identity. Then he might be interested in stopping by the Association to hear what he had to say.


    Although Ke Youqing did not want to admit it, the Anomaly Control Bureau indeed held a higher official status than the Superhero Association, so in communication with the Management Bureau, he had to be in a passive position. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Dice Monster, why is Black Judge so fixated on this fugitive..."


    Ke Youqing pondered, recalling the words Dice Monster had left him with: "I''m the hero, you''re just a thug... no one will remember a tyrant, no one will."

 Chapter 076 Crow Choir_2

    He leaned the back of his head against the edge of the bathtub and slowly closed his weary eyelids, taking a deep drag on his cigarette....


    ...


    June 22nd, morning, seven o''clock.


    The alarm clock went off on time, and Ke Mingye, rubbing his bleary eyes, reached out to turn off the alarm and opened his eyes to find that same reporting panel before him.


    [Task time remaining: 361 days. Please complete the ultimate mission of "Exterminate Superhumans" within the deadline.]


    [Current number of global surviving players: 96 out of 100]


    [No version updates are available for today.]


    [Today''s daily tasks are as follows]


    [One, run 5000 meters (Reward: One spin the wheel lottery chance)]


    [Two, no special tasks have been refreshed today.]


    Ke Mingye yawned, closed the panel, "Right, there were rewards for killing Superhumans, but how do I claim them..."


    Thinking this, he clicked on the "Player Rankings" icon in the upper right corner of his field of vision,


    A red and black panel popped up before his eyes.


    [The current global player rankings for accumulated Superhuman kills are as follows.]


    [First Place: 17 people¡ªID: Ripper Z (Serial Number NO.002)]


    [Second Place: 15 people¡ªID: A Zhe (Serial Number NO.098)]


    [Third Place: 12 people¡ªID: Top Bull (Serial Number NO.025)]


    [Fourth Place: 6 people¡ªID: Fan Quan (Serial Number NO.039)]


    [...]


    [Your Ranking: Currently tied with 23 other players for 8th place overall, 1 kill]


    "Do these people have to kill so fiercely? Aren''t they afraid of dying?"


    Ke Mingye was secretly shocked, wondering if the person at the top of the leaderboard, having already hunted seventeen Superhumans, wouldn''t be targeted by some of the more formidable local superheroes?


    Especially this one named "Fan Quan," he seemed a bit off, as no one else has a character named "Qing Ya;" this guy fully knew the dangers but still chose to walk into Tiger Mountain.


    Ke Mingye looked at the upper right corner of the ranking interface and saw an icon labeled [Kill Milestone]; he clicked on it.


    [Current number of E-Class Superhuman kills¡ª1 (One milestone reward available for claim)]


    Without much thought, Ke Mingye stretched out a finger and tapped this line of text, immediately prompting a panel to pop up.


    [Award Received: One D-Class equipment card, 1000 Mall Coins, 500 Experience Points.]


    "Done, now off to run."


    He threw back the covers, rolled out of bed, and twisted the doorknob to open the door.


    Stepping into the hallway, he looked around; the entire floor was shrouded in dead silence, not a sound to be heard, very much fitting his stereotype of this family¡ªeveryone was like pigs unable to get out of bed... Of course, it''s also possible that they were out being masked vigilantes last night, so there might be good reason for not being able to get up early.


    Of course, except for his second brother.


    Ke Xiaomo had already left for training in preparation for the battle in two weeks and had no time to play the "Morning Run Simulator" with Ke Mingye¡ªthey could both run for tens of kilometers without so much as sweating or panting, as their bodies had already reached the human limit.


    There really wasn''t much point to it, it was probably just self-deception, a performance they put on for each other.


    Without dawdling, Ke Mingye washed his face and headed out the door.


    Today, he chose a different running route, heading in the direction of Hong Ge Food Street to grab breakfast there along the way.


    He had only just reached the traffic light intersection and stopped to wait to cross the road when he heard roaring sounds from afar.


    Turning his head, he saw a Magic Girl in a gothic dress, clutching a black umbrella and darting through the air, chasing after a man in a white robe with dragonfly-like transparent thin wings.


    Ke Mingye was stunned for half a second, thinking to himself, "Come on, little sis, when did you become such a workaholic too, inheriting dad''s workaholic traits, huh?"


    "Can you stop flying around, Fly Immortal?"


    Magical Girl Ash shouted sharply, her delicate face filled with coldness. Her skirt fluttered, and the gray ribbons on her head swayed with it, her brilliantly bright, lead-colored hair floating elegantly in the wind.


    "What Fly Immortal? Show some respect, my name is ''Fly Immortal'', I''m a sorcerer!"


    The man soared above the urban area, flashing six pairs of thin wings, grinning madly with a blood-streaked ancient white robe flapping in the wind, holding a blood-red charm between the index and middle fingers of his right hand.


    [Code Name: Fly Immortal]


    [Name: Li Jingshan]


    [Strength: C++ level (better than some superhumans)]


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, recognizing the criminal''s name¡ªafter all, it was the 21st century, and if a real cultivator appeared out of nowhere, they''d likely get caught by the Anomaly Control Bureau for dissection and research, showing up in a student''s superhuman textbook before long...


    So, this guy was actually an outright mutant, with a title that sounded novel but had nothing to do with real cultivation.


    As rumors had it, he became this ghostly entity after being bitten by a genetically mutated fly.


    After the mutation, Li Jingshan inherited the characteristics of a fly, sprouting six pairs of thin wings and developing an abnormal craving for human blood, more vampire than the vampires themselves.


    Since his mind was rather unstable, always believing that his power came from the way of cultivation, rather than mutation, he slowly adopted the mocking title "Fly Immortal" as he thought he could ascend through cultivation eventually.


    Years ago, Fly Immortal had even founded a cult, teaching followers the "Tearful Cultivation Method" and tricking plenty of them. It was said that quite a few of these followers died during the process of fasting.


    Late on, Fly Immortal used the blood of these deceased followers to forge "charms" and, thinking he was invincible, took to the streets shouting, "Fly Immortal is here, kneel before me!" while brandishing a bamboo stick with blood-refined charms attached to it.


    In the end, he was knocked down to the street by the passing "Diviner Black Wukong" with a cudgel, his six pairs of thin wings burned clean by the Samadhi True Fire, and then "Top Bull" Qing Ya sent him to jail. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In an unlucky twist, just a few days ago, a mischievous escapee broke out of prison and took Fly Immortal along, thus the charlatan saw daylight once more.


    Seeing him jumping around before me, it was clear that Fly Immortal''s injuries had healed well; his wings burned off by Black Wukong had regrown.


    Even though the scene of the battle between Magic Girl and Fly Immortal was hundreds of meters away, the passersby with weaker nerves were already screaming and running the other way;


    Those with stronger nerves, on the other hand, were busy recording the scene on their phones, thinking of boasting to their colleagues at work later.


    "Should I give her a hand..."


    Ke Mingye tilted his head back, gazing at the fluttering gray skirt of the Magic Girl, wondering to himself.


    Just then, Ash also caught a glimpse of Ke Mingye in the crowd from the corner of her eye.


    She paused noticeably, retracting Cinderella''s umbrella and momentarily halting her chase, hanging in midair as she gazed obliquely at the sight of Ke Mingye from afar.


    "Hey, what are you looking at me for? Go after your criminal," Ke Mingye was rooted to the spot for a moment, unsure of how to react, then muttered to himself internally.


    This was his first time seeing Magical Girl Ash in her true form, so he could only respond with a confused look.

 Chapter 077 The Interrogation of Magical Girl Ash

    On the morning of June 22, Huanjing City was still enveloped in a thin mist, the sky pale as the belly of a fish.In the mid-air, the hazy dawn light shrouded the silhouette of a girl, the morning breeze sweeping in from the horizon, lifting the ribbons atop her head, her goth skirt swaying with the wind.


    At this moment, she was looking down upon someone from above.


    Ke Mingye didn''t dare to move a step, the corners of his eyes twitching slightly. In fact, he already wanted to make a run for it, thinking to himself that it wouldn''t matter if she were a criminal or not, why was she just standing there not attacking, staring at him? What did she want?


    Cinderella''s umbrella tip emitted a burst of airflow, propelling Magical Girl Ash to the ground swiftly. She tucked her umbrella behind her, and with light steps, she approached, her skirt''s folds rippling in layers like waves.


    Ke Mingye watched as her face drew nearer, his heartbeat quickening. He couldn''t shake the feeling that her expression resembled someone who wanted to press Cinderella''s umbrella against his head and pull the trigger.


    He had originally anticipated that he might die at the hands of Qing Ya, Black Wukong, or Black Judge, or at the very least, be talked to death by elementary schoolers, right?


    But he had never imagined that he might end up dying at Bai Zini''s hands, her menacing demeanor truly looking like she was about to kill someone.


    Magical Girl Ash stopped before him, lifted her face, and fixed her eyes on Ke Mingye, seemingly about to speak, yet hesitated.


    "You..."


    "Me?"


    Ke Mingye met the girl''s gaze, pointing at himself in a daze,


    Ash slightly frowned, her tone switching directions, "No, you all."


    "Us?"


    Ke Mingye paused for a moment, glancing at the person standing next to him.


    "Is it me," he asked uncertainly, shifting his gaze, "or us?"


    The tips of Magical Girl Ash''s ears reddened.


    With a frown, her left hand on her hip, her right hand covered in a black glove slightly raised, she pointed her slender index finger at him, "I originally wanted to talk about all of you, but since you put it that way, it''s you now!"


    "So what exactly is wrong with me."


    "You still ask?" sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The eyes of the goth-clad Magical Girl were as clear as the aurora of Iceland, yet now they held a touch of annoyance, her shoulders slightly raised like a cat puffing up its fur.


    "How am I supposed to know what I did if I don''t ask?"


    Ke Mingye was stunned, thinking to himself how unreasonable this girl was. One could at least communicate normally with Black Wukong, Black Judge, and Qing Ya, but with her, it was straight into playing the riddle game, right?


    "What I mean is..." she leaned closer to Ke Mingye''s face, her expression chilling, "next time you find yourself in such a situation, stay further away, don''t just stand there looking stupid, it could be dangerous, do you understand?"


    Under the watchful eyes of the public, their gazes locked, their faces nearly touching.


    Passersby were dumbstruck, thinking they had heard that this Magic Girl did whatever she pleased, not just any kind of capricious, but even the stray dogs passing by would get a kick from her.


    Consequently, everyone silently pitied Ke Mingye in their hearts, though a few were envious and resentful.


    "Are you trying to make an example out of me, officer, with so many people around, you only pinpoint me?"


    Ke Mingye spoke platitudes in an effort to relieve the awkwardness, thinking thankfully it was early morning with not many people around. Had it been any other time, wouldn''t he have wished to bury his head in the ground?


    "You have something more to say?"


    Ash knitted her brows, her tone arrogant and cool.


    "Okay, next time I see you fighting, I''ll just turn around and run, sorry, officer."


    Ke Mingye caved in quickly.


    The gaze of the Magical Girl remained icy, her eyes tightly fixed on him. However, the corners of her mouth involuntarily curled into a barely visible smile.


    But the next second, she quickly returned to a stern expression, lightly turning her cheek, as if trying her best to contain a laugh that was about to spill out.


    "May I go now?" Ke Mingye asked timidly.


    "Let''s go."


    Magical Girl Ash nodded slightly with her head down, then squeezed the handle of Cinderella''s umbrella in her slim arm, lifted her fair shoulders, and slowly turned to look at the person beside Ke Mingye.


    "That goes for all of you, not just him. If you''ve seen me fighting a criminal from such a distance, don''t just stand there, alright? What if you get involved?"


    As she said this, the girl''s tone grew colder by a degree, her eyes fierce as if she could devour someone.


    "Do you realize that every time a Magic Girl fights a criminal, it could affect many innocent bystanders? Maybe one of those bystanders is one of you guys filming with your phones!"


    Upon hearing this reprimand, those fans who initially wanted to come over for autographs dropped the idea, while a few with a twisted psyche became even more excited.


    "I''m just saying, Fly Immortal, you''re not chasing anymore?" Ke Mingye reminded, "You haven''t forgotten, have you?" He pointed upwards to the sky, where the criminal Bai Zini had been chasing hadn''t escaped yet.


    At this moment, Fly Immortal was lying askew on a suspended platform hanging outside a tall building, equipment used by workers to wash high-rise windows.


    He lay there, propping his head with his hand, as if mocking the relentless pursuit of the Magic Girl, sipping from a gourd tied to his waist while looking down at Magical Girl Ash educating pedestrians on the ground, a sneer on his face, "Ignorant people."


    "Of course, I haven''t forgotten, who do you think you''re talking to?"


    Magical Girl Ash was taken aback for a moment, then furrowed her delicate brows, gripped Cinderella that was tucked under her arm, and opened the umbrella upwards.


    She did not take off immediately but reached into the interior of the umbrella, as if dipping into a pocket dimension, and pulled out a hefty Magic Book.


    "There it is, the Hundred Treasures Bag," Ke Mingye said, making a sarcastic comment.


    The girl drew a card from the Magic Book, its surface etched with intricate patterns. She channeled Magic Power into the card, and the one marked "Gale" immediately dissipated.


    In its place, a roaring wind engulfed her body. She put away the Magic Book, casually lifted Cinderella, and with the lovely ripples diffusing from the umbrella, she shot up into the midair in an instant.


    In less than two seconds, she flew out a hundred meters, her speed more than half again as fast as before.


    The violent wind pressure grazed her cheeks, even causing the traffic light poles nearby to sway precariously, triggering a chorus of gasps from the pedestrians on the road.


    Ke Mingye raised his arm against the oncoming wind and squinted as he watched her retreating figure, finally letting out a sigh of relief.


    "Come on, Magic Cards are so powerful, why stick to one subject? You have to prove your rebelliousness to your three mentors without using cards, right?"


    Ke Mingye definitely did not want to deal with the aftermath. With Bai Zini''s strength, she would have an overwhelming victory over Fly Immortal, provided she could catch up to him.


    Fly Immortal had the speed of a fly, which was astonishing. But with the power of the Magic Card, Ash was different now, she seemed truly incensed, otherwise she would never use the card''s power.


    Now, seeing the Magic Girl coming after him again, Fly Immortal languidly crawled up from the high-rise platform, with six sets of thin wings fluttering noisily from the tear in his white robe.


    His six sets of wings thrust him through the sky and down into the bustling commercial district below.


    The hunched figure in white robes weaving through electronic billboards looked like an ancient being who had traveled to the present, completely out of place with his surroundings.


    However, soon Fly Immortal realized something was wrong. He noticed that the Magic Girl chasing him had suddenly increased her speed by more than fifty percent. She was not only keeping pace with him but also had time to launch an attack.


    The next moment, his form was engulfed by a barrage of magic-guided missiles from behind, causing him to plummet to the ground, leaving a dark trench mixed with mud and blood.


    The girl in the gothic dress approached him step by step while drawing the clear tachi from the base of the umbrella, pressing its blade to his neck, and murmuring something under her breath.


    Seeing this from a distance, Ke Ming put his hands in the pockets of his jacket and left the scene, relieved.


    He crossed the road and continued running along the edge of the street. Eventually, he completed the five kilometers required by the daily task and stopped to catch his breath.


    [Daily Task One: Run 5000 meters (Completed)]


    He looked up at the panel and claimed the daily task reward, and a prize wheel spun open before him.


    "No way," Ke Mingye stared at the wheel, "Is this for real?"


    He touched the prize wheel, the pointer whirled swiftly, and finally settled on area ¢Ù''s "Skill Enhancement Card Fragment."


    [Currently holding 2 fragments of Skill Enhancement Card. Upon collecting 3 fragments, a "Skill Enhancement Card" will automatically be synthesized.]


    "Looks like I might be able to add another disguise," Ke Mingye thought, "Hopefully, getting that last fragment won''t be as hard as the last penny in a group discount."

 Chapter 078 The Day of the Chosen, the Person of the Chosen

    After finishing today''s morning run, Ke Mingye went to Hong Ge Food Street and enjoyed some shumai and soy milk. He then took the subway home.Upon arriving, he unlocked the door and as it swung open, his gaze swept through the hallway. The living room was still emptily quiet.


    Ke Mingye sat down on the couch and idly scrolled through his phone. The old wall clock ticked away, its hands turning to 8:30, when finally some activity stirred in the living room.


    Ke Youqing and Bai Wenna woke up. One sat at the dining table reading a newspaper while the other fried eggs in a skillet, chatting about their plans to go on a honeymoon next week.


    Ke Youqing, unable to argue, had agreed to the plan. It looked like the Labor Model Hero would be missing from Huanjing for a while.


    Ke Mingye sat on the couch, silently listening to the couple''s conversation.


    "Dad and Mom are traveling, what about Ke Yongzhu? Without them, isn''t our little brother basically going to be surrounded and turned into a dragon meat hotpot by the Ninja Sect?" he thought.


    Ke Mingye was like a reed swayed by the wind since the system''s tasks either involved helping the Ninja Sect to chop down the dragon of calamity or helping Ke Xiaomo to destroy the Ninja Sect. Whose side he would take depended entirely on Ke Xiaomo''s mood.


    But wasn''t it also important for a fence-sitter to have at least a bit of backbone?


    So, he planned to be like his older brother, to prepare well and aim to possess formidable combat abilities before July 4th arrived.


    The minute hand of the clock moved to 8:45 AM, and his older brother, Ke Xiaomo, arrived home.


    Sweat dripped from his forehead, soaking the white T-shirt sticking to his defined muscles. His damp hair hung over his eyes. It seemed he had undergone several intense training sessions early in the morning. Such intense training would be lethal to an ordinary person.


    Ke Mingye didn''t understand the extent of Ninja training, though he could somewhat imagine it. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From movies and TV shows, he knew many ninjas trained by hanging upside down from cliffs. Those who survived this were absolute tough guys.


    However, he felt that honing one''s determination by performing a "Superhero-style landing" from a thousand meters above the city was more effective. Or navigating life surrounded by eight superhuman family members who could squash him with a slap, playing the charmingly evil role of "strange thing"¡ªevery day was a brush with death...


    Now that was a real way to train one''s resolve, right?


    Though, it did seem somewhat life-threatening.


    Ke Xiaomo took a shower, changed clothes, and then went back to his room for a nap.


    Bai Ziling, Bai Zini, and Ke Yongzhu had sneakily stayed up playing "Star Monopoly" in their room, so they hadn''t woken up yet, except for Bai Zini, who had sneaked out of the back window early in the morning to fight crime.


    The oldest brother and sister, however, were up.


    Bai Qiuwu hurried out the door after breakfast. She needed to attend an intensive course for college entrance exams and was pressed for time.


    Ke Yinzhi, yawning, sat down next to Ke Mingye, resting one arm on the back of the couch and quietly flipping through Dostoevsky''s "Notes from Underground."


    Ke Mingye sat next to Ke Yinzhi, unreservedly opened the mall panel, main with an attitude of ''if you find out, I''ll just die.''


    As usual, he skipped the first two pages and directly flipped to the skill specialty page.


    In his understanding as a gaming guru, skills were the real deal; everything else was just supplementary¡ªto purchase gear would only be considered when his skill slots were filled and when he desperately needed other ways to enhance his abilities.


    [Current Mall Coins: 12,260]


    [¢Ù: Day of the Chosen (D-grade skill, 11,500 Mall Coins) (specifies a date more than 60 days from now, on that day, you will receive a one-time skill named "Chosen One," which doubles all your attributes for 1 hour after activation) (Cooling period for Day of the Chosen: 60 days)]


    [Note one: The skill cannot specify the same date twice.]


    "What future soldier?"


    Opening gambit critical hit, Ke Mingye thought what kind of weird skills the system was offering. Could he even predict what would happen two months into the future? Just surviving this summer should call for champagne, big brother system.


    But then he had another idea.


    "Using it every two months, this skill could be activated a total of five times within a year... those are five days I can harness a massive boost skill that doubles my attributes, making battling the likes of ''Terrifying Crow Man,'' ''Diviner Zeus,'' and ''Alien Mom'' a breeze."


    "If I randomly set it two months ahead, there''s a good chance that I''ll be busy with family issues on that day, unable to make full use of the doubled attributes, wasting this amplifying skill."


    "But what if all the dates are set during the last five days before the final mission deadline?"


    "In those final five days, I could whip out this skill against tough guys every single time."


    That was the plan, but Ke Mingye still felt it was too idealistic: doing this equated to borrowing from the present to invest in the future.


    So he looked at the skill listed below.


    [¢Ú: Blood Burst (C-grade skill, 30,000 Mall Coins) (Skill effect: Transforms your health proportionately into physical fitness and neurological reaction attributes; the more health sacrificed, the greater the increase in attributes.)]

 Chapter 078 The Day of the Chosen, The Chosen One_2

    ```"What Berserker."


    [Skill 3: Martyr''s Conviction (D-level Skill, 11,500 Mall Coins) (Skill retained from yesterday, will disappear the next day)]


    [Skill 4: Hundred Demons Parade (B-level Skill, 55,500 Mall Coins) (Opens a "Hundred Demons Parade" in the space ahead, the higher your "Spiritual Power" attribute, the higher-level demons and gods you can summon)]


    "Isn''t this damn thing supposed to be an A-level Skill?"


    Experience more tales on empire


    Ke Mingye had his doubts, but since he couldn''t afford it, he had no right to bitch about it.


    [Skill 5: Essence Theft (C-level Skill, 30,000 Mall Coins) (Upon use, enter a state lasting 20 seconds, every time you deal damage to the enemy there will be a 20% chance success rate check; if successful, steal 10% of the enemy''s attribute values, the stolen attributes will disappear after 5 minutes)] S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can''t afford it."


    [Skill 6: Death of Jesus (B-level Skill, 51,500 Mall Coins) (Create a miniature cross in the palm of your hand and designate a target, if the target dies within 10 seconds, their soul will attach to the cross. If the cross is not destroyed within 10 minutes, the target will be resurrected)]


    "Can''t afford it, but why are there so many B-level Skills today?"


    [Skill 7: Partial Metalization (E-level Skill, 5,500 Mall Coins)]


    [Skill 8: Greed''s Finger (D-level Skill, price is 12,000 Mall Coins) (Skill effect: Inflict "varies with the amount of Mall Coins the player has" true damage on a target. If you manage to kill the target with this move, you will gain 200 Mall Coins) (Killing targets that are too weak will not yield Mall Coins)


    (Damage calculation formula: 500 points of true damage + additional damage affected by the number of Mall Coins; the more Mall Coins you have in your bag, the higher the damage this move will deal. Currently having 12,260 Mall Coins, Greed''s Finger can deal an additional "1% of the enemy''s maximum health" as true damage)]


    "This Skill is good for finishing off because it deals true damage. No matter how thick the opponent''s skin is, it won''t change the damage of this move. If used at the right moment, it could even burst coins," Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow.


    [Skill 9: Toxic Mist Eruption (E-level Skill, 5,200 Mall Coins)]


    [Skill 10: Life Conversion (E-level Skill, 5,500 Mall Coins) (Convert your health into stamina on a one-to-one ratio)]


    Ke Mingye hesitated for a long time between the three D-level Skills "Day of Divine Favor," "Martyr''s Conviction," and "Greed''s Finger," finally choosing "Day of Divine Favor."


    If there was any Skill that could change the outcome, this one would definitely count as one, this was like an investment for the future.


    [Thank you for your patronage, you have purchased the D-level Skill¡ª "Day of Divine Favor."]


    [Total expenditure "11,500" Mall Coins, your current Mall Coin balance is "760."]


    [The Skill "Day of Divine Favor" has been automatically placed in your fifth skill slot, you now have five empty skill slots left.]


    Ke Mingye opened his phone and used the Baidu search engine to look up what day it is 361 days after June 22, 2028. The final result was "June 18, 2029."]


    He double-checked, then released the Skill¡ª "Day of Divine Favor."


    [You have used the Skill "Day of Divine Favor," please designate a date more than 60 days from now. On that future date, you will obtain a one-time use of the Skill "Chosen One."]


    [Skill effect date: 202¿ÚÄê¿Ú¿ÚÔ¿ڿÚÈÕ.]


    "Seriously, isn''t this like taking out a loan to invest? I''m going all out here, so the future me should contribute at least a little, right? It''s up to you to annihilate the superhumans."


    Ke Mingye thought to himself while selecting numbers on the panel.


    [Confirmed Skill effect date as: June 18, 2029.]


    [The "Day of Divine Favor" has entered a two-month cooldown period, the next time you can use this Skill will be August 22, 2028.]


    "Okay."


    Ke Mingye suddenly felt a sense of relief. To use an analogy, this was like the first day of summer vacation when you shove all your homework into a safe and put a timer lock that only opens on the last day of the holiday. That feeling.


    Let the future me deal with the things of the future.


    ```


    Hey, it''s just about eradicating superhumans, right? With a bit of effort, you can definitely do it. Keep it up, future Ke Mingye.


    At this moment, Bai Zini finally "woke up." She hurried into the kitchen, finished her breakfast, and then sat down between Mingye and Ke Yinzhi, picking up her phone.


    She pretentiously launched Weibo and seriously checked the trending topics as if she truly cared.


    Then... just as Mingye expected, she was about to stir things up.


    "Bro, you''re trending on Weibo," she said, covering her mouth and widening her eyes.


    "Huh?"


    Mingye turned away from the TV with a look of resignation and turned to look at her, wondering what mischief she was up to now.


    "Oh... really, trending on Weibo?"


    Yin Zhi, piqued by her comment, closed the book he was reading.


    The two of them looked at Zi Ni, who was searching the trending topics on Weibo with her phone.


    The top trend read: "Qing Ya killed a superhero last night who stood up for civilians, prompting public outrage, with large crowds gathering early this morning at the base of the Superhero Association tower demanding an explanation";


    Right below it was the second trend: "Magical Girl Ash lectures a passerby";


    The third trend was: "The Superhero Association made a public statement early today, clarifying that the individual who defeated the criminal ''Ghost Rider'' near Huanjing Bridge last night was not a superhero, nor a vigilante, but a C-level wanted criminal known as ''Dice Monster,'' and that Qing Ya acted to prevent this wanted criminal from escaping by disabling them."


    After a glance at the trends, Yin Zhi asked in confusion, "Zi Ni, which trend are you saying features our little friend Mingye?"


    "The second one, I accidentally swiped to it just now."


    As she spoke, Zi Ni clicked into the second trend and started playing a video recorded by a blogger. The video showed Magic Girl Ash chasing a criminal and suddenly stopping to lecture passersby who were filming with their phones; the first to cop it was Mingye, who hadn''t done a thing.


    "They blurred the faces of the passersby and altered the voices," Zi Ni looked up at Mingye, then lowered her gaze to the video''s pixelated lucky passerby, "But the person being lectured by Magic Girl has got to be big brother, dressed just like you."


    After saying this, she put on her "only one truth prevails" detective face, her mouth curling into a smug smile.


    "It''s not me," Mingye denied with a poker face, "It''s just someone else wearing the same clothes."


    He muttered under his breath, thinking his sister really was a piece of work, set on giving him trouble whether he was in costume or not.


    "It is you, it''s definitely you!" Zi Ni wouldn''t let him off, seriously analyzing, "You went for a morning run wearing the same clothes, and you even used your phone to ask me if I wanted something packed from Hong Ge Food Street."


    "Indeed, judging by the figure and tone in this video, it''s none other than our Mingye," said Yin Zhi with a chuckle, shaking his head and dismissing Mingye''s defense after watching the video.


    Mingye covered his face and took a deep breath, "Bro, you''re not letting me off the hook either, huh?"


    Yin Zhi took a sip of coffee, looking down at his book, "Who told you to spectate at such a dangerous scene? Didn''t they teach you in school''s superhuman science class? When superhuman battles happen nearby, you should evacuate to a safe place immediately, never stay put, certainly not just to watch."


    "Exactly," Zi Ni nodded and lamented, "Who would have thought our big brother would also make it to the trends one day. Alas... a pity it''s as a negative example, so embarrassing."


    Come on, what do you mean by me also making it to the trends, aren''t I the main character in all three trending topics?


    Mingye sighed to himself.


    And besides, the other two trends'' negative examples are obviously our dear old dad, okay? Could you maybe go nag him instead of tormenting me, pretty please...

 Chapter 079 No. 7 Instance Card, Trip to Tokyo

    Ke Mingye saw that his elder brother had spoken and knew he couldn''t quibble, so he sighed and said, "That ''Magical Girl Ash'' really has no manners, even the passing dogs get kicked by her.""She is the idol I support, even if you''re my big brother, you can''t talk about her like that in front of me," Bai Zini said, glaring at him angrily.


    Bai Zini was so frustrated that she gave him a fierce sideways glance.


    "Just admit that I''m unlucky, will you? I go out for a morning jog and end up with this mess. If it were any other magic girl, she would have just flown past, but this one has such a weird logic; she stopped for no reason to lecture me, almost spraying spit on my face."


    "You!"


    Bai Zini and Ke Mingye were about to start arguing when their father, sitting in the living room reading the newspaper, spoke up, "She was only trying to look out for you. Every time there''s trouble, you just stand there like an idiot. What would you do if one day you got caught up in it?"


    "Exactly, with dad and big brother saying that, look how much the Magic Girl I support cares about the safety of the people. You still say she lacks manners; I think you''re the one lacking manners." Bai Zini said.


    "Alright, alright," Ke Mingye smacked his lips, "I lack manners, I lack manners. Our ''Magical Girl Ash'' really has so much class, are you satisfied now?"


    "Aside from that, just honestly tell me, don''t you think, even a little bit, that she''s pretty?"


    Bai Zini lowered her eyes, touching the video on her phone, pausing and playing it while muttering to herself absentmindedly.


    "The pixelation in this passerby''s shot is so bad, and yet she still looks so good in the frame. Your face was almost against hers¡ªdidn''t you feel anything?"


    Ha, so you came over here on purpose to talk about this?


    Ke Mingye finally understood her intentions, thinking dismally to himself.


    He remembered the last time he and Bai Zini discussed the news, he mentioned, "That magic girl''s looks are just so-so," and to his surprise, Bai Zini had held a grudge until now.


    Ke Mingye was unbending unto death, "After seeing her in person, she felt even more average. Online pictures are indeed unreliable."


    "Forget it, big brother, you might as well drop dead."


    Bai Zini picked up a panda pillow from the couch, stopped talking to him, and focused on her phone with an indifferent expression on her face that screamed, "Let the world be destroyed."


    "Please, is Ash your mom or something, that you have to curse me too?" Ke Mingye asked.


    Ignoring him, Bai Zini turned to Ke Yinzhi, in a huff, and asked, "Old, old, old brother, what do you think? This Magic Girl is obviously the most popular in China after Xizi Yue, and yet the person beside me speaks so ill of her."


    "Hmm, speaking of Magic Girls," Ke Yinzhi said distractedly, flipping through a book, "how about ''Magical Girl Kokonoe Sakura'' from Japan? She has quite the style, or Scotland''s ''Magical Girl Spirit Bell Child'', a nine-year-old magic girl with the power to destroy cities, which seems a lot more interesting than ''Magical Girl Ash'', don''t you think?"


    Bai Zini took a deep breath, put her hand to her chest, and told herself to stay calm, resisting the urge to reach for Cinderella and fire a couple of shots over the heads of her big and third brothers.


    Ke Youqing listened to their conversation and interjected with his opinion, "Rather than interesting, it''s simply nonsensical to give such power to a nine-year-old child." Experience more tales on empire


    "Isn''t it, dad?" Ke Yinzhi shrugged.


    "You make it sound as if they actually wanted it," Bai Zini said. "Spirit Bell Child is a ''Contracted Magic Girl'', and the Contracted Beast that made a pact with her is a dolphin, the only dolphin-type Contracted Beast in the world. It took a liking to Spirit Bell Child; otherwise, she wouldn''t have become a Magic Girl at the age of nine."


    "Isn''t that the same thing?" Ke Mingye asked, confused. "Can Contracted Beasts force people to become Magic Girls?"


    Bai Zini''s expression grew more serious as she coldly said, "What discernment skills does a nine-year-old child have? Directly tell them, ''I''ll give you a lollipop, sign a contract with me to become a Magic Girl,'' and maybe they''ll just agree to it."


    "It seems you have quite the potential to be a Contracted Beast," Ke Mingye nodded and commented.


    "How can humans become Contracted Beasts."


    "Ah, you''re not a dog¡ª¡ª"


    Before Ke Mingye could finish, he was already under Bai Zini''s pillow being smothered and beat relentlessly.


    Ke Youqing said, "I think the government should enact policies to eradicate those animals harboring comet fragments within them, or at the very least, isolate them from the human world." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He continued to read the newspaper and added, "The comet-type Magic Girls are one thing; after all, it''s not something they can control. But the contract-type Magic Girls can be managed."


    "Each Contracted Beast can only pact with up to five Magic Girls, and roughly seventy percent of Magic Girls that come into being each year are through contracts with Contracted Beasts. If we eliminate the Contracted Beasts, then no new contract-type Magic Girls will be born."


    Ke Yinzhi sipped his coffee slowly and said, "Dad and I share the same opinion, maybe I should consider becoming a journalist, or take the civil service exam or something. That way, society might actually hear my voice..."


    "Don''t think about changing the world, just be good at being yourself."


    Ke Youqing sipped his tea and spoke.


    Ke Mingye listened to the two of them bantering back and forth, thinking to himself how awkward this was. You two could join hands, with Qing Ya pressuring the association and Black Judge proposing to the Management Bureau, and the "Contracted Beast Extermination Plan" could start tomorrow.


    And here they are acting like reporters and civil servants, as if they don''t have higher status than them¡ªit''s just frickin'' self-deception...


    At this moment, Bai Zini, after the incident just now, had been so angered that she had returned to the second floor.


    Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief, the world was finally quiet, and at last, no one was bothering him. He collapsed onto the back of the sofa, summoned his friends panel, and sent a message to his only friend.


    [Failed Man: I''ve got nothing to do, are you free? Let''s meet up early, in case I can''t get away later.]


    [Fan Quan: Sure, I actually need to talk to you about something, there are two players coming to our city.]


    [Fan Quan: The usual place, the video game store.]


    [Failed Man: Two players?]


    [Fan Quan: Yeah, I just got the news, we''ll talk when you get here.]


    Are players that easy to find? There are only a hundred players worldwide, and some had already died. How on earth did they manage to find each other? Ke Mingye looked at this message, puzzled.


    [Fan Quan: Oh, right, I''ve invited Ju Zipi and Qing Meng, we''re going to take a trip to Tokyo, do you want to come?]


    [Failed Man: Tokyo? Have you guys lost your minds? Leaving the country at this time, aren''t you afraid of being discovered?]


    [Fan Quan: Haven''t you read the "dungeon atlas"? Open it and check the swag card from dungeon No. 7, then get back to me.]


    "Dungeon atlas?"


    Ke Mingye looked up at the icon in the top right corner of his field of view, which indeed contained a "Dungeon Card Atlas/Dungeon Detector," something he had glanced at once and never opened again.


    Reminded by Fan Quan, he clicked open the icon again.


    A card collection interface opened before his eyes, where currently he had only unlocked the page for "China Huanjing," with slots underneath numbered NO.1 to NO.100.


    In slot NO.¢Ý and NO.¢ß, there was a card in each.


    He raised an eyebrow and clicked on card No. 5.


    The card depicted a zombie chef with his head thrown back, stuffing an exploding zombie and porcupine together into his mouth, like a hot dog.


    [Card Name: Zombie Chef]


    [Card Serial Number: NO.005]


    [Card Source: Defeating Huanjing No. 5 dungeon¡ª"Zombie Pursuit".]


    [Card Effect: Players holding this card will be immune to 30% of neurotoxin virus effects.]


    "So these loot cards actually have effects," he thought.


    Ke Mingye then backed out and clicked on card No. 7. The card showed a train conductor leaning forward, pulling levers with a crazy expression, controlling the train as it sped forward.


    [Card Name: Crazy Train Conductor]


    [Card Serial Number: NO.007]


    [Card Source: Defeating Huanjing No. 7 dungeon¡ª"Crazy Train Station".]


    [Card Effect: Once a week, players holding this card can go to Old Jingmai''s 4th Street abandoned train station, board the old train at Platform No. 7, which will take you to other abandoned train stations around the world (Japan, United States, Iceland, Denmark, Norway¡ªas long as there is an abandoned train station, the train can take you there).]


    "Holy crap, it''s got this feature..."


    Ke Mingye understood from the card''s effects what Fan Quan had meant by "taking a trip to Tokyo later."


    "Now there''s hope for a weekly world tour," he thought, "I''ve gotta go and greet the players from other countries and swipe their dungeon resources while I''m at it."

 Chapter 080 The Anti-Superhuman Organization in Tokyo

    June 22nd, at noon.Ke Xiaomo was still helping her older brother with lunch in the kitchen while everyone else was busy with their own things.


    So, in an unnoticed corner, Ke Mingye got up from the sofa, stepped upstairs, and seized the opportunity to release the Deception Puppet from the windowsill of his room.


    That set of flight attendant uniforms had already made an appearance as the villain "strange thing" in front of everyone, so it was tantamount to fooling no one if worn by the puppet.


    Regrettably, Ke Mingye had to visit that children''s clothing store once more.


    He silently apologized in his heart, then controlled the puppet to open the skylight and used a web shooter to steal a pair of shoes and a set of light green teenager''s overalls, which he put on and headed towards Yandai Commercial Street.


    Along the way, he didn''t forget to spend 160 Mall Coins in the mall to refill his web shooter''s web fluid to full, to avoid any unexpected situations later.


    Before long, the puppet arrived at the video game store on Yandai Commercial Street.


    "Cultural man, I''ve arrived."


    It announced its arrival while pulling the gate open and entering the game store''s second floor compartment.


    Fan Quan looked up from the pages of the book he was flipping through, took one look at him, and asked, "What''s with the outfit?"


    The puppet sat down on the couch and replied nonchalantly, "Acquired for zero dollars at the children''s clothing store. Wouldn''t you say it''s quite youthful and teen-like?"


    "Didn''t turn off auto-loot?" Fan Quan asked.


    "There''s an auto-loot feature for players? Of course, it''s turned on, but it wouldn''t pick up dog shit from the street and put it in my pocket, right?" the puppet raised an eyebrow.


    Fan Quan didn''t continue with the banter and got straight to the point.


    "Let''s talk about last night''s incident."


    The puppet picked up a french fry from the table and dipped it in a bit of soy sauce, "Before we chat, how about giving me a reason not to kill you, since you''re aware of my background."


    Fan Quan''s expression remained calm, "I have a friend who knows about this. If you kill me, she will expose your identity."


    "If it ever comes to that, I''ll drag out that friend of yours you mentioned before I die, and slaughter her alongside you."


    Ke Mingye spoke indifferently, voice flat as he ate the french fry with his head lowered.


    "Spider Man, no... I should call you ''Ke Mingye''. If I wanted to expose your identity, I would have already done so," Fan Quan said, pausing for a moment before calmly continuing, "We''re not enemies."


    "What a pity... I thought you would die at the hands of my second brother," Ke Mingye responded as he took a cup from the table and sipped some water, speaking unhurriedly.


    "I thought so too, but I was lucky, the skill I got from the Door of Humanities was just right... Besides, if you got caught, I would have been dragged down too, so there''s that," Fan Quan replied.


    "So what do you want?"


    Fan Quan answered, "My hacker friend is one of the top hackers in the world, and not many people in this world can compare to her."


    "And then?"


    "Then, we will do our best to help conceal your identity so you don''t get exposed in front of your family. Having a powerful hacker on your side will only be beneficial to your situation. Otherwise... with just your own strength, hiding under Qing Ya''s watchful eye for nearly a year is near impossible."


    "Why impossible?" Ke Mingye asked.


    "It''s like I found a clue that could be fatal to you."


    "What clue?"


    "The Dice Monster first appeared above the traffic light sign on Yandai Commercial Street, wearing a Huanjing Third High School uniform. This will lead Qing Ya''s investigation toward that high school," Fan Quan explained.


    With that, Fan Quan pulled out a phone from his coat pocket, accessed the photo album, and began playing a video.


    The video displayed a school corridor where Ke Mingye walked out of the restroom after washing his hands, followed by another male student wearing a uniform, who also emerged from the restroom.


    The two walked in opposite directions along the corridor, disappearing into the shadows.


    "What does this video prove?" Ke Mingye asked.


    "With Qing Ya''s level of caution, he''ll check the face of the boy behind you, search the school database for such a person, and then discover that the school actually has no such person, nor did such a person enter the restroom in the ten minutes before. In other words... that person appeared out of thin air after you entered the restroom," Fan Quan clarified, taking a sip of water.


    "Then, he will deduce that the student is actually a puppet you''re controlling, and connecting it with the school uniform-wearing Dice Monster will reveal your identity."


    "You think he''ll notice that?"


    "He is Qing Ya, and you''re his son," Fan Quan asserted with certainty. "While investigating the Dice Monster, it''s very possible that he''d scrutinize every frame about you, making such a tiny loophole all the more glaring."


    "Alright, I admit I was a bit careless then," Ke Mingye said, propping up his chin and taking a deep breath, "By the way, at the time, weren''t you the one pressuring me in the discussion group? Can''t you understand the awkwardness of having to meet up with you guys while my second brother was on my case? Would I have been careless enough to leave such a trace otherwise?"


    "Don''t worry, I don''t plan to blackmail you. I already had my hacker friend delete the related school surveillance for you. By the time Qing Ya starts his investigation, it''ll be too late," Fan Quan reassured. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How considerate of you," Ke Mingye said sarcastically, munching on a fry, "So, what do you want me to do?"


    Fan Quan answered, "We don''t really need you to do anything. Just maintain the status quo and whip out a puppet to play an instance with us when you have the time."


    "What''s the name of your hacker friend?"


    "I told you, two players will come to Huanjing tomorrow. She''s one of them, her player ID is ''Cai Bing''. You can see her in the kill rankings," Fan Quan said.


    "How are they coming here?"


    "Cai Bing got Qing Ya''s attention after looking up your family''s files, so she had to figure out a way to leave the city," Fan Quan explained. "Right now, she''s on a smuggling boat, almost reaching Huanjing."


    ```


    "Why are there two players on board?"


    "Coincidence. She said she encountered a player on board, ID is ''Paranoid.''"


    Fan Quan paused, "Also, she suggested that we kill ''Paranoid'' together."


    "Ah?" Ke Mingye was puzzled, "Players are already so few, why kill him?"


    "Cai Bing said that guy''s not quite right in the head, the reason he came to Huanjing was to find Qing Ya for a one-on-one fight."


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose as he explained.


    Ke Mingye doubted he had heard correctly, "Wait, what did you just say?"


    "He wants to challenge Qing Ya one-on-one."


    "Challenge my old man one-on-one?"


    "Right."


    "Damn, this idiot is really one of a kind," Ke Mingye admired.


    Everyone was already avoiding the terrifying Crow Man, and here was this piece of work wanting to chase after Qing Ya with a knife. The system was really adding to the difficulty for other players.


    "Anyway, if he gets caught by Qing Ya, it would be a catastrophic blow to our operational efficiency," Fan Quan said. "You know, with the previous example, when they find a player, it''s not likely they''ll kill him but rather control him, and use him to dig out the rest of us. That means even more restrictions for us."


    Ke Mingye rubbed his forehead, pondering for a moment.


    "Then, when their ship arrives, how about we capture this player called ''Paranoid,'' and lock him up in the abandoned train station on Old Jingmai Street?" he said.


    "That''s what I was thinking. We can''t let him cause trouble."


    "Let''s put this idiot aside for now," Ke Mingye paused, "What exactly are you and this ''Cai Bing'' planning? You shouldn''t have a reason to take the risk of getting involved to help me, right?"


    "I believe you''re important."


    Fan Quan picked up his cup and took a sip of water, replying without hesitation.


    "You''re quite humorous; maybe I''ll be dead at home tonight," Ke Mingye sighed.


    "You''ve survived a week already, which proves you have the ability to live in that monster family. If I were you, I wouldn''t guarantee I could still be alive like you are now."


    "Just luck," Ke Mingye scratched the bridge of his nose, "There were a few moments when I thought I was a goner."


    "Regardless, I hope you realize something. From now on, our destinies are tied together...if you''re exposed, with the information in your head, neither I nor Cai Bing will escape unscathed."


    Fan Quan put his cup down on the table, looking straight at him. Behind his glasses, his gaze was calm and piercing.


    Ke Mingye hung his head, fiddling with a spare phone as he spoke.


    "Then you''ve really chosen the wrong path. From the moment you knew my identity, you should have cut ties with me."


    "Fortune favors the bold," Fan Quan said. "It''s ludicrous to think we can exterminate superhumans in a year. Not taking a gamble on you would only make our chances slimmer."


    "Well, let it be, shall we talk about going to Tokyo now? Why do you suddenly want to go to Tokyo?"


    "I''m going to Tokyo to meet someone."


    "Who?"


    "You can see him if you open the leaderboard. Third place in the kill count rankings, the player ID named ''Top Bull.''"


    "What about him?"


    "Do you know the ''Anti-Superhuman Organization''?"


    "I know," Ke Mingye nodded.


    He had read about the ''Anti-Superhuman Organization'' in his superhuman class textbook. Mostly, it was about how a radical faction of the world wanted superhumans to be completely isolated from society, so humanity could enjoy true peace and tranquility.


    Then, this faction formed a covert organization carrying out extreme actions against superhumans.


    Initially, the Anti-Superhuman Organization''s acts were limited to maligning superheroes on the internet, inciting strife between common people and superhumans on social platforms over various binary oppositional topics, and encouraging the public to start ''anti-superhuman'' street protests.


    After being arrested multiple times, things gradually settled down.


    Your next chapter awaits on empire


    The authorities thought these people would be more cautious, but a few months later, they started escalating their methods, from kidnapping superhuman children to hunting down superheroes, murdering superhuman civilians at work...


    The heinous deeds were shocking.


    Moreover, most of the Anti-Superhuman Organization were normal humans, but they had developed several superpower inhibitors and genetic inhibitors to target superpower users and mutants. They''d set traps, inject the caught ones with inhibitors, and then use powerful firearms to blast them away.


    There were videos uploaded by the Anti-Superhuman Organization on the dark web, and some superheroes'' death scenes were unspeakably gruesome.


    "The player with the ID ''Top Bull'' is involved with one such Anti-Superhuman Organization called the ''Tengu Frontline''."


    Fan Quan continued.


    "Their base is in Tokyo''s Kabukicho, disguised as a host club named ''Kurotengu.'' That is to say, everyone in their organization, on the surface, all have the identity of hosts."


    Ke Mingye was shocked. He had thought that the ID ''Top Bull'' was just for fun; he didn''t expect the person to take it literally.


    Swallowing hard, his adam''s apple bobbing, he asked timidly, "So what you''re saying is, this Anti-Superhuman Organization, all its members are working as gigolos?"


    "It''s not as exaggerated as you think," Fan Quan said slowly, "The job of a host is just to drink with rich women, provide emotional value - it''s common in Japan, and it''s legal."


    Ke Mingye split open a peanut on the table and popped it into his mouth while asking, "Okay, the Japanese really know how to play. So what''s your plan?"


    Fan Quan closed his book and explained, "I''m planning to use the player known as ''Top Bull'' to get in touch with this Anti-Superhuman Organization."


    ```

 Chapter 081 Mans Failed One-Day Tour of Tokyo

    "So even cultured folks dream of becoming a gigolo, huh?"Ke Mingye looked up meaningfully and stared at Fan Quan as he spoke.


    "Typical of you, I bet you didn''t listen to a word I said, just like playing the lute to a cow."


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses slightly and sighed softly.


    He continued, "Let''s not even talk about whether one wants to or not, even if you do, it''s no big deal. Don''t box yourself in too much, unless you''re too charming and some wealthy woman decides to keep you as her sugar baby, spending a fortune to buy your chastity, otherwise being a gigolo won''t cause much trouble."


    Ke Mingye said seriously, "Really? Maybe we should stop trying so hard. Let''s find a wealthy woman to maintain us for a year in the gigolo bar and then find a nice place to die."


    Fan Quan sighed with his hand on his forehead, "Less nonsense, are you sure you won''t go with me?"


    "Is it really necessary?"


    "Of course, it would be great if we could establish a cooperative relationship with the Anti-Superhuman Organization. Our interests align with theirs, as both of our goals are to exterminate the superhumans."


    Fan Quan paused, "Moreover, there are different branches of the Anti-Superhuman Organization all over the world. Through the ''Tengu Frontline'', we can gradually contact other branches of the organization. It''s like having a source of intelligence all over the world, and when needed, we can treat them as reinforcements."


    "Listen, cultured man, stop daydreaming," Ke Mingye interrupted him, "More than that, are you sure they won''t consider us ''superhumans''? After all, in some sense, we are also ability users, right?"


    Fan Quan took a sip of water and stated calmly, "Trust me, they would be happy to see a group of ''players'' with aligned goals join the group. That ''Top Bull'' player is a prime example."


    He paused, "Most importantly, joining the Anti-Superhuman Organization allows us to legitimately increase our kill count. Following their lead, even if we kill a Superhuman, the authorities will blame the Anti-Superhuman Organization and won''t even associate it with the word ''players''. So, we are safe blending in there..."


    Ke Mingye was silent for a moment.


    His thoughts wavered between guarding his chastity and the mission to exterminate superhumans, but ultimately, he chose chastity.


    So he waved his hand and said, "Master, why don''t you go by yourself. I think that Juzipi is tender and good-looking, just perfect for a gigolo. Maybe he''ll become a top earner in a day?"


    Fan Quan looked calm and spoke in a low voice, "Despite the unlikelihood of that happening, if we really need to disguise someone as a gigolo, we could sell Juzipi. How about that?"


    "Makes sense, the chastity of a teammate is not as important as our lives. Let''s do this."


    Ke Mingye and he locked eyes, reaching an agreement.


    Seeing that the other party had finally agreed, Fan Quan sighed with relief, "I scheduled a meeting with Juzipi and the others at noon, they will be here in ten minutes, and then we''ll head to that train station together."


    Ke Mingye shrugged, "Might as well treat it as a trip, but just reminding you, my puppet can only exist for three hours."


    "Three hours is enough," said Fan Quan bluntly. "Actually, bringing you along is just to have you act as our bodyguard; I''ll handle the other discussions."


    Ke Mingye fiddled with his phone, nodded, and said, "Figured as much. I''ll just tie you up there with a web and let them take you apart."


    "It seems I need to reconsider whether to take you to Tokyo."


    ......


    ......


    Half an hour later, Old Jingmai District, abandoned train station.


    Ke Mingye, Fan Quan, Juzipi, and Qing Meng, each holding the trophy card "Crazy Train Conductor", soon, along with a roaring engine noise, the old train charged out from the tunnel, stirring up a hot breeze, fluttering the bangs of the four, and messing up their hair.


    Then, the train slowly stopped on the tunnel track, and after expelling its last breath from the exhaust pipe, it became still.


    Seeing that none of the three beside him moved, Ke Mingye was the first to step on the footboard, and as he put his foot on it, a panel popped out at the entrance of car number 7.


    The top read: [Please present Trophy Card NO.007 ¨C ''Crazy Train Conductor''. Only after presenting the card can you board the train.]


    Immediately following, a hovering card slot appeared in the air, flickering in and out of visibility.


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, picked up his card, casually swiped it through the slot, and following that, the panel blocking the entrance vanished, allowing him to board the car smoothly.


    The three others behind him saw this and followed suit, boarding one after another.


    "Almost like swiping a high-speed train card, though I used to swipe my student ID," Juzipi noted as he was the last to get on the train.


    No sooner had he spoken than the entire train, like a beast encased in ice, began to slowly and orderly unfreeze every muscle and cell.


    The floor of car number 7 trembled slightly, causing all four to hurriedly find something to hold. Moments later, the train burst forward with the roaring of its engine and entered the tracks.


    The dim tunnel lights shone on their faces.


    They sat in the right-side seats of car number 7, quietly watching the scenery outside the window.


    Each wall lamp could illuminate only a short section of the tracks, and between two lamps, one could hardly see their own hand. The train sped through the tunnel in alternating darkness and light, causing the passengers'' faces to flicker in and out of shadow.


    It was as if they had forgotten the time, lost in the complexities of the world, sitting in the carriage in a daze.


    "This thing really is magical," Ke Mingye said, "Can it actually take us to Tokyo?"


    "It''s set up by the system, so it should be able to," Ju Zipi said vaguely.


    Qing Meng, tilting her head, said, "I''m getting curious about what the effects of the other instance cards are. Are they as powerful as ''Crazy Train Conductor''?"


    During their talk, a conductor whose eyes burned with a deep ghostly fire approached, his footsteps echoing "tap tap" in the carriage. Find your next adventure on empire


    "Oh my god!"


    Perhaps because he had been traumatized by a previous instance, Ke Mingye reflexively jumped up from his seat, lowering his right hand towards it, almost slapping it with a cobweb.


    But then he pondered that it was unlikely for any minor monsters to appear at such a time and slowly lowered his right hand.


    The conductor stopped in the middle of the carriage, hunching over, rubbing his palms together, and asked in an eerie tone, "Please, what is your destination?"


    "Japan?" Ke Mingye ventured.


    The conductor continued, "Which part of Japan? The train can only stop at a local abandoned train station."


    "Whichever abandoned station is closer to Kabukicho in Tokyo, stop there," Fan Quan said.


    "Then, the train will arrive at the destination in about thirty seconds, stopping at the abandoned station near Tokyo Shiba Park. Please be prepared," the conductor said.


    After speaking, the conductor turned and walked towards the shadows, slowly disappearing from sight. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the quiet carriage, only the rumbling engine and the alternating dim yellow wall lamps remained.


    "Thirty seconds, we can start the countdown now," Qing Meng said, glancing at her phone.


    "No, we''re already here."


    As Ke Mingye spoke, a blazing column of light pierced through the front of the tunnel. The train, like a dark arrow, shot through the intense light and arrived in a brand new world.


    Accompanied by the train stopping on the tracks, the four of them quickly disembarked, stepping onto the platform.


    In the dark and cramped station, an old sign hung on a pillar, inscribed with "Tokyo Shiba Park Station No. 7 Viewing Window" at the top.


    "Just asking, who here understands Japanese, and how will we communicate when we go out?" Ke Mingye asked.


    "I do, and I have some yen with me,"


    Fan Quan said, clutching a book as he headed towards the stairs leading away from the platform.


    "As expected of a cultured person," Ju Zipi said, arms behind his head.


    Fan Quan shook his head. "No, I never learned Japanese in my past life. In my memory, the father of this body lived with me in Japan when I was a kid, so my Japanese is quite good."


    Ke Mingye remembered that Fan Quan had mentioned his father was a smuggler, and therefore he clicked his tongue, "It''s not easy for the original owner of your body to have lived this long."


    Soon, they left the abandoned station through a dark passageway, crossed the fence, and stepped onto the street from beside a warning sign.


    The humid air greeted them. Fine droplets beat against the tip of their noses, bringing with them the scent of the sky.


    The city was experiencing a light drizzle. In the curtain of rain, the lights of Tokyo shone brightly, and pedestrians in raincoats hurried past on the streets without paying any attention to the four suspicious figures.


    Ke Mingye looked up. Beneath the grey sky, a sea of neon halos colored the towering buildings. The nightlife throbbed, electronic billboards visible everywhere.


    In the rain, the structure known as the "Tokyo Skytree" stood in the middle of Shiba Park. Its red and white segmented body radiated brilliant white light, its sharp spire pointing towards the dark blue sky, like a giant holding a torch, majestically standing at the center of the world.


    "Let''s go, our destination is Kabukicho, not here. We need to take a train to get there," Fan Quan said.


    "Alright, I''m the bodyguard; you call the shots."


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye took out his phone and snapped a photo of the distant Tokyo Tower. His first thought was whether to take a photo and share it in the family WeChat group.


    But he soon dismissed the idea.


    "Am I an idiot?"


    He muttered to himself, put away his phone, and leisurely followed the others.

 Chapter 082 The Battle of Black Tengu Host Club

    June 22, Japan time 12:15 PM, Shinjuku Ward.The dark green JR train whipped the raindrops aside and stopped at the platform of Shinjuku Station. Ke Mingye and the others got off the train and after a short walk arrived on the streets of Kabukicho.


    It was a rainy day, dull and melancholy, but this city that never sleeps was still brilliantly lit, overflowing with light.


    In the downpour, the endless stream of people, holding umbrellas, shuttled between malls, izakayas, and maid cafes. The dazzling electronic billboards were hung densely in the air, spreading a hazy neon halo through the rain curtain.


    A girl dressed like a cat girl stood outside the maid cafe, holding a sign written in Japanese and shouting slogans to the passersby.


    "Do maids actually solicit customers on the street?" Orange Peel raised an eyebrow.


    "This is Japan, you know?" Qing Meng said.


    "It seems that Japan is the same in any parallel world," Fan Quan said.


    "It''s a bit too much from the second dimension."


    While walking, Ke Mingye looked up into the sky.


    The huge screens on the buildings were showing the latest Quick Rush Coffee advertisement¡ªa Magical Girl Kokonoe Sakura dressed in a dark red kimono, wielding a tachi walked from afar. Her blade transformed into thin, drifting sakura in the sky.


    She walked slowly towards a serene spot surrounded by plants and trees, sitting down to quietly enjoy her coffee, a faint smile playing at the corner of her eyes.


    The girl''s aura was like that of the freshly bloomed Yoshino cherry trees, with a light pink that bordered on white, causing the pedestrians to stop in their tracks and look up at the screen.


    Trendy and fashionable pop music floated through the air, sung by the very popular idol group in Japan¡ª"Divine Communicator Yamata no Orochi" and "Divine Communicator Ebisu Divinity." Explore more adventures at empire


    The former had a voice as raspy as a hissing snake, quite distinctive and magnetic; the latter''s voice was sweet and cunning, like a landowner''s daughter from ancient times.


    The rich aroma of ramen from the famous Ichiran Ramen Shop mixed with the humid scent of rain, tantalizing every passerby''s taste buds.


    At the entrance of a cutlery model shop stood a painting of the superhero "Ji Feng Samurai," famed for being able to manipulate a ghost hand and fight with six blades at once.


    The showcase in the mall displayed mannequins either dressed in Magic Girl Cosplay or superhero battle suits. Looking through the showcase into the shop, the glass cabinets housed various figurines of Magic Girls and superheroes.


    Among them, one could even spot Magical Girl Ash, which gave Ke Mingye a surreal feeling, as if his sister was still accompanying him in another form in this foreign land.


    The puddles on the road reflected the blue neon light, mirroring the silhouettes of the four individuals.


    They had bought raincoats on their way here and now walked enveloped in them through the bright lights of Kabukicho, their figures frail like paper cutouts, ready to be swallowed by the ubiquitous electronic billboards at any moment.


    Soon, Ke Mingye and Fan Quan stopped in front of a host club with a sign saying "¤¯¤í¤Æ¤ó¤°," directly translated as Black Tengu Host Club.


    The notice on the door indicated that the host club wasn''t open at noon; it officially opened at seven in the evening.


    Fan Quan took off his raincoat hood and pushed the door open walking in.


    The four approached the bar, where a red-haired man, dressed as a bartender and wiping glasses, stood behind the bar and quietly watched them.


    "The shop isn''t open yet," the red-haired man said with a forced smile.


    Fan Quan, speaking fluent Japanese, said, "I''m looking for someone."


    As he spoke, he pulled out a photo of a man in a bartender outfit with golden shoulder-length hair and sunglasses.


    "Tell him the words ''Top Bull'' and ''Player''; he''ll understand what I mean," he said.


    Fan Quan slid the photo across the bar, adding a comment as he did so.


    Ke Mingye watched the scene, recalling what Fan Quan had said during their journey.


    The hacker with the ID "Cai Bing" became interested when she noticed a high-ranked player named "Top Bull" while scanning the player leaderboards. Curious, she started investigating local host clubs in Tokyo and successfully hacked into the surveillance system of the Black Tengu Host Club.


    She soon discovered that Black Tengu was not just a business hub but also a base for the Anti-Superhuman Organization.


    She was certain that the player called "Top Bull" was likely hidden in this host club. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Players know players, Cai Bing noted some subtle behaviors in the surveillance footage, like browsing the marketplace and skill enhancements, along with changes in the "Top Bull''s" kill count, progressively narrowing down a suspicious individual¡ªYasushi Yamamoto.


    Yasushi Yamamoto''s pattern of movement matched the dynamics of "Top Bull" on the leaderboard perfectly; each time he disappeared from surveillance, it coincided with an increase in the player''s kill count on the leaderboard.


    And whenever that happened, it was precisely the time for action at the Black Tengu Host Club, typically targeting superhumans spending leisurely in Kabukicho or attacking superheroes who passed by.


    At that moment, the red-haired man behind the bar picked up the photo, took a glance at the man in the picture, looked up at Fan Quan, and smiled, "Sir, there is no such person here in our club. Could you be mistaken?"

 Chapter 082 Battle at the Black Tengu Host Club_2

    "This is the place, no doubt," Fan Quan said calmly.Ke Mingye took off his raincoat hood and silently looked around. He could see the Cowherds, framed by large portraits on golden-wired walls, wiping windows, and cleaning the floor. At that moment, they all turned their gaze toward him, their expressions unfriendly.


    "They don''t seem very welcoming," he said in Chinese.


    "Indeed," Qing Meng said.


    "Are they going to fight us?" Ju Zipi asked.


    As soon as the words left his mouth, two Cowherds quietly shut the club''s main door.


    Meanwhile, a Cowherd wiping glasses at the bar, another cleaning the floor, and yet another replacing wall paintings, simultaneously turned around, pulled out a handgun from nowhere, raised the barrel, and aimed it at the four people''s heads.


    Ke Mingye stood emotionlessly at the front of the group, both hands in the pockets of his raincoat. He remained unmoved, the rainwater flowing down the hem of his coat and soaking his pants.


    Fan Quan silently retreated to stand next to Qing Meng and Ju Zipi.


    Ju Zipi, prepared for this, produced a tide-forged wild knife in his right hand, as if dragon roars resonated from beneath the water.


    Just as those forefingers pulled triggers, the wave knife turned into a waterfall-like tide sweeping forward, instantaneously enveloping the trio and shielding them from the barrage of bullets.


    The high-speed whirling bullets entered the tide, like stones sinking into the sea, their momentum and kinetic energy instantly cushioned to nothing.


    Like babies in a cradle, nearly a hundred bullets softly swayed back and forth in the web woven by the tide.


    Simultaneously, Ke Mingye darted around inside the club like lightning, now appearing on a sofa, now on a chandelier from the ceiling, nearly perfectly dodging the sweeping hail of bullets.


    The lightness of a marionette, coupled with E-class superhuman physical fitness, made his movements unbelievably fast, far surpassing the physical limits of humans.


    No matter how ferocious the staff''s gunfire, they were still human, and the naked eye simply couldn''t catch Ke Mingye''s speed; their shooting was always a beat too slow.


    While dodging the gunfire, Ke Mingye didn''t forget to lower his right hand, shooting spider silk at the staff.


    In the blink of an eye, strands of spider silk with blazing white spider webs shot across the room, and within seconds, nearly fifteen Cowherds were completely disarmed, their weapons either stuck to the ground, the walls, or the sofas by the spider webs.


    Even worse, some had their gun barrels plugged by the spider webs, rendering one of their hands useless due to a blown chamber.


    Outside the club, pedestrians carried umbrellas through the curtain of rain, while the harsh gunfire from Black Tengu Club kept coming through, muffled by the spattering rain and the noisy music and advertisements.


    Finally, after a round of gunfire, the Host Club fell into a brief silence. Most of the Cowherds had been disarmed by the spider webs, and the rest, knowing that their bullets were useless against him, stopped shooting.


    All the Cowherds found cover and peeked out to observe the situation outside.


    Someone was "clack-clacking" as they changed their magazine, but a strand of spider silk swiftly shot by Ke Mingye stuck his arm and the gun to the ground.


    He struggled with all his might, but the spider web didn''t budge.


    Ke Mingye, holding onto a spider silk attached to a chandelier, dangled upside down from the ceiling and leisurely scanned the room, by now the focus of everyone''s eyes.


    "I am the bodyguard for these three. In my stead, can we refrain from using knives and guns? It''s rather uncouth, don''t you think?"


    He paused, sighed impatiently, and switched to a more direct approach.


    "Alright, what I mean is, if you don''t show some respect, then I''ll slaughter all you idiots, got it?"


    The cowherds stood still, deadly silent.


    They couldn''t understand the gibberish Ke Mingye was speaking, but his composed demeanor in the midst of it all stunned them. Was this the look of someone who had just survived a hail of bullets?


    Ke Mingye had a sudden realization and remembered that they couldn''t understand Chinese, so he turned to Fan Quan.


    "Intellectual, translate this."


    Behind the tidal wave curtain formed by Ju Zipi''s crescent blade, Fan Quan spoke in Japanese, "He said he''s offended, he actually doesn''t want to oppose you, but it was rude of you to start shooting without a word."


    Seeing that Fan Quan had started to translate, Ke Mingye then glanced at the mist continuously pouring into the room from a pipe in the ceiling and added, "Also, forget about that damn inhibiting spray, we are neither superpower users nor mutants."


    Fan Quan translated his words, switching to Japanese, "The inhibitor is useless on us, we are not superhumans."


    "Get the blond in the photo out here quick, or I''ll smash this place up."


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he shot a strand of web at the photo of the "Top Bull" on the bar, grabbed it with a swift pull, and swung around in mid-air so that all the cowherds could see the photo clearly.


    Fan Quan said in Japanese, "We just want to find someone. Here, look at the photo, if we really can''t meet him, then we''ll leave first."


    The two played off each other, causing the cowherds in the club to look at each other, their low murmurs echoing in every corner.


    "If they are not superhumans, then why do they have these abilities?"


    "Are they Divine Communicators? Neither genetic inhibitors nor superpower inhibitors work on Divine Communicators." Continue reading at empire


    "Anyway, let''s just call the assistant manager out, that guy is too weird."


    As they were whispering among themselves, a tall, thin young man wearing a bartender''s uniform, shoulder-length blonde hair, and sunglasses, walked out slowly from behind the bar, a cigarette dangling from his lips.


    "I want to talk to them alone. You guys clean up the shattered glasses and replace the torn wallpapers where necessary. Get the bar back to normal by tomorrow; we''re closed for tonight."


    The blonde young man spoke in a clear and concise manner, twirling the cigarette in his mouth, puffing out clouds of smoke.


    Upon hearing this, the other cowherds in the club holstered their guns, stood up from behind cover, and went about their business as if nothing had happened; the entire bar continued to operate.


    "See, that''s settled then..." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye said as he released the webbing and flipped down from the ceiling to land on the club''s floor.


    Although Ju Zipi''s wave blade hadn''t dissipated, he was wary of the cowherds potentially double-crossing them. Thus, he kept his guard while escorting Fan Quan and Qing Meng toward the blonde man.


    The four followed the blonde man into a private room within the club.


    The blonde man turned on the light, sat down on the couch with his legs crossed, and looked up at them.


    "So, how did you find me?"

 Chapter 083 Those Who Stayed, Collaboration Application

    In the private room of the Host Club, Ke Mingye stood emotionlessly in a corner, adopting the posture of a bodyguard, as he played Snake on a spare phone with his head down.Fan Quan sat opposite the Top Bull, recounting in Japanese how his hacker friend had managed to sniff him out.


    "Is that so..." the Top Bull drawled with a breath of smoke, his reaction rather subdued, "It seems I wasn''t careful enough, and that''s how your people found a flaw in me. So, what do you want?"


    "Before I answer that, I have a question," Fan Quan said.


    "What question?"


    "Does the organization know you are a player?"


    "Of course, they do, and likewise, I''ll introduce you to them," the Top Bull said.


    Fan Quan continued to ask, "Won''t they have any aversion? After all, the nature of players and Superhumans is similar."


    "After a few missions together, they''ve basically accepted my presence."


    Fan Quan nodded, "Okay, then let''s continue the topic from before. We are here to make friends with you."


    "Why go through the trouble of seeking me out specifically?"


    "Your starting point is inside an Anti-Superhuman Organization, and you''re the deputy head of one of its branches. The importance goes without saying," Fan Quan spoke slowly, "And we are a player team, completely aligned with your stance. Befriending us is beneficial not just for you but also for the Anti-Superhuman Organization backing you."


    "What if I refuse?"


    The Top Bull, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, asked in a hollow tone.


    "You can refuse, but I''ll come again in the future," Fan Quan said expressionlessly, "Hopefully, your ability to judge the situation will be sufficient to see the current scene clearly. You know nothing about us, while we not only grasp the ins and outs of your organization but also your identity. If we reveal your identity to the Superhero Association''s branch in Japan, then..."


    The Top Bull interrupted him, "It seems like you''re not really giving me much choice. Introduce yourself and your three friends. Some other time, I''ll take you to meet the leader of the Tengu Warfront''s Tokyo division. The Black Tengu is just a small branch; the organization''s main network is spread across the Tokyo Port Area, near Roppongi."


    Fan Quan began introducing them one by one, gesturing towards Ke Mingye, "Spider Man." Then he pointed to Qing Meng, "Punk Girl," and finally to Ju Zipi, "This one is called Ju Zipi, he can work here as a Cowherd, and I''ve already thought of an artistic name for him, ''Rotten Orange,'' as in a rotten tangerine. Fits the Cowherd vibe, doesn''t it?"


    "Does he have an orphan background?"


    The Top Bull asked thoughtfully, wondering why this Fan Quan was so quick to sell out a teammate; could there be some deception?


    Fan Quan shook his head, "No, but in these times, nobody cares about a missing ordinary college student. He will stay here as our diplomatic corps member, demonstrating our sincerity. When you need to run an instance or carry out a ''Tengu Warfront'' mission, or if the Host Club is short-staffed, you can pull him in."


    He paused, "But you''ll have to prepare an identity for him and make him up appropriately, to prevent customers from China from recognizing him and causing a scandal with headlines like ''Chinese missing college student found working as a host in Japan''s Kabukicho,'' which wouldn''t be good for your situation either."


    "Don''t worry about that; hiding someone''s identity is quite simple," the Top Bull said.


    "What are you talking about?"


    Ju Zipi scratched his cheek, his face wearing a warm smile.


    He didn''t understand Japanese, but he felt that the reactions of the two were strange, occasionally casting glances at him, as if he had been sold off.


    "Nothing," Fan Quan said.


    In the conversation just now, he had hinted that they had a top-tier hacker on their side. For the remainder of the time, the Top Bull would surely be cautious and wouldn''t let Cai Bing simply control their movements through surveillance footage.


    Therefore, Fan Quan needed someone to stay inside this "Tengu Warfront" Anti-Superhuman Organization to watch their every move. Otherwise, just communicating through the friend panel with the Top Bull, it would be impossible to ascertain whether the information he provided was true or false. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of those present, only Ju Zipi met the requirement, so he had no choice but to send him in.


    The Top Bull continued to ask: "Will you stay around here for a while?"


    "No, we might come over once a week, and occasionally it might be longer in between. So let''s add each other as friends to keep in touch," Fan Quan said, sending a friend request to the Top Bull.


    The Top Bull took a puff of his cigarette, accepted the friend request, then raised his head to look at Ju Zipi, "Has this Ju Zipi worked in a bar before?"


    "I don''t think so."


    "Then he''ll need some proper training," the Top Bull remarked, sizing up Ju Zipi''s handsome face, "He''s got the right physical qualifications to be a Cowherd."


    Ke Mingye was utterly confused and turned his head to say, "Cultural man, your colonel''s language, red bean paste, is very ''sugo''."


    Fan Quan stepped beside him and quietly recounted his recent conversation with the Top Bull to Ke Mingye.


    "Damn, you''re really ruthless," Ke Mingye gasped in shock, looking at Ju Zipi with sympathy.


    Ju Zipi squinted his eyes, smiling at them, "Um, if I don''t understand I must ask, what''s the situation now, why are you both looking at me?"


    Fan Quan ignored him and asked Ke Mingye, "Do you have any objections?"


    "I don''t," he replied.


    "And what about you?" Fan Quan turned to Qing Meng.


    She spread her hands and said, "Why are you asking me about the affairs of you men? You''re not seriously thinking of having me dress up as a man and work as a Cowherd, are you?"


    Upon hearing those words, Fan Quan moved to Ju Zipi''s left side, took a deep breath, and with a solemn face, wrapped his arm around Ju Zipi''s left shoulder; Ke Mingye, with a brooding expression, walked to his right side and forcefully hugged his right shoulder.


    The two of them began talking into his ears from both sides, resembling a comedy duo as they recounted the agreement they had just made with the Top Bull to Ju Zipi.


    Ju Zipi was initially all smiles, but as he grasped the gravity of the situation, the smile on his face slowly stiffened.


    "Wait a minute, but I don''t speak Japanese," he quickly found an excuse.


    Fan Quan consoled him, "The Japanese you''ve learned from anime is enough for now, and you can gradually learn the rest. The fifty sounds of Japanese are quite simple. It''s a language that''s relatively easy to pick up."


    Ke Mingye patted him on the shoulder, "Trust me, Brother Ju Zipi, with your handsome face, in six months, you''ll be the number one Cowherd at Black Tengu Club."


    "That''s a good idea," Fan Quan said. "Even if a year from now we haven''t succeeded in eliminating Superhumans, at least in this splendid environment, you''ll have seen all kinds of women. Coming here won''t be a loss."


    Ju Zipi covered his face and sighed, "Alright... I''ll give it my best."


    "Have you guys decided?" asked the Top Bull.


    Fan Quan replied, "He stays with you. I hope you don''t put him aside. Try to integrate him into your organization as much as possible."


    The Top Bull shrugged, "With my secret in your hands, what else can I say? I''ll try to accommodate your requests as much as possible."


    "So... you really think of yourself as a Cowherd?" Fan Quan asked.


    The Top Bull gave him a puzzled look and said slowly, "Don''t your memories influence you? During this period, I often can''t tell who I am."


    "It''s bearable," Fan Quan replied.


    He skipped the topic and continued to ask, "How many players are there in this city of Tokyo?"


    "Including myself, there are three," said the Top Bull. "We can set a time to meet again, and I''ll bring the other two with me. I''ve been wondering how to contact other players in the world, and you boldly came knocking, which saved me a lot of trouble."


    "That''s perfect," Fan Quan said without hesitation. "Ju Zipi staying here also counts as adding strength to your team. Otherwise, with only three of you, it would be tough to fight in instances."


    "Don''t you now have only three people as well?"


    "We have our ways," Fan Quan replied.


    He thought to himself that once the smuggling ship arrived in Huanjing tomorrow, Huanjing would gain two more players. Of course, one of those players seemed to be a bit off mentally, and whether they could be a fighting force was questionable and would need to be observed for a while before any conclusions could be drawn.


    "Well, that''s settled then. I need to get back to work," said the Top Bull, pondering for a moment and then slowly rising from the sofa. "Thanks to you, the whole bar needs a renovation today."


    "Goodbye."


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    Fan Quan gave him a glance and then left the private room with the other three.


    "How did I do as a bodyguard?" Ke Mingye asked, putting away his phone.


    "You were quite persuasive," said Fan Quan casually.


    Ju Zipi turned to look at them and asked anxiously, "So, I''m really not going to get shot here, am I?"


    Ke Mingye reassured him, "Don''t worry, if something like that really happens, we''ll definitely come back to collect your body and blow them all up."


    "It''s good for you to stay here too, leveling up by racking up kill counts with Anti-Superhuman Organization, you''ll develop faster and more safely than other players," Ke Mingye continued.


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses and tucked a book under his arm.


    "Okay then, goodbye," Ju Zipi said, stopping in his tracks and smiling.


    "Take care."


    "Don''t die."


    "Good luck."


    Each of them offered a parting word and then left Black Tengu Host Club. Ju Zipi stood still inside the establishment, watching their silhouettes disappear into the drizzling rain.

 Chapter 084 Black Wukong X Dice Monster X Magical Girl Ash (Part 1)

    June 22, Huanjing Time 1:00 PM, Tokyo Port Area.After Ke Mingye and his group returned to Shiba Park, they swiped their cards to board the train back to the abandoned train station at Old Jingmai District, where they had started.


    Fan Quan greeted everyone and then disbanded the team. Deception Puppet stored its spare mobile phone with the supermarket owner in Old Jingmai District.


    Then, it boarded a bus and found a deserted alley in the neighboring district to self-destruct.


    Soon after, Ke Mingye pretended to buy a drink, went downstairs, and retrieved the spare mobile phone.


    He spent some time at home; outside, the sky slowly transformed its colors from the bright sunshine of noon to the sunset in the evening and then to a blood-red twilight that faded away, and the city welcomed another night.


    At this time, the city would experience its unique charm. Past deeds of sin always seemed to emerge under the cover of night. In the glitzy urban environment, among the endless flow of people, sinners revealed their sharp fangs on a stage constructed from neon lights, and superheroes were too busy to catch their breath.


    After dinner, Ke Mingye went out for a walk alone and seized an opportunity to release Deception Puppet.


    Before July 4th arrived, Ke Mingye needed to upgrade his "Calamity Dice" from D level to C level and also to increase the "Dice Monster''s" wanted level on the Superhero Association''s official website, targeting "Qing Ya" at the main plot point. Thus, he decided to throw a dice on the streets of the downtown area to see the Association''s reaction.


    Perhaps a major incident would occur, and the Superhero Association would directly upgrade his wanted level from C to A.


    So, he had Deception Puppet swing through the bustling urban area with spider silk, casually taking a bronze gong, a toy drum, and a drumstick from an antique shop on Yandai Commercial Street.


    Then he arrived above Huanjing Tower, sitting on the railings of the observation deck, fiddling with those objects in the night breeze.


    Suddenly, the sound of gong and drum attracted the nearby tourists.


    They raised their heads in confusion, looking at the gray humanoid sitting on the railing, bathed in the intermingling light of the moon and the tower, its high grin visible even from dozens of meters away.


    "Hey, I am Dice Monster. You should recognize me; I''m in today''s trending topics," it said.


    With that, the puppet bent over, supporting its waist, and casually placed the bronze gong, drumstick, and the barely used toy drum on the ground of the observation deck.


    Then it turned around, its hollow gaze overlooking the crowd below the tower.


    Swinging its legs, it tilted its head and said, "I am going to perform a terror attack right here. In twenty seconds, I will throw a dice, and I have no idea what will happen. So, I advise you to get as far away from here as possible."


    Then it began to count down unilaterally, "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six..."


    The countdown rang out in mid-air, with Ke Mingye having adjusted the voice of Deception Puppet to the maximum, as loud as a horn, so each number clearly reached the ears of the citizens.


    Soon, a sheep-like frenzy of fleeing ensued, with shrill screams as visitors near Huanjing Tower quickly evacuated the area.


    "Three..."


    "Two..."


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    Ke Mingye lowered his gaze, casually surveying the pedestrians on the street, deliberately slowing the pace of the countdown to allow some time for people to evacuate.


    Finally, after scanning to ensure no one was at the bottom of the tower, he released a D-level skill¡ª "Calamity Dice".


    A blood-red dice appeared in his hand.


    He held the dice, extended his arm forward, released his fingers, letting the dice crash toward the base of the tower.


    Then, he slowly stood up, pushing off the railings with his feet, his figure disappearing into the neon-flickering city, shooting upwards with a web spun across the night sky.


    The howling cold wind cut across his cheeks like a carving knife, and a cold notification tone rang in his ear.


    [Current D-level skill¡ª"Calamity Dice" has been used 2 times, this skill will undergo a qualitative change after 10 accumulative uses (Progress: 2/10)]


    [D-level skill "Calamity Dice" released, six events drawn from the event library this time are¡ª


    Number ¢Ù: A giant turtle will crawl up Huanjing Tower;


    Number ¢Ú: A historically famous band of the dead will appear on the street to perform songs;


    Number ¢Û: A giant mole will burrow out of the ground, starting to dig holes on the street;


    Number ¢Ü: The next rainfall; S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Number ¢Ý: A group of mechanical giants will appear on the street, beginning a parade;


    Number ¢Þ: Someone will pull the trigger aimed at the back of your head.]


    "Hey, hey, what the hell does someone pulling the trigger at the back of my head mean?" Deception Puppet cocked its nonexistent eyebrow.


    Thump...


    The red and black metal dice swiftly fell from the sky, striking the ground and producing a crisp sound on the deserted road.


    The dice collided with the ground, bouncing repeatedly, reaching heights of over four meters at its peak, and continued this pattern for two or three rounds before slowly coming to a halt.


    Finally, the number facing upwards was... 3.


    [The event represented by the number 3 has been triggered: A giant mole burrows out from underground, beginning to dig holes in the street.]


    At this moment, Deception Puppet had already left Huanjing Tower far behind to evade being captured by Qing Ya but could hear distant tremors and the deep roars of a beast, along with continuous screams from people.


    Ke Mingye was curious about who would take care of the giant mole, so he took out his phone and logged onto the Grey Pigeon Dark Web.


    Indeed, since his appearance as Dice Monster at Huanjing Tower, pirated live streams of the incident had already started on the dark web.


    In the city, bright with lights and wine, the neon outshone the moonlight, tinting every corner of the streets.


    The pirator aimed the camera skyward, and the figure that appeared on screen was the superhero "Ink Writer," who at this moment, was standing atop the head of an Eastern dragon formed by converging ink.


    This ink dragon had two deer-like antlers on its head, with empty eye sockets and long whiskers by its mouth fluttering in the wind. It gently swayed its four legs and sixteen claws.


    It lacked wings, yet its body undulated through the air like a black and white sea wave swaying gently.


    Dressed in a white battle robe, Ink Writer drew the attention of the crowd. His fans pointed at his silhouette, screaming loudly as they lifted their phones. The flash from their cameras seemed to light up the city''s night sky.


    In all of Huanjing, the only other superhuman who would dress up like this was perhaps the villain "Fly Immortal." These days, everyone valued cultural heritage; being too foreignized as a superhero could make it hard to gain popularity and was politically incorrect. Adding a touch of Chinese elements made it easier to attract fans, so his agency had designed his hero image in this way.


    Ke Mingye had viewed Ink Writer''s information panel.


    This was also a character from the Ninja Sect. However, for reasons unknown, he had later become a superhero. He derived his powers from the secret arts passed down in the Ninja Sect, not from superpowers.


    Ink Writer''s popularity in Huanjing was evident from the rapidly increasing count of comments on the Grey Pigeon Dark Web. If Qing Ya embodied the negative stereotypes of superheroes, Ink Writer represented the pinnacle of positive images; he was honorable, often participating in various charitable activities, and was keen on cooperating with official efforts to promote national culture.


    When he had free time, he would also live stream himself painting in ink wash or writing with ink brushes, each work worth a fortune. Ink Writer''s reputation and capabilities were evident; any of his works that appeared at an auction would fetch at least a million, making him a regular fixture at the Huanjing nobility auctions.


    As Ke Mingye saw the screen crammed with an overwhelming number of comments, he opened the settings and blocked all the comments.


    Immediately following, the pirator''s camera caught two more figures, one of which was Magic Girl Ash arriving from the corner of the sky, seated on the handle of Cinderella''s umbrella.


    The gothic-style Magic Girl had changed her usual entrance today, no longer opening an umbrella upwards but sitting on the handle like a witch on a broomstick.


    The neon lights of the city brushed across her snow-white face, and the wind from the night sky lifted her brightly powdered hair. Yet she lowered her gaze, her pupils revealing a cold sharpness.


    As for the other figure captured by the thief''s camera, it was right above Huanjing Tower.


    It was Diviner Black Wukong, standing on a swirl of dark chaotic clouds.


    She gazed at the mole, her crimson eyes behind the monkey mask shimmering with a bizarre hue under the moonlit night, her silver and black hood flapping alongside her metallic coat in the wind.


    "Please... am I really that popular?"


    When Ke Mingye saw these two sisters together again after a week, he knew they were both there to settle scores with him, so he silently shut down the dark web.


    He focused on controlling his Deception Puppet, moving faster through the city while gradually reducing his usage of web-slinging as a mode of transport, lest others catch his trace before the webs dissolved. With his current physical fitness, just using his legs, the puppet could easily jump out ten meters and move between skyscrapers without issue.


    Before long, the Deception Puppet leapt from the glass fa?ade of a skyscraper, coming infinitely close to the deserted No. 7 overpass.


    He shot a web towards the underside of the bridge, then held onto the web with one hand as he dangled upside down beneath the bridge, quietly overlooking the brightly lit city in the distance.


    As time ticked by, the giant mole summoned by the Disaster Dice battled with the ink-dyed Eastern Dragon, their roaring sounds spreading across the skies, drowning out the noise of the news and advertisements. Bursts of dark ink momentarily swallowed the city''s neon lights, making the vibrant neon dull under the shadow of the dark behemoth.


    Finding herself outmatched, the giant mole tried to burrow into a street hole, but Magical Girl Ash arrived on the scene and immediately unleashed her powerful attack.


    Perhaps because her opponent wasn''t human, she aimed Cinderella''s umbrella tip directly at the mole trying to escape into the ground.


    In an instant, a magnificent beam of light burst from the tip of the umbrella, like thousands of gray roses blooming in unison, or like a ferocious gray beast stretching its sky-covering claws. The world seemed to turn gray at that moment, all the neon colors shrouded by the dim magic power.


    Countless electronic signs lost their signals, and the giant screens on the skyscrapers went dark, as if a vast cloud of darkness had covered the human world and taken away all other colors.


    In just a moment, it pierced through the mole''s back, and blood gushed out like a waterfall. The nearby skyscrapers were stained with a grim red, standing side by side like blood-soaked giants.


    "Where''s Wukong?"


    The Deception Puppet wasn''t surprised by the spectacle in front of him; instead, he was more curious about where the other guest had gone. So he wiped his mouth and carefully observed the city''s sky.


    As his thoughts settled, from above the clouds, a figure known to be extremely dangerous, riding on dark clouds, swept down and stopped beneath the Huanjing No. 7 overpass.


    Turning his head to look at her, the Deception Puppet held onto the web with one hand while waving to her with the other, his lips parting in a grin.


    "Isn''t this our Sun Wukong... Long time no see, I''ve really missed you."

 Chapter 085 Black Wukong X Dice Monster X Magic Girl Ash (Part 2)

    In the night sky, the Deception Puppet was hanging upside-down by a spider thread beneath an overpass, while Black Wukong stood on Somersault Cloud, level with it in the air.The puppet pouted, "Aren''t you even going to say hello to me? That''s pretty cold."


    Black Wukong remained silent for a long time, then took out a cellphone from the pocket of his metallic coat and began typing on the notepad before turning the screen towards the Deception Puppet.


    "What are you up to now?"


    "Nothing much," the puppet said, "just got a gambling itch, wanted to casually throw a die, but it seems I threw the wrong one."


    Black Wukong continued to type, "That Dice Monster on the official site, was that you?"


    "It was me."


    "Why did you blow up the traffic lights, and also... summon ten naked men?" Black Wukong typed and asked.


    "Uh, gambling itch?" the puppet scratched its cheek.


    Black Wukong fell silent for a while, his fingers slowly typing under the metal wrist guard.


    "I really don''t understand what you''re thinking."


    "I''m just very lonely, believe me, a lonely person can do anything," the puppet blurted out, "Aren''t you lonely? Or maybe... there''s always a monkey talking in your head, so you don''t feel lonely."


    "How did you know that?"


    "Saw it online while surfing. They say that a Divine Communicator''s emblem harbors a part of divinity, and the higher your realm, the more you''re influenced by that divinity, and then you lose control." The puppet turned to look at her. "Is that so?"


    Black Wukong hugged her shoulders, silent and wordless, her eyes downcast beneath the hood.


    After a while, she lifted her eyes, hidden behind the monkey mask, and looked toward the brightly lit city in the distance.


    Seeing her unwilling to respond, the puppet nonchalantly shrugged and turned to look at the thriving city hanging upside down.


    The chilling evening breeze brushed their faces, one hanging upside down, the other standing on a cloud, as the long train cap and the silver-black hood swung slowly in the still wind.


    After a long time, Black Wukong reached out and typed on the notepad, turning to him, "You said you almost know everything in this world."


    "Uh, that was just an exaggerated way of putting it, but I do know a lot," the puppet lowered his cap brim.


    "Then do you know what I should do?"


    "You mean, the problem with losing control?" the puppet raised a non-existent eyebrow.


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    "Yes."


    "You''re seeking a way to save yourself from a criminal?"


    Black Wukong typed, "No one can answer me, no one will come to save me, the people around me don''t even know who I am, so I can only ask you."


    She paused for a moment, continued typing, and then turned the phone screen towards the puppet, "Besides, you''ve never harmed anyone, otherwise just now why did you tell the citizens to move away before you threw that die, strictly speaking... you''re not that bad."


    The puppet stared at the text on the screen and hesitated, "You''re really nice, everyone else thinks I''m a bad guy, they chase after me to hack at me."


    "So can you answer me?" Black Wukong typed. "The question from earlier."


    The puppet hesitated for a moment and shook his head, "I''m sorry, I don''t know how to save you... perhaps Divine Communicators are doomed to lose control, which is why every Divine Communicator in history eventually fades into obscurity."


    Black Wukong''s eyes drooped, reflecting the bright lights of Huanjing Tower.


    "Is that so... I understand now."


    She put away her phone, her voice cold and clear from behind the mask.


    The puppet, hanging in the moonlight, turned to look at her, "It seems you are also very lonely, with no one around to listen to your feelings, always pretending to be strong, holding all your pain and anxiety inside. It''s really not easy."


    She said, "Since trying to protect others with my own strength, loneliness has just been the price... if I can''t endure loneliness, I would only bring danger to those around me."


    The puppet slowly said, "But before all this, you were just a girl, as vulnerable as anyone else, also bewildered and questioning herself, a person afraid of dying."


    "You might be neurotic, but you always see right through my thoughts."


    "I''m good at perceiving people''s hearts."


    "Then who exactly are you, do you understand yourself?"


    The puppet lowered his hollow eyes and said, "I don''t understand, every day in my head there are two people talking. One says, ''You killed me; you must compensate, protect them for me.'' The other says, ''I had no choice, I just want to live, that''s all.'' Listening to their arguments, sometimes I feel like I''m going mad, but I can only pretend to live peacefully... It''s complicated, isn''t it?"


    "It sounds like you''re really a complete neurotic," Black Wukong murmured.


    The puppet self-mockingly laughed, "Right, I think so too."


    The evening wind swept down from the night sky, the spider thread in his hands swaying precariously.


    "I should leave now, I''ll let you off this time."


    As he spoke, Somersault Cloud beneath Black Wukong began to surge anxiously, like a shimmering black lake.


    "Uh, so should I be thanking you for your mercy?" the puppet asked.


    "What else?"


    The puppet shrugged its shoulders and was about to respond when an icy female voice came from behind the two of them, interrupting his thoughts.


    "What a coincidence... both of my enemies are here."


    The puppet cocked his non-existent eyebrows, his right hand clutching at the spider silk as he turned his head towards the source of the voice, looking upside down at the uninvited guest.


    "Isn''t this Miss Ash?" he said. "You''ve really outshone yourself tonight."


    Magical Girl Ash stared at him with cold eyes and said each word slowly. "I''ve finally caught you, monster."


    Hearing this familiar voice, Black Wukong was stunned for a couple of seconds, then slowly turned his head, his crimson pupils fixed on the gothic-styled magic girl.


    Magical Girl Ash shifted her gaze from the puppet and glanced at Black Wukong, sneering, "As I thought, you are together, telling me ''Black Wukong is right beside you,'' what a bluff..."


    Upon hearing this, Black Wukong''s fingers quickly typed on a memo pad, then he aligned his screen towards the Deception Puppet, "Did you tell her my identity?"


    The puppet first said to Magical Girl Ash, "You''ve got it all wrong, Miss Ash, we really aren''t together." After that, he turned to Black Wukong, waved his hand and carefully chose his words, "Uh, I just hinted at it a bit, but I didn''t tell her, you can ask her yourself."


    Black Wukong typed on his phone, then coldly lifted the screen: "You''re such an asshole."


    Magical Girl Ash lifted her small face, scanning the two, her gaze as sharp as knives, "Still putting on an act, you really think I don''t know you''re together?"


    The upside-down puppet sighed, reached out to pat Black Wukong''s shoulder, and said to Ash, "Yes, we are together. If you have any grievances, take it up with the one next to me."


    Black Wukong shifted his face, glaring coldly through the mask at him and swung his Jingu Bang, which hung behind his shoulder; the spider silk the puppet was holding onto instantly snapped.


    "Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?!"


    Instantly losing his support, the puppet hung upside down, falling towards the bustling city, swallowed by the colorful neon lights coming from below.


    Below the overpass, Black Wukong and Magical Girl Ash exchanged glances across the night sky, silent.


    The light from the night moon was mostly blocked by the surface of the overpass, leaving half of Ash''s face shrouded in shadows, the other half bathed in the cold moonlight.


    After a moment, Ash sighed, shifted her gaze away from herself, and looked down at the puppet falling towards the city.


    "Forget it, I''ll settle the score with it first; I''ll deal with you, dirty monkey, next time."


    With that said, she clenched Cinderella in her hand, causing a ripple of magic power to burst forth, propelling her body like a slate-gray comet toward the city.


    Meanwhile, as the puppet was about to strike a high-altitude work platform, he lowered his right hand and shot a spider silk towards a glass curtain wall of a tall building, grabbing the silk and shouting as he swung out.


    "Monster, stop right there!"


    Ash''s voice came from above; she was holding an umbrella, plummeting swiftly, her skirt billowing and her black locks flying up.


    The puppet, while holding onto the spider silk and maneuvering among the high buildings, shouted back, "I know what you''re upset about, Miss Ash, and I''m very sorry, I didn''t mean to..."


    "Shut up!"


    The girl interrupted him, anger written clear in her icy eyes.


    As she fell, she gripped the handle of the umbrella tightly, adjusting Cinderella''s position, aiming the tip of the umbrella at the puppet''s back and pulling the trigger.


    Bang!


    The gunshot rang out and a cold arc traced through the air, a finely guided magic bullet precisely aiming for the puppet''s back.


    The puppet couldn''t react in time, and a magic bullet hit him squarely in the back, puncturing a hole in his chest. He clutched at his heart, released the spider silk, spun around, and slowly plummeted toward the street below.


    A deafening sound of horns came from below, and once he hit the traffic-filled road, he would immediately be crushed into a pulp.


    In mid-air, he raised his hollow eyes, his hands clutching his chest, looking sincerely towards Ash hovering in the air: "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to reveal your identity to Xiaohongmao, seeing her so pitiful, she admired you so much, wanting to know who you really are, how could I bear it?"


    "I told you, go die."


    Magical Girl Ash said coldly, her gaze shielded by her hanging hair.


    In the next instant, the puppet''s body crashed onto the roadway, hitting a massive truck head-on and being thrown about ten meters further, crashing against the facade of a building.


    "We are still friends, aren''t we?"


    He lay like Jesus nailed to the cross, slowly raising his head from the crater in the building, grinning at Ash.


    "Friends?"


    Magical Girl Ash sneered twice, lowered her gaze, and looked down at him from above, "We were never friends... not now, not ever."


    With that, she aimed the tip of her umbrella at the puppet''s head and forcefully pulled the trigger. A lead-gray magic bullet burst out of the tip of the umbrella, precisely targeting the puppet''s head."


    "No... you''ll need me."


    After leaving behind those final words, the puppet''s head burst open with a ''pop.''


    His head slowly drooped, his body gradually cracked and heated up, and finally, erupted into a fierce fire that rose in the crater, illuminating the whole street and the pitch-black building.


    "Someday, you''ll need me..."


    Subtle words fell quietly, a sinister laugh echoing through every corner as if coming from thin air.


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 Chapter 086 Serial Number NO.0, The Day of Qiyamate

    Night fell like a curtain, shrouding the brightly lit Old Jingmai District.In Bai Ke''s home, scattered lights cast silhouettes on the curtains: someone sat by the window reading a book; someone sat at a table playing with their phone; someone opened the curtains, cupping their cheeks in their hands, gazing into the night sky, idling away as moonlight gently swayed strands of her snowy hair.


    In the constant chirp of cicadas, one by one, the lights behind the windows were extinguished by the evening breeze, and the entire apartment complex went dark.


    At that moment, in one of the dimly lit rooms.


    Ke Mingye lay on his bed, arms behind his head, his mind a whirl of thoughts.


    "Every day I throw the dice, and by the evening of June 30, the ''Disaster Dice'' will have evolved into a C-level Skill."


    "With my current strength, it''s still too hard to get involved in the strife between my second brother and that elementary school kid... That kid could easily chew me up, and the Ninja sent by the Ninja Sect are probably not far off in strength either. But maybe on July 4, if I throw the dice well, I might be able to achieve a surprising effect?"


    He sighed deeply, closed his eyes, and tried to summon sleep, but he tossed and turned restlessly, unable to fall asleep.


    So he simply picked up the phone next to his pillow, unlocked the screen, and languidly opened the browser after his gaze lingered on the home screen for a second.


    Ke Mingye scanned the Baidu hot search list and clicked on the site ranking fifth in the hot search¡ª"The Magical Girl Alliance Official Website."


    According to statistics, the Magical Girl Alliance''s official website received nearly 500 million visits a day, which showed the extent of the public''s interest.


    Any Magic Girl that had appeared around the world would have their profile recorded on the Alliance''s website, even those who had only shown their faces to the public once or who had not joined the Alliance.


    But their real names were not made public.


    Normally, only internal officials of the Magic Girls had access to their real identities, while others could only see some one-sided information, such as "favorite food," "things they hate," "what they do at the victory banquet after defeating villains," "preference in choosing a partner"...


    It was all rather useless information, the officials didn''t even release their birthdays.


    If a Magic Girl had commercial cooperation with some enterprises, at the bottom of their profile it might read "It''s said that this Magic Girl likes ''Miryu Summer'' brand potato chips," "It''s said that this Magic Girl usually uses ''Lijie Kafu'' brand skincare products," and other overt commercial promotion information.


    Next to it hung a glaringly obvious hyperlink, with intentions clear without need for words, yet a portion of their fervent fans would still take the bait.


    In today''s era of traffic, no matter the industry, if a business couldn''t spend money on a Magic Girl or a superhero as a spokesperson, they would eventually be outdone by competitors.


    If by lucky chance they managed to hire a world top influencer like Firando Gomez or Xizi Yue, then even if the quality of their product was poor, it would likely sell out overnight.


    Ke Mingye aimlessly browsed the official website, his eyes flitting across the portraits of Magic Girls wearing sweet smiles, feeling somewhat aesthetically fatigued, until he scrolled to a girl dressed in goth style with a black dress.


    It was as if he had seen a crow standing out of place among a flock of dazzling white pigeons.


    The profile picture of Ash, the Magic Girl, clashed with the others; while the rest had at least a smile or at best a neutral expression on their faces.


    She was the only one with a cold little face, her head slightly tilted to the right, her eyes filled with disdain.


    Looking like she was in business against her will, probably Xizi Yue and others had dragged her to take the profile picture. With her temperament, she likely only listened to her three masters.


    Clicking on her profile, he couldn''t even find information like "favorite food" or "fears." Scrolling down the list, other than the "Magic Girl Code" column being filled with a bold "Ash," everything else was blank.


    "Such a willful little sister," Ke Mingye chuckled lightly, his finger lingering on her profile for two seconds, thinking if it wasn''t for Xizi Yue covering for her, Bai Zini couldn''t possibly be so arrogant.


    But he was quite curious, which one was the real Bai Zini? Was it the domineering and proud Magic Girl Ash... or the neighborly little sister she was at home?


    Or could it be, both were her?


    Ke Ming mindlessly thought, his finger slowly scrolling down, and the countenance of Magic Girl Ash disappeared from the screen.


    Looking further, the Alliance''s official website also regularly released profiles of "Magic Girl Interns" to arouse public attention and interest.


    As the name implied, these Magic Girls were all interning at the Alliance.


    If, compared to looks, some of the Magic Girl interns stood out more for their strength, they would officially join the Alliance, embarking on a mission to combat crime;


    But if the Magic Girl interns were more outstanding in appearance than in strength, the Alliance would offer them another option: to debut as idols, sign with talent agencies, learn to sing, dance, and rap, striving to shine on stage.


    They would also sign a revenue-sharing agreement so that if they performed impressively and became popular, they could bring substantial economic benefits to the Magical Girls Alliance.


    As a rule, the Magic Girl Alliances of each country would have a collaborative channel with local idol talent agencies:


    ¡ªThe Alliance would recommend exceptionally talented Magic Girls to the talent agencies, which would, in turn, provide a profit share based on their performance, reciprocating to the Magical Girl Alliance.


    This mutually beneficial collaboration, as an important revenue stream for the Alliance, was vigorously supported by officials.


    However, due to Chinese netizens'' concern over the mortality rate of underage Magic Girls, lately there has been a growing opposition to Magic Girls, and therefore idols who debuted as Magic Girl interns faced uniform resistance in the entertainment industry.


    One of their revenue streams had been severely impacted, leaving the Magical Girl Alliance''s Chinese branch in jeopardy, solely propped up by Xizi Yue''s overtime work shooting advertisements.


    If it weren''t for the fact that she alone had brought tens of millions in economic benefits to the Alliance''s Chinese branch, they wouldn''t have been able to hold on until now.


    Ke Mingye flipped through a batch of intern profiles for magic girls, and within this group of interns, seventy percent had chosen to debut as idols.


    This figure was somewhat exaggerated, perhaps influenced by Chinese public opinion, other countries had also begun to take the issue of magic girl mortality rates seriously.


    However, unlike in China, where there was an outright rejection of magic girls, other countries felt it more fitting for magic girls to be decorative figures rather than combating criminals¡ªas if, just as Black people are naturally talented in RAP, magic girls have an innate advantage in being loved by the public, and it would be a waste not to utilize it.


    Ke Mingye yawned, his eyes filled with the tears of fatigue, as his fingers continued to slide across the screen.


    The Alliance''s official website still publicly recorded some information about magic cards.


    According to current statistics, a total of 126 types of magic cards had appeared in the world, including some self-created cards, such as Udina''s "Holy Sword Burst," Lilai''s "Iceberg Collapse," and Xizi Yue''s "Space-Time Train"...


    The first two were A-grade cards, while the latter was an S-grade card.


    Only magic girls with exceptional talent could create their own cards, which was the case for these three¡ªthey wouldn''t have become the representative figures of contemporary magic girls otherwise.


    But ordinary magic girls were capable of crafting magic cards, creating them by extracting a small part of the comet fragments within them and using tools to mold the fragments into cards engraved with magical runes.


    During the crafting process, they could whimsically add mysterious materials, potentially giving the card odd effects.


    Xizi Yue had summarized some patterns and experiences in card crafting, generously sharing them on the Alliance''s official website.


    However, according to the Association''s data, the comet fragments inside an ordinary magic girl were sufficient to craft at most 300 magic cards.


    If they used up the comet fragments without restraint, they would lose their magic girl powers and might even revert to being ordinary people¡ªafter all, the power of comet-kind magic girls comes from the fragments within them.


    "Can I also craft cards?" Ke Mingye wondered, "Turn mannequins into magic girls, then extract the comet fragments from their bodies to craft cards. Keep some extra cards for emergencies... Magic cards can come in handy, whether facing instances or causing trouble outside."


    However, crafting was easy, mastering the cards was not. Each magic card had its corresponding difficulty level, with higher-grade cards being harder to handle.


    They had to infuse magic power of the same nature as the card into it, resonate with the card to activate it and use it for themselves.


    This morning, Magical Girl Ash had used a B-grade magic card "Gust" while chasing a superhuman criminal.


    Setting aside special elemental types like ice and snow, wind-type magic cards are the most difficult to control in the regular elemental categories.


    This showed that Ash was not inept at using magic cards; she was simply in a rebellious phase and didn''t want to use them.


    For the safety of magic girls, official sources only released a scant amount of card information¡ªsome unofficial websites had even compiled more card types from past magic girl combat videos than those listed on the Alliance''s official site.


    Ke Mingye clicked on the card directory on the official website, and the first card that appeared was the one with serial number NO.000¡ª"Day of Qiyamate."


    The Qiyamate Comet first appeared three thousand years ago, which means... the very first magic girl also came into being three thousand years ago, and calling her the progenitor of magic girls would not be an exaggeration.


    It was this progenitor who left behind the record of the card with serial number 0, symbolizing the beginning of all things.


    Apart from her, in these three thousand years, no other magic girl had ever used this card, meaning it was almost a card that existed only in legend.


    According to internet rumors, a magic girl who had predicted the end of the world once appeared among the Mayan tribes.


    This magic girl had said that the card named "Day of Qiyamate" could not be crafted and would only appear on the day when Qiyamate Comet arrived, and only on that day could the card''s power be released...


    There was a one in ten million chance that the magic girl chosen by the comet would obtain the magic card "Day of Qiyamate" on that day.


    For three thousand years, besides the progenitor of magic girls, no other magic girl had been granted this card by the comet.


    As for the effects of this progenitor-level card, that was even more unknown. There were only some scattered speculations on the internet, but who could guess what happened three thousand years ago.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye raised his eyebrows, suddenly remembering something. He thus exited the website and entered "the next time Qiyamate Comet passes Earth" into the search engine of the browser.


    "The Qiyamate Comet will take away all the power of this generation''s magic girls, scattering new comet fragments onto Earth. Girls who come into contact with these fragments will become magic girls... So, if the comet happens to arrive this year, could it save some people from death?"


    "And... there''s no need for me to oppose Bai Zini anymore."


    With that thought, Ke Mingye hesitated for a moment before slowly pressing down his index finger on the search key. Your journey continues with empire


    Accompanying the page refresh, the results suddenly appeared in his view.


    [The next time Qiyamate Comet returns to Earth is the night of June 18, 2029.]


    Ke Mingye paused for two seconds, then shivered violently, his pupils slightly contracting as they reflected the date.


    "Isn''t that... the day before the deadline for the extinction task ends?" he thought. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 087 The Two Players on the Smuggling Boat

    In the darkness, the glow from his smartphone illuminated the astonished eyes of the young man.Ke Mingye stared at the date displayed on the screen, thinking to himself.


    "The next return of the comet is on June 18, 2029, which is also the last day of the extinction mission deadline."


    "Is it really just a coincidence, or could it be that this so-called system is the work of the comet named ''Qiyamate''?"


    "If not, then the timing of this comet is far too late, arriving on the last night. Will it manage to collect the powers of the Magic Girls in time?"


    He continued to ponder.


    "If it''s too late, players will still have to battle with the Magic Girls. Maybe, seeing that the Magic Girls are almost wiped out, it gave the comet the Sequence 0 Magic Card ''Day of Qiyamate''. What would they fight them with then? That card is a once-in-three-thousand-years kind of Magic Card, capable of destroying a country without surprise."


    "Forget it, let it be whatever it will be."


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath, turned off his phone, and the last glimmer of light in the room vanished, plunging his face into pitch darkness.


    "Rest, there''s work to be done early tomorrow."


    With that thought, he closed his eyes, and his consciousness gradually sank into sleep.


    A silent night passed, and the next day at five in the morning, a cold alert tone unexpectedly rang in his mind.


    Ke Mingye opened his eyes to a notification panel.


    [You have received a message from your friend "Fan Quan."]


    [Fan Quan: Time to move. Their ship will arrive at the port of Huanjing North District in thirty minutes, hurry over now.]


    Ke Mingye checked the message while yawning and rubbing his forehead.


    Fan Quan had mentioned yesterday that today two players would arrive in Huanjing on a smuggled ship; one player''s ID was "Cai Bing", a hacker who had long been in cahoots with Fan Quan, and another player known as "Paranoia."


    Paranoia''s mental state seems to be unstable; he said he was coming to Huanjing to challenge Qing Ya to a duel...


    This was no different than a ticking time bomb, so the three of them agreed to capture him before he disembarked and tie him up in a deserted place to fend for himself.


    "The ship is arriving this early?"


    Ke Mingye thought to himself and glanced at the clock; it was only five-thirty, and it was still dark outside.


    He then checked the daily bulletin.


    [Obituary: On the night of June 20th, born in London, England, the player with the ID "Kachila" was killed by the supervillain "Divinity Communicator Phoenix."]


    [Current global survivors count: 95 of 100]


    "Damn it... Can you die a bit slower?"


    Ke Mingye covered his face, sighing helplessly.


    In just a few days, only ninety-five players were left. Maybe I should lead a surrender; if it comes to it, I''ll kowtow twice to the Anomaly Control Bureau to see if they''ll let us scrape by another year, he thought.


    But on the bright side, the players who couldn''t make it through the initial phase were either unlucky or inept. Filtering out these players early wasn''t necessarily a bad thing, as it avoided dragging everyone else down later.


    However, more than the deceased players, Ke Mingye was more curious about the term "Phoenix," those three words.


    In the system panel, the prefix for Divinity Communicator Phoenix was "supervillain," not "superhero" or "vigilante"...


    This was very strange; after all, in Ke Mingye''s memory, Phoenix had always been a superhero and was highly sought after by the American people. The President of the United States had once said that if not for Divine Communicator Zeus, then Divinity Communicator Phoenix would be America''s Zeus.


    This shows how popular he once was.


    However, ever since "Timekeeper" captured Phoenix and tortured him for several days and nights, Phoenix had completely disappeared, never to appear in the public eye again. Even the Superhero Association and the Anomaly Control Bureau had no news about him, and there was a time when the entire United States was searching for Phoenix.


    Some even suspected that Timekeeper might have thrown Phoenix into the sea, so the U.S. officials used equipment to sweep the nearby sea areas, but still, they found no trace of Phoenix.


    Unexpectedly, several years later, when Ke Mingye saw the name Phoenix, it was on the system panel, and Phoenix was now classified as a "supervillain"...


    Absolutely bewildering.


    "Was Phoenix driven mad by Timekeeper..." he wondered, "or was he controlled by Timekeeper through some method, like brainwashing or mind control?"


    Ke Mingye soon gave up on delving deeper; these were not the things he needed to focus on now. One step at a time, he would complete today''s daily tasks first.


    [Today''s daily tasks are as follows]


    [1. Run 4000 meters (Reward: One lottery spin)]


    [2. Purchase an item at a mall (Reward: One 50% discount shopping card)]


    "A 50% discount shopping card, can it be used to buy skills too?"


    He tidied his messy bangs, closed the panel, got out of bed, walked out of his room, and gently knocked on his older brother''s door, asking softly, "Big brother, want to join me for a morning run?"


    If Ke Xiaomo was inside, with his sharp senses, he would have heard Ke Mingye''s call and would have gotten out of bed to open the door immediately.


    Seeing no response from inside, Ke Mingye quickly assumed that his brother must have already gone out to exercise. These past few days, his brother had been getting up exceptionally early, likely going out to exercise around three or four in the morning as part of his warm-up preparations before facing the calamitous dragon.


    He moved back to his room, locked the door, took out a set of clothes and a box containing spare sneakers from the closet, and then released the Deception Puppet from the windowsill.


    Ke Mingye ordered the puppet to carry the set of clothes and the box, watching as its silhouette vanished into the gray line where the sky met the ground.


    Then he turned, walked out of his room, quickly washed up, and headed downstairs by elevator.


    Ke Mingye jogged along the edge of the Old Jingmai District, while simultaneously controlling a puppet that raced through the city.


    Eventually, the puppet stopped in an alley close to the harbor in the Huanjing North District, dressed itself in trousers, shirt, and shoes, and then transformed its appearance into one that Fan Quan and others would recognize.


    He adjusted his hair, turned, and walked out of the alley and down the stairs toward the harbor ground, where he saw Fan Quan dressed in a brown coat and suit pants.


    "Ju... Didn''t Qing Meng come?"


    Continue reading stories on empire


    As Ke Mingye approached Fan Quan and was about to ask where Ju Zipi and Qing Meng were, he remembered that Ju Zipi had gone to Japan to study the way of the Cowherd.


    "She hasn''t woken up yet," Fan Quan said.


    "Typical of her."


    "It''s that ship," Fan Quan continued.


    At those words, Ke Mingye turned his head to gaze into the distance, the sea breeze lifting his bangs.


    At the gray boundary where sky met sea, shadows of a few fishing boats scattered across the surface. The morning light brushed over the grey, foggy horizon, breaking through the rolling sea mist that enveloped the sparkling waters.


    A cargo ship slowly emerged on the horizon, its bulky body undulating on the sea as it gradually approached the harbor.


    Fan Quan, staring at the cargo ship, said in a low voice, "The woman standing on the deck is ''Cai Bing''."


    Ke Mingye focused his gaze and discerned the scene on the deck.


    He saw a woman in a black raincoat standing at the bow, playing with her phone with one hand. She wore a duckbill cap, had shoulder-length curly hair, an indifferent expression, and a lollipop clutched between her lips.


    Fan Quan continued, "The one sitting by the railing next to her is ''Bias,'' who is our target. As soon as he disembarks, restrain him immediately. I''ll use the taxi parked at the harbor to take him away."


    "Okay, mission received."


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he surveyed the man seated on the deck.


    This uninvited guest was dressed in a black hoodie, his head covered by a hood, his face heavily bandaged, revealing only an eye riddled with blood vessels.


    "What, like some bloodthirsty brute?"


    Ke Mingye took a sharp intake of cold air, his heart thudding.


    Fan Quan, with his hands in the pockets of his brown coat, said slowly, "Even the bloodthirsty brutes have come, with a get-up that screams a typical anime-style delusional twist."


    "He certainly doesn''t look easy to mess with."


    "We still don''t know much about him, but Cai Bing said this guy is very confident, or he wouldn''t be uttering nonsense about wanting to challenge Qing Ya alone. Maybe he really is skilled."


    "No worries, however strong he is, the three of us together can create chaos," Ke Mingye whispered.


    Soon, the cargo ship stopped in front of the harbor,


    and Cai Bing was the first to descend the gangplank, coming to Fan Quan''s side and whispering something to him. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Following that, the player known as "Bias" slowly stood up from beside the railing, and made his way down the gangplank, the thudding of his feet on the metal sending chills.


    "He''s carrying a sword bag on his back, it might have knives inside," Cai Bing said.


    "Okay, I''ll get rid of him straight away," Ke Mingye said.


    After disembarking, Bias looked up and surveyed the three people blocking his path, and coldly asked, "Who are you?"


    "Failed Men," Ke Mingye said.


    "Fan Quan."


    "I''ve seen your name on the leaderboard; you''re a player," Bias said, his bloodied eye wide and his brows furrowing under the bandages.


    "That''s right," Fan Quan calmly said. "I heard you came to this city wanting to challenge Qing Ya one-on-one, was that just a joke?"


    "No, I''m serious," Bias said with a cryptic smile, "I''d advise you not to stop me, otherwise..."


    Fan Quan sighed and turned to Ke Mingye, "Go ahead, he''s definitely not normal."


    "Okay."


    "Don''t come any closer you bastards!" Bias suddenly shouted, simultaneously removing the sword bag from his shoulder, unzipping it, and pulling out a blood-red knife, laughing as he covered his face, "You know I have a B-rank skill, right? You must be envious, this is... ''God''s Luck.''"


    As he brandished the knife, the air suddenly thickened, as if an invisible aura started emanating, enveloping the space.


    Ke Mingye was startled, "Wow, this guy looks fierce, shall we retreat?"


    "B-rank skill?" Fan Quan pondered for a half-second, cautioning, "Be careful of the knife in his hand."


    "Right, let you bunch of ants witness, my B-rank skill," Bias said, licking the blood-red knife, "¡ª''Magic Girl, Transform!''."


    As his words fell, a blood-red cocoon of light spread from the handle of the knife, swirling around Bias''s body, tightly enveloping every corner of his form.


    Then, Bias lifted his bangs with both hands, and smiled seductively.


    The cocoon enveloping him shattered in an instant, and a beautiful girl dressed in a red and black gown, holding a gigantic scythe, appeared before the three.


    Ke Mingye was stunned, his eyes nearly popping out.


    Cai Bing was also dumbfounded, her mouth slightly open, the lollipop she held almost falling to the ground.


    Fan Quan was equally shocked, his glasses nearly falling off his nose.

 Chapter 088 Magical Girl Hongyue makes a grand entrance!

    A cool sea breeze blew in from the horizon, scratching the faces of the three and bringing with it the vivid sensation of being alive. At this moment, they stood petrified, too shocked to speak.Hey, what happened?


    Where did that bloodthirsty bruiser go? He had just been licking that knife, uttering lines with an almost regal arrogance. How did he disappear so suddenly?


    Ke Mingye was so mentally overwhelmed, he chose to forget.


    His expression blank, he re-examined the Magic Girl in front of him.


    Her gorgeous dress of red and black contrasts, adorned with a silver-white metallic skull accessory nestled in the folds of her dress, exuded a terrifyingly beautiful aesthetic.


    She was only about five feet tall, but her beauty was astounding, contempt in her eyes, her lips slightly curled, red as if drenched in blood, like a darkly vibrant black rose.


    The scythe in her hand was about nine feet long, its blade reflecting a chilling gleam.


    If he was not mistaken, this frighteningly long scythe was her magic wand. This meant she was a holder of a mutant magic wand just like Magical Girl Ash and Magical Girl Udina, belonging to the world''s rarest breed of Magic Girls.


    The blood-red knife he had earlier pulled from his sword bag was the wand''s disguised form, just as Cinderella''s usual form was a foldable umbrella.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye felt his worldview had completely shattered. He had thought that because Deception Puppets had no gender, they were allowed to transform into Magic Girls.


    But what he hadn''t expected was...


    It turns out bloody hell, men can also transform into Magic Girls! Can you even call that a Magic Girl anymore, damn it, isn''t that too bizarre?!


    Ke Mingye stepped back with his hand on his chest, thinking if it could just erase this memory from his brain and restore his impression of Magic Girls... For all he knew, all those internet Magic Girls might just be disguising dudes!


    Damn it, I just can''t trust this world anymore.


    "Is... is this your Rank-B skill?"


    Fan Quan adjusted his nearly fallen glasses and asked with a hoarse voice.


    Magical Girl Hongyue flicked her smooth black hair and lifted her majestic face to look at the trio, utter contempt written across her silver-white pupils.


    "Hehehe, shocked by me, aren''t you? Yes, you may refer to me as, Magical Girl Hongyue."


    Though her words were haughty and extravagant, unfortunately with her height less than five feet, her aura felt diminished, like a child throwing tough words at an adult.


    Why does this bloodthirsty bruiser give off the vibe of a bossy little ghost transformed into a Magic Girl? Ke Mingye spat out another mouthful of metaphorical blood, thinking.


    Please no, I beg you, don''t traumatize my worldview any further!


    The hacker girl ID''d as Cai Bing stood stiffly between the two, slow to react by a good couple of beats, seemingly unable to process the situation.


    Two seconds later, she finally caught on, turned around slowly, and dropped to her knees, holding her stomach as she tried to stifle her laughter.


    As she laughed and pounded the ground, Cai Bing exclaimed, "Help me, I can''t hold it anymore! Is this guy brain-damaged? Just now he was all about how... ''This is my Rank-B skill, let me show you the luck of a god.'' Then he pulls a Magic Girl transformation! How can he even brag about this hahaha!"


    "What''s so bad about being a Magic Girl?" Hongyue spoke disdainfully, "Even so, it remains a Rank-B skill."


    Fan Quan sighed, "I somewhat feel your struggle. You probably saw you had the opportunity to acquire two skills for free, and when a Rank-B skill popped up on the page, you initially got excited. After seeing the skill, you found it''s named ''Magic Girl Transformation'' and struggled bitterly before finally succumbing to the allure of its rank, ultimately putting your dignity aside to purchase it..."


    He paused, "Now, all you can do is comfort yourself by saying it''s a Rank-B skill."


    "Shut up, is it Rank-B or not?"


    Magical Girl Hongyue, as if having her thoughts exposed, raised her scythe towards Fan Quan, speaking furiously.


    "Definitely Rank-B," Fan Quan continued his verbal assault, seeming to retaliate for the emotional and physical ordeal he had just suffered, "Both of us here have Rank-B skills, and our skills aren''t about transforming into a Magic Girl."


    "How can it be, you''re just bluffing."


    "Unfortunately, my Rank-B isn''t forged," Fan Quan mocked, "It''s a skill that strengthens with the volume of my knowledge, so I acquired it through my own effort, not like a certain lady who relied on luck to draw a Rank-B skill, saw the words ''Magic Girl'' and shamelessly claimed it."


    Magical Girl Hongyue said, "If you don''t believe it, let''s fight a duel."


    "Alright, the three of us against you alone," Fan Quan said blandly.


    Cai Bing lay on the ground laughing for a long time before slowly getting up, recovering her composure, "This is how you deal with a fool; it should be three against one."


    Suddenly, Ke Mingye asked Hongyue, "Do you have a magic book?"


    "Yes, what about it?" Magical Girl Hongyue responded.


    "Good news, literate lady, the comet fragments inside Magic Girls can be used to create Magic Cards. We''ll tear you apart, collect your comet fragments in a bottle, and use them for crafting," Ke Mingye spoke slowly in an icy tone, sounding like a beast ready to pounce.


    "Why so cruel all of a sudden?" Fan Quan asked, surprised.


    "How can I not be cruel, man, I feel like I''m about to puke at the sight of a Magic Girl."


    "That''s good news; you can imagine all Magic Girls are actually cross-dressers, that way you won''t feel guilty when you confront them," Fan Quan said.


    Ke Mingye paused for two seconds, as if discovering a new world, thinking to himself that indeed there was a silver lining, everything was the best arrangement.


    "True to your word, everything feels much more reasonable when the perspective changes," he said.


    "Who are you calling a cross-dresser?" Magical Girl Hongyue looked at the two.


    Ke Mingye glanced at her, first doubled over in dry heaves for a while, then wiped the corner of his mouth and slowly stood up, "Never mind, let''s deal with this guy first before he really goes to challenge Qing Ya alone, ruining our antagonistic image as players."


    As he spoke, he kicked off from the ground, hurtling forward towards Magical Girl like a storm of wind and lightning.


    Just as he had just reached in front of Hongyue and was about to start throwing punches and kicks, the other side suddenly shouted in a coquettish female voice, "Hold on!"


    "What now?"


    "Since I got on that broken boat, I haven''t eaten anything at all. I am really hungry now. Isn''t it against martial virtues to fight with me now?"


    Magical Girl Hongyue snorted coldly, speaking sternly.


    "And then?" Ke Mingye raised his fist, asking expressionlessly. Your journey continues with empire


    "Treat me to a meal, and I''ll let you go, and I won''t challenge Qing Ya," the girl said. "Sounds like a good deal, doesn''t it?"


    Ke Mingye was stunned. "Seriously?"


    "I can sign a contract, put my thumbprint on it, you cover my meals and I''ll be your slave," said Magical Girl Hongyue decisively.


    Ke Mingye sighed and lowered his fist, thinking this person''s mind really wasn''t right.


    He covered his face and said, "Then change back your appearance first, I beg you. Otherwise, I feel like I''m bullying a little schoolgirl."


    "Don''t underestimate me. What do you mean little schoolgirl? If it wasn''t for your unscrupulous triple-teaming, I''d already have you sprawling on the ground."


    Having said that, Magical Girl Hongyue''s appearance slowly returned to normal, reverting to the gloomy, bandaged man known as "Paranoid."


    "I''m starving to death here. Feed me, quick," Paranoid said, putting away his blood-red knife into his sheath and slinging it over his shoulder.


    Fan Quan gave him a skeptical look and asked, "Are you sure that after eating, you won''t suddenly go berserk and try to challenge Qing Ya?"


    "I was just kidding about that. Did you really take it seriously? Hilarious," Paranoid unwound the bandage from his face, revealing a pale, gaunt face.


    "Why did you wrap your face in bandages?"


    "I did it while sleepwalking," Paranoid answered.


    Ke Ming approached Fan Quan, thumbs pointed towards Paranoid, whispering, "Man, this guy must have split personality disorder. Maybe we should find a chance to finish him off, he seems like a handful."


    "Forget it," Fan Quan shook his head, "If we can avoid fighting, we avoid it. Let''s take him out for a meal and see how it goes."


    "Suit yourself then. I''m leaving first. You guys handle it," Ke Mingye sighed.


    "We might need to fight an instance this afternoon, keep in touch," Fan Quan advised.


    "Okay." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Deception Puppet waved his hand, said goodbye, and then turned and headed towards the inner part of the port to find a place with good sound insulation to self-destruct.


    ........


    ........


    Meanwhile, Ke Mingye had also racked up the requisite number of steps for his task, exactly 4000. He stopped at Old Jingmai Street No. 5, opened the task panel, and clicked to receive his daily task reward.


    Suddenly, a roulette wheel popped up, with each segment and their rewards marked in black font.


    [One, 2000 Mall Coins;]


    [Two, Unique Level Item¡ªWitch''s Broom;]


    [Three, Divine Disk Fragment *1 (Collect the fragments to obtain a Divine Disk, which can be used to periodically locate a Divine Relic);]


    [Four, C-grade Equipment¡ªElectromagnetic Pulse Gloves;]


    [Five, "Titanic Beast Godzilla" Fragment (50 Godzilla fragments are required to assemble a summoning card);]


    [Six, Thanks for participating.]


    Ke Mingye glanced briefly, pressed "Start," and then the pointer on the roulette started spinning rapidly, eventually stopping on the fourth segment.


    [Congratulations, you have received the prize from area four: "C-grade Equipment¡ªElectromagnetic Pulse Gloves," which has been added to your inventory.]


    "Sounds like a great item."


    However, Ke Mingye couldn''t feel happy, knowing that he might soon be teaming up with a lunatic and a nerdy hacker filled him with a feeling akin to having swallowed crap.


    "I start to miss Ju Zipi. How come Fan Quan didn''t trick this lunatic into joining the Black Tengu Club to serve as a gigolo? That would truly give those wealthy Japanese ladies a jolt..."


    He scratched his head, feeling downhearted as he thought.

 Chapter 089 Strange Thing X Catastrophe Dragon (Vote for Monthly Ticket!)

    "Speaking of which, I still haven''t received the node reward from being a primary school student and Bai Ziling.""Can the puppet keep up with their speed, though? One is a dragon, the other a vampire... Although it''s highly unlikely to catch up, it''s still worth a try."


    Ke Mingye walked home with his head lowered.


    While planning the night life for the Deception Puppet, he opened his knapsack and clicked on the icon for the ''Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves,'' opening the item''s description bar.


    [Equipment Name: Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves]


    [Equipment Level: C]


    [Equipment Ability: 1. Launch an electromagnetic pulse up to 10 meters forward (after launch, it enters a 1-hour charging time); 2. Electromagnetic coverage on the gloves, producing electric shock and paralysis effects upon contact with enemies.]


    As his eyes scanned the equipment ability, Ke Mingye suddenly thought of a certain Iron Man.


    It''s just a pity that this world doesn''t have Marvel Company, as superhumans are everywhere. Therefore, when it comes to creating fantasy-themed works, the focus shifts more towards realistic life experiences. In today''s world, a world without superheroes becomes a luxury and fantasy.


    In an ordinary world, people pursue hero fantasies. In a world filled with superheroes, they pursue an ordinary life. This is the compromise inherent in humanity.


    Ke Mingye then opened the overhead view of the equipment and looked at the appearance of these gloves.


    Just as the name suggests, the gloves appeared as a set of silver and black metallic gloves, their backs engraved with intricate, sharp-edged patterns resembling the blade of a knife.


    They looked somewhat like a low-end version of Iron Man''s gloves.


    Ke Mingye was really curious if the system intended to turn him into a stitched-together Avenger, bearing the will of the entire Avengers Alliance, as if destroying a parallel world was not difficult enough.


    "I would rather have a Thanos-style glove, just snapping my fingers would be more relaxing," he sighed.


    He walked home on foot because he left home quite early and it was only 6:30 AM when he got back. It wasn''t even fully light out yet, let alone any chance of the lazy bugs at home waking up.


    Ke Mingye mostly had nothing to do all day. In the afternoon, Fan Quan did not contact him, which meant that the plan to fight the instance was postponed to the next day.


    Ke Mingye was curious about what the next instance would be, hoping it wouldn''t be as ghostly as the zombie chef.


    So, it seems the only difference between today and yesterday might be the addition of two new characters into the local player discussion group.


    [Player "Cai Bing" and Player "Paranoid" have entered the local discussion group.]


    [Ju Zipi: Hello.]


    [Failed Man: Man, Ju Zipi, how are you still in this discussion group?]


    [Cai Bing: Moving to another city allows you to exit your original local discussion group and join a new one, but there''s no hard requirement to leave the original.]


    [Failed Man: Oh right, typical Ju Zipi, in Wei''s camp but your heart is with Han.]


    [Paranoid: When do we group up to fight Qing Ya?]


    [Failed Man: Can you stop making such idiotic statements, bizarre guy?]


    [Paranoid: Why have I suddenly become ''bizarre guy''?]


    [Failed Man: Damn it, if you don''t turn into a Magic Girl in the discussion group, I''d already be grateful, the fact it''s online means you can''t pollute my spirit, how is this any different from shitting in public?]


    [Paranoid: So, when are we teaming up tonight to fight Qing Ya?]


    [Cai Bing: Hard to hold back, are you really dumb or pretending, do you think the few of us can take on Qing Ya?]


    [Paranoid: We will win.]


    [Fan Quan: Let''s wait till we hit level 100, now whenever I see him I recommend not even turning your head, just run.]


    [Failed Man: I have no objections, at level 100 let''s all gang up on the ultimate boss ''Terrifying Crow Man''.]


    Ke Mingye closed the panel, looked up at the clock, and it was already 2 PM. He had arranged to go out today with Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu.


    Bai Ziling said she wanted to visit the nearby aquarium, and Ke Yongzhu wanted to visit the zoo to see the pandas. Their old father didn''t have the time, so the task naturally fell to the eldest child at home.


    Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo had their own plans for the day, so they just waved their hands and passed this challenging task onto someone else;


    Bai Zini and Bai Qiuwu said they were very tired today, as if something had happened last night. Both were resting in their rooms, unable to even get out of bed;


    Thus, the task naturally fell onto Ke Mingye''s shoulders.


    He felt a bitterness in his heart that he couldn''t express, but there was nothing he could do about it. This was the sad reality of being ranked fourth at home.


    Ke Mingye checked his phone, and thankfully, Huanjing''s zoo and aquarium were connected, which would not take too much time. Encouraged by the nagging of the two little ones, he got up from the couch, put on his shoes, and left the house.


    Bai Ziling, because of her albinism was photophobic, so she wore a sun hat and sunglasses before going out. Nonetheless, her white hair still attracted a lot of attention on the street.


    Ke Yongzhu was wearing a light blue jumpsuit and kept exclaiming "It''s so hot" and "I''m so tired" after walking just a few steps, but he was actually very excited about seeing the pandas, as his slightly flushed ears could attest.


    Ke Mingye walked between them, navigating the way on his phone.


    Under the scorching sun, he was sweating profusely, his right hand holding a handheld fan blowing on his face, while the two little kids next to him didn''t sweat a drop.


    The more he heard Ke Yongzhu''s "It''s so hot" and "I''m so tired," the more annoyed he felt, thinking ''Couldn''t you, this darn dragon, tone down the drama a bit?''


    Ke Mingye led them to the aquarium.


    Bai Ziling, hands clasped behind her back, lifted her red eyes through her sunglasses, curiously watching a dolphin leap out of the shimmering water, its tail carving a watery trail in the air;


    Ke Yongzhu, hands clasped behind his head, spent more time secretly watching Bai Ziling''s expression than the animals in the aquarium. Whenever Bai Ziling caught him staring, he would scratch his nose to cover it up.


    The three walked in the aquarium corridor, which reflected a deep blue glow, feeling as if they were walking under the sea, surrounded by marine life on both sides.


    The jellyfish swayed in the water, their fluorescent tentacles beckoning to them;


    The sea turtle breathed against the glass wall, leaving behind a mist of white vapor.


    Bai Ziling walked forward with light steps, occasionally reaching out to greet them, her pale hair gently swaying, her eyes filled with curiosity.


    "Have you seen enough? Shall we go look at the pandas?" Ke Yongzhu asked casually.


    Bai Ziling whispered, "I still remember after that panda disappeared, they never reopened the zoo here."


    "Please, this is the capital; the zoo is definitely going to reopen. It''s all the fault of that panda thief. Kafu just disappeared like that, and everyone was very sad."


    Ke Yongzhu walked forward, speaking indifferently.


    "Big brother seemed to have been investigated for stealing the panda too," Bai Ziling laughed.


    Ke Yongzhu said, "Oh my, that guy stealing a panda isn''t impossible, he definitely deserves to be shot."


    Ke Mingye, listening to their conversation, complained, "That''s because the rumors at his school are outrageous, even spreading rumors about stealing pandas. How is anyone supposed to stay there?"


    "So, are we going to see the pandas next?" Bai Ziling asked, withdrawing her gaze from the ocean tunnel.


    "Let''s go, let''s go," Ke Mingye, playing with his phone, said absentmindedly, "My task today is to make you two little ancestors comfortable, however you want to enjoy yourselves."


    "Tch, if it weren''t for dad being busy, I wouldn''t have wanted to come with you," Ke Yongzhu said.


    The three of them then arrived at the zoo, where Ke Mingye watched Ke Yongzhu leaning over the railing, looking at the panda enclosed in an air wall.


    He cupped his cheeks with both hands, his expression very serious and his ears red. He was even whispering something to the panda as if it could understand him.


    Bai Ziling, with her hands behind her back, looked up from under the brim of her straw hat and watched him with a smile that wasn''t quite a smile, as if she had never seen Ke Yongzhu so silly before.


    Ke Mingye, bored to death, tried reading Ke Yongzhu''s lip movements in his mind.


    "I didn''t eat Kafu on purpose, it really didn''t taste good, I won''t eat you, don''t be scared of me."


    The panda, as if understanding, dropped the bamboo it was chewing, scurried up a tree, and clung to the trunk, shivering.


    The zookeeper ran out to check the situation, unable to coax it down no matter how they tried.


    Watching this scene, Ke Mingye was shocked, thinking this must be the presence of a dragon to scare the national treasure like that. So, before any chaos ensued, he quickly dragged Ke Yongzhu and Bai Ziling out of the zoo. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sun set to the west, and the three walked on the road home, their long shadows stretched on the ground by the setting sun.


    "Next time, I still want to see the pandas," Ke Yongzhu said.


    Ke Mingye sighed, "They don''t want to be seen by you, climbing trees to get away."


    "What does that have to do with me?" Ke Yongzhu frowned.


    Bai Ziling turned to look at him, "Do you really like pandas that much?"


    "Not really."


    "Is that so, then I like them too," Bai Ziling said.


    They took the elevator home and gathered in the kitchen for dinner.


    Ke Mingye shared the afternoon''s events at the dining table with his big brother, also questioning whether he had indeed stolen a panda as the school rumors suggested.


    Ke Yinzhi just held his chopsticks in thought, then sudden realization hit, and he opened his mouth to say that the student who spread rumors about him stealing the panda may have felt guilty and dropped out half a year later.


    So, it seems he was wrongfully accused.


    Experience tales at empire


    Listening to his big brother''s story, the corner of Ke Mingye''s eyes twitched slightly, thinking to himself how this was different from claiming to have achieved "perfect stealth" in "Assassin''s Creed" by killing everyone.


    As he came back to his senses, the last streak of the sunset''s glow withdrew from the earth, and the sky outside the window darkened.


    This signified that the night life of the Deception Puppet had officially begun. While others led colorful night lives, the night life of a Deception Puppet involved either being on the run or on the verge of death, clearly a different level.


    After dinner, Ke Yongzhu said he was going downstairs to buy a drink and left the apartment.


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye silently rose from the couch and went back to his room, where he released the Deception Puppet from the windowsill.


    It crouched on the rooftop of a nearby residential building, quietly observing the base of that duplex apartment building, but the elementary school student never appeared from there.


    "Where is the elementary school kid?"


    While wondering, Ke Mingye controlled the Deception Puppet to move, wandering over several nearby rooftops, but he still couldn''t find a trace of Ke Yongzhu.


    However, just as he crouched on the railing, surveying the streets below, a hoarse and cold voice suddenly came from behind.


    "Hey, are you looking for me?"


    The puppet turned its head in shock. In the darkness, it saw a pair of upright, dark red pupils, which seemed to flow with molten gold.


    The boy shed his clothing and slowly emerged from the darkness, his form violently changing.


    Dark horns sprouted from his head, his lower jaw was covered with a layer of black metal, and his shoulder blades slowly cracked open. Between splits of skin and flesh, a pair of pitch-black wings slowly unfolded. Layers of scales emerged from the surface of his skin, covering each robust limb, and his claws, sharp as knives, carved trenches in the ground.


    "Since you''ve got the guts, let''s play hide and seek..."


    The eyes of the fledgling dragon gleamed in the dark; it slowly curled its lips into a mocking smile.


    "Just you and me."

 Chapter 090 Another Cataclysmic Dragon in the World (Vote for Monthly Tickets!)

    The puppet squatted on the handrail of the rooftop, turned around unhurriedly, and stared at the dragon hiding in the shadows.It raised an eyebrow that didn''t exist, fell silent for two seconds, and then slowly spoke:


    "Oh, what a surprise to find a dragon here, how unusual."


    "Aren''t you waiting around here because you know who I am?"


    The voice of Calamity Dragon was deep, its brow bones slightly arched, as if it was raising its eyebrows.


    "You can even speak Chinese; truly a rare species."


    The puppet said, tilting its head slightly, locking eyes with the dragon. The hollow eyes reflected a pair of crimson, beast-like vertical pupils that narrowed.


    "Heh, got any last words?" the dragon sneered disdainfully from the shadows.


    "Of course, Dragon Baby, may I inquire about your distinguished surname."


    "Dragon Baby?"


    The Calamity Dragon snorted coldly and crawled slowly out from the shadows. Moonlight slanted across its body, and every sharp, distinct part of it glinted with a cold edge.


    "Are you ready to be devoured by me, and let''s see who the ''baby'' really is," it rasped out.


    "To be fair, I am a flammable object, and I taste terrible, might even explode. What if I end up ruining your stomach, or worse, blowing up your insides¡ªwhat then?"


    The puppet paused, raising a finger, "How about I pick out a nice ingredient for you? That superhero named Qing Ya isn''t bad. You could also spit out a flame to roast it before eating."


    It spread its hands, "Char-grilled crow, delicious to the taste buds."


    "I''m not that idle; I only eat criminals, and just so happens, you''re one," said the Calamity Dragon proudly, casting a devilish shadow against the wall behind it.


    "My goodness, didn''t your mother teach you not to eat just anything?"


    The puppet sighed, twirling its finger around its ear, "Besides, ''criminal,'' how do you even define what a ''criminal'' is? The world of children is so black and white. Everyone has their own positions¡ªthere''s no clear-cut line between good guys and bad guys."


    "If you look ugly, you''re a bad guy."


    "Damn, that hit deep. I''m genuinely hurt now."


    The puppet clutched at its heart and took a deep breath, "Then, shouldn''t I spout some villainous lines, like... ''I advise you better not to lay your hands on me, I''ve got something on you?''"


    "Got something on me?" The Calamity Dragon cocked its head, "What''s that supposed to be?"


    "That is..." the puppet paused, lowering its voice, "I know you ate a panda."


    The young dragon was momentarily stunned, taken aback: "Really now, how did you know?"


    Ke Mingye thought to himself, how could I not know? I was at the zoo this afternoon, and I saw every bit of your lip-reading with that panda, okay?


    "I just know, and I''ve got another hold on you."


    As the puppet spoke, it lowered its right hand, shot a web into the shadows, and the web, like a hand, firmly stuck to a dress that Ke Yongzhu had just taken off. The puppet then pulled it back.


    Grabbing the dress in its hand, it shook it, "If I throw away your clothes, then you''re going to have to go home naked, poor thing. You might get a spanking from momma..."


    Before it could finish, the puppet''s speech abruptly stopped. It felt a chill on its arm, and turning its head, it saw that the entire right arm was gone.


    "Uhh, Dragon Baby, where''s my hand?"


    The puppet froze for half a second, then shook its remaining arm at the Calamity Dragon. It looked up to see its right arm already in the young dragon''s mouth.


    "Just the smell alone is awful, tastes like plastic..."


    The Calamity Dragon said, slowly spitting out the arm, and then, using its horn, it lifted the dress and carefully placed it back in the shadows, fiercely protective like a dog with its food.


    Without that dress, it really would have to return home bare. Later, after Bai Wenna inventoried her wardrobe, an extensive family meeting would have to be called to resolve the issue.


    The puppet withdrew the web shooter into its bag and stared at its amputated arm, muttering dejectedly.


    "Great, this is the nightlife of us Deception Puppets, eh? Either an arm is lost or a head. Do you all have such exciting night lives?"


    "You really do talk too much; I''m done playing," the Calamity Dragon declared, its body glowing with a dark red hue at each point, and fine steam started to jet out from the gaps in its scales.


    The next moment, a dreadful pressure overwhelmed the puppet, leaving it frozen in place, trembling, unable to move.


    "Dragon''s presence?" Ke Mingye thought, having seen in some movies that members of the Dragon Clan could use their aura to command lower life forms.


    "Come here and tell me who you are, what you''re really up to," ordered the dragon.


    "Stand still, don''t speak," Ke Mingye commanded.


    The Deception Puppet fell from the railing to the rooftop floor, its hollow eyes shrouded in dark red. It opened and closed its mouth sporadically, mumbling something incoherent.


    "I am... Ke, Ke, Ke, Ke."


    Its mouth opened and closed, stuck on the syllable "Ke," repeating it mechanically.


    "Ke?"


    The Calamity Dragon paused, wondering if this ridiculous thing might be Ke Yinzhi in disguise; his brother was nuts enough to possibly do it...


    The puppet raised its left hand to cover its mouth, its legs trembling as it stood in place.


    Pressing down its brow bones, the Calamity Dragon commanded further, "You said you''re Ke... what?"


    Hearing this, the puppet suddenly dropped its left hand, and its legs stopped shaking.


    "I am Conan Doyle," it said with an easy tone, "the author of ''The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.'' You must have heard of me. I think even a dragon would enjoy Sherlock Holmes."


    The calamity dragon paused for a moment, then its face darkened, and the dark red in its pupils intensified.


    "Kneel," it commanded, spreading its dragon might.


    "I won''t kneel, I just won''t. What can you do to me?"


    With one hand on its hip, the puppet leaned flirtatiously against the railing, propping the side of its head on its broken arm, like a beauty on the bed waiting for the favor of her king.


    Seeing this, the dragon''s brow bones raised again.


    After a silent moment, it said, "You are not human, not even an animal, otherwise such a weak creature should obey my commands easily."


    The Deception Puppet slowly lifted its head, grinning, "Yeah, they call me ''strange thing.'' We''ll be seeing a lot of each other in the future."


    "There will be no future for you; you will die here," the dragon said, every word deliberate.


    "There will be a future," the puppet spread its hands, "Remember, little dragon, on July 4th, you may very well need my help. The feeling of being betrayed by a loved one is really terrible, isn''t it? I''ll come to console you then. Just don''t start crying, okay? How embarrassing would it be for a noble dragon to shed tears?"


    No sooner had it finished speaking than its head and neck split apart.


    The calamity dragon, at some point, had grasped the puppet''s head in its claw and casually breathed out a mouthful of black fire, burning the teetering body to ashes.


    Holding up the head, the dragon spoke with frivolous tone, "Got anything else to say? Go on."


    The puppet''s head hung with eyes drooping, and the smile at the corners of its mouth slowly faded into silence.


    The calamity dragon sighed with boredom and was about to breathe fire on the head to burn it as well when suddenly a ghostly voice reached its ear.


    "Actually, I can keep talking."


    The head spoke calmly, lifting its face from its claw, a sly smile on its lips.


    "Ah?" Explore more adventures at empire


    The calamity dragon was stunned, then bounced the puppet''s head on the ground like a ball, catching it back in its claw, bouncing it and catching it again.


    It seemed to be experimenting to understand what this thing was made of, and why it was so peculiar.


    The puppet said: "Could you treat my head with a little respect? I''m not a basketball to be played with like this."


    As the calamity dragon continued to bounce the head up and down in its claw, it complained, "What bad luck, just out for a stroll and I run into such a weird thing."


    "I''m the one with bad luck, okay?" complained the puppet''s head, going up and down. "I''ve met a dragon who plays with my head like a ball. And just to correct you, I''m a ''strange thing,'' not a weird thing."


    The calamity dragon also sighed and clutched the puppet''s head between its claws, about to split the head in half with a bit of force.


    "Hey, hey, you''re going to crack my skull. Aren''t you even a little curious about what will happen on July 4th?"


    "Not curious."


    As it spoke, the young dragon split the puppet''s head in half and then spewed out a torrent of flames, burning the skull and brains clean away.


    Even the eerie laughter that usually accompanied the puppet''s destruction was silent, as if the flames swallowed everything, not even a muffled thud could be heard. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    .......


    .......


    At the same time, in another corner of Old Jingmai District.


    [Congratulations, you have completed the first node of the main quest "The Last Two Calamity Dragon Seeds" ¨C Successfully approach "The Calamity Dragon ¨C Ke Yongzhu" in disguise.]


    [The next node of the main quest is: "The Other Dragon" ¡ª Gain the trust of the calamity dragon and use its kind''s sense of smell to locate the other calamity dragon seed in the world.]


    [Node Reward Obtained: 2000 Experience Points, 8 attribute points, 2000 Mall Coins.]


    [Your current level is: Lv.8 (4000 points/4500 points)]


    [You have a total of 8 spare attribute points; please allocate them promptly.]


    [You have allocated 8 attribute points between "Physical Fitness" and "Neurological Reaction", with the following changes¡ªPhysical Fitness: 60 points ¡ú 64 points; Neurological Reaction: 10 ¡ú 14 points]


    Ke Mingye distributed the attribute points while cursing under his breath.


    "Sheesh, just kids," he thought. "Others can be tricked into a few words, Qing Ya due to strong will, and kids because they are too single-minded. In a sense, this father and son pair do resemble each other."


    He mused over the reasons for his likely instant defeat: It wasn''t just the lack of physical fitness or the inability to see the actions of the young dragon, but also a lack of neurological reaction...


    No matter how fast the movements are, if the mind can''t keep up, it''s futile.


    Ke Mingye sighed in frustration and then remembered something.


    "Wait, I think I forgot to mention something. If I directly bring up that his elder sister is a vampire, might the kid be a bit more patient with me?"


    Ke Mingye had this thought because, from his observations, Ke Yongzhu at home seemed to be only close to his sisters, Bai Ziling and Bai Qiuwu.


    Beyond that, even if you say to the young dragon, "Your dad is Qing Ya, your elder brother is the Black Judge, and your second sister is Magical Girl Ash," the kid would probably just respond with an "Oh" and come back with, "So what? What''s it to me?"


    Ke Mingye rested his arm behind his head and opened the quest tab, eyeing the "The Other Dragon" node quest and pondering.


    "Come to think of it, there''s another calamity dragon in the world... The young dragon has A+ level combat power even at its juvenile stage. What if the other calamity dragon has evolved to ''Complete Form''? Wouldn''t it have at least the S-rank fighting power like Diviner Zeus?"


    Chilled by the thought, Ke Mingye made a resolute decision.


    "It seems I have to pry the information out of the young dragon quickly. Only he and the Ninja Sect can find the second dragon in the world..."

 Chapter 091 Magic Girl Yuffies Mechanical Castle

    "This kid sure plays rough," he thought, resenting how his head had been treated like a basketball. "And here I was planning to save you during the July 4th incident."Ke Mingye couldn''t help but fume as he remembered his head being smacked around by a primary school student.


    Even though he thought this way, he couldn''t guarantee that he would definitely stand by Ke Yongzhu''s side when the time came. His actions would still depend on the situation.


    His mom and dad would be on a honeymoon trip and wouldn''t be home, so among the six siblings at home, the strongest combatant was naturally his eldest brother, Ke Yinzhi.


    So... Even though it seemed like the decision of his second brother, Ke Xiaomo, was most crucial, in reality, compared to him, Ke Yinzhi''s judgment was what would decisively influence the battle.


    If Ke Yinzhi decided to side with the Ninja Sect upon learning the situation, Ke Mingye would mostly give up on Ke Yongzhu. After all, no one on either side could handle the Black Judge; supporting him was futile.


    Conversely, if Ke Yinzhi sided with Ke Yongzhu, it didn''t matter how Ke Xiaomo chose; even if the Ninja Sect brought out their strongest combatant, breaking through the defenses of the Bai Ke family''s six children would still be quite challenging.


    After all, the lineup of Black Wukong, Magical Girl Ash, Dragon of Calamity, Vampire Younger Sister, and Black Judge linking up already sounded incredibly powerful.


    With Ke Mingye added in, the six of them would cause chaos, with their main strategy being "united siblings, invincible might."


    Of course, Ke Mingye was responsible for the chaos, while they handled the fighting.


    "Nearly time to sleep..."


    Ke Mingye yawned and, before heading to bed, opened his pack and used the "D-rank Equipment Card," a milestone reward obtained by defeating a superhuman.


    [D-rank Equipment Card used, a D-rank equipment or item has been acquired, please check inside the pack.]


    Ke Mingye checked the pack list and clicked on the new item, popping up an information panel.


    [Equipment name: Night Belt]


    [Equipment rank: D-rank]


    [Equipment ability: 1. Press the button on the belt to enter invisibility for five minutes; invisibility will not continue once engaged in combat;]


    [Equipment description: The belt hopes you don''t use it for any weird reasons.]


    "Nice," Ke Mingye thought to himself, "even though it can''t be used in combat, it''s pretty useful for sneaky stuff."


    He stroked his chin, thinking further, "If I use the belt''s invisibility, would the primary schooler still notice me? How did he even find me? Could it be... instinctive for a dragonkind?"


    Considering that dragonkind had evolved in a harsh environment, their instincts and intuitions developed in the wild shouldn''t be underestimated. Maybe the primary schooler pulled him out just by relying on instinct.


    Ke Mingye reached out, pressed the switch on the wall, and instantly, the warm orange light went out.


    He fell straight to sleep, his heavy eyelids gradually closing.


    It must be said, today had really been a full day. First, he went to the port in the morning to pick up the two players, took a severe mental blow from Magical Girl Hongyue, then spent the afternoon with Ke Yongzhu and Zi Ling at the zoo, and finally battled the primary school student in the evening, with his head being kicked around like a ball.


    His body wasn''t tired ¨C after all, the physical fitness of a D-rank superhuman was evident ¨C but his mind was completely exhausted.


    Just as Ke Mingye was finally drifting off to sleep a few minutes later, a commotion from downstairs abruptly pulled him back to reality.


    He took a deep breath, irritably opened his eyes, and, powered by a surge of getting-up energy, threw off his blanket. He quickly put on his slippers and strode downstairs to find out who was causing the noise.


    Looking closely from the stairway, besides Ke Yongzhu, who was still outside buying drinks, the siblings were gathered around the TV.


    Zi Ni, who had slept all day, was now energetically yelling at the TV screen. It was her startling actions that had woken Ke Mingye up.


    Ke Yinzhi''s reaction was eye-catching. His bright eyes widened slightly, filled with surprise. His right hand, holding a coffee, trembled slightly before he forced himself to calm down and took a sip.


    Another super criminal in Huanjing, huh? Can''t they ever give it a rest... But what kind of person could make my big brother react like this? Must be a disaster-level tough guy, right?


    Seeing everyone''s exaggerated reactions, Ke Mingye''s curiosity overtook his sleepiness. He moved closer to the couch, sat on the armrest, and looked up at the TV screen.


    On the news channel, they were broadcasting live from Wine Reflecting Coast.


    Qing Ya stood at the top of a lighthouse on the coast, silently observing the distant sea. His figure was shrouded in a fluttering black cloak.


    The sea trembled, and from one end of the horizon, a rumbling sound like thunder emerged, followed by the slow appearance of a massive whale''s silhouette.


    A helicopter shone a beam of light over the sea, extending the beam through the dense night and illuminating the massive object.


    It was clearly not a whale.


    It was a gigantic Mechanical Castle, nearly fifty meters tall, as high as an apartment building.


    The castle, with only its upper half emerging from the sea, showcased a highly intricate structure. Huge, tightly interlocked gears moved vigorously, creating a thunderous roar of collision. Exhaust pipes "putt-putted" as they expelled steam, the hot, white vapor blending into the night at the next moment.


    "Damn, what is this thing?" Ke Mingye was stunned.


    Just then, the front door at the entrance opened, and Ke Yongzhu walked in with a bottle of Coke, plopping down next to him with the bottle cap in his mouth: "What movie are you guys watching?"


    "It''s not a movie," Zi Ling replied, "it''s the news."


    "News?" Ke Yongzhu frowned.


    "Is this a... mechanical fortress?" Ke Xiaomo also frowned.


    Bai Qiuwu hugged her shoulders, slightly tilted her head, seemingly taken aback as well.


    Bai Zini pointed at the TV screen, her eyes widening as she said, "Ah! I remember this, my master, pfft, there were online discussions about a magical girl from Denmark who had once created a very powerful card called the Steam Castle, but it was banned for being too dangerous!"


    The reporter zoomed in the camera, revealing the upper part of the Mechanical Castle embedded with a door, and a striking figure standing on a small platform in front of it.


    She wore a purple magic gown and a white headband, her shoulder-length dark purple hair fluttering in the wind.


    "A magical girl?"


    Ke Mingye paused for a moment, his eyes flashing up her information panel. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Character Code: Magical Girl¡¤Yuffie]


    [Name: Yuffie¡¤Cecily¡¤Morganson]


    [Age: 18 years old]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Strength: A+ level (possesses top combat power far exceeding 95% of the superhumans in the world)]


    [Background Introduction: Born in Denmark, a genius comet-type magical girl who joined the Alliance three years ago and had served as the president of the Danish branch of the Magical Girl Alliance. However, she disappeared six months ago.


    She had once created a magic card named "Yuffie''s Steam Castle," but due to its dangerous and uncontrollable nature, it was forbidden by the Alliance.


    Rumors have it that Yuffie had an emotional dispute with the "Black Judge" of the Anomaly Control Bureau.]


    "Ah?"


    Ke Mingye, looking at the last line of the background introduction, thought to himself whether this was real or not; could a big brother who was so indifferent still have emotional disputes with women?


    At the top of the lighthouse, Qing Ya spoke in a gloomy tone, almost word by word, warning, "Don''t come any closer to the city, your actions will seriously endanger the safety of the citizens."


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    "Fine, but I need to find someone," Yuffie replied in English, just as firm.


    "Who?" asked Qing Ya.


    "Black Judge, the execution officer of the Management Bureau," Yuffie declared firmly, "Let him come to see me, otherwise I will not leave tonight."


    Seemingly because the sensitive term "Anomaly Control Bureau" was involved, the live broadcast ended instantly, and the screen abruptly went black, leaving only a screen flickering with black and white static.


    "So boring, every time the live broadcast cuts to black midway, what''s the point?"


    Having said that, Ke Yongzhu gulped down a sip of Coke and exhaled.


    Ke Mingye spoke, "That Mechanical Castle looks very dangerous; what''s the deal with this magical girl?"


    Bai Ziling nodded lightly, casually agreeing, "Yeah, dangerous."


    As she spoke, however, she picked up the remote control, switched the TV to the on-demand screen, and started watching "Kung Fu Panda 3" intently.


    Bai Zini held her phone with both hands and looked up saying, "Big brother, the internet says her name is ''Yuffie'' and she''s a magical girl from Denmark, but she disappeared in New York six months ago."


    Bai Qiuwu turned her face towards her, "She disappeared in New York six months ago, so why would she appear here?"


    "I don''t know either, big sister," Bai Zini shook her head and leaned in to hug her.


    Bai Qiuwu chuckled, patting her on the back, "It''ll be alright."


    "World War IV''s about to break out," said Ke Yongzhu.


    "Break out? It''s just you, a middle schooler, making a big fuss," Ke Mingye glared at him.


    "Qing Ya has already gone there; it shouldn''t cause too much chaos. It seems she just wants to meet someone."


    Ke Xiaomo said, casting a glance at Ke Yinzhi, sharing a gaze as if to say, "What are you up to, why is a magical girl on a Steam Castle specifically looking for you by name?"


    "Er¡­" Ke Yinzhi put down his coffee cup, leaned closer to him and whispered, "I''ll explain later," then turned to look at Ke Yongzhu, casually asking, "I''m a bit thirsty; Yongzhu, could you buy me a drink too?"


    "Go buy it yourself."


    Ke Yongzhu, focused on the TV showing "Kung Fu Panda," bluntly replied without giving any face.


    "Then I''ll go down and buy it. Does anyone want a drink?"


    Ke Yinzhi, unfazed, chuckled and stood up from the sofa, turning to look at the others. After they mentioned their drink preferences, he turned and left the house.

 Chapter 092 Black Judge x Qing Ya x Dice Monster

    "Please, I really want to know what happened between big brother and that magic girl..."Ke Mingye leaned the back of his head against the sofa, muttering to himself.


    So far, the people involved in this matter included at least his dad and his elder brother. Apart from his mom, these two were the most taboo subjects for Ke Mingye in his family.


    But he was also curious about what dispute Ke Yinzhi had with that magic girl, yet watching a live stream on the dark web was not an option¡ªas Qing Ya was famously known for opposing videographers, and with him around, anyone trying to stream near Wine Reflecting Coast would immediately see a huge crow swooping in.


    The better outcome would be having one''s phone confiscated by the crow, hanging by its feet in mid-air; the worse outcome was having filming equipment buried in the sand.


    Ke Mingye looked up at the ceiling and sighed softly, his spirit of gossip still burning fiercely within.


    "No, I must find out this gossip."


    He hesitated for a moment, but the desire to gossip ultimately overcame his fear. He excused himself to the bathroom upstairs and once again released the Deception Puppet, heading towards Wine Reflecting Coast.


    Then he returned to the living room downstairs, sat on the sofa, and logged into the Dark Pigeon dark web to openly watch the live broadcast.


    At this moment, the Mechanical Castle was still slowly moving towards the shore.


    Its upper half resembled a whale, while its bottom half was much flatter, with metal fins opening and closing, densely packed mechanical tentacles contorting behind the castle like a fish''s tail, chaotically flapping in the water, propelling the castle forward, stirring a tumultuous tide as it slowly approached the city.


    Logically, this Mechanical Castle should have multiple modes; otherwise, such a form would be quite difficult to maneuver on land. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this time, most of the comments on the Dark Pigeon network were discussing who the "Black Judge" actually was.


    After all, unlike the Superhero Association, the Anomaly Control Bureau kept the identities and code names of every operative strictly confidential. Ordinary people might never come in contact with the Bureau in their lifetime, let alone know the code names of the operatives.


    Bai Qiuwu glanced at Ke Mingye''s phone with the corner of her eye and asked quietly, "Our little friend Mingye is even watching the dark web, for real?"


    Ke Mingye was nonchalant, "Who doesn''t have the dark web saved on their phone?"


    "What''s there to see on the dark web?" Bai Zini, embracing a giraffe cushion, spoke indifferently, "Boring, better to watch a movie with your dear sister."


    "Yes yes yes."


    Ke Mingye thought to himself that she was used to dealing with superheroes and magic girls daily, probably sick of seeing their faces, so of course, she wouldn''t find the dark web interesting.


    "By the way, you haven''t gambled on the dark web, have you? Don''t fall into bad habits."


    Bai Qiuwu looked at him earnestly, asking with concern.


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    "How could I?" Ke Mingye sighed, "I just occasionally watch some live streams, never gamble."


    "I don''t believe it, big brother is definitely on the dark web watching those erotic superhero videos." Bai Zini said as she hugged her chest and vehemently turned her face away, "Ew... just like a pervert, it''s scary just breathing the same air as you."


    Ke Mingye fiddled with his phone, casually replying, "You''re too dramatic, whoever watches that stuff on the dark web is a dog, okay?"


    Just then, several live streams on the Dark Pigeon network were engulfed by a massive flock of crows, losing signal.


    The audience of the live stream could only see pitch darkness while a harsh crowing sound came through.


    Ke Mingye sighed, put down his phone. With the speed of the Deception Puppet, it would take about six minutes to travel from Old Jingmai District to Wine Reflecting Coast.


    While everyone on the sofa made small talk, the puppet was already nearing the scene.


    .....


    .....


    Meanwhile, at the Wine Reflecting Coast.


    "The famous Black Judge of the Management Bureau... also owes emotional debts?"


    Qing Ya stood at the top of the lighthouse, looking down on the figure descending the coastal stairs, his words dripping with sarcasm.


    "You misunderstand, Mr. Qing Ya, it''s just her clinging to me one-sidedly, and I''m not interested in kids," the Black Judge responded reluctantly, adjusting the V-shaped mask on his face as his coat''s tails fluttered in the wind.


    "Just don''t bring unnecessary trouble to the city over your little romance," Qing Ya said coldly.


    "I''ll do my best."


    The Black Judge left the remark hanging and walked towards the sea, leaving uneven footprints in the sand.


    As he approached, a pathway formed from dark shimmering light materialized over the sea. He stepped onto the dark flat surface and traversed the tumultuous ocean, slowly nearing the Mechanical Castle.


    Magic Girl Yuffie, standing on the platform in the middle of the Mechanical Castle, blinked upon seeing him, then lowered her face. Her dark violet shoulder-length hair and dress fluttered in the sea breeze, a shift of light moving in her eyes.


    Soon, the Black Judge stopped on the platform where Magic Girl Yuffie stood, looking up at her from behind the mask.


    "Long time no see," his tone was like that of greeting an old friend.


    Yuffie paused for a moment, asking, "You finally agree to see me?"


    "Aren''t you saying it backward?" the Black Judge cocked his head, "Wasn''t it you who locked yourself away in Marselisborg Forest, unseen by anyone?"


    "That''s true."


    "So, what do you want from me, still about that thing last time?"

 Chapter 092 Black Judge x Qing Ya x Dice Monster_2

    Yuffie hung her head low, "There''s one more year. When the Comet Magiya appears, I won''t be a Magic Girl anymore. If there''s no hope now, there''ll be even less hope for me in a year. So... in this last period of time, I want to know what you think, and hope you won''t evade the question like last time.""Do you think being a ''Magic Girl'' makes you superior?" the Black Judge stared at her.


    Yuffie was taken aback, "What?"


    The Black Judge continued to ask, "Or do you think that if you''re not a ''Magic Girl'' anymore, you''re worthless?"


    "I..."


    "Then why should I respond to you, someone who has no value without the gifts of the outside world?"


    The Black Judge spoke calmly.


    Yuffie''s mouth opened as if to say something, but no words came out. She just slowly bowed her head, "No, it''s not that... I just feel that even as a Magic Girl, I couldn''t get you to give me a second glance, let alone the ordinary person I''ll be in a year..."


    She paused, her hands clasped behind her, fingers intertwined, "Even if it''s just for one year."


    The Black Judge took a deep breath, falling silent for a moment.


    "Why are you so fixated on this year? Even if you''re not a Magic Girl, what of it? Perhaps I prefer someone a bit more ordinary..." Ke Yinzhi said, removing half of his mask, the sea breeze lifting her right hand, which he kissed on the back, "Fearing that you''ll have nothing without the title of ''Magic Girl'' is foolish... You are far more excellent than you think, even without being a Magic Girl."


    The next moment, the entire Steam Castle was puffing steam, creating a scene straight out of a cartoon. The rising tide enveloped their figures, keeping the sky full of crows at bay. The sound of the black feathers falling from the sky was swallowed by the surging waves.


    Yuffie''s cheeks flushed, as she stared at that handsome face, asking word by word, "Then you..." Read latest stories on empire


    "One year from now, we''ll meet here on this coast. But this chaos is an exception. If you go any further, you might even end up on the Management Bureau''s extermination list," Ke Yinzhi said, lifting his clear eyes and smiling.


    "Will you wait for me, even if by then, I''m no longer a Magic Girl."


    "Yes... but not now."


    As he spoke, he reached out and lightly touched Yuffie''s forehead, a burst of black light flaring from his fingertip. The next second, Yuffie lost consciousness, collapsing onto his shoulder.


    Ke Yinzhi gazed down at Yuffie''s face for a moment before lifting his eyes to the Mechanical Castle ahead. Even with Yuffie unconscious, the Mechanical Castle didn''t crumble but continued advancing toward the Huanjing Coast.


    "What a nuisance, I''ll have to dismantle this pile of toys," he said, one arm gently holding Yuffie, the other reaching forward as the corners of his mouth curved slightly beneath the mask.


    The next moment, the upper half of the Mechanical Castle was marked by millions of pitch-black lines, gnarled and intertwined like a spiderweb. Soon after, the entire castle collapsed, shattering like broken glass.


    Ke Yinzhi put on his mask, turned around, and holding Yuffie, stepped onto a staircase formed of converging dark matter light, walking back onto the sandy beach.


    "Just like six months ago, the power of this card is still so difficult to control. A card that not even its user can handle, that''s why it''s forbidden. Fortunately, the castle''s defenses were weakest when it moved over the sea, otherwise it would''ve taken me longer to deal with it," he muttered softly, his expression blank as he looked downward.


    "Did she disappear because of you?" Qing Ya asked.


    "Guess so. Half a year ago, I evaded her confession ambiguously, and in a huff, she ran off to live in seclusion in a forest in Denmark," the Black Judge spread his hands, "Playing with kids can be so tiring, can''t it?"


    "Indeed, it''s rather absurd... They''re all just a bunch of immature children, yet they wield such power."


    Qing Ya gazed at the castle slowly sinking into the sea in the distance and took a deep breath.


    "Anyway, I''ll leave her in your care. Please trouble yourself to deliver her to the Alliance and hand her over to Xizi Yue."


    As the Black Judge spoke, he wrapped Yuffie''s body in dark matter and gently sent her towards the lighthouse.


    Qing Ya had a flock of crows lift the girl''s body and said, unhurriedly, "More than that, I''ve seen some records from Yandai Cinema City, and I''m curious..." He paused, "What exactly are you doing in this city?"


    The Black Judge adjusted the metal gauntlet on his hand and said with a smile, "Oh... As I recall, I deleted those surveillance videos cleanly, didn''t I? The fact that you still found out, Mr. Qing Ya, shows that nothing in this city can escape your grasp, as long as you remain here."


    "Give me an explanation." Qing Ya demanded without room for doubt.


    "The Management Bureau wanted a set of reference data for the brain imaging helmet on ordinary people, so it just so happened that Yandai Commercial Street opened a new cinema, and I picked that place. I even sat there and watched a movie; the experience wasn''t bad. Shall we set a time to meet at the cinema and foster some goodwill?"


    "So... it really was you who did it?"


    The Black Judge stroked his chin, puzzled, "Rather, I feel you might be overly concerned with this matter. Could it be that someone I used for the brain imaging helmet experiments is someone you care about?" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, any one of them is a citizen of this city, and no matter what, I am a superhero. You using ordinary people to test your toys crosses a line for me. I advise you, stay away from this city..."


    Qing Ya spoke slowly, his voice gradually growing more ominous.


    "The brain imaging helmets are very safe. I just needed a string of reference data, I had no intention of treating ordinary people as guinea pigs, you''ve misunderstood," the Black Judge explained.


    "It doesn''t matter what you say... I know what kind of person you are, you don''t care about human life at all."


    "Whether I care about human life is another matter..." the Black Judge laughed dismissively, neither confirming nor denying, "but that''s not something someone from the Superhero Association should say to an operative of the Management Bureau."


    "I don''t care what you think, but be warned... Go back where you came from. Don''t meddle with this city''s affairs; I''m in charge here." Qing Ya said.


    "Of course, I''ll leave after the holiday, but until then, it seems we''ll have to deal with each other for a while," the Black Judge replied.


    With that, the Black Judge turned and ascended the coastal stairs, walking at a leisurely pace towards the marble street above, "By the way... don''t let your crows follow overhead, it''s noisy."


    At that moment, the Deception Puppet dropped from the traffic lights, using the D-class equipment "Nightwalker Belt" to conceal itself and sat on a wooden public bench by the coast, gazing at the massive object slowly sinking into the sea in the distance.


    Most of the Mechanical Castle''s debris had already plunged into the sea, and only a single tentacle was still gently swaying on the surface of the water, waving goodbye to the world.


    "Seriously, they''re cleaning up so fast, and I still haven''t gotten a piece of the action... What kind of speed is that, big brother?"


    Ke Mingye was beside himself with frustration, thinking he had really missed out on a juicy scoop.


    So he began the classic act of courting death.


    "Hey hey hey!" The Deception Puppet deactivated its invisibility, jumped in front of the Black Judge and struck a flamboyant pose, "Mr. Judge, long time no see, did you miss me?"


    The next moment, just as it had landed, its body was sliced into countless pieces as if a black scalpel had made a million cuts. Then, like fish on a chopping board, it fell in pieces towards the sandy beach.


    The puppet''s body hadn''t even exploded before it was utterly consumed by a dark light.


    The Black Judge didn''t even glance back as he passed by the heap of grey fragments, the eerie laughter trailing behind him as he slowly walked away.

 Chapter 093 Torturing the Black Judge Segment

    Ke Xiaomo stood quietly at the front door, looking down at the yellowed ancient tome, his gaze flitting between the pages and the elevator indicator.As if waiting for someone.


    Soon, his peripheral vision was drawn to the elevator indicator as the digits climbed floor by floor to the twelfth. Accompanied by a low buzzing sound, the elevator doors opened to both sides.


    Ke Yinzhi leaned crookedly against the elevator wall, the corners of his mouth curving slightly upward.


    He toyed with his cellphone, calmly stepping out of the elevator. The cold-color tone lighting from the bulbs cast shadows on the collar of his brown coat.


    "So slow," Ke Xiaomo said.


    Ke Yinzhi pocketed his phone and lifted the shopping bag in his right hand, smiling as he said, "Got the drinks, this trick is really convenient. I don''t usually need to deal with the kiddos back home; I should learn more from you."


    Ke Xiaomo didn''t beat around the bush, "Aren''t you going to explain, what''s the deal with that girl?"


    Ke Yinzhi patted his shoulder and tilted his head, saying in an annoyed tone, "Buddy, the way you look at me, it''s as if I owe her something. Do I look like that sort of person to you?"


    "I''m waiting for your explanation."


    "At the end of last year, I took on a task from the Management Bureau and went to Denmark. Due to the Bureau''s requirements, I had no choice but to work with that Magic Girl for a while. Then, one time, I wasn''t careful, and she saw me without my mask on, and it ended up like this..."


    Ke Yinzhi, while taking off his shoes, succinctly recounted the events and looked at Ke Xiaomo amusedly, asking, "Does it sound absurd?"


    Ke Xiaomo thought for a moment, "Is it possible that you''re just too charming in certain groups?"


    "Which groups?"


    "Hard to say exactly, just those with a train of thought that''s a little... you know, like yours."


    As he spoke, Ke Xiaomo rubbed at his Tianming Acupoint, lamenting internally that the Magic Girl must be too deranged to do something like riding a Mechanical Castle to confess her feelings.


    However, such behavior didn''t feel out of place for someone like Ke Yinzhi. In his memory, Ke Xiaomo and Ke Yinzhi attended the same schools from childhood, and although Ke Yinzhi always seemed to be surrounded by bizarre rumors, preventing classmates from getting close, he never lacked for love letters...


    It must be thanks to the stellar genes from our dad and mom, Ke Xiaomo thought.


    "Does it?" Ke Yinzhi shrugged and tilted his head to look at him, "I think I''m quite normal."


    "Here''s a joke for you, mutants think they are perfectly normal."


    "I''m talking personality-wise, don''t change the subject, Xiao Mo."


    Ke Xiaomo sighed, "To be honest, your personality is more problematic than your physical mutations."


    Ke Yinzhi feigned innocence, "Please, being judged like this by my own brother... even I would be hurt... Anyway, that girl on the TV shouldn''t come looking for me for a while, let''s just pretend nothing happened."


    He responded casually, walked into the house, and set the shopping bag on the living room table. Since the sofa was fully occupied, he had to pull up a chair and sit down.


    At the moment, Bai Ziling and the others were engrossed in playing "Mario Party: Superstars" on the Switch in 2V2 mode¡ªwith Ke Yongzhu and Bai Ziling as a team, Bai Zini and Ke Mingye as the other. Bai Qiuwu, resting her chin on a pencil, quietly watched her textbook beside them.


    The group didn''t even notice Ke Yinzhi''s entrance; they completely ignored him. However, Ke Mingye was the first to shift his gaze from the TV to the drinks on the table.


    "Bro, didn''t I ask for Coke?" Ke Mingye said, his words heavy with exasperation.


    Ke Mingye thought bitterly about how, although he didn''t get to see any drama after running over, at least he could have had a chat with the Black Judge. But just after arrival, he was swiftly ''killed on the spot.''


    Yes, he was ''killed on the spot'' and boxed up just like that.


    Ke Mingye just couldn''t understand how his brother had purposely posted his wanted poster on the official website not long ago. Such a grand misuse of resources that flattered him made him believe he was finally being acknowledged. He thought, the Black Judge must truly love me!


    Yet, in a matter of days, Ke Yinzhi had completely ''forgotten'' him, and the moment his Deception Puppet landed, it was time to collect the corpse as the Black Judge reacted as calmly as if he had accidentally kicked a stray dog to death by the road.


    A true scumbag, changing faces so quickly. No wonder he would attract a Magic Girl knocking on his door seeking reparation for emotional debts.


    Ke Mingye decided he wouldn''t let his Deception Puppet anywhere near his brother for a while, lest it once again receive the ''chopped, blended, and corpse collected'' three-in-one service.


    "Ran into some things outside, forgot what drink you wanted, sorry," Ke Yinzhi answered offhandedly.


    Damn it, I can''t beat you outside home, can''t I even win in my own house? Ke Mingye snarked, "Well, that certainly sounds important. Going downstairs to buy drinks takes over ten minutes, and you got all the drinks wrong."


    "He ran into his ex-girlfriend on the way, cut him some slack," Ke Xiaomo interjected as he walked in and closed the door.


    "Uh," Ke Yinzhi intended to argue but ended up just spreading his hands, "fine, let''s just say she was an ex-girlfriend."


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye turned his head and spoke to Bai Zini, who was intensely pressing the game controller, "Little sis, our brother bought us Wong Lo Kat instead of the drinks we wanted because he was busy chatting up his ex. Does that sound right to you?"


    "Wong... Wong Lo Kat?" Bai Zini frowned, so upset she stopped playing the game, then turned to lambaste Ke Yinzhi, "Old... old brother, I wanted lemon tea, how did it turn into Wong Lo Kat?"


    "I forgot," Ke Yinzhi said with an innocent tone.


    Bai Ziling, hearing the commotion, also turned her head. She first glanced at the Wong Lo Kat on the table, then lifted her red eyes and stared pointedly at Ke Yinzhi.


    "Bro, where is my Sprite?" she asked, pausing between each word.


    "Forgot that too," Ke Yinzhi tilted his head again.


    As Bai Ziling turned around, Ke Yongzhu paused the game with his controller, freezing the screen in place.


    He calmly drank from his own Coke, grateful for his foresight in buying his own drinks. Letting Ke Yinzhi handle the purchase would have been a death sentence!


    To think he chose Wong Lo Kat of all things¡ªa drink abandoned by time. Truly hopeless.


    "How could you forget that? I''m sentencing you to another day of running errands tomorrow as punishment," Bai Zini puffed up her cheeks, unable to hide her irritation.


    "Alright, alright, I''ll listen to you," Ke Yinzhi laughed.


    "Not even a dog would drink Wong Lo Kat."


    While Ke Mingye was sipping on Wong Lo Kat, he fanned the flames with his words.


    "Mine... " Bai Qiuwu lowered her head to look at the workbook. She initially wanted to give Ke Yinzhi a hard time like the other kids but then thought better of it. "Alright, Wong Lo Kat then."


    "Perfect, that''s exactly what I wanted."


    As Ke Xiaomo spoke, she picked up a bottle of Wong Lo Kat from the table and with a ''pop'', unscrewed the cap.


    "No choice, you''re the only one I remember wanting anything," Ke Yinzhi muttered. "Why do I feel so defeated? Come back from saving the world only to be lectured by the kids at home."


    "You call that saving the world? Are you sure it wasn''t just settling romantic debts?" Ke Xiaomo said sarcastically.


    "Say whatever you want, but I''m innocent..."


    Ke Yinzhi said, feeling rather downcast, twisting the bottle cap open and guzzling a mouthful of chilled Wong Lo Kat, his Adam''s apple bobbing up and down.


    "Besides," Ke Xiaomo continued, "the reason I used going to buy drinks as an excuse is that I can remember. With your terrible memory, I bet you''ve even forgotten how many people you''ve killed, haven''t you?"


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    "Now that''s going too far, I still remember the somewhat formidable ones."


    Ke Yinzhi rose from the table and sat down on the sofa, resting an arm along the back of it, "What time are we heading to bed tonight? It''s about time to re-read the ''Dune'' trilogy."


    "Then I might as well just go to sleep."


    Ke Xiaomo started to feel sleepy and yawned behind her hand.


    "Ah..."


    Ke Yinzhi leaned his head against the back of the sofa and sighed heavily towards the ceiling.


    "Is it really necessary to be so disheartened?" Ke Xiaomo said slowly, her shoulders hunched. "Why don''t you consider Qing Ya''s treatment? He''s busy saving the world every day, still bashed by netizens; at his age, he might even have to take care of a baby when he gets home, scolded by his wife. Compared to him, don''t you think you have it much better?"


    "That''s true, there''s always ''a mountain beyond a mountain''." Ke Yinzhi joked.


    As they spoke, the sound of the door opening reached their ears. Looking towards the entrance, they saw Ke Youqing returning home with a cigarette in his mouth.


    The great father took off his shoes, glanced at the chaotic scene at home, and sighed deeply.


    He removed the cigarette from his mouth, pulled out a chilled beer from the fridge, then headed to the living room to advise, "Go to bed early," before carrying his briefcase upstairs, closing the door, and immediately going to sleep.


    "Oh yeah, I have one more daily task that I haven''t finished. Almost forgot," Ke Mingye murmured, passing the controller to Ke Yinzhi to play.


    With it not yet being midnight, he hurriedly opened the daily task panel. The content of the second task was "Purchase one item from the mall."


    "This is quite the challenge for a poor soul like me."


    Ke Mingye entered the mall and went to the equipment and item specialty page, which he seldom visited. Scanning the offerings, most were a bunch of messy, low-cost-effectiveness cold weapons.


    Filtering through, the only cost-effective item he could afford was the [Rebirth Medical Bottle].


    This thing could restore a player''s health by a percentage value. If one chugged the entire bottle, it would restore 30% of their health.


    Furthermore, once the medical fluid inside the bottle was used, it would refill itself after waiting for six hours.


    [Congratulations, you have spent 1200 Mall Coins and purchased an E-grade item "Rebirth Medical Bottle".]


    [Your current balance of Mall Coins: 1400.]


    [Daily Task 2: Purchase one item from the mall (Completed)]


    Ke Mingye silently clicked on the task in the bar, and a prompt popped up.


    [You have received the reward for Daily Task 2: A 50% discount shopping card (applicable to B-grade and below items, equipment, and skills).]


    Just then, a notification bubble popped up in the top right corner of his view.


    Ke Mingye tapped the bubble, bringing up a message panel.


    [Fan Quan: Tomorrow at 2 PM, the Hongge Amusement Park instance. If we can''t beat it, at least it''ll be good practice, seeing as we have two newbies.] S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Failed Man: Okay, I''ll be there on time tomorrow afternoon.]


    [Cai Bing: Deal.]


    [Paranoia: Finally, is it time to display the might of a god to you all?]


    [Failed Man: Creepy guy, shut it.]


    [Good Ju Zipi: Save, save, save me, I''m being stalked by a rich lady. I''m off work, but she won''t leave the club''s front.]


    [Failed Man: Geez, you sure are a vigorous Cowherd, about to become the top host before long.]


    [Fan Quan: Keep it up.]

 Chapter 094 I, Ke Mingye, Superhero

    June 23rd, evening, at the Bai Ke residence."Are you little stinkers going to sleep or not, don''t think you can stay up all night just because it''s summer vacation, always learning the bad stuff one after another without picking up anything good!"


    Bai Wenna leaned against the railing at the top of the staircase, slightly bending down and shouting towards the living room below.


    "Yin Zhi, Xiao Mo, as the oldest brothers, you have to set a good example and make sure your younger siblings go to bed."


    With a series of shouts descending upon them, the group of youngsters who had gathered on the sofa to watch a movie all covered their ears and made their way upstairs, behaving exceptionally well, without a second of dawdling.


    Seven figures of varying heights climbed the stairs and aimlessly walked to the bathroom, leaning against the wall under the pumpkin chandelier, fiddling with their phones.


    As Bai Zini held the highest status in the home, she was the first entitled to wash up, quickly cutting past the six others and disappearing into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.


    No one dared to even hum a complaint, just busying themselves with their own things to pass the time in line.


    Being someone with virtually no say in the household, Ke Mingye usually ended up last in such situations. So, he simply went back to his room, lying on the bed until everyone else was done washing up before going to brush his teeth and wash his face.


    Then he sat on the bed, exhausted, staring blankly at the ceiling for a while.


    "Come to think of it, the web shooter seems like it might be upgradable, but I haven''t paid much attention to it."


    Ke Mingye thought to himself and opened his bag, clicking on the "web shooter" equipment''s "Extra Upgrade Options".


    A series of panels with video introductions popped up, occupying his pupils.


    "Currently, the B-grade equipment ''web shooter'' has the following four upgrade options:


    1. Electrified Webbing (5000 Mall Coins) (After upgrade, the launched web carries an electrical shock effect)


    2. Neurotoxin (7000 Mall Coins) (After upgrade, the webbing''s neurotoxin can cause confusion in touched opponents or even send them directly into a stunned state)


    3. Expand maximum web fluid capacity (1000 Mall Coins) (After upgrade, the web shooter''s web fluid capacity is increased)


    4. Automatic repair device (4000 Mall Coins) (After upgrade, the equipment will repair itself when damaged, with the repair time depending on the extent of damage; the more severe the damage, the longer the repair time will be)]


    "It all seems kind of pointless, especially this maximum web fluid capacity."


    "Normally, you wouldn''t run out of webbing in a single fight, and you can just refill it in the shop afterward; only in consecutive battles might you exhaust the web fluid, which I don''t often encounter."


    "As for the electrified web and neurotoxin, with so many Mall Coins, why wouldn''t I save them to buy skills?"


    Ke Mingye thought for a moment, then shook his head in denial.


    "No, that''s not right. Skills have cooldown times, but the web shooter doesn''t, so upon reflection, it seems to be much more powerful than the average E-grade skill."


    Since he did not have any Mall Coins at hand, he just kept the thought in the back of his mind, then turned to open the mission list, scanning the family main quest contents from top to bottom.


    "Only Zi Ling and mom left to deal with."


    "Mom''s out of the question for now, I''ll find time to talk to Zi Ling later, but are there other vampires in the world... besides Bai Ziling, I haven''t seen a single one to date, and there''s nothing about them online."


    Ke Mingye mused absentmindedly, his gaze resting on the "Qing Ya" line at the bottom.


    This family main quest had two branching paths, one of which was to join the Superhero Association under the superhero identity and enhance one''s hero level.


    "With Qing Ya monitoring the Huanjing branch of the association, how am I going to join the Superhero Association?"


    As Ke Mingye thought about it, his eyes suddenly widened a bit.


    In that second, a bold idea, a route he had never considered before, appeared in his mind.


    "That''s right, using a fake identity and staying close to Qing Ya would surely be discovered; he''s not an idiot... so even with a hacker''s help, it''s impossible for the puppet to infiltrate the Superhero Association under a superhero guise."


    "But what if it were me, myself..." Read exclusive chapters at empire


    "If I use my own identity to play this superhero, even if dad figures out who I am, he wouldn''t do anything to me."


    "At most, he would come clean to me that he''s Qing Ya and ask me to leave the Superhero Association; or perhaps, he might see me as his successor and start grooming me as such. After all, he''s not getting any younger and should be looking for someone to take over, right?"


    He turned over in bed, continuing his line of thought.


    "The only issue might be that I won''t be able to enter the fray myself. First, there''s the danger of actual combat, and second, if dad gets me to wear a brain imaging helmet while at the Superhero Association, it would be game over."


    "So, I still need the puppet to take my appearance, wear a bodysuit, and act as a vigilante a couple of times to build a reputation before applying to join the Superhero Association. The data from the Huanjing branch of the Superhero Association should all pass Qing Ya''s scrutiny, so as long as my information gets uploaded to the internal database, he''s bound to see it."


    Ke Mingye thought this way, and opened the system''s built-in "Thought Sketch" feature. With his thoughts as the brush, he absentmindedly started scribbling all over the doodle panel.


    "So here comes the question, how should I design the bodysuit to have my own unique flair, when my sense of aesthetics seems to be lacking?"


    At first, he had no clear idea, simply using chaotic strokes to release his thoughts, just like doodling on a blank notebook during class.


    But gradually, he arrived at a key design philosophy:


    ¡ª¡ªImitate!


    If he wanted to catch Qing Ya''s attention among all the vigilantes and superheroes in Huanjing, the simplest and most straightforward method was to create a battle suit similar to Qing Ya''s.


    Moreover, this suit had to be basic, at least something that a teenager could have crafted on his own, so as not to arouse Ke Youqing''s suspicion.


    Otherwise, if Ke Mingye was wearing a high-tech, high-end battle suit made possible by advanced technology, Ke Youqing would definitely question whether he was being used by others, or if someone was helping him.


    Then he could take the opportunity to further investigate the people around Ke Mingye.


    This could lead to unnecessary trouble, and if a flaw is exposed, it might accidentally bury Fan Quan and the others deep into a pit.


    "Let''s do that."


    Ke Mingye nodded, affirming his own idea in his mind, "Can''t I just imitate my old man? It''s a family tradition. Is there a need to pay royalties? If anything, I can just say I''m a fan of Qing Ya."


    Once he had a clear direction, he took Qing Ya''s suit as a prototype and started to sketch on the drawing board.


    The clock on the wall ticked steadily, and the ceiling fan above moved slowly.


    About twenty minutes later, Ke Mingye drew and edited as he went, finally sketching out a red and blue suit on his draft.


    The mask of the suit also featured a red and blue beak in the center, but it wasn''t as aggressive in design as Qing Ya''s¡ªits style was much softer.


    Actually, the animal prototype Ke Mingye had in mind wasn''t a crow, but a cartoon owl he had seen on the internet.


    These days, superhero suits were designed after animal features because they were more memorable and made it easier for fans to create derivative works.


    Then, when considering the color scheme, Ke Mingye for some reason thought of "Rainbow Cat Blue Rabbit Seven Chivalrous Tales", so he designed the suit''s primary colors to be red and blue.


    "What about the code name?"


    He scratched his head, pondering.


    "The shorter, the better, easy to remember... ''Owl'' signifies an owl, so I''ll call it ''Blue Owl''."


    After he roughly sketched out the structure and colors of the suit on his draft, Ke Mingye opened the contact list, copied the draft, and sent it to "Fan Quan".


    [Fan Quan: ?]


    [Fan Quan: What''s the meaning of sharing your doodles with me late at night?]


    [Failed Man: I need you to craft a suit for me based on this sketch.]


    [Fan Quan: You''re too flattering.]


    [Fan Quan: And why do you need a suit? You''re not going into battle in the flesh. If the puppet dies, it''s gone, it doesn''t need the protection of a suit.]


    [Failed Man: I actually do plan to go into battle myself. I want to infiltrate the Superhero Association as a superhero to get close to Qing Ya.]


    [Fan Quan: Are you joking?]


    [Failed Man: I''m serious. It would be good to coordinate from the inside and out. If I can stay by Qing Ya''s side as a superhero, I''d also know how his investigation on you guys is progressing. Maybe I could even save your lives at a critical moment...]


    [Fan Quan: What about the brain imaging helmet?]


    [Failed Man: Uh, I''ve thought about that too. I can have the puppet replace me when necessary. I''ll adapt as needed.]


    [Fan Quan: Then I think it''s feasible. After all, Qing Ya is your dad. If he''s willing to cover for you or even mentor you, you definitely won''t have a hard time in the Association.]


    [Fan Quan: But are you sure he''ll agree to you becoming a superhero? Given how much he values family, he''s more likely to have you stay at home.]


    [Failed Man: If that doesn''t work, I''ll force it. I''ll first draw his attention and see if he reveals his identity to me.]


    [Fan Quan: He doesn''t need to reveal his identity to have you stay at home. Qing Ya can pressure the Association to kick you out.]


    [Failed Man: You''re right. If he really does that, then I''ll continue fighting crime as a vigilante. I can stage a few melodramas when the opportunity arises, and he will come to me on his own.]


    [Fan Quan: Okay, that sounds bold, but if you can really get into the Superhero Association, it''s worth a try.]


    [Failed Man: You''ve said it yourself, fortune favors the bold.]


    [Failed Man: Right, except for your hacker friend, let''s keep this matter secret from the other players for now. If we can deceive our own, we can deceive the enemy.]


    [Fan Quan: Alright, Cai Bing and I will find connections to help you build a suit. It doesn''t need to be too professional to fit your identity, so it shouldn''t be too difficult.] S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Failed Man: The suit is just a ruse. Once I get into the Association, they will help me improve it, and I might even get some suite skills added on.]


    [Failed Man: Oh wait, not just the Association, I feel like my dad will personally upgrade my suit.]


    [Fan Quan: It''s not impossible.]


    [Failed Man: Just remember to reference the sketch I sent, it can be simple, but I won''t accept anything too ugly.]


    [Fan Quan: You sure have a lot of conditions.]


    Ke Mingye stopped chatting there and closed the communication panel.


    Since the suit was taken care of, it was time for him to think about the practicalities... Getting close to Qing Ya, staying by his side¡ªit wasn''t a joke, one wrong move could lead to a brutal death.


    "So, here comes the question," he thought. "When should I start fighting crime as ''Blue Owl'', and how can I quickly get Qing Ya''s attention without being too deliberate to raise his suspicions?"


    "Also, I must differentiate from the ''strange thing'' identity and not use the same abilities¡ªat least the ''web shooter'' and ''superhero landing'' moves that I''ve used before should be hidden..."


    "Actually, once my physical fitness attributes are a bit higher, I could beat up criminals with my fists alone, no need for any special abilities."


    Ke Mingye thought about these things as he closed his eyes, his tired consciousness gradually sinking into slumber.


    "I''ll have to play it by ear. Take it one step at a time."

 Chapter 095 Schr?dingers Movie Star

    The night was deep, and the room was as silent as an ancient, deserted attic. Moonlight, having slipped through the curtains stirred by the breeze, lay upon the rusted and yellowing clock.The minute hand moved ceaselessly, its ticking sound lingering, until it leisurely reached the upper right position.


    Ke Mingye''s eyelids twitched slightly, as if his biological clock had punctually triggered.


    He first took a deep breath, then sat up, reached out to rub the Tianming Acupoint, and finally slowly lifted his swollen eyes to open them.


    Ke Mingye had admitted to himself that there was a second when he had hoped to wake up back in his original world.


    But upon opening his eyes, the first thing that caught his attention was still a red and black notification panel. He had grown accustomed to this mental pollution, like a curse tinged with the scent of blood.


    "Good morning, Mr. Player. Today is June 24, 2028. The time remaining until the ultimate task ''Extermination of the Superhumans'' deadline: 359 days."


    "Current number of global surviving players: 95 out of 100."


    "Today''s daily tasks are as follows."


    "1. Run 6000 meters (Reward: one chance at the lucky draw)


    "2. Challenge an instance once (Obtain 1 freely distributable attribute point) (Reward also available upon instance failure)"


    "Running six kilometers, the requirements for these tasks seem to be getting higher, but there''s no rule that says it has to be a morning jog. Might as well run in the evening."


    While yawning and with sleep-blurred eyes, Ke Mingye checked the task list and then lay back down, closing his eyelids to continue his slumber.


    However, not long after he had shut his eyes, a series of knocks on the door intruded his dreamscape.


    The rhythm of the knocks went from slow to urgent, and finally, it seemed like the person outside had given up, tapping slowly, but incessantly, never stopping for even a second.


    Ke Mingye endured it for a full minute, then took a deep breath, opened his eyes sharply, and sat up from bed, thinking, who knocks on the door at this hour after having played till so late last night? Are they sick?


    But recalling that he had knocked on Ke Xiaomo''s door early yesterday morning, he realized it would seem hypocritical to get angry, so he reluctantly got out of bed.


    Turning the doorknob, he pushed the door open.


    Just as Ke Mingye was about to let loose a torrent of anger, he turned and saw a young girl in a sport jacket.


    Ah damn, it''s the apex predator of the food chain at home, ''Magical Girl Ash'', Miss Ash. Well, that settles it... What ''Black Judge'', what ''Qing Ya'', isn''t it all just following your commands? How could a tragic puppet like me dare to talk back to you?


    Ke Mingye bowed his head, sighing inwardly. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If outside the home the people he most dared not provoke were the Black Judge and Qing Ya, then inside the home it was undoubtedly Bai Zini and Bai Wenna.


    The personalities of this mother and daughter were damnably cut from the same cloth.


    At this moment, Bai Zini was leaning against the wall outside the room, playing with her phone while stretching out a finger, about to knock, when she realized the door was already open.


    She glanced sideways at Ke Mingye, puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction and said, "Hey bro, didn''t you say you''d go jogging with me in the morning?" She paused, then pinched Ke Mingye''s cheek, "Why are you sleeping like a pig, impossible to wake up."


    "Please, that was days ago?"


    Ke Mingye let her pinch his face, moved his stiff shoulders, and complained.


    "I suddenly remembered it in my dream just now, and then I woke up. Aren''t you touched?"


    "So touched I can barely handle it. How about you go for a run by yourself?"


    "Come on, what''s wrong with you? I''m already awake, and your sister is out there waiting for you early in the morning!"


    "Good night."


    With that, Ke Mingye was about to close the bedroom door. Bai Zini, however, grabbed the hem of his clothes, dragged him out, and then forcefully pushed him into the bathroom.


    "Good night has passed, it''s time to say good morning, you know. Hurry up and wash your face and brush your teeth."


    Bai Zini, head down, pushed Ke Mingye''s back and ordered sternly, word by word.


    "You''re invincible, kid."


    Ke Mingye sighed, resigned to his fate as he was pushed in front of the bathroom and had no choice but to enter.


    He looked at himself in the mirror. Dark circles lurked menacingly under his eyes, giving him a somewhat haggard look, but thank goodness for good genes. It was just that his features hadn''t fully matured yet, leaving him looking a bit youthful.


    After freshening up, he checked the news on his mobile phone as he walked out of the bathroom, and descended the stairs alongside the long-waiting Bai Zini.


    Ke Mingye looked up to see the dark blue sky, olive-green trees, iron-black road surface, and electronic signs with light blue glows. The scenery of Old Jingmai Street was faintly discernible in the early morning mist, as if draped with a cold-toned filter.


    Their steps were slow as they walked on the deserted street, like two warm-toned figures insert into a lonely painting, breaking the silent yet harmonious atmosphere.


    Bai Zini put her phone into the pocket of her sports jacket and turned to look at Ke Mingye, saying, "How about I invite the elementary school students and Xiao Ling to run with us tomorrow, the four of us together?"


    "Let''s not, you alone are enough trouble for me."


    Bai Zini frowned. "Please, as if I enjoy hanging out with my big brother like this. It''s not as if you weren''t the one who kept pestering me before."


    "I was worried about your safety because you were still going out so late."


    "Oh, what about the time we went running in the morning?"


    "GoGoGo, let''s run a couple of laps, and then we can grab breakfast and head back."


    Ke Mingye changed the subject and started running at a steady pace.


    He didn''t run fast, always keeping in sync with Bai Zini. They chatted about Magical Girl Ash and school stuff intermittently, and before they knew it, the 6-kilometer morning run was over.


    It must be said, compared to the legendary acting skills of the others at home, Bai Zini''s performance could really be hit or miss, like a Schr?dinger''s cat.


    The reason for saying that:


    ¡ª It''s because she didn''t even seem to be out of breath after running 6 kilometers!


    She was literally bouncing around on the street, just shy of dropping down to show off her stamina with five hundred push-ups to highlight just how extraordinary she was.


    Ke Mingye, panting on the side, felt pretty awkward, like wanting to compete in acting with a movie star, feeling nervous inside, but then the star doesn''t even deign to take you seriously and just slacks off, a real disparity...


    He leaned on his knees, catching his breath, thinking, "Sis, could you not play along here? Because, as an E-class superhuman, huffing and puffing like this just seems kind of stupid, doesn''t it?"


    Meanwhile, Bai Zini just kept her head down, busy with her phone, and casually patted his back a couple of times. "Big bro, you okay? Why are you panting like you''re about to die after just a few steps?"


    "How, how many points did you get in physical education... in the test?"


    Ke Mingye said between gasps, desperately hinting to her with his words and thinking to himself, if you don''t start acting soon, I''m really going to flip this table, let''s just drop the act.


    "Um... just barely passed, I guess?"


    Bai Zini typed on her phone, responding casually.


    "Okay, looks like I still have a long way to go to pass."


    Ke Mingye sighed and mocked himself, slowly getting up from his knees, thinking that Bai Zini truly had no guard up in front of him, as if being recognized didn''t even matter to her.


    Just as he stood up, Bai Zini suddenly covered her mouth and let go of her phone, "Ah, shall we take a break?"


    "What''s wrong?" Ke Mingye looked at her askance.


    "What do you mean ''what''? We ran so far; am I not supposed to be tired?" Bai Zini leaned down clutching her chest as if panting, then glanced at Ke Mingye, "Were you not out of breath just a moment ago?"


    Ke Mingye fell silent completely, thinking are you kidding me? When I''m panting, you''re not, and now when I stop, you start?


    After a while, he quietly bent down again, hands on his knees, breathing heavily, "Tired, how could I not be tired, sis... I''m damn exhausted."


    From a distance, these two future legendary superhumans looked like two disabled people supporting each other as they moved forward, eventually sitting down on a bench by the roadside.


    Ke Mingye looked up at the sky with a look of utter desolation, wondering if things could get any more idiotic.


    He swore that once he debuted as the superhero Blue Owl, he would definitely confront Bai Zini directly. Pretending like this day after day was really an insult to his intelligence.


    The two sat on the bench to rest for a moment, during which Ke Mingye opened his mission panel and claimed the reward for daily task one.


    [Reward for "Daily Task One: Run 6000 meters" has been claimed ¡ª one spin of the wheel. ]


    The tooltip popped up, and the reward wheel unfolded in front of him, with text from each section catching his eye.


    [1. 2000 Mall Coins;]


    [2. 1000 Experience Points;]


    [3. Fragment of the Divine Disc *1 (Collect 5 fragments to obtain a Divine Disc, which can be used to regularly locate a divine relic);] Find your next adventure on empire


    [4. Skill Enhancement Card Fragment *1 (Collect 3 fragments to obtain a Skill Enhancement Card);]


    [5. "Titan Beast Kong" fragment (50 Kong fragments are required to assemble a summoning card);]


    [6. E-level Skill Card ¡ª Scout Guard.]


    "Today''s wheel is so high-stakes?" Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, thinking that it seemed any result would be good, especially the fourth one.


    Thinking this, he pressed the start button for the wheel, and the pointer began to spin rapidly.


    Eventually, it stopped on section three.


    [Congratulations, you have received the reward from section three: "Fragment of the Divine Disc" *1. The item has been added to your bag.]


    "Good, good, good, I''m one step closer to becoming a Divine Communicator," Ke Mingye thought. "I wonder if I can find Loki''s divine relic, get his way of communicating with the divine, and not have to live in fear anymore."


    "Brother, are you well-rested yet?" Bai Zini asked.


    "Enough, let''s go have breakfast."


    ........


    ........


    Time silently moved on, bringing us to 2 PM on June 24th.


    In Huanjing, the Hongge Amusement Park.


    This was a long-abandoned amusement park, the air damp with moisture, with age-marked rides scattered everywhere.


    Fan Quan had summarized the pattern for the emergence of instances before: most instances seemed to only appear in abandoned places¡ªlikely to avoid the entrance to an instance being in a place with too many passersby.


    Moreover, players had an "Instance Detection Function," which would emit a signal as long as the instance was nearby, making it extra easy for them to find instances now.


    "Spider Man still hasn''t arrived? He''s always the last one." Qing Meng leaned against the guardhouse at the entrance, playing with her phone and grumbling.


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses and teased, "Last time he said he was going to the port to pick someone up, but guess who was the one who couldn''t get up and stood us up? I don''t think you''re much better than him."


    "Quiet down and see how I do," Paranoid said coldly, cutting off their conversation.


    "If we count on you to ''do well,'' we might as well call it a night right now."


    Cai Bing''s indifferent voice came from inside the guardhouse; she was hunched over her laptop playing "Eternal Judgment."


    Soon, a figure in blue coveralls approached from the distance, saying, "I''m here."


    Fan Quan looked at his outfit, "Kid''s clothing again?"


    "Forgot to turn off auto-pickup, and this outfit just ended up on me without me noticing," Ke Mingye answered.


    "Can''t you harass some other clothing shops? If you keep targeting the same one, you''ll get noticed," Fan Quan said.


    "Isn''t that what I''m doing?"


    Qing Meng looked up from her phone, turning to Ke Mingye, "You''re really slow, let''s start."


    "Which instance are we doing today?" asked Ke Mingye.


    "Ghost Ship," Cai Bing answered from inside the guardhouse. "Look behind you at six o''clock, and you''ll see the instance introduction."


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye turned right and looked back. His gaze found an old pirate ship hanging in the air, with a verdant-green instance panel floating in front of the ship''s bow, with words clear enough to be read at a glance.


    [Instance Name: The Sixteen Spirits on the Pirate Ship]


    [Instance Location: Hongge Commercial Street, Hongge Amusement Park]


    [Instance Difficulty: E-level (Recommended for teams of players levels 5 through 12 to challenge)]

 Chapter 096 Battle with Boss of Instance No. 10 (Part One)

    June 24, afternoon at two o''clock, Hongge Amusement Park. Explore stories on empireThe large animal mascot standing at the entrance had openings torn at the eye sockets and corners of the mouth due to wear over time, looking particularly haunting.


    The five of them passed the animal mascot and entered, where the park was excessively silent, like a forest forgotten by people, damp and gloomy, with every amusement ride tarnished with rust-like streaks of red.


    Fortunately, it was daytime, and the group of five players was together, so they weren''t too affected by the sinister environment.


    Ke Mingye tucked his hands into the pockets of his jumpsuit, leading the way forward, gradually approaching the pirate ship suspended by layers of struts beneath the swing arm.


    This "Pirate Ship" was long and narrow at both ends.


    Rustic ornaments adorned the ship in various places, whether it was the tattered sails, the dark brown hull, the swarthy pirate flag, or the skull-and-crossbones riddled with fractures on the flag, all evoking the bygone era of a medieval pirate ship.


    Ke Mingye, looking up, said, "I played this as a kid and scared myself pissless."


    "Ha, nothing frightens me," said a voice with cold laughter from behind, "I can ride this kind of thing without even blinking."


    Today he hadn''t wrapped his face with bandages, but he still wore a black hoodie and a pair of black trousers. His face was gaunt and pale, his overly long black hair tied into a ponytail at the back of his head.


    You have to admit, the weird guy didn''t look bad when he wasn''t being bizarre¡ªjust needed some tape over his mouth to be perfect.


    "That''s something for elementary school kids."


    Qing Meng said casually, her light blue twin ponytails swaying in the chill wind.


    "Aren''t these two just elementary school kids?" Fan Quan critiqued sharply.


    "Okay, I admit I''m an elementary school kid too." Qing Meng stopped in front of a merry-go-round, confessing honestly, "It''s fun, I love it."


    "If you like chatting, better do it now. You won''t be able to when you''re being thrashed in the instance," Cai Bing spoke while playing with his phone, a lollipop clamped between his lips.


    As they chatted, they approached the "Pirate Ship" ride. After checking each other''s expressions, they reached a consensus and extended their hands to touch the panel.


    The moment their five palms pressed down on the instance panel, all the struts of the swing arm shattered thunderously, as if the gears of some massive machine had suddenly jumped off track.


    Immediately after, the pirate ship, like a devil released from its shackles, gradually became enveloped in a layer of misty blue ghostly flame. The outline of the ship''s body alternated between translucent and indistinct. A faint pirate dirge drifted down from the sky, as if demons were sharpening their teeth and savoring blood.


    The huge swing arm and the struts crashed to the ground, kicking up billows of dust.


    As the Ghost Ship ascended towards the skies, sixteen eerie figures emerged from the side of the ship, looming down upon the five players below.


    Under the bright noon sun, their faces were shrouded in shadow, but one could see the ghostly flames aflame in their eyes.


    [The total number of players participating in this instance is five¡ªMan of Failures, Fan Quan, Cai Bing, Paranoia, and Dreams Unclear.]


    [The official battle against the instance has now begun, please defeat the instance''s Boss¡ªGhost Pirate Captain¡ªGliva Chris by any means necessary.]


    Ke Mingye''s gaze sharpened as he looked towards the pirate captain standing at the edge of the ship, a towering figure roughly two and a half meters tall, standing prominently among the pirates.


    [Instance Boss Name: Ghost Pirate Captain Gliva Chris]


    [Instance Boss Level: Lv8] S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Instance Boss Introduction:


    After experiencing a terrifying sea disaster, Gliva Chris lost all of his crew members as well as his right eye.


    Suffering from loneliness and chronic injuries, the vivid memories of death and failure wrapped around him like thorns.


    He spent his days in a daze, losing hope in this world amidst shattered liquor bottles and evaporating marijuana.


    Like a soul-less puppet, unable to rise again.


    One evening, as the tattered Gliva awoke in the street, he knelt, hunchbacked, and lifted his gaze to the huge setting sun.


    He remembered watching the sunset on the vast sea with his fifteen crew members.


    They sang bawdy pirate songs, watching the sun slowly sink below the horizon, the entire sea returning to calm.


    That was the most beautiful sunset Gliva had ever seen in his life.


    Coming back to his senses, he found his eyes unwittingly wet with tears, kneeling on the street, bowing repeatedly towards the sunset at the end of the horizon.


    "If I reach the hundredth kowtow and still haven''t awakened from this nightmare, then I shall end my own life," Gliva thought.


    Passersby on the street laughed at the homeless vagrant, yet felt fear at his repeated act of kowtowing towards the setting sun.


    The scene was like some solemn and reverent religious ritual that made people stop and watch involuntarily.


    Upon reaching the hundredth kowtow, Gliva listlessly lifted his bloodied forehead, gazing at the sky that had turned completely dark; the sun had taken away the last rays of twilight from the earth, and the world grew dim.


    He looked around, the streets cloaked in a gray haze, as if mocking him¡ªmiracles simply didn''t occur. The blood flowing from his forehead dyed his eyes red.


    Gliva Chris was utterly disheartened.


    He hung his head low, his eyes hollow as he picked up a scattered bottle from the ground, smashed it, and picked up a shard, pressing its sharp end to his throat.


    Just as he was about to end his life, a strange voice came from the dimly lit place: "Buy me, and I will take you back to that ocean."


    Gliva was stunned for a long time, slowly turning his head to look at the pet shop on his right, where a parrot with rainbow-colored feathers was perched inside a cage, staring at him without moving an inch.


    "Are you talking to me?" Gliva asked.


    "Buy me, and I will grant your wish."


    It was rumored that on that night, Gliva encountered a legendary creature.


    In the following month, Gliva, with only one eye left and a bird by his side, returned alone to the world''s most dangerous waters and survived.


    When he returned, he brought back fifteen of his former comrades; they were not dead but had been stranded on a nearby deserted island.


    Every pirate knew what happened later¡ªGliva Chris became an insurmountable legend of the seas.


    Starting from nothing, he rose from the ashes; in just half a year, Gliva''s pirate group became the master of the seas.


    They called themselves the "Ghost Pirate Group," meaning each crew member had walked out of hell, especially their captain, Gliva Chris.


    Even after a century had passed, when all the crew had withered to skeletons and become one with the land,


    there was still a rumor at sea¡ªa lonely parrot summoned sixteen souls from underground, sixteen old friends, and their legend continues to this day.]


    "This doesn''t look easy to beat," Ke Mingye said, predicting failure.


    "The key is that parrot," Fan Quan broke it down, "Kill the parrot on the captain''s shoulder, and the pirate ship along with those sixteen pirates will disappear."


    Ke Mingye turned his head to look at him, "How can you be so sure? Didn''t you say you''ve never completed this instance before?"


    "I''ve never completed it," Fan Quan replied, "but it''s quite obvious from the backstory, the Boss''s name is just a smokescreen."


    "So it''s similar to the last instance we did," Ke Mingye commented.


    "In short, just blast that parrot, right?"


    Speaking of which, Qing Meng took out a Thompson submachine gun from her backpack, and then raised her eyes, her gaze locked on the colorful parrot on the captain''s shoulder.


    "If I''m not wrong, it should be like this," said Fan Quan calmly.


    "Time to transform, Creepy Guy, you''re not planning to just observe, right?" Cai Bing put away her phone and glanced at her paranoid companion.


    "Like you need to tell me," Paranoid said with a cold snort, taking out a blood-red knife from his pocket and licking his lips, "¡ª Magic Girl, transform!"


    As soon as the words were spoken, his body was enveloped in a cocoon of light.


    Paranoid chuckled coldly, brushed up his bangs, and right after the cocoon of light shattered, a Magic Girl brandishing a large scythe appeared.


    Magical Girl Hongyue lifted her gaze from under her bangs and sneered disdainfully, "Why don''t you guys just hang back and idle? I can crush them all by myself."


    "Shut it, Creepy Guy; don''t dampen the fighting spirit of your buddies."


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye pulled out his "Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves" from his bag. Amidst the metallic clinking, the silver-white gloves with a metallic sheen fitted onto the surface of his right hand.


    With those words, the battle was on the verge of commencing.


    Every cannon mounted on the floating Ghost Ship was aimed at the five people on the land. The next moment, accompanied by a thunderous roar that tore through the sky, an overwhelming barrage rained down!

 Chapter 097 Instance No. 10 Boss Battle (Part 2)

    The eight cannons on the ship adjusted their directions simultaneously, pointing their dark muzzles toward the five players on the land. They looked like a giant spider with eight eyes, staring somberly at the ground below.At that moment, a voice that was eerily calm resounded by Ke Mingye''s ears.


    "Split into two groups. Spider Man and the crafty man board the Ghost Ship''s deck; Cai Bing, keep an eye on me and the punk girl, we''ll play support," Fan Quan said.


    "Boom!"


    Before he could finish, the eight cannons on the ship had already spat out intense flames.


    Ke Mingye abruptly lifted his gaze, his sight piercing through the barrage of gunfire in that instant, scanning the nearby buildings.


    The only high structure they could use was an abandoned Ferris wheel. If they could climb up that Ferris wheel, they should be able to get close to the Ghost Ship.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, he dashed toward the Ferris wheel, fast as a fully sprinting leopard, and in just a few seconds, he was out of the barrage''s shadow.


    Meanwhile, Magical Girl Hongyue infused her Magic Power into the scythe. Dark red ripples spread out from her feet, and her body slowly lifted off, her feet leaving the ground.


    After all, nearly every Magic Girl can fly.


    However, most Magic Girls must rely on the power of Magic Cards to fly;


    As for those who possess Mutant Magic Wands, they can fly by infusing Magic Power into the Magic Wand.


    Therefore, Magical Girl Hongyue could float in the air with that scythe-shaped Magic Wand.


    At this moment, she followed behind Ke Mingye, hurtling in the same direction. Since the goal was to approach the Ghost Ship, following Ke Mingye couldn''t be wrong.


    The barrage rained down like a storm, dense shadows casting on the ground, painting it with holes even before the cannonballs hit the earth.


    Ke Mingye and the paranoid one had already left the range of the barrage. Enjoy more content from empire


    But Fan Quan and Qing Meng didn''t have that speed; after all, either their physical fitness wasn''t as exceptional as Ke Mingye''s, or they couldn''t soar high like a Magic Girl.


    Staying where they were would only mean waiting for death.


    "Stop slacking, hacker girl, can you make yourself useful for once?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qing Meng, holding her Thompson submachine gun, looked up at the cannonballs about to rain down and said.


    "What''s the rush?"


    At that moment, Cai Bing had just finished a game of Minesweeper on her phone. She looked up from the phone, casually drawing a long sword from her baggage, and tossed it onto the ground.


    The sword didn''t actually hit the ground, but instead hovered about a foot above, and in an instant, expanded several times its size.


    This was her C-ranked Skill "Sword Flight," which required a real sword to cast.


    When Ke Mingye first heard of this skill, he was surprised, thinking that a hacker choosing a Wuxia skill was completely out of place and discordant. It simply didn''t fit at all, right?


    Cai Bing had also said before entering the instance that there were better options available in the specialty sales page, but she thought this skill was quite nice, as she had always wanted to try what it felt like to fly on a sword when reading Wuxia novels.


    "Why would a hacker like to read Wuxia novels?" Ke Mingye had asked this question back then.


    "Because hackers enjoy Wuxia novels," Cai Bing replied, lifting her gaze from the phone and giving him an exasperated look, countering, "Otherwise, what do you think I should read, brother?"


    "Hacker novels? Cyberpunk? Like ''Neuromancer''?" Ke Mingye gave some examples offhand.


    "Setting aside the mixed quality of those novels, the fake scenarios that make me want to throw up make my hand automatically close the app... For instance, if you specialize in history, wouldn''t you want to see some history-related novels, even if they are just mindless entertainment products?"


    "Makes sense," he admitted.


    Back to the present, as the suspended sword grew larger, the swift and icy patterns on the blade became clearer, emitting flickering, cyan glows.


    Fan Quan and Qing Meng stepped onto it without hesitation, while Cai Bing stood at the very front of the blade.


    Then, the giant sword rose into the air, skimming over the ground, racing forward like a wild storm, narrowly avoiding the bombardment thundering down from above at the last second.


    The roar of medieval cannonballs exploding sounded like rolling thunder, so oppressive it made their hearts tremble.


    Qing Meng leaned forward slightly, placing her palm on the blade, while activating her newly acquired D-ranked Skill from the specialty sales page yesterday¡ª"Plant Shooter."


    With this skill, she planted two "Pea Shooters" on Cai Bing''s sword.


    The Pea Shooters were highly cartoonish, with green bodies similar to ordinary pea pods and heads that were rounder with huge openings at the mouth for launching green pea bullets.


    At the same time, Qing Meng activated her D-ranked Skill "Aggressive Focus," which would greatly increase the hit rate of all her attack methods, and the Pea Shooters would also receive the same bonus.


    Streams of data flashed in their eyes as if wearing invisible lenses.


    At that moment, Qing Meng tilted her head to the right, lowered the muzzle of her Thompson submachine gun, aimed at the cannonballs flying toward the flying sword, and pulled the trigger.


    The Thompson submachine gun fired at full force, the blaze flickering at the barrel, as a deluge of bullets poured forth;


    The two Pea Shooters were equally busy, taking in a deep breath and then opening their wide mouths, forcefully tilting their heads forward.

 Chapter 097 Instance No. 10 Boss Battle (Part 2)_2

    "Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"It was as if ancient ninjas were shooting blow darts from their mouths, green shooters spewing out large peas. These peas moved even faster than bullets.


    They traced sharp, thunderous arcs through the air, targeting the medieval cannonballs that were coming head-on.


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    The frequency of the explosions resembled a fireworks show, filling the quiet amusement park with roars.


    Under the combined firepower of the assault rifle and two pea shooters, the cannonballs shot from the Ghost Ship exploded without fail before they could get close to the sword.


    The air heated up abruptly, the residual waves of the explosions not yet subsided, as the scorching winds lashed out like waves.


    Cai Bing''s eyes were lowered in concentration as she controlled the flying swords, her slightly curled shoulder-length black hair fluttering upwards in the aftermath of the blasts.


    Suddenly she felt the sword handle sink a bit, so she turned her head to look back, and her gaze fell on the two pea shooters as she slightly lifted the lollipop in her mouth.


    "Seriously," she said, "can you not plant trees on your brother''s sword and play ''Plants vs. Pirates'' here?"


    "No harm in asking, if not on your sword, then where?"


    Qing Meng continued to fire along with the two pea shooters. The shooters were ferocious, spitting out bullet-sized peas at speeds the naked eye could hardly capture, strafing the incoming bombs from the turrets.


    Fan Quan adjusted her glasses: "We''re all sisters here, let''s be accommodating and not start arguing over a game instance."


    "Sure thing, if Fan Quan says so, then your brother will accommodate," Cai Bing replied sarcastically.


    She gave Fan Quan a sideways glance as she spoke.


    Meanwhile, Ke Mingye sprinted forward, his figure so fast it was as if he left afterimages. He then pressed his right hand down near the Ferris wheel, shooting out spider silk from the base of one of the carriages.


    The web "snapped" onto the rusty steel gate.


    He gripped the silk firmly, kicked off the ground, and soared diagonally to the top of the carriage before shooting more silk upwards and jumping methodically higher and higher until he reached the apex of the Ferris wheel. Stay connected through empire


    From this position, he was even a few meters above the Ghost Ship.


    Ke Mingye stood on top of the Ferris wheel, surveying the situation as the wind whipped through his jumpsuit and tousled his fringe.


    The Ghost Ship''s eight cannons were clearly assigned tasks, with four targeting Cai Bing and the others maneuvering in the sky on their flying swords, and the other four aiming upwards at the Ferris wheel.


    The incessant barrage covered the amusement park in a wave of heat and ash, the ground shook from the bombardment, leaving no place intact.


    Magical Girl Hongyue came next to Ke Mingye with a scythe in hand, arms crossed, and asked, "Are we charging?"


    "Charge."


    After responding, Ke Mingye clenched his metal-gloved fingers and kicked off the highest carriage, leaping high from the very top of the Ferris wheel towards the Ghost Ship ahead.


    Subsequently, he unleashed a Level E Skill in midair¡ª"Superhero Landing"¡ªlanding elegantly on one knee atop the deck.


    The moment he landed, a frightening crack spread from under his feet, creating a deep pit in the deck.


    Boom!


    As sawdust fluttered about, two nearby pirates were knocked overboard by the impact.


    Then a burst of gunfire filled his ears, as bullets poured down like a violent storm, instantly penetrating the skulls of the two pirates¡ªit was Qing Meng on the flying sword, her Thompson submachine gun spitting flames.


    ```


    A pirate rushing forward with a cleaver behind him, Ke Mingye glanced sideways slightly and extended his metal-gloved hand backward, as lines of metal in his palm shone brilliantly. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next moment, an electromagnetic pulse shaped like a column burst forward, hitting the pirate''s chest within half a second and knocking him back.


    The pirate toppled over two barrels of wine, collapsing onto the wooden deck, his body convulsing.


    The spilled wine on the floor only enhanced the conductivity of the electricity, and intense electromagnetic energy spread from his chest to every corner, tormenting each cell.


    At the same time, Magical Girl Hongyue flew to the deck, brandishing a blood-red scythe and whipping up a fierce wind.


    The other twelve pirates, originally intending to chase after Ke Mingye, saw her land on the deck and surged forward, raising their cleavers and charging with roars.


    "Heh, a bunch of small fries, daring to challenge Lord Hongyue."


    Magical Girl Hongyue said with a smirk, releasing a Class C Skill¡ª[Magic Power Explosion]. The effect of this skill was "consume twenty percent of magic power to infuse into one''s next attack."


    She leaned forward slightly, lowering the handle of the scythe at her waist, assuming the stance for Sword Draw Strike.


    Indeed, this was the Class E Skill [Sword Draw Strike], whose effect was to charge for three seconds, then dramatically increase the power of the next slash.


    Meanwhile, atop the enormous sword hovering near the Ghost Ship, Fan Quan observed the deck''s situation while closing his book, the three paper figures on his shoulders cheering with raised arms.


    The first paper figure shouted "Id," "Ego," "Super-ego";


    The second one shouted "Sacred Time," "Sacred Space," "Eternal Return";


    The third one shouted "Absolute Spirit," "Dialectics," "Tragedy Theory."


    "Super-ego."


    Fan Quan said softly, his eyes behind the glasses fixating on Hongyue surrounded by pirates.


    As he finished speaking, the first paper figure vanished. In its place, a bloody aura enveloped Magical Girl Hongyue''s entire body, a dark red gas emanating from her pores.


    [Super-ego: At the cost of fifty percent of maximum health, grants a "player target" double attribute values for 5 seconds (duration increases with player level).]


    Magical Girl Hongyue glanced at the dark red gas rising from her body and, for some reason, felt like her power had inexplicably doubled.


    "Could it be... this is divine potential?" she thought.


    Just in time, three seconds of charging for Sword Draw Strike had elapsed.


    With the triple buff of "Magic Power Explosion," "Sword Draw Strike," and "Super-ego," her power had reached an unprecedented and terrifying level.


    The next instant, she swung the scythe handle at her waist with force, the blade cutting through the air like a lonely full moon.


    Amidst deafening roars, the blood-red crescent instantly cleaved through the twelve pirates charging at her. Cut at the waist, their bodies split into twenty-four pieces, top and bottom halves clattering to the ground.


    Blood splattered in full gore, spraying onto Hongyue''s scythe, staining her cheeks red.


    She stuck out her tongue, licking the blood on her face: "I told you, Lady Hongyue is invincible."


    No sooner had she spoken than she collapsed onto the deck with a thud, spitting out a mouthful of blood: "Damn...why does it feel like I haven''t been cut, yet I seem to have lost half my blood?"


    She said this, propping herself up with the scythe on the floor, one hand on the handle, the other pressing her chest while she knelt.


    Seeing this, Fan Quan shifted his gaze away from her, reassured. Since lost health would return after the instance ended, he didn''t really care about the adverse effects "Super-ego" might have on the mysterious male.


    At that moment, Ke Mingye had quickly eliminated the interference from three pirates, carving out space to move.


    He lowered his right hand and shot a web toward the mast, grasping the silk and swinging upward, sprinting towards the Ghost Ship''s captain at the corner of the deck.


    Going solo, he descended.


    ```

 Chapter 098 Instance No. 10 Boss Battle (Part 3)

    Ke Mingye adjusted the Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves on his right hand, his fingers snapping together with a series of clicks.He slowly raised his eyes, staring at the figure standing at the bow who towered two and a half meters tall.


    The captain was clad in a dark red pirate robe, lined with a tattered leather jacket. In his left hand, he held a silver-white long sword; in his right, a dark metal musket.


    Besides that, he wore a red and black striped pirate hat, beneath which only one eye was open, the empty socket burning with a sinister blue flame; beneath his thick beard was a mouth curved in a grim smile.


    [Boss Name: Ghost Pirate Captain¡ªGliva Chris]


    In the sunlight, the pirate captain''s shoulder armor glittered, reflecting the distinct sheen of steel. On his shoulder, a rainbow-feathered parrot whispered, "Gliva, I will take you back to that sea."


    Ke Mingye gave Captain Gliva a couple of glances, then turned to look back at Magical Girl Hongyue, who was entangled by twelve pirates.


    He considered going back to help, but Captain Gliva had already aimed his musket at him and pulled the trigger.


    Bang!


    Ke Mingye quickly ducked, the wave of heat brushing over his head as the gunpowder instead hit the barrels behind him. The exploding barrel sent a torrential blast that threw Ke Mingye a good four to five meters away.


    Seeing Captain Gliva charging at him with the silver-white sword, he had no choice but to shoot a web at the mast and swing up into the air.


    While Captain Gliva continued to shoot at him, Ke Mingye knew he couldn''t come down from midair or he would be instantly riddled with bullets, so he aimed another web at the horizontal spar of the mast. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He clung to the web, circled around the mast once, climbed upward at an angle, and finally stepped onto the surface of the mast, leveraging a leap to arrive at the crow''s-nest overlooking the sea.


    Ke Mingye hid in the blind spot of the crow''s-nest, relying on the mast and the floor of the crow''s-nest to shield himself from the musket shots, as the roaring flames constantly grazed his face, causing blood to trickle from his ears.


    "A learned man once said, the key in this instance is the parrot."


    Ke Mingye, looking downward, observed the three pirate lackeys he had just knocked down.


    It was evident their bodies were slowly regenerating, soon to regain their combat ability.


    "It looks like, even if I injure the captain, he will probably regenerate slowly like his crew. It''s going to be difficult to actually kill him."


    "So there''s no need to take down the Boss then, I just need to capture the parrot on his shoulder. It must be the parrot that provides them with the ability to move."


    Ke Mingye turned his face and, while Captain Gliva was reloading, leapt down from the crow''s-nest, hugged the mast sliding down, then tumbled onto the deck.


    He raised his head sharply, lowered his right hand, and shot a web at Captain Gliva''s shoulder, trying to capture the rainbow-feathered parrot.


    But the web was cut in an instant by the silver-white sword and fell limply to the ground.


    After reloading, Captain Gliva again lowered his face and continuously pulled the trigger shooting at Ke Mingye''s body.


    Ke Mingye rolled to the right to avoid the shots, the splattering gunpowder searing past him, the burning air scorching his skin and leaving a striking burn mark on his neck.


    He gasped deeply, using his web shooter to leap back and forth across the pirate ship, sometimes to the sails, sometimes clutching the mast, and sometimes standing on the top of the forecastle.


    Throughout, he repeatedly tried to capture the parrot on the captain''s shoulder with his web, but each attempt failed as Captain Gliva, using his long sword, cut every incoming web that threatened the parrot.


    Meanwhile, Captain Gliva, while suppressing him with gunfire, approached a barrel and fiercely threw it at Ke Mingye''s next landing spot, then shot at the barrel.


    Ke Mingye reacted, leaping backward while crossing his arms in front of his chest. Still, he was blasted several meters away by the explosion of the barrel, his feet scoring a dark trench on the ground.


    The captain rushed forward, slightly leaning forward to gather momentum, and swung his silver-white chopping knife at Ke Mingye.


    Ke Mingye, unable to dodge in time, raised his right hand, embedded with the metal glove, and activated the glove''s second skill, layering the surface with violent electric currents.


    Then he thrust his fingers forward, firmly catching the captain''s large knife.


    In the next moment, the metal palm collided with the silver blade, the violent sparks spreading as friction created an electric arc that traveled up the blade to the captain''s body, paralyzing him for a full two seconds.


    But Ke Mingye was also catapulted several meters by the immense force from the blade, slamming into the thick mast, his life gauge in the upper right corner of his vision plummeting sharply.


    Subsequently, the mast violently broke, bringing the sail and the crow''s-nest crashing down, nearly burying him within.


    "Damn, this is tough..."


    Ke Mingye spat out a mouthful of blood, and simultaneously pressed his wrist to the right, shot a web at the railingultimately, he forcefully tugged himself out of the falling mast''s path.


    "Thud!!!!"


    The mast smashed into the deck, carving a long trench, with cracks spreading outward from the trench across the ten-meter radius of the deck.


    As Ke Mingye was about to rise from the ground, in that instant, the parrot on the captain''s shoulder suddenly began to sing loudly.

 Chapter 098 Instance No. 10 Boss Battle (Part 3)_2

    ```"The straw man has no eyes~ the child gave him a pair and yet~ greedily it stole all the child had~"


    A sinister nursery rhyme spread across the deck, as Ke Mingye realized something was amiss and covered his ears, but it was already too late.


    The bewitching melody filled his ears, instantly taking control of Ke Mingye.


    He couldn''t move, and goosebumps covered his body. Ke Mingye could only sit there by the railing, staring blankly as Captain Gliva advanced step by step.


    In that moment, Ke Mingye saw with horrifying clarity, the captain swung his silver-white broadsword at his skull, even the sensation of his skull splitting registered in his mind.


    But the next second, when he opened his eyes again, he found his head intact, protected by a mosaic screen fashioned from dense arrays of data over his head.


    The captain''s broadsword struck the mosaic barrier, unable to make even a scratch.


    Immediately after, the captain''s body started to contort grotesquely, he held his head and howled as every corner of his body spasmed erratically like a broken mosaic.


    [Fault Judgement (C-level Skill): Upon activation, the first damage taken by any target within 3 seconds is considered a fault and gets repaired, causing the person who dealt the damage to fall into a brief stupor.]


    "I''ve saved him, now it''s up to you guys," Cai Bing said calmly. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This skill of yours is quite useful," Fan Quan commented.


    While they spoke, Cai Bing directed the great sword above the Ghost Ship, then had Fan Quan and Qing Meng jump down from the sword, before charging the great sword straight toward the captain, who was in a stupor.


    In an instant, the sword''s blade pierced deeply into Captain Gliva''s chest, blood gushed out wildly.


    The captain''s form was pressed down into the deck, with the surrounding flooring bursting apart layer by layer, much like Jesus nailed to the cross, his howls did nothing to free him.


    [Wonderful Hit!!! (An Extremely Exquisite Strike!!!)]


    [Boss Ghost Pirate Captain''s Health: 100% ¡ú 73.5%]


    Qing Meng aimed her Thomson submachine gun at the captain, who was pinned to the ground, and pulled the trigger frantically.


    "He''s so fragile, can''t we just finish him with some output?" Cai Bing turned to ask Fan Quan.


    "No, he will keep resurrecting until that parrot dies," Fan Quan said.


    At that moment, the parrot on the captain''s shoulder flapped its wings, rising upwards.


    Just as it was about to fly out of the Ghost Ship, Ke Mingye, clutching his broken ribs, stretched out his right hand to shoot a web at the parrot, accurately sticking to its right wing.


    "Gotcha!"


    Ke Mingye arched an eyebrow and growled as he pulled the parrot towards his hand, intending to crush it with his metal glove.


    But as the parrot was being drawn toward Ke Mingye by the web, it suddenly revealed its true form. Its body tore open, gradually transforming into a bare, avian beastman, which lunged viciously at Ke Mingye.


    "What the hell?"


    Ke Mingye was stunned for half a second, mentally questioning what he had just hauled in.


    His pupils, shrunk to the size of wheat grains, were now reflecting the approaching talons sharp as blades, getting closer and closer...


    The claws were about to touch his eyes, ready to gouge through his skin and eyeballs.


    But at that moment, Fan Quan uttered, "Eternal Return."


    [Eternal Return: Returns a selected target in the vicinity to its position 1 second ago.]


    As his words fell, the second paper man on Fan Quan''s shoulder disintegrated into ash.


    Simultaneously, the avian beastman was returned to its position from a second ago. Moreover, a huge vertical pupil suddenly blocked its forward path.


    It was an eye, dazzling and spilling over with a halo of intertwining pink and purple light.


    "Medusa''s Eye," Fan Quan had used this move in his contest with Ke Xiaomo. Without it, he would have been captured by Ke Xiaomo then.


    An enemy that looks into Medusa''s Eye will be turned to stone, frozen for 2.5 seconds.


    At this moment, the avian beastman locked eyes with Medusa''s Eye; its form instantly coated in a layer of stone, its talons solidified just inches from Ke Mingye''s eyes, suspended in mid-air.


    "Your auto-loot is seriously no joke," Fan Quan said, "Don''t pull everything towards your face."


    "Makes sense, won''t pull randomly next time..."


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he released the broken web and silently moved two steps back, distancing himself from the stone beastman.


    Meanwhile, Qing Meng switched her target. She moved her suppressive fire from Captain Gliva to the petrified avian beastman.


    The muzzle of her gun poured out a fierce stream of fire.


    The body of the birdlike beastman, like a stone monument, broke apart under the relentless hail of bullets, with its chest, arms, and talons shattering to the ground like demolished fragments.


    "This thing is more fragile than it looks," Fan Quan said.


    On the other side, Magical Girl Hongyue scrambled to her feet and hurried over, intending to meet up with the group, only to be caught by the foot by Captain Gliva, who had suddenly woken up.


    At the same time, Captain Gliva violently grabbed his broadsword with his other hand and slashed at Hongyue''s waist.


    But Hongyue reacted swiftly, countering with her scythe. The intense impact cracked the deck beneath her feet, and she sank into the deck.


    "Somebody help, damn it, the Paranoia Lord''s gonna fucking die!"


    Magical Girl Hongyue''s cheeks flushed red as she roared with all her might at the others.


    Ke Mingye, supporting his aching chest, could not move.


    ```

 Chapter 098 Instance No. 10 Boss Battle (Part 3)_3

    Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Magical Girl Hongyue, who was locked in a stalemate with Captain Gliva, but they were powerless to help.Fan Quan and Cai Bing''s skills were all on cooldown; Qing Meng was busy suppressing the avian beastman, who was recovering from a petrified state, with a Thompson submachine gun and couldn''t spare any effort.


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath and reluctantly used an item from his bag ¡ª


    ¡ª a "Permanent Magical Girl Transformation Card".


    Immediately, his body was enveloped in cocoon light.


    With a mere shrug, the cocoon light shattered. A blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl wearing a Santa hat, draped in a red cape, and dressed in a red gown appeared on the deck.


    "No way, dude."


    Cai Bing paused for a half second, his lollipop tipping up.


    "So you''re also..."


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses and was speechless for a second, murmuring to himself.


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao slumped to the ground, powerless, and weakly waved her magic wand. Flecks of snow began to congregate in the air, enveloping the pirate captain''s arm layer by layer.


    The snowflake significantly cushioned his strength, and the silvery white machete instantly lost the edge it had against the scythe, and swiftly fell to the lower hand.


    "So you''re the boss, huh? I''m hungry, I''ll have your parrot for dinner tonight."


    Magical Girl Hongyue demonstrated her high standards of speaking, looking down at the captain, before swinging her scythe downwards, neatly severing Captain Gliva''s left hand.


    With her right foot now free, she ignored Gliva''s howling, charged forward with the scythe, dragging a deep furrow on the floor with the tip of her scythe.


    She launched a pincer attack, swinging the scythe towards the bird-shaped beastman, who was being suppressed by Qing Meng''s gunfire.


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao, clutching her wound, squinting one eye, continued to wave her dark red magic wand, and soon the struggling beastman was also enveloped in a layer of ice and snow.


    Immediately afterward, the crimson scythe and the submachine gun bullets chased each other like two fierce demons, competing to see whose destructive power was greater, ruthlessly tearing at the bird-shaped beastman''s body. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, the fifteen pirates who had originally died returned from hell, led by Captain Gliva, raising their machetes and shouting slogans, charging towards the five players at the stern of the ship.


    But just as the pirates were about to close in, the bird-shaped beastman, caught between Persistence and Qing Meng, lost all movement, transforming back into a colorful-feathered parrot, falling powerlessly to the ground.


    Rainbow-colored feathers were lifted by the wind, passing the shattered mast, the torn sails, falling into the dark blue sky.


    With the parrot''s death, the spirits of the pirates, sustained by its power, began to collapse.


    The fifteen pirates disintegrated first, followed finally by Captain Gliva.


    He hunched over, gradually kneeled on the ground, continuously reaching out his arms, crawling forward step by step, eventually grasping the parrot in both hands.


    With eyes downcast and a smile on his face, he gradually faded into a glow like fireflies and dispersed.


    [Final Strike!!!]


    [Boss Ghost Pirate Captain''s HP: 100%¡ú0%]


    [This instance victory announced, current damage ratio board as follows.]


    [NO.1 ¡ª¡ª [Persistence]¡ïMVP: Damage ratio 50%]


    [NO.2 ¡ª¡ª Indescribable Dream: Damage ratio 50%]


    [NO.3 ¡ª¡ª Failed Man: Damage ratio 0%]


    [NO.4 ¡ª¡ª Fan Quan: Damage ratio 0%]


    [NO.5 ¡ª¡ª Cai Bing: Damage ratio 0%]


    [Congratulations to all players for successfully defeating Huanjing''s No.10 instance ¡ª "Pirate Ship and the Sixteen Ghosts", a memorial card has been sent to each player''s dungeon atlas.]


    [Currently, Huanjing''s dungeon progress: (3 out of 100)]


    [In 30 seconds, players will return to the real world, please prepare in advance...]


    Magical Girl Hongyue looked at the dungeon summary panel, curled her lips, and sneered, "See, that''s the ability of Lord Persistence, do you understand what MVP means..."


    She was halfway through speaking when she suddenly caught sight of Magical Girl Xiaohongmao nearby and turned to look at her, freezing on the spot.


    Xiaohongmao looked up, meeting her gaze.


    In silence, the two magic girls faced each other.


    Magical Girl Hongyue stared at her for two seconds, expressionless, then slowly turned her head to look around, counting the players on the ship with a raised index finger.


    Then she paused for a second, looked back at Magical Girl Xiaohongmao, and pointed her index finger right at her nose.


    "Spider Man?"

 Chapter 099 Xiaohongmao, Invading the Magic Girl Alliance

    After Captain Gliva''s death, the immense pirate ship continued to hover in the dark cyan sky, drifting through the clouds.The five people stood by the railing on the side of the ship, silently checking their individual instance rewards.


    [You will leave the instance in one minute. Instance rewards have been sent to each player''s pack. Please confirm receipt...]


    [You have received the standard clearance reward for Instance No. 10: 1. 8000 Mall Coins; 2. 5000 Experience Points; 3. D-grade Equipment¡ªEnhanced Pirate Musket, or D-grade Equipment¡ªEnhanced Pirate Cutlass (choose one).] Enjoy more content from empire


    "The musket," Ke Mingye decided without hesitation.


    [D-grade Equipment "Enhanced Pirate Musket" has been added to your pack.]


    [Your level has been increased to Lv.8, and as a reward, you''ve received one freely distributable attribute point.]


    [Current level progress¡ªLv.8: (4500 points/5000 points).]


    [Current number of Mall Coins owned: 9400.]


    [Daily Task 2 completed: "Challenge any instance once." Reward received: 1 freely distributable attribute point.]


    Ke Mingye allocated both attribute points to "neurological reaction." It was like cramming last-minute for an exam, because come July 4th, his family would face assassination from the Ninja Sect.


    Ninjas excelled in the art of assassination, sure to employ techniques that were hard to react to, just like Ke Xiaomo''s shadow merging¡ªif one''s reaction attribute wasn''t high enough, they''d be sitting ducks.


    Therefore, it was crucial to stack up the "neurological reaction" attribute as quickly as possible; that way, if it really came to a fight, they wouldn''t be so passive and might even have a chance to retaliate.


    [Congratulations, your "neurological reaction" attribute has changed: 14 points ¡ú 16 points.]


    "Can I ask you a question?" Paranoid suddenly turned his head and asked Ke Mingye beside him.


    "It doesn''t look too promising."


    Ke Mingye yawned as he responded immediately, wondering what kind of odd question he was about to ask.


    "But this question has to be asked."


    "Then ask."


    "What''s your Magical Girl code name?" Paranoid whispered conspiratorially.


    Ke Mingye was silent for two seconds, then sighed, "Buddy, I already said it was a one-time use item. It was gone after one use, why would I need a code name?"


    Fan Quan said slowly, "You two brothers could start an online betting pool: ''In a group of three men and two women, there are two Magic Girls. What are the genders of these two Magic Girls?''"


    "Male," Cai Bing answered.


    "Male," Qing Meng answered.


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses, "That doesn''t count. It''s cheating if you two answer."


    Paranoid chuckled lowly, head bowed, scoffing disdainfully, "Hmph, you simply don''t understand the great Paranoid. Most historical greats possessed hermaphroditic souls."


    Ke Mingye nearly choked out a mouthful of blood, "Stop with the memes, alright? Can we not equate me to the trickster guy?"


    "Why care about the views of commoners? You are betraying the bonds between us Magical Girls," stated Paranoid gravely, his eyes suddenly sharp.


    "Tone down the trickster act," sighed Ke Mingye. "Is there a voice mute function for players? Can I mute him?"


    Cai Bing turned to look at Ke Mingye and teased lightly, "Speaking of which, bro, you''ve turned into a Magic Girl yourself, and you still call him ''trickster guy'' all the time. Isn''t that a bit much?"


    "It''s my business," said Ke Mingye.


    "No worries, from now on we''ll call him Trickster Spider Man," Fan Quan suggested.


    "I don''t mind," Qing Meng turned toward Ke Mingye. "I was so focused on the Boss I missed the scene of Spider Man transforming. Such a pity. Could you show us that again, you know... that Magic Girl transformation?"


    "I told you it was a one-time item, I can''t transform anymore," Ke Mingye said contemptuously.


    "Heh heh... Looks like it''s up to the great Paranoid to make a move."


    As he said that, Paranoid chuckled darkly and pulled out that blood-red dagger from his sleeve, about to lick it, when the blade was caught by a web and pulled into Ke Mingye''s hand.


    "Do you believe I can throw you off the ship?" Ke Mingye asked.


    "But you''ve got to give back my knife, right?" Paranoid countered.


    "Okay."


    Ke Mingye handed back the knife, sticky with web, but kept the web itself in his hand.


    "Heh heh, you''ve been had, Magic Girl. Transform¡ª"


    Before he could finish his sentence, a web shot out and stuck to Paranoid''s mouth. He struggled to pull it off, but the last word was left unspoken.


    Ke Mingye tugged on the web casually, reclaiming the blood-red dagger once more.


    "I''ll give it back after we leave the instance," he said offhandedly.


    Paranoid failed to pull the web off his mouth and had to give up. He turned and leaned on the railing, hanging his head low, looking deeply at that decaying amusement park.


    His gaze seemed to say, "Betrayed by a fellow Magical Girl, what a river of sorrow..."


    "By the way, cultured man," Ke Mingye called out to Fan Quan.


    "What is it?" Fan Quan asked.


    "Let''s chat privately."


    "Okay."


    With that, the two walked past the collapsed mast and crow''s nest to the side of the forecastle deck.


    "How''s my suit of armor coming along?" Ke Mingye asked, cutting straight to the matter.


    "July 3rd, I can have it ready for you in nine days."


    July 3rd, just in time for the day before the Ninja Sect''s attack, huh? Mingye thought to himself, but since dad and mom were out traveling, it wouldn''t matter if it was a bit late.


    He said, "That quick?"


    Fan Quan replied, "Because the design of the battle suit is very simple and doesn''t involve much technology, we can have it ready for you soon. Don''t get your hopes up though, it''s just a tight suit with a voice changer."


    "No worries, the efficiency is quite high¡ªI thought it would take a month."


    "In fact, it could have been even faster, but the people we''ve commissioned are in another city. Once they finish the battle suit, it''ll take some time to ship it here."


    "Okay, then I''ll see you then."


    After finishing the conversation, Mingye and Fan Quan walked back to the side of the vessel, the hot noon wind blowing against his forehead. Looking up, the huge sun played hide and seek among the clouds.


    Clouds shaped like steeds galloping and whales tumbling stretched across the amusement park''s sky, unable to hide the dazzling sunlight.


    Paranoia approached him with a cellphone in hand, lifting the screen. On top of the browser''s search engine box was a line of text: "I command you to release Lord Paranoia''s mouth."


    "The webbing will dissolve on its own, and we''re exiting the instance in 30 seconds anyway, so no issue."


    Patting his shoulder, Mingye passed by Paranoia and whispered to Cai Bing, "Hacker girl, I might need your help with something later. Let''s meet on July 3rd and add each other as friends, shall we?"


    "Can''t we add each other here?"


    Cai Bing hesitated for a moment and then said in a low voice, "Oh, I forgot you''re not actually here, so we can''t add you."


    "Since when did you two get along so well?" Qing Meng asked while dismantling the magazine from her submachine gun.


    Repeatedly assembling and disassembling firearms had been meaningful¡ªover the past few days, her general skill "Firearms Mastery" had advanced to rank D, offering a slight increase in bullet power.


    "Who doesn''t like Magic Girls? We''re all sisters; what''s wrong with fostering some camaraderie?" Cai Bing kept her eyes lowered while playing Minesweeper on her phone and responded.


    Fan Quan came over, adjusting his glasses, "Two girls on the ship, two Magic Girls¡ªpeople who don''t know better might think I''m throwing some weird party on a pirate ship."


    "Is that meme ever going to die?"


    Leaning against the railing and facing up to bask in the sunlight, Mingye heaved a deep sigh.


    "So, what do you need my help with?" Cai Bing asked him.


    "I''ll talk about it when the time comes," Mingye replied.


    Since he wanted to enter the Superhero Association as himself, he no longer needed Cai Bing to construct fake resident information for him;


    but if he wanted to enter the Magical Girl Alliance as Magical Girl Xiaohongmao, then he would still need falsified resident information.


    Xizi Yue was not vigilant enough, but the Magical Girl Alliance''s one of the three giants, the "Ice Witch" Lilai, was not so laid-back. If she happens to check Xiaohongmao''s data and finds there is no such person, it would be game over.


    Mingye had thought it over¡ªthe best background for Xiaohongmao was that of an idle orphan from the slums who didn''t attend school.


    Then, find a marginal figure with a similar identity to replace her data, and that would be okay. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And the only one who could do that was Cai Bing.


    "July 3rd, right?" Cai Bing confirmed with him.


    Mingye nodded and said in a low voice, "Fan Quan will meet up with me that day for the battle suit; you can just come with him."


    "Okay."


    [You will leave the instance in 5 seconds; please prepare, players.]


    Mingye closed his eyes and when he came to his senses, he found himself standing in an alley on Hong Ge Food Street, with an old-fashioned tavern directly in front.


    He slid his hands into the pockets of his jumpsuit, undressed his equipment from the journey, and casually found a sewer entrance. He lifted the manhole cover, jumped down, and self-destructed.


    ......


    ......


    Meanwhile, back at the Ke Bai residence on the second floor.


    Mingye slowly opened his eyes from the bed, ending his enjoyable "nap."


    Glancing at the clock, it was already three-thirty in the afternoon. The hand-operated fan was placed bedside, with its blades lazily rotating, blowing cool air onto his face to dispel the heat.


    "Ahhh... Choo!"


    After sneezing, he rubbed his nose bridge and turned off the fan. He then opened up the specialty skills page. After a quick scan, only two or three skills caught his eye.


    [¢Ù: Phase Transfer (E-rank Skill, price: 5200 Mall Coins) (Choose a target within an eight-meter range and instantly swap positions with them.)]


    [¢á: Meditation Recovery (D-rank Skill, price: 9250 Mall Coins) (Recover health and stamina slowly through meditation; restores 5% stamina and 3% health every five minutes.)]


    [¢â: Portrait Concealment Skill (E-rank Skill, price: 5100 Mall Coins)]


    "They all look good," he thought, "but this one''s the winner. It offers offense and defense and an element of surprise¡ªa real all-rounder miracle skill."


    Thinking this, Mingye reached out and tapped on skill ¢Ù.


    Following that, he confirmed the purchase on the anti-misoperation interface that popped up.


    [Congratulations, you have successfully purchased the E-rank Skill "Phase Transfer." The skill has been equipped to your 6th skill slot, and you have 4 skill slots remaining.]


    "Looks like I can relax for a while now."


    Lying back on the bed with his arms behind his head, Mingye murmured to himself.


    "July third, huh... I really wonder what kind of wacky suit they''ll come up with for me."

 Chapter 100 July 3rd

    The nine days had passed swiftly, and before Ke Mingye realized it, July 3rd had arrived.Fan Quan had notified Ke Mingye the night before, asking him to come to the electronic game store on Yandai Commercial Street the next noon, to retrieve the battle suit designed based on his sketches.


    After receiving the message, Ke Mingye lay awake in bed, tossing and turning through the night.


    He thought to himself, "I, too, have a day to be a superhero¡­"


    Of course, there was some debate about this in his mind.


    But the conclusion he eventually reached was, "Who says a mediocre person can''t be a superhero?"


    When it''s time to play the superhero, then think of wiping out the villains with undivided attention;


    when it''s time to play the super villain, then think of wiping out the superheroes with the same focus.


    In this way, regardless of the side, Ke Mingye felt no inconsistency in promoting the task of "eradicating the superhuman species".


    His goal had always been consistent, although playing dual roles for too long might lead to a split personality.


    Ke Mingye stared at the blank ceiling, recalling the events that unfolded over these nine days.


    Firstly, he spent most of his time completing only two daily tasks, and occasionally, just one.


    The rewards from the spin included "5500 Mall Coins," "1500 Experience Points," "a piece of a godly disk," "a 30% off coupon for the mall."


    Besides that, there was also a disappointing "thanks for participating."


    Ke Mingye had completely slacked off, doing nothing except relying on the experience points from the spins, and successfully leveled up from Lv. 8 to Lv. 9.


    Leveling up awarded him an attribute point, and along with the "daily tasks two" completed over these nine days, he accumulated a total of 8 attribute points.


    Without exception, he allocated all of them to the "neurological reaction" attribute.


    This was in preparation for the arrival of the Ninja Sect; faster reactions meant success, even if barely escaping a fatal blow.


    [Your "neurological reaction" attribute has changed: 16 points ¡ú 24 points]


    During this period, Fan Quan did not notify Ke Mingye about joining instances, as the nearby instances were too high-level, and the suitable ones were too far away, requiring travel to distant places inconvenient for everyone.


    So, Fan Quan mentioned he had contacted Top Bull, and they might need to use the No.7 instance card to ride the train from the abandoned train station to Tokyo in a few days.


    Then, they would cooperate with several Japanese players including Top Bull to tackle an instance of difficulty level 11, to avoid having too long a break from instance battles.


    Included in this was Ju Zipi, the trainee Cowherd. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, it''s worth mentioning that on June 25th, the day after the pirate ship instance battle,


    Ke Mingye discovered an exhibition facility called the "Underground Dragon Palace" underneath the Hong Ge Amusement Park.


    This place was once one of the most important exhibits of the Hong Ge Amusement Park, but as the park ceased operations, the Dragon Palace was abandoned and gradually faded from the public eye.


    The Deception Puppet rode the cable car at the mine''s entrance into the interior of the Dragon Palace, and upon looking up, saw an instance panel, red and black in color, floating at the entrance.


    The color tone, distinct from other instances, highlighted the high difficulty of the instance.


    [Instance name: Dragon Palace]


    [Instance sequence number: Huanjing, NO.¢á¢á]


    [Instance location: Hongge Commercial Street, underground of Hongge Amusement Park]


    [Instance difficulty: A level (recommended for players between levels 60 and 90 to form teams to challenge)]


    So, to level up the "Catastrophe Dice," Ke Mingye had been sending the Deception Puppet into this instance daily when unoccupied.


    The puppet''s exploration activities were as follows: roll a die, then get squashed by the monsters inside.


    As a result, Ke Mingye didn''t even find out what the boss of the instance looked like after six days,


    since he was always turned into mush by the minor monsters at the mine path before he could reach the boss level.


    Fortunately, this wasn''t the main focus.


    Since the dice-using task was completed, the rest was merely to satisfy some curiosity.


    After all, it might be that before the people of Huanjing could level up enough to tackle this instance, they might have been wiped out by the Green Crow Group¡ªespecially under the premise of having such a peculiar character as "Paranoid."


    And on this day, June 29.


    Ke Youqing and Bai Wenna did as previously mentioned and went on their honeymoon to London, England.


    Ke Mingye couldn''t help but suspect that this trip was specially designed by Bai Wenna to avoid the Ninja Sect incident¡ªbecause Ke Youqing was ostensibly under his wife''s thumb; once Bai Wenna spoke up, he generally wouldn''t refuse.


    But it didn''t matter, as long as Ke Yinzhi was still at home, the likelihood of Yongzhu surviving was close to eighty percent.


    Their father and mother said they wouldn''t be back until the 7th, so in these days, only seven children remained in the Bai Ke residence.


    Their tasks were clearly divided: the eldest brother Ke Yinzhi was responsible for cooking; the second brother Xiao Mo took care of the household chores; Qiuwu, after finishing her tutoring classes, would look to see if there was anything she could help with. Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    As for the others, it would be a blessing if they didn''t cause trouble.


    Ke Mingye was an exception; it wasn''t that he didn''t help, but he felt there was no need.


    He estimated that as soon as his brothers were not at home, Xiao Mo would use his Ninja abilities to move around in the shadows. It wouldn''t take long before he could get the residence spotlessly clean without much effort.


    With this ability, he could work as a cleaning staff and complete at least a hundred tasks a day, earning more than the monthly salary provided by the Superhero Association by a significant margin, which was a decent career path.


    Of course, that assumed Xiao Mo wouldn''t die in the Ninja Sect extermination operation three days later¡­ or that his spirit wouldn''t break, driving him to live in seclusion deep in the mountains.


    Time moved forward a couple of days to July 2, the day when the use count of the disaster dice reached its ninth, leaving only one more use before it would complete its evolution.


    On the night of this day, Ke Mingye did not enter the "Dragon Palace" instance to throw the dice but had the Deception Puppet run up above the Huanjing Tower again.


    As usual, he set off a round of ominous attack warnings with gongs and drums, scaring people away before throwing the dice.


    Subsequently, as always, the Deception Puppet scurried off to a secret location, which was the abandoned Number 7 elevated bridge.


    Just as he had expected, in not much time, Black Wukong arrived on the bridge riding the Somersault Cloud, finding the puppet hunched on the railing, playing Snake on a backup phone.


    "Hey, it''s been a week or two since we last met, miss me?"


    The puppet asked without turning around.


    Black Wukong took out his phone, typed, then lifted the screen towards him, "What are you up to, got a gambling itch?"


    The puppet shook its head, "Wrong, isn''t this our signal? I throw a dice at the Huanjing Tower, and then you come to meet me at the Number 7 elevated bridge."


    Black Wukong walked down from the Somersault Cloud and sat beside him, gazing down at the brightly lit city from above the railing.


    "What do you want from me?"


    She spoke softly, removing the hood over her head, allowing her jet black, bright hair, like lead powder, to cascade down, elegantly fluttering in the night breeze, tinged by the city''s neon lights.


    "Just reminding you, there will be some incidents concerning your family on July 4th, the day after tomorrow."


    "Family¡­ Does it involve Bai Zini?"


    "No no no, not our Miss Ash." The puppet continued denying, "I''m talking about ''Yongzhu,'' that little brat from your family."


    "Yongzhu?"


    "Yes, you must stay by his side and protect him well."


    He paused, adding in a haunting tone, "If it''s you, even if you can''t defeat those uninvited guests, you should at least be able to take him away using the Somersault Cloud."


    "I don''t understand what you mean." Black Wukong remained silent for a while, "Who would target him? He''s just an ordinary kid."


    "You don''t need to understand, you just need to watch over him." The puppet said, "This is a reminder from your friend, you will naturally know the truth when the day comes."


    "How can I be sure, you won''t deceive¡­"


    Before Black Wukong could finish, he was interrupted by the Deception Puppet.


    "You are my only friend, how could I bear to harm you? Trust me¡­ I''m not deceiving you, and I have no reason to."


    After speaking, the Deception Puppet leaned forward, momentarily losing its support, and plunged from the elevated bridge, bursting open in mid-air.


    Accompanied by mysterious laughter, its body transformed into a glorious burst of fireworks ascending into the sky.


    Qiuwu sat on the railing, her eyes lowered as she watched this spectacle, then slowly reached up to remove her mask, taking a deep breath.


    "July 4th, huh¡­" she thought, "Better keep an eye out."

 Chapter 101 Personality Split, Blue Owl, Strange Thing

    In the early morning, before dawn, a faint morning light penetrated through the window, gently covering Ke Mingye''s fair face.His eyelids quivered slightly as he slowly awoke from his slumber, lifting his eyes to the words on the notification panel.


    [Good morning, Mr. Player. Today is July 3, 2028. There are 350 days remaining until the deadline for completing the ultimate mission "Superhuman Extinction."]


    "Time flies. The day of the Ninja Sect''s attack is tomorrow," Ke Mingye thought.


    [Today''s daily tasks are as follows.]


    [1. Run 6,000 meters in the morning (Reward: One spin-the-wheel chance)]


    [2. Do one hundred push-ups (Reward: One attribute point to be assigned at will)]


    Ke Mingye walked out of his room and freshened up in the washroom.


    He had initially wanted to drag his grudge-laden younger sister with him for a run, as revenge for her waking him up early a few days ago. But after knocking on her door for a long time, there was no response.


    She was either sleeping like a pig or had gone out.


    After a while, Bai Zini finally spoke up, which suggested the former: "I''m dead tired, you go run by yourself, big bro."


    "Oh, then you sleep," Ke Mingye said. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Were there any criminals last night?


    He thought this while unlocking his phone, searching for crime news related to Huanjing. Last night there were only two villainous figures, "Dice Monster" and "Witch Black Rose."


    Seeing the former, Ke Mingye thought Bai Zini had come looking for him last night, but upon seeing the latter, he dismissed the idea, and the confusion in his heart dissipated.


    "A witch, no wonder," he mused, and put his phone away.


    "Witch," meaning a fallen Magic Girl, who grows powerful by hunting Contracted Beasts and consuming the Comet Fragments within them, all while gradually falling into depravity, losing their humanity.


    In a way, witches can be considered the natural enemies of Magic Girls.


    They typically start out as lowly talented, unremarkable-looking Magic Girls with little presence, harboring obsessive and extreme traits in the depths of their character.


    Thus they lose themselves, unscrupulously hunting Contracted Beasts to increase the amount of Comet Fragments in their bodies


    Eventually, in this process, they slowly lose their humanity, their craving for Comet Fragments steadily escalates, similar to a drug addict''s dependence on marijuana; so they turn to target Magic Girls with Comet Seeds.


    In the eyes of the witches, the Comet Fragments extracted from the bodies of Magic Girls with Comet Seeds are no less than those obtained from Contracted Beasts, so they usually target Magic Girls with Comet Seeds.


    Ke Mingye was unclear about the strength of this "Witch Black Rose" mentioned in the news, as he hadn''t seen her livestream and could not read her information from the system panel.


    However, on the Superhero Association''s wanted list, her bounty placed her in the same high AAA category as "Divine Communicator Ghost Tree," who had troubled Bai Qiuwu.


    One can infer... at least Magical Girl Ash is probably not her match.


    If other Magic Girls can''t beat her, they probably really can''t;


    But Bai Zini is different; the mothers who head the Alliance are her very own, and she can call for mommy if she can''t handle it.


    Just a text message from her, no matter whether Xizi Yue is in Paris or London, she''ll hop on the spacetime train and rush over, so Ke Mingye wasn''t worried about Bai Zini. Xizi Yue''s title as the world''s number one Magic Girl wasn''t just for show.


    If that''s not enough, the city still has dad and big bro backing her up. Those two freaks don''t show mercy or spare the fairer sex like Magic Girls do.


    In any case, since Witch Black Rose chose to come to Huanjing around summer vacation, she''s in for a treat.


    "Unless Bai Zini is too stubborn, wanting to prove herself to her three masters, there shouldn''t be any danger," Ke Mingye thought.


    Feeling a twinge of envy, he thought if only he could call on his parents, there would be no need for all this hassle; he''d just strut across the Earth, for which organization could match this family?


    Unfortunately, he was a villain.


    With that thought, he reached the entrance, put on his shoes, and quickly left the house, descending the stairs, and then, as always, started running along the Old Jingmai District.


    Since his second brother Ke Xiaomo was likely undergoing intense training in preparation for tomorrow''s big battle, no one was watching over him, so he let loose, avoiding surveillance cameras along the way while reaching a speed far beyond that of sprint champions, efficiently completing several laps. Read latest chapters at empire


    The 6,000-meter run was completed in under ten minutes, and because he was so familiar with the route, he indeed managed to avoid most of the surveillance cameras.


    Ke Mingye gradually came to a stop, hands resting on his knees as he caught his breath, and then claimed the reward for completing the task.


    [You''ve obtained one spin-the-wheel chance.]


    [1. A D-class weapon ticket;]


    [2. 1500 Mall Coins;]


    [3. One fragment of a Skill Enhancement Card;]


    [4. A one-time-use item¡ªShrink Flashlight;]


    [5. An E-class item¡ª"Master Chef Card";]


    [6. Thank you for participating.]


    "I sacrifice ten years of my family''s lifespan, please let it be number three," Ke Mingye mumbled as he pressed the start button, clapping his hands together sincerely.


    The pointer began to whirl swiftly on the wheel, slowing down at the edge of the second area. In the last second, the pointer moved to the next section.


    [Congratulations, you have won the prize in area three¡ª"One fragment of a Skill Enhancement Card"]

 Chapter 101 Personality Split, Blue Owl, Strange Thing_2

    ```"i''m going," said ke mingye in shock, "it doesn''t matter, either they won''t survive the year, or i won''t survive the year, so sacrificing ten years of their life doesn''t make much difference."


    [your inventory has now gathered three fragments of the "skill enhancement card," which have been automatically combined into one "skill enhancement card."]


    ke mingye quickly opened his inventory and checked the effects of the skill enhancement card.


    [item name: skill enhancement card]


    [item description: the skill enhancement card can be used to expand the functions of your current skills or to enhance the damage of your skills. (note: skill enhancement cards can only be used on grade c skills and above.)]


    [currently, within your skill slot, the skill that meets the requirements for the skill enhancement card is the grade b skill "deception puppet."]


    [would you like to use the enhancement card on "deception puppet?"]


    without any hesitation, ke mingye pressed "yes," and then a prompt panel popped up in front of him.


    [you have successfully used the skill enhancement card on the grade b skill "deception puppet," and its functions have been comprehensively improved.]


    [after using the skill enhancement card on "deception puppet," the skill has undergone the following changes: ¢Ù, it allows you to summon two deception puppets at the same time, but the second puppet''s attributes will only be 80% of the first; ¢Ú, the existence time of deception puppet has been increased from 3 hours to 6 hours.]


    "i should find a place to try and see what it feels like to release two puppets, and see if a puppet can release another puppet, or if only i, the original body, can do that."


    "that''s not right, puppets can use skills, and deception puppet is a skill, so a puppet should be able to release another puppet."


    "how come it feels like a tongue twister..."


    as ke mingye sorted through his thoughts, he sat on a roadside wooden bench and began checking today''s mall offers.


    there weren''t any skills in the skill exclusive page that caught his eye, but there was a piece of equipment in the equipment and items exclusive page that he was particularly interested in.


    [equipment name: anchor point sunglasses]


    [equipment price: 10,000 mall coins]


    [equipment grade: grade c] enjoy new chapters from empire


    [equipment effects: 1, set an anchor point on a target within an 8-meter radius; 2, continuously obtain the coordinates of the anchor point for 10 minutes, after which the anchor point on the target disappears and must be reset.]


    "nice piece, with this thing i won''t lose track of the elementary school kids and zi ling anymore. maybe i could even track my mom for fun."


    ke mingye glanced at the price and hesitated for a moment. he only had 9,700 mall coins, just shy of the price. but in his inventory, he had a 50% off shopping coupon and a 30% off shopping coupon.


    "i''ll use the 30% off one, and save the 50% off coupon for buying skills."


    with that thought, ke mingye used the 30% off shopping coupon from his inventory.


    [coupon successfully used, the next b-grade or below item you purchase from the mall will have its price reduced by 30%.]


    [would you like to purchase the "anchor point sunglasses?" (after applying the 30% off coupon, the price of the item is 7,000 mall coins.)]


    "confirm purchase."


    [you have purchased "anchor point sunglasses," and the equipment has been added to your inventory.]


    [your mall coins balance: 2,700]


    "okay, next i can use the sunglasses to track zi ling''s location. i''ve been unable to follow her for the past week. it shouldn''t be as bad now."


    ke mingye closed his inventory and once again recalled the frustrating sensation of being easily thrown off by bai ziling every time he sent a deception puppet to follow her during the past week.


    after all, there''s no information about vampires on the internet, unlike magic girls who have a trail to follow, so he didn''t know how bai ziling managed it. it was probably some kind of vampire ability.


    "there''s also one daily task i haven''t done, which is a hundred push-ups."


    thinking this, ke mingye turned his head toward the grass by the lake shore. he climbed over the fence to the lakeside, stretched out on the grass for push-ups, and quickly completed the task.


    he reached out to tap the task bar, claimed the reward, and allocated the attribute points to "neurological reaction."


    ```


    ```


    ["neurological reaction" attribute points change: 24 points¡ú25 points.]


    ...


    ...


    it was two o''clock in the afternoon, on yandai commercial street.


    the deception puppet released its web and descended from an alley, put on its t-shirt and casual trousers, tidied up its hair as it walked out of the alley, then entered the corner arcade.


    it went straight to the second floor, to the innermost private room, pushed open the sliding door, and two figures came into view.


    "the baby onesie you wanted is in this suitcase," fan quan indicated the silver suitcase on the floor with his eyes.


    "it''s a battle suit, actually. show some respect," ke mingye said.


    cai bing looked up from his phone and glanced at him: "so, what do you want me to do?"


    ke mingye did not mince words: "i need you to forge a female identity for me, a background as an orphan from the slums, 13 years old, aimlessly wandering this city."


    ke ming recalled that he had deceived bai zini under the guise of xiaohongmao, claiming they attended the same school, and now could only explain that he had actually never been at that high school and had simply been tricking her at the time.


    "and then? what are you going to do?" cai bing asked.


    "i''m going to infiltrate the alliance disguised as a magic girl."


    "huh? are you out of your mind?"


    "it should be easy for you."


    "it''s not hard... never mind, we can talk in detail after we''ve added each other as friends."


    fan quan, who was eavesdropping on their conversation, asked: "aren''t you going to check the merchandise first?"


    "isn''t that what i''m about to do?"


    with that, the puppet dragged the suitcase into the arcade''s restroom. it casually locked the door and looked around; the restroom was quite spacious, enough to accommodate three or four people without any problems.


    after using the "skill enhancement card," the deception puppet could now create up to two puppets at the same time, so ke mingye had the deception puppet release another "deception puppet."


    just as he had thought, the puppet could also use this skill, and a new deception puppet was born in front of the original.


    let''s call it "puppet two."


    puppet two crouched down on the ground, maintaining its original position, with a sly smile hanging on its lips;


    puppet one, however, unzipped the suitcase and pulled out a red-and-blue battle suit, hastily pulling it over its body.


    after puppet one donned the "blue owl" battle suit, ke mingye commanded it to look at itself in the restroom mirror.


    in the mirror, the red and blue beak of the helmet stretched forward, and the suit''s lines were smooth and elastic, with a protective material. the battle suit''s primary color was red, with blue as a secondary color, and red and blue intertwined on the chest, shoulders, and outer arms, giving it a vibrant and energetic look.


    at first glance, it gave off the vibe of a new-generation superhero, not as brooding or restrained as the old guard of superheroes.


    the eye sockets of the helmet were protected by a red lens, but one could see a pair of bright and profound eyes underneath, almost as if they could see into a person''s soul.


    ke mingye instructed puppet two to stand up and face puppet one, who was dressed in the "blue owl" battle suit.


    then, taking a deep breath to prepare himself psychologically, he slowly activated the e-level skill¡ª"personality split."


    the next moment, in the cramped restroom, both puppets simultaneously raised their heads. s§×arch* the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the bright and profound eyes behind the blue owl mask stared intently at the empty gaze of the strange thing.


    ```

 Chapter 102 Damn Ke Mingye

    the strange thing had one hand on his hip and the other on the bathroom stall door, leaning in to look at the blue owl.the blue owl checked his appearance in the mirror, then fixed his gaze on it.


    "superhero?" the strange thing raised an imaginary eyebrow and said with disdain, "i hate superheroes, a bunch of clowns in tights... do you want to be a clown too?"


    "and you''re any better? i think kids would vomit if they saw you," the blue owl retorted.


    "i say, can we blow this guy up..." the strange thing covered its face and pointed at the blue owl, "his way of speaking is so disgusting, like a little brat trying to mimic his dad."


    "it''s just you and me here. who are you talking to?"


    "to ke mingye."


    "aren''t you ke mingye?"


    the strange thing shook its head: "no, no, no, strictly speaking, you''re ke mingye. you have control of ke mingye''s body, which means you can blow both me and yourself up."


    as he said, personality 1 inside ke mingye had control of his body and the blue owl was controlled by him;


    while the personality controlling the strange thing was personality 2, which could be said to be independent from him.


    the blue owl cocked his head, asking, "then why would i want to blow myself up?"


    "good question."


    the strange thing gently tapped on the stall door with its five fingers, muttering, "your damned way of talking, and those damned clothes, they all remind me of that damned crow, oh... the tyrant of huanjing, the brute reviled by thousands. he would never imagine that such a ludicrous figure would have an imitator..."


    "three ''damned'' in one sentence, you really must hate him," the blue owl said.


    "what else?" the strange thing replied.


    having said that, it reached out to open the stall door, sat on the toilet seat, and made a motion as if to pull down pants, before realizing it had none.


    it looked down at its body and felt its buttocks, "wait, why don''t i have that thing? i wanted to perform taking a dump in front of you."


    "you''re just a puppet, so you don''t have that thing," the blue owl said.


    the strange thing sat dejectedly on the toilet, hands covering its face: "really unlucky, i thought you called me out here in the toilet to poop with me."


    it paused, "speaking of which, aren''t you also a puppet, why do you get to wear clothes? i suggest you get me a set of clothes too, to achieve puppet equality..."


    the strange thing was speaking when suddenly a train conductor uniform appeared on it; it touched the fabric, but in the next second, it vanished.


    it looked up angrily: "hey, where are my clothes?"


    as soon as those words were spoken, the strange thing suddenly became motionless, collapsing forward like a heap of mud, with its buttocks up in the air on the toilet, and its head hitting the floor.


    ........


    ........


    at the same time, in the room of the bai ke family.


    ke mingye voluntarily ended the "personality split," holding his throbbing forehead and took a deep breath.


    "if it splits into such a personality every time, then working together in practice is almost like collaborating with a madman," he thought.


    when ke mingye was alone controlling the puppet in a frenzy, he appeared very neurotic, but his mind was actually clear.


    but separating that part of rationality, isolating this part of the personality alone, was different.


    it was truly mad...


    who knows what the strange thing would do? s~ea??h the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ke mingye shook his head to clear his thoughts and sighed. he had a lot on his plate and no time to worry about this.


    later, he borrowed a bag from the shopkeeper using puppet no. 1 and placed the "blue owl" battle suit inside. then, using spiderweb, he quickly traveled through the city, shortly arriving at the abandoned train station in old jingmai district.


    he couldn''t hide the suit at home because his parents weren''t there these days, and the cleaning was up to ke xiaomo. while cleaning the rooms, just by merging into the shadows, he could easily observe every corner. thus, even if he hid the battle suit under his bed, there was a high chance ke xiaomo would discover it.


    in conclusion, storing it at the abandoned train station in old jingmai district was a safe choice.


    when needed, he could just operate the puppet to come over and put on the battle suit.


    this place was temporarily their secret base, and if their play-pretend plan collapsed, they could also escape huanjing by using the no. 7 card to board a train.


    the deception puppet placed the bag containing the battle suit in a dilapidated storage locker at platform 9, then found an open space within the station and self-destructed.


    one puppet was dealt with, but there was another still at the gaming store. read new adventures at empire


    ke mingye lay back on the bed, instructed puppet number two to return to the video arcade, and greeted cai bing, asking her to meet him later at the caf¨¦ on no. 7 old jingmai district street.


    he then jumped from the windowsill to the eave and disappeared near a coastal self-destruct.


    in the afternoon, ke mingye found some free time and went to the agreed-upon caf¨¦ in person to meet cai bing.


    cai bing examined him and commented, "in person, you look just like a little kid."


    "it''s called a baby face."


    ke mingye sent her a friend request.


    "okay, baby face magic girl."


    cai bing accepted his friend request.


    "let''s go, i can''t stay out too long."


    as ke mingye was about to get up, from the corner of his eye he suddenly caught a glimpse of someone coming up the stairs.


    his pupils contracted slightly, but his face quickly regained composure as his right hand picked up the lemonade and brought it to his mouth.


    accompanied by footsteps that were neither hurried nor slow, the person approached.


    they gently placed a hand on ke mingye''s shoulder and spoke with a hint of surprise, "for real? our little mingye has started drinking coffee too."


    "actually, i came for the ice cream, but it''s a bit too pricey for me to order."


    ke yinzhi smiled and said, "i''ll treat you to it then. why didn''t you send me a message? i was just coming back from outside."


    as he spoke, he turned his gaze toward cai bing, who was sitting across from ke mingye, "and who is this?"


    "a sister i bumped into at the caf¨¦." ke mingye sipped his lemonade and shrugged, "i don''t even know her name yet."


    cai bing looked up from her phone and looked at ke yinzhi''s face, giving a fake name.


    "my name is song yawen."


    as soon as she finished speaking, ke yinzhi''s character panel appeared in her eyes.


    [character name: ke yinzhi]


    [ability: a++ level (possesses top fighting power far beyond 99% of the superhumans in the world)]


    [hidden identity: black judge (a public figure from the anomaly control bureau, one of the five s-level enforcers)]


    cai bing immediately shifted her gaze away from the panel and gave ke mingye a resentful look as if to say, "are you trying to get a brother killed here..."


    but ke mingye lowered his head, not even glancing her way, engrossed in his cell phone.


    at this point, he could only play dumb.


    seeing ke mingye decisively lower his head and essentially clear himself of any connection, cai bing sighed silently in her heart but maintained a calm demeanor, continuing to stare at ke yinzhi''s face.


    she said, "i saw this little brother sitting here alone, so we started chatting."


    "oh... i didn''t expect this kid to have such charm," ke yinzhi raised an eyebrow.


    "not... what do you mean? i''ve received love letters at school before too, okay?" ke mingye nudged him with his elbow, muttering.


    "primary school or kindergarten?" ke yinzhi laughed.


    "kindergarten."


    "there you go."


    cai bing glanced at the two of them and asked curiously, "you two seem close, are you friends?"


    "no, i''m his brother."


    ke yinzhi said while pulling up a chair to sit down beside the table, "miss song yawen, haven''t you ordered a drink yet? let me treat you to something."


    "really?"


    "of course." ke yinzhi flashed a smile, picked up the menu from the table, and while flipping through it asked, "what would you like?"


    without any hesitation, cai bing said, "cappuccino."


    "okay." ke yinzhi picked up a ballpoint pen from the table, checked an option on the menu, then looked up at cai bing, "i frequent this caf¨¦ often. how about we exchange contact info?"

 Chapter 103 The Masked Man

    the moment ke yinzhi opened his mouth and started talking to cai bing, ke mingye immediately used his thoughts to open the chat panel. he typed in the chat box and sent a message to cai bing.[failed man: no, whose name did you just report to my brother?]


    at that time, cai bing was chatting with ke yinzhi. she noticed the bubble in the upper right corner of her field of vision out of the corner of her eye, so she opened the chat panel with her thoughts.


    [cai bing: are you talking about "song yawen"?]


    [failed man: yes.]


    [cai bing: that''s a common name, an only child, her parents are already deceased.]


    [failed man: that''s exactly the issue, you reported that name to my brother, what if he uses his authority to find out you''re not "song yawen"? he won''t just let an unclear person go.]


    [cai bing: don''t worry about it.]


    [failed man: ?]


    [failed man: big sister, if you get caught, i''m screwed too.]


    [cai bing: you''re really annoying.]


    [cai bing: right now, i''m wearing a face mask made to look like "song yawen". the day i arrived in huanjing, i had someone kidnap her, and she''s currently locked in an abandoned factory. she has no relatives, no one will look for her, i can use her identity to live in her apartment and work her customer service job.]


    [failed man: so you''ve been wearing a face mask all this time while with us?]


    [cai bing: not buddies, don''t you understand my situation is because you and fan quan got me hunted by qing ya?]


    [cai bing: i had to come over here, so of course i needed to prepare some safety measures. i had this face mask made half a month ago, and as soon as i arrived in huanjing, i could replace her identity anytime.]


    [failed man: no wonder.]


    [cai bing: i''m a hacker myself, definitely more cautious than you imagine. but thanks to you, i might have to change my identity again.]


    at that moment, in a partition on the second floor of the cafe.


    ke yinzhi put down his ballpoint pen, shifted his gaze from the menu, and looked at cai bing, "i frequent this coffee shop often too, how about we exchange contact information?"


    cai bing sipped her lemon water, slowly lifting her eyes from the glass, and looked at him calmly.


    "you shouldn''t... ask for a girl''s contact information often, right?" she said.


    "are you referring to me?"


    "yes."


    ke yinzhi asked, "i''m busy with my studies, indeed i don''t have much interaction with women, did i offend you?"


    ke mingye, watching his brother turn on the charm, silently scoffed internally: "right, right, busy with studies."


    "of course it''s offensive, asking for contact information right away, how impolite, right?" cai bing said expressionlessly, "especially for someone tricky like me. at least wait until after finishing the coffee... learn a bit for next time."


    as ke yinzhi handed the menu to the waiter, he locked eyes with cai bing and chuckled slightly, asking. find exclusive stories on empire


    "fair enough, should i apologize then?"


    cai bing supported her chin with her right hand, calmly staring at him for a while.


    "are you free tomorrow?"


    "yes." just after ke yinzhi finished speaking, he remembered that tomorrow is july 4th and he must stay by ke xiaomo''s side, so he changed his words, "actually, it seems i''m not."


    "is that so, i was thinking of inviting you to a movie."


    "that''s unfortunate..." ke yinzhi cocked his head, "what about the day after tomorrow? i''ll be free then."


    "perhaps, depending on your behavior." cai bing, with her chin propped on her hand, looked down at her phone, indifferently speaking, "if you behave well, i might give you my contact information."


    "okay... i have to take a call, excuse me for a moment."


    as he said this, ke yinzhi smiled slightly, took the ringing phone from the pocket of his brown coat, then stood up and walked towards the shadowy part of the stairwell.


    "welcome to the management bureau agent exclusive app, ''black judge'' sir."


    a gentle yet distant female voice came through the phone, as if carrying a scent of disinfectant.


    "song yawen, help me look up this name."


    ke yinzhi, leaning against the wall plastered with movie posters, typed single-handedly in the dialogue box and sent it.


    quickly, the other side mechanically and succinctly replied, "song yawen, an only child; tested as a common human in two genetic tests in the past year, parents deceased from illness; currently lives alone in an apartment near ring capital pear fall bridge, works in customer service from home, her main hobby is watching movies."


    "pull up photos from the past half-month and work information from the past week, check for any abnormal behavior."


    the voice faded, and ke yinzhi''s pupils quickly skimmed through photos taken by surveillance.


    sometimes it was song yawen shopping alone at the supermarket, sometimes it was song yawen watching movies alone in the cinema, sometimes it was song yawen walking alone by the lake. the face in the photos basically matched the one he had just seen.


    her work situation was also displayed on the phone, song yawen''s customer service job was basically never missed.


    "no abnormal behavior detected, this individual''s living routine is normal, work efficiency is normal," the cold female voice stated.


    am i being paranoid? recently, due to work, i have been too neurotic... ke yinzhi leaned his head back against the wall, yawned with a muffled voice and continued asking.


    "then, what are the chances she''s a player?"


    "the probability of this individual being a player is less than 0.5 percent, do you need to apply to use the brain imaging helmet?"


    "no need." sea??h th§× n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ke yinzhi shrugged self-mockingly, closed his phone, stepped out of the shadow of the stairwell, and returned to his seat.

 Chapter 103 The Masked Man_2

    he pondered for half a second, lifted his clear eyes, and said unhurriedly, "miss wen, i just received a last-minute work notification."as he talked, he propped up his chin and took a sip of lemon water, "it looks like i''ll be very busy for the next week, and i probably won''t be able to watch the movie the day after tomorrow. maybe we should just forget it?"


    "are you regretting this now?" cai bing raised her eyes, tilting her head to look at him.


    "no, i''m telling the truth." s~ea??h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "could it be that your girlfriend suddenly called you?" cai bing continued to probe, "having a girlfriend and still flirting around, aren''t you ashamed to do this in front of your brother?"


    at this moment, ke mingye, seemingly occupied with his phone, was actually listening very clearly. his head buzzed as if a hot iron was scorching inside, and he was almost about to faint.


    he began to type in the chat panel, starting to put pressure on cai bing.


    [failed man: aren''t you leaving yet?]


    [cai bing: what''s the rush.]


    [cai bing: you definitely can''t just let it go in this kind of situation. his behavior before and after is also abrupt, wouldn''t it seem strange if i didn''t continue to ask?]


    [failed man: i now know why you were able to hang out with fan quan in your last life; you''ve got quite the nerve.]


    [cai bing: rather than that, on another note...]


    [failed man: what do you want to say?]


    [cai bing: your brother is quite handsome.]


    [failed man: dude, if you want to die, just jump into a river. don''t drag me into it, okay?]


    "no, i don''t have a girlfriend," ke yinzhi sipped his coffee and answered.


    cai bing tilted her head slightly and looked straight into his eyes, "so you just don''t fancy me, huh?"


    "of course not."


    "then your face turned pretty fast, just got one call and you lost interest in me."


    cai bing propped up her chin, tapping the table lightly with her fingers and watched him expressionlessly.


    after a long sigh, she gave in, "13822858, that''s my phone number. i''ve given you my contact. what about yours?"


    "all right..."


    left with no choice, ke yinzhi reluctantly reported a number, "15971241."


    ke mingye choked on his lemon water; he realized that ke yinzhi had given out ke xiaomo''s phone number.


    "remember to answer my call. see you in a week. also... about the coffee you offered, let''s forget it. i don''t like owing people things."


    as she spoke, cai bing had already stood up from the table and, before leaving, didn''t forget to take a glance at ke mingye, leaving behind a remark.


    "your brother is pretty cute."


    "is he... well, actually, i think so too."


    ke yinzhi replied casually, covering his mouth to stifle a smile, then stretched out his hand and ruffled ke mingye''s hair teasingly, making it messy.


    "what do you mean by that?" ke mingye brushed off his hand and looked at him with disdain, "what''s funny about someone complimenting me? don''t you know how popular a high school boy is among female groups, just like men always like eighteen-year-old beauties?"


    "right, right, high school boy."


    ke yinzhi''s tone was laid-back as he teased while keeping an eye on cai bing''s retreating figure.


    by now, cai bing had walked down the stairs and out of the caf¨¦.


    once her footsteps faded away, ke mingye dared to say, "please, that woman is quite something. i didn''t even dare to speak... big brother, you haven''t been played by her, have you?"


    "haha, actually, i gave her ke xiaomo''s number just now."


    "i figured as much, you''re such a jerk. what if second brother falls for her?"


    "oh, are you talking about our little xiao mo? the odds of him becoming a monk and shaving his head are probably much higher than him dating someone..." ke yinzhi bantered, "forget about it, here comes your ice cream."


    ke mingye took the sundae ice cream and a tiny metal spoon from the server, then started to spoon ice cream into his mouth while glancing at the chat panel.


    [cai bing: he gave out his own phone number?]


    [failed man: my second brother''s, don''t ever call. my second brother is quite a heavyweight; if he gets suspicious of you, he''ll turn into a shadow and watch you 24/7.]


    [cai bing: is it that scary?]


    [failed man: i can only say, my family''s terrifying darts man and terrifying crow man are no joke. you''ve already messed with a crow man, and i advise you to steer clear of the darts man.]


    [cai bing: if players could add each other as friends without meeting face-to-face, who would want to meet you... the trouble just now was your own doing, choosing a place your brother might come to, and then nagging me the whole time.]


    [failed man: he told me over the phone he would only be home at night, i was duped, okay. i just planned to meet you and leave, but then i bumped into him just by chance.]


    [cai bing: alright, then answer me one question and i''ll forgive you, buddy.]


    [failed man: what question?]


    [cai bing: what is your brother''s mobile number?]


    [failed man: blocked. don''t message me.]


    .....


    ....


    after having dessert at the coffee shop, ke mingye went home with ke yinzhi.


    time passed very quickly, and soon it was night.


    after having dinner, ke mingye returned to his room and sat on the bed. he took out a c-level equipment known as "anchor sunglasses" from his bag, which he had bought at a 30% discount from the mall this morning. nevertheless, it was outrageously expensive and cost him a fortune.


    the appearance of the equipment was basically the same as ordinary sunglasses, the only difference being there was a start button on the far right.


    he slid the sunglasses into his trouser pocket, then walked out of his room and downstairs. sitting on the couch, he glanced sideways at bai ziling at the dining table and gently pressed the button.


    [there are a total of four characters within an eight-meter radius of you: ke yinzhi, ke xiaomo, bai ziling, bai zini. on which character would you like to set the anchor point?]


    "bai ziling."


    ke mingye responded in his mind.


    [the anchor point has been set on the character "bai ziling." next, as long as you wear the sunglasses and press the button on the edge again, you will be able to acquire the location coordinates of that character.]


    ke mingye saw that there were no hitches, breathed a sigh of relief, reached for a cup of tea handed to him by ke xiaomo, and looked up at the tv.


    he watched tv on the couch with ke yinzhi and ke xiaomo, while waiting for bai ziling to leave the house.


    suddenly, ke xiaomo''s phone rang in his pocket. he walked to a corner of the living room, answered it, and put it to his ear.


    after a moment, he sat back on the couch and shot ke yinzhi a puzzled look: "song yawen, who is she, another ex-girlfriend of yours? she''s asking for your phone number."


    ke mingye choked on his tea, almost spraying it out, hissing from the burn.


    he thought to himself that the hacker girl was really a bit off, feeling safe and then wildly seeking trouble on the edge of the death line, not caring about his life or death, huh?


    ke yinzhi, sipping on wong lo kat and watching tv absentmindedly, said: "song yawen... don''t think i''ve heard of that name before, is it a scam call?"


    "the lady you met today at the coffee shop, come on, big brother, your memory can''t be that good, right?"


    ke mingye managed to swallow the tea and reminded him.


    could this be the side effect of a genetic mutation, he wondered.


    "oh, now i remember." ke yinzhi raised his eyebrows and said to ke xiaomo, "just pretend you don''t know me, and if all else fails, tell her she''s got the wrong number."


    "such a bore..."


    as he spoke, ke xiaomo hung up the phone expressionlessly. less than two seconds later, the other party called again. he listened to the ringing, fell silent for a moment, sighed softly, picked up and gave out ke yinzhi''s mobile number, and then hung up again.


    "seriously, dude... you just sold me out like that?"


    ke yinzhi turned his head to look at him, his expression odd.


    "last time it was that magic girl, and now some stranger, i''d like to ask you, can your emotional debts get any deeper?" ke xiaomo asked.


    "ah, i can only say those were misunderstandings, but say whatever you want, it doesn''t really matter..."


    saying this, ke yinzhi casually rested an arm on the back of the couch, took a leisurely sip of wong lo kat, and couldn''t be bothered to explain any further to ke xiaomo.


    "i''m full, going out for a walk."


    your adventure continues at empire


    bai ziling''s calm voice came from the kitchen. she then rose from beside the dining table, walked slowly to the entrance, slipped on her sandals, and walked out the door with a tap-tap sound.


    seeing her leave home, ke mingye didn''t rush but continued to watch the movie with ke yinzhi for a few more minutes.


    then he went upstairs, returned to his room, locked the door, and from the windowsill released a deception puppet, handing it the anchor sunglasses.


    "with these sunglasses out, i should have no reason to lose her tonight," he thought.

 Chapter 104 Strange Thing X Vampire Miss X Calamity Dragon

    the strange thing leapt high from the windowsill, quickly blending into the dense dusk.soon, it jumped onto the railing of a rooftop, putting on the "anchor sunglasses" held in its hand, and the world at twilight grayed further under the filter of the lenses.


    the strange thing pressed a button on the right side of the sunglasses, and a map appeared in its view immediately.


    "so fast, just a few minutes and she''s already at wine reflecting coast... good thing she stopped there without moving, it will only take me eight minutes to get there from here."


    the strange thing raised an eyebrow, muttering to itself.


    it had already put on the "spider web shooter" and "night walker belt" in advance, kicked off the railing with both feet, and a white-hot spider web shot out from his wrist, sticking to a huge billboard.


    clutching the web, its figure swung through the flashy neon lights, the generic advertisement slogans drowned out by the whistling wind.


    .......


    .......


    seven minutes later, wine reflecting coast.


    the strange thing, maintaining its invisibility, tiptoed down the stairs from the coast, its hollow gaze peering through the sunglasses toward the beach ahead.


    under the moonlight, a figure was standing on the sand, using a straw to suck from a transparent bag in her hand, as if she were drinking tomato juice.


    the strange thing''s feet touched down on the sand, kicking up a pebble.


    bai ziling turned her face, glancing over with her red eyes, catching a glimpse of the coastal stairs from the corner of her eye.


    she slowly turned around, back facing the sea, her pale hair fluttering in the sea breeze, turned to the color of moonlight, the right hand behind her clutching a pack of blood bags.


    "why have you been following me?"


    bai ziling asked softly, tilting her head, her white hair hanging over her shoulder.


    the strange thing deactivated the ability of the ''night walker belt'' and stopped on the stairs, raising its hands high in a surrender gesture.


    "so you noticed me the previous few times... i thought it was just a coincidence that i got away."


    "then why... are you looking for me?"


    bai ziling''s eyes remained fixed on it, one hand behind her back, the other lifting the pale hair at her forehead.


    the strange thing slightly lowered its head, lifting its hollow eyes from the sunglasses, introducing itself: "i''m called ''strange thing,'' an unemployed vagabond, well... not any more. now i''m a fugitive on the run, have you seen me on tv?"


    "that''s not important," bai ziling shook her head, her expression blank, "i just want to know, why are you looking for me?"


    "i want to make friends with you."


    the strange thing took off its sunglasses, slipped off the belt, and tucked it back into its bag.


    "i don''t need friends."


    bai ziling said softly, her gaze shifting away from it, glancing towards the sea.


    "why, aren''t you lonely?" the strange thing whispered, "vampires need friends too, just like any living thing needs to form connections with others."


    "actually, i already have a friend... i''m waiting for it."


    "uh... if i may ask, who is this friend of yours?"


    the strange thing raised a non-existent eyebrow, wondering if bai ziling''s friend was another member of the blood clan?


    not surprisingly, if there was one blood clan member, then there must be others of her kind in the world.


    bai ziling slightly lifted her red eyes, her gaze calm as she looked at the strange thing, and yet as if she was looking behind it.


    "behind you," she spoke after a moment of silence.


    the strange thing paused, slowly lowering the hands it had held high, pointing at its chest while muttering to itself.


    "uh... behind me?"


    bai ziling gazed intently at it from a distance, gently nodding her head after a while, staying silent.


    the next moment, the strange thing suddenly heard an odd gasping sound coming from behind it, like a primal beast, the gasping getting closer and closer, seemingly expanding into a tangible oppression that enveloped the strange thing''s shadow, presenting a surreally chaotic, dark red hue.


    "yo, ran into you again," a raspy voice came from behind, "strange thing..."


    the strange thing, hearing the noises from behind, slowly turned its face, its peripheral vision meeting the furious gaze of the young dragon, fearlessly curling its lips upward.


    "i didn''t expect to run into you here, little dragon."


    it paused, lowered its face, and spoke solemnly: "it''s really fate... isn''t it?"


    at that moment, in the bedroom, ke mingye was already drenched in sweat. he breathed deeply, the cold air striking his lungs like a sharp sword.


    "indeed, does zi ling know the elementary school student?"


    ke mingye murmured to himself, flipping through a comic book while organizing the clues in his mind.


    "from the images transmitted via the brain imaging helmet at the cinema, it''s evident that the elementary school student likely knows bai ziling''s hidden identity."


    "zi ling has also met ke yongzhu after his transformation into a dragon at least once. otherwise, the images she conjured up at that time couldn''t possibly resemble the appearance of the dragon of calamity so closely."


    "ah... trying to find zi ling alone is still too difficult, i should have thought that i might run into the elementary school student."


    at that moment, bai ziling took off her sandals, walked barefoot on the beach carelessly, her white hair floating in the sea breeze.


    "it seems..." she said softly, "it doesn''t agree with me being your friend."


    the strange thing hesitated in place, afraid that taking one more step would result in the dragon behind it twisting its head off, which would be so embarrassing.


    so, it spread its hands and turned back to bai ziling, asking, "why do i need its permission to be your friend, are you conjoined twins or something?"


    the dragon of calamity''s eyebrows curved, and its pupils slightly narrowed, the crimson-gold light in its eyes as dazzling as magma. it breathed heavily, the air exhaling from its nostrils and mouth mingled with fine flames. its cold, sharp fangs appeared and disappeared, as if struggling to suppress its rage.


    the dragon stared at the strange thing, and after a long pause, it asked each word deliberately, "why, why do you want to get close to her?"


    "you ask me why, well, of course, it''s to make friends."


    "friends?"


    "yes, just like how i am friends with you," the strange thing pondered, muttering to itself, "right, logically speaking... since i am friends with you, then a friend''s friend should also be my friend, so this lovely vampire should technically be my friend, right?"


    bai ziling raised her eyebrows, lifted her gaze from her white hair strands, and asked curiously.


    "is that so, you guys are friends?"


    "yes," the strange thing said as it moved back two steps, coming beside the dragon of calamity, and unilaterally slung an arm around it, "we are friends indeed."


    it said earnestly, then vigorously patted the dragon of calamity''s shoulder, "super, super good friends, so good i could use my head as a ball for it to play with, or sometimes we''d hang out, just going for a panda hotpot meal."


    bai ziling blinked, "panda hotpot?"


    the strange thing nodded vigorously, "yeah, we often gather together for panda hotpot, it loves it. just the sight of pandas makes it drool non-stop..."


    "shut up¡ª!"


    the dragon of calamity angrily growled, a flame burst forth from the depths of its bloodthroat, and in an instant, it burned the right hand of the strange thing that was resting on its shoulder.


    "huff! huff! huff!"


    the strange thing bowed its head, blowing hard on its right arm, trying to extinguish the flames. finally, it sighed, forcibly tore off its own right arm, and casually threw it onto the beach.


    it was better than letting the flames spread to its whole body, which would be more loss than gain.


    "i''ll ask you one last time... why do you want to get close to her?"


    the dragon''s eyes hid in the shadow of its brow ridges, its voice hoarse and gloomy.


    the strange thing turned its face slightly, silently looked at it for a moment, and said unhurriedly, "it''s to remind her of something that will happen tomorrow."


    "what is it?" bai ziling asked. her voice was emotionless.


    "it''s..."


    just as the strange thing was about to speak, the dragon of calamity beside it rudely interrupted: "don''t listen to this guy, it''s always spouting nonsense, last time it even claimed to be conan doyle. i''ll just deal with it now, make it shut up..."


    as it spoke, it had already raised its sharp claws, reaching toward the strange thing''s head.


    bai ziling shook her head, "no, i would like to hear what it has to say, could you be quiet for a moment?"


    the dragon of calamity paused, opened its mouth as if to say something, then slowly lowered its red eyes, retracted its claws, and crouched like a cat on the sand.


    "okay..." it swallowed, speaking in a hoarse voice.


    the strange thing slightly grinned, reaching out to rub the dragon of calamity''s head, "there you go, baby dragon, you can''t be so rough with friends." your next read is at empire


    "get lost." the dragon of calamity slapped its hand away.


    in the moonlight, the light flickering in bai ziling''s eyes was as dazzling as gemstones. she lifted her gaze from her sandy feet, staring motionlessly at the strange thing, softly asking.


    "so... what were you about to say?" s~ea??h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "it''s something very important."


    the strange thing met her gaze, raised a finger, and slowly said.


    "important thing?"


    the strange thing nodded, its tone taking on a touch of jest: "yes, and about our good friend baby dragon as well, but actually..." it paused, slowly lowered its gaze, looking at the dragon crouched on the ground, "this matter, it''s aimed directly at it."

 Chapter 105 The New Tenant of the Bai Ke Family

    july 3rd, night.ke mingye rubbed the bridge of his nose and expressionlessly put down the textbook he was holding. as he let out a sigh, a panel popped up in front of him.


    without thinking, he glanced upwards, and a mass of dense text caught his eye.


    [congratulations, you have completed the first milestone of the main quest "the extinction of the blood clan" -- approaching "white-haired blood clan" bai ziling under a disguised identity.]


    [the next milestone for this main quest is: "destroy the vampire hunter organization" -- using bai ziling as bait to lure the vampire hunters to this city, and kill all the vampire hunters at once.]


    upon seeing this, ke mingye raised an eyebrow.


    "please, what the heck is the vampire hunter organization? so now there''s another thing as nonsensically strange as the shadow heir ninja sect?" he thought.


    [milestone reward points gained: 2000 experience points, 8 attribute points, 2000 mall coins.]


    [you have a total of 8 unused attribute points, please allocate them promptly.]


    ke mingye immediately allocated them to "neurological reaction," without any hesitation.


    [your "neurological reaction" attribute has changed: 25¡ú33 points (¡ü8 points).]


    [congratulations, your "neurological reaction" attribute has successfully surpassed the "minimum attribute standard for f-class superhumans" (30 points).]


    ke mingye took a long breath and thought to himself.


    "f-class reflexes, huh? i still feel it''s going to be tough to make them useful. when the time comes, i''ll just play it by ear and try to die slower."


    what happened earlier on the beach was very straightforward.


    ke mingye might have looked like he stood up before a primary school student, but in reality, just as he was about to reveal the true identity of the dragon to bai ziling, his head was promptly twisted off by the dragon of calamity.


    he had to leave, regrettably.


    only ten minutes passed, and bai ziling and ke yongzhu went home one after another. ke yongzhu even brought her a bottle of drink on the way. since they had a rotation agreement over the tv with ke yinzhi, it was now their turn to use the tv, so they sat on the sofa sipping their drinks and started watching "zootropolis".


    ke mingye went downstairs and sat next to them, just about to say something, when bai zini came rushing down from upstairs with shining eyes and said, "big bro, big bro!"


    "what''s up?" asked ke mingye.


    "i''ve made plans with big brother and second brother, we''re going to wanxiang city tomorrow, and dad has reimbursed us, he sent big brother a whole two thousand bucks!" find more to read at empire


    "wow, two thousand bucks! we''re going to have so much fun tomorrow." ke mingye said expressionlessly, "but you have to keep an eye on big brother, be careful he doesn''t pocket it all."


    "how could he, if big brother dares to do that i''ll bite him to death." bai zini huffed and turned to the other two on the sofa, "what do you guys want to do?"


    "i want to watch a movie, book me a movie ticket," ke yongzhu said.


    bai zini frowned with disdain, "watching movies at home every day, even wanting to watch movies when going out, can''t you just shop around for once?"


    just then, bai qiuwu pushed open the door, took off her shoes, and walked in. she was about to pass by the sofa when she stopped and looked at the four people, "what are you talking about?"


    "where did you go, big sister? couldn''t find you earlier," bai zini turned to her.


    "uh..." bai qiuwu paused for a moment, a smile playing on her lips, "i went to meet a friend, but unfortunately, i didn''t see them."


    ke mingye was taken aback, thinking, big sister, you didn''t go to the 7th overpass bridge to look for me again, did you? i don''t have time to meet you tonight.


    he said, "we''re going to wanxiang city tomorrow."


    bai qiuwu raised her eyebrows, "wanxiang city, huh? take me with you then." although she was speaking to ke mingye, her gaze unavoidably slipped towards ke yongzhu.


    all day long, she couldn''t stop thinking about the strange creature''s warning on the overpass, saying that tomorrow someone would target ke yongzhu, and she had to protect him.


    what kind of person would target a child? she wondered, is it my enemy, or xiao ni''s? the only superhumans in the family are us two, so those are the only possibilities...


    "sure," ke mingye said nonchalantly, "i''ll take you, my treat."


    "that generous? you didn''t really gamble on the dark web, did you?" bai qiuwu asked.


    "it''s actually dad''s reimbursement, don''t listen to big brother''s nonsense," bai zini exposed the truth.


    "that''s a relief," bai qiuwu replied. "oh, and..." she started, setting down her backpack and pulling out a box, "guess what''s inside this?"


    ke mingye glanced at the box, about to suggest pizza, when suddenly an information panel popped up unexpectedly from the top of the box.


    [species: cat]


    [gender: male]


    [danger level: b-class]


    [description: a cat involved in an illegal mutant gene experiment by accident, it can see through a superpower user''s abilities and replicate them for use. it escaped from the lab 10 days ago and is currently in a vagrant state.]


    [current superpower being replicated and used: affection (forces a target to develop a strong liking towards itself)]


    [note: extraordinary animals are not considered within the category of superhumans.]


    "what the heck?" ke mingye was stunned, "big sis, could you possibly pick up something even stranger?" he thought, but then reconsidered, "no, wait, did she notice something off about this cat using eyes of golden flame, or was she... bewitched by this cat''s superpower?"


    "it contains a cat?"


    bai zini curiously glanced at the box and, hearing a rumbling sound inside, much like the engine of a motorcycle, she made a conjecture.


    "nini sure deserves to be our child, guessing it just like that."


    with those words, bai qiuwu smiled, extended her hand, and lifted the lid of the box. a tiny black cat with blue eyes poked its head out, meowing and scratching its head with a paw.


    bai ziling''s attention was caught; she slightly raised her eyebrows, moved closer, and gently rubbed the cat''s head.


    "cute..." she whispered softly.


    ke yongzhu took a sip of cola, glanced at bai ziling''s profile, and quickly looked away, muttering, "stray cats are all dirty."


    yeah, right, like you''re some noble breed compared to a stray cat. ke mingye grumbled internally.


    "it''s not dirty, i just took it to the pet shop for a bath before bringing it home," bai qiuwu shook her head.


    "exactly, elementary school kids always tell bald-faced lies. i think you''re the dirty one," bai zini said, giving ke yongzhu a disdainful look.


    ke yongzhu retorted, "hmph."


    "big sis, you''re not planning to keep it, are you?"


    ke mingye paused for a moment, then looked up at bai qiuwu and asked.


    "it depends," bai qiuwu replied, "mom and dad will be back in a few days. we can let it stay in our house for now, feed it some food. if they don''t agree later, then i''ll take it to a stray cat shelter."


    "with so many stray cats on the streets, why keep this one?" ke mingye probed.


    "hmm... i just felt like we had some kind of connection the moment i saw it," bai qiuwu said with a smile, pausing for a bit, "it''s very charming, isn''t it?"


    "oh, i see." ke mingye pretty much concluded that bai qiuwu was mesmerized by the cat''s superpower, "i think it''s okay, let''s keep it, then. i''m going to sleep now; i hope your cat won''t scream in the middle of the night."


    as he spoke, he yawned, with tears welled up in his eyes, and took to the stairs.


    he could hear the others discussing names for the cat behind him. bai zini had a few suggestions, but bai qiuwu said she had already picked a name for it, "yuri."


    to be honest, ke mingye was starting to regret not choosing that e-level skill¡ª "animal communication skill." if he had that skill, he could communicate with this b-level cat, and perhaps there''d be an extra helper at home. of course, this was all hindsight; he couldn''t have anticipated the current situation...


    a mutant cat added to the home, even if dad wouldn''t agree, mom, who is a fanatical extraterrestrial researcher, might very well keep the cat as a research subject.


    so, assuming mom agreed, dad would probably have to compromise even if he disagreed, so... it was pretty much confirmed that the cat would be staying with them.


    logically, the cat''s abilities would only affect superpower users, and the only superpower user in the house was dad, so the danger wasn''t that great, right?


    "that''s it, let it copy dad''s superpower, and i can finally study what dad''s power actually does beyond creating fake crows," ke mingye thought, "but what if the cat unleashes dad''s superpower at home? if he sees the cat spawning a bunch of crows, wouldn''t he just explode it?"


    just great, now we have a ticking time bomb at home, our family really is thriving.


    thinking about this, ke mingye freshened up in front of the bathroom mirror before lying back down on his bed and setting an alarm on his system.


    tomorrow was the day the ninja sect would launch their attack, and both ke youqing and bai wenna were not at home.


    but with his big sister and bai ziling guarding the elementary schooler, and the elementary schooler himself being an a+ grade superhuman, even if the ninja sect had some dragon-specific tactics, they wouldn''t be able to deal with him so quickly.


    all they needed to do was stall until big brother came to the rescue; tomorrow, they needed to make sure that big brother wouldn''t be too far from them.


    as for the second brother... well, it''s still uncertain what he''d choose.


    anyway, rest and conserve energy, better sleep early.


    with that thought, ke mingye closed his eyes and drifted deeply into sleep.


    .......


    .......


    meanwhile, at the coffee shop on no. 7 street in old jingmai district.


    two figures were sitting on the white wooden chairs outside the caf¨¦, one drinking alcohol, the other coffee. basking in the warm light emanating from the caf¨¦ and in the pleasant chirping of crickets, they chatted leisurely.


    "drinking coffee so late at night, aren''t you worried about not being able to sleep?" ke xiaomo asked.


    "i''m more worried about falling asleep," ke yinzhi replied.


    "why?"


    ke yinzhi sipped his coffee, contemplative: "hmm... probably because sleeping makes it easy to dream," he shrugged, "i hate dreaming; it feels like things are slipping out of my control."


    "since you were a kid you had control freak tendencies, and it''s still the same now. there''s a limit to what we can control; not everything can be in our hands," ke xiaomo paused, "you really should come practice with us for a while, it''s good for the body and mind."


    "forget that, what''s the deal with the dragon?" ke yinzhi chuckled, "it''s the night before the action starts, and the ninja sect still hasn''t told you where the dragon of calamity is?"


    "i don''t know," ke xiaomo shook his head, "what''s going on exactly? they seem to be deliberately keeping me in the dark."


    "maybe they think they don''t need you and want you to have a good break?"


    "i hope so." s§×arch* the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "let''s head back, just in time to make sure those kids go to bed."


    "yeah."

 Chapter 106 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (1)

    on july 4th, 10 a.m., in the living room of the bai ke family.sunlight, paired with the morning breeze, faintly disturbed the curtains and dragged out a mottled column of light on the floor.


    the black cat half-closed its eyes, lazily nestling on the carpet beside the window, as if lying in a bathtub filled with just the right temperature of bathwater, soaking in the sunlight that was just perfect.


    a few cartoon animal pillows were strewn messily on the light brown couch, and several magazines lay quietly beside the remote control on the tv cabinet.


    the living room was so quiet one could almost hear the ticking of the clock, and occasionally, sounds of honking or birds singing squeezed through the gaps in the curtains.


    at this time, seeing bai qiuwu preparing her backpack, bai zini hurried over to her, pacing in place as she said, "sis, help me bring this."


    having said that, she handed a folding umbrella to bai qiuwu, gesturing for her to stuff it into her backpack.


    bai qiuwu took the umbrella, feigning ignorance, "you need an umbrella with this kind of weather?"


    "it''s a parasol. i don''t want to end up tanned after the holiday and get laughed at by my classmates," bai zini answered.


    "please, we''re going to have fun at the mall, not walking in the streets. why would you get sunburnt?" ke mingye, sitting on the sofa, casually teased her.


    he was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts today, looking quite comfortable.


    bai zini glared at him, "don''t we have to walk there?"


    "of course we''re taking the subway, who would walk with you?" said ke mingye.


    bai zini stood in front of the full-length mirror in the living room, tying her hair into a high ponytail as she spoke, "what if, just what if, it starts raining later on, then what?"


    "if it rains in this weather, i''ll eat my hat," ke mingye quipped, glancing sideways out the window, where the sky was clear and the clouds stretched all the way to the blue horizon.


    bai zini rolled her eyes at him, then lowered her head to check the weather forecast on her phone, before thrusting the screen forcefully in his face, "the weather forecast says it might actually rain later, big bro, what do you say?" continue reading at empire


    bai qiuwu tucked the folding umbrella into her backpack, interrupting the argument that was about to ensue.


    "alright, the umbrella is packed. if you need it, just ask me for it."


    "best sister ever, love you," bai zini smiled at her.


    bai ziling put on sunglasses and a sun hat, tidied her disheveled white hair in front of the mirror, smoothed the wrinkles on her white dress, then turned to look at ke xiao mo, who was coming downstairs.


    "are you guys ready?" ke xiao mo asked, arms crossed.


    "where''s big brother?" asked bai ziling.


    with a look of resignation, ke xiao mo replied, "he just finished showering, blowing his hair, he''ll be down in a minute."


    "i gotta ask, what kind of american schedule is this? which chinese person showers in the morning?"


    ke mingye said with disdain, thinking that ke yinzhi really had picked up quite a few habits from his missions abroad.


    "maybe he''s preparing for studying abroad," said ke yongzhu, dressed in a set of blue overalls, looking like he hadn''t quite woken up yet, leaning on the sofa, half resting.


    "you guys couldn''t be more right; with his grades, he could really end up as an international student," said ke xiao mo nonchalantly.


    "talking about me?"


    ke yinzhi said as he descended the staircase. today, he was still dressed in a black long coat, with shoulder-length black hair tousled behind him, and a new black earring dangling from his right ear.


    an earring? could this be big brother''s communication device with the management bureau?


    ke mingye asked, "big bro, did you pierce your ears?"


    "haven''t they always been there? just didn''t wear earrings much," ke yinzhi laughed.


    kel xiao mo put his arm around ke mingye''s shoulder, admonishing him, "don''t follow in your big brother''s footsteps, focus on your studies."


    "as if i could keep up with the two of you; when you were in high school, i saw you out having fun every day, yet your grades were so good, like some kind of sorcery," ke mingye shrugged his shoulders.


    bai qiuwu looked up at them, echoing, "i''d like to know how you did it too. you never help me with homework at home, otherwise, would i need to go to summer tutoring?"


    "your grades are good enough; why would we need to tutor you?"


    as ke xiao mo spoke, he walked over to the sofa and ruffled yongzhu''s hair, "yongzhu, wake up, we''re about to head out."


    ke yongzhu slowly opened his eyelids, rubbed the corners of his eyes, and languidly got up from the sofa, "annoying, couldn''t you guys schedule this for the afternoon?"


    "i might have something this afternoon," ke xiao mo replied.


    "i have a date lined up too," ke yinzhi smiled, resting his hand on ke xiao mo''s shoulder.


    "it''s too hot in the afternoon; i hate the sunlight," bai ziling spoke softly.


    hearing the first two responses, ke yongzhu still felt like arguing, but when bai ziling said the same, he could only purse his lips and say, "fine then."


    after speaking, he moved towards the entrance, twisting the handle to open the door, "let''s go, let''s go, off to the movies."


    bai zini walked to the shoe cabinet, slipped into her athletic shoes, and while tying her laces, she looked up at ke yongzhu, "who wants to watch a movie with you? later at wanxiang city, we''ll shop; you can watch by yourself."


    ke yongzhu crossed her arms behind her head, "then i''ll just go watch it by myself, who cares? last time, who was it that got so scared during the horror movie that she punched me, making it seem like i was so eager to watch it with you?"


    "it wasn''t on purpose."


    after speaking, bai zini tied her shoelaces tightly, stood up, her high ponytail bobbing up and down.


    "i think it was definitely on purpose," ke yongzhu said.


    "then i''ll go with my little brother," bai qiuwu slung her bag over her shoulder and teased, "he will be so pitiful alone, probably secretly wiping away tears in the cinema later."


    "right, right, right, wiping tears," ke yongzhu yawned.


    bai zini turned her face towards ke mingye, staring at him with eyes full of resentful anger, "and big brother, you''re not going to abandon me too, are you?"


    ke mingye avoided her gaze, "well, i''ll see how it goes."


    ke yinzhi glanced at his phone then slipped it back into his jacket pocket, shrugged, and said, "there''s nothing good playing today, i''ll later accompany you two to the bookstore near wanxiang city, you guys come find us after you''ve had your fun."


    bai ziling spoke expressionlessly, "then i''ll go shopping with my sister, she''s so pitiful."


    no sooner had she finished speaking than bai zini embraced her shoulder and nuzzled her pallid cheek, "you truly are my good little sister."


    "don''t plan so much ahead of time, let''s just see when we get there."


    after the words left him, ke xiaomo led the way out of the house, pressing the button on the elevator panel. soon, the seven of them took the elevator down and walked to the nearby subway station.


    they boarded the subway, crammed into the crowd filled with the smell of disinfectant, each leaning against the walls of the car, playing with their phones, and one by one they left the train at their station.


    they split up at the crossroads in front of the "wanxiang city" mall on luo dehua commercial street.


    ke xiaomo and ke yinzhi found a quiet coffee shop not far away and sat down, while the other five went into the mall to play.


    on the way to wanxiang city, bai zini retrieved the folding umbrella from bai qiuwu and, though it was just a short distance, she still made a ostentatious show of using the umbrella, striking a particularly affected pose.


    bai ziling kept her cap pulled low, glancing at the traffic lights through her sunglasses.


    ke mingye played with his phone while discreetly scanning the surroundings with his gaze, attentive to any stir in the nearby grass. sear?h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the electronic screen on the building played an advertisement for beauty products endorsed by xizi yue; the street bustled with people carrying coffee cups, heads buried in their phones, or toting briefcases, their faces numb.


    cars stopped orderly under the traffic light and then departed one by one as the green light turned on.


    he wondered if the next second, these people would suddenly rise up, throw off their clothes, and reveal ninja outfits wrapped in black cloth underneath.


    or perhaps, a car driving by would suddenly roll down its window, and a rain of daggers and shurikens would shoot out, leaving the five of them riddled like a wasp''s nest.


    thankfully, the imagined scenario did not happen, and they reached wanxiang city without incident.


    lamenting the walk, ke mingye bought three movie tickets on the fifth floor of wanxiang city with ke yongzhu and bai qiuwu. they sat outside the cinema for a while before gradually making their way inside.


    bai zini and bai ziling wandered aimlessly in the mall, occasionally entering a jewelry shop, sometimes a gift store. looking like child stars, the two sisters often attracted the gaze of passersby.


    ........


    ........


    meanwhile, at luo dehua commercial street, gibran bookstore.


    in the shadow behind the last row of bookshelves, two figures leaned against the wall, one with crossed arms deep in thought, the other bowed his head flipping through a book, the ornate flower wallpaper behind them paled in comparison to their dazzling appearance.


    "the notice you received this morning, it said to begin the operation this afternoon, right?" ke yinzhi lowered his eyes, flipping through "remembrance of times past" while asking.


    ke xiaomo, with his eyelids closed, head resting against the wall, took a long moment before responding, "yes... the scroll tied to the bluebird had it written, i''m sure it was the sect master''s handwriting."


    "but is it really okay for me to get involved?" ke yinzhi said, "haven''t you said before that the ninja sect has strict rules, and outsiders are forbidden to meddle in these matters?"


    "rules are rules, but i need you."


    ke yinzhi''s fingers, which were flipping through the pages, paused briefly, and the corners of his mouth curved up slightly, "you rarely speak like a younger brother should, so i guess i have no choice but to help."


    "more importantly, have you felt something off about the pedestrians on the street since a while ago?"


    as he spoke, ke xiaomo opened his eyes, his gaze drifting towards the floor-to-ceiling windows on the right, through which one could see the figures moving outside the bookstore.


    "they are indeed off," ke yinzhi kept calmly turning pages, "even though they act natural, their body movements and expressions all emit a forced and contrived air."


    ke xiaomo''s gaze wandered, and after a silent moment, he said, "it seems like we''ve been targeted. most of the customers in the bookstore have disappeared, and that librarian has left as well."


    "ha... whoever dares target us, they really have keen sight," ke yinzhi joked, closing the book in his hands and casually slipping it back into the gap on the shelf.


    the next moment, a figure walked into the bookstore from outside. he was dressed in a white robe, his form backlit by the sunlight, his solemn face shrouded in shadow.


    an a-level hero from the superhero association, the ink writer.


    simultaneously, a loud explosion and a roar reminiscent of some beast echoed from wanxiang city not far from luo dehua commercial street, reverberating through the entire street.

 Chapter 107 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (2)

    july 4, 10:45 am, luo dehua commercial street, gibran bookstore.ke yinzhi placed a book in the gap between the shelves, then stuffed his hands into his coat pockets and leaned the back of his head against the wall, tilting his head to look ahead.


    the black earrings swayed, emitting a clear, tinkling sound.


    his gaze traveled through the narrow passageway between two bookshelves, spotting a tall, thin figure walking towards him with his back to the light, hands clasped behind him, every move displaying solemnity.


    "oh, an ink writer?"


    ke yinzhi raised an eyebrow and turned to ask ke xiaomo, who was beside him, "isn''t the extermination of the calamity dragon a private affair of the ninja sect? why would a superhero appear here?"


    "i had told you before that the ink writer was trained by the ninja sect," ke xiaomo said


    as he too calmly observed the ink writer coming down the street.


    "huh... then how did he end up becoming a superhero?" ke yinzhi continued.


    "because he learned forbidden magic, the ink writer was expelled by the sect master. after several years of absence, he became a superhero in huanjing. the sect master must have summoned him this time to give him a chance to redeem himself," ke xiaomo explained.


    "i see, you did mention that," ke yinzhi realized, "his abilities are related to ink; indeed, it would be hard to disconnect him from the ninja sect."


    "no surprise, you''ve always had a bad memory," ke xiaomo remarked sarcastically.


    while speaking, he glanced out of the corner of his eye through the window. it was evident that nearly every passerby on the street was disguised as a ninja, a rather unsettling observation.


    ke xiaomo closed his eyes, heightened all his senses, absorbing the aura of the street.


    after a moment, he opened his eyes and said, "there are more than a hundred ninjas on the street."


    "i noticed," ke yinzhi smiled, "but it seems they''re not after that dragon, they''re watching you. xiao mo, what exactly did you do to upset them?"


    "i¡­ don''t know."


    ke xiaomo mused expressionlessly, his eyes shifting subtly.


    at that moment, clad in a white robe, the ink writer was walking on the street of luo dehua commercial street, slowly stepping into the bookstore from the entrance.


    with his hands behind his back, he slowly lifted his face, his gaze fixed on ke xiaomo.


    he cleared his throat and began, "you are ke xiaomo, right?"


    "yes."


    "i shall consider myself your senior for now. i am here to relay the sect master''s orders to you. just wait here; you won''t need to lift a finger for this operation," the ink writer said.


    "why?" ke xiaomo asked.


    the ink writer shook his head, his tone resolute, "no further details."


    then, he turned to look at ke yinzhi and said, "as for the one beside you, i adhere to a principle ¡ª i don''t attack ordinary people... by the authority of the superhero association, i order you to wait outside earnestly."


    upon hearing this, ke yinzhi initially was taken aback, then lowered his head and chuckled softly.


    "what''s so funny?" the ink writer frowned.


    ke yinzhi covered his face with his hand and laughed a bit more. then he slowly looked up, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth.


    "isn''t it funny? using the superhero association''s name to order me around, that''s the funniest joke i''ve heard this year."


    "who are you?"


    "ah, who am i indeed?" ke yinzhi tilted his head, still leaning against the wall, "no wait, you''re not worthy to know my name."


    "such arrogance, clearly a nobody," the ink writer said icily. s~ea??h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    no sooner had he finished than a sharp explosion emanated from wanxiang city, followed by a beastly roar loud enough to shake the heavens, like a dragon''s cry.


    hearing the noise from the direction of wanxiang city, ke xiaomo''s face turned pale as he muttered gravely, "xiao ni and the others are still inside wanxiang city!"


    ke yinzhi''s expression also shifted slightly.


    "could it be... the calamity dragon you''re looking for is currently inside wanxiang city?" he asked.


    the ink writer sneered and responded, "that''s right, inside wanxiang city. it seems you brothers share quite a bond, even knowing such details."


    he paused, then sarcastically remarked to ke xiaomo, "keeping the calamity dragon''s matter strictly confidential from outsiders is what the ninja sect enforces. hasn''t the sect master taught you that?"


    ke xiaomo''s expression chilled.


    "my family is still in that mall; i must ensure their safety. i suggest you get out of the way," he said.


    "it''s the sect master who told me to stop you, and he didn''t disclose the specifics to me," the ink writer replied.


    "the sect master?"


    ke xiaomo frowned.


    "yes," the ink writer confirmed, "i don''t know what the old man is thinking, but i have no choice. anyway, letting you, my junior, cross in front of me, i might not be able to face returning to the ninja sect afterward."


    saying this, a cold look flashed in his eyes.


    ke xiaomo took a deep breath and whispered to ke yinzhi beside him, "leave these people to you; i need to go first."


    as he finished speaking, his body transformed into a splash of ink that merged into the shadows on the ground.


    then... in that half-second, the ink writer, as if anticipating this, swiftly unfurled a scroll while softly chanting, "seal shadow barrier."


    as his words finished, the scroll burst apart, transforming into a pure white barrier that enveloped the library. continue your saga on empire


    the weasel-like shadow formed by ke xiaomo kept slamming against the barrier''s edges but couldn''t shake it in the slightest, nor could it pass through.


    "it''s useless; this is a barrier specifically against the shadow shapeshifting skill. you can''t..."


    the ink writer''s words were cut short as his pupils suddenly dilated.


    ke yinzhi nonchalantly raised his right hand, a jet of black light bursting from his fingertips, instantly opening a slit in the barrier.

 Chapter 107 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (2)_2

    subsequently, the shadow transformed by ke xiaomo squeezed through the crack and left the library."how is that possible..."


    the ink writer stood rooted to the spot, murmuring hoarsely to himself.


    suddenly he whipped his head around and roared an order at the pedestrians on the street, "use the seal shadow daggers, stop ke xiaomo by any means necessary!"


    as soon as the words were out, a hundred ninjas nearby tried to throw their seal shadow daggers, attempting to intercept the shadow moving along the ground.


    hundreds of daggers surged densely like a tide, trying to capture the shadow transformed by ke xiaomo, and almost filled the storefronts, traffic lights, and the glass walls of high buildings along the way.


    even so, not a single dagger could catch up with the speed of ke xiaomo.


    it was like trying to encircle a bird of prey in mid-air with a fishing net, utterly hopeless.


    "the sect master once said that ke xiaomo was very proficient with his shadow shapeshifting skill, but i never expected it to be to this extent; what kind of monstrous talent is this?"


    the ink writer, with his hands clasped behind his back, watched this scene from the corner of his eye, his face grave as he pondered deeply.


    "also, why was the seal shadow barrier so easily broken? the sect master had said that this barrier was highly durable, second only to the fenglong barrier, right?"


    thinking this, the ink writer looked up at ke yinzhi, pondering for half a second, then tentatively shot a blade made of ink from his hand, aiming for ke yinzhi''s shoulder.


    just as the dagger was about to hit him, it was enveloped by a dark mass and disintegrated into nothing.


    "i say... did you just ignore me for a second?" s§×arch* the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ke yinzhi slowly spoke, his eyes obscured by the fringe of his hair.


    as soon as he finished speaking, a dark light flashed through the air.


    the ink writer''s right eye was split in half, fragments of the eyeball squeezed out from its socket, dripping blood onto the ground with a patter.


    immediately after, a deep gash also appeared on his neck.


    the ink writer''s pupils shrank to the size of wheat grains, his back instantly drenched in cold sweat.


    with one hand covering his neck, he hastily retreated two or three steps back, while extracting a brush and a scroll from inside his white robe with the other hand.


    in that brief half-second exchange, he had assessed his situation.


    ¡ªhe was going to die!


    as the ink writer moved back, his pupils reflected an image of ke yinzhi approaching leisurely. staring at that flippant face, the effortless gait, his thoughts grew more chaotic.


    what kind of monster is this, wait, i seem to have seen these kinds of dark slashes before.


    yes, i''ve seen them.


    the ink writer thought, as he covered his throat with one hand, and after a long pause, squeezed out a hoarse sound from his damaged vocal cords.


    "an agent of the management bureau... the black judge?"


    "oh, since you''ve recognized me, i can''t let you live after all. i was going to let you go; that''s why i didn''t strike fatally."


    as ke yinzhi spoke, he raised his right hand, pointing his fingertip at him.


    instantly, a dark beam as thick as a finger shot straight towards the ink writer''s head.


    in less than a tenth of a second, the ink writer''s body splashed apart into ink. when he reappeared, he was on the street, a long distance from ke yinzhi.


    "caught on, have you?"


    ke yinzhi raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself.


    "no, that scroll''s power is to react automatically when its owner is attacked, transporting him elsewhere... as expected of ninjas, such strange things."


    from the street, the ink writer looked up, gazing at ke yinzhi in the library, and slowly spoke.


    "do you really think i''m as weak as i look?"


    "otherwise?" ke yinzhi teased, "there are hardly any superheroes in the world that catch my eye, so you shouldn''t feel inferior."


    "let me ask you another question, do you know why i was expelled from the ninja sect?"


    "i''m not curious about a street thug''s background. but honestly... killing a superhero at random would affect my performance, so could you just honestly scram?"


    as ke yinzhi spoke, he walked towards him. the pedestrians on the street all stopped, pulling daggers from their waists and throwing them at him, only to be blocked by a sudden rising dark light screen on one side.


    but in the next moment, from behind a signboard beside him, ten figures dressed in ninja attire burst forth, wielding long swords and encircling him from all directions.


    without exception, before they even got close, a graceful black arc slashed them in half. then, broken into pieces, they fell to the ground like a rain woven of blood and bones.


    ke yinzhi casually walked forward, hands leisurely tucked in his pockets.


    the next second, the throats of nearly thirty disguised ninjas on the street were slit, and as they covered their throats, falling incredulously to the ground amidst spurting blood.


    "aren''t you worried about your family?" the ink writer asked hoarsely, "they are still in wanxiang city."


    "of course not," ke yinzhi chuckled, "because i''m certain that no one in your organization can stop ke xiaomo."


    "even the sect master?"


    "yes, even the sect master." ke yinzhi paused, then shrugged, "well, although i''ve never seen this sect master before. since you''re not running, have you thought about your last words?"


    "i return those words to you... what about you, have you thought about your last words?" enjoy new tales from empire


    as the ink writer roared, he quickly backed away, his face revealing a fierce expression drastically different from that on the screen.


    "blood ink forbidden skill. since being expelled from the ninja sect, it''s been over a decade since i last used this move, didn''t expect there would be a time for it to come into play again."


    as he spoke, he bit through his right hand, splashing the blood on a blank scroll, then lifted the ink brush to mix the ink and blood on the scroll, as if stirring up a swirling mass of red and black.


    then he lifted the color-changing brush and drew a refined and elegant "dragon" character in the air.


    the next moment, accompanied by a roar that echoed through the sky, a dragon formed of blood ink slowly rose.


    atop the dragon''s head were two antler-like horns; its blank eyes speckled with a touch of blood, as if adding finishing touches to a dragon painting.


    the long whiskers at the sides of its mouth fluttered in the wind, its eight feet and thirty-two claws tightly connected. it clearly had no wings, yet its body undulated in the air like a surging sea of blood.


    the ink writer merged with the dragon, standing within the huge shadow of the dragon, nourishing it with blood continuously flowing from the cut in his right hand.


    the size of the blood ink dragon grew larger and larger until it finally shattered the street surface, and from the collapsed pit, cracked pipes spurted out fluids.


    "whether it''s ''ink dragon'' or ''blood ink forbidden skill,'' they both belong to the seven forbidden techniques of the ninja sect, and i have combined the two," said the ink writer, "if not constrained by morals, then i would be the strongest in the ninja sect, not that ke xiaomo who doesn''t deserve to replace me at all."


    ke yinzhi slightly raised an eyebrow: "i see... indeed somewhat impressive."


    "are you ready to die?" the ink writer asked.


    "more than that, how many more years can you live after using this move?"


    curiously, ke yinzhi asked, his gaze fixed on the rapidly aging ink writer.


    "what does that have to do with you?"


    the ink writer lifted his face, staring coldly, his reply deliberate.


    ke yinzhi teased: "it has nothing to do with me, because you are about to die here. how many more years you could live is just a hypothetical statement that exists in another timeline."


    upon hearing this, the ink writer slowly curled up the corners of his mouth, his voice tinged with a bloody scent, "i will soon teach you what respect means."


    "well... since you''ve chosen death, i won''t persuade you anymore."


    as ke yinzhi spoke casually, he lifted his scalpel-like right hand, the dark earring swaying with the movement.

 Chapter 108 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 3)

    at the same moment, on the other side of luo dehua commercial street.ke xiaomo, on his way to wanxiang city, encountered nearly ten ninjas blocking his path. he appeared from behind, raised his hand as if it were a blade, and swiftly, with the speed of thunder that leaves no time to cover one''s ears, struck them down one by one.


    then, transforming into the shape of a fierce bird shadow, he clung to the glass curtain wall of a high-rise building. just as he was about to spread his wings and soar into the air, a lion-shaped shadow suddenly pounced from above.


    the fierce bird shadow and the ferocious lion shadow sparred with each other on the glass curtain wall, perfectly matched,


    after a moment of stalemate, the bird attempted to shake off the lion.


    so, it rapidly escaped from above the glass curtain wall, clinging to the surrounding buildings as it shot away, from electronic billboards, to advertising screens, to the surface of jewelry store display cases, and finally escaped into the inside of a bar. it ascended along the bar''s pipes, returning to the glass curtain wall of that skyscraper.


    behind it, the lion shadow relentlessly pursued, clinging to it like a maggot to bone.


    finally, the bird and the lion, as if having come to a mutual understanding, both stopped on that same glass curtain wall.


    ke xiaomo slowly materialized from the surface of the glass curtain wall.


    at the same time, a burly silhouette also slowly emerged from the lion-shaped shadow. explore more at empire


    only their feet were still merged with the shadows, which allowed them to stand sideways in the air, clinging to the side of the high-rise without falling due to gravity.


    they faced each other, eyes locked.


    "sect master, why are you blocking me?" ke xiaomo fell silent for a moment before he spoke.


    what caught his eye was a man wearing ancient warrior''s armor, donning a dark red helmet, and wooden clogs on his feet. in his hand, he held a tachi.


    the blade gleamed brightly, reflecting the man''s gaze, which held a sharp, piercing coldness.


    the sect master gazed at ke xiaomo, fell silent for a moment, then spoke in a deep voice, "the reason is simple."


    he paused, then spoke in a lowered voice, "the calamity dragon¡­ is your brother."


    upon hearing this, ke xiaomo was taken aback for half a second before his brows slightly furrowed. without thinking, he said, "has the sect master also learned to joke in the few days we haven''t seen each other?"


    as he said this, the first name that popped into his mind was ke mingye.


    he thought, if mingye is the calamity dragon, then the sense of disharmony and strangeness i felt before would be explainable... but how could this be possible, after all, he is a family member i have lived with for so many years.


    "no, what i''m saying is the truth. ke yongzhu, this dragon implanted itself in your family as an adopted child. it disguised itself as a human and has been with you for several years," said the sect master, looking straight into his eyes.


    "yongzhu?" ke xiaomo''s expression grew stern as he spoke almost word by word, "there must be some mistake..."


    before he could finish, a deafening dragon roar emanated from wanxiang city, interrupting him.


    his pupils contracted, he swallowed, and his adam''s apple moved up and down.


    the sect master lowered his eyes and sighed, "i was also shocked at the moment i learned the truth. you are my heir, the next sect master. that''s why i worried you''d let emotions cloud your judgment, unable to discern the greater good from personal feelings. you might want to protect this dragon or be swayed by your state of mind.


    hence, i had the ink writer, that is, ma yingchuan, intercept you, to prevent your involvement in this matter."


    he paused, "but it seems, that ungrateful apprentice wasn''t successful. his capabilities are still not a match for yours after all."


    "impossible," ke xiaomo remained stunned for a long time, his eyes partially hidden by falling hair, "absolutely impossible¡­" speaking, he slowly lifted his gaze from his hair, his dark pupils flashing with a fierce light.


    from the tips of his right-hand fingers flowed a surge of shadows, like a raging tide.


    the deep shadows, like lines used by a tailor, slowly wove in front of his right hand to form a shadow blade about ten feet long.


    the hilt was firmly grasped in ke xiaomo''s hand.


    he enunciated each word clearly, almost screaming, "my brother can never be the calamity dragon, there must be some mistake!"


    "xiao mo, if you need to see with your own eyes to believe, then i will give you this chance... let''s call it your final lesson before you become the next sect master."


    the sect master lifted his eyes to meet his gaze, speaking in a solemn tone.


    no sooner had the words left his mouth than, accompanied by a thunderous roar, the fifth level wall of wanxiang city suddenly split open with a massive gash, with thousands of tiny cracks spreading from it.


    immediately afterward, like rain, shards of tiles and glass showered down as a monstrous creature that was indistinguishable as dragon or human flew out from the rupture in the cinema, plummeting from tens of meters in the air and crashing heavily to the ground.


    ke xiaomo sharply turned his head, staring at the monstrous deformity that was neither human nor dragon.


    the monster was oozing black blood all over; the one-piece garment it wore was so tattered that only corners remained, revealing patches of ruggedly scaled skin.


    it lay prostrate on the ground, its body trembling slightly, struggling to rise, slowly lifting its bloodstained, hideous face into the daylight.


    half of the monster''s face was covered with scales, while the other half was smeared with fresh blood.


    the human-shaped eye had been pierced through, leaving behind an insufferably grotesque cavity from which a torrent of blood flowed. sear?h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    but even so...


    ke xiaomo still recognized the identity of the monster through the contours of that half face.


    at that moment, his pupils shook violently, every nerve in his brain seemed to howl in fear, fury, disbelief, his face quickly flickering through a succession of expressions.


    moments later, his mouth twitched and he uttered a name, a name he never imagined in his life could be associated with the four words "calamity dragon."


    "yong... zhu?"


    ke xiaomo lowered his gaze, his demeanor numb, murmuring hoarsely to himself.


    the sect master stood atop the glass curtain wall, glanced at ke xiaomo''s expression, then commanded nearly a hundred ninjas on the street below.


    "use the dragon ancestor horn to make him reveal his true form."


    as the words were spoken, those hundred ninjas simultaneously took out a horn, forged from pale white bone, from their bosoms.


    then, like some ancient ritual or the onset of war, they grasped the horns and began to play. the sound of the horns, mixed with ancient dragon chants, enveloped the entire street.


    filling the ears of the monster.


    with nowhere to hide, the monster clutched its head, roaring towards the heavens as it burst violently from the ground.


    its shoulder blades slowly cracked open, and amidst the flesh ripping apart, a pair of pitch-black wings slowly unfolded.


    then, layers of scales emerged from the surface of its skin, enveloping each of its thick limbs, while claws as sharp as knives gouged trenches into the ground.


    but the next moment, the dragon was covered by a falling ancient bronze bell from above.


    it roared within the bell, frantically clawing at the ancient bell, managing only to produce a series of tolls like the big ben, resounding loudly enough to echo throughout the entire city.


    the bell''s toll, like the rolling thunder, together with the draconic brutal roars, poured into ke xiaomo''s ears, one after another.


    his right hand trembled deeply, clenching the shadow sword that wavered and solidified intermittently, like a candle flame that could disappear with the wind at any moment.


    "now... are you willing to believe?"


    the sect master looked at him and asked calmly.

 Chapter 109 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (4)

    ten minutes ago, wanxiang city''s fifth level, the imax theater.in the pitch-dark imax auditorium, cold, icy light spilled from the giant screen, illuminating rows of red seats and the faces of three moviegoers. sea??h th§× n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ke mingye was leaning on the armrest, elbow propped up, right hand supporting his chin.


    he yawned, tears welling up in his eyes.


    the session at ten in the morning, not to mention the cinema, even the entire mall was scarcely populated, so they naturally had the place to themselves.


    on the imax full-frame screen, the titan godzilla was colliding with king kong. the earth shook, and the roar of the beasts filled the air, making ke mingye yawn repeatedly.


    however, it reminded him of the "king kong" and "godzilla" fragments that had appeared in his daily lottery.


    "there''s no way someone could actually bring these two things to life," he thought. "if they exist, the system will definitely give opportunities. i feel like it''s going to be chaos in a year."


    bored, ke mingye played with his phone for a while, glancing over at bai qiuwu in the process.


    his older sister was mostly distracted throughout, occasionally shifting her gaze and subtly looking around.


    "i''m going to the restroom,"


    ke mingye said, rising from his seat and edging toward the aisle in the middle.


    "i''ll go too,"


    the one next to him, bai qiuwu, also said, as she picked up her backpack.


    "why do you need to take your backpack to the restroom?" ke mingye asked casually.


    "do i really have to say it? it''s that time of the month for girls."


    bai qiuwu glanced at him irritably, finding an irrefutable excuse.


    "oh oh, i get it."


    find your next read at empire


    after saying that, ke mingye scratched his nose, fiddled with his phone, and walked out of the auditorium a step behind bai qiuwu. then, after walking a short distance down the audience corridor, he entered the men''s restroom at the corner.


    in the empty public restroom, he was the only one there. he walked to the last stall, locked the door, and sat on the toilet cover.


    "ah, looks like i''ve become the toilet avenger¡­"


    ke mingye bent down, head drooping as he sighed.


    he always felt this scene was familiar, still a cinema, still a restroom.


    last time, he was hiding from his big brother''s family inspection, passionately battling his big brother;


    this time, he was already embroiled in a fight between his second brother and his younger brother.


    this family really was a disaster through and through.


    "my true self is too weak, i lack protective skills, and my reactions aren''t quick enough; any ninja could slice my throat in an instant... although they wouldn''t likely target ke xiaomo''s family, just to be safe, i better not join the battle and just camp out in the restroom instead."


    thinking so, ke mingye clasped his hands together, praying he wouldn''t be targeted by a ninja, then released two "deception puppets."


    in an instant, two gray humanoid figures were crouching at his feet, ready for orders.


    "without a web shooter, i''m too much of a muggle, easy to knock out. but there''s only one web shooter, so... to ensure basic mobility, i have to let another puppet transform."


    ke mingye scratched his nose, pondered carelessly for a while, opened his inventory panel, and used a magical girl transformation card on one of the puppets.


    immediately, the left deception puppet was enveloped in a dim cocoon light.


    the next moment, as the cocoon light shattered, she transformed into a blonde, blue-eyed girl in a christmas cape dress, holding a magic wand.


    magical girl xiaohongmao just sat there, hugging her knees, crouching in a corner of the stall, staring blankly at the floor.


    ke mingye didn''t bother with her and let the strange thing put on a train conductor''s uniform, don a conductor''s cap, and then attached a web shooter, a night belt, and electromagnetic pulse gloves.


    soon, the strange thing''s right hand successfully integrated with the metal glove, producing a "clack clack" of steel biting together. at the wrist, a small, exquisitely-made red and blue device appeared, and a black metal belt appeared around its waist.


    it lowered the brim of its conductor''s high hat, waiting for ke mingye''s command.


    these were already the best equipment he could pull out now; his inventory was left with only a lone, lonely d-grade pirate blunderbuss lying in the equipment slot.


    ke mingye took a deep breath, mentally giving orders.


    the fully armed strange thing then stood up from the ground, leapt to the restroom''s windowsill, opened the window and peered out, attached itself to the fashion billboard above with its web, and descended upside down.


    ke mingye closed his eyes, focusing on the visuals transmitted from the puppet.


    "let me see what''s happening outside...


    with the command given, the strange thing, eyes hollow, hung upside down below the advertisement on the fifth floor of wanxiang city, looking down on luo dehua commercial street.


    the street appeared so casual, akin to a tranquil long shot typically seen at the beginning of a romance film.


    pedestrians flowed like soothing music on the street, with electronic signs everywhere like bursts of blooms, dazzling to behold.


    to someone else, this scene might relax their alertness, allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief;


    but at that moment, the corner of ke mingye''s eyes twitched slightly.


    "no way, dude¡­"


    the moment his gaze fell on luo dehua commercial street, the reflection in his pupils revealed an incredible scene. above the heads of the hundreds of pedestrians on luo dehua commercial street...


    without exception, each carried an information panel.


    [character code: "shadow wing"]


    [danger level: e++]


    [character introduction: belonging to the elite ninja brigade¡ª "shadow wing"]

 Chapter 109 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 4)_2

    ke mingye was somewhat incredulous, so he shifted his gaze to a more distant place.he casually looked at a passerby sitting on a public wooden bench, who appeared quite ordinary and was dressed impeccably.


    however, an information panel still materialized above the stranger''s head.


    "hey, hey, hey, there are over a hundred e-rank ninjas ambushed on just this street alone, and any random one of them would be evenly matched with me," ke mingye was stunned.


    you don''t realize how bad it is until you take a look and get a shock.


    in ke mingye''s memory, the ghostly character he had killed on huanjing bridge had only been of e+ rank in combat power.


    by that account, basically any ninja was comparable to a lower-end superhuman criminal.


    but he quickly came to terms with it, thinking that it would be absurd if the widely respected shadow sect couldn''t muster a superhuman troop for such an occasion, after so many years of building up their strength.


    "these pawns aren''t a big deal; big brother could probably wipe them out with one powerful move. the problem is whether there are any other, more twisted characters mixed in with these people."


    ke mingye didn''t have time to observe further as his train of thought was interrupted by a vibration from his pocket.


    he took out his phone and looked down to see that after half a month, bai qiuwu had once again sent a message to the anonymous account he had used before.


    [bai qiuwu: what exactly do you mean by ''danger''?]


    [strange thing: you know, if i were you, i wouldn''t leave that shadow hall... not even one step.]


    after sending this message, ke mingye put away his phone.


    "big sister is in the women''s restroom of the audience passage right now, and she has her battle suit in her backpack. she''s probably deciding whether to change into it... with her there, and considering yongzhu''s own combat power, it would be hard for anyone to break through for the time being," he thought.


    "first, let''s see what bai zini and bai ziling are doing."


    with that thought in mind, ke mingye let strange thing pull him down on a thread of spider silk, hanging upside down and observing the situation on each floor of wanxiang city mall through the transparent glass curtain wall. explore more stories with empire


    at the entrance of the audience passage on the fifth floor, a blur of shadows, too fast for ke mingye to see clearly, had already passed by. it was likely a ninja troop, and they were probably heading for ke yongzhu in the movie theater;


    as these shadows dashed by, an information panel popped up at the bottom of ke mingye''s vision.


    though their figures disappeared in a flash, the information panel remained in front of ke mingye.


    these ninjas were not worth mentioning, all members of the "shadow wing troops," with very standard abilities, either at d rank or e++ rank, primarily employing a strategy of overwhelming numbers.


    "if it''s just these small fries, big sister should be able to stop them, not to mention the elementary school kid is there too," ke mingye thought, maneuvering strange thing to descend further.


    looking through the glass curtain walls into wanxiang city, the passersby on the fourth and third floors had all been evacuated, leaving the floors empty with no one in sight, only the electronic signs of the stores casting a cold, desolate glow,


    strange thing didn''t linger and grabbed onto a thread to reach the second floor, looking down through the skylight.


    bai zini had just walked out of a toy store, holding a shopping bag and also embracing a dolphin plushie, with her high ponytail flouncing up and down.


    she was looking down, holding the plushie in her right arm and handling her phone with her right hand, lightly tapping on the touchscreen as though she was messaging someone.


    soon, she realized something was amiss, so she lifted her eyes from her phone and coldly scanned around.


    the next moment, the lurking ninjas revealed themselves, surrounding her with long swords drawn.


    strange thing opened the skylight and poked its head in, surveying the entire floor.


    to avoid a chaotic scene, the visitors on this floor had been herded by shadow sect personnel into a cramped corner; some were knocked down on the floor, some were curled up in the corner, and others clung to each other.


    as for bai zini, perhaps because she was a family member of ke xiaomo, she was given preferential treatment¡ªonly a few ninjas were watching her, but no one dared to do anything to her.


    among the ninjas surrounding her, there was an individual whose strength stood out. he had a crew cut, wore a suit, and stood out conspicuously among the ninjas in uniform.


    and according to the information panel in ke mingye''s eyes, that person''s combat ability was not to be underestimated.


    [character name: wang minghai]


    [combat rating: a- rank] sear?h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [identify: second disciple of the shadow sect master.]


    "nearly a rank, that''s impressive," ke mingye raised an eyebrow, "looks like the sect master has called in disciples from all around the world, hasn''t he?"


    in principle, the shadow sect would not harm bai zini, but there''s no way magical girl ash would tolerate such an action, especially since that folding umbrella was still in her possession.


    after all, the opponent was nearly a rank, slightly above her in terms of strength, and was bolstered by a horde of minions. bai zini couldn''t handle it on her own.


    if strange thing assisted, bai zini might end up fighting him as well; but if magical girl xiaohongmao helped, the outcome might be different.


    however, ke mingye didn''t concern himself with bai zini for the moment; the important thing now was to clear up the situation.


    "where''s zi ling? wasn''t she with ni?" ke mingye wondered.


    he had strange thing scan around but couldn''t find bai ziling on the second floor of wanxiang city. given her distinctive appearance, she should be easy to find.


    descending further to the first floor and peering into a clothing store through its transparent exhibition wall, he saw that visitors from the top three floors had all gathered on this level.

 Chapter 109 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 4)_3

    several knife-wielding ninjas herded them inside the mall, trapping them between mcdonald''s and kfc.rationally, this was supposed to be the busiest time for both stores. of course, the faces of the employees were very pale and they looked unhappy.


    "times change so fast, now ninjas have started using guns,"


    the strange thing commented on one or two of the ninjas holding rifles while shooting a spiderweb toward the window of a nearby office building, sticking to a restroom window. experience exclusive tales on empire


    pushing off the wall with force, it grabbed the spiderweb and swung upwards, quietly climbing towards the street by grabbing the handles of adjacent windows, scanning the streets with a broader view.


    at that moment, a loud bang was heard from the gibran bookstore at one corner of the commercial street.


    the strange thing looked in the direction of the sound and saw a figure in a white robe holding a scroll, retreating in panic and growling at someone.


    "ink writer?" ke mingye thought, then looked at the figure slowly emerging from the gibran bookstore, a man in a black coat, "so he''s fighting with my elder brother, he must be pretty lucky then."


    the danger level of an ink writer was only b-, not ranking among the world''s top superheroes, considered a famous underachiever.


    but the next moment, ke mingye''s perception was shattered.


    the ink writer bit his right hand, blending blood with ink, and summoned an eastern dragon drawn in blood ink from the scroll, merging his body with it.


    a second ago, the danger level of the ink writer on the information panel was still b-;


    the next moment, as the blood ink dragon rose slowly, the danger level of the ink writer skyrocketed.


    "damn, what the hell, turned into a super saiyan?"


    the strange thing was stunned for a second, its pupils reflecting a red and black information panel.


    [character codename: ink writer]


    [danger level: a+]


    [status description: by forcefully overdrawing lifespan, "blood ink skill" is unlocked, remaining lifespan one and a half years.]


    ke mingye took a deep breath, muttering to himself.


    "what about my second brother... i can only rely on him now, where has he gone?"


    the strange thing looked around but couldn''t find ke xiaomo, only a vague glimpse of two shadows chasing each other on the surface of the glass curtain wall, sometimes weaving through neon signs, sometimes into the plaza''s fountains, and sometimes into a private bar.


    the strange thing stared intently at the fleeting shadows, an information panel popping up before its eyes.


    [character codename: shadow heir ninja sect sect master.]


    [danger level: a++]


    [character introduction: the twenty-seventh generation sect master of the shadow heir ninja sect, extremely skilled in "shadow shapeshifting skill", has reached the realm of transforming the imaginary into reality, capable of conjuring the "shadow heart", his shadow heart form is "lion".]


    "damn, it feels like the elementary school students are doomed, why are there so many tough guys called by the ninja sect, if my second brother turns against us too, i don''t even want to think about it," ke mingye''s eye twitched, "it all depends on whether the elder brother can fight a hundred..."


    at this moment, he already knew the whereabouts of five of his siblings; only bai ziling''s location was still uncertain, but there was no more time to confirm.


    so, ke mingye commanded the strange thing to shoot the spiderweb upwards, swinging in mid-air and landing precisely at the fifth floor restroom window of wanxiang city, their figure slipping into it.


    immediately after, it activated the invisibility function of the "night walk belt", suppressing its footsteps and breathing sounds to the extreme as it walked out of the restroom.


    just as it turned the corner, it saw black wukong, dressed in a metallic long coat and wearing a monkey mask.


    she continued walking forward, slowly raising the jingu bang in her hand, with chains draped from her wrist dangling downwards.


    accompanied by a flash of crimson fury in the corner of her eyes, samadhi true fire gradually climbed onto the dark golden staff, searing the air with a whistling sound.


    standing opposing her was a tall, thin man dressed in a black robe, his face covered by a demonic mask, holding a flute. he had waist-length hair and stood with dignified poise.


    the strange thing stayed close to the wall, glanced at his back, and an information panel appeared before it.


    [character name: fan gu]


    [combat rating: a-level]


    [character identity: the fourth disciple of the ninja sect sect master, adept in illusion technique, regarded as a genius of illusion technique once seen in three thousand years of the ninja sect.]


    "can''t manage that, old sister should be able to beat him, i''ll go check on the elementary school students¡­" ke mingye thought.


    in his view, this fourth disciple must have been responsible for watching over the disaster dragon. since bai qiuwu had him tied up, presumably, the only ones left in the cinema should be a batch of small fry.


    after all, the ninja sect sect master and various formidable men were still confronting ke yinzhi and ke xiaomo on luo dehua commercial street; only these fellows were responsible for the interior of wanxiang city. sear?h the n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the strange thing, maintaining its invisibility, slipped through the spectators'' corridor behind the two, gradually approaching cinema hall no. 5, then gently pushed open the black door.


    looking up, the screen in the cinema had already been shattered, creating a massive, scorched crater.


    the strange thing squeezed through the gap in the door into the cinema, hiding in the shadows, and looked around.


    the only person named "haroldon" in the cinema was a disciple of the sect master with a slightly higher level than the others, but only c+ rated in strength;


    as for the other ninjas, belonging to the shadow wing troops, their strength was very consistent, only at quasi-d level. they weren''t in the same league as elementary school students, so ke mingye quietly sighed in relief.

 Chapter 109 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 4)_4

    but the next second, his gaze passed through a crowd of ninjas to ke yongzhu, only to quickly notice that something seemed amiss.at this moment, an ancient bronze bell hung in mid-air, radiating a divine and solemn aura. several ninjas in black were striking the bell heavily with their sticks.


    the body of the bell trembled, and the mingling of the sticks and the bell produced a deafening roar, like the music of a church ceremony.


    ke yongzhu knelt on the ground, his hands clutching his head as he screamed.


    in the tolling of the bell, his pupils suddenly slit, turned a dark red, then dilated and reverted to deep black.


    his body manifested the same phenomena, at times displaying layers of overlapping scales, and at other times reverting to the skin of a human child, as if restrained by some force. sea??h th§× n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the next moment, a figure in a crimson ninja outfit leapt from the shadows, raised a tachi forged from dragon bones, and without hesitation, stabbed towards ke yongzhu''s right eye.


    blood splattered as the tachi relentlessly pierced through the boy''s eye socket, creating a deep black cavity. dark blood flowed from it.


    ke yongzhu tried to catch the tachi with both hands, but his head was pinned to the cinema''s floor.


    amid the resounding bell, he screamed silently, his expression twisted.


    ke mingye watched this scene dumbfounded, his pupils slightly constricted, screaming internally, "elementary student, why don''t you transform and show the strength that beat me up back then!"


    "even with a sword meant to restrain you, surely these little weaklings can''t break your defense! what rubbish are they to even fight you?"


    however, ke yongzhu struggled for a while, and was unable to transform at all, and just like that, the tachi nailing his eye socket to the ground.


    the blade continued deeper, piercing through one side of his brain.


    ke yongzhu''s expression was twisted to the point of vacuity, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, the remaining eye slit and menacingly dark red like that of a wild beast.


    the next moment, the figure in the crimson ninja outfit grasped the handle with both hands, forcefully twirled the blade.


    following that, the tachi was vigorously stirred within the depths of ke yongzhu''s eye socket, almost grinding his skull to pieces in the process.


    blood spurted like a waterfall, leaving a bottomless crater on the boy''s face.


    amid the bell, ke yongzhu lay astonished on the ground, the remaining slit-eyed dark red dragon pupil staring vacuously.


    a tear slowly rolled down from his eye corner.


    this time, he opened his mouth, his hoarse screaming overshadowing the bell toll, reaching ke mingye''s ears.


    in silence, his lips moved slightly, as if murmuring someone''s name.


    "brother."


    beneath the crimson ninja mask, the eyes showed no emotion as he muttered, "monster," then lifted the handle to withdraw his blade.


    the moment the blade was drawn from the eye socket, all that was left in ke yongzhu''s right eye was a bottomless cavity.


    at that moment, ke mingye''s pupils shrunk to their limits.


    his entire body trembled slowly, every muscle on his face appeared to shake. his lips also trembled slightly, and from his quivering throat came a shaking voice.


    "beast..."


    "beast..."


    "beast..."


    "beast..."


    ke mingye murmured numbly.


    for a long while, he slowly bowed his head, his eyes obscured by drooping strands of hair.


    simultaneously, magical girl xiaohongmao''s gaze suddenly lit up. she picked up her magic wand and rose from the ground, bursting through the restroom stall.


    she hurried toward cinema 5 while channeling magic power into her magic wand.


    soon, her feet gently lifted off the ground, and she swept over bai qiuwu''s battlefield at an unbelievable speed toward cinema 5.


    a few seconds later, inside cinema 5.


    the heavy door was forcefully pushed open, making a loud "bang" sound, and a beam of light shone in.


    the ninja in the crimson ninja outfit slowly turned his head, along with the other ninjas in the cinema, to look towards the opened door and the figure slowly walking in from outside.


    magic girl xiaohongmao, holding her magic wand, stepped forward from the aisle, her sharp silhouette enveloped in the cool-toned light from outside.


    at the same time, the strange thing hidden in the shadows slowly walked out, following magic girl in a line.


    shapes flowing with gray luminescence, fully exposed under the light.


    "hello... my name is strange thing."


    strange thing lifted his hollow eyes from under the hat brim, gazing at the red ninja standing in the center of the cinema, his mouth corners drooping, his tone gloomy as he spoke. continue your adventure at empire


    "i''ve come to kill your entire family, beasts."

 Chapter 110 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 5)

    as the doors of cinema 5 slowly closed, everything gradually gathered back into the pitch-black darkness where one couldn''t see their own hand.the strange thing lowered its face, staring at the red ninja''s mask, its pupils reflecting his information panel.


    [character name: haroldon]


    [combat rating: c+]


    [character identity: fifth disciple of the ninja sect''s sect master. like the sect master and the eldest disciple "silent," he is one of the few ninjas in the ninja sect skilled in "shadow shapeshifting skill."]


    c level, two whole levels below me¡­ but no matter, i am a mechanical oddity, a good dice throw could make anything possible.


    "shadow shapeshifting skill," since it is the same as my second brother''s, it must be that skill for merging into shadows.


    ke mingye sat on the toilet seat, took a deep breath, and while bending over in thought, he slowly released a e-class skill¡ª[personality split].


    inside the cinema, magical girl xiaohongmao took a step back, raising her magic wand and slowly gathering layers of snowflakes around her, as if preparing for something.


    meanwhile, the strange thing suddenly produced a red and black dice between the fingers of its metallic gloves.


    "now is... gambler time."


    it grinned, slowly loosening its grip on the dice. the red and black calamity dice gently fell from the fingertips of the strange thing, tumbling in the air above the cinema.


    dressed in a red ninja outfit, haroldon slightly raised his eyebrows, observing his opponent''s strength without making any rash moves.


    "dice?" he muttered softly.


    ping¡­


    pong¡­


    the metallic dice made a clear buzzing sound as it hit the floor, and for a moment, all six ninjas in the cinema focused their attention on it.


    [after being used 10 times, the current "calamity dice" has evolved to "c-level," allowing two consecutive throws and choosing one from the two results (note: the numbers from the two results will not repeat).]


    [a d-level skill "calamity dice" has been released, and the six events drawn from the event library are¡ª] s§×arch* the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    number 1: trigger a minor earthquake inside wanxiang city;


    number 2: a group of untouchable ghost indian dancers will appear in the cinema;


    number 3: in 20 seconds, a green-skin train traveling at full speed will pass through the cinema''s ceiling;


    number 4: in 5 seconds, a light rain will fall inside the cinema;


    number 5: perform a nondiscriminatory bullet spray inside the cinema;


    number 6: immediately, an elephant will appear inside the cinema.]


    the dice stopped on the floor, the first roll''s result being "5";


    then, impossibly, it generated upward momentum after coming to a stop, bounced up again, and barely landed.


    the second roll''s result was "3."


    [please choose between event 3 and event 5 within three seconds. if no choice is made, the dice will automatically select one of the events to occur in reality.]


    the strange thing tilted its head, without a second thought, said a number.


    stay connected with empire


    "three."


    [you have chosen event 3: in 20 seconds, a green-skin train traveling at full speed will pass through the cinema''s ceiling.]


    "watch out..."


    haroldon expressionlessly raised his pale bone knife, muttering a warning to the five ninjas around him.


    however, the next moment, nothing happened.


    the blood-red dice just vanished as if it had never existed.


    "a bluff?" he said.


    the strange thing mockingly said, "you might think i''m bluffing, but from now on, i predict your doom. in 20 seconds, you will be smashed into tomato sauce by a train."


    "a train in a cinema? total nonsense."


    haroldon dismissively responded, then looked down at the calamity dragon struggling to rise at his feet while commanding the five ninjas beside him.


    "use the ancient bell to blast it out, then inform the sect master that there are at least three unidentified superhumans in this mall, on the second and fifth floors, and ask him to send reinforcements."


    as his words fell, the five ninjas leaped into the air, together pushing the suspended giant bell.


    ke yongzhu had just gotten up from the ground when he was hit by the raging bell towards the shattered screen, his skull shattering again.


    "oh, dare to push my dragon baby, did you ask for my permission?"


    the strange thing, while leaping forward to land on a red seat, lowered its right hand and shot a web toward ke yongzhu.


    but before the web could touch him, it was split apart by a fierce blade light.


    with a thunderous rumble, ke yongzhu''s figure smashed through the already battered wall, and he flew backward through the broken gap.


    suddenly, the grand sound of the dragon ancestor''s horn echoed from the street.


    the five ninjas, as if receiving a signal, pushed the giant bell towards the edge of the cinema, descending from the sky with it and covering ke yongzhu on luo dehua commercial street, who was about to transform into a dragon.


    seeing this, haroldon slowly raised his eyes towards magical girl xiaohongmao and the strange thing, and said.


    "now... it''s just you and me."


    at this moment, magical girl xiaohongmao had already created a tightly sealed snowflake barrier around her. during the previous moments, she had been accumulating snow to prepare for this barrier.


    "don''t want me to get close to her? as you wish."


    haroldon glanced at magical girl xiaohongmao and said.


    the next instant, his figure merged into the shadows under his feet, transforming into a weasel-like shadow that darted through the dark cinema,

 Chapter 110 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 5)_2

    in such a dim environment, finding the shadow he had transformed into only became more challenging. sear?h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.in the blink of an eye, haroldon had already surged to the rear of the strange thing, levitating from his shadow. aiming to bisect his opponent, he slashed with the pale bone knife in his hand.


    but at the same time, as if anticipating this move, the strange thing had reached back with a hand clad in electromagnetic pulse gloves, blocking haroldon''s long blade with unerring precision.


    deep blue electric arcs rushed past, enveloping every corner of the glove, spreading from the fingertips, and sparking intense light with the blade, momentarily illuminating the dim movie theater.


    "it actually reacted?"


    haroldon watched this scene, his gaze filled with surprise.


    "you know," the strange thing taunted, "a fool named ke xiaomo once tried to disturb me with the same trick. so with my toes, i could guess what you were planning to do... indeed, students from the same school, eh? even the gesture of drawing your blade and the position of your strike are exactly the same."


    "even so, our strengths are not on the same level."


    haroldon said this while powering both hands, pushing forward against the paralysis from the electromagnetic force, driving the bone knife deeper into the metal glove, which showed signs of cracking.


    the strength of a class c superhuman and a class e superhuman were not on the same level; it was indeed a dimensional strike.


    the strange thing knew it couldn''t clash head-on, so amid the metallic wails, it released the number one skill of the pulse gloves.


    succeeding that, the pattern in the palm glowed a dark blue, and immediately an electromagnetic pulse, formed from the gathered charge, shot out.


    at the same moment, magical girl xiaohongmao swung her magic wand, creating fine snowflakes along haroldon''s arms, attaching to his palms and diffusing his force.


    the pulse burst directly from the palm, pouring its ferocious kinetic energy onto the pale bone knife.


    the next instant, the blade''s light and the electric arc collided, splashing out dazzling sparks.


    bang!


    haroldon''s figure was instantly shaken back more than five meters, his feet scraping a dark trench into the ground, eventually crashing and leaping onto the wall behind him.


    read exclusive chapters at empire


    after all, the electromagnetic pulse gloves were class c equipment, and when fully powered, they were not to be underestimated.


    using two successive glove skills, aided by xiaohongmao, the strange thing barely managed to block haroldon''s strike, demonstrating the disparity between their levels.


    "oh... it seems that what''s written in novels is false; overcoming higher levels isn''t as easy as i thought."


    the strange thing cast its eyes downward, glanced at the pulse gloves that were starting to crack, and murmured, "so the countdown continues... you have about eight seconds left to live, struggle if you must."


    "performing fool, i too predict... you have only a second to live."


    saying this, haroldon kicked off against the wall behind him, using the momentum to charge forward. his blazing red figure shot toward the strange thing like a blur.


    in just a fraction of a second, he thrust the tachi forward, effortlessly piercing through the strange thing''s heart, then violently twisted the handle.


    the blade, forged from dragon bone, whipped around inside the strange thing, obliterating its chest and heart, leaving not even fragments behind.


    he had won.


    just as haroldon confirmed this in his mind, he looked up and his face showed a shocked expression.


    even though its chest was split open, the strange thing''s lips still held a sinister curve.


    its hollow eyes drooped, pityingly scrutinizing him.


    "quiz with prizes, answer one, my heart is not there;"


    "answer two, even without a heart, i can still move vivaciously."


    as the strange thing mocked him, it pulled a flintlock from its bag, grasped it with its left hand, raised the silvery muzzle swiftly, and pulled the trigger aimed at haroldon''s head.


    bang!


    the deafening gunshot sounded, flames bursting from the gun.


    but haroldon, quick as ever, ducked down in an instant, trying to press the knife handle downward simultaneously, intending to slash open a wound in the puppet''s abdomen.


    however, his plan was not successful.


    this was because at that very moment, delicate snow dust shrouded haroldon''s hands, instantly weakening his grip on the handle.


    damn... it was that magic girl.


    haroldon''s pupils shrank, and he immediately released the knife handle. his arms hung down as the gunshot missed him closely, leaving a grim mark on his wrist, accompanied by a burning trail.


    several strands of hair were singed by the discharge of the flintlock, and a harsh ringing in his ears briefly deafened him.


    the next moment, before the strange thing could fire a second shot, haroldon struck upward with one hand, hitting the left wrist and using his inner strength to knock the flintlock out of its grip.


    next, his other hand brushed aside the strange thing''s incoming electromagnetic pulse glove, then he withdrew his blade from its chest, stomped the ground, and sprang back a considerable distance.


    the pirate flintlock fell from the strange thing''s grasp, hitting the floor of the movie theater.


    "the countdown continues, you have five seconds to live."


    with this ghostly remark, the strange thing shot a web towards the ceiling, kicked off the chair beneath, and caught the web to swing toward the ceiling.


    then, it lowered its right hand and shot two more webs at the ceiling, using the web to stick the palms of both hands to the ceiling, ensuring that it wouldn''t fall.

 Chapter 110 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 5)_3

    but... just as it reached the ceiling, haroldon''s upper body emerged from the shadows of the ceiling, slicing its neck open from behind with a dagger. stay connected via empirehiss!


    with the neck severed, the monster''s head fell from the sky, landing on the floor of the screening room and bouncing a couple of times.


    haroldon landed on the ground as well, sighing in relief as he looked at the motionless head.


    "in the end, it was just a clown..."


    he muttered to himself, turning to the magic girl hiding behind the snowflake barrier, pulling the bone knife from the ground and stepping towards her.


    "next...it''s your turn."


    he had barely finished speaking when he suddenly heard a ghostly voice behind him.


    "you can live... for two more seconds."


    haroldon spun around, his brows furrowed, staring at the fallen head on the ground. it now wore a cunning smile on its face.


    "you''re talking about yourself, aren''t you? your body is still hanging from the ceiling."


    haroldon mocked coldly.


    "is there a chance that i intentionally left it up there?" the strange thing laughed.


    just then, a faint sound came from the ceiling of the screening room, like the engine of a train.


    [20 seconds have passed. due to the effect of the disaster dice, a green passenger train traveling at full speed is about to streak across the ceiling of the screening room.]


    "a train?"


    haroldon stared upwards in shock as a huge hole suddenly burst open on the far right corner of the ceiling. instantly, a massive green passenger train roared out of it.


    as if treating the ceiling of the screening room like a railroad track, it sped forward upside down, its wheels grinding away the ceiling as it passed.


    the deafening roar of the engine nearly drowned out all other sounds in the world, threatening to puncture haroldon''s eardrums. s~ea??h the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    in that brief fraction of a second, the headless body of the strange thing, still stuck to the ceiling by the web, used an e-level skill on haroldon:


    ¡ª¡ª"phase transfer."


    [phase transfer (e-level skill) (choose a target within eight meters; instantly swap places with them.)]


    this e-level skill he had purchased after finishing the pirate ship instance proved its worth at this moment.


    haroldon, realizing something was wrong and attempting to escape into the shadows beneath his feet within an instant of breaking free from the cinema...


    ...found his body switched places with that of the strange thing, abruptly appearing atop the ceiling.


    at the same time, the web arranged on the ceiling stuck his hands firmly, suspending his body from the ceiling.


    like an insect...caught in a spider''s web.


    haroldon shook his arms frantically, trying to break free from the deadly web.


    but he was unsuccessful.


    "if i''m not mistaken, he can only shadow travel if his feet are touching the ground," magical girl xiaohongmao commented, "looks like i was right."


    "how is this possible..."


    haroldon froze for half a second, slowly lifting his head to stare at the dark green train rushing towards him.


    in that instant, his face was brightly illuminated by the train''s headlights, his pupils constricted to the size of wheat grains, his expression gradually twisted by fear.


    on the floor of the screening room, the head of the monster raised its vacant eyes, its mouth curling into a wide grin.


    "surprise."


    as the mocking words fell, the green passenger train thundered through the ceiling, obliterating haroldon''s body into a mist of blood, leaving not even remains.


    [congratulations, you have successfully killed a c+ grade superhuman. your milestone achievement has been updated, please claim your reward in time.]


    the monster basked in the blood rain falling softly, its tone relaxed, "it seems that outleveling kills isn''t so hard after all, us system creatures are like that."


    "your head''s off, and you''re still boasting..."


    magical girl xiaohongmao softly remarked, disengaging the snowflake barrier beside her, stepping toward it, then bending down to pick up its head and hold it in her arms.


    she turned her head to look toward the body of the monster¡ªbecause the headless body had used "phase transfer" to swap places with haroldon, it now lay quietly on the ground.


    the monster in the girl''s arms said, "although i hate that damn blue owl who dresses like his old man, i don''t dislike you, miss xiaohongmao. you''re really warm..."


    "shut up."


    xiaohongmao said, covering its mouth, then walked over to the headless body, lifted its arm, and pressed down on the web shooter on the wrist.


    immediately following this, a highly adhesive web shot out from the front of the web shooter, sticking to the jaw of the monster.


    then, xiaohongmao raised its head, unhurriedly fitting it back onto the neck of the headless body.


    the web acted as an adhesive, making the monster''s head and body whole once again.


    "ah, that feels much better."


    the monster murmured, rising from the ground, twisting its stiff neck, grinning at xiaohongmao.


    "many thanks, miss xiaohongmao. i look forward to the next time we can fight side by side."


    "you''re welcome," xiaohongmao said.


    hearing the commotion coming from the audience passage, the monster turned its gaze towards the outside of the screening room. the fight between black wukong and the illusionist fan gu seemed to be drawing to a close as well.

 Chapter 111 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 6)

    three minutes earlier, on the fifth floor of wanxiang city, inside a restroom within the cinema."has he come?"


    bai qiuwu heard some rustling sounds from the audience passage, so she covered her hair with the hood of her metallic long coat, and quickly put on a monkey mask on her face.


    then she slanted the jingu bang behind her and slowly raised her eyes, which ignited with a dark golden fire.


    she stepped out of the restroom and started walking forward along the edge of the audience passage.


    however, just after taking two steps forward, a tall and thin figure wearing a black robe and a demon mask appeared around the corner. sear?h the nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    fan gu pinched a flute between his index and middle fingers and halted at the end of the narrow corridor, radiating an unkind aura from head to toe.


    "black wukong," he said, "i never expected to run into such a character today. it seems that the date set by the sect master is not very auspicious."


    black wukong took out her phone from the pocket of her metallic coat, typed swiftly in the memo app, and then raised the screen.


    "who are you?"


    fan gu replied, "who i am doesn''t matter, but i cannot let you get close to this screening room."


    as his words fell, he raised the index, middle, and ring fingers of his left hand, covering the three holes at the front end of the flute, while his thumb supported the underside. his right hand''s fingering was the same as the left, palm up, with the thumb resting on the back center of the flute as a pivot, and the other four fingers responsible for pressing the remaining holes.


    black wukong charged forward, like a streak of silver and black lightning slashing towards fan gu, the tail of the jingu bang scraping a dark golden furrow on the ground.


    but at that moment, fan gu positioned the flute''s mouth against his lower lip and slightly tilted the flute, making contact with his upper lip.


    his fingertips lightly pressed different holes as he gently began to play.


    with the sound of the flute, black wukong swung the jingu bang diagonally upward, the powerful strike igniting sparks in the air and lifting a fierce wind, the tip stabbing straight towards fan gu''s chest.


    in the next instant, however, she hit only an illusionary figure, which dissipated into dust.


    within the lingering melody of the flute, black wukong positioned the jingu bang behind her and stood at attention, turning her head to survey her surroundings, trying to locate fan gu with her eyes of golden flame.


    but, the surrounding scenery suddenly shifted, as if she had arrived in another world.


    she found herself standing atop a high-rise building, walking on a ropeway as narrow as a tightrope.


    black wukong was startled for a second, struggling to maintain her balance on the slender rope, and looked towards the other side.


    but at that moment, the rope beneath her feet snapped, sending her plummeting downward, her long black hair and hood flipping up as the howling wind caused her pale face to sting.


    no matter how she called, somersault cloud was nowhere to be found; she could only watch as the asphalt road in her pupils drew closer and closer.


    yet at the last moment, just before she was about to crash into the earth, everything suddenly vanished.


    when black wukong opened her eyes again, she looked around and found herself standing on the edge of a volcano''s summit.


    she moved forward along the narrow path, looking down to see that the volcano was about to erupt, with smoke rising to the sky like a demon spreading its wings, dyeing the world leaden grey.


    the rocky surface cracked, revealing a reddish-golden hue, as if a giant serpent that had been slumbering underground for millennia was awakening, writhing its body beneath the volcano.


    the thunderous roar from inside the volcano resonated as the magma flowed like the yangtze river, instantly turning into a red-gold pillar of flame that pierced the sky, opening up the darkened world with its roar.


    black wukong was engulfed by the pillar of flame, with nowhere to hide. she placed the jingu bang horizontally in front of her, raising her right arm to shield her face, her eyes squinting slightly.


    when she came to her senses, she found herself in a vast expanse of ice and snow.


    looking around bewilderedly, her legs buried deep in the snow up to her knees, she moved through the deep snow as if about to be consumed by it.


    she took off the monkey mask, exhaling plumes of white breath.


    turning her head, she gazed at the snow-covered mountains and ridges. the mid-slope pine forest resembled a white sea, with leaves swaying gently in the wind, rustling softly.


    black wukong stood in the snowfield, staring blankly at this vast white world. but then, in a moment, the snow mountain collapsed, and she was engulfed by the avalanche.


    gasping for breath, she raised her eyes and found herself back in the dimly lit audience passage.


    the incoming hidden weapons tore through her metallic long coat, ripping off a corner of the monkey mask, leaving a bloody mark on her pale face.


    at the same time, fan gu once again held the flute with both hands and began to play.


    bai qiuwu had not recovered her wits before she unwittingly fell into the illusions, as though entering a repeating cycle, the environment shifting between the city, volcano, and snowfield. experience tales at empire


    in the end, she closed her eyes on the peak of that snow mountain and entered the palace of consciousness inside her mind.


    upon opening her eyes again, she saw a pitch-black space, resembling a massive prison. across the iron net, a peculiar figure was lurking in the shadows.


    blonde hair with a golden headband, fiery golden eyes, a pointed mouth, and monkey cheeks.


    sun wukong slowly raised his eyes and looked through the iron net at bai qiuwu. he sneered and said, "my dear disciple, i never taught you to be such an embarrassment."


    "i don''t understand, why can''t my eyes of golden flame see through his illusion technique?"


    bai qiuwu approached the iron net and asked him.


    "ha, foolish girl, are you stumped by such trickery? that''s sorcery applied within your mind, not some cheap trickery. besides, your eyes of golden flame are not yet well-trained. how can they compare to the supernatural powers of sun wukong? you still need to practice," he said.

 Chapter 111 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 6)_2

    bai qiuwu held the knee of her right arm with her left arm and rested her chin on her right hand as she asked softly,"so, do i have any ways to counter this?"


    "if i must say... i, old sun, have two methods."


    "what are they?"


    "the first method is to stretch out your finger in the moment of clarity and pierce your own ears deaf. if you can''t hear the flute, you won''t fall for that black-robed child''s tricks."


    "i''ll consider it," bai qiuwu sighed, "and the second method?"


    "tight-binding spell."


    sun wukong slowly uttered these three words.


    bai qiuwu hesitated for two seconds, then tilted her head at him: "are you trying to make me laugh?"


    she thought to herself, in "journey to the west," wasn''t the tight-binding spell used by tang sanzang to control sun wukong? what use could it have at a time like this?


    "no, by stimulating your brain with the tight-binding spell, it might break his illusion technique." sun wukong said disdainfully.


    "then i''ll give it a try, teach me."


    "it''s not hard, listen carefully to old sun..." sun wukong grinned, showing his teeth, "teach that black-robed child a lesson, and do not disappoint old sun, understand?"


    after a while, black wukong opened her eyes again, returning to that auditorium aisle bathed in cool-toned lights. she raised her jingu bang, using the shaft to deflect an incoming lead-gray dagger.


    looking up, just as fan gu was about to play the flute, she pressed her metal-armored right hand against her forehead, quietly chanting something.


    suddenly, lines of golden scripture emerged from nowhere, circling around her head; they would contract like a golden hoop and then expand like a halo.


    black wukong held her forehead, moaning in a somber tone. the intense pain coming from her brain revived each of her limp brain nerves.


    the illusions ceased to exist.


    all that remained was a rage building in her chest, like a wild beast waiting to be unleashed...


    "how is this possible?"


    fan gu watched this scene, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, shockingly releasing the long flute from his lips.


    black wukong lifted her eyes ablaze with a fiery golden flame, glaring deeply at him.


    with one hand on her forehead, maintaining the release of the tight-binding spell, she hurled the samadhi true fire forward, scorching the corridor''s walls. the led ceiling lights sparked and went out with a snap.


    the lights flickered on and off, and eventually, the entire corridor plunged into darkness. read exclusive content at empire


    in the pitch-black world, only the bright red trail of the samadhi true fire could be seen cutting through the air. sear?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    fan gu, while tucking the flute into his wide sleeve, quickly retreated to the right with agile movements.


    at that moment, due to the surrounding darkness, his attention nearly wholly centered on the flames. however, he could still feel another powerful force hurtling towards him.


    so, as the two forces converged on him, his body turned into a puff of dust and reappeared in the distance.


    yet, at that instant, a dark golden staff surged straight at him, piercing through his right chest, skimming past the position of his heart, and pinning him to the wall.


    fan gu lowered his head, his hands covering his chest, the demonic mask on his face falling off to reveal a pale face.


    "how is this possible, you''re over here... so, the two forces i just felt, one of them was samadhi true fire, what was the other?"


    "somersault cloud." black wukong leaned close to his ear and answered his question, "in the dark, you couldn''t discern my position, so you mistook the somersault cloud for my movement."


    upon hearing this, fan gu turned his head in shock, only to see a mass of billowing black clouds lingering in a corner of the aisle¡ªblack wukong had used this as a decoy, deceiving his senses in the darkness.


    at this moment, his eyes bulged, bloodshot and focused, his trembling lips spat out the words.


    "spare my life."


    "it seems, apart from illusion technique, you are good for nothing else."


    black wukong coldly mocked, then pulled the jingu bang from his chest and swung it at his head, knocking him unconscious on the spot.


    he then controlled the somersault cloud to come beneath his feet, stepped on it, and leaned slightly forward as he quickly flew toward theater 5.


    moments later, he used the head of the jingu bang to forcefully burst open the cinema''s main doors, looked up, and saw only two figures amid the devastated theater.


    "you are..."


    black wukong frowned slightly, staring intently at the gray humanoid figure in the theater.


    the strange thing spread its hands, slowly climbed up from the ground, twisted the head that had just been glued back on with a spider web, and, without turning its head, said, "unfortunately, you''re one step too late."


    "where''s my brother?"


    black wukong lowered his face, asking almost word by word.


    the strange thing sighed, turned its head to look at black wukong, and pointed toward a break in the theater.


    "miss sun wukong, your brother was thrown onto the street by that group of ninjas. i tried my best but couldn''t keep him safe, only managed to kill one ninja."


    as he spoke, he pointed to the torn red ninja outfit on the ground, and the pool of blood: "that ninja was strong; my head came off."


    the strange thing sighed again, lifted its head, and placed it back onto its neck.


    "answer me, why did those ninjas want to capture him?"


    black wukong coolly barked a question.


    "your brother is on luo dehua commercial street, you''ll understand once you see," xiaohongmao said, "i advise you to hurry, or he''ll soon be killed by those ninjas."


    "and you are?"


    "magic girl, xiaohongmao."


    "magic girl..."


    speaking of magic girl, bai qiuwu immediately thought of bai zini, still in wanxiang city, and knew that with her personality, she definitely would transform into magical girl ash and battle those ninjas, "my sister is still..."


    before he could finish, he was interrupted by the strange thing: "don''t worry, my friend will go help her, isn''t that right, student xiaohongmao?"


    magical girl xiaohongmao nodded at black wukong upon hearing this.


    "who exactly are you?"


    black wukong turned his head and stared intensely at her, asking in a somber voice.


    "i will aid your sister. she is my friend too, please believe me," xiaohongmao said calmly.


    "that''s pretty much the situation, if i were you, i would have already gone. you''ve already missed your chance once, and if you''re late this time, your brother will be a dead body," the strange thing uttered, sitting on the ground, then sprawling out in a spread-eagle position, continuing to speak.


    "ah, i''m really exhausted, coming from so far to help you, and still being doubted by you, truly a thankless task, miss sun wukong..."


    black wukong remained silent, slowly turned his head, and looked toward the rightmost break in the theater.


    her sharp hearing distinctly captured the savage beast roars and deafening gong sounds coming from luo dehua street. all these noises filled her ears, causing her chest to throb intensely.


    she took a deep breath, raised her eyes to the strange thing, and said, "thanks..."


    after finishing, her feet on the somersault cloud grew as noisy as a steam engine, and in an instant, it shot her body toward the exit of the theater, disappearing from the strange thing''s view.


    the strange thing used its peripheral vision to watch her leave, still lying on the ground, making no effort to get up.


    it stared at the ceiling, muttering to itself.


    "okay, black wukong, black judge, ninja sect master, ink writer, disaster dragon, ke xiaomo, all are present, now the battlefield outside isn''t something for minor characters like us to meddle in... let''s rest for a bit, then go see our dear friend... lovely miss ash."


    "then get up," xiaohongmao said, channeling magic power into her ruby magic wand, lifting her feet off the ground, and leaving the theater ahead of the strange thing.

 Chapter 112 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 7)

    july 4th, 10:48 am, luo dehua commercial street, second layer of wanxiang city.bai zini held a dolphin stuffed toy in one arm and a cellphone in the other, a shopping bag slung over her shoulder, as she walked out of the toy store, head bowed, engrossed in her phone.


    she soon realized something was amiss.


    the entire mall was eerily silent, and from a corner of wanxiang city, a sobbing sound could be faintly heard. turning to look, she saw that all the tourists had been herded into a corner, silenced.


    "zi ling, is she among that group of tourists?" bai zini frowned, wondering.


    she remembered bai ziling was just next door in the video game store playing metal slug, but now she was nowhere to be seen.


    bai zini turned her cheek slightly, casting a glance backward with her peripheral vision, only to see the toy store owner who had been enthusiastically greeting her moments ago now passed out on the counter.


    when she turned her head back, she was already surrounded by over a dozen ninjas.


    some held long swords, others daggers, their unemotional gazes fixed on her. s~ea??h the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "please cooperate with us, we have no intention of harming children," one of the ninjas said.


    "where''s the dragon of calamity?"


    the only one dressed slightly differently among the ninjas came over, asking.


    his name was wang minghai, the sect master''s second disciple. at that moment, he was dressed in a purple suit with a clean-cut crew cut, his face expressing frivolity.


    "at the fifth-floor cinema."


    "then i''ll go look for the dragon," said wang minghai, "the sect master said to protect that guy''s family, so take this little girl away."


    as bai zini overheard their conversation, she slipped her phone back into her pocket and raised her right hand, holding up her index and middle finger.


    "see these two fingers?" she asked.


    the surrounding ninjas, including wang minghai, fell silent, exchanging puzzled glances, their eyes betraying astonishment.


    they seemed unclear why bai zini was suddenly making a "peace" hand sign.


    bai zini lowered her face, looking at them coldly, and continued, "this is not a sign of love and peace, nor is it a v-sign for a selfie. instead, it means... you won''t live past two seconds from now."


    with that, she pulled a collapsible umbrella from her shopping bag.


    starting from the tip of the umbrella, a murky blend of grey and black hues flowed past, engulfing the umbrella like a tide, and soon the lower half of the folding umbrella transformed into a magic wand.


    time seemed to pause at that second, as intricate floral patterns grew ominously on the surface of the umbrella, eventually linked together by a ring of thorns.


    as the magical umbrella "cinderella" took its full form, light cocooned bai zini''s body.


    magical girl ash reached out her right hand and flicked a lock of hair from her forehead, shattering the light cocoon in an instant. her black hair fell like a waterfall behind her, as the gothic skirt fluttered in the wind.


    she lifted her face, slowly looking up, her pupils as piercing as a pool of clear water under the moonlight.


    "a magic girl?" wang minghai was taken aback for a second, "that guy''s sister is actually a magic girl."


    as he spoke, magical girl ash had already charged forward, turning into a blur as she rushed in front of him, lifting cinderella and forcing the umbrella tip into his slightly open mouth.


    her index finger pulled the trigger.


    bang!


    there was a gunshot, but wang minghai''s throat did not burst open with a bloody wound because he had pulled out a scroll at that moment, and using the scroll''s power, he turned to ink and teleported to a distance.


    the ten nearby ninjas realized something was wrong and hurled throwing stars at ash, coming at her like a swarm of dark birds, their sharp beaks lunging.


    the gothic girl drew a bright tachi from underneath cinderella''s canopy, her fair fingers gripping the handle slightly as grey magic power coated the blade.


    then, pivoting around herself, she slashed diagonally in a circle.


    ripples of magic spread from the blade, resembling a dark full moon, deflecting all the daggers in the blink of an eye and then cutting towards the waists of the ten ninjas.


    experience tales with empire


    thud!


    as the sharp sound tore through the air, a vicious gash suddenly appeared on the ninjas'' waists. even at a distance, the wounds were nearly enough to cut them in half.


    they had no choice but to stare wide-eyed and awkwardly clutching their wounds as they scrambled away.


    magical girl ash raised her eyes, one hand holding the tachi, the other the cinderella, and said in a cold tone, "if i hadn''t held back, you indeed wouldn''t have lived past two seconds."


    wang minghai watched her with interest, discarding the spent scroll and pulling two more scrolls from inside his suit jacket.


    "don''t meddle, i can handle this guy," he ordered.


    the ninjas nodded and retreated to the shadows, while a few continued to watch over the tourists on the second floor to keep them from causing any commotion.


    however, with the arrival of magical girl ash, an exclamation of surprise erupted from among the tourists.


    "it''s a magic girl, the magic girl is here to save us!"


    "it''s ash, that''s ash, i know her!"


    "we''re saved, she is the strongest magic girl next to xizi yue."


    magical girl ash met wang minghai''s gaze and asked almost word for word, "who exactly are you?"


    "i''m a ninja, well, i haven''t really been a ninja for many years now, currently dabbling in the finance industry, never thought that old man would call me back." wang minghai licked his lips, "but after seeing you, i suddenly don''t regret it, who wouldn''t want to be with a magic girl..."

 Chapter 112 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 7)_2

    ```before he could finish speaking, magical girl ash had already lifted cinderella, aiming at him and pulling the trigger.


    a "bang" echoed as the mage bullet shot out from the gun barrel at the tip of the umbrella!


    "how rude," he said.


    with quick hands and eyes, wang minghai unfolded a scroll, and immediately a torrent of water surged forward, buffering the impact of the mage bullet, allowing him to twist his head and dodge.


    magical girl ash injected magic power into cinderella, her body rising into the air. she then pointed the gun barrel of cinderella behind her, releasing a burst of air.


    whoosh!


    propelled by the recoil, she executed a lunge in midair, drawing her tachi close to wang minghai in an instant, twisting her waist to gain leverage, the blade dancing elegantly downward in an arc.


    in that moment, wang minghai put on a pair of silver-white knuckledusters, and punched towards ash''s tachi. your next read is at empire


    their fists and sword met, momentarily matched in force, but ash, with the advantage of higher ground, turned retreat into advance, her right leg infused with magic power stomping forward, kicking hard towards wang minghai''s chest.


    the knuckleduster and tachi "clang" apart, sparks flying in midair.


    wang minghai was kicked back a full two meters by ash''s kick, and magical girl ash used this momentum to retreat backward in midair, that instant, not forgetting to point the cinderella she was holding in her right hand straight ahead.


    she continued to pull the trigger.


    the lead-gray mage bullets arrived in an instant, almost forming a straight line. wang minghai, while retreating, swung his fists forward, his punches creating strong gusts.


    clang clang clang!


    soon, the sturdy metal knuckledusters, under the relentless assault of the mage bullets, starting from the piece over his middle finger, spread thousands of cracks and then shattered.


    wang minghai touched his torn right hand, a fierce glint crossed his eyes, and he curled his lips into a smile.


    "interesting," he said.


    seizing the moment ash was forced to retreat backward due to the recoil, he unfolded another scroll, and immediately a giant birdcage made of demon bodies descended from the sky, enveloping ash''s body.


    leaving no time to react.


    looking at this birdcage, one would feel its exterior resembled nearly dozens of ghostly spirits holding hands, a sight that could inspire terror and discomfort with a mere glance.


    meanwhile, wang minghai unfolded yet another scroll, and a giant python formed of flames emerged, slithering towards ash with violent momentum.


    magical girl ash, still trapped within the demon cage, slashed at its barriers with her long sword, but couldn''t make even a single crack.


    as the fire snake drew nearer, her figure remained ethereal and proud, her face lifted slightly, and her right hand calmly raised cinderella, the gun barrel aimed straight ahead.


    the next instant, a magnificent beam of light burst forth from the tip of the umbrella, like thousands of gray roses blooming together.


    in the thunderous roar, light and shadow trembled, and the world at that moment seemed to turn black and white.


    the faces of the onlookers, wang minghai''s expression, the silhouette of magical girl ash.


    throughout the mall, countless advertising signs and tubes lost power at this moment, dimming down. it was as if a vast cloud of darkness had descended over the world, stripping it of its remaining color.


    under the devastating mage light beam, the demon cage shattered in an instant, and then the fire snake got swallowed up in it. finally, even the figure of wang minghai was inevitably engulfed.


    a moment later, the magical umbrella cinderella trembled faintly, white smoke rising from the still-hot barrel.


    ash lowered the tip of the umbrella, catching her breath while lifting the tachi, moving forward through the smoke that now enveloped the entire mall.


    in the time following the release of the mage light beam, her inner magic power was at its weakest, so she had to stay three hundred percent alert.


    in that instant, a dangerous presence suddenly emanated from behind her. sea??h th§× novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ```


    her eyes slightly narrowed, she opened the cinderella umbrella wide, shielding the area behind her.


    the next moment, a wild dragon made of stone collided with her umbrella, sending her flying backward for more than ten meters, crashing into the wall.


    as the pervasive smoke dispersed, the bloodied wang minghai emerged, his left side of the face intact, while the right was reduced to bone and flesh, half of his body charred to a crisp.


    "didn''t expect you to have such a skill..." wang minghai croaked, "i truly underestimated you." after saying that, he slowly unfurled the last scroll.


    he''s still not dead? this guy''s really tough...


    magical girl ash frowned, thinking this while she raised her right arm, which was lodged in a dent, slowly extricating herself from the wall''s broken cavity to pick up the tachi from the ground.


    however, at that very moment, a cyan-black ghostly hand appeared out of nowhere, suddenly gripping her throat tightly.


    "i did want to enjoy this game a bit more with our cute magic girl miss, but it seems if we keep playing, i''ll be the one in danger of losing my life."


    wang minghai mockingly spoke as he raised his still-intact left arm in the void, his left hand mirroring the gesture of the ghost hand.


    magical girl ash was suspended in mid-air by the ghost hand, nearly unable to breathe. she scrunched her nose and attempted with all her might to lift cinderella, aiming the tip of the umbrella at wang minghai.


    she swiftly pulled the trigger!


    with a bang of gunfire, wang minghai merely twisted his neck, dodging the magic-guided bullet.


    but as he was momentarily distracted, ash broke free from the ghost hand''s grip, falling to the ground while clutching her neck.


    she breathed heavily, slowly turning her head to survey her surroundings.


    the ten ninjas she had previously let go were now charging out from behind nearby billboards, rushing toward her with long swords and daggers drawn.


    magical girl ash painfully reached out her right hand, gripping the handle of the cinderella umbrella tightly.


    her vision was extremely blurred. the ninjas'' speed could not be considered fast after sustaining injuries, but to her, their forms were shadowy and indistinct, occasionally splitting apart.


    "do you know? since you came with the intention of killing me, i have no reason to let you go."


    as he spoke, wang minghai held the scroll in his right hand, his left hand raised slightly.


    he was about to unleash the ghost hand on ash again, but at that very moment, he suddenly discovered his left hand somehow immobilized by a thread of spider silk.


    then, a humanoid figure bathed in a gray halo fell from the ceiling, appearing before wang minghai and magical girl ash.


    magical girl ash paused a moment, lifting her eyes to stare at the gray figure, uttering its name with a weak voice.


    "...strange thing?"


    "i told you, you would need me, miss ash," the strange thing said teasingly.


    in that second, the ten ninjas had already drawn their concealed weapons and charged at magical girl ash.


    but as they closed in, they were suddenly unable to move their legs, looking down to find a layer of frost had formed around their feet.


    at the same time, a girl dressed in a christmas costume, complete with a tall santa hat, plunged from a distance to land in front of magical girl ash, protecting her.


    raising the magic wand to the ten ninjas, she asked in an unhurried tone.


    "senior, are you alright?"


    magical girl ash lifted her eyes, the blurry silhouette of the girl reflected in her vision, her whole person stunned for a few seconds.


    "xiaohongmao?" she said dazedly.

 Chapter 113 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (Eight)

    "although it seems you''re already crippled, you are still an a-class ninja, after all, so let me give you a little respect,"the strange thing said mockingly, slowly pulling out its right hand that had been hidden behind its back, revealing a bone knife that was chillingly white and about six feet long.


    "that knife... where did you get that knife?"


    wang minghai stared at the bone knife in the strange thing''s hand, suddenly froze for a moment, and then roared his question.


    "oh, you mean this knife?" the strange thing arched its nonexistent brow and said slowly, "i took it from your younger apprentice brother after i had slaughtered him. to be honest, the quality is so-so, but it might be good for slaying dragons."


    "you killed haroldon?"


    wang minghai questioned, word by word, his lips twitching slightly.


    "correct, and now it''s your turn,"


    the strange thing said, as its right hand wrapped in electromagnetic pulse gloves suddenly lifted, presenting a mid-century pirate''s musket. pulling the trigger, flames burst forth.


    bang!


    despite his serious injuries, wang minghai''s responses and speed were still mind-bogglingly fast. he bent over and sidestepped the strange thing, while at the same time pulling out a set of brass knuckles from his suit pocket, fitting them onto his left hand.


    "still trying to struggle, i see. you look like you''re on your last breath,"


    the strange thing taunted, noting how the right side of wang minghai''s body was virtually useless under the strike of magic girl ash''s magical light beam.


    if it had been a superhuman below the a-class, such an injury would have practically spelled death sentence ¡ª it had to be said, the vitality of an a-class superhuman was formidable, still clinging to life despite such grievous wounds.


    after putting on the metal knuckles, wang minghai charged forward with a roar, his eyes bloodshot.


    "i watched that kid grow up...you actually killed him, you actually killed him!"


    "and i too watched that kid grow up, although... the ''kid'' i refer to might not be the same one you''re talking about."


    the strange thing curled its lips, pointing the musket at him and pulling the trigger once again.


    bang!


    the barrel spat flames, splashing ferociously towards wang minghai.


    dodging by diving forward, wang minghai avoided the gunpowder scorching past his ear, but one of his ears was blasted open.


    at that moment, however, the strange thing shot spider silk towards his chest.


    wang minghai frowned and punched the oncoming silk, but his force was cushioned by the stickiness of the web.


    right then, the strange thing unleashed the second function of the electromagnetic pulse gloves, filling the metal fingertips with electromagnetic energy.


    "zzzzzz¡ª" it mimicked the sound playfully.


    as soon as the words were out, intense electromagnetism traveled through the tough silk to wang minghai, causing his body to convulse and his face to contort.


    in the past, such an amount of electricity would have been inconsequential to him. but after his deadly battle with magic girl ash, his stamina and immunity were nearly depleted, leaving him defenseless.


    "only a fool would engage an a-class in close combat, even a crippled a-class... hmm, this knife is just a ruse, don''t even think about me getting close to you."


    the strange thing said as it lowered its right hand, shooting spider silk in rapid succession at wang minghai, who was in a state of paralysis, sticking to his left and right legs.


    then, it reached out with the electromagnetic pulse gloves towards the front, palm facing wang minghai. the next moment, an electromagnetic pulse burst forth from the palm''s patterns, hitting wang minghai squarely in the chest.


    the light in wang minghai''s remaining eye gradually faded as his head drooped.


    still, the strange thing didn''t relax its guard and approached him rashly. it threw the bone knife into the air and then shot a web, sticking to the knife''s handle.


    it then lifted its right hand, pulling on the silk, swirling the knife once in midair before releasing the silk, sending the bone knife, which now carried a powerful kinetic energy, straight into wang minghai''s body.


    the bone knife flew and pierced through wang minghai''s head with a "thwack", causing him to fall backward onto the ground. after a long while, he lay completely motionless.


    blood spurted continuously from the opening in his head.


    it was only after a short while that it stopped, like a dried-up little fountain.


    the strange thing lifted its hollow eyes, continuing to press down with its right hand, sticking webs onto wang minghai''s body with "puff, puff" sounds.


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    it didn''t give him any chance of feigning death, aiming for a perfect coup de grace.


    [congratulations, you have successfully killed an a-class superhuman. milestone achievement has been updated, please claim your reward promptly.]


    with the system notification popping up, the strange thing finally placed its hands on its waist and took a deep breath of relief.


    it shrugged and said, "that''s what you get for laying hands on my dear miss ash, you blind fool..."


    as it spoke, the strange thing turned around, only to see that magical girl xiaohongmao, in conjunction with magical girl ash, had already dealt with the group of ninjas.


    there wasn''t much to say about the battle process. the ten ninjas were already injured, and with xiaohongmao binding their hands and feet with snowflakes, they had no choice but to surrender. they were mercilessly sent off by magical girl ash, one bullet per person.


    magical girl xiaohongmao supported ash and took out an e-rank item, the "rebirth medical bottle," from her bag and handed it to her, saying that it was a healing liquid left by her grandmother, which would take effect immediately upon drinking.


    the strange thing covered its face, unable to hold back a snicker. s~ea??h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "your grandmother came along too, did she? was she eaten by a big bad wolf, and then a hunter uncle with a shotgun saved you?" it mocked.


    "shut up,"


    magical girl xiaohongmao said expressionlessly.


    ash looked at the bottle xiaohongmao handed over, hesitated for a while, wanted to refuse, but ultimately accepted the medical bottle¡ªafter all, without xiaohongmao, she would have met her end right then and there. how could xiaohongmao mean her harm?


    holding the medical bottle in her hand, she then remembered that she hadn''t used the magic mirror to change her appearance, but since xiaohongmao and the strange thing already knew her identity, it didn''t matter anymore...


    she brought the medical bottle to her lips and drained the liquid inside. it tasted quite good, like orange juice, and it also moistened her dry throat.


    soon, magical girl ash was surprised to find that her injuries had massively healed.


    "what exactly is this?"


    she looked down, gently furrowing her brow, suspiciously sizing up the rebirth medical bottle like a grade schooler.


    "my grandmother was also a magic girl," xiaohongmao said softly. "this is a magic medical bottle she left to me before she passed away; she said it could be used if i got hurt. it''s just that i can''t see her anymore... i''m an orphan; my parents abandoned me, my grandmother has also died."


    saying this, she stealthily placed the empty rebirth medical bottle back into her bag while ash wasn''t looking.


    "you''re an orphan?" ash was startled.


    "yeah, earlier when i lied to you about being in the same school, i actually can''t afford to go to school," xiaohongmao said.


    "how come..."


    ash hung her head in thought for a while, and after a long moment, lifted her eyes to look at her seriously, saying.


    "you must come to the alliance, do you understand? my master, no, teacher xizi yue, has been thinking about you, saying that since the last time, you never showed up to submit an application to join, as if you evaporated from the face of the earth."


    "i just didn''t want to drag you all down."


    xiaohongmao said softly, head lowered.


    "didn''t you just save me?" ash turned to look at her, extending a finger to gently tap her pale forehead, "don''t think too much, we are all waiting for you."


    seeing xiaohongmao remain silent, ash let out a light sigh and got up from the ground.


    she brushed the dust off her skirt, stowed away the tachi at the bottom of cinderella, and then turned her head to the strange thing, asking coldly, "why are you here?"


    "i''ve said before, i know everything," the strange thing replied with a smirk, "more importantly... shouldn''t you thank me first for saving you?"


    "and her, why is she here?"


    "i brought her over. when i said you were in danger, she didn''t think twice and transformed right away to help you."


    "...thank you."


    after a moment of silence, ash lowered her head and said to xiaohongmao, who sat on the ground.


    "you''re welcome," xiaohongmao said.


    "i don''t understand, why do you only say thank you to her, what about my share?"


    the strange thing tilted its head, asking inconfused.


    "what exactly happened outside?" magical girl ash asked.


    "instead of that... aren''t you worried about your family? they are still upstairs,"


    the strange thing said, raising a finger to point at the rooftop.


    at those words, ash frowned, and a ripple of magic power surged from the tip of cinderella''s umbrella, carrying her upward, surpassing the layers of elevators to reach the fifth floor of wanxiang city.


    "a decisive young lady... well, with the situation outside likely wrapping up, let''s go take a look,"


    the strange thing muttered, watching magical girl ash leave, and began to put away the series of equipment back into its bag.


    then, with hands on hips, it stepped onto the powered-down elevator to descend to the first floor, towards the war-torn luo dehua commercial street.

 Chapter 114 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 9)

    at 10:47 a.m., on luo dehua commercial street, on the glass curtain wall of a skyscraper.ke xiaomo and the sect master craned their necks, looking far off at the calamity dragon breed trapped within the ancient bronze bell.


    it rammed into the body of the bell with near insanity, striking depression after depression into the surface of the giant bell, its savage roars interweaving with the booming of the bell.


    the sounds nearly filled the entire world, thundering into ke xiaomo''s ears like rolling thunder.


    "you''ve been hiding this from me... for an entire half a month."


    ke xiaomo hung his head low, his eyes shielded by his hanging hair. he asked gloomily, his shadow sword in hand crumbling away, turning into wisps and strands of shadow that fell to his fingertips.


    "yes, i feared you would make the wrong choice," the sect master murmured.


    "but haven''t you always taught me that nothing is more important than the people by your side?"


    "but he is not human..." the sect master took a deep breath, "he''s a dragon, mo."


    "i''ve lived with him for nearly seven years, i think i understand him better than you. even if he has aspects of being a dragon, he also definitely has aspects of being human."


    "no, you should understand, just having the part that is a dragon is enough to sentence it to death," said the sect master, "exterminating the calamity dragon is the eternal fate of our ninja sect."


    "even if it''s wrong?"


    "no, it''s absolutely correct. to leave those monsters unchecked is to bring disaster upon humanity."


    "then please tell me, if he is a monster, why could he have lived... in our family."


    the sect master cut him off coldly: "because it excels in disguising itself."


    "i don''t think that was a disguise."


    "you''ve just been deceived."


    "i''ll say it one last time..." ke xiaomo paused, then said in a grave tone, "i don''t think it was a disguise, he could have been a person... but he had no choice... just no choice!"


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    the sect master stared at him silently, and after a long while, he spoke.


    "today you have only one choice, protect this dragon breed, or choose to follow the greater good."


    "the greater good?" ke xiaomo growled with a dark expression, "master, what exactly is this greater good you speak of, why must i watch my own family member be killed by you to be considered righteous?!"


    "you''ve just been tricked by it, mo, don''t get too caught up in the act."


    upon hearing this, ke xiaomo''s face twitched slightly, his tone growing even darker: "if taking away someone''s family from them is your idea of the greater good..."


    he paused: "then i think you''re utterly wrong."


    "mo... you really are stubborn," the sect master said deeply, "so you mean to oppose me, and even the entire ninja sect?"


    "no, i don''t want to be your enemy, but i will not allow anyone to take the life of my family member before my eyes."


    "he is the embodiment of the calamity dragon in this world," the sect master sternly reprimanded, "do you know what kind of disaster this dragon will bring to the world if it continues to grow?"


    "i don''t care, if i can''t even protect my own family, what''s the point in talking about the world?"


    ke xiaomo said with a stern voice, slowly lifting his right hand, squeezing shadow out of his fingertips, and gathering it back into a ten-foot-long shadow blade in his palm.


    he raised the blade, pointing the tip at the sect master''s head, with a face of cruelty seemingly reflected in the shadows.


    "you dare to draw a blade against your master, how arrogant..." said the sect master.


    "a second ago, i left the ninja sect," ke xiaomo paused, "so this is the last time i''ll address you as ''master''."


    he took a deep breath and lowered his voice.


    "master, forgive your disciple''s disrespect."


    as the words fell, ke xiaomo had already pounced towards the sect master, the three-foot-long shadow sword slashing horizontally.


    the sect master drew his tachi to counter it. at the same time, the shadow under his feet slowly expanded, like a pond becoming a lake, and even completely enveloped ke xiaomo''s feet.


    "in my shadow domain, you have no chance to use your shadow shapeshifting skill, which means... you don''t even have the chance to escape," said the sect master calmly, "give up now, mo."


    "from the moment i drew my blade, i never thought of leaving any way out for myself."


    "i taught you myself, i know you better than anyone, you don''t stand a chance against me!"


    "then you should be clearer than anyone else that i will not compromise!"


    ke xiaomo roared each word, forcing the sect master''s tachi away with brute strength, his body rebounding several meters backward.


    in the blink of an eye, he crouched on the glass curtain wall, and like a spring, he shot forward, the sharp blade tip targeting the sect master''s chest.


    "how ignorant," the sect master said with a glint in his eye, standing his tachi upright and accurately blocking the blade tip of ke xiaomo with the middle of his blade.


    at the same time, the shadow under the sect master''s feet roiled like a deep lake, bulging and quickly solidifying into the shape of a giant lion''s shadow behind him.


    as the lion''s shadow emerged, the sect master''s strength suddenly surged by over a hundredfold. his figure overlapped with that of the lion''s shadow, the tachi exactly at the part where the lion''s teeth would be.


    immediately after, ke xiaomo''s shadow sword shattered from the fierce collision, and he was thrown back dozens of meters in an instant. s§×ar?h the n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    but before he could catch his breath,


    the sect master merged with the shadow-cast lion and pounced instantly, the feral teeth and claws tossing ke xiaomo into the air.


    under the fierce gust, the glass curtain wall along the way shattered explosively.


    as ke xiaomo was blasted into the air, the sect master, once again at an unimaginable speed, moved with the shadow lion on the surface of the glass curtain wall, instantly reaching the top of the high rise.

 Chapter 114 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (Nine)_2

    then he leaped forward, hands clenched around the hilt of his blade, driving it downward and instantly piercing through ke xiaomo, who was flung upward, leaving a massive gash in his abdomen.thrust!


    blood burst forth like a fountain, staining ke xiaomo''s clothes and face red.


    with almost no strength to defend himself, his body convulsed, his gaze hollow as he fell toward the ground.


    the glass curtain walls he passed shattered, as if bidding him farewell. thousands of glass fragments fell like a torrential rain, following over his head, resembling butterflies.


    ke xiaomo listened to the dragon''s roar by his ears and slowly closed his eyelids. sea??h th§× n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the moment before his eyes shut, he seemed to see, reflected on the thousands of falling glass shards, a flurry of fragmented images.


    like a carousel.


    he stared at one of the glass pieces and saw the evening sky reflected above.


    it was a scene reminiscent of nostalgia.


    exquisitely beautiful.


    ...


    ......


    three years earlier.


    ke xiaomo hung upside down from a cliff, hands joined in prayer, quietly gazing at the distant sunset. the wind brushed against his nose as he watched the sunrise, sunset, nightfall, and the flourishing of grass and birds in this valley.


    eventually, at dusk one day, an unknown eagle appeared, severing the rope tied around his feet.


    then, he fell from the sky.


    wild winds roared by his ears, and the ground magnified in his pupils.


    finally, as he neared the valley''s bottom, he transformed into a shadow and merged into the surface of the cliff.


    within the shadows, he unfurled a pair of wings, flapping them upward, his bird-like shadow swiftly scaling the cliffside, as fast as an arrow shot by hou yi.


    but it was not yet over.


    at the moment he reached the cliff''s top, his form suddenly broke free.


    then, a giant bird woven from shadows rose from behind him, its claws lifting him towards the sky.


    he flew, just like a bird.


    the bird of prey frantically flapped its wings, lifting him from the cliff''s edge into the sky.


    through the clouds, straight to the setting sun.


    he bathed in the twilight''s afterglow, feeling as if he were god in that moment. his dark garments fluttered, trembling rapidly in the wind like a bird''s tail feathers. stay connected through empire


    "you have succeeded," the sect master, with his hands clasped behind his back, looked up at ke xiaomo, "bird of prey, this is your ''shadow heart.''"


    he paused, "you are the first to utilize the shadow shapeshifting skill without touching a shadow, perhaps this is a characteristic of the ''bird of prey.''"


    ke xiaomo retracted his shadow wings and landed atop the cliff, standing side by side with the sect master.


    "but ''bird of prey'' sounds rather frail, i thought i could comprehend a ''shadow heart,'' strong and vigorous like a lion, like yours," ke xiaomo said.


    "no," the sect master shook his head, "each kind of ''shadow heart'' is unique. since the founding of the ninja sect, through more than a dozen generations of disciples, those who have comprehended their ''shadow heart'' have invariably become the next sect master of the ninja sect. this means, you are destined to be my successor, taking over my position in the future.""


    ke xiaomo was silent for a long time, "am i really suitable for such an important position?"


    "of course, you are far more suitable than you think," the sect master smiled. "as long as you can transform your shadow heart from abstract into reality, that will be the day you take over my position."


    "transform abstract into reality... how can that be achieved?"


    "there is only one key point, listen carefully, each form of shadow heart has its unique symbol, a spirit," the sect master explained slowly, "so, you need to understand what your shadow heart symbolizes, get to know it, feel it, and then you can truly unite with it, become one with it."


    "what does my shadow heart symbolize..."


    ke xiaomo pondered.


    "that is a question only you can answer, no one else can find the answer for you," the sect master said.


    "then, what does your shadow heart symbolize?"


    the sect master was silent for a while, "ambition."


    he clasped his hands behind his back, self-deprecatingly saying, "but for the so-called ambition, i struggled and stumbled for half my life, only to find that the people around me are what matter the most."


    "the lion represents, ambition... then what does the bird of prey symbolize..."


    as ke xiaomo pondered this, suddenly he heard bird calls coming from the setting sun and looked up to see the birds flying toward the direction of the sunset.


    he opened his mouth slightly, unconsciously uttering a term.


    "freedom."


    ...


    ...


    ke xiaomo''s body plummeted from a hundred meters high in the sky towards the earth, spinning continuously, the howling wind tearing at his face and twisting every strand of his hair.


    his blurred gaze lingered on those glass pieces, memories flashing briefly across the chaotic images.


    suddenly, a vague human voice echoed by his ears.


    from initially indistinct to increasingly louder.


    the daily instructions of the sect master thundered in his ears like rolling thunder.


    "we must kill all the dragons of calamity."


    "the dragons of calamity are our generational enemies."


    the world seemed enveloped in the mourning of dragon cries and the solemn teachings, and between them, a thousand people rhythmically struck the ground with the hilt of their knives, like an ancient courtroom.


    "even if it''s your brother."


    "even if it''s your family."


    "it''s the rule."


    "it''s justice."


    no.


    i was born...


    as free as a bird of prey.


    there is no need...


    to be bound by any rules...

 Chapter 114 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (Nine)_3

    if the rules are wrong, then i...will break the rules.


    the next moment, ke xiaomo slowly lifted his eyelids, his expression like that of the most devout martyr in the world, with the midday sun reflected in his slightly open pupils.


    it was as if he saw the sunset at the valley floor that day.


    suddenly, a sharp shadow streaked past the corner of his eye.


    the moment his body was about to hit the ground, a waterfall-like cascade of shadows burst from his back, shooting into the sky like a black column of light, swallowing all the light.


    it was as if day and night had suddenly changed places.


    above the myriad shards of glass falling with him, the reflection of a pitch-black raptor appeared.


    the next instant, a pair of enormous wings that could cover the sky grew from his back, with every flap stirring up a turbid wind carrying woven shadows. s~ea??h the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the eagle''s cry resonated across the entire sky.


    in that moment, ke xiaomo seemed to have transformed into a raptor forged of shadows. he lifted his gaze, looking up at the top of the high-rise where a massive shadow lion loomed.


    then he slowly raised his right hand, gathering in his palm a shadow blade, its blade tip extending from the raptor''s beak.


    next, ke xiaomo violently shook his wings, his form shooting upwards like an excavating blade, with the raptor''s screech drowning out all other noise in the sky.


    at this very moment, atop the high-rise''s glass curtain wall, the sect master''s shadow lion crouched on the ground, like a fierce beast choosing its prey.


    "he did it, merged with the shadow heart, turned illusion into reality..." the sect master murmured, "what irony, a once-in-a-thousand-years genius of the ninja sect, yet a traitor, no?"


    his gaze was piercing, with the reflection of a pitch-black owl spiraling up from the bottom of the high-rise in his pupils, and his lips suddenly curled upwards.


    "you''ve grown, mo."


    as he spoke, the sect master picked up the gleaming tachi and sprinted down the glass curtain wall toward the bottom, with the male lion racing alongside him on the curtain wall.


    as if racing through the journey of a lifetime.


    from the shattered glass, the descending shadow lion and the raptor climbing up from the valley bottom collided, unleashing a deafening roar.


    the entire world at that moment seemed to be engulfed by an overwhelming sea of shadows, reduced to a monochrome of black and white.


    ke xiaomo and the sect master simultaneously swung their tachis forward, their blade lights, clear as lake water, intersecting at that moment, emitting a cry like that of a soaring bird.


    the shadow lion and the raptor merged for an instant, then parted, one rising, one falling.


    the sect master''s general''s armor cracked, spreading a thousand fissures; soon after, the dark red helmet flew off along an eaves corner of the skyscraper and disappeared into the city.


    with a new, deep gash that reached his bones near the pierced part of his abdomen, ke xiaomo half-knelt on the glass curtain wall, turning his head to look down.


    the male lion was plummeting to the earth, disintegrating slowly. the sect master''s pale locks of hair swayed in the wind, and he gently closed his eyes, his lips moving.


    "go do what you want to do." he said silently.


    ke xiaomo watched the old man fall to the ground, turning into a pool of soulless flesh and blood.


    he then slowly lost consciousness, the shadow eagle clinging to his body dispersed, and the shadow attached to the skyscraper''s surface where his feet rested vanished with it.


    he lost his balance and, wrapped in gravity, fell toward the ground, closing his tired eyes.


    in that moment, suddenly a shadow flashed through midair, catching his body and carrying him to the ground.


    ke yinzhi looked down at ke xiaomo''s face with drooping eyes and applied a dark substance to stop his bleeding, "well done, you beat that old man, eh."


    ke xiaomo trembled as he reached out his hand, grabbing his arm, and said in a low voice, "the dragon of calamity... it''s yong, yongzhu."


    "i can see that."


    ke yinzhi turned his head, glancing at the dragon of calamity emerging from the bell tower, a dragon now completely bereft of reason, engulfed in the fury of destroying everything.


    "brother, save him... save our, brother."


    ke xiaomo said with his eyes half-open and his voice hoarse.


    "i will... sleep well, hospital pillows are quite comfortable,"


    ke yinzhi whispered, picking up ke xiaomo and temporarily placing him inside gibran library, then stepped onto the street and walked towards the collapsed ink writer.


    at that moment, the ink writer lay prostrate in a pool of murky blood ink.


    just ten seconds earlier, he had witnessed with his own eyes how the black judge had used only two moves to crush the dragon summoned by his blood ink forbidden skill into nothingness.


    at the same time, all his lifelong confidence was shattered along with it.


    subsequently, the ink writer had pinned his hopes on the sect master of the ninja sect, only to see the sect master clash with ke xiaomo on the face of a high-rise building. both of them had used "shadow heart", turning it from illusion to reality, merging into one.


    he had thought that the sect master would win the contest and come to his rescue.


    but in the end, it was the sect master who was defeated.


    at that moment, the ink writer felt as if his world had been turned upside down, first by that black judge, then by that ke xiaomo.


    "this whole family... what kind of monsters are they..."


    he lamented silently to himself.


    ke yinzhi came to a halt beside him, smiling as he asked, "how does it feel, seeing your sect master taken down by my brother?" he spread his hands, "i told you... no one from the ninja sect could stop him."


    "i admit it, your brother is a monster too,"


    the ink writer said hoarsely, his hands covering the bloodied hole in his chest.


    "let''s take that as a compliment then," ke yinzhi curved his lips upward, "how about this, i''ll spare your life so you can stay by xiao mo''s side and assist him."


    "i don''t understand... what do you mean by that?" the ink writer asked, his voice faltering.


    "isn''t there a rule within your ninja sect, that if someone among the ninjas defeats the current sect master, then they will be promoted to the next sect master right away?"


    ke yinzhi tilted his head, his tone curious as he spoke.


    after a moment of silence, the ink writer said, "i see, i understand. from now on, i will stay by ke xiaomo''s side and help him manage the ninja sect. thank you for sparing my life."


    "don''t mention it, it''s a fair trade."


    ke yinzhi smiled and looked up, his gaze turning toward the rampaging catastrophic dragon, "it''s time to take care of our little brat at home. can''t have him causing chaos in the streets."


    "oh right, almost forgot this... my memory is getting worse,"


    he muttered to himself, tilting his head and pressing on the pitch-black earring.


    at that moment, a red and black holographic projection enveloped ke yinzhi''s body, making him appear as if he were dressed as the black judge.


    ke yinzhi raised his right hand, touched the non-existent blood-red v-shaped mask, and the corner of his mouth curled up slightly, "this new toy from the management bureau is really convenient, no need to change outfits now."


    then, he lifted his eyes and saw a figure flying out from a breach on the fifth level of wanxiang city''s cinema. the figure wore a monkey mask and was cloaked in a silver and black metallic coat.


    "brother and sister teaming up, what a rarity."


    the black judge glanced at black wukong, who stood on somersault cloud, overlooking all beings, and also lowered his eyes to the hundred ninjas who were attempting to use the dragon ancestor''s horn to restrain the catastrophic dragon.


    "first... let''s take care of these noisy ninjas," read new chapters at empire


    he said casually as he walked forward and pulled on his glove.


    in an instant, nearly a hundred ninjas on luo dehua commercial street were cut at the waist, their flesh and blood spilling onto the ground to become a sticky mess before a black glow swallowed it all, leaving nothing behind.


    at this moment, the entire street was deathly silent.


    only the furious breathing of the catastrophic dragon, the noisy humming from black wukong''s somersault cloud, and the magnetic metallic voice coming from behind the black judge''s mask remained.


    "now, it''s your turn,"


    the black judge said, turning his head, his gaze from behind the mask fixed on the utterly berserk dragon.


    in his pupils, the reflection of a ferocious, bloodthirsty visage could be seen.

 Chapter 115 The Great Event I: The Dragon Ninja Battle (Part 10)

    in a daze, ke yongzhu had a dream.he dreamt of the time when he was still in the orphanage.


    at dusk, the children would gather in the courtyard behind the orphanage, either chasing and roughhousing or sitting together, playing with puzzles.


    but he was never among those figures.


    ke yongzhu could only pluck a blade of grass from the ground, silently sitting in a corner of the yard.


    with his eyes cast down, he idly scratched the ground with that blade of grass.


    sometimes he would look up, pretending not to care, glancing at the children playing eagle catches chicks, envy flashing in his eyes.


    he often hoped to be noticed.


    but whenever he got a bit closer to the other kids, someone would throw stones at him, toss sand, shouting that the monster was coming and everyone should run away.


    ke yongzhu would return each time dirty and would be scolded by the orphanage''s nurse, yet he couldn''t utter a single word of protest.


    even if he tried to explain, the other kids would only intensify their bullying, so he kept it to himself.


    at dinner time, everybody would sit at the table, except for him alone in a corner.


    kind nurses, seeing this, would place a few "friends" at his table.


    only during meals did he have "friends."


    ke yongzhu, with a spoon in his mouth, hung his head, only daring to stealthily watch them from his bowl.


    he wanted to talk to them, so he spoke up.


    but no one listened to him.


    one of the "friends" said that someone saw ke yongzhu suddenly grow a tail while sleeping, that he was a monkey spirit.


    one of the "friends" said not to be afraid, superheros would defeat such monsters.


    one of the "friends" said, when i become a superhero, i''ll be the first to yank out its tail.


    one of the "friends" said, i''ll become a magic girl, so i won''t be afraid of it anymore.


    ke yongzhu held back tears in his eyes.


    he sat quietly listening to them talk while eating his meal with a spoon, then walked away alone.


    there were so many times, so many times¡­


    ke yongzhu wanted to transform into a dragon and bite them, thinking that way he wouldn''t be bullied anymore.


    but each time he just hugged his knees and endured, his eyes cast down, staring at the grass on the ground.


    at night, ke yongzhu would often curl up in bed, gazing out at the night sky through the window, wondering why in the world he was the only dragon?


    sometimes he also thought, maybe the stars are lonely too.


    perhaps like a star, he was too far away from another being like himself, maybe he would never find another star in this lifetime¡­


    would anyone see me?


    after that, whenever he played in the courtyard, he always sat far away from the other kids;


    during meals in the cafeteria, he would always take his bowl to a corner to eat alone, while the "friends" arranged by the nurse laughed at him from the table.


    but he didn''t mind it at all.


    then one day, a strange woman appeared, who came to the orphanage every day to talk to him. they often sat in the courtyard watching the sunset.


    slowly, ke yongzhu learned that she wanted to adopt him.


    so, he quietly wrote a note, slipping it into the woman''s hand.


    it read, the kids all hate me, they all say i''m a monster, i don''t have a single friend, you''ll definitely regret adopting me.


    the woman gave him a note back.


    that night, ke yongzhu hid in his dormitory bed, curling up under the covers and opened the note.


    by the light of the moon shining through the window, he could see the words on the note.


    it read, they are the ones in the wrong, once you enter my home, your brothers and sisters will look out for you, trust me, no child will bully you again.


    brother¡­


    sister¡­


    will i have family?


    staring at the words on the note, ke yongzhu thought blankly.


    then on a later day, the woman came for him again, and as usual, they sat in the courtyard chatting, she would ask, and he would answer.


    but when the woman was about to leave, she suddenly asked, "have you decided, do you want to go with me?"


    ke yongzhu was silent for a long time, then softly nodded his head.


    "if you regret it, just tell me," he whispered. "i won''t cling to you."


    "of course, i won''t."


    the woman smiled at him.


    and adopted him.


    then he somewhat bewilderingly became part of a new family.


    the first time he stepped through the front door, everyone was gathered on the sofa playing "hot blood soccer."


    ke yongzhu didn''t know what to do, so he just stood at the door for a long time, then carefully moved closer, sitting next to a white-haired girl.


    not until the game was over did the tallest child in the house suddenly turn around, her bright eyes looking at him.


    "hey, who''s this? is it zi ling''s classmate?"


    the white-haired girl shook her head.


    at that moment, mom walked in the door, gathered everyone in front of the blackboard in the house, wrote the name "ke yongzhu," and declared that from then on he was a member of the family.


    everyone exclaimed "huh¡ª" and turned their curious gazes upon him, examining him closely.


    ke yongzhu''s face flushed, and he hung his head, too shy to speak.


    then a lively-looking girl said, "mom, this is too casual, you didn''t even communicate with us beforehand, otherwise we could have thrown him a celebration party!"


    mom replied, "what party for little brats, i''m not cooking tonight. yin zhi, xiao mo, take your new brother out for a good meal."


    ke yinzhi smiled, ruffled ke yongzhu''s hair, and said, "let''s go," then wrapped an arm around his shoulder and walked him out of the house.


    ke xiaomo just stood silently on his other side, looking down at his phone.


    ke yongzhu had never felt so surrounded, and in that moment, tears streamed down his face.


    "hey, big brother, why did you guys make him cry?" a child from behind said.


    "did we?" ke yinzhi blinked, pointing at himself, "my fault?"


    everyone nodded their heads.


    someone said, "you''re way too familiar for just meeting him, big brother. have you been excluded by others at home for so long that as soon as a newcomer arrives, you rush to cozy up?"


    "who hugs someone''s shoulder right off the bat like you did? you obviously scared him!" another remarked.


    ke yongzhu cried even louder, his tears rolling around in his eyes.


    ke yinzhi shrugged his shoulders, standing by helplessly, receiving a verbal barrage from his siblings.


    ke xiaomo held his forehead and sighed, thinking this big brother of his is just unreliable.


    finally, among the children, the girl with white hair came over, holding a panda doll. she offered the panda doll to him.


    after his crying subsided, ke yongzhu hugged the panda doll and said with a choked voice, "thank you, it''s the first gift i''ve ever received."


    the girl with white hair shook her head, didn''t say a word, and walked back to the side of the lively girl.


    later on, ke yongzhu formally joined this family. he really liked his new name and didn''t dislike these flawed brothers and sisters.


    the neurotic and annoying eldest brother, "ke yinzhi";


    the quiet second brother who always did strange little things, "ke xiaomo";


    the overly serious and stern eldest sister, "bai qiuwu";


    the third brother, "ke mingye," who had a sharp tongue but actually had delicate thoughts; s§×arch* the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the always energetic second sister, "bai zini";


    the often pensive "bai ziling," who always carried a doll.


    not long after ke yongzhu arrived at this family, he discovered that everyone was a bit strange. among these people, he was most curious about his third brother.


    rather, ke yongzhu felt that the strangest child in the family had always been him, from a very young age.


    very, very strange...


    ke yongzhu couldn''t explain it, it was like an intuition.


    but ke mingye always seemed very normal, as if hiding something. only in the last few days did ke yongzhu feel that the dissonance about his third brother had vanished.


    it seemed that his third brother had truly become normal, as if something about him was missing.


    but ke yongzhu didn''t pay attention to it, nor did he investigate further.


    because he often recalled the time when he was young, when bai ziling locked him in the bathroom.


    that night, he really wanted to say something but never found the courage to speak. it was only ke ming who convinced bai ziling to unlock the bathroom door.


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    then, he secretly followed ke xiaomo and ke yinzhi to that barbershop, and saw bai ziling sobbing in ke ming''s arms.


    "why am i the only one who is like this?" she said.


    ke yongzhu stared blankly at his sobbing sister, standing outside the barbershop for a long, long time.


    that''s when he realized that he was the same as his sister...


    ke yongzhu opened his eyes, having dreamed he was sitting at home, watching tv and making a ruckus with everyone.


    the sea spread out beyond the window, and turning to look outside, he saw an ugly dragon and a girl with white hair sitting together on the beach.


    they sat quietly, gazing at the sea.


    ke yongzhu stared blankly for a long time, then climbed out from the window sill and went down to the beach, listening quietly to their conversation.


    "we are all monsters, aren''t we?"


    "so we are friends, so we are not alone."


    "thank you."


    "hmm... to be together for a long, long time."


    the sea breeze caressed his cheeks, and the cold sea water washed over his ankles.


    ke yongzhu''s face twitched slightly as his tears flowed incessantly from his eyes.


    he watched the sea, the beach, and the white-haired girl grow farther and farther away. everything shattered like a dream.


    "to be together..."


    within the booming sound of the bell, ke yongzhu knelt on the ground, gazing up at the pitch-black world. a line of liquid trailed down from his eyes, like blood, yet also like tears.


    "i still want... to see them."


    the boy''s body underwent a violent dragon transformation, his jaw cloaked in a metallic layer, his facial contours increasingly fierce.


    "i really want, really want to see them."


    "and stay by her side."


    sharp claws reached out and pressed against the inner wall of the massive bell, unleashing a deafening boom.


    "i want... to keep living."


    inside the bell, the dragon species roared, a pair of pitch-black wings vast enough to cover the sky unfolded behind it, its body armored in scales as sturdy as steel and iron.


    keep living.


    keep living.


    keep living.


    the cacophony of the bell and horn swelled like a tsunami, threatening to engulf it. it used its claws to tear open a wound on its hard head, gasping with fury.


    the body, expanding and evolving, crashed against the bell, the maddening clamor nearly splitting its brain, but it continued to strike over and over again.


    finally, the ancient bronze bell tilted upwards.


    the dragon collapsed on the ground, its body faintly twitching. it struggled to its feet, the sound of the horn still scorching its flesh like torches in a pyre.


    i must... keep living.


    live by whatever means necessary.


    the next moment, the sound of the horn abruptly ceased, and instead, all enemies within a hundred meters were dissolved into a dense black blood and faded away.


    the dragon slowly raised its head, squinting its eyes.


    in between the furious and deep gasps, the reflection of two figures glimmered in its crimson pupils.


    one of them wore a black tailcoat and donned a pitch-black mask with a blood-red v embedded in the center;


    the other, draped in a silver and black metallic coat, wore a monkey mask, and held a dark gold staff in his right hand.

 Chapter 116 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (Eleven)

    "is that a dragon... a dragon?"after leaving the movie theater, black wukong gazed down from atop the somersault cloud, observing the situation on luo dehua commercial street from a hundred meters above.


    she furrowed her brows and stared at the dragon emerging from the broken clock tower, murmuring to herself.


    "could it be... yongzhu?"


    after a brief pause, she looked around. those clad in black ninja gear seemed to be restraining the dragon with a strange horn sound.


    if ke yongzhu was indeed a dragon, then the purpose of these ninjas was clear.


    black wukong didn''t have time to think about what was happening, as her attention was drawn to a figure on luo dehua commercial street.


    from the right side of luo dehua commercial street, a figure in a black tailcoat with a blood-red v-shaped mask on his face was approaching.


    "black judge?"


    the black judge adjusted his black leather gloves, and the ninjas within a hundred meters were bisected at the waist and then instantly dissipated into a mist of blood, devoured by the dark matter.


    so cruel... is this how the management bureau operates? black wukong thought, furrowing her brow.


    she hesitated for a moment, then descended from the sky on the somersault cloud, stopping beside the black judge and asking him, "why are you here?"


    the black judge looked up at her.


    according to the management bureau''s records on superhumans, black wukong''s eyes of golden flame could only see through visual illusions, and the holographic projection shrouding the black judge didn''t qualify as such, being something that had a tangible existence, much like a mask.


    therefore, the eyes of golden flame couldn''t see through his true appearance.


    though that was the case, ke yinzhi still felt a half-second of anxiety when he saw the golden flames burning in his sister''s pupils. well, just half a second.


    "just passing by, didn''t expect to be caught up in this mess. long story short, my friend was unfortunately hurt by mistake, and i need to rush them to the hospital. so let''s make it quick and subdue this dragon."


    the black judge withdrew his gaze from her and explained unhurriedly.


    black wukong hung her head in silence.


    she didn''t know whether she should tell the black judge that the dragon was actually her brother, but would that change the black judge''s method of execution?


    "any other helpers?" the black judge asked. sea??h th§× n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    at that question, the faces of three individuals flashed through black wukong''s mind: the strange thing, magical girl xiaohongmao, and magical girl ash.


    the first two she had seen in wanxiang city;


    the latter was bai zini. given bai zini''s personality, she would definitely not stand by, so magical girl ash would surely appear.


    "probably not," she said, "and besides, you probably don''t need any helpers."


    "hard to say... you should have noticed, this dragon is evolving. we have to curb this trend before it evolves to a point where we can no longer handle it."


    a metallic voice with a magnetic tone came from behind ke yinzhi''s v-shaped mask.


    he paused, then mockingly asked, knowing full well the answer, "why do you seem so worried about it? what is it to you?"


    "i..."


    black wukong hesitated, her right hand tightening slightly on the jingu bang.


    "how about this, we subdue it and then leave it for you to handle," the black judge said, "let''s make it quick, or else my friends might die on the way to the hospital."


    black wukong took a deep breath, feeling as if her thoughts had been seen through. she had been very worried the black judge, without a moment''s hesitation, would cut ke yongzhu into pieces like those ninjas. hearing his words, she felt significantly relieved.


    but strangely, would someone like the black judge really leave a dragon for her to deal with? could this be a trap?


    or was he truly too concerned about his friends to bother with it?


    she shook her head to dismiss the distracting thoughts, telling herself this wasn''t the time to ponder these things. she had to stop yongzhu, and so she slowly raised her eyes of golden flame, fixing her gaze on the dragon.


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    "right, let''s make it quick."


    as she spoke, black wukong rode the somersault cloud, turning into a streak of shadow as she bolted toward the giant dragon, striking at its horns with the jingu bang, only to be pushed back several meters by a brute force.


    the jingu bang''s side rings buzzed, and the somersault cloud beneath her feet churned like a surging sea.


    the giant dragon lowered its face, its lungs swelling like a toad''s.


    then it opened its bloody maw and roared out a burst of fireworks, like a crimson hand chasing after black wukong, trying to capture her in its grasp.


    black wukong placed the jingu bang behind her to steady herself on the somersault cloud, while her left hand rose in front, unleashing the samadhi true fire from her palm to fend off the dragon''s flames.


    the two forces were evenly matched, with the samadhi true fire even appearing to be at a slight disadvantage. black wukong leaned forward slightly, ready to propel the somersault cloud away.


    the next moment, the black judge lifted his right hand.


    a dark chasm opened along the neck of the giant dragon, black blood flowing from the wound, splattering onto the ground like spilled ink.


    the black judge dropped his right hand, a hammer made of dark matter smashing the dragon into the ground, creating a crater.


    but in the next instant, the dragon roared and raised its head, its paw striking the ground, causing the earth in front of it to fracture like an about-to-explode volcano.


    a dazzling pillar of flame burst from countless fine cracks, shooting straight toward the black judge. the cracks spread rapidly, nearly covering a thirty-meter radius.

 Chapter 116 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (Eleven)_2

    "waking up on the wrong side of the bed, i see."black judge taunted as he retreated, instantly flashing away by ten meters, at the same time forming a dark matter barrier under his feet. he used the rebound force between the barrier and the flame column to bounce into the sky.


    however, at that moment, the dragon slightly bent down into the crater, its four claws against the ground. its leg muscles bulged as if it were a cat coiled and ready to pounce.


    the instincts of battle allowed it to seize this fleeting opportunity¡ªthe zero-point-five seconds that black judge hung in the air.


    in the next instant, the black wings that blotted out the sky unfolded in a flash. flapping behind him, the dragon stamped its claws into the ground. the two kinds of violent kinetic energy intertwined, propelling it like a comet shooting forward.


    the sharp wings cut through the air with a chilling swoosh, and the body as heavy as a train emitted a thunderous breathing sound. to be hit by the dragon at that moment was no different from being struck by a high-speed train.


    but black judge had already predicted its movement from its actions and raised his right hand, his index finger aiming at the charging path of the dragon.


    tiny, gloomy substances appeared one after another at his fingertips, then converged into a football-sized orb of light.


    just as the dragon flapped its wings and lunged, the pitch-dark orb at black judge''s fingertip burst forth, hitting its head at the moment they were less than ten meters apart.


    boom!


    centered around the orb no bigger than a football, a pitch-dark aura expanded exponentially, instantly enveloping the dragon''s form and binding it within.


    black judge landed steadily. raising his right palm, he slightly closed his fingers, making a gripping motion.


    the next moment, the pitch-dark aura exploded, turning into an overwhelming energy that devastated the dragon ensnared within it. the black light ravaged every pore of the dragon''s body.


    "roar¡ª!!!"


    the deafening roaring resounded through the sky.


    black wukong watched this scene, cold sweat trickling down her temples, thinking to herself how strong he really was. if it had been her, she might have already been killed by the dragon''s assault.


    what to do?


    how exactly could she restore yongzhu to his original state...?


    her thoughts were tangled in her mind, but her hands were not idle. jingu bang slowly glowed with a layer of samadhi true fire, and the chains wrapped around her wrist clanked from the heat.


    the moment the dragon was about to hit the ground, she descended from the somersault cloud. she harnessed the momentum of falling from the sky to twist her body and gather strength before smashing down the jingu bang, now glowing with a dark golden flame.


    thud!


    as the dragon struggled to rise, the horns on its head were shattered by jingu bang crashing down from directly above. its body, already riddled with holes, was further ravaged by the climbing samadhi true fire.


    it extended its blood-stained claw to block the jingu bang trying to smash further into its forehead.


    at the same time, it opened its mouth wide, sucking in a powerful breath. all the surrounding air, along with the samadhi true fire on its body, was drawn into its lungs. s§×arch* the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    then, swallowing the true fire into its belly, its throat bobbed up and down. the wounds on its body rapidly healed almost completely, the fine cracks filled with blood seamlessly disappearing in the blink of an eye.


    "how can this be?"


    black wukong was taken aback, then her brows furrowed.


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    she could have used jingu bang to fend off its claws before. but as the dragon swallowed the samadhi true fire, its strength returned to its peak. the force on its claw was as heavy as a hill.


    jingu bang and the claw scraped against each other, sparking intense friction. black wukong''s feet sunk deep into the crater beneath them. even with two hands on the staff, she was no match.


    at that moment, black judge extended his fingertip, and a dark beam, no thicker than a finger, instantly pierced through the dragon''s right claw.


    this gave black wukong a chance to breathe. she quickly knocked the claw away with jingu bang and then, stepping onto the somersault cloud that swooped down from above, she retreated to black judge''s side.


    "haven''t you figured it out yet?" black judge said calmly, "fire is useless against it. don''t end up helping it instead."


    "i know."


    the next moment, just as the dragon was about to rise from the deep pit, a dull magical light pillar suddenly crashed down onto its head, shattering the rapidly regenerating horns.


    it roared in rage and lifted its head, its eyes filled with fury as it glared at the uninvited guest.


    right then, near a fashion billboard on the fifth level of wanxiang city, a gothic girl holding a gray umbrella was hovering in the air.


    black judge raised an eyebrow and looked up at magical girl ash, "who''s that?"


    "just like you, she happened to pass by," black wukong replied.


    in the midst of speaking, the somersault cloud beneath her feet shot upwards. she could tell that the calamity dragon had shifted its target to magical girl ash.


    "i observed it for a while. if the horns are damaged, its regeneration speed becomes more than twice as slow," black judge noted as he stared at the dragon, "that''s its weakness. take it down now."


    magical girl ash took out a magic book from beneath cinderella''s umbrella, her eyes lowered, and her slender index finger quickly flipped through the pages, selecting three cards.


    these three cards were [magic power replenishment], [magic power overdraft], and [random flash].


    the first card was for refilling depleted magic power, akin to an energy bar; the second would temporarily overdraw from her own source of magic power, unleashing a more potent magic force.


    as for the third, it allowed the magic girl to randomly appear at a nearby location.


    but just as she produced the cards, the dragon lunged from the ground, leaping like a frog on a lily pad. it surged upward by dozens of meters in an instant.

 Chapter 116 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (Eleven)_3

    he charged forward, pressing close to the face of magical girl ash.her pupils dilated slightly as the magic card she was pinching¡ª"random flash"¡ªvanished in an instant. sea??h th§× n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    in its place, her figure appeared two meters behind the calamity dragon, dodging its pounce.


    magical girl ash patted her chest and let out a breath, thinking, "this thing looks so clumsy and huge, why is it so fast, even faster than those ninjas?"


    however, after crashing into an advertisement board in wanxiang city, the dragon twisted its body fiercely, kicked off the broken sign, and lunged towards ash again.


    the speed was still shockingly fast.


    but at that moment, the pitch-black somersault cloud shot forth, slamming into magical girl ash and once again allowing her to avoid the dragon''s lunge.


    the calamity dragon missed its target and heavily crashed into the ground, shattering the fountain at luo dehua plaza. it slowly rose from the ruins of the fountain, its pupils flowing with a molten lava-like color. the water cleaned the blood off its body, spreading an odor that was a mix between tobacco and blood.


    on the other side, magical girl ash was kneeling on somersault cloud, which brought her next to black wukong.


    bai qiuwu frowned deeply, feeling as if his heart skipped a few beats. he turned his head and carefully checked bai zini''s body, and after seeing she was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    "last time, somersault cloud got you mad at me. this time, it saved your life. are we even now?" black wukong asked after a moment of silence.


    "stinky, stinky, stinky, stinky monkey, it''s good you know your place!"


    magical girl ash seemed to be talking tough, but in reality, her legs were soft.


    she wrinkled her nose and forcefully pounded her calves before swiftly standing up from the somersault cloud, pushing up from cinderella and landing her feet on the ground, her black and gray skirt rippling.


    before leaving wanxiang city, she had already used the magic mirror to alter the details of her appearance, so she wasn''t worried about being recognized.


    "is she with you?" black judge asked.


    "no, we aren''t close," black wukong shook his head.


    "no way, would i be friends with this monkey," magical girl ash also denied.


    as she spoke, she looked over her shoulder at black judge and asked, "i''m more curious about who you are, mr. v-mask."


    "i guess i could be considered her friend?" black judge turned his head towards black wukong.


    "we''ve only met once," black wukong said nonchalantly.


    "heh, hanging out with this monkey, you must be no good," magical girl ash said.


    then, looking towards the distant calamity dragon, she frowned and asked, "so, what''s the deal with this dragon?"


    "there''s no time to explain now, miss ash," black judge said slowly, "having an extra helper is good. but please keep your distance, and just support us with magic cards and long-range attacks."


    as he spoke, he sighed inwardly, thinking that he still wasn''t good at dealing with magic girls, and that he should retreat quickly after the fight was over.


    black wukong stepped onto the somersault cloud again and said calmly, "i''ll handle drawing its fire."


    "alright, then i''ll just stay back."


    magical girl ash took a deep breath, her left hand pinching two cards, her right hand gripping the handle of cinderella''s umbrella, with a black magic book floating above her head.


    on the other side, the calamity dragon slowly crawled out from the ruins of the fountain.


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    the body, cleansed by the fountain water, exuded a primordial sense of strength, fine steam seeping through the gaps in its scales, and the dark black jaw subtly twitching, producing a "click-clack" sound of teeth clashing.

 Chapter 117 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (Twelve)

    ["personality split" maximum duration limit has expired.]ke mingye wrinkled his nose, took a deep breath, and slowly lifted his head from the toilet seat. the memories from two perspectives flooded into his mind, causing a huge strain on his neurological reactions.


    "you two are really noisy..."


    he muttered to himself, looking up from the locks of hair on his forehead.


    knowing that he couldn''t possibly operate two puppets at the same time, he decided to detonate the "magical girl xiaohongmao" deception puppet in an unnoticed corner.


    only one "strange thing" remained in wanxiang city.


    at the moment, he was controlling the strange thing as it crawled out of the third floor skylight of wanxiang city, shot a web to stick to the rooftop of an office building, and perched on the railings to observe the scene on the street.


    magical girl ash, black judge, and black wukong were seen joining forces against the rampaging form of the calamity dragon.


    "are these three exposing each other''s identities?" ke mingye was stunned for half a second and thought, "it can''t be, at least big brother is unlikely to be found out by bai qiuwu and bai zini."


    the strange thing focused its eyes on the dragon twisting in the air, and a panel popped up in front of it.


    [code name: calamity dragon (semi-complete form)]


    [danger level: a++]


    looking at the danger level, ke mingye breathed a sigh of relief. s~ea??h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "not bad, the elementary schooler powered up, but just with this intensity, big brother alone is enough to beat him up. under s level, there should be no match for big brother. but why do they need three people to team up, and it looks so evenly matched?"


    so big brother and big sister are both going easy, only bai zini, this idiot, doesn''t know she''s fighting an elementary schooler, going all out. if she really beats the kid to death, wouldn''t she kneel down and cry in agony?


    however, magical girl ash''s combat power is ranked at the bottom among all the strong males at home, so even if she goes all out, she probably won''t pose too much of a threat to the elementary schooler.


    as ke mingye was pondering this, he continued to control the strange thing, darting around the skyscrapers. he was looking for the second brother ke xiaomo and the sect master of shadow heir ninja sect, and the ink writer was nowhere to be seen.


    soon, the strange thing found the sect master''s body at the base of a building. he lay in a thick pool of blood, his pale hair stained red. glass shards were like snowflakes melting into the blood.


    isn''t the sect master a++ level? did big brother win the fight against him using his head? then where did the second brother go? could it be that the sect master has already taken him down? i seemed to see the two of them passionately battling earlier.


    while thinking this, ke mingye searched the vicinity and finally found ke xiaomo and ink writer''s figures inside the gibran bookstore, shrouded in a dark micro-barrier.


    is this barrier set up by big brother for protection?


    [character code: ke xiaomo]


    [danger level: a++]


    what''s up with this combat power? does every member of bai ke''s family have to power up during a fight?


    so did the second brother take down the sect master?


    ke mingye was already sweating profusely.


    even with the protection of the skill "day of the chosen," ke mingye was still a bit worried that a year from now, during a battle to the death, he might shout "this is the power of love and hope" and then power up on the spot, only to be instantly killed by a magic girl''s power-up¡ªconsidering that magic girl''s power has always been very idealistic.


    and the ninja, since both ke xiaomo and ink writer can power up, it means that their strength also has some idealistic elements to it.


    in some classic idealistic works, no matter if you''re a world-dominating demon king, stronger than your opponent by several levels, or have a fleet capable of destroying the milky way, once the other side starts shouting something about "bonds, justice, dreams," then you''re in trouble.


    the next second you might just be sent packing by an unexplained series of idealistic combos.


    ke mingye had just shifted his gaze from his second brother when a prompt panel popped up in front of him.


    [situation has changed, event progress has deviated from system predictions, the second target node for the main task "fall of the ninja sect" has been altered.]


    [original node¡ªobserve what kind of choice "ke xiaomo" will make, and help him according to different choices either to slaughter the last of the calamity dragon breed or to utterly destroy the shadow heir ninja sect.]


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    [corrected node goal¡ªmake contact with the twenty-eighth sect master of the shadow heir ninja sect "ke xiaomo," and attempt to establish a cooperative relationship with the ninja sect.]


    [compensation reward received: 1000 experience points, 1 attribute point, 1000 mall coins.]


    [your level progress is "lv.9: (4000 points/5500 points)"]


    [your total mall coins balance: 5700]


    [you have one idle attribute point waiting for allocation.]


    "wait a minute, how did second brother become the sect master of the ninja sect?" ke mingye was stunned, "so this is like a primitive tribe, whoever kills the chief becomes the next chief?"


    as he thought about it, he casually allocated the attribute point on his personal panel.


    [your 1 attribute point has been allocated to the "neurological reaction" attribute, changing it to: 33 points ¡ú 34 points (¡ü1 point).]


    "honestly, should i offer to help and mingle for some favorability?"


    "ah, had i known, i would have brought the blue owl battle suit. it would have been good to show off in front of everyone. it''s better to collect the rewards for those two heads first, otherwise going there would be a waste."


    with these thoughts, ke mingye sighed on the toilet seat, then opened the superhuman kill count leaderboard.


    then he entered the milestone interface.


    [currently, the count for a-level superhuman kills is¡ª1 (with one milestone reward available for collection, the next milestone being: kill 8 a-level superhumans)]

 Chapter 117 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (Twelve)_2

    [The current kill count for C-ranked superhumans is¡ª¡ª1 (You have one milestone reward available, next milestone: kill 10 C-ranked superhumans.)]Ke Mingye didn''t think much about it, he extended his finger and quickly tapped on these two lines of text, and a settlement panel immediately popped up before his eyes.


    [You have received a milestone reward for killing an A-ranked superhuman ¡ª¡ª one A-ranked equipment card, 10,000 Mall Coins, 10,000 Experience Points.]


    [You have received a milestone reward for killing a C-ranked superhuman ¡ª¡ª two C-ranked equipment cards, 5,000 Mall Coins, 5,000 Experience Points.]


    [In total, you have received 15,000 Experience Points, 15,000 Mall Coins, two C-ranked equipment cards, and one A-ranked equipment card.]


    [Your total Mall Coins are: 20,700.]


    [Your level has risen from Lv.9 to Lv.12 (1000 points/7000 points), advancing 3 levels in total, and as a reward, you have received 3 attribute points to allocate freely.]


    "Jumped up three levels, that''s pretty fierce," Ke Mingye remarked, "Is this the benefit of picking off the weak? This trip wasn''t in vain. I should be the top player now, right?"


    As he spoke, he casually allocated the attribute points to his neurological reaction.


    [Your 3 attribute points have been allocated to the "neurological reaction" attribute, changing it from 34 points to 37 points (¡ü3 points).]


    "So, what am I going to do with twenty thousand Mall Coins, forget it... there''s not enough time to spend them now, I feel like by the time I get around to it, they''ll already have almost finished fighting," Ke Mingye sighed, closing the panel and turning his attention towards the strange thing.


    Although these three were fighting together for the first time, they actually had a good tacit understanding, which is probably a commonality amongst brothers and sisters who have lived together for over a decade.


    Black Wukong, acting as the vanguard, rode the Somersault Cloud to attract all of the calamity dragon''s firepower; she didn''t need to attack, only to focus on dodging the calamity dragon''s fierce strikes;


    Magical Girl Ash unprecedentedly pulled out the Magic Book, using magic cards like "Gale" and "Random Flash" to support Black Wukong, doing her best to keep her from dying to the calamity dragon''s claws;


    Meanwhile, she also used Cinderella to shoot magic guided bullets at the calamity dragon''s horns.


    After destroying its horns, the remaining work was up to the strongest attacker among them, Black Judge.


    The big brother seemed to have started taking it seriously at this point.


    He no longer held back, casually raising his right arm and sending the calamity dragon flying dozens of meters away, crashing into the streets. Immediately following, a dark arc of light swept through, and the calamity dragon''s right wing was completely cut off.


    Blood poured out like a waterfall from the broken wing, the calamity dragon cried out to the heavens. Flapping its remaining wing, it stumbled and crashed into Wanxiang City, frantically trying to escape, before finally collapsing to the ground.


    "What to do now..."


    Ke Yinzhi adjusted his mask slightly and, while stepping towards Wanxiang City, pondered silently.


    "Yongzhu shows no sign of reverting, and if we delay any longer, it will evolve to a more troublesome level. There are less than 10 people in the whole world who can suppress it without killing it... Should I have Magical Girl Ash contact Xizi Yue and call over the three giants of the Alliance, or should I inform the Round Table Council to call the Divine Communicator Zeus?


    It won''t take long for him to get here from New York with his speed."


    "But if it comes to that, there''s no saving Yongzhu. Once the people from the Alliance or the Superhero Association get involved, the chances of preserving his life under the scrutiny of all the official powers are close to zero."


    "Qing Ya seems to be absent; otherwise, with his response speed, a few minutes would have been enough for him to arrive... I have to resolve this quickly, or people from the Superhero Association and the Alliance will be here."


    "If there''s no way to revert him to his original state, then I''ll have to personally... kill him."


    With that thought, the eyes behind Ke Yinzhi''s mask became colder, and his steps quickened.


    Black Wukong suddenly lifted the Jingu Bang, holding it horizontally, blocking the way in front of Black Judge.


    "Divine Communicator, what is this supposed to mean?"


    Black Judge asked in a deep voice.


    "Don''t go any further."


    She listened to the dragon''s dying wails, her head bowed, the complex light flowing through her pupils behind the mask.


    Black Judge looked up at her intently, silent for a while. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Bai Qiuwu seemed to have altered her voice somehow, he could tell, that was the way his sister spoke.


    Her voice was as calm as possible, without a hint of emotion, yet the tone was...


    like a plea.


    "No matter your reasons... step aside," Black Judge''s tone was almost an order, "You should be able to see that the dragon is evolving, and soon it will be too late."


    "I''m sorry... I can''t do that."


    Black Wukong spoke almost word by word, her pupils behind the mask turning crimson as the Jingu Bang ignited with Samadhi True Fire.


    Not far away, Magical Girl Ash watched the silhouettes of these two figures, wanting to rush over and say it was hard enough to severely injure that dragon, what were you two dilly-dallying for, hurry up and go finish it off!


    But at that moment, her magical gown was already flickering in and out of view.


    Ash''s magic power had nearly run out in the two consecutive great battles that had just occurred, and the "Magic Power Supply" cards stored in her Magic Book were also used up. She didn''t know why Black Judge and Black Wukong were quarreling, but she could only make use of the distraction to open Cinderella''s umbrella and fly to a nearby alley, then she reverted back to her normal self.


    Bai Zini held the folding umbrella with one hand and clutched her chest with the other, leaning against the wall and sighing with relief.


    At that moment, her eyebrows raised, and she suddenly remembered something important.


    "Oh no, my brother is still inside the movie theater!"


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    At the same moment, at the entrance of Wanxiang City.


    "I''ll give you three seconds..." Black Judge lowered his mask, "If you don''t move from in front of me, I will treat you and that dragon equally, and eliminate you both."


    Black Wukong still refused to step back, guarding the entrance firmly.


    She lifted the Jingu Bang silently, slowly raised her eyes, and pointed the staff directly at Black Judge.


    However, at that moment, a figure with a grey halo flowed around its body, released the spider silk from above and descended between the two, slowly raising both arms.


    "Why does the atmosphere have to be... so tense?" Strange Thing dropped its hollow gaze, curving its lips into a smile, and spoke slowly, "Aren''t we all friends here?"


    In the midst of speaking, its peripheral vision caught a figure, a girl with white hair.


    Then it paused, turned its head toward Black Judge, and said eerily, "If I must say, Mister Judge, there is actually a better solution for that dragon, it just requires you to exercise some patience."

 Chapter 118 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (Conclusion)

    Five minutes ago, on the third level of Wanxiang City, there was an emergency passage leading to the fourth level.A young man with dreadlocks and wearing a denim jacket over a rock band logo T-shirt grabbed the hair of a white-haired girl, lifting her icy corpse and pressing it against the wall.


    His right hand burst with veins as he gripped Bai Ziling''s neck relentlessly, almost crushing her bones.


    Only after confirming that she had completely stopped breathing did the young man speak disinterestedly to himself.


    "It seems that vampires are just this, relying on draining others'' blood to steal superpowers, wings like bats. However, they really are a peculiar species. I had heard the Sect Master mention them, but I never thought they actually existed."


    Saying this, he let go of the girl''s neck, allowing her body to slide down the wall and collapse onto the ground.


    Then the young man sat on the stairs, took out a cigarette from his jacket pocket, lit it with a lighter, and stared blankly at the open ceiling.


    He was originally the Sect Master''s third disciple, named Li Xiaoluo, who had left the Ninja Sect to chase his dream of becoming a rock star. However, his years in the rock scene were so unbearably bad that he barely managed to eat a hot meal.


    Finally, just as he was about to give up on his dreams and find a regular job to lead a normal life, he suddenly received a message from the Sect Master.


    He trembled as he opened the scroll, which stated that he was to come to Huanjing to join forces in killing the last calamity dragon.


    In the last part of the scroll, the Sect Master had written, "I have attended every concert of yours, coming down from the mountain to watch. You sang well, living a life true to yourself. Now is too early to give up, isn''t it, Aro?"


    Li Xiaoluo stared at these words for a long time, tears wetting the cigarette in his hand. After a long pause, he decided to continue his career as a singer.


    But he also secretly resolved to help the Sect Master complete the ultimate task of slaying the dragon, which brought him here. After so many years, he found that he still detested fighting and killing.


    Initially, he had only planned to guard this emergency passageway and leave the rest of the tasks to his fellow disciples, but unexpectedly, he had encountered an extraordinary superhuman who almost killed him.


    Li Xiaoluo couldn''t help but reflect, wondering if he would have been so unbearably hopeless if it had been ten years earlier.


    He was quietly relieved that he had survived, for as long as he was alive, he could still pursue those elusive dreams.


    What he did not expect was that at the very moment he was about to give up, he would be inspired by the most unexpected person. He secretly decided that next time he performed on stage, he would take a good look to see if there was an old man among the audience. Explore more stories at empire


    That old man was indeed cunning, having sternly told him to "never come back" when he drove him off the mountain, yet the letter claimed, "I have watched every one of your concerts."


    He was utterly deceitful...


    Thinking this, Li Xiaoluo couldn''t help but slightly curl his lips, taking a deep drag of his cigarette.


    Suddenly, a loud noise from outside the window interrupted his thoughts.


    Li Xiaoluo turned his head to look at the emergency passageway window, only to see ninjas using the Ancestral Dragon Horn to suppress the giant dragon inside the bell.


    The next moment, as the dragon burst out of the bell, hundreds of ninjas vanished in smoke, dissipating into the air like a gust of dust. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey, what''s going on?"


    His eyebrows raised, the cigarette in his mouth tipped upward, and his expression slightly stunned. Moments later, he picked up the cigarette from his lips, about to stand up and leave, only to discover a sharp object had pierced through his chest from behind.


    Li Xiaoluo froze for half a second, looking down to see that what had pierced his chest was a pale, slender hand holding someone''s heart.


    The heart was still beating vigorously, glowing with its last vitality.


    "This is..."


    "My heart?"


    Li Xiaoluo paused for a moment, watched the heart being thrown to the ground, and then his consciousness started to blur, his weary body gradually sinking to the ground.


    He fell into a pool of blood.


    He turned his head, his empty eyes reflecting in a white-haired girl, her face smeared with fresh blood, murmuring.


    "You''re still alive... Is this what a vampire is?"


    "You made a mistake, not killing me completely," Bai Ziling said emotionlessly.


    "It seems I was too soft-hearted; I actually intended to leave you a complete corpse."


    Li Xiaoluo said wearily, struggling to keep his eyelids from closing, his right hand trembling as he took out a business card from his pocket and slowly placed it in the pool of blood.


    "Would you mind taking my business card, miss, I... I am a rock singer, and this is my band," he said, self-mockingly.


    Bai Ziling initially turned to leave, but hearing his words, hesitated for two seconds, still lowered her eyes and came over, crouching down to pick the business card from the blood pool.


    "Thank you." She said, "If I get the chance, I''ll go... to the concert."


    "You''re welcome."


    Li Xiaoluo said softly, closing his eyes in the blood pool, his lips curving into a faint smile.


    Bai Ziling placed the business card by his ear, then stood up, looked down at her white dress, now horrendous from the bloodstains.


    She extended her slender fingertips, touched the hem of her skirt, and the bloodstains on the skirt gathered into one spot, then quickly vanished as if absorbed.


    Bai Ziling sat on the steps, her face bloodstained and reflecting in the window, her lightly red mouth corners revealing sharp and fearsome fangs.

 Chapter 118 Major Event One: Battle of the Dragon Ninja (Conclusion)_2

    Every time she entered a battle state, her teeth would transform like this. It would only return to normal after some time had passed. She didn''t want her family to see her in this state, so she had to hide first before seeking them out."I really am... a monster."


    She rested her head on her hands, with wisps of pale hair falling over her shoulders, her crimson eyes reflecting the image of the man''s corpse.


    A buzzing filled her ears, like millions of bees humming. She couldn''t hear anything else, only the oppressive sound lingering in her mind. Every night she was like this, a vampire craving blood, whose genes would grow restless upon seeing the crimson liquid.


    "I didn''t want to kill you, why wouldn''t you let me pass."


    Bai Ziling buried her head in her knees, her crimson eyes barely visible, muttering to herself as she gazed at the pool of blood on the ground, when suddenly, the sound of a dragon''s roar pierced through the sky.


    She was taken aback for a moment, then stood on her tiptoes to look out of the window.


    What met her gaze was an enraged dragon, its body drenched in blood, with one wing severed and fallen to the ground.


    The dragon, appearing to flee in panic, burst into Wanxiang City and fell to the ground, creating a deep crater.


    "It''s..."


    Bai Ziling stood at the window for two seconds, disbelief filling her crimson pupils. She ran down the emergency exit, her steps light and swift, reaching the bottom floor in mere seconds.


    In the dense fog where nothing could be seen, amid the screams of people, she walked step by step towards the source of the great gasping breaths and leaped into a deep pit.


    Amidst the shattered white tiles, she lifted her hand and caressed the great dragon''s torso, twitching slightly, coated in blood. Only one of its heads could still move, so it slowly turned to look at the girl who was so close.


    In its vertical pupils was reflected a familiar face. The girl''s mouth was stained with fresh blood. She lowered her red eyes and reached out to stroke its head, whispering something softly.


    The dragon''s head was emitting a terrifying heat at that moment, continuously scorching the girl''s hand, blackening her fingers and almost exposing the bones beneath.


    The dragon couldn''t make out her words, but murky tears slipped from the corners of its scale-covered eyes. Its body slowly regressed, returning to the shape of a human boy, who laid in the embrace of the girl.


    "I''m sorry." He looked at the girl''s burned hands, tiredly repeating in a hoarse voice, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry..."


    He didn''t know what he was apologizing for, whether it was for burning her hands or for having concealed the truth from her for so long.


    Bai Ziling stared at him dumbly for a while, her bloodied lips trembling slightly. But Ke Yongzhu still couldn''t hear what she was saying, as the world was filled with a cacophony of shattering roars.


    It made him want to smash everything to pieces, to obliteration.


    Sister, what are you really saying?


    Does she hate me now, I''ve hidden it from her for so long, never telling her that I was that dragon...


    In silence, he groggily tried to interpret the shape of the girl''s mouth, mouthing the words in his mind.


    "We are going home."


    As she said this, Bai Ziling lowered her eyes and embraced his frail body, their forms as though they could be dispersed by the dust and wind at any moment.


    ......


    ......


    At the same time, at the entrance of Wanxiang City.


    "Didn''t I say it?" The strange thing put down its raised arms and grinned, "The dragon has changed back, I don''t know what you all are in such a rush for?"


    Even if he didn''t step in, Bai Ziling would surely have approached the dragon. He simply came to mingle for presence, incidentally trying to improve his standing with Xuan and Ming.


    Black Wukong stood rooted to the spot, her gaze fixed on the boy and girl in the crater. Despite the thick smoke enveloping the first floor of Wanxiang City, her Eyes of Golden Flame could clearly see everything inside.


    The Black Judge took a deep breath as well. The moment he saw Bai Ziling, he almost couldn''t breathe.


    Even if he killed Ke Yongzhu at the fastest speed, there were still a thousand ways Bai Ziling could have been involved in the aftermath. Fortunately, the outcome wasn''t too bad... Ke Yongzhu reverted to his original form, and Bai Ziling was unharmed.


    "That''s that, then," the Black Judge shrugged, "Divine Communicator Miss, as I said, two of my friends'' lives are hanging by a thread, I need to get them to the hospital as soon as possible, this dragon is your problem now."


    Without any rush, he dropped this remark and turned around, stepping towards the Gibran Bookstore on Luo Dehua Commercial Street.


    At that moment, a girl with a high ponytail rushed past him, that was Bai Zini who had just reverted from her transformed state.


    Ke Yinzhi hesitated for half a second but did not stop her.


    Bai Zini brushed past him and Bai Qiuwu, dashing into the smoke-enshrouded Wanxiang City, paused to stare blankly at Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu, then took them and left the place.


    Black Wukong had disappeared into the smoke at some point, probably looking for a place to take off his battle suit, or perhaps to find Ke Mingye, Ke Yinzhi, and Ke Xiaomo.


    "Really never letting one feel at ease, previously I only had a sister to worry about, and now I''ve got yet another one... a little brat dragon. Zi Ling must have known that the dragon was him, otherwise, she wouldn''t have approached him recklessly."


    "Looks like I''ll have to call a family meeting when I get home to discuss this, and try to prevent Yongzhu''s identity from being exposed."


    As Ke Yinzhi thought about this, he tilted his head slightly and pressed the black earring, which made the holographically projected Black Judge uniform he was wearing disappear. Stay updated with empire


    He sighed and stepped into Gibran Bookstore, deactivated the pre-arranged barrier, and with one hand picked up Ke Xiaomo''s body, while the other hand dragged the Ink Writer by the back of his collar.


    "Why am I the one being dragged?" Ink Writer asked hoarsely.


    "Are you my brother?"


    Ke Yinzhi responded nonchalantly, dragging him out of the bookstore, leaving a trail of blood ink on the ground. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had previously confirmed that virtually all surveillance within a two hundred meter radius had been temporarily disabled by the Ninja Sect, so none of the fighting would be recorded on camera.


    Since the event started nearly ten minutes had passed, enough time for several fights, and only then did the Superhero Association arrive on the scene leisurely and begin their investigation.


    The fog was heavy, and the pedestrians trapped on the first floor of Wanxiang City probably did not see Ke Yongzhu return to his original form, and Bai Zini had also swiftly taken him and Bai Ziling away.


    Thus, the right to explain the incident lay mostly in the hands of the "Black Judge" who was just passing by.


    Ke Yinzhi already had a set of excuses in mind.


    Although the Management Bureau''s old men were not easy to brush off, if the explanation wasn''t rigorous, it was likely to arouse their suspicion.


    But anyway, in a while, the Anomaly Control Bureau would commence the operation to encircle and suppress "Diviner Black Wukong." Once he had turned all those S-class enforcers into mincemeat for pigs, naturally, he would find a way to break away from the Management Bureau.


    So, in reality, it wasn''t much of a problem.


    At worst, he would take down those old heads in the higher-ups as well...


    Thinking this, Ke Yinzhi took a deep breath and lowered his head, his cold pupils hidden by his bangs, his earring swinging with a clear sound.


    "How are they? Are they okay?"


    Ke Xiaomo, being held in his arms, managed to breathe out a question.


    "Don''t worry, the kids at home are all fine," Ke Yinzhi smiled, "it''s just that Mingye hasn''t been found yet, but he should be hiding in the movie theater on the fifth floor, so theoretically, the Ninja Sect shouldn''t make a move on him."


    "That''s good..."


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a while, then closed his eyes and said hoarsely, "Thank you, I''m glad you''re here. I wouldn''t know what to do otherwise."


    "Come on, we''re brothers."


    "Yes, we''ve always been."


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yinzhi shrugged his shoulders and slowly walked with them out of the smoke-filled Luo Dehua Commercial Street.


    Looking around, a coffee shop sign still stood amidst the rubble, like a fluttering white flag on a battlefield.

 Chapter 119 The Management Bureaus Death Notice

    At 10:55 a.m., on the fifth floor of Wanxiang City, inside the men''s restroom of the cinema.Bai Qiuwu walked inside while turning her head to observe the door of each stall.


    Eventually, her gaze settled on the one at the end¡ªonly the door of this stall was closed.


    She lowered her eyes to the doorknob, hesitated for half a second, reached for the cold handle, turned it to the right, and pushed the stall door open.


    With a creak, a gap was squeezed open in the door.


    Peering through the crack, she saw a figure seated on the toilet lid, with his head buried deep in his arms.


    Bai Qiuwu stared at the person, froze for two seconds, then let out a sigh of relief and couldn''t help but place her hand on her forehead, chuckling lightly.


    Finally, she spoke in an annoyed voice, "Wake up, lazy bum, can you even sleep so soundly in a restroom?"


    "Holy shit, big sis?!"


    Ke Mingye, recognizing the familiar voice, suddenly lifted his head.


    "Who else?"


    Bai Qiuwu met his eyes and lightly tapped on his head with her finger.


    Ke Mingye mumbled in a daze, "I had just stepped out when I saw a bunch of people dressed in black clothes and wearing masks, and then..."


    Bai Qiuwu sighed and cut him off, "Ninjas... right?"


    "Yeah, how did you know?!"


    "Everyone encountered them, not just you alone."


    "I thought I was the only one who saw them, I was so scared I thought I was seeing ghosts. Ninjas, in the 21st century?"


    "Please, have you seen what''s going on outside?" Bai Qiuwu tilted her head, her tone quite helpless, "Anyway, we need to hurry and leave, it''s dangerous here."


    She paused: "Are you not getting up quickly, how long do you want me to stay in the men''s restroom?"


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye thought this concerned his sister''s honor and could not be delayed. He scrambled up from the toilet lid and while stepping out of the stall, he asked.


    "What''s going on, why are there ninjas? I''ve been sending messages in the group, but no one has replied."


    "Who knows?"


    "Is everyone else okay?"


    "Zi Ni and Zi Ling are all right, Yongzhu... had some superficial injuries, but nothing serious." Bai Qiuwu said, "We didn''t find big brother and second brother, but at the time of the incident, they weren''t in Wanxiang City, so they probably weren''t involved; no big issue."


    "Big brother and second brother really, they''re nowhere to be found at crucial times."


    "And you have the nerve to talk about them, hiding in the restroom for ten minutes?"


    "It was only ten minutes, you can''t expect me to fight those ninjas to the death. I was almost scared out of my wits."


    Bai Qiuwu fell silent for a moment: "Actually, it was right for you to hide here. I was quite worried when I was looking for you; afraid something might have happened to you."


    "What about you, where did you go?"


    "I got cornered by those ninjas, but they weren''t after me."


    "What on earth were they after?"


    "You''re asking me, who am I supposed to ask?"


    Bai Qiuwu paused, as the face of Ke Yongzhu in the deep pit flashed through her mind, "Let''s hurry up and leave through the back door. Walk faster, or when the Superhero Association arrives, I''m guessing we''ll all be held for questioning." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do we not cooperate with the police investigation?"


    "No, we need to find big brother and second brother first; we don''t know how they''re doing. We don''t have time to deal with this." Bai Qiuwu shook her head, "Besides, there are so many people at the scene, they will tell the police the details."


    "Okay."


    Saying this, Ke Mingye and Bai Qiuwu left the men''s restroom together.


    As they walked, Bai Qiuwu suddenly recalled something and deliberately pulled his shoulder, avoiding one of the audience passageways and taking a longer route.


    The Illusion Technique practitioner she had defeated earlier had died from excessive blood loss, and she didn''t want Ke Mingye to see the corpse.


    Did I go too far...


    Bai Qiuwu thought to herself as she walked forward, her eyes shimmering with thoughts.


    ....


    ....


    That night, in Huanjing West District, at Xinbei Xiji Hospital, within a certain ward.


    Outside the window, one could see an elevated highway, with the brightly lit city behind it. A burst of flame soared into the sky, and colorful ripples blossomed in the night sky. The city was setting off fireworks, celebrating the anniversary of the foundation of the Superhero Association''s Huanjing branch.


    On the two hospital beds to the left and right lay two figures, and between them sat someone casually in a swivel chair, leaning against the wall, eyes lowered, flipping through a book.


    The hospital room was enveloped in silence, the only sounds being the ticking of the clock and the rustling of the turning pages.


    As fireworks soared into the night sky, a noisy hum mixed with faint voices wafted from afar.


    As if disturbed by the noise, the figure on the right-hand bed''s eyelids flickered, slowly opening.


    "You''re awake?"


    Ke Yinzhi raised his eyes from the book, turning to look at him while speaking, "Your wounds have been dressed, and even though your constitution is evident, it''s still best for you to lie down. I suggest you not get up." He yawned, "I''ll take you home later... to avoid becoming a target for the Association''s specialists."


    "No worries, it''s just a scratch."


    Ke Xiaomo uttered a groan, struggling to sit up in bed, taking a deep breath.


    "Ha... a gash in your belly, and that''s called a scratch? Any later and you might not have been saved."


    "I''ve learned a breathing technique for healing from the Ninja Sect; the wounds won''t take long to heal. The bones will take some time to mend, but it''s not a major problem."


    Ke Xiaomo said as he closed his eyes, brought his hands together, and sat cross-legged on the bed.

 Chapter 119 The Management Bureaus Death Notice _2

    ```"Alright, Qigong Master."


    Ke Yinzhi cracked a slight smile, eyes lowered, continuing to flip through the "Ulysses" in his hands.


    "Is Mingye alright? Was he involved in it at all?"


    "No. Qiuwu found him in the restroom at the cinema and took him home."


    "They''re all at home?" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mhm."


    "Yongzhu too?"


    "He''s sleeping at home, undisturbed for the time being. Dad and Mom won''t be home for another two days. We need to get our story straight, let''s have a meeting when we get home later."


    Ke Xiaomo hesitated for a moment before asking, "How many of our brothers and sisters know about this so far?"


    "Let me think, Qiuwu knows; Zi Ni and Zi Ling should know too, Zi Ling saw Yongzhu transform back into human form with her own eyes, and Zi Ni pretty much did the same," Ke Yinzhi paused, "Rather, if it wasn''t for Zi Ling, Yongzhu might not have been able to change back."


    "Zi Ling?"


    "Yes, luckily Zi Ling was there, otherwise the situation would have been quite serious at the time. I later found out that two members of the Round Table Council were deployed. To exaggerate a bit, even the Divine Communicator Zeus might have flown in from New York."


    "The Round Table Council got involved..."


    "Yes, if I hadn''t stepped in and let it drag on, Yongzhu would probably have ended up as their lab rat, locked away in the Round Table Council''s research facility. It would probably be worse than death."


    "So you..."


    "I thought about whether I should kill him myself."


    Ke Yinzhi''s gaze remained low, flipping the pages, his voice accompanied by the rustling sound of fingers against the paper.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo was startled at first, then the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and he looked down, his pupils swirling with a cold light.


    "Are you serious?" he asked.


    "At that time, Zi Ni and Zi Ling were both in that mall. I didn''t know their whereabouts; I couldn''t guarantee that they wouldn''t get hurt in the crossfire, so I had to make a quick decision."


    "Looking for so many excuses, was there even a second when you really planned to kill Yongzhu?"


    "Yes, say what you want to say, if I didn''t want you to know, I would''ve kept it from you."


    Ke Yinzhi spoke slowly, his eyes shaded by the drooping hair on his forehead.


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a while, then asked in a low voice, "So in the end, was it Zi Ling who returned Yongzhu to his original state?"


    "Yes," Ke Yinzhi said teasingly, "In fact, when I saw that scene, I thought to myself, maybe instead of going through the trouble of fighting him, it would have been simpler if I had just taken off my mask and stood in front of him."


    "You''re overthinking it, Yongzhu really hates you," Ke Xiaomo said expressionlessly, "But if I were the one standing in front of him, no matter how far gone he was, he would definitely change back from a dragon into a human right away."


    With that said, the two fell silent for a moment, then chuckled softly at the same time.


    "Please... when it comes to self-love, you really are a match for me."


    Ke Yinzhi shook his head, speaking ruefully.


    "Let''s not talk about that now," Ke Xiaomo changed the subject, "So, only Mingye doesn''t know that Yongzhu is the Calamity Dragon?"


    "Exactly. According to Qiuwu, that silly boy hid in the restroom for the whole ten minutes after the incident, oblivious to the outside world. What do you think?"


    "Good, I don''t want him dragged into this."


    Ke Yinzhi rested his elbow on the bedside table, propping his chin in his hand and sighed softly.


    "Mingye is one thing, it''s Xiao Ni''s loose lips that concern me. I''m worried she might spill the beans to mom and dad."


    Ke Xiaomo didn''t seem concerned, "Xiao Ni may seem immature, but often she knows what to do."


    "Heh, we''re all busy with our own things, how come you understand them better than I do?"


    "Otherwise?"


    Ke Xiaomo paused, then suddenly brought up, "By the way, the Sect Master..."


    "You killed him; he''s beyond saving."


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment, a complex expression passing over his face.


    "I see..."


    He turned to look at the sky lit with fireworks and murmured.


    "By the way, according to the Superhero Association''s investigation report, many of your fellow disciples are dead."


    "Did you kill them?"


    "Not all, I only killed a few small-time players; the rest were handled by some passing superhuman vigilantes, the likes of Magical Girl Ash, Black Wukong. And... the Dice Monster showed up as well."


    Ke Xiaomo frowned, "Strange thing?"


    "Yes, do you remember what it said to you?"


    "It said... Black Wukong, Qing Ya, Ash, they''re all its friends, and it might bring someone to help me when needed."


    "Right, aside from Black Wukong, Magical Girl Ash might have been brought in to help by it, haha... I''m starting to not understand what it''s up to."


    "It probably wants to cozy up to me, what about Qing Ya?"


    "Qing Ya doesn''t seem to be in this city; otherwise, things could have gotten even more complicated. None of that matters now, see the guy over there to the left?"


    Ke Yinzhi said this without lifting his head and nodded toward the neighboring bed where a figure wrapped in bandages lay.


    Ke Xiaomo looked toward the figure, hesitating for a while before speaking, "Ink Writer?"


    "Yes, he''s promised me that he''ll stay by your side from now on, acting as your right-hand man," Ke Yinzhi smiled, "You''re going to be the twenty-eighth Sect Master of the Ninja Sect."


    Saying this, he handed a necklace to Ke Xiaomo, "This was taken off the Sect Master''s body. You mentioned before that every Sect Master has a necklace forged from ancient dragon teeth, a symbol of their identity."


    Ke Xiaomo lowered his gaze, staring at the icy white necklace in his palm, cold as a chunk of ice.


    "But I''m just a traitor."


    ```

 Chapter 119 The Management Bureaus Death Notice_3

    "If you don''t return to take control of the situation, leaving the Ninja Sect to fall into the hands of others, then one day in the future, when they rise again, something like this will happen once more."Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment, closing his fingers slightly and bringing the necklace into his palm.


    "I understand. Then I''ll go back and give it a try."


    "Do you need me to go back to the Ninja Sect with you?"


    "No, I can manage alone."


    "That''s right. Even the Sect Master couldn''t stop you, and the Ninja Sect''s elite forces have been severely depleted in this battle. No one will be able to stop you once you''re back." Ke Yinzhi joked, "Plus, you''ve got an assistant."


    "Can he really be of any help?"


    "Don''t be fooled by his appearance; he''s actually quite strong. He barely took two of my moves before he went down."


    "Two moves?" Ke Xiaomo spoke in surprise, "In the Superhero Association, besides those few from the Round Table Council, no one else could withstand a single hit from you, right?"


    "He claims he can use your Ninja Sect''s Forbidden Techniques, called Blood something..."


    "Ink Dragon Skill and Blood Ink Forbidden Skill? I''ve heard from the Sect Master.


    The Ink Dragon Skill forcibly creates a ''dragon-shaped'' shadow heart, but since each person''s shadow heart is determined by his personality and experiences, this forcibly created shadow heart isn''t his actual shape, so it disperses with one touch and can easily cause the user to lose themselves." Ke Xiaomo paused, "As for the Blood Ink Forbidden Skill, it seems that one must overdraw their lifespan to use it, which is why it has become a forbidden technique."


    "No wonder..." Ke Yinzhi, with his chin propped in his hand, snickered, "But as far as I''m concerned, I''m too lazy to care about him laying there on the ground."


    After hesitating for a moment, Ke Xiaomo said: "Forget it... I''ll return to Xi''an with the Ink Writer in a few days."


    "Alright, alright, that settles it, great Sect Master."


    "How did you deal with the Management Bureau and the Association?"


    "I pinned everything that happened on your Ninja Sect during the meeting, claiming internal strife within your sect. Someone even released a dragon." Ke Yinzhi answered, "Therefore, the existence of the Ninja Sect has already been exposed to the Management Bureau. Going forward, the Ninja Sect will most likely become the Management Bureau''s target for eradication."


    He paused, then teased, "Are you ready to take over this mess, as the next Sect Master?"


    Ke Xiaomo let out a long sigh and said, "Why do I feel like the sect is already in grave danger just as I''m about to take office..."


    As he spoke, he unraveled the densely wrapped bandages around his abdomen. In place of them, he squeezed out a layer of shadow from his fingertips, wrapping around the fierce wound.


    "How come you seem much stronger?" Ke Yinzhi remarked.


    "Beginning three years ago, under the guidance of the Sect Master, I have been attempting to understand the essence of Shadow Skill and become one with the shadow heart." Ke Xiaomo, looking down, continued undoing the bandages on his arm, "I tried for three years and never succeeded once. But today, during my battle with the Sect Master, it suddenly all made sense."


    "Really? That''s rather fortunate..."


    Ke Yinzhi responded indifferently, slowly closing the book in his hand, "By the way, there''s one more thing I want to talk to you about."


    Ke Xiaomo turned his head, looking at his expression.


    "Since you saved it for last, is it something serious?"


    "No, it''s a trivial matter."


    "What is it then?"


    "Qiuwu, is Diviner Black Wukong."


    Ke Yinzhi said with a smile, tilting his head with interest, eagerly anticipating Ke Xiaomo''s reaction.


    Ke Xiaomo was stunned for two seconds before slowly opening his mouth to ask.


    "Are you joking?"


    "No, this is no laughing matter." Ke Yinzhi answered expressionlessly, "By the way, just like Diviner Zeus, Diviner Black Wukong is on the Management Bureau''s T0 elimination list. It''s just that they''ve determined no one in the Management Bureau can handle Zeus with their current combat power. So, the eradication plan targeting Black Wukong has been moved up the priority list."


    Ke Xiaomo was greatly shocked, bowing his head to gather his thoughts.


    First, Qiuwu was Black Wukong, then the Management Bureau had set their sights on her. Ke Yinzhi spoke too matter-of-factly, without any consideration for his capacity for psychological stress...


    "What do you plan to do then?"


    He swallowed, his Adam''s apple bobbing, and it was a while before he spoke.


    "Good question. What else can we do? When the day comes, we brothers will join forces." Ke Yinzhi said.


    Ke Xiaomo was taken aback: "You mean..."


    "Yes, just the two of us. We''ll take out the Management Bureau''s other four S-rank enforcers and fifteen A-rank enforcers. Once the Management Bureau''s elite forces are eliminated, they''ll naturally give up the operation. Sounds simple, doesn''t it?" Ke Yinzhi yawned, his head hung low, flipping through pages of a book casually as he spoke. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His tone was flat, as if discussing household matters.


    Ke Xiaomo remained silent for a moment, then took a deep breath.


    He said coldly, "So be it. Since they want to target Qiuwu, we have no reason to back down."


    With that, he removed the bandages from his arm and enveloped the wound in a layer of shadow, then pulled down the sleeves of the hospital gown, got out of bed, and slipped on some slippers.


    "Wow, you''ve recovered faster than I anticipated." Ke Yinzhi raised an eyebrow, mumbling, "I thought with your injuries, you wouldn''t be able to get out of bed for a while... Is it thanks to your improved control over shadows?"


    "Roughly." Ke Xiaomo replied noncommittally, "I''ll go change clothes and then head home, have a meeting with them."


    "There does need to be a meeting. Let''s go."


    Ke Yinzhi closed the book, stood up from the swivel chair, and slung the black leather book over his hand.


    The two walked slowly out of the infirmary and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor.

 Chapter 120 Blue Owl, Making an Entrance (Part One)

    July 4th, evening, at Bai Ke''s home.After taking a shower, Ke Mingye picked up a towel and walked out of the bathroom, drying his wet hair as he headed back to his room. He casually closed the door behind him, then flopped onto the bed and reached for his mobile phone on the pillow.


    After picking up those two heads from Ninja Sect disciples in Wanxiang City, he had not only jumped three levels but also earned a hefty sum.


    And now... Since he had nothing better to do, it was time to spend that hefty sum.


    "So the question is, I''ve never been this rich before, how should I spend twenty thousand Mall Coins..."


    Ke Mingye thought, looking at the floating mall panel in front of him, flipping through the equipment and items page. There wasn''t anything particularly interesting, so he quickly moved on.


    "Might as well buy a couple of skills, given that I have one A-grade equipment card and two C-grade equipment cards. I shouldn''t lack equipment, with that junk-filled bag focusing on a trashy sea-of-weapons strategy."


    Thinking thus, he flipped to the skills page.


    [Your total Mall Coins amount to: 20,700]


    [Player''s current level is Lv.12, the skills page refresh probability is¡ª¡ªE-grade Skill 60£¥; D-grade Skill 20£¥; C-grade Skill 14£¥; B-grade Skill 6£¥; A-grade Skill 0£¥; S-grade Skill 0£¥]


    "At what level can I finally get A-grade skills to appear, huh? B-grade skills are already so impressive, I''m really curious as to how strong A-grade skills are, they have to be more powerful than Bai Zini''s ultimate move, right?"


    Ke Mingye glanced at the skill refresh rates and thought.


    "Maybe I should save up for a C-grade skill or a B-grade skill. B-grade skills average around fifty thousand, while C-grade ones are thirty thousand, so it seems C-grade is more realistic."


    He yawned and quickly dismissed the idea.


    "That won''t do... I will have to flaunt my presence before my old man as Blue Owl soon, and Blue Owl''s persona is hand-to-hand combat, the superpower is to swap places with a target, which provides a seamless fit for the ''Phase Transfer'' skill."


    "I''ll also need to add some low-level close combat skills to pad the numbers, or else the combat power would be too weak. But high-level skills that meet the requirements later on might not refresh, so I should start with the low-level skills first."


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye lowered his gaze to look at the ten refreshed skills.


    [¢Ù: Pillow Fight! (E-grade Skill, price: 5,100 Mall Coins): Designate a target and temporarily transform both your weapon and the target''s into pillows for 5 seconds.]


    "It looks stupid, but who knows, it might turn out to be really effective." Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, "I''ll keep an eye on it. If there''s no other useful skill, I might consider it."


    [¢Ú: Ambidexterity Combat Skill (E-grade Skill, price: 5,000 Mall Coins): For a short duration, your hands are controlled by separate combat consciousnesses, enabling you to perform a series of complicated yet coordinated actions.]


    "I already have Personality Split, but if I assign consciousness to both hands as well, won''t Blue Owl and the strange thing start fighting, with both hands scrapping away at each other?"


    Just imagining the scene gave Ke Mingye the creeps.


    [¢Û: Ground Spikes (D-grade Skill, price: 11,000 Mall Coins): Slam your right palm to the ground to create sharp spikes in a rectangular area in front¡ª The higher your level, the sharper and longer the spikes.]


    [¢Ü: Hell''s Echo (B-grade Skill, price: 55,000 Mall Coins): Upon your death, this passive skill is automatically triggered, reviving your body as a zombie and granting you 3 hours of active time.]


    "What kind of skill is this? You''re dead, and you''re going to release your final ripple to benefit your teammates, huh? What kind of masochist would choose such a skill that''s meaningless to oneself..."


    Ke Mingye criticized as he scrolled to the next skill description.


    [¢Ý: Solar Punch (D-grade Skill, price: 10,500 Mall Coins): This skill allows your fists to continuously absorb solar energy, up to 100£¥. Upon using the skill, the stored solar energy is released, converting it into heat and kinetic energy¡ª the more solar energy stored upon release, the higher the damage (the damage also depends on the ''Physical Fitness'' attribute).]


    "Sounds promising..." Ke Mingye pondered for two seconds, "If all goes well, this is the one. Comrade Blue Owl needs to round out the hand-to-hand combat skills."


    [¢Þ: Slime Summoning Skill (E-grade Skill, price: 5,500 Mall Coins): Summon a slime to battle for you.]


    "That should be enough. If it could summon a tentacle monster, I''d take a longer look. I could open another account and recreate Feng the Sugar General dominating Magic Girl, and my year wouldn''t be wasted."


    [¢ß: Night Walking Skill (E-grade Skill, price: 5,200 Mall Coins):]


    "You again, I already have a Night Walking belt, not fond of repeats."


    [¢à: Animal Communication Skill (E-grade Skill, price: 5,500 Mall Coins):]


    "Here comes another half-baked skill, better leave it for Mr. Ding Zhen to work on developing a relationship with his animal friends."


    As Ke Mingye was about to scroll through the page, his finger paused on the panel.


    It was as if he had remembered something.


    "Wait a minute..." his eyes returned to the spot above Animal Communication Skill, "now that we''ve got that mutant cat at home, isn''t this the perfect timing to use this skill?"


    He still remembered last night when his sister brought home a B-grade dangerous mutant cat named "Yuri."


    The key was that this cat was able to copy the superpowers of superpower users. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To be honest, Ke Mingye was really worried that it might yawn one day, accidentally steal Dad''s superpower, and suddenly turn into a crow during dinner to peck away.

 Chapter 120 Blue Owl, Making an Entrance (Part Two)

    That scene was just too damn abstract...Ke Mingye sighed, his head drooping as he pondered for two seconds.


    "If I''m the only one in the family who can communicate with that Black Cat, it means I''m the only one who can utilize its superpowers. I can also avoid exposing it in front of dear old dad. Trading 5000 Mall Coins for the help of a B-level mutant cat and preventing some unnecessary risks, definitely not a bad deal."


    [9: Floating Turret (C-grade Skill, price: 30,000 Mall Coins): Sets up a floating turret above your head that fires lasers, targeting the same enemy you are attacking.]


    "Can''t afford it, might as well get dropped by Meng. Ke Mingye''s face was expressionless, "But since she already bought the pea shooter, she probably doesn''t have spare cash." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [10: Safety Limits Off (E-grade Skill, price: 5100 Mall Coins): Temporarily removes the body''s safety constraints (limits of strength set to prevent damage to oneself), activating the body''s extreme power, and enhancing physical fitness attributes.]


    Ke Mingye''s eyes lit up slightly upon seeing this, thinking to himself that it seemed quite in line with his envisioned brawler male route.


    Eventually, after considering the ten skills for a few seconds and taking into account his own budget of just 20,000 Mall Coins, he reluctantly gave up on Pillow Fight, and instead sought to acquire "Solar Punch," "Safety Limits Off," and "Animal Communication Skill."


    But the total cost for these three skills was 21,000 Mall Coins.


    On him, there were only 20,700 Mall Coins.


    The difference of those 300 Mall Coins was like the final cut in a Pinduoduo deal, making his skin itch.


    With no other choice, Ke Mingye reluctantly opened the daily mission bar, which had been neglected for a whole day.


    Upon looking, there lay a solitary daily running mission, showing the status "Not Completed"¡ªdue to going to Wanxiang City with his family, he hadn''t gone for his morning run.


    But the reward roulette might not necessarily yield Mall Coins, and there was even a chance to get "Thank You for Participating."


    So, he flipped through his inventory to see if there was any equipment or items he could sell for a low price, and finally, his gaze settled on "Mutated Fish Crystal."


    [Item Name: Mutated Fish Crystal]


    [Item Grade: Unknown]


    [Item Source: Instance No. 7¡ªCrazy Train Station.]


    [Item Introduction: If you''re not afraid to die, swallow it and see. Something incredible might happen.]


    [Judgement: This item can be taken out of the instance and exchanged for Mall Coins in the mall.]


    Ke Mingye poked the Mutated Fish Crystal, then clicked on the pop-up "Sell" option.


    [You have sold an item¡ª"Mutated Fish Crystal," in the Mall, receiving an income of 2000 Mall Coins.]


    [Your total Mall Coins balance is: 22,700]


    "No way, is this thing really worth this much?" Ke Mingye was shocked.


    Surprised as he was, he didn''t waste a moment to mourn the passing of the Mutated Fish Crystal, but quickly opened the skills sales page and quickly purchased the three desired skills.


    [Thank you for your patronage, you have purchased D-grade Skill¡ª"Solar Punch," E-grade Skill¡ª"Safety Limits Off," and E-grade Skill¡ª"Animal Communication Skill."]


    [Your total mall shopping has cost "21,000" Mall Coins, your current balance is "1,700" Mall Coins.]


    ["Solar Punch," "Safety Limits Off," and "Animal Communication Skill" are now equipped in your seventh, eighth, and ninth skill slots respectively, currently leaving one empty skill slot.]


    "Skill slots are nearly full, when I afford higher-level skills later on, I''ll have to swap out these transitional skills."


    Ke Mingye reveled for a moment in front of his full slots, thinking to himself.


    At that moment, he was still reeling in the pleasure of excessive spending, as if he had cleared out the shopping cart on Taobao all at once.


    More exhilarating than finally getting relief from constipation that lasted a week.


    It wasn''t until he closed the skill slots that he saw two bubbles popping up in the top right corner of his view.


    Clicking the bubbles, two chat panels popped up, with Fan Quan''s chat at the forefront.


    [Fan Quan: The time is set, the day after tomorrow, we''re heading to Tokyo to hit two instances.]


    [Fan Quan: The instances suitable for our level in Huanjing are all on the outskirts of North District, it takes at least half a day to get there, your puppet can''t last that long.]


    [Failed Man: Why don''t you guys go hit them yourselves?]


    [Fan Quan: Team play.]


    Ke Mingye just laughed to himself, thinking I''ve already leveled up to 12, it''s about to turn into a solo play game.


    Realistically, though, it was unrealistic to think he could wipe out the superhumans alone, so team play was still necessary.


    [Failed Man: So team-oriented, bro, I''m moved to tears.]


    [Fan Quan: Well actually, I lied to you. These past two weeks, while you were away, we already hit the instances you weren''t able to get to.]


    [Fan Quan: By the way, we''ve all reached around level 10 on average.]


    [Failed Man: Come on bro, where''s your team spirit?]


    [Fan Quan: No choice, who told you to be the only one unable to leave? I suggest you reflect on yourself; can''t always disrupt our development rhythm because of you.]


    [Failed Man: Fine, see you the day after tomorrow, let''s bring a little supermodel shock to the Japanese players in Tokyo.]


    Ke Mingye closed the chat panel, feeling quite disdainful in his heart.


    He thought, I have my own ways to progress, isn''t picking up the kills behind my brothers and sisters much better than exhausting myself in those minor instances?

 Chapter 120 Blue Owl, Making an Entrance (Part Three)

    If there was a flaw, it was the lack of an instance card.But most instance cards weren''t very useful, as exemplified by the Pirate Ship instance''s card effect ¡ª "allows you to breathe underwater for one minute."


    Just as he closed Fan Quan''s chat panel, the chat panel of Cai Bing popped up before his eyes.


    [Cai Bing: I''ve sent you the information. Here''s an orphan I found for you in the Citizens'' Archive. According to my investigation, she died of an illness a few days ago in a mountain village nearby. I found her, buried her body, so you can freely replace her identity and enter the Magical Girl Alliance.]


    [Cai Bing: To be honest, I''ve done my part. As long as you pay attention to the details, the chances of being discovered aren''t high.]


    [Failed Man: Hacker girl, you''re too efficient.]


    [Cai Bing: Otherwise, who do you think I am.]


    Ke Mingye flipped through the panel, glanced at the profile sent by Cai Bing, and remembered the face of the already deceased orphan girl ¡ª this face would soon become the real appearance of Magical Girl Xiaohongmao.


    At that moment, he heard a noise from downstairs and thought that it must be his eldest brother and second brother returning.


    ....


    ....


    At this moment, downstairs in the living room.


    Right now, Bai Qiuwu was sitting on the couch alone, watching TV with a lazy Black Cat lying beside her.


    "What should I do... Yuri?"


    She lowered her gaze, murmuring while gently stroking the cat''s fur. The cat responded by rubbing its head against her palm and meowing.


    The doorbell suddenly rang, so she turned her head and saw Ke Yinzhi walk in with a shopping bag full of drinks, open the fridge, and while placing the bag in the freezer compartment, said, "We''re back."


    "Took you long enough." Bai Qiuwu said.


    "Is Yongzhu awake?"


    Ke Xiaomo entered the living room and his first question in a soft voice to Bai Qiuwu was.


    "He''s awake, in his room." Bai Qiuwu replied, then with concern added, "Second brother... there''s nothing wrong with you, is there?"


    Before Ke Xiaomo could reply, Ke Yinzhi put his right hand on his shoulder and preempted the response, "Nothing''s wrong, he just scraped his skin... Those ninjas didn''t lay a hand on your second brother or me, don''t worry."


    Ke Xiaomo, pressed like this, bowed his head and hissed softly, shooting Ke Yinzhi an annoyed look, thinking to himself can''t you be gentler, before he sighed and asked Bai Qiuwu.


    "What about the others?" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Xiao Ling and Xiao Ni are in Yongzhu''s room, Mingye is in his own room." Bai Qiuwu answered.


    "Then let''s meet in Yongzhu''s room for a meeting."


    "A meeting?"


    "A family meeting."


    "Okay." Bai Qiuwu hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Should we call Mingye?"


    "Let''s not call him, it''s better he knows nothing."


    Ke Yinzhi said this while casually grabbing a water cup from the table and took a sip of boiled water.


    "That might be best."


    Bai Qiuwu nodded slightly and responded softly.


    As the two of them spoke, Ke Mingye happened to walk down from upstairs.


    He looked up from his phone, glanced at Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo, and said with a mocking tone, "Wow, you guys are still alive? There was such a big incident, and you disappeared for an entire day, truly invincible."


    Ke Xiaomo shrugged and said.


    "We had to cooperate with the police investigation, which took some time."


    Ke Yinzhi put down his glass, patted Ke Mingye on the shoulder as he walked past him, "I brought you a drink, didn''t get it wrong this time."


    "A drink, where?"


    "It''s in the fridge, on the third shelf of the chiller."


    After Ke Yinzhi finished speaking, he moved upstairs, and Ke Xiaomo and Bai Qiuwu silently followed him up.


    Only Ke Mingye was left alone in the living room.


    He opened the fridge, took out a bottle of ice-cold cola, and then went upstairs to see Ke Yinzhi and the others had all gathered in Ke Yongzhu''s room, even closing the door.


    Ke Mingye tried the doorknob, but it was locked. He was suddenly a bit annoyed and sent a message to Bai Zini on his phone, "Soft targets get squished first."


    [Ke Mingye: What''s with the sneaking around, not including me, are you guys even human?]


    [Bai Zini: We are preparing your birthday surprise, no eavesdropping allowed!]


    [Ke Mingye: C''mon, my birthday is in January next year, could you find a more believable excuse?]


    [Bai Zini: Can you not be annoying, can''t we prepare a few months in advance?]


    [Bai Zini: (Image: aggressive panda emoticon)]


    [Ke Mingye: Fine, fine, I''m going out for a walk.]


    Ke Mingye turned off his phone, sipping his ice-cold cola as he walked downstairs.


    "Fine, ostracize me... bet you''ll be surprised and astonished when you see my obituary on TV tomorrow after I go out in my battle suit now. Wonder how you''d feel then."


    Ke Mingye walked out of the house with resentment in his heart, put on his sneakers, and took the elevator down.


    Then he walked along the abandoned train station in the Old Jingmai District, slipped into the station when no one was looking, and soon reached the silent and deserted Platform No. 9.


    He stopped in front of an old storage cabinet, opened the bottommost compartment, and found a bag inside.


    Opening the bag, he took out the Blue Owl Battle Suit. The combination of red and blue was striking even in the night. Moonlight hit the beak on the helmet, casting a fierce glow, like an exquisitely made sleeve dagger.


    Ke Mingye did not hurry to don the suit but stepped into the shadows and released a Deception Puppet.


    He first had the puppet transform into his likeness and then had it wear the Blue Owl Battle Suit.


    Made to measure, it fit perfectly with no sense of incongruity.


    Soon, Blue Owl stepped out of the abandoned train station and climbed up a ladder in an alley of the Old Jingmai District to the rooftops. Moving across the roofs with physical fitness beyond ordinary people, he quickly disappeared into the deep night.


    Ke Mingye, however, sat down on a public bench on the platform, pulling out his smartphone from his windbreaker.


    "Let''s see if there are any unlucky criminals tonight that I can catch and take to the police station for credit, preferably the kind that makes the news... But hopefully not too strong, otherwise Comrade Blue Owl''s debut will be his retirement, and I''ll have to switch to a different identity."

 Chapter 121 Blue Owl, Making an Entrance (Part Two)

    Experience more content on empireKe Mingye sat on a public bench at the abandoned train station, his head drooping as he aimlessly maneuvered the blue owl above and shook his legs in boredom.


    "Logically, with Ke Youqing on vacation, the criminals hiding in this city should have started making bold moves. Finding someone to kill as a warning shouldn''t be that hard, right?" he thought.


    After a while, he looked up and sighed.


    "Fine. If I really can''t find any criminals, then it''s your turn to step up."


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye released the second Deception Puppet beside his chair and fitted a web shooter on the puppet''s wrist.


    The strange thing turned its head from the public bench, its lips curling up slightly, its hollow eyes reflecting Ke Mingye''s face.


    If it wasn''t necessary, Ke Mingye really didn''t want the blue owl to start its debut with a fake fight, especially a fake fight with the strange thing¡ªit was a sensitive figure in the eyes of his brother and father. Under such circumstances, getting involved with the strange thing right after appearing might arouse suspicion among these old folks about the blue owl.


    "Wait, there seems to be another way."


    As Ke Mingye mulled over it, an idea suddenly struck him, and he opened his contact list.


    When in doubt, call the nanny.


    [Failed Man: Are you there, Hacker-girl?]


    [Cai Bing: What do you want? I''m busy with that customer service job to avoid drawing attention to my identity.]


    [Failed Man: Help me check if there are any super criminals or criminal activities happening near the center of Huanjing.]


    [Cai Bing: Wow, you really do treat me like your nanny, don''t you?]


    [Failed Man: No, but it should be simple for you, right?]


    [Cai Bing: Actually, I was bored earlier and hacked into a crime organization''s network, watched their activities for a while. They are planning to rob the Huanjing YGA Central Bank tonight. Interested?]


    [Failed Man: You should have said so earlier.]


    [Cai Bing: Hold on really, who is begging whom here?]


    [Failed Man: Ever heard of a community of fate? Enough said, I''m off to fight crime.]


    [Cai Bing: I sent you their route plan. Be careful, one of them is a modified human, a tough character.]


    [Failed Man: No worries. Just remember to find a hidden live broadcast to watch my show.]


    [Cai Bing: Do something cool, don''t bore me to sleep.]


    ........


    ........


    Huanjing YGA Central Bank, Huanjing.


    Fashion billboards and electronic signs emitted neon glows of varying hues. Bright tones and cool tones of light converged on the glass curtain walls and refracted, painting the silhouettes of pedestrians in multicolored lights.


    Not far away, a white van painted with the logo of a food and beverage company slowly drove in, entering the light-polluted street.


    "Let''s confirm one last time, is the intel solid?"


    Inside the van, a grim voice emanated from the passenger seat. The speaker, named Lester, had an eye patch over his left eye, a beard on his jaw, and a rugged face.


    The driver, Li Fu, turned the steering wheel and said, "Absolutely sure. Qing Ya hasn''t shown up for a week. Either he''s dead, or he''s on some important mission in another city."


    "Start," said Lester.


    Upon hearing this, Li Fu didn''t hesitate to slam down on the brake pedal. The van stopped right in front of the bank, then he pushed the door open and got out.


    Bang!


    At the same time, the doors of the cargo area were kicked open; nearly six masked robbers jumped out, rushed into the bank with AK-47s, and pulled the trigger on the security guards.


    The sound of gunfire instantly filled the street, popping the bubble that lingered in the neon light, scattering the pedestrians in screams. Someone in the distance dialed the Superhero Association, but for some unknown reason, the phone suddenly sparked and bounced off the ground.


    The LED lights and fashion advertisement screens within a hundred meters flickered erratically, and the traffic lights stopped working, sparking as if they were being interfered with.


    Lester shed his black coat, revealing solid muscles. He got out of the van, his massive hands twisting and transforming like machinery, recalibrating piece by piece until they turned into two dark muzzles.


    He charged into the bank. Shrugging off the security''s gunfire, he advanced step by step. The pewter bullets that pelted his body were like light rain, not even scratching him.


    He then raised his arms, and dark cannonballs burst forth from the muzzles his hands had turned into.


    The next moment, cannonballs penetrated the intense gunfire and struck the security guards, causing explosions of fire. In coordination with the other robbers'' firepower, after a barrage, the bank''s security was completely overwhelmed.


    Lester moved to the bank''s vault, his hands morphing again into a huge chainsaw, with blue flames fluttering on the fast-spinning chain.


    Standing in front of a metal door, he swung the chainsaw forward. The chainsaw chain, ablaze with blue flames, vibrated violently as it cut through the vault''s door.


    Like a beast tearing through its prey, ripping out bones and innards.


    After a while, a circular crack was formed on the vault door.


    Lester retracted the chainsaw, his hands returned to normal, and then he kicked at the crack. The steel plate caved effortlessly inward, falling onto the floor inside the vault.


    Suddenly, a massive fissure formed in the vault door.


    Apart from Li Fu and two other robbers who were still outside the bank subduing the crowd, the remaining four robbers near the vault rushed inside through the fissure.


    They bent down and rapidly filled their bags with endless paper money, as if wielding scythes harvesting a field of wheat during the harvest season. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon after, Li Fu hurried into the bank from the outside, lowering his gun and growling, "Enough, quick! I''ve jammed the nearby signals, but the Superhero Association will still send people soon."


    "What''s the hurry? Qing Ya isn''t here, what can other superheroes do anyway?"


    Lester retorted coldly.


    "Just in case."


    Li Fu hesitated, then added cautiously.


    "Alright, let''s go!"


    One of the robbers in the vault yelled.


    As his words fell, four robbers carrying full sacks jumped over the gap, rushed out of the vault, fired into the air, and quickly walked out of the bank.


    Lester and Li Fu walked side by side, respectively taking the passenger and driver''s seats. The other six robbers climbed into the cargo truck''s compartment and shut the large door.


    "Where to next?" Lester asked.


    "To the port, to meet up with the organization. There''s a ship waiting for us," Li Fu said as he inserted the key, shifted the gear, and pressed down hard on the accelerator.


    The cargo truck roared forward like a furious beast, its murky white headlights illuminating the pitch-dark road. The lights for a hundred meters around were extinguished; only the moonlight falling from the night sky provided any light.


    "So boring, no trash showed up today to block our way," Lester said.


    "Isn''t that a good thing?" Li Fu replied.


    At that moment, they suddenly heard an abnormal noise from behind. Li Fu looked up at the rearview mirror, where a figure appeared.


    The reflection in the mirror provided a dynamic visual impact.


    The figure was dressed in a battle suit with bright and saturated colors, primarily red with blue accents, creating a bold and aggressive visual contrast.


    The intertwining of red and blue across the chest, shoulders, and outer arms not only enhanced the vitality of the outfit but also made the suit dazzling even in an environment where one could barely see their hand in front of their face.


    It was like a painting full of life.


    The design of the helmet was particularly unique, with the eye sockets covered by red lenses. Through the lenses, a pair of bright eyes could be seen. A red and blue beak extending from the bridge of the nose looked as sharp as a blade, exuding an aggressive aura.


    Though the lines and patterns on the bodysuit were rough, they highlighted the curves of the muscles, outlining a sense of agile and robust strength.


    This uninvited guest was relentlessly pursuing them. Judging from his running speed, he had far exceeded human limits, resembling a red and blue cheetah.


    "Who is this character?" Lester asked.


    Li Fu furrowed his brow: "Looking at the outfit, he must be some superhero imitating Qing Ya. He shouldn''t be able to catch up to us; no need to worry."


    As he spoke, his pupils subtly shrank as he saw the red and blue figure suddenly double his pace, a deep blue arc of light swept under the lenses.


    [Skill"E-grade Safety Limits Release" activated: Your body breaks through its safety limits, temporarily enhancing physical fitness attributes.]


    At that moment, Blue Owl had released his body''s safety limits, stomping fiercely on the asphalt road, sprinting forward like a red and blue illusion, leaving deep footprints in his wake.


    Suddenly, the cargo truck''s rear door was pushed open from the inside. Inside the open compartment, six masked robbers raised their AK-47 rifles and pulled the triggers at the relentlessly pursuing Blue Owl.


    Bang, bang, bang¡ª!!!


    The muffled gunfire, unprocessed by silencers, tore through the night, illuminating the ashen streets.


    A barrage of bullets surged towards Blue Owl, but at that moment, he stomped on the ground with his right foot. His figure, like a red and blue bullet, shot towards the traffic light above to his right, avoiding the onslaught of bullets.


    He then kicked off the surface of the traffic light, like a flash of lightning, catapulting towards a high-rise building''s glass curtain wall. He moved diagonally across the surface of the curtain wall, running through the air.


    The glass of the curtain wall seemed not to react until Blue Owl had stepped on them, and only two seconds later did cracks spread and shatter noisily.


    Whoosh!


    As pieces of glass rained down, Blue Owl stepped onto a flickering electronic billboard.


    As he ran, the red and blue beak on his helmet glittered with cold arcs under the scattering sparks.


    Finally, he pounced forward, landing atop a fashion advertisement billboard.


    Then, using the billboard as a jumping board, his legs forcefully kicked off, shooting his figure across the sky over the street like a red and blue arrow, immediately surpassing the speeding cargo truck.


    Blue Owl landed on the ground, blocking the truck''s path. His feet stamped out a fractured crater on the ground, from which spider-web-like cracks spread outwards.


    In the middle of the intersection, Blue Owl slowly raised his head, and his eyes behind the lenses reflected the large cargo truck charging towards him.


    "Just hit him at full speed; I want to see how much he can take," Lester said coldly from the passenger seat.


    "I know."


    Li Fu on the driver''s seat pressed his face down and floored the accelerator; the truck lunged forward like a monstrous beast.


    At that moment, Blue Owl stood motionless right in front of the truck.


    His gaze was locked on the truck''s passenger seat, specifically on Lester.


    Lester met his gaze, as if mocking his ignorance. Even the most powerful superheroes couldn''t necessarily stop a truck at full speed.


    It would require a force of over ten tons.


    For a nobody to dare stand in front, it was simply an act of overestimating oneself.


    The moment the truck was less than three meters away from Blue Owl, the murky white headlights illuminated his red and blue blended beak, his eyes filled with mockery.


    Finally, just one second before the truck would have hit him, a cool voice flashed through Blue Owl''s mind, and his figure vanished from the spot.


    [Target positioned within an eight meter range: "Lester" targeted for E-grade skill "Phase Transfer".]


    "He disappeared?"


    In the blink of an eye, Lester, who was originally sitting in the passenger seat, found himself suddenly appearing on the road.


    In the intersection, the headlights like unbearable suns, illuminated Lester''s startled face. Then, the huge front of the truck, like a robust rhino''s horn, came crashing directly at him.


    It mercilessly rolled towards his body.

 Chapter 122 Blue Owl, Making an Entrance (Part Three)

    Just as the truck was about to crash into Blue Owl, Li Fu suddenly opened his eyes wide, his pupils contracting to the extreme.In his field of vision, Blue Owl abruptly vanished from the spot, not even leaving a residual image behind. Instead, Lester appeared right in the middle of the intersection!


    Li Fu wasn''t sure whether he was hallucinating. His brain froze for a second, and in the end, he couldn''t even spare the time to turn his head to look at the passenger seat, but instead, relying on instinct, he forcefully stepped on the brakes in that second.


    It was already too late!


    Amidst the piercing sound of the brakes, the brightly lit front of the truck slammed into Lester.


    Then, under Lester''s desperate resistance, the entire truck shuddered violently as if it had hit an immovable wall of bronze and iron. Yet, despite this, Lester only managed to hold on for a second before the truck, with its advantage of size, weight, and the kinetic energy of its full-speed motion, flipped his body to the ground.


    Bang¡ª¡ª!


    In the deafening roar, the rolling wheels pressed Lester''s figure underneath them.


    Right after that, the "crack crack" sounds of metal bursting open spread.


    A full two seconds later, the truck finally stopped under the urging of the braking system.


    Without a doubt, Lester''s entire body must have been rolled over by the wheels, and whether he was a mechanically modified being or not, he was either dead or crippled.


    Sitting in the driver''s seat, under the effect of inertia, Li Fu was forced to bend forward, his hands resting on top of the steering wheel. His fingers were slightly crooked, and his fingertips and back were soaked with cold sweat.


    His eyes widened as he stared into the pitch-black intersection, pondering blankly.


    What just happened?


    Read new chapters at empire


    Where did that superhero go?


    Why did Lester suddenly appear in front of the truck¡ªwas it the superpower of position manipulation?


    Damn it, damn it, damn it!


    As expected, the reaction was too slow. If they had listened to me and left earlier, they wouldn''t have gotten entangled.


    Li Fu violently slapped the steering wheel, reached out to open the door, and decided to check on Lester''s condition.


    At this moment, as the signal interference device ceased to function, the LED screens and electronic billboards near the intersection lit up.


    The fashion billboards on skyscrapers unanimously displayed the same symbol: "A red exclamation mark above two crossed longswords"¡ªthis was the warning sign for "Superhuman Crime Events."


    The emergency evacuation broadcasts engulfed the streets, and every pedestrian turned their eyes toward the center of the intersection.


    As the world in his field of vision was once again illuminated by neon lights, Li Fu realized that sitting in the passenger seat was a figure in red and blue.


    Bizarrely, this person was playing Minesweeper on a Nokia phone, and the sound effect of stepping on a mine came from the phone, stimulating every nerve in Li Fu''s ear.


    At that moment, Li Fu''s pupils shivered slightly.


    He was well aware that he had no chance of resisting a Superhuman from such a close distance, so he swallowed hard and asked in a hoarse voice,


    "Before we start, may I ask, who are you? I''ve never seen you before."


    He was trying to divert the other person''s attention with words, while his right hand slowly moved away from the car door handle, reaching for the Ak-47 under the seat.


    In the passenger seat, the red and blue figure kept his head down, playing on his phone, and responded calmly.


    "Blue Owl."


    As the opponent''s indifferent voice dropped, Li Fu''s right hand just touched the Ak-47.


    He gripped the handle and was about to turn and rise up when a fist wrapped in a metal glove smashed into his temple.


    The force of this blow would have started with a concussion on an ordinary person. Blood-stained teeth shattered outwards, hitting the car window, and slowly fell to the floor with a drip-drip sound. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Fu passed out on the spot and slumped onto the seat with his body bent, the firearm falling to the floor of the cabin.


    Blue Owl sighed, lifted his head, felt the beak on his helmet, and then casually placed Lester''s Nokia phone back on the seat, muttering,


    "Please, how on earth does dad play with a phone wearing a similar helmet? Every time I look down, the beak almost pokes the screen, absolutely ludicrous..."


    At this very moment, in the cargo area of the truck.


    The two large doors of the cargo area were wide open, and the ubiquitous neon light, like a colorful giant hand, reached inside, covering the bodies of the six armed gangsters.


    These six armed gangsters were hiding at the very back of the cargo area, lifting their rifles with the muzzles aimed at the entrance.


    Their gaze was fixed directly on the intersection ahead.


    The situation was not quite as they had expected; not a single figure entered their line of sight as the pedestrians on the street had already evacuated after receiving the refuge broadcast.


    The gangsters looked at each other. They could distinctly feel that the truck had seemed to hit something earlier, and then the next moment, the entire vehicle stopped and has not restarted since.


    A partition blocked the view between the cargo area and the driver''s seat, so they could not see the scene on the driver''s side, but they didn''t dare to jump off the truck rashly for fear that the truck would suddenly start moving, leaving them behind,


    Or that the red and blue Superhuman wasn''t dead yet and might suddenly rise from outside their field of vision and capture them.


    So, they only dared to crouch apprehensively inside the cargo area, keeping their muzzles aimed at the entrance.


    Only then did they feel a semblance of safety.


    It was as if they were playing the biohazard mode in an FPS game, where six players squat at a stronghold with their guns aimed at the entrance, waiting for the arrival of the bio-zombies.

 Chapter 122 Blue Owl, Making an Entrance (Part Three)_2

    But here, zombies had become the superheroes they feared."Did we run into that red and blue kid?"


    "Must have, I saw him jump in front of the truck in the last few seconds."


    "Stupid, actually blocking the front of the truck."


    "What the hell are Li Fu and Lester doing? Why aren''t they driving? If this keeps up, reinforcements from the Superhero Association will catch up!"


    "Dragging this out isn''t going to work. I''ll get out and have a look; you guys cover me."


    The thug hiding on the far right moved forward as he spoke, his gaze and gun barrel moving in sync, observing the scene outside the carriage.


    However, the next moment, a loud bang suddenly erupted from within the cargo box.


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    Bang!


    The six thugs pulled their triggers almost simultaneously, but still, no one appeared at the entrance of the cargo box; their bullets hit nothing but air.


    In that instant, they realized that the loud bang had come from behind them.


    That is, from the partition between the cargo box and the driver''s seat!


    The two thugs at the rear snapped their heads around to check the partition, and as they did so, two metal fists burst through the partition, creating two holes.


    Immediately two arms reached through the holes in the partition, each grabbing a thug''s head and smashing them together like cymbals.


    Crack!


    One could faintly hear the sound of skulls fracturing as their heads were subjected to the squeeze of the metal gloves and the impact of the other head.


    The force was strong enough to knock them out instantly.


    The remaining four thugs in the cargo box watched these two fall, stunned for a second, then swiftly aimed their guns at the partition and pulled their triggers together!


    Bang bang bang bang bang!


    However, a moment before they fired, the two arms had already withdrawn from the holes in the partition, disappearing back inside the cargo box.


    The muzzles of the four AK-47s spat flames as the copper-plated bullets riddled the partition with holes, allowing them to see the situation on the driver''s side.


    Peering through the holes, they saw Li Fu slumped over the seat.


    But that wasn''t all; the bullets they just fired had pierced through the backrest, hitting Li Fu''s back as well, leaving it riddled with countless holes as blood poured out.


    Apart from Li Fu, there was no other figure to be seen on the driver''s side.


    "Li Fu, we hit Li Fu!" one of the thugs shouted.


    "Damn, who''s driving now!"


    "What the hell was that monster just now?"


    "Damn it, supposed to be superheroes, acting like ghosts..."


    "Stop thinking about it; we have to survive."


    "Li Er, keep an eye on the entrance to the cargo box; I''ll watch this side by the driver''s seat. Be careful, he could burst out from the front or back any time..."


    Before he could finish speaking, the speaking thug suddenly heard a loud noise from above. He looked up sharply to see the steel roof of the cargo box being smashed open by an iron fist.


    Then, two hands clad in metal gloves reached in, grabbing his head and twisting it violently to the right.


    With a "crack!", the thug''s neck spun a full circle, his eyes lost their luster, and he fell to the ground, lifeless.


    At this moment, only the last three thugs remained in the carriage.


    Looking at the thug on the ground with his neck twisted, fear enveloped their hearts. They crazily raised their heads and pulled the trigger at the roof of the truck.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The deafening gunshots filled the cramped cargo hold, the masks on the three faces were lit up red by the muzzle flashes, as their legs trembled wildly.


    The expressions behind their masks were almost contorted.


    The beast with red and blue stripes was closing in, eyeing them predatorily. It could attack from anywhere: through the roof, from the driver''s seat, or even from the ground.


    But it could never be from the truck''s front entrance because it preferred surprise attacks!


    However, the next moment, a red and blue phantom catapulted in from the entrance of the truck. He reached out with his right hand, grabbed a thug, raised his fist and shattered his ribcage, and kicked him in the belly to make him fall into his arms.


    The other two thugs came to their senses, immediately lowered their gun barrels, no longer firing at the ceiling, but aimed at the beast and pulled the trigger.


    Blue Owl, however, lifted the corpse of the thug in his arms and used its back to block all the bullets.


    The bullet''s energy was drastically reduced after passing through the body, barely even registering against his battle suit.


    Blue Owl carried the body forward in a rush, blocking bullets while his battle suit''s arm blades sliced open the belly of a thug, splashing blood onto his mask.


    The thug howled as he fell, Blue Owl followed up with a kick that sent him into the partition, knocking him unconscious.


    Then, he threw the corpse from his arms at the last awake thug, pinning him to the ground. The AK-47 flew from his hands, landing on the floor of the truck.


    Blue Owl shook his arm to flick the fresh blood off the steel arm blade and then moved towards the last, unarmed thug.


    The thug desperately pushed the corpse off himself, his trembling pupils reflecting the red and blue monster.


    The monster approached step by step, the bird-like beak at the center seeming like the grim reaper''s scythe, inching ever closer to the thug''s eyes.


    "Monster, monster¡ª! Do you call yourself a superhero?!"


    The thug propped himself up with his hands, crawling backward and howled.


    "To be fair, I am just imitating Qing Ya''s methods," Blue Owl said nonchalantly. "Over a decade ago, when Qing Ya was still going through his rebellious phase, he once said, ''The key to defeating your opponents is to make them fear you, to make them lose their judgment'', get it?"


    As Blue Owl spoke loosely, he casually hurled a punch that knocked out two or three teeth from the thug''s face, leaving him unconscious on the floor.


    "So tiring, this should be done with... Superheroes can''t kill, that''s the most troubling part." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blue Owl muttered to himself, hands on hips, rotating his neck to look around, when he suddenly noticed that Li Fu sitting in the passenger seat had been shot full of holes, with blood gushing out.


    "Alright then... there are occasional accidents."


    Blue Owl tilted his head, quipping to the air, about to bend down to hoist the unconscious criminals onto his shoulder when he suddenly sensed something off.


    He abruptly turned his head, his eyes behind the mask looking toward the partition of the truck, and through the shattered barrier saw the scene at the crossroads.


    In front of the truck, a bloodied figure slowly rose from the ground, his arms twisting and morphing into chainsaws.


    The chains on the saw bodies were spinning at high speed, grinding against the air to produce blue sparks.


    [Character Code: Mechanically Modified Human¡ªLester]


    [Danger Level: D-Class]


    [Identity: In order to prevent superhuman criminals, the Anomaly Control Bureau once conducted a "Human Modification" project, signing contracts with death row inmates in prison, allowing them to volunteer for the project.


    Under the project''s influence, Lester successfully became a mechanically modified human, the only survivor of that experiment, and also the only one who escaped the Management Bureau''s death sentence.]


    "To be hit by a truck and still not dead... No worries then. Looks like there''s a boss battle waiting."


    Blue Owl commented, heaving a sigh, nonchalantly dropping the thug he had just lifted onto his shoulder, and wiping off the remaining blood from his arm blade.


    "I''ll just use you for practice."

 Chapter 123 Blue Owl X Dice Monster, Destinys Reunion

    Blue Owl walked down from the truck, raised his head, and nonchalantly walked towards Lester.As he moved forward, he cast sidelong glances upwards.


    At this moment, every tall building''s advertisement screen displayed the same scene, centered on the intersection.


    The expanding camera lens focused on Blue Owl, his red and blue helmet radiating sharpness and impact, with a mocking yet calm gaze behind the mask.


    The intersection connected four bustling commercial streets, brilliantly lit, with pedestrians stopping behind traffic lights, capturing the scene with their smartphones from a distance.


    "Have you seen this superhero before?"


    "It''s rare to see such a color scheme on a battle suit, it''s like he''s afraid of not being seen."


    "Look at his helmet, it looks kind of like Qing Ya."


    "Qing Ya? That unlucky thing has imitators? I thought today''s superheroes would try to avoid resembling him."


    "But he looks quite handsome, doesn''t he?"


    "It''s just that the suit looks a bit odd, has a plasticky feel to it."


    "Those vigilantes who just started out, aren''t their suits homemade? What strong technology can you expect from them?"


    "Speaking of that criminal, I''ve seen him on the official website of the Superhero Association, seems like a C-level wanted criminal."


    "Damn, this big guy looks so formidable, only C-level? I thought he''d at least be an A-level."


    In the waning lights, the onlookers buzzed with discussion, but their fragmented conversation quickly drowned in the refuge warnings.


    Not just the bystanders, the opportunity hunters smelling money quickly gathered uninvited.


    For those hunters, traffic and popularity were everything¡ªif they could capture the debut battle of a new superhero, the attention would be explosive.


    At least up to now, Ke Mingye had achieved the effect he wanted: from this battle, "Blue Owl" would gradually become renowned nationwide.


    As a novice superhero, the Superhero Association''s Huanjing branch would soon notice him. Moreover, his suit was strictly made in the style of "Qing Ya," which was a controversial topic¡ªsince the Superhero Association itself was profit-oriented, they would not miss the chance to recruit a discussion and popularity-maxed vigilante into the association.


    After resolving a few more criminal cases and capturing one or two somewhat famous superhuman criminals, he could logically apply for membership in the Huanjing branch of the Superhero Association under Ke Mingye''s identity.


    After that, Qing Ya would take note of him at a terrifyingly fast speed.


    As long as he utilized his privileges to review the information sent up by the association, he would see Blue Owl''s real identity.


    By that time, Ke Youqing might have many choices: either support Ke Mingye in secret, obstruct him in secret, confront him directly about his identity to discourage him, or teach him combat skills directly, imparting knowledge through both words and deeds, allowing Ke Mingye to follow in his father''s footsteps early.


    However, Ke Mingye didn''t want to, like his father, be a superhero with such a notorious reputation. He''d rather coordinate with the company''s marketing to gain more fans than be targeted by the Anomaly Control Bureau.


    He didn''t want the Management Bureau to see him as an unstable element one day, sending several senior enforcers to unexpectedly slaughter him. Of course, if that day came, the enemies that the Management Bureau would face would be Black Judge and Qing Ya.


    But with his older brother in the Management Bureau, Ke Mingye believed that by being frank about his identity, working together from the inside and out, the likelihood of being targeted by them was slim.


    If his older brother really had to go to war with Qiuwu and the Management Bureau at that time, then Ke Mingye could also maneuver around using his identities as Blue Owl and strange thing.


    Maybe he could collect a few bigwigs'' heads, just like in this battle of the Ninja Sect.


    "This is the treatment of a superhero, much better than being a villain. Being watched by several vigilantes and terrifying Crow Men every day really raises your blood pressure."


    This is what Ke Mingye thought, not forgetting to send a message to Cai Bing before he started fighting.


    [Failed Man: The show has started, watch my performance.]


    [Cai Bing: Saw it, there are quite a few live broadcasts on the dark web showing you, don''t get too badly beaten.]


    [Failed Man: Too bad nobody filmed me stopping the truck earlier.]


    [Cai Bing: Dude, let''s not chat now, you said my heart is too big, what if you can''t beat it and explode? Wouldn''t that mean a direct change of identity?]


    [Failed Man: How could I lose fighting a disabled? But I didn''t expect him to still have fighting capabilities after being hit by the truck.]


    At this moment, Blue Owl and Lester faced each other, the atmosphere tense and charged.


    "You''re still willing to fight with such injuries?" Blue Owl slowly said, "Respectable."


    "Shut up, you despicable person," Lester said, gasping heavily.


    He held the torn opening in his abdomen, revealing tangled wiry mechanisms and layers of parts from the gash. Mechanical tubes connected to his heart, pumping nutrient fluids to it.


    Deep blue electrical arcs danced within him, as if stimulating his organs to stay active. His heart thrummed vigorously under the stimulation of the electrical arcs, its beating abnormally loud.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    Blue Owl tilted his head, his beaked mask tilting along, "Fine, I know you like me, but no need for such a loud heartbeat."


    Many bystanders laughed, murmuring about the rarity of a superhero who talked so much during a fight.


    Nowadays, whether it''s new-generation superheroes or older ones, they all emphasize a mature and steady demeanor to avoid being swayed by internet trends, and not become a third-rate hero criticized by everyone like Qing Ya.


    Angered further by the comment, Lester became like a beast trapped in a colosseum with no escape.


    Yet, he still retained the right to fight desperately.


    He slowly removed the eyepatch covering his left eye, revealing a lead-grey mechanical eye. His gaze was like a wild beast sizing up its prey, seemingly ready to explode at any moment.


    Lester''s left arm was already rendered useless by the impact of the truck, now hanging limply, continuously splattering electric arcs.


    So, he could only slowly raise his right hand which had transformed into a chainsaw, and then stomped on the ground, creating a weblike crater beneath him, and like a cannonball, rushed towards Blue Owl.


    Blue Owl raised his arms, performing the "Cloud Hands" pose from Tai Chi, while simultaneously releasing a D-class skill¡ª"Solar Punch."


    According to the skill description, before using this skill, the solar energy charge in his fists was by default one hundred percent, meaning they were at full power.


    In other words, the "Solar Punch" at this very moment would unleash its maximum power.


    Blue Owl imitated the Tai Chi pose, moving his arms in a circle in the air, like clouds drifting across the sky¡ªgentle, smooth, and continuous.


    The next moment, as Lester''s chainsaw, carrying a deep blue flame, neared him, Blue Owl violently thrust forward his fist, his energy shifting from soft to fierce.


    The stored solar energy in his fists instantly transformed into furious kinetic and thermal energy, his metal gloves blazing like flames as he struck forward.


    Bang!


    The fist enveloped in flaming flow collided with the swiftly spinning chainsaw, unable to completely neutralize the incoming force, causing Blue Owl''s feet to sink into the ground, carving a dark trench behind him.


    But just as the chainsaw was about to break through the defense of his fists, Blue Owl''s other fist, enveloped in tidal flame, smashed onto the other end of the chainsaw.


    The chainsaw faintly cracked, revealing fine fissures.


    At the same time, Blue Owl transformed his fist into a palm, grasping the body of the chainsaw with both hands¡ªhis left hand wrapping around the upper part and his right hand the lower part.


    With both hands exerting force simultaneously, he shattered the chainsaw to the right with a powerful momentum.


    Finally, he raised his knee upward, blocking Lester who was about to retaliate upon sensing the adversities. His knee clashed with Lester''s mechanical foot.


    At the moment of contact, Blue Owl''s right leg slightly bent, making a "crack" sound as if it were about to fracture.


    But it was nothing serious; he one hand pressed against the misdirected chainsaw while the other hand, having slipped off the chainsaw body, then slapped towards Lester''s chest.


    Bang!


    With the hand covered in flaming flow striking out, Lester was instantly pushed several meters back, collapsing on the ground clutching his chest.


    Blue Owl had intentionally avoided his heart; otherwise, Lester would have died on the spot.


    "You won."


    Lester said hoarsely, slowly closing his eyelids, falling to the ground like a pile of scrapped machinery, with dangerous electric arcs still splattering from within.


    "You talk as if I can''t see it myself." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blue Owl sighed, bending down to adjust his fractured right leg, his hands forcefully realigning the bone.


    The next moment, cheers as vast as mountains and seas erupted from the four connecting commercial streets at the intersection, almost as if to drown the entire world.


    The flash from mobile phone cameras never ceased, even more dazzling than neon lights.


    Blue Owl was surrounded by the crowd, seemingly plotting his escape route, momentarily at a loss.


    Soon, from the crowd, a famously renowned social media creator pushed through and reached the intersection, holding up a mobile phone to film while asking Blue Owl a question.


    "Hey, you must have seen me before, I''m the blogger ''mikaxi'' from the Superhero Column, can I ask you a few questions?"


    "Uh, that should be fine, but can you hail a taxi to take me home? You can see, my leg got fractured by that guy," Blue Owl turned to look at her and limping forward toward the collapsed Lester, he answered.


    As the words fell, laughter burst from the crowd again, some whistling at him.


    "Of course, the question I want to ask is actually just one, what is your code name?" the social media creator mikaxi asked after laughing for a while.


    Blue Owl stopped, turned around, his red and blue mask faced her phone camera.


    "Blue Owl."


    He paused for a moment then added, "Left side for horn''s ''horn'' and right side for bird."


    No sooner had he finished speaking than a cacophony of gongs and drums suddenly came from the night sky.


    Blue Owl was startled and looked up.


    He saw a figure glowing with grey light sitting atop an electronic billboard, generating noise with a copper gong in its hands.


    It dangled its hollow eyes downward, looking down at Blue Owl, its mouth corners lifted high.


    "Blue Owl, such a nice-sounding name, how about we become friends, Mr. Blue Owl?"


    As the gray stranger''s words settled, the intersection first fell silent for a moment, then erupted with exclamatory noises.


    "It''s Dice Monster!" someone in the crowd shouted pointing at it.


    "Dice... Monster?"


    Blue Owl murmured the name in confusion, his gaze fixed on the gray figure on the traffic light.


    In the quiet intersection, the two, one above and one below, locked eyes in the gleam of neon lights.


    It was like, a fateful reunion.

 Chapter 124 Blue Owl: No One Understands Qing Ya Better Than Me

    July 4, night, downtown Huanjing, at the intersection of Hongdeng Commercial District.As the gray humanoid appeared above the fashion billboard, some of the crowd gathered around the edge of the intersection evacuated in fear, some screamed loudly, others calmly filmed with their phones.


    Even more, some excitedly shouted the name "Dice Monster," as if they were its avid fans, drawing surprised glances from those around them.


    It was well known, these days, that any slightly distinctive villain would have a group of fans, with Qing Ya being the only one condemned as politically correct and thus universally targeted.


    At that moment, the strange thing casually sat on the billboard, one arm resting on the edge of it.


    It looked down with its hollow eyes, made eye contact with Blue Owl for two seconds, then turned away, waving to the crowd on the street while scrutinizing them.


    It seemed to be signaling friendliness.


    But the next second, the strange thing raised a gray middle finger.


    Not only that, it rotated the finger 360 degrees so everyone could clearly see it.


    At the same time, it sarcastically remarked, "You know, if you saw yourselves from my perspective, you''d really look like... a pile of garbage."


    This unexpected gesture caused many of the pedestrians about to leave to stop in their tracks and look up at it.


    Murmurs buzzed through the dense crowd like the hum of bees.


    "Damn... the Dice Monster, is it that villain who was trending online before?"


    "Yeah, the first time he appeared, he defeated Ghost Horseman, and we all thought he was a superhero until Qing Ya came over and strangled him on the spot." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But he didn''t actually hurt people, right? His only crime is damaging public property."


    "Yeah, super mysterious, it has a certain vibe, doesn''t it? He might be ugly, but his personality is cute."


    "Whoa, you''re calling that cute? You really have unusual tastes, sister. Eat something decent."


    "Disgusting, his appearance gives me nightmares, and the last time I felt this scared was because of Qing Ya."


    "Speaking of... have you heard? Some people say he''s a phoenix."


    "A phoenix? Are you kidding? Didn''t the phoenix disappear years ago?"


    "Do you even surf? Some people swear they saw Qing Ya kill the Dice Monster, but just a few days later the Dice Monster was bouncing around again. They suspect he has the same immortal abilities as the Divine Communicator Phoenix. So, they think the Dice Monster might be the phoenix in disguise!"


    "Classic! You just believe everything you hear. I might as well say I''m Magical Girl Ash!"


    "Puh-leeze, no matter how you transform, you''ll never be as pretty as my Ash Baby."


    Against such a backdrop, the self-media creator mikaxi was ecstatic, standing as if at the center of the world.


    She adjusted her red glasses, her blue eyes gleaming beneath her golden hair. Quickly, she turned on the live streaming function on TikTok and YouTube, raised her phone, and focused the lens on Blue Owl and Dice Monster, capturing them both in the same frame.


    In that second, mikaxi even thought up tonight''s video title¡ª "Meeting between the new generation superhero and the new generation villain, will they become the next phenomenal characters?!"


    If this video didn''t blow up, there would be no justice. With her follower base, it was expected to reach millions of views at minimum, and she planned to stream simultaneously on TikTok and YouTube.


    Notably, she was one of the few who had interviewed a member of the Round Table Council ¡ª the Superhero Association, to prevent negative press, typically forbade high-profile heroes from giving interviews, preferring to have agency representatives handle necessary public engagements.


    But mikaxi was different, having interviewed Divine Communicator Zeus "Firando Gomez" in person, which after the interview skyrocketed her fame on the internet, formally launching her career in the superhero content domain.


    Since then, she had become a notable figure in self-media, with a keen sense of topic-worthy material, which allowed her career to thrive, each time uncovering potential phenomenal figures.


    For instance, she had interviewed the just-debuted Magical Girl Ash years before, although Ash had shown her disdain by blasting her phone with a Cinderella shot.


    Fortunately, the video was synced to the cloud, and by the next day, it had sparked thousands of views online, taking the top spot on Weibo''s trending searches and remaining high on international video platform rankings.


    Seeing the Dice Monster in the trending videos on Weibo a few days earlier, she had a premonition that this "Dice Monster" would become the next phenomenal character.


    Today, witnessing it firsthand, Blue Owl¡ªthough his outfit looked cheap and crude, with garish and ostentatious colors more suited to a low-budget effects series¡ªmoved with sharp, precise actions during combat, impressively shooting scenes with a stunning red and blue color scheme that were extremely eye-catching.


    Among today''s brooding, cautious superheroes dressed in cooler tones to avoid negative press, Blue Owl''s debut was like a burst of bright, vibrant color, piercing through the dull, somber sea.

 Chapter 124 Blue Owl: No One Understands Qing Ya Better Than Me_2

    The times had changed.Nowadays, everyone valued the spectacle and entertainment value of superheroes, as well as their ability to generate buzz, more than their actual strength.


    And without a doubt, mikaxi saw this topic-generating potential in blue owl.


    And it didn''t stop there.


    Tonight, while she uncovered blue owl, she also encountered the villain she had been following for two weeks¡ªthe Dice Monster¡ªas if it were some kind of gift from fate.


    mikaxi took deep breaths over and over, her heart beating as if ten thousand little men were tap-dancing inside.


    She was clear, this could be her once-in-a-lifetime chance for overnight fame.


    She must not show cowardice here, even though it was dangerous, she had to stand at the center of the crossroads.


    One step back, and she would miss millions of exposures!


    At that moment, the words of the Dice Monster broke through the noisy world and entered mikaxi''s ears.


    "Hey... why are you ignoring me, ''blue owl'' buddy?"


    It tilted its head, pausing between each word as it addressed blue owl.


    Blue owl looked up, gazing at the grey, humanoid figure sitting on a fashion billboard, meeting its gaze.


    "Uh, brother, has anyone ever told you..."


    He spoke earnestly yet hesitantly.


    The voice of blue owl, filtered through the voice changer of his suit, sounded like that of a young man a few years older than himself, with a hint of depth and hoarseness.


    "Told me... what?"


    The strange thing raised its non-existent eyebrows, its mouth curving slightly, anticipating the other''s assessment of it.


    Like a child in class waiting for the teacher''s comments.


    Blue owl hesitated for a moment, maintaining his tentative and reticent tone, and slowly said, "Just saying... just saying, you''re really ugly, hasn''t anyone told you that?"


    Upon hearing this, the crowd gathered at the crossroads burst into loud laughter, and for a moment, the sound of cameras clicking drowned out the din of voices.


    Seeing this, the strange thing first made a "mouth agape, jaw-dropping" expression, then fell silent for a few seconds, its face sinking, with the corners of its mouth turned down.


    Finally, it sighed, shook its head, and said.


    "Hey, dude, although I too think I''m not exactly good-looking, isn''t it a bit inappropriate for you, as a superhero, to personally attack me in public?"


    Blue owl was unimpressed, and as he walked toward him, he said, "To be precise, I haven''t become a superhero yet, so I don''t need to regulate my speech and conduct."


    "Oh, then it''s even less of a problem for us to be friends, isn''t it?" the strange thing said, "Since you''re not yet a superhero, you really don''t need to take such a hard stance."


    blue owl sighed, tilting his head slightly, which caused the beak on his mask to wobble, "What a joke, I''m not going to be friends with a wanted criminal, unless you turn yourself in at the Superhero Association."


    "That''s a shame; you''re really too rigid," the strange thing spoke, suddenly raising a finger, its tone becoming more mysterious, "I suggest not getting closer to me, I''m about to use my special move."


    "Throwing dice?"


    blue owl didn''t stop walking, his words dripping with disdain.


    "I''ve seen that trick of yours online, last time you rolled a bunch of Brazilians dancing under the Huanjing Tower, that video did crack me up, I watched it several times."


    "That was an accident, an accident, you get it?" the Dice Monster seemed flustered, spreading its hands in exasperation, "Besides, the big move I''m talking about isn''t throwing dice, where''s the fun in that to match your rhythm?"


    "Rhythm?" blue owl looked at it, amused, "What are you trying to say?"


    "It''s like this," the strange thing paused, raising its tone, "Has anyone ever told you that your battle suit looks a lot like that damn Qing Ya, you know, the rat across the street that everyone wants to beat up?"


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl''s teasing gaze suddenly became serious, and he just silently stared at it.


    Observing this, the strange thing''s tone became even more teasing, as if excited by having hit the other''s sore spot.


    "Do you know... what kind of status that stinky crow holds in China? Imitating him, you still want to become a beloved superhero? You must be dreaming," it mocked.


    Blue Owl stayed silent for a moment, then spoke in a lowered voice, almost articulating every single word.


    "Then let me be clear¡­" he paused, bowing his head, continuing in front of the gaze of thousands, "You all, simply don''t understand Qing Ya."


    With those radical words, the pedestrians within a hundred meters fell silent for a moment, as if someone had pressed the mute button.


    The world went eerily quiet as if a machine had stopped functioning, beneath the neon lights were faces shocked beyond measure.


    But the gaze of social media content creator mikaxi grew increasingly fervent; she even started to lose her grip on her phone, her hands shaking with excitement.


    In her mind, she screamed, "Yes, that''s it! This is the effect I want! Keep talking, the traffic will explode and rank it first across all platforms domestically and abroad!"


    Upon these words, the strange thing first fell silent for a second, then covered its face with its hand and sighed deeply, as if to say, "Teaching you is impossible."


    However, Blue Owl continued to deliver comments that clashed with political correctness, causing the spectating crowd to instinctively gasp.


    "He is a true hero, and it was by admiring his image that I chose to wear this battle suit," he said calmly, slowly lifting his eyes, his gaze behind the lenses as steadfast as a statue''s.


    "Furthermore, from the moment I put on this suit, I decided¡­ I would never care about anyone''s scrutiny but only do what I believe is right," he continued.


    At these words, the strange thing could no longer hold back.


    "Oh my god, are you trying to be cringeworthy?"


    As it spoke, the strange thing leaned against a billboard, pretending to gag, then wiped its mouth with a hand.


    "That''s your reason for a cheap imitation... even a teenager going through puberty could make that battle suit you''re wearing. It''s so idiotic that it makes me want to vomit, claiming you know Qing Ya the best," it sneered.


    It paused, then scoffed, "You know too much indeed. Are you saying¡­ that you understand him better than the criminals who''ve received the death penalty from him, or the children left with psychological trauma because of him, all of them knowing Qing Ya less than you, a greenhorn?"


    "I told you, I don''t care what others think," Blue Owl retorted coldly.


    "Boring... boring, so boring," the strange thing said.


    Lowering its hollow eyes, the strange thing pointed at a nearby tall building, pressing down with its right hand, and shot webs from its web shooter that stuck to the glass curtain wall, "I''m not playing with you anymore, goodbye Qing Ya kid."


    Seeing this, Blue Owl suddenly started to run, intending to chase after the strange thing, but he had injured his leg in the fight with Lester.


    His muscle violently pulled, and he deeply gasped, reluctantly kneeling and clutching his leg.


    "Are you okay, Mr. Blue Owl?!" mikaxi, finally reacting, rushed over. While filming his face, she said, "I''ll call a cab for you!"


    "No need." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that, Blue Owl stood up again, limping away into the commercial street under the gaze of the people.


    Every step he took, the surrounding crowd stepped back.


    Subsequently, Blue Owl, under everyone''s watchful eyes, slowly turned into a deserted alley.


    A few seconds later, people belatedly chased after him, but the red and blue figure had vanished, as if evaporated from the face of the earth.

 Chapter 125 Family Meeting Time

    Ke Yinzhi turned the doorknob downward and walked out of the room expressionlessly.He moved toward the railing, crossed his arms and rested them on the stair''s handrail, closed his eyes, and let out a long sigh with his head bowed low.


    Then he went downstairs, shuffled towards the living room on the first floor, and casually sat down on the couch, picking up the remote control and pressing the power button.


    The TV screen lit up, and the first thing that came into view was a breaking news report.


    "The vigilante calling himself ''Blue Owl'' has apprehended a group of bank robbers at the crossroads of the Hongdeng Commercial District. According to the police confirmation, the targeted bank was ''Huanjing YGA Central Bank.'' But following Blue Owl''s defeat of the mutant criminal ''Mechanical Mod Man Lester,'' Class C wanted felon Dice Monster appeared in Hongdeng District¡­"


    On the TV, a neatly dressed news anchor was smiling at the camera, narrating today''s superhuman crime events, occasionally glancing down at their script.


    In the upper right corner of the screen, within a red-framed area, was footage from the Hongdeng Commercial District showing a figure in a red-and-blue bodysuit sparring with a mechanically enhanced being.


    "Lester, I remember he''s a survivor of that low-efficiency modification program by the Management Bureau, really makes you wonder what the hell those old men are up to¡­"


    Ke Yinzhi thought to himself while watching the TV and resting his arm on the back of the couch.


    As the TV host finished outlining the main thread of the incident, the on-site footage zoomed in to show Blue Owl defeating Lester with a Tai Chi move, followed closely by the arrival of a bizarre grey humanoid figure.


    "Wow¡­ what kind of strange thing is that up to now?"


    Ke Yinzhi raised an eyebrow, musing to himself with interest.


    Ke Xiao Mo came down from upstairs, sat down beside him, hugged his shoulders and looked at the TV to ask.


    "Is it that Dice Monster causing trouble again?"


    "No, it''s a mechanical mod man called ''Lester.'' Your favorite Dice Monster just came to join the fray."


    Talking, Ke Yinzhi yawned, "It seems that a rookie vigilante who claimed to be ''Blue Owl'' beat Lester."


    The two watched the rest of the on-site video in front of the TV, and the last scene showed Blue Owl hobbling into an alley, vanishing into a world refracted by neon lights.


    "This vigilante''s suit is really similar to Qing Ya''s, rather, it''s as if it was deliberately made to mimic Qing Ya''s."


    Ke Xiao Mo paused, "Even the name, Qing Ya, Blue Owl, the pattern is exactly the same."


    "A follower of Qing Ya, huh? That''s rare." Ke Yinzhi smiled, "If I remember correctly, a few years ago, there was a period when many Muggles were imitating Qing Ya, wielding hockey sticks to fight crime, but in the end, they were personally sent to prison by Qing Ya. Since then, I haven''t seen anyone daring to imitate him."


    "So that''s why Qing Ya has such a bad reputation, isn''t it?"


    Ke Xiao Mo commented expressionlessly.


    "No," Ke Yinzhi shook his head, "In Qing Ya''s eyes, those people were just fools who put on spandex and wanted to pose as superheroes, not his followers¡­ Does that help you understand him a bit more?"


    "I don''t quite get it, why do you think so highly of Qing Ya? It feels like my perception of him has been influenced by you since we were kids."


    "If that''s the case¡­ when I was very young, he once saved me."


    "Ah?" Ke Xiao Mo was startled, turning to look at Ke Yinzhi, "How come you''ve never mentioned this before?"


    "Because there''s nothing much to tell."


    "Are you kidding?"


    Ke Xiao Mo stared at his profile, speaking expressionlessly.


    Ke Yinzhi sighed and began to speak slowly, "Back then, a superhuman criminal who had escaped from prison infiltrated our middle school, and when the police discovered him, he kidnapped our class and threatened the police to retreat with our lives. I remember it vividly; one of the robbers was pointing a gun right at my head."


    He paused, smiling slightly, "And just when the police were leaving the campus, a huge crow suddenly swooped down from the sky. You can probably guess what happened after that. There''s not much to tell."


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiao Mo remained silent for a while.


    "No wonder you respect him so much; he saved your life." He said.


    "No, no, no, it would be the same without that incident. I told you¡­ he''s interesting."


    Ke Xiao Mo shrugged, "Anyway, let''s not talk about him. Let''s talk about this Dice Monster. Why does it feel like he has to provoke everyone he meets?"


    "Perhaps because¡­ he lacks love," Ke Yinzhi said with a slight smirk, sipping his Wong Lo Kat.


    Ke Xiao Mo pondered for a moment, "All I can say is that his motives are inscrutable. If it''s really just for lack of love, that would be too good to be true."


    "I''ve seen plenty of these lunatics whose behavior defies logic. Among the various criminals, you just have to get used to it, and you''ve got a long way to go."


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi suddenly turned his cheek aside, glancing at the foyer from the corner of his eye.


    The next moment, the electronic door at the entrance was opened, and Ke Mingye, sweating profusely, came in, bent over to remove his shoes and put on slippers.


    "Where have you been?"


    Ke Yinzhi withdrew his gaze from him and asked casually.


    "Went for a night run. What else could it be?"


    Talking, Ke Mingye limped into the living room, brushing past the couch, and grabbed a bottle of sports drink from the fridge.


    "What happened to your foot?"


    Ke Xiao Mo noticed something was off, turned his head to look at him, and asked.


    "Tripped while running. Just skinned it a bit, what else?"


    Ke Mingye said flatly, gulping down the sports drink, his Adam''s apple bobbing.


    And to think¡­ he really did go for a run.


    While he and the strange thing were performing their double act in the Hongdeng Commercial District, he didn''t forget to run back and forth in the abandoned train station, promptly completing his daily mission¡ªunfortunately, the roulette only yielded 500 Mall Coins, hardly worth the effort.


    But it wasn''t a "better luck next time," so he had no reason to complain too much.


    "Fell down?"


    Bai Ziling muttered under his breath, his brows furrowing slightly in confusion as he inexplicably thought of "Blue Owl," the superhero who had just hobbled away from the scene on TV.


    Mingye was about to speak to Ke Yinzhi, who was watching TV beside him, when he was interrupted by Ke Mingye.


    After taking a big gulp of his drink, Ke Mingye twisted the cap back on the bottle and asked, "So, what exactly were you all up to just now? Looks like I was the only one being left out, huh?"


    "Well..."


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi recalled the scene of the meeting they had just had and tilted his head helplessly.


    ........


    ......


    Twenty minutes earlier, on the second floor of Bai Ke''s home, in Ke Yongzhu''s room.


    "Now it''s your turn. Where were you at that time?" Bai Zini said.


    Standing behind the door, Ke Yinzhi was fiddling with his cell phone in one hand and had the other hand behind his back as he slowly said, "When it happened, you and I were at Gibran Bookstore. Right as we stepped out the door, we saw this kid getting pummeled by a ninja, turned into a dragon... We were so shocked, we were speechless."


    As he spoke, he glanced at Ke Yongzhu, who was curled up in the corner of the bed hugging her knees, and then returned his attention to his cell phone.


    Ke Yongzhu was wearing pajamas, her eyes drooping as she looked at the panda toy on the bed, silent.


    Bai Zini, sitting on the floor with her knees bent, frowned at Ke Yinzhi and asked, "And then what did you do?"


    Ke Yinzhi replied, "What else could we do? We got caught by the ninjas."


    Bai Ziling said, "We fought back, but we couldn''t beat them."


    Their tones were innocent as they played off each other.


    Bai Qiuwu hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Then you must not be hurt too badly..."


    Bai Ziling cut her off, "Got some superficial injuries, but it''s nothing serious."


    "Are you guys stupid? You knew they were ninjas and still tried to fight back," Bai Zini said irritably. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Ziling sat on the bed, silently nodding in agreement.


    "Anyway, let''s not talk about this for now," Ke Yinzhi shrugged. "Regarding our younger brother being a dragon, we must keep it strictly confidential, whether it''s towards dad or mom, understand?"


    "Got it," Bai Zini nodded.


    "Mm," Bai Ziling said.


    "I get it," mused Bai Qiuwu. "They indeed might not be able to accept it."


    "Then I have one last question," Bai Ziling looked around at everyone and said calmly, "aside from Yongzhu, does anyone else in the family have any secrets they''re hiding? As family, we shouldn''t keep things from each other. We should face them together."


    "I''m just a normal person, I don''t turn into a dragon," Bai Zini said with a huff. "Even if I did, I wouldn''t keep it secret from the family for so many years like someone did."


    "I''m a normal person too," said Bai Qiuwu.


    "Same here," said Bai Ziling.


    Ke Yongzhu''s head dipped even lower, her ears reddening slightly, her expression a touch forlorn.


    Seeing this, Bai Ziling fell silent for two seconds before turning his head to look at Ke Yinzhi, who was looking down at his cell phone, and then asked, "What about you?"


    "I''m a normal person too."


    Ke Yinzhi said nonchalantly, lifting his idle left hand while continuing to look at his phone, as casual as a student answering a question in class.


    At this, Bai Zini turned and glared at Ke Yongzhu on the bed, "Fine, fine, fine, so the only traitor in the house keeping secrets from us is this damned grade-schooler!"


    Bai Qiuwu glanced at her helplessly, thinking to herself, "Look who''s talking, Magic Girl, accusing someone else first..."


    "I''m sorry..."


    Ke Yongzhu turned her cheek away and said quietly.


    Looking at him, Bai Zini grew more and more agitated, thinking to herself that she had no idea the dragon had been him and almost unleashed Cinderella to shoot him dead. Insane!


    So she said aggressively, "Sorry my foot, you''re being punished to run errands and buy drinks from the supermarket downstairs for the next week!"


    Bai Ziling nodded gently in agreement, her pale tresses swaying softly.


    "Okay."


    Ke Yongzhu buried her head in her knees as she spoke.


    Then there was a silence that lasted several seconds in the room, with only the clicking sound of Ke Yinzhi''s fingers tapping the screen of his phone.


    Bai Ziling''s eyes were downcast and after a moment of silence, she suddenly said, "Little brother... might not have done it on purpose."


    Ke Yongzhu was startled and her nose twitched suddenly, but she continued to keep her head buried in her knees without speaking.


    "Don''t make excuses for him, Xiao Ling, I think he did it on purpose!" Bai Zini snapped.


    With a sigh, Bai Ziling said, "Let''s leave it at that for now. Remember to keep it secret. Whoever breaks the rules from now on will be a runner for life with no complaints, understand?" Your journey continues with empire


    Everyone in the room except Ke Yongzhu nodded their heads.


    "I''ll go get some fresh air. You guys continue whatever it is you''re discussing."


    Ke Yinzhi said casually, pocketing his cellphone in his black coat, pushing the door open, closing it behind him, then leaning on the banister, his head hanging low as he breathed out softly.


    How absurd this world is, dragons, Divine Communicators, ninjas... Can this family give me any more headaches? He thought to himself with a self-mocking smile curling the corners of his mouth.

 Chapter 126 Ke Mingyes Second Heart Implant

    "Finally, some free time. I haven''t opened those three equipment cards yet. Maybe they''ll yield some good stuff."Ke Mingye entered the room, leaned against the door with a tired sigh, and casually locked it.


    Then he slumped onto the bed and called up his inventory panel with a thought. His gaze moved down to locate the equipment cards he picked up during the Ninja Sect incident and used them all at once.


    [You have used one A-rank equipment card and two C-rank equipment cards, obtaining one A-rank equipment (or item) and two C-rank equipment (or items). Please check your inventory for details.]


    Ke Mingye glanced at the inventory list and began tapping on the newly acquired items, from top to bottom.


    Introduction panels popped up one after another.


    [Equipment Name: Lie Detector Necklace]


    [Equipment Rank: C-rank]


    [Equipment Ability: 1. Press the necklace to confirm within 10 seconds whether the other party is lying. (Cooldown time of 24 hours).]


    [Equipment Description: Nobody hates lies more than I do, but you can lie all you want during my cooldown; I won''t be able to tell.]


    "Feels like it''s usually me who''s lying, not the other way around," Ke Mingye thought, "But mixing with the old man is next, and who knows when he might set a trap for me. This necklace could come in handy."


    He looked at the introduction panel for the next item.


    [Item Name: Bluebird Scout Plane]


    [Item Rank: C-rank]


    [Item Abilities: 1. You can release a mini Bluebird Scout Plane and share its vision; 2. You can switch places with the Bluebird Scout Plane once, which will destroy the scout plane immediately after the switch.]


    [Equipment Description: The Bluebird Scout Plane is a very principled device, a true gentleman among scout planes. It hopes you don''t use it for weird things, so it has set some rules: "NO bathhouses!", "NO toilets!", "NO upskirts!"]


    "It''s got a good cost-performance ratio. It can be used for gathering intelligence, and at the very least, it can act as a mobility skill..."


    As Ke Mingye thought this, he suddenly raised an eyebrow: "Wait, doesn''t it sound a bit like the old man''s ability? The internet analysts have been analyzing frame by frame, and they say that dad''s ability is to create crows and then switch places with them, which is why he''s so elusive."


    He didn''t think much about it, as he could use the "Animal Communication Skill" to work with the Black Cat "Yuri" in a few days and find out what Ke Youqing''s superpower really was.


    However, with Qing Ya''s danger level so high, it was certainly not only his superpower that was strong; his physical fitness and neurological reaction were also far beyond other superhumans.


    Speaking of which, Ke Mingye had always been curious why the system only rated dad''s strength at A+, even when big brother and now second brother had A++ rank power levels.


    But then again, he realized that Qing Ya''s prowess lay elsewhere¡ªdecades of combat experience, extensive strategic preparation, intelligence-gathering, and scouting abilities. Given enough time to prepare, big brother and second brother, despite slightly stronger stats on their panels, might still be defeated by him.


    Ke Mingye continued to scroll down, focusing on the third piece of equipment that appeared in his inventory.


    [Equipment Name: Second Artificial Heart]


    [Equipment Rank: A-rank] Experience more tales on empire


    [Equipment Abilities:


    1. After equipping, a "second heart" will form inside your body; every time you receive a non-fatal massive injury, the second heart will automatically repair your body and give you a short-term significant attribute boost;


    2. The second heart can help you enter a "feigned death" state at any time, and you can cancel it at any time;


    3. If you take a fatal blow, the second artificial heart will completely absorb the damage for you, but as a trade-off, it will destroy itself after 2 minutes.]


    [Equipment Description: Life is so hard, everyone should have a second heart. One heart simply can''t withstand all the wear and tear, right?]


    "Looks like a last-ditch effort activator, plus a resurrection coin," Ke Mingye thought, "Pretty good for a survivor player like me, but the idea of an extra heart inside just sounds so creepy."


    He hesitated for a moment, then moved his fingers to try on the "Second Artificial Heart."


    The next moment, Ke Mingye felt his chest suddenly fill up, as if some hollow space was being filled.


    Immediately after, he heard two hearts beating inside his body¡ªtheir rhythms slightly offset, creating an almost continuous sound in his ears.


    It was excessively noisy, almost enough to drive a person insane long-term.


    "I can''t let any puppet use this heart, because if the puppet takes a fatal blow, triggering the third effect of the artificial heart, it will destroy itself after 2 minutes."


    Ke Mingye held his chest, firmly remembering the heart should only be used at a critical moment.


    To use the third ability to weather a critical fatal blow, and then the second ability to feign death within the 2 minutes before the heart''s destruction, it could be a method to narrowly escape death.


    Soon, he removed the heart, and the oppressive and swollen feeling in his chest vanished.


    "I''ve looked over the equipment; it''s time to chat with that cat."


    Ke Mingye exhaled and left the room, opening the door. Not seeing Yuri in the hallway, he moved downstairs.


    Ke Xiaomo was sitting on the sofa with her shoulders hugged, accompanying Ke Yinzhi in rewatching the "Dune Trilogy" on TV. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 126 Ke Mingyes Second Artificial Heart Transplant_2

    Ke Mingye feigned the awkward gait of someone trying to walk normally despite a leg cramp as he brushed past Ke Xiaomo and made his way to the refrigerator.He glanced around, unable to find the Black Cat called "Yuri" in either the living room or the kitchen.


    "Just now, second brother and eldest brother seemed to be watching the news about the Hongdeng Commercial District; they must have noticed Blue Owl''s leg injury. Luckily, I wrapped a bandage around my leg before coming back, so even if second brother is perverse enough to secretly observe my legs, I shouldn''t give myself away."


    "Since eldest brother and second brother are currently sharing intelligence, if second brother knows, it''s as good as telling eldest brother too."


    Ke Mingye thought this as he reached into the freezer and pulled out two bottles of cola, then closed the refrigerator door.


    "Speaking of which, would revealing my identity now be premature? It feels better to wait a bit longer, but if second brother could watch over me, I''d be able to get personally involved."


    "With a Sect Master of the Ninja Sect watching my back, any criminal who comes across me is really in for a treat."


    "It''s such a loss that superheroes can''t kill openly. Should I wait for Blue Owl to cripple the opponent before letting the strange thing finish the job? That way, I could snag the milestone reward."


    "But that would probably disgust my older sister and the others; all the goodwill I''ve carefully built up could just vanish."


    Ke Mingye pondered, holding the colas as he passed the sofa and went up to the second-floor corridor.


    Under the orange glow of the pumpkin pendant light, Bai Ziling was squatting on the floor, playing with Yuri. Yuri rolled over on the floor, acting coquettish and meowing.


    Ke Mingye approached, offering her one of the colas, "Fair trade, I give you cola, you tell me what you were talking about just now."


    "Secret," Bai Ziling whispered, "besides, the drinks were bought by eldest brother, not by you."


    Saying so, she ruthlessly took Ke Mingye''s cola, lowered her head to continue petting the cat, with her light white hair draping over her shoulders.


    "Was the kid''s injury serious today?"


    "Not bad, he''ll be full of life after a night''s sleep."


    "Oh, I saw he''s been in his room all this time and hadn''t come out, I thought he was about to die. I guessed you were discussing arranging his funeral just now," Ke Mingye sighed, "our family has never encountered a superhuman crime like this for so many years, and it''s those weird ninjas, really bizarre."


    "It is bizarre."


    Bai Ziling said casually.


    "Can I take the cat for a while?" Ke Mingye asked, "Let me bond with it. Since it arrived last night, I haven''t even touched it."


    "Don''t eat it."


    As she said this, Bai Ziling picked up Yuri expressionlessly, tilting her head slightly as her red eyes stared at Ke Mingye.


    It''s not like I''m a dragon, or a vampire... Besides, this guy looks harmless but is actually a danger level B. It''s good enough that it doesn''t eat me alive, let alone me eating it.


    Ke Mingye grumbled internally, then spoke up, "Can you not joke? A cat this skinny wouldn''t even sell at a cat meat shop."


    "Here, just remember to put it down on the first floor later."


    Bai Ziling lowered her eyes and handed Yuri over to Ke Mingye.


    He took the cat and ran to his room, locked the door, sat on the bed, and then looked at the cat in his arms as he activated his E-level Skill ¡ª "Animal Communication Skill."


    [Successfully cast E-level skill ¡ª "Animal Communication Skill," for the next five minutes, you can communicate freely with any animal.]


    "Moshi moshi, konnichi wa, do you understand what I''m saying?"


    After casting the skill, Ke Mingye cleared his throat and spoke to Yuri in a mishmash of Chinese, Japanese, and English, testing the cat''s cultural knowledge. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yuri stared at him in baffled silence for two seconds, then meowed twice. As soon as the sound reached Ke Mingye''s ears, it turned into human speech.


    It said, "Damn, humans are speaking cat language."


    Ke Mingye replied, "Damn, the cat''s speaking human language."


    He paused, "Okay, actually, I have a superpower that lets me communicate with animals, get it?"


    The Yuri in his arms asked, "Then why can''t I steal your superpower, human, you think I''m easy to deceive?"


    "I''m not a Superpower User, actually, I''m... a mutant, get it?"


    "Idiot."


    Yuri meowed disparagingly and kicked him in the chest.


    "Heh, don''t think you can bad-mouth me just because you''re a cat."


    "Moron."


    Yuri meowed again, kicked him in the chest once more, and then licked its paw.


    "Dude, can your standards get any higher? You won''t find a girlfriend like that."


    "Idiot."


    Yuri meowed and scratched at his chest, but Ke Mingye reached out with his palm and blocked it, grabbing its paw pad.


    "Great, now I''m even less than a cat or dog at home."


    Ke Mingye sighed and quickly accepted the cat''s foul mouth setting, then said, "How about we cooperate, Yuri."


    "What the heck is Yuri?"


    "The name my sister gave you."


    "Why would she give me such a feminized name? Is there something wrong with her brain?"


    Ke Mingye ignored it: "Let''s cooperate. My old man will be back home in a couple of days, he''s a superpower user. Steal his superpower, and then I''ll pretend to take you for a walk. You show off his superpower outside for me, okay?"


    "What''s in it for me?"


    "Cat food and I promise not to let anyone else castrate you."


    Upon hearing this, Yuri drooped its head and scratched its head with a paw. After a while, it lifted its blue eyes.


    "Can you let me go first? Being held by you is very humiliating."


    "Okay."


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye let go of Yuri.


    It jumped from Ke Mingye''s arms to the floor and slowly crawled towards the door, then leapt up and used its paw to twist the doorknob downwards.


    The door "click" opened.


    Ke Mingye was astonished: "What are you doing, performing acrobatics? Can cats open doors now?"


    Discover stories at empire


    "Don''t compare your intelligence with mine."


    Yuri said as it squeezed its head through the crack in the door and crawled out.


    "Fine, once I finish cooperating with it, I''ve got to take it to the vet to get it neutered, then roast it for a nice cat meat hotpot."


    Ke Mingye twitched the corner of his eye as he thought to himself, just about to close his room door, when he suddenly noticed Bai Zini standing at the doorway, looking at him with an inconceivable expression.


    Yuri was squatting beside Bai Zini, rubbing its head against her fair and delicate leg.


    Ke Mingye cocked his head and met Bai Zini''s gaze: "What, why are you staring at me?"


    Bai Zini covered her mouth, her eyes showing amazement, "Bro bro bro, how come I heard you meowing in the room? Do you have that kind of fetish?"


    "Quiet, stud-like kid, that''s what he''s like."


    Bai Qiuwu just happened to be passing by the two, casually dropped a remark, and walked into the bathroom.


    "This is the first time I''ve seen a high school boy who likes to meow. Ew¡ªmy brother is really a super repressed pervert."


    Bai Zini said as she swiftly bent down, quickly lifted one hand to her chest, and with the other hand picked up Yuri by her leg, sprinting back to her room at a speed that left only an afterimage behind.


    "Such a drama queen."


    Ke Mingye looked down at her room door closing with disdain, sighed, "Anyway for today, that''s it. Just waiting for the old man to come home..."


    .....


    .....


    At this moment, in England, south of London, in the Brighton seaside area, a beachfront hotel.


    Night falls like a curtain over the tranquil beach, crabs scuttle through the pools. Black waves crash against the sand, breaking into white foam.


    The sea tosses and turns under the caress of the evening breeze, a distant lighthouse shines with lonely light, and a searchlight beam illuminates a corner of the pitch-black sea surface.


    Ke Youqing held a tablet computer in one hand and rested the other on the rail of a rooftop, gazing out at the ocean from the fifth floor of the hotel.


    After a while, he hung his head low, lit a cigarette, and logged into the superhero dark web with his tablet, searching the day''s trending topics related to "Huanjing."


    He focused on the screen which displayed two videos.


    One was the Wanxiang City explosion incident, with only one or two passersby''s distant recordings of the video showing the silhouette of a dragon appearing and disappearing in the fog;


    The other was the YGA Central Bank robbery, with the cybernetically enhanced "Lester" leading a gang of robbers robbing the YGA bank, attempting to escape by car, only to be stopped at a crossroad in the Hongdeng Commercial District by a vigilante self-proclaimed "Blue Owl."

 Chapter 127 Qing Ya, Gray Pigeon, Timekeeper

    Ke Youqing finished watching the surveillance footage of the Hongdeng Commercial District, set down the tablet computer, bowed his head in silence for a long time, and then brought the lit cigarette to his lips, drawing in deeply.The smoke swirled around his fingertips and was quickly dispersed by the sea breeze over Brighton Beach, rising into the sky along his slightly graying temples.


    "Blue Owl..."


    He muttered the name to himself.


    After a while, Ke Youqing slowly lifted his head, his deep gaze turning toward the lonely lighthouse in the distance.


    Seven years ago, he had encountered a similar superhero whose code name was "Grey Pigeon." On his first day joining the Superhero Association, he candidly admitted to the media that he had become a superhero under the influence of "Qing Ya," which prompted heated debate and backlash from the public.


    Despite this, in the following period, Grey Pigeon managed to conquer the public''s prejudiced views of him with his outstanding abilities and was even hailed as the Superhero Association''s star of tomorrow.


    During his time in the Superhero Association, Grey Pigeon practically applied every day to meet with the Round Table Council member "Qing Ya."


    At first, Qing Ya thought he would soon give up under the onslaught of the media, but unexpectedly, he persevered for so long that Qing Ya felt he could not ignore him. So he sought him out and personally mentored him for a time. He witnessed his strength gradually increase and saw how he went from being initially questioned to eventually being embraced by both the public and the association.


    Back then, Qing Ya watched the young man from the shadows, as if he were observing his past self.


    He always felt that Grey Pigeon was like another version of himself, clearly possessing the same traits, yet he hadn''t gone down that extreme, violent path.


    Instead, he carried a sincere heart, moving forward while upholding kindness and principles.


    After much consideration, Qing Ya finally decided to mold this young man into his successor; when the time was right, he would let him take over his position and manage the city''s security.


    Initially, this plan progressed smoothly. Grey Pigeon''s improvement was remarkable; he was a one-in-a-million talent. Whether in terms of superpower, martial arts, or strategic learning speed, he far surpassed Qing Ya''s expectations.


    Over the long period of time they spent together, Qing Ya grew closer to the young man, even going so far as to take off his mask in front of him, being honest with him, revealing his inner thoughts.


    However... things soon took a turn.


    On the day Grey Pigeon was officially promoted to a B-rank hero, Qing Ya avoided the celebration ceremony held by the association and went home to have dinner with his child.


    Just one hour later, terrible news came from the Superhero Association.


    During the ceremony, Grey Pigeon was captured by the supervillain Timekeeper.


    Qing Ya searched the entire city but couldn''t find any trace of them.


    The next day, Timekeeper posted an hour-long "execution video" on the dark web. Qing Ya watched the video without missing a second, trying to find Timekeeper''s location. The cries and screams of Grey Pigeon in the video almost drove him mad.


    Qing Ya watched with his own eyes as Timekeeper used a chainsaw to cut off Grey Pigeon''s hands, watched Grey Pigeon, with head bowed, look at his severed hands on the ground and weep bitterly. The hopeful and vibrant look in the young man''s eyes had been replaced with utter despair and emptiness.


    "Save me, save me, save me, Mr. Qing Ya..."


    At Timekeeper''s demand, Grey Pigeon almost pleaded to the screen.


    Then, on the third day after the incident, Qing Ya stood in front of the Superhero Association building, looking up into the sky, his black cape fluttering wildly in the biting wind.


    Beneath the high-rise work platform of the Superhero Association branch building, at that moment, hung various mutilated organs: hands, innards, legs, feet, shoulders, heads...


    These bloody organs dangled in the air, neatly arranged, gently swaying in the wind.


    As if mocking someone''s helplessness.


    His gaze shifted slightly downward to the glass curtain wall of the Association building, where bold letters were written in blood-red paint:


    "Qing Ya, this is my gift to you. I''ve cut his body into twenty-three pieces, in celebration of your twenty-third anniversary of debut."


    Later, to commemorate the untimely deceased superhero, many superhero darknet sites adopted the name "Grey Pigeon."


    Ke Youqing had thought many times, if on the first day Grey Pigeon appeared in Huanjing wearing that cheap costume imitating "Qing Ya" as a vigilante, he had gone to him, personally unveiled his mask, and sternly advised him to turn back from his misguided ways instead of ignoring him. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, perhaps this young man would not have met such a tragic end.


    Grey Pigeon''s death was all his fault. He was too cowardly, so cowardly that for a moment he hesitated, thinking he could find a successor.


    And then he could comfortably exit this dark world, putting all matters behind him.


    He was wrong.


    Profoundly wrong.


    Time is a cruel thing; no matter how much one desires to go back, no matter the depths of one''s regret, it only pushes everyone''s silhouette forward, forcing them to keep moving relentlessly. Perhaps only on the day of one''s death will they no longer feel its presence, no longer be compelled to move forward by its force.


    From that day on, Ke Youqing''s heart was filled with gloom and fury.


    But he knew, if Timekeeper didn''t want to be found, then there were very few in the world who could find him.


    Even Zeus couldn''t do it.


    At the same time, he also knew that one day, Timekeeper would return to this city¡ªto seek him out and to end the grudge that had lasted for decades since their college days.


    And that night, upon seeing this young man called "Blue Owl," Ke Youqing''s heart suddenly quivered, as if he were back on the day he first met Grey Pigeon.


    He quickly realized... that day might be coming soon.


    The day Timekeeper would return to this city.


    If he let this person known as "Blue Owl" continue his actions unchecked, sooner or later, he would become the target of Timekeeper''s attention, becoming the trigger for that monster''s return to this city.


    Yet Ke Youqing was anticipating that day, his hands trembling slightly with excitement; he thought he might have gone mad.


    What he couldn''t do years ago, he would do this time.


    "The responsibility for the Wanxiang City incident lies in the hands of the Management Bureau. According to the latest report from the Management Bureau, ''Black Judge'' has taken over the Wanxiang City incident this afternoon and has promptly submitted a report on the incident. The lead and the duty to deal with this situation do not fall to the Superhero Association."


    "The vigilante known as ''Blue Owl'' currently has an unverified identity. Based on known performances, it is possible that he is a Superpower User or maybe a mutant."


    The unemotional mechanical female voice came from the phone, interrupting Ke Youqing''s chaotic thoughts.


    "It seems I''ll have to find time to return early tomorrow..."


    Ke Youqing muttered to himself, eyes downcast towards his right hand that was subtly trembling, clenching his fingers slightly as black veins emerged on the back of his hand, foreshadowing his imminent demise.


    He leaned on the railing to extinguish his cigarette, casually tossing it into the sea. The flickering cigarette butt drifted in the evening breeze, quickly fading away like dying embers.

 Chapter 128 Xiaohongmao Invades the Alliance (Part 1)

    July 5th, ten in the morning, Huanjing, Fandiel downtown area.The dark-haired girl dressed in a Gothic-style gown positioned her tachi at the neck of the mutant criminal "Deadflame," lowered her pretty face, and said in an even tone.


    "I''d advise not to group me with the other Magic Girls. If you continue to struggle, I really will kill you."


    "Then kill me!"


    As Deadflame spoke, his body suddenly burst forward. The moment his neck came close to the tachi, it instantly turned into a streak of flame, allowing his tachi to brush through the fire.


    Following that, he raised his right hand, which housed a roaring blaze, quickly forming a fireball.


    Deadflame made a bowling-like gesture and hurled the fireball at Ash, but it was blocked by the umbrella held open by Cinderella.


    Next, a circle of gray magic power ripples spread out from the umbrella, effortlessly knocking Deadflame back several meters.


    In the next instant, as Deadflame was about to escape in his flaming form, he found his body enveloped in layer upon layer of snowflakes. He couldn''t turn into flame under extreme coldness¡ªhis greatest weakness.


    "Who the hell are you?!" S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Deadflame roared within the swirl of snowflakes, struggling forward as he looked up at the sky.


    Reflected in his cloudy pupils was a girl dressed in a Christmas gown, topped with a Christmas hat, holding a ruby magic wand.


    "Xiaohongmao?"


    Upon seeing this, Magic Girl Ash slightly arched her brow and looked up at Magic Girl Xiaohongmao hovering mid-air.


    "You know, senior, could you knock him out before saying hi to me?" Xiaohongmao said expressionlessly.


    "Isn''t that obvious?"


    As Magic Girl Ash spoke irritably, she reached out her right hand and took a magic book from inside Cinderella''s umbrella, swiftly pulling out a magic card and holding it in her palm.


    This card was her original [Anesthetic Magic Guided Missile], which could create a series of magic-guided bullets with anesthetic effects.


    Since these bullets were meant to stun criminals, their lethality was much less than typical magic missiles, but they were just right for this situation.


    As the card made a "click" sound and shattered into lights, Cinderella''s gun chamber was loaded with fresh bullets. Ash raised the tip of the umbrella, aimed it at the scrambling Deadflame, and pulled the trigger.


    Bang!


    With the gunshot, the silver-gray magic-guided bullet tore through the cold air and accurately struck and penetrated Deadflame''s shoulder, the blood flowing out into the raging flames below.


    He first struggled on the ground for a while, his body twitching, before quickly falling asleep under the bullet''s anesthetic effect, closing his eyes.


    Seeing this, Ash turned her gaze away, looked at Xiaohongmao, gathered up Cinderella''s umbrella, and asked, "So, what brings you here?"


    Xiaohongmao descended slowly from the sky, approaching Ash, her skirt fluttering with the snowflakes.


    "I''ve completed my file, senior Ash, please help me pass it along to senior Xizi Yue."


    As she spoke, she pulled a crumpled, folded file from her gown''s pocket and handed it to Ash.


    Ash took the file, glanced at it, then looked up with a questioning look and asked, "So, you come from a poor mountain village?"


    "Can''t a child from a poor mountain village become a Magic Girl, or are you being a bit prejudiced...?"


    "That''s not what I mean," Ash sighed, clutching the file in her hand, "Anyway, doesn''t it say your grandmother passed away before you were born? You never met her, so why did you say last time that she left you a bottle with healing medicine in it?"


    "Actually, that was given to me by a strange thing," Xiaohongmao said candidly. "It said you definitely wouldn''t accept it if it gave it to you in person, so it made me lie to you."


    Magic Girl Ash initially looked startled, then frowned.


    "And you just listened to it and lied to me?"


    "I did it because I cared about you, senior. Are you very angry?"


    Upon hearing this, Ash sighed with one hand on her hip and the other on her forehead, "You really are full of lies."


    "Senior, you really are all about yourself," Xiaohongmao began taking the moral high ground, "I am an orphan who has suffered so much since childhood. If I didn''t lie, I wouldn''t have survived."


    Ash opened her mouth to retort but then fell silent for a long while.


    In the end, she just turned her face away coldly and said, "Never mind, I won''t hold it against you. Let''s go, to the primary school near Yandai Commercial Street."


    "Yandai Commercial Street, hasn''t that school been closed for many years?"


    "Yes, that''s why it''s now a secret base for the Alliance, where we usually discuss important matters. We only go to the Alliance building occasionally when we need to make a public appearance."


    "Oh, I see," Xiaohongmao nodded.


    "You really are a ''three no''s'' person."


    "Three no''s?"


    "Haven''t seen the anime? No speech, no expression, no emotion."


    Xiaohongmao, resting her hand on her chin and expressionless, said, "Senior, I think you are a bit too into anime. Speaking of anime, I''ve seen a lot of people selling comics at the Magic Girl fan club with you as the main character. Most of those comics are pretty explicit, some call them ''doujinshi,'' they..."


    "Stop, stop, stop, stop! Haven''t I told you not to wander around those messy sites?"


    Ash quickly interrupted, turning her head with an annoyed look and glaring at Xiaohongmao.

 Chapter 128 Xiaohongmao Invades the Alliance (Part 1)_2

    "I''m sorry."Xiaohongmao said softly, her voice devoid of any regret.


    "Forget it, let''s go."


    Magical Girl Ash replied curtly, shrugging her slender shoulders.


    If it were anyone else, she would have lost her temper long ago, but for some reason, despite Xiaohongmao''s constant lies¡ªinsignificant, strange lies like claiming they were classmates or that she had a Magic Girl grandmother¡ªAsh simply couldn''t get angry with her. She always felt a peculiar sense of kinship towards her.


    "I''ll take you."


    She said, taking Xiaohongmao''s hand with one hand and lifting Cinderella with the other, its shaft blooming like a gray rose, ripples spreading outward.


    Under the influence of the magic ripples, the bodies of the two Magic Girls gradually rose towards the sky. The sunlight bathed their clear silhouettes until they disappeared beyond the clouds.


    Soon, Magical Girl Ash and Xiaohongmao arrived at the abandoned school on Yandai Commercial Street. They landed on the rooftop, toes touching the dusty ground.


    The former extracted Xiaohongmao''s profile from inside Cinderella, clenched it in her hand, then collapsed the umbrella''s canopy and walked towards the iron door of the rooftop.


    "Come with me," she said.


    Xiaohongmao pretended to scrutinize the surroundings, seemingly memorizing the place, then followed the silhouette of Ash.


    They soon reached the fifth floor of the school building and entered a classroom. In the middle stood a "meeting table" made from over a dozen wooden desks stacked together.


    Xiaohongmao looked around and said, "It seems... there''s no one here?"


    Ash found a chair to sit on, crossed her legs, cradled one arm, and pulled out a cell phone from the umbrella.


    "Like last time, just send a message and she will come. I''m just not sure if she''s awake yet¡ªshe usually wakes up in the afternoon. Like yesterday, I couldn''t find her."


    As she spoke, she opened her backup WeChat and sent a message to Xizi Yue.


    Yesterday morning at Wanxiang City, the moment she stepped out of the toy store, she had sent a message to Xizi Yue, but Xizi Yue didn''t reply, probably still catching up on sleep after staying up late.


    Shortly after the "ding" sound, two headlights suddenly lit up Xiaohongmao''s face. Then, a gust of wind blew her hair awry.


    She raised her arms to shield her eyes, looking up only to see a massive space-time rift torn open in one corner of the classroom, and a dark green tram "clanged" its way in. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Well, only the front and the cockpit entered the classroom; otherwise, the entire classroom would have been crammed with the tram.


    Xizi Yue pushed open the tram door, carrying a bag of tomato-flavored chips as she stepped down from the cockpit.


    Today, her hair was not in buns but fell short and loose over her shoulders, paired with a cheongsam, creating the delicate allure of a belle from the Republic of China era.


    As Xizi Yue stepped into the classroom, the dark green train was sucked into the rift behind her, twisting bizarrely before the rift sealed shut.


    "Xiaohongmao, why did you make me wait so long?" Xizi Yue asked.


    "Busy picking up trash," Xiaohongmao said.


    Magical Girl Ash, tapping her arm absently, thought she was about to endure another tedious meeting when she overheard this and couldn''t help bursting into laughter. She thought to herself how Xiaohongmao could utter such a deadpan joke but then suddenly turned and asked, "Wait, you weren''t actually picking up trash, were you?"


    "Recycling trash. You can make some money and buy bread at the convenience store," Xiaohongmao explained.


    Xizi Yue sat down across from them, glanced over the meeting table at Xiaohongmao and said, "That''s pitiful. How about coming with me to New York for a couple of days? All expenses paid."


    As she spoke, she sat down the bag of chips and picked one up to eat.


    "No need. I like being independent and self-reliant."


    "That''s a shame," Xizi Yue remarked nonchalantly, "Ash told me you''ve decided to join the Alliance. Is your file completed?"


    "It''s here," Ash said offhandedly, placing the profile on the table enveloped in magic. She then pushed it gently towards Xizi Yue, and the file shot out like a dart, traveling ten meters.


    Xizi Yue caught the flying profile between her fingertips covered in magic.


    "Are you trying to kill your master?" she asked, judging by the speed of the paper''s flight and its sharp edges which would have sliced open a normal person''s fingers.


    "It''s because you are my master that I''m so casual, okay?" Ash replied, resting her chin in her hand, utterly bored.


    "I''m docking your pay," Xizi Yue said.


    "You can''t be serious, Master. A salary deduction over such a trivial thing?" Ash gaped.


    "There''s a limited-time dessert at the donut shop tomorrow morning. If you buy it for me, I won''t dock your pay," Xizi Yue proposed.


    "Then why don''t you go yourself, Master?"


    "Can''t wake up," Xizi Yue said matter-of-factly.


    While discussing, she glanced down at Xiaohongmao''s profile. After a quick look, she summoned her Magic Book and tucked the profile inside it.


    Then she popped a chip into her mouth and casually told Xiaohongmao, "Now, transform back so we can see. We need to verify that your identity matches the profile."


    "Master, you just want to see what she looks like untransformed, don''t you?" Ash accused.

 Chapter 128 Xiaohongmao invades the Alliance (Part 1)_3

    "Is it not possible?" Xizi Yue asked."Okay."


    As she spoke, Xiaohongmao stood up expressionlessly, her body enveloped in a cocoon of light.


    As the cocoon light shattered, her body returned to its original form: messy shoulder-length black hair, hollow-cheeked and sallow-faced, emaciated; she was the very image of a malnourished girl.


    She was wearing an old men''s T-shirt with jeans that didn''t quite fit, as if they were scavenged from a second-hand clothing market.


    Unlike her calm demeanor while transformed, Xiaohongmao now slightly turned her cheek, clasping her hands behind her back as though she didn''t like to be seen in this embarrassing state.


    Ash propped her chin, glanced at her, opened her mouth slightly but then halted, her eyes dropping to the table, and the tapping of her index finger on her arm ceased.


    After observing Xiaohongmao for a while, Xizi Yue said calmly, "Congratulations, you''ve passed the audit. Once you sign the contract later, you''ll be a member of the Magical Girl Alliance."


    "Can I transform back now?" Xiaohongmao suddenly asked.


    "Of course you can."


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    "Thank you, I don''t really like how I look untransformed, both the clothes and the person are ugly," Xiaohongmao murmured, gripping her magic wand a bit tighter, her figure once again wrapped in the cocoon light, quickly transforming back into the blonde, blue-eyed girl in the Christmas dress.


    As she sat down again, the classroom was briefly shrouded in silence.


    Xizi Yue popped a chip into her mouth and broke the silence, "Ash, because of the frequent disciplinary actions you''ve had lately, I''m going to deduct a portion of your salary this month and give it to Xiaohongmao."


    "Fine, let''s do that."


    Magical Girl Ash said indifferently, with an unexpected lack of protest.


    "But why... why give her my money?" Xiaohongmao paused, looking up at Xizi Yue, puzzled.


    "There''s no particular reason," Xizi Yue answered, "I heard you''ve been helping this girl out a lot lately. My foolish apprentice owes you for your help, so it''s only fitting that you get paid." After speaking, she took out a stack of banknotes from the Magic Book, placed them in an envelope, and using magic power, floated it towards Xiaohongmao.


    Xiaohongmao was silent for a moment, then reached out to catch the envelope hovering in the air, "Thank you."


    Magical Girl Ash lowered her head, fiddling with her cell phone, and said nonchalantly, "Do you know where to buy nice clothes, or do you need me to take you?"


    "No, I can buy them myself," Xiaohongmao shook her head.


    Ash said, "Since you''ve taken my salary, don''t let me see you still wearing those clothes next time I see you."


    Xiaohongmao said, "I''m just saving up to buy a cellphone, I don''t have money for new clothes."


    "No worries, the Alliance pays a salary every month, and if push comes to shove, just get an advance from my mentor."


    "Hmm."


    "Also, remember to eat well every day. You''re still growing, understand? You''re the first magic girl I''ve seen who eats dirt, it''s unbelievable." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmm."


    "Don''t just hmm, did you get that?" Ash''s tone turned serious.


    "Okay, I got it."


    Xiaohongmao said softly, her lips curving into a slight smile.


    Magical Girl Ash stared at her smiling face for a good while, thinking it was the first time she''d seen this girl smile and how pretty it made her look.


    Snapping back to reality, she blushed and turned her cheek away, looking down at her phone screen while muttering, "What a weirdo..."


    Xizi Yue continued to silently observe the two while eating chips. Just then, the Magic Book on the table began to vibrate.


    She raised an eyebrow, opened the Magic Book, and took out her cell to glance at a message.


    Then she spoke, "A guest is coming over in a bit, and he''s got a bit of a temper, so both of you remember to mind your behavior."


    "If I don''t understand something, I''ll ask, mentor, who''s coming?" Ash said irritably, "Is his face so big that we have to mind our manners for him?"


    "Qing Ya."


    As Xizi Yue responded while replying to a message on her cell phone.


    Upon hearing this name, both Magical Girl Ash and Magical Girl Xiaohongmao froze in place.

 Chapter 129 Xiaohongmao Invades the Alliance (Part 2)

    Qing Ya.The moment she heard this name, Magical Girl Xiaohongmao placed her hands crossed over her skirt, sweating profusely.


    "Is that true, Dad is coming?" she wondered. "I really give up, how did a perfectly normal magic girl initiation ceremony suddenly turn into a family gathering... So it turns out there are two magic girls in one family, and both are working at the Alliance, would he get so angry he becomes depressed?"


    To be honest, she had thought that the next time she saw Qing Ya, it would either be in the guise of the blue owl or as the Dice Monster...


    But she absolutely, absolutely did not anticipate, damn it, that right when she was transforming into a magic girl and competing in acting skills with her younger sister, her Dad suddenly decided to visit the Alliance!


    Ke Mingye had been so immersed in his acting that he almost got into the role of the poverty-stricken orphan girl, his tears nearly falling as he spoke passionately.


    But now, having heard from Xizi Yue that Qing Ya was coming, his immersion broke at the speed of light¡ªwhat had been the warm and lovely "Magic Girl bonding" session instantly turned into a simulation of "playing an invisible character in a role-playing game suddenly caught by Dad during a dorm check," making one just want to run away, not stay another half second.


    Yet he hadn''t even signed the contract with the Alliance, so it wasn''t like he could say he was busy picking up garbage or that eggs were on sale at the supermarket. After all, Xizi Yue had just issued his salary, and running away right after taking the money would be dishonorable.


    Torture...


    Utmost torture...


    At that moment, sitting next to Magical Girl Xiaohongmao, Ash too felt restless upon hearing the code name "Qing Ya," a brainstorm racing through her mind.


    "Qing Ya?" she thought. "That detestable terror of a Crow Man? He couldn''t be here just because I haven''t disclosed my identity publicly, could he? How could a member of the Superhero Association be so meddlesome."


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    In all of Huanjing, only two people had ever instilled fear in her, one of them being that strange thing, and the other being Qing Ya.


    She remembered once, that damnable Crow Man had chased her halfway around Huanjing, and it was only near Old Jingmai District that she managed to shake him off!


    In Ash''s eyes, Qing Ya was simply a stealthy perverted stalker among superheroes. If it weren''t for the fact that she couldn''t beat him, she would spit in his face each time she passed him!


    "Hey, Master, can we not let this Qing Ya come over?" she sighed.


    Xizi Yue said, "No, he says he has something to ask you, so here he is."


    "Ask me?" Magical Girl Ash frowned, "What does he want, to force me to reveal my identity?"


    Xizi Yue said, "No, it''s about Wanxiang City. Didn''t you complain to me last night about going out and suddenly encountering a bunch of ninjas, along with a dragon that looked like it needed a beating?"


    "Oh... okay then."


    Magical Girl Ash said unhappily, thinking for a moment before resting her chin on her palm, carelessly turning her face to look out the window.


    The school''s playground was empty, no one on the running track, and the football field surrounded by the track overgrown with weeds, the ragged net sagging on the ground.


    She thought to herself, I must keep my mouth shut later, if I accidentally reveal that the dragon is my little brother, and those ninjas were targeting my little brother, then that would be the end.


    Xiaohongmao sat beside her, similarly spaced-out.


    "Wanxiang City?" she thought. "That makes sense, because the Ninja Sect was causing trouble, all the surveillance cameras in Wanxiang City and the nearby streets were malfunctioning at the time, so my arrival on the scene couldn''t have been caught on camera."


    "And I remember that inside Wanxiang City, those bystanders had been dragged by the ninjas to a corner. Their phones were probably confiscated too, so there should be no way they could film me and Bai Zini fighting together... At most, they might mention it during questioning later."


    "Dad must be coming for my little sister, not for me. After all, my joining was so sudden, how could he possibly know I''m here in advance..."


    Thinking this, Xiaohongmao breathed a sigh of relief.


    "The contract is ready. Just place your fingertip at the very bottom and that''s all, you don''t need to fill anything else out."


    The voice of Xizi Yue broke through their thoughts.


    As she spoke, she removed a sheet of blank paper from the Magic Book, lifted her finger, and wrapped the contract in magic, letting it float leisurely towards Xiaohongmao.


    When the white paper floated in front of Xiaohongmao, it suddenly became covered in dense black text, turning into a genuine contract.


    "So I just need to sign it and that''s it?" she asked as she took the contract.


    Xizi Yue, biting into a chip, said nonchalantly, "Yes, I said you should join, so who else could say you shouldn''t?"


    Xiaohongmao continued, "I don''t need approval from anyone else in the Alliance?"


    "I am the highest authority at the Huanjing Division. Although I''m not sure who you are referring to, if it''s Lilai and Udina, one runs the England Division and the other the Russia Division; they hardly have time to care about this side."


    "Oh, I see."


    Xiaohongmao nodded as she looked down at the contract.


    As Xizi Yue popped another chip into her mouth, she said, "Now then, Ash, why don''t you introduce our rules to our new member?"


    "You''re really lazy, Master. Shouldn''t you be the one to say it?"


    "Should I dock your pay then?"


    Magical Girl Ash''s eyelid twitched at the words, her clean face etched with annoyance.


    But after locking eyes with Xizi Yue for two seconds, she reluctantly caved to the tyranny of the pay cut and began to introduce the basic rules of the Alliance impatiently.


    "First, magic girls are forbidden to kill."


    "Secondly, the identity of a magic girl is only disclosed to internal members, you better not reveal your identity to people around you, even your parents."


    Xiaohongmao said, "I don''t have parents."


    Ash was momentarily startled, realizing she had said the wrong thing. She flustered for a moment then, with a frown, shook her head vehemently.


    "Change ''parents'' to ''family'' here."


    "I don''t have a family either."


    "Never mind... you get the idea. Just pretend I said ''friends''."


    "You''re the only friend I have," Xiaohongmao said.


    Ash covered her chest and took a deep breath, the guilt bubbling up in her chest making her scalp tingle.


    She thought, I really deserve to die.


    "Let''s skip that and continue," she said.


    She lifted her hand to her chin, tapping the tabletop lightly with the fingers of her other hand as she spoke.


    "In some countries, there are ranks among Magic Girls, but in our Huanjing branch, there are no ranks among Magic Girls except for the president, and everyone else has equal status."


    "The salary is usually a fixed wage plus commission, with higher compensation for resolving more incidents. Just a heads up, our base salary is pitiful. If you want a higher salary, you either need high popularity to earn through endorsements and advertisements, or just honestly solve more criminal cases and public assignments to get commissions."


    "If your performance is outstanding, not only will you receive an additional salary reward, but you will also get the chance to choose your preferred card from the Magic Card library."


    "Besides, as long as you join the Alliance, every week you can collect some basic, generic Magic Cards from the Alliance''s card collection room, like ''Fireball Technique'', ''Magic Power Supply'', and so on..."


    Ash paused and said with disdain, "However, it''s not really necessary. For instance, I never collect those. When I really need it, I just make a couple of cards myself."


    Xizi Yue sipped tea she had apparently procured from nowhere and slowly said, "That''s because you hardly ever use cards, so of course you don''t need to collect them."


    "I do use them sometimes, okay? Master, you''re always smearing me!" S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What else is there, senior?" Xiaohongmao asked.


    "Let''s see¡­" Ash said, "Magic Girls are prohibited from using magic cards and magic power in everyday life, like during school exams and official tests. If caught, they would be directly expelled from the Alliance."


    She drew a circle on the table with her index finger and continued, "But compared to other Alliance branches, our requirements here are more relaxed. You can use a magic card if you want in normal situations, just so long as you don''t cause big trouble¡ªfor example, if you want to eat an extra dessert at a dessert shop, you can use the magic card ''Dessert Duplicator'' to duplicate a cake.


    As long as you don''t harm others or break the law, it''s fine."


    Xiaohongmao asked, "What about exams, can I use it then?"


    "Don''t you not go to school?"


    "I''m just giving an example."


    "Magic Girls are already busy maintaining public order, so there''s not much time left for studying. Using a magic card to cheat in academic exams isn''t a no-go; otherwise, managing studies and chasing criminals over the years would surely lead to a brain thrombosis,"


    Magical Girl Ash snorted twice and spoke righteously, her tone not sounding like a joke.


    Xiaohongmao looked confused, thinking to herself that this statement wasn''t very politically correct.


    Xizi Yue didn''t express any opinion, keeping one eye open and the other closed.


    In other countries'' Alliances, using Magic Cards to cheat in academic exams by Magic Girls would result in severe criticism and instant expulsion, but that rule doesn''t apply here.


    As long as nobody finds out, it''s fine.


    Not being discovered equals non-existence, but if exposed, as long as it doesn''t negatively impact the Alliance due to media coverage, Xizi Yue would protect them.


    If the situation blew up to the extent of being exposed on the internet, then Xizi Yue would have no choice but to forsake them to preserve the Alliance''s reputation¡ªbearing in mind that the Chinese highly value fairness in academic examinations, even celebrities who gain entrance to prestigious schools through backdoor connections face intense criticism, let alone Magic Girls already under the spotlight.


    While talking, Ash suddenly mentioned, "Oh, by the way, that ''Dessert Duplicator'' card I mentioned earlier was created by my master. Out of the hundreds of Magic Girls in the Alliance, she is the one who loves desserts the most."


    "Really?" Xizi Yue said blandly, "It seems you don''t want your salary this month, Ash."


    Ash ignored her and said fervently to Xiaohongmao, "Also, be careful of witches, you know what a witch is, right?"


    Xiaohongmao nodded, "Fallen Magic Girls, usually those transformed from contracted magical girls."


    "Right, those witches are bad news, targeting us Magic Girls and Contracted Beasts. With your current strength, it''s best to stay away from them, don''t engage."


    "I understand."


    Xiaohongmao hesitated then asked, "But, when that comet falls down a year from now, we''ll all revert to being ordinary people, and so will the witches. Why then do the witches want to collect comet fragments?"


    Xizi Yue answered in place of Ash, "They have already lost themselves; don''t try to understand their motives and actions with normal human logic."


    "I understand."


    Xizi Yue nodded, setting down her teacup, "Hmm, that about covers the important stuff. The rest will come naturally once you''ve been around here a little longer."


    "So, how many days a week should I come over?"


    Xizi Yue replied, "In other regions of the Alliance, there are strict requirements on weekly attendance, but there aren''t any here, coming in once a week is enough."


    She paused and added, "By the way, that person I was talking about earlier, he''s already outside."


    As those words fell, Xiaohongmao suddenly turned her head and saw a dark figure standing outside the corridor window. He seemed to have been waiting there for a long time, though neither Xiaohongmao nor Ash had noticed him.


    The next moment, the figure enveloped in a dark cape walked in, slowly lifting his deep eyes, the beak on his face probing forward.


    Xiaohongmao gasped, looking at this frightful Crow Man who had just returned from a honeymoon abroad, loudly complaining in her mind.


    "Dad, can''t you stop meddling in places that don''t match your style? This is clearly a 2D cutesy magical girl scene; it''d be best if you took your gloomy dark hero vibe and rolled as far away as possible..."

 Chapter 130 The Visit of Qing Ya

    "I suppose I don''t need to introduce this one, right? He''s the most famous person in all of Huanjing, although his fame is... less than positive."As Qing Ya stepped into the classroom from the corridor of the teaching building, Xizi Yue spoke with a hint of mockery in her tone.


    "I''ve heard of him," Xiaohongmao said.


    "Not interested," Ash said.


    Qing Ya stood still at the entrance of the classroom, his pitch-black cloak tightly enveloping him like a giant crow standing erect.


    He spoke up, "To cut a long story short, I have a few questions for you. Once I''m done, I''ll be on my way."


    The tone that fell was still so hoarse and dark, like a crow speaking human language, sending shivers down the spine.


    To be honest, if placed in a world akin to "Magic Girls" battling against "Magical Beasts" or "Monsters," the moment they saw Qing Ya, all the Magic Girls in the room should have drawn their Magic Wands and shouted, "Die, Crow Man!" Unfortunately, even if they didn''t want to admit it, the man before them was also a superhero.


    "He''s so asking for a beating, acting as if someone owes him money."


    That''s what Magical Girl Ash thought.


    Normally, Ash would never dare to face this terrifying, upright crow man alone, but her grand master was right there¡ª in Ash''s eyes, her grand master, Xizi Yue, was the most powerful person in the world.


    What rubbish Crow Man, always there striking a pose, what''s he pretending for? In the end, isn''t he going to be sent packing by a single magic card from her grand master?


    Thoughts aside, she didn''t dare to be reckless in front of her grand master, lest she be transported by Xizi Yue on a space-time train to Myanmar tomorrow, so she reluctantly asked, "What''s the matter?"


    Qing Ya slowly said, "Concerning the incident that occurred at ''Wanxiang City'' yesterday."


    "But didn''t my master tell me, that matter is under the jurisdiction of the Anomaly Control Bureau?" Ash retorted with irony, "And if I recall correctly, you are from the Superhero Association, I have no reason to answer you, right?"


    "That''s true, but any event occurring in this city is my responsibility."


    "Wow, who do you think you are, Huanjing''s mayor or the president?"


    Ash rested her chin on her hand, her cold sarcasm unrestrained.


    Qing Ya gazed at her, silent for a long moment before replying, "We don''t have a president here; didn''t your parents ever teach you such basic knowledge?"


    If you don''t know, ask; aren''t you her parent, effectively scolding yourself, dad? Xiaohongmao thought.


    She coughed softly twice, her hands folded neatly over her skirt, pretending to be quiet and obedient.


    "Ha, are you looking for a fight?" Ash asked.


    Qing Ya shot her an icy look, "How immature..."


    "You..."


    Ash was about to speak when Xizi Yue interrupted her.


    "Ash, I don''t recall teaching you to talk like that," Xizi Yue said, sipping her hot tea and looking at Ash with a cool gaze for two seconds.


    Ash couldn''t help but glare at Xizi Yue, her eyes seemingly pleading, "Master, how can you let me suffer like this, saying one more word to this idiot will kill me, you know?"


    The two locked eyes, Xizi Yue''s gaze calm yet containing an undeniable firmness. Ash got the message.


    To be honest, she couldn''t fathom why her master gave this terrifying Crow Man so much face, but she had no choice but to compromise.


    "What do you want to know?" she asked.


    "Based on the information I have, you were at the scene then. I need to know the specifics of what happened, and all the Superhumans you encountered," Qing Ya stated.


    Hearing the latter part, Ash turned away impatiently, "Come on, there were so many people there, how could I remember any Superhumans I came across?"


    "Just describe a few whose features left the deepest impression on you."


    After thinking for a while, Ash began, "One wore a red V-shaped mask, talked frivolously; another was that ''Black Wukong,'' you know, that annoying monkey; and then there were so many Ninjas, I couldn''t tell them apart. But there was one, a bald guy in a suit, who was pretty tough¡ªbut I blew him away."


    Upon hearing this, Qing Ya''s gloomy eyes pondered for a moment: "Black Judge, and Black Wukong..."


    Xiaohongmao seized the chance and ventured, "Since I''m not involved, may I leave?"


    "No, I have questions for you too."


    Turning his head, the cold gaze from behind the mask fell upon her.


    Xiaohongmao shuddered inwardly at the thought, "Dad, can you be less intimidating?" Then, with an impassive face, she looked down and responded obediently, "Oh, alright then."


    She thought to herself, I must have been screwed over by Bai Zini; this dolt must have complained about me to her master, who then told Qing Ya. That''s why he knew I was there yesterday.


    "He might look scary, but he doesn''t actually eat people," Xizi Yue said.


    "That actually makes him sound even scarier," Xiaohongmao muttered, pulling her cap down.


    "Let''s get started," Xizi Yue glanced at the increasingly impatient Qing Ya and said calmly, "Ash, repeat to this man dressed up like a midlife crisis crow what you told me about yesterday''s events."


    "A man dressed up like a midlife crisis crow," Qing Ya mused, "What kind of name is that?"


    "A term of endearment."


    "Hardly necessary."


    Ash, growing more annoyed with the conversation, interrupted, "But Master, if I already told you about it yesterday, why do I have to tell him? Can''t you do it?"


    Taking up her tea, Xizi Yue replied, "Forgot all about it after a good night''s sleep. Sorry, I couldn''t even open my eyes when you texted me yesterday."


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    Hearing that, Ash sighed deeply and said, "Master, you... really only ever think about yourself."


    "Isn''t that what I just told you?" Xiaohongmao whispered.


    "Can''t I just learn it on the fly?" Ash whispered, "Aren''t you just stealing lines from anime too?"


    "Xiaohongmao steals first, steal again and you''ll pay, watch out or I''ll sue you."


    "You..."


    Ash glanced sideways at Xiaohongmao, stifled with annoyance, thinking to herself that it was one thing for strangers to annoy her, but now this newcomer from the Alliance had the nerve too. It looked like she had to put a serious damper on this behavior.


    Qing Ya said coldly, "Enough with the chit-chat, I''m short on time."


    Sighing inwardly, he thought: What a hassle; this is why I''m reluctant to engage with the Alliance. It''s just a bunch of immature kids, yet they have the nerve to talk to adults as equals.


    Xizi Yue teased, "Did you hear that? Mister Midlife Crisis dressed as a crow says he''s in a hurry. Probably hasn''t been home for a week, and the Superhero Association has a mountain of work waiting for him."


    She paused, "Or perhaps it''s some family matter."


    You finally got something right, that is indeed a family matter. Isn''t the mess at Wanxiang City caused by his own family... Xiaohongmao thought to herself as she sighed.


    What with the Dragon-Ninja war and the Magic Girl convention, these are our Bai Ke family issues. Every family has its own set of problems; do you have this kind of family drama?


    "Then I''ll cut to the chase too," Ash said reluctantly, "At that time, I was shopping in Wanxiang City at Luo Dehua Commercial Street. Right after I walked out of a store, I noticed a bunch of weirdos in ninja outfits surrounding me. I was pissed off, so I blew them up."


    She paused for a moment and turned to Xiaohongmao, "Xiaohongmao just happened to be there too, and she came to help me."


    Qing Ya interrupted her, "Did you perhaps leave someone out?"


    "Who?" Ash frowned, "Oh, I know, you''re talking about the ''strange thing,'' right?"


    "Dice Monster, are you very familiar with it?" Qing Ya said with lowered face.


    "Not familiar. It came along with that guy next to me," Ash pointed out, poking Xiaohongmao''s cheek with her finger, "Speak up."


    Xiaohongmao said flatly, "I''m not close with it either. It''s just been clinging to me unilaterally. Didn''t a superhero called ''blue owl'' show up last night? He got entangled with the Dice Monster too. It shows this kind of thing is quite common."


    Qing Ya asked, "When is the first time you met it?"


    "About half a month ago, when I was wandering around in the middle of the night as a Magic Girl."


    Upon hearing this, Qing Ya fell silent for a moment, "Why did you transform in the middle of the night at that time?"


    Xiaohongmao answered, "I had just become a Magic Girl, surely the experience of flying felt novel, so I did it just for that."


    Xizi Yue glanced at the thoughtful Qing Ya. It was clear what he was thinking, so she said, "Looks like there''s a good chance that Dice Monster is a player."


    Qing Ya nodded slightly without agreement or dissent.


    "Player?"


    Magical Girl Ash raised an eyebrow, muttering to herself.


    She had only heard about the "player" from Xizi Yue during a conference in New York, and as soon as she got home, she had each of her family members use a brain imaging helmet. After that, she completely put the matter out of her mind.


    Now, hearing Xizi Yue mention it again, she suddenly remembered the existence of "players." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So that weird thing was a "player"? Master had mentioned players could access other people''s information; no wonder the strange thing knew mine and Xiaohongmao''s identities...


    Magical Girl Ash had an epiphany, everything made sense now.


    She thought, Damn that weird thing, next time I''ll have to get some straight answers from it!


    "What happened next?" Qing Ya continued to ask, "After you joined forces with the Dice Monster to defeat the ninjas inside Wanxiang City, what took place?"


    Before Ash could speak, Xizi Yue gently reminded, "Qing Ya is a master of lie detection, so it''s best not to lie in front of him, Ash."


    Upon hearing this, Ash turned to look at Qing Ya, resting her chin on her hand and speaking with interest, "Is that so? Then let me tell a lie, and you can tell me whether it''s true."


    Qing Ya remained silent.


    Ash began, "I don''t think you''re a jerk."


    Qing Ya continued to be silent, offering no response.


    "Forget it, you''re no fun. No wonder you''re having a midlife crisis..."


    Ash mumbled, then continued, "Then I left for the outside of Wanxiang City. On Luo Dehua Commercial Street, I saw a heap of ninja corpses and a dragon. That guy wearing a V-mask and a trench coat was fighting with the dragon along with Black Wukong. As they fought, the dragon ran into Wanxiang City then vanished without a trace."


    "Vanished without a trace?"


    Qing Ya furrowed his brows slightly, emphasizing his words almost one by one.


    "Yes, vanished without a trace."


    Finished speaking, Ash looked up unflinchingly into his eyes, "If you really want to know, why don''t you just ask the people from the Management Bureau, or find that monkey, or even the guy with the V-mask? Why bother me?"


    "What kind of features did that dragon have?" Qing Ya asked.


    Upon hearing this, Ash took a pen and a notebook from the drawer and scribbled randomly for a while, eventually producing a drawing of a dragon with a bow on its head and a red scarf around its neck.


    Trying to hold back her laughter, she lifted the notebook with one hand towards Qing Ya, turning her face away as she said, "Roughly like this."


    Xiaohongmao looked at the dragon''s neck with its red scarf and silently critiqued: What a grade-school dragon.


    Qing Ya stared at the drawing for a moment before saying, "That''s enough questions for now." With that, he turned and walked out of the classroom. Before departing, he left a message for Xizi Yue, "Thanks for arranging their presence."


    "It''s nothing. You''re always welcome to come by," Xizi Yue said nonchalantly. The next moment, accompanied by a sound like a giant bee''s wings flapping, Qing Ya had already scattered into a shower of crow feathers and disappeared on the spot.

 Chapter 131 The Magic Girls Card Library

    Outside the window, a drizzling rain was falling; inside the ancient classroom, only three magical girls remained.Following Qing Ya''s departure, Magical Girl Ash "swooshed" to her feet from the wooden chair.


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She crossed her arms and stamped her feet furiously, her bright, jet-black hair swaying slightly.


    Then she took a deep breath and said, "This is so infuriating, Master. What exactly is your relationship with that terrifying upright crow?!"


    "He''s a fan of mine," she said.


    Xizi Yue was flipping through this month''s "Jump Youth Weekly," responding nonchalantly.


    Xiaohongmao had just taken a sip of boiled water and couldn''t help coughing twice, almost spraying it out.


    She thought, ''Master Xizi Yue, are you turning the heavens upside down? An old man at your age being a fan of a magical girl¡ªI might as well stand on my head and eat noodles!''


    Ash was stunned for a moment, her mouth gaping open in an ''O'' shape, thinking, ''You bushy-eyed crow man, are you also a secret enthusiast?''


    "Really for real?" she asked.


    "Fake." Xizi Yue said, yawning, "Well, it''s time to break up. I''m going home for a beauty sleep. You take Xiaohongmao to the Alliance Building''s card library to pick some basic cards."


    Magical Girl Ash, with her arms crossed, tilted her head and asked, "What about making the cards?"


    Xizi Yue lowered her eyelids and said slowly, "No rush, we''ll teach her how to make cards in a few days. Anyway, Xiaohongmao is already as strong as you are without the cards."


    Xiaohongmao said, "No, I need to learn how to make cards."


    She thought, ''Why do you think I joined the Alliance? It''s because I didn''t know how to refine cards. I was afraid I''d accidentally blow up a Deception Puppet while trying.''


    "I will teach you, so about what I said earlier, have you considered it? Do you want to stay with me in New York for a couple of days?" Xizi Yue said, lifting her eyes slightly to look at her.


    She tilted her head, her perfectly cut sharp short hair draping over her shoulders, her pale blue cheongsam graceful and elegant. Discover hidden content at empire


    "No need," Xiaohongmao shook her head.


    A Deception Puppet''s maximum lifespan is six hours, and a half-day trip with Xizi Yue would cause it to explode. Besides, staying too long in front of powerful magical figures like Lilai and Udina, the risk of exposure was too great.


    Naturally, she couldn''t accept the invitation.


    "Is that so? Well, goodbye then."


    Xizi Yue said indifferently, packed her comic book, and waved her hand.


    "Goodbye, Senior Xizi Yue."


    Xiaohongmao waved to her too.


    Xizi Yue stood up, walked lazily toward the classroom door, and soon after, with a loud rumbling of an engine, she boarded a dark green train. Amid the sounds of beeping horns, she left the corridor. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "She really is such a casual person," Xiaohongmao remarked, "treating S-level cards like high-speed trains."


    "Right? I told you, my Master is like that," Ash paused, "and she really likes you. It''s the first time I''ve seen her invite someone new to hang out."


    "Really?"


    Xiaohongmao scratched her cheek, sweating nervously, thinking ''Could I really be a magic girl with an innate sacred body?''


    "Forget it, let''s go, let''s head to the Alliance Building and see," Ash said.


    Xiaohongmao lifted her magic wand, "Last time you sent me, this time I''ll send..." She was speaking when Ash had already grabbed her hand and walked towards the window, opening an umbrella.


    The umbrella unfolded ripples, and the two stepped onto the windowsill, flying upwards through the rain-soaked rainbow, heading towards the Rainbow Light Commercial District in the heart of Huanjing.


    The official building of the Magical Girl Alliance was located there.


    Soon, they arrived at the Rainbow Light Commercial District and walked towards the Alliance Building amidst the exclamations of passersby.


    Xiaohongmao looked up and saw that the exterior of the Alliance Building wasn''t much different from a normal building, except for a "magic girl with crossed arms holding a wand" emblem at the first-floor entrance.


    Moreover, compared to the Superhero Association Building, the scale and volume of the Alliance Building were much smaller, reflecting the budget differences between the two.


    Looking up higher, one could see an LED display embedded in the facade of the building, extravagantly large, currently showing a cosmetics advertisement featuring Xizi Yue and Lilai.


    In the advertisement set against a beach backdrop, Lilai was lifting her silvery hair, gaze downcast towards Xizi Yue in her arms, raising a pale finger to apply some skin cream on her.


    Xizi Yue, on the other hand, was lying in her arms, enjoying it while reading a comic book.


    It had to be said, this UK magical girl powerhouse¡ªMagic Girl Lilai really looked like she was in it reluctantly.


    As a world-renowned magic girl known as the "Ice Witch," she certainly didn''t lack money, and the situation at the UK branch wasn''t as dire as China''s, needing Xizi Yue to tirelessly promote.


    So her appearance in a cosmetics advertisement was likely only because Xizi Yue had asked her to come over.


    So it turned out this role model from the China division, wasn''t content with just appearing in advertisements alone; she had to drag her teammate along to share the misery, incidentally marketing the ''top three magic girls'' trio, stimulating fans'' consumption enthusiasm.


    "What are you spacing out for? Let''s go,"


    Magical Girl Ash said as she waved her hand in front of Xiaohongmao.


    Behind them, people in the Rainbow Light Commercial District were snapping photos with their phones, flashlights flashing continuously.


    In the crowd, a pair who looked like they had just come from a comic con, still dressed in magical girl cosplay costumes, were shouting things like "Ash is so cute," "Ash baby, I''m your fan," and "Ash wife, I am your dog."


    "She looks much prettier in person than in the videos!"


    "That magic girl dressed like Santa Claus is so cute too, but I''ve never seen her before, is she new?"

 Chapter 131 Magic Girls Card Deck_2

    "She''s so pretty, clearly headed for the idol route. Maybe we''ll see her on TV in a few days."Bystanders on Hongdeng Commercial Street discussed.


    Magical Girl Ash sighed and said as she walked toward the entrance of the building, "Look at these people, aren''t they annoying? That''s the trouble with being a Magic Girl."


    "What kind of person is Senior Lilai?"


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao followed her, asking with curiosity.


    Ash thought for a moment and said, "Super indifferent, super rigid, if you do something wrong, she''s so fierce it''s like she wants to eat you up. The only approachable thing about her is that she likes to play Dota."


    She paused, "You do know what Dota is, right?"


    Xiaohongmao shook her head, "Never heard of it. I don''t have money for a computer, is it a game?"


    "Yeah, next time, do you want to play together? I''ll take you to a cybercafe. Oh wait, we''re not of age." Magical Girl Ash propped her chin, muttering to herself, "No matter, I''ll use a magic card to turn the owner into a pig."


    Experience more tales on empire


    Xiaohongmao smiled faintly.


    They entered the building.


    Magical Girl Ash approached the counter, said something to the clerk, who then took out an ID card from a drawer and handed it to her.


    Ash turned around and handed the ID card to Xiaohongmao, "Here, this is your ID card. If you want to enter and use the Alliance Building, including the elevators and rooms, you''ll need to swipe it."


    "An ID card was prepared in advance for me?"


    Xiaohongmao took the card, glanced down at it, and saw her personal information on the front and the Alliance''s emblem on the back.


    "As I said, Teacher Xizi Yue has been waiting for you for a long time. She said the moment she saw you, she knew you have talent, just like Teacher Lilai." Ash said indifferently, "With this ID card, you can even find a room to sleep in the building, so you don''t have to sleep in those cold, dirty places anymore."


    "No need, I kind of like being alone."


    Xiaohongmao shook her head, thinking to herself, what a joke, what if I blew up the room in my sleep?


    "Are you silly? No one will bother you in here."


    "It''s okay, I''m more accustomed to the outside," Xiaohongmao replied.


    "Forget it, I don''t care about you anymore."


    Magical Girl Ash sighed and led her to the elevator, swiped the ID card in the slot, and all the buttons on the control panel lit up.


    She pressed "Floor 15" and the elevator doors closed and began ascending with a hum. One stood with arms crossed, the other with hands clasped behind her back, both silently waiting for the doors to open.


    They then stepped onto the fifteenth floor of the building and walked down the corridor to the end, where they saw a grand door of dark gold emitting an air of luxury with a card slot in the center.


    "Swipe your ID card through, you can get a card once a week; I''ve already used my permission," Ash instructed.


    Xiaohongmao nodded, then placed her ID card inside the slot and slowly slid it down.


    As the slot emitted a blue light, the door suddenly swung open.


    Xiaohongmao''s mouth fell open slightly as she looked up to find a space akin to a library, with cards sealed in special frames and arranged on shelves like books.


    Each shelf was marked with a classification sign: for instance, "Grade E Cards" were on the first row, "Grade D Cards" on the second, "Grade C Cards" on the third.


    And within the same row, there were subsections like "Environment Cards," "Damage Cards," "Amplifying Cards," and so on; like cards were arranged together.


    Cards were only replenished by the card library manager once their numbers ran out.


    Magic Cards were stored in fully-transparent special material frames, with a card slot on the surface¡ªyou needed to insert your ID card to verify whether you had the right to obtain that particular card.


    Magical Girl Ash, with arms crossed, explained.


    "For now, you can only get the low-grade cards. To obtain higher-grade cards, you''d need to accomplish significant feats, like capturing or eliminating a high-ranking wanted criminal, then you can earn the corresponding level of cards."


    Xiaohongmao nodded, walked closer to the shelves, and looked up at the colorful cards and the information plaques embedded in the storage frames, which listed the names and effects of the cards.


    She approached the shelf labeled "Weekly Supply Cards."


    This shelf was set apart from the others, conspicuous, and the cards it held varied in grade: some were Grade E, some D, and some C.


    But there were no cards above Grade C.


    "How many can I take?" asked Xiaohongmao, thinking to herself that getting to take seven cards for free every week was quite a steal.


    Magical Girl Ash answered, "You get seven cards a week, pick whatever you want, but once you''ve taken seven, the storage will lock automatically. If you try to force another one out, that card will be burned."


    "Is it that serious?"


    "There are thieves among magical girls too. If caught, the punishment is severe¡ªnot only will you be expelled, but you might even end up in jail."


    "I understand," Xiaohongmao said, "then do I have a chance of getting Senior Xizi Yue''s ''Time-Space Train'' card?"


    "Huh?"


    Ash was taken aback and said irritably, "Has your brain broken? That''s a unique card created by the master. There''s only one of its kind in the whole world."


    "So can I create a unique card too?"


    "Maybe."


    "Teach me." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Next time let my master teach you. I''m almost dead tired. I took you around the card library and now I''m heading home, otherwise my family will get suspicious."


    As she looked over the weekly supply of cards, Magical Girl Xiaohongmao said, "Then, can I visit your place since I know who you are?"


    Her tone was nonchalant, her face expressionless.


    Magical Girl Ash froze for a couple of seconds, wrapping her arms around herself, her fingers lightly tapping on her arms.


    It was the first time she revealed her identity to another magical girl besides her three masters, and she was somewhat uncomfortable with this form of interaction.


    After hesitating for a moment, she said, "It''s not impossible, but let''s do it next time. I need to talk to my family first, otherwise bringing a friend home out of the blue might raise suspicions."


    Xiaohongmao nodded, "Hmm, next time I have the chance, I''ll come over to visit."


    She thought it would be best if her elder sister wasn''t there; otherwise, once the Deception Puppet reverted from its transformed state, that false face would instantly be seen through by the Eyes of Golden Flame... But then again, if she asked Cai Bing to make a facial mask, she could avoid such trouble, as the Eyes of Golden Flame couldn''t see through a facial mask.


    Bowing her head, Ash whispered softly, "Sure, but first you need to buy some normal clothes, make yourself look a bit nicer."


    She paused, "Don''t let me see you dressed like a vagabond again, or I''ll get angry."


    "I will," Xiaohongmao replied quietly, swiping her ID over the card slot.


    Her hand was quick, swiftly picking up seven cards from the open storage: two ''Random Flash,'' three ''Fireball Technique,'' and two ''Magic Power Supply.''


    Then she summoned the empty red Magic Book, slotted the seven cards into the first page of the book, closed it, and made it disappear.


    "Okay, done," Xiaohongmao said.


    "Then let''s go," Ash responded.


    "Yeah."


    Nodding, Xiaohongmao followed Ash out of the card library and onto the descending elevator.


    In the elevator, they conversed in hushed tones.


    "How do I contact you in the future? Don''t you have a phone? What''s your number?"


    "My phone is second-hand, I can''t afford a SIM card, so I don''t have a number."


    "What about QQ?"


    "I have QQ."


    Xiaohongmao took her phone out from the pocket of her dress, logged into QQ, and turned the screen toward Ash.


    Looking at the QQ number, Ash said indifferently, "I''ve got it. I''ll add you when I get back. See you."


    "Goodbye."


    The two bid farewell at the front of the Alliance building, and then Ash took to the sky with her umbrella, disappearing into the clouds.


    Xiaohongmao, taking advantage of the fact that the passerby''s attention was on Ash, quickly slipped into an alley and reverted back from her transformed state.


    She walked to Old Jingmai District, placed the spare phone inside the abandoned train station, and found a secluded spot within it to self-destruct.

 Chapter 132 Yuri Battles Qing Ya

    Because last night, our esteemed comrade Superhero Blue Owl created the impression of a "leg injury" during the performance at the Hongdeng Commercial District.So bouncing around and making appearances everywhere today would unavoidably seem abrupt and strange.


    Moreover, unless one were to artificially create a wound on one''s own leg, the appearance of an injury confirmed by Qing Ya could very likely arouse suspicion.


    Therefore, Ke Mingye had no intention of letting Blue Owl make an appearance today, nor did he plan on going for a run, choosing instead to rest in his room.


    He also took the opportunity to arrange Magical Girl Xiaohongmao''s schedule.


    Looking at the results, everything went smoothly, and Ke Mingye didn''t even need to use any of the backup plans or responses he had prepared for various situations.


    Xizi Yue has always been easy-going, and Magical Girl Ash perfectly inherited her master''s thick-skinned nature.


    Ke Mingye would like to call her Little Xizi Yue and he quietly rejoiced that Magic Girls were regenerated each year, otherwise what if Bai Zini got mixed up with some Alliance head¡ªwouldn''t that be the death of him?


    "Finally infiltrated the Alliance, not sure if there''s a tracking device inside the ID card. Anyway, I''ve mimicked them and merged the ID card into the Magic Book... As long as the Magic Book is not summoned, it should exist in a separate space, so it doesn''t matter even if the ID card is tracked."


    "Right, I also extorted a sum of money from my sister, which I''ve merged into the Magic Book as well, I should treat her to some dessert someday."


    At this moment, Ke Mingye was jogging back and forth in his room while thinking casually.


    It took him the whole morning to grind out the 5,000 meters of his daily mission, then he laid on the floor of his room and slowly completed a hundred push-ups.


    As the last push-up concluded, he sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at the panel, finally having completed today''s tasks.


    [Do a hundred push-ups: 100/100, congratulations, you have completed daily mission two and earned 1 free attribute point to distribute.]


    "Speaking of which, the magnitude of a Magic Girl''s magic power seems to depend on my ''mental strength'' attribute, but mine is almost like a disabled person''s, should I improve it?"


    Ke Mingye sat on the bed, pondering for a moment.


    If his mental strength remained at 10 points, no matter how powerful the Magic Card he obtained, he wouldn''t be able to utilize it effectively. Also, if his original body was attacked by a mind control ability, he would most likely succumb instantly.


    So, in the end, he chose to assign the attribute point to "mental strength" and decided to develop his abilities evenly in the future, striving to become a hexagonal warrior within a year.


    [Your "mental strength" attribute has been increased to 11 points (10 points¡ú11 points) (¡ü1 point).]


    "Activate the wheel." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Following the command, a circular wheel unfolded, with intersecting red lines dividing it into six areas. Each section was marked with text and icons.


    [One, 1500 Mall Coins;]


    [Two, a fragment of a low-tier Skill Enhancement Card (collect three fragments of Skill Enhancement Cards to combine into one low-tier Skill Enhancement Card), (A low-tier Skill Enhancement Card can strengthen an E-ranked skill);]


    [Three, a random Magic Card ranging from E to C grade;]


    [Four, a fragment of "Titan Beast Kong" (complete with 50 Kong fragments to form a summoning card);]


    [Five, a C-grade equipment card;]


    [Six, thank you for participating.]


    Ke Mingye pressed the start button, the pointer spun rapidly, finally landing on "Two."


    [Congratulations, you have obtained the prize located in section two¡ªthe "fragment of a low-tier Skill Enhancement Card", this item has been added to your inventory.]


    "It''s Pinduoduo again."


    Ke Mingye thought so, then glanced at his skill column.


    The only E-rated skills worth strengthening were¡ª"Personality Split" and "Phase Transfer"; the rest were transitional, meant to be replaced when the time came.


    These two features were well-suited to his situation¡ªone being inherently tailored to him, the other a mechanical marvel. If he could use a low-tier Skill Card to enhance them, perhaps they could permanently remain in his skill set. Experience new stories on empire


    Ke Mingye suddenly raised an eyebrow, muttering to himself.


    "Oh right, if I use it to strengthen ''Personality Split'' and I can split into three personas, I could have Blue Owl, Xiaohongmao, and the strange thing perform a three-way play."


    He had the script all planned out: Magical Girl Xiaohongmao and Superhero Blue Owl battle the super-villain Dice Monster, which would be a thrilling scene.


    If Xiaohongmao couldn''t win, she would send a message to summon Xizi Yue for help; if Blue Owl couldn''t win, he would find a giant crow suddenly appearing behind him.


    Dice Monster would say, "Uh, can we make peace?"


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye opened his inventory to check the introduction for the low-tier Skill Enhancement Card.


    [When using "Low-tier Skill Enhancement Card" on the E-ranked skill "Personality Split", the following changes to the skill can be obtained: 1, the number of split personas increases from 2 to 3; 2, the duration of persona splits is extended.]


    [When using "Low-tier Skill Enhancement Card" on the E-ranked skill "Phase Transfer", the following changes to the skill can be obtained: 1, the effect range is increased from eight meters to ten meters; 2, the cooldown is reduced from three hours to one hour.]


    Ke Mingye looked up, took a deep breath and said, "Looks like this Pinduoduo is still worth participating in."


    Now that he was free from distractions, he didn''t stay cooped up in his room but went down to sit in the living room on the first floor.


    Approaching noon, at this time, Ke Xiaomo was in the kitchen helping Ke Yinzhi cook.


    Ke Yinzhi''s preparations for the meal were lavish; these days, his meals were always fancy, with caviar, French potato soup, pan-fried steak, each dish delectable and abundant. No one knew where his funding came from¡ªsurely not all from dad''s reimbursements, could it?

 Chapter 132 Yuris Big Battle Against Qing Ya_2

    Only Ke Mingye knew that Big Brother might even be richer than Dad.In Ke Yinzhi''s bank account, there was likely a sum of money that couldn''t be spent in several lifetimes, but it couldn''t be used openly. Only when Dad was not at home could he squander a bit in Dad''s name.


    This week, Big Brother had managed to redeem the goodwill he''d lost in front of his family over the past few years due to his excessive neuroticism. Everyone was giving thumbs up, saying your cooking skills are even better than Mom''s.


    And they all hoped that Mom and Dad would go on more honeymoon trips outside, ideally not returning until after the summer vacation ended, to overthrow Bai Wenna''s tyranny and establish a world where everyone has an equal say.


    Your next chapter awaits on empire


    Of course, when Mom returned home, they''d have to change their tune and say, "Old mother, your cooking is much better than Big Brother''s. This week we couldn''t even eat our fill, and we''ve been losing sleep."


    However, Ke Mingye also knew that in reality, it would be very simple for Bai Wenna to make each meal delicious.


    After all, the learning abilities of an alien were right there. Otherwise, how could she have managed to stay hidden in the human world for so long without being discovered?


    Sitting on the sofa and not watching TV for long, Bai Zini went home. She folded up her dripping wet collapsible umbrella, removed her shoes, and stepped into the foyer.


    At this moment, she hung her head low, recalling what had just happened.


    She and Xiaohongmao stepped on the school''s windowsill and flew into the sky, holding the umbrella as they passed through a rainbow, while raindrops went pitter-patter against the umbrella.


    In the drizzling curtain of rain, that indifferent yet beautiful face was at close range. The shimmering rainbow light adorned the corner of her eyes like a touch of makeup. The girl''s figure and the rainbow in the rain overlapped, her Christmas-style dress fluttering in the air like a blooming rose.


    "Why do I care about her so much, seeing that we''ve only met a few times..." Bai Zini thought.


    She sighed, intending to go upstairs to rest, but upon seeing Ke Mingye sitting on the sofa out of the corner of her eye, she stopped and sat beside him.


    Ke Mingye asked, "Where''ve you been?"


    Bai Zini answered, "Went out to play with a friend, but it started raining, so we had to cancel our plans and I came back."


    As she spoke, she rolled up her damp pant legs and gloomily looked at the television.


    Ke Mingye was watching a movie called "The Time Traveler''s Lover" which was about a protagonist with the ability to time-travel, often retreating through time to erase regrets.


    In the end, when the protagonist''s father was diagnosed with cancer, the protagonist shared his feelings with his father, and they decided to travel back in time together, to a moment in his childhood when his father took him to play by the sea.


    A young and an old figure sat on the beach, skimming stones across the sea, saying their final farewells.


    Ke Mingye took a sip of cola and said, "Oh, that''s really tough luck."


    Bai Zini removed her hairband, let her hair fall on her shoulders, and after a moment of silence said, "By the way, a friend of mine might visit in a couple of days, just don''t scare her, brother."


    Hehe, as if I could scare myself. In a couple of days, "Xiaohongmao''s invasion of Bai Ke''s home" will be a magnificent serialization, headlining a death-seeking act.


    Despite thinking this, Ke Mingye said, "No, why do you think I''d scare her?"


    "You?" Bai Zini gave him a disdainful glance, "I''ll be thanking Buddha if you don''t start meowing alone in your room."


    Ke Mingye rolled his eyes, took a sip of cola without saying another word, and instead looked resentfully at Yuri, who was sleeping in a corner of the living room.


    He thought to himself, it was perfect timing that Dad had come back. It was time for this damn cat to show its usefulness.


    "Speaking of which, my friend is somewhat like you," Bai Zini suddenly said.


    Ke Mingye was startled and thought to himself, it couldn''t be that she''s caught on, "Like me?"


    "To be precise... she''s a bit like how Big Brother used to be."


    Ke Mingye asked in feigned calm, "Your friend is a guy?"


    Ke Yinzhi''s voice came from the kitchen; as he fried eggs in a pan, he said, "Xiao Ni, you''re only in middle school. Don''t just go getting a boyfriend, and if you do, you have to bring him to see me first."


    Bai Zini shouted toward the kitchen, "She''s a girl, okay? She''s about my age. Big, big, big brother, can you please not eavesdrop on our conversation, and if you have to, can you not slander me?"


    "All right, all right, my mistake," Ke Yinzhi laughed.


    "He''s like that," said Ke Xiaomo.


    "She''s a girl, and you''ll find out in a few days," Bai Zini said, chin propped in her hands and huffing, "She''s especially like how Big Brother was when he first came from the orphanage."


    "I forgot about that. It''s such an old story."


    Ke Mingye brought his mouth close to the coke bottle''s opening, speaking in a casual tone.


    "I remember very clearly, back then you weren''t so sharp-tongued, and she gave off the vibe of a female version of you."


    Bai Zini paused for a moment, wondering if that was the reason she had been subconsciously looking after Xiaohongmao.


    The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became, so she stretched out her hand and punched Ke Mingye on the shoulder. Ke Mingye quickly extended his palm and accurately covered her fist, "Are you sick?"


    Bai Zini, feeling the warmth coming from her fist, slightly raised her eyebrows¡ªher punch had been very fast, ordinary people shouldn''t have been able to react, but Ke Mingye had.


    "Big bro, have your reflexes gotten quicker? I used to be able to catch you off guard every time." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Please, you''re my little sister, I know everything you''re up to."


    "No fun, I''m going to sleep," said Bai Zini.


    Ke Yinzhi saw that Bai Zini was about to go upstairs and reminded her, "It''s time for lunch, Miss Bai Zini."


    "Call me when it''s time to eat."


    Despite saying that, Bai Zini slept soundly, and her figure was nowhere to be seen at the lunch table.


    After lunch, mom came home. She said she had split up with dad halfway, as Ke Youqing had some matters to deal with at the company; thus, he let her come home first.


    Ke Mingye lay on the sofa playing with his phone, thinking that every time mom returned, the atmosphere at home immediately changed; she truly was the strongest at home.


    Whatever Black Judge, whatever Qing Ya, no matter how ostentatious they were outside, they were powerless at home, at best merely subjects of Bai Wenna''s research.


    Ke Mingye was actually wondering if all his little actions could really escape mom''s eyes.


    Could she know that he had become a player, or even more exaggeratedly, she was already using him as a model for a player?


    Of course, this could not be verified, so he had to put it aside for now.


    If every move had to consider one''s mother, then everything he had done to keep secrets so far would seem like a joke. Who could guarantee what kind of advanced technology an alien might possess?


    As dusk approached, dad also came home.


    Thus, Ke Mingye''s plan could officially begin. Holding that damned Black Cat Yuri, he sat on the sofa and used the "Animal Communication Skill."


    "Hey hey hey, can you hear me?" he asked softly.


    "What is it?" Yuri asked.


    Ke Mingye whispered: "I need you to steal that man''s superpower, but don''t use it here; otherwise, I swear I''ll neuter you."


    "What''s in it for me?"


    "Cat food, and big sis said she would take you to the hospital for surgery, I will protect you from her."


    "Okay."


    Yuri replied and fixed those blue eyes on Ke Youqing, with a strange phenomenon gradually appearing in his gaze, as if a crow had fallen into his lake-like pupils, creating ripples.


    At the same time, the introduction panel in front of Ke Mingye changed.


    [Supernatural Creature Name: Yuri]


    [Supernatural Ability: Copy a Superpower User''s superpower.]


    [Current superpower being copied and used by this species: Crow Descendant.]


    "Good steal, stop looking at him, avert your gaze," Ke Mingye whispered.


    Upon hearing this, Yuri, arrogantly turned its head away, retracting its gaze from Ke Youqing''s side profile.


    But it was at this moment, Ke Youqing suddenly turned his head, his deep eyes staring at the black cat in Ke Mingye''s arms.


    Ke Youqing removed the cigarette from his mouth and asked, "Where did this cat come from?"

 Chapter 133 The Superhero Hunt Plan

    Ke Mingye rubbed Yuri''s head casually and said, "My sister adopted her. She said she had to keep it a secret from you, otherwise you definitely wouldn''t allow her to keep a cat."Ke Youqing looked at Yuri for a while and then looked away.


    He sat down at the dining table and opened the newspaper, "Isn''t it because of you guys'' mom?"


    "I''ve already said no," Bai Wenna said. "Qiuwu will be in her senior year next year; she won''t have time to take care of this cat. It''s only now during the summer vacation that she seems to have some free time."


    Ah, not only can your daughter take care of this cat, but she''s also got a monkey on her mind, so stop worrying.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye spoke up for Yuri, "It''s fine, Bai Zini and Bai Ziling can also take care of the cat. Everyone can take turns."


    "Exactly," Bai Ziling, sitting on the couch and playing with her phone, added, "My sister and I can take turns caring for her. If we count Big Bro as a half, that''s three and a half people taking care of it."


    Ke Mingye said helplessly, "You could just not count me as a person at all; no need to be so subtle about it."


    "Then it''s three people."


    Bai Ziling lifted her red eyes under her snowy-white locks of hair and said indifferently.


    "Yeah, yeah, this cat is really lucky to be taken care of by three of my family''s beautiful girls in turn."


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he vigorously squished Yuri''s chubby cheeks, kneading them up and down.


    "Meow."


    Yuri stuck out her tongue and licked her own paw, looking innocent.


    However, in the ears of Ke Mingye, who had mastered the Animal Communication Skill, this "meow" carried a lot of weight¡ªit meant "idiot."


    Ke Mingye''s face darkened, and he rose from the sofa, "I''ll take her out for a walk."


    "Come back before dinner, don''t make your mom call you," Ke Youqing cautioned.


    "Okay."


    After speaking, Ke Mingye carried Yuri and left the house, taking the elevator downstairs. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He dared not experiment with his dad''s superpower at home¡ªin case he blew up the house. What would happen then? Even more humorously, perhaps his dad would think it occurred due to his own uncontrolled superpower and start questioning his life.


    It sounds interesting, but Ke Mingye wouldn''t risk death, especially with Bai Wenna still at home.


    Soon, Ke Mingye, holding Yuri, reached the abandoned train station in the Old Jingmai District. Under the moonlight, Yuri jumped down from his arms and landed on the ground.


    "Come on, show me the ability you just stole."


    Ke Mingye sat on a public wooden bench, staring at her.


    "No class, what do you mean ''stole''? It was clearly ''copied''."


    Yuri retorted disdainfully, lifting her paw, which suddenly began to flutter with a crow thrashing its wings.


    The crow hovered over her head, its eyes showing an eerie red in the dark night.


    "What''s the use of that crow?" Ke Mingye asked.


    "I can see what it sees, hear what it hears. It''s basically a crow monitor," Yuri explained.


    "That''s it?" Ke Mingye thought of a saying online and asked, "Can it explode?"


    Online it was often said that crows created by Qing Ya could explode, which is why his opponents were extremely wary of approaching him. Who wouldn''t be scared of a flock of crows that could explode at any moment?


    "No."


    Ki Mingye was puzzled, "Then why can Qing Ya make his crows explode? I''ve seen many of Qing Ya''s fight videos, and his crows always explode as they fly toward the opponent."


    He paused, "You did not steal a pirated superpower, did you?"


    Yuri snorted coldly, "You are insulting me."


    "Okay, I get it," Ke Mingye said. "Since dad''s crows can''t explode, then he must be stealthily installing bombs that have some kind of trigger mechanism, unnoticed, on the crows during fights."


    "What do I care?"


    Ke Mingye sighed, "Then what other abilities does this crow have?"


    "I can switch places with it," Yuri said, having already switched places with the crow flying in mid-air. She fell from the sky, cushioning her landing with her paws.


    As for that crow, it disappeared, as if it had melted into the deep night.


    "Where''s your crow?" Ke Mingye asked, puzzled.


    "After switching places, the crow used for the switch disappears," Yuri explained.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye suddenly remembered his C-grade item¡ªthe Bluebird Scout Plane, thinking to himself if the system really had to cut corners like this. The functionality of the Bluebird Scout Plane was exactly the same as his dad''s superpower.


    The difference was that his dad could create thousands of crows, but there was only one Bluebird Scout Plane.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye continued to ask, "Can you only create one crow?"


    Yuri licked her paw and said, "Idiot, creating too many would drive me mad. Imagine having so many extra fields of vision and voices in your mind, listening to a thousand crows screeching beside your ear, you think I can stand it?"


    "So, can you create multiple crows?"


    "No, the superpower I copied is a weakened version."


    "Okay, you finally admit that what you stole was a pirated version."


    Ke Mingye gave Yuri a contemptuous look.


    Yuri was still trying to save face, "But after stealing a superpower, I can analyze and understand it. There definitely isn''t a ''make crows explode'' function in his superpower."


    "Fine, then dad is just planting bombs on crows. It''s just that he''s fast enough that opponents can''t see it," Ke Mingye said.


    Saying this, Ke Mingye felt a bit disappointed. He thought to himself that his dad''s superpower was so plain and simple compared to his older brother''s crazy abilities; it turns out, after decades of fighting, it all depended on physical skill and experience.


    Yuri yawned and smacked her lips, "Are we done yet? Hanging out with you is so boring, the big boss is going back to sleep."


    "Alright, tomorrow let''s have elder sister take you to the hospital for a castration surgery."


    "You dare?"


    As Yuri spoke, she conjured a crow, which shot towards Ke Mingye''s face, then Yuri swapped places with the crow, and clawed at his face.


    Ke Mingye pulled out his electromagnetic pulse gloves and raised his hand to block the claw.


    The claw scratched against the metal, making a cracking sound, and it hurt so much that she was rolling on the ground, holding her paw and wailing, muttering under her breath.


    "You''re done for, big boss will definitely crawl into your bed and poop tomorrow."


    "Hey, bro, I was just kidding. Do I look like the type who''d stab you in the back after crossing the river? I''ll try not to let elder sister castrate you, here, have some cat treats."


    Saying this, Ke Mingye put away his electromagnetic pulse gloves and pulled out a pack of cat treats from his pocket, placing them on the ground.


    Yuri''s pain seemed to vanish instantly; she scurried up and dove towards the cat treats, clamping them in her mouth and gnawing vigorously.


    "Once you''re done eating, it''s time to go home," said Ke Mingye. "Let''s collaborate more in the future, I should have many situations where I''ll need you."


    "Just keep the big boss happy, that''ll do."


    "Sure sure sure, there''ll be plenty for you to eat, I''ll take you to the food street to enjoy some treats."


    Yuri, with a cat treat in her mouth, lifted her head, stayed silent for a moment, then reluctantly turned her head away.


    "Deal."


    ........


    ........


    The next day.


    [Good morning, Mr. Player, today is July 6, 2028. You have 347 days left until the deadline to complete the ultimate mission "Exterminate Superhumans."]


    Ke Mingye opened his eyes and scratched his messy hair.


    After washing up, he left his home, went for a run along Old Jingmai District, finished a hundred frog jumps, and splendidly completed his daily mission.


    [You have received the reward for daily mission 2 "One Hundred Frog Jumps", earning 1 attribute point to assign freely.]


    [Your "Spiritual Strength" attribute has changed: 11¡ú12 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [You have received the reward for daily mission 1 "Run Five Kilometers," earning a chance for a spin-the-wheel lottery.]


    [You have drawn the reward from area three¡ª"A Fragment of the Divine Disc", you currently hold 3 fragments, needing 2 more fragments to assemble the Divine Disc.]


    He was idle all day, staying home and playing games for a while with Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu.


    Ke Yongzhu had shut himself in his room for two full days and only decided to come out for some air today.


    Seeing him so pitiful, Ke Mingye, as "the only brother in the family who didn''t know he was a dragon," joined him for a round of games.


    Ke Yongzhu was delighted, thinking to himself that the whole family except for you doesn''t know my identity, so I feel no pressure in front of you, and thus even talked more frequently with Ke Mingye, his tone less arrogant than usual.


    Thus, their relationship reached an unprecedented height.


    Perhaps this was what fraternal respect looked like.


    At the stroke of five in the afternoon, Ke Mingye received a message from Fan Quan.


    [Fan Quan: It''s time to move, head to Tokyo for the instance.]


    [Failed Man: Coming, haven''t played an instance in two weeks, my hands are itching.]


    After sending the message, he released a Deception Puppet from the windowsill of his room, dressed it in a windproof jacket and athletic pants, then sped off towards the abandoned train station in Old Jingmai District.


    Fan Quan and Qing Meng were already there waiting for him.


    As for Cai Bing and Paranoia, they were ordered to stay on standby in the city.


    It was a helpless measure; they didn''t have the loot card for instance No. 7 "Crazy Train Station" necessary to board the train.


    Next, Ke Mingye would follow Fan Quan to Tokyo, meeting up with Top Bull and two other players from that side, as well as Ju Zipi who was undergoing training at the Host Club.


    According to Fan Quan, their trip to Tokyo was not only to clear two instances but also to jointly hunt down a superhero known as "Ji Feng Samurai."


    Ke Mingye had heard about this superhero. Although not very strong, he was somewhat famous in Japan; he had even seen his action figures in a toy shop in Kabukicho, selling hot and thus prominently displayed.


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    But this was just a facade; in reality, like Divine Communicator Zeus, this hero was outwardly glamorous but inwardly corrupt, involved in various scandals like assaulting women, tax evasion, and colluding with the Japanese mob to oppress local residents...


    In Japan, however, the mob held certain sway, hence the Tokyo mob put pressure on the Superhero Association, and all the misdeeds of Ji Feng Samurai were suppressed.


    Opposing Ji Feng Samurai meant opposing the Japanese mob, a very dangerous affair.


    Of course, if the assassination plan went smoothly, silently dealing with him, then all problems would no longer exist.


    "Hunting a superhero, huh..."


    Ke Mingye murmured to himself, took out the card for instance No. 7, and swiped it across the hovering card slot. The old, dark train obliged and rumbled to a halt on the tracks.


    "Let''s go."


    Fan Quan, carrying a Bible, boarded the train ahead of him.


    "What are you dazing for, Spider Man?"


    Qing Meng, carrying a bag full of guns, followed Fan Quan onto the train.


    Ke Mingye boarded the seventh car, and the doors of the carriage closed behind him. Accompanied by the chimney emitting billowing smoke, the train thundered forward into the tunnel, disappearing into the dark depths.

 Chapter 134 Fan Quan: What, Im fighting Spider Man?

    The train lurched forward with the rumbling sound of its engine.Ke Mingye sat in one of the compartments of the sleeper car, on the bottom bunk, with his head down playing silently with a spare mobile phone.


    He was browsing information about tonight''s hunting target, "Ji Feng," on the official website of the Japanese Superhero Association, where promotional videos of Ji Feng could be seen almost everywhere.


    The promotion page read that, unlike other superheroes, Ji Feng''s main feature was that he could manipulate four ghost hands that floated in the air, unexpectedly defeating his opponents in battle.


    In a series of official combat footage, Ji Feng, when facing super villains, even used seven knives at once.


    One in his mouth, one in each hand, and one in each of the four floating ghost hands.


    He looked imposing and fierce, as if in a fit of rage he could even chop down Zeus. However, if one looked closely, they would notice that every knife strike in his promotional videos was edited with increased video speed.


    It was highly embellished, the same principle as photoshopped marketing for celebrities.


    Then the officials would pay for some traffic and control the reviews, deleting any skeptical comments, so new fans wouldn''t see the videos had been tampered with and would only exclaim, "Mr. Ji Feng is so cool, fighting with seven knives and swinging them so fast!"


    Honestly, Ke Mingye was really curious what the knife held in the mouth was for, as it was utterly unnecessary in combat and likely just a ploy to look cool.


    Besides, every time Ji Feng appeared, he was almost always dressed in a light purple kimono, with a black cloth covering his eyes. His style was pretentiously cool, like that of a lofty and distant hermit. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After one battle, he even dropped a memorable line to a villain kneeling on the ground, "The blade is my eyes," paired with his austere persona, he captured the hearts of countless naive girls within just a year.


    When Ji Feng had nothing to do, he would live-stream on the official website of the Japanese division, sitting on a cushion with a cup of hot tea in his hands, piously promoting the culture of the Japanese samurai with a solemn and righteous demeanor.


    With this in mind, perhaps the Japanese officials regarded him as a marketing figurehead for the Superhero Association, partly for cultural export as well.


    He was, like the Ink Writer, an example of successful marketing.


    However, while the Ink Writer marketed himself, he had much more genuine talent than this Japanese counterpart, considering he was the man who managed to stand up against Ke Yinzhi after becoming superpowered.


    As for Ji Feng, that was another story.


    According to information from the Top Bull, Ji Feng''s combat power was at a C+ level, a typical superhero whose fame far exceeded his actual strength.


    Ke Mingye actually wanted to say, he had just defeated that C+ level ninja Haroldon the last time, why did they need to make such a big fuss over a mere C+ level superhero?


    But on second thought, if it wasn''t for the opponent underestimating him, the five of them combined wouldn''t stand a chance against Haroldon.


    Although Ji Feng had a notorious reputation, it seemed quite trifling when compared to Zeus, who had slaughtered the entire superhuman prison clean during the Paris riots, and who had managed to avoid being banned solely because of the Superhero Association''s vigorous protection.


    In comparison, the misdeeds of Ji Feng seemed rather insignificant, yet this did not affect his status as a target for the players.


    After a few moments, Ke Mingye turned off his phone and looked out the window.


    The scenery reflected on the window was like a waterfall, passing by rapidly.


    Now and then, one could see the high towers of Huanjing, the Big Ben of London, and the Empire State Building of New York, as the train seemed to travel through a chaotic space-time, emitting a "clang clang" noise.


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    Ke Mingye''s gaze lingered for a second on the scene of Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland.


    The famous Pearl Tower resembled a transparent crystal ball nestled in the heart of Reykjavik, radiating brilliant lights under the cold sky, dazzling and overwhelming in its beauty.


    As he was lost in thought, he received a message from Fan Quan.


    [Fan Quan: I almost forgot to tell you, you''ve got trouble.]


    [Failed Man: What trouble? Since you''re sitting in a nearby compartment, can''t you come and tell me?]


    [Fan Quan: Based on my observation from the live stream the night before, when you put on the Blue Owl Battle Suit, my eyes will display your information panel.]


    [Fan Quan: This must be a system-set illusion to prevent other players from disrupting your plans, but it also poses a risk that other players might mistake you for a superhuman and accidentally kill you.]


    [Failed Man: Damn, why didn''t you say so earlier?]


    [Failed Man: So, when I''m not wearing the battle suit, is there a panel above my head?]


    [Fan Quan: No.]


    [Failed Man: How high is Blue Owl''s combat power on your informational panel?]


    [Fan Quan: D- level superhuman.]


    [Failed Man: Heh, I thought the system would rate me a bit higher.]


    [Fan Quan: So what do you plan to do?]


    [Failed Man: Actually, it''s not a big deal. I only operate within Huanjing, and the only players here are you guys. Qing Meng and the Paranoid will sooner or later guess that Dice Monster is me, after all, they know I have a dice skill. And even if they don''t know, they all follow your orders and won''t act rashly.]


    [Fan Quan: You may have the Anti-Superhuman Organization watching you, and players from other cities could target you too.]

 Chapter 134 Fan Quan: What, Im fighting Spider Man?_2

    [FailedMan: Small problem. They can''t beat me. In the worst-case scenario, I''ve prepared a way out. It''s better than being disrupted by pig teammates.][FailedMan: By the way, when you were watching the live broadcast, did the Dice Monster have a panel above its head?]


    [Fan Quan: Yes, the introduction said it''s an unknown small-fry villain that seems to have a superpower triggered by dice. Cai Bing said she was laughing so hard she could barely breathe.]


    [FailedMan: So, you''re telling me this important thing two days later.]


    As their chat reached this point, the train arrived at the station.


    "The train has now arrived at the disused Tokyo Shiba Park train station in Tokyo, Japan. Please exit the train as soon as possible," a disinfectant-like detached female voice echoed through the carriage.


    Ke Mingye followed the two off the train, looking around as he turned his head.


    Same old, same old, the dark and cramped train station. On the old, sunlight-deprived platform, a sign was affixed to a pillar and wall, written at the top "Tokyo Shiba Park Station No. 7 Viewing Window".


    They then took the JR train to the Kabukicho district in Tokyo and entered the Black Tengu Host Club.


    "Long time no see."


    As soon as they entered, a handsome young man in a suit came to greet them. His eyes were lightly shadowed, his brows arched, and his face lightly made up.


    Though a man, his demeanor was so pure, like a delicate lotus flower, sticking out among the flashy clubbers of the club, a refreshing sight.


    Qing Meng crossed her arms, squinting as she sized up the Host. Stay connected with empire


    Ke Mingye stared at the handsome face, whispering into Fan Quan''s ear, "Who is this guy?"


    "Maybe... Ju Zipi."


    Fan Quan''s tone was uncertain.


    At this, Ke Mingye was startled, then quickly changed his expression, tears nearly squeezing out of his eyes: "Lao Ju... I missed you."


    He hugged Ju Zipi tightly, muttering, "During these half a month you weren''t here, do you have any idea how that deceptive man has been overwhelming my nerves?"


    "What did he do?" Ju Zipi asked.


    Ke Mingye complained, "It was like a bloodthirsty brawny man remodeling a Magic Girl right in front of our eyes."


    "Hard to say, I feel that Magical Girl Xiaohongmao is a bit more impactful," said Fan Quan.


    "You should be the last person to say that..." Qing Meng also made a snide comment to Ke Mingye.


    Ke Mingye suddenly had an idea and asked Fan Quan, "Can we transfer Paranoia over to be a Host? Sir, I request to reassign Lao Ju back to Huanjing!"


    "You mean you want him to be chatting with a rich madam half-heartedly, then suddenly lick a knife and transform into a Magic Girl?" Fan Quan asked.


    "Maybe someone''s into that?"


    "Hold on, let go of me first. We''re still open for business, and there are female patrons watching," Ju Zipi said in a low voice, drenched in sweat.


    Ke Mingye then remembered he was in a public place and released Ju Zipi.


    Click, click!


    Female patrons immediately raised their phones to capture the moment, loudly egging them on in Japanese with "¥­¥¹¤·¤Æ (kiss!)," one older woman giggling behind her hand, saying indeed our "Orange" is popular with both men and women, and others commented that it''s only normal for such an adorable little orange to attract men.


    With one hand on her bag and the other holding her belly, Qing Meng laughed out loud. Once her laughter subsided, she bent over, back hunched, and raised her hand to pat Ju Zipi on the shoulder.


    "Wow, got so capable in just half a month to become the top Host at the cowherd shop?" she said.


    "It''s just luck, pure luck," Ju Zipi laughed awkwardly.


    Ke Mingye looked up and saw that the face of Ju Zipi, so fresh and youthful, had now taken over the cover photo spot for the Top Bull at the Black Tengu Host Club.


    His code name was "RottenOrange"; S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the patrons called him "Orange-chan";


    Colleagues referred to him as "Orange-san".


    Not only that, but the big screen embedded in the club was cycling through several photos of Ju Zipi ¡ª the moment he touched his lips, the moment he drew his tachi, and the moment he closed his eyes smelling roses.


    Perhaps, amidst a crowd of flamboyant cheap goods, the rich madams of Japan had grown weary and, upon seeing such a youthfully innocent boy, it was hard not to feel affection for him.


    Just as men easily feel pity for an innocent-looking bar girl, wondering how she ended up in such a plight, creating scenarios like "parents died leaving a huge debt, with a younger brother just starting elementary school" in their minds;


    Women, too, seeing such a pure and beautiful young man fall to the status of a Host, naturally couldn''t help but feel compassion.


    "Yo, you guys made it?"


    A blond man with sunglasses came over, his left hand in the pocket of his bartender outfit, his right hand twirling a cigarette.


    This player, tagged as the "Top Bull," draped his arm over Ju Zipi''s shoulder and led him outside.


    At that moment, an angry patron came over, arms folded, complaining that she''d booked Ju Zipi a week in advance and hoped that he wouldn''t be absent tonight.


    Top Bull turned his head and sighed, "Madam, we''re just going for a meal. We''ll be back in the evening, don''t worry, our Host Club never disappoints the clients."


    Ke Mingye, not understanding a word of their language, felt the intensity of Ju Zipi''s work and patted his shoulder with a sigh.


    Soon, Top Bull led the four to a nearby caf¨¦, settling at a table.

 Chapter 134 Fan Quan: What, Im fighting Spider Man?_3

    Across the table sat a girl in a blue JK skirt with long, straight black hair. Her complexion was a sickly pale. She had a band-aid near her eye and a hairband that pinned up half of her hair.Top Bull introduced in Japanese, "This player''s ID is ''A Zhe.'' Get to know each other. She can speak Chinese."


    Fan Quan repeated his words in Chinese, then handed a blue-and-white chest badge to Top Bull, saying, "You can use this to talk."


    "What is this?" Top Bull asked with a cigarette in his mouth.


    Fan Quan explained, "It''s a little toy I bought from the system mall. It lets you understand other languages without barriers and speak them fluently."


    He paused, "You are the only one here who doesn''t speak Chinese, so it''s perfect for you."


    Top Bull sighed upon hearing this and pinned the badge on his chest.


    Ke Mingye nodded and looked at the JK girl, "Hello."


    "You, hello."


    A Zhe stammered softly, her eyes downcast, seemingly unaccustomed to speaking in such a crowded setting.


    Fan Quan asked Top Bull, "Didn''t you say that besides you, there were two local players in Tokyo? Why has only one come?"


    Top Bull explained, "The other player''s ID is ''Night Talk.'' His birth point is a novelist, and his parents are his agents. There happened to be a signing event today, watched by editors, so he couldn''t get away."


    Ke Mingye was astonished, reacting as if he had heard a primitive person speak.


    He asked, "No, how suddenly can he speak Chinese?"


    "It''s because of that badge." Fan Quan adjusted his glasses, "I spent a thousand mall coins on it."


    Qing Meng raised an eyebrow, "Sounds useful. I''ll see if I can find one in my mall. It''ll make coordinating with foreign players easier."


    Ke Mingye then asked, "So, which dungeon are we six going to play?"


    Top Bull answered, "Tokyo Port Area, Rainbow Bridge of Tokyo Bay. The dungeon''s name is ''Rainbow Bridge Battle,'' suitable for players above level 10. It requires six players to start, and we have just enough." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A six-person dungeon?" Ke Mingye tilted his head, "That sounds extravagant; it''s my first time coming across a dungeon that has a player requirement."


    "No need to scare ourselves. Let''s just go there and see. If we fail, we can always try again."


    Fan Quan spoke as he was already getting up from the caf¨¦.


    Later, the six of them took the tram to Minato Ward, Tokyo, passing the famous Tokyo Tower and Shiba Park, and arrived at the Rainbow Bridge built over Tokyo Bay.


    If the six of them just brightly walked onto the pedestrian path of the bridge and then disappeared in the middle, it would be too bizarre and hard to explain if caught on surveillance.


    Thus, Top Bull produced an item called "Invisibility Spray," a class-B tool, and sprayed each person once, rendering them unseeable to outsiders for three minutes.


    Taking advantage of these three minutes, the six climbed onto the pedestrian pathway of the Rainbow Bridge''s south side, from where they could gaze at the seascape of Tokyo Bay.


    Under the remnants of the twilight, the sea surface shimmered, resembling flowing gold. Looking farther, the hazy outline of Mount Fuji with its snowy peaks met the blue sky.


    "Mount Fuji, my first time seeing it."


    While muttering, Qing Meng raised her phone, adjusted the angle, and took a photo.


    Ke Mingye watched this scene nonchalantly, then turned to the two Japanese players beside him and asked, "I heard there are countless bodies sunk in Tokyo Bay, is that true?"


    A Zhe scratched the back of her hand, uneasy in her posture, and mumbled, "Uh, it might be so."


    "It''s mostly the gangs that drop bodies in Tokyo Bay," Top Bull answered, "We''ve dumped a body or two as well."


    "Oh, I see."


    During twilight, when the number of people was at its peak, work-weary office workers and students packed together, and the continuous stream of vehicles and the noise of honking never ceased.


    As the group moved behind the flow of traffic, the background featured Mount Fuji covered in snow. Seagulls vaguely spread their wings in the twilight, sweeping over their heads.


    In the crisp cries, they soon encountered a huge dungeon panel in the middle of the bridge.


    [Congratulations, you have discovered the "Number 12 Dungeon" in "Tokyo City," Japan. This dungeon has been recorded in your dungeon atlas, and you can open the atlas to view it at any time.] Your adventure continues at empire


    [Dungeon Name: Rainbow Bridge Battle]


    [Dungeon Location: Tokyo, above Tokyo Bay, Rainbow Bridge]


    [Dungeon Difficulty: E-level (Recommended for players above level 10)]


    [Dungeon Requirement: Minimum six people.]


    The six pressed their hands on the panel, and the brightness of the dungeon panel shifted from dim to bright.


    When they came to their senses, the area above Rainbow Bridge was empty, and looking toward the farther parts of the city, not a single person was visible, but a deep blue data wall blocked both ends of Rainbow Bridge.


    [The current dungeon is a player-vs-player mode, the first round being a 1V1 battle. The system will randomly draw three pairs of players to fight, and the winning side will earn one point.]


    [Note: The higher the points at the end of the dungeon, the higher the rewards.]


    [First Round: Player "Fan Quan" Vs Player "Failed Man."]


    As soon as the system''s voice fell, Fan Quan and Failed Man appeared in the middle of Rainbow Bridge, facing each other, less than twenty meters apart.


    Fan Quan paused for two seconds, gradually realizing the gravity of the situation, his expression growing solemn as he adjusted his glasses: "What...I''m fighting Spider Man?"


    "I''m fighting a cultural man?" Ke Mingye was also stunned for two seconds before snapping to realization, suddenly excited, "Awesome, finally time for the beat-up-the-teammate segment?!"

 Chapter 135 Fan Quan VS Ke Mingye

    At dusk, above the Rainbow Bridge of Tokyo Bay, two figures stood about twenty meters apart, gazing at each other.The next moment, the system notification voice unexpectedly rang out from their ears.


    [Feature of this match: Every 10 seconds, a giant shark will leap from Tokyo Bay, targeting the central part of the Rainbow Bridge. Players, be very careful!]


    "Cultured man, why don''t you just surrender?"


    Ke Mingye said, curling the corner of his mouth as he began to warm up his shoulders.


    "Gate of Humanities."


    Fan Quan, expressionless, let the pages of the Bible in his hands tear apart on their own, without any wind.


    At that instant, Ke Mingye lowered his right hand and shot a web towards Fan Quan''s Bible, yanking it forcefully into his hand.


    But even so, one page of the Bible transformed into three tiny paper figures, swooping through the air and landing on Fan Quan''s shoulder.


    The first paper figure raised its right arm, shouting in German, "God is dead!", "The will to power!", "Eternal recurrence!"


    The second paper figure, with a benevolent face, repeated in classical Chinese, "The Doctrine of the Mean", "Benevolence as the root", "Unity of knowledge and action."


    The third paper figure, face calm, kept repeating in Romanian, "Sacred time", "Sacred Space", "Eternal return."


    Ke Mingye burst forward like a phantom, shooting webs at Fan Quan as he did so.


    Fan Quan seemed to anticipate this, immediately started running on the Rainbow Bridge, creating distance between him and Ke Mingye while dodging the webs with quick steps.


    His physical fitness was far superior to ordinary people, and although there was a gap between him and Ke Mingye, he could totally dodge the webs early enough if he anticipated them correctly.


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow; he had thought that beating a weakling like this cultured man would be as simple as sticking him with the web and then giving him a good beating.


    From the looks of it, Fan Quan''s "neurological reaction" attribute seemed to be very highly developed, allowing his body to respond in time every time and evade the webs shot by Ke Mingye.


    Because the sides of the Rainbow Bridge were enveloped in deep blue data walls, their range of movement was limited to a cramped space twenty meters wide and ten meters long.


    Being confined to this space was highly disadvantageous for Fan Quan, as his skills were suited to designing, ambushing, rather than close combat.


    At that moment, Fan Quan, while retreating, pulled a smoke bomb from his bag and swiftly threw it onto the ground.


    As the smoke bomb hit the ground near the deep blue data wall, the smoke rapidly spread, gradually covering the bridge.


    Ke Mingye halted his advance, wary of any traps Fan Quan, the sneaky guy, might have set up, deliberately luring him in.


    Meanwhile, he took the opportunity to pull out the "Anchor Sunglasses" from his bag and pressed the button on the sunglasses while Fan Quan''s figure was not yet completely swallowed by the smoke.


    [Within an eight-meter radius centered on you, there is: player "Fan Quan". Would you like to set an anchor on this player?]


    "Set it."


    Ke Mingye responded mentally.


    [An anchor has been set on the character "Fan Quan". Next, just wear the sunglasses and press the button on the edge again to obtain the coordinates of this character.]


    Even though Fan Quan''s figure was enveloped in smoke, his location still clearly displayed on the lenses.


    Ke Mingye, using the sunglasses to track Fan Quan''s position, repeatedly shot webs into the smoke. The glowing white webs extended like a palm, piercing through the smoke.


    Several times, he nearly captured Fan Quan''s figure, but each was narrowly avoided by him.


    Ke Mingye could tell, Fan Quan was intentionally leading him towards the middle section of the Rainbow Bridge¡ªthe system had mentioned at the start of the match that every 10 seconds, a giant shark would leap from Tokyo Bay and bite towards the middle part of the bridge. Continue reading at empire


    "This sneaky cultured guy is definitely setting a trap, trying to take me down with that shark from the game rules. Since I can''t catch him, I''ll just retreat for now."


    As he thought thus, a brilliant eye suddenly swept through the smoke, hovering in mid-air.


    This was Fan Quan''s D-level skill:


    ¡ª"Medusa''s Eye".


    Enemies who made eye contact with Medusa''s Eye would be petrified in place, the duration of which, up to 2.5 seconds, depended on the strength of their "mental power".


    The moment Ke Mingye saw that eye appear, he tried to avoid its gaze.


    If it had been Ke Xiaomo with that kind of reaction speed, he might have realized what was happening the instant he saw the brilliance, and even had time to think about what that eye was for before averting his gaze.


    But Ke Mingye couldn''t do that; his reactions were not as swift as his older brother''s, and thus he naturally made eye contact with Medusa''s Eye, becoming petrified on the spot.


    During those fleeting 2.5 seconds, Fan Quan further unleashed his D-level skill¡ª"Delayed Bone Cage".


    The effect of this skill was to delay for 1.5 seconds before a cage made from extremely tough beast bones descended from a 20-meter radius above a target''s head. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It caused some impact damage while entrapping the opponent within the cage.


    The next moment, the stark white cage descended from the sky, smashing down on Ke Mingye''s petrified body and deeply enveloping him within it.


    Simultaneously, the Tokyo Bay, bathed in twilight, suddenly erupted in a massive wave. A terrifying shadow surged upward with the waves, opening its vast maw to bite towards the middle of the bridge.


    There, Ke Mingye was trapped within the stark white cage, and just one second before the shark opened its jaws, his petrification was lifted.

 Chapter 135 Fan Quan VS Ke Mingye_2

    "You''re finished,"Fan Quan said, adjusting his glasses, as he slowly emerged from the smoke and stood outside the birdcage, watching Ke Mingye.


    "We''ll see about that,"


    Ke Mingye replied, climbing up from the ground. He had no intention of touching the bone cage at all, instead, he used the skill "Phase Transfer" on Fan Quan at that moment.


    In the next instant, Fan Quan and Ke Mingye switched places.


    "Haha, bet you didn''t expect that, Mr. Intellectual,"


    Ke Mingye, looking at the intellectual trapped inside the birdcage, was about to curl his lip in mockery when he suddenly realized something was amiss.


    One of the paper dolls on Fan Quan''s shoulder dissipated into thin air.


    "Eternal Return," he intoned.


    [Eternal Return: Returns a specific target in the vicinity to its position from 1 second ago.]


    A moment later, the skill took effect on Ke Mingye.


    "What the hell?"


    When Ke Mingye came to his senses, he was back in his position from one second earlier, which was inside the bleak birdcage.


    He and Fan Quan stood face to face, and the situation became somewhat awkward.


    Only then did Ke Mingye remember that the intellectual had used this skill to save him once in that pirate instance, but he wasn''t sure whether the intellectual had just randomly gotten this skill or not, so he hadn''t been on his guard.


    It seemed like they were both letting each other off easy.


    "It''s fine, as long as I punch the intellectual''s head to explode before the shark can pounce on me, I still win!"


    With this in mind, Ke Mingye shot out spider silk toward Fan Quan''s black coat, stuck it to his chest with a web, and yanked him hard towards himself.


    At the same time, he unleashed a D-class skill ¡ª "Solar Punch."


    His fist was engulfed in a fiery torrent at that moment, delivering a blow with sudden kinetic and thermal energy.


    As expected, the strike would pierce the intellectual''s heart.


    "Did you really think I pulled you back into this cage so we could both get bitten to death by a shark?"


    Fan Quan mocked, as the second paper doll on his shoulder dissipated.


    At the same time, he blurted out, "Superhuman Will."


    [Player "Fan Quan" is under the effect of the augmentation skill "Superhuman Will" ¡ª A player under "Superhuman Will" will enter a state for 2.5 seconds where they will not sustain any injury and will be free from all control.]


    Reflected in Fan Quan''s pupils was the Solar Punch coming at him, his body shimmered with a layer of golden light.


    This halo blocked Ke Mingye''s fist and absorbed the fiery flow completely, leaving the intellectual unscathed.


    Fan Quan breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself.


    "Given what I know about Spider Man, aside from the ''Phase Transfer'' he has already used, he shouldn''t have any means to escape the birdcage instantly."


    "With my body still protected by Superhuman Will, as long as the shark kills Ke Mingye first and I die a bit slower, the system will determine that I win."


    "I''ve already won."


    Yet, Fan Quan couldn''t resist twisting the knife further, "The Middle Way."


    As his words fell, the last paper doll on his shoulder disappeared.


    [The Middle Way: This skill will affect you and another player at the same time. After use, you and that player won''t be able to use any skills for 10 seconds, but your "physical fitness" will be significantly boosted.]


    Under this Skill Seal, Ke Mingye would be unable to use any skills¡ªwhich is to say, Fan Quan had sealed off his last avenue of retreat. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, their figures were enveloped by the colossal shadow of a shark, as if day and night had suddenly alternated. In just one more second, the shark would swallow them into its mouth and shred them with its sharp teeth.


    With the protection of his superhuman will, Fan Quan would die one second later than Ke Mingye¡ªthat one second less was enough to declare his victory.


    Therefore, at this time, Fan Quan was assured of his win.


    He adjusted his glasses, his gaze mocking as he made eye contact with Ke Mingye, who was close at hand.


    Ke Mingye had wanted to continue releasing Skills, trying to break free of the cage, but the effect prompt for "The Middle Way" flashed in his mind, prompting a sigh within him.


    "Pretty sly, cultured man."


    He knew that with the protection of superhuman will, no matter how he pummeled Fan Quan in these two seconds, it would be useless. To win, he would have to find a way to escape the gaping maw of the shark in this moment.


    But he was still stuck in the white bone cage with the cultured man, without the help of Skills, it would be impossible to break the birdcage in an instant, let alone the fact that the cultured man would do his utmost to block him.


    If things continued this way, he would fall into the shark''s mouth along with Fan Quan.


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    So...


    The only remaining way to survive was one.


    "Cultured man, you don''t really think you''ve won, do you?"


    As the words fell, Ke Mingye''s body was enveloped in a cocoon light at that moment.


    His Skills were sealed by "The Middle Way," but that didn''t mean he couldn''t use "Items"¡ªthe "Magical Girl Transformation Card" naturally counted as an Item.


    As the cocoon light shattered, he transformed into a girl wearing a Christmas ceremonial dress.


    The Top Bull, who had been watching from outside the data wall, froze on the spot, his cigarette slowly sliding out of his mouth and falling onto the bridge: "Huh?"


    A Zhe, dressed in a schoolgirl skirt, also froze for a second, mouth agape and unable to speak: "Huh?"


    Ju Zipi was sweating for the two of them, but when he saw this scene, his eyes widened, "Huh?"


    Qing Meng was quite calm, accustomed to seeing burly men transform into Magical Girls daily, "Spider Man is like this. He still has the nerve to complain to you about being paranoid when he actually enjoys cross-dressing."


    At this moment, Magical Girl Xiaohongmao summoned her Magic Book with the utmost speed and pulled out a C-rank card, "Random Flash," from its first page¡ªthis was a card she had acquired from the card library of the Magical Girl Alliance yesterday.


    This card was once used by Magical Girl Ash in the battle against the calamity dragon.


    Its effect was:


    ¡ªTo randomly transport the Magic Girl using this card to a nearby position.


    The next moment, as the card shattered with a "crack," Xiaohongmao''s figure instantly appeared at a corner of the bridge, distancing herself from the shark''s lunging range.


    The Magic Girl''s ceremonial dress might not change, but the appearance of the Deception Puppet could.


    Thus, Ke Mingye didn''t forget to adjust Xiaohongmao''s appearance in this moment, turning her hair blue and her eyes red¡ªto prevent the two Japanese players from remembering Xiaohongmao''s look, lest it raised unnecessary questions once Xiaohongmao made a name in Huanjing.


    "Gone?"


    Fan Quan, watching Ke Mingye disappear from the cage, stood there stunned.


    Before he could ponder on, the shark swallowed the bone cage whole, along with his figure, and then plunged into the sea.


    Superhuman will could protect Fan Quan for two seconds, making him die a second later. But it was only a second more, as there was no escape in the shark''s mouth, and in the blink of an eye, he was chewed into a bloody froth by the blood teeth.


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao stood at a corner of the bridge, watching the bloody scene from afar, unable to help covering her face: "Damn, that''s brutal."


    Immediately after, the system''s notification sound echoed above the Rainbow Bridge of Tokyo Bay.


    [Player "Fan Quan" has died, the winner of this 1V1 match is "Failed Man". Congratulations, Failed Man has earned 1 point.]

 Chapter 136 Demon Sword Muramasa, Rising Dragon Fist

    The giant shark stirred up a crashing wave that plummeted toward Tokyo Bay, reflecting the sunlight falling from the sky and making the entire bridge glisten.Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    As the last spray of wave fell into the ocean, a hazy rainbow slowly rose above Tokyo Bay Bridge.


    "This is the rainbow Fan Quan Master exchanged for us with his life, truly beautiful."


    Ju Zipi gazed up at the rainbow on the bridge, deeply moved.


    "Yeah... rest easy, cultured man."


    Ke Mingye nodded, a nostalgic smile slowly spreading across his face.


    Qing Meng raised her hand to her forehead and sighed deeply, "Ah... you two idiots really are matchlessly unique."


    One moment they were mourning the demise of Fan Quan, the next moment Ke Mingye lowered his head, expressionless, and looked toward Top Bull.


    He curiously asked, "By the way, aren''t we supposed to beat up that superhero called Ji Feng tonight in the instance? What if we use our Skills there and they are still cooling down when we need them?"


    Top Bull rubbed his Tianming Acupoint and explained, "Haven''t you fought in just a few instances? Skill cooldowns automatically refresh after you leave an instance."


    He paused, "But cumulative Skills that strengthen after repeated uses won''t have their cooldowns reset, even after exiting an instance."


    "Oh, got it."


    Ke Mingye nodded, realizing that this was just like his Calamity Dice, no wonder the cooldown didn''t reset after he threw the Calamity Dice in the instance.


    Otherwise, using the instance''s reset mechanism, wouldn''t such cumulative Skills easily max out?


    Ju Zipi looked around, "Speaking of cultured man, why hasn''t he resurrected yet, where is he?"


    Top Bull said indifferently, "Either wait until the settlement phase or until we leave the instance, he''ll be resurrected eventually."


    Qing Meng rolled her eyes, "You really hit hard, Spider Man."


    Ke Mingye sighed, "Wasn''t he always scheming against me? I was just acting in self-defense."


    Top Bull lit a new cigarette, his hand still trembling, and asked apprehensively, "So... why can a man turn into a Magic Girl?"


    With the badge Fan Quan lent him, he could now communicate in Chinese with Ke Mingye, but he never expected this ''normal'' conversation to be so abnormal.


    Qing Meng smirked without a second thought, "Because he is an Innate Femme Boy Saint."


    "Bullshit, I just used a one-off experience card."


    "Right, right, a one-off experience card, that''s too one-off."


    A Zhe listened to their conversation in silence, barely holding back her laughter with her fist over her mouth.


    Her gaze somehow kept drifting toward Qing Meng, and once Qing Meng noticed, she quickly averted her eyes, her forehead sweaty and cheeks slightly flushed.


    Qing Meng cocked her head, asking her, "Why are you staring at me all the time?"


    "No, nothing." A Zhe stuttered.


    "My lesbian radar went off." Ke Mingye blurted out unexpectedly.


    A Zhe''s face flushed as she waved her hands in denial, "Lesbian? There''s no way!"


    "You guys really..."


    Qing Meng''s figure vanished on the spot, and A Zhe likewise disappeared from beside her.


    [The second 1V1 match is about to begin, with the players "Unclear Dream" and "A Zhe" as the competitors!]


    [Rule: Kill the opponent to win the match.]


    The icy prompt unexpectedly fell by everyone''s ear.


    Immediately after, Qing Meng and A Zhe appeared in the middle of the bridge, trapped between two deep blue data walls;


    Ke Mingye was switched to the outside of the data wall, standing with Ju Zipi and Top Bull as spectators.


    "Is this JK girl called A Zhe any good?"


    Ke Mingye turned to Ju Zipi, asking curiously.


    Ju Zipi nodded and casually replied, "Pretty good."


    The battle was about to begin, and A Zhe immediately took out a set of metal knuckles, strapping them onto her right hand.


    Taking a deep breath and slightly crouching, her gaze suddenly turned cold. The next moment, a blast of gas shot out from the heels of her shoes, propelling her explosively toward Qing Meng.


    Ke Mingye exclaimed, "Damn, why does she seem like a different person when she starts fighting?"


    "A Zhe was a boxer in her past life."


    "Who has a boxer''s personality like that? I''d more likely believe you if you said she''s a gloomy girl who stays in all the time," Ke Mingye said.


    "The world is full of wonders." Ju Zipi said.


    Rushing forward, A Zhe suddenly murmured, "Safety limits off, Quicksand Fist."


    As she spoke, a deep blue arc of light flashed across the corner of her eye, and her running figure suddenly doubled in speed. Following that, her hands'' veins bulged, and her fists were covered with a layer of quivering quicksand. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye tilted his head, whispering to Ju Zipi, "''Safety limits off'' isn''t that my Skill?"


    "E-grade Skills aren''t as rare as higher-level Skills, repetition is quite normal," Ju Zipi whispered back.


    "Good thing the special effect of this Skill isn''t very noticeable," Ke Mingye sighed.


    Meanwhile, Qing Meng pulled out two Desert Eagles from her pouch, and from her knapsack, she took out a grenade, quickly pulling the pin and throwing it forward.


    According to her, this grenade wasn''t a prop but was generated from her Skill [Chain Reaction Grenade]:


    ¡ªIf the grenade killed a target, it would immediately trigger a second explosion, and with each successive explosion beyond the first, the damage would gradually decrease.

 Chapter 136 Demon Sword Muramasa, Rising Dragon Fist_2

    Bang!The grenade flew straight at A Zhe, and the explosion''s flash engulfed his figure.


    Qing Meng raised her twin guns, activating "Aggressive Focus" and "Full Firepower" buffs, peering into the spreading smoke.


    "She''s not dodging?" she thought, confused.


    In the blink of an eye, a dragon''s roar came from the exploding smoke and soon after, a figure shot out, enveloped in a deep red light, rising to the sky like a dragon with an uppercut pose.


    The next moment, the red dragon-like figure suddenly paused mid-air and then plummeted towards the ground.


    With quick reflexes, Qing Meng aimed her silvery guns at the falling body of A Zhe and pulled the triggers in rapid succession, but the deluge of bullets couldn''t stop her in her tracks.


    By the time she realized, Qing Meng had no place to dodge and was directly sat on to death.


    Bang!


    A Zhe''s fist blade pierced through Qing Meng''s abdomen.


    [C-tier Skill "Rising Dragon Fist": (Upon using this skill, the player enters an invulnerable and unstoppable state, unleashing an uppercut that deals massive damage to the target hit, followed by a plummet to the ground and a punch that causes an area shockwave damage.)]


    "Damn it, why?"


    Qing Meng, spitting blood and gasping for breath, muttered in disbelief.


    She simply couldn''t understand how someone could just barrel through grenade blasts and a barrage from twin Desert Eagles and send her flying with a punch?!


    What the hell, it''s like they''re freaking cheating!


    Could it be that Fan Quan''s sinister soul suddenly opened its eyes and secretly bestowed the "Superhuman Will" buff on this JK beauty?


    It must be Fan Quan, damn that cursed Fan Quan!


    Thinking this, Qing Meng tried to rise and struggle, but ultimately collapsed powerlessly into a pool of blood.


    "S-sorry, I''m so sorry¡ª!"


    A Zhe stood there in a fluster, stammering, then tremblingly raised her right hand and swung a harmless little fist at Qing Meng''s head.


    Better a short pain than a long one, she quickly blew up her head to spare her further agony.


    Bang!


    As Meng''s brain matter splattered, the system prompt sounded.


    ["Say No Clear Dream" has died. The winner of this 1V1 match is "A Zhe", "A Zhe" has gained 1 point.]


    Ke Mingye took a sharp intake of breath, his eyes nearly popping out.


    "What a fierce woman!" he exclaimed. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The C-tier skill, Rising Dragon Fist, is designed as an uninterruptible punch that makes one invulnerable to all damage and control during its execution," Top Bull explained, "This punk girl was too presumptuous, probably thinking that the airborne opponent couldn''t dodge her shots, making it a good opportunity to counterattack, but she didn''t anticipate that the opponent was in an invulnerable and uncontrollable state."


    Ke Mingye said, "Come on, with Rising Dragon Fist, shouldn''t there be a Soaring Dragon Flame Array coming up next?"


    [The final match of the first round will soon begin. This match will be between the player "Top Bull" and the player "Good Ju Zipi!"]


    Extinguishing the cigarette in his hand, Top Bull sighed, "You better not hit your mentor too hard, Ju Zipi."


    "Mentor, let''s both give it our all," Ju Zipi responded with a smile and then slowly drew a violet tachi from its dark golden hilt, holding the handle in his hand.


    The violet blade was faintly diffusing an evil aura, chilling the air around it.


    "In just half a month you''ve earned the title of mentor, truly fitting for our RottenOrange," Ke Mingye commented, but midway through his sarcasm added, "What the fuck, what kind of sword is that? It feels like the effects are really pricey, right?"


    "Demon Sword Muramasa; I got it from the daily wheel draw," Ju Zipi said, "It''s not high-level, only C-tier. But this sword can absorb the souls of those it kills, enhancing the blade''s strength, making it a growing weapon."


    "Maybe you should do my drawing for the wheel from now on, huh?"


    "Feel like laughing? Do you want to join me in the Cowherd shop for further training?"


    "I''ll pass."


    [The match begins, both sides enter the field.]


    [The rules for this match are: every ten seconds a tsunami will strike, hitting the Rainbow Bridge of Tokyo Bay, and any player who falls from the bridge into the sea is immediately declared the loser.]


    Truth be told, although Top Bull was well-known on the leaderboards, Ke Mingye hadn''t yet seen what he was really capable of in actual combat, so now he was curious to witness it.


    Ju Zipi drew the Demon Sword Muramasa, and the clear sound of the sword being unsheathed was like the fleeting call of a bird.


    The moment he held the hilt in his right hand and pointed the blade tip at Top Bull, the blade of the Demon Sword Muramasa was wrapped in a layer of flowing water, as if ensconced in surging waves.


    [C-tier Skill: Sword Skill: Rainfall and Flowing Dragon]


    Ke Mingye shouted from the sidelines, "I thought your skill turned the blade into a tidal wave, didn''t it?"


    "Used a low-level Skill Enhancement Card to evolve it, it''s a bit more powerful now," Ju Zipi immediately replied. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    As he spoke, he closed his eyes, dropped his head, and took a deep breath.


    His pupils then slowly became vacant and profound.


    At the same time, the blade of the Demon Sword Muramasa glowed with an enchanting red, with the red and purple intertwined edge exuding an indomitable aura of evil.


    [Man and Sword As One (C-tier): For a short time, greatly increases one''s neurological reaction attribute, significantly enhances proficiency in "Sword Mastery," increases the damage of any sword technique attack, and the next two strikes deal an additional 0.5 times the damage.]

 Chapter 136 Demon Sword Muramasa, Rising Dragon Fist_3

    At that moment, Top Bull raised his right hand, and Ju Zipi''s figure was instantly shrouded in a layer of green poison mist. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.But Ju Zipi held his breath, stepped forward, and shot out like a cannonball, quickly leaving the range of the poison fog without inhaling even a whiff of it through his mouth or nose.


    Top Bull didn''t just sit there waiting for death; he raised his palm, and a torrential downpour of poison needles burst from the center of his hand, aiming for Ju Zipi.


    Ju Zipi, with a casual swing of his Demon Sword Muramasa, unleashed a wave-like blade light that roared forth, tearing through the oncoming rain of needles with a sonic boom.


    Over the next two seconds, he continued to swing the Demon Sword Muramasa. The purple and red blade lights intercepted all the poison needles, allowing him to charge forward with abandon, moving like a surging dragon irresistibly toward Top Bull.


    Then he slowly raised the blade tip, wrapped in swirling currents, pressing it against Top Bull''s jaw.


    Seeing this, Top Bull raised both hands in surrender and sighed, "Hey, I lost, I can''t fight at all, my skill mechanics are totally countered by you."


    With that, he took a drag on his cigarette, walked over to the bridge railing, and without looking back, jumped down, falling into Tokyo Bay.


    "That''s it, surrendering just like that? What kind of scared lizard?" Mingye was stunned, "Now there''s going to be one more corpse sinking in Tokyo Bay."


    "He''s no match for Mr. Ju Zipi," A Zhe whispered, "We''ve had many private spars, and everyone knows their own strength."


    [Player "Top Bull" has fallen into Tokyo Bay, deemed to have lost. The winner of this match is¡ª¡ª"Great Ju Zipi," Great Ju Zipi has earned 1 point.]


    [The three emerging victors¡ª¡ª"Failed Man," "Great Ju Zipi," and "A Zhe"¡ªwill engage in a 1V1V1 free-for-all battle.]


    [The rules for this match are: every ten seconds a tsunami will strike, hitting the Rainbow Bridge of Tokyo Bay, and any player who falls from the bridge into the sea will be immediately declared a loser.]


    As the system prompt ended, Mingye, Ju Zipi, and A Zhe had already appeared at the center of the bridge¡ªMingye in the middle, with the other two on either side.


    "A Zhe, let''s take him down first and then settle our score!" Ju Zipi called out loudly.


    "Okay, Mr. Ju Zipi."


    A Zhe hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He then fitted a knuckleduster onto his right glove, extending the blade from the middle finger.


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    Realizing the unfavorable situation, Mingye complained, "Come on, Ju Zipi, how come after just two weeks, you''ve already learned how to backstab me? Have you been at the Host Club for so long and still can''t resist the temptation of a JK beauty?"


    "Can''t help it, you''re just too strong."


    As Ju Zipi spoke, he was already coordinating with A Zhe to pincer Mingye from both sides.


    Despite facing a split-second risk of his head being stabbed by both a knuckleduster and a tachi, Mingye remained incredibly calm.


    At the tense moment when they were closing in, he released "Phase Transfer" towards A Zhe.


    The next instant, Ju Zipi''s Demon Sword Muramasa pierced through A Zhe''s abdomen, and A Zhe''s fist blade sliced across Ju Zipi''s neck.


    At the same time, a "pfft, pfft" sound fell in their ears as their bodies were each stuck to a web strand, and Mingye, grabbing the webbing with both hands, brought them together.


    Then, he equipped his right glove with the Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves and activated function one¡ª"Electrify the glove''s surface"¡ª and with the glove''s metallic traces filling with blue electric arcs, a strong electrical current traveled down the tenacious webbing, causing Ju Zipi and A Zhe to convulse.


    Mingye stuck the two strands of web together, flexed his arms forcefully, and while they were still recovering from the electric shock, he used the strand to fling them over the railing.


    He then let go of the webbing, causing them to fall into Tokyo Bay.


    Splash!


    A Zhe and Ju Zipi formed their own craters on the surface of the sea in Tokyo Bay, with ripples instantly swallowed by the waves.


    Instant oblivion.


    Ke Mingye leaned over the railing of the bridge, looking down at them and thought, these two really acted recklessly because of their stats, wouldn''t they have avoided being tricked if they''d been a bit more careful?


    As the two fell into Tokyo Bay, the system notification sounded in the ears of the only remaining Ke Mingye on the field.


    [The battle of this game was won by the player "Failed Man," who has now earned 2 points. The instance has ended and will now proceed to the settlement phase.]


    By the time everyone came to their senses, they were all leaning against the railings, standing idly on the empty Rainbow Bridge.


    Fan Quan was the first to react, adjusting his glasses with an expressionless face and said, "That''s really bad luck, getting that unlucky thing in the first round."


    "Unlucky thing?" Ke Mingye said disdainfully, "Can you, the defeated general, say something nicer, like ''Sorry for not entertaining Spider Man properly.''"


    Qing Meng grabbed Fan Quan''s shoulder and pointed at A Zhe, cursing as he spoke.


    "Can you explain, did you secretly buff the JK beauty? Why did she survive a grenade and ten bullets without a scratch?"


    "I was playing in the revival match at the time, how would I know what happened to you?" Fan Quan sighed, "If you lost, you lost, don''t make excuses."


    "Exactly, do you not understand the value of the Rising Dragon Fist?"


    Ke Mingye was mumbling when the instance settlement panel popped up, capturing his pupils.


    [Mr. Failed Man, you have scored 3 points in this player versus player instance, therefore you will receive 4000 Mall Coins times 3 points (score), 4000 Experience Points times 3 points (score).]


    [According to the settlement, you have earned a total of 12,000 Mall Coins, 12,000 Experience Points.]


    [Your current total of Mall Coins is: 14,300]


    "They really give a lot of money... Oh right, I seem to have a fifty-percent-off shopping coupon, I should see if I can save up to buy a Grade B Skill," thought Ke Mingye.


    [Your level has been increased to Lv.13 (6000 points / 7500 points), and you have gained one attribute point to assign freely.]


    [You have allocated 1 attribute point to "neurological reaction," your "neurological reaction" has changed: 37 points ¡ú 38 points (¡ü1 point)]


    "Speaking of which... you all who are out in the first round, didn''t get even a hair of a reward, did you?"


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye turned his head to look at Fan Quan with a schadenfreude expression.


    "There''s a basic reward," Fan Quan answered.


    Top Bull took a drag of a cigarette, his eyes lowered as he looked at the settlement panel and muttered in a deep voice, "Quit the chatter, once we''re out of the instance we have to rush over to Shinjuku to intercept Ji Feng the warrior."


    As Ke Mingye checked the panel, he asked, "Oh, does that superhero have any bodyguards?"


    Top Bull replied, "Of course, he usually brings at least two personal bodyguards, he doesn''t trust the people from the Superhero Association, so the bodyguards he brings are all from the local gangs."


    "Then let''s go, try to finish him off before dark, I still need to go home for dinner."


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye closed the settlement panel, selected a departure point to leave the instance, and vanished on the spot.


    Top Bull took a deep drag of his cigarette, fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Has he always been like this?"


    "Always been like this, you get used to it."


    Fan Quan said, and his figure vanished on the spot.

 Chapter 137 Player Team VS the Superhero

    Japan time, 6:15 PM.In a Japanese izakaya under the Black Tengu Club, Ke Mingye and five other players were seated in the innermost booth, planning the Superheroes assassination plan for tonight.


    "According to the intelligence, Ji Feng will meet with a group of gang members in Shinjuku Ward in one hour. We''ll intercept them halfway. The nearby surveillance cameras and phones will be disabled by signal jammers, so don''t worry about being filmed, just go ahead and do it."


    The Top Bull had a cigarette dangling from his lips as he spoke slowly. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Also, Ji Feng is rated C+ in the system. Among his twelve bodyguards, ten are well-trained ordinary people with guns; the other two are a D-ranked and an E-ranked Superhuman bodyguards sent by the gang, named Kawamoto Sosuke and Amemiya Naoto respectively."


    "Ten mundanes, one D-ranked, one E-ranked, one C-ranked," Fan Quan said, "We hold the advantage in intelligence and initiative. Even though they have a C-ranked, it shouldn''t be too difficult to deal with. If we get to the location early for an ambush, using control-based Skills and numerical advantage, as long as we coordinate not too poorly, we can completely incapacitate them without even needing to engage in direct combat."


    "That''s right..." Top Bull nodded in agreement.


    As Ke Mingye picked up a slice of salmon sashimi with his chopsticks and dipped it in mustard, he asked as he brought it to his mouth, "Are just the six of us carrying out this assassination plan?"


    "Yes, the Anti-Superhuman Organization wants me to prove the potential role players might have in the future." Top Bull said, "So I''ve promised the higher-ups that we six players alone can complete this assassination plan. You can consider this mission as their assessment of us. If we succeed in earning their trust, it could lead to deeper cooperation in the future."


    "Sounds kind of fishy, feels like we are being used." Ke Mingye said while chewing on the salmon.


    "No, it''s a mutually beneficial relationship since our goals align¡ªto eliminate the Superhumans."


    Fan Quan said, pushing up his glasses.


    A Zhe and Ju Zipi remained silent, the former quietly sipping a small drink, the latter cradling the scabbard of the Demon Sword Muramasa in his arms and sitting still.


    Both preferred not to speak in such situations; they played the role of enforcers in the team, and A Zhe trusted Top Bull enough, while Ju Zipi trusted Fan Quan enough, so they typically left decisions to them.


    Qing Meng, head down, fiddled with her phone, asking nonchalantly, "Anyway, I have no objections, when do we start?"


    "We should head out now." Top Bull said.


    "Where to?"


    "Shinjuku."


    ....


    ....


    Japan time, 6:50 PM, Tokyo, Shinjuku Ward.


    At twilight, the sun setting in the west steeped the clouds in a wine-red hue.


    The horizon was shrouded in the dimness of dusk, with the silhouette of Mount Fuji barely visible. The massive orb of the sun slowly descended from the peak towards the earth, withdrawing the city''s splattering twilight, to be replaced by neon lights that slowly lit up like a domino effect.


    At this moment, Ji Feng, dressed in a light purple kimono with his eyes covered by a black cloth, walked slowly along the neon-flickering streets.


    He kept his left hand in the neckline of his kimono and carried a bag in his right hand. The bag contained seven tachi swords with only the handles visible, menacing enough to deter anyone.


    Around Ji Feng were twelve bodyguards dressed in black suits and wearing sunglasses. Pedestrians covered their mouths, lifting their phones to take pictures with goofy smiles, the flash from their cameras clicking incessantly, overshadowing the off-key commercial jingles.


    "What did the family say?" Ji Feng asked as he walked forward.


    "They''ll be here in half an hour. We''ll wait for them in the underground bar nearby." Amemiya Naoto answered.


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    Upon hearing this, Ji Feng slowly said, "Then, we''re not in a rush, just take it slow."


    "I really don''t get you big family folks." Kawamoto Sosuke said, "Is it necessary to talk in person? Wouldn''t a text message suffice?"


    Amemiya Naoto snorted coldly and said, "You don''t understand, Kawamoto. The Amemiya family pushed my brother to this position, making him a representative figure of the Superhero Association to demonstrate their power and influence to other families and consolidate their dominance in the gang world. Now that my brother is closely tied to the reputation of the Superhero Association, the association has to consider our Amemiya family''s face in whatever they do."


    Ji Feng sarcastically said, "Bro, let''s not discuss such dangerous topics out here, you might as well talk about how much protection money you collected in Kabukicho today."


    "Ha, now that you''re a big shot, you don''t recognize me as your brother anymore, talking in that tone."


    "I''m stronger and more potential than you are, that''s why the family chose me. It''s such a simple logic; can''t you understand that?"


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah."


    Amemiya Naoto said irritably, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket and placing it in his mouth.


    To avoid attracting further attention, they slowly turned into an alley, pulling out two armed bodyguards to guard the entrance and prevent pedestrians from following and filming.


    At that very moment, above that alley, behind a fashion billboard, six figures hid in the shadows.

 Chapter 137 Player Squad VS Superhero Ji Feng Warrior_2

    "These three are the targets, right?"Ke Mingye, wearing a blue demon mask, asked.


    "Just take a look for yourself," Fan Quan said, "and take off your mask. There are no surveillance cameras nearby. We''ll kill them all and then withdraw. No one will remember what you look like."


    At that moment, he was hiding three paper figures in his sleeve, all curled up and maintaining their silence.


    "First assassination, feeling a bit nervous."


    Ke Mingye muttered, pursed his lips, cast his eyes downward, and glanced at the figures of the three people, and the information panel popped up.


    [Code name: Ji Feng Warrior] sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Real name: Amemiya Miren]


    [Strength rating: C+]


    [Identity: Third son of the sorcerer family¡ªthe "Amemiya Family," a provisional A-rank hero at the Japanese Superhero Association division and currently a prominent figure among Japan''s superheroes, even wielding some political influence.]


    .


    [Personal name: Amemiya Naoto]


    [Strength rating: E++]


    [Identity: Second son of the sorcerer family¡ªthe "Amemiya Family," skilled in combining sorcery with swordsmanship for close combat.]


    .


    [Personal name: Kawamoto Sosuke]


    [Strength rating: D+]


    [Identity: A courtyard sorcerer raised by the Amemiya Family, skilled in various elemental sorceries.]


    Qing Meng clicked the safety catch of her gun and then asked, "I''m in charge of shooting the bodyguards and then providing fire support from above for Kawamoto Sosuke, right?"


    "Exactly," Top Bull said, "We all excel at long-range attacks. Just stay on the rooftop and there''s no need to advance deep into enemy territory like they did."


    Fan Quan, with his eyes downcast, looked at the three small paper figures in his sleeve and spoke, "Swift battle, swift resolution. A Zhe and Ju Zipi, like me, you''re in charge of the frontal assault, drawing their fire; as for Spider Man, act as you see fit."


    As his words fell, the first paper figure in his sleeve vanished.


    ....


    ...


    At the same time, in the alley.


    "Be careful, it seems we''re being watched," Ji Feng Warrior suddenly said while walking.


    His expression unchanged, his advancing figure remained as calm as still water.


    Kawamoto Sosuke glanced at the curse mark on his palm and also said, "Looks like we''re being ambushed."


    Amemiya Naoto raised an eyebrow and said with a cold laugh, "Who dares to target a member of the Amemiya family in Japan?" Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Not sure, but it seems like they''re poised above us."


    As Ji Feng Warrior spoke, he slowly pulled his left hand out from the neckline of his kimono while tossing the bag he was holding upwards.


    Seven tachi slid out of the bag, flipping through the air, their cold blades reflecting the alley''s trash cans, the ground''s scattered papers, and a half-peeled banana skin.


    Simultaneously, four ghostly purple hands slowly emerged above Ji Feng Warrior''s head.


    Then, each ghostly hand grasped the handle of one tachi, while Ji Feng Warrior stretched out both his hands to grip one in each, and finally, he bit the handle of the last tachi that fell just in front of his nose with his teeth.


    No more, no less, all seven blades he brought were put to use.


    Seeing Ji Feng Warrior''s arrangement, the eight armed bodyguards beside him exchanged glances, each drawing a pistol from inside their suit and aiming it down the empty alley ahead.


    In that instant, a grand gate constructed of dense religious runes opened before them, emitting a golden glow, like...a portal!


    The well-trained bodyguards quickly responded, firing at the glowing portal.


    But to no effect, the portal swallowed all the bullets.


    Just as they ceased firing, a grenade bounced out from the portal and landed at their feet.


    Everyone in the alley froze for a second, then a shout broke the silence.


    "Get down!"


    Kawamoto Sosuke shouted while raising his right hand, the rune on his palm suddenly radiated a faint light, and then a giant wall of earth sprouted from the ground, blocking the exploding grenade.


    Bang!


    The loud noise fell, the earth wall completely engulfed the grenade''s lethality and then crumbled apart.


    When the smoke from the explosion cleared, the gate piled up with religious texts still stood, showing no signs of fading.


    The next moment, a young man wearing black and holding a bible stepped out expressionlessly from it, his eyes behind the glasses scrutinizing everyone.


    In that instant a striking eyeball appeared directly before the man in black.


    The Medusa''s Eye.


    Ji Feng Warrior slightly furrowed his brow, quickly realizing something was amiss, and shouted lowly, "Don''t look into that eye!"


    But before his words finished, the eight bodyguards beside him, including Kawamoto Sosuke and Amemiya Naoto, were all petrified together, unable to move.


    Ji Feng Warrior paused for a second, using the sensory abilities of his ghost hands to scan the surroundings. He covered his own eyes, so he wouldn''t be affected by the Medusa''s Eye.


    Suddenly, deafening gunshots came from above, and a barrage of bullets like torrential rain swept down, mixing "sharp peas" and "fine poison needles" among the lead-gray bullets.


    In that moment, Ji Feng Warrior sensed four figures on the rooftop: a punk-style blue-haired girl, a blond man in bartender attire wearing sunglasses, and two grotesque humanoid plants.


    Within just three seconds, the overwhelming barrage had slaughtered all the armed bodyguards.


    Ji Feng Warrior then swiftly ran to the sides of Kawamoto Sosuke and Amemiya Naoto, manipulating the four ghost hands to crisscross wildly, swinging the tachi.

 Chapter 137 Player Squad VS Superhero Ji Feng Warrior_3

    The four tachi blades interwove to create a dense, residual image, blocking the bullets pouring down from the rooftop.The last bullet targeted Ji Feng''s face, but he merely twisted his cheek slightly, using the tachi clenched in his mouth to slice the bullet in half.


    Clang¡ª!


    The bullet fragments split into two, ricocheting off the wall, sparking a fleeting burst of fireworks.


    Ji Feng took a deep breath, guarding Kawamoto Sosuke and Amemiya Naoto, who soon recovered from their petrified state.


    "You all have been too careless,"


    While saying this, Ji Feng used his tachi to block the firepower raining down from the sky ¨C poison darts, pea-sized bullets, and submachine gun rounds all effectively blocked by the demonic dance of his blades.


    It was like a perfectly seamless sea of blade-light iron.


    Clang, clang, clang¡ª!


    The metallic sound of the blades blocking bullets resonated continuously, almost tearing ordinary people''s eardrums.


    "I''m sorry,"


    Kawamoto Sosuke''s expression turned grave as he raised his hands, and, as the runes appeared on his palms, suddenly, a wall of earth emerged from the middle of the wall, stretching across to block the bullets falling from the sky.


    "You shouldn''t do that; it blocks my perception," Ji Feng said sternly.


    "But just defending passively like this isn''t a solution; we have to block the firepower directly above us!" Kawamoto Sosuke said.


    "Hey, stop looking up, someone''s coming from ahead!"


    Amemiya Naoto spoke gravely, pulling a sheathed sword from his sleeve, drawing a long sword, and attaching a charm to the blade, which immediately ignited in flames. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No sooner had he spoken than two figures burst out from the portal in the alley, one of them wearing fist-blades and the other holding a sinister purple tachi.


    A Zhe and Ju Zipi, upon stepping out of the portal, kicked off the ground and immediately rushed forward, splitting to both sides with comparable speed, charging directly towards the three figures ahead.


    The former''s eyes traced a deep blue arc of light, his speed suddenly increasing, his fist-blades sparking in the narrow alley;


    The latter''s gaze suddenly turned open and profound, sharp as a blade''s edge, as the Demon Sword Muramasa drew a trajectory in the air, crafted by waves.


    At that moment, the barrage from the rooftop ceased, as if the group knew they could not penetrate Kawamoto Sosuke''s earthen wall and hence paused their attack. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    But just as Ji Feng''s attention focused on Ju Zipi and A Zhe, a loud noise suddenly came from the sky.


    Bang¡ª!


    Ke Mingye employed the E-rank skill¡ª "Superhero Landing," leaping down in an extremely flamboyant posture from the tenth floor of the rooftop.


    Following this, he almost transformed into a red comet bombing down into the alley, instantly breaking through the already battered earth wall, carrying a whirlwind of shattered earth, and smashing overhead towards Ji Feng.


    Ji Feng hastily lifted his face, summoning four ghoulish hands to raise his tachis, crossing the blades as if to meet Ke Mingye in a mesh-like defense.


    However, at that moment, Fan Quan, hidden in the depths of the alley, suddenly began chanting.


    "Grudge Transfer."


    [E-rank skill¡ªGrudge Transfer: Influences a specific person''s mind within 3 seconds, making them shift their attack target. (The stronger the "mental power" attribute of the opponent, the shorter the influence time, minimum 0.1 seconds)]


    Fan Quan had only used this skill in the "Zombie Pursuit Battle" instance before¡ªto save Qing Meng''s life, he had diverted the zombie chef''s attention from Qing Meng to Ke Mingye.


    Now, however, Fan Quan used this skill to instantaneously shift Ji Feng''s target from Ke Mingye to the nearby Amemiya Naoto.


    Thus, the four ghoulish hands twisted simultaneously, the tightly gripped tachis instantly reversing their target, stabbing towards the close-by Amemiya Naoto.


    With no time to react, his heart, abdomen, and shoulder were simultaneously pierced by the sharp blades, and the last ghoulish hand''s tachi stabbed through his throat.


    In just a second, Amemiya Naoto was dead.


    "You... why?"


    In his final moment, amid the splashing blood, Amemiya Naoto looked at Ji Feng incredulously, shouting hoarsely in shock, then collapsed to the ground.


    "Brother!"


    As Ji Feng snapped out of the "Grudge Transfer" effect, he spun his head around and roared, but his roar was drowned out by the booming noise from above.


    With the ghoulish hands no longer blocking, Ke Mingye could unleash his "Superhero Landing" on Ji Feng without restraint.


    Ji Feng had no choice but to lift his arms, raising his face, intercepting the plummeting Ke Mingye with the two tachis and the one clenched in his mouth.


    The three blades merged together, halting his descending figure.


    Bang!


    Amidst the howling turbulent wind, initially,


    Ke Mingye''s crash seemed to dominate, forcing Ji Feng downward, his feet cracking open a pit filled with spiderweb-like fractures!


    Using the momentum from his fall, he pressed Ji Feng tightly into the pit, but he knew it wouldn''t last long as Ji Feng''s four ghoulish hands were still hovering in mid-air, ready to strike.


    "Damn hybrid!"


    Ji Feng bellowed fiercely, his hands and teeth powerfully engaging, the combined force of the three tachis abruptly flinging Ke Mingye several meters back, smashing him against the alley''s narrow wall.


    Simultaneously, Ji Feng, not giving him a moment to breathe, manipulated the floating ghoulish hands around him to lift the tachis, stabbing towards Ke Mingye with an inconceivable speed!

 Chapter 137 Player Squad VS Superhero Ji Feng Warrior_4

    However, Ke Mingye had lifted his head at that moment and fixed his gaze on Ji Feng, releasing "Phase Transfer."In a flash of electricity and flint fire, Ji Feng and he exchanged positions¡ªKe Mingye appeared in the crater, and Ji Feng was swapped to the top of the wall.


    The four ghost hands holding a tachi stabbed toward Ji Feng''s own body. Reflected in his pupils, the tips of the four blades magnified infinitely, almost piercing through his eyeballs.


    But as the blade tips were infinitely close to his forehead, they stopped just a hair''s breadth away and did not penetrate further.


    Is this what a C-class Superhuman is capable of, such quick reflexes?


    Ke Mingye raised his eyebrows, a hint of surprise in his eyes. He had initially thought that by swapping positions unexpectedly, Ji Feng would be killed by his own ghost hands, yet Ji Feng''s reaction was so swift, even though he was effectively blind...


    At this instant, Ju Zipi and A Zhe had already struck towards Ji Feng.


    However, Ji Feng commanded the four levitating ghost hands, each meeting Ju Zipi and A Zhe''s attack respectively.


    Ju Zipi''s Demon Sword Muramasa slashed onto two crossed tachi, enveloped in a tempestuous surge impacting the crossed blades, the force of both parties equal and unyielding;


    A Zhe then executed "Rising Dragon Fist", his body enveloped in a scarlet glow, soaring into the sky while delivering an unstoppable uppercut, causing two ghost hands to be pushed back;


    Ju Zipi faced two ghost hands;


    A Zhe faced two ghost hands;


    Thus, Ke Mingye had to face Ji Feng himself, activating "Safety Limiters Released", with a streak of icy blue cutting through his eyes.


    Forthwith, his empty left hand was cloaked with the Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves, fingers tensed into a fist, as electricity instantly filled the solid metal fist.


    At the same time, he unleashed "Solar Fist", the stored solar power on his right fist was exhausted, turning into violent kinetic energy.


    In the next instant, the metallic fist wrapped in a flamboyant stream of flames thrust forward, smashing into Ji Feng''s striking tachi, shattering the blade into slag.


    Bang!


    Amidst the crisp sound of the shattering blade, Ji Feng removed one blade from his mouth and with his left hand holding another tachi, slashed towards Ke Mingye.


    Knowing that shattering one of Ji Feng''s tachi was an unexpected action, Ke Mingye then pushed down his right hand, shooting a web to stick onto an air conditioning unit, pulling his body upwards to avoid Ji Feng''s subsequent slash.


    Simultaneously, A Zhe using "Rising Dragon Fist" temporarily pushed back the two ghost hands, creating a gap and charging towards Ji Feng from the right, raising his fist blade to smash towards his head.


    "Young master!"


    Kawamoto Sosuke, while using sorcery to block bullets coming from the sky, shouted anxiously, rushing forward to protect Ji Feng.


    However, he was very aware that this situation could be described as "surrounded on all sides"¡ªalmost entirely without the possibility of escape, with enemies on all sides: above, directly in front, and both left and right.


    Kawamoto Sosuke didn''t know what to do.


    The next moment, a bullet shot from the sky accurately passed through his skull. This bullet instantly ended all his thoughts, allowing him to fall to the ground feeling utterly relieved.


    Meanwhile, A Zhe had already attacked close to Ji Feng, his fist blade, covered in flowing sand, striking towards Ji Feng.


    Ji Feng reacted swiftly, twisting his body to raise the tachi held in his left hand to block the fist blade, while the other blade in his right hand thrust forward, nearly penetrating A Zhe''s forehead.


    But just then, Ju Zipi vigorously beat back the two ghost hands and rushed over, gliding through the dark and cramped alley like a surging dragon, hastily raising his blade to block in front of A Zhe''s forehead.


    The Demon Sword Muramasa met the tip of Ji Feng''s approaching blade, the shock close at hand, pushing like a wave and propelling A Zhe backward into the alley''s wall.


    A Zhe''s head received a heavy impact and he instantly passed out.


    Ji Feng gritted his teeth, emitting a roar like a dying beast cornered, swinging his dual blades towards Ju Zipi. As the blades clashed, they sparked intensely.


    In fleeting glimmers of light, their bodies constantly shifted positions, each collision causing them to either spin around or rebound backward.


    The battlefield changed in the blink of an eye. Qing Meng and Top Bull, to avoid hitting Ju Zipi, dared not to fire any bullets or throw any poison darts.


    "Id."


    In the distance, Fan Quan whispered, and the third paper figure disappeared from his sleeve. He slipped a short-duration attribute boost Buff onto Ju Zipi.


    At that moment, Ju Zipi''s eyes were shrouded in darkness.


    Using both hands, he swiftly swung the Demon Sword Muramasa like a dance of dark purple rain curtains, at an unbelievable speed, blocking the dual blades from Ji Feng.


    Their blade movements fluid like flowing water yet filled with savage aggression, targeting life with each strike, their speed so fast that only afterimages remained.


    In a flash, as the tachi collided, each strike sprayed forth a lavish display of fireworks, while the tremulous blade of the Demon Sword Muramasa emitted an ominous aura.


    Ju Zipi lowered his face, the blade tip engulfed in surges like a serpentine water dragon in mid-air, blocking Ji Feng''s descending tachi time and again, yet still being pressed back.


    At that very moment, Ke Mingye was entangled with Ji Feng''s four ghost hands in mid-air. Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    Those ghost hands, wielding tachi, continually thrust at him, and he could only rely on his web shooters, bouncing back and forth between the two sides of the alley walls, occasionally landing on the ledge of a residential window, atop an air conditioning unit, or clinging to a crevice in the wall to stay mid-air. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 137 Player Squad VS Superhero Ji Feng Warrior_5

    Qing Meng and Top Bull saw the situation and provided fire support from the rooftop. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Qing Meng raised the Thompson submachine gun, and the flames pouring from the muzzle suppressed the four relentless ghost hands, but they couldn''t break through the blade light formed by the swinging tachis, let alone cause any substantial damage to them!


    It was at this moment that Top Bull fiercely threw a poison bottle.


    The ghost hands quickly used their tachis to slice open the poison bottle, and the corrosive liquid sprayed out, passing through the sword formation and splashing onto the backs of their hands.


    This caused their speed to suddenly decrease,


    Ke Mingye seized the opportunity created by the two and raised his metal-gloved left hand, shooting an electromagnetic pulse from the alley wall toward the figure of Ji Feng Warrior.


    Bang!


    The metal patterns on the palm bloomed with brilliance, and the electromagnetic beam formed into a column of light that shot out in an instant, closing in on the figure of Ji Feng Warrior.


    Ji Feng Warrior turned his head abruptly, raising the tachi in his left hand to block the thrust of Ju Zipi, while lifting the tachi in his right hand to block the oncoming electromagnetic shock.


    Yet the ferocious current still traveled from the blade through his body, bringing a subtle numbness and dry sensation.


    Ke Mingye gave him no chance to catch his breath, and with a forceful thrust of his right hand, he shot out a strand of web toward the shoulder of Ji Feng Warrior. Then, kicking off the wall, he grabbed the web and lunged toward him, simultaneously releasing "Solar Fist."


    The solar energy accumulated in his left fist was exhausted at that moment, turning into fierce kinetic and thermal energy.


    Flames burning fiercely rose up, along with the iron fist, and smashed into the chest of Ji Feng Warrior.


    Bang!


    The heart of Ji Feng Warrior was pierced by Flame Fist, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, staining his lips and teeth red.


    Immediately, he staggered backward a few steps, slowly loosening the broken blades he was clutching in his hands, and slumped against the wall.


    The falling blades struck the ground, emitting a heart-trembling lingering sound.


    Meanwhile, the four ghost hands in mid-air suddenly lost their buoyancy and fell powerlessly to the ground, thumping into the rubbish bins in the alley.


    They quickly turned into ashes and vanished among the discarded items buried in the trash.


    The sky over Shinjuku dripped with fine rain, unable to wash away the thick stench of blood in the alley. Read latest chapters on My Virtual Library Empire


    Ju Zipi stood with the Demon Sword Muramasa embedded in the ground, his hands on the hilt supporting his body so that he wouldn''t fall, panting heavily.


    Ke Mingye stepped over the row of corpses and slowly approached Ji Feng Warrior.


    With his last strength, Ji Feng Warrior slowly lifted his bloodied face, his hollow eyes raising from beneath his fringe to look at Ke Mingye.


    "Who exactly are you?" he asked hoarsely.


    "Players," Ke Mingye answered in the poorly learned Japanese he got from anime.


    "Players?"


    Ke Mingye pondered for a while and said nonchalantly, "Hmm... probably a bunch of objectively bad guys."


    "What... What did I do wrong to be targeted by you?"


    Ji Feng Warrior asked weakly, trembling as he covered the gaping wound in his chest, glancing down at his elder brother who lay dead in the alley.


    "There are many more innocent people than you, but they will die sooner or later; just the same, there are many worse than you, but they too will die sooner or later," Ke Mingye said after a moment of silence.


    "Then... why me?" Ji Feng Warrior asked.


    "You were just unlucky, that''s why you were the first," Ke Mingye replied.


    "Just, unlucky?"


    "Yes, unlucky."


    As the words fell, Ke Mingye slowly raised his metal-gloved fist and then struck forward with a speed almost like an afterimage, blasting the head of Ji Feng Warrior.


    Blood sprayed out, splattering onto his expressionless face.


    For a long while, the blood mixed with the large raindrops slid down his face, dripping onto the uneven ground and blending into the dirty puddles.


    [You have killed a C+ grade superhuman "Ji Feng Warrior," this kill has been recorded in the milestone, and your current C grade superhuman kill count is "2."]


    [You have received 3,000 Mall Coins as a first-time reward for hunting a "superhero."]

 Chapter 138 The Azkaban Prison Riot Plan

    Japan time, 7:30 in the evening, Kabukicho, outside a pub.In the torrential rain, large raindrops pattered against the wooden eaves, while four figures stood underneath, avoiding the rain and gazing out at the street shrouded in the rain curtain.


    "A Zhe is fine, already sent her back home to rest," the Top Bull said, turning his head to look at Ke Mingye, "Who would''ve thought... you actually carried medical tools with you."


    "Bought them from the shop," Ke Mingye said, "They''re not expensive, just E-level items."


    While the two were talking, Fan Quan lifted the curtain and walked out of the pub, holding a black umbrella in his hand.


    He said, "Since the mission is complete, if there''s nothing else, then we''re heading back to Huanjing."


    "Ah, off you go then, I''ve got overtime tonight..." Ju Zipi clamped the scabbard under his arm and sighed with his shoulders hugged.


    Ke Mingye patted his shoulder, taking delight in his misfortune, "Lao Ju, be careful not to get drained dry by a wealthy matron."


    "We''ll come to visit when we''re free, hang in there."


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    Qing Meng looked up from her phone, also taking delight in the misfortune, adding a sentence.


    Ju Zipi fell silent for a while, then said with downcast eyes, "As long as you guys don''t die, the rest doesn''t matter."


    "Of course, I''ll definitely die later than you," Qing Meng hummed, "And who knows, we might not even have to die. If we exterminate the Superhuman race and return to the original world, I''ll dial your number, and we''ll have a player gathering in the real world."


    "You make it sound easy, but if I can return to the original world, I''d probably want nothing to do with you guys."


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses, speaking calmly.


    "Such lack of sentiment, you cultural person," Ke Mingye laid a heavy hand on his shoulder.


    Qing Meng gave him a disdainful glance, "Seriously, cultural person, what difference does it make whether you say that or not? Even adding a friend over here has you hemming and hawing; if we really got back to the original world, you''d definitely cut ties with us immediately."


    "The cultural person might have his own thoughts," Ju Zipi smiled.


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, the one who sold you here to be a Cowherd was him after all; he''s full of ideas," Ke Mingye said.


    "Let''s go, back to Huanjing... We just killed a superhero, time to hit the road."


    As he spoke, Fan Quan had already propped up the umbrella, ready to step out from under the eaves, when he was stopped by the Top Bull.


    The Top Bull closed his Nokia phone''s cover and suddenly said, "Hold on, I have something to discuss with you guys."


    Fan Quan turned around and asked, "What is it?"


    "After I reported to the organization about the progress of the assassination mission, I got an important piece of information from them," the Top Bull said, "Roughly ten months from now, anti-Superhuman organizations from around the world are planning a joint attack on the Superhuman prison in the Arctic¡ª''Azkaban''."


    Fan Quan hesitated, "Azkaban Prison, you mean the largest Superhuman prison in the world?"


    "That''s right. The organization wants to take advantage of this action to liberate the Superhuman criminals in prison, to draw out the Divine Communicator Zeus, letting these Superhuman slaughter each other."


    Top Bull paused as he spoke.


    "The criminals locked up in Azkaban Prison are some of the most vicious and evil superhumans in the world. As far as I know, even the least dangerous felons there are at least C-level, and how powerful the strongest ones are, that''s unclear... To be honest, it wouldn''t be surprising if there were S-level combatants among them."


    "Ten months from now, that is, next May," Fan Quan said expressionlessly, "is there an exact date?"


    "Not yet, but currently thirteen superhuman organizations from around the world are involved in preparing for the attack, and they have prepared plenty of equipment specialized for superhumans." Top Bull said, "If that day does come, it will be a war... The number of casualties will be at least in the tens of thousands, and the dead will be the elite among the superhumans." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "War?" Ke Mingye shrugged, "Please, is there really someone in the world who can defeat Zeus? Are you sure it isn''t just that all the criminals will get wiped out by Zeus alone after they''re released? Although that would save us the trouble, I guess."


    Their goal is to exterminate superhumans, so those in the prison cannot be spared, and it''s only a matter of time before they target those cataclysmic felons in Azkaban.


    Whether Zeus can slaughter all the superhuman criminals, or the criminals manage to overpower Zeus, for them, it''s definitely a win-win situation.


    Top Bull said, "Let''s not discuss how many A-level monsters there are among these superhuman criminals; besides, ten months from now, we won''t be at the same level as we are now, we should have the power to stand up to Zeus."


    "Is it possible¡­" Ke Mingye sang doom, "that ten months from now, Zeus has also become stronger? After all, he was already an S-level tough guy at the sixth realm of his divine communication, and if he climbs one more realm, then I don''t even dare to think how strong he will become."


    "So we must kill him as soon as possible. The riot at the Northern Border Prison in ten months is our best chance. We can benefit from Zeus and the criminals in the prison both suffering injuries during their fight, and take them down together, reaping the benefits without lifting a finger."


    Top Bull said, sighing softly, "In other words... if we can''t take down Zeus in that war, our chances are slim."


    "Understood, we''ll deal with that when the time comes. Right now, we can''t predict what will happen in ten months, the situation could change at any moment¡­"


    Fan Quan paused, "Moreover, this may be false intelligence. The people from the Black Tengu Club might be using it to test whether we''re trustworthy enough."


    "Actually, I think so too." Top Bull said, "But the leader of our organization is a peculiar guy, you can''t use common sense to infer his logic."


    Fan Quan said indifferently, "If it weren''t bizarre, he wouldn''t have created an organization that hunts superhumans indiscriminately."


    "Aren''t we players the same?" Qing Meng asked.


    "No, we are forced." Fan Quan said, "If you''ve got nothing better to do, reading a few books at home feels much better than being an executioner¡­"


    Top Bull also said, "Can you guarantee there are no superhuman babies or children in the world? No, they are numerous, and you won''t feel guilty killing a superhero with a sordid past, but what about killing others?"


    Qing Meng remained silent.


    "The only thing we can do is treat this like a game world," Top Bull said. "Choosing to break the shackles of morality or face death, most would opt for the former."


    "Heh, it looks like you''re the most engrossed in the role, playing the Cowherd shop owner quite convincingly." Ke Mingye teased.


    Ju Zipi laughed loudly, but after Top Bull gave him a cold sidelong glance, he drooped his head, holding onto the hilt of his knife, and dared not laugh anymore, rubbing his nose instead.


    "Let''s go home, I''m dead tired," Qing Meng said as she slung the leather bag carrying the guns over her shoulder and stretched.


    "We can''t talk anymore, there''s a client waiting for me at the club."


    Ju Zipi glanced at his phone which had exploded with calls and muttered softly to himself.


    "Oh, and give me back my badge. If I didn''t say it, you wouldn''t have even mentioned it."


    Fan Quan removed the translation badge from the chest of the Top Bull as he spoke, and then walked out from under the eaves of the izakaya, holding an umbrella.


    The Top Bull cursed in Japanese as his voice changed, and Ke Mingye couldn''t help but spit out his drink and said to him, "Sayonara," before he followed Qing Meng to catch up with Fan Quan. The three figures gradually disappeared into the veil of rain.


    "Boss, do you think we can really survive?" Ju Zipi asked while watching the three figures vanish into the rain.


    "We do what we can, and then leave the rest to fate."


    The Top Bull said as he took the cigarette from his mouth and patted Ju Zipi on the shoulder with his hand.


    "It''s time to go drink with the lady boss of Leading Moon Society, or she''ll get pissed off. Last time you and us went on a mission and stood her up, she almost flipped our place upside down."


    "It''s a long road ahead..."


    Ju Zipi looked up into the rain-soaked Tokyo and muttered to himself.


    .........


    .........


    At the same time, in the residential house of Bai Ke''s home in China Huanjing, inside Bai Zini''s room.


    "Big bro, what are you daydreaming about?"


    Bai Zini waved her hand, pouting in annoyance, "It''s your turn to play a card, you''re so distracted. It''s my bad luck to be on your team, next round I''ll be the landlord!"


    "What''s the rush? Don''t you know that in poker, you need to consider carefully and make every move count." Ke Mingye glanced at his own hand, "Pair of twos."


    As he spoke, he picked two hearts of twos and threw them onto the floor of the room, where they landed among the other cards.


    Bai Ziling laid out four spades of fives, saying emotionlessly, "Bomb."


    "Pass."


    "Pass."


    Bai Ziling glanced at the three remaining cards in her hand and without hesitation, slapped down two Jokers.


    "Royal flush," she said, lifting her eyes from beneath her snow-white locks.


    Ke Mingye''s face was expressionless, "Pass."


    Bai Zini''s face turned ashen, "Pass."


    Bai Ziling placed her last card down, her lips curling slightly as she extended her palm towards them, "Three. I win, pay up."


    Ke Mingye opened WeChat and transferred a 10 yuan red envelope to Bai Ziling;


    Bai Zini, looking unhappy, also opened WeChat and grudgingly transferred a 10 yuan red envelope to Bai Ziling.


    Then she pounced on Ke Mingye, shaking him by the shoulders, and said through gritted teeth, "How are we supposed to play when there''s always an actor on the farmers'' side, eh? Are you acting against me? How can you play with a pig-headed teammate like that?!"


    "I just don''t know how to play, teach me more and I''ll learn."


    "We''ve played so many rounds since we were kids, and you''re still saying you don''t know how, pighead is a pighead, how could you bear to screw over your own sister!"


    Bai Ziling took a sip of hot water and calmly echoed, "Pighead."


    Ke Mingye rolled his eyes, "Forget it, I won''t play anymore. You have so many complaints, ask big brother to play with you."


    "Get lost, we''ve never won a single game playing with big brother."


    "Then the second brother."


    "Second brother too!"


    "Then Yongzhu."


    Bai Zini brightened up at this suggestion and clapped her hands, "That''ll work, Zi Ling, go get the junior to come over for a beating. We''ll let him be the landlord and play two against one."


    "Little brother is sleeping."


    "Then wake him up!"


    Ke Mingye ignored the two of them, stood up, patted his buttocks, and walked out of Bai Zini''s room, then went to the living room.


    There, his father sat on a living room chair reading the newspaper, while Bai Qiuwu was on the sofa watching the news. His eldest brother had gone out for a date, and his second brother was in the kitchen helping their mother with housework.


    "What happened to your foot?"


    Ke Youqing glanced at Ke Mingye''s awkward gait and asked.


    "Tripped while running, it''s nothing serious."


    Ke Mingye walked over to the fridge and took out a bottle of cola from the freezer.


    "Be more careful next time." With that, Ke Youqing took his gaze off him and turned to look at an article about a pseudo-policeman dressed like a red and blue owl on the newspaper.


    Just then, the TV unexpectedly broadcast a breaking news report.


    "The Dice Monster appeared again right above the Huanjing Tower, loudly proclaiming tonight''s terror attack with drums and gongs to the public..."


    "It''s been nearly a month since the Dice Monster first appeared in Huanjing, but the Superhero Association has yet to arrest him, leaving him to roam free."


    "This has caused great public discontent and concern. The Superhero Association has still not responded through any media channels up to now."


    Bai Qiuwu fixed her gaze on the Dice Monster banging on drums atop the Huanjing Tower displayed on the TV screen. She hesitated for a moment, then stood up from the sofa and slowly went upstairs.


    Back in her room, she locked the door, leaned against it with her eyes closed, and took a deep breath. Then she opened the window, made sure no one was watching, and summoned the Somersault Cloud from in front of the windowsill.


    Momentarily, she stepped onto the dark cloud and soared lightly upwards until her form disappeared into the deep night sky.

 Chapter 139 Blue Owl, Right By Your Side

    July 6th, evening at half-past eight, Ring 7 Elevated Bridge.The brilliantly lit city could not spare a single ray of light for this cold and silent elevated bridge, which from a distance looked like a cemetery hanging in mid-air, with each street lamp resembling a tombstone glowing faintly.


    Dice Monster was sitting on the railing of the bridge, gently swinging his legs while humming a tune, occasionally lifting his hollow eyes to quietly gaze at the distant Hongdeng Commercial District.


    He still held a hot dog in his hand, his fingers slowly rubbing the plastic wrapper, making a slightly grating sound.


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    Squeak~


    Moments later, a sinister figure riding a dark cloud slowly galloped from afar, approaching the Ring 7 Elevated Bridge. The harsh moonlight mixed with the flickering lights slowly illuminated her figure.


    She was dressed in a silver and white metal long coat, wearing a monkey mask on her face, with crimson eyes behind the eye sockets, and a silver hood covering her head.


    "So, you really can''t sit still for a day without stirring up some mischief, can you?"


    Black Wukong asked irritably.


    Upon hearing this, the gray humanoid figure sitting bent at a corner of the bridge lowered its head, tearing the wrapper with one hand while waving the other at her.


    Without turning its head, it said, "How could that be, Miss Sun Wukong? We haven''t seen each other in three days, have we? Just as I said, on the fourth of July, your brother would be in trouble."


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    "But you didn''t tell me that my brother is a dragon."


    Dice Monster earnestly said, "Everything must retain a sense of mystery. What relationships need the most between people is a sense of mystery. Without it, all relationships in the world would lose their charm."


    "Forget about Yongzhu for now, what are you here for this time?" Black Wukong asked.


    "Oh, did I come to find you?"


    As he spoke, Dice Monster tore off the wrapper and popped the hot dog into his mouth.


    Black Wukong stepped off the Somersault Cloud and asked, "Throwing dice there doesn''t count as your signal to me? Next time, you could just send me a message, no need to involve others."


    "Are you perhaps being a bit presumptuous?"


    Black Wukong was silent for a moment, then tilted her hood-covered head and said coldly, "You really do deserve a beating."


    "Didn''t you see I just had a band of the dead dance there? It was so lively, with flashes going ''click click'', and everyone was laughing so heartily."


    Dice Monster said while biting into the hot dog, gulping it down greedily, making a "gurgle gurgle" sound.


    He struggled to swallow the bread, then raised a finger, "You know, all surprises are based on a contrast¡ªwhen I told them I was going to carry out a terror attack at Huanjing Tower, they screamed and scattered. But before the countdown ended, I threw that die early. A cute child who thought he couldn''t escape fell to the ground, and lifting his tearful eyes, suddenly found... there was his favorite singer, singing that very nostalgic old song right in front of him. What a wonderful gift, one he will remember for a lifetime."


    "That''s really twisted..."


    Black Wukong said, pausing for a moment, "Your dice can''t be controlled, can they? How did you know it would definitely be a band? What if it had been a natural disaster instead, how many people would have suffered?"


    "No no no, actually I can control my dice."


    Having said that, Dice Monster threw away the wrapper in his hand, watching it flutter in the wind, dropping into the neon-lit city.


    "Are you sure?" Black Wukong challenged.


    "Of course, at least now I can choose the results myself, hmm... it''s just that not all those options are good."


    Black Wukong crossed her arms, the Jingu Bang nestled between them, "I''ll give you the benefit of the doubt for now, but if you ever really cross the line one day, I will be the first to arrest you."


    Dice Monster turned to look at her, "You still don''t trust me enough, huh? You could have come here without wearing that battle gear, wearing a cute dress would have been much nicer, I like cute girls."


    Black Wukong hung her head and said, "What if someone else came looking for you, like¡­ Magical Girl Ash."


    "So, you''re not denying that if no one else did, you''d have come in a cute dress to meet me?"


    Black Wukong sighed, "If you talk like that again, I''ll knock you dead with one strike."


    "Sorry, sorry." Dice Monster smiled, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender, "Speaking of which, why would anyone else come looking for me? Haven''t you seen how well-behaved I''ve been lately?"


    "Well-behaved?" Black Wukong hesitated, "You mean, harassing those newly-emerged vigilantes under the pretense of ''making friends''?"


    "Please, everyone says I''m their nice neighbor, the big brother who performs charitable music programs regularly at Huanjing Square every night."


    As Black Wukong''s gaze became colder, Dice Monster sighed and changed his tone, "Ah, it''s really just making friends, I haven''t hurt anyone, right?"


    Saying this, he licked his ketchup-stained fingers, "Haven''t you noticed it''s always them chasing after me to beat me up?"


    "Your picture is still up on the association''s official website, if they''re not chasing you, who else would they chase?"


    "That''s true, this society does love to label people. Actually, I''m not a criminal, but an artist¡­ an artist who''s been deeply misunderstood."

 Chapter 139 Blue Owl, Right By Your Side_2

    Black Wukong had run out of patience with this chatterbox, so she sat down next to the Dice Monster and together they looked down at the distant city from the overpass.She said, "Cut the crap, I saw the news that day. Why did you provoke that vigilante called Blue Owl so openly, as if... you wanted others to know about it?"


    "Are you jealous?"


    Upon hearing this, Black Wukong instantly raised her Jingu Bang, pressing it against the Dice Monster''s neck. Silent, she gave off a vibe that said, if you talk such nonsense again, I''ll knock you out with my staff.


    "Well, that guy called ''Blue Owl,'' you should be interested in him."


    "What do you mean?"


    The Dice Monster slowly said, "Let''s just keep this mystery for now, it''s not fun if the answer is revealed too quickly."


    Black Wukong frowned at first, then quickly caught on: "You''re not suggesting... that this Blue Owl, like Magical Girl Ash, is also someone close to me, are you?"


    "Oh, you figured that out?"


    Speaking, the Dice Monster lowered its face, its tone gradually taking on a teasing note, "Alright, it''s no fun, trying to deceive you is indeed difficult now, there''s already a precedent... So, I''ll just tell you straight, Blue Owl is right by your side, maybe a classmate, your friend, your neighbor..."


    At this point, it paused slightly, the corners of its mouth curling up, "Or perhaps, he''s one of your family members?"


    Hearing this, Black Wukong first curved the corners of her mouth behind the mask, opened her mouth to retort, saying Blue Owl had appeared while our entire family was in the middle of a family meeting; you''ve targeted the wrong person this time.


    But the next second, she froze in place.


    Because she suddenly remembered, Blue Owl''s first public appearance was exactly the night before last.


    At that time, she was in Yongzhu''s room having a family meeting with her older brother and the others.


    And in that meeting, the only family members not present were... Dad, Mom, and Mingye.


    But Dad and Mom were on a trip to London, they even shared a landscape photo in the family chat that day, so it couldn''t have been them.


    After this process of elimination, only one person remained unaccounted for.


    An individual... Bai Qiuwu had never thought would be involved in such matters.


    ¡ªKe Mingye.


    Considering this, Bai Qiuwu''s Eyes of Golden Flame behind the mask widened slightly, the burning red and gold flames flickering in her pupils.


    "Mingye... How could it be?"


    She pondered for a moment, then turned to look at the Dice Monster and asked almost word by word, "Are you sure you''re not playing a joke on me?"


    "Whether it''s a joke or not, why don''t you investigate it yourself and find out?"


    The Dice Monster shook its head, murmuring.


    Black Wukong hung her head, her gaze shifting behind the mask, and after a long silence, she said, "If you dare lie to me, I''ll make sure you pay the price... Understand?"


    "How can you be so sure it''s him?" you say? "Maybe I''m talking about your dear old dad, who, after being strictly managed by his wife for decades, suddenly gets a middle-aged second childishness and wants to save the world. So he puts on an awkward superhero costume, adds a voice changer, and plays vigilante. Isn''t that a plausible story too?"


    As Dice Monster spoke, it raised its hand, gently grasped the Jingu Bang that Bai Qiuwu held against its neck, and slowly pushed it forward.


    Then it turned around and stood up from the railing.


    The next moment, it lowered its face and, with hands raised high, leaned backward, slowly falling towards the neon-flashing city.


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    "The fun is in uncovering the answer yourself...isn''t it?"


    As the voice faded, its body gradually cracked in midair, eventually bursting into flames that ascended, followed by a sinister laugh echoing through the night sky.


    Bai Qiuwu sat alone on the bridge railing, head hung low, silent for a long, long time. The evening breeze over the city gently brushed her face, feeling so piercingly cold.


    .....


    .....


    Twenty minutes later, outside the entrance to Bai Ke''s home.


    Bai Qiuwu keyed in the passcode to the electronic lock, pushed open the door, and saw Ke Yinzhi, Ke Youqing, Ke Mingye, and Ke Xiaomo sitting in front of the TV, watching the screen.


    "We interrupt with a news bulletin. Just now, the Japanese Superhero Association has released a shocking message: the near-A-grade hero¡ªJi Feng Samurai has fallen victim to an assassination and regrettably passed away. The incident is suspected to be related to the Anti-Superhuman Organization. Japanese police and the Superhero Association solemnly promise to do everything in their power to track down the murderer and seek justice for Ji Feng Samurai."


    "One week from now, the Japanese officials will hold a solemn mourning ceremony in Tokyo, where Ji Feng Samurai''s family will be invited to attend, and the Prime Minister of Japan will personally offer condolences. The following is the original video by the Japanese officials."


    "In this moment of sorrow, we express our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of Ji Feng Samurai, and we call upon all citizens to carry on the will and spirit of this young hero, to work together towards a better future. Let us pay the highest respect to this superhero, who has made tremendous contributions to the nation and is dearly loved by the people..."


    On TV, the host was broadcasting a piece of news about the superheroes in Japan.


    Ke Mingye raised his eyebrows in surprise and said, "What the hell... what happened? Wasn''t this Ji Feng Samurai guy bouncing around alive just yesterday?"


    Ke Xiaomo, holding her shoulders and expressionless, said, "That''s the way it is with superheroes, the more conspicuous they are, the more likely they are targeted. Moreover, in Japan, gangs and the Anti-Superhuman Organization are rampant."


    Ke Youqing didn''t join in the conversation but simply stood up from the sofa, left a remark "The world''s gone downhill, be extra careful when you go out in the future," and then went upstairs.


    Ke Yinzhi, with a bottle of drink in his hand, spoke in a casual tone, "The Japanese Superhero Association is probably going through a big shake-up. From what I recall, this Ji Feng Samurai had a pretty high status there. The big shots over there invested a lot of resources in him, trying to raise him as a leader for the new generation. But no one expected it to end like this."


    While sipping his drink, he continued, "Half a year ago, this Ji Feng Samurai even participated in a United Nations conference as a representative of the new era for the Japanese Association. He didn''t have much strength but was extremely arrogant when he spoke." With that, he let out a shallow curve of his lips, "Unfortunately, the more arrogant they are, the quicker they die."


    Ke Mingye glanced at him and said wistfully, "You sure know a lot, big bro."


    Ke Xiaomo said flatly, "That''s what college students are like these days, like to search up some news online, and then pretend to know it all."


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yinzhi chuckled lightly and said in annoyance, "Was it necessary to insult me like that, Xiao Mo student?"


    Bai Qiuwu stopped at the entrance, watched the three on the sofa from behind for a while, then closed the door and slowly took a seat next to Ke Mingye, picking up her cellphone.


    Her thoughts were slightly heavy, even her breathing somewhat slow. Occasionally, she glanced up, casting sidelong glances at Ke Mingye''s profile, then quietly looked away.


    "Mingye is that Blue Owl, no, how could that be?" she thought, "Have I been fooled by that strange thing again...but it seems like it''s never lied to me before... Forget it, I''ll just pay more attention to Mingye."


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 Chapter 140 Starting Out, Surpassing Heaven and Earth

    "Did my older sister get dizzy from anger because of me?"Ke Mingye thought to himself as he sneaked a bottle of chilled lemon-flavored cocktail from the fridge and stepped onto the staircase.


    "I remember she just slipped out from the second floor. But when she came home, she walked in through the front door as bold as brass, which was rather careless... Ah, if she were in my shoes, playing as a gamer, she would''ve died three or four hundred times over."


    "But it seems everyone didn''t notice: it''s understandable that dad didn''t since he was in the bathroom, but big brother, that old fox, couldn''t have missed it, right?"


    "Looks like big brother must already know about older sister''s identity from the eldest brother, otherwise it doesn''t make sense."


    As Ke Mingye thought this, he took out his smartphone, opened Baidu, and searched for rumors about "Out-of-Control Divine Communicators."


    As the screen refreshed, a series of rumors popped up. Some said someone had caught the out-of-control Zeus killing a pregnant prostitute at a bar, others claimed the Divine Communicator Cernunos had killed his own troops during the Sudan Civil War.


    However, these rumors were clarified by the Superhero Association as misinformation, and they sternly stated that legal responsibilities would be pursued if anyone continued to spread similar rumors.


    The general public might not believe that Divine Communicators could lose control, but Ke Mingye did¡ªafter all, this was the information he had wheedled out of his older sister while assuming the identity of Dice Monster.


    "Then big brother and second brother must know that Divine Communicators can eventually lose control. Could the Ninja Sect or Anomaly Control Bureau have some way to cure the monkey inside older sister?"


    "If older sister has a risk of losing control, then Zeus might too... Right, could the Phoenix have turned into a super villain because of losing control?"


    He pondered as he turned off his phone.


    "Logically, if the Management Bureau can''t solve this risk, then considering their nature, they would probably treat Zeus and older sister as targets for extermination, since one of their tasks is to manage superheroes who could lose control at any moment." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye''s thoughts dwelled on this, and he suddenly paused.


    He seemed to have made a connection, so he opened the task menu and looked up at the family main line of his eldest brother Ke Yinzhi¡ª[Collaborate with "Black Judge" to kill other S-grade executives of the Management Bureau].


    "Damn, so the eldest brother wants to slaughter those S-grade executives from the Management Bureau just to keep older sister safe from them?"


    Ke Mingye had a sudden realization.


    He walked on the stairs like a puppet on strings, zoning out for two or three seconds before snapping back to reality.


    "So, after big brother and younger brother have finished, it''s big brother and older sister''s turn, huh?" he thought.


    As he stepped onto the second floor, he coincidentally met Ke Yongzhu coming out of Bai Zini''s room,with a dark face, shoulders slightly raised, and fists clenched at his sides.


    He looked exactly like Spike, the little dog from "Tom and Jerry," when he gets angry.


    "I''m done playing, they all target me, there goes my New Year''s money," he muttered.


    "Close the door!" Bai Zini, sitting on the bed, lifted her eyes and shouted down the hall, "Don''t you have any manners, you elementary schooler?"


    "It''s not my room''s door. Can''t you close it yourself?"


    "Heh, looking for a beating, huh? Tomorrow I''ll tell dad and mom about that stuff with you and the panda."


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yongzhu initially blinked, then scoffed with a face flushed red, turned his head, and obediently closed the door, his expression even more annoyed.


    As Ke Mingye approached, he looked up from his phone, then took two steps to the right, blocking his path, and drawled.


    "Yo, isn''t this our little elementary schooler?"


    "What do you want?"


    "Looks like you got thrashed playing Fight the Landlord, huh?"


    "So annoying," Ke Yongzhu retorted angrily, "They kept making me be the landlord, and every time I was about to play a card, they''d verbally attack me to distract me!"


    "What do you mean verbally attack? Online you still get messages like ''hurry up, my flowers are wilting,'' and now you can''t even talk while playing in person?"


    Bai Zini''s rather smug voice came from the room, as if it were a matter of course.


    "Exactly."


    Following closely, Bai Zi Ling''s calm voice came through, though not as aggressive as Bai Zini''s.


    Ke Mingye scratched his nose, chuckling as he asked, "How many rounds did you lose?"


    Ke Yongzhu glared at him, "Kneeled for 10 rounds, lost a hundred bucks, are you satisfied now?"


    "Well done."


    Ke Mingye patted his shoulder and whispered close to his ear, "Tell me privately what you guys discussed in the family meeting the other day, and I''ll help you win back your pocket money from those two witches."


    As he spoke, Bai Zini''s voice continued to provoke the elementary schooler from the room.


    "Yay, I successfully won back the money I lost to Xiao Ling from the elementary schooler, I''m so happy."


    "No." Ke Yongzhu shook his head and averted his face, "Big brother said I can''t tell you. If you don''t agree, go talk to him."


    "Fine, just single me out then."


    "It''s not that we''re singling you out, it''s nothing important."


    After whispering, Ke Yongzhu moved back to his own room and slammed the door shut.


    Ke Mingye watched his retreating figure, stood still for two seconds, then went into the bathroom to wash up before also returning to his own room.


    Just as he lay down on the bed, a vibration suddenly came from under the pillow.


    He yawned, pulled out the spare phone from under the pillow, and glanced at it.


    The notification was from QQ, sent by a profile whose avatar was a cartoon penguin wearing a gray skirt, seemingly drawn by a fan of Magical Girl Ash.


    "Talking about not looking at the fan club, yet there she is eagerly looking and even using a fan-made picture as her alt account''s avatar."


    Ke Mingye stared at the avatar, thinking disdainfully.


    He hadn''t set an avatar for Little Red Riding Hood''s QQ, so it displayed the default avatar: "The mountains are high and the waters clear, with a cow standing in the middle," quite abstract.


    Ke Mingye shifted his gaze from Bai Zini''s alt account avatar and looked at the message content.


    [I''m not Ash: You there?]


    Wow, such a standard "You there?" for a starter, little sis, you really know how to chat. Changing genders makes it feel like a real clown show.


    Her QQ username was just like a middle schooler''s.


    Oh, she was a middle schooler, so that was fine then.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye typed in the QQ chat box and clicked send.


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Not here.]


    He had intensely replicated the chat norm of 21st-century elementary school students.


    [I''m not Ash: Haha, really funny.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Glad to make you laugh, senior.]


    [I''m not Ash: Actually, I meant to ask if you used my salary to buy new clothes?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Not yet, senior, don''t stress that it''s your salary, it puts a lot of pressure on me.]


    [I''m not Ash: Where are you sleeping now?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Senior, are you checking my household registration?]


    [I''m not Ash: I am just concerned about you, okay? I wouldn''t bother about anyone else, you should be grateful, got it?]


    Ke Mingye rolled his eyes and quickly changed his own QQ nickname.


    [I''m not Little Red Riding Hood: Senior, you''re so domineering. Have you been reading too many of those domineering CEO romance novels?]


    [I''m not Ash: Who would read that stuff.]


    [I''m not Little Red Riding Hood: Ah, I''m so pitiful, I''ve grown up without reading many romance novels, always busy picking up trash.]


    [I''m not Ash: Let''s not talk about this now, how did you change your QQ name so quickly?]


    [I''m not Little Red Riding Hood: Is it not nice?]


    [I''m not Ash: So annoying, can you change your name back?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Oh, I guess you don''t like being imitated, senior. I thought you would be happy.]


    [I''m not Ash: Talking to you really could give someone high blood pressure.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: I think it''s mutual, after all, The Little Match Girl can''t be in the same fairy tale as Snow White.]


    [I''m not Ash: Please, now you''re getting sentimental with your references?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: (Seal crying emoji).]


    [I''m not Ash: Are you free to come over tomorrow?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: I''m free, I''m an unemployed vagabond.]


    [I''m not Ash: You''re too aware of it, but you''re still underage, how can you call yourself an unemployed vagabond?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Not studying, not working, what else if not unemployed? I understand, senior, you think I''m a tramp. I''ll just leave Huanjing then.]


    [I''m not Ash: Can you stop with the drama, okay?] Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Ke Mingye rested his hands behind his head, sighed, and thought to himself that usually at home she was the most dramatic, but now the tables had turned, indeed, what goes around comes around.


    [I''m not Ash: Tomorrow I''ll introduce you to two of your teammates. You''ll work, patrol, and such together in the future.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: I''m very shy.]


    [I''m not Ash: Isn''t that why I''ll be there?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Senior, protect me. I''m afraid they''ll look down on me, a country bumpkin, call me an orphan and a poor kid, I''m worried I won''t be able to resist throwing garbage at them.]


    [I''m not Ash: Your imagination really is rich. Such people joining the alliance would be quite odd.]


    [I''m not Ash: Anyway, I''m logging off, I won''t be able to sleep if I keep chatting with you.]


    After dropping the last sentence, the QQ avatar of "I''m not Ash" turned gray, like a black and white photograph at a funeral.


    Ke Mingye stashed the spare phone under the mattress and stared at the blank ceiling, lost in thought.


    "The two teammates she mentioned must be Magical Girl Rainbow and Magical Girl Maple I saw that day... Their abilities are quite strong, turns out I might not even be able to beat them, but hanging on to their coattails might not be too bad."


    "Newcomers have to team up; logically thinking, joining the Superhero Association means newcomers also have to team up. I''m really curious what kind of monsters and beasts will be in my hero squad when Blue Owl''s identity enters the Association?"


    "Ah, I just hope there won''t be a superhero whose superpower is mind reading, otherwise I''d be totally doomed."


    As he was thinking, suddenly a message bubble popped up in the upper right corner of his vision.


    He reached out to burst the bubble, and a chat panel sprung up.


    [Cai Bing: I''ve made the face mask you wanted overnight and placed it in a locker at Old Jingmai District Train Station.]


    [Cai Bing: But be careful, your big brother seems to be a master of disguise too. I suggest keeping your distance or he might see through you.]


    [Failed Man: That was quick, I''ll be careful.]


    [Cai Bing: You think you''re speaking to just anyone? I''m off to sleep, no disturbances.]


    Ke Mingye closed the chat panel, thought for two seconds, and immediately opened QQ to send a message to Ash.


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Senior, after you introduce me to the two teammates tomorrow, I''d like to visit your place.]


    The avatar of "I''m not Ash" lit up quickly.


    After hesitating for a whole ten seconds, she replied to the message and immediately went offline afterwards.


    [I''m not Ash: Depends on your behavior.]


    "I need good behavior to go to my own home now, is it really that strict?"


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye shrugged his shoulders, turned off the spare phone, and stuffed it back under the mattress. He slowly closed his eyelids and soon fell into a deep sleep.


    A night without words.

 Chapter 141 Witchs Night

    July 7th, Bai Ke''s home.After being disciplined by the system alarm clock, Ke Mingye''s biological clock had become precise like machinery, always waking him up punctually at 6 AM before dawn.


    [Good morning, Mr. Player, today is July 7th, 2028. There are 346 days left until the deadline of the ultimate task "Eradicate the Superhumans."]


    The usual, opening his eyes to the system''s pop-up was a hypertension inducer.


    Whether or not the superhumans would be eradicated a year later was unknown, but one thing was certain¡ªplayers suffering from hypertension wouldn''t be in short supply.


    However, Ke Mingye didn''t mind, feeling anxious in the past, but he had grown accustomed to it after this period of time.


    His mental fortitude, honed in Bai Ke''s home, was evident.


    He scratched his messy hair, removing the `sleep'' from his eyes just like he swiped away the notification panel.


    After finishing his bathroom routine, he left his home, ran around Old Jingmai District, and after completing one hundred push-ups, his damned daily task was done.


    [You have received the reward for daily task 2 "One Hundred Push-ups," obtaining 1 freely distributable attribute point.]


    [Your "Spiritual Power" attribute has changed: 12¡ú13 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [You have received the reward for daily task 1 "Run Seven Kilometers," earning a chance at the lucky draw.]


    [You have drawn a reward from section four¡ª "1500 Experience Points."] S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Your level has risen to Lv. 14 (500 points/8000 points), earning 1 freely distributable attribute point.]


    [Your "Spiritual Power" attribute has changed: 13¡ú14 points (¡ü1 point).]


    To stand firm among Magic Girls and do slightly well, he quickly needed to raise his Spiritual Power to the Superhuman level, otherwise his current magic power was still too weak.


    Ke Mingye was quite confident. After all, "Xiaohongmao" was a transformation ability brought by an almost A-grade props card, so the system set his talents quite high as a Magic Girl. Given that his Spiritual Power was still so low, the magic power Xiaohongmao could exert was already very effective.


    On reflection, investing in "Spiritual Power" was a bargain; just two or three points of Spiritual Attribute could make Xiaohongmao''s magic power rise significantly.


    This pace of progress would leave those average-talented Magic Girls far behind, almost like cheating.


    "No wonder Xizi Yue took a liking to me, could it be... I''m the damn once-in-five-thousand-years genius Magic Girl?"


    As Mingye walked towards the Old Jingmai Cafe, he looked up to see that it was already open early in the morning, with the "Open" sign hanging on the wooden door.


    He moved forward, pushing open the cafe''s wooden door, as the wind chimes tinkled melodically.


    He had heard from his brother that the cafe''s owner had returned in the past couple of days, so the cafe opened much earlier than usual;


    Not only did the owner make excellent coffee, but she also prepared some sandwiches daily, which were said to be quite tasty, prompting his visit to give them a try.


    Ke Mingye found a corner in the cafe, bathed in orange-yellow lighting, and soon after, a calm voice emanated from behind the counter.


    "What would you like to drink?"


    Glancing at the menu on the wooden table, Mingye pondered for two seconds before replying, "Uh, I don''t drink coffee. Can I have a glass of milk and a sandwich?"


    "All right." Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    After putting down the menu, Mingye heard the owner''s voice and thought to himself how young the owner must be.


    While thinking this, a tall and thin silhouette appeared from behind the counter''s back room. Leaning against the cafe''s counter, he rested his arms on the surface, head bowed, fiddling with his phone.


    From the sound of it, he seemed to be playing Minesweeper.


    Mingye figured this person must be a staff member, so he just quietly checked the daily news on his phone without looking up.


    Lately, witch-related incidents had been increasing around the world.


    Many Magic Girls had fallen victim; in London, as many as seven Magic Girls had gone missing.


    One of the three leaders of the Alliance, Magic Girl Lilai, was deeply troubled by this matter and had only last night, on behalf of the London Alliance branch, vowed in a press conference to catch the witches lurking in the city and bring them to justice.


    During the press conference, journalists asked a question that Mingye was very interested in: whether "Witch''s Night" truly existed.


    Magic Girl Lilai maintained silence on this issue, her eyebrows creased lightly, offering no response.


    Mingye had searched for "Witch''s Night" online and heard it might be the witches'' trump card¡ªif they gathered enough Qiyamate Comet Fragments, "Witch''s Night" could return to the world.


    But no one knows what "Witch''s Night" is, and there are various comments about it online.


    Some say it''s the witches'' ultimate weapon; others say Witch''s Night is the world''s most powerful witch, sealed inside an Egyptian pyramid by the original generation of Magic Girls;


    There are also those who claim Witch''s Night is a natural disaster, originating from the Tower of Babel in the Bible, where humans incurred divine wrath by building a colossal tower, prompting deities to send down "Witch''s Night" as punishment.


    As Mingye browsed, it was hard to find consensus, making the information frustratingly unreliable.

 Chapter 141 Witchs Night_2

    If you wanted to know what Witch Night was, you probably could only pry it out of the mouths of the three bigwigs at the Magical Girl Alliance, so he needed to get close to Xizi Yue.Ke Mingye was intensely surfing the internet when the "clerk" who was leaning on the counter playing Minesweeper suddenly walked over and sat opposite him.


    The clerk tucked his phone into his jacket and said in a relaxed tone, "Coming in so early, looks like you''re just like me, heard the boss is back and wanted to taste his craftsmanship?"


    Who the hell are you?


    Ke Mingye looked up, confusion apparent in his gaze.


    Before him sat a handsome young man dressed in a gray hoodie, underneath which he wore a white T-shirt printed with the "Polar Bear Bookstore" font and cartoon logo, paired with black cloth pants.


    The young man lifted his brown eyes, looking at him with interest, a slight smile curling the corners of his mouth.


    The next moment, Ke Mingye saw a informational panel pop up above the other''s head.


    [Name: An Senlu]


    [Age: 20 years old]


    [Strength: Unknown]


    [Character Nickname: Old Day Chess Player (???)]


    Ke Mingye stared at the text displayed on the panel, stunned for a full two seconds, his thoughts nearly crashing.


    No way, the same question mark level strength as my mom?


    At that moment, he fiercely remembered that in the Superhero Round Table, the Divine Communicator Zeus, ranked S in strength, was only third. So could this guy possibly be that mysterious figure ranked NO.1 in the Superhero Round Table?


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye put away his phone and met the other''s gaze feigning calm, asking, "Buddy, you need something?"


    "No worries, he just rarely sees someone coming in so early, so he struck up a casual conversation with you."


    As he spoke, the owner of the coffee shop slowly walked out, placing a steaming cup of coffee and a plate of sandwiches on the table, then said calmly, "Enjoy."


    Ke Mingye''s eyes flitted over the manager for a moment, and he froze for half a second.


    [Name: Xia Mingwei]


    [Age: 19 years old]


    [Strength Rating: Unknown]


    [Character Nickname: Son of Rainbow God (???)]


    Xia Mingwei had a sharp facial structure, with deep, dark eyes, and a prominent nose. He was dressed in a waiter-like black and white checkered uniform with a light brown kitchen apron.


    After serving the breakfast, Xia Mingwei leaned against the counter, one hand on his shoulder and the other holding a cup of hot coffee for himself, taking a light sip.


    "Excuse me, boss, something just came up, can you pack this for me?"


    Ke Mingye hesitated for half a second before looking up to ask the manager.


    Hearing this, Xia Mingwei set down his coffee cup on the counter, sighed, and turned to An Senlu, saying, "See, you scared him."


    "Really?"


    Saying this, An Senlu shrugged helplessly, "Xia Mingwei, I feel like it''s your problem."


    "Behave yourself." Xia Mingwei said.


    Seeing that the two were not paying attention to him, Ke Mingye urged further, "I''m really tight on time, boss."


    "Alright, then I''ll pack it for you." Xia Mingwei said.


    "Buddy, my name is An Senlu, and we might meet again in the future. Of course, that will require fate, everything depends on fate."


    An Senlu took out his phone from his pocket, lowered his eyes, and while playing Minesweeper, he spoke to himself.


    "I''m Ke Mingye, buddy, you wouldn''t happen to be a Taoist, right?"


    "No, just a chess player."


    Ke Mingye scratched his nose and complained, "But I''ve only ever heard Taoists talk like that."


    Hearing this, An Senlu chuckled softly, teasing, "I actually know a Taoist who''s currently living a reclusive life on Mount Hua."


    As they spoke, Xia Mingwei came over with a well-packed bag of food and placed it on the table.


    "It''s all packed."


    A moment later, Ke Mingye walked out of the coffee shop, holding the packaged bag, his heart still racing. Bathing in the morning sun helped soothe his uneasy mind.


    Damn, what kind of people are these two? So, just having a cup of coffee in the newbie village, and I happen to bump into two final bosses?


    As he pondered, he quickly left Number 7 Street and then opened the communication feature, tapping into the city''s player discussion group. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [City Players Discussion Group]


    [Failed Man: Guys, whatever you do, don''t go near the caf¨¦ in Old Jingmai District. Sometimes there are two hidden bosses that spawn there.]


    [Fan Quan sent a private message.]


    [Fan Quan: If you''re not fully awake, sleep a bit more, and stop spouting nonsense in the group. Isn''t your whole family a bunch of final bosses?]


    [Ke Mingye: I''ll explain later, my head is spinning.]


    After sending the message, Ke Mingye returned home, enjoying breakfast in the kitchen while searching for information about "Witch''s Night."


    Then he sat on the couch and played "Assassin''s Creed: Black Flag" on his Switch.


    ...


    ...


    Time quietly shifted to ten o''clock in the morning, Yandai Commercial Street, on the long-abandoned rooftop of Huanjing Elementary School.


    A magic girl dressed in a gothic gray gown stood with one hand on her hip, leaning against the wall as she frantically tapped on her smartphone encased in black gloves.


    [I''m not Ash: Have you arrived yet? You''re standing me up again. Be careful, I''ll tell the master and have her dock your pay!]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: Senior, you really are impatient. Can''t you show a little more tolerance and love for a poor garbage-picking orphan girl?]


    [I''m not Ash: I''m giving you five more minutes.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: I''m here, here!]


    Ash lifted her head, and from a corner of the sky, wrapped in wind and snow, a blonde girl dressed in a Christmas gown and wearing a Christmas hat was gently being brought over.


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao emerged from the wind and snow, her toes touching down on the rooftop floor.


    "See, I''m here," she said.


    "About time. Let''s go."


    Magical Girl Ash said coldly, moving her gaze away from her and turning to walk through the rooftop door into the building.


    Xiaohongmao followed, and soon the pair reached a classroom on the fifth floor.


    Looking up, they saw two magic girls sitting in front of the "meeting table."


    [Code Name: Magical Girl Hong]


    [Age: 14]


    [Strength: C+ level]


    The magical girl on the left was wearing a pink pleated skirt, with long pink hair bound by a bright red hairband.


    She sat neatly, hands properly placed on her knees, appearing somewhat constrained.


    [Code Name: Magical Girl Feng]


    [Age: 15]


    [Strength: C++ level]


    The other magic girl had short golden hair and was dressed in an elegant skirt as red as autumn leaves. Her face held a neutral beauty, resembling a handsome boy.


    Magical Girl Ash, holding her shoulders, introduced to Xiaohongmao: "These are your two teammates. You''ll be working with them for a long time to come."


    Xiaohongmao nodded, didn''t reply, and tried to look a bit shy. Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Hello, I''m Magical Girl Hong, Hong as in Rainbow,"


    Hong lifted her head, showing a friendly smile, her voice sweet and fine, just like her smile.


    "I''m Feng, Feng as in Maple," Feng said faintly.


    Seeing Xiaohongmao struggled to speak, Ash sighed and spoke for her, "Let me introduce, this is Little Red Riding Hood..."


    As she said this, Magical Girl Ash turned her fair cheek away and continued, "She is... my sister."


    "Eh?"


    Hong and Feng both paused, stunned.


    "Ah?"


    Xiaohongmao also paused for a few seconds, thinking, since when did I become your sister? Isn''t that somewhat unethical?

 Chapter 142 Blue Owl X Little Red Riding Hood X Magical Girl Ash (Part 1)

    A second ago, Xiaohongmao had found the idea of swapping roles a bit eerie, but the next, she readily accepted the arrangement, thinking to herself that at home she''s the younger sister, but outside, she''d take the role, like a fair bit of fortune-telling.So, she spoke, "Yes, I''m her younger sister."


    "Magical Girl Ash''s real younger sister?"


    Magical Girl Hong clasped her hands at her skirt, her eyes wide in surprise.


    "Really?"


    Magical Girl Feng rested her chin on her hand, her face equally astonished.


    "I''m serious, could it even be fake? She is my real younger sister, so take good care of her, got it?"


    Magical Girl Ash said, wrapping her arms around herself with an assertive tone, yet her expression slightly faltered, causing her to turn her face away and lower her head slightly.


    "We definitely will," Hong quickly responded, clapping her hands and smiling, "After all, the senior has taken much care of us, we will definitely look after Xiaohongmao."


    "Thank you."


    Xiaohongmao said, expressionlessly.


    Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Feng tilted her head slightly, eyeing both of them with amazement, "It''s no wonder the senior is so talented, having sisters both being magic girls. They must be the chosen ones."


    "It''s not uncommon, sometimes it happens like this. Our grandmother is a magic girl too, she can make a magic healing medicine that cures all kinds of ills when taken."


    Magical Girl Ash spoke, her face calm and her tone light, teasing.


    Xiaohongmao, seeing that she had quickly caught onto the gag she crafted, coldly added, "Senior, you might as well say our grandmother is a wolf."


    "A three-generation family of magic girls?" Feng was stunned, immensely shocked.


    "No, no, no, my mom''s not a magic girl," Ash paused, "She''s a devastating she-demon, way stronger than both of us."


    Xiaohongmao stayed silent, thinking that if you add an "alien" prefix before "devastating she-demon," you might actually accidentally get it right.


    Hong laughed lightly, "Magical Girl Ash was just joking about Xiaohongmao and the wolf-grandmother thing, right? Not serious."


    Feng caught on and scoffed, "So it was a joke."


    "Ah, if only I had a magic girl in the family like me, I wouldn''t dare tell my family about my own affairs," Hong murmured, holding her face in her hands, "Actually, I envy Xiaohongmao, having such an excellent and beautiful magic girl as a senior sister."


    Hearing this, Xiaohongmao drooped her head, narrating pitifully.


    "Actually, I''d rather not have such a situation. Senior takes advantage of being the older sister by constantly stealing my snacks and beating me up; I always end up eating her leftovers, and she makes me do all the chores every day."


    Hong was struck speechless.


    Feng was at a loss for words.


    Both looked at Xiaohongmao''s demeanor, thinking it didn''t seem feigned, so they cast a peculiar glance toward Magical Girl Ash.


    Ash seemed used to Xiaohongmao''s drama queen traits and commented coolly, "Don''t you have the wrong script? You''re Xiaohongmao, not Cinderella."


    Xiaohongmao said expressionlessly, "Oh, I''ll change the story next time."


    Hong chuckled softly, thinking to herself how harmonious the sisters were.


    Feng rolled her eyes and asked, "So, what are we doing today, patrolling?"


    "Not patrolling. Every time we fly around not finding any criminals, it''s like being flies, plus we get gawked at and photographed by passersby. Better you two teach her card making?"


    As she spoke, Magical Girl Ash''s phone vibrated. She glanced down at her WeChat; it was a message from Xizi Yue.


    [Xizi Yue: I spotted a group of people in the Hongge Commercial Street acting weirdly, smashing things around. You guys should check it out.]


    [Ash: Are there any superhumans among those people?]


    Xiaohongmao watched the scene, murmuring, "I get it. Important people are added on WeChat, unimportant ones on QQ."


    "Are you a primary school student or what? I''ll just add you on WeChat."


    Ash glanced down at her phone and, without looking up, gently tapped Xiaohongmao''s forehead, comforting her like a child.


    "I don''t have WeChat."


    "Then what are you talking about, get lost."


    [Xizi Yue: Not sure, but take your junior to check it out anyway. If you can''t handle it, just run, and wait for that big crow to arrive since his holiday''s over.]


    [Ash: And what about you, Master?]


    [Xizi Yue: Sleeping.]


    [Ash: Master, having you is truly a blessing for the Alliance.]


    After finishing the message, Ash tucked the phone into the magic book, which she slid inside her Cinderella interior, then spoke up, "Seems like something''s up in Hongge Commercial Street. Let''s go have a look." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hong and Feng''s expressions changed.


    "Is the opponent strong?" Feng asked.


    "Not sure, if they really are strong, you guys just watch from behind, I can go up alone."


    As she spoke, Ash stretched open Cinderella''s umbrella canopy, its intricate patterns enveloping the umbrella like intertwined thorns. With the infusion of magic power, they seemed to come to life, all the flowers flaunting themselves simultaneously.


    As Ash walked towards the corridor, she spread ripples of magic power from the umbrella, about to float into the sky, when Xiaohongmao suddenly said, "Sister, take me with you."


    "Can''t you fly on your own?"


    Magical Girl Ash turned her head, glared at her irritably, and then took her hand, both being carried into the sky by Cinderella.


    As they flew toward Hong Ge Commercial District, the two Magic Girls in the classroom also raised their magic wands, injecting magic power into the gems in their wands and soon levitated.


    They struggled to follow behind Ash, thinking to themselves how much the senior cherished her sister, seeing for the first time that their senior took someone flying.


    ......


    ......


    Moments later, Huanjing, Hong Ge Commercial District.


    Xiaohongmao''s Christmas dress fluttered in the wind, its hem swaying like colorful flowers. She gazed down at the street from above.


    The scene on Hong Ge Commercial Street was chaotic, with emergency broadcasts echoing in the square, but they used the traditional emergency announcement instead of the classic markers of superhuman crime.


    This meant that among those causing trouble, there seemed to be no superhumans.


    At that moment, a nearly hundred-strong crowd was parading with hockey sticks, shouting slogans mechanically.


    "Those demons that dare not see sunlight, those slaves dominated by the desire for blood, we are here, we are here, we are here, we are the eternal saints, and also the impure hunters¡­"


    The overwhelming sound echoed on the street, drowning out the emergency broadcast.


    They seemed to be controlled by some bizarre entity, their eyes hollow yet profound, muttering the same phrases. Some held hockey sticks, some held wrenches, and some held chainsaws, almost everyone clutching a weapon.


    Drivers who had driven to Hong Ge Commercial Street didn''t have time to turn around and were blocked together, having to abandon their cars and flee.


    The crazed crowd stomped over trendy cars as they swept through the street, wielding hockey sticks causing widespread destruction; some smashed the electronic signs of shops, others damaged car windows, and some even smashed fashion billboards.


    The loud slogans were mixed with the piercing sounds of shattering glass and sparking electronics. Someone even used a chainsaw to smash an electric pole, which crashed to the ground with a deafening roar.


    Just as everyone was screaming and scattering, a figure went against the flow, standing at the center of the crossroads, slowly blocking the advancing crowd.


    From a distance, the person was dressed like a red-and-blue human-sized owl: a helmet with a protruding beak at the center, a battle suit interwoven in red and blue colors, eyes behind the lenses mocking yet clear.


    Magical Girl Hong hovered midair, staring at the figure, puzzled, "Who is that?"


    Feng raised her eyebrows, then said, "Ah! I know him, Blue Owl."


    Rainbow turned to look at her, "Blue Owl?"


    Feng nodded, her face flushing, "That video from Weibo that was super popular, didn''t you see it? I think he is quite handsome."


    "Haven''t seen it. I''ve been focused on studying these days, spent my free time in tutoring and piano classes," Rainbow shook her head.


    "He is really interesting, remember to check out that video on Weibo in a couple of days," Magical Girl Feng said excitedly, as if she had succeeded as a fan.


    Xiaohongmao stared at the Blue Owl, expressionless, "Handsome? Am I the only one who thinks his outfit is ugly?"


    Magical Girl Ash, gaze lowered, one hand holding Xiaohongmao, the other holding Cinderella high, looked down at Blue Owl from above.


    She disdainfully remarked, "Isn''t he that pathetic superhero who puts on an act and asks for a beating, what''s there to pay attention to?"


    She had actually been indifferent toward such superheroes; weak though they were, they had helped quite a few people;


    but this idiot called Blue Owl had to mimic that annoying Crow Man''s style, which inevitably made her dislike him, driven by a hatred of everything associated with that figure!


    "But he is cool, isn''t he?" Feng pouted, discontentedly saying, "Senior, you don''t even know him, could you not decide he''s a bad person without knowing him?"


    Xiaohongmao spoke for Ash in response to Feng, "But you don''t know him either, do you?"


    Hearing this, Magical Girl Ash''s lips curved slightly, thinking to herself, Nice, raising you, little sister, has its uses after all, even helping your sister argue.


    Magical Girl Hong, watching the three of them not focusing on the task, chuckled awkwardly, "I say, let''s get the job done and save the chitchat for later, he seems to be struggling on his own."


    At the crossroads, Blue Owl was walking alone toward the nearly hundred-strong marching troop.


    His steps were slow yet fearless.


    As a deep blue arc flashed from the corner of his eyes, his figure suddenly accelerated, rushing into the crowd like a red-and-blue lightning bolt, instantly disarming the one leading them.


    Then, the surging crowd roared like zombies, rushing toward Blue Owl, like a tidal wave. Even during the battle, they continued chanting their eerie slogans.


    "Stop watching, it''s time to act, Senior," Xiaohongmao turned and reminded Magical Girl Ash.


    She thought to herself, Sister, if you don''t act now, I''m going to be mauled to death by those zombies, save Blue Owl, Help, Help!

 Chapter 143 Blue Owl X Xiaohongmao X Magical Girl Ash (Part 2)

    July 7th, 10:50 AM, Hongge Commercial Street.In front of the crossroads, the crowd was packed like machinery, loudly chanting stark slogans. Wherever they went was left in ruin; cars were smashed, electronic billboards fell to the ground, and billboards were riddled with holes.


    At this moment, as a figure with a mix of red and blue suddenly sprang up and captured the man leading the protest, the rest of the demonstrators turned their attention to him.


    "Can you come up one by one? You really lack martial virtue," the blue owl said, tilting its head to the side and lifting its eyes from behind glasses to look at the surging crowd.


    Their faces twisted with ferocity as they reached out their hands, trying to grab hold of his form. Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    Some swung a hockey stick at his head, others went so far as to chop at him with a rapidly spinning chainsaw.


    But the blue owl remained calm, covering his fists in a layer of flame stream. After activating solar-powered punches and spinning rapidly, he unleashed a ring of heatwaves that radiated outwards.


    After the heatwave came a wave of steam caused by the high temperature, and the rioters were knocked back, crashing several meters away onto vehicles.


    In the sky above Hongge Commercial Street, Magical Girl Feng and Magical Girl Rainbow watched anxiously.


    They were waiting for Ash''s directions, as Xizi Yue had clearly stated that when Ash was present, they must follow her lead.


    Little Red Riding Hood tugged at Ash''s hem: "Senior, stop looking."


    "This standing owl might be weak, but it should still handle a mob of ordinary people..."


    Magical Girl Ash began to say, then suddenly changed her tone, "Alright, perhaps these people are indeed stronger than ordinary people. Is it because of brainwashing?"


    "I mainly want some achievements. It would be no fun if this superhero took all the credit," Little Red Riding Hood candidly admitted.


    "Alright, let''s go then,"


    As soon as the words fell, Magical Girl Ash suddenly retracted Cinderella''s umbrella shaft. Without the support of magic power ripples, she and Little Red Riding Hood plummeted from midair towards Hongge Commercial Street.


    Their hair blew high in the wind, and the hazy sleeves of their outfits fluttered wildly, their right hands still clasped tightly together.


    Little Red Riding Hood understood her meaning.


    So at the moment they were about ten meters from the ground, she let go of Ash''s hand, poured magic power into her magic wand, and conjured a piercingly cold snowstorm to lift Ash''s figure.


    As she descended, Ash took out an Anesthetic Magic Guided Missile from the Magic Book and filled Cinderella''s gun chamber with a series of non-lethal bullets.


    Then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she raised Cinderella''s barrel and repeatedly pulled the trigger in midair, opening fire on the crowd.


    Indeed, a Magic Girl was conducting a gunfire strafe on a crowd, a scene as shocking as a priest suddenly pulling out a Gatling gun and spraying bullets at his own congregation, shocking enough to make the news headlines.


    The difference was that Ash used Anesthetic Magic Guided Missiles, which meant that even though the scene was explosive, at most it would just knock them unconscious if hit.


    Little Red Riding Hood, with one hand pressing down her Christmas hat and the other lifting her magic wand embedded with a ruby, assisted Ash.


    When the marching crowd saw them floating in the air, they would often throw things like hockey sticks, electric mosquito swatters, and even fruit baskets in helpless fury.


    Little Red Riding Hood allowed those objects to freeze in mid-air to ensure they did not reach Ash, so as not to affect her shooting accuracy and magic power control¡ªlosing control over the magic output or accidentally hitting someone in the forehead could be fatal, even with anesthetic bullets.


    For a Magic Girl of Bai Zini''s level, killing an ordinary person was as easy as crushing an ant, so ensuring she did not accidentally kill them was actually a challenge.


    Magical Girl Rainbow and Magical Girl Feng were also busy, tasked with blocking traffic.


    Both holding a Magic Book, they drew out the "Imprisoning Chains" cards to lock each rioter in place, preventing them from escaping the street.


    Since their opponents were just over a hundred out-of-control ordinary people and they had Magic Girl Ash, a formidable ally, the battle ended swiftly and easily.


    Blue owl stood alone on the street, attracting nearly all the firepower.


    Whenever the marching crowd lunged at him like zombies, he would push them away with a palm thrust, utilizing Inner Strength, much like Stephen Chow in "Kung Fu".


    If someone came at him with a chainsaw or hockey stick, he would apply a bit more force to shatter the blade or stick, then kick them away, carefully controlling his strength to avoid taking their lives.


    In addition, Little Red Riding Hood controlled the snowstorm to assist him, preventing him from being overwhelmed by a dozen attackers at once, allowing him to deal with the rioters one by one.


    Before long, with the last Anesthetic Magic Guided Missile streaking out of Cinderella''s barrel, the final rioter fell to the ground with a crash, going into a deep sleep.


    Blue owl breathed a sigh of relief, looked around, and saw nearly a hundred figures lying on the street, forming a path of human bodies that seemed chilling to behold. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moments later, he looked up at the Magic Girls slowly descending from the sky, his gaze lingering on Magical Girl Ash.


    "Is this what it feels like to fight alongside Magic Girls? I feel like I won''t be able to sleep tonight," he said, spreading his hands, "Miss Ash, I have a little sister who is your fan. It would be great if I could take a photo with you. What do you think?"

 Chapter 143 Blue Owl X Little Red Riding Hood X Magical Girl Ash (Part 2)_2

    "Don''t bother me."Magical Girl Ash said coldly, closing her umbrella while breezing past Blue Owl, her skirt creating a draft.


    Her eyes were cast down, expressionlessly examining the thugs sprawled unconscious on the ground, as though confirming what had controlled them.


    "You''re so heartless, senior. Someone just wanted a photo with you."


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao lifted her ice-blue eyes, speaking flatly.


    Magical Girl Feng walked over with her hands behind her back, taking small steps and blushing as she looked at Blue Owl, "Ah, how about I take a photo with you then?"


    "Who are you?" Blue Owl asked.


    "I know you, you defeated that modified human Lester before, super cool!"


    Blue Owl glanced at her through his helmet''s visor and, touching the back of his head, said, "Er... I actually just wanted to get an autograph for my sister."


    Feng pointed at herself, still pestering.


    "Maybe your sister is a fan of mine too?"


    "Forget it, maybe next time."


    Blue Owl tilted his head, thinking to himself that Bai Zini was your senior, could she possibly be your fan?


    "That''s too bad, it''s rare to meet the person themselves..." Feng pouted.


    She was feeling down when Blue Owl unexpectedly pulled out a spare phone, walked up beside her, leaned in close, and snapped a picture. Magical Girl Feng''s surprised expression was captured in the photo.


    "Do you have an email? I''ll send it to you."


    Blue Owl said nonchalantly, handing her the phone.


    "I-I-I... I do!"


    Magical Girl Feng was flustered for a long time, her face red as she spoke, and seemed out of sorts.


    Just as she was about to enter her email in Blue Owl''s phone''s memo, Rainbow pushed her from behind, forcing her to walk past Blue Owl.


    "What are you doing, I was just asking him for a photo." Feng said.


    "Come on, we''ve got business to attend to," Rainbow whispered, "Look at Ash''s face, be careful or she might devour you!"


    Blue Owl watched the two leave, then turned his head towards Xiaohongmao, "By the way, I don''t think I''ve seen you before," he said, stretching out his metal-gloved right hand.


    "I''m the new Magic Girl, nice to meet you." Xiaohongmao said calmly, "Let''s not shake hands, I''m a germaphobe, and you''ve got blood on yours."


    "Alright then." Blue Owl shrugged, retracting his right hand.


    At that moment, Magical Girl Ash turned her head, gazing distantly at Xiaohongmao and asked coldly, "Xiaohongmao, what are you doing?"


    "Just talking."


    "Come here, we''re leaving. The rest is up to the police."


    Upon hearing this, Xiaohongmao waved to Blue Owl and turned to walk towards Ash, then asked, "Senior, do you really think the police can figure out why they lost control?"


    Magical Girl Ash shook her head and said calmly.


    "If they can''t handle it, they''ll pass the case on to the Management Bureau or the Superhero Association. It''s none of our business. We''re Magic Girls, not detectives."


    Xiaohongmao said, "Okay."


    "We''re going back to the elementary school on Yandai Commercial Street first."


    Ash paused, then in a suddenly awkward tone, ventured, "By the way, didn''t you say yesterday that you wanted to come over to my place?"


    "Wasn''t I just kidding?"


    "Ha, I thought you were serious."


    Xiaohongmao lowered her hood a bit and said, "I mean, it wouldn''t be a no-go if I went, since I''ve got nothing else to do."


    She hesitated and then cautiously lifted her ice-blue eyes, "That is if you''re okay with it, senior."


    Ash was silent for a while, then said, "Then let''s go. Just say you''re my classmate, got it?"


    "Is your place near here, senior?"


    "Over at Old Jingmai."


    "What about Rainbow and Senior Feng?"


    "By the time we get to Huanjing Elementary School, you can let them go back and rest. Later, when the grandmaster wakes up, I''ll report the incident for you, so it can be added to your performance record,"


    "Mhm."


    Xiaohongmao nodded her head.


    A moment later, they arrived at the long-closed elementary school on Yandai Commercial Street.


    Upon reaching the fifth floor classroom, Ash sat on the conference table, glanced up, and said the job was well done this time, then allowed Rainbow and Feng to go home.


    On their way out of the classroom, Feng kept complaining that if it weren''t for Rainbow, she would have gotten a photo with the blue owl!


    Rainbow just sighed, saying she was working at the time, so what could be done.


    The two had gotten to know each other, so by the time they walked out of the school, they had already reverted to their untransformed selves, walking arm in arm.


    After they had left, a cocoon of light gradually enveloped Magical Girl Ash.


    As the cocoon of light shattered, her appearance reverted back to normal.


    Bai Zini lifted her face, pulled out her "magic mirror" to undo the disguise, then turned to Xiaohongmao and said, "You need to change back too; you can''t go to my house dressed as a Magic Girl, can you?"


    Xiaohongmao lifted her icy blue eyes, giving her a curious look for a while.


    After a moment of silence, she spoke up, "Senior, you look quite petite."


    Bai Zini was startled at first and then blushed instantly, frowning as she said, "Scram, scram, scram. Hurry up and change back, and don''t you dare comment on my untransformed appearance, got it?"


    Xiaohongmao''s lips curled into a faint smile as she nodded silently, then said, "I''ll go to the restroom and wash my face while I''m at it."


    After speaking, she walked out of the classroom and into the restroom on the fifth floor, entering one of the stalls.


    Xiaohongmao sat on the toilet seat, summoned the Magic Book, and from one of its pages, she took out a face mask combined into it¡ªthe face mask of "You Minglu," the girl from the mountain village who had died from illness.


    Apart from this mask, the Magic Book also contained another face mask: that of "Ke Mingye" himself, a gift specially prepared for him by Cai Bing.


    The significance of this other mask was for days when he needed to use Deception Puppets to pose as the blue owl, so when taking off the helmet, there wouldn''t be worry about his real appearance being seen through by Eyes of Golden Flame.


    Or, if within the Superhero Association there were any ability users who could see through illusions, then the Deception Puppet''s identity would be in jeopardy; having this face mask was like having an extra layer of insurance.


    Early in the morning today, when Ke Mingye opened the locker in the abandoned train station in Old Jingmai District and saw this "Ke Mingye" brand face mask, he was shocked.


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    He messaged, "Hacker girl, how are you so incredible?"


    Cai Bing replied, "Since I''ve taken on this nanny job, I''m in it for the long haul. Dozens of players are still waiting for you to come save them."


    At that moment, Ke Mingye suddenly felt as though they were elevating him to a savior, and it put a lot of pressure on him.


    But after calming down and thinking about it, trading the lives of twenty-five thousand Superhumans for fewer than a hundred players didn''t seem like the work of a savior, but more like that of a world destroyer. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, Xiaohongmao was already disguised as "You Minglu," and by wearing "You Minglu''s" face mask on top of that, it was like donning two layers of faces.


    She then removed her transformed state, and the Magic Book along with the magic dress vanished on the spot.


    At this very moment, You Minglu was dressed in a light green dress. Her face was slightly gaunt, her skin pale, but she had an inherently delicate and fairly pretty look.


    You Minglu walked out of the restroom and made her way to the classroom, where Bai Zini sat on the conference table, her hair tied up in a high ponytail, one hand propped on the table, the other playing with her phone.


    Seeing You Minglu enter the classroom, Bai Zini lifted her eyes and examined her attire for a moment: "Seems like you''ve been shopping for clothes."


    You Minglu asked expressionlessly, "Senior, do you still remember my real name?"


    "You Minglu." Bai Zini tilted her head slightly and asked, "Do you know my real name?"


    "Bai Zini."


    Bai Zini nodded in satisfaction, hopped off the conference table, and as she walked out of the classroom, she said, "Next, we''re going to my place to hang out, but you need to remember there''s one taboo."


    "What taboo?" You Minglu followed her.


    "When you see a guy who looks like this, stay away from him and try not to deal with him,"


    Bai Zini said earnestly, then lifted her phone to show a photo.


    "Who''s this?"


    "My brother."


    "Got it, I promise not to kill him."


    "Hey, hey, it seems like you''ve misunderstood."


    Chatting and laughing, the two of them walked shoulder to shoulder out of the deserted school building.

 Chapter 144 You Minglus Visit, Vampire Hunter

    July 7th, 11:35 AM, Old Jingmai District.Bai Zini and You Minglu walked shoulder to shoulder down the street, their paces synchronized. From a distance, You Minglu was slightly taller, but so slender she resembled a bamboo pole.


    Beyond that, their styles contrasted sharply.


    The former sported a high ponytail, wore a women''s denim jacket, and wide-sleeved pants;


    the latter donned a woolen hat, with bangs almost concealing her eyes, and with her pale complexion, she appeared particularly gloomy. Even in the midst of summer, she wrapped herself up tightly, hands hidden in the sleeves of her dress, not a bit of skin exposed.


    Bai Zini took a quick sideways glance at You Minglu, who detected it and feigned indifference as she looked away.


    Looking ahead, the bright sunshine illuminated the street vendors selling tanghulu and tofu pudding, with an occasional one or two kids darting past, brandishing ice pops. The innocent laughter of children intermingled with the occasional bark of a dog. Cicadas sang from the trees, and a hot breeze carrying the waves of heat rustled through the maple leaves.


    "By the way, why are you wearing a wig?" she suddenly asked.


    "Because my real hair is ugly," You Minglu replied, "The senior asked me to buy clothes, so I just bought the wig along with them. Is that not okay?"


    "You..." Bai Zini sighed while holding her forehead, "What about the scarf?"


    "My magic power is of the snow attribute, I''m cold-sensitive."


    "Who ever heard of that?"


    "Am I not the only snow attribute magic girl in the world? Why can''t that be a thing?"


    "Alright, no one else has had snow attribute magic power, you have the final say," Bai Zini mumbled, "so you''re wearing so much even in this scorching heat."


    "Senior, you''re being quite nosy, are you deliberately playing the role of my long-deceased parents, trying to give me some affection? Thank you for your concern, but I''ve long got used to days without parents."


    You Minglu spoke rapidly.


    Bai Zini who was about to retort at the beginning, choked upon hearing the latter part.


    She couldn''t say anything for a long time.


    She just stuttered: "You... you..."


    Seeing her reaction, You Minglu knew her own unique hellish conversation tactic had subdued Bai Zini and she needn''t worry about further questions, for getting caught would be troublesome.


    Bai Zini wrestled with herself internally for a bit, took a deep breath, and looked up to give You Minglu a fierce glare.


    Then she said, "But dressing up like a mummy in this heat, what if my family thinks you''re sick and tells me to stay away from you?"


    "Then just treat me as a sick person, which is fine," You Minglu paused, "but I believe your family members won''t be so small-minded."


    "They don''t mind, all people in my family are quite careless."


    "So that''s why they never discovered that their daughter is a magic girl, they really are careless. It''s so obvious that you''re careless yourself."


    "Are you trying to infuriate me?"


    "Not at all, I''m just speaking the truth."


    "That''s even more annoying."


    "Then I''ll stop talking." You Minglu said.


    Bai Zini clasped her hands behind her back, remained silent for a while, and then spoke.


    "Actually, what you said just now reminded me of something. Master Lilai used to say she felt cold too. Her magic power is of ice attribute. Whenever the magic flowed through her outer body, it was like a block of ice sliding over her skin. That''s why she used to dress warmly too. Maybe your situation is similar to hers?"


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    You Minglu was taken aback, thinking to herself that the younger sister was quite considerate, making excuses for her, then with a blank face, nodded earnestly and responded, "Yes, that''s a similar feeling I have." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Enough talk, we''re here. My home is on the twelfth floor of this apartment building." Saying so, Bai Zini stopped in front of a duplex apartment building.


    In the midst of their conversation, the elevator on the first floor of the apartment building slowly opened out, revealing a brisk figure stepping out. She glanced at the two and halted.


    Bai Qiuwu raised an eyebrow, "Little Ni, who is this?"


    "Big sis, this is my classmate," Bai Zini replied very naturally, showcasing her Schr?dinger''s acting skills.


    After pausing for a moment, she turned her head with pride toward You Minglu and said, "This is my sister, isn''t she beautiful? When I was in junior high, the school bullies thought my brother was her boyfriend when they stood together and dragged him into the small garden for a lesson. When they found out he was her brother, the punks cried and apologized, saying ''I''m sorry, little uncle.'' I almost died laughing at that time."


    You Minglu''s eyes twitched, thinking to herself if that was supposed to be funny. Her brother was just damned unlucky, wasn''t he?


    She nodded and said, "Uh-huh, very beautiful."


    Bai Qiuwu scrutinized You Minglu, suddenly sensing something subtly off, but couldn''t quite point it out, so she asked in a low voice, "What was your name again?"


    "You Minglu, with the same lu as in good fortune."


    "That''s a nice name," Bai Qiuwu curled her lips into a smile, "It looks like my little sister has been under your care. She has such a bad temper; she has never brought a friend home before."


    "Indeed under my care, she even acknowledges me as her sister at school," You Minglu said with a deadpan expression, unabashedly fabricating.


    Bai Zini hung her head low, tapping discontentedly at her phone screen, her eyelids quivering, thinking that Little Red Riding Hood, you just wait, I''ll soon show you who the real sister is...


    "Even better then, having two big sisters looking out for her, little Ni sure enjoys the princess treatment wherever she goes."

 Chapter 144 Visit of You Minglu, Vampire Hunter_2

    Bai Qiuwu spoke carelessly, always feeling that the girl in front of her was somewhat bizarre, an unusual sense of dissonance lingering.She then raised her hand and gently rubbed her eyes.


    At the same time, she initiated the Eyes of Golden Flame in a flash, peering through the gaps of her fingers at the girl. The girl''s appearance remained unchanged, not a single detail altered. Her body was tightly wrapped, hiding everything else.


    When Bai Qiuwu lowered her hand, the fiery golden flames burning in her pupils had already extinguished. A mocking laugh echoed in her mind, fleeting, as if a certain monkey was mocking her again.


    Bai Qiuwu slightly curled her lips¡ªit had become routine for her.


    Every time she activated the Eyes of Golden Flame, Sun Wukong would laugh at her, saying things like, "This is simply an insult to my great name."


    At that moment, You Minglu observed Bai Qiuwu''s physical motions, but remained expressionless, shifting his gaze to stare at Bai Zini.


    He thought, after transforming, a Magic Girl''s body undergoes a physical change based on their original appearance.


    And since Xiaohongmao found that the Transformation Card had permanently set her appearance with blonde hair and blue eyes after her last transformation, she didn''t worry about her transformed appearance being discovered through the Eyes of Golden Flame because it naturally looked like that;


    But Bai Zini was different.


    This girl was quite an oddity among the Magic Girls; her appearance before and after transformation was strikingly similar, so she could only rely on that magic mirror to change her looks.


    That''s exactly why she could be exposed by Bai Qiuwu''s Eyes of Golden Flame. If only Bai Zini''s appearance changed slightly, like altering her hair color or tweaking some facial details, she wouldn''t be so easily recognized.


    You Minglu rechecked that his clothes covered every inch of his skin, leaving only his face visible to Bai Qiuwu''s Eyes of Golden Flame.


    But he was wearing a facial mask, so there was no worry about being exposed.


    "Then you guys have fun, I have to go out today, can''t stay home with you," Bai Qiuwu said.


    "Mmm, bye sister, love you."


    Without turning her head, Bai Zini spoke and walked into the duplex apartment building with You Minglu, taking the elevator.


    ....


    .....


    Three minutes earlier, inside Bai Ke''s home.


    In the living room, the not-so-spacious sofa was packed with Ke Mingye, Ke Yinzhi, Ke Yongzhu, Ke Xiaomo, and Bai Ziling, each occupied with their own activities, minding their own business.


    Ke Mingye fiddled with his phone while eating sunflower seeds, asking casually, "So bro, who were you supposed to meet on a date yesterday?"


    "Oh, it didn''t work out, I got stood up," Ke Yinzhi answered.


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow and asked casually, "Wait, someone dared to stand you up? Who, a girlfriend?"


    "Song Yawen, that girl from the coffee shop who hit on you last time,"


    Ke Yinzhi said softly, eyes downcast as he flipped through a book.


    "What?" Ke Mingye''s eyes twitched slightly, "No way, you''re still in touch with her?"


    As he spoke, the sunflower seeds suddenly tasted bland in his mouth, so while talking, he summoned the chat panel, beginning the process of questioning his ancestors.


    [Failed Man: Seriously, what are you playing at, seeing my life going so smoothly and trying to pressure me, right?]


    [Cai Bing: What did I do now?]


    [Failed Man: Dude, it''s one thing to fancy my brother, but standing him up after asking him out, what''s that about?]


    [Cai Bing: It fits my badass sister persona, ever heard of playing hard to get?]


    [Failed Man: Fast forward to being dismembered by the Black Judge.]


    [Cai Bing: Busy, I''m being a customer service little sister, I''m at Huanjing, Huanjing customer service sis.]


    [Failed Man: Scram, and really stop bothering my brother.]


    Ke Yinzhi kept reading his book, asking, "Can''t I keep in touch? She''s quite interesting."


    Ke Xiaomo gasped and held his forehead, muttering, "This is crazy, seems like a bad day to go out."


    Ke Mingye said, "I think so too, big bro, are you trying to frame that girl with the crime of stealing the panda by getting so close to her?"


    Hearing this, Ke Yongzhu''s eye twitched slightly, thinking how he got dragged in for no reason again.


    He and Bai Ziling were enjoying their game just fine until he heard that, which brought back some not-so-happy memories. He then said "Not playing anymore" and went upstairs to sulk on his own.


    Ke Yinzhi smiled: "I have to clarify, that panda has really nothing to do with me."


    Bai Ziling saw that Ke Yongzhu had run off, so she tugged on Ke Mingye''s sleeve, asking him to join her in playing a video game. However, Ke Mingye declined, saying he wanted to use his phone. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh."


    Bai Ziling responded indifferently and then put down the Switch controller, sitting on the sofa and starting to play with her phone.


    At this moment, the now available TV was naturally taken over by Ke Xiaomo, who picked up the remote and switched to the news channel.


    The news was covering a riot that had recently occurred on Hongge Commercial Street. It was said that a group of people, seemingly brainwashed by a cult, took to the streets with baseball bats, shovels, and other dangerous items, chanting a series of bizarre slogans.


    "Those demons who dare not see the sunlight, those slaves driven by the desire for blood, we have come, we have come, we have come, we are the eternal saints, and we are also the unclean hunters..."


    Hearing the noise from the TV, Bai Ziling''s fingers paused slightly while playing with her phone.


    After a while, she slowly lifted her gaze from her snowy white hair, and her crimson eyes looked toward the TV screen, her pupils constricting.


    Her shoulders trembled slightly, and the last trace of color faded from her pale face, as thin as a tissue.


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    Soon, Bai Ziling silently rose from the sofa and walked toward the second floor.


    Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo were both captivated by the news, whispering something to each other.


    Only Ke Mingye noticed Bai Ziling''s abnormal behavior, so after hesitating for a moment, he got up and went to the second floor.


    On the stairway, he suddenly thought of something, "Wait, Vampire Hunter?"


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye opened the mission panel and looked at Bai Ziling''s main quest.


    [The next target node for this main quest is: "Destroy the Vampire Hunter Organization" Use Bai Ziling as bait to lure the vampire hunters to this city and kill all the vampire hunters.]


    Ke Mingye then thought back to the slogans chanted by the marchers, suddenly realizing who had been controlling them.


    He gently knocked on Bai Ziling''s door and said, "Hey? Weren''t we going to play games? I''m free now. Do you want to play and clear ''Breakup Kitchen'' together?"


    Seeing that Bai Ziling didn''t reply, Ke Mingye continued to ask, "Are you okay? Have you fallen asleep already?"


    "I''m fine."


    Bai Ziling''s voice, feigning calmness, came through, "I don''t want to play. You find your brother."


    Just as Ke Mingye was about to speak, he was interrupted by a sudden voice.


    "What''s wrong with sister?"


    He paused at the words, turned his head, and saw Ke Yongzhu standing against the wall in the shadows, his dark eyes staring this way.


    "Uh, your sister is probably fine," Ke Mingye said ambiguously, "It might just be that time of the month, girls are like that. You, a young kid, don''t worry about it."


    "That''s good, I''m going to take a nap,"


    Ke Yongzhu said and walked back to his room, closing the door.


    As he spoke, the communication icon in the top right corner of Ke Mingye''s field of vision suddenly popped up with a bubble. He raised his eyebrow and opened the chat panel using his thoughts.


    [Huanjing Local Gamers Discussion Group.]


    [A new player has joined this discussion group; the player''s ID is "Gastella".]


    [Gastella: Hello, I''m Gastella.]


    [Unclear Dream: Hey, how come suddenly there''s a newcomer? When did you come to this city?]


    [Gastella: Just at two in the morning today, following my organization.]


    [Unclear Dream: Organization?]


    [Gastella: Yes, I was born into a Blood Clan hunter unit, had to blend in with them for survival and do their bidding.]


    [Unclear Dream: Damn, Vampire Hunter? There''s an organization like that?]


    [Gastella: They call themselves "The Hymn of Hell". Have you heard of them?]


    [Fan Quan: No.]


    [Gastella: By the way, have you found a white-haired vampire in this city? If we capture her, we will leave and won''t trouble you, everybody does their own business.]


    Ke Mingye was slightly stunned upon reading this, then looked up at Bai Ziling''s room door.


    There on the door was a chalk-drawn smiley face of a white-haired girl¡ªa mark drawn by their mother to distinguish each child''s room.

 Chapter 145 Gastella

    Ke Mingye stared at the text on the panel, zoned out for a moment, buzzing in his head.He thought, "Gastella"... This player''s spawn point is right in the middle of a group of Blood Clan hunters, it''s comparable to mine. From those two sentences just now, it seems they are after Zi Ling.


    But is this player really a Blood Clan hunter, to so casually mention it in the discussion group? Is he just daft, or is he lying?


    If he isn''t lying, when it comes to white hair and vampires, who else in this city fits these two characteristics besides Zi Ling?


    It can''t be that there''s another vampire lurking in this city, and just like Zi Ling, happens to have white hair. That probability is so minuscule it''s almost negligible.


    This is really tricky; I wonder if this Blood Clan hunter organization is filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers like the Ninja Sect.


    Ke Mingye thought idly, moving to the living room on the first floor and sitting on the sofa. The messages in the city discussion group were refreshing constantly, the text entering his field of vision.


    {"[Fan Quan: Why are you sure that there''s a vampire in this city with such distinct characteristics? Do you have any clues?]"}


    {"[Gastella: Because in our hunter team, one has the ability to predict the future; she said she found a vampire hiding in Huanjing.]"}


    {"[Gastella: Oh, and did you guys see the parade this morning? That was a prank I pulled off using my skill, fun wasn''t it?]"}


    {"[Fan Quan: I saw it.]"}


    {"[Gastella: Speaking of which, the volunteer police in this city arrive so quickly, that costumed owl, and those magic girls, swooshing in like that.]"}


    {"[Failed Man: The white-haired vampire you''re looking for, are there other characteristics?]"}


    {"[Gastella: Going to have dinner, chat later.]"}


    {"[Gastella: Maybe we can meet up in a couple of days.]"}


    Ke Mingye was editing the chat box with his telekinesis, about to ask more, when the doorbell from the entrance hall interrupted his thoughts.


    "If you don''t know, just ask¡ªwho''s going to answer the door?"


    Ke Yinzhi propped his elbow on the armrest of the sofa, supporting his head as he read, asking lazily.


    Seeing him ask this, Ke Xiaomo, with one hand on her shoulder and the other slightly raised in a fist, implied "rock paper scissors is the fairest decision."


    Ke Mingye sighed, thinking to himself, one is a legendary enforcer and the other a legendary Sect Master of the Ninja Sect. Getting them off the sofa to answer the door seems like asking for their lives.


    He felt that even Mr. Strange Thing with his indomitable spirit would be more useful...


    But under the overbearing pressure of the two older brothers, Ke Mingye was forced to raise his hand, deciding the matter with rock paper scissors.


    He walked away happily defeated, as both of the wily old foxes coincidentally chose paper, leaving his bright, shiny fist hanging in the air.


    Ke Mingye''s eyelid twitched as he slowly lifted his head, his eyes filled with resentment as he glared at the two men.


    He thought, you two legendary wizards are bullying me, a muggle at home, is that it? The new version of "Harry Potter"?


    Ke Mingye could tell, these two tricky old demons most definitely, surely, one hundred percent cheated. With their dynamic vision and reaction speed, it was a piece of cake to change their gestures the moment they saw his move.


    ```


    But Ke Mingye couldn''t see the speed at which they were changing gestures, so the matter that was clear between the two of them became non-existent to him.


    Ke Mingye grew angrier as he thought about it, telling himself he''d log into that strange game at night and take a dump on their heads.


    Ke Yinzhi said, "Seems like my luck isn''t bad."


    Ke Xiaomo said, "Alright, let''s open the door."


    Ke Mingye, still dissatisfied with the outcome, shifted the topic, "How childish, guys. We''re in college and still playing rock-paper-scissors, like elementary school kids. Oh no, wait, our family''s elementary school kids are more mature than you."


    "You''d definitely think it''s childish because you lost."


    Ke Xiaomo said indifferently, hugging his shoulders.


    In his memory, when he was training on Shadow Sail Mountain, disciples of the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect often played a game: two parallel ropes were hung between two cliffs, and then two people would stand on a rope each, facing each other to play rock-paper-scissors. Whoever won a round would step forward, and the first to reach the other side would be the winner.


    If anyone fell off the rope along the way, they would be punished with a day without food;


    Similarly, if someone was slower than the other to reach the other side, they would also be punished with a day without food.


    Funnily enough, under such brutal training, the disciples who graduated from the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect hardly ever lost at rock-paper-scissors.


    As Ke Xiaomo thought about this, he suddenly found himself a bit ridiculous. Those brothers he had frolicked with on Shadow Sail Mountain over the years were all dead in that Wanxiang City now.


    He was the least qualified person to reminisce about those days.


    "Exactly, I suggest you go open the door quickly. Be careful it might be your mom or your little sister outside."


    As Ke Yinzhi yawned and continued reading his book, he lifted his well-defined hand to cover his mouth, his tone quite weary.


    Perhaps these past few days had been too comfortable, unlike his time at the Anomaly Control Bureau, where they were either on a killing spree or busy dealing with indescribable mystical dangers, so he truly couldn''t muster much enthusiasm.


    "Anyone there? Open the door, big big big brother. I just stepped out for a bit, has everyone died off?"


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Bai Zini''s low shout already came from outside the door. She sounded like an angry penguin, striding up and violently pecking at your head.


    She aggressively pressed the doorbell, with the bell ding-dinging incessantly, while managing to free a hand to spam messages in the "Loving Family" group chat.


    If she knew her three brothers were on the couch playing rock-paper-scissors to decide who would open the door, she''d probably kick the door down and corner the three of them for a round of intense scolding.


    "Fine, fine, fine, you win. I''ll tell Bai Zini on you later, say you didn''t open the door for her."


    Ke Mingye grumbled to himself, finally accepting the fact of the other two''s cheating, and languidly rose from the sofa. Amidst the urgent ringing of the doorbell, he walked toward the door.


    "Coming, coming." He said as he opened the door. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What met his gaze was Bai Zini''s slightly lowered, discontent face, like a fluffed-up cat. Beside her stood a girl in a light aqua dress.


    The girl wore a knitted hat, her eyebrows and eyes indifferent beneath her bangs, her cheeks gaunt, but one could tell she had good facial features, which would attract attention with just a bit of makeup.


    "Just asking out of curiosity, who is this?"


    ```


    Ke Mingye raised his eyebrows and stared at the short-haired girl, casually asking Bai Zini.


    "My classmate, You Minglu, Lu as in the character from ''profit.''


    Bai Zini said, lifting her hand and vigorously shaking it in front of Ke Mingye, frowning and saying, "It''s not like, big brother, can your eyes move at all? Just staring straight at someone like that, have you no shame?"


    Ke Mingye ignored Bai Zini, scratched his nose, and said to You Minglu, "Uh, hello, I''m her brother, Ke Mingye."


    You Minglu met his gaze, nodded slightly without expression, and did not respond.


    "Classmate, why are you dressed like that in such hot weather?" Ke Mingye asked.


    "I get cold," You Minglu said.


    "Oh, I see."


    "What I wear is none of your business, move aside, move aside."


    Bai Zini, who was already irked at being left at the door, was somehow even more annoyed now, and so she entered the living room with a gloomy face.


    Ke Yinzhi looked up from his book, sized up You Minglu, and said, "How unusual, Xiao Ni actually brought a friend home?"


    Ke Xiaomo slightly raised his eyebrows: "Never seen her before."


    Bai Zini stopped in front of the sofa, seething, and asked, "Isn''t it, are you all freaking here on the first floor, yet no one opened the door for me, making me wait outside for two minutes?"


    She paused, too exasperated to stop herself, "So, is there a zombie crisis at home, no one can understand the doorbell?"


    Ke Yinzhi defended himself, "I was just in the bathroom, you see."


    Ke Xiaomo also defended himself, saying, "I was wearing headphones just now and didn''t hear it." As he spoke, he gestured to the Bluetooth headset on the table, which actually belonged to a primary school student.


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath at this, thinking you two legendary wizards, can you have any less shame? Who wants to bet that I''m just about put on the Blue Owl Battle Suit and go pick a fight with Voldemort to vent my anger?


    Anticipating Bai Zini''s impending outburst, he quickly turned his head, trying to explain, "It''s not, they were clearly playing rock-paper-scissors..."


    "Alright, alright, so it was you, big brother, who didn''t want to open the door for me."


    Bai Zini was furious, turning her head to cut off Ke Mingye''s words, "Just wait and see if I even bother with you next time."


    "Okay, okay, my bad," Ke Mingye sighed.


    You Minglu walked over, looking slightly nervous, supporting her right elbow with her left hand, as if unsure what to do, simply standing quietly in the living room and looking around.


    She suddenly leaned closer to Bai Zini''s ear and said, "Senior sister, has anyone ever told you..."


    "What?"


    "Your brothers are quite handsome."


    You Minglu said earnestly.


    Upon hearing this, Bai Zini scowled fiercely and declared, "If anyone says that, they must be blind." Then she looked at Ke Yinzhi and commented, "One''s a panda-stealing antisocial." Then towards Ke Xiaomo, "A geriatric teenager."


    Finally looking at Ke Mingye, she said abruptly, "And another, another..." Her gaze drifted away from Ke Mingye as she finally found the right word.


    "A biochemical zombie."


    "Why a zombie?" You Minglu asked.


    "I''d like to know too," Ke Mingye said, raising his hand with a deadpan expression, "Ms. Bai Zini, why is our fellow Mingye called a biochemical zombie?"


    "If you''re not a zombie then what are you, the kind that reacts three minutes after hearing the doorbell, probably the lowest level, brainless type of zombie, otherwise you wouldn''t be so sluggish," Bai Zini said.


    "Heh, this is never-ending, huh?" Ke Mingye, looking down at his phone and said nonchalantly, "If I turn into a zombie, I''ll eat your brains first."


    "Ugh, no talking to zombies."


    With that, Bai Zini took You Minglu''s hand and they went up to the second floor, running into Bai Ziling in the hallway.


    Bai Ziling slightly tilted her head, her pale strands of hair fluttering.


    "She is?" she asked.


    "My classmate, I was just about to introduce her to you." After saying this, Bai Zini turned to You Minglu and said, "This is my sister, Xiao Ling, her hair looks nice huh?"


    "Yeah, it looks nice." You Minglu said without expression, "I''m You Minglu, Lu as in the character from ''profit.''"


    Bai Ziling and You Minglu met each other''s gaze, then swiftly averted their eyes, brushing past each other.


    Bai Zini asked, "Coming to our room to play Fight the Landlord later?"


    "Not playing today."


    "What''s wrong? You look a bit out of it."


    "It''s nothing," Bai Ziling said, her red eyes downcast, "I want to take a nap, you can invite brother to play." She entered her room and placed her hand on the door.


    Bai Zini sighed, "I was almost knocked out by his frustrating behavior earlier, finally brought a classmate home to hang out, and he dragged his feet for three minutes to open the door, isn''t it infuriating?"


    "Beat him in Fight the Landlord and win his money money."


    As Bai Ziling spoke, she waved her hand and closed the door to her room.


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    "Big brother, bring the playing cards up."


    Seeing this, Bai Zini reluctantly looked down at her phone and sent Ke Mingye a WeChat message with great reluctance.


    Ke Mingye saw the message and suddenly became excited, thinking, alright, you and Little Red Riding Hood team up, and I''ll arrange a mole in your side, how will two against one lose?


    So, with a cheerful mood, he got up from the sofa, ascended to the second floor, entered Bai Zini''s room, sat on the floor, and began his winning streak.

 Chapter 146 Timekeeper, Yuri, Bai Wenna

    ```"A straight flush beats a three-of-a-kind, game over."


    Ke Mingye''s eyes drooped as he said this, slapping all six poker cards in his hand onto the floor with a smack.


    Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    He then lifted his head, looking quite pleased with himself, and turned his gaze towards Bai Zini, seeing that she was so angry she was almost crumpling the poker cards into a ball, he proceeded to the classic post-battle gloating phase.


    "Hey, little sis, you''ve been bragging for so long but it seems like there''s no real skill, why do I feel like winning was so effortless?"


    You Minglu stared at the poker cards on the floor, spaced out for a while, before finally catching up with the situation, and then he turned his head and leaned close to Bai Zini''s ear, whispering.


    "Senior, we lost again, what should we do?"


    "How do I feel... like I''ve been played again?"


    Bai Zini hung her head, her eyebrows knitted, the corners of her eyes twitching slightly, and her hands weakly clenching two poker cards.


    She thought, if only the two people sitting beside her were criminals, like imagining those two as that damn strange thing!


    Then she''d just lift Cinderella and shoot them away with two bangs, no need to take such a frustration!


    But unfortunately, they''re not; one is her brother, the other her junior, with no way to vent her anger...


    If only that pack of angry dice would appear on the TV screen right now, she''d immediately go after it with an umbrella to vent her anger, as it was her daily essential stress-reliever.


    The episode she missed the strange thing the most.


    It''s infuriating, Bai Zini gnashed her teeth in hatred.


    "And it starts again," Ke Mingye looked up at her, his mouth dripping with sarcasm, "So, losing means you were betrayed by your teammates, huh? That''s way too classic."


    "No way, we have to review, we must!"


    Bai Zini muttered to herself while recalling the recent hand of cards.


    Even though You Minglu didn''t end up blowing up his teammate like Ke Mingye did last time, most of the time Bai Zini was randomly throwing cards as if she were playing a handheld game console version of Fight the Landlord, just tapping wherever it lit up.


    But just as she was about to turn her head and say something to You Minglu, he had already started to speak up in his own defense, his tone pitiable.


    "Senior, we matchstick-selling, dirt-eating little girls living in a pile of garbage have never played Fight the Landlord, you can''t expect too much from me."


    "Damn, are you stacking buffs over there?"


    Ke Ming muttered to himself, genuinely baffled by this barrage of excuses, and then turned his head to ask Bai Zini, "Bai Zini teacher, are all your classmates this abstract? No wonder they get along with you."


    "Get lost, she''s the only one like this."


    "Indeed, among senior''s friends, I''m the only garbage-picker," You Minglu said with a melancholic tone.


    Bai Zini held her forehead and sighed, "Just stop talking, otherwise, your combo is going to give me high blood pressure."


    "So where''s my red envelope? You have to admit defeat and pay up, you can''t just welch on the bet," Ke Ming said as he tidied up the poker cards on the floor.


    "Tch, I''ll just pay for her then," Bai Zini said grumpily as she sent a red envelope through her phone.


    "Bro, just wait, you play traitor on my side, and when you''re facing me you just randomly kill, obviously playing me, right? Wait until Xiao Ling comes back and sees if we don''t beat you up," she threatened.


    "Hey, after getting scolded by you yesterday I suddenly had a revelation. I''m a card-playing genius; I think I should fly to Macau tonight to start filming ''Gambling God 007''."


    "Get lost, if it weren''t for my teammate being such a drag, I wouldn''t have lost so many games to you!" Bai Zini replied not yet conceding after having sent the red envelope from her phone.


    "Yeah, yeah, talk tough all you want until you''re blue in the face," Ke Mingye teased, about to look down and click on the red envelope when a notification bubble suddenly popped up in the upper right of his field of vision. He discretely burst the bubble with his mind.


    The chat panel popped up in front of him.


    [Fan Quan: That player with the ID "Gastella," I advise you to stay away from him for now. His background isn''t clear yet, and he might not be on our side.]


    [Timekeeper: What do you mean, isn''t he targeting my sister?]


    [Fan Quan: Hard to say, but keep your distance until we figure him out. In terms of his ability, he seems to be a player who specializes in mental control skills, and this skill very likely has a way of spreading contamination, otherwise, it doesn''t explain how he could control so many ordinary people to march.]


    [Timekeeper: Looks like it might be a B-level skill, with such exaggerated effects.]


    [Fan Quan: Possibly, anyway be careful; I can''t break away these days.]


    [Timekeeper: What are you up to?]


    [Fan Quan: I have to do some things for that gun-smuggling dad; killing him now would only affect my secrecy work. I have to cooperate for now.] Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Timekeeper: Oh oh, good luck.]


    [Fan Quan: I''ve discussed it with Cai Bing, and we''ll keep the white-haired vampire''s identity a secret for you. Don''t do anything rash for now; wait for me to get back, and we''ll figure out this newcomer.]


    [Timekeeper: Okay.]


    At this moment, Bai Zini was playing with her phone with a look of utter dejection, and You Minglu suddenly said, "I''m not playing anymore, senior, you''re scaring me. I''m going home."


    "When did I scare you? Playing like that would frustrate a pig."


    "You were pressuring me all the time."


    Ke Ming packed the poker cards back into the box and brazenly interjected, "How comes it''s senior one moment, senior sister the next? Is it senior sister or senior?"


    "Aren''t they the same thing?"


    You Minglu asked back, expressionless.


    ```

 Chapter 146 Timekeeper, Yuri, Bai Wenna_2

    "Seems like it,"Bai Zini let out a long sigh, "Never mind, then. You can go back. Do you need me to send you off?"


    "I know the way, there''s no need for senior to send me personally," You Minglu paused, then suddenly said, "By the way, senior sister, can I add your brother on Weixin?"


    Ke Mingye looked up, giving the other a surprised look, "Huh?"


    Bai Zini was startled for a moment, then asked, "Add him for what, to see if he can lower his head even further? But he doesn''t post anything on his Moments, and if you send him messages, he''ll just play dead."


    You Minglu said softly, "Because he is senior''s family member, I want to have a better relationship with senior."


    "If you want a better relationship with me, then keep your distance from that infuriating ghost,"


    While they were talking, Ke Mingye fiddled with his phone for a moment, then casually tossed it toward You Minglu, saying, "This is my Weixin QR code."


    "Thank you."


    You Minglu said as he caught the phone, opened Weixin to scan it, and added Ke Mingye''s Weixin.


    Bai Zini opened her mouth, intending to stop her, but she realized she didn''t have a good reason to do so, so she closed her mouth and turned to ask Ke Mingye in a lowered voice with a sulky face.


    "Big brother, you won''t be sending harassing messages to my friend, right?"


    "That''s enough; I have so many games I haven''t played yet. What kind of person do you take me for?"


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he gave her a look, thinking to himself how he still needed to defeat criminals, why not leverage his connections? In the future, he could justifiably send a text to call Xiaohongmao over.


    If blue owl senior can''t handle it, let Qing Ya handle it;


    If that''s not enough, call in Magic Girl, the star of tomorrow, Xiaohongmao, and have Xiaohongmao send a text to summon the great Buddha Xizi Yue over;


    If all that is still not sufficient, then activate Dice Monster''s connections, and bring the entire Bai Ke family together¡ªbanking on the freeloading strategy.


    If after this combination punch of connections, there''s still any villain who stands, then it must be either Diviner Zeus gone rogue or his alien mother¡ªit wouldn''t be a disgrace to lose to them.


    "Senior sister, I''m going home now, see you next time," You Minglu said.


    "Let me take you downstairs," Bai Zini said as she opened the door for her and followed her down the stairs.


    Once the two had left, Ke Mingye came out of Bai Zini''s room and went to the bathroom.


    Sitting on the toilet seat, he pondered to himself.


    "Looks like there''s nothing much to do today, I''ll defeat Xiaohongmao and then rest..."


    He yawned, casually opened his phone, tapped into Weibo, and the first post that caught his eye was a speculation from a Superhero blogger.


    ¡ª¡ª "The last superhero who imitated Qing Ya and made a name for himself was ''Grey Pigeon'', and just under a year into his career, he was slaughtered by the Timekeeper who came after hearing of him. Many people believe that a major reason for Grey Pigeon''s death was due to Qing Ya''s fault; if it weren''t for Qing Ya antagonizing the Timekeeper, the Timekeeper would not have targeted Grey Pigeon."


    ¡ª¡ª "Because of Grey Pigeon''s death, Qing Ya faced unanimous boycott from the public for a long time after. His reputation was terrible all over the world, with endless criticism."


    ¡ª¡ª "Now, after several years, a superhero ''blue owl'' who imitates Qing Ya has appeared on the scene... oh no, he''s not yet a superhero, just a vigilante, but I believe it won''t be long before he joins the Superhero Association."


    ¡ª¡ª "With Grey Pigeon''s cautionary tale, it remains a question whether the newly debuted ''blue owl'' will provoke the Timekeeper to come after him..."


    There was a poll below the post.


    The first option was: "blue owl will be killed by the Timekeeper";


    The second option was: "blue owl will not be pursued by the Timekeeper."


    Scrolling further down, there wasn''t even an option that said, "blue owl will be pursued by the Timekeeper but will not die," because everyone assumed that once one is on the Timekeeper''s radar, it''s all over.


    Ke Mingye quietly moved his finger to tap into the poll results.


    Upon the screen refreshing, he saw that "blue owl will be killed by the Timekeeper" had a staggering ninety-eight percent of the votes, completely crushing the other option.


    He sighed softly, scrolled down to read the Weibo comments, and saw that they were almost unanimously one-sided.


    [Netizen A: "Qing Ya is causing trouble for young superheroes again."]


    [Netizen B: "This blue owl must be desperate for fame, to dare imitate Qing Ya even with Grey Pigeon as a precedent?"]


    [Netizen C: "Wait for the twist. Maybe it''s a publicity stunt by an entertainment company. Haven''t you seen this kind of thing before? Can''t you think for yourselves?"]


    [User D: "Here comes Brother Understand, with his classic independent thinking. Just wait till he lures the Timekeeper here; then you won''t talk so big."]


    [User F: "For real, Qing Ya and his imitator should both get the hell out of this city."]


    That''s also true...


    What should I do about the Timekeeper?


    Can I really guarantee that old dad can save my life from him, especially if I enter the fray in person? If the Timekeeper catches my real body, won''t I be even more screwed?


    Ke Mingye silently logged out of Weibo, his head drooping as he pondered his tactics. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, he glimpsed a pair of eyes watching him from the shadow of the bathroom. His legs trembled slightly, and he nearly peed himself in fright.


    "What the fuck?"


    Ke Mingye was first startled, but then quickly recovered and activated his Animal Communication Skill, saying, "Yuri, can you freaking not scare people like that?"


    "This lord likes to sleep here, got a problem with that?" Yuri responded coldly.


    "Let me guess, you''re hiding from my mom?"


    After regaining his composure, Ke Mingye asked irritably.


    At these words, Yuri shuddered, scratching its nose with a paw, and after a moment of silence, it said, "That woman is terrifying, ever since she came back, this lord hasn''t had a single day of peace."


    "Don''t worry, it''s not just you who''s afraid of her; everyone else in our family is, too."


    Ke Mingye offered comfort, thinking to himself that even the formidable Black Judge Qing Ya had to bow down to Bai Wenna, let alone you, a mere mutant cat.


    "Who on earth is she?"


    "Don''t know, can you analyze her superpower?"


    "She''s not a Superpower User."


    "True, I haven''t figured out what she is either, let alone you," Ke Mingye pondered for a moment, "Forget it... let''s not talk about this. Are you interested in going out with me to fight criminals?"


    He figured, since there was no need to hide his blue owl identity from his family anymore, bringing Yuri along to fight criminals would not only allow it to analyze the abilities of Superpower Users but also steal them for himself, killing two birds with one stone.


    "Not interested."


    "I see you don''t care about your own life."


    Yuri shivered, then lifted its eyes coldly, "Interest noted. Is that better?" Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    "That''s more like it."


    Ke Mingye said with a slight smirk, then suddenly froze.


    Right...


    He suddenly recalled that the Timekeeper was a Superpower User too! It was precisely because the Timekeeper was a time-related Superpower User that he was so uncontrollable and lawless.


    But as long as he was a Superpower User, Yuri could steal his ability. If time-related superpower faced time-related superpower, it would be unstoppable!


    Ke Mingye took a sharp breath.


    He had been worried about not having a way to counter the Timekeeper, thinking that if he went into battle and the Timekeeper took him down with a combo, it would be game over.


    But now, it seemed that the way to defeat the Timekeeper was right beside him. Not to mention he had a second heart as a backup; this increased his chances of winning even more!


    "Why do I get the feeling you''re looking at me more and more creepily?" Yuri asked warily.


    "Nothing, just thought of something happy."


    Ke Mingye said cheerfully, put away his phone, stood up from the toilet seat, flushed the toilet, and then turned the doorknob to leave the bathroom.


    Just as he looked up, he froze in place as if he''d seen a ghost.


    There was an eerie figure standing in the shadows outside the restroom, staring at him expressionlessly.


    Bai Wenna.

 Chapter 147 Strange Thing X Shadow Heir Ninja Sect Sect Master (1)

    Just a second ago, Ke Mingye was blissfully foolish in his mind, with classic lines from "Shawshank Redemption" echoing in his head, "The way to survive, that''s what it''s all about."He thought to himself that the heavens had still left him a way out ¡ª with Yuri, this treasure specially for superhero users, wouldn''t it just be a matter of time before he dealt with that damned Timekeeper?


    The next second, his hand was still on the bathroom doorknob when he looked up and saw an unimaginable sight: Bai Wenna was standing outside the door staring at him.


    It was just like the night he first watched "The Grudge" back in elementary school.


    Dark¡­ Cold¡­ Trembling¡­


    Then no worries¡­ What Timekeeper, could it be more dangerous than having an alien mom here?


    Ke Mingye felt like he''d been doused with cold water and realized something crucial: let''s forget the Timekeeper for now, isn''t the real final Boss right by my side, how on earth am I going to get past mom?


    So what, wait for alien spaceships to attack Earth, then pretend to team up with tough guys like Xizi Yue and Zeus to knock off the aliens, and then backstab them fiercely?


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    Please, their IQ isn''t that low.


    Most likely the players and superhumans will end up in fierce internal fighting and the alien army will take advantage of their vulnerability to capture them easily.


    Ke Mingye was thinking if there was a way to make the alien spaceships land on Earth first, so players could profit from the situation.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye slowly withdrew his hand, trying to keep his cool, and asked with a puzzled face.


    "Um, mom, what do you mean by looking at me like that?"


    He thought, to be reasonable, all his brothers and sisters were still at home, do the aliens have to pick this time to blow up, and what does it mean by looking at me like this?


    Just then, before Bai Wenna could speak, Bai Zini''s distant words had already come from the hallway.


    "Mom, I told you¡­"


    What, turns out this bushy-browed magic girl is in cahoots with the aliens?


    Ke Mingye''s forehead sweated as he turned to look towards the source of the voice, only to see Bai Zini standing at the top of the staircase, staring at him disdainfully.


    Bai Zini lowered her face, picking up where she left off, continuing, "Mom, look, isn''t brother crying meow in the bathroom?"


    "Yes." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Wenna crossed her arms and nodded coldly.


    At this moment, Yuri casually walked out of the bathroom, brushing under Ke Mingye''s feet. It rubbed against Bai Zini''s leg and then took off, leaving Ke Mingye still standing there getting scolded.


    "I''m telling you, Mingye, didn''t we grow up already, can we stop talking to cats?"


    Bai Wenna rubbed her Tianming Acupoint, speaking with a tone of resignation.


    "Exactly, I don''t really understand people who talk to animals."


    Bai Zini nodded in agreement.


    Ke Mingye''s eye twitched slightly, slowly pocketed his phone, and sighed.


    "Man, I am truly fed up with you guys."


    "Bro, you don''t have any weird fetishes with the kitten, do you? And it''s even a male cat¡­"


    Bai Zini covered her mouth, shuddering.


    Ke Mingye shrugged, "What''s wrong with me meowing, any objections, or did you just want to eavesdrop on me in the bathroom, I think you all are the ones with issues."


    "Hey, what way is this child talking, are you asking for a beating, believe it or not, I''ll tell your dad?" Bai Wenna frowned.


    "Right, right, absolutely right, that stinky old dad is always gone all day, and still talking to him."


    Ke Mingye said as he passed by them, walking back to his room under their scrutiny, shutting the door forcefully, locking it, lying on the bed, taking a break.


    Closing his eyes, he rested for a while to settle his nerves, then he pulled out his phone to check Weibo.


    He had initially intended to check the trending topics in the bathroom, but the tweet about the blue owl and Timekeeper had distracted him, and he forgot what he was supposed to do.


    At this moment, upon opening the Weibo trending list, he saw that the photo of the blue owl and Magic Girl Ash appearing together had taken the second spot on Weibo''s trending list;


    The first spot was taken by Huanjing''s mass brainwashing riot, sharing the limelight for the same event.


    "Damn, my little sister''s traffic is so high!" Ke Mingye thought.


    When he as the blue owl first appeared, he only made it to the top five on Weibo''s trending list, and that was with the traffic boost from the big internet star, mikaxi.


    Now, after just rubbing off Magic Girl Ash''s fame, he had shot up to second on the trending list that very day.


    When he clicked on the photo, Ke Mingye was stunned, not knowing how the media managed to capture that kind of ambiance¡­


    It was exactly the second before Magic Girl Ash walked past him, ignoring him, that they grabbed this shot, capturing both their faces in a way that made the audience think they were looking at each other , as if Magic Girl Ash was walking towards the blue owl.


    It was ridiculously unreal¡­


    Ke Mingye was shocked, experiencing firsthand the media''s ability to twist reality.


    He reckoned Bai Zini would faint on the spot after seeing this picture, stomping her feet and ignoring the blue owl while still being manipulated by dumb promotional accounts, "Let whoever wants to be that damned Magic Girl be one!"


    But he didn''t care at all, feeling a bit of joy inside.


    "Alright, alright... Last time I made an appearance, I leaped on the popularity of Dice Monster and the viral self-media star mikaxi, and this time, I''m riding the wave of my little sis'' fame. It feels like it won''t be long before comrade Blue Owl is on fire and invited to join the Superhero Association."


    Ke Mingye thought to himself, quite pleased. He turned off his phone, continued to lie flat, and after waking up, it was already dusk.


    After being woken up by Ke Xiaomo knocking at his door, he washed his face and went downstairs to eat.


    Moonlight tore through the last of the twilight; dusk faded, and night enveloped Huanjing like a curtain.


    Having just appeared in front of the media''s cameras early this morning, Ke Mingye wasn''t in a rush to have Blue Owl make another appearance. Appearing too frequently would make him seem like some second-rate, hard-working hero, though of course, Qing Ya was an exception.


    So instead, he released the Dice Monster from the windowsill, letting it lurk in the night while he himself sat on the living room sofa, using the anchor sunglasses to lock on to Bai Ziling, who was about to go for a walk with Ke Yongzhu.


    Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo were a bit worried when they heard that the two were going out for a walk, as it had been a while since Yongzhu had left the house and had been hiding at home.


    It seemed they hadn''t completely trusted yet that Yongzhu wouldn''t lose control and turn into a dragon again.


    However, Bai Qiuwu quietly said from the couch to let them go, it would be alright;


    Bai Zini also added, exactly, a grade-schooler couldn''t possibly bite his sister Zi Ling to death, so Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo eased their worries.


    Although Ke Mingye was nearby, they deliberately avoided him during their conversation.


    Still, he could pretty much guess what they were talking about.


    Ke Mingye was very certain that even if Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo appeared agreeable on the surface, Ke Xiaomo was likely to stealthily slip into the shadows behind them and keep an eye on Bai Ziling and Yongzhu.


    With Ke Xiaomo''s personality, he could never be completely at ease with a grade-schooler.


    If the grade-schooler lost control outside, it would be too dangerous for both the grade-schooler and Zi Ling.


    Moreover, the Anomaly Control Bureau was currently investigating the incident with the Calamity Dragon and the Ninja Sect, and the matter was still in the limelight. If something went wrong at such a critical juncture, and Ke Yongzhu''s identity was exposed, then the one to suffer most would be his older brother, Ke Yinzhi.


    After all, it was Ke Yinzhi who had used his position at the Management Bureau to conceal the Calamity Dragon''s real identity and the origins of the Ninja Sect incident from the higher-ups.


    If the identity of the Calamity Dragon was revealed, it would mean that his deceit of the Management Bureau would be completely known to the higher-ups, and the penalty he might receive could very well be the death sentence.


    Even just for Ke Yinzhi, Ke Xiaomo would not let there be any chance of exposure for the grade-schooler.


    This concerned the safety of three people; thus, Ke Mingye was certain that no matter what the other siblings said, Ke Xiaomo would definitely be following Zi Ling and Yongzhu.


    "So, having the strange thing track these two might very well bump into my second brother. Perfect, I''ve been wanting to have a talk with him anyway, and there are still some mission tasks left undone."


    With that thought, Ke Mingye equipped the strange thing with anchor sunglasses and pressed a button on the frame.


    Immediately, Bai Ziling''s location appeared in his view; they hadn''t gone far, just walking around in the Old Jingmai District.


    These two no longer needed to sneak off to the beach to meet, especially since Bai Ziling already knew that the dragon was just a grade-schooler.


    Since he knew exactly who the other party was, chatting while walking on the road was enough, having a secret meeting seemed rather humorous.


    The strange thing slowly lifted its hollow eyes from the lens and used spider silk to traverse the night, quickly locating the two people strolling on Old Jingmai Commercial Street.


    It descended, sat on top of a vending machine on the street, and then slowly turned its head to face Ke Yongzhu and Bai Ziling walking towards it.


    The strange thing raised its nonexistent eyebrow and said from a superior position, "What a coincidence, running into you while out for a stroll."


    Its figure was illuminated by the street light, and sitting on the vending machine late at night was particularly frightening.


    Ke Yongzhu paused momentarily, then sneered, "What are you doing here again, want me to twist your head off?"


    Bai Ziling remained silent, just lifting her crimson eyes to stare at it.


    "Hey, I thought you would thank me, after all, I did secretly warn you before it all happened, yet you completely ignored my good intentions."


    Sitting atop the vending machine, the strange thing lowered its right hand, caught a five-yuan coin with a strand of spider silk, and then, like fishing, drew the coin toward the slot of the machine.


    It then released the spider silk, letting the coin and the web drop into the machine, and finally selected "Wahaha Milk" with its toe on the vending machine interface.


    The canned Wahaha Milk soon popped out from the vending machine''s outlet, caught by the spider web and pulled into its hand. It then tilted its head, twisted open the cap, and took a drink.


    Ke Yongzhu and Bai Ziling looked at it, bewildered, thinking, are you sick, making a spectacle out of drinking a bottle of Wahaha Milk?


    "Let''s go," Bai Ziling said indifferently.


    "Yeah, don''t bother with this strange thing."


    As Ke Yongzhu turned to leave, he was stopped by the strange thing sitting on the vending machine, "You''re leaving so soon? Haven''t seen you for several days, Baby Dragon, and our lovely Su... "


    Its voice suddenly cut off as a raptor-like shadow fiercely surged from the nearby ground, scaling up the surface of the vending machine.


    In just a moment, the strange thing was caught in the beak of the terrifying shadow, dragged like prey into the darkness, leaving only the bottle of Wahaha Milk behind, which fell to the ground.


    Under the street lamp, the murky white liquid continuously flowed out from the can.


    "Where did it go?"


    Upon hearing the noise behind her, Bai Ziling turned her head and asked.


    Ke Yongzhu placed his hands behind his head and said, "Don''t know, who cares about it? Let''s just go home; today has been an unlucky day."


    "Yeah."


    Bai Ziling nodded, and alongside Ke Yongzhu walked toward the path home. The two figures walked quietly on the moonlit path, gradually disappearing into the night.

 Chapter 148 Strange Thing X Shadow Heir Ninja Sect Sect Master (2)

    By the time the strange thing came to its senses, it was already being carried through the air by the beak of a bird above an alleyway.In a daze, the full moon hanging high in the night sky found its way into its pupils.


    Gazing downward, it saw that the predatory bird formed by converging shadows was flapping its slender wings against the backdrop of the moonlight, rolling threads of green light shimmering within its stark white eyes.


    The strange thing, still clutched in mid-air by the bird''s beak, lifted its hollow eyes irritably and addressed the raptor.


    "Uh, Mr. Ninja, I know you''re very enthusiastic about me, but what''s the difference between your actions and those of a burly female fan who, upon seeing her idol, impulsively hoists him into a van in a fit of passion, if not somewhat offensive?"


    No sooner had it finished speaking than the predatory bird-like shadow loosened its grip on the strange thing, causing it to fall towards the ground of the alley from directly overhead.


    "Hey, hey, hey... was that really necessary to have such a temper?"


    The strange thing, with its soft and pliable body, landed on top of an air-conditioning unit, then bounced onto the sizable trash bin, and finally, with a somersault, settled on the ground of the alley. It supported the back of its head with one hand and slightly bent its right knee, lying in a provocatively casual pose as though the alley below were its own den.


    It said, "Long time no see, isn''t this our Mr. Ninja? It seems you''ve been led astray by Qing Ya, just like Blue Owl, and developed a special fondness for playing the role of avian creatures."


    Looking up, the black predatory bird had already merged into the wall, clinging to its surface. Within the glossy shadow that swayed like lake water, a pair of steady green eagle eyes fixed on it, a gaze from the abyss.


    "I''m warning you, stay away from my family."


    With those icy words, Ke Xiaomo''s figure slowly emerged from the shadow in the shape of a predatory bird, his shoe soles coated with a thick layer of shadow that stuck to the wall, allowing him to stand perpendicular in midair without a hint of falling.


    The strange thing looked up at Ke Xiaomo and sighed.


    "Another narcissist... Are all the Bai Ke''s family this self-centered, actually believing the whole world revolves around them?"


    It paused, "I didn''t come for you, I was looking for that cute little dragon baby."


    "So... I''m telling you to keep your distance from them."


    "The tone of your voice doesn''t sound quite right, you know. Logically speaking, I should have the upper hand since you don''t yet know who my real form is..."


    With one hand on its forehead, the strange thing circled its finger on the ground in a teasing manner, "And me, what if I let slip to someone with the Management Bureau that the Black Judge''s brother is actually a dragon and that he''s been abusing his powers to conceal the truth about the Wanxiang City incident for personal feelings? What kind of punishment would he receive, I wonder?"


    "But you wouldn''t do that, because you want something else. Otherwise, you would have done so before we started talking."


    Ke Xiaomo said calmly.


    The strange thing let out an "oh," thinking this ninja guy was quite sharp.


    Ke Yinzhi''s goal was to kill the entire elite force of the Management Bureau, hence Ke Mingye had also received a main mission related to it. Betraying Ke Yinzhi at this point would be of no benefit to it, and might even lead to the collapse or disappearance of that mission.


    On the other hand, thinking about trading the destruction of the entire Management Bureau for the deaths of Ke Yinzhi and Ke Yongzhu seemed like a bad deal in every sense.


    Moreover, there was a high probability the brothers wouldn''t die; they were already extraordinarily powerful, and with Ke Xiaomo''s help, escaping the Management Bureau''s siege would just be a matter of minutes.


    Not to mention in their home, they had an alien mother as an unstable factor... a ticking time bomb, ready to explode on the slightest touch.


    Therefore, it was impossible for it to do such a thing. Instead, it would systematically increase its strength and wait for the day Ke Yinzhi rebelled against the Management Bureau, which was the safest route.


    "You''re right, I wouldn''t do that. But I merely wanted to express that I could." the strange thing spoke slowly, "Otherwise, why would you be willing to listen to me properly?"


    "So what do you want?"


    "To make a friend, a friendship we failed to forge last time should be made this time, especially since I''ve pulled in a bunch of formidable people to help you, like Magical Girl Ash, Black Wukong, Magical Girl Xiaohongmao, all of them terribly powerful individuals..." the strange thing paused, "Oh, you must already know that Black Wukong is your little sister, so let''s leave her out of this count." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a while, "If I''m not mistaken, you must be a player."


    "Player, what''s that, something edible?" the strange thing raised its nonexistent eyebrows in query.


    "Stop playing dumb."


    The strange thing spread its hands with an air of innocence, "If I don''t know something, then I really don''t know it. Well... I do know a thing or two about players, seeing as my character is the mysterious gentleman who possesses all truths. It would be quite embarrassing to say I don''t know."


    "So, you''re not denying the possibility of being a player?"


    "No, no, no, I am not a player. Players are too low-level for me. I am the all-knowing great strange thing." the strange thing said disdainfully, "But if you need my cooperation to root out these players, I might be willing to do so, provided you give me a sufficiently satisfying reward."


    It paused, "By the way, as far as I know, there''s a player who has come to this city. He is also a member of the vampire hunters, and I would be really happy if you could sniff him out and do away with him."

 Chapter 149 Paranoia: Am I Really Fighting the Black Judge?

    [Good morning, Mr. Player. Today is July 8, 2028, and there are only 345 days left until the deadline to complete the ultimate task ''Extinction Superhuman.'']Ke Mingye often thought that if he blinded himself, maybe he wouldn''t see this panel when he woke up, but after calming down, he realized that since it was transmitted from his brain, he couldn''t block it even if he lost his vision.


    Because he was really tired, he skipped his morning run today. Just two seconds after sitting up in bed, he flopped back down and deeply fell back to sleep.


    When he opened his eyes again, it was already nine in the morning, and Bai Ziling was there to wake him up for breakfast.


    "Get up, otherwise I''ll have Ni wake you," her emotionless voice came from outside the door.


    "Please don''t let her wake me..." Ke Mingye said as he turned over in bed, burying his face in the pillow, "I''ll get high blood pressure."


    His favorite thing was having Bai Ziling wake him up; her void of aggression and pressure, like a cool thin snowflake brushing across his cheek, naturally carried a hypnotic effect that always let him laze in bed a bit longer.


    "Then I''ll call Mom."


    Bai Ziling paused outside the door, no sooner had she finished speaking than Bai Wenna''s voice came from the living room downstairs: "Mingye, if you don''t get up I''m going to lock your door!"


    "Oh my goodness..."


    Ke Mingye scratched his messy hair, got out of bed, slipped on his slippers, and hung his head low as he opened the door to find Bai Ziling standing there with her hands behind her back, waiting.


    Today, Bai Ziling had her snow-white hair neatly tied in a high ponytail, a rarity for her. She usually didn''t style her hair like her sister, so Ke Mingye took a second look.


    "Why the change in hairstyle?"


    "Does it look good?"


    Bai Ziling asked expressionlessly, lifting her red eyes from the wisps of hair in front of her forehead and staring motionlessly at him.


    "You''re asking me for advice? You might get better opinions from your sisters... just don''t take our brother''s advice, anyone else''s taste in aesthetics, no matter how bad, is still within human range, brother''s like from Mars."


    "I asked you."


    "Looks good, looks good."


    Ke Mingye said sleepily, reaching out to ruffle her head as she bowed it slightly, then suddenly murmured softly, "I feel..."


    "Feel what?" Ke Mingye yawned, smacking his lips as he asked.


    "Sometimes making a change isn''t bad," Bai Ziling said.


    "Oh, is that so? I read online that when girls change their hairstyles, it''s like they''re changing their moods. You might want to try that more often."


    Ke Mingye said as he walked into the bathroom, washing up in front of the mirror, asked nonchalantly, "Speaking of which, what was with you yesterday? You seemed a bit down."


    "Just thinking that everyone will grow up and leave home eventually... I''ll have to leave too, sooner or later."


    "You don''t have to leave; what are you thinking?"


    Ke Mingye stared at his face in the mirror, muttering to himself.


    "What if I have to leave?"


    Bai Ziling''s voice got softer but was still devoid of emotion.


    "Then we''ll just bring you back," Ke Mingye said while brushing his teeth, his voice muffled, "like that time at the barber shop, remember?"


    "...remember."


    "If you''re feeling down and want to get some air, that''s fine too; I''ll just ride a bike and bring you back," Ke Mingye paused for a bit, lowered his eyes, and said, "after all, I''m your brother."


    After finishing, he "gurgled" his mouthwash, spat it out into the sink, and then washed his face.


    "So why the unhappiness, did you get dumped?"


    Seeing no response from behind, Ke Mingye turned his head slightly and asked.


    "No." Bai Ziling leaned against the hallway wall, lowered her eyes slightly, and shook her head gently, "Actually, I am..." she paused for a while, slowly raised her hands making a scratching gesture, her mouth also slightly opened, showing a glimpse of her small fangs, "a vampire."


    She said it earnestly, yet her voice remained as emotionless as ever.


    "Haha... that''s great, hurry up and drain mom''s blood dry, or she''ll lock my door and I''ll have no privacy at home anymore."


    Ke Mingye said as he walked out of the bathroom, patted her shoulder, "Let''s go, eat breakfast, comrade vampire." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Aren''t you surprised?"


    Their figures passed under the pumpkin lamp, and Bai Ziling''s pale face was veiled in a faint halo of light.


    "Damn, I am so surprised I can barely keep my eyeballs from falling out," Ke Mingye said expressionlessly.


    "What if I wasn''t joking, if I really were a vampire... would you still ride your bike to bring me back home then?"


    As they walked side by side down the stairs, Bai Ziling asked softly.


    "Of course, even if you were an alien I''d take you home," Ke Mingye said lightly, "but my bike was stolen back in junior high, you''d have to persuade mom to buy me another one."


    "Hmm... that''s a bit tricky," Bai Ziling shook her head, a silent, subtle smile on her face.


    At the dining table, Ke Mingye checked the local discussion group while eating, Gastella hadn''t sent a message yet.


    Halfway through the meal, Ke Yinzhi threw on a coat and left, saying someone had asked him out for coffee and a movie, and he was nearly three minutes late.


    Bai Zini and Bai Qiuwu sighed, wondering how someone with his memory and character managed to get a girlfriend?


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo, with chopsticks in mouth, glanced up at them and asked expressionlessly, "Then do you think I have a chance?"


    Bai Zini squinted her eyes, "I guess... unless someone likes dating an old man."

 Chapter 149 Paranoia: Am I Really Fighting the Black Judge? _2

    Bai Qiuwu was startled for a moment and pondered with his chin propped, "Then it makes more sense for big brother to find a girlfriend."Ke Mingye didn''t interrupt the usual banter among the group, merely glanced at today''s skill special sales page.


    "I now have twenty thousand mall coins. To buy a grade B skill, I need fifty thousand mall coins; with a fifty percent discount coupon, that would be about twenty-five thousand mall coins. Almost there, just five thousand short."


    Thinking this, he diverted his attention back to the discussion group, waiting for that player''s message.


    [Gastella: So, who''s available to meet up?]


    [Fan Quan: I''m out of town.]


    [Ju Zipi: Uh, I''m undergoing Cowherd training.]


    [Cai Bing: I''m tied up with urgent matters, very busy.]


    [Paranoia: Hehe, looks like it must be Paranoia-sama stepping in. Send the address, I''ll be there in a flash.]


    [Gastella: Just you?


    [Failed Man: I''ll come.]


    [Gastella: Okay, Yandai Commercial Street, E¡¤Star Open-air Caf¨¦, don''t miss out.]


    "I''m full."


    Ke Mingye said as he put down his chopsticks, went back to his room on the second floor, locked the door, and released a Deception Puppet from his windowsill, sending it off with a set of old man-style T-shirt and shorts from the Old Jingmai District.


    Then he sneakily stole a pair of sneakers from a shoe store, found a public restroom to change clothes, and then took a bus to Yandai Commercial Street.


    Soon, a message bubble popped up in the top right corner of Ke Mingye''s vision.


    [Cai Bing: Buddy, can you change the location or timing of the meet-up?]


    [Failed Man: What do you mean? We''re just meeting at the caf¨¦, is it bothering you playing customer service?]


    [Cai Bing: Do I really need to spell it out?]


    [Failed Man: No, hacker girl, where did you learn to talk in riddles? Didn''t sneak some lessons from Dice Monster, did you?]


    By then, the Deception Puppet had taken the bus to Yandai Commercial Street, maneuvered through the bustling crowd, and approached the open-air caf¨¦ "E¡¤Star," settling down at a table.


    Leaning its chin on its hands, it slightly turned its head to observe the surroundings, only to see two figures in the caf¨¦ that shocked him to the core.


    The first was his big brother: Ke Yinzhi.


    The second was Cai Bing''s disguise target: Song Yawen ¡ª or rather, it was Cai Bing herself.


    Today, Ke Yinzhi wore dark ear pendants, a long black coat, with a light-colored shirt underneath; sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cai Bing wore a sun-protective coat with a camisole dress underneath, her slightly curly mid-length hair draped over her shoulders.


    At that moment, the two sat at the same table, quietly talking face to face.


    Simultaneously, Cai Bing''s message very belatedly caught Ke Mingye''s eye, disrupting his stunned thoughts.


    [Cai Bing: Well, actually, your brother and I are on a date here at this open-air caf¨¦, but it''s fine if you guys come, just be ready for all of us to be annihilated.]


    Ke Mingye was thoroughly shocked and took a while before replying to the message.


    [Failed Man: Didn''t you say you had urgent matters?]


    [Cai Bing: Isn''t this an urgent matter? Aren''t you tired of constantly exterminating superhumans? Can''t we try something different?]


    [Failed Man: Damn it, everyone''s exhausting themselves to fulfill the great task of exterminating superhumans, and here you are playing dating sims and whispering sweet nothings with the ultimate Boss?]


    [Cai Bing: We''re all exterminating superhumans, you guys go the male-oriented route, I go the female-oriented route, can''t you be a little more flexible in your thinking?]


    [Failed Man: I''m enlightened, master.]


    [Failed Man: Then could you not mention you''d switched to the female-oriented route a bit earlier? I''m already here, why did you suddenly stop midway during our last talk?]


    [Cai Bing: I wasn''t paying attention to the discussion group''s messages, who knew you guys had planned to meet at the same place?]


    [Failed Man: What I meant is, why did you suddenly disappear while we were talking earlier? Do you realize how urgent the situation is now?]


    [Cai Bing: I was trying to contact Paranoia as soon as possible. If that creeper comes, then you''ll have even bigger problems than me, especially since you just send your puppet to meetings; who would recognize you?]


    [Cai Bing: Okay, it''s over.]


    [Cai Bing: That man... he has arrived.]


    Upon seeing this message, Ke Mingye was severely shaken and controlled the Deception Puppet to turn and look.


    There, Paranoia slowly approached, donned in casual sports attire, scanning the area with a confident look that seemed to say, "I have seen through everything."


    Ke Mingye''s vision darkened, and he nearly passed out as new messages continued to appear on the discussion panel.


    [Gastella: I''ve arrived. Which table are you guys at?]


    Ke Mingye hastily looked up, scanning the entrance of the outdoor caf¨¦, only to see a girl in a dark grey bowtie tee and a deep blue pleated skirt slowly walking in, looking around.


    No way, a girl?


    Or is this a civilian being mind-controlled by Gastella?


    Ke Mingye''s gaze lingered on her for a second. The girl didn''t display a superhuman panel above her head¡ªmaking it uncertain whether she''s a player or a normal person controlled by Gastella.


    Anyway, let''s just assume she''s Gastella for now.


    [Paranoia: Do you even need to ask?] Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    [Paranoia: Just look for the most handsome and dashing one there. That''s Lord Paranoia, greatness needs no words.]


    Gastella looked around the caf¨¦ upon hearing this, finally resting her eyes on Ke Yinzhi.


    It seems... she thinks he''s the most handsome and dashing one Paranoia mentioned, so he must be Paranoia.


    But as soon as Ke Yinzhi''s superhuman panel flashed before her eyes, she no longer thought so.


    Ke Mingye''s vision blackened again, nearly fainting onto the bed.


    "You really do stand out." Cai Bing sipped coconut juice through a straw, whispering to Ke Yinzhi.


    Ke Yinzhi, eyes downcast, looked at the menu, twirling a ballpoint pen in his hand, casually asking, "Do I?"


    "Haven''t you noticed the pretty girl staring at you?"


    "Haven''t paid attention, nor am I interested."


    Upon hearing this, Cai Bing breathed a sigh of relief.


    Meanwhile, Gastella shifted her gaze from Ke Yinzhi, turning toward the confident-looking Paranoia.


    [Paranoia: Yes, that''s me.]


    [Failed Man: I''m at the far right table. Gastella, I suggest you come over here.]


    [Failed Man: And Paranoia, don''t come here. Just stay there, don''t look at anything, order some milk, drink it, and then scram.]


    [Paranoia: What do you mean, ostracizing Lord Paranoia, huh?]


    Having seen the messages, Gastella then turned to look at the most secluded table and immediately walked over, pulling up a chair to sit across from the Deception Puppet.


    Right then, Paranoia glanced at his private chat panel, which had been bombarded with messages in the past five minutes, discovering that Cai Bing had sent him over a dozen messages.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Black Judge, what''s that all about?"


    After reading the messages, Paranoia''s brow furrowed slightly. By chance, his peripheral vision caught Cai Bing and Ke Yinzhi at their table.


    Cai Bing, gaze lowered, nonchalantly fiddled with his phone;


    Ke Yinzhi, moving a ballpoint pen across the menu.


    At that moment, Paranoia''s pupils mirrored Ke Yinzhi''s information panel.


    His brilliant mind sparked a mental storm, as several personalities debated loudly in the hall of thought, finally arriving at a crucial conclusion.


    [Local Players Discussion Group.]


    [Paranoia: I''ve figured it out. Detective Paranoia has seen through everything. (Man in trench coat, holding up magnifying glass.jpg)]


    [Paranoia: So, the real reason all four of us came here was to... ambush Black Judge?]


    [Paranoia: I didn''t expect this day to come so soon.]


    [Paranoia: Heh, Spider Man, Hackergirl, just give the word and I''ll make my move, A++ level is no challenge.]


    [Cai Bing: Or¡­ you could just die.]


    Ke Yinzhi took the lemon water passed by the waiter, gently sipped it, then glanced up at the smirking Paranoia, curiously asking:


    "Who is that? He seems to have been grinning at you all this time."


    Upon hearing this, Cai Bing glanced at Paranoia, a look of surprise appearing on his face: "To run into him here... "


    "Do you know him?"


    Cai Bing shook his head, whispering, "I don''t know him well, but he was a high school classmate of mine with an intellectual disability. You can tell from his expression and actions, right?"


    Ke Yinzhi, hearing this, scrutinized Paranoia seriously, seeing Paranoia with his hand to his chin, a ''I''ve already seen through the truth'' expression fixated on them.


    "He does look a bit intellectually disabled." Ke Yinzhi commented blandly.

 Chapter 150 The Scammers Date Time

    It''s over... totally over, will my paranoia not get me chopped up and fed to the pigs by my older brother?Please, I should have never brought my paranoia when I first came to meet Gastella...


    Ke Mingye gasped sharply, utterly shocked.


    He was almost fainting from the unbelievably bizarre scene, so he had no mind to communicate with Gastella, who sat down across the table from him, absolutely getting things backward.


    At the moment, Gastella was doing the same as him, secretly observing others present¡ªDeception Puppet glanced at Paranoia, while Gastella stole glances at Ke Yinzhi, each having their own focus.


    But the next moment, as Paranoia and Ke Yinzhi''s eyes met, the funeral song "Flower of Hope" started playing in Ke Mingye''s mind.


    In his heart, he silently prayed, hoping that Paranoia would die quickly, ideally with no body left. That way, nothing critical would be discovered by the Management Bureau, sparing him and Cai Bing from disaster.


    However, upon making eye contact with Paranoia, Ke Yinzhi quickly averted his gaze and seriously asked Cai Bing, "Speaking of which... in this kind of situation, what should I do to act more like a normal person?"


    Cai Bing released the straw, a puzzled look on her face, "Huh? I don''t understand what you mean."


    "I mean, what would a normal person''s reaction be during a date if they found out their date was being harassed by a creep?"


    Ke Yinzhi tilted his head, his earring swaying lightly, he said expressionlessly and unhurriedly, "Should I get up angrily, walk over, and give him a good beating, then say, ''Stop bothering her from now on?''", he paused for a bit, "Or should I politely ask him to leave, showing my good manners and potentially making a better impression on you?"


    At that, Cai Bing sighed lightly, thinking to herself, ''Dude, stop pretending to be innocent, I''m not buying it.''


    She said, "Haven''t you watched too many soap operas? Those plots are too clich¨¦d."


    "I should have reminded you, I don''t have much experience communicating with the opposite sex," Ke Yinzhi laughed.


    Sure, no experience communicating with the opposite sex, yet chased by a Magic Girl from Denmark to China. Cai Bing watched his act while inwardly commenting.


    Resting her chin on her hand, she said indifferently, "It shows."


    Ke Yinzhi glanced at Paranoia and stretched out his distinctively jointed hand to close the menu on the table, then asked, "Do I really not need to do something to make him leave?"


    "Don''t bother about him," Cai Bing supported her chin with her hand, pouting slightly.


    "Alright then."


    As Ke Yinzhi withdrew his gaze from Paranoia and shrugged, he handed the menu to the waiter and casually asked Cai Bing, "Should we change places?"


    After sipping her lemonade and setting down her glass, Cai Bing said nonchalantly, "No need. He doesn''t seem like a coffee drinker, he should leave soon when he sees I''m ignoring him."


    "Then that''s good," Ke Yinzhi bantered, "You say I attract attention, but you''re quite charming yourself... hasn''t there been an admirer who''s been smitten with you since high school?"


    Cai Bing coldly said, "I told you his mind isn''t right, you can''t judge his actions by normal standards."


    Switching topics naturally, she continued, "Speaking of which... I''m actually quite surprised that a workaholic like you would actually show up for a date."


    "I don''t understand, since you were surprised... why did you stand me up yesterday?" Ke Yinzhi asked.


    "Because I didn''t expect you to show up."


    "Why, do I look that untrustworthy?"


    "Intuition," Cai Bing said expressionlessly, "so when I saw your text yesterday saying you were there but didn''t see me, I was actually quite surprised and somewhat touched."


    "Actually, I just think¡­" Ke Yinzhi said, propping up his chin, his bright eyes glaring at the tabletop, "besides work, one should occasionally have a personal life too, right?"


    "Don''t you have family?"


    "Yes."


    Ke Yinzhi sighed, sounding a bit frustrated, "It''s just that they often complain about me, which is annoying, then I start thinking maybe I shouldn''t only focus on work and family; perhaps they also hope I''d have other things to do."


    "So you''re saying... I''m just a tool to deal with your family?"


    Ke Yinzhi chuckled, "Your logic is always so piercing, not to mention I wouldn''t do that, but hypothetically, if I really needed such a ''tool,'' I wouldn''t choose someone as troublesome as you."


    "I don''t understand, is that a compliment... or an insult?"


    Cai Bing looked up from her phone screen, asking casually.


    "Both."


    Ke Yinzhi sipped his lemonade, lifting his clear eyes from the glass, smiling at her.


    "Hmm¡­ so what do your family say about you, I''m quite curious," Cai Bing asked.


    "Uh... neurotic, bad-tempered, poor memory, panda stealer?"


    Ke Yinzhi listed some examples while helplessly curling up the corners of his mouth.


    "Panda stealer?"


    "Rumor from school, someone said I stole a panda named Kafu; isn''t that ludicrous?" S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Yinzhi said, shrugging his shoulders with a self-deprecating tone. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Quite charming, if you really told me you had stolen a panda, I''d start looking at you differently," Cai Bing paused, "Though for people to believe such a rumor, you must have been quite the oddball in school."


    Ke Yinzhi sighed, "How could I¡­ I''m just a regular person, I can''t do such things."

 Chapter 150 The Scammers Date Time_2

    "I''ll trust you for now... but your family''s not wrong about you being neurotic."After speaking, Cai Bing sipped her lemonade, when suddenly a chat panel popped up in her eyes.


    [Paranoia: I get it, is drinking water a hint, are you suggesting we "take action?"]


    [Cai Bing: Screw off, I''ve already cleaned up your mess, why haven''t you scrammed yet? Want to die here?]


    [Paranoia: Heh, according to the great Paranoid Detective''s observation, hacker girl, you have a high likelihood of rebellion... You''re even in cahoots with someone from the Management Bureau, and so close at that.]


    [Paranoia: Wait till I, the Dog-headed Strategist, return and I''ll report this... Sorry, hacker girl, but you''re done for. Lord Paranoid must be ruthlessly just.]


    [Cai Bing: Idiot, there''s no point talking to you.]


    By the time Cai Bing regained her composure, another private chat panel had popped up.


    [Failed Man: Hacker girl, I don''t have Paranoia as a friend, can you use the panel to tell Paranoia to add Gastella as a friend? I need to confirm if the person sitting here is her or if it''s a puppet she''s controlling.]


    [Cai Bing: Oh.]


    Sighing at his words, Cai Bing sent a message to Paranoia.


    [Cai Bing: Spider Man wants you to add Gastella as a friend, the woman sitting opposite him, hurry up.]


    [Paranoia: I can''t send a friend request, it says the distance is too far, should I move closer?]


    [Cai Bing: No, you''re close enough, that means she''s a fake.]


    [Paranoia: Come to think of it... I also can''t add Spider Man as a friend, why is that?]


    [Cai Bing: Normal, he''s fake too.]


    [Paranoia: Oh my god, so those two fakes are sitting there chatting?]


    [Cai Bing: Right, one is controlling a normal person with a psychic-type Skill, while the other created a puppet. Quite a matched pair, don''t you think?]


    [Paranoia: Lord Paranoia feels hurt. So Spider Man has always been interacting with Lord Paranoia with a fake; Lord Paranoia''s defenses are down; Lord Paranoia wants to commit suicide.]


    [Cai Bing: Roll over, he also interacts with us using a fake, only you make a big fuss about it.]


    [Paranoia: Lord Paranoia feels ostracized, Lord Paranoia is going dark.]


    [Paranoia: Loneliness... is a cold void, and I... have already been peerless in the world.]


    [Cai Bing: Ridiculous.]


    [Paranoia: Lord Paranoia departs... No need to miss me, loneliness is the destiny of a king.]


    After sending that message, Paranoia stood up expressionlessly, walked away from the outdoor caf¨¦, leaving behind a desolate and sad silhouette.


    Before leaving, Paranoia took a deep look at Ke Mingye, a trace of an almost imperceptible bitter smile crossing his lips, as if savoring the taste of betrayal. It seemed... he was basking in his own tragic hero persona.


    Seeing that the walking time bomb had finally left, Cai Bing let out a sigh of relief and sent a message to Ke Mingye.


    [Cai Bing: Confirmed, the person sitting opposite you isn''t Gastella.]


    [Failed Man: Figured as much.]


    [Failed Man: So what exactly do you want? You wouldn''t be here just to date my brother, right, with love muddling your brain.]


    [Cai Bing: I want to see if I can find a way to hack the Management Bureau''s database through him. The Anomaly Control Bureau''s database is much more crucial than the national ones, containing records of ninety percent of superhuman criminals, superheroes, Bureau enforcers... and even information on the internal structure of Azkaban Prison, along with those top-tier superhuman convicts detained in Azkaban.]


    [Cai Bing: Therefore, if we really can hack into the Management Bureau''s internals, it would provide tremendous convenience for our future actions and also help us prepare for the raid on Azkaban Prison in ten months, so we won''t blindly rush in then.]


    [Failed Man: No, bro, that sounds way too dangerous.]


    [Cai Bing: Fortune favors the bold.]


    [Failed Man: Just don''t be bold to the point of sacrificing our teammates'' lives; that would be a loss too great to afford.]


    The camera shifts back to Ke Mingye.


    Gastella fell silent for a moment, seemingly observing Ke Yinzhi from the corner of her eye. After a short while, she turned her attention to the Deception Puppet, leaning in slightly and whispering.


    "It seems our luck is terrible, to encounter such a formidable figure just by coming out to meet, and one from the Management Bureau at that."


    "Yeah... our luck is terrible."


    Ke Mingye sighed, thinking to himself that if this was just bad luck, then his own luck must be rotten to the heavens. What was he to do if his whole family was made up of big shots of this caliber?


    Without hesitation, Gastella said, "You must be the ''Failed Man'' from the discussion group, right?"


    Ke Mingye nodded calmly, responding, "Yes, they all call me Spider Man."


    Gastella held her glass of lemon water with both hands, looking up intently at him, "Okay, Spider Man."


    "This body isn''t yours," Ke Mingye stated bluntly, "I sent you a friend request but got no response, which indicates that your real body isn''t nearby."


    At this, a hint of surprise showed in Gastella''s eyes.


    She extended her fair hand to prop up her chin, corners of her mouth curling slightly, "Then let me be clear... This body indeed isn''t mine, it belongs to a passerby. I''ve controlled her body with a Skill to meet with you." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    "Why?" Ke Mingye asked.


    "Simple, I don''t trust you."


    "If you don''t trust us, why meet at all? What do you want from us?"


    Gastella replied, "Simple, it''s because according to the clues I received from a prophecy, there''s a player hiding beside the white-haired vampire I''m looking for."


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye was taken aback and murmured softly.


    "A player?"


    "That''s right, a player. But I''m not sure who this player is, I only know he has a vampire with him, and they are part of one family," Gastella continued calmly.


    "So you''re saying that in the family background of this player, one of his family members is a vampire?"


    Ke Mingye paused for two seconds, his voice tinged with surprise.


    Gastella asked, "Hmm, that''s more or less what I mean. And that vampire is quite strong, probably at least a B-grade in terms of power... With that said, do you have any idea who it could be?"


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye pretended to ponder for a moment, then said, "If you insist on putting it that way... I believe out of all the players we''re in contact with, there''s one whose movements are highly suspicious."


    He paused, adding very seriously, "This player never interacts with other players. He doesn''t even add other players as friends... and up to this point, we haven''t been able to figure him out. If there''s anyone who might be hiding their family circumstances, it could only be him."


    Gastella raised an eyebrow at these words, "Who? The paranoid from earlier?"


    "No." Ke Mingye shook his head, stating gravely, "The ID of this player... is called ''Fan Quan.''


    As he spoke, he lifted his gaze to meet Gastella''s eyes, "I believe Fan Quan is very likely the player you''re looking for; and the white-haired vampire you''re after is probably hiding in his home."


    Gastella and the Deception Puppet exchanged looks for a while before she lowered her gaze pensively, saying slowly.


    "Fan Quan, huh..."


    She silently noted this ID in her mind, lifting her head again, "Understood, for now I will ascertain this player''s background. Well then, thank you for your cooperation."


    "You''re welcome, I''m willing to cooperate with you, just because I want to clear up Fan Quan''s backstory too. Besides, I hope one day you can talk to me with your real body... and not with a puppet."


    Speaking, Ke Mingye grabbed a glass of lemon water passed to him by the waiter, raised his cup, and took a light sip.


    "Of course, I also hope you haven''t lied to me," Gastella smiled, "After all, we''re both players. Our stances should be aligned. Saving each other''s lives shouldn''t be so hard, right?"


    "On that point, the feeling is mutual," Ke Mingye said.

 Chapter 151 The Last Heart

    [Failed Man: Scholar, I suggest you''d better not come and meet with us for a while.][Fan Quan: Why?]


    [Failed Man: Gastella used an item and learned that the vampire he''s looking for has a player with him, and he wants that player to guide him.]


    [Fan Quan: Isn''t that you, what does it have to do with me?]


    [Failed Man: It is me, but I don''t trust him, so I let you take the heat first.]


    [Fan Quan: Ha, you really know how to get me involved.]


    Ke Mingye was reminding Fan Quan through the mental chat panel when he was interrupted by Gastella''s voice.


    "What does that ''Fan Quan'' look like?"


    He replied offhandedly, "Wears glasses, has the appearance of a smart person, likes to wear black trench coats, sometimes wearing a Lustig''s hat."


    "Noted, next time I meet him, I''ll try to confirm his background," Gastella said, then suddenly switched topics, "Of course, I''m not ruling out that you''re lying to me, and you are actually that ''player'' who is hiding a vampire at home."


    Her voice had a hint of childishness, and her gaze seemed to pierce through one''s soul.


    However, Ke Mingye remained expressionless. He remained silent for a while and said, "Let''s not talk about who that player is, let''s discuss more important issues."


    "Go on," Gastella said.


    "First, why are you looking for a vampire, and what exactly is this ''prophecy'' you mentioned; why do you know there is a white-haired vampire in this city?"


    "Asking two questions at once isn''t very polite, so I''ll start with the first one."


    Gastella clasped her hands together, resting them on her chin, and slowly said, "The reason I''m looking for a vampire is to save myself."


    "To save yourself," Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, puzzled, "What do you mean?"


    Gastella continued, "Since the moment I crossed over, my body has been marked with a ''Blood Clan brand.''


    "What is a Blood Clan brand?"


    "It''s something a vampire left on me many years ago. It didn''t kill me, but instead left this brand on me. Each month thereafter, this brand would periodically extract fresh blood from my body to transmit to that vampire, and it might only stop extracting my blood when I die."


    Speaking, Gastella paused for a while: "To sum it up, this body has been marked with a Blood Clan brand by that nameless vampire from when I was three years old, and it has been thirteen years now."


    She rested her chin on her hand, her tone indifferent, "In my memory, every year this body has been continuously supplying fresh blood to the owner of the brand. To it, I am like an automatic blood drinking machine. No matter where it is, how far from me, it can draw a mouthful of fresh blood from me each month."


    "Although you may see it as ''not belonging to my memories'', the recollection is still painful, and my body retains the marks of being tormented over the years."


    Ke Mingye remained silent, quietly waiting for her to explain the whole story.


    "Then, just half a month ago, the Blood Clan hunters killed that nameless vampire ... but even so, the brand on my body has not disappeared and the power of the brand is getting stronger day by day."


    Gastella lowered her eyes, her tone calm. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    "If I don''t find a way to remove the brand, it''s very likely that I will be drained of blood by the brand within a month, and die inexplicably."


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye slowly started, "Then, what is the connection between this white-haired vampire you are seeking and the brand on you?"


    Gastella answered, "Half a month ago, I found a notebook in the Blood Clan''s main base. The notebook said to lift the Blood Clan brand on me, I must collect the hearts of three different types of vampire."


    "And now we already have the hearts of two types of vampires, only the last one is missing, and it is the most important and rarest one."


    She paused, then emphasized, "The last heart must come from a white-haired vampire¡ªthe rarest kind within the Blood Clan, numbering very few, and there might even be only one left in the whole world. But we can''t locate her at the moment because there''s no tracking method for this type of vampire."


    She needed a heart?


    If what this player named "Gastella" said was true, without Bai Ziling''s heart, she would die¡ªno wonder she seemed so determined.


    Without a heart, even a vampire can''t be reborn, right? If Bai Ziling''s heart were taken by a Hunter from the Blood Clan, then she would definitely die.


    Ke Mingye hung his head low, thinking, and asked, "Then how did you confirm that this white-haired vampire is in this city?"


    "The Hunters gave me a book, which the system classifies as a near A-grade item. Its effect is that once a month, it can be used to prophesy about a specific thing. I used the ability of this book to prophesy the whereabouts and movements of that white-haired vampire."


    As he spoke, Gastella slightly lifted his gaze to meet the eyes of the Deception Puppet.


    "And according to the images provided by the book, that white-haired vampire is hiding in this city; and the prophecy also told me that there''s a player by the vampire''s side, which clearly pointed out the clue¡ªI need to find that player, have him lead me to the vampire, and trick her out to take her heart."


    Ke Mingye pondered for a moment.


    "I see, so without this heart, you really would die?"


    "Of course," Gastella said calmly, "Believe it or not."


    She lowered her voice and continued.


    "In any case, based on what I know, not just the ''Fan Quan'' you mentioned, any player in this city could be the person I am looking for, and in fact... that person could be you."


    At the end, Gastella''s eyes steadily focused on Ke Mingye, observing his expression.


    The Deception Puppet''s expression remained calm as he said, "I still can''t fully trust you, especially since you met us using a puppet; what if you have been threatened by the officials to lure us players into a trap?"


    "What will it take for you to trust me?"


    "Let me meet you in person, as well as those Hunters behind you," Ke Mingye said.


    "Are you sure?" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Very sure."


    "Okay, let''s meet another day."


    "I still don''t quite understand what benefit there is for us in helping you," Ke Mingye asked, "Will you get the Hunters around you to work with us to eradicate the Superhumans? Rather, aren''t these Hunters themselves Superhumans?"


    "Well then, first, I''ll pose a question."


    "Which question?"


    "How can you be sure that the player who has a vampire at home will not possibly betray you?"


    Gastella paused briefly, then spoke calmly, "Moreover, he has been hidden among you for a long time without telling you that he has a Superhuman type at home... isn''t it exactly likely that he has a compassionate heart, trying to protect his family from being discovered by you players?"


    After speaking, she slightly lowered her tone: "Let''s work together to expose him; it''s beneficial for both of us."


    Ke Mingye hung his head, silencing himself for a while, then spoke calmly, "From what I know, based on my familiarity with these players... whoever the player you are talking about is, he shouldn''t attack his companions over feelings and memories that do not belong to him."


    "How can you be so sure?" Gastella sighed. "Human nature is very complex... having a Superhuman at home, memories of being accompanied by this Superhuman day and night... do you think he could really distinguish clearly, when other players want to harm his family, whether he can firmly maintain his stance?"


    She sipped her lemonade, then asked.


    "Don''t you think such a person sounds dangerous?"

 Chapter 152 Strange Thing: Help Me Kill a Person, His Name is Blue Owl

    "I''ve already said this much, I hope you can understand how dangerous that player really is."Having said that, Gastella lifted his eyes from the glass and silently stared into the eyes of the Deception Puppet.


    Ke Mingye fell silent for a moment before speaking, "Your theory is quite amusing. The memory is fake, the identity is also fake, so why would this player betray teammates who stand on the same side as him for his fake family?"


    He paused, then continued.


    "Moreover, if the Superhuman isn''t completely killed, he himself will die. That vampire is also considered as a Superhuman, it''s not likely he would harbor feelings for a Superhuman, right?"


    Gastella lowered his eyelids, gently caressing the glass in his hand, with a mocking smile, "Such things are uncertain, as long as it''s a human, they might make different choices under various circumstances and factors."


    "Since it''s only a ''possibility'', there''s no need for you to speculate wildly, the world is full of possibilities."


    "Then tell me, even if there''s just a one in ten thousand chance, in the end, after all your hard work, you''re sabotaged by a despicable person, leading to total loss,wouldn''t you be annoyed then?"


    "How could he alone stop the other more than ninety players?"


    "No, that''s under the premise of a frontal battle." Gastella said sarcastically, "Think of it in other terms, he''s hidden among you, holding your complete trust, sharing all your intelligence. Just by tweaking a little something at a critical moment, he could sell all of you out. Leaving you dead without a place to be buried."


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye fell silent for a while, then controlled the Deception Puppet to speak, "In any case, since you''ve said so much, I will do my best to cooperate with you to find this player."


    He paused, "No need to thank me, I''m doing this also as a consideration for my own safety, it would be really troublesome if I truly got backstabbed by a teammate."


    "It''s really good that you understand this so quickly, Mr. Spider Man. I hope we can expose this player sooner rather than later, to prevent future troubles."


    Gastella spoke slowly, cupping his face in his hands, a smile appearing.


    "Since we can''t add each other as friends, let''s leave a separate contact method, a cellphone number will do."


    While saying this, Ke Mingye reached into the pocket of his sports shorts, pretending to pull out a cellphone with his body movements.


    At the same time, he took out the Anchor Sunglasses from his bag and held them in the palm of his right hand, quickly pressing the button above the Anchor Sunglasses.


    [Within a range of eight meters centered on you, there are total of: Cai Bing (player), He Jiali, Ma Haoping, Zheng Jiajie. On whom would you like to set the anchor?]


    Ke Mingye glanced sideways, Ke Yinzhi happened to be sitting outside the eight-meter range, so he wasn''t listed in the characters identified by the sunglasses;


    And at the table to his northwest sat two men, so selecting from the masculine names, they must be "Ma Haoping" and "Zheng Jiajie" on the list;


    Thus, excluding Cai Bing, Ma Haoping, Zheng Jiajie, He Jiali must be the name of the young woman controlled by Gastella.


    "He Jiali."


    Ke Mingye responded inwardly.


    [An anchor has been set on "He Jiali." Next, just wear the sunglasses and press the button on the rim again to obtain the coordinates of this person.] S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the system notification fell on his ear, Ke Mingye put the Anchor Sunglasses back into the bag with the Deception Puppet''s hand.


    Subsequently, he released a second Deception Puppet from the windowsill of his room at home, equipping it with the Anchor Sunglasses, a web shooter, and a night belt in preparation for the following tracking work.


    As for the results of this tracking, if seen in a positive light, it might catch Gastella''s true body;


    If considered slightly less optimistically, at the very least, it could uncover the real story behind the puppet controlled by Gastella''s psychic Skill and how she would be dealt with.


    At this moment, in the open-air caf¨¦,


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    the Deception Puppet took out a spare mobile phone, slowly reporting a backup mobile number to Gastella.


    Usually, when he had nothing else to do, he would stash the spare phone into Xiaohongmao''s Magic Book, effectively locking it in a Different Space, thus he didn''t worry about being tracked by the phone number.


    Upon hearing this, Gastella knew that Ke Mingye didn''t give himself any room for refusal, so he also reported a series of mobile numbers slowly.


    Ke Mingye quietly noted down the number, writing it in the memo on his own phone.


    He was sure that this number was probably that of one of the puppets she controlled, and not Gastella''s own¡ªsince she also knew that it would be troublesome if the phone was located.


    "How long will you stay here?"


    "Until I get that heart, I have only about a month''s time. If I don''t get that heart, I''m dead." Gastella smirked, "I guess only one player will think this is good news."


    "It''s that person who hides a white-haired vampire at home." Ke Mingye said, "I will keep your situation secret for now and try not to startle the snake until we find that person."


    "Thank you." Gastella put down the glass, "So, that''s it for now, goodbye." Having said this, she stood up from the table and walked away from the open-air caf¨¦.

 Chapter 152 Strange Thing: Help Me Kill Someone, His Name is Blue Owl_2

    Ke Mingye witnessed her departure, seemingly sitting still, but in fact, he was quickly manipulating a second Deception Puppet to move, pressing the button on the frame of his sunglasses.The next moment, "He Jiali"''s location appeared on the map.


    She didn''t walk very fast, circling around several alleys before stopping at a corner of Yandai Commercial Street No.5.


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    This corner used to be for selling tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and engaging in some illegal erotic transactions, but now, with the city management''s sweep, the place had emptied, leaving only a mess behind.


    The Spider Man used a web shooter to traverse the city''s skyline, finally stopping above the eaves of an abandoned tavern, looking down at this damp and cramped corner.


    He Jiali was seen leaning against the wall, eyes closed in thought, as if waiting for someone.


    Not long after, a family of three approached slowly: parents with a child, who seemed to be looking for a public restroom, having just asked for its location from a passerby.


    "Would there be a toilet in this kind of place?" the father muttered.


    "Dad, was that person just now lying to us?" the child said.


    "If there isn''t one, we''ll just leave," the mother said.


    As the three of them spoke, Gastella made He Jiali move, stopping slowly in front of them.


    The next moment, He Jiali suddenly clutched her stomach and, with a fierce expression, spat out three slippery, dark worms from her mouth.


    Then, the three worms twitched on the filthy ground for a while, like goldfish floundering on the surface of the water, and then, with a speed beyond belief, began to crawl toward the stunned family, entering their pant legs, climbing up their legs, going over their abdomens, chests, necks, and finally moving to their lips.


    No matter how timely their reactions or intense their resistance, the worms still pried open their tightly closed mouths, slipped inside, and then slid down their throats into their bodies.


    Consequently, the family of three each swallowed a black worm, emitting nauseating, slippery noises from their throats.


    He Jiali tilted her head, quietly watching them.


    Their eyes gradually became lifeless, standing still like puppets with their strings cut, awaiting instructions from He Jiali.


    He Jiali ordered the worms inside them, "Go out, and then temporarily give them back control of their bodies."


    As her voice fell, the three of them turned around slowly and walked out of the eerily silent corner like zombies, entering the noisy street, their eyes then regaining their original sparkle.


    They stood still, looking at each other with confused and blank expressions on their faces.


    "What happened to us just now?" the father asked hoarsely.


    "I don''t know," the child shook his head.


    "We seemed to be looking for a public restroom, right?" the mother said vaguely.


    Ke Mingye observed this scene through the eyes of the strange thing, pondering in his mind.


    "A skill that controls others with worms, it''s also unclear whether these worms are limited or unlimited in number."


    "But at least from the number of participants in that parade, Gastella can proliferate at least a hundred worms, otherwise, he would not be able to control so many pedestrians."


    "If these worms can keep multiplying, that would be too exaggerated... Gastella could use this skill to incite a large-scale riot in Huanjing."


    Thinking this, the strange thing released the web, dropping down from the eaves of the abandoned tavern, and set foot in the alley.


    He Jiali heard the noise and slowly turned her head.


    At the same time, Gastella, through He Jiali''s vision, saw the figure of the strange thing, and his pupils revealed the information panel of this character.


    [Character Code: Dice Monster/Strange Thing]


    [Danger Level: D--]


    [Character Introduction: An obscure minor villain who seems to have a superpower triggered by dice.]


    A superhuman without a name?


    Gastella looked at the text on the panel, feeling somewhat astonished, then used the worms to control He Jiali''s body to speak, "Are you... the Dice Monster?"


    The strange thing crossed his arms with a provocative, smug tone.


    "I thought you hadn''t even heard my name, but no... I am the most famous super villain in Huanjing at the moment, Mr. Dice¡ªthe strange thing."


    Gastella asked, "What do you want with me? You can''t possibly be looking for the original owner of this body, can you? If that''s the case, I could let her out to have a chat with you."


    "No." The strange thing shook its head, its mouth dripping with sarcasm, "It is you that I am looking for, you despicable little man who likes to control other people''s bodies, yet hides in the background."


    Gastella said with a smile, "Well, aren''t you the same?"


    She paused, "In my memory, you''ve died many times, yet you always revive, which proves that you are not a real person but something akin to a mechanical being or a puppet."


    "Let''s skip the nonsense." The strange thing said bluntly, "Let''s talk business."


    "What business?"


    The strange thing lowered its face, its hollow eyes staring at Gastella, slowly said, "This city is my territory, and I want you to get out."


    "Well, that''s too bad, I have reasons to stay here," replied Gastella.


    "I know. The strange thing knows everything. You are looking for a ''player who has a vampire hidden at home'', aren''t you?"


    Gastella raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, asking, "Oh, from that, it seems you are acquainted with the one called Spider Man, did he tell you about it?"


    She thought, since the Dice Monster''s body displayed a superhuman panel, it couldn''t possibly be a player, after all, players don''t have panels floating above their heads...


    Thus, the only way Dice Monster could know about it must be through news from Spider Man.


    Gastella didn''t expect that right after she left the outdoor caf¨¦, Spider Man had passed on the information she provided to such a dubious villainous character.


    Too strange.


    "No, no, no, Mr. Strange Thing has no position, and I''d rather not be associated with ''players'', that low-end thing. I know about this because I know everything about this city." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The strange thing paused, changed the topic, "I can help you find that player, as long as you meet my demands."


    As it spoke, it suddenly turned its head to see a group of office workers with hollow eyes and fierce faces, slowly pouring into the alley and surrounding him¡ªthese people must be Gastella''s puppets.


    Gastella sneered, "You say you''ll help me find that player, but wouldn''t it be faster just to capture you? Do you think I''m that easily fooled?"


    The strange thing remained calm, its tone mocking, "Let''s just say, capturing me won''t do you any good, and you can''t capture me."


    "Well, that''s true, it seems that even Qing Ya couldn''t capture you, let alone me."


    Gastella said this but still didn''t stop those puppets controlled by insects from entering the alley, seemingly deliberately putting pressure on the strange thing.


    "Is that so?" The strange thing grinned, "But if you do one thing for me, I will tell you where that player is."


    "What is it?"


    "There is someone I really dislike... their name is ''blue owl''."


    "Blue owl? Are you talking about that vigilante dressed like an owl?"


    Gastella muttered to herself, remembering that she had seen the blue owl yesterday morning, during the riot she orchestrated with a hundred people under her control throughout the city.


    At that moment, blue owl was mingling with a group of Magic Girls, and together, they had taken care of more than a hundred of Gastella''s puppets.


    "Yes, that damned red and blue owl, I wanted to be his friend, and he ignored me... trampling my dignity underfoot," said the strange thing with a sinister tone.


    The mass of people controlled by insects slowly approached from behind, and the "tap tap" of their footsteps nearly drowned out its slender figure like a tide.


    "So, what do you want me to do?" asked Gastella.


    The sunlight pouring into the alley began to be obscured by the gathering crowd, infinitely stretching shadows cast over the whole alley like a sudden shift from day to night.


    And still, the strange thing stood unaffected in the shadow, slowly raising its hands, its voice hauntingly articulating.


    "I want you... to help me kill this individual called ''blue owl'' and then bring his head to me."

 Chapter 153 The Black Judges Latest Mission

    July 8th, 11:05 AM, Yandai Commercial Street, in a damp and cramped corner.The crowd on the street suddenly erupted, like a wave of corpses surging in through the narrow entrance, inching closer step by step to the back of the Dice Monster.


    However, the strange thing paid no regard to the ghastly scene behind it, focusing all its attention on Gastella, who stood directly in front.


    "Have you thought it through?"


    It tilted its head, asking casually.


    Gastella replied deliberately, "Instead of being so eager to have me do your bidding, how about you first tell me, who exactly are you?"


    The strange thing slowly said, "A villain, motivated by interest." Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    As it spoke, the brainwashed crowd behind it was about to grab onto its back, nearly touching it.


    "That''s utterly nonsensical," Gastella remarked.


    "I''ll reiterate one last time," the strange thing lowered its face, speaking slowly, "Just bring me the head of the blue owl, and I''ll tell you... who the player you''re looking for is."


    As its words fell, its body gradually heated up and cracked open. From its orange-yellow body surface, now tinted red by the firelight, thousands of fine cracks emerged and spread to every organ.


    "How childish, to take a life just because someone ignores you?"


    Gastella stared at it, speaking calmly and mockingly.


    "Likewise, if you ignore me, I''ll find someone else to eliminate you. After all, Mr. Strange Thing knows everything, so I know who you really are and where you''re hiding."


    The strange thing dropped its last words, and its figure suddenly burst open into a raging blaze, rising from the alleyway amidst jostling. An eerie laughter then echoed, reverberating through the alley.


    "Truly, a strange thing indeed..."


    Gastella sighed.


    If this strange thing was a player, she could understand. But with a superhuman panel atop this strange thing''s head, she was a bit bewildered.


    Could it be that this person is a Superpower User, whose superpower is omniscience and omnipotence?


    Or maybe... it''s collaborating with a player, and on considering this, it''s very likely that the collaborating player is Spider Man.


    Next time I see him, I''ll ask Spider Man about this Dice Monster to see if I can extract some information.


    Anyway, killing a mere super hero is quite simple, setting a trap will do the job... when it''s done, I''ll kill the blue owl too, then see what the Dice Monster has to say?


    Gastella pondered, her chin propped up, then ordered the puppets in the alley to retreat. Following this, she activated the bugs inside He Jiali''s body, allowing her to regain control over her body.


    He Jiali stood bewildered in the alley, her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the dirty ground.


    "What... exactly happened to me?" she murmured softly.


    ...


    .....


    Meanwhile, across from Yandai Cinema City in an open-air cafe.


    Ke Mingye sat on a chair, sipping on matcha milk. Looking up, he could no longer see Ke Yinzhi and Cai Bing; they had left after finishing their coffee. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The most critical thing now is to find out Gastella''s true form, and also, how strong those Blood Clan Hunters around her really are."


    "They came for Bai Ziling, which could easily disrupt my plans and completely mess up the situation I''ve worked so hard to achieve. Perhaps... my identity might even be exposed to my family, after all, Gastella won''t care about my life or death."


    "I must figure out the background of these Blood Clan Hunters first and then stop them."


    "Moreover... Gastella doesn''t trust me, she thinks I might betray the players because of my family, so there''s no need for me to collaborate with her."


    As Ke Mingye contemplated, the spare cell phone in the Deception Puppet''s hand suddenly rang. He raised an eyebrow, manipulating the puppet to look down, it was an unfamiliar number.


    So he answered the phone, placing it to his ear: "Who is it?"


    "Gastella." A vigorous and robust male voice came through the phone, making one imagine a sweaty athlete.


    Ke Mingye shrugged, "Let me guess, you''re using another new puppet to call me."


    Gastella joked, "Of course. I''m using a male puppet this time, is it too unfamiliar for you?"


    "I''m not even clear if you are a man or a woman, what''s there to be unaccustomed to?" Ke Mingye retorted.


    "I just encountered that Dice Monster, the big name of your city."


    "Haha... we''ve all been harassed by that thing, you can ask Fan Quan and Cai Bing, basically every player in this city has been harassed by the Dice Monster."


    "Wow, I''m really curious, what exactly is it?" Gastella asked.


    "Not sure."


    "Can I assume that you''re working with it then since it knew my intentions?"


    "No no no, it also knew my intentions." Ke Mingye said expressionlessly, "Based on the rumors I found online, the Dice Monster''s ability seems to be reading others'' minds."


    Ke Mingye knew he could no longer hide this from the other players, so he sent a message to Fan Quan.


    [Failed Man: Help send a message to Qing Meng and Ju Zipi, and Paranoid, they should all know the Dice Monster is me by now, especially since I used a web shooter in public videos.]


    [Fan Quan: I''ve already told Ju Zipi and Qing Meng, they''re not that dumb, they''re essentially helping you keep your identity; as for Paranoid, I don''t get along with him, you''ll have to find Cai Bing.]

 Chapter 153 The Black Judges Latest Mission_2

    [Failed Man: Right, let''s keep everything about Gastella a secret from them.][Fan Quan: Understood, we all have doubts about this new player and won''t trust him easily.]


    [Failed Man: I can confirm now, her skill is to create a kind of bug that burrows into other people''s bodies to enslave them.]


    After typing this line, Ke Mingye sent a photo taken with the player''s built-in eyeball camera. It showed the scene where three bugs were burrowing into the mouths of three ordinary people in that alley.


    [Fan Quan: Really appetizing.]


    [Failed Man: I don''t know what she''s really up to, but she can''t coexist with me, that''s for sure. If she wants to get my sister''s heart, it''s highly likely to indirectly expose my identity.]


    [Fan Quan: Let''s take it one step at a time. Don''t do anything rash for now, wait for me to come back.]


    Ke Mingye sighed, thinking to himself that it was inconvenient for their brainy strategist to be absent, having been dragged into his father''s smuggling business.


    He opened the chat panel with Cai Bing and went into a long explanation about Gastella''s bug skill, along with sending her a photo that was nightmare fuel.


    [Cai Bing: That''s nasty, isn''t it?]


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    [Cai Bing: Seriously, dude, I''m on a date. Can you not send such gross pictures? Nearly threw up on your bro''s face.]


    [Failed Man: It''s fine, throw up on my brother''s face a bit more, just say you''ve got a bad stomach and let me mock him when he gets home.]


    [Failed Man: Wait, you''re still on a date? I''m nearly keeling over here, can''t you be of any use? Can you dig up Gastella''s real identity and that Hunter organization from the Blood Clan for me?]


    [Cai Bing: I''ll have to wait until I get home for that, what''s the rush?]


    [Failed Man: Anyway, quickly check the identity and information of this face, and then help me look at the surveillance to see when she was controlled by those bugs.]


    After typing this, Ke Mingye sent a photo of the face of "He Jiali," the ordinary person Gastella had controlled for their meeting.


    [Cai Bing: Got it, I''ll check the cameras when I get back to see when she fell under Gastella''s control.]


    [Failed Man: It shouldn''t be too hard to find, Gastella''s bugs were probably spreading from her at first, and only later did she use puppet-controlled bugs to spread them. Just keep tracking back the investigations, and eventually, we should find Gastella herself.]


    [Cai Bing: Easier said than done, I''m the one who has to do it.]


    [Cai Bing: Anyway, no more chatting for now, your brother''s hurrying me to get popcorn. Is he missing a few brain cells? Usually, it''s the guy who gets these, right?]


    Ke Mingye held his forehead and sighed deeply, wondering why his teammates were so unreliable.


    ...


    ...


    Half an hour later, Yandai Cinema City, Screening Room 5.


    Compared to the fully packed screenings in other rooms, Number 5 was practically empty, with only two figures present. They had specifically chosen a screening that wouldn''t be disturbed, watching a re-released old movie "A Brighter Summer Day."


    Ke Yinzhi was drinking cola through a straw, his clear eyes reflecting the images on the big screen, looking quite absorbed; S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cai Bing rested her hand on her chin, casually tossing popcorn into her mouth as she watched the movie, her slightly curled short hair draping over her shoulders.


    "By the way, how old are you?" she broke the silence of the theater.


    "21."


    "A year younger than me." Cai Bing mused for a moment, then said indifferently, "That''s not too bad though, I can live with a younger boyfriend."


    As she said this, she turned to glance at Ke Yinzhi''s profile, "What about you?"


    "Hmm... When it comes to people I''m interested in, I only care about their character and actions, age doesn''t really matter whether it''s older or younger."


    Ke Yinzhi paused then thought of the higher-ups of the Management Bureau, and he said mockingly, "Some useless people stay useless no matter how old they get."


    He already moderated his tone, but in reality, his resentment toward those old heads at the Bureau was much stronger than the words he''d spoken.


    "Is that so..." Cai Bing glanced at the big screen, her voice casual, "That''s good to know."


    Just as Ke Yinzhi was about to say more, the pendant on his ear trembled slightly, emitting a faint electromagnetic sound, which made him halt his words.


    So, he shrugged helplessly and whispered to Cai Bing, "Miss Song, I need to use the bathroom."


    "Okay."


    Cai Bing didn''t lift his head as he replied, his calm gaze fixed on the cinema''s massive screen.


    Ke Yinzhi rose from his seat, walked slowly out of the auditorium, and stopped at a blind spot in the audience passage where the cameras couldn''t see.


    He raised his hand and lightly pressed a glossy black metal earring, prompting a holographic panel to pop up in front of him.


    [Welcome to the exclusive communication device for the Abnormal Regulation Bureau S-Level Enforcer, "Black Judge," sir.]


    [You have received an investigation mission from the Management Bureau''s high level (code name "GE3"). The following is an introductory video for the mission.]


    As the scarlet text faded, a video began to play on the projection panel: the sun-kissed Huanjing East Coast, where a woman lay on the beach, basking in the sun.


    Suddenly, a man in a swimsuit approached and opened his mouth to expel a dark worm. The worm wriggled and moved at high speed across the sand, then burrowed into the woman''s mouth.


    Immediately, the woman rose blank-eyed and followed the man away from the beach, joining a marching troupe.


    They walked towards Hongge Commercial Street like zombies, chanting enigmatic slogans.


    With that, the video ended, and the projection screen went dark.


    "Isn''t this the news from yesterday morning?"


    Ke Yinzhi raised an eyebrow slightly, running his index finger over his philtrum as he thought.


    He had seen the news on TV yesterday morning; over a hundred brainwashed people caused havoc in Hongge Commercial Street, damaging public buildings and topping the day''s trending topics on Weibo.


    He had thought the case would fall on Qing Ya''s shoulders, not his own... But in the end, the Management Bureau pushed this troublesome matter to him.


    "Those old timers at the top still don''t trust Qing Ya enough, to have me step in..."


    Ke Yinzhi leaned against the wall of the audience passage, tilting his head slightly and quietly complaining to himself.


    Next moment, with a "pat pat" sound, scarlet text began to emerge on the projection panel.


    [Video analysis: The suspect behind the Hongge Commercial Street riot incident is the small parasite seen in the video. Its origin remains unclear; it''s suspected to be the work of a superpower user, gamer, or mad scientist.]


    [The detailed content of the mission is to: Find the creator of the parasite, and the hidden mastermind who spread the parasite, capture them alive, and bring them back to the Management Bureau.]


    [The mission difficulty has been initially determined as: B-level]


    "Getting a day off doesn''t come easy, and now it''s Ninjas and Dragons, and whatnot with these parasites. Maybe the heavens don''t want me taking any breaks..."


    Ke Yinzhi muttered to himself, then something occurred to him, and his brow lifted.


    "Oh right, why not leave this matter to Xiao Mo... It''s a good chance for him to repay his big brother for the help I gave while he still hasn''t returned to tend to the Ninja Sect."


    With that thought, he pressed the earring, shutting down the projection panel, then pulled out his phone from his coat pocket.


    He opened WeChat and sent Ke Xiaomo a few messages briefly outlining the details of the mission.


    [Ke Xiaomo: Perhaps I can help you.]


    [Ke Yinzhi: How so?]


    [Ke Xiaomo: Find that Dice Monster. I''ll see if it can spill the beans about the mastermind behind this incident.]


    [Ke Yinzhi: Oh, the noble Sect Master of the Ninja Sect is going to work with such a thing?]


    [Ke Xiaomo: Didn''t I tell you last night? My goal is just to follow the trail to understand the identity of the Dice Monster. There''s no harm in making contact.]


    [Ke Yinzhi: Sure, although I believe you''re capable enough on your own, I won''t object if you can get something out of him.]


    [Ke Xiaomo: And you? You usually can''t wait for anomalies to knock on your door every day. Why the sudden wilt today?]


    [Ke Yinzhi: Just felt like you had a point. I should occasionally embrace life as a regular person, lest our younger brother and sister accuse me of being too ''insensitive'' or ''neurotic''.]


    [Ke Xiaomo: Huh, so you''re stripping me of my normal life, huh?]


    [Ke Yinzhi: Please, you are the Sect Master of the Ninja Sect. You''ll be busy enough in the future, not missing out on anything by helping with this.]


    [Ke Xiaomo: Fine, fine, I''ll take it on and see if I can dig something up.]


    [Ke Yinzhi: Thanks a lot.]


    After sending the last message, Ke Yinzhi closed his phone and slipped it back into his pocket. With a slight smirk forming on his lips, he stepped back towards Auditorium 5.

 Chapter 154 Blue Owl X Qian Cultist X Superhero Squad

    ```Late at night, Hongdeng Commercial District.


    Blue Owl sat on the railings of the observation deck of Huanjing Tower, his leather-clad fingers fiddling with a cellphone, the beak of his helmet extending downward.


    The red and blue of his battle suit was nearly dyed the same color as the night, yet it remained vivid and eye-catching, as if every angle shimmered with a dim halo.


    Shifting his gaze away from the cellphone, his eyes drooped behind the lenses as he overlooked the brightly lit Hongdeng Commercial District. The flow of traffic was like a dragon, and the streets were noisy with people''s voices, intermingled with one or two clich¨¦d advertising slogans, enough to cause one''s ears to form calluses.


    Gazing farther into the distance, the skyscraper symbolizing the Superhero Association stood out among the rest, proudly towering against the black canvas of the sky, like a giant holding a torch aloft.


    Embedded in the upper middle part of the tower was a huge blue and white logo "SHA" (short for SuperHero Association), each letter shining brilliantly against the night sky, diffusing a futuristic glow from the fluorescent lights.


    At the very top, a searchlight projected the emblem of the Superhero Association into the night sky, appearing above the clouds, as if warning those criminals lurking in the darkness.


    Moments later, the hustle and bustle of the city was broken by a sudden commotion.


    Blue Owl raised his eyebrows and turned his head to look.


    In the distance, a church suddenly erupted into chaos, followed by flames that soared and devoured the dome of the church like a devil in a blink of an eye.


    Then, the wailing of police sirens reached his ears.


    A procession of police cars, flashing red and blue lights, raced through the streets. Fire engines followed slowly behind, with high-pressure water cannons at the ready.


    "A church... lately there seems to be a criminal specifically targeting churches, known as the ''Qi''an Cultist''."


    Blue Owl looked down at the church engulfed in flames, bowed his head slightly, and checked the wanted list on the Superhero Association''s official website using his backup cellphone.


    As a result, the beak on his helmet poked the screen again, and even damaged the screen protector.


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    "Ah, seriously fed up with this... really want to chop this damn thing off, why did I dig this hole for myself in the past?"


    He sighed, tilting his head up slightly to avoid the same situation, while lightly touching the beak and murmuring his complaints.


    "Let''s go, join in the excitement, might even bump into old man."


    Thinking this, Blue Owl stowed away his backup cellphone and slid down the ladder on the tower''s side, leaning forward fiercely about ten meters above the ground. With one step on the safety ladder, he descended toward the security room of a nearby park.


    Inside the security room, a guard dozing off at the table suddenly awoke, the light bulb overhead flickering on and off. He lifted his gaze from his arms just in time to see a red and blue figure landing at the park''s entrance and darting towards the street.


    Then, like a cheetah, Blue Owl sprinted towards the church, cutting through the bustling city center.


    The passing flow of vehicles and the crowd merely served as a backdrop, accentuating his swift and ferocious figure.


    With such speed, it wasn''t long before he arrived at the church.


    At this very moment, on the lawn outside the church, the police were engaged in a standoff with a muscular monster clad in Christian clerical clothing, covered in cross tattoos.


    Through his visor, Blue Owl looked at this monster, with an information panel popping up before his eyes.


    [Codename: Qi''an Cultist]


    [Name: Attev Sar]


    [Danger Level: D++]


    [Profile: An apostate expelled from Christianity for wantonly using his superpowers to kill innocents in the name of the Lord, he is currently obsessed with seeking revenge on Christians around the world.]


    The policemen raised their handguns, remaining relatively calm as they pulled the triggers against the charging "Qi''an Cultist." Bullets hurtled out of the chambers with great kinetic energy, firing at the Qi''an Cultist.


    Bang! Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Several gunshots tore through the night, bullets arriving on cue.


    Yet, the Qi''an Cultist merely raised his right arm, and the cross tattoos on his body simultaneously radiated a holy glow.


    Swiftly, a Holy Cross of Light formed in front of him, acting as a shield that blocked all the bullets.


    He stepped forward on the lawn, his figure rocketing out like a cannonball towards the police.


    In the astonished and petrified gazes of the policemen, the Qi''an Cultist lifted the giant Holy Cross of Light, smashing it down towards the head of the officer before him like wielding a hammer.


    If nothing unexpected happened, this strike would directly crush the officer''s head, scattering brains and bones.


    But upon seeing this, Blue Owl quickly charged forward, activating "Phase Transfer" to swap positions with the officer while his right hand donned a metal gauntlet.


    In that moment, the surface of the gauntlet erupted with fierce electrical arcs and roaring flames.


    Lightning and fire intertwining, a deep blue streak of light shot from the corner of his eye as his right fist smashed forward, meeting the Holy Cross of Light coming at him from above.


    Bang!


    A deafening explosion followed, with a sharp wind scraping past his cheek.


    Blue Owl''s figure was knocked back two to three meters, his legs carving out a trench in the ground;


    The Qi''an Cultist, on the other hand, was hurled five to six meters away, slightly tumbling onto the lawn.


    "Superheroes... superheroes, superheroes everywhere! It''s because of you nosey bastards that my life is filled with trepidation."


    The Qi''an Cultist twisted his scowling brows, growling with a stern face.


    "Oh, if you are a fan of mine, then you''d know from my interviews that I''m actually not a superhero yet. Aren''t you a bit mistaken about me?"


    ```

 Chapter 154 Blue Owl X Qian Cultist X Superhero Squad_2

    Blue Owl slowly straightened up, responding calmly in English."Why are you obstructing me? I am merely retaliating against those who betrayed me."


    Blue Owl spread his hands and said sarcastically, "To be honest, I''m protecting you. If you had encountered a large crow, your fate would have been much worse than coming across me."


    "Enough of your nonsense¡ª!"


    As his words fell, the Qi''an Cultist fiercely swung the Holy Cross of Light from the lawn, chanting scriptures as he rushed towards Blue Owl like a martyr.


    Seeing this, Blue Owl slightly leaned forward, raising his right arm as if he were a matador, seemingly dragging an invisible red cape.


    Whoosh!


    As the Qi''an Cultist charged, Blue Owl deftly sidestepped, avoiding the strike of the cross.


    The Holy Cross, glowing with sacred light, brushed past Blue Owl''s figure.


    But the Qi''an Cultist, quick and agile, spun around accumulating momentum. He gripped the Holy Cross with both hands and, like an axe, whipped up a roaring wind that spiraled towards Blue Owl''s silhouette.


    Blue Owl slightly narrowed his eyes and while stepping back, raised his right elbow to block the middle of the cross and lifted his left hand to grasp the edge of the cross''s top end.


    Using this stance, he exerted a covert force from both the middle and top sections, spreading the mighty force applied on the cross.


    Yet, his figure was still sent flying.


    Crack!


    Blue Owl''s elbow twisted slightly under the immense pressure, and bones fractured.


    The red and blue figure tumbled several times on the lawn, finally flipping in mid-air, grabbing the grass to stop his momentum, with his legs dragging through the soil, furrowing muddy trenches.


    The rising flames from the church cast light upon his figure and the disheveled lawn.


    At that moment, taking advantage of the gap in the battle between Blue Owl and the Qi''an Cultist, firefighters poured from their truck, lifting high-pressure hoses to shoot water at the church.


    On the lawn, as Blue Owl was just getting up, the Qi''an Cultist chased after him like a mad dog.


    He closed the distance and swung the Holy Cross down at Blue Owl.


    Blue Owl was forced to retreat step by step, constantly dodging the relentless attacks from the Qi''an Cultist, nearly erasing all the green from the lawn with his feet.


    If he found himself unable to dodge, he would lift his hands to gently resist the Qi''an Cultist''s offensive, distributing the force from the cross between his fingers and palms.


    A counterattack was impossible; he could only barely block the power of the cross, then his body was knocked back several meters.


    To tell the truth, if it were the player "Failed Man," beating this Superpower User would have been a breeze.


    But he was just Blue Owl: a fledgling superhero, who, for the sake of maintaining his image, had to take some hits. Moreover, there were many equipments and abilities he couldn''t use, ultimately he could only bring out forty to fifty percent of his strength.


    Although Blue Owl was continuously taking hits, he was still managing effortlessly.


    This had a reason: during the battle, he looked up and suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure on the church''s spire using his peripheral vision.


    The figure was shrouded in a pitch-black cloak, the beak elongated like a blade, the deep, narrow eyes seemed to penetrate the night.


    The dark figure was tinted red by the church''s flames, the scorching breeze blowing through the flames rustled the cloak. Yet, he stood still on the spire like a demonic statue.


    Blue Owl didn''t understand why Qing Ya wouldn''t intervene, perhaps he was testing his strength.


    To be honest, it was quite embarrassing to be seen getting beaten up by Qing Ya, but there was nothing he could do about it, he had to pretend to be unaware.


    In the terrifying straight-standing crow''s view, his fight with the Qi''an Cultist probably looked like two kindergarten kids tussling and shoving each other on the playground, always ready to step in and stop it.


    "Heh, my dad is supervising the battle here; if you dare, hit me harder, and try to take off my mask," Blue Owl thought to himself as he swiftly rolled on the grass, dodging the Qi''an Cultist''s assault, then sprinted toward the church.


    Fighting wasn''t his strong suit, running was.


    The police, seeing him and the Qi''an Cultist so close together, never dared to pull the trigger, lest they accidentally hurt this young man who had just saved them.


    But at that moment, suddenly, clusters of bird feathers shot from the night sky like a storm of pear blossoms targeting the Qi''an Cultist, pinning him down on the lawn.


    The silver-white feathers, as sharp and sturdy as blades, pierced deeply into the ground, even slightly disturbing the Holy Cross that the Qi''an Cultist protected himself with.


    For a moment, Blue Owl couldn''t see clearly and thought they were bullets. Only after the feathers stuck into the ground did he realize they were indeed feathers.


    "Dad would use this move? Unlikely."


    Blue Owl, hearing the noise, turned his head while thinking and lifted his gaze behind the lens toward the sky behind him.


    He saw a young man with a pair of giant eagle wings on his back hovering in the night sky. He had his arms crossed, wearing a silver Superhero uniform and a bird feather mask on his face.


    Indeed, those knife-like bird feathers were shot from his pair of wings.


    The firing rate was comparable to a submachine gun, and it was one with a significantly increased sweep range, at that.


    [Character Code: Platinum Wing]


    [Character Name: An Renchuan]


    [Strength Rating: D++ level]


    [Character Introduction: Once a young man with disabilities in both legs, he underwent a genetic mutation for unknown reasons two years ago, growing a huge pair of wings below his shoulder blades, thus becoming a mutant. Half a month ago, he joined the Superhero Association and became a member of the superheroes.]


    "Hey, are you okay?"


    This superhero, codenamed "Platinum Wing," while flapping his wings and shooting bird feathers at the Qi''an Cultist, asked Blue Owl.


    "Still alive." Blue Owl observed the situation and asked, "Are you alone?"


    Platinum Wing shook his head, "No, I have two teammates."


    At that moment, the Qi''an Cultist''s leg muscles bulged and he suddenly exerted force, roaring as he lifted the Holy Cross of Light amidst a flurry of bird feathers. He then swung his right arm and hurled the cross towards Platinum Wing in the sky.


    Clang, clang, clang¡ª!


    The swiftly spinning cross, like a giant boomerang, sliced through all the bird feathers and shot straight towards Platinum Wing.


    His expression remained calm, as he just hovered there with his arms crossed, seemingly indifferent.


    But then, in the next moment, a blue-green invisible force suddenly enveloped the Holy Cross of Light, stopping it mid-air.


    Blue Owl turned his head to look and saw a woman dressed in a nun''s habit walking out from the church. She was holding a wailing child with one hand and with the other hand raised towards the Holy Cross of Light.


    Her eyes were full of blue-green light, showing that the telekinesis was her doing.


    [Character Code: Telekinetic Nun]


    [Character Name: Xia Jinlan]


    [Strength Rating: C level]


    [Character Introduction: A nun with telekinesis as her superpower, who received an invitation from the Superhero Association two months ago and thus became a superhero, though she often misses various missions.]


    The Qi''an Cultist gasped for air heavily, tattoos on his body spreading out a fluctuating holy radiance. He tried to form another cross but was knocked to the ground on the grass by a figure that rushed from the darkness.


    Soon after, a high-speed spinning deep blue mechanical chainsaw pressed against the Qi''an Cultist''s neck, as if it could sever his lifeline at any moment.


    Blue Owl was stunned for half a second.


    Gazing intently, he saw that the chainsaw was attached to the right arm of the figure. The uninvited guest was wearing a biker jacket and had a scar running from the corner of his eye to his lip.


    He looked at the scene, eyebrows slightly raised in recognition, thinking that the device looked painfully familiar¡ªwasn''t that the mechanical modification used by Lester, modifying his right hand into a chainsaw?


    [Character Code: Mechanical Vanguard¡ª Icarlott]


    [Character Name: Harrison Mills]


    [Strength Rating: C+ level]


    [Character Introduction: Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After the vigilante "Blue Owl" defeated the mechanically modified person "Lester," the Management Bureau confiscated Lester and acquired the experimental data from his body.


    The next day, using a death row inmate "Harrison" as a test subject, the bureau erased his memory, and through an improved experiment, turned him into a mechanically modified person, sending him to the Superhero Association under the name "Mechanical Vanguard¡ªIcarlott" registered in hero records.


    Thus, Harrison appeared to participate in protecting the citizens as a superhero, but in reality, he was stationed internally at the Superhero Association as a spy for the Management Bureau.]


    "Damn..."


    Blue Owl was stupefied, then tilted his head, the bird beak askew, thinking to himself.


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    "What the heck are they doing at the Management Bureau, efficiency much? Have they already made a ''tool hero'' from the sample I caught?"

 Chapter 155 The Olive Branch from the Superhero Association

    Looks like I''ve run into a Superhero team?Blue Owl thought as he looked up and took in the three people who were approaching him.


    The superheroes'' code names were "Platinum Wing," "Telekinesis Nun," and "Mechanical Vanguard." The naming was quite standardized, somewhat tacky, but easy to remember. Probably the work of some agency branding, tailored to follow internet trends.


    As for that Qi''an Cultist who caused trouble in the church, he was knocked out by the superhero known as "Mechanical Vanguard," then handcuffed by the police and carried into a police car.


    "Thank you for holding out for so long, or we''d have had many more casualties by the time we got here."


    Telekinesis Nun said as she put down the child she was holding and handed them over to the police.


    Platinum Wing decreased the vibration of his wings, descending slowly from mid-air and stepping onto the marble ground.


    As he walked toward Blue Owl, he said, "Blue Owl, right? I''ve seen you online. You''ve been quite popular lately, didn''t expect to meet you in person."


    Blue Owl shrugged nonchalantly, "Fame is but wind, didn''t you see how that guy wielding the cross made me jump around?"


    Telekinesis Nun said, "The police said that you got hit by that Qi''an Cultist because you were protecting them, otherwise he wouldn''t have had the upper hand on you like that."


    As she spoke, she turned to glance at the police officer standing by the car: "The officer you saved just now said he wanted to thank you, he''s right there."


    She pursed her lips, signaling Blue Owl to look that way.


    Blue Owl turned his head, and the officer took off his cap to nod at him, his lips moving as if to say something. Blue Owl just waved dismissively and turned back to the three of them.


    When he turned around, he found himself eye to eye with Mechanical Vanguard, it was quite startling.


    Mechanical Vanguard had been silent the whole time, just standing quietly next to the Nun and bird man, his gaze fixed on Blue Owl with a cold, almost lifeless stare.


    Honestly, Blue Owl wasn''t keen on this Lester 2.0 character, especially since the guy was a tool sent by the Anomaly Control Bureau to the Superhero Association. Being stared at like that only irked him more.


    "Is he always like this?"


    Blue Owl pointed to Mechanical Vanguard and asked the other two in a low voice.


    "Uh..." Platinum Wing laughed awkwardly, "Actually, we just met him too, not very familiar."


    "He''s our teammate, we''re a team." Telekinesis Nun stated plainly, "My code name is ''Telekinesis Nun,'' this bird man is ''Platinum Wing,'' and the other one is ''Mechanical Vanguard.''


    "I told you not to call me bird man," Platinum Wing sighed.


    "Isn''t it much better than Platinum Wing?"


    Blue Owl looked at the three of them and shrugged, muttering, "All''s good, team, although I think superheroes ought to fight solo."


    Platinum Wing watched him, asking curiously, "By the way, have you really not considered joining the Superhero Association? Our boss mentions you quite often."


    "Mention me?" Blue Owl raised an eyebrow. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Platinum Wing nodded and smiled, "He said your superpower is to swap places with a target and that it''s very valuable in combat. If you joined the Superhero Association, he would do everything in his power to recruit you."


    "Wow, I don''t know your boss, but I appreciate such a high opinion of me."


    Blue Owl said, scratching his bird beak.


    Telekinesis Nun asked, "Speaking of which, that ability to shoot fire from your fists, is it from your equipment, or is it your superpower?"


    Blue Owl found this question a bit tricky to answer.


    According to the superhuman course, there indeed are Superpower Users who possess multiple superpowers, and among Superpower Users, these anomalies are not uncommon.


    But if he claimed it was one of his superpowers, that meant "Solar Fist" would have to occupy a slot in his skill set for a quite a long time.


    The skill set could only hold a maximum of 10 skills, and it was inevitable that he would have to replace such a low-tier skill eventually.


    Yet, if he claimed otherwise, saying the power of "Solar Fist" came from his equipment, it would seem implausible for him to have such powerful gear, given that he was just a poor high school student.


    This was indeed a dilemma.


    After thinking about it for a moment, Blue Owl decided to claim it as a superpower, since that was still manageable: he could just keep Solar Fist in his skill set temporarily, and later on look for high-tier skills with similar characteristics and effects to replace it.


    Blue Owl placed one hand on his hip and said slowly, "Eh, actually, I do have more than just the ''swap places'' superpower. That fiery fist is also one of my superpowers."


    "Dual superpowers? That''s quite rare."


    Platinum Wing raised an eyebrow, surprise showing in his eyes.


    Telekinesis Nun gave him a look, saying, "There have been people in the world with four or five superpowers simultaneously, what''s so strange about two?"


    Mechanical Vanguard nodded, still a silent listener, without intruding.


    "Anyway, I still have to try to recruit you on behalf of our boss. He said if we met you, we must invite you to join the Superhero Association, and this is his business card."


    Platinum Wing smiled, revealing a row of pearly white teeth as his right hand took out a business card and handed it to Blue Owl.


    Blue Owl took the card: "Okay, I''ll consider it, but the premise is I have to want to join the Superhero Association." Saying this, he looked down at the card; the name on it was "Che Zhengchen."


    Ke Mingye had seen his name online; this was an Association executive who had mentored numerous generations of new superheroes. It was said that Grey Pigeon''s affairs within the Superhero Association were managed by this "Che Zhengchen" as well.


    Damn, seems a bit ominous, huh? Isn''t this just setting me on the same path as Grey Pigeon, fast-forwarding to being dismembered by Timekeeper and hung from Superhero Tower as a humiliation to dear old dad.


    Even though Blue Owl thought this, he still gave the three of them face, casually placing the business card into his uniform pocket, together with his phone.


    "You don''t want to join the Superhero Association?" Platinum Wing asked in surprise, "Or is there some issue with your identity? If that''s the case, our boss can help you resolve it, he''s mentioned this before."


    "No, no, no, my vigilantism is just a call of justice." Blue Owl shook his head and sighed, "Being a superhero is different, with PR firms, Association tasks, media pressure... I can''t handle all that."


    "Don''t say that, if you join the Association you''ll have teammates, and your teammates will share the burden with you in the future."


    As he said this, Platinum Wing reached out and patted Blue Owl''s shoulder, corners of his mouth curving up: "Who knows, maybe after you join the Association, we''ll end up on the same team."


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl turned his head, glancing casually at the reporters who were swarming towards them.


    He said, "Alright, let''s not discuss that possibility for now. Anyway, I have to go, and you need to report to the Superhero Association, don''t waste time on me."


    Having said that, he suddenly lifted his gaze toward the spire of the church. In that instant, a dark figure flitted through the air amidst a flurry of crows and then vanished.


    Only a few solitary crow feathers fluttered down from the spire of the church, slowly settling on the statues.


    "So tsundere... this old guy," thought Blue Owl.


    "It''s Qing Ya!" Platinum Wing shouted, pointing toward the sky, "I hadn''t even noticed him before!"


    "Has he been observing us all along?"


    The Telekinetic Nun asked with a frown.


    Mechanical Vanguard nodded his head and spoke for once: "All along."


    "I didn''t notice him either," Blue Owl shrugged and said slowly, "Maybe he''s here to see if this imitator is worthy of wearing a battle suit similar to his."


    Platinum Wing looked at the crow feathers slowly descending from mid-air and let out a deep sigh: "What a shame, I''ve always wanted to meet him, get a photo together."


    "Be careful he doesn''t smash your phone, and you want a photo," the Telekinetic Nun sighed with a hand to her forehead.


    "Blue Owl, have you ever met Qing Ya?"


    Platinum Wing still seemed somewhat excited as he asked.


    I see him all the time, even share meals with him, thought Ke Mingye.


    "I''ve only seen him on TV... but I really admire him. Once, when a gang of thugs broke into my brother''s school, they held a gun to his head to threaten the police to leave the school," said Blue Owl.


    Blue Owl paused for a moment, his eyes filled with adoration. "It was then that Qing Ya swooped down from the sky and saved my brother."


    He scratched his nose, "I only knew about it because I eavesdropped on my parents talking in the kitchen. Since then, I''ve held the idea of imitating Qing Ya to become a vigilante fighting against criminals."


    "So that''s how it is..." said Platinum Wing with a hint of emotion, "Mr. Qing Ya will definitely notice you as well."


    Upon hearing this, the Telekinetic Nun chimed in with a thoughtful tone: "But getting noticed by that kind of person might not be a good thing, I hope you think it over. It wouldn''t be a bad idea to change your costume and emblem before you join the Association."


    "No need, I have my own ideas," Blue Owl shook his head and started walking toward the woods shrouded in nightfall, "Well then, goodbye, everyone."


    "I hope the next time we meet will be at the Superhero Association," Platinum Wing placed a hand on his hip, shouting toward his retreating figure, "Our boss really likes you, and he won''t let you down."


    "Seeing your enthusiasm, I''ll think about it,"


    After finishing his sentence, Blue Owl waved without turning back and his figure faded into the night, vanishing from sight. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I always feel like he''s not very reliable..." the Telekinetic Nun wrapped her arms around herself, watching Blue Owl''s departing figure, "Someone like him is probably better off as a lone ranger."


    "Since Che has said so, we should make an effort to recruit him," Platinum wing scoffed, "Let''s go, we need to submit the mission to the Association."


    The moment he finished speaking, he unfurled his steel-like, silver-white giant wings behind him, turning his head to ask the Telekinetic Nun and Mechanical Vanguard.


    "Need a lift?"


    They hesitated for a moment and then both silently extended their hands. Platinum Wing grinned, grabbed their hands, and with a powerful flap of his wings, whipped up a howling gust.


    Suddenly, like a shell shot into the night sky, they soared and in a matter of moments disappeared among the clouds.

 Chapter 156 Getting a B-level Skill at Half Price!

    Night, Old Jingmai District, abandoned train station.While controlling a Deception Puppet in the Blue Owl Battle Suit battling the Qi''an Cultists, Ke Mingye himself had nothing to do but hide in that deserted abandoned train station, unable to go anywhere.


    He sat on a wooden public bench, hands resting on his thighs, tilting his head back and staring into the sky.


    Listening to the incessant chirping of the cicadas, by the end of the night, he could almost count the number of stars in the sky; it was truly pleasant.


    After the battle outside the church had ended, he controlled the interaction between the Blue Owl and that superhero squad while running back and forth on the empty platform.


    Once he achieved the system''s required number of steps, he switched to doing push-ups.


    So, as the events involving the Blue Owl wrapped up perfectly, he also managed to complete the daily tasks he had set aside earlier in the morning.


    It''s worth mentioning that today''s daily task was slightly different from usual: the reward of attribute points was increased from one to two¡ªa situation that hadn''t occurred in the earlier half of the month.


    "Is it then an occasional task that rewards two attribute points, or starting today, will all daily tasks always reward two attribute points?"


    Ke Mingye stared at the text on the panel, pondering.


    He had rationally calculated and felt that the former possibility was more likely.


    Otherwise, if he really got two attribute points stable every day, he would accumulate about 700 attribute points from daily tasks alone in a year.


    If all those attribute points were added to "physical fitness," it would amount to an SS-tier muscular physique. He could transform into a one-punch superhero, shattering everything with sheer force, requiring no skill, and even a nuclear bomb couldn''t penetrate his defenses...


    However, he was somewhat afraid of mind control skills, so he couldn''t neglect the mental strength attribute. Otherwise, getting brainwashed would turn the tables against the players.


    Even if he only received one attribute point each day, along with instances... missions... and various other hidden rewards, if one could survive and steadily improve over a year, even the most ordinary player could acquire about 600 attribute points.


    No matter to which attribute these points were added, it would be considered a dimensional strike in this world.


    Moreover, the biggest advantage of players isn''t in their growth attributes, but in the diversity of their ability mechanisms.


    Weird equipment and numerous skills are advantages that Superpower Users find unattainable.


    Superpower Users are like players who only possess one skill; even the most fearsome of them can have at most five superpowers, still not half as many as a player has.


    Moreover, every skill a player has is chosen by them, ensuring its usefulness, unlike the powers of Superpower Users which are bestowed by fate and sometimes completely useless.


    If a player were to develop over a year, by the latter stages, each would have about ten A-tier skills in hand, coupled with the informational advantage from the panel, calling them a "natural disaster" wouldn''t be an exaggeration.


    And these would be dozens of "roaming disasters," rendering any place they visited barren.


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    Of course, fantasies aside, if they died in the early stages, all these would be moot. One must stay practical, starting the eradication of Superhumans with running and push-ups.


    [Reward for daily task 2 "one hundred push-ups" received, earned 2 freely distributable attribute points.]


    Ke Mingye raised his hand and allocated the two acquired attribute points to "physical fitness" and "mental strength" respectively.


    [Your "physical fitness" attribute changed: 64¡ú65 points (¡ü1 point).] Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Your "mental strength" attribute changed: 22¡ú23 points (¡ü1 point).


    [Reward for daily task 1 "5 kilometers running" received, earned a chance for a lucky draw on the prize wheel.]


    As the notification box disappeared, the prize wheel unfolded before him, texts in six sections catching his eye.


    [One, 2500 Mall Coins;]


    [Two. 1500 Experience Points;]


    [Three, a fragment of the Divine Disc *1 (Collect 5 fragments to earn a Divine Disc, which can be used to regularly locate a Divine Ruin);]


    [Four, a fragment of a low-tier Skill Enhancement Card (Collect three fragments to compose a low-tier Skill Enhancement Card) (The low-tier Skill Enhancement Card can be used to enhance an E-tier skill);]


    [Five, C-tier equipment¡ª¡ªMemory Stealing Gloves;]


    [Six, a random D-tier Skill Card.]


    Ke Mingye pressed the start button on the prize wheel, and the pointer began to spin rapidly.


    It finally stopped on zone one.


    [Congratulations, you''ve received the reward from zone one: 2500 Mall Coins.]


    [Current total of Mall Coins: 22800.]


    "That''s enough," Ke Mingye thought. "If I scrap together just a bit more, with a B-tier Skill Card, I can buy a B-tier skill. I''ll see how the skills I''ve scouted out these past few days are and grab any suitable B-tier skill I find."


    Thinking so, he opened his inventory, sold two items he rarely used¡ª"Upgraded Pirate Blunderbuss," "a Train Conductor Uniform," and the "Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves" that were almost wrecked in battle.


    Honestly, he quite liked those Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves, but unfortunately, they didn''t have an autofix feature or a way to repair them using Mall Coins, so he had to sell them for some Mall Coins.


    [Sold D-tier equipment "Upgraded Pirate Blunderbuss" and E-tier equipment "a Train Conductor Uniform", and C-tier equipment "Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves" for a total of 4500 Mall Coins.]

 Chapter 156 Acquiring a B-grade Skill at Half Price!_2

    [Current total Mall Coins: 27,300]Although he felt like he was being extravagant, he still eagerly clicked into the skills exclusive page.


    [¢Ù: Doomsday Shelter (C-rank Skill, price: 25,000 Mall Coins): Create a space separate from the outside world, allowing you and a target to briefly hide within it (the existence time of the independent space is closely related to your "mental strength" attribute).]


    "This is kind of like the intellectuals'' ''Cave Theory,'' but his skill can only be used on himself, while this skill can also be used on teammates and, advancing, create a space for a 1v1 with the enemy, retreating, it can be used to protect teammates."


    As Ke Mingye thought about this, he scrolled down the panel, shifting his gaze to the next skill.


    His goal was a B-rank skill. There was just one slot left in his skill bar, and since lower-level skills would definitely be replaced later on, it definitely wasn''t cost-effective to occupy the last slot with a low-level skill now.


    Better to buy a B-rank directly; even if a B-rank skill needs to be replaced by an A-rank or S-rank skill in the future, that would be a mid-to-late game or endgame matter.


    [¢Ú: Flame Roar (C-rank Skill, price: 25,000 Mall Coins): Open your mouth and spew a tongue of flame forward, the greater your lung capacity, the longer the duration of the skill.]


    [¢Û: Earth Spike (D-rank Skill, price: 11,000 Mall Coins): Slam your right palm to the ground, forming sharp spikes in a rectangular area ahead¡ª the higher the level, the sharper and longer the spikes.] sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [¢Ü: Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill (B-rank Skill, price: 52,000 Mall Coins):


    After activating the skill, slowly rotate your arm, completing a full rotation every second, and for each rotation, the power accumulated in your arm increases by one level¡ª with a maximum of 20 rotations. When you reach 20 rotations, your strength will be 10 times the original;


    You can stop the arm rotation at any time and release all the power accumulated through the rotations, delivering a Fist-Guess that''s outcome is unknown (randomly choosing rock, paper, or scissors). Depending on the Fist-Guess outcome, one of three scenarios will occur:


    When you choose rock, the power of the punch increases again, delivering a super-fast punch forward;


    When you choose scissors, you slice forward with your right hand''s two fingers, creating a medium-ranged blade light (the power of the blade light depends on the strength of your arm);


    When you choose paper, a beam of energy is blasted forward, (the power and maximum range of the energy beam depend on the strength of your arm; the stronger your arm, the more powerful the beam, and the farther the range it shoots).]


    "Damn, what kind of all-round Hunter."


    Ke Mingye''s eyes widened slightly as he thought.


    "Looks awesome... The upper limit of this skill sounds very high. But it''s too uncertain, randomly selecting one of three effects to release, sounds unreliable no matter how I think about it."


    It''s like the dice of catastrophe; a high upper limit, but strong uncontrollability.


    However, if used cleverly enough, one could greatly reduce the skill''s unpredictability and fully exploit the skill''s maximum potential.


    "Now it''s... fantasy time."


    Ke Mingye scratched his chin, thinking.


    "If in the later stages I could get some kind of key item or even a divine channel of communication with the Goddess of Fate, and then turn ''dice of catastrophe'' or ''Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill'' from a risky skill into a stable one, being able to choose a result from multiple options would be great."


    He didn''t dare to imagine how formidable he would be if that situation actually occurred.


    Choosing one out of six possibilities from the dice events, miraculously surviving death;


    Or, rotating 20 times accumulating maximum power and guessing paper, then blasting a beam of energy forward to level the Superhero Tower to the ground.


    [¢Ý: Undead, Heed My Command (D-rank Skill, price: 10,500 Mall Coins): Summon a group of skeletal warriors to fight for you.]


    [¢Þ: Shadow Wolf Summoning (E-rank Skill, price: 5,500 Mall Coins): Summon a shadow wolf to battle for you.]


    Ke Mingye stared at the 5th and 6th skills, suddenly recalling someone, Top Bull, who mentioned Japan''s third player¡ª"Night Plead."


    Although he didn''t see Night Plead during his last trip to Tokyo, Top Bull had mentioned that Night Plead took the summoning route, choosing skills related to summoning.


    "Summoning players, huh, if they could summon Godzilla in the later stages, wouldn''t they be invincible."


    Ke Mingye thought and scrolled further down the page.


    [¢ß: Thunder Strike (C-rank Skill, price: 30,000 Mall Coins): Summon the power of heavenly thunder to imbue into your weapon, delivering a destructive blow to the target, powerful but risky to the user.]


    [¢à: Full Mastery of Languages (D-rank Skill, price: 10,500 Mall Coins): This passive skill allows you, upon purchase, to automatically learn and fluently use all languages of the world.]


    [¢á: Floating Turret (C-rank Skill, price: 30,000 Mall Coins): Set up a floating turret above your head, which will fire lasers, targeting the same enemy as you.]


    [¢â: Deep Dive Skill (E-rank Skill, price: 5,100 Mall Coins): After using this skill, you will be able to breathe underwater for one hour, and your speed in the water will greatly increase.]


    After some consideration, Ke Mingye decided to take down this B-rank skill. Opportunities like this are fleeting and might not come again; what a pity it would be to miss out.

 Chapter 156 Acquiring a B-grade Skill at Half Price!_3

    So he opened his bag and used the long-treasured fifty-percent-off shopping coupon.[A fifty-percent-off shopping card has been used (applicable for purchasing props, equipment, and skills graded B or below). When buying eligible items, the final price will be adjusted accordingly.]


    Immediately, he clicked into the skills for-sale page and locked onto Skill No. 4 "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill," decisively pressing the purchase button.


    [Current total Mall Coins held: 27,300]


    [Under the effect of the fifty-percent-off shopping card, the price of B-grade skill "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill" has dropped, changing to 52,000 X 0.5 = 26,000 Mall Coins.]


    [Thank you for your patronage, you have successfully purchased the B-grade skill¡ª "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill".]


    [Total expenditure this time: "26,000" Mall Coins. Your current balance of Mall Coins is "1,300".]


    [Skill "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill" has been automatically loaded into your number 10 skill slot.]


    [Important notice 1: There are now 0 empty skill slots left. If you wish to learn new skills, you must first overwrite an old skill!]


    [Important notice 2: Overwritten skills will disappear and return to the skills for-sale page. If the player encounters the skill again, it can still be repurchased!]


    "My skill slots are full already, huh? I always feel like it''s not quite real."


    Ke Mingye muttered as he glanced at his skill slots.


    [1, Deception Puppet (B-grade); 2, Disaster Dice (D-grade); 3, Superhero-Style Landing (E-grade); 4, Personality Split (E-grade); 5, Day of the Chosen (D-grade); 6, Phase Transfer (E-grade); 7, Solar Energy Punch (D-grade); 8, Safety Restrictions Release (E-grade); 9, Animal Communication Skill (E-grade); 10, Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill (B-grade)]


    "If I''m going to swap out skills in the future, it looks like ''Solar Energy Punch,'' ''Safety Restrictions Release,'' and ''Superhero-Style Landing'' are the ones to go. Their irreplaceability isn''t that strong."


    "Also, once Yuri sacrifices herself in the battle with Timekeeper, I can rightfully replace the ''Animal Communication Skill''."


    "I hope this dead cat proves worth it, having spent the money on an E-grade skill and occupied a slot for so long."


    Ke Mingye closed the panel, murmuring to himself.


    After purchasing the skill on the skills for-sale page, he didn''t rush to try it out.


    After all, this was a B-grade skill, and stirring up a big commotion could attract the police''s attention, which would be a loss. This abandoned train station was his secret base.


    So right now, he was concentrating on controlling the blue owl to rush to this abandoned train station.


    To be honest, Ke Mingye was a bit worried that Qing Ya might track the blue owl. If Qing Ya were to see this, he would immediately realize that it was a puppet playing the part of the blue owl.


    It would be hard to explain then; he couldn''t just say he had another superpower controlling puppets, that''d be too suspicious. With his father''s personality, it wouldn''t be like him if he didn''t fit Ke Mingye with a brain imaging helmet.


    So to prevent such an indefensible situation from occurring, Ke Mingye had put in a lot of effort.


    While controlling the blue owl on its way back, he specifically chose a shadowy area to activate his Night Walk belt''s ability and entered stealth mode.


    Then he deliberately took several winding alleys and finally returned to Old Jingmai District through the most concealed route, swiftly entering the inside of the train station.


    Despite all this, Ke Mingye was still worried that Qing Ya was following behind, so he released the Bluebird Scout Plane from his bag.


    This little blue bird-shaped reconnaissance machine paused on the ground for a moment, leaning sideways towards the floor as if it was a newborn chick that had not yet learned to walk.


    Ke Mingye scratched his chin and looked at it somewhat helplessly, feeling that it looked like a student''s mechanical innovation exhibit, crude in appearance.


    "Can this thing really fly?"


    As he pondered, the Bluebird Scout Plane suddenly straightened itself up, wobbling unsteadily but with determination, as the long feather on its head, resembling "wings," stood erect.


    "Fly up. Circle above the train station and see if there are any crows. If you see a crow, turn around and leave immediately."


    Ke Mingye''s orders settled in his mind.


    As the wings atop the Bluebird Scout Plane began to rotate at high speed, it flapped its mechanical fledgling wings and soared into the sky, patrolling back and forth above the abandoned train station.


    Shared with its vision, Ke Mingye controlled the Bluebird telepathically to patrol the sky, ensuring that no black birds were hiding under the eaves of the train station to secretly observe him.


    If crows appeared in the vicinity, it would mean Qing Ya might already be nearby, and he would have to find a way to slip away.


    Fortunately, after a circle in the air, the Bluebird Scout Plane indeed found no suspicious birds, so Ke Mingye retracted the clumsy reconnaissance bird into his bag.


    "Lucky that the old man didn''t follow me over..."


    Ke Mingye had a scare and covered his chest in relief, his backhand dripping with cold sweat.


    He didn''t even dare to think what would happen if his old man actually followed the blue owl here and saw the two Ke Mingyes; the situation would become incredibly complicated.


    That''s why, in the future, Ke Mingye would certainly have to go into battle himself, otherwise, if Qing Ya really did start tracking him one day to figure out his secrets.


    Sooner or later, his use of a puppet in battle would be discovered, and by then it would be impossible to explain.


    But now was different; currently lacking strength and confidence, and having not yet disclosed his identity to his family, nobody would be covering for him.


    Going out to fight criminals under these conditions, if he encountered a tough one, he might just end up throwing away his life.


    Watching the blue owl enter the abandoned train station and again sharing its vision, seeing himself seated on a public bench, Ke Mingye felt this scene almost made him seem schizophrenic.


    He had the blue owl remove its battle suit, lay down a spare cell phone, uninstall all the player equipment, then hand over the "Commander of the Superhero Association" business card to himself.


    Then he instructed the blue owl to face the wall in a corner, find a comparatively cramped and sound-proof corner, and self-destruct.


    Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief, pocketed the spare cell phone, and then picked up the business card.


    "As long as I dial the number on this card, then report to the Association, I''ll be a superhero..." he thought, "And then my old man will immediately know my identity, really curious what will happen then."


    As he was thinking, an information bubble suddenly appeared in the upper right corner of his vision.


    [Cai Bing: Asleep?]


    [Failed Man: Are you kidding me, bro? I was just fighting crime. Don''t you know a superhero''s nightlife is rich?]


    [Cai Bing: Oh, I didn''t watch the news.]


    [Failed Man: So, have you found Gastella''s real body yet?]


    [Cai Bing: No, she''s very secretive. I guess she only operates through puppets since releasing the first insect, and she never shows herself.]


    [Failed Man: Can you figure out who the first ordinary person controlled by the insects was, and at what location?]


    [Cai Bing: I''ve got that. I pulled up the city''s surveillance and traced the timeline back to the start. Finally, I found out the first to spread those insects was a person named "Che Zhengchen," the location was in the Hongdeng Commercial District.]


    Che Zhengchen?


    The moment Ke Mingye saw this name, he first felt it was somewhat familiar, then rested his chin in his hand and thought about where he had seen a similar name.


    Suddenly he froze in place, slowly lowering his head, casting his eyes down to look at the business card he was clutching.


    The contents of the card were very simple, yet they sent chills down Ke Mingye''s spine. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡ª¡ªCommander of the Superhero Association: "Che Zhengchen," Contact Number: XXXXXXXX.

 Chapter 157 I Will Join the Superhero Association

    In the deathly silence of the abandoned train station,Ke Mingye sat frozen on a public wooden bench, his gaze fixed on the name on the business card. He swallowed hard, his Adam''s apple rolling slowly up and down. Cold sweat seeped from the back of his hand.


    Regaining his composure, he slowly lifted his eyes again, looking toward the name on the chat panel.


    There was no mistake... the first ordinary person in the city to be controlled by a parasite had the exact same name as the "Commander of the Superhero Association" on the card in his hand:


    ¡ª¡ª"Che Zhengchen".


    Ke Mingye inhaled sharply, only now belatedly realizing that the offer of an olive branch to Blue Owl by this commander could very well be Gastella''s doing.


    "Is it really true? ''Che Zhengchen'' has already been controlled by Gastella with worms..."


    "Why else would he be interested in me... after all, I had the strange thing commission Gastella to kill Blue Owl. Was Gastella trying to lure me into a trap through ''Che Zhengchen''?"


    Ke Mingye muttered to himself, shocked by this revelation and breaking into a cold sweat.


    If he were to join the Superhero Association as Ke Mingye, revealing his identity in front of Che Zhengchen.


    And, only when he donned the battle suit would he have the superhuman information panel on his body.


    If Gastella were to see his true form through the eyes of Che Zhengchen after he shed his battle suit and realize that Ke Mingye did not have an information panel on his person, it would all be over...


    "Good thing I didn''t fall for the trap."


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath, thinking to himself.


    Upon further thought, he suddenly realized something strange: if Che Zhengchen was controlled, the high ranks of the association should have noticed, and the members of the superhero teams would likely have detected it as well.


    So Gastella must be leaving Che Zhengchen unattended, allowing him to act freely. When needed, Gastella would then activate the worms inside him to manipulate his actions.


    From previous observations, a person infested with worms wouldn''t remember what they did while being controlled, which could explain why Che Zhengchen himself was unaware.


    "Thinking about it, his offer to me must have been of his own volition, not Gastella''s control. Otherwise, the new superheroes would have questioned him about it afterwards, and he would have noticed something wrong," Ke Mingye thought.


    Che Zhengchen was definitely a good card to play, an ordinary person holding certain qualifications and status within the Superhero Association; he might even meet the association''s top brass.


    Gastella would never be so foolish as to overplay this card on a regular basis, risking Che Zhengchen realizing he was infested with worms.


    After all, getting rid of a small fry like Blue Owl wasn''t just a matter of ease; there was no need to involve Che Zhengchen, especially since she hadn''t fully trusted the strange thing''s words.


    Ke Mingye opened the chat panel with his thoughts and sent a message to Cai Bing.


    [Failed Man: The "Che Zhengchen" you found out about, he''s a commander of the Superhero Association, isn''t he?]


    [Cai Bing: No bro, I was just about to tell you, how did you know?]


    [Cai Bing: I just found out his background. You haven''t planted surveillance devices in my rental, have you? Or have someone peeping at me, that''s a bit over the line. I suggest keeping some distance.]


    [Failed Man: Can you not misunderstand me? I just went out in the Blue Owl Battle Suit to bump into a newbie superhero and got this "Che Zhengchen" business card from him.]


    Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire


    [Failed Man: That person said Che Zhengchen is his superior, the kind of commander who specifically manages superhero teams. From what I''ve heard online, this role usually involves acting as a psychological counselor for superheroes, as well as giving them orders and assigning missions.]


    [Cai Bing: Ah, I see.]


    [Cai Bing: That''s quite a coincidence. Anyway, I suggest you don''t join the Superhero Association for now. This guy has been controlled by Gastella''s worms and might do anything unexpected.]


    [Cai Bing: By the way, the surveillance camera there was damaged, but I used some special means to restore the footage. Right now, it should just be the two of us who know about it.]


    Ke Mingye typed in the chat box: [No worries, I can actually interact with him, see if I can get some information on Gastella from him...]


    Before he could finish, Cai Bing sent another message.


    [Cai Bing: Even though I said that, I feel like with your personality, you''re definitely going to want to try anyway. So good luck.]


    Ke Mingye''s eye twitched as he silently retracted what he was about to type.


    [Failed Man: Haha, you know me too well.]


    [Cai Bing: Right, I have a one-time "hypnosis" gadget at my disposal, given to me by Fan Quan last time. If you need it, you can ask me for it.]


    [Failed Man: What use would that be?]


    [Cai Bing: For example, those who are controlled by the parasitic worms tend to selectively forget about the worms, but they may not have actually forgotten. Hypnosis might help them retrieve these memories.]


    [Failed Man: I see, you want me to hypnotize Che Zhengchen to see if we can find any leads on Gastella?]


    [Cai Bing: You''ll also need a brain imaging helmet so that you can recreate Gastella''s likeness from Che Zhengchen''s brain.]


    [Failed Man: I''ll try my best. Maybe my old man will stuff a brain imaging helmet in my hands to play with, or I could ask Xizi Yue for one. Shouldn''t be hard.]


    [Cai Bing: Is this the charm of living off women? I''m a bit envious.]


    [Failed Man: Heh, aren''t you on a date with my brother? Have the nerve to talk about me, huh.]


    [Cai Bing: By the way, to be fair, Gastella is indeed dangerous, but for us players, she''s also a good card to have. To be honest, at this stage, she might be more useful than you are. Of course, in the long run, if we choose to trust you, taking her out to keep your identity secret is also an option.]


    [Cai Bing: It''s just that we don''t know her stance and background, and that Blood Clan Hunter organization behind her is also quite suspicious.]


    [Cai Bing: So what do you plan to do, take out Gastella?]


    [Failed Man: Depends on the situation.]


    [Cai Bing: Are you planning to betray your vampire sister?]


    Ke Mingye''s fingers hesitated for a moment before typing on the chat panel.


    [Failed Man: Still depends on the situation.]


    [Cai Bing: Depends, depends. Anyway, I follow Fan Quan''s lead. If he thinks you''re trustworthy, then I don''t need to say anything.]


    [Cai Bing: Off to sleep.]


    [Failed Man: Okay, thanks for your help today, hacker girl.]


    [Cai Bing: One more piece of intelligence.]


    [Cai Bing: So far, Gastella''s parasitic worms have only attacked ordinary people, not superhumans. In surveillance footage, there were a few instances where it could have chosen to infect superhumans but didn''t.]


    [Cai Bing: This means Gastella''s worms can''t infect superhumans, only ordinary humans. By the same logic, they should have no effect on players, so you don''t have to worry about being infected.]


    [Failed Man: So you''re saying Che Zhengchen is an ordinary person.]


    [Cai Bing: Who says the commander of the Superhero Squad has to be a superhuman? He just needs to use his brain, sit in a chair, and command others, get it?]


    [Failed Man: Makes sense. You go to sleep, I''ve got some things to do.]


    [Cai Bing: Bye.]


    Ke Mingye closed the chat panel and sat quietly on the public wooden bench at the platform, staring at the text on the business card in the moonlight.


    After a while, he got up and walked toward the storage locker, took out the Blue Owl Battle Suit from the locker, and detached the "badge" voice changer from the neckline of the suit.


    Then, holding the voice changer, he walked back to the public bench, took out a spare phone, entered the phone number from the business card into the contacts, and dialed the number.


    Beep...


    Beep...


    Beep...


    The call was quickly connected.


    "Hello?" a rather warm voice came from the other side of the phone.


    Ke Mingye was silent for a moment, then raised his hand, brought the badge voice changer close to his mouth, and then spoke with a changed voice. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Che Zhengchen?"


    "Who is this?"


    "Blue Owl," Ke Mingye said. "I''ve made up my mind. I will join the Superhero Association."


    As he spoke, he paused for a moment and slowly lowered his voice, "But I have one condition. I hope to keep my identity secret... even from you."

 Chapter 158 The Reason to Become a Hero

    At the abandoned train station, Platform No. 7. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.In the leisurely night, puddles by the rails shimmered crystal clear, reflecting the full moon cradled by layers of fish-scale clouds, occasionally hidden, then revealed.


    It had rained not long ago. Large drops of water fell from the eaves of the platform roof, drawing crisp arcs in the air and pattering down upon the tracks.


    Overlapping with the bustling voices from a phone call.


    Ke Mingye sat on the wooden bench on the platform, his gaze lowered.


    After saying, "I will join the Superhero Association, but on the condition that I keep my own identity secret," through a voice changer, there was a short silence from Che Zhengchen on the other end of the line.


    "If that''s not okay, then forget it..." Ke Mingye sighed calmly and continued, "It doesn''t matter to me one way or the other. I''ll give you ten seconds to respond, or I''m hanging up."


    After he finished speaking, he began to count down unilaterally: "Ten, nine, eight, seven..."


    Two seconds before the end of the countdown, Che Zhengchen broke the silence.


    "Are you free to meet tomorrow afternoon? At the Superhero Association building. After you come in, report my name to the staff, and then follow them to the office on the forty-fifth floor. That''s where you''ll find me."


    "Is it a one-on-one meeting?"


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow slightly and continued, "Or do you want me to interact with the upper echelons of the Superhero Association? I''m not particularly good at handling those kinds of situations."


    He was definitely not worried about encountering any danger from meeting Che Zhengchen alone. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    After all, though Che Zhengchen''s body harbored Gastella''s insects, he still maintained control over his body most of the time.


    Furthermore, their meeting place was at the Superhero Association, and Gastella wouldn''t be foolish enough to attack there¡ªit would be equal to giving up the valuable asset that was Che Zhengchen.


    And even if Gastella decided to take control of Che Zhengchen to attack him or had arranged a group of people within the Association''s building, complete with traps to subdue Blue Owl on the spot...


    Then Ke Mingye could simply let the puppet self-destruct in the Superhero Association to erase all traces.


    The consequences of such an action were not severe; it merely equated to abandoning the identity of "Blue Owl."


    If needed, he could just adopt a different alias and re-debut after some time. After all, very few people at home were certain that he was Blue Owl.


    "Yes, a one-on-one meeting. I want to have a good talk with you about some things," Che Zhengchen said, a warm tone in his voice.


    "What''s the matter? Why not just tell me on the phone?"


    "About why I took an interest in you," Che Zhengchen chuckled, "Oh, and by the way, White Wings and the others have a good first impression of you. If you decide to join the Association, it''s very likely that I''ll assign you to the same team as them. Do you have any objections?"


    "No."


    "I hope you can take on the role of team leader."


    "Isn''t it a bit too soon to talk about this, Sir? We haven''t even met yet," Ke Mingye sighed.


    Upon hearing this, Che Zhengchen let out a chuckle from the other end of the phone, pausing for a moment before saying, "That''s why I''m looking forward to our meeting. Although I don''t understand why you want to hide your identity from me, after we meet tomorrow, I''ll determine if you''re someone I can trust. You can also see for yourself what kind of person I am."


    As he spoke, he coughed twice: "If we get along well, and you eventually let down your guard and reveal your identity to me, it won''t be too late."


    "You trust me that much?"


    "My instincts are rarely wrong. The people I''ve taken an interest in usually end up being well-known, top-tier heroes," Che Zhengchen said confidently.


    After finishing, he added, "By the way, I''ve worked with Qing Ya for a while, but as his position in the Association grew, he no longer needed a Commander to direct his actions, which is why he does as he pleases."


    Ke Mingye realized the person on the other end of the phone was very clever, deliberately mentioning Qing Ya to curry favor with him.


    After all, Blue Owl''s public persona was that of a newcomer vigilante imitating Qing Ya. Now that the other party brought up Qing Ya, it would be hard for him not to lower his guard.


    Of course, a persona is just a persona.


    Ke Mingye could hardly develop affection for someone he spent day and night with. Not to mention lowering his guard simply because someone mentioned Qing Ya.


    After all, in the memories of more than a decade in his head, there were numerous scenes of his "whipped" husband Ke Youqing making blunders at home, and it was hard not to think he was taking out his domestic frustrations on the criminals.


    An anime character once said, idealization is the farthest feeling from understanding, and that is probably what it meant.


    "Judging by your voice, you seem much younger than Qing Ya. You actually led him?"


    Ke Mingye tried to squeeze a bit of surprise into his voice.


    "Yes, it took me a lot of effort to convince him to join the Superhero Association. He is very stubborn and insisted many times that he only wanted to be a vigilante¡ªsaid that without external constraints, he could do everything best."


    Che Zhengchen paused for a while, his tone nostalgic, "But eventually, he still joined the Association."


    "Why?" Ke Mingye was puzzled.


    Honestly, he couldn''t understand why his father, who had been a lone ranger for so many years, suddenly wanted to join the official ranks.


    Che Zhengchen replied, "Because Qing Ya knew that as long as a vigilante like himself kept showing up around Huanjing, cleaning up most of the crime, then the existence of the Superhero Association would appear meaningless."


    "And then, people would become disappointed in the authorities and start questioning those superheroes who dedicate their lives to the Association, putting their reputation and status at risk."

 Chapter 158 The Reason to Become a Hero_2

    "Considering these factors, in the end he decided to give up his vigilante identity and join the Superhero Association.""So essentially, Qing Ya''s act of joining the Association was purely out of concern for the reputations of other heroes."


    "After all, consider this: if the officially certified heroes can''t measure up to mere vigilantes, then the so-called Superhero Association, along with other ''superhero'' titles, would lose all credibility."


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye thought for a moment, then spoke dismissively, "Interesting, so you think I should follow Qing Ya''s path, abandon my vigilante identity, and join the Association?"


    "Of course, that''s exactly what I mean," Che Zhengchen said, "The more vigilantes there are, the more visible they become, and the more respected they are among the public, the more people will be disappointed with the officials and the laws."


    He paused, his tone growing a bit more serious.


    "So, if you truly want to help the people, then joining the Association could be a choice."


    "It won''t be too different from your previous life, except that you''d be acting officially, adopting a more formal method of combating criminals. Also, if we talk about more practical matters, becoming an official superhero could at least bring some policy benefits and convenience for your family."


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye remarked sarcastically, "From what you''re saying, if the Superhero Association can be influenced by a few capable vigilantes, then it perhaps doesn''t serve any great purpose."


    "Hehe, Qing Ya initially thought the same,"


    Che Zhengchen laughed.


    "But later, he felt that people needed something to believe in, a pillar that could allow them to live in peace, and that pillar was the Superhero Association; vigilantes would always just be vigilantes, staying outside the law, running counter to ''safety'' and ''stability'', no matter how hard they work, they ultimately only bring chaos to this city."


    Ke Mingye neither agreed nor disagreed, "You might be right."


    He paused, and then suddenly said, "By the way, if I remember correctly, Hui Ge should also be one of the superheroes you''ve handled, right?"


    Upon hearing this, Che Zhengchen fell silent for a full six or seven seconds.


    After a while, Che Zhengchen exhaled softly, trying to keep his tone calm, "Yes, that''s what I want to talk to you about. I hope to see you at the office tomorrow afternoon."


    "That''ll be all for now, hanging up." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having said that, Ke Mingye ended the call.


    He then used the "Permanent Magical Girl Transformation Card" from his bag to transform, inserting his spare cell phone into the Magic Book before making the Magic Book disappear to prevent the phone signal from being traced.


    After completing all these tasks, he moved away from the abandoned train station and headed toward his home, taking the elevator to the twelfth floor of the duplex apartment building.


    Pressing the doorbell, he bowed his head, fidgeting with his phone, waiting for someone inside to open the door.


    "Big brother, where have you been?"


    Soon, Bai Zini opened the door for him and, looking up from her phone, immediately asked.


    "Night running."


    Saying this, Ke Mingye took off his sports shoes, put on slippers, and looking at his phone as he walked past her, "Can you not check on me every time I go out, like Mom''s teaching you bad habits?"


    "Isn''t it just because I''m afraid you''ll get kidnapped?"


    Bai Zini said as she closed the door, hands behind her back, quietly following him, "By the way, that friend of mine... she didn''t send you any messages, right?"


    "My God, you have friends?"


    Hearing this, Bai Zini frowned, about to speak, but Ke Mingye interrupted with a suddenly remembered look, "Oh, You Minglu, huh? She talked to me last night."


    Bai Zini was taken aback, hesitating to ask, "What did you talk about?"


    "About you."


    "What about me?"


    "She asked me, ''Do you also boss around like this at home?''"


    "And? What did you tell her?"


    "I said, ''Your behavior at home is not just bossy; it''s downright invincible.''"


    Ke Mingye said expressionlessly, quickening his pace, leaving Bai Zini behind.


    "Go away."


    Bai Zini''s face darkened, infuriated, she flung a middle finger at Ke Mingye''s retreating figure.


    As if expecting it, Ke Mingye responded with a middle finger without turning his head, then climbed up to the second floor.


    Walking back to his room, he locked the door, lay half on the bed, feet still on the floor. Ke Mingye sighed in relief, too lazy to wash his face, and simply reached out to turn off the light, placed an arm across his forehead, and sorted through his thoughts.


    Che Zhengchen, one of the commanders of the Superhero Association''s Huanjing division, his primary task being to oversee the superhero squads.


    He has managed many superhero squads, the more famous Grey Pigeon Squad, and the more recent Platinum Wing Squad were both directly under his jurisdiction.


    Right now, there are two possibilities around his identity.


    The first possibility: he was the first ordinary person controlled by Gastella''s bugs after arriving in this city;


    The second possibility: he is Gastella.


    The second possibility certainly exists because Che Zhengchen isn''t superhuman but an ordinary person, under forty-five years of age, all conditions align with those required for a player''s possession.


    Thus, it was indeed possible he could end up being a player''s starting point.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye opened his eyes, took out the mobile phone from beside his pillow, and checked the Superhero Association''s related information. After searching for a long time, he found a post from last month related to "Che Zhengchen."


    Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    The post showed that Che Zhengchen represented the Superhero Association on June 19, along with several other well-known heroes, to attend a charity event at a deaf-mute elementary school.

 Chapter 158 The Reason to Become a Hero_3

    Ke Mingye saw Che Zhengchen in the photo wearing gold-rimmed glasses, a slicked-back hairstyle, dressed in the Association uniform.He looked radiant with a warm and gentle smile, a very classic leadership image.


    In the photo, the figure of Ink Writer could also be seen. After all, he was also a prominent figure in the China division, and such charity events were beneficial for the public image.


    However, ever since the battle with the Ninja Sect, Ink Writer had been absent from the public eye for some time. It was likely that he would soon announce his withdrawal from the Superhero Association.


    As for Ink Writer''s whereabouts, Ke Mingye didn''t know.


    All he knew was that Ink Writer''s fate should be in the hands of his eldest and second brothers, so his future actions would probably depend on their decision.


    "On June 19th, the system had just launched the feature to create local player discussion groups, and all players with Huanjing as their point of origin were automatically entered into the group,"


    "At that time, Gastella''s name didn''t appear in the discussion group, which means she wasn''t in Huanjing on June 19th,"


    "But Che Zhengchen was representing the Superhero Association at a school for the disabled in Huanjing doing charity work, so it can be confirmed that Che Zhengchen is not Gastella."


    "He''s just an ordinary person who was victimized by one of Gastella''s bugs."


    Ke Mingye''s train of thought paused here.


    He sighed softly. If Gastella had been Che Zhengchen, that would have saved him the effort of finding Gastella''s real body.


    But it seemed that to find Gastella''s true form, he would still have to start with Che Zhengchen.


    After all, he was the first person in this city to be victimized by Gastella''s bugs, and perhaps there were still remnants of memories related to Gastella''s real body in his brain.


    "I should come clean about my identity with dad as soon as possible. If there''s anyone in the family who can ensure my safety and pull me out of any danger I might encounter, it''s only dad,"


    Clearing his cluttered thoughts, Ke Mingye slowly closed his eyes and soon fell into a deep sleep.


    ....


    ....


    The next day, at five in the morning.


    [Good morning, Mr. Player, today is July 9, 2028, there are 344 days left until the deadline for the ultimate mission "Exterminate the Superhumans."]


    Ke Mingye woke up mechanically, got out of bed, walked out of the room while checking his daily tasks, and entered the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash up in front of the mirror.


    [Daily Task One: Run five kilometers (Reward: one spin of the reward wheel)]


    [Daily Task Two: Do one hundred sit-ups (Reward: 2 attribute points to allocate freely)]


    "As expected, there are more attribute points, but whether it''s like this every day is still in question,"


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, spit out a mouthful of mouthwash, and felt a secret joy. He had just opened the bathroom door and saw a figure standing in front of it.


    "A run together?"


    Ke Xiaomo, with arms folded, tilted his head slightly and asked.


    "Jesus, you scared me, big bro," Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    Ke Mingye held his chest and took a breath of relief, the corners of his eyes twitching slightly as he complained, "You give me the vibe of those ninjas in Wanxiang City, always popping up out of nowhere."


    "Can''t be, can it?" Ke Xiaomo gave a light "heh" and slowly said, "I have something to deal with at the university, so I have to go back to Xi''an in a couple of weeks, and then I probably won''t come back for the summer break."


    "I get it, you want to build up your presence at home before you leave, so we don''t forget about you, right?" said Ke Mingye.


    "Isn''t that so?"


    The two of them chatted as they went downstairs, took the elevator to Old Jingmai Street, and began to run slowly around the perimeter of Old Jingmai District under the early morning sun.


    "By the way, what''s your opinion on superheroes?"


    While running, Ke Xiaomo suddenly asked.


    "If I see them, I keep my distance, what else?" Ke Mingye replied, looking back at him as he ran ahead.


    "I mean... have you ever thought about becoming a superhero?"


    "Every high school student has thought about it, I guess," Ke Mingye quipped, raising his head, "But we''re just ordinary people. It''s more realistic to study hard for college and hope to land a decent job as a well-treated ''corporate slave'' later."


    "Is that so."


    Ke Xiaomo paused for a moment and probed further, "So what do you think of that recent ''Blue Owl'' then?"


    Here it comes... If you want to ask that, why not just say so? Why beat around the bush?


    Ke Mingye rolled his eyes internally, but he replied aloud.


    "Big bro, what''s there to care about such small fries? Haven''t there been a lot these past few years? First media hype, then after a couple of days, they get packaged by a talent agency and start a career to make money. Don''t believe me? Just watch, I surf the web every day; I definitely know more than you."


    ```


    "Sounds about right."


    ```


    Ke Xiaomo said no more, simply accompanying Ke Mingye as he finished the five-kilometer run, then helped him count as he completed one hundred sit-ups.


    Then the two had breakfast at a nearby morning diner.


    "So...what would you think if I really wanted to become a superhero?"


    At the diner''s table, Ke Mingye asked, chopsticks in mouth, glancing up cautiously. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Weren''t you the one who said you were just an ordinary person?" Ke Xiaomo inquired.


    "It''s just a hypothetical."


    Hearing this, Ke Xiaomo''s chopsticks paused mid-air. He lowered his eyes in thought for a moment, then stated profoundly, "Of course, you''re my brother, I''ll support whatever choice you make."


    "Oh."


    Ke Mingye nodded in response, picking up a piece of siu mai with his chopsticks and popping it into his mouth, avoiding Ke Xiaomo''s gaze.


    He couldn''t stand this kind of conversation. Ke Xiaomo was probably the only person in the family who spoke in such a serious manner. Bai Qiuwu was serious too, but occasionally she cracked jokes, not this dull and awkward.


    While eating, he claimed the reward for his daily task.


    [You have claimed the reward for daily task 2 "One Hundred Sit-ups," earning 2 attribute points to allocate freely.]


    Ke Mingye raised a finger and distributed the two attribute points¡ªone to "Physical Fitness" and the other to "Mental Strength."


    [Your "Physical Fitness" attribute has changed: 65¡ú66 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [Your "Mental Strength" attribute has changed: 23¡ú24 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [You have claimed the reward for daily task 1 "Run Five Kilometers," earning one spin on the lucky wheel.]


    With the prompt box disappearing, the reward wheel unfolded before him, and the text in the six sectors caught his eye.


    [One, 2000 Mall Coins;]


    [Two, 30% Off Shopping Coupon;]


    [Three, a Magic Card Bundle;]


    [Four, a fragment of a low-level Skill Enhancement Card (collect three fragments to forge one low-level Skill Enhancement Card) (A low-level Skill Enhancement Card can be used to enhance an E-grade skill);]


    [Five, an E-grade Skill Card Pack (contains three random and different E-grade Skill Cards);]


    [Six, 1000 Experience Points.]


    Ke Mingye sipped his soy milk, pressing the spin button on the wheel with a thought. The pointer began to spin at high speed.


    It finally stopped on the fourth sector.


    [Congratulations, you have obtained the fourth sector''s reward: a fragment of a low-level Skill Enhancement Card (you now possess 2 fragments, collect 3 to complete one low-level Skill Enhancement Card).]


    After breakfast, they didn''t linger outside and went straight home.


    As soon as Ke Mingye sat down in his room, his spare phone received a message. He glanced down to see it was from a QQ friend.


    [Not Ash: Are you free? Come to the elementary school, the master wants me to teach you card crafting.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: On my way.]


    "Card crafting, huh... The more life-saving cards I craft, the more useful they''ll be later on."


    Ke Mingye had been looking forward to this for a long time, picturing a workaholic persona split from a personality split, controlling Little Red Riding Hood to produce cards day and night.


    So he quickly unleashed the Deception Puppet and had it head to the abandoned train station.


    He took out a set of women''s clothes from the storage locker, dressed himself in them, put on a face mask, and then used a "Magical Girl Transformation Card."


    Before long, when Magical Girl Xiaohongmao arrived at the long-disused Huanjing Elementary School, the scene that met her eyes caused her to pause briefly.


    She almost fell from mid-air.


    Her toes tapped awkwardly on the ground, and the layers of snowflakes wrapped around her slowly dissipated, turning into specks of light that fell to the ground.


    Looking up, she could see Magical Girl Ash leaning on a corner of the roof''s iron fence, one hand on her shoulder, the other fiddling with a phone.


    Casual and carefree, her long black hair swayed gently in the light breeze.


    Xiaohongmao''s attention, however, was drawn to the fact that, at that moment, next to Ash''s feet, sat a helmet that seemed extremely futuristic, hardly of this era.


    Ke Mingye was very familiar with the gadget, as it had tormented him for quite some time.


    The brain imaging helmet.

 Chapter 159 Three-quarters of a Friend

    Little Red Riding Hood stabilized her figure in mid-air and slowly descended. Her heels touched the rooftop floor, and she nonchalantly tucked the handle of the ruby Magic Wand under her arm, then walked towards Magical Girl Ash.She tilted her head, her gaze lowered towards the brain imaging helmet at Ash''s feet, and asked curiously.


    "Senior, what is this thing, an Ultraman transformation device?" Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Transformation device my foot, it''s for you to use!"


    Magical Girl Ash spoke without looking up, her brow slightly furrowed, her slender fingers wrapped in black leather gloves tapping away vigorously on the phone screen, the dense typing sounds entering one''s ear, which felt rather infuriating.


    From the visible corner of the screen: it seemed she was chatting with Xizi Yue on WeChat.


    The pattern of their chat was mostly Ash sending a barrage of text with lightning speed, then Xizi Yue either ignoring it or replying with a word or two, or even just one word¡ªanyone unaware would think it was some loser trying to chat with a goddess.


    But anyone who knew a little about these two would realize that this way of chatting was because Ash was too impatient, while Xizi Yue was too laid back.


    Little Red Riding Hood, expressionless, clasped the Magic Wand under her arm around her shoulder, with the other hand propped against her chin.


    She thought for a moment and said, "It''s not some kind of brainwashing device, is it, senior? I know you might swing that way, but to do this to your own colleague is a bit much, won''t it be awkward when you can''t look each other in the eye later?"


    Upon hearing this, Magical Girl Ash lifted the hand that was clutching her shoulder and rested it against her forehead with a sigh. She had long grown accustomed to Little Red Riding Hood''s erratic thinking and thus decisively skipped the rebuttal phase.


    "My mentor said that to join the Alliance nowadays, one must wear this helmet for testing."


    "Testing what?"


    "Testing whether you''re a player or not."


    "And what''s a player?"


    "The big bad guys who want to destroy the world."


    "Senior, you might as well not have said anything at all, the way we kids, who grew up on garbage, talk is just not the same as you kids, who grew up with silver spoons in your mouths."


    "You don''t need to understand; I order you to put it on right now, and then I''ll take a picture for my mentor to report, got it?" Saying so, Magical Girl Ash put away her phone, bent down to pick up the brain imaging helmet from the ground, and handed it to Little Red Riding Hood.


    "All right."


    Little Red Riding Hood took the brain imaging helmet, held it in both hands, and hesitated for half a second: "This isn''t really some sort of brainwa..."


    Ash frowned and interrupted her brusquely, holding her shoulder: "Stop talking nonsense and just put it on."


    Little Red Riding Hood slowly lifted the brain imaging helmet and placed it on her head, and Ke Mingye ordered her to clear her mind, so she just stood there blankly, her gaze fixed on Ash.


    A moment later, Ash shifted her gaze away from her and said lightly.


    "You can take it off now."


    Upon hearing this, Little Red Riding Hood removed the brain imaging helmet, and on the display screen on the back of the helmet appeared some images, the very scene she had just seen with her eyes.


    She was experienced with this; when the brain imaging helmet captures the visual neural signals of a Deception Puppet, the resulting images are no different from what a normal human eye would see, otherwise she would have been caught by her brother Ke Yinzhi and taken to the Management Bureau for punishment during her movie theater stunt.


    Magical Girl Ash took the brain imaging helmet silently, lowered her cool face, and confirmed the photo formed through captured brain signals with a glance.


    Her fingers swiftly swiped across the control panel of the helmet, quickly flipping through, and she didn''t see any strange player icons or messy panels above these photos.


    Relieved, she thought to herself that the Grandmaster was really such a fusspot, insisting on putting her through this, as if those players, if they could choose their spawn point, would pick such a pitiful girl? Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    "What a fascinating thing, can I have another look?" Little Red Riding Hood asked.


    "Just keep it, don''t look at me with those puppy-dog eyes."


    "Thank you, senior." Little Red Riding Hood said as she took the helmet, feeling its cool, smooth surface.


    "Let''s go." Ash said, "We''ll head back to the classroom, and then I''ll teach you how to make cards."


    "What about the helmet?"


    Magical Girl Ash, walking ahead of her, said as they descended the stairs of the teaching building, "There''s quite a lot of this stuff around now, it''s not very rare, you can keep it to play with."


    "Really?"


    "True..." Ash was about to reply, when she suddenly thought of something and her tone changed abruptly, sounding rather annoyed, "Oh, seems like that won''t do. Last time I brought the brain imaging helmet home, my mentor scolded me, saying that Qing Ya was messaging her asking who she gave the brain imaging helmet to. If it weren''t for my mentor covering for me, that damned erect Crow Man would''ve definitely taken the chance to annoy me, accusing me of moving important property without authorization or something."


    "Qing Ya pays that much attention to you?" Little Red Riding Hood asked softly, hands clasped behind her back.


    "He''s sick in the head, I have no idea why he''s targeting me."


    The two of them talked as they walked along the empty corridor, the morning light slanting in from the windows, casting a beautiful silhouette on them. Soon, they entered the classroom. Seeing no one else in the classroom, Ash simply sat down at the conference table, too lazy to even move a chair.


    She summoned the Magic Book, her eyes downcast, and took out two blank cards from the book with a snap, laying them on the table.


    "These are models of Magic Cards, made of a special material." She said, "Magic Girls can collect up to five blank card models from the Alliance each week to create Magic Cards. However, most Magic Girls have mediocre talent, and even the comet-type Magic Girls hardly know how to create cards, let alone those who are contract-type."

 Chapter 159 Three Quarters of a Friend_2

    Xiaohongmao said, "There seem to be more Magic Girls who debut as idols after making a contract, right? I''ve seen many people undergoing idol training at the Alliance building, but I hardly ever see them take on missions.""That is indeed the case."


    Ash placed her hands on the table, the skirt of her dress spreading out like a beautiful flower over the conference table. She curled her lips disdainfully and spoke without reservation, "Although it might sound harsh, with their half-baked strength, it''s more fitting for them to sing and dance and earn money by showing their faces. If they pretend to be strong, it''ll be too late for regrets when something happens."


    "From the way you speak, senior, you must have interacted with quite a few contract-based Magic Girls."


    "There were one or two Magic Girls I got along well with, but they were contract-based and very weak." The gothic-dress girl said softly, her eyes downcast, "Later, they all died, one torn in half by Ghosthand Buddha, another beheaded by an abyssal swordsman. Actually, I think they got what they deserved. It was all because they were too weak that they met such ends."


    She tilted her head, her long, black hair swaying gently with the gray ribbons, "After that, I basically stopped teaming up with other Magic Girls and fought solo most of the time."


    Xiaohongmao thought for a moment and asked, "So, senior, is that why you killed Ghosthand Buddha?" S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah, my master always told me to stay calm, but I still couldn''t hold back and killed him that time."


    Magical Girl Ash turned her pale cheek to the side, her gaze drifting toward the skyscrapers outside the window while she spoke slowly.


    "Didn''t you see how bloody the scene was? Those people online even gave me a bunch of nicknames because of it. Some called me a murderer among Magic Girls, others said I didn''t deserve to be a Magic Girl at all, some said I had no bottom line, that I was no different from those lunatics and would soon become the next Witch."


    At this point, she paused for a while.


    "But I don''t care because no matter how they judge me, it doesn''t affect me. I won''t become a Witch, nor will I become timid because of their views. I am who I am and won''t change for anyone."


    Xiaohongmao fell silent for a moment, holding the brain imaging helmet and walking up to the conference table. She gently sat down beside Ash and took one of the card molds, "So, how exactly do we make the cards?"


    Magical Girl Ash also fell silent for a while, picked up a blank card mold with her index and middle fingers, then infused the card with gray Magic Power.


    Soon, the Magic Power enveloped it like a protective film. Immediately after, Ash''s chest burst into a strange glow, and the bowtie on her gown fluttered in the brilliant light.


    She closed her eyes, reached into the hollow of her chest with her right hand, clasped the glow, and slowly "pulled" it out.


    Then she slowly opened her eyes, spread her palm, and the glow in her hand vanished. In its place was a stone flickering with black and white spots, about the thickness of a finger.


    Xiaohongmao''s eyes showed surprise as she silently stared at the stone, thinking that it must be the Comet Fragment inside a Magic Girl.


    She had heard that if this fragment were destroyed, the Magic Girl would also die on the spot, so it was generally impossible for a Magic Girl to remove the fragment in front of others.


    At the moment, the surface of the Comet Fragment was covered in a halo of densely interwoven black and white spots, like the snowy effect that appears on a malfunctioning television screen, making it impossible to see the actual appearance of the fragment.


    "This is the Comet Fragment inside me," Magic Girl Ash said expressionlessly. "You have one inside you too. Imagine in your mind what the Hope Fragment would look like, and then infuse it into the blank card mold. For example, if I want to make a ''Magic Power Supply,'' I would imagine the appearance and effects of ''Magic Power Supply'' in my mind, then catch the moment of resonance with the Comet Fragment, and infuse the Comet Fragment into the card mold."


    After saying this, she brought the fragment in her palm and the card mold in her hand together, and the fragment burst into a dazzling light, instantly swallowing the card mold.


    "Also, if you want to add some materials during card making, you can do that too, like this."


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    As she spoke, Magical Girl Ash pulled a piece of Spirit Fragrance Wood, as thick as a finger, from her Magic Book, letting go of the wood from above the glow, allowing the Spirit Fragrance Wood to fall into it.


    Soon, the Spirit Fragrance Wood was engulfed by the glow as if falling into a mysterious creature''s maw.


    Xiaohongmao watched this scene quietly, feeling a bit eerie.


    Before long, accompanied by a chewing sound, the glow slowly faded away, leaving behind the stone flickering with black and white spots and a fragrant Magic Card¡ª"Magic Power Supply"¡ªfloating in midair.


    The front of this card showed a Magic Girl praying with her hands together under the night sky, with a meteor sweeping across the dark canopy; the back had no design, only a complex and exquisite pattern of Magic Power.


    Magical Girl Ash extended her hand with a placid expression, catching the card and the Comet Fragment. She returned the Comet Fragment to her body while handing the card to Xiaohongmao.


    Xiaohongmao took the card, looked at it for a while, then flipped it over to check the content on both sides. It was the same "Magic Power Supply" she had seen in the card library of the Alliance building, a perfect replica.

 Chapter 159 Three Quarters of a Friend_3

    "What''s the difference between this and regular ''magic power supply''?" Ash asked."It smells really good," Xiaohongmao sniffed and said in a low voice.


    Magical Girl Ash nodded and explained, "Exactly, giving the card a pleasant fragrance is a characteristic that comes with adding ''Spirit Fragrance Wood'' during the card-making process."


    "I see, so can I start making cards now?"


    "Wait a few days, right now neither your control precision over magic power nor your magic power reserves are up to the mark," Ash said, "And you''d better not practice alone at home in secret. Because if you accidentally take out the Comet Fragment and can''t put it back, or if the fragment gets damaged, your body will experience some abnormalities."


    As she spoke, she took a deep breath, her tone a mixture of wistfulness and sarcasm, "A number of Magic Girls died that way in the past. I have to say, they were really stupid."


    "Got it, I''ll listen to my senior and practice more before starting card crafting," Xiaohongmao nodded.


    "That''s it for today then, both tasks at hand are done," Magical Girl Ash said, glancing over at the brain imaging helmet on the conference table, "Should I take you home?"


    Xiaohongmao hung her head and stayed silent for a while, then suddenly looked up with a pitiful expression, "Senior, can I just borrow the helmet to play with for one day?"


    "You really want to play with it that much?"


    "It seems fun. We poor kids who scavenge through trash haven''t seen this kind of toy."


    "Hey hey, this is not a toy," Ash sighed with a hand to her forehead, "Alright, one day shouldn''t be a problem, just bring it back here tomorrow morning." Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Thank you, senior, love you."


    Magical Girl Ash was taken aback at first, then turned her head with a shiver, giving her an odd look as she asked, "When did you learn to say such cheesy stuff?"


    Xiaohongmao tilted her head and said expressionlessly, "Doesn''t senior talk to her family like that? Like ''sister loves you'', ''brother loves you'' and the sort?"


    At those words, the pallor of the gothic dress girl''s face immediately flushed red. She opened her mouth and poked Xiaohongmao''s cheek with her hand, frowning in quick protest.


    "Stop, stop, STOP! Sister loves you is enough, I did say that. But what the hell is brother loves you?!"


    "It''s okay, it doesn''t affect my love for senior," Xiaohongmao said seriously.


    "If you say such cheesy things again, I''ll shoot you with Cinderella. We''re just coworkers, get it?"


    "Not friends?"


    "Half a friend," Magical Girl Ash muttered with a downcast face, speaking coldly, "To prevent you from dying a horrible death like my previous friend one day, which would upset me, I''d rather consider you half a friend."


    "Then half a friend it is. I''ll open your heart, strive to become three-quarters of a friend in your eyes, and then move on to becoming a full-fledged friend." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Magical Girl Ash paused, then turned her cheek and chuckled softly, one hand on the table and the other lifting a finger to poke Xiaohongmao''s cheek again.


    "Are you an idiot?"


    After saying that, she quickly got up from the conference table and walked out of the classroom at a steady pace. She opened her magic umbrella, Cinderella, from the corridor and then glanced sideways at Xiaohongmao.


    "I won''t take you today, get home by yourself,"


    "Okay, bye-bye, senior."


    As her voice fell, Cinderella''s umbrella unfolded, and the gothic dress girl holding the handle soared into the clear sky, leaving a trail of grey magic ripples lingering in the air.


    In the classroom, Xiaohongmao watched the scene and slowly lowered her eyes to the brain imaging helmet in her arms.


    "One day, huh?"


    "Then I must find a way today to lure Che Zhengchen out of the Superhero Association building, then hypnotize him to recall the images from when he was infested by the bug, and see if I can use the brain imaging helmet to replicate Gastella''s appearance from his memories..."

 Chapter 160 Dice Monster Strikes Superhero Tower (Part 1)

    July 9th, late afternoon, Huanjing city center, Hongdeng Commercial District.The densely packed electronic billboards were arranged as tightly as a deck of cards on a table, and the camera, moving downwards, revealed a modern street bathed in the pollution of neon lights.


    The street was noisy with people''s voices, occasionally punctuated by shouts and exclamations, as if they had seen something unbelievable.


    At this moment, a figure in a red and blue battle suit was walking through the crowd, conspicuously out of place, head bowed playing with a cellphone while carelessly making his way toward the Association Building.


    Wearing a superhero costume in broad daylight on the street, especially when it was a rookie hero who had been all over the media recently.


    It had been less than a week since he had debuted in front of the media, and the manufacturers had not even had time to launch the Blue Owl''s CosPlay costume, let alone have imitators at this point in time.


    Thus, everyone could deduce that the one walking on the street was definitely Blue Owl himself. Naturally, this scene attracted many onlookers, as well as the constant flashing of cameras.


    But why Blue Owl had so conspicuously appeared in front of the public, nobody knew.


    Some quickly guessed that he was about to join the Superhero Association; others immediately said it was something any fool could see; while some laughed, hoping that upon joining the Association, he wouldn''t be coerced by capital to become one of those "idol heroes" who knew only how to make money through marketing but didn''t do real work¡ªit was too common these days.


    However, that person was soon drowned out by disdain, for Blue Owl had indeed solved a few criminal cases, distinctly different from those heroes who relied on hype to make their debut.


    Regardless of the public discussion, Blue Owl was just scrolling through Weibo while walking on the street. occasionally waving his hands at pedestrians blocking the way ahead, signaling them to step aside. Disturbing the traffic order was not good.


    Before long, he passed through the Hongdeng Commercial District and entered the Superhero Association Building located in the center of the city. Looking up, the tower soared into the sky, its top out of sight.


    At the moment, the projection giant screen of the Superhero Association Building was introducing the latest rookie hero team of the week¡ª"Platinum Wing Squad".


    However, there weren''t many people on Hongdeng Commercial Street who looked up for a second glance at the projection screen. Instead, their attention was fixed on Blue Owl standing in front of the building.


    Blue Owl shrugged his shoulders, pocketed his cellphone into the pocket of his battle suit, and walked into the first floor of the Superhero Tower, showing a business card with Che Zhengchen''s name to the reception staff.


    With one hand on his hip, he spoke, "I''m here to see someone, Che Zhengchen."


    The well-trained staff was obviously used to such cases and simply nodded calmly, extending an arm to the right, her voice devoid of emotion as she spoke.


    "Hello, Commander Che Zhengchen has already scheduled your appointment in advance. Access to the forty-fifth floor of the Association Building has been unlocked for you. Please turn right to the commissioner-specific elevator and select the specific floor number on the elevator control panel."


    "Thank you."


    "You''re welcome."


    Hearing this, Blue Owl left the business card at the front desk, turned, and entered the glass wall elevator at the end of the first floor. The numbers on the control panel had automatically been selected for him, and so the elevator doors slowly closed, and the car ascended.


    Through the glass walls of the elevator, one could glimpse this cold steel city, looking down upon the myriad skyscrapers and their billboards displaying various fashion and beauty brands.


    In a short while, the elevator doors opened outward, revealing a corridor carpeted in red, and the first room along the hallway was an office.


    The person sitting behind the desk put down their pen and lifted their eyes from the documents, smiling and waving at him.


    Blue Owl surveyed the man for a moment¡ªgold-rimmed glasses, pompadour hairstyle, a gentle and refined demeanor, and crows'' feet at the corners of his eyes when he smiled. Without a doubt, this was Che Zhengchen.


    So, he stepped into the office,


    "Close the door, please," Che Zhengchen spoke warmly, his tone matching that of their previous phone conversation.


    Hearing this, Blue Owl casually closed the door, then approached the desk, pulled up a chair, and sat down, resting his arms on the desk like a primary school student sitting attentively in class.


    Then, tilting his head, the red and blue beak-like mask followed suit, "Uh, so what''s up? Are you sure you want to agree to my terms, meaning I''ll appear in front of you in this battle suit from now on."


    "I''ve thought about it, and I will help you enter the Superhero Association while keeping your identity hidden."


    "At this point, I suppose I should say ''thank you''," Blue Owl paused, "but actually, I''m more curious¡ªyour reasoning for doing this?"


    "Simple, you remind me of my son."


    "Your son?"


    "Che Maochen."


    Blue Owl lifted his eyes from behind his glasses, looking at him puzzledly, "Huh? Who is he? You can''t possibly trust me unconditionally just because I resemble your son in character, right?"


    Che Zhengchen gave a slight nod, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses, "My son was killed by Timekeeper five years ago, dismembered into twenty-three pieces, and hung from the Superhero Association''s high-altitude work platform."


    Blue Owl was stunned for a moment, "The gray pigeon?"


    Che Zhengchen smiled faintly, "That''s right, the superhero Gray Pigeon was my son."


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl was momentarily taken aback before he regained his composure. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He thought to himself that for Che Zhengchen to talk about that incident so calmly, one could tell his mental fortitude was exceptional, or perhaps he had been tormented over the past five years to the point of acceptance.


    "In these five years, I have not been able to come to terms with it, not even for a moment."


    As he spoke, Che Zhengchen pointed to the white hair on his head, his face still wearing a smile, "So when I saw you, I was reminded of the night my son first brought up his wish to become a superhero."


    Blue Owl silently stared at him, offering no response.


    "You are a lot like my son, similar in character, similar in behavior, both of you debuted imitating Qing Ya, both proposed to keep your identities hidden from the outside world, even from within the Association," Che Zhengchen said, his head lowered, speaking softly.


    "If I hadn''t seen it with my own eyes, I might even wonder if he came back from the dead... and returned to my side."


    Blue Owl shrugged, "But I''m not your son, I hope you''re not letting your emotions get the better of you. Allowing someone like me, with an unknown background, into the Superhero Association is not the style of a Commander."


    Che Zhengchen was silent for a while before suddenly saying, "Have you ever thought, your actions might attract the Timekeeper, just like my son did?"


    "Of course. It would be too fake to say I haven''t thought about it."


    "But you still put on this combat suit?"


    "Right."


    "That''s enough. Just from this point alone, I am willing to trust you," Che Zhengchen said decisively, meeting Blue Owl''s gaze.


    "Starting tomorrow, you are a member of the Superhero Association. Don''t worry about your identity issues; I will handle the higher-ups. With my seniority in the Superhero Association, I should be able to keep you safe."


    Blue Owl was taken aback, "Just like that?"


    "Yes, just like that," Che Zhengchen said with a smile, "By the way, you will be assigned inside the Platinum Wing Squad, contending for the position of team leader. If you perform even better, this squad might be renamed ''Blue Owl Squad...''


    He was speaking when suddenly the lights in the office changed from a cool tone to a dangerous and dazzling red.


    Che Zhengchen slightly furrowed his brows, his gaze shifting to the right, where the projector hung on the wall suddenly activated, projecting an image onto the wall opposite. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    On the projected image, a strange humanoid form, glowing with a gray halo, was clinging to the surface of the Superhero Tower, sticking to the glass curtain wall above with webs shot from a device on its wrist.


    Then, holding onto the tenacious web, it spun and whirled upwards in mid-air, hurtling towards the top of the tower with an unbelievably quick speed.


    At the same time, a deafening warning sound erupted in the office, bathed in red from the lights.


    "Warning, warning, warning¡ª!"


    "Detected C-ranked fugitive ''Dice Monster'' invading Superhero Association Building¡ª! Detected C-ranked fugitive ''Dice Monster'' invading Superhero Association Building, all superheroes please prepare for battle¡ª!"

 Chapter 161 Dice Monster Strikes Superhero Tower (Part 2)

    On the 45th floor of the Superhero Tower, in the Commander''s private office."The Dice Monster probably used some kind of invisibility ability. He must have jumped from the highest point nearby onto the surface of the Superhero Tower; otherwise, the alarm would have gone off sooner." Che Zhengchen explained to the blue owl while staring intently at the projector screen through his glasses.


    "Dice Monster?"


    Muttering the name, the blue owl then said, "What''s that thing doing at the Superhero Tower? Surely it''s not strapped with a nuclear bomb, trying to go down together with the Superhero Association?"


    "There''s actually a possibility of that." Che Zhengchen''s face grew serious, "We''ve always paid close attention to this character, even though his actions are somewhat illogical."


    While looking at the projector screen, he continued, "Although we don''t know his target, or which part of the Association Building he''s aiming for, he''s already reached the thirtieth something floor. Just above this are where some elite Superheroes rest, and someone will soon move to stop him..."


    As he spoke, Che Zhengchen''s expression suddenly changed, "Wait, he seems to be heading for us!"


    On the projector screen, the Dice Monster was spiraling upwards along the surface of the Superhero Tower using spider silk, gliding through the air beneath the heavens much like an acrobat. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since it kept shifting, appearing now on the west side of the building, now on the north, and then flitting to the east side, its destination was unclear.


    One thing was certain, though¡ªit was continuously ascending towards the pinnacle of the tower.


    Then, as it neared the thirty-ninth floor, it shot spider silk upward, sticking to the aerial work platform, pulled on the silk to swing upward, and landed on the railing of the platform.


    Then, disengaging safety constraints, it crouched to gather energy and burst upward from the railing, rocketing up like a gray streak of lightning, instantly passing several floor sections.


    "Quickly press the button behind the vase to your right; it can initiate metal protection mode for the office side facing the windows."


    As he spoke, Che Zhengchen quickly rose from behind his desk and turned to look at the floor-to-ceiling window behind him. At that very moment, his pupils contracted slightly.


    He saw a gray humanoid figure, sinuous as a dragon or serpent, leapt into the air, appearing outside the floor-to-ceiling window.


    There was a mocking, eerie smile on its face, with inscrutable light swirling in its hollow pupils, floating in mid-air as it briefly locked eyes with Che Zhengchen.


    In the next moment, two strands of spider silk shot out from the Dice Monster''s wrist-mounted web shooter, sticking to the floor-to-ceiling window like death''s own grasp.


    Then, gripping a strand of silk in each hand, it pulled hard and propelled itself forward with ferocious force, shattering the glass window with a brutal kick.


    Bang¡ª!


    Amid the rain of glass shards flying in all directions, the Dice Monster once again lowered its right arm and shot a strand of spider silk that precisely latched onto the disappearing figure of Che Zhengchen.


    It dragged Che Zhengchen toward itself with the right hand, then, with a swift motion of its arm, the Dice Monster locked his neck within its grasp, pulling him along as they both plunged towards the ground below the high-rise.


    The blue owl''s right hand was poised on the "metal defense switch" behind the vase when he saw this scene unfold and was completely taken aback.


    "What the hell?"


    As he spoke, a layer of metal barrier swiftly descended from above the window, attempting to envelop the entire window.


    But the blue owl, seizing the moment before the metal barrier could descend, dashed forward, squeezed through the broken window, and then plummeted from a height of one hundred and fifty-nine meters above, heading straight down into the steel city below!


    At this very moment, the Dice Monster and Che Zhengchen were clinging onto the glass curtain wall, falling downwards.


    The Dice Monster''s grin was reflected on the glass curtain wall, along with Che Zhengchen''s fearful and shocked face.


    He pulled fiercely at the Dice Monster''s right arm with both hands, yet he dared not exert too much force. If the Dice Monster really let go in mid-air, his own life would be forfeit.


    Che Zhengchen''s pupils shrank to the size of wheat grains. He couldn''t imagine that he would end up in such a situation at the Superhero Tower. Did this criminal really not consider how to escape from the encirclement of hundreds of Superheroes after attacking the tower?


    Or was it simply that he was a lunatic who didn''t think about the consequences of his actions at all?


    The fast falling wind lifted Che Zhengchen''s gold-rimmed glasses, and the pressure distorted his face almost beyond recognition, obscuring the details of his features. His carefully styled hair from the morning had now become disheveled and unruly.


    At this point, the Superheroes stationed in the Association Building were all in full motion, with those capable of flying converging from above to corner the Dice Monster.


    This included the familiar figures of Platinum Wing and Telekinetic Nun. Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire


    One of them spread out silver-white wings and pursued Dice Monster; another enveloped herself in a sphere of telekinesis, descending towards the ground like a pale blue orb.


    Superheroes who lacked the power of flight rapidly arrived at the ground, standing at the base of the Superhero Tower, awaiting the fall of the Dice Monster.


    One of the superheroes, known as "Balloon Hero," had the superpower to inflate his body. He puffed out his cheeks, inhaled deeply to fill his lungs with air, and his body, dressed in a yellow battle suit, suddenly expanded, especially his enormous belly, which became a giant safety airbag.


    Meanwhile, Blue Owl descended rapidly from mid-air, trying to get close to Dice Monster. His plan was simple: at the moment they neared the ground, he would use "Phase Transfer" to swap places with Dice Monster, hoping to bring Che Zhengchen back...


    But this plan was too risky. He was still one step too late and couldn''t close the distance to within eight meters of Dice Monster.


    Before Dice Monster could enter the range where Blue Owl could execute Phase Transfer, at the instant it reached seven meters above the ground, a door made of dense religious text suddenly appeared beneath it. At that moment, this mysterious door was radiating a sacred, untouchable glow.


    The next moment, Dice Monster fell through that glowing, holy doorway with Che Zhengchen, and they, along with the doorway itself, disappeared without a trace.


    Just like that, in full view of everyone, they escaped to the heavens, vanished without a trace.


    Platinum Wing stopped in mid-air, flapping his wings to maintain ascending momentum, and looked around in shock, "Dice Monster... disappeared?"


    The Telekinetic Nun hovered beside him in her telekinesis sphere, "I just saw a golden door. It vanished right after hitting that door."


    "Is it a superpower...?" Platinum Wing pondered aloud.


    "Not sure." The Telekinetic Nun shook her head, then suddenly looked up. Her tone shifted, "Wait, isn''t that Blue Owl?"


    "Blue Owl? What''s he doing here?"


    Platinum Wing paused for a moment and then turned to look, only to see Blue Owl passing by not too far away, plummeting straight toward the earth, "Wait, he''s falling. Why aren''t you saving him?"


    "I barely have enough telekinesis to keep myself afloat, how can I save him?" The Telekinetic Nun asked.


    "Damn it!"


    Upon hearing that, Platinum Wing violently flapped his wings, creating a sharp gust of wind as he dived rapidly downward.


    On the ground in front of the Superhero Tower, someone shouted at Balloon Hero, who had become an "inflated airbag" and was lying on the ground, "Balloon Hero! Adjust your position quickly, Dice Monster disappeared, but there''s a superhero falling down over there!"


    "It''s Blue Owl!"


    "He clearly doesn''t have the ability to fly, why did he jump off following Dice Monster?!"


    Originally, Balloon Hero had inflated his belly to catch Dice Monster and Che Zhengchen, but now Dice Monster had vanished, replaced by a superhero plummeting from the sky and still some distance away from his location.


    This series of unexpected events caught him off guard all at once.


    "I can''t adjust my position in time; someone catch him!"


    Balloon Hero shouted gutturally, his breath pouring out of him, causing his chunky body to quickly revert to its original size. He scrambled to his feet, his face filled with panic as he looked towards Blue Owl, plummeting rapidly from the sky.


    Blue Owl thought he could use Phase Transfer to switch positions with nearby superheroes, and the momentum from falling would be gone in the instant of the switch - he had tested this before.


    If he weren''t concerned about the onlookers, he could use the "Superhero Landing" to be extra safe, but at this moment, under the guise of Blue Owl and in front of an audience, such a landing would blur his association with Dice Monster.


    Nevertheless, it didn''t matter. There were plenty of superheroes around his landing zone. He could safely land by swapping places with any of them using Phase Transfer.


    However, just as he was about to hit the ground, at ten meters in the air, a curtain of pitch-black crow feathers suddenly fluttered past his eyes. Immediately after, thousands of crows descended from the sky like a vast cloud, enveloping Blue Owl in their midst.


    Blue Owl, lifted by the mysterious flock of crows, was gently carried by their tender wing beats and lowered towards the ground at the base of the Tower.


    At that moment, all the surrounding superheroes fell silent, knowing who had intervened...


    Blue Owl looked up in a daze, only to see a figure shrouded in a dark cloak standing in the midst of the crows. As the flock dispersed, the figure came into full view.


    "Remember to think before you act..."


    Qing Ya dropped that remark as she coldly glanced at Blue Owl through her beak mask. Then, accompanied by a buzzing sound like raging bees, her figure vanished in an instant, leaving only a flurry of scattered crow feathers drifting to the ground.

 Chapter 162 The True Face of Gastella

    Five minutes after Che Zhengchen was kidnapped by the Dice Monster, in a hidden underground room connected by an alley in the Hongdeng Commercial District.This cramped and damp basement had been fashioned into an operating room, with a bed covered in pristine white sheets set up in the center, and nothing else.


    At this very moment, the Dice Monster and Fan Quan stood beside the bed, while Che Zhengchen lay unconscious upon it.


    Fan Quan was still wearing his trench coat, now with an Ultraman mask on his face.


    Neither of them spoke, maintaining their silence.


    Fan Quan wrote on his notebook and lifted it, on it was written, "This is the first time I''ve seen you show up in front of me like this."


    The Dice Monster curled the corners of his mouth as he typed on a spare phone''s memo app, lifting the screen to show, "So what? You think you''d get scared of me?"


    To prevent Gastella from eavesdropping on their conversation using the bugs inside Che Zhengchen, the two resorted to this way of communication, like two mutes talking or a comical pantomime.


    "Just not used to it," Fan Quan wrote.


    The Dice Monster typed and lifted the screen again, "We need to move quickly. Who knows if Qing Ya will find this place in the next second."


    Fan Quan went to adjust his glasses, only to touch the Ultraman mask instead. He wrote, "There''s no need to worry. This place is very secret; otherwise, I wouldn''t have specifically bought this basement from those drug dealers."


    "So what''s your plan?" asked the Dice Monster through text.


    "Upon seeing the news, Gastella would normally take control of Che Zhengchen''s body with the bug right away to check the situation," wrote Fan Quan. "But since Che Zhengchen is unresponsive, it means the bug can''t control someone who is unconscious. We can take our time, no rush."


    "Alright, alright," the Dice Monster stood with a hand on his hip, typing on the phone and lifting the screen, "Then let''s see some action."


    "First of all, we need to remove that bug from his body."


    After writing this, Fan Quan showed it to the Dice Monster and then took a pair of crimson gloves out of his trench coat pocket and slid them on his hands.


    The Dice Monster watched silently.


    Fan Quan told him that these gloves, named "Blood Erosion Hand," were a B-ranked tool capable of penetrating directly through human skin and bones to touch organs.


    From a combat perspective, this glove allows one to ignore the opponent''s outer defense and directly crush the internal organs;


    From a medical angle, the glove can manipulate problematic internal parts without the need to cut.


    The current situation was different, however. Fan Quan aimed to extract the bug from Gastella''s body.


    After returning to the city this morning, he had caught an ordinary person infested with the parasite, killed them for dissection, and found that Gastella''s parasitic worm typically resided on the heart, coiling around it like yarn.


    Thus, with the Blood Erosion Hand on, Fan Quan reached out towards Che Zhengchen''s chest. The crimson glove, ignoring skin and bones, went straight into his body.


    Fan Quan grabbed Che Zhengchen''s heart, gently cradling the thick "black membrane" encircling it.


    With a slight tug, the black worm revealed itself, struggling frantically within Che Zhengchen''s body.


    But no match for its adversary, the worm was eventually dragged out of Che Zhengchen''s body by Fan Quan and pulled into reality.


    At the same time, Che Zhengchen coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Fortunately, he remained unconscious, steeped in slumber.


    The Dice Monster, watching with alarm, clicked his tongue secretly. He shot out a strand of webbing, sticking to the worm and pulling it into his hand before crushing it forcefully.


    Amidst the worm''s shrill cries, black blood splattered, staining the floor of the basement.


    The Dice Monster sighed with relief, thinking he could finally speak, then asked, "The worm is out. What''s next?"


    "This is the hypnotic tool."


    As he spoke, Fan Quan took off the Blood Erosion Hand gloves, stowed them in his bag, and took out a pocket watch from his coat.


    The copper lid snapped open with a click, revealing a small clock ticking inside, the second hand tirelessly moving around.


    Right after, Fan Quan pried open Che Zhengchen''s eyelids, forcing him to stare at the clock for a moment until his eyes gradually hollowed, turning into whirlpools.


    Seeing this, Fan Quan pulled out his phone, unlocked it, entered the photo gallery, and played a pre-recorded video.


    He then angled the video toward Che Zhengchen''s propped open eye.


    The video showed a black worm wriggling on a dirty ground, repeating two or three frames over and over.


    In the background, a magnetic mechanical voice kept repeating, "Think back, have you seen such a worm before? Recall from your mind the memories that were hidden, imagine the situation when you encountered this worm."


    As the video played, the Dice Monster picked up the brain imaging helmet from the floor, slowly and gently placing it on Che Zhengchen''s head.


    This brain imaging helmet came from the three giants of the Magical Girl Alliance; Xizi Yue, to test if Xiaohongmao was a player, handed the helmet over to Magical Girl Ash, entrusting her with using it on Xiaohongmao.


    So after passing the test, Ke Mingye borrowed the helmet from Ash, using the alias Xiaohongmao.


    Since Ash had said it could only be used for one day, Ke Mingye had to make his move today; after all, he would have to return the brain imaging helmet tomorrow. Such an important item couldn''t simply be kept without returning it.


    At this moment, as Dice Monster placed the brain imaging helmet on Che Zhengchen''s head, he walked behind the bed, slowly lifted Che Zhengchen''s body up, and then looked at the screen image on the back of the brain imaging helmet.


    What he activated was the helmet''s second function: this feature allowed capturing the user''s brain signals, replicating the images they were imagining in real life.


    This function had been used by Ke Mingye and Bai Ziling among others at Yandai Cinema City before.


    So now, Che Zhengchen, who was in a state of hypnosis, was listening to the mechanical guiding voice coming from the phone.


    "Think back, have you seen this kind of insect? Recall the memory hidden in your mind, imagine the scene when you saw this insect."


    At the same time, his forced-open eye was intently watching the black insect in the video.


    After this combo, Ke Mingye didn''t believe Che Zhengchen couldn''t recall the memory of being infested by the insect. But the screen of the brain imaging helmet was still slow to respond, only flickering with black and white static.


    "He seems to be short-sighted. Maybe he can''t see the phone screen clearly. Should I give him your glasses to wear?" Dice Monster said.


    Fan Quan shook his head, "That''s unlikely. Don''t joke around at a time like this."


    While they spoke, the screen on the back of the brain imaging helmet gradually revealed Che Zhengchen''s imagined images. It seemed that under the influence of this set of hypnotic suggestions, his brain was finally responding.


    The scene that appeared was from Che Zhengchen''s first-person perspective: he was sitting inside a private tavern, drinking sullenly, picked up his phone, and quietly looked at a photograph. The photo showed a rather handsome young man.


    "The guy in the photo, that should be his son," Dice Monster said while looking at Che Zhengchen''s memory images. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How do you know?" Fan Quan asked.


    "He said his son is Qing Ya, you know?"


    "Oh, the hero who was dismembered by Timekeeper?"


    "That''s the one."


    "No wonder Che Zhengchen is so partial to you. It seems it''s mostly for emotional reasons. I thought someone really appreciated your super hero image with that so-so kung fu."


    "That''s enough, my friend. My blue owl is rated D- level superhuman in the system''s rating, not as worthless as you make it sound."


    "Not as weird as strange things."


    "The strange thing is right here. It says thank you for the compliment, but it doesn''t affect the fact that you''re a taciturn sort."


    "Stop talking, pay attention, and don''t miss the clue to Gastella''s true form."


    In the brain imaging display, Che Zhengchen was staring at his son''s photo when suddenly, a girl in a wheelchair entered the tavern. She turned the wheels with her hands, pushing the wheelchair over to his side.


    Seeing this scene, Fan Quan and Dice Monster both focused intently.


    Che Zhengchen, drowsy, turned his head, removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and put the glasses back on again. The image of the girl in his eyes gradually became clearer.


    She had shoulder-length red hair, was dressed in a classic British-style cloth dress, and held a cane in her hand. Her face was lovely, but her clear eyes contained an indelible sense of mockery.


    The girl said something, then lifted her cane, blocking Che Zhengchen''s throat.


    The next moment, a black insect crawled along the handle of the cane towards the end, quickly stuffing itself into Che Zhengchen''s mouth.


    Che Zhengchen clutched his throat, collapsed backward onto the floor, and slowly closed his eyes, losing consciousness. The brain imaging display also grew dark.


    Fan Quan and Dice Monster turned to look at each other.


    They had already captured the face of the girl in the brain imaging screen on their phones.


    And, even assuming the girl was wearing a human face mask at the time, at least they now had her main identifying feature: a girl in a wheelchair, disabled.


    "This must be Gastella herself," Fan Quan said. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Dice Monster nodded silently, looked at the photo they had taken on the phone for a while, and then said, "So next, the task of finding Gastella should be handed over to Cai Bing."


    "Then I''m off, you figure out how to take Che Zhengchen back by yourself."


    "Okay, thank you for this, cultured man."


    "It''s no trouble. Covering for you has already become a consensus between me and Cai Bing."


    As he spoke, Fan Quan turned his head, glanced at Dice Monster, and walked slowly out of the basement.

 Chapter 163 Two Similar People, the Cycle of Fate

    When Qing Ya discovered Che Zhengchen''s figure, the location was inside an abandoned factory in the Hongdeng Business District. He had come here following the clues left by the Dice Monster.Qing Ya stood at the entrance of the abandoned factory, nodded slightly, and took a deep breath.


    He was not unfamiliar with this abandoned factory, after all, it was here that Timekeeper had started a live stream, showing how he tortured and killed the widely admired rising star superhero¡ª"Grey Dove."


    He still vaguely remembered that scene, the pitiful screams begging for mercy, that face drenched in blood and despair, the severed head gruesomely hanging from the work platform...


    The memories surged into his mind like a tide, unconsciously tightening his fist.


    A glint of uncontrollable violence fleeted across his eyes beneath the mask.


    After a while, Qing Ya raised his head, his beak sharp as a blade extending forward, his gaze coldly piercing through the mask and straight ahead.


    There, Che Zhengchen was slumped against a pillar on the ground, body hunched, head lolling to one side, arms spread out touching the floor. He looked to have long lost consciousness.


    Beyond that, Che Zhengchen''s suit was filled with graffiti of a peculiar sense of humor.


    The designs were childlike, featuring characters like Peppa Pig, Black Cat Sheriff, Mickey Mouse; one might think some little kid had run amok doodling all over him.


    And next to Che Zhengchen, there lay a rusty steel plate. Someone had scrawled a few lines of cute handwriting on the surface of the steel plate with a pink chalk, as if done by a young elementary school girl.


    Qing Ya slowly focused his eyes, looking at the words on the steel plate.


    ...


    To Mr. Owl or Comrade Crow:


    "Actually, I was just playing a prank, with no hard feelings. Please take our upright and kind-hearted Commander Che back, Blue Owl, sir. Oh, P.S.: If it happens to be Qing Ya who comes here, please cross out ''Blue Owl, sir'' and change it to ''Qing Ya, sir.''"


    "By the way, don''t forget to pair him with a new pair of glasses. Not wire-rimmed, please. I hate wire-rimmed glasses; they give off the impression of a nouveau riche trying too hard to appear serious, with that smell of copper. "


    "I really don''t like them at all. Maybe the whole point of kidnapping him was to remind him to get a pair of glasses that suit him better, like rimless or at the very least black-rimmed glasses. Anything is better than wire-rimmed."


    "Well, actually, I''ve already picked out glasses for him. Remember to tell him no need to thank me when he wakes up; it was just me doing a good deed on a whim."


    ¡ªYour good friend and fashion adviser, Dice Monster (strange thing)


    ...


    Qing Ya was silent for a long time, quietly staring at the words on the steel plate, feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu that involuntarily reminded him of someone.


    Timekeeper.


    More than two decades ago, he and Timekeeper, who was then just an ordinary person, met in college. He simply treated the other as a normal friend, his only friend, and they often hung out together.


    However, after his identity as a vigilante was accidentally revealed to the other, everything quietly changed.


    "Should I call you Ke Youqing, or... Qing Ya?"


    In his memory, it was pouring rain at the time, and the young man stood alone on the streets, whispering to him without a voice.


    "Qing Ya, he killed my family, made me feel what it''s like to have nothing;


    "Ke Youqing, you were my best friend, you made me feel like I wasn''t completely worthless, and maybe no matter how painful life was, as long as I endured, things would slowly get better."


    "And now you tell me... you''re Qing Ya?" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that time, Ke Youqing didn''t understand the cause of the situation, just stared at him, and slowly began to ask.


    "What on earth are you talking about?"


    The young man stood still in the rain, his gaze lifting from his soaked brow towards him, his face changing, his mouth slowly curving into a smile that mixed anger and sorrow.


    After a moment, he bent down, slowly taking out many crow specimens from his backpack, carefully placing them one by one on the ground.


    Most of them were torn and ragged, too painful to look upon, sporting sharp cuts as if someone had unleashed their fury upon them.


    "We''ll meet again, in a different way..."


    "As friends, as well as enemies."


    After dropping that sentence, the young man tilted his head and lifted a watch he held in his right hand.


    His index finger slowly pressed a button on the watch, then, with a series of clicking sounds, his figure suddenly disappeared into the rain.


    As if a second had been stolen from the heavens, or as if he had been devoured by the torrential downpour.


    From that day on, Ke Youqing never saw that friend again.


    But soon after, with the broadcast of the young man''s disappearance throughout the city, a figure calling himself "Timekeeper" began to emerge in Huanjing, hunting down superheroes within the Superhero Association.


    In just a week, dozens of superheroes were dead...


    In the following two decades, they entangled each other from opposite sides, at times like old friends reunited, at other times like enemies filled with mutual hatred.


    Qing Ya had once wondered whether it was his doing that had turned the lamblike, gentle youth from his memories into the future Timekeeper, but he could only wear away those thoughts full of pain and guilt time and again in his mind, trying his best to make amends in reality for those mistakes. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 163 Two Similar People, the Cycle of Fate_2

    But in the subsequent decades, he never managed to catch the Timekeeper, because the Timekeeper might be the person in this world who hated him the most and, at the same time, understood him the best, thus he always managed to escape from his grasp with ease.It was like playing a game of cat and mouse, where the ones who got hurt were never the two main characters, but the innocent bystanders.


    At this moment, the scene before him made Qing Ya recall that name once again.


    The temperament of the Dice Monster resembled that of the Timekeeper when he was a greenhorn: mad, bizarre, acting without logic, yet considering a certain superhero a friend and toying with him in the palm of his hand. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    The relationship between Blue Owl and the Dice Monster seemed to be much the same as his own with the Timekeeper back then.


    Thinking thus, Qing Ya couldn''t help but feel that the world was like a giant cycle. The past always repeated itself, and things one had said goodbye to always appeared before one''s eyes in another form.


    Bowing his head, he took a deep breath of the murky air, then gradually released the flock of crows, which lifted Che Zhengchen up, and then he walked out of the abandoned factory.


    ...


    ...


    As dusk approached, on the fifth floor of the Superhero Tower, a cafeteria for the staff.


    This cafeteria was decorated in the utmost opulence, with elaborate and beautiful decorations everywhere, yet the ceiling was adorned with cool-toned incandescent lights that made the overall ambiance quite mismatched.


    At this moment, Blue Owl was sitting in a corner with Bai Yi and others, silently drinking afternoon tea around a table covered with a luxurious tablecloth.


    Blue Owl''s gaze wandered around the room, noticing many superheroes walking back to their seats with their meals, commanders waiting in line to get their food, and even the cafeteria workers casting discreet glances at him.


    Ever since they witnessed Qing Ya rescue him with his own hands, the way the entire Superhero Association''s staff looked at him had changed.


    They had been making bets in private, and many believed that Qing Ya wouldn''t even give a damn about this reckless imitator.


    But just now, to everyone''s shock, Qing Ya had intervened in full view to save Blue Owl, even reminding him with a word, "Next time think before you act."


    So, everyone finally started taking this mysterious red and blue owl seriously, becoming curious about Blue Owl''s identity.


    Some said that Blue Owl might be a child from Qing Ya''s extended family; some argued that Qing Ya was a university professor, and Blue Owl his student;


    Others scoffed, saying if Qing Ya had a son, then his son should be old enough to don a battle suit by now, get my drift?


    Others refuted this, saying if a creature like Qing Ya could start a family they''d literally eat crap, suggesting it''s more plausible that he adopted an orphan.


    There were also those who said even if he had adopted an orphan, with Qing Ya''s influence, the kid would inevitably become a very solitary and gloomy freak. Compared to that, Blue Owl seemed much sunnier and certainly didn''t seem like someone brought up by Qing Ya. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blue Owl sighed, retracting his attention from the surroundings, and while eating his ice cream with a silver spoon, he asked, "So what''s the situation, is Commander Che okay?"


    The Telekinetic Nun answered, "Qing Ya rescued him. He said there''s nothing seriously wrong with his body, he has been taken to the Central Hospital. There are also a bunch of superhuman bodyguards on guard, so there''s no need to worry about him for the moment."


    "Oh, don''t they need to pull me in for questioning or something?" Blue Owl leaned his head in closer and whispered.


    "Move your head away a bit," the nun said.


    "Why?"


    "Because your beak is almost pecking my face."


    "Oh, right."


    "I suggest you take that thing off your helmet, or someone might sue you for sexual harassment."


    "Sorry, but if I may be so bold, shouldn''t they sue Qing Ya along with me?"


    Bai Yi, who was listening in, said with a laugh, "No, no, Qing Ya almost never interacts with others, I''ve hardly ever heard him talk, so I was actually pretty shocked when he reminded you."


    "It''s just an old timer giving a newbie some advice, what''s there to be shocked about?" Blue Owl paused, then said with a lowered head, "Alright, I admit I''m pretty happy about it too."


    The Platinum Wing laughed and said, "It shows, after all, your suit is a blatant imitation of his."


    "So back to the main point, I was just sitting in the office when Commander Che was taken away,"


    "No need, Qing Ya has taken over the investigation of this matter," the Telekinesis Nun said, "He has access to view the surveillance cameras of the entire Superhero Tower, including those in Commander Che''s office. However, only the high-level officials and Round Table superheroes are qualified to view the surveillance in the Commander''s office."


    On hearing this, Blue Owl was slightly stunned, his mind racing as he bit on his chopsticks.


    "No way, what was Commander Che thinking? If there''s a camera in the office, wouldn''t dad and the Association''s higher-ups all know that I got Commander Che to pull strings for me to get into the Association?"


    He thought for a moment and then felt that couldn''t be right; if Commander Che didn''t want that conversation to be overheard, he wouldn''t have spoken right under the surveillance camera.


    That suggested the words Che Zhengchen had said to him at the time were actually also meant for the ears of the Superhero Association''s higher-ups.


    He wanted to explain to the higher-ups that a hero who dares to wear a suit that might attract the Timekeeper couldn''t possibly be a hidden danger.


    And with Che Zhengchen''s over-twenty years of experience in the Superhero Association, his position and ability were enough to persuade the higher-ups to accept his view.


    Not to mention, Blue Owl''s recent action of risking his life to save him must also have been noticed by the higher-ups.


    Even if we back up a lot, Blue Owl was just a minor figure. Even with the label of "Qing Ya imitator" attached to him, he was still an insignificant minor figure. How many people would pay attention to him?


    To catch the eye of those bigwigs, you would, at the very least, need to wear titles like a Round Table member or an S-level executive officer of the Management Bureau, not some E-level hero who just debuted without having made a name yet.


    After pondering for a moment, Blue Owl asked curiously.


    "Right, you said Round Table superheroes have the qualifications to access the surveillance in the Commander''s office. Does that mean the status of Round Table superheroes is even higher than that of the Commander?"


    The Telekinesis Nun cocked her head and frowned at him.


    "That''s right, heroes who can enter the Superhero Round Table basically don''t need the Commander to direct and manage them. Don''t you even know this bit of common knowledge?"


    At the corner of the table, the Mechanical Pioneer, who had been silent all along, suddenly said, "If you don''t understand, you can ask me, I can help you search on Baidu." Saying this, he took a sip of his drink.


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl turned his head and cast a surprised look at the cyborg, then teasingly asked, "Er... brother, you don''t have a Baidu installed in your brain, right?"


    The Mechanical Pioneer remained silent.


    "There''s actually a Baidu," White Wing chuckled, and said mysteriously, "His brain has been modified and comes with a built-in search engine."


    The Mechanical Pioneer nodded, not denying it.


    Blue Owl was stunned for a moment, put his hands together and silently apologized, "Never mind then. I was wrong, Mechanical Pioneer bro, I''ll ask you from now on since you have a partnership with Baidu."


    White Wing couldn''t help but smile and continued, "No need for formalities, just call us by our code name initials, like ''Bai Yi'' for me, ''Nun'' for her, and ''Pioneer'' for this big guy."


    "Do you guys agree?"


    Saying this, Blue Owl turned his gaze toward the other two, one of whom nodded silently, while the other gave a deep "Hmm" of agreement, both indicating no objections.


    "That''s fine then." Blue Owl tilted his head and spread his hands, his beak sloping to the side.


    "Anyway, are you now confirming you want to join our team?" the Nun asked.


    "Guess so, I look forward to working with you."


    As Blue Owl said this and extended his hand toward her, the Nun completely ignored his hand, grabbed his beak instead, and shook it up and down expressionlessly.


    "I look forward to working with you," she said.


    Blue Owl was stunned, withdrew his right hand, shrugged his shoulders, and moved his beak, "Er... that''s not wrong, but could I accuse you of harassing me?"

 Chapter 164 Hell Cantata

    ```July 9th, at dusk, inside a private bar called "Inca Dream."


    The low and warm sounds of jazz enveloped the ears of every patron.


    The interior of the bar was classically and meticulously decorated, with dim lights cascading from the chandeliers onto the wooden bar and leather seats. The walls were adorned with black and white photos full of a sense of the past.


    "How strange... the bug inside Che Zhengchen''s body is gone, why?"


    The red-haired girl sitting in a wheelchair murmured to herself, her head hung low, gently tapping the floor with her cane, producing a thumping sound.


    Next to her, a man who could be described as a giant¡ªstanding over two meters tall, with black hair and eyes, a muscular build with sinewy muscles¡ªsat at the bar, wiping a huge sword with a cloth, and calmly asked, "How could this be?"


    Gastella turned her face toward him, let go of her cane and, resting her chin in her hand, said, "I don''t know, who knows what the Dice Monster is up to?"


    The moment her gaze met his, Gastella''s eyes displayed her superhuman panel.


    [Character Name: Flint]


    [Danger Rating: A++]


    [Character Codename: Blood Clan Hunter "F".]


    [Character Background Introduction: One of the remnants of the Hunters organization "Hell''s Chorale," they are the Blood Clan Hunters who gain strength by consuming Blood Clan blood. However, during the campaign against the vampire progenitor "Queen Icaria," nearly all members of Hell''s Chorale were wiped out.


    As the top combat force of "Hell''s Chorale," Flint''s body is extremely formidable, his physical fitness standing at the pinnacle of A-class superhumans.]


    Flint lifted his rugged face and said to Gastella in a low tone, "Could you have been played by it?"


    "I don''t know."


    Speaking softly, Gastella then lifted her fair hand to prop her chin, her eyelids drooping as she stared at the floor, gently tapping it with her cane.


    "What exactly does that Dice Monster want? It seems to know I was growing a bug inside Che Zhengchen''s body, but why would it abduct Che Zhengchen, take the bug out, and then return him?"


    She sighed, continuing to ponder.


    "But what''s the point of that? Isn''t it supposed to want me to kill the blue owl for it? With its abilities, it could completely kill that superhero itself, so why insist on having me do it?"


    Flint said, "It must be a trap."


    "I can see that," Gastella curved her lips into a smile, "Looks like the Dice Monster is on the side of that player, the one hiding the vampires~"


    "Fan Quan?"


    "Not necessarily Fan Quan. I might have been duped, but anyway, as long as I catch all the players in this city within a month, it should be fine."


    Gastella spoke indifferently.


    After a moment of silence, Flint said, "Once you catch them, what do you plan to do with those ''players''?"


    "You all are my family, Flint, you, Lin Ke, Howard too. And those players, to survive, will definitely become stronger at all costs and then come after you."


    Gastella rested her head on the bar, burying it in her arms, and whispered, "So, I must find them before that happens... and kill them all. That way no one will be able to hurt you."


    "But what I really want to know is, what about you?"


    "I''ll die. I''ll die in a year."


    Flint''s mouth opened slightly, his expression becoming somewhat gloomy: "I don''t want you to die, Sisteruo."


    "Thank you, Flint. But without you, I would have died a long time ago."


    Gastella slightly curved her lips and said, "When I was thrown in the slums, unable to move my legs, with a Blood Clan vow cursed into me by the vampires, if you hadn''t saved me back then, I would have died a terrible death... No one would remember me, not even worth a struggle, just dead like that."


    She paused for a moment, gently tapping the wooden floor with her cane, speaking nonchalantly.


    "In these ten years, you took me to many places, the Arctic, Antarctica, Iceland, the United States, England, places I never even dared to dream about... How vast the world is.


    "So I''m already very content, having you by my side for so many years."


    Flint remained silent.


    After a while, he finally spoke, "You''re also important to us. Lin Ke once said, when she first saw you lying on the ground in that slum, unable to move, a group of kids stole your food and tipped over your wheelchair. You fell to the ground and cried for a long time, reached out to her, and said, ''Save me.''"


    He paused, "Lin Ke said, back then she thought despite how dirty you were, you shone like an angel, so heartbreakingly bright, that if she didn''t take you with her, she would regret it forever, and be punished by God."


    "So she took you with her."


    "For the past ten years, we have treated you as our own sister. Among us, no one wants to lose you. Especially me, Sisteruo."


    At these words, Gastella fell silent for a moment, then lifted her head, looking directly into Flint''s eyes as she said.


    "I''ll save all of you, just like you saved me. Even though you must think I''m strange, I''m a player... so only I know how dangerous those players are. Eventually, they will become unstoppable monsters, and then they will come to harm you."


    ```


    "No, you really don''t have to do that."


    Flint paused, his tone awkward as he continued, "You... You''re not someone who likes to hurt others, Sisteruo. I don''t need you to hurt others for our sake."


    "But I can''t wait for someone who might hurt you to get stronger. I can''t do that, Flint," Gastella repeated over and over as if to reassure herself.


    "My only wish is to see the three of you well before I die. That would be enough for me."


    She lowered her gaze, her voice growing softer, "Even if it''s just for one year, being by your sides has already made me so happy."


    Flint hung his head, his giant face clouded with an indescribable sorrow. Eventually, he simply said hoarsely, "You''ll be with us afterward... We''ll always be together, never apart."


    "Yeah, I know your clan''s traditions. I hope that you''ll carry my ashes with you, so we can continue to travel together."


    Gastella said this with a happy smile, reaching out her hand to touch her leg which wouldn''t respond.


    "Take me to see farther places, Flint."


    "I will," he answered.


    "After I die, don''t forget me, Flint."


    "I will," he promised again.


    "When the time comes, can you hold me, Flint? I''m actually quite scared of the thought of dying in a year."


    "I will," he reassured her.


    "Then sing me a song then."


    "I will," he promised.


    "Do you really... not think of me as an impostor at all, Flint?"


    "No, I''m certain that you are Sisteruo. You are our angel," he affirmed.


    "But why does it have to be like this? The memories in my head keep telling me that I''m not Sisteruo, that I''m just someone who has stolen her life."


    "I... I''ve been with you for more than ten years. Lin Ke, Howard, and I watched you grow up bit by bit."


    Flint, clearly at a loss, spoke haltingly, "How could we not know it''s you, Sisteruo, you''ve just been affected by something."


    "So I am Sisteruo, right?"


    "Right," he confirmed.


    "That''s wonderful. You know, in those memories that thing gave me, it told me I was a girl with cancer named ''Iris,'' and my parents abandoned me because they couldn''t afford my medical bills."


    Gastella lifted her head, saying, "It hurts so much, so very much... Staying in that hospital room, staring at the same ceiling every day, looking at the hateful chimneys and eaves outside the window, it felt like the world was a prison. Then I just died, no one saved me... they all abandoned me..."


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    As she spoke, Gastella suddenly curved her lips into a smile, her eyes concealed by her drooping bangs, "But it''s good you told me that wasn''t true... that it''s just a false memory, that I still have you all."


    "I didn''t die at the age of nine. You took me out of that slum. You took me to so many places... The world seemed so vast, so enormous!"


    The voice of the girl in the wheelchair was drowned in jazz music, somewhat unclear, but one could discern her soft cries. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s not just about the bricks of slums, not just about the ceilings of hospital rooms. You showed me penguins, polar bears in Antarctica, you took me to see polar bears in the Arctic, the icebergs were magnificent! The Eiffel Tower was so beautiful! Turns out there are places in the world where it doesn''t snow, where there''s not just war, pain, suffering, and quarrels."


    "I feel so content. That girl who died in the hospital ward, even if she really existed, she must be content too."


    "Actually, I''m starting to have a hard time distinguishing who I am. Sometimes I feel like I''m Iris, and other times I think I''m Sisteruo..."


    "So can you tell me who I really am, Flint?"


    Gastella asked, slowly lifting her tear-filled eyes to stare motionlessly at Flint''s face.


    Flint''s eyes darkened, and he opened his mouth slightly, his voice hoarse, "You are Sisteruo, our angel, the family member God has given us, irreplaceable."


    "So can you hug me?"


    Flint was silent for a long time before his ponderous body leaned forward, embracing the girl in the wheelchair.


    He whispered hoarsely into her ear, "Sisteruo, we will find that last vampire and remove the curse from you, to let you live."


    After a pause, certainty flashed in his eyes, "Then... although we still don''t understand what ''the system'' is, and what ''player'' means, we will make sure you live, not just this year. We want to be together always, to more places, farther away."


    "Thank you, Flint," Gastella murmured, burying her head in Flint''s shoulder.


    "You''ve been the kindest to me."

 Chapter 165 A Deal with the Sect Master of the Ninja Sect

    July 9, evening, Hongdeng Commercial District.Beams of searchlights emitted from the top of the Superhero Tower were drifting across the night sky, slowly floating back and forth, resembling a gigantic lighthouse or like ghosts devouring the darkness.


    Not far from the tower, the eerie gray humanoid figure appeared again on the rooftop.


    This figure was quite mysterious, always elusive.


    Sometimes it called itself Dice Monster, saying that was its formal name; other times it called itself ''strange thing,'' stating that was its nickname, used only by those close to it.


    Regardless, tonight.


    The Dice Monster, as always, sat on the exhibit platform, swinging its slender legs, banging drums and gongs while picking up a megaphone and shouting loudly.


    "Dice Monster is here for a terror attack, and if Mr. Ninja doesn''t show up, I''m not leaving¡ª!"


    Such an incomprehensible, childishly mischievous declaration was followed by the surrounding tourists on the rooftop, who had already mostly dispersed amidst screams.


    Under normal circumstances, some of Dice Monster''s fanatic fans might have stayed at the base of the tower, cheering: "Lord Dice, what kind of show are you going to perform for us today!"


    But today was different. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    If you asked what was different, it was certainly the incident where Dice Monster had kidnapped the famous commander of the Superhero Association¡ª"Che Zhengchen."


    This incident was creating a buzz, naturally catapulting Dice Monster to fame, so much so that the Superhero Association was considering upgrading its warrant level from C to B to ease their PR efforts in whitewashing through the media.


    After all, daring to abduct someone in broad daylight from the Superhero Tower was akin to defecating on the Superhero Association''s head, as offensive as the time the Timekeeper had hanged the corpse of Grey Pigeon on a high-altitude platform years ago.


    Even just considering the Timekeeper incident, the Superhero Association could explain that the Timekeeper possessed time-related skills: after all, no superhero can prevent a time-related superpower.


    If you looked up the official records from that time, you would see that the Superhero Association even subtly shifted the blame for that heinous crime onto the "Time Management Bureau."


    Very humorous, like departments pushing responsibility onto each other in front of leaders after a corporate mishap. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The association''s upper echelons said, unless someone from the Time Management Bureau took action, capturing the Timekeeper, a criminal who had been at large for over twenty years, would definitely be a difficult battle.


    Since the Timekeeper''s superpower involved time, why couldn''t the Time Management Bureau act, was a significant question.


    The Time Management Bureau operated independently of the Anomaly Control Bureau and the Superdimensional Control Bureau, embodying a more mysterious character, with even higher secrecy.


    If ranking the four in terms of international fame and public influence, naturally the Superhero Association would be above the "Anomaly Control Bureau," the Management Bureau above the "Superdimensional Management Bureau," and last would be the virtually ignored "Time Management Bureau."


    But in terms of official status, the Time Management Bureau was slightly higher than the Anomaly Control Bureau, with the Anomaly Control Bureau and Superdimensional Management Bureau on the same level, finally followed by the "Superhero Association."


    That is to say, the Superhero Association, although only fourth in the official hierarchy, had tremendous fame and had to shoulder all the public scrutiny when crises arose.


    Consequently, they learned their lesson. Whenever they encountered insurmountable public relations issues, they subtly implied in the paperwork and shifted the blame to the three higher-ups.


    Implying that these three brothers, though higher in official rank, were squatting on the pot without doing the deed, was that reasonable?


    Following this method, the Superhero Association''s leaders tasted success and unanimously praised it, forming a consensus. Henceforth, whenever they faced unsolvable public relations issues, blaming the three Management Bureaus above became a classic resolution method.


    They reasoned that everyone was working for the country. If trouble arose, you took some blame, I took some, and he took some, keeping things from collapsing was important.


    Therefore, after such an intense narrative from the Superhero Association concerning the Time Management Bureau, leveraged by people''s intense detestation for the Timekeeper and their remembrance and affection for the new star, Grey Pigeon,


    they almost shredded the Time Management Bureau online.


    However, the three big brothers above the association were not pleased, thinking you, the youngest, usually take all the glory, reap all the benefits, while we three work earnestly and quietly like oxen, not seeking fame and tirelessly working. Yet, when problems arise, all the blame is thrown onto us, how is that fair?


    Therefore, under immense pressure, the Time Management Bureau was finally forced to make a statement.


    The senior management of the Time Management Bureau publicly stated that since its inception, it had a clear directive: they only handled one thing¡ªto help restore the status quo when severe time-line shifts and temporal chaos occurred in the world and mend the time-lines back to their original state.


    While the Time Management Bureau might have seemed silent, they had discreetly resolved no less than a hundred cases of time shift issues caused by powerful time ability users.


    The abilities of these users either involved time travel or affected the future. The most trivial ability was even sending letters to one''s past self, but even such abilities could trigger a butterfly effect powerful enough to destroy the world.

 Chapter 165 A Deal with the Ninja Sect Master_2

    There were several occasions when the structure of the timeline was nearly collapsing, and the world was about to be destroyed, but each time it was the Time Management Bureau who saved the day, anonymously bringing the situation back from the brink and allowing the world to continue as normal.As for the Timekeeper, his ability was merely to stop time temporarily, not to traverse it, nor to directly affect the continuation of the timeline in any way.


    Therefore, it naturally fell outside the jurisdiction of the Time Management Bureau.


    The Time Management Bureau even went out of their way to belittle the Timekeeper''s abilities in official documents, implying that such matters didn''t warrant their intervention, when it was clearly the Superhero Association''s incompetence at fault. Blaming them instead was downright disgusting.


    With such a public statement full of veiled, stinging satire, the public reaction intensified, once again shifting the blame back to the Superhero Association.


    At that time, the media competition between the Superhero Association and the Time Management Bureau was incredibly fierce, nearly every other period they would issue an insinuating statement to imply the other was doing worse, guiding their fans to attack the other, and as much as possible steering the public''s attention to make them vent their anger on the other party.


    As a result, people gradually paid less attention to the death of Gray Pigeon and instead focused more on the debate over which party should be taking responsibility.


    Ironically laughable, it even made one question if Gray Pigeon''s existence and death held meaning only for gaining attention and generating traffic.


    But back to the main topic.


    When the Timekeeper caused trouble in the Superhero Tower years ago, the Superhero Association could still focus on the "time-related abilities" to shift the blame onto the Time Management Bureau.


    But now they were left speechless, given that the Dice Monster possessed no time-related abilities, and was even a straw bag of a straw bag, incapable of being any more of a straw bag. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet this thing managed to abduct a commander in broad daylight.


    And not just any commander, but the most famous and beloved one in the whole Huanjing and the entire country: Che Zhengchen.


    The higher-ups of the Association were dumbfounded when they received the news.


    In their minds, their headquarters was a place habitually guarded by hundreds of superheroes, and even the fearsome Crow Man would stay inside the building when bored. Wasn''t the Round Table Council''s Qing Ya familiar to you?


    So, no sane person would imagine that a criminal would dare to approach, let alone attack the Superhero Tower¡ªit was akin to walking into a trap.


    So, with this overconfidence, as time went by, the defensive measures against enemies at the Superhero Tower were naturally not so tightly knit, giving the Dice Monster an opportunity to exploit.


    Even though the Association''s PR department did their best to play down the incident on various social media platforms, it still sparked intense global discussion.


    At this moment, the Dice Monster, having just stirred up a global frenzy and topped the trend lists of both domestic and international websites, was not idling away or hiding from the spotlight. It had no intention of shrouding itself in mystery.


    After making a terrorist declaration via loudspeaker at Huanjing Tower, it smirked, raised its right hand, and tossed down a red and black dice.


    Without even watching the result of the dice roll, it had already swung away towards Wine Reflecting Coast on a web line, blending into the night with its belt''s invisibility function.


    As the red and black dice landed, tracing a beautiful parabola in mid-air, a massive whale fell from the sky and smashed onto the deserted street below.


    Immediately after that, like a huge fountain suddenly appearing in the center of the street, the whale spouted thousands of furious torrents of water from its blowholes, shooting upwards, bursting like fireworks at the apex, and turning into billions of water droplets that scattered down like rain amidst the screams of the crowd, drenching the ground.


    It was as if a downpour had suddenly started in the Hongdeng Commercial District.


    Many running passersby were knocked down by the water, completely drenched.


    Fortunately, the chaos did not last long, as the Air Balloon Squad from the Superhero Tower and the famous A-level superhero¡ªGeneral Lingdong quickly arrived on the scene, resolving the situation with the enraged whale in a swift and forceful manner.


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    At this time, in the dark night sky over the city, a figure stood on a dark cloud, overlooking the situation in the commercial district, then zoomed towards the direction of Highway Seven.


    However, there was no one waiting for her there, a bit of a letdown really.


    Shortly after, the Dice Monster arrived at Wine Reflecting Coast, disabled its belt''s invisibility feature, and walked over to a corner of the coast to stand next to a fisherman.


    Looking up, the fisherman was sitting on the railing, holding a Daiwa fishing rod, and completely focused on fishing.


    "Hey, I''m the strange thing," the Dice Monster said, introducing itself with one hand on its hip.


    The fisherman ignored him.


    The Dice Monster sighed with its palm to its forehead, "Oh, my guy. You''d rather fish than chat with the charming and adorable villain Dice Monster, huh?"


    Still, the fisherman ignored him.


    The Dice Monster cocked its head, waving a hand in front of the other, "You know it''s illegal to fish like that. Didn''t you see the sign on the fence that says no climbing? Yet, here you are, sitting on it, fishing."

 Chapter 165 A Deal with the Ninja Sect Master_3

    The fisherman still ignored him, merely gazing intently at the line float on the water with his eyes lowered."I kidnapped the Commander, you know," said the Dice Monster.


    "What does that have to do with me fishing?" asked the fisherman.


    "I am a supercriminal. To be precise, an apprentice supercriminal who has trained for two and a half years and is about to become a full-fledged one,"


    said the Dice Monster as he waggled his finger solemnly.


    "So what?"


    "Aren''t you afraid of me?"


    "If you''re not going to fish, then leave, don''t disturb me,"


    said the fisherman. The Dice Monster''s mouth turned downward upon hearing this, and with his head tilted, his hollow eyes gazed at him, asking, "You''re really cold-hearted, can I fish with you then?"


    "The fishing rod is over there. But if you want to use my bait, you have to pay me," the fisherman paused, then added, "But if you catch a fish, you can give it to me, and we''ll call it even for the bait."


    "Oh, thank you. This is my Magical Girl Transformation Card, I''ll leave it with you as a collateral for the bait,"


    said the Dice Monster, pulling out an intricately patterned card from nowhere and placing it beside the fisherman''s rear before sitting on the railing next to him and lifting the impressive fishing rod propped against it.


    "Wow, this fishing rod is really heavy,"


    said the Dice Monster as he baited the hook and then cast the line forward, causing ripples to glimmer under the moonlight as the hook hit the water.


    "What does this card do?" the fisherman suddenly asked.


    "It lets you transform into a cute Magic Girl. Don''t be ashamed of it, for example, Magical Girl Ash is actually a man, and there are many such cases,"


    said the Dice Monster.


    "She''s a man?"


    "Yes. But this is a secret, you mustn''t tell anyone else,"


    the Dice Monster said cheerfully, nodding his head, then raised a finger to his lips, signaling him to keep the secret.


    He hummed to the tune of "London Bridge is Falling Down" while fishing in the sea breeze, occasionally shaking his head and tapping his foot.


    Not long after, a figure dressed in a pitch-black ninja outfit emerged from the shadows, slowly appearing above the shoreline. His face was concealed behind a metal ninja mask, revealing only his dark eyes.


    "What do you want from me?"


    asked the ninja gently from behind the Dice Monster.


    "I''m just fishing with my newfound friend here, I wasn''t looking for you, please don''t flatter yourself,"


    the Dice Monster retorted with his mouth twisted, not turning around and keeping his eyes fixed on the float in the water.


    "What about what you said on Huanjing Tower then? Do you know any other ninjas besides me?"


    "Alright, actually, I was looking for you," the Dice Monster said as sudden intense ripples appeared near the float and the weight on the fishing line skyrocketed, "but I''ve suddenly changed my mind."


    As the words fell, he yanked the fishing rod, and a fish with alternating red and black patterns leapt out of the water, rising into the air amidst the splashing waves.


    While taking it off the hook and tossing it into the fisherman''s basket, the Dice Monster said to the fisherman, "Hey bro, should this cover the cost of the bait?"


    With that, it retrieved the Magical Girl Transformation Card and stuffed it into its own butt crack, the card vanishing from sight.


    The fisherman gasped in shock, wondering if the Dice Monster''s butt crack contained an alternate dimension. He felt relieved he hadn''t accepted that so-called Transformation Card.


    The Dice Monster knocked the fisherman out with a casual karate chop and then turned around on the railing to sit facing the shore. It lowered its hollow eyes and stared at Ke Xiaomo with a smile.


    Ke Xiaomo, with his arms crossed, looked at it calmly, "So spill it, what do you want to talk about?"


    "No no no, I actually just came to enjoy some fishing with you. You ninjas promote self-cultivation, I figured your fishing skills must be pretty good."


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    "Since you have nothing else, I have a question for you."


    "What question?" the Dice Monster asked. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That player spreading parasites around the city, who are they?"


    "Oh, you mean her?" the Dice Monster tilted its head and said slowly, "Tell me, what''s in it for me?"


    "We can have an exchange of equals. If you need anything in the future, as long as it doesn''t violate my principles, I''ll help you out."


    "Forget it, Mr. Ninja, I know you''re all high and mighty on the surface, but really quite sly. You only say such things to deceive a good kid like me," the Dice Monster sighed and spread its hands as it spoke, "But who can help it if I just have such a kind heart? Since you''re asking sincerely, I''ll just answer you honestly."


    It paused: "The player spreading the parasites, their ID is ''Gastella'', a disabled girl with red hair, sitting in a wheelchair, oh, and she always carries a cane with her."


    As it spoke, the Dice Monster picked up a spare phone, opened the photo album to the first picture, and turned the screen towards Ke Xiaomo.


    Ke Xiaomo stared at the girl in the wheelchair in the photo for a moment before asking, "Are you sure?"


    "Certainly," said the Dice Monster, "Deceiving you would bring me no benefit." It spoke slowly and then scrolled to the next video in the album.


    Tapping the screen, the first-person video began to play. A girl in a wheelchair was shown slowly entering a private bar. She lifted her cane and stuffed a parasite into a man''s mouth.


    After playing the video, the Dice Monster closed the phone and, with a corner of its mouth curled, said, "The video isn''t that great. But I''ll find a way to send you Gastella''s photo, like to your QQ email. Await my message, Mr. Ninja."


    Ke Xiaomo said, "Alright, I hope you''re not fooling me, or our cooperation will end here."


    "By the way, as a bonus for this cooperation, I have a piece of information to share with you."


    "What information?"


    Lowering its face and speaking in an eerie whisper, the Dice Monster said, "Why don''t you guess, Blue Owl, that fledgling hero kid, who is he really?"

 Chapter 166 Witch Black Rose X Black Wukong X Mr. Ninja

    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment, lowered his face masked by the ninja mask, and took a deep breath. Then he lifted his eyes and looked at the Dice Monster as he asked."Is it really Mingye?"


    As he uttered the final name, it was as if he had released a heavy stone hanging over his heart, and he breathed out deeply.


    "Oh, you figured it out?"


    The Dice Monster raised non-existent eyebrows, surprisingly not dodging the question, "Give me the reasons, why do you think it''s him?"


    "He has been acting strangely these days, and every time Blue Owl appears, it highly corresponds to the times he leaves the house."


    Ke Xiaomo spoke slowly.


    "Although I haven''t deliberately tracked him, I found a notebook in his room. In it, there were early sketches of Blue Owl''s costume with a date marked a month before Blue Owl appeared. So, I am almost certain ¡ª either he is Blue Owl, or he knows Blue Owl."


    At this, he sighed lightly, murmuring to himself, "My eldest brother is a mutant, my sister is a Divine Communicator, the youngest brother is a dragon; I should have realized another Superpower User in the family wouldn''t be strange..."


    The Dice Monster spread his hands: "The world is absurd like that, Mr. Ninja. If I were you, I''d feel desperate. To think that the family you''ve been with so long, each harbors secrets, with no sincerity at all."


    "Not all of them."


    "Indeed, not all." the Dice Monster said in a comforting tone, "At least there are still some family members who are consistent inside and out, not deceiving you, which is truly comforting."


    "I''ve also concealed my identity and abilities from them, so I have no right to speak of this."


    Having said this, Ke Xiaomo paused for a while, then asked, "But really, why are you so interested in my family, just to get close to me?"


    Here it comes, Mr. Underdog. You Bai Ke family members are all like this: oh, oh, oh, "Why do you get close to my family, just to get close to me?" "Throwing dice isn''t just to meet me on the overpass?" Too self-centered, none of you are redeemable.


    The Dice Monster thought to himself, though his body stood upright, hands on his hips, as he slowly spoke.


    "Yes... it''s to get close to you."


    You''re far too important! he added in his mind, without you the family wouldn''t complete nine people.


    "What''s the point? Wouldn''t trying to get close to my older brother be a better choice? He is much stronger than me and also holds a significant position within the official organization." Ke Xiaomo continued asking. Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "No, no, no, it''s not certain he would win if you fought."


    The Dice Monster said with a sneer.


    In his mind, after all, the two of you are both A++ grade combatants, there''s no clear stronger or weaker, it all depends on power suppression, who has the informational advantage, and who is better prepared.


    And the Black Judge''s strengths are an unparalleled destructive power, with weaknesses in speed and mobility ¡ª at the same A level, his abilities here clearly can''t match up to your second brother and old man, so it''s really hard to say who''d win if it actually came to blows, Ke Xiaomo might actually crush Ke Yinzhi.


    But the most crucial reason among the series of reasons Ke Mingye hesitates to get too close to the Black Judge is: does Ke Yinzhi seem like the type you can approach?


    Leaving aside the old man and mom, out of all the siblings, he is the most difficult to deal with.


    Especially after, damn it, putting on the Black Judge mask, he really seems like he''s on a high, letting himself go. Particularly in Wanxiang City that time, he killed a hundred ninjas without a second thought, mercilessly.


    Despite holding the title of a Management Bureau officer, his mannerisms are no different from a madman''s, eventually, he''ll just be used and thrown away by the Management Bureau''s higher-ups, treated as a dangerously double-edged sword.


    Of course, whether the Management Bureau''s higher-ups make the first move against him or he does against them, that''s hard to say...


    "I have to go."


    "How... are you in such a hurry to leave? I wanted you to keep me company to fish." said the Dice Monster.


    "I really don''t have that kind of leisure..."


    Ke Xiaomo hadn''t finished speaking when he was interrupted by the Dice Monster: "Aren''t you worried about our comrade Blue Owl?"


    "What happened to him?" Ke Xiaomo frowned.


    "While we''ve been chatting, he seems to have gotten into trouble again." the Dice Monster said teasingly, "I''d advise you''d better go check on him soon, otherwise I can''t say what kind of end he''ll face. The location is at the Linjiang Business District."


    "You''d better not be lying to me."


    Ke Xiaomo slightly furrowed his brows, dropped these words, then his form instantly dissolved into ink splashing over the ground, gradually merging into the deep shadows until he disappeared.


    "Who would lie to you?" the Dice Monster stood with cross-arms, mumbling to himself, "Oh, everyone would lie to you... everyone would."


    ...


    ...


    Five minutes later, Linjiang Business District.


    Under the moonlight, a graceful figure was enveloped in countless twisted thorns mid-air. She was dressed in a dark red gown, her right hand raised to her chin, her left hand holding a magic wand wrapped in layers of thorns. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The gem embedded at the top of the wand was currently showing a cracked and dim state, only through fissures could one glimpse the dangerous and dazzling dark purple light within.


    The sharp thorns had torn part of her sleeve, binding and piercing into the skin on her wrist, connecting her arm and the magic wand. It seemed as though attempting to fuse them together, or as if sucking blood to nurture the wand''s power.

 Chapter 166 Witch Black Rose X Black Wukong X Mr. Ninja_2

    The girl, perched high above, wore an ironic smile on her face cloaked in moonlight. The dark red hem of her dress fluttered in the night wind, splashing the scene with a terrifying beauty.The thick thorns that had burst from the ground were slowly growing, nearly spreading across the entire street: some rooted in the insides of shops, others pierced through the screens of electronic signs, and some completely encased billboards.


    In front of the girl stood three figures clad in superhero costumes.


    Bai Yi folded his wings and approached Blue Owl, "Are you alright?!"


    Blue Owl, clutching his chest where a couple of ribs were nearly broken, groaned and said calmly, "I''m fine."


    The nun spoke rapidly, "Don''t be reckless, we just need to hold out until the higher-level heroes arrive for backup. This opponent is strong, and we''re not a match for her at the moment."


    Blue Owl slightly bent down on one knee, lifted his head, and his narrowed pupils reflected the superhuman information panel of the enchanting figure in the air.


    He had planned to go out with Bai Yi and Telekinesis Nun to observe the routine patrol routes of this superhero squad, so as to prepare for future work needs.


    But as fate would have it, they encountered such a formidable figure on the way.


    [Code Name: Witch Black Rose] S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    [Real Name: He Yinlu]


    [Danger Level: A-Class]


    [Character Introduction: A Witch, that is, a fallen Magic Girl, who grows stronger by hunting Contracted Beasts and devouring the Comet Fragments within them, but at the same time gradually loses her humanity.


    Witch Black Rose is among the best of the Witches, a high-ranking member of the Witch Church "Babel Tower." However, a month ago, she left the church to come to Huanjing alone to seek vengeance against her old friend "Magical Girl Ash."]


    "Wait a minute, she and Bai Zini were old friends? Old friends..."


    Blue Owl blanked out for half a second, thinking.


    "Bai Zini hardly mentioned having any friends, but she did say that she used to play with two Contracted Magic Girls who were very close to her, yet they both died at the hands of the supervillain Ghosthand Buddha."


    "Damn, could it be that Witch Black Rose was one of the Magic Girls and she had actually faked her death back then?"


    "I''ll find some time after I get back to confirm this. Such incidents are usually recorded in official reports; I''ll check if the names of the two Magic Girls who died then match up with this Witch."


    As he was contemplating, Witch Black Rose tilted her head, and from the throne of intertwined thorns, she lifted her magic wand imbued with a strange beauty.


    As the jewel on the wand started to glow from the cracks, a childlike chant, reminiscent of a silver bell, rose from all directions, echoing through the streets like a persistent breeze.


    Suddenly, countless sturdy thorns burst from the ground, ensnaring Telekinesis Nun, Bai Yi, and Blue Owl, who were fleeing.


    Her abilities were similar to those of the Divine Communicator "Ghost Tree." Like him, she controlled thorns, but Witch Black Rose was clearly more precise in her control, unlike Ghost Tree, who specialized only in altering his own body.


    The thorns appeared massive and robust, but they moved with alarming speed, slithering across the ground like pythons, quickly capturing the trio.


    In the face of an A-Class superhuman, even Bai Yi, who prided himself on his speed and agility, had to admit defeat.


    This was a naked display of power overwhelming. If one''s average ability score was 500, and yours only 100, even their weakest attribute would be enough to surpass your strongest one.


    Bai Yi frantically stretched his wings in midair, but the sharp ends of the thorns pierced into his two pairs of wings, immobilizing him in the air like prey caught in a spider''s web.


    Amid the bloodshed, he let out a pained roar. The thorns delved deeper, wrapping around his wings as if a wild beast born from the jungle was slowly devouring a pure white dove.


    With his arms bound by the thorns and stretched out to the sides, Blue Owl knelt on the ground and slowly raised his eyes to Witch Black Rose: "Who exactly are you?"


    "A specter," Black Rose stated, "a specter¡­ longing to see an old friend."


    No sooner had she spoken than her expression changed, and she looked up into the night sky.


    In that moment, a figure clad in a silver and black metallic trench coat descended from the sky with a dark golden staff in hand, smashing towards her head and creating a foul wind in its wake.


    Witch Black Rose''s expression darkened, and the throne of thorns beneath her instantly transformed into over a dozen upward-stretching spear-like thorns, pierce at the unwelcome visitor with unstoppable momentum.


    If the newcomer maintained their original posture of attack, they would be impaled by the dozen spear-like thorns in an instant.


    Yet, in the blink of an eye, the person from the sky stopped the descent of the dark staff and hoisted the Jingu Bang fiercely, its cold iron whispering through the air.


    The next moment, a torrent of crimson flames gushed from the five fingers of her right hand, coursing towards both ends of the Jingu Bang.


    Instantly, the Jingu Bang blazed with an unprecedented brilliance, vibrating violently and humming as if a freed demon.


    Black Wukong used both hands to twist rapidly in midair, spinning the Jingu Bang, which swept around like a phantasm.


    Then the crimson flames clinging to the staff roared forth like a tornado of fireworks, smashing into the oncoming thorns and shattering them in an instant.

 Chapter 166 Witch Black Rose X Black Wukong X Mr. Ninja_3

    Staff Twirling.It was a move often used by Sun Wukong in Chinese mythology. When Black Wukong employed this technique, she even added Samadhi True Fire onto the staff, making the twirling staff bloom with scorching flames, capable of burning away all evil spirits.


    "Somewhat skilled."


    Witch Black Rose''s beautiful eyes slightly widened, taking in the scene with interest, and then she manipulated the thorns beneath her to transform again, instantly lifting her figure above the ground and putting some distance between her and Black Wukong.


    After Black Wukong used the twirling staff to clear away the thorns, her form followed and fell toward the ground. A pitch-black cloud came flying from afar and caught her heels just before she landed.


    "Who are you?" the Witch asked, raising her chin curiously at the uninvited guest.


    "That''s what I should be asking you."


    A cold and neutral voice came from behind Black Wukong''s monkey mask, lacking any gender characteristics.


    She then raised her fiery golden eyes, glancing from the corner of her eye towards the blue owl trapped in the thorns a short distance away.


    Upon seeing this, she lifted her left arm, and crimson-gold flames blazed up, burning away the thorns entangling the blue owl, Bai Yi, and the nun in just two seconds.


    Bai Yi''s wings, punctured by the thorns and riddled with openings, retracted in an instant, tucking back into his shoulder blades. His consciousness fuzzy, he fell from mid-air but was caught by the nun''s telekinetic grip and carried into her arms.


    "Is he okay?!"


    The blue owl swiftly approached the nun, his gaze shifting to the barely breathing Bai Yi.


    The nun spoke solemnly, "He''s alive. These wounds aren''t too serious for him. With his healing abilities, he should recover in a day or two."


    "Saved." Bai Yi''s eyelids trembled as he pried his face from the nun''s grasp, looking fuzzily towards Black Wukong''s silhouette, and rasped in a hoarse whisper: "It''s Black Wukong..."


    "Black Wukong?"


    Murmuring to himself, the blue owl likewise set his gaze on Black Wukong''s figure.


    "Divine Communicator, Vigilante," the nun said. "With him here, we should be safe."


    On the other side, Witch Black Rose caressed her lips with her slender fingers, her pupils suddenly brightening as she slightly curved the corners of her lips and said.


    "Oh, I remember now, the Divine Communicator... Black Wukong."


    Without a reply, Black Wukong silently lifted her staff, pointing its iron-wrapped tip at Witch Black Rose''s figure.


    At the same instant, a figure suddenly swept up from the shadows. He was dressed in a black ninja outfit and wore a ninja mask forged from metal on his face, only his dark and sharp eyes were visible.


    The moment the ninja''s gaze met Black Wukong''s, a flash of surprise crossed his pupils. He quickly turned his head, casting his eyes towards the blue owl not far away.


    "Who''s this now?" After a brief shock, the blue owl turned and asked Bai Yi and the nun beside him.


    "Don''t know," the nun replied. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Yi, struggling to keep his eyelids open, observed the figure dressed in the ninja garb and said in a hoarse whisper, "Judging by the outfit, seems like a ninja?"


    The nun covered his eyes with her hand and said, "Stop struggling. Go to sleep, I''ll take you to the hospital." As she spoke, the nun used her telekinesis to lift Bai Yi''s body and headed towards the end of the street.


    She turned her head to give the blue owl a glance: "Aren''t you leaving?"


    "I want to see what happens. You take Bai Yi to the hospital first and also request assistance from the association," he said without looking back, his eyes fixed on the silhouettes of the ninja and Black Wukong.


    "Alright then, although Black Wukong is here, remember to run if there''s danger."


    "Got it."


    After their exchange, the nun quickly carried Bai Yi through the dense thorns, leaving the desolate street behind.


    On the other side, Witch Black Rose cocked her head and stared disdainfully at the ninja emerging from the shadows, asking Black Wukong, "Who is this, your friend?"


    Black Wukong was equally puzzled and stared silently at the taciturn ninja.


    At this moment, Ke Xiaomo, seeing the blue owl still lively and hopping about, seemingly only lightly injured, closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.


    When he opened his eyes again, a sword-like clarity flowed in his pupils, chilling to the core.


    Ke Xiaomo turned his head and, through the ninja mask, looked indifferently at Black Rose as if he were looking at a dead person.


    He then slowly raised his right hand, shadows flowing from his fingertips, instantly coalescing into a long tachi.


    At the same time, accompanied by a resounding eagle cry that echoed through the sky, a pitch-black predatory bird, crafted from shadows, rose slowly from behind him, almost enveloping him within it.


    Seeing this, Black Wukong instinctively spurred the Somersault Cloud beneath him to retreat a great distance, putting space between him and Ke Xiaomo, while the spark of surprise flickered in his fiery, golden eyes.


    "So strong..." Bai Qiuwu murmured in a daze behind her monkey mask.


    Even having put such a distance between them, she could still feel clearly the terrifying killing intent emanating from above the dark predatory bird.


    It was a resolve Bai Qiuwu had never seen before, like a furiously erupting volcano, or a grim, boundless ice sea.


    Contained within it was a will forged through a thousand trials, like the sunset suspended over a valley, eternally undying...


    And at that moment, as the image of that predatory bird reflected in her pupils, the composed expression on the Witch''s face began to change.


    What on earth is this?


    How come I''ve never heard of such a person?


    Witch Black Rose bit her lip, her expression growing serious as she pondered for a moment, then violently raised her magic wand.


    The nearly shattered gem burst forth with an unprecedented brilliance, followed by millions of thorns breaking through the ground, surrounding her tightly like a fortress.


    The next moment, the gigantic predatory bird flapped its wings, and with a deafening roar, took to the sky, plummeting from the pitch-black night with a screeching dive.


    It was almost an event that occurred in 0.1 seconds, fleeting.


    From within the deafening sonic boom, the predatory bird, with a cascade of shadows, swooped down from the heavens. Its sharp beak and steel-like wings effortlessly tore open the thorny fortress as if slicing through a layer of tofu.


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    Immediately after, a shadow-forged tachi cleaved through Black Rose''s waist, leaving behind a gash deep to the bone.


    The predatory bird then dissipated into thousands of shadow strands in mid-air, revealing Ke Xiaomo''s true form. He stood behind Black Rose, sword poised in the void, his ninja outfit rustling in the night breeze.


    Before the Witch could react, dark purple blood burst from her waist and splattered noisily all over the ground.


    Her pale face still held an expression of disbelief as her body began to slowly topple toward the ground.


    "Damn, what is this thing?" gasped the blue owl, staring wide-eyed at the scene.


    Black Wukong also looked at the ninja''s silhouette with surprise. Being many times stronger than the blue owl, she could better grasp the chasm-like difference in strength between herself and the ninja.


    The gaze behind Bai Qiuwu''s mask flickered, and she thought that if she had been the ninja''s target, her fate would have been similar to Black Rose''s, with even the most robust defenses being shattered in an instant.


    After a moment, the ninja took a slight breath, turned his head, and said to Black Wukong in a robust, disguised voice, "I spared her life. You take her to the police station; the police will be responsible for sending her to the superhuman prison."


    As his words fell, he glanced at the blue owl one more time through the mask, then melted into a pool of ink-like shadow, splashing toward the ground, leaving no trace behind.


    Only then did Black Wukong breathe a sigh of relief, her right hand, which had been gripping the Jingu Bang beneath her metal gauntlet, was already covered in cold sweat.


    She could hardly imagine, if the ninja had been her enemy, how she would have survived the night. Most crucially, the blue owl was still here. According to the strange thing''s claim, he was very likely Mingye.


    With that thought, Black Wukong slowly turned around, the Jingu Bang positioned behind her as she turned her face to the side, looking across the half-street distance at the blue owl, their gazes meeting from afar.

 Chapter 167 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 1)

    Linjiang Business District.Amidst leaping electric arcs, thorny vines twisted like countless pythons, entwining every corner of the street.


    The commercial street no longer looked as prosperous as it once had, but rather like a unique maze with both modern features and the wild traits of untamed nature. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Black Wukong stood still at the center of the street, tilted his head, and gazed silently at the distant blue owl through his mask. He remained silent, his emotions complex.


    It was somewhat funny to say, but the reason Bai Qiuwu had gone out was because she had recently seen the news on Weibo that "Dice Monster had appeared again at Huanjing Tower!"


    Given the previous examples, the moment she saw the news, Bai Qiuwu subconsciously thought that this strange thing was probably inviting her to meet again, right?


    To pay attention to it seemed rather pointless;


    Yet to ignore it didn''t feel quite right either... Who knows whether it would do something utterly shocking out of boredom.


    But she really didn''t know what kind of reason to come up with to meet it; being led by the nose every time would be rather embarrassing.


    Just then, she remembered that today "Dice Monster kidnapped the Commander but then released him unharmed" had happened, so Bai Qiuwu thought she might as well ask this strange thing what mischief it was up to today, thus giving her a reason to meet it.


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    Immediately, she left the house without looking back and rode the Somersault Cloud towards Huanjing''s Number 7 Overpass.


    When Bai Qiuwu hurried to the Number 7 Overpass, she found not a single soul there, so she had no choice but to sit alone on the railing, staring blankly at the brightly lit city in the distance for a while, unfortunately still failing to wait for the Dice Monster''s appearance.


    In the end, she felt like a grudge-bearing person who had been stood up on a date, somewhat irked, yet also feeling as if she was making too much of it: Not every time the strange thing rolled the dice did it mean to chat with her on this overpass, not to mention the passing mention of "Ninja Mr." which she had subconsciously taken as babble and ignored...


    Just as Bai Qiuwu was about to dejectedly pick up her Jingu Bang to go home, she suddenly heard a huge commotion from Linjiang Business District, thinking since she had already come, it wasn''t a wasted trip if a superhuman crime incident had occurred.


    Bai Qiuwu then rode the Somersault Cloud at top speed to the place, had a glance, and that led to all the subsequent events.


    At this moment, seeing Black Wukong staring at him, blue owl slightly tilted his head, tilting his beak as well.


    "Er... hello?"


    He spoke slowly, greeting her and waving from a distance.


    Black Wukong watched him for a while and then let out a sigh of relief.


    Since her current Golden-Eye Fire-Viewing ability could not see through substantial objects, only illusions, she couldn''t see who was beneath the blue owl mask. Moreover, the other party was using a voice changer, making voice recognition unrealistic.


    "Should I get tough and pry off his mask?"


    She thought this and then shook her head.


    "No, better not. There are plenty of other methods and means to confirm his identity. Prising off his mask now might actually put him in danger."


    While thinking this, Black Wukong glanced sideways at those fearless media reporters and passersby filming with their phones. In such a situation, she definitely couldn''t unmask blue owl in public, regardless of who the person beneath the mask was.


    So, she took out her phone from the pocket of her metal windbreaker and typed rapidly on the screen with her fingers wrapped in her gauntlet before turning the screen toward blue owl.


    Blue owl looked closely and saw the message on the screen: Are you hurt.


    He shrugged and replied, "Minor injury, just a broken rib or two. With a superhuman physique, it''ll heal in a couple of days. Thanks for your concern, Mr. Black Wukong. If you hadn''t arrived in time, I''d probably be torn in half by that bad woman by now..."


    "That''s good to hear."


    Black Wukong continued to type and raised the screen to respond.


    Meanwhile, she made a mental note of where blue owl was injured, planning to go home and grill Ke Mingye, turning into a step-by-step advanced reading machine, pressing exactly where it hurt to see if the lad would keep pretending or not?


    Of course, if he didn''t react, she''d actually be happier: Having a dragon brother and a Magic Girl sister at home was enough; adding a superhero brother would make daily life utterly unbearable.


    She glanced back at the unconscious Black Rose, beneath whom a pool of blood had already formed.


    Although the Ninja claimed to have shown restraint, it didn''t seem completely the case: Such a wound would have already been fatal for a weaker superhuman; luckily, Black Rose''s body had a natural healing ability, so she could withstand this amount of blood loss.


    Bai Qiuwu had initially thought about having blue owl take Black Rose to the Association Building, which would have allowed him to gain some credit.


    But if Black Rose was only pretending to be unconscious, that would be a huge problem; with this lad''s modest skills, a nearly defeated counterkill would be more than enough.


    After all, blue owl was not like her, receiving daily martial arts instruction from Sun Wukong.


    Though the monkey taught in a rather half-hearted way, as if humoring a child. In Chinese mythology, the majority of Sun Wukong''s battles were won with exceptional strength rather than martial arts, but this did not stop him from being innately smart and self-taught.

 Chapter 167 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 1)_2

    So Bai Qiuwu knew in her heart that Black Wukong wasn''t incapable, he simply didn''t want to put his heart into teaching her. Nonetheless, the little she had learned was sufficient: in most fights against criminals, her combat skills had the upper hand.During that moment, Black Wukong commanded the Somersault Cloud to slowly lift Witch Black Rose''s body, allowing her to lie on the rolling clouds. Bai Qiuwu had personally experienced this sensation before, which felt like lying on a massage chair, conducive to promoting sleep.


    As for herself, she planned to stay nearby and secretly observe the route Blue Owl would take to leave. Being unable to leave, she could only rely on the Somersault Cloud to attend to this matter.


    Presently, compared to the police force, she trusted the Superhero Association more. After all, the portion of superhumans within the police force was small, and escorting a witch was safer left to the Superhero Association.


    But just as Black Wukong was about to send Black Rose toward the Superhero Tower using the Somersault Cloud, suddenly, a deafening boom resonated throughout the sky.


    Amid the cries of the crowd and the suddenly dimmed neon lights, she swiftly lifted her gaze and narrowed her Eyes of Golden Flame toward the slit that was slowly spreading across the night sky.


    Within the crack, a vast and hazy silhouette began to emerge.


    Like a giant folded umbrella slowly opening, the pattern leisurely stretched out, eventually forming a ring-shaped tower ascending upwards, its shape making it hard not to associate it with the ancient Tower of Babel from the "Bible." The tower''s body shimmered like the aurora, dazzling yet exuding a sacred and inviolable grandeur.


    "What is that...?"


    Black Wukong gazed upward, murmuring in astonishment.


    The next moment, a pillar of light expanded from the central part of the high tower, instantly enveloping Witch Black Rose''s body, and scattering the Somersault Cloud beneath her.


    Black Wukong took a quick step backward, instantly putting a significant distance between herself and the light descending from the "Babel Tower." By the time she regained her senses, the light pillar, along with Witch Black Rose''s body, had vanished.


    Looking up into the heavens, the slit in the sky dome, as well as the pattern of Babel Tower, had already disappeared without a trace, as if a divine hand had erased them from this world.


    Not far away, Blue Owl was equally shocked, his pupils reflecting the image of the tower while the system indicated it was the doing of the "Witch Church¡ªBabel Tower."


    "Black Rose has already left the church, yet it seems those witches haven''t completely given up on her and have actually rescued her."


    Blue Owl snapped back to reality, pondering to himself.


    He decided to ask Ash about the "Witch Church" and "Witch''s Night" while returning the brain imaging helmet tomorrow.


    The next moment, as Babel Tower receded from the sky dome, the neon lights and billboards on the street lit up once more. The thorns that had rooted everywhere had decayed and withered, dispersing like a puddle of mud.


    "It seems the witch has been rescued. What do we do now?"


    Blue Owl asked as he walked toward Black Wukong''s silhouette.


    "I don''t know... You should hurry up and leave, there could still be danger here."


    Black Wukong didn''t turn to look at him, instead lowering her head in thought for a moment before stepping into an alley while forming the Somersault Cloud under her feet once again, stepping onto the cloud and soaring into the sky, vanishing swiftly from the sight of onlookers.


    "Right, it''s time to go home," Blue Owl muttered to himself with one hand on his waist, "When I get back, I''ll probably be called for a meeting by my second brother and eldest sister. I hope they don''t bring along my eldest brother to pressure me, otherwise, I''m worried I won''t be able to handle it..."


    Since Che Zhengchen was still unconscious in the hospital, he had no reason to return to the Superhero Association for the time being.


    After all, he had completed the necessary paperwork and oral reports for the Dice Monster incident; as for tonight''s Witch Church incident, once Commander Che awoke tomorrow and learned of today''s events, he would naturally contact him. A trip to the Association would suffice then.


    Afterward, as usual, Blue Owl turned into an uninhabited area, activated the invisibility feature of his night belt, and proceeded to tiptoe back the way he came, slipping into another alley.


    He then entered an underground gambling den and exited from another door of the expansive casino. After taking several long detours and swapping places with a small dog on the second floor of an apartment using "phase transfer," he hid away in a dark corner for a while, before calmly making his way to Old Jingmai Commercial Street. Arriving at the abandoned train station, he synchronized with his original body and made the switch.


    Apart from that, Ke Mingye''s original body had also released a Bluebird Scout Plane in the train station in advance to watch for any unusual activity in the vicinity.


    Fortunately, it seemed that nothing had happened.


    This precaution was taken to guard against his second older brother, a shadow-lurking ninja who was most likely still observing him from nearby. If he couldn''t shake off his brother, the fact that he used a puppet decoy would be exposed.


    Besides, after half a day, the existence of the puppet was nearing its limit, as it would soon automatically self-destruct. There was no time to lose, so it was imperative to find a safe place to dispose of the puppet quickly.


    Finally, Ke Mingye stored items like the Blue Owl Battle Suit and the brain imaging helmet in an old storage locker of the train station, then landed a heavy punch to his own chest.


    It had to be said, that punch was extremely forceful, causing him to spit out a mouthful of fresh blood and break one or two ribs. He gasped for air in pain, clutching at his chest.


    But that was the desired effect; otherwise, it would be hard to explain why the injuries that appeared on Blue Owl''s body were not present on him.


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    Then, he sat on a public bench, cradling his chest to catch his breath, took a sip of mineral water to clear the blood taste from his mouth, and then stepped away from Old Jingmai Train Station.


    Playing with his cellphone while walking home, Ke Mingye also used his browser to search for the names of "the two Magic Girls killed by the supercriminal Ghosthand Buddha a few years ago."


    The results came back quickly. In the official obituaries released at the time, the code names of the two contracted Magic Girls were "Magical Girl Bird Skill" and "Magical Girl Yinyi." On such occasions, there was no need for the authorities to hide the real names of these heroes who sacrificed themselves for public safety, so their real names were also made public in the obituary. The former was named "Lin Jiaqi."


    As for the latter, she was named "He Yinlu."


    Lin Jiaqi''s remains had been cremated, while He Yinlu''s body was not left: according to the official explanation, He Yinlu''s body was likely torn into many pieces by Ghosthand Buddha and thrown into the furnace of a factory, making recovery impossible.


    "He Yinlu..."


    Ke Mingye murmured the name and recalled the true name of the "Witch Black Rose" he had just encountered. He soon raised his eyebrows slightly, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.


    As absurd as it sounded, the true names of the deceased "Magical Girl Yinyi" from a few years ago and today''s "Witch Black Rose"...


    Were identical.


    "Indeed..."


    Ke Mingye murmured to himself, pocketing his cellphone and stepping onto the elevator to go home.


    There are no such coincidences in the world, so Ke Mingye could be certain that Witch Black Rose... was the Magic Girl Yinyi who died at the hands of Ghosthand Buddha years ago.


    "No wonder she said she was a ghost; the information panel also mentioned she was a friend of Magical Girl Ash, but my younger sister''s friends back then were only those two contracted Magic Girls who died at the hands of Ghosthand Buddha. Who else could it be..."


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye took a deep breath and raised his eyes from his forehead to look at the elevator''s indicator panel. The digital "12" lit up, and with it, the elevator doors slowly opened. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had just stepped out of the elevator and into the hallway when his steps suddenly stiffened. He looked up to see Ke Xiaomo leaning against the corridor wall with her shoulders hugged, her eyes closed, quietly waiting for him.


    For a long moment, the elevator doors closed, and the light spilling from inside the elevator faded away, leaving the corridor entrance engulfed in near pitch darkness.


    The next moment, the ceiling light above flickered on, banishing the night, casting a ghastly glow upon Ke Mingye''s cheeks.


    In the abrupt light, Ke Xiaomo slowly opened her eyes, turned her face toward him, and her gaze was as cold and sharp as a blade.

 Chapter 168 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 2)

    Ten minutes ago, Old Jingmai District, Bai Ke''s home.Ke Xiaomo inserted the key into the keyhole, pushed the door open, took off his shoes, entered the living room, and sat on the sofa. He turned to Ke Yinzhi beside him and said, "I just went to meet Dice Monster."


    "And then?" Ke Yinzhi asked.


    "It told me that the player spreading parasites within the city is a girl in a wheelchair and showed me her photo," he said.


    As he spoke, Ke Xiaomo opened the QQ email he had just downloaded on his phone and logged into his long-unused QQ account, only to see an email lying in the inbox.


    He clicked on the email. The subject of the email read "To My Dearest Ninja Sir," and the email contained no text, just an attached image.


    The image depicted a girl in a wheelchair, raising her cane forward while black bugs rushed along the cane as if they were about to burst out of the screen.


    "Wow, you''re just assuming this photo is real?"


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi glanced at the photo in the email and then said, "From my perspective, this photo is strange, the environment, the facial features, whether it''s one part or another, all seem to be deliberately refined with lines, indicating that the original image must have been very blurry. Even the environmental part seems to have traces of artificial filling, as if, in the original photo, a part of the image was missing, blank, reminding me of something..."


    "What thing?" Ke Xiaomo asked.


    "Not a monitor. Logically, images taken by monitors wouldn''t have so many missing and blank areas."


    "Then what is it?"


    "A brain imaging helmet," Ke Yinzhi answered.


    "Brain imaging helmet?"


    "Exactly, images generated by brain imaging helmets indeed have many incomplete parts, and the image quality isn''t that clear," Ke Yinzhi said. "If the person who altered this photo was trying to disguise this matter, that would explain why the photo looks so discordant."


    Ke Xiaomo frowned: "Does that mean the Dice Monster has a brain imaging helmet?"


    "Not necessarily, this is just my speculation."


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi yawned and changed the TV channel with the remote control, then continued.


    "Moreover, the existence of players has gradually become public. The Superhero Association, the Magical Girl Alliance, and the Management Bureau worldwide are already beginning to use the brain imaging helmets to check if players have infiltrated their staff. To investigate the distribution of the brain imaging helmets isn''t that easy, it''s very energy-consuming."


    "Why not just narrow the scope and start with Huanjing?"


    "The brain imaging helmets will not be introduced to the organizations here in Huanjing for another two days. Guess who currently controls the brain imaging helmets in Huanjing?"


    "Who?"


    "Xizi Yue, Qing Ya. Do you think either of them seems like someone the Dice Monster could fool?" Ke Yinzhi said. "Although Xizi Yue is irresponsible, she is not stupid, actually quite astute; and Qing Ya, even less needs to be said."


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a while, then voiced his speculation.


    "Could it be that Xizi Yue played around with other magic girls and then Dice Monster got the helmet from those magic girls, especially considering the recent incident with Xiao Ni? She brought the brain imaging helmet given by the Magic Girl Feng back home, which really scared us then."


    "Speaking of this, I previously warned Xizi Yue explicitly on behalf of the Management Bureau not to hand over the brain imaging helmets to any subordinate unless absolutely necessary."


    Ke Yinzhi slightly paused as he spoke, his tone seemed uncertain, "Uh... even for Xizi Yue, she probably wouldn''t completely ignore my words."


    After speaking, he shrugged his shoulders and made an excuse for himself: "However... as the brain imaging helmets become more common, she might have gotten carried away. I''ll try to ask her in a few days to see if I can find any leads."


    At this, Ke Xiaomo suddenly remembered something and spoke up.


    "Right, Dice Monster also told me earlier that he knows Magical Girl Ash...and Magical Girl Ash is close with Xizi Yue. Could it be Ash who gave the helmet to Dice Monster?"


    "It''s possible, I''ll look into it when I have some time in a few days," Ke Yinzhi said.


    "With your memory, you''ll probably have forgotten in two days."


    As he spoke, Ke Xiaomo sighed and changed the subject: "Let''s not talk about that for now, let''s discuss what Dice Monster did today. Why do you think he kidnapped Che Zhengchen and then released him?"


    "Who knows..."


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi suddenly raised his eyebrows, his tone shifting: "Oh, I think I understand. The photo you saw must have been extracted from Che Zhengchen''s memory."


    "...Huh?"


    "Those parasites only target ordinary people, and Che Zhengchen is an ordinary person. He most likely had a parasite implanted into his body by that player not long ago and then forgot about it."


    "Forgot?"


    "The data from the Management Bureau says that people infested with parasites automatically forget the infestation," Ke Yinzhi explained as he picked up the Coke on the table, propped up his chin, took a sip through the straw, and continued.


    "Although Che Zhengchen himself forgot, that memory might still be recoverable, so to extract the appearance of that player from Che Zhengchen''s mind, Dice Monster abducted him from the Superhero Tower this afternoon and fitted a brain imaging helmet over his head somewhere."


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a while and then said, "I see..."


    "So it seems that the Dice Monster isn''t as omniscient as you thought. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have needed to resort to such methods to find the culprit spreading the parasite."


    Ke Yinzhi curled his lips, speaking slowly.


    He paused, "The key point is, if that wheelchair-bound woman is indeed a player as it claims, that would seem to suggest that the Dice Monster is likely not a player."


    Ke Xiaomo nodded and said, "Indeed. If the girl spreading the parasite really is a player, then it suggests that the Dice Monster probably has no relationship with the players."


    Ke Yinzhi shrugged, "Exactly. If it were a player, there would be no reason for it to act this way: to take such a big risk just to betray its own kind, that doesn''t fit with the typical behavior of this group."


    He thought for a moment, then added a few more words.


    "Besides, as a player, it should have had more methods to single her out, like the ''Friends System'' I mentioned earlier... I remember there is such a feature on the players'' panel. In any case, it didn''t need to go to such lengths, unless..."


    "Unless what?" Ke Xiaomo asked.


    "Unless there was infighting among the players."


    "Infighting?"


    "Who knows. At this point, we''re still not familiar enough with this group, but given their situation, if they don''t extinguish the superhumans within a year, they''ll die. Theoretically, the chances of infighting should be low," Ke Yinzhi pondered aloud as he spoke. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Ke Xiaomo relaxed a bit.


    He said, "So can we rest easy now, thinking the Dice Monster might just be a mad dog and not a player?"


    "It''s still uncertain," Ke Yinzhi said indifferently. "Either way, since you chose to cooperate with it, remember to be cautious and not fall into its trap."


    "Are you talking to me?"


    "And that too," Ke Yinzhi smiled mockingly, "With our Sect Master''s ability, you shouldn''t be led astray by such a thing."


    Ke Xiaomo stared at the television screen, and the two of them quietly watched TV for a while.


    Suddenly, he said, "By the way, there''s something else I need to tell you."


    "What?"


    At that moment, Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a while, hesitating whether or not to discuss the matter concerning Mingye with Ke Yinzhi, but then he recalled that just two days ago, Ke Yinzhi had told him he wanted to enjoy a peaceful vacation and experience a normal life, which is why he had entrusted the parasite issue to him.


    With just Qiuwu and Yongzhu already causing him enough worry, adding Mingye into the mix, even someone with a big heart like Ke Yinzhi would probably be choked up enough to lose his appetite...


    Thinking this, Ke Xiaomo sighed softly and lightly shook his head.


    "It''s nothing," he said.


    Just as Ke Yinzhi was about to press further, the doorbell rang, interrupting his thoughts. He opened the door to find Bai Qiuwu returning home. She had just changed into sandals at the entrance and immediately asked, "Has Mingye come back yet?"


    Ke Yinzhi answered, "Not yet."


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    Ke Xiaomo, pretending to be clueless, asked, "What were you out doing just now?"


    "I went to a classmate''s to pick up some math materials," Bai Qiuwu said, lifting the workbook in her hand, "Call me when Mingye returns, I need to speak with him."


    "Okay," said Ke Yinzhi.


    As Bai Qiuwu went upstairs, Ke Xiaomo carefully started, "Qiuwu, I just dealt with a witch causing trouble in the Linjiang Business District with her."


    Hearing this, Ke Yinzhi tilted his head and looked at him curiously, asking, "Oh... did she recognize you?"


    Ke Xiaomo shook his head, "You said that the Eyes of Golden Flame cannot see through physical masks, only illusions, so she didn''t recognize me."


    "That''s good then."


    "I''m going out to buy some drinks and also look for Mingye. He''s been out for so long today, I don''t know where he''s wandered off to," Ke Xiaomo said as he stood up from the sofa and walked out of the room.


    He casually closed the electronic door behind him, turned his head, and saw that the elevator indicator was lit, someone slowly ascending towards the 12th floor.


    Ke Xiaomo breathed a sigh of relief, leaned back against the wall, and hugged his shoulders, pondering how exactly to bring up the issue with Mingye.


    After a while, the elevator doors slowly opened.


    Ke Mingye, his hand over his chest, walked out of the elevator, looked up from his phone, and glanced at him evasively: "Uh... big brother, what are you doing here?"


    "I have something to talk about with you, but not here. Let''s go downstairs and buy some drinks while we''re at it," Ke Xiaomo said as he walked towards him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, giving him no chance to resist.


    Ke Mingye hesitated for a moment, then said, "Alright, let''s go."

 Chapter 169 Family Meeting Second Loop (3)

    Ke Mingye pinched the cap of a Pepsi bottle tightly with his right hand and twisted it open with all his strength.With a "pop," the bubbles in the bottle surged up. He quickly caught them with his mouth and then plopped down onto the public wooden bench outside the "7-Seven" supermarket.


    "So, Second Brother, what did you want to see me for?"


    Under the dim streetlight, he turned his head and asked Ke Xiaomo, who had also seated himself on the public bench.


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a while, sipped some Wong Lo Kat down his throat, the chilled drink flowing into his belly.


    Aside from Ke Yinzhi, he didn''t know how many years it had been since he last sat down and really talked with his younger siblings at home, and now he was even somewhat unsure of how to start the conversation.


    It was a summer night, and the faint sound of cicadas could be heard from the trees. The fan of the small chain supermarket behind the wooden bench was slowly turning. The incandescent light was emitting a cool glow outward.


    The old owner, wearing reading glasses, was sitting behind the counter, fanning his face while scrolling through "Magic Girl" videos on a short-video app.


    Ke Xiaomo placed the Wong Lo Kat on the bench and started, "When I was cleaning your room..."


    "Wait, wasn''t my room locked?" Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye had just sipped his Pepsi and nearly sprayed it out, coughing twice before continuing suspiciously.


    "Mom opened it with the key."


    Ke Xiaomo explained expressionlessly.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye sighed and then said sarcastically, "Haha, mom really is invincible, I''m 16 and still have no privacy rights."


    "Then, guess what I found in your room?"


    Ke Xiaomo said slowly.


    "You didn''t open my computer, did you?"


    "No,"


    Ke Mingye lifted his Pepsi, took a sip by the mouth of the bottle, and then covered his mouth with the bottle itself, speaking in a muffled voice, "Then there shouldn''t be things like inflatable dolls hidden in my room, right? Not to mention those even more dangerous items. Come on, why do you sound like you caught me doing drugs?"


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo silently reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a journal.


    The moment his gaze fell on the familiar sketch journal, Ke Mingye''s face turned pale as though all blood had drained away.


    "Not cool, bro, are you sick or something?! Cleaning up a room and you freaking peeked at my journal. I haven''t even been writing in it, that''s all ancient history now, complete cringe fest!"


    While whining and fretting, Ke Mingye quickly reached out to grab the journal from Ke Xiaomo''s hand but was blocked by Ke Xiaomo''s other hand.


    "Chill, will you?" Ke Xiaomo glanced at him and calmly said, "I''ve seen everything in there. What''s the use of getting it back now?"


    "It''s all over, totally over." Ke Mingye sighed hopelessly, "Just so you know, although the journal mentions that I had a crush on a boy in my class when I was a child, it was ultimately because that boy just looked too much like a girl. My sexual orientation is perfectly normal. It never happened again afterward."


    "That''s not what I''m talking about."


    "Then it must be about middle school, right? I did skip class to surf the internet quite often, but I was always in the top 20 in our grade, not too shabby, right? You wouldn''t go and snitch about this to mom, would you?"


    "No, I''m not talking about that either," Ke Xiaomo shook his head.


    "Then what is it?"


    "This."


    As he spoke, Ke Xiaomo casually opened the journal and turned to the page marked by a "tea leaf bookmark."


    This tea leaf was his usual bookmark, given to him by the Sect Master from Shadow Sail Mountain. He generally carried it with him and often used it while reading; now, it was marking Ke Mingye''s "criminal record."


    After turning to that page, he slowly rotated the journal, tilting the page towards Ke Mingye as if to show him the contents on the page.


    Ke Mingye''s hand trembling barely perceptibly as it clutched the Pepsi. He narrowed his eyes and read the words on the page.


    .....


    .....


    June 5:


    Based on my current research on myself, my superpowers mainly consist of three abilities.


    The first superpower is to accumulate some kind of energy by spinning my arms in circles, which then allows me to perform different attacks based on my hand gestures. However, this superpower isn''t very practical in combat, feels pretty idiotic from an outsider''s perspective, totally lacking in style, better keep it under wraps... yeah, coolness is everything;


    The second superpower is to instantly ignite flames on my fists, making my punches faster, and I still don''t know the principle behind this power, but fortunately, it doesn''t harm my hands;


    The third superpower is to instantly swap places with a target within a ten-meter radius, it can''t be an object, it has to be a person;


    I haven''t precisely tested whether this range is truly ten meters, maybe I should find time to measure it. But this power must be used on humans, randomly testing it on someone on the street feels somewhat morally wrong. Last time it nearly gave that bully from my school a heart attack, but it was quite satisfying.


    Summary complete.


    With these three superpowers, even among superpower users, I''m probably considered one of those with extraordinary talents, huh, I''m indeed a one-in-a-million genius.


    Although the most terrifying known superpower user has a total of five superpowers, that''s only two more than me.


    Life, you never know what will happen next.


    To think I awakened superpowers at 16 years old, could it be that I was born to be a superhero?

 Chapter 169 Family Meeting, Second Loop (3)_2

    I really want to join the Superhero Round Table, to maintain peace alongside Qing Ya, Zeus, and Dimensional Swordsman. Just thinking about it gets me damn excited.Speaking of which...


    Is it possible that, besides me, there are other Superpower Users in my family, or am I the only one?


    Could it be that either my old man or mom had superpowers?


    Otherwise, how could I be a Superpower User?


    However, the Superhuman textbook says that even if both parents are ordinary people, there''s still a small chance that their child could become a Superpower User.


    It seems that my awakening doesn''t have much to do with genetics after all. After all, the superhuman genetic test results for my old man and mom, provided by the Superhero Association, both came back normal, and those results couldn''t possibly be faked, right...


    Speaking of which, what am I going to do about the next Superhuman genetic test?


    If dad and mom find out, I''m screwed. Forget about being a vigilante, not being pulled into a two or three-day family meeting would be getting off easy.


    What should I do?


    I need to find a way to join the Superhero Association and see if anyone there can help me hide the results of the next Superhuman genetic test. As long as my family doesn''t find out, that would be fine.


    Since I''ve awakened my superpower, does this mean I can become a superhero like Qing Ya?


    People online have speculated based on the timeline that Qing Ya started wearing a mask and fighting crime at the age of about 16, which is exactly my age now.


    But even if I want to be a vigilante, at the very least, I need to have a decent suit of armor, right?


    Heh, I remember some superhero darknet sites offer custom-made superhero suits, though they''re crudely made and exist mainly to scam idiots. But it should be fine for my current stage. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ordering one to try wouldn''t hurt. To be safe, let''s have an online friend make the purchase for me, to prevent my parents from discovering my spending record.


    Holy shit, is this what it feels like to hide your identity from your family as a superhero? It''s so thrilling.


    But it''s also awesome.


    ...


    ...


    After reading the words in the diary, Ke Mingye thought to himself, this date is very misleading. By deliberately setting the date of this diary entry to one month ago, mimicking a timeframe before the Gamer appeared, my second brother won''t suspect that I''m the Gamer.


    After all, the Gamer can''t possess the body of a Superhuman.


    According to the diary, I had already awakened my superpower a month ago; therefore, it''s impossible for me to be the Gamer.


    Additionally, with the brain imaging helmet test, it''s unlikely my second brother would continue to suspect me.


    "How do you explain this diary entry from a month ago?"


    Under the streetlight, Ke Xiaomo looked at Ke Mingye''s face with a calm gaze and asked in an equally calm tone.


    Ke Mingye swallowed nervously, his Adam''s apple bobbing.


    "No, big bro, you''re misunderstanding," he said, shrugging casually and running his hand through his sweat-dampened hair, then explaining.


    "It''s just a game our class has been playing called ''Superhero Role-Playing Diary.'' The idea is to imagine ourselves as superheroes, write in the diary and then share it with classmates."


    He paused, "There''s also a classmate who acts as a judge, scoring everyone''s diary to see who writes the most interesting and realistic ones. The person with the highest score gets a red packet from the other participants. In the end, it''s just like writing a novel, you know?"


    Ke Xiaomo articulated each word, "I''ve never heard of this game."


    Ke Mingye sighed, replying calmly, "It''s the latest trend among young people. What would a primitive man like you know? That''s how we high schoolers roll."


    He shrugged his shoulders, sipped his Coke with a guilty conscience, then mockingly added, "Heh, no wonder little sister says you''re an old soul¡ªno, an old man in your youth."


    Ke Xiaomo kept his gaze on Ke Mingye''s face, then reached out with his index finger and continued flipping through the diary.


    "Then how do you explain this next diary entry?"


    ...


    ...


    July 4th, morning:


    I feel like my training is almost complete, and the suit I had purchased through a darknet friend has arrived. Maybe I should make my move today.


    I discussed it with that net friend, and from now on, my vigilante and superhero alias will be ''Blue Owl,'' playing off ''Qing Ya''¡ªowl means owl after all.


    It''s true what they say online.


    Superpower Users benefit much more from physical exercise than ordinary people. I feel like my strength has increased a lot in just a month, even though I used to be a skinny dog.


    I should be able to knock out those classmates who targeted me with a single punch now. That idiot hit my back with a basketball last time; next time we play basketball I''ll smash his head in.


    No, never mind. As a superhero, I should suppress my personal desires. Lesson one of being a superhero: don''t use your superpower on ordinary people.


    Just thinking about it excites me. Did Qing Ya feel the same when he first started wearing the suit and fighting criminals twenty years ago?


    Where should I hide the suit? Maybe somewhere further away from home. Otherwise, if mom finds it while cleaning my room, that would be awkward.


    July 4th, evening:


    Shit, shit, shit!


    I''ve just taken down the cybernetically enhanced Lester, that Lester! On my first outing, I beat Lester. Is this what it means to have the substance of a genius superhero?


    Alright, if I hadn''t used my swap-place superpower to make him crash into that big truck, I probably couldn''t have beaten him.

 Chapter 169 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 3)_3

    "Wealth comes from taking risks, and since I succeeded, it means my plan was flawless. It''s just that my foot got injured, I''m limping when I walk, looks like I''ll have to rest and recover for a couple of days."After becoming a Superpower User, my body''s self-healing ability had become many times stronger than before. Normally, this kind of wound would heal on its own fairly quickly."


    After knocking down Lester, that infamous Dice Monster appeared recently.


    I really don''t understand what it wants to do, it says it wants to be friends with me, but damn it, it''s a villain, if I befriend it wouldn''t I start my career with a tainted reputation, impossible to clean ever?


    Only an idiot would befriend him, honestly, I just don''t get how there can be fools in this city befriending the Dice Monster, jumping straight into a fire pit."


    After that, I was interviewed by that mixed-race lady, Mikaxi, doing social media. I used to watch her interview videos a lot, never thought I''d appear on one myself."


    When I got home in the evening, it seemed like my older brothers had just finished a meeting, really have no idea what they talked about."


    So curious, why on earth did my older and second older brothers need to secretly drag my younger sister and brother into a meeting? Have I really been isolated?


    Damn it, they had a meeting without me.


    But man, I have to go out and combat crime, no time for their meetings, haha."


    Really curious what they will think after they find out there''s a superhero in the family? They must think I''m incredibly awesome, soon I''ll be the first Superhuman in our family."


    "Oh, what a ''do not despise the poor youth'' script."


    Got fired up, once I make a mark, I''ll reveal my identity to them, turn the family hierarchy on its head, throw a punch at mom, kick Bai Zini."


    Fast forward to becoming a member of the Round Table Council."


    I can''t, my leg hurts like hell."


    Is this the price of being a superhero?


    Resting now, tomorrow I should see my news all over the internet, kind of can''t sleep..."


    Will it be okay?


    Although I always thought about how cool it would be to be a superhero, it seems there''s actually a lot of pressure, got up in the middle of the night and felt much better in my leg but can''t do any heavy exercise, otherwise, the wound might open."


    Sure enough, every app was blown up by my video."


    What should I do from now on?


    Continue like this? S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Is it too late to think about giving up now since I''ve already taken the first step?


    I''ll just have to grit my teeth and move forward, this was my choice."


    Slept."


    ...


    ...


    Ke Mingye, holding a cola, stared dumbfounded at the content of the diary. His lips twitched slightly, and cold sweat gradually covered his forehead."


    Under the dim streetlight, his face was pale, and the reflection of the diary''s words in his pupils were slightly blurred."


    Then, before Ke Xiaomo could ask any further, he strategically took a big gulp of cola, masking his panic, then offered an awkward smile and explained."


    "Dude, this diary is obviously written after blue owl made his appearance. I was just imagining what it would be like if I were the superhero blue owl, wondering how he might react, okay?"


    "Really?" Ke Xiaomo questioned, "Then how could you guess the superpower of blue owl a month ago?"


    "A lucky guess."


    Ke Mingye halfway through his sentence, hastily amended: "Oh, wrong, that was also written after blue owl appeared. I was just mimicking his perspective, writing that diary entry in reverse."


    Saying this, he paused slightly, then continued trying to justify himself.


    "Think about it, it says blue owl has three superpowers, right? But how could he possibly have a superpower that involves spinning his arms to store energy, how stupid, and blue owl never demonstrated that superpower either."


    Listening to this, Ke Xiaomo looked down and took a deep breath, raised his hand, and gently massaged the Tianming Acupoint."


    After a long silence, he slowly raised his head, stared into Ke Mingye''s eyes, and his voice gradually became serious.


    "Stop pretending, Mingye, this matter is much more serious than you think."

 Chapter 170 The Second Family Meeting (Part 4)

    Ke Mingye swallowed a mouthful of water and then slowly raised his head to meet Ke Xiaomo''s gaze.Gazing into those eyes, as deep as the night, Ke Mingye was slightly stunned for a moment before he lowered his head, shifting his gaze and taking a light sip of his Coke.


    He could tell that despite Ke Xiaomo''s best efforts to stay calm, from his tone to his expression, everything seemed very calm and gentle, just like their usual everyday conversations.


    But from Ke Xiaomo''s eyes, there was still a subtle fury and blame being conveyed.


    Like a volcano sealed under ice, ready to erupt at any moment and incinerate the seemingly solid and calm layer of ice completely. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two brothers sat on the public bench, their eyes shifted away from each other, and they remained silent for a long time. All that could be heard were the cicadas in the trees and the sound of fans spinning from the supermarket.


    Hunched over on the public bench, Ke Xiaomo sat with his hands together, his eyes faintly flickering. The pale light from inside the supermarket bathed his side face.


    After a while, Ke Mingye set down his bottle of Coke on the bench and spoke in a low voice to break the deadly silence.


    "Do you still remember what you said at that breakfast shop?"


    Ke Xiaomo retained his silence and simply nodded.


    Ke Mingye''s eyes were cast down as he continued, "I think you said, if I really wanted to be a superhero, you would support me."


    "No, at that time I was just hoping to induce you to tell me the truth, but you didn''t."


    "How could I ever say it?"


    Ke Xiaomo''s eyes twitched slightly as he stared at the ground and took a deep breath, speaking slowly, "So, it really is you... You''re the Blue Owl, right?"


    Ke Mingye kept silent for a moment, then lifted his right index finger.


    In the battle at the Linjiang Business District, he had used up all the solar energy stored for his "Solar Punch," and it would take some time to recover to 100%. He was currently left with only 3%.


    But this 3%, was enough to raise a flame on the tip of his right index finger.


    He pointed his fingertip towards the sky, and the warm light of the fire erupted from his finger, with scattered sparks bursting just like the hand-held sparklers from his childhood.


    Ke Xiaomo stared blankly at this scene, at the flickering flame rising from Ke Mingye''s fingertip.


    Then he averted his gaze, his chest heaving sharply.


    In fact, Ke Xiaomo had long been mentally prepared.


    Whether it was the diary found under Ke Mingye''s bed, the hints from the Dice Monster, or even the dissonance he felt from Mingye a few weeks prior, everything pointed definitively to some change that had occurred in Mingye.


    Nevertheless, he still harbored a stubborn, unrealistic hope deep down in his heart.


    He hoped that Mingye could provide a solid reason to refute the contents of the diary as being untrue.


    To refute that his suspicions were wrong.


    But the answers did not match his expectations. Facing his questions, Ke Mingye''s explanations were full of holes, hardly any of them convincing, further corroborating the diary''s content as true.


    If after this, Ke Xiaomo still clung to a self-deceptive notion, gripping onto that last thread of hope in his heart, not willing to let go...


    Then, witnessing the scene before him, the last shred of his hope shattered.


    He drew a deep breath of cold air, which, like a sharp scalpel, pierced his insides, causing his brain to tremble, and his tightly clasped fingers to quiver.


    Ke Xiaomo hung his head low, his jet-black eyes shrouded in the shadow of his forehead hair, his pupils reflecting a complex light.


    His brother, Ke Mingye, was the superhero "Blue Owl."


    The reckless... imitator of Qing Ya.


    The naive superhero who doesn''t know the vastness of heaven and earth.


    The moth to a flame that could very likely draw the Timekeeper''s attention.


    Fury at its peak, Ke Xiaomo couldn''t help but let out a light snort of laughter, filled with self-mockery.


    "So what do you want to do, tell mom and dad about my activities to stop me?" Ke Mingye said, "Or maybe you want to bring big brother in to dissuade me?"


    As he spoke, he paused for a moment before continuing, "But none of that means anything. I''ll just tell you straight, I can''t give it up."


    "Why?" Ke Xiaomo asked in a hoarse voice, almost whispering, "Do you think being a superhero is more important than your family? Is it just for that bit of vanity... to show off in front of your classmates, or to make those who looked down on you see you in a new light? Do you really believe... these things are worth risking your life for, to become a hero?"


    "No, it''s not for vanity that I want to become a superhero," he said.


    Ke Mingye looked into Ke Xiaomo''s eyes, gently shook his head, and spoke calmly.


    "Is it for Qing Ya?"


    "Not for him either, though he is part of the reason why I want to be a hero."


    "You have no idea how dangerous what you are doing really is," Ke Xiaomo said emphatically, "dangerous enough to kill you a thousand times, ten thousand times, or even more..."


    "Even so, I would still do it."


    "Why?"


    "No reason, just that I want to do it," Ke Mingye said, "If there''s something I can do and I don''t do it, I would regret it for the rest of my life."


    He paused: "A long time ago, when I was still in that orphanage, I watched my only friend die at the hands of a superhuman criminal. At that time, I thought that if I ever got the chance, I would definitely not give up on becoming a hero."


    "But you can''t even protect yourself," Ke Xiaomo said gravely.


    "Why do you think that?"


    "Do you know what happened to the last person who tried to emulate Qing Ya?"


    "I know."


    "Gray Dove. He was dismembered into 24 pieces by Timekeeper and hung from the roof of Superhero Tower."


    "It was 23 pieces," Ke Mingye corrected him, "And they were not hung from the roof of Superhero Tower but below the high-altitude work platform of Superhero Tower."


    His tone was as calm as well water, without a ripple, let alone fear.


    "Anyone involved with Qing Ya could become a target of Timekeeper. That''s why Qing Ya has been fighting alone for so many years; he doesn''t want others to repeat the same mistake."


    Upon saying this, Ke Xiaomo paused briefly, speaking as calmly as possible, "And if Timekeeper would act against Gray Dove, then he is very likely to act against you as well."


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    "I know."


    A twitch crossed Ke Xiaomo''s lips, then he abruptly turned his head to look at him: "Do you know? Do you want Xiao Ni, Xiao Ling, Yongzhu, and the others to see your body hanging up high for everyone to admire?!"


    "That won''t happen."


    "You are far too naive."


    "I have confidence."


    Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath, then his voice gradually cooled down, no longer feigning gentleness, "You know, it would only take one finger from Timekeeper to crush you... to tear you to pieces and let the whole world witness your demise."


    "So what?"


    "So, you still insist on doing this?"


    "Because I want to be a hero, a true hero," Ke Mingye said, "Qing Ya will find me, and if Timekeeper comes, I''ll join him in defeating Timekeeper."


    "Utterly... hopeless."


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath, still with a calm expression: "You''re my brother, and I wish you would support me. But that doesn''t mean I''ll let you dictate my own beliefs."


    During their conversation, the elevator on the first floor of the duplex across from the supermarket suddenly opened, and a crisp figure stepped out, walking slowly towards them.


    Bai Qiuwu, wearing a hoodie, looked up from his phone screen, casting a puzzled glance at the two sitting on the public bench.


    "What are you two talking about that''s got you looking as if you''re constipated?"

 Chapter 171 Agreement Before Losing Control

    "You two look so suspicious, you''re not talking about something weird behind my back, are you?"Bai Qiuwu said this as he took a chilled drink from the fridge outside the supermarket, then slightly turned his face, curiously sizing up the two sitting on the public wooden bench with the corner of his eye.


    Their expressions were equally awkward, unable to speak for a long time.


    Seeing their demeanor, Bai Qiuwu slightly raised his eyebrows, dragged out his voice in confusion, "Hmmm," and then said to the inside of the supermarket, "Boss, put it on my dad''s tab."


    "Alright." The boss replied without lifting his head.


    Bai Qiuwu twisted off the bottle cap, took a sip, and then, arms crossed, looked at the two, "So, what are you up to?"


    "We were..." Ke Xiaomo spoke and paused slightly, "Nothing much. Just talking about his new girlfriend at school, this guy absolutely denies it."


    Ke Mingye turned his face away, resignedly said, "I told him I just lost a truth or dare game, but he won''t believe it."


    As they spoke, a bus slowly passed by the front of the supermarket. The headlights briefly illuminated the night, accompanied by a burst of horn sounds before disappearing into the darkness.


    "Forget it, can''t really argue with this kid."


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment, gently raised his hand, ruffled Ke Mingye''s hair, and then stood up from the public wooden bench with a stern face and walked towards home, taking the elevator.


    Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief, thinking thankfully his older sister came to the rescue, otherwise with their older brother''s personality, he''d probably have tied him here for a night-long therapy session.


    Bai Qiuwu quietly watched Ke Xiaomo''s retreating back, then quietly sat down on the public wooden bench and softly asked Ke Mingye next to him.


    "What exactly did you do? It''s the first time I''ve seen him so angry."


    "Not really."


    "His old man temperament could get so angry, you definitely did something wrong."


    "Oh come on, just because he''s angry doesn''t mean it''s my fault. Stop joking."


    Bai Qiuwu rolled his eyes at him, pressed the chilled drink against his neck, and leaned in to whisper, "Are you confessing or not?"


    Ke Mingye sighed, pushed the bottle away with his hand, and said, "You guys were isolating me at the last meeting, how dare you?"


    "Oh, didn''t you say you didn''t care?"


    Bai Qiuwu was speaking when he suddenly looked down at the corner of the bench.


    She noticed that before her brother left, he had left a notebook on the bench. Flipping through it quickly, she saw the initial sketches of the Blue Owl Battle Suit someone had doodled.


    "What are you flipping through, you really have no shame, snooping through a teenage boy''s stuff."


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye immediately panicked, speaking as he reached out to take back the notebook, stuffing it into his shorts pocket.


    "I''m still a teenage girl."


    "Gross."


    "Are you trying to drive me mad as well?"


    Bai Qiuwu said with a smirk, slightly clenched her fist, and threw a punch with a speed so fast yet restrained, gently "tapping" on Ke Mingye''s chest.


    Ke Mingye instantly widened his eyes, raised his right hand, clutched his chest and wailed, even his spine couldn''t stay straight, his complexion turned pale instantly.


    "What''s wrong with you, sis?!" he turned his head, furrowing his brow as he spoke.


    The shopkeeper behind the counter adjusted his reading glasses and squinted at this scene outside. Bai Qiuwu, feeling quite embarrassed, patted Ke Mingye on the back and asked in a low voice.


    "I barely touched you, why are you screaming like that, acting much?"


    Her tone was casual, but her eyes subtly shifted, her expression gradually becoming more serious.


    Bai Qiuwu recalled the scene not long ago in Linjiang Business District, where Blue Owl was injured by the Witch at exactly the chest area, he even said he broke a rib or two.


    Thinking this, Bai Qiuwu imperceptibly glanced at Ke Mingye''s chest. Through the sweat-soaked T-shirt, she could clearly see a patch of blue and black.


    She paused, then slightly bowed her head, gently exhaling. A flicker of light in her eyes, usually when this brother acted bratty she felt like making him mute, but at this moment, she genuinely felt distressed...


    Bai Qiuwu shook her head, turned to look at the street shrouded in darkness, using the dim light of the supermarket to clearly see the train passing far away on the elevated bridge.


    Moments later, amidst the sound of cicadas, she almost spoke, "You..."


    "What about me?"


    "Family worries about you, if there''s anything, remember to tell us, don''t keep it to yourself."


    "Yeah."


    "No matter what you do, don''t be too stubborn."


    "I know."


    Bai Qiuwu lowered her head in silence for a while, her tone carrying a hint of reproach as she quietly asked.


    "Do you really know?"


    "I do, I do, you and an old man just like the older brother, he''s an old man teenager, and you''re an old girl teenager."


    "Alright, now you''d even talk to me like that." Bai Qiuwu laughed, "Now I know why he was so angry at you."


    "I was wrong, I was wrong... please don''t hold onto this for a therapy session."


    "No way."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah... let''s head home."


    Bai Qiuwu left these words behind as she rose from the public bench and walked step by step towards the apartment building, her back to the supermarket lights.


    "I will protect you."


    "Before losing control, protect everyone around you. Then... find a place to peacefully depart."


    As she thought this, she slightly raised her head, her face vanishing into the darkness of the building entrance, but a flickering flame of reddish-gold sparkled momentarily in her drooping pupils.


    Ke Mingye sat quietly on the public bench, watching Bai Qiuwu''s figure enter the elevator.


    Judging by this, it was almost confirmed that both my older brother and oldest sister knew my identity. Besides, my older brother was also investigating the person spreading the parasites, and if I guessed correctly, it must have been my oldest brother who had asked him to find the culprit behind this.


    Since I had already revealed Gastella''s true identity to my older brother as Dice Monster, it was only a matter of time before she was found by him.


    Cai Bing would also help. As soon as Gastella appeared on the city''s monitors, she would inform me immediately.


    With this dual security, even if Gastella hid well, I should be able to find her within two weeks.


    Then... I would kill her.


    Ke Mingye was deep in thought when the supermarket owner got up from behind the counter, holding a fan, and said, "I''m about to close up, young man."


    He said, "Oh, I''ll leave in a bit."


    "The recent times really aren''t peaceful, what with parasites, Dice Monster, and now criminals daring to attack Superhero Tower. What else won''t they do in the future."


    The owner lifted his head, squinting towards the brightly lit high buildings in the distance, his mouth expressing lament.


    "Don''t worry, things will get better after this year... everything will be fine."


    Ke Mingye, his head down, fiddled with his cellphone, speaking without much concern.


    The owner fanned his face with his fan and laughed, "Indeed, let''s hope next year is better."


    Ke Mingye shrugged his shoulders and opened the task panel for the day. While using Blue Owl to patrol, he had also completed the daily tasks at the train station.


    [Daily Task 1: Run 3000 meters (once use of reward roulette) (completed)]


    [Daily Task 2: Do one hundred pull-ups (2 attribute points available for free distribution) (completed)]


    [Reward for daily task 2 "one hundred pull-ups" claimed, receiving 2 attribute points available for free distribution.] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye pretended to play with his phone, silently raising his finger, and respectively allocated the newly acquired two attribute points to "Physical Fitness" and "Mental Strength."


    [Your "Physical Fitness" attribute change: 66¡ú67 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [Your "Mental Strength" attribute change: 24¡ú25 points (¡ü1 point)]


    [Reward for daily task 1 "Run 3000 meters" claimed, receiving one roulette draw chance.]


    As the notification box disappeared, the reward roulette unfolded before him, and then six areas with text came into view.


    [One, 3000 Mall Coins;]


    [Two, Sixty percent off shopping voucher;]


    [Three, A summon card pack bundle;]


    [Four, A piece of a low-level Skill Enhancement Card (Collect three pieces to form one low-level Skill Enhancement Card) (A low-level Skill Enhancement Card can be used to enhance an E-level Skill);]


    [Five, An instance refresh ticket (Allows you to re-challenge an instance you have already won, but some rewards cannot be claimed again);]


    [Six, 2 attribute points available for free distribution.]


    Ke Mingye sipped a Coke while pressing the roulette''s start button, followed by the needle beginning to spin quickly.


    Finally, it slowly stopped above area four.


    [Congratulations, you have received a reward from area four: a piece of a low-level Skill Enhancement Card (Currently holding 3 pieces).]


    [Having collected 3 pieces of a low-level Skill Enhancement Card, they are automatically assembled into one "low-level Skill Enhancement Card," which has been added to your inventory.]


    "Oh?"


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye slightly raised his eyebrows, then quickly opened his inventory, clicking into the introduction panel of the low-level Skill Enhancement Card.


    [Item Name: Low-level Skill Enhancement Card]


    [Item Description: A low-level Skill Enhancement Card can be used to enhance any E-level skill, producing different enhancement effects depending on the E-level skill it is used on.]


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    [Currently in your skill column, the skills that meet the use conditions of this item include: "Phase Transfer," "Superhero-style Landing," "Animal Communication Skill," "Safety Limits Removal," "Personality Split."]


    [Select a skill to enhance it.]


    Ke Mingye had already reviewed the enhancement effects beforehand, so he unhesitatingly pressed "Personality Split" in the options.


    [Confirm using this enhancement card on the skill "Personality Split"?]


    "Yes," he responded mentally.


    [After enhancement, "Personality Split" skill''s effect has been expanded.]


    [Specific change as follows: Split your main personality into "2" alter egos ¡ú Split your main personality into "3" alter egos.]


    "Dang, now I can form a whole mahjong table."


    Ke Mingye thought to himself.


    "Oh, playing landowner might work too... but Blue Owl and Xiaohongmao won''t end up being grinded to the ground by that strange thing, will they?"

 Chapter 172 Intracranial Meeting: Strange Thing X Blue Owl X Xiaohongmao (Part 1)

    By the time Ke Mingye pushed open the door, he slipped on his slippers while surreptitiously glancing around the living room with barely perceptible eyes.Fortunately, he didn''t see Ke Xiaomo''s figure. It seemed that his second brother had already returned to his room to rest.


    Good, good, the pressure monster is sleeping...


    Ke Mingye relaxed inwardly, cautiously walked past the sofa, and ascended the stairs, even his slippers'' flap was extraordinarily restrained.


    Fearing he hadn''t even entered his room when he''d get dragged into therapy again.


    Such a day would certainly shave years off his life, today''s events followed one after another, finally allowing him a moment to breathe.


    Of course, while the meeting time with his older sister and second brother was over, his father''s meeting was still lined up.


    Ke Mingye guessed in his heart, betting that in a few days he''d be dragged by his father to a meeting, where he''d either be cast aside or proceed down the path of father-son affection.


    In any case, the good days were still ahead. His father''s meetings would definitely be more pressure-laden than his second brother''s.


    At this thought, Ke Mingye couldn''t help but sigh lightly.


    Just as he reached the second floor, he saw Yongzhu, Zi Ling, and Zi Ni spread a fluffy blanket on the floor and were sitting under a pumpkin lantern playing Monopoly.


    As he was about to pretend not to see and pass by, Bai Zini suddenly tugged at his trousers, asking him to throw a dice for her and threatening to bite him if he landed on a mine!


    Knowing he couldn''t outstubborn Bai Zini, Ke Mingye casually picked up the dice and threw it onto the Monopoly board. Perhaps because he was used to throwing disaster dice, he actually rolled a good number this time.


    "Big brother loves you!"


    Bai Zini clapped her hands, her eyes brightening as she moved her token swiftly into the bank, collecting both Bai Ziling''s and Ke Yongzhu''s deposits into her stash.


    The other two''s faces darkened as they silently cast blaming glances at Ke Mingye.


    "How is this my fault?"


    Saying that, Ke Mingye looked down at the two of them, then whisked past the carpet and returned to his room.


    He closed the door, locked it swiftly, then slumped onto his bed, raising his right arm to block the ceiling light, as if he were blocking out the noisy world outside.


    Yet he could still hear the laughter and playful noises coming from the hallway.


    He extended his other hand''s index finger, slowly pressing the light off button on the bedside table.


    Click.


    As the light in his room went out, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, slowly closing his eyes while activating his enhanced E-level skill¡ª"Personality Split."


    With this skill effect, he could split his main personality into three alter egos.


    But since the other two personas were too unreliable and their temperaments even slightly sinister, they easily went to extremes.


    Thus, he decided to leave the authority to cancel "Personality Split" with our reliable comrade, the blue owl, to prevent any accidents from happening and not being able to revert the persona, resulting in a bigger mess.


    Then, as the "Personality Split" skill took effect, Ke Mingye''s consciousness split amidst severe tearing sensation, with a violent buzzing engulfing his ears.


    When he came to his senses, he felt like a god who could neither approach nor intervene in the world. Hovering above, he gazed down at a miniature world.


    At dusk.


    The setting sun cast a fading glow, tinting the sky like flush red wine. In the dim twilight, crows flew in, tumbling and racing, their tail feathers flickering brilliantly beneath the enormous sun.


    Accompanying the flock of crows swooping past the abandoned school, only a gradually fading hoarse call and a few dark feathers remained in the dead still air.


    One of the crow feathers drifted towards the empty school building, casting a fleeting lonely shadow on a window, then rising with the evening breeze, slowly sweeping across the rooftop.


    At this moment, a strange humanoid figure, glowing with a gray aura and naked, sat on the school building''s rooftop railing, holding a mobile phone in hand.


    It eyed downward vacantly as it tapped on the phone, sending out a message to someone.


    [Strange Thing: It''s time for the meeting, my comrades. Why haven''t you arrived yet?]


    [Blue Owl: I''m coming, I''m coming. What''s the hurry, act like you''ve never had a meeting before.]


    [Strange Thing: Shut it, owl.]


    [Xiaohongmao: Overslept.]


    [Strange Thing: Oh, if it''s my beautiful Miss Xiaohongmao, then it''s understandable.]


    Not long after, a figure in a red and blue suit pushed open the rooftop door, walking in from the stair entrance. He stood with his hand on his hip, raising his eyes and glancing around through his glasses.


    "Where''s Xiaohongmao?"


    "Good question, blind thing."


    The Strange Thing said nonchalantly, raising a finger. Blue Owl followed the direction of his finger, only to see a figure in a Christmas robe flying rapidly amidst the snowflakes and descending.


    As Xiaohongmao''s feet touched the rooftop floor, she lifted her blue eyes, looking expressionlessly at the Strange Thing and Blue Owl.


    Then, as if agreeing with Blue Owl, they each found a wooden desk on the rooftop to sit down at.


    The former rested her hands on her skirt, her expression indifferent;


    The latter crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly, and his beak inclined correspondingly.


    The Strange Thing, still sitting on the railing, somehow procured a blackboard and a stick of chalk.


    It cradled the blackboard in its arms, hanging its head and writing on the board with chalk, then turned the blackboard to face the blue owl and Xiaohongmao.


    "So, the first topic of today''s meeting, do you think Mr. Ke Mingye''s portrayal of us was realistic enough?"


    As soon as those words fell, 11 scorecards suddenly appeared on the desks of the blue owl and Xiaohongmao, each marked with numbers from "0" to "10."


    The strange thing spoke somberly, "The highest score is 10, the lowest is 0, please go ahead and score."


    Xiaohongmao raised the scorecard marked "0";


    The blue owl pondered for a moment, then raised the scorecard marked "5";


    Dice Monster raised its nonexistent eyebrows and lifted a "3" scorecard from nowhere.


    It looked around, shook its head, and said in a rather helpless tone, "It looks like everyone is not very satisfied with Lao Ke''s interpretation of his character, are they?"


    "Children who grew up with a golden spoon don''t understand the feelings of those who grew up with garbage."


    Xiaohongmao looked down, expressionless, as he spoke.


    "That so-called fishing diary was written like a true muggle, not quite fitting my character. I don''t understand whether he wanted to make me look foolish or tried to mimic his sister''s contrasting character, pretty awkward."


    The blue owl, supporting his forehead with his hand, spoke somewhat helplessly.


    "Oh my gosh, you actually know you''re playing awkward?"


    While saying this, the strange thing sitting on the railing made a gagging gesture, paused for a long while, then continued.


    "Back at the Rainbow Light Crossroads, your affected nonsense nearly made me vomit, ugh, things like ''only I understand Qing Ya,'' ''he is the true hero,'' ''nobody can change my opinion of him,'' a clear case of playing the superhuman awkwardly, and you still have the nerve to accuse others of awkwardness."


    "Please, that was just for the situation; in terms of drawing attention, the result was spectacularly successful, okay?"


    The blue owl spoke indifferently, spreading his hands, "Anyway, as an actor, I am perfectly qualified. Not like you, who only think about yourself, doing whatever makes you happy."


    The strange thing tilted its head and squinted its hollow eyes, "Mr. Owl, how can you talk as if I''ve contributed nothing to this family?" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Uh, what exactly did you contribute?"


    "What contribution?"


    Saying this, the strange thing took a deep breath, covered its face with a hand, and spoke quite indignantly, "If you ask me, I am the real model worker, okay? You guys don''t need explosions every time you appear; either cozying up to a pretty girl or relying on your super-daddy''s help; only I, dammit, explode in every episode. Is this fair, is it?!"


    It paused, shaking its head, "And yet, we are paid the same wage, seriously violating labor rights. I''m going to the women''s federation to complain tomorrow."


    Upon hearing this, Xiaohongmao nonchalantly raised the 0 scorecard and said languidly.


    "Support. Fight against Lao Ke''s tyranny, starting with the strange thing."


    The blue owl tapped lightly on the desk, sighed, "Don''t start any trends buddy, I bet either of you would blow your cover on the first day if you guys play role-playing games at someone else''s home."


    "Are you talking to me? Seems like you''re out of touch," Xiaohongmao retorted.


    "You''re underestimating the lovely and charming villain, the strange thing. If I were in charge, by now, the ''exterminate the superhumans'' ending would have been achieved flawlessly."


    The strange thing said as it raised a finger and shook it pretentiously like a Western cowboy blowing the smoke off his gun''s barrel.


    Caught in its act, it suddenly covered its face and sobbed, "Let''s drop this depressing topic."


    Then, in the next second, it switched back to its expressionless state, "So, the first topic is concluded. Next is the second topic."


    Saying this, the strange thing continued to hold the blackboard in its arms, writing on it with chalk.


    It soon finished writing, then flipped the blackboard toward the blue owl and Xiaohongmao.


    The strange thing lowered its face, grinning as it stared blankly at them.


    "So, now it''s time to vote, those who vote to ''kill the entire Bai Ke family,'' please write ''I''m coming to kill your family'' on your blackboard;"


    "And those who vote ''not to kill the entire Bai Ke family,'' please kindly jump off the rooftop, thank you."


    Saying this, it pointed behind itself, towards the edge of the railing, "Jumping from such a height must be exhilarating, right?"


    "Idiot." Xiaohongmao said placidly, "I can fly. I won''t die from a fall." Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    The strange thing spread its hands, "Oh, speaking of which, I can use a web-shooter, also won''t die from a fall. So, is there anyone here who can''t fly?"


    After the twins spoke, they jointly turned their gaze towards the silent blue owl.


    The complexion of the blue owl gradually grew solemn, he propped his chin with his hand, slowly speaking, "Well, it seems like I might actually die from a fall. Looks like I have to decide carefully."


    Hearing this, Xiaohongmao withdrew his gaze from him, sarcastically commented, "Looks like you are an idiot too."


    "Ms. Xiaohongmao, what do you mean by that?" the blue owl asked.


    "The body of a puppet is very light, it won''t die from a fall." Xiaohongmao said.


    "Oh, that makes sense."


    Listening to their conversation, the strange thing shrugged, speaking solemnly, "Okay, actually I was just joking earlier. As the host of the meeting, I must ensure strictness, justice, and fairness, so I respect each person''s opinions."


    Having said that, it paused slightly and then continued.


    "So, voting continues, whether to kill the entire family or not. This is a question. As a community with shared fate, we need a convincing answer."

 Chapter 173 Intracranial Meeting: Strange Thing X Blue Owl X Xiaohongmao (Part 2)

    Under the sunset, the strange thing was sitting on the railing, slightly lifting the corners of its mouth.It hummed a tune while drawing Black Cat on the blackboard it held in its arms and said, "Those in favor of killing Bai Ke and his entire family, please mark a 1 on the blackboard; those against it, please draw a Koch Snowflake."


    The blue owl tilted its head, puzzled as it looked at it;


    Xiaohongmao slowly lifted her eyes, expressionlessly scrutinizing the strange thing.


    The strange thing looked up at the two, then lowered its head and raised a finger, saying, "Alright, I know the Koch Snowflake is too difficult for you, so let''s lower the difficulty, how about a Mobius Strip?"


    The blue owl shook its head helplessly, "Are we going to play or not?"


    Xiaohongmao said, "I feel like... draw your mom."


    The strange thing said, "Miss Xiaohongmao, can you be a bit more cultured, like the gentle and elegant Mr. Strange Thing? With such an excellent role model by your side, even if you''re a little girl who grew up with a rotten spoon in her mouth living in a trash heap selling matches and eating dirt, you must be influenced somewhat positively, right?"


    "You might be mistaken here, drawing your mom is by far more complex than a Mobius Strip," Xiaohongmao said.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    The strange thing tilted its head and raised a nonexistent eyebrow.


    "Your mom''s an alien; who knows what she looks like."


    "Makes sense," the strange thing had an epiphany and changed its tune, "then, draw my mom, alright?"


    "Idiot."


    "There''s room to lower the standards," the blue owl said.


    Xiaohongmao glanced at him, "What do you expect from a trash heap girl in terms of quality?"


    The blue owl shrugged, "That''s why I said there''s room to lower standards, not raise them. Especially when dealing with this strange thing, we should suppress it thoroughly to prevent the growth of unhealthy trends."


    The strange thing sighed, "Ah, you''re not cooperating at all, which really embarrasses me as the host, so I''ll just commit suicide. Being born a human, I''m truly sorry. I haven''t bothered anyone. It''s not me that''s wrong, it''s this world."


    After blurting out several classic brooding elementary student catchphrases in one breath, it tilted backward from the railing and fell towards the ground, holding the doodle blackboard.


    "What''s for dinner tonight?"


    The blue owl turned to look at Xiaohongmao.


    "Trash," Xiaohongmao said.


    "Eating trash isn''t great, I think we could have pasta together instead."


    "What I mean is you''re pretty trashy, not that we should eat trash." Xiaohongmao''s gaze was downturned as she flipped through a fairy tale picture book, "Also, we girls who grew up in trash heaps have never seen pasta."


    "Then isn''t that all the more reason to try it?"


    Amidst their conversation, a mournful voice came from beneath the rooftop, "Don''t bow your head, the crown will fall; don''t cry, the villain will laugh."


    "Still going through a phase."


    "That''s what elementary students are like."


    As they spoke, the blue owl slowly rose from his seat, moved closer to the edge of the rooftop, and leaned his arms on the railing, looking down through his glasses.


    There, the strange thing was using a strand of spider silk stuck to the railing, its left hand holding the silk, and its right hand clutching the blackboard, silently watching the sunset on the horizon.


    Its hollow eyes reflected the huge sun, filled with sorrow.


    The blue owl looked down at it, asking in confusion, "Uh, no offense, but how long are you going to hang there?"


    "I thought if I jumped off, you''d care more about me," the strange thing said with tears welling up, "but you don''t care at all. In such a world, it''s better not to stay."


    As its words ended, it released the spider silk, and as it fell towards the ground, its form started to crack and heat up, immediately transforming into a burst of wild fireworks that shot up into the sky, leaving a sinister laugh echoing through the lonely academy.


    The blue owl sighed.


    Just as he turned around, he saw a gray humanoid figure push open the rooftop''s iron door and walk in.


    It stood with its hands on its hips, saying ethereally, "The strange thing is already dead. There was not a moment of mourning for the strange thing''s death, and now making an entrance is... Dice Monster."


    The blue owl crossed his arms, looking at it helplessly, "Can we stop with the cringeworthy act?"


    "Could it be your cringe?" the Dice Monster said, "You know, I just remembered a setting about me."


    "What''s the setting?"


    "Only those close to me have the right to call me strange thing, and you, you rude brats, can only call me..."


    With that, it paused for a moment, slowly lowering its face, its hollow eyes shrouded in shadow, "Dice Monster."


    Xiaohongmao said, "Idiot."


    The blue owl said, "Moron."


    "Hey, you guys are no fun at all. You don''t get my sense of humor."


    The Dice Monster said this with a twist of its mouth, found a table to lean against, and sat down hugging its shoulders, "So back to the topic, vote 1 for killing the whole family, and 2 for not killing."


    As the voice faded, an empty drawing board and a pencil appeared in front of both Xiaohongmao and the blue owl.


    After a moment of silence, the blue owl lifted the pencil and marked a number on the drawing board;


    Xiaohongmao, without a second thought, quickly lifted the pencil and marked a number on the drawing board.


    The Dice Monster hung its head low, and with a casual stroke of the pencil on the board, it tilted its head, its hollow eyes reflecting the faces of the two.


    It said, "Looks like you both have reached your conclusions?"


    As the voice faded, the three of them slowly turned their drawing boards around to show each other.


    The blue owl''s board had a "2" written on it;


    Xiaohongmao''s board had a "1" written on it;


    The Dice Monster''s board had a "?" written on it.


    Seeing this, the Dice Monster arched its nonexistent eyebrows, turned its head to gauge their expressions, "Oh... what to do now, looks like it''s going to be a tie."


    "Is there something to think about, what is more important than being alive?" Xiaohongmao asked.


    The blue owl was silent for a while, then said, "I can''t accept surviving by killing my own family."


    "Those are false memories."


    "But they trusted me, protected me, helped me."


    "They trusted and protected you because they thought you were the original Ke Mingye," Xiaohongmao said. "Don''t get your role confused; you''re just a murderer who took someone else''s life and family."


    "I don''t deny that," the blue owl paused, "which is why I shouldn''t lay a hand on them, otherwise, wouldn''t that make me appear even more despicable?"


    "It seems you''re not only an idiot but also a saint. It''s not like you wanted this situation," Xiaohongmao said without expression. "Be realistic. All you need to consider is how to stay alive. In fact... don''t drag me down with your foolish sentiment."


    "What about you, don''t you have any feelings for them?" Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She said, "Anyone who develops feelings from false memories is either too weak or too foolish."


    The Dice Monster gazed at the two somberly, "Oh, I like debates like this."


    Xiaohongmao turned to look at it, her tone cold, "In the end, the vote was inconclusive because someone wrote a question mark on their board, right?"


    "Who might that person be?"


    The Dice Monster crossed its fingers, smiling.


    "It''s you," Xiaohongmao said.


    The blue owl lowered its head, silent for a moment, then slowly turned to look at the Dice Monster.


    The Dice Monster said leisurely, "Isn''t my position simple? I go with whatever''s more interesting: whether betraying the player or betraying the family, both seem like fun to me."


    The blue owl asked, "So, whose side are you on?"


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    "Neither side," the Dice Monster said. "But it''s simple; just reach a consensus between you. Two against one, even if I vote against, I''d still have to support you."


    "Don''t pass the buck to someone else," Xiaohongmao said.


    The Dice Monster grinned and then turned to the blue owl, "So, if I vote to kill the whole family, could you accept that?"


    As it said this, it also turned its head to Xiaohongmao, "Or if I vote not to kill the whole family, Xiaohongmao, can you accept that?"


    "Vote," Xiaohongmao said. "The rules are set; there''s nothing unacceptable about them."


    The blue owl said, "The rules are the rules; I can accept them."


    "Well then, let''s roll a dice to decide," said the Dice Monster.


    As it spoke, a red and black dice appeared in the hand of the Dice Monster, "If the result of the dice is 1 to 3, then I''ll vote to kill the family; if it''s 4 to 6, then I''ll vote not to kill the family."


    As the voice faded, before the two could make out the numbers on all six sides of the dice, the Dice Monster had already thrown it, its hollow pupils reflecting the slow fall of the dice.


    Clang.


    The next moment, accompanied by a crisp buzzing sound, the dice landed.

 Chapter 174 The Transfer Student Magic Girl

    Under the gaze of Little Red Riding Hood, the blue owl, and the Dice Monster, the red and black die slipped from the grey palm and slowly descended toward the rooftop floor.The die tumbled and spun in the air, its faces veiled by a faint mist, rendering the numbers on top indiscernible.


    The next moment, as the die came to a stop upon touching the ground, emitting a crisp reverberation, time seemed to freeze.


    At that moment, aside from the Dice Monster, whose expression remained composed, the other two slightly held their breath.


    Subsequently, the die bounced up again then settled back on the ground, spinning a few more times before coming to a complete stillness, as if petrified on the spot.


    "It looks like the result has been revealed," the Dice Monster spread its hands, "so may I ask everyone... Can you accept this outcome?"


    Little Red Riding Hood said, "Idiot."


    The blue owl said, "Moron."


    The Dice Monster tilted its head, "Why are you insulting me again?"


    The two looked at it disdainfully, then lowered their heads and cast a contemptuous glance at the die. The die faced upwards, basking in the glow of the setting sun.


    A large question mark "?" was carved on its top side.


    "Well, the truth is there''s something wrong with this die," the Dice Monster coughed, "Don''t worry, let me roll again. It''s quite normal to have a mishap occasionally."


    Having said that, it bent down to pick up the die, blew on it, then swung its arm and threw it down once more. This time, as the die landed, the Dice Monster covered its mouth, eyes bulging in alarm.


    The die showed the number "7".


    "Every second I listen to it speak, I should probably get my IQ checked," Little Red Riding Hood said.


    "You''re such a comedian, bro," the blue owl said, "You might as well hang below the rooftop. Better still, use spider silk to form a loop around your neck; that way you won''t even need to hold the strands and you''ll save some energy."


    The Dice Monster said, "But why do I feel like both of you seem relieved? I think you should thank me. Otherwise, if the outcome was something you didn''t like, that would have been a complete disaster."


    Little Red Riding Hood said, "There was never any credibility in the first place. This is the internal world of the skull, anything you want can appear."


    The blue owl crossed it''s arms, "You want to make a decision by throwing a die in the real world?"


    The Dice Monster said, "No, no, no, Comrade Ke would never be as silly as us." It paused, "Since the results of this vote are tied, it looks like we''ll have to decide at the next meeting."


    Having spoken, it spread its hands, "That concludes the first council within the skull."


    "When''s the next meeting?" asked Little Red Riding Hood, "Don''t wait until death is upon us to have regrets."


    "Who should I ask? But there''s no need to rush; there''s still a year left."


    As the Dice Monster spoke, it turned its gaze towards the blue owl, "Comrade Owl, you have the authority to put us back together."


    No sooner had the words left its mouth than the setting sun high in the sky began to break apart, its scattered rays twisting into sinister, bizarre halos.


    As the world spun upside down, the rooftop and the three silhouettes contorted, resembling the scene depicted by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch in his painting "The Scream," until eventually, everything seemed to be sucked into a black hole, disappearing into darkness.


    Ke Mingye opened his eyes from his bed, gasping for air.


    He clutched at his chest, the pain from the broken ribs persistent, not at all relieved by a short bout of sleep.


    "Incredible, they''ve even started holding meetings."


    He breathed deeply, enduring the pain emanating from his chest, got out of bed, limped into the bathroom to freshen up, and then returned to bed.


    Closing his eyes, the night passed without a word. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    .......


    ......


    [Good morning, Mr. Player. Today is July 10th, 2028. There are 343 days remaining until the end of the ultimate mission "Eradicate Superhumans."]


    [The current number of surviving players worldwide is: 94 (¡ý1)]


    [Obituary: In London, the player with the ID "Ripper Z" was killed by the Magical Girl Spirit Bell Child during an assassination attempt on a Superhuman.]


    Ke Mingye was stunned for a moment, thinking, isn''t this the top-ranked brother? How could he die so carelessly?


    As for Spirit Bell Child, she seemed to be the leading Magical Girl in London, England. Apart from Ice Girl Lilai, the Spirit Bell Child was the most powerful of them all.


    Recently, his brother and father were discussing her in the living room, saying that a nine-year-old Magical Girl had the power to destroy an entire city, which was utterly absurd.


    The two also talked about implementing the "Eradicate Contracted Beasts" policy, a shame that the initiative eventually fizzled out. Considering their respective positions within the organization, a slight resignation might have been enough to draw official attention to the matter.


    "Spirit Bell Child, I remember she''s a Contracted Magical Girl, her Contracted Beast being a dolphin. The only one of its kind in the world, that''s why she''s particularly fierce," he thought.


    With that in mind, Ke Mingye picked up the mobile phone by his pillow, turned it on, accessed Baidu, and checked the official record in the Magic Girl Alliance.


    As he remembered, the girl who killed the player "Ripper Z" was indeed that nine-year-old Magical Girl.


    "I thought it was the top brother who died, or am I mistaken?" he wondered.


    Quickly, he opened the Superhuman Kill Leaderboard to confirm whether his memory was correct.


    [The current cumulative Superhuman kill count leaderboard for global players is as follows.]


    [First place: 52 kills ¡ª ID: Ripper Z (Serial NO.002) (Deceased)]


    [Second Place: 30 kills¡ªID: A Zhe (Serial No. NO.098)]


    [Third Place: 22 kills¡ªID: Top Bull (Serial No. NO.025)]


    [Fourth Place: 21 kills¡ªID: Hongya (Serial No. NO.001)]


    [Fifth Place: 20 kills¡ªID: Jungle (Serial No. NO.021)]


    [Sixth Place: 19 kills¡ªID: Good Orange Peel (Serial No. NO.039)]


    [Seventh Place: 18 kills¡ªID: Night Plea (Serial No. NO.092)]


    [...¡­]


    [Your Ranking: Currently tied with 33 other players for 20th place overall, with 4 kills.]


    "Damn, 52 people, this first-placer big bro has gone berserk. Even those backed by the Anti-Superhuman Organization aren''t killing as crazily as him. No wonder the officials are targeting him; isn''t he just digging his own grave?"


    Ke Mingye stared at the kill count of the first-placer for a few seconds, thinking to himself.


    "And the dead still remain on the list, taking up the reward spots of other players, how annoying is that?"


    "Oh, so the second place is A Zhe, backed by the Black Tengu Host Club, and with the likes of Orange Peel and Top Bull watching his back, it shouldn''t be hard to surpass the first place..."


    Ke Mingye didn''t stay in his room for long, quickly getting up to wash and then routinely jogged around Old Jingmai District before finishing a hundred push-ups by the riverbank.


    Now, he completed a hundred push-ups without even pretending, just doing them in one go¡ªafter all, it was only a matter of time before his identity as blue owl was revealed to his entire family.


    After finishing his push-ups, Ke Mingye bought a bag of soy milk from a roadside stall and, without even gasping for breath, sat down on a bench by the side of the road.


    He opened the task panel and checked the rewards.


    "Today''s task also rewards two attribute points, I wonder if it''ll be like this from now on," he thought to himself.


    [Daily Task One: Run 3000 meters (a chance to use the reward wheel) (Completed)]


    [Daily Task Two: Do a hundred push-ups (2 attribute points for free distribution) (Completed)]


    [You have claimed the reward for daily task 2 "a hundred push-ups," gaining 2 attribute points for free distribution.]


    Ke Mingye raised a finger and allocated the newly acquired two attribute points between "Physical Fitness" and "Mental Strength."


    [Your "Physical Fitness" attribute changes: 67¡ú68 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [Your "Mental Strength" attribute changes: 25¡ú26 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [You have claimed the reward for daily task 1 "Run 3000 meters," gaining one spin of the reward wheel.]


    As the prompt box vanished, the reward wheel unfolded before him, and then the text in six areas caught his eye.


    [One, 4000 Mall Coins (Jackpot);]


    Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    [Two, a 30% off shopping voucher;]


    [Three, a low-level skill card pick-two-out-of-three bundle;]


    [Four, a Godzilla summon card fragment;]


    [Five, a travel voucher;]


    [Six, 2500 Experience Points.]


    Ke Mingye sipped his bagged soy milk through a straw while pressing the start button on the reward wheel with his finger.


    Following that, the pointer began to spin at high speed.


    Finally, it came to a slow stop above the first area.


    [Congratulations, you have received the reward of area one: 4000 Mall Coins.]


    [Current total of Mall Coins in possession: 5300.]


    After completing the daily tasks, Ke Mingye headed back home the same way he came. Once back in his bedroom, he took out a spare phone and sent a message to Bai Zini on Little Red Riding Hood''s QQ.


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Senior, where shall I return the brain imaging helmet to you later?]


    [I''m not Ash: Let''s meet at the school, and by the way, the Alliance has something going on today.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: What''s happening?]


    [I''m not Ash: There are exchange students from other Alliance branches in other countries.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Exchange students?]


    [I''m not Ash: Yeah, sometimes this happens.]


    [I''m not Ash: I heard that after summer vacation, they will be attending our local schools, seems like it''s Huanjing Third High School.]


    "Ah, isn''t that my high school?"


    Ke Mingye was shocked, thinking to himself that it couldn''t be that after the summer vacation, suddenly one or two Magic Girls disguised as foreign exchange students would transfer to his class, right?

 Chapter 175 Four Transfer Students, A Preview of Witchs Night

    July 10, Yandai Commercial Street, Huanjing Elementary School.On a deserted overpass at the horizon, there was a moment of silence before a train rumbled by. The wheels friction against the rails shook off brilliant sparks, scattering them from the edge of the overpass into the chillingly quiet city.


    The sky transitioned from dark to light as a sliver of dawn quietly spread across the horizon.


    The morning light then fell upon the city, like a yellow bus slowly entering Huanjing from the eastern horizon.


    It meandered leisurely between the densely packed skyscrapers and the cluttered electronic signs, all the while gilding the city''s network of electrical wires and the Ferris wheel with a faint golden fringe.


    It wasn''t long before the rooftop of this elementary school, which hadn''t heard a morning bell in quite some time, was also slowly engulfed in the gentle light of dawn.


    The rust-streaked railings and wire mesh were tinged with a faint orange, and through the gradually warming gaps in the wire mesh, one could glimpse the sun slowly rising from a corner of the horizon.


    Above the rooftop, a girl in a Christmas dress slowly stabilized her stance, dropped her head, and touched down on her tiptoes. Her figure, flowing through the flaring skirt, landed on the rooftop.


    She slightly lifted her gaze, grasping the brain imaging helmet in her right hand. Holding the helmet to her chest, she walked towards the silhouette leaning against the wire mesh.


    "Senior, here''s your brain imaging helmet," she said.


    "So, what exactly did you do with it?"


    Looking towards the source of the voice, the girl in the gothic dress remained leaning against the wire mesh as before, holding her shoulders and playing with her phone, her head still bowed as she asked.


    Little Red Riding Hood replied, "I imagined some of your photos in my mind to see if I could replicate them."


    Magical Girl Ash raised her eyes from her phone, silent and motionless like a black cat staring at her.


    "I understand what you mean."


    "If you want a beating, just say so. There''s no need to beat around the bush," she replied.


    "I was just joking, Senior. It seems a trash-picking little girl like me doesn''t deserve to joke. As soon as I joke, I get scolded." Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Little Red Riding Hood looked sorrowfully dejected.


    "Aren''t you tired of playing with the same gag?" Ash asked disdainfully.


    "So you''ve become tired of me already," she replied.


    "You¡­"


    Seeing her reaction, Little Red Riding Hood quickly regained her normal expression and asked lightly, "So¡­ who is the transfer student you mentioned in the message this morning?"


    Magical Girl Ash paused for a moment, as if reminiscing, then answered nonchalantly.


    "Magical Girl Spirit Bell Child, Magical Girl Kokonoe Sakura, Magical Girl You Ya, and Magical Girl Qili, from the Alliance''s branches in England, Japan, Iceland, and the United States respectively. They will be stationed at our division for a while."


    "All big names, huh."


    Little Red Riding Hood slightly raised her eyebrows, saying it with a hint of surprise.


    She thought, Spirit Bell Child is coming? That nine-year-old magic girl? And what about Kokonoe Sakura, isn''t she the most famous magic girl in Japan? The Japanese division actually let her come over?


    "I suppose so."


    Magical Girl Ash responded indifferently.


    Little Red Riding Hood pondered for a while before asking, "So why suddenly do we have these transfer students? Is it a rule?"


    "The Alliance branches around the world send their iconic figures to each other to foster good relations. It used to be quite common."


    At this, Ash paused slightly, then continued, "Normally, our China division wouldn''t bother with this rule, since our master Xizi Yue said, ''What''s the point of transferring schools? So boring and troublesome. If you want to try foreign food, just ask me. I can take you there on a space-time train, no plane ticket needed''."


    "That''s very much in Master Xizi Yue''s style," Little Red Riding Hood nodded, then asked, "So why are there suddenly so many transfer students coming over?"


    "Because of... witches."


    "Witches?" Little Red Riding Hood realized, "The Witch Black Rose, right? I saw her on the news last night."


    "Yes," Ash nodded, "According to the masters, we can now confirm that this witch who appeared suddenly is a member of the Witch Church ''Babel Tower''. That''s why we need to be more cautious."


    "Witch Church, Babel Tower, I''ve heard of them online." She pondered, remembering how she had been beaten up by Black Rose the night before, and how the witch had been whisked away by Babel Tower in the end.


    Magical Girl Ash put her phone in her pocket and then adjusted her black leather glove.


    She thought and said, "They''re a bunch of big bad guys and target magic girls and Contracted Beasts, so you should be careful as well." After saying this, she turned to glance at Little Red Riding Hood, "You''re better off staying in the Alliance''s building during this period."


    Having said that, the gothic-dressed girl moved toward the rooftop''s iron door and gently pushed it open.


    Following behind, Little Red Riding Hood tentatively said, "Strange things are also being smuggled out of Superhero Tower, including a Commander. Isn''t it dangerous for me to stay in the building too?"


    She paused, "After all, if those witches were going to strike, they''d likely strike at this location, right?"


    "You''re right, but my great master and the Superhero Association''s bunch of useless show-offs aren''t the same," Ash said flatly, "If the Alliance''s building comes under attack, she will arrive on the train immediately, so that''s why I said staying in the division''s building is safer."


    "I see," Little Red Riding Hood said, then suddenly wondered, "Wait, so those transfer students, are they sent here to counter the witches appearing in Huanjing?"


    Ash nodded, not denying it.


    "Exactly, you''re pretty smart," she said,


    As she paused, she extended her hand and took the brain imaging helmet from Little Red Riding Hood''s arms, then continued, "They say transfer students, but they are actually reinforcements sent by the Alliance''s divisions. They are some of the most formidable among all magic girls."


    "I see. Senior, I have another question."


    "What''s the problem?"


    "Isn''t that Spirit Bell Child from London only 9 years old?" Xiaohongmao said, "If she transfers here, wouldn''t she have to start from the first grade of elementary school?"


    "My master told me that the kid''s intelligence is far beyond her peers. She might even be smarter than you, so attending high school is more than enough for her," Ash paused, "So she will disguise herself as a high school student and study at Huanjing Third High School with the other four Magic Girls transferred from foreign branches."


    "Oh, I see."


    Xiaohongmao sighed softly, thinking that it looks like she''ll have to play role-playing games not only at the Alliance but be careful with those four Magic Girls at school when summer vacation ends and school starts.


    "Why the sigh?"


    "Just envious that they have school to attend."


    "You could go to school too. I''ll have my master pull some strings, then you can join my school."


    "No thanks, I don''t like that idea."


    "You really are strange..."


    The two made casual conversation as they entered the classroom and sat down at the conference table, both bowing their heads in silence.


    After a while, Magical Girl Ash broke the silence.


    "In any case, you don''t need to understand or get involved in this matter. If you see anyone from Babel Tower, stay far away, understand?"


    "Even if my senior is in danger?" Xiaohongmao asked.


    "Even if I''m in danger."


    Magical Girl Ash spoke softly, her beautiful face expressionless.


    "Alright, I understand," Xiaohongmao said, "But could you tell me what exactly are the people from Babel Tower?"


    "I don''t know, and neither does my master. All we know is that they are all witches, and that''s enough."


    "I remember the news from last night¡ªafter Black Rose was defeated by Black Wukong, she was rescued by a beam of light. There was a pattern of a high tower in the sky at the time, could that be..."


    Magical Girl Ash interrupted her, lowering her voice: "That''s the symbol of Babel Tower..."


    Speaking, she gently inhaled, slowly raising her slender arm to the right, lifting her pale fingers, and poking Xiaohongmao in the side of her head.


    "What are you doing, senior?" Xiaohongmao covered her head.


    "My master said, that witch is coming for me."


    "Black Rose?"


    "Yes. So if they come, stay away from me."


    "You''ve said that many times." Xiaohongmao muttered.


    "I don''t want to see my friends die before my eyes again, and I don''t want to see them get hurt because of me, so... stay far away," the girl said, her clear eyes obscured as she lowered her fringe. Her right arm still suspended in mid-air, her finger pointing at Xiaohongmao''s head.


    Xiaohongmao fell silent for a moment, then nodded lightly: "Well. But why would that witch target you?"


    Ash withdrew her hand, shaking her head, "I don''t know."


    She continued: "But it will be a battle to the death, my three masters and those four Magic Girl transfer students are very likely to be involved, you being amidst them would just be like paper being torn apart, understand?"


    "Oh."


    "So don''t come near, and don''t even glance at it."


    "But what if my senior is in danger, like that time in Wanxiang City, what should I do?"


    "This is different from that time at Wanxiang City, it''s much, much more dangerous..."


    As she spoke, Magical Girl Ash opened her mouth slightly, her voice growing colder, "Even my master said¡­ ''Night of the Witches'' could occur in this war."


    "Night of the Witches?" Xiaohongmao was stunned for a moment. "What is the Night of the Witches?"


    "You don''t need to know what it is, just remember my words."


    Xiaohongmao fell silent for a while: "Alright, I won''t ask." She said, changing the subject, "Then, senior, when will those four transfer students arrive?"


    "In a week or two, they still have tasks to handle on their own." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I understand."


    "Let''s call it a day, send me a message after you get home, telling me you''re alright."


    The gothic-dressed girl tilted her face slightly, wrapping her arms around the brain-imaging helmet inside. Her grey skirt spread slowly across the cold conference table, like withered petals. She bent her knees, her shoes resting on the edge of the table, her right hand hugging her delicate knee, the toes of her other leg pointed in mid-air, gently swaying.


    "Okay."


    After saying that, Xiaohongmao shifted her gaze away from her, turned around, and walked out of the classroom without looking back.


    Just as she stepped through the doorway, she stopped, turned her head, and glanced at Ash sitting at the conference table, saying softly.


    "If you''re in danger, senior, I definitely won''t just sit by and watch..."


    As her voice fell, she raised her magic wand embedded with rubies, swept up in a flurry of snowflakes under the gothic-dressed girl''s gaze, and slowly disappeared into the sky.


    Magical Girl Ash was momentarily stunned, then withdrew her gaze from the now empty corridor.


    "Really an idiot..."


    She sighed, murmuring softly, leaning her cheek against her bent knee, her eyes tilting towards the classroom floor, "Let''s go home."

 Chapter 176

    July 10th, around noon, Bai Ke''s home, living room.


    Ke Mingye sat cross-legged on the sofa, furiously pressing the controller and manipulating the character on the TV screen, all the while silently complaining in his mind.


    "Seriously, at a time like this, Bai Zini is still playing the enigma. What on earth is ''Witch''s Night''... If it were some kind of nuclear secret weapon, I wouldn''t be here role-playing, I would have fled straight to Siberia."


    As he thought this, Bai Ziling, who sat beside him, shifted her gaze from the TV and tilted her head slightly, staring at his profile through her snow-white, fragmented hair with her motionless red eyes.


    "Focus," she said emotionlessly.


    "It''s not that I''m not focused, just have mercy on the noob."


    Defending himself in such a way, Ke Mingye looked up and seriously surveyed the TV screen.


    He and Bai Ziling were playing "Double Act," and the two of them had been stuck on the plane level for a long time. Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because he played carelessly, using almost no strategy, he always ended up twisting the plane''s course towards the wall or crashing directly into obstacles along the path.


    Consequently, the two toy characters on the screen repeatedly crashed along with the plane. Bai Ziling, the unfortunate victim who was dragged down, did not complain. Feeling exhausted, she just picked up the Yuri from the couch, stroked its fur, and then continued the game.


    If Bai Zini were the one beside him, she would have either already angrily shaken his shoulders, asking how he could game with an idiot, or jumped off the couch to deliver a three-hundred-and-sixty-five-degree roundhouse kick;


    Fortunate it was Bai Ziling; she was very patient.


    Especially towards Ke Mingye, she hardly ever lost her temper with him.


    From childhood to adulthood, the only time she got really mad was when Ke Mingye sulked in an Internet caf¨¦ over a tiff with their mom and missed her birthday party.


    Back then, Ke Mingye was still in middle school.


    He walked back home from the Internet caf¨¦, carrying his backpack, stepped into the elevator, and pressed the button for the 12th floor somewhat nervously.


    When the elevator doors opened, a white-haired girl was standing alone at the corridor entrance, leaning against the door of their home. Her hands were behind her back, apparently waiting for someone.


    As the sun set in the west, looking through the window at the corridor entrance, the sunset slowly took away the last glimmers of daylight from the land.


    She wore a white dress, her head hung low, the strands of her snow white hair gently swaying in the breeze, turned golden by the last rays of the sunset.


    Ke Mingye stepped out from the stairway and just stood there looking at her quietly; they both remained silent.


    After a while, he asked, "What are you doing?"


    She didn''t move from the doorway but stood there with her head bowed, "Today is my birthday..."


    "Oh, happy birthday."


    Said Ke Mingye in a low voice, he was about to walk past Bai Ziling, but she didn''t move aside.


    "What''s the matter?" he asked.


    Bai Ziling remained silent, her face concealed by the hair falling across her forehead.


    Ke Mingye tilted his head slightly, his ears faintly catching the sounds of children playing. He turned and looked out the window, watching children running up and down the street below, gripping their kite strings as their kites wobbled uncertainly in the twilight.


    "Mom said, you haven''t replied to her message," she said.


    Ke Mingye was silent for a moment, then touched his nose and said, "She smashed my laptop just yesterday, I was so mad I didn''t even want to come home, let alone reply to any messages."


    "Can you let me in now? Mom went out looking for me, and it''ll be really awkward meeting her if I get back too late," he said, turning to look at Bai Ziling.


    "This is the birthday gift mom gave me."


    Bai Ziling spoke softly, then extended her hands which had been hidden behind her back, revealing an elegantly wrapped box.


    "I wanted to give it to you, brother. It''s a tablet. But you weren''t here, and I waited until the cake was all eaten, and you still hadn''t come back."


    "I don''t want it."


    "Every time you''re upset, you like to shut yourself away for a long, long time."


    "Aren''t you the same, talking about me?" Ke Mingye turned his cheek, "You even cut your own hair that one time, dummy. It made me have to comfort you by getting a crazy haircut too, and I was laughed at by my classmates for half the term."


    Bai Ziling''s head hung even lower.


    "So, when you''re unhappy, I also want to share some of your troubles," she said.


    Then, she looked up, her eyes earnestly fixed on Ke Mingye. Perhaps because she didn''t quite know how to make herself appear more serious, her gaze looked like she was angrily glaring at someone. It was strangely intense, her red eyes almost bulging out.


    Ke Mingye had never seen her look like that before and thought she was actually angry, so he quickly conceded, "My fault, my fault, don''t be mad."


    "I''m not mad."


    "Eyes bulging out like that and you say you''re not mad, such a grade schooler."


    "Really not mad."


    "Alright, alright, not mad."


    Ke Mingye muttered, taking the box with the tablet from her, seeing the box labeled with "Bai Ziling to Ke Mingye, no one else is allowed to take it," the handwriting itself looked fierce, as if it truly was warning others.


    He looked down at the inscription, saying, "Let''s play together in the future."


    "Okay."


    Bai Ziling, expressionless, reached out and tugged at Ke Mingye''s hand, "Promise, only you and I can play."


    "Grade schooler, huh," Ke Mingye said, "then let''s pinky swear." Saying that, he extended his index finger and hooked it with the girl''s tiny finger, gently shaking it.

 Chapter 177 Xiaohongmao: Beating Your Mothers Instance

    Ke Mingye opened his eyes with a slight tremor, and when he came to his senses, he realized he was still in a dimly lit corridor, lit only by the faint glow of torches brushing against his cheeks.


    Looking up, the structure was highly similar to the "Underground Labyrinth" he had just been in.


    However, compared to the narrow labyrinth outside that could only accommodate one person, the place he was in now was obviously much more spacious. There were niches set into the walls on both sides of the corridor at intervals, each holding a torch radiating a quiet, gloomy light.


    The grim light flickered, making the alternately bright and dark corridor look like a hunting ground tailor-made for some creature.


    Right now, from deep within the darkness of the corridor, there came a faint "creak creak" of breathing, which further reinforced Ke Mingye''s thought.


    "What was the Boss''s name mentioned in the instance name outside just now?" Paranoia, beside him, asked.


    "Spider Prince," Ke Mingye answered.


    "Wait, isn''t this Spider Man your fellow countryman?" Paranoia frowned, resting his hand on his chin, posing seriously, "Killing one''s own kind, could this be... the cruelty of nature?"


    "Hey, they''re a prince among spiders, I''m just a common spider man, can you compare the two?" Ke Mingye said indifferently as he walked forward, "Commoners cannot beat princes, so it''s up to Lord Paranoia to take action."


    As he spoke, he kept turning his head to look around at both sides.


    There were many corners along the corridor, each leading to another endless corridor, and this corridor itself was designed with countless turns.


    In the original Underground Labyrinth, one could see many underground room doors, which could be opened with keys.


    But in the instance, this wasn''t the case. At every turn one took, looking around, the eye was met with corridor after corridor with no visible end, like a bottomless abyss.


    At the same time, each corridor was extremely spacious yet empty, making it hard not to feel that this was specially prepared for the Boss''s entrance.


    Thereby, Ke Mingye roughly surmised the Boss''s size in his mind: presumably, it would be a size that could move nimbly within the corridors, rather small.


    At least, it definitely couldn''t be a behemoth like the Zombie Chef.


    "I see. Heh, is Lord Paranoia''s importance really that high?"


    Paranoia said while curling his lips into a cold smirk.


    Ke Mingye sighed and said rather circumspectly, "That''s right. But I feel that in this kind of situation, we might need... Magical Girl Hongyue even more than we need Lord Paranoia."


    "I understand," Paranoia turned his head and asked, "Can we transform together?"


    "What''s the difference between that and us taking a dump together?"


    "I was just wondering what it feels like to transform with a Magic Girl colleague."


    Ke Mingye rolled his eyes and then nodded, "I think it''s possible."


    Upon hearing this, Paranoia pulled out the sword bag he carried on his back, unzipped it, and took out the small knife-shaped Magic Wand used for transforming.


    "Alright, three, two, one... wait, what is this?"


    Paranoia was seriously counting down when he suddenly noticed an additional figure beside him, glowing with a gray halo throughout, and he couldn''t help but pause, turning to examine it.


    "Didn''t you say we''d transform together?" he asked.


    "We are transforming together."


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he manipulated the Deception Puppet beside him to pull out a Magical Girl Transformation Card.


    With a "click," the card in the puppet''s hand disappeared. In its place, its figure was suddenly enveloped in a hazy cocoon of light.


    Then another "click," the cocoon shattered, and a girl dressed in a Christmas dress with a Christmas pointy hat appeared abruptly in the gloomy corridor.


    She slowly lifted her head, and underneath the golden hair, those blue eyes were as sharp and cold as ice.


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao glanced sideways, and said emotionlessly to Paranoia, "I''ve transformed. What about you?"


    Paranoia was stunned for two seconds, glanced at Xiaohongmao, then at Ke Mingye, and then hung his head to briefly contemplate life.


    Finally, he spoke languidly, "I get it now, this is a puppet. Spider Man, is this how you play us in the palm of your hand?"


    "Ah... I didn''t mean to trick you guys on purpose; there''s a real unspeakable secret. In any case, please transform quickly, the Boss is about to appear," Ke Mingye said irritably while fitting the web shooter onto his right hand and directly activating "Safety Limit Off," a trace of deep blue arc light flickering in the corner of his eye.


    [The total number of players participating in this instance is: 2¡ªFailed Man, Paranoia.]


    [The battle for this instance officially starts, please by any means defeat the Boss within the instance: Spider Prince¡ªCarl, the Woodcutter.]


    He shrugged his shoulders and flexed his stiff fingers, raising his eyes to look ahead.


    The next moment, heavy breaths sounded from the darkness at the end of the corridor, and a man with eight slender spider legs protruding from his back slowly emerged.


    The man was naked, not wearing a thread. His face was gaunt; his features, beautiful. But his eyes were a uniform black, with no whites to be found. Instead, pure darkness filled his eye sockets.


    Moreover, each of his spider limbs was five to six meters long, with joints bristling with barbs that could easily claim a person''s life like bladed arms.


    He had no lower half, only a torso, so he was supported mid-air by the eight spider legs, his arms crossed over his shoulders.


    From a distance, the sight was quite spine-chilling.


    To be honest, he looked more like Doctor Octopus from "Spider-Man" than a "Spider Prince," except that the mechanical octopus arms were replaced with organic spider limbs.


    Ke Mingye stared at the Spider Prince, his pupils slowly reflecting the creature''s stat panel.


    [Instance Boss Name: Spider Prince¡ªCarl]


    [Instance Boss Level: Lv11]


    [Instance Boss Introduction: Never enter the Underground Labyrinth, or you will become the Spider Prince''s dinner; if you''ve entered by accident, defeating it is the only way out. Pray and struggle with all your might.]


    "So you''re the one they call Spider Prince, huh?" Ke Mingye thought emotionlessly, "Man, I just happen to be in a really bad mood, so today I''ll show you what ''the wrath of an ordinary guy'' is about. I''m going all out, from the bottom up."


    Quickly, he released "Personality Split." It was a preemptive measure in case Magic Girl Xiaohongmao or his own bodycouldn''t react in time to the Spider Prince''s moves.


    Paranoia licked the knife in his hand.


    Then, he was enveloped in a layer of cocoon light, and much like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly amid the scattering stardust, he became a girl dressed in a red and black long dress.


    Magical Girl Hongyue hefted the slender scythe while saying, "Spider Man, how should we deal with him?"


    After activating Personality Split, Ke Mingye slowly opened his eyes. His expression seemed less despondent and careless, as if a part of him had detached from his body.


    He backed away and said, "Let''s make it quick. I''ll hold on to a big move, and you two Magic Girls buy me some time, okay?"


    Magical Girl Hongyue turned her cheek to the side, casting a sideways glance at the Spider Prince while asking Ke Mingye.


    "How long do you need, Spider Man?"


    "Distract it for about ten seconds or so to attract its fire, and then I''ll try to one-shot this Boss." Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    While speaking, Ke Mingye began to slowly rotate his right arm, unleashing the skill "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill."


    [Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill (B-rank Skill) Effect 1: After using the skill, rotate your arm slowly; for every full circle completed in one second, the power accumulated in the arm increases by one level¡ªup to 20 rotations. At 20 rotations, your strength will be enhanced to ten times its original power.]


    This scene was pretty comical. The incongruity was so strong, it was as though someone started doing a standard new-century primary and middle school radio calisthenics routine in the middle of a tensely drawn battle arena. Moreover, due to the restriction of the skill, the speed Ke Mingye''s arm circled at was one rotation per second, as slow as a turtle, which was all the more amusing.


    "Elementary schoolkid. Have to do radio calisthenics before fighting," Xiaohongmao said expressionlessly, following with a light roast and summoning the Magic Book from the void into her hand.


    She quickly flipped to a specific page and removed all the Magic Cards from the slot.


    While rotating his right arm, Ke Mingye said, "Uh, Xiaohongmao, go easy on the Magic Cards. They''re consumables. Once we use them in the instance, they won''t come back."


    "Are you teaching me how to do my job?" Xiaohongmao said, "How about you go and hold on for 10 seconds? Calling people out to fight bosses and still being so fussy."


    "My bad."


    Ke Mingye continued to rotate his arm, speaking indifferently as the cold system prompt continued to ring in his mind.


    [Preparing to release "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill," the accumulated rotations: 3 rotations.]


    [The higher the number of rotations, the more powerful the skill "Fist-Guessing Skill" will be upon release. You may stop rotating at any time to instantly unleash the skill.]


    After thinking it over, Ke Mingye said, "Well, since we''re fighting a boss, might as well spin for 20 rotations to test the upper limit of this move''s power."


    To avoid conflicting actions between his left and right hand, he had deliberately, against his usual habit, set up the web shooter on the left wrist.


    Otherwise, shooting webs while spinning his arm would be just too bizarre.


    Xiaohongmao responded unhurriedly, "20 rotations? You expect me and Hongyue to last 20 seconds against the Boss? We''d be dead for you to see."


    "Not Hongyue, Lord Paranoia," said Magical Girl Hongyue. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Shut up," Xiaohongmao snapped.


    Amidst their exchange, the Spider Prince''s figure fully materialized under the light of the torches, his eight spider legs casting long, knife-sharp shadows on the walls.


    In the next moment, his arms began to slowly morph, and with a loud "crack," flesh tore and finger joints twisted violently. Then, each of the Spider Prince''s hands transformed into a chilling, porcelain-white bone blade.

 Chapter 178 This is the Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill!

    The dimly lit corridor flickered with the uncertain light of the torches, casting the Spider Prince''s face into a changing play of light and shadow.


    Ke Mingye slightly arched his eyebrows, his gaze fixed on the Spider Prince''s arms, which had transformed into enamel-like bone blades, and he warned in rapid speech, "It looks like this Boss''s attack method isn''t its spider legs but the blades formed from its hands, you two be careful."


    While he spoke, he retreated a great distance, ducking into one of the corners. This move undoubtedly piled all of the Spider Prince''s aggro onto Hongyue and Xiaohongmao.


    At the same time, he was slowly rotating his arm, accumulating circles for his rotary move.


    [About to release "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill," accumulated rotary arm circles: 5 circles.]


    At this moment, Xiaohongmao didn''t forget to pull out the Bluebird Scout Plane from her pack.


    The clumsy mechanical bluebird fluttered its wings, lightly flying into another corridor around the corner.


    "This thing..."


    Ke Mingye murmured to himself, thinking that the Bluebird Scout Plane had an ability to "instantly swap positions with the owner," which was similar to Qing Ya''s superpower, and very appropriate for escaping.


    "This isn''t a one-time-use item; it will reset even if it''s destroyed in an instance," Xiaohongmao said, "If I weren''t unclear whether the ''Second Plant-Installed Heart'' gets reset after use, I would have already taken it out and strapped it to my body."


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    "Well, I really appreciate your kindness in sparing that," Ke Mingye said, thinking that the Second Plant-Installed Heart was a life-saving card he had to save for Timekeeper''s arrival, as if it broke in a mere dungeon instance, he would truly be vomiting blood.


    "Spider woman, your Spider Prince is coming for you!"


    While warning Xiaohongmao, Magic Girl Hongyue tightened her grip on the sickle in her hand. Crimson magic power surged like flowing water, enveloping the surface of the blade.


    At the same time, her figure shot into the air, leaving the ground and rushing into another corridor to the side.


    "The spider woman is here already, if you''ve got a problem, just spit it out, foolish and cunning man."


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao said coldly, gripping her magic wand tightly.


    The cold wind, laden with flying snow, brushed past the soft golden strands beneath her hood. She created a snowflake screen wall in front of her, attempting to slow down the Spider Prince''s onslaught.


    But in an instant, the Spider Prince''s eight spider legs curved slightly, gouging deep grooves in the walls, and then, with all eight legs coiled, they sprung forward.


    Bang!


    In the deafening explosion, the Spider Prince shot towards her like a cannonball, cracking open countless fissures in the floor and walls along its path.


    In the fleeting 0.5 seconds, he crossed his arms in mid-air, superimposing the enamel-like bone blades into a cross to shatter the oncoming snowflake screen wall, continuing to hurtle forward amidst the scattering wind and snow.


    If he collided with Xiaohongmao, it would surely chop her into four pieces. But Xiaohongmao''s face remained calm, and her icy pupils reflected the onrushing Spider Prince.


    In the instant when the enamel-like bone blades and her face were mere inches apart, she activated the Bluebird Scout Plane''s ability.


    She switched places with the mechanical bluebird that had already ducked into another corridor.


    Bang!


    In the second following the swap, the bluebird was instantly torn apart by the overlapping bone blades, sparks flying.


    In her place, Xiaohongmao''s figure safely appeared in another corridor, lifting her ice-blue eyes to watch the Spider Prince''s body at the corridor''s end.


    The Spider Prince steadied his form, his eight spider legs stuck in the walls, maintaining his position mid-air.


    He slowly lifted his head, exhaling a coarse breath.


    Then he sprang forth again, the eight spider legs writhing like serpents, driving him like a fortress charging through the corridor, quickly catching up with Xiaohongmao once more.


    At the same time, along the way, he continuously laid seeds, the revolting spider eggs scattering on the floor, instantly bursting open. Within the splashing pus, tiny spiders roared as they chased after the other two.


    Dense and swarming, they climbed from the corridor''s ceiling, left wall, right wall, and floor all at once.


    It was like a mass of writhing black sesame seeds, or like a tv screen filled with black and white static. Someone with trypophobia might faint on the spot at the sight. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can you handle it?" Ke Mingye asked while still spinning his arm, addressing the paranoid.


    Heh, are you asking Lord Paranoid?"


    Magic Girl Hongyue said, advancing to meet the tide of spiders. She stood before the swarm, ever so slightly bending her body forward, both hands on the handle, pressing down the sickle in unison.


    She took the Sword Draw Strike stance.


    Immediately after, she released the Grade C skill Magic Power Blast (using twenty percent of magic power, infusing into her next attack).


    [Sword Draw Strike] and [Magic Power Blast], the effects of both skills stacked together.


    Magic Girl Hongyue unleashed her power at the instant of full charge, and right as the million-headed swarm closed in.


    She swung her blade fiercely, and the dark red magic power swept out like a tornado, mingled with chilling blade-light, accompanied by a whooshing sound, instantly sweeping clean the surrounding swarm closing in from all directions.


    It was as if a vacuum cleaner had sucked away the debris from the floor.


    A filthy mist of blood spread, and the girl flicked her dark red hair, her skirt fluttering amidst the bloody tempest.


    "This is the power of Lord Paranoid, huh."


    Magic Girl Hongyue wiped her nose with her hand and turned to Ke Mingye to speak.

 Chapter 178 This is the Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill!_2

    "Quite the zealot, aren''t you? That''s too fierce."


    Ke Mingye said nonchalantly, while observing the scene unfold through the eyes of Xiaohongmao.


    On the other side.


    Xiaohongmao raised her magic wand, her figure wrapped in a flutter of crystal-clear snowflakes as she flew mid-air. Her Christmas cone hat flattened by the wind, her soft, golden fringe elegantly fluttering.


    She narrowed her ice-blue pupils and, forced to change direction repeatedly in the midst of the Spider Prince''s pursuit, she kept ducking into alley after alley, dashing swiftly through corridors of the same shape.


    But even with such flexible adaptability, she ultimately lost due to the fundamental difference in speed, which allowed the Spider Prince to catch up to her from behind.


    The enamel bone knife stabbed fiercely, slicing a crimson ravine across her shoulder and nearly severing her left arm.


    Splat!


    Amid the spray of blood, Xiaohongmao embraced her bleeding shoulder, calmly flying forward, rounding a corner after another to extend the distance between her and the Spider Prince.


    "Spider Woman, can you even handle this?!"


    Magical Girl Hongyue roared, scythe in hand as she dove down.


    But Ke Mingye pushed down his left hand, shooting out a strand of web that stuck to her right arm, sternly preventing her from charging at the Spider Prince.


    "Please buddy, that''s just one of my puppets; if it dies, it dies," Ke Mingye said.


    Hongyue turned around, her eyes blazing as she stared at Ke Mingye and yelled, "Which one of you is the Spider Man? I can''t tell, I can''t tell¡ª!"


    "If you can''t tell, then don''t bother," Ke Mingye said indifferently, "She''s the Spider Woman. It doesn''t matter if the Spider Woman dies, the Spider Woman is an idiot, okay?"


    "Who are you calling an idiot?"


    Xiaohongmao said coldly.


    After her injury, her speed was nowhere near what it was before. The Spider Prince quickly caught up to her again, his ivory-white bone knife thrusting towards the girl''s back, whipping up a howling dirty breeze.


    However, at that moment, without even turning her head, Xiaohongmao calmly crushed the Magic Card "Random Flash" in her hand.


    As the card shattered, her form instantly vanished from the spot, leaving the Spider Prince stabbing at thin air.


    It gradually stopped and looked around bewilderedly, quickly catching Xiaohongmao''s scent in the air.


    But just then, since both Xiaohongmao and Ke Mingye had put some distance between themselves and the Spider Prince, its black eyes rolled, shifting its attention instead to the figure of Magical Girl Hongyue.


    "Oh, come on... keep away from me."


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye hurriedly released the webbing from Hongyue''s wrist, slowly rotating his own arm to build up revolutions, while bending over to create distance between them.


    From a distance, he looked like a fool, or perhaps someone suffering from epilepsy.


    "Run."


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao''s chilling voice pierced through several corridors, reaching Hongyue''s ears.


    Upon hearing this, Magical Girl Hongyue immediately reacted.


    The Spider Prince had already set his sights on her, prowling with his eight spider legs across the walls of the corridor, bumping along in pursuit.


    Hongyue spurred her magic power to fly at high speed toward the end of the corridor, her scythe''s blade making a ripping sound as it cut through the air.


    "Heh, I knew you couldn''t catch up, oh obsessive one," she sneered.


    She curled the corners of her mouth upward and glanced over her cheek, catching a glimpse of the Spider Prince with the corner of her eye.


    The Spider Prince''s massive legs furiously scuttled in the corridor, resembling a giant, writhing insect.


    However, the thunderous noise that followed was more terrifying than the sound of a train roaring through a tunnel, invoking fear in those who heard it.


    "Damn it, how can he be so fast?"


    Hongyue''s pupils shrank.


    At that moment, from a distance, the Spider Prince suddenly opened his bloody maw and shot a sharp column of blood at Hongyue''s silhouette, like a dark, long tongue.


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    Hongyue quickly turned and activated her skill "Lethal Counterattack" (blocking as much damage from the next attack as possible and recovering a certain amount of health), placing her scythe-shaped magic wand in front of her to intercept the oncoming blood column.


    Even so, she was sent flying several meters, crashing into a wall niche, knocking down torches and illuminating her skirt spread out on the ground.


    Just two seconds before she was about to be caught, the Spider Prince had already extended his enamel-like bone knives, baring his fangs like a leopard ready to devour his prey at close range.


    But at that very moment, a tremendous fireball shot toward him from behind, nearly engulfing half the corridor.


    "Arghhhh!"


    The fireball momentarily lit up the Spider Prince''s somber face; he bellowed furiously as his jade-like body was crazily seared by the flames, hissing and cracking as bright red lines spread across him. When the fireball''s power dissipated, the air was still filled with wisps of black smoke and steam, along with the lingering heatwave.


    [Wonderful Hit!!!]


    [Boss Spider Prince: Carl''s Health: 100%¡ú82%]


    After a moment, with a fierce look, he twisted his head backward and saw Magical Girl Xiaohongmao floating calmly in the blizzard at the entrance of the corridor, watching him calmly.


    "Fireball?"


    Magical Girl Hongyue, who was already prepared to fight to the death, turned her head to see that the Magic Card "Fireball Technique" in Xiaohongmao''s hand had shattered into specks of light that fell to the ground and disappeared.


    "Let''s have another." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiaohongmao said expressionlessly as she crushed another Fireball Technique card in her hand. The fireball, entwined with rampaging flame serpents, roared forward and whipped up a scorching gale in the dark corridor.


    This time, the Spider Prince smartened up, anchoring his form with two spider legs dug into the ground, while the other six formed a dark net in front, blocking the oncoming fireball.

 Chapter 178 This is Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill!_3

    ```


    The spherical flames burst open under the defense formed by six thick spider legs, instantly transforming into a pillar of fire that rushed backward, illuminating the entire corridor before fading into tiny sparks and disappearing.


    Even so, while the main body was unharmed, the six legs of the Spider Prince used for defense were scorched black, emitting steam-like billows of white smoke.


    Roast them a little longer, and it felt like one could have a feast on spider legs.


    [Wonderful Hit!!!]


    [Boss Spider Prince: Carl the Woodcutter''s HP: 82%¡ú74%]


    "Seems like this Boss is afraid of fire, otherwise a Fireball Technique wouldn''t do so much damage... Too bad Punk Girl isn''t here; I remember she had a flamethrower in her bag," Ke Mingye mused as he continued to rotate his arms, watching the scene through Xiaohongmao''s perspective.


    He had already spun around sixteen times, with the ultimate power just within reach; he only needed four more spins.


    The Spider Prince roared furiously, its black and red legs bent on the floor, charging up power, then propelling its body forward like a black bus ramming into Magical Girl Xiaohongmao.


    The porcelain-like bone knife was raised high, determined to chop off Magical Girl Xiaohongmao''s head this time.


    "Too bad. I still have one last card."


    As the words fell, Magical Girl Xiaohongmao lifted her face, her gaze coldly fixating on the Spider Prince, then she crushed the last Fireball Technique in her hand.


    Right after, a gust of wind came from behind her. Next to the shimmering Christmas skirt in the heatwave, a massive fireball shot through, heading straight for the Spider Prince''s head.


    If the Spider Prince, from a few meters away, was still conscious enough to quickly raise a spider leg to block the fireball;


    This was mid-air, with the body still in an attacking stance, and it was too late to dodge or defend.


    Thus, facing the oncoming inferno, it had nowhere to escape, as if the pitch-blackness in its eyes was about to melt into a stagnant, dark liquid due to the intense heat.


    "Roar¡ª!!!"


    The face and upper body of the Spider Prince were engulfed in the soaring flames, leaving only roars to be heard from within the twisted heat.


    [Perfect Hit!!!]


    [Boss Spider Prince: Carl the Woodcutter''s HP: 74%¡ú51%]


    [Having hit the target''s "critical weakness," Boss Spider Prince has fallen into a paralyzed state for 4 seconds. Seize the moment to attack!]


    "Great opportunity, switch hands!" Ke Mingye shouted, running toward Xiaohongmao.


    "Just headshots," Xiaohongmao said, "Pure noob."


    During their exchange, Ke Mingye used the E-grade Skill "Phase Transfer," swapping positions with Magic Girl Xiaohongmao.


    At the same time, his arms had already spun to the twentieth round, a staggering force ready to be unleashed.


    He was waiting for just such a moment to activate the skill!


    [Cumulative rotary arm spins: 20 spins. The power accumulated in the arm has reached its limit, currently 10 times the original strength.]


    [Triggered B-grade Skill¡ª"Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill" effect 2: Release all the accumulated power from spinning to perform a random Rock-Paper-Scissors attack (choosing one from rock, paper, or scissors), with three different skill effects based on the outcome of the Fist-Guessing.]


    "Rock, Paper, Scissors, any one will do, I''m guaranteed to win."


    With that confidence, Ke Mingye dashed toward the Spider Prince, who was hanging its head low, and threw his clenched right hand forward.


    In the end, the fingers of his right hand slowly came together into a fist, standing defiantly amidst the raging tides like an unyielding rock.


    [The result of the Fist-Guessing is "Rock." Skill effect as follows: When you throw a rock, the power of the fist increases once more, delivering an extremely fast punch forward.]


    In a split second, Ke Mingye''s right fist was engulfed in a dazzling glare akin to an aurora. The gravel on the ground began to levitate, and the fire of the torches flickered in the terrifying force field.


    The next instant, he threw his punch.


    His fist moved so quickly that it almost surpassed the limits of the naked eye, even the paranoid superhumans couldn''t see the speed of his punch.


    Boom!


    A rumbling sound followed¡ªthe mere punch wind overturned the torches on the wall, and surrounding torches went out simultaneously, falling to the ground.


    The darkness highlighted his right fist even more, making it appear as a man-made miniature sun.


    Then, this miniature sun struck the Spider Prince''s chest without restraint.


    Boom¡ª!!!


    Under the deafening noise, Ke Mingye''s glowing right hand went dark. His right arm dislocated completely, hanging limply downwards, as if the bones were about to break one by one.


    "What the heck?"


    Gazing at his own right arm, Ke Mingye belatedly realized that his body seemed incapable of withstanding such a formidable attack.


    But the next instant, the Spider Prince''s body vaporized in the blink of an eye, bursting into a mist of blood that slowly dissipated in the air with a "pop."


    [Final Strike!!!]


    [Boss Spider Prince: Carl the Woodcutter''s HP: 51%¡ú0%]


    [Victory declared in the Huanjing dungeon, damage contribution panel as follows.]


    [NO.1¡ª¡ªFailed Man]¡ïMVP: Damage contribution 100%]


    [NO.2¡ª¡ªParanoia: Damage contribution 0% (Under review for AFK detection)]


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    [Congratulations to all players for defeating Huanjing''s No. 14 dungeon¡ª "The Underground Spider Prince," a memorial card has been sent to every player''s dungeon atlas.]


    [Current progress in conquering Huanjing''s dungeons: (12 out of 100)]


    [Entering the data settlement phase, players will return to the real world in five minutes, please prepare in advance...]


    ```

 Chapter 179 Do You Want to Meet Qing Ya Alone?

    [One minute later, you will leave the instance, and the instance rewards have already been sent to each player''s bag, please confirm receipt...]


    Ke Mingye and Xiaohongmao, along with three others, sat down against the corridor wall.


    Xiaohongmao, holding her injured left arm, silently rested her head on his shoulder with her ice blue eyes downcast, watching the reward panel with him.


    "Can you stop leaning on me and just find a corner to explode in already?" Ke Mingye sighed.


    "Can''t I check what the instance dropped before I die? I did play a major role, after all." Xiaohongmao said.


    "Fine, fine, the hero?¡ª?¡ª


    Ke Mingye said perfunctorily and then turned to glance down the distant corridor.


    With the death of the Spider Prince, his eight giant spider legs lost their connection points and scattered on the ground. Amidst the dirty dust and flickering torches, the legs crisscrossed messily like a charred giant net.


    "Stop looking around, check your panel." Xiaohongmao said.


    "You''re unbelievable. Who''s the master here, you or me?"


    Ke Mingye said, shrugging his shoulders as he started to flip through the reward panel.


    [You have received the standard completion rewards for Instance 14: one, 12,000 mall coins; two, 8,000 experience points; three, a one-time skill card "Toxic Blood Spray".]


    [For your outstanding performance in this instance, you have also received the MVP completion rewards for Instance 14: one, 6,000 mall coins; two, 4,000 experience points; three, unique equipment¡ª"Detachable Giant Spider Legs".]


    [Total experience points gained: 12,000 points.]


    [Your level has risen to Lv.15.]


    [Your level has risen to Lv.16 (0 points/9000 points).]


    [You have advanced two levels and earned 2 attribute points to allocate as you wish.]


    [Total of 18,000 mall coins obtained, current total balance: 23,300 mall coins.]


    Ke Mingye casually opened his personal panel and allocated the two attribute points to mental strength.


    [Your "Mental Strength" attribute has changed: 26 points¡ú28 points (¡ü2 points)]


    Today in the instance, he had seen Xiaohongmao''s potential. Increasing mental strength was akin to investing in Xiaohongmao, indirectly boosting her capabilities, so without hesitation, he at least wanted to bring it up to a superhuman level.


    "Speaking of which, what is this contraption? The MVP reward even came with a pair of spider legs. Do they expect me to roast and eat them? Let Fan Quan try it first to see if it''s poisonous."


    "Oh... it turns out to be equipment, not a consumable. That seems somewhat useful."


    Ke Mingye muttered to himself, clicking into the introduction of the Detachable Spider Legs.


    [Equipment Name: Detachable Giant Spider Legs] Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    [Equipment Level: C-grade]


    [Equipment Description: Compared to the Spider Prince, this set of spider legs is much smaller and consists only of two limbs. However, they fit perfectly on a normal person''s back without causing too much strain on the shoulder blades. They can also assist you in movement by lifting you into the air, helping with climbing, moving along the surfaces of tall buildings, and even aiding in combat...]


    [Note 1: This equipment can be upgraded in the player''s mall for 20,000 mall coins, evolving the Detachable Giant Spider Legs into "Mechanical Spider Legs" (B+ grade equipment).]


    [Note 2: After the equipment''s evolution, the number of spider legs increases from 2 to 4, substantially enhancing strength, agility, and toughness, and it gains the ability of automatic repair.]


    "Damn, I must have seriously misunderstood this thing."


    Ke Mingye said, tilting his head with a sudden gleam in his eyes, "Since this thing can help me climb on high-rise surfaces, it compensates for some of the shortcomings of the web shooter; though, the upgrade is pricey."


    "This really turns Spider Man into a Spider Prince." Xiaohongmao mocked.


    "Would you shut it, Spider Woman?"


    "Helping you with the instance and now I''m Spider Woman too? We''ll see if I complain next time."


    "What, do I need to kowtow to you too?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Never mind... I''m a bit tired, bye."


    Xiaohongmao yawned, speaking languidly, then starting from the wound on her left shoulder, her figure gradually cracked open, with fire light faintly rising from the cracks.


    Shortly after, as the air temperature rapidly increased, she burst into a burst of explosive light, briefly illuminating the dimly lit corridor.


    Although she exploded right next to Ke Mingye, he was not the least bit anxious, maintaining composure.


    Right before the explosion, Ke Mingye suddenly released an E-grade skill "Phase Transfer," swapping places with the paranoid sitting not far away.


    "Ahh¡ª!"


    Accompanied by a harsh scream, the Paranoid was suddenly blasted several meters away by Xiaohongmao''s explosion, coughing up blood amidst eerie laughter.


    "What''s going on, Spider Man, is there another Boss in this instance?!"


    He clutched his blood-soaked chest, his face pale as he looked up, his expression as stern as a mountain, his features sharp as a knife.


    "Don''t panic, it might be the last ripple left by the Spider Prince, like maybe he created some invisible little spiders that explode before he died. Stay calm."


    Ke Mingye explained to the Paranoid while clicking into the instance card gallery.


    As icons were illuminated, a collection book-like interface opened before him.


    Currently, he had unlocked the "China Huanjing" and "Tokyo, Japan" pages in the instance. However, the "Tokyo, Japan" page did not have an instance card, which means the Tokyo Bay Bridge incident did not drop an instance card, perhaps because it was a PVP-style instance, unlike regular instances.

 Chapter 179 Do you want to meet with Qing Ya alone?_2

    Ke Mingye switched to the "China Huanjing" page.


    He saw one hundred card slots, each marked with a serial number from NO.1 to NO.100. Inside the card slots with serial numbers NO.5, NO.7, NO.10, and NO.14, a card was each contained.


    He poked the NO.14 card.


    The image on the card front depicted the Spider Prince, slumbering in the deep darkness, quietly rubbing his bone blade, which was transformed from his arms, against his spider legs, the blade gleaming brightly.


    [Card Name: Spider Prince]


    [Card Serial Number: NO.014]


    [Card Source: Victory over Huanjing NO.14 instance ¡ª "The Spider Prince in the Basement".]


    [Card Effect: Summons 10 small toxic spiders to attack one target (Cooldown: one day)]


    [Current Huanjing instances cleared: (12/100).]


    Seeing this data, Ke Mingye couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows slightly. From his memory, he had only cleared four instances himself. There was no need to mention who cleared the rest.


    Of course, Gastella might have cleared one or two instances. But she had no teammates and could only fight alone, so at most she might have cleared one or two.


    From the leaderboard, it appeared Gastella had not slaughtered superhumans en masse; rather, her superhuman kill count was only 10. This suggested that her bug skill was probably acquired with the initial permissions gifted by the system store.


    Moreover, its level must be high; Ke Mingye guessed it had to be at least a C-grade skill, with a B-grade skill being more likely;


    As for an A-grade skill, well, as the number one player himself, he''d never even seen a hint of it, let alone other players.


    Ke Mingye said, "So it seems, during the time I couldn''t leave, you guys had already cleared so many instances behind my back, huh?"


    "That''s right. At that time I even asked the Dog-headed Strategist why we shouldn''t bring S" >pider Man. He said we had already isolated Spider Man."


    He paused for a moment and stroked his chin, "Now it seems, Spider Man, that there was a reason you couldn''t come with us on long journeys. Heh heh heh, the detective has seen through everything."


    "That''s enough," Ke Mingye said, "It was all Fan Quan''s doing. I was just his henchman."


    "I figured it out. I was wondering why you would deceive us. Turns out... it was all Fan Quan''s fault."


    The voice of the paranoid suddenly deepened.


    "Having said that, don''t go assassinating any cultured man."


    "I understand... I also want him to experience the taste of betrayal. Killing him so simply would be too kind."


    As the paranoid said this, his expression indifferent, he licked the blade like a husky.


    "Okay, good luck."


    Ke Mingye spoke, then suddenly everything went dark before his eyes. When he came to his senses, he and the paranoid were back in the underground labyrinth.


    They walked the same way out of the underground labyrinth and after spotting the stairs leading up, they went straight up, not long before they returned to the cramped, damp alley.


    Ke Mingye casually closed the iron door, leaned against the wall, and took a deep breath before asking, "Well... having accompanied you on a trip to the instance, how do you feel, have you asked everything you wanted to?"


    Back against the wall, arms folded, the paranoid said, "Spider Man, even though I don''t know your secret troubles, when you need the great Paranoid, I will definitely be there."


    "I will need you." Ke Mingye lifted his head, looking towards the fragmented sky cut by the edges of the apartment buildings and the iron fence, "By the way... are you really foolish, or just pretending?"


    "What do you mean? With Paranoid the Great so smart, you actually think Paranoid the Great is foolish?"


    "It seems you truly are foolish."


    "Hehe, it seems you have been influenced by the hacker girl. Paranoid the Great forgives you, after all, you''re not on a level to understand... the wisdom of a god."


    "Goodbye, I''m off to eat, see you next time."


    Having said that, Ke Mingye stepped away from the alley. He walked wearily on the street, the somewhat dim sunlight falling on his face, when suddenly his pocket vibrated with a notification from his phone.


    He took out his phone and glanced down.


    The caller ID displayed "Che Zhengchen."


    "That was quick..."


    Ke Mingye stared at the name on the screen, raised his eyebrows, and then walked into a public restroom inside KFC, answering Che Zhengchen''s call in the last stall.


    "Commander Che, you''re awake already?"


    "My body''s fine, I''ve already returned to the Association Building. What about you, everything okay?"


    The warm voice of Che Zhengchen came through the phone.


    "No, Witch Black Rose injured a bone or two, but with my constitution, it''ll heal in a couple of days."


    If Ke Mingye wanted, he could drink a few sips from the Rebirth Medical Bottle to immediately heal the chest injury, but that would be too fake. It was better to leave the injury and deal with it in a couple of days. After all, the physique of a superhuman was there, it wouldn''t cause much harm.


    "That''s good." Che Zhengchen paused, "Actually, I wanted to ask if you could come over to Superhero Tower now?"


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye said without hesitation, "I''m on my way. I''ll be there in half an hour."


    ....


    ....


    Exactly half an hour later, on the forty-fifth floor of the Superhero Association Building, in the office.


    Che Zhengchen sat behind the office desk, lightly tapping the back of his hand with a pen.


    He was thinking about something after being captured by the Dice Monster; he suddenly remembered that a few days ago at the underground bar, he seemed to have arranged a meeting with someone.


    It seemed to be a very important person, but he couldn''t remember who it was.


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    "How strange..."


    He put down the pen, resting his right hand against the side of his head, and murmured to himself.


    A moment later, a notification sound from the desk phone interrupted his thoughts.


    "Commander, a superhero codenamed ''Blue Owl'' requests to meet with you. Should I grant him access?"


    Upon hearing this, Che Zhengchen breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face, "Let him up."


    "Received." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a short while, accompanied by the slow opening of the elevator door opposite the office, a figure dressed in a red and blue uniform walked out and directly entered the office.


    "I am here, Commander." Blue Owl, ever the familiar one, said and immediately pulled up a chair in front of the desk and sat down, facing Che Zhengchen.


    He looked up at Che Zhengchen from behind his glasses. The Commander''s attire was no different from usual: a suit and a slick back hairstyle, only the glasses had been swapped for rimless ones.


    He actually took the advice, changed from the gold-rimmed glasses, huh? Blue Owl thought amusingly.


    Che Zhengchen said, "I called you here today mainly for two things."


    "Is it about the Dice Monster?"


    Che Zhengchen shook his head, smiling, "No, there''s surveillance in this office, so there''s no need for your explanation. The Association has seen your actions. You jumping off the building to save me was touching, but don''t be so impulsive next time; after all, you don''t have flying abilities like Platinum Wing and the others."


    "Oh, what''s the matter then?" Blue Owl asked.


    "Let''s put aside the first matter for now;"


    Che Zhengchen said, pausing for a moment, looking up at Blue Owl, then asked deeply.


    "For the second matter, would you like to meet Qing Ya alone?"

 Chapter 180 ID Card, Superhero Association Exclusive APP, Hero Community

    ```


    "Um... are you sure you said ''Qing Ya''?"


    Blue Owl stared at Che Zhengchen through his glasses, double-checking that he hadn''t misheard.


    "No mistake," Che Zhengchen smiled, "I am asking if you''d like to meet Qing Ya alone. Maybe if you really get close to him, you''ll gain a new understanding of him."


    On hearing this, Blue Owl dropped his head and twisted in his swivel chair, spinning around once before the bird''s beak on his mask returned to its original position.


    He pondered to himself.


    Can this be real? It''s been just a few days since we met, and Che Zhengchen is already eager to set me up with Qing Ya. Could it be that he''s colluded with my old man to set me up?


    That fits right into my plan, though. Even though I don''t really want the other Association members to know my identity, I am willing to let Commander Che and my dad know.


    After all, I''ve already removed the parasites from Commander Che''s body, so I don''t have to worry about him being controlled by Gastella and leaking my information.


    Thinking this, although Blue Owl felt this was an excellent opportunity, he still symbolically demurred, like a child hesitantly refusing a red envelope during the New Year.


    "Um... before I answer that question, I want to ask you," he tilted his head, weighing his words, "Commander Che, are you sure Qing Ya wants to meet me alone?"


    "I''ve seen the official surveillance records, and when you were about to hit the ground yesterday, Qing Ya saved you."


    "Are you joking? Swap in another superhero, and he would have done the same. Or is it...," Blue Owl paused, his tone skeptical, "Commander Che, do you think Qing Ya seems like the type who wouldn''t save someone? Not to mention leaving a fellow vigilante to die¡ªthat''s not his style, not at all."


    Che Zhengchen fell silent for a moment, then smiled slightly, "But he also spoke to you: if he had saved another superhero, he might not have taken the time to warn them afterward."


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    "Is there a possibility that you brought him into the Superhero Association and were his Commander for a time, becoming old friends? So essentially, he spoke to me more because he knew I endangered myself to save you and did it to give you face. See, there''s no need to read too much into it."


    "That is indeed possible," Che Zhengchen took a sip of his tea and said lightly, "But in all these years, I really haven''t seen him interact much with other superheroes. Seems like he does care about you, the ''imitator''."


    Blue Owl sighed, his elbows on the chair''s armrests, his forehead in his palm, and said irritably.


    "My goodness, you know, it feels like we''re having a high school boy''s conversation about how ''oh, that girl must be into you because she never talks to boys,'' and Qing Ya is that class''s silent but academically stellar ice queen who attracts envy and jealousy from other students."


    "Heh, hehe..." Che Zhengchen laughed and shook his head, "Let''s drop this subject. Anyway, I should be able to get you a chance to meet Qing Ya alone. You just need to tell me; do you want to see him or not?"


    Blue Owl hung his head, silent for a couple of seconds, before saying, "Isn''t that obvious? Of course, I want to see him. Otherwise, what''s the point of me wearing this suit?"


    He paused, "Rather than asking me, you should ask him if he wants to see me."


    "That''s enough," Che Zhengchen shrugged and said calmly, "I think he wants to talk to you, just hasn''t found the right moment. Don''t let his appearance fool you; outside of work, he''s quite awkward, uh... to put it bluntly, he''s repressed."


    "Haha, aren''t you afraid that suddenly a crow will shatter the glass and abduct you from your office?"


    "Not really, I''m more afraid of a Spider-Man-like guy breaking the glass and kidnapping me. I''ve already got a psychological shadow from that," Che Zhengchen joked.


    "Well, you have a point," Blue Owl said and then fell silent for a moment. Although he knew he would be dining with Comrade Qing Ya once he got home, he still asked himself in pretense.


    "So when can I meet Qing Ya?"


    Che Zhengchen opened his mouth, his tone somewhat evasive, "Hmm... I don''t know when he''ll get back to me, but it shouldn''t drag on for a month or two."


    "A month or two is rather exaggerated, aren''t you two old friends? Is he that indifferent to you?"


    "It''s just his way of doing things, it''s not about being cold or anything like that. Ah, I don''t quite understand you young people," Che Zhengchen said.


    Blue Owl asked with concern, "Speaking of which, Commander Che, there should be no issue with your body, right? Like, during the time Dice Monster had you, he didn''t implant nanomachines, bugs, or trackers in you?" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, after Qing Ya brought me back, he immediately had someone scan my body with precision equipment."


    "And the result?"


    Che Zhengchen smiled and answered, "Besides a minor fracture, there is nothing wrong with my body. So the idea of Dice Monster tampering with me is out of the question, unless its methods are advanced enough to fool the detection devices provided by the Management Bureau."


    "I see."


    As he spoke, Blue Owl mused for a moment and, pretending to ponder, said, "Right... about the recent viral mass riot incident, I was secretly observing from an alley and saw someone vomit out a black worm. That worm crawled into another person''s mouth. It seems like those rioters were controlled by those parasites infiltrating their bodies."


    ```

 Chapter 180 ID Card, Superhero Association Exclusive APP, Hero Community_2

    He lifted his eyes to Che Zhengchen, his tone growing increasingly strange, "Commander Che, could it be that Dice Monster did it, and then abducted you to stuff a parasitic worm into your body?"


    Upon hearing this, Che Zhengchen let out a long exhale, speaking calmly and unhurriedly.


    "Regarding those parasites, the Superhero Association has already internally announced the progress of the investigation today, stating that the parasites will not target superhumans. Therefore, they conducted tests on every non-superhuman commander and ordinary staff members in the association to confirm they were not infected by the parasites." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He paused, "I am also a normal person, so I was included in the association''s testing list. Fortunately, the test showed no signs of parasitic infection in my body."


    "Then, since it''s unrelated to the parasites and there has been no change in your body, what exactly did Dice Monster capture you for?"


    Blue Owl pondered with a tone full of confusion.


    "I don''t know, maybe it was reminding me to change my glasses; it just so happens that I''ve been wearing that pair for a long time."


    Saying that, Che Zhengchen laughed self-deprecatingly and continued, "It was a gift from my son, that is... Qing Ya. When he earned his first paycheck from the Superhero Association, he bought those glasses as a gift for me. Over the years, even though my vision has deteriorated quite a bit, I never changed glasses."


    Blue Owl was taken aback upon hearing this, almost biting his hands in frustration, thinking to himself how cruel it was to throw away the glasses gifted by someone''s son who was dismembered, and even suggesting he get a new pair.


    Is this what a person would do?


    It''s a pure hellish joke if there ever was one...


    Both men in the office fell silent for a moment, and just as Blue Owl was about to express his opinion and soothe the feelings of this grieving father, he was interrupted by Che Zhengchen.


    "Actually, getting a new pair of glasses might be quite nice, at least the prescription would be correct."


    Che Zhengchen spoke with a self-deprecating tone, lightening the mood.


    Seeing this, Blue Owl quickly shifted the topic to prevent the atmosphere from turning stiff again.


    "Then, Commander Che, what are the official measures in response to those parasites? Surely we can''t have everybody undergo surgery to extract the worms, right?"


    "That would be impossible, it''s too labor-intensive, and Huanjing''s medical personnel can''t cope with such a task," said Che Zhengchen, "Moreover, concerning those parasites, we now have a non-invasive method of removal: They seem to be very afraid of noise, so they can be forced out of the host''s body using a sonar-based ultrasonic device. After that, they can be eradicated en masse."


    Blue Owl thought for a while and said, "Could this device be used in broadcasts? If all the infected people in the city heard those sounds, wouldn''t the worms inside them all come out at once?"


    "Still not possible. That would cause large-scale chaos, and expelling the worms isn''t that simple. According to the association, a series of precise operations are necessary to extract the worms, and just spreading the sound through a broadcast isn''t going to force them out."


    Blue Owl clasped his hands together on his chair and leaned back against the chair back, sighing.


    "I understand. So what are we supposed to do? We can''t just reenact ''Dawn of the Dead'' or ''Resident Evil 10'' in the city in a few days, can we?"


    With such a question, Che Zhengchen could only reply helplessly, "We''re left with no choice but to use the dumbest method, letting the public undergo the device inspection one by one."


    "But there are so many people in Huanjing. If those infected hide at home and don''t come out for testing, won''t we still be unable to find them?"


    "That''s why it''s very troublesome," Che Zhengchen shook his head and sighed, "The headquarters is also still pondering solutions, but it''s not something for us to worry about."


    Blue Owl suggested, "Is there a possibility that instead of figuring out how to force the worms out of people, we should catch the person who first spread the worms and find a way to immobilize the parasites from him?"


    Che Zhengchen nodded, "That''s the most practical approach, but currently, we have no leads. The association is tracking with all its might, and it seems Qing Ya has also become involved in this matter."


    Is Dad also here? I''d really feel secure then, no matter how strong the Blood Clan Hunters behind Gastella are, my side''s fighting power should be no less than theirs.


    Blue Owl thought to himself.


    "Let''s not talk about that anymore, let''s discuss the first reason I sought you out."


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl looked up from behind his glasses at Che Zhengchen, "What is it?"


    "This." Che Zhengchen said, pulling out a card encased in a protective sleeve from a drawer and pushing it forward to Blue Owl, then rested his folded hands on his chin and watched him with a smile, "This is your ID card. Congratulations, from today onwards you are a member of the Superhero Association, E-class superhero: Blue Owl."


    Blue Owl took the ID card and glanced down at it.


    Just as the internet had said, a special material was used for the recognition code at the top of the card, making it extremely difficult to forge Association ID cards since the method for crafting that peculiar material was kept in the hands of the higher-ups in the Association.


    "What can this card do?" Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    As he asked, he flipped the card over: the front bore his codename, sequence code in the Association, and hero level; the back featured the classic logo of the Superhero Association: "S¡¤H¡¤A".


    "It allows you free entry and exit from the Association without needing permission from the Commander, which is me. At the same time, you can log into the official Superhero Association APP with your ID card. On the APP, you can befriend superheroes from around the world, chat and interact with them in the forums set up by the Association, and receive notifications of missions instantly."


    Che Zhengchen took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, then slowly introduced the features.


    "With enough mission points, you can also exchange them for currency and advanced combat equipment, genetic enhancement drugs, and so on through the APP''s store."


    Blue Owl raised his eyebrows: "Genetic enhancement drugs?"


    Che Zhengchen''s face remained expressionless up until that point, but now he got excited, thinking that perhaps the genetic enhancement drugs could be used to upgrade his panel stats.


    "They are drugs used to increase the physical strength of Superpower Users or mutants." Che Zhengchen explained with a smile, "Don''t worry, they''re very safe. It''s just that they can''t be mass-produced, so the Association encourages heroes to exchange mission points for them: the more you work, the more you earn."


    Blue Owl let out a surprised ''Oh'', then asked, "So there must be a limit to the effects of those enhancers, right?"


    "Of course." Che Zhengchen gave an example, "For someone as strong as Qing Ya, they''ve probably already reached the limit of what enhancers can do."


    "Okay, I''ve got a rough idea."


    Blue Owl nodded, thinking gleefully to himself: they''ll be ineffective once someone reaches A-class superhuman status, so until then, I can keep enhancing my three attributes by using genetic enhancement drugs. Compared to other players, I''ve got another advantage.


    "Besides, the Superhero Association APP has many more functions, you''ll figure them out in time." Che Zhengchen added.


    "All right." Blue Owl paused, "But you won''t use the APP to find out my phone''s location, right? Wouldn''t that leave my identity nowhere to hide?"


    Che Zhengchen shook his head: "Not to that extent. The APP is highly secretive, only the founders of the Superhero Association can access location information. Unless it''s an emergency, they usually don''t do that."


    Blue Owl, still not completely reassured, said, "I understand. Let''s leave it at that."


    "Then there''s one last thing." Che Zhengchen crossed his arms and rested them on his chin, "Would you like me to be your Commander, Blue Owl?"


    Blue Owl raised his eyebrows, casting an amused look at the other: "What kind of question is that? Of course. If you hadn''t come to find me, I''d probably still be playing the part of a vigilante."


    "Then... from today on, you are officially a member of the Platinum Wing Squad." Che Zhengchen said with a smile, "The other three are waiting for you outside the office, go out and have a chat with them."

 Chapter 181 What, Your Sister is Also a Magic Girl?

    Blue Owl pulled out a spare phone from his pocket and then obtained the Superhero Association''s dedicated APP from Che Zhengchen. After clicking download, he turned off the phone and stepped out of the office.


    He casually closed the electronic metal door and turned his head, only to see Bai Yi, dressed in a silver-white battlesuit, leaning against the wall with arms folded, waiting for him. The plume mask on his face made his profile clear and sharp.


    "It''s just me today," Bai Yi said, glancing at him with a half-smile. "Shall we take off our battlesuits and go out for coffee, or maybe visit the nearby art gallery?"


    He paused, "It''s quite boring staying in the Superhero Association cafeteria every day, and the food isn''t that great either."


    "Not a bad idea," Blue Owl remarked casually. "But if we go, I''ll be in this uniform; it doesn''t matter if you wear yours, but I might cause you trouble."


    "Just like Commander Che said, you don''t want to remove your mask in front of others, do you?" Bai Yi laughed. "I understand that if our true identities were known to the enemy, they could easily target our loved ones. But to still insist on wearing the mask in front of your own teammates... isn''t that a bit strange?"


    He paused again, "Or perhaps, you don''t trust us?"


    "That''s not it," Blue Owl tilted his head slightly, replying offhandedly, "I have my reasons, which have nothing to do with you. As for what those reasons are... I have no comment."


    Having said that, he moved past Bai Yi and headed towards the elevator direction.


    To tell the truth, after much deliberation, within the Superhero Association, he still decided he would only reveal his true identity to Qing Ya and Che Zhengchen;


    As for the three teammates in his squad, he would wait and see how things went.


    After all, Mech Pioneer was a mechanically enhanced being, and an informant sent by the Management Bureau. If he exposed his identity to Bai Yi and the Nun, there was a high chance they might inadvertently inform Mech Pioneer.


    This was a scenario Ke Mingye did not want to see.


    Even with his older brother watching over the situation at the Management Bureau, Ke Mingye always felt that the Bureau''s people were not very reliable, and there were a plethora of indescribable species at his home: a Dragon of Calamity, vampires...


    If Ke Mingye''s identity were to be exposed, it might implicate Ke Yongzhu and Bai Ziling.


    If the Management Bureau found out that he was harboring these two creatures, they might descend upon his home in full force, not to mention that they were already planning to make a move against Bai Qiuwu.


    If things got complicated, and it alarmed his mother, he didn''t even dare imagine what would happen. The last incident in Wanxiang City was lucky as it coincided with his mother''s vacation; next time, he might not be so fortunate.


    Ke Mingye certainly did not want to see what a rampage by this alien on Earth would look like. Maybe the identity he had carefully concealed for so long would be blown by his mother in one go, affecting the whole family...


    "Well, alright... after all, everyone has their secrets," Bai Yi said as he paused, withdrew his gaze from Blue Owl''s retreating back, lowered his eyes, and added, "Did you know, I have a sister who''s a Magic Girl."


    On hearing this, Blue Owl stopped in his tracks.


    He slowly turned his head, his eyes calmly fixed on Bai Yi for several seconds, before he said, "Uh... Magic Girl, I didn''t mishear you, did I?"


    "No, you didn''t," Bai Yi smiled.


    "Oh... Having a Magic Girl as a sister at home must be quite an experience, huh?"


    While saying this aloud, Blue Owl thought: Could it be true, did I just encounter a fellow compatriot?


    Having a Magic Girl for a sister at home is really a nightmare! Especially since her codename is ''Ash''! She''s a tough fighter outside, but a little tyrant at home, using flying kicks to settle disputes, and it''s like living in hell, right?!


    Bai Yi smiled slightly, "It''s not really a secret. Magical Girl Rainbow, you''ve heard of her, haven''t you?"


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl froze for a couple of seconds, then slowly nodded.


    Oh no, isn''t Magical Girl Rainbow a teammate of our friend Xiaohongmao? He thought. Should I tell him his sister seems a bit lesbian? She''s always so close to Magical Girl Feng, it looks like her eyes are about to stick on the other Magic Girl...


    While thinking, he said, "I have, she''s quite active in Huanjing. I often see her in the news on TV. She usually operates together with Ash and Feng, right?"


    "Right, Magical Girl Rainbow is my sister. In fact, our parents passed away a long time ago; she and I rely on each other, so she is the only family I have," said Bai Yi, his gaze lowered as he spoke slowly.


    "She''s really strong, even stronger than me. So what I said earlier about ''wearing a mask to protect my family'' is kind of bullshit. It would be more accurate to say she wears a mask to protect me..."


    "Dude, seriously, stop feeling inferior," Ke Mingye thought. "My sister, Magic Girl, is still at B-level combat power. Your sister is only at C-level, which is the same rank as yours. With a bit of effort, overtaking her shouldn''t be hard."


    He didn''t quite understand that machismo mentality of "I must be stronger than my sister to protect her." He was the sort who would gladly idle away if he could, regardless of whom he was with, devoid of so much sentimental angst and unnecessary competitive spirit.


    Though he thought this, it would be the end of any future collegial relationship if he said it out loud.


    So Blue Owl considered it for a while, then said quite considerately, "Uh... dude, I think I can guess what you''re thinking. You want to be stronger than your sister so you can protect her, right?"


    Bai Yi neither confirmed nor denied but simply continued speaking.


    "Actually, I was quite inferior before I awakened my superpower: I was disabled, and in the same car accident that took my parents, my legs were completely paralyzed. My sister had to go to school every day, take care of my daily needs, and then at night, she had to fight dangerous criminals as a Magic Girl. Compared to her, I was like a useless person. Can you understand how I felt?"


    "Hmm..." Blue Owl nodded, "That must have been really tough."


    "So I''m grateful for this gift called ''superpower.'' It restored my legs to how they were before the accident, even made them stronger, and it even gave me a pair of wings." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Yi said this, then laughed self-deprecatingly: "I often used to think how nice it would be if I could fly like a bird. When my sister saw me sitting on the rooftop staring at the sky, she was scared, thinking I was contemplating suicide, and she quickly dragged me back into the house."


    As he spoke, he sighed, hugged one shoulder with one hand, and rubbed the tip of his nose with the other, before continuing.


    "Now I''m finally qualified to stand up. The wheelchair I''d usually sit in felt like a coffin to me. It wasn''t easy to get out of that coffin. I hope I can fly higher and farther, to become someone my sister can be proud of, not... a worthless person who could only rely on her to live."


    Blue Owl fell silent for a moment before speaking: "Why are you telling me all this?"


    At the question, Bai Yi slowly lifted his eyes and looked at Blue Owl through the feathered mask, smiling faintly as he spoke.


    "I just want to say that we all have our unspeakable difficulties. But since we''re both in the same team, and I''m the team''s captain, it''s my responsibility to bring our relationship closer. Since I''m willing to share my story with you, I hope that one day you''ll also be willing to share your true identity and background with us so that we can truly trust each other."


    Please... If this guy is serious, then he''s a bit of a naive idealist, maybe too blunt and simplistic. Is it because he''s been out of touch with society for too long due to being disabled and confined to his home?


    But if he really is like this, without any pretense, then perhaps forming a deeper bond with him wouldn''t lead to a stab in the back.


    Thinking thus, Blue Owl bowed his head and touched the beak at his philtrum, and after a long pause, said, "I''ll consider it. Thanks for thinking so much about the team."


    He paused, then added, "And..."


    "What?"


    "You are already someone your sister can be proud of."


    After dropping this line with a tone neither warm nor cold, Blue Owl immediately turned and entered the open elevator, to avoid the awkwardness of standing there, frozen by his own motivational words.


    Behind him, Bai Yi paused for a couple of seconds, his gaze unwavering on Blue Owl''s retreating figure. As the elevator doors slowly closed and ascended, the red-and-blue silhouette disappeared from his view.


    He slightly bowed his head, then let out a soft chuckle.


    .....


    ......


    At this very moment, inside the glass-walled elevator.


    Blue Owl gazed down at the city through the glass wall, bowing his head and letting out a long sigh of relief.


    He thought, so the captain is trying to do some self-strategy? Are the thoughts of these kids, who hardly interact with society and rush to be superheroes right after getting their powers, really this pure?


    Just then, a message bubble popped up in the upper right corner of his field of vision. Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    [Cai Bing: Spider Man, you there?]


    Ke Mingye raised his eyebrows, leaning against the glass wall, and replied with his mind.


    [Failed Man: What''s up, have you found Gastella''s location yet?]

 Chapter 182 Bai Yi Squad vs. Dice Monster (Part 1)

    [Cai Bing: No, I haven''t located Gastella yet. She''s hidden very well, barely appearing under surveillance.]


    The glass curtain wall elevator carrying Qing Ya reached the bottom, and as he walked out of Superhero Tower, he mentally replied to Cai Bing''s message.


    [Failed Man: Alright, I guessed as much that she wouldn''t be easy to find.] S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Failed Man: So, what do you want from me?]


    [Cai Bing: Fan Quan and I have discussed it, and we both don''t recommend that you meet with Gastella.]


    [Cai Bing: Talk to him for the details, I won''t waste my breath. I still have to go to work, such a hassle.]


    Qing Ya heaved a slight sigh, opened Fan Quan''s chat panel, typed a message, and sent it.


    [Failed Man: What''s your great insight, cultured man?]


    [Fan Quan: I''ve said it, don''t meet with her tomorrow.]


    [Fan Quan: You''ve said it yourself, she didn''t make a move against you and Paranoid in the caf¨¦ last time because Black Judge was nearby; this time, she''s likely to attack you, and regardless of the outcome, it won''t be in your favor.]


    [Fan Quan: You should know she has less than a month left. If she can''t find the vampire sister in your family, she''ll die because of the Blood Clan Oath.]


    [Fan Quan: In such a scenario, how could she possibly have a friendly conversation with you and wait for you to scout for her?]


    [Fan Quan: She''s more likely to just take you and get what she wants through forceful means; if that fails, to hold you captive to lure out other players. For her, that''s definitely the better choice... In fact, if I were in her shoes, I, or you, would definitely do the same. Nothing is more important than one''s own life, and that also goes for relationships with other players.]


    [Failed Man: I know.]


    [Fan Quan: Of course, you might say, ''In the worst case, I can detonate the puppet and break free at any time.''], but if Gastella hears the sound of the puppet exploding, she''ll naturally realize Dice Monster is you.]


    [Fan Quan: After all, someone has recorded a video of Dice Monster exploding before. That laugh can''t be unique anymore. Once she investigates, she''ll know.]


    [Fan Quan: If the background of Dice Monster is exposed, it will lead to many clues. If Gastella publicly declares ''Dice Monster is a player,'' then from now on, you can forget about working with your family. They all know you''re aiming to exterminate Superhumans, and knowing your true intentions, how could they still be fooled by you?]


    [Failed Man: That, I''m aware of.]


    [Failed Man: Gastella is testing my depth, and I''m doing the same with hers. If she doesn''t bring any members of those vampire organizations, she alone won''t be able to catch me. Just dealing with players, I''m ninety-nine percent confident I can win against her, or at the very least, escape from her clutches.]


    [Fan Quan: What if she really brings those Blood Clan Hunters, even one A-rank, you can''t escape from them.]


    [Failed Man: Then I''ll also bring people, let''s see whose team is stronger. This is one of the few chances I can leverage the gap in intelligence. She doesn''t know I have a bunch of tough guys at home.]


    [Fan Quan: That makes sense, then who do you plan to bring?]


    [Failed Man: That''s my own issue, you don''t need to worry about it.]


    [Fan Quan: If you don''t have ninety percent certainty, then I''ll say it again, avoid her for the time being. Understand your position versus hers; she''s the offense, you''re the defense: if she can''t find a vampire within a month, her heart will stop; but you don''t have that restriction, you just need to hide, not attack proactively.]


    [Failed Man: No, I do have a limitation.]


    [Fan Quan: What are you referring to?]


    [Failed Man: The limitation is, if my family captures Gastella alive, I have a ninety-nine percent chance of being exposed.]


    [Failed Man: If she confesses to official personnel that ''in this city, there is a player hiding a vampire in their home,'' and gives up that once-a-month usable Book of Prophecy, then following these two leads, my family will quickly realize Bai Ziling is actually that vampire.]


    [Failed Man: Then, after a thorough investigation at home, they''ll immediately know I''m that player.]


    [Fan Quan: You have a point. It seems your situation is no easier than Gastella''s. You''ll have to find Gastella faster than your family.]


    [Failed Man: No, I''m staying at home, so I''m very aware of every single person''s actions and have already infiltrated their organization with several aliases.]


    [Failed Man: I don''t need to ensure that I find Gastella faster than they do, I just need to make sure that after they catch Gastella, before Gastella can spill the information, I find a way to deal with her. That''s enough.]


    [Fan Quan: That''s very difficult. What if your ninja bro or Qing Ya takes her away? How are you going to find her then? You can''t keep up with those two, let alone find them.]


    [Fan Quan: And what about killing Gastella right under their watchful eyes?]


    [Failed Man: I have a tracking device, Anchor Sunglasses. I can track them when they are at home, so I''m not afraid of losing them.]


    [Failed Man: As for how to kill Gastella, my skill speciality is surprise; it''s not without a chance.]


    [Fan Quan: Even so, the difficulty is still high.]


    [Failed Man: It is high. But I can''t leave my fate in the hands of others and just wait for death at home.]

 Chapter 182 Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 1)_2

    [Fan Quan: After analyzing the situation like this, you''re completely stuck now. Whether you take the initiative to attack or stay hidden, there''s a high chance your identity will be revealed because of Gastella.]


    [Fan Quan: Hey, to be honest, I think there''s a high probability that you''re really done for this time. She''s like divine punishment sent to deal with you. Why not just resort to the worst-case scenario?]


    [Failed Man: What''s the worst-case scenario?]


    [Fan Quan: Abandon the identity of Ke Mingye. Then use the No. 7 instance card to board the train at the abandoned train station in the Old Jingmai District and make a getaway, moving to another operational base.]


    [Fan Quan: You could stay near Tokyo, using the Deception Puppet and Ju Zipi to play the role of Cowherd, while your actual self grinds instances on the Tokyo side. Doesn''t that sound pretty good?]


    [Fan Quan: Moreover, considering the current situation, it''s unlikely that the Black Tengu Club will fall, so it''s safe there.]


    [Failed Man: Cut it out. If I''m really going to abandon the identity of Ke Mingye, then what was the point of hiding out this long at home?] Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Fan Quan: Look on the bright side, it''s better to give up your Huanjing identity now and lie low in Japan for a year than to be caught, spill the beans about the Japanese branch''s affairs, and drag the Black Tengu Club and Ju Zipi down with you. Sure, you''ll be lacking a powerful network, but it won''t be too bad. At least you''ll be alive.]


    [Failed Man: Although it makes sense, I refuse. It''s too lame to admit defeat before the battle even starts.]


    [Fan Quan: There''s a term in psychology called "sunk cost". You''re probably experiencing that right now, feeling that you''ve put so much effort into your disguise, you''re reluctant to easily give up the identity of "the fourth son of Bai Ke''s home".]


    [Fan Quan: But really, it''s only been a month, so it''s not a sunken cost. It''s time to cut your losses. After this Gastella incident, I think your chances of survival are less than thirty percent.]


    [Failed Man: Thirty percent is enough for me, let me take a gamble.]


    [Failed Man: If I get caught, then you remember to notify Ju Zipi and the Anti-Superhuman Organization in Japan to evacuate Kabukicho as soon as possible, so they don''t get dragged down by me.]


    Fan Quan was silent for a long time before replying to his message.


    [Fan Quan: I see your point, with your stubbornness, I never really thought I could persuade you.]


    [Fan Quan: Let''s agree in advance then, we can''t afford to take the risk with you. Helping you to this extent is already the limit. Not to mention that you''ve made Gastella shift her focus onto me.]


    [Failed Man: Even if you hadn''t reached out to me, I would have made it clear to you and the others as soon as possible. I''m aware of my situation.]


    [Fan Quan: Cai Bing will still keep in touch with you. If she locates Gastella through the monitors, she''ll inform you immediately; the rest of us will stay away from Huanjing, to avoid entanglement with Gastella.]


    [Fan Quan: That''s it. I have nothing else to say.]


    [Failed Man: Okay, you better get out of Huanjing fast. Gastella''s parasites have probably spread throughout the entire city, her eyes are everywhere.]


    [Fan Quan: I know, just take care of yourself.]


    After sending that message, Blu Owl glanced around to make sure no one was following him or that there weren''t one or two crows flying overhead, then turned and entered an alley.


    He activated the invisibility feature of his nocturnal belt and soon returned to the abandoned train station in the Old Jingmai District.


    Today, Ke Mingye, when playing Blu Owl, used his real body, not a Deception Puppet, so at present, there was no one waiting for him on the platform.


    Since his second brother and elder sister were almost certain of his identity, at this point in time, it was best to switch to his real body.


    Even if those Blood Clan Hunters were formidable, he was confident in Ke Xiaomo. Even if there was someone his second brother couldn''t defeat, his second brother could carry him and easily escape. Never underestimate a ninja''s evasion tactics.


    So, even if Ke Xiaomo tracked him to this train station, it was no big deal.


    Moreover, Ke Mingye had already warned Fan Quan and the others in advance.


    He had said not to leave any items or evidence related to the players at this train station, to avoid that sullen second brother coming over to search the place someday, and discovering any clues.


    Ke Mingye''s spare cell phone, the Magic Girl Alliance ID card, and the like were tucked into the Magic Book of Xiaohongmao.


    Now, if they were still stored in the platform locker, that would be far too dangerous. The chance of discovery by his second brother was as high as ninety-nine percent.


    "So, I''m meeting Gastella tomorrow. I need to prepare tonight," Ke Mingye thought while taking off the Blu Owl battle suit.


    He folded the suit neatly and stored it in the locker on the platform, closing the door with a "clang", then shifted and sat down on a public wooden bench next to the locker.


    Ke Mingye looked up at the sky and exhaled.


    He didn''t know what he was clinging to. If it were a smart person, they would have thought about how to leave Huanjing the moment Gastella appeared, instead of thinking of ways to oppose her.


    Am I worried about Bai Ziling? he thought mockingly, or unwilling to have worked so hard on the disguise, for it all to be undone overnight?


    Ke Mingye didn''t dwell on his thoughts, but instead pulled out his phone from his pocket and, pretending to play with it, opened the backpack interface.

 Chapter 182 Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 1)_3

    He gently tapped on "Detachable Giant Spider Legs" with his finger, and several options popped up.


    First, he opened the [Equipment Preview Screen] to confirm if the appearance and functionality of these two biomechanical spider legs were as he had imagined.


    In the preview screen, the scapula of an ordinary office worker suddenly cracked open, and two spider legs as thick as human limbs extended from the slits in the skin. They were 1.5 meters long and could even continue to grow.


    In the function demonstration, the two giant spider legs were planted on the ground, lifting the office worker''s body into the air with a powerful force, enabling him to avoid a hail of bullets coming from below.


    Then another scene was demonstrated: the adult utilized the two giant spider legs to traverse the surface of a skyscraper. The spider legs were incredibly adhesive, sticking to the glass curtain wall without loosening. Thus, the office worker climbed from one corner of the high-rise to the rooftop, where the two spider legs latched onto the railing, lifting his body high to enjoy the sensation of being bathed in the sunset''s afterglow.


    The final function demonstration scene was a combat scenario: the office worker stood in the middle of the street, cursing and rushing towards the superhero Qing Ya with his briefcase while two spider legs exploded from his scapulae, crisscrossing to strangle Qing Ya to death.


    "Please... is my old man that easy to kill? Can we change to another superhero model for the demonstration?" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye watched disdainfully as Qing Ya knelt in the training screen, his lips twitching slightly as he couldn''t help but criticize inwardly.


    However, after such a demonstration, he was pretty clear about the capabilities of the spider legs, which were not far off from what he had envisioned. They would be immensely helpful in enhancing both his combat abilities and mobility.


    After confirming all was correct, Ke Mingye clicked on the [Enhance] option, and a confirmation panel immediately flashed in front of him.


    [Your current balance is: 23,300 Mall Coins. Would you like to spend 20,000 Mall Coins to evolve "Detachable Giant Spider Legs" into "Mechanical Spider Legs" (B+ grade equipment)?]


    [Introduction: After the equipment enhancement, the number of spider legs will increase from 2 to 4. Their strength, agility, and toughness are all significantly improved, and they gain the ability to self-repair.]


    "Confirm."


    [Equipment upgrade successful. Please check your inventory.]


    [Your Mall Coin balance: 3,300 coins]


    "So, there''s no way I''m letting blue owl test out this equipment, not with dad and my older brother later questioning the source of the gear," Ke Mingye thought. "So let''s just let strange thing have some fun tonight and test out how strong this thing really is."


    He took a deep breath, closed all the panels, and as he pocketed his phone, he got up from the public bench and walked towards the exit of the train station. Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    ....


    ....


    Time slipped away like sand through the fingers, and soon Huanjing welcomed another bustling and lavish night.


    In the exhibition area of Huanjing Tower, Dice Monster shifted on the railing, pulling out the B+ grade [Mechanical Spider Legs] from his bag.


    The next moment, with the scapula glowing a grayish halo cracked open, and four gleaming, cold metallic mechanical spider legs violently sprang from four narrow slits, unfurling behind him like the claws of a specter, exuding a wildly ferocious aura.


    Dice Monster glanced back at the four mechanical legs behind him, then turned his head forward, lifting his hollow eyes to stare at the brightly lit city in the night wind, his mouth slowly curving into a sinister smirk.


    "So let''s see... which unlucky soul will become my test subject."

 Chapter 183 Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 2)

    "Oh? Here it appears now,"


    The Dice Monster mumbled to itself while swinging its legs on the railing.


    With great interest, it widened its hollow eyes and gazed towards one of the offices in the "KQA Overseas Trade Company" building.


    With the Dice Monster''s powerful vision, it could clearly see that inside the office, an employee in a work uniform suddenly stood up from his computer, clutching his head and hysterically screaming at the ceiling.


    The other employees sitting nearby scattered, staring at him in terror.


    The next moment, the man''s work uniform began to tear apart, and one by one, stark white bone-made spikes started to densely protrude from his body, making him look like a giant hedgehog.


    "An office, huh? No wonder. Sigh, is this the trouble with being a corporate slave, who doesn''t go mad working?"


    The Dice Monster didn''t rush to take action and instead seemed to feel suddenly disheartened, sitting on the railing and silently observing for a moment.


    As a superhuman rampage accident occurred in the 23rd-floor office of the "KQA Overseas Trade Company," it seemed the police had been alerted, and the nearby Superhero Tower also quickly responded.


    "Oh ho, so what''s next... It''s the beloved time for superheroes~"


    Whistling a cheery tune, the Dice Monster turned its gaze toward the Superhero Tower, which towered like a giant in the center of the neon world.


    The glass curtain wall on the 22nd floor of the Superhero Tower suddenly opened up, and a superhero wearing a silver-white battle suit and a feathered mask grabbed another person in a red and blue battle suit and flew out of the Superhero Tower, speeding toward the trade company like a bolt of lightning beneath the night sky.


    Shortly after, a figure in a nun''s habit raised her arms, enveloping herself and another figure, who had undergone mechanical modifications, in a layer of teal telekinesis, carrying him along as they followed the two superheroes ahead.


    "I should get going now. By the time I arrive, they should be almost done fighting."


    Thinking this, the Dice Monster leaned forward towards the bottom of Huanjing Tower and then gracefully shot out a strand of web toward the spire of a nearby clock tower as it began to fall.


    Humming a tune, it held onto the web with both hands and swung toward a nearby skyscraper.


    Amid the howling wind, just as it was about to collide with the fashion advertisement board on the surface of the high-rise, the four mechanical spider legs on its back suddenly reached forward, their tips grasping the surface of the advertisement like the claws of a three-fingered robot, steadying the Dice Monster''s figure.


    Though it seemed as stable as an old dog, the Dice Monster''s action still made a loud "snap," which overpowered the sounds of the loudspeakers and hawkers on the food street below.


    In the colorful and bustling Hongdeng Commercial District,


    Hearing such a loud noise, everybody lifted their heads, looking up at the grey humanoid figure sprawled on the advertisement board in an inelegant pose, and its protruding rear end.


    "Cough, cough cough..."


    Feeling the gazes from behind, the Dice Monster coughed awkwardly, then using the spider legs attached to its scapulae, it slowly turned around in mid-air.


    With hands on hips and hollow eyes looking down, it addressed the crowd that was watching from the street below.


    "Have you seen the fashion advertisement behind me? It''s all nonsense; I hope everyone doesn''t fall into such empty consumer traps. Clothes are not necessarily good because they''re expensive, understand?"


    The Dice Monster shook its head and sighed, slowly speaking.


    "So next up, Mr. Dice Monster''s summer fashion advice: actually, anything is fine, but I hate red and blue outfits, especially the one worn by a certain owl, it''s just nauseating."


    Upon hearing this, even the bystanders below couldn''t help but burst into laughter. Nowadays, everyone knew that the Dice Monster didn''t actually harm innocent people.


    Even after capturing Commander Che Zhengchen, it released him without a scratch and even gave him some tips on choosing glasses, which was extremely odd.


    However, it was precisely because of such surprising and puzzling playful acts that many on the internet had become its fans.


    Their greatest pleasure every day was to sit in front of their computers or TVs, to see what kind of mischief the playful troublemaker would create tonight before going to bed.


    So now, seeing the Dice Monster in person, these people felt curiosity, not fear.


    "Well, although Mr. Strange Thing would like to leave you with more fashion advice, I must go. Otherwise, mommy will spank me."


    As it spoke, the four Mechanical Spider Legs behind the Dice Monster abruptly moved, climbing up the wall at high speed, and within seconds it had reached the top of the building.


    The Dice Monster casually waved at the onlookers gazing up at it while the Mechanical Legs pushed it further away, disappearing from their sight.


    In the whipping wind beneath the dark night sky, its face was caressed by the cold breezes, and the city lights grew more distant in its empty eyes. Then, leaping from the railing at the top of the skyscraper, it shot webs toward another building''s wind barrier and swung towards the far end of the city.


    Its target was the "KQA Overseas Trade Company," which was currently engulfed in a fierce battle.


    .......


    ......


    On the other side, inside the "KQA Overseas Trade Company," on the 23rd-floor office.


    The four members of the Superhero Squad "Bai Yi" received the superhuman crime alert and immediately rushed to the trade company''s office.


    Platinum Wing arrived on the scene in less than half a minute, flapping his wings to dive down, breaking through the window, and amidst the tinkling scattering of glass, he released his tight hold on Blue Owl''s shoulders.


    Thud!


    Blue Owl tumbled to the ground, rolling amidst the shards of glass, and sighed, looking up at Bai Yi with irritation.


    "Man, buddy, next time you let go, can you pick a better spot?"


    As he spoke, he looked down at his body. Fortunately, the material of his combat suit, although not great, was thick enough to prevent being cut or punctured by the glass shards.


    Bai Yi then folded his wings and landed, giving him an awkward smile, "Sorry, my bad, my bad. Next time I''ll make sure to warn you first."


    "Forget it, how come the nun is so slow?"


    Blue Owl brushed the glass fragments off his backside, asking him as he did so.


    "She''s skilled at telekinetic flight, but not at flying with someone else, especially since Vanguard is quite heavy,"


    Bai Yi explained. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this very moment, the employees in the office had all curled up in the corner, while the "hedgehog man" covered in bone spikes was about to commit violence against them.


    "You don''t understand, because I''m a superhuman, you discriminate against me... target me everywhere."


    The bone man said in a deep voice.


    "You don''t understand how hard my life is, how many years I''ve spent to get the government to recognize me as a harmless superhuman, but it''s no use... You still look at me with those eyes!"


    His face was obscured by layers of bone spikes, looking particularly ferocious. The employees were just screaming in fear. Nobody was paying attention to what he was saying.


    "Isn''t this Junmaro?" Blue Owl said.


    "Oh, you like Naruto too?" Bai Yi asked.


    Amid their conversation, Blue Owl had already advanced, darting forward with a quick step to close the distance with the bone man.


    Just as the bone man was about to lift the bone blade on his right arm and behead a colleague, his figure suddenly disappeared from the spot, and in his place, Blue Owl appeared at that position.


    Phase Transfer.


    An incredibly versatile skill, useful for saving or harming others; the above was an example of its use to save someone.


    Of course, apart from saving people, Blue Owl had another purpose for switching places with the bone man.


    Bai Yi had anticipated this, and the instant the bone man appeared right in front, he spread his wings, launching a torrential downpour of sharp feathers from the massive bird wings.


    In the blink of an eye, each feather, like the edge of a knife, shot straight towards the bone man''s body. The bone man suddenly raised his arms covered with bone blades, crossing them to protect his front.


    Yet, his figure was still pushed back several meters, smashing straight into the edge of an office desk and a desktop computer''s tower. Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    Some of the feathers pierced into his body, drawing blood; others were deflected by the solid bone blades, clanging loudly.


    The next moment, the bone man, with his arms crossed protectively in front of him, roared and charged forward, attempting to reach Bai Yi despite the onslaught of bird feathers and slash him in half.


    But just then, his body was suddenly shrouded in a deep, azure glow.


    The Telekinetic Nun had arrived.


    She stood amidst the shards of glass, expressionless, raising her right hand and applying a surging telekinetic force onto the bone man. His body, which had been lunging forward, instantly froze in place.


    "Ahhhhhh¡ª!!!"


    The bone man grimaced and moaned, struggling desperately against the telekinetic constraints.


    To draw an analogy, it was as if giant walls were closing in on him from both sides, steadily squeezing his body.


    He was trapped between these two walls, barely able to breathe, as if he would be crushed the next moment.


    At that instant.


    In front of him, the freshly landed Mechanical Vanguard charged like a bull, transforming his right arm into a deep blue chainsaw, the chain whirring to life as it swung towards the bone man''s left arm;


    Behind him, Blue Owl''s right fist, wrapped in a metal glove, blazed with fiery flames. He stepped forward, punching with a fist engulfed in strong winds and raging flames towards the bone man''s right arm.


    In the next instant, both of the bone man''s arms were severed simultaneously, flying off into the sky. Under the pressure of the telekinetic force, he was powerless to resist and collapsed to the ground with a thud.


    He spat out a mouthful of blood and then passed out on the spot.


    Seeing this, Blue Owl breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and walked towards the edge of the office. He spoke to the people sitting on the ground, their faces contorted with fear,


    "Hey, you all okay?"


    As he spoke, he paused briefly, then leaned down and added, "What I really want to say is, workplace bullying is unacceptable. I hope you''ll learn your lesson and treat your colleagues better in the future. Otherwise, today there''s this bone man; tomorrow, who knows if a gloomy, obese otaku might come in with a kitchen knife and chop you up like pigs. Got it?"


    The employees fell silent, the look in Blue Owl''s eyes behind his glasses wasn''t friendly but more like a warning.


    No sooner had he finished speaking than a loud crash echoed from behind him.


    Bang!


    Blue Owl swiftly turned around, only to see a figure cloaked in a grey aura forcefully kick through the window, bringing a heavy rain of glass shards swirling into the room.


    Then, in mid-air, the four Mechanical Spider Legs attached to its back unfolded, wrapping around the bone man''s neck and head.


    The next instant, all four Mechanical Spider Legs exerted force, and with a "crack," they twisted off the bone man''s head.


    Blood sprayed like a fountain, and amidst Blue Owl''s stunned gaze, it streamed from the severed neck of the bone man.


    It took a full two seconds for the bone man''s head to finally drop to the ground, landing with a "thud..." in a pool of blood.


    In the office, Bai Yi, the Nun, and Vanguard simultaneously froze, not immediately processing what had happened.


    The next moment, Dice Monster planted the tips of the Mechanical Spider Legs on the floor, carving four grooves into the silvery floor, while its body was held aloft.


    "Oh, is this the thrill of racking up kills? Awesome."


    As Dice Monster spoke, it slowly raised its head and gazed somberly at the members of the Bai Yi Squad.


    Licking the blood from the corner of its mouth, it mocked, "Don''t be shy, comrades of the Bai Yi Squad. I helped you butcher a criminal, saving you the trouble of him escaping from prison so you won''t have to send him back again. That would be stupid beyond measure... wouldn''t it?"

 Chapter 184 Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Three)

    KQA International Trade Company Building, 22nd floor, office.


    Shreds of paper and files danced in the air above the office, partitions between desks were completely shattered, and on the ground lay the carcasses of several desktop computers.


    Incandescent tubes in the ceiling dropped fragmented fireworks, while casting a ghastly white light downwards.


    The faces of the Bai Yi Squad members were inconsistent under the flickering lights, all showing shock and bewilderment.


    [Killed one E-class Superhuman; milestone recorded, total E-class Superhumans killed: 2.]


    Listening to the system prompt in his ear, Dice Monster slowly raised his head, curving his lips into a smile.


    The ends of his four mechanical legs, with "click clack" sounds, propped on the broken partitions between desks, lifting his body high.


    Seeing this, Blue Owl, while retreating, said to the employees huddling behind him, "Hurry and leave through that emergency passage over there; this guy is not on the same level as the skeleton creature from before."


    Hearing this, the employees nodded, quickly bent down, and shuffled along the wall toward the office, then scrambled into the emergency passage beside the elevator. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Without turning back, Dice Monster said, "Well done. Getting the civilians out means they won''t be involved in our fight, and the reputation of lord strange thing is saved."


    Then, the office was shrouded in momentary silence until the Blue Owl behind Dice Monster spoke slowly, breaking the silence.


    "You... you killed him, why did you do that?"


    "Well, I am a villain, isn''t that obvious?"


    Dice Monster spread his hands and said slowly.


    "Oh, Dice Monster doesn''t kill; Dice Monster never kills the innocent; Dice Monster just loves to cause trouble, but deep down, he''s not bad. Look at this world, everywhere there are labels. Everyone likes to stick labels on others, yet few really take the time to understand a person with their own eyes."


    He paused, his tone becoming stern, "Actually, I''m also a superhero. Following in the footsteps of my dad, I wanted to be that despised hero who thinks he''s so cool. Even when others call me a terrifying vigilante, I see myself as a lone hero in the dark alleys. None of them understand me; I only do what I think is right, yet always leave those murderers a thread of life¡ªeven that ghostly guy who ate children alive."


    He pressed his forehead and sighed deeply, "Oh my god, it''s disgustingly stupid."


    Lifting his head, he shrugged and continued, "Not like me. I never let murderers off the hook; that fake sympathy is so disgusting. Bastards deserve to be eradicated, chopped up and fed to pigs."


    Having said all this to himself, he genuinely puzzled the four superheroes of Bai Yi Squad.


    If they had to describe it, the villains they''d encountered before were either bloodthirsty or insane, but they had never seen such a bizarre character.


    It sounded like he was ranting, yet his tone was especially calm, like an outsider sitting on a sofa eating popcorn while commenting on something.


    However, as soon as the words fell, Dice Monster took advantage of everyone''s lack of reaction and pressed down his right hand hard, shooting out two strands of webbing from his right hand toward the Telekinesis Nun''s right hand, sticking to her left and right hands respectively.


    Dice Monster knew very well that the nun could only release her superpowers when her hands were free, so he controlled her hands first.


    By doing so, he could prevent her telekinesis, avoiding being suppressed by her.


    For him, the Telekinesis Nun was without a doubt the greatest threat in the Bai Yi Squad: telekinesis, that indefinable thing, is virtually invincible among Superpower Users. If he didn''t take her down swiftly, she would become a threat once she grew. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Next, Dice Monster pulled with all his strength on the webbing, drawing the nun towards his body.


    Meanwhile, he also released a one-time Skill Card "Poison Blood Spray" from his pack as a precaution.


    As expected, the Mechanical Pioneer immediately lifted his chainsaw next to the nun, the high-speed rotating chainsaw cutting through the webbing he shot out.


    But in the next instant, before the nun could even raise her right hand, she was hit by a stream of dark purple blood coming straight at her.


    In the last moment, she wrapped her abdomen with telekinesis, trying hard to counteract the impact of the blood, but her body was still sent flying dozens of meters.


    "Nun!"


    Bai Yi growled, swiftly flapping his wings to her side, and with concern, picked her up from the ground.


    "I''m poisoned..." The nun''s forehead beaded with perspiration as she lifted her trembling right hand to her abdomen, rasping, "But I can resist the poison with telekinesis. You guys finish the fight quickly, then take me back to the medical department of the Association Building."


    "Understood, then wait here for us for a bit."


    Bai Yi said gravely, slowly turning his head to look at Dice Monster, "Why... why are you doing this, what exactly is your purpose?"


    "You''re asking a wanted criminal, ''Why are you doing this''?"


    Dice Monster shook his head and continued, "It''s utterly ridiculous. Birdman brother, don''t you need an IQ test to be a superhero these days? Superhero Association sure is easygoing."


    "Shut up!"


    In the midst of speaking, Mechanical Pioneer and Blue Owl had already flanked Dice Monster from both front and back.

 Chapter 184 Bai Yi Squad vs Dice Monster (Part 3)_2

    The mechanical pioneer''s electric saw spat out scorching blue fireworks, with a fierce light flashing in his cybernetic eye;


    Blue owl''s left fist blazed with roaring flames, a deep blue arc lightning passing by the corner of his eye.


    However, Dice Monster merely used its four Mechanical Spider Legs to push off the ground, and its figure burst into the air like a spring without leaving a trace, simultaneously evading the attacks of both, the electric saw and Flame Fist brushing past.


    The tips of the mechanical legs clung tightly to the ceiling, keeping it firmly upright.


    It stood upside down in the air, feet on the ceiling, just like that it raised a forefinger, mockingly looking down at everyone with its hollow eyes.


    "So, next up is... Dice time."


    As the words fell, a red and black dice suddenly appeared in Dice Monster''s hand, which it promptly threw onto the office floor without hesitation.


    "Be careful!"


    Bai Yi shouted as he raised the right side of his wing, shooting out blade-like feathers at the parabolic path of the dice as it fell toward the floor.


    Blue owl had intended to smash the dice with his fist but, seeing this, he decisively dropped to the ground, narrowly avoiding calamity. The sharp feather rain brushed over his head, but it failed to shatter the red and black dice, not even causing a single crack on its surface. It remained unscathed.


    "It''s that hard?" Blue owl raised an eyebrow.


    The next moment, the dice knocked by the bird feathers flew towards the office''s blackboard, rebounding towards the silvery floor with a "clang" of metallic ringing.


    Ping...


    Pong...


    [D-level Skill "Catastrophic Dice" has been released, and the six events drawn from the event library are as follows¡ª


    Number ¢Ù: Cause a minor earthquake inside the office;


    Number ¢Ú: A herd of fast-moving alpacas appears inside the office;


    Number ¢Û: In 10 seconds, the office floor will suddenly crack open;


    Number ¢Ü: In 5 seconds, a mild rain will start falling inside the office;


    Number ¢Ý: Perform an indiscriminate bullet barrage inside the office;


    Number ¢Þ: Cover the walls of the office with indecent photographs.]


    The red and black dice stopped on the office floor, revealing that the first roll resulted in "¢Ý";


    Then, after a brief pause, it unnaturally gained upward momentum once more, bounding upwards and landing instantly. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The result of the second roll was "¢Þ".


    [Please choose between event ¢Ý and ¢Þ within three seconds. If no choice is made, the dice will automatically select one of the events to occur in reality.]


    Dice Monster, inverted on the ceiling, cocked its head and unhesitatingly picked a number.


    "¢Ý."


    [Event ¢Ý chosen: Perform an indiscriminate bullet barrage inside the office.]


    Immediately following, Dice Monster covered its body tightly with its four Mechanical Spider Legs, as if suddenly vanishing from the world, enclosed within this small, oval-shaped dark room.


    Blue owl, as if anticipating something, roared at Bai Yi and Mechanical Pioneer, "Take cover!"


    With that, he suddenly lunged to the ground and rolled under a desk, even picking up a piece of steel plate from the ground to hold over his head.


    Bai Yi stared blankly at the red and black dice, not knowing what would happen next, but instinctively returned to the nun''s side. He spread his enormous wings, draping them around his and the nun''s bodies, not leaving a single gap exposed.


    Mechanical Pioneer activated its defense mode, with metallic pieces seeping out all over its skin. Quickly, these metal pieces armored him like a freshly minted robot.


    The next instant, a torrential barrage of bullets fell from above, engulfing every desk, every shadow, every computer in the office.


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    "Bang bang bang bang¡ª!!"


    It was as if thousands of Gatling guns were firing from the sky, sparing no one.


    Thanks to its Mechanical Spider Legs, Dice Monster was able to escape unscathed from the sudden onslaught;


    The desk above Blue owl became riddled with holes in an instant, but luckily he had a steel plate in his hand, relying on it and the desk''s dual defense to barely fend off the barrage of bullets;


    Bai Yi hugged the nun tightly, his wings as firm as iron, completely shielding them from the falling bullets. Feathers crazily shed, scattering all over the floor like a heavy snowstorm;


    As for Mechanical Pioneer, there''s no need to mention, the metallic plates covering his body deflected every bullet, sparkling with the electric saw as they fell to the ground, creating a jarring metallic symphony.


    The next moment, when Mechanical Pioneer lowered the arm covering his head, he looked up to discover a dense cluster of spiders descending along the walls from the ceiling.


    They emitted a dark green poisonous mist, looking like a fast-moving toxic fog!


    "Hiss hiss hiss hiss¡ª!"


    The sibilant sound of spiders filled the office, grating on the ears.


    "Spiders?"


    Bai Yi saw that the bullet barrage had ended, immediately spreading his wings to peer out through the gaps, only to see this scene.


    However, by then the spiders had almost reached him and the nun, and it was too late to react.


    "Surprise."


    Dice Monster revealed only its head from the enclosure of its mechanical legs, uttering eerily as it hung upside down in the air.

 Chapter 184 Bai Yi Squad vs Dice Monster (Part 3)_3

    These spiders were created by him using the recently acquired Huanjing No.14 instance card, whose effect was: to create 10 toxic spiders to attack a specific target.


    The target chosen by the Dice Monster was naturally the telekinetic nun lying on the floor of the office, barely clinging to life.


    But just as the toxic spiders were about to crawl onto Bai Yi''s wings, the mechanical pioneer suddenly turned around, lifted his right arm, and his hand quickly transformed into a machine gun, firing bullets from his fingers as if they were gun barrels.


    The next moment, a barrage of bullets bearing ice-blue flames swept towards the spider swarm on the ground, instantly annihilating them.


    "Hiss hiss hiss¡ª!"


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    As the spiders died, their bodies withered instantly like plants, and the dark green toxic mist spreading from their bodies dissipated.


    "Thanks, Pioneer," Bai Yi said, letting out a sigh of relief.


    "Don''t mention it," responded Pioneer calmly.


    "What a disappointment, my little spiders," Dice Monster sighed and shook its head.


    Not only its head but now its entire body emerged from the mechanical spider legs, like a butterfly breaking free from its chrysalis.


    "Just used my teleportation superpower... Can''t use it again in a short time. Damn, should have saved it instead of wasting it on that skeleton. No need for that," Blue Owl muttered as he dashed out from under the table and immediately slid toward the ground right underneath the Dice Monster, closing in on an office desk.


    His hands, which had been accumulating "solar charging," were almost entirely depleted after the two "solar energy punches" he had used just moments ago.


    Nevertheless, he stepped on an office desk in front of him and, like a leaping antelope, soared toward the Dice Monster clinging to the ceiling.


    Then, raising his left fist still retaining traces of flames, he smashed it fiercely towards the Dice Monster''s head!


    "You...are pathetically weak, you know?"


    As he spoke, the Dice Monster could not even bother to look at him, four thick and powerful mechanical legs crossed over rapidly above its head, easily blocking the punch thrown by Blue Owl.


    Then it casually flicked one of its spider legs at Blue Owl, flinging him several meters away.


    Blue Owl grunted as he hit the wall of the office, creating a dent, with debris flying around, his body lodged in it, unable to move.


    Meanwhile, the mechanical pioneer was about to raise his wrist machine gun to aim at the ceiling, planning to shoot down the Dice Monster from mid-air.


    But before the deep blue fire bullets could burst from the barrel, the Dice Monster, as if expecting this, lowered its right hand and shot web at the gun muzzle on his finger.


    In the blink of an eye, the flexible web shot out from the web shooter, swiftly passed through half the office, and stuck to the mechanical pioneer''s gun muzzle.


    The next moment, the bullets exploded out, but upon encountering the web at the exit, the gun burst.


    "Boom¡ª!!!"


    In the explosion''s loud noise, the mechanical pioneer''s right arm blew up completely!


    He let out a terrible scream, twisted in pain as he clutched his severed mechanical right arm, falling to the ground. Exposed wires from the break danced wildly, sparking with electricity.


    "This is what you call reaping what you sow, murderer... there''s always a day of reckoning," said the Dice Monster mockingly. Then it turned its head to look at Blue Owl embedded in the wall, "Next, it''s your turn, Comrade Owl. I hear you''re not willing to be my friend. Regretting it now?"


    No sooner had the words ended than it suddenly lowered its right hand towards Blue Owl''s chest, shot web silk with the intention to pull his body towards itself and twist his head off with the mechanical spider legs.


    Yet, Blue Owl was not about to sit still and wait for death.


    He violently pulled his arms in, and his body rapidly fell out of the dent in the wall, landing on the ground, thereby narrowly avoiding the oncoming web.


    "Then I must declare, I''ve never once regretted rejecting a friendship with a bastard like you. Not now... and never will in the future," he stated.


    As he spoke, he knelt on one knee, releasing his B-grade Skill¡ª"Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill," and started to slowly rotate his arms, one revolution per second.


    [Rotary Arm Count Accumulated: 1 revolution.]


    "Oh? You''re spinning round now?" Dice Monster raised an eyebrow, "It looks utterly foolish. Are you practising a broadcast-calisthenics routine? To take time out of your busy afterlife to make me laugh, you really... outdid yourself."


    In the next instant, Blue Owl repeated his trick, rotating his arms while jumping off the office desk toward the Dice Monster.


    At the same time, his "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill" reached its outcome in that instant.


    [Rotary Arm Count Accumulated: 3 revolutions; the current power amassed on the arms amounts to 2.5 times the original strength.]


    [B-grade Skill "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill" Effect Two Triggered: Release all the power accumulated from spinning in one go to launch an unpredictable Fist-Guessing attack (randomly selecting one out of "Rock," "Paper," "Scissors"), with three different Skill effects depending on the outcome.]


    [Result of Fist-Guessing: "Paper"; Skill effect as follows: When using paper, unleash a beam of energy (The power and range of the energy beam depend on the strength of your arms; the stronger the arms, the more powerful the beam and the farther it shoots).]


    "Paper!"


    Blue Owl''s gaze turned icy as he uttered a low shout, his hand clad in a metal glove spread wide into a palm, aimed straight at the Dice Monster''s head. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 184 Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 3)_4

    In an instant, Blue Owl''s palm was enveloped in a dazzling light akin to an aurora. In the office, scraps of paper and broken parts began to float slowly, and the incandescent light flickered under the potent force field.


    The next moment, a golden-yellow energy beam as brilliant as a furnace shot out from his palm, lunging at the Dice Monster''s head like a ferocious beast on the prowl!


    "A superpower that must be activated by rotating the arm is simply stupid to the extreme, but I must admit it suits you quite well, Comrade Blue Owl."


    The Dice Monster spoke, seemingly all too familiar with Blue Owl''s moves, merely tilting its head in advance and effortlessly dodging the energy beam that Blue Owl had fired.


    The beam, no thicker than a fist, shot past its ear and struck the wall, leaving an exceedingly deep gash as charred cracks spread out.


    At that moment, Bai Yi once again spread his wings, shooting thousands of feather blades at the Dice Monster.


    However, the Dice Monster merely had to cross its four Mechanical Spider Legs in front of itself to block and deflect all of the feather blades. Following this, it kicked against the ceiling and did a flip in mid-air to land on the floor.


    "I had a lot of fun, farewell, everyone."


    Within the disorderly office, the Dice Monster casually spoke while stepping back, steadily nearing the gaping hole in the floor.


    With its arms raised in surrender and a mocking smile playing on its lips, behind it stood the brightly lit viaducts and a densely packed skyline of high-rise buildings.


    The next second, it stepped onto the edge of the office, plummeting completely through the large breach and falling into the neon haze of the city.


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    Bai Yi, wings aflutter, burst forth from the office, passing through the cracked wall, looked up and around, but the Dice Monster''s figure had already vanished into the night. It seemed to disappear in an instant.


    All that met his gaze was the bustling metropolis still in operation, its illusory neon lights illuminating every corner of the city like a mirage.


    The harsh night wind whipped at Bai Yi''s cheeks as if mocking his helplessness. He stared at the towering buildings, swallowing hard, his fist clenched, and his teeth gritted in a low growl: "Damn it!" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey, hey, hey... the nun''s been poisoned, and you''re the only one who can fly here. Stop looking around, and hurry up and get her back to the Superhero Association or she''s going to die."


    Blue Owl, clutching his injured chest, called out to Bai Yi, who lingered in mid-air outside the office.


    "I''m on it, sorry!"


    At this reminder, Bai Yi re-entered the office, retracting his wings, and strode quickly toward the nun who was barely clinging to life, cradling her in his arms.


    "Pioneer, are you okay?" He glanced over at Pioneer before taking off.


    Mechanical Pioneer lay sprawled on the floor in an "X" shape, his metal-covered body sparking with electricity as if short-circuited, staring motionlessly at the ceiling with eyes wide open. Beside him on the floor was his severed right arm amidst a scattering of fragments.


    Bai Yi paused for half a second, then bit his lip hard, nearly drawing blood.


    "Damn it¡ª¡ª!!!"


    He yelled hysterically, his voice of discontent echoing through the messy office.


    "Don''t dawdle; Pioneer will be fine. Cyborgs typically have robust lives. As long as the brain is intact, they should be able to be saved."


    With that, Blue Owl groaned while clutching his chest, then continued: "Support from the Association is already on the way... Someone else will take Pioneer back to the Association Building. Take care of the nun; she truly won''t make it if you delay any longer."


    Upon hearing this, Bai Yi hung his head and hesitated for two seconds before speaking deeply, "I will come back for you. I don''t know if the Dice Monster is still nearby; be careful."


    "Don''t worry... I''ll be fine." Blue Owl nodded, speaking hoarsely.


    "I promise... this won''t happen again."


    Bai Yi said solemnly, his face twitching slightly.


    After speaking, he held the nun, heading toward the window breach and suddenly unfurled his huge wings. In the roaring wind, he shot into the night sky like a cannonball and vanished amidst the clouds in a moment.


    "So tiring..."


    Watching him go, Blue Owl caught his breath, lying sprawled on the floor and murmuring as he stared blankly at the ceiling.


    He slowly closed his eyes.


    "Have a good rest..."

 Chapter 185 Deadly Meeting with Gastella (Part 1)

    July 10, nine o''clock at night.


    Street No. 7 in the Old Jingmai District was deserted, pitch-black with not a soul in sight.


    Nevertheless, the Blue Owl moved stealthily along the shadows at the street corners, quietly looking around to make sure no one was there before leaning against his chest and taking slow steps into the abandoned train station.


    Since he was the actual entity playing Blue Owl today, the self-inflicted wound on his chest had not yet fully healed; a fierce battle at KQA Trading Company earlier had only worsened the injury.


    Luckily, he retrieved a "Rebirth Medical Bottle" from his bag to somewhat alleviate the injury, preventing further deterioration.


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    Of course, this did not fully heal the wound, but kept the injury to a bearable level so his family wouldn''t suddenly find the wound healed upon a surprise check.


    Mingye thought over explaining to his family, "My self-healing ability is just that awesome, I sleep and wake up all better"¡ªbut that wouldn''t explain why, after a fight with the mechanical transformer Lester, his leg limped for a good four to five days; his second brother and father weren''t that slow to notice.


    As he thought, he walked into the interior of the train station; the platform was deserted, the floor bathed in moonlight that flowed like water. He followed the flickering moonlight, walking as if on a shimmering lake surface, soon arriving at Platform No. 7.


    It should have been a time when he could finally catch a breath, but the Blue Owl paused slightly, lifting his head adorned with a beaked helmet, peering through the lens at the figure ahead.


    On the public wooden bench on the platform sat a silhouette with its back against the chair, gazing downwards, quietly flipping through an aged yellow book by the moonlight.


    After a brief silence, the person seated at the wooden bench spoke first.


    "I saw it on the news just now, you and those other superheroes encountered the Dice Monster during a mission. Did your teammate get severely injured?"


    "Yeah, but I was lucky, it didn''t really target me¡­"


    Mingye hesitated for half a second, removing his beaked helmet as he responded.


    "Why would it target you?" Ke Xiaomo was silent for two seconds before continuing.


    "I don''t know, it just inexplicably latched onto me. From what I understand, it seems that this city''s superheroes and vigilant citizens have been harassed by it to various extents, like Black Wukong, Magic Girl Ash, and... Qing Ya."


    When he reached the last name, Mingye lowered his voice slightly.


    "What''s so great about Qing Ya that keeps you so fixated on him?" Ke Xiaomo asked slowly.


    "He''s a hero who shuns the limelight, silently protecting this city despite the slanders... and besides, he saved our eldest brother."


    After speaking, Mingye opened the old storage locker at desk No. 7; the door made a resonating clang that echoed loudly on the silent platform, like a droplet falling into a still lake.


    "He saved our eldest brother?"


    Ke Xiaomo pretended to ask, unclear how Mingye came to know this.


    "Mom and Dad were talking about it at the dinner table, I overheard them," Mingye said, "You and our eldest brother are so close, he must have mentioned it to you... It was back when he was still in middle school, a fugitive had taken a whole classroom of students hostage, threatening the police to evacuate the school."


    He paused, his eyes downcast, the light in his eyes subtly shifting, "At that time, our big brother had a gun pointed at his head by a criminal, and it was Qing Ya who swooped down from the skies to save him. If not for Qing Ya, we might only be visiting our brother''s grave at the cemetery every year."


    Ke Xiaomo remained silent, just closing the ancient book, taking a shallow breath.


    He truly didn''t know what Ke Yinzhi would think if he told him about this.


    How should he put it: his darling younger brother Mingye had unwittingly awakened his superpowers, accidentally becoming a superhero, and furthermore, his motive to become one stemmed from Qing Ya saving Ke Yinzhi years ago, hence harboring an admiration for Qing Ya and wishing to emulate him to gain fame and clear his name in Huanjing.


    After hearing this, Ke Yinzhi would probably first ask, "Are you joking?" and then, most likely after Ke Xiaomo explained, he might just laugh in disbelief... S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He could never have imagined that his random hostage experience would trigger such a chain reaction, marking the beginning of his little brother''s path as a superhero.


    It was utterly ludicrous.


    Mingye remained silent as well.


    He removed the slightly torn red and blue battle suit in front of the locker, leaving only his underwear, the injury on his chest clearly visible: although bandaged, the edges of the bandage faintly revealed swollen, bruising contours.


    Ke Xiaomo glimpsed this scene from the corner of his eye, his face twitching slightly, violence flashing through his lowered eyes.


    Mingye folded the Blue Owl battle suit and placed it into locker No. 6.


    Gazing at the damaged parts of the battle suit, he thought of having the Superhero Association''s technical staff repair it in a couple of days and possibly seeing if Commander Che could use his connections to modify his battle suit.


    "So, big brother, when did you discover my secret base?"

 Chapter 185 Deadly Meeting with Gastella (Part 2)

    Ke Mingye pulled out a T-shirt and shorts from the storage locker while asking.


    "At noon, I happened to see you entering that train station," Ke Xiaomo answered.


    "Damn, I thought I was hidden well enough. You bumping into me probably means I wasn''t careful enough."


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye put on the clothes he had just taken out and then sighed slightly, "Honestly, Second Brother, I don''t think you''re suitable to be a Taoist anymore."


    "Why?"


    "Suddenly I feel that you''re more suited to be a private detective; not doing it is a waste of talent," Ke Mingye mocked.


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a moment, didn''t pick up the topic, and simply asked, "Your chest wound, it''s not a big problem, is it?"


    "No. It''ll heal in a couple of days. I am a Superpower User after all; you should see how tough I am."


    "How did you join the Superhero Association?"


    "Bai Yi. That superhero said his Commander was very impressed with me and then he gave me a business card," said Ke Mingye, "I called the number on that card and said I wanted to keep my identity hidden within the association. The Commander agreed, and then I met him at a scheduled time and got the association''s ID card from him."


    While talking, he took out the Superhero Association''s ID card from the pocket of the Blue Owl Battle Suit, showed the front of the ID card to Ke Xiaomo, and closed the storage locker.


    "Impossible."


    Ke Xiaomo stared at the ID card, frowning slightly and said decisively, "The Commander of the Superhero Association, how could he officially register someone without a publicly disclosed identity as a superhero?"


    Ke Mingye was silent for a moment before saying, "His son is the Gray Dove. Do you understand what I''m saying now?"


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    Ke Xiaomo was taken aback, then quickly grasped the implication behind Ke Mingye''s words.


    "So that''s how it is..." he murmured softly.


    "I''m going home to rest. Second Brother, you shouldn''t just sit here either; you''re not planning on secretly taking my battle suit to burn it, are you? Just to be clear, if my battle suit goes missing, I''m coming to you first tomorrow."


    While saying this, Ke Mingye turned around and stepped towards the stairs at the exit of the platform, his figure gradually swallowed by the darkness.


    Before returning to the train station, he summoned another Deception Puppet, transforming it into a Magic Girl, and then slipped the spare mobile phone into Xiaohongmao''s Magic Book.


    So there was no need to worry about Second Brother finding the phone in the storage locker; otherwise, he wouldn''t dare to just leave the train station like this.


    "Che Zhengchen probably has been blowing up my phone by now; he never would have thought that I would just leave without saying a word," Ke Mingye thought silently as he walked on the moonlit road home.


    After a brief walk, he arrived in front of the duplex apartment building, ascended to the 12th floor in the elevator, and saw Bai Wenna standing at the entrance of the corridor, brandishing a feather duster menacingly.


    Ke Mingye clicked his tongue, stepping out of the elevator, trembling slightly.


    She asked, "You know to disappear without a message all day now?"


    Ke Mingye said, "Second Brother took me out on a crazy adventure; don''t believe me? Ask him."


    Bai Wenna smacked his head hard with the feather duster, "Alright, kid, I''ll let you off for now, but when your Second Brother comes back, we''re settling this together."


    Ke Mingye nodded, scratched his hair, and hurried past Bai Wenna, taking off his shoes to enter the living room.


    Sitting on the sofa, Bai Zini asked, "Big brother, why have you been getting home so late recently?"


    Bai Ziling, sitting on one side, said, "Exactly." Handing him a bottle of Wong Lo Kat from the table, she added, "This is all that''s left."


    Ke Mingye took the bottle of Wong Lo Kat, twisted off the cap, and gulped down a big drink, "Thanks." After speaking, he casually ruffled Bai Ziling''s white hair.


    Bai Zini narrowed her eyes, "Didn''t you say that even dogs wouldn''t drink Wong Lo Kat?"


    "Brother is a dog," Bai Ziling said matter-of-factly.


    "Alright, alright, I''m a dog, I''m a dog."


    Ke Mingye said without expression, stepped up to the second floor, returned to his own room, locked the door, and laid down in bed.


    "Truly fucking exhausting."


    As soon as he lay down on his bed, he could hear his mother below scolding Ke Xiaomo, "Now you know to take your brother out gallivanting until this late?"


    "Great job, Mom, actually managing to distract Second Brother for me; now I don''t have to worry about him spying on me."


    Ke Mingye took the opportunity to pull out the Magic Girl Transformation Card, transformed into Xiaohongmao, then extracted the spare mobile phone from the Magic Book, and quickly returned to his original form.


    No sooner had Ke Mingye grasped the spare mobile phone in his hand than he heard an angry shout from downstairs: "Mingye, you come down here too." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye rolled his eyes, decided to ignore it completely, and put on ear muffs; after all, the room door was locked, and unless his mother was so angry that she used the spare key, there was nothing she could do about him.


    He propped his right arm under his head, unlocked the phone screen, and glanced at the apps on the homepage.


    A few days before, Ke Mingye had casually asked Cai Bing, "Can you help me create an app that allows for risk-free email sending without worrying about personal information and sending address being traced?"


    Turns out, Cai Bing had actually taken the time to create such an app in the past couple of days and had sent it to his spare phone just a few seconds ago.


    Instead of saying sent, it was more like "stuffed," because the hacker girl apparently found it too troublesome, so after creating the software, she directly hacked into his spare phone and downloaded the app straight to the homepage.


    Strangely enough, when Ke Mingye unlocked his phone''s homepage, he saw an unfamiliar app nowhere to be found.

 Chapter 185 Deadly Meeting with Gastella (Part 3)

    The app''s icon was "Australian Casino Beauty Dealing Cards," it was so conspicuous that for a moment, I thought my phone might have been infected with a virus, or that I had accidentally clicked on an ad while browsing the dark web, automatically downloading such a money-draining thing.


    However, when Ke Mingye saw the app''s name displaying "Spider Man''s Exclusive Flirting Software," he couldn''t help but freeze for two or three seconds, then he barely reacted: it turned out this thing was the software the hacker girl made for him.


    Consequently, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and he opened the chat panel with a look of dissatisfaction.


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    [Failed Man: Can you get any more awesome, Hacker Girl?]


    [Cai Bing: Customer service sis at work, do not disturb.]


    Ke Mingye shrugged his shoulders, closed the chat panel, and started messing with the APP: he used the APP to send himself two or three emails, then tested it with some box-opening software that was circulating on the dark web, and soon confirmed that the APP was indeed useful, the box-opening software online couldn''t track the address and source of the emails at all.


    So, feeling secretly pleased, he thought that since there was no fear of the address getting traced, he could use this APP to send messages to his second brother and elder sister in the future, also sparing them the hassle of specifically throwing dice to meet up on the bridge or beach, which was not too friendly for him as a homebody.


    The key was that playing the role of the strange thing was also very taxing on the brain, and a single slip could cause a character collapse.


    A moment later.


    Ke Mingye sent an email to Ke Xiaomo''s QQ mailbox using the "Spider Man Flirting Exclusive APP," signing it "Your Good Neighbor¡ªMr. Strange Thing."


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Do you have time tomorrow, Mr. Ninja?]


    [Xiao Mo: What''s the deal with you following my brother?]


    [Xiao Mo: I saw the news, you attacked the superhero squad called "Platinum Wings," seriously injuring two superheroes.]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: At least I didn''t seriously injure your brother and his Captain Bai Yi, now did I?]


    [Xiao Mo: Why would you do this?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Because doing so makes me happy. Do I need any other reason? So let''s talk about tomorrow''s matter, shall we? The player named "Gastella," who''s the culprit spreading the parasite, will meet with another player in a private caf¨¦ in the morning. If you''re interested, why not come and check it out?]


    To avoid arousing his elder brother''s suspicions, Ke Mingye arranged to meet Gastella at the caf¨¦ on Hong Ge Food Street, rather than the previous open-air caf¨¦. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Xiao Mo: The address?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Hong Ge Food Street. There''s only one caf¨¦ on that street; with your ability, just look around and you''ll easily find it.]


    [Xiao Mo: Will you be there?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: It depends, oh. I''ve done my part by helping you find that player. If you expect me to help you catch him too, that would be too lame. By the way, the player might bring someone from the Hunter organization of the Blood Clan, so you''d better be careful, Mr. Ninja; they''re not easy to mess with.]


    After sending this email, Ke Mingye decisively turned off his spare phone and stuffed it into the pocket of his shorts.


    "Tomorrow I''m going to find out Gastella''s location."


    "Even if she uses a puppet to show up for the appointment, as long as she brings a Hunter from the Blood Clan, I can use the Anchor Sunglasses to lock onto their position, then follow the vine to find her real body."


    Ke Mingye thought to himself as he slowly closed his eyes.


    As he was getting sleepy, he suddenly heard a "click" sound. When he opened his eyes and turned his head, he saw Bai Wenna opening the door with the spare key, forcibly dragging him out of bed, and pulling him out to stand in the corridor alongside his second brother, getting a lecture.


    When their mom left, Ke Mingye, leaning against the wall, deeply reflected.


    "What on earth did I do in my last life?"


    Ke Xiaomo, with her arms crossed, let out a soft sigh.


    "Shouldn''t I be the one saying that?"

 Chapter 186 A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 2)

    Ke Xiaomo and Ke Mingye stood silently against the wall, not speaking. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their phones and books had been confiscated, so they had no choice but to stare blankly at the stairway entrance, reverting to primitive lifestyles.


    Soon, as the sound of the door opening came from downstairs, Bai Wenna''s scolding sounded again in the living room.


    "As the eldest brother, you didn''t teach your younger siblings anything good, coming back so late?!"


    Ke Yinzhi seemed to start explaining something, but still lost to his mother''s overbearing presence and obediently went upstairs after a short while.


    He looked up, surprised, and glanced at the two being punished. First, he paused, then shook his head with a light laugh, and finally, under the sympathetic gazes of Ke Mingye and Ke Xiaomo, silently joined the punishment line.


    In fact, compared to Ke Xiaomo and Ke Mingye, Ke Yinzhi was slightly better off; at least his phone hadn''t been confiscated.


    "We truly are brothers in distress..."


    As Ke Yinzhi said this, he yawned, casually took out his phone from the pocket of his black coat, and asked nonchalantly, "So... what kind of major violation did you two commit this time? Let''s hear it."


    "Ask second brother." Ke Mingye directly passed the buck.


    "We went out for a night run." Ke Xiaomo answered.


    "You ran until this late?"


    Ke Yinzhi looked down, fiddling with his phone, and asked casually.


    "That''s right."


    Hearing Ke Xiaomo''s response, Ke Mingye slightly raised his eyebrows, thinking, so second brother didn''t tell big brother about him being a superhero.


    That wasn''t really scientific, was it?


    The relationship between the big brother and second brother could be described as conjoined twins; how could they not inform each other about such crucial matters?


    He had been prepared to be dragged into a meeting by big brother as well, and he couldn''t help but be taken aback at this moment.


    Ke Mingye silently sighed, often reflecting on the fetal status of the two punished middle schoolers beside him.


    Who would have thought that the three eldest brothers of Bai Ke''s home, the pillars: Black Judge, Sect Master of the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect, Superhero Blue Owl, were now standing stupidly against the wall under the corridor''s pumpkin lamp.


    Just like middle school students who were late to class and got kicked out by the homeroom teacher.


    They could faintly hear the dialogues from a movie coming from the living room downstairs; it was Bai Ziling and Bai Zini revisiting the "Harry Potter" series again.


    In fact, Bai Ziling wasn''t very interested in these kinds of movies.


    When she watched many bizarre fantasy films, she always saw plots like "vampires harming humanity, acting wickedly, and then being rushed by the protagonist group and killed with a slash, emitting an unpleasant scream before their spirit dispersed," similar to "Blade," "Van Helsing," and "Bloodrayne."


    When she was younger, while her siblings gathered on the sofa to watch these movies, she always felt uneasy, drooping her head, burying her eyes under her snowy white bangs.


    At those times, she would move her spot closer to Ke Mingye, gently grab his sleeve, and curl up on the sofa like a kitten, hiding behind him.


    At that time, Ke Mingye thought Bai Ziling was scared of the vampires in the movies, so when choosing films, he automatically filtered out those containing vampires and demonic elements.


    It was only now that Ke Mingye realized Bai Ziling wasn''t scared of the vampires, given she could watch horror movies alone at night eagerly; the fantasy vampires were not scary to her, but she was actually afraid of the scene where vampires got their heads chopped off in the movies.


    Although there were vampires in the "Harry Potter" universe, they were unrelated to the main storyline, so she wasn''t very interested but would still occasionally revisit the movie with Bai Zini as it was a summer vacation staple.


    Ke Mingye looked up at the ceiling, his thoughts wandering, with a dull pain in his chest.


    During this time, Ke Xiaomo seemed to want to say something repeatedly, but he always just opened his mouth and then shoved his words back down his throat, silently shifting his gaze away.


    After a moment, Bai Wenna came out from the bedroom and said, "Are you coming back this late again next time?"


    Ke Yinzhi quickly raised his head; while stowing away his phone back into his coat pocket, he raised his free left hand like a schoolkid and said indifferently, "I was wrong."


    "Be more serious." Bai Wenna crossed her arms, frowning at him.


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    "Mom, we''re all college students now; can''t you let us have a bit more freedom?"


    As Ke Yinzhi said this, he shrugged his shoulders, making a suggestion: "I think just punishing Mingye would suffice. After all, he is a high school student and needs to maintain a proper schedule. Xiaomo and I might as well head back to our rooms to rest, right?"


    "Dude, are you even human?"


    Ke Mingye was shocked, thinking there were indeed brothers who would betray their siblings, thus promptly ratting out his big brother: "Mom, you absolutely can''t let him off the hook. A crooked beam leads to crooked corners! And big brother hasn''t had his phone confiscated yet; it''s still in his pocket, can we treat everyone equally and fairly?"


    Ke Xiaomo shook his head, chuckling softly. He recalled how they often had similar incidents in their childhood; whenever it came to this juncture, the three brothers would blame each other.


    "Shut up, do you think your mother doesn''t understand these things?" Bai Wenna asked coldly.


    Since the objective had been achieved, Ke Mingye obediently closed his mouth.


    Bai Wenna glanced at Ke Mingye and then turned to Ke Yinzhi: "You never act like an older brother, always so careless. I really don''t know whose temperament you''ve inherited..."


    As she spoke, their mother took out the phone from his coat pocket, confiscated it, and then turned her gaze toward Ke Xiaomo and Ke Mingye.

 Chapter 186 A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 2) _2

    Ke Xiaomo said, "It won''t happen again, Mom."


    Ke Mingye said, "If Second Brother has nothing to say, Mom, then please let us go."


    Bai Wenna asked, "Second Brother has nothing to say, but what about you?"


    "Second Brother took me out to play; I was forced to, okay?" Ke Mingye sighed, "So if he''s reflecting on it, that should be enough. What am I reflecting on, Mom? This is a bit unreasonable."


    Ke Xiaomo didn''t try to argue; he simply shook his head and sighed, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and staying silent.


    He knew Ke Mingye was injured, so he didn''t want to make it hard on him. If he could take the blame for him, then just taking it would be better than letting him get a lecture in the corridor.


    "Seems like you haven''t reflected enough; stand some more," Bai Wenna said and went downstairs with the feather duster, leaving them. Soon after, the pleas of Bai Zini and Bai Ziling could be heard as they bounced up the stairs like rabbits.


    At that moment, a soft sigh from Bai Qiuwu came from the next room. She had tutoring classes tomorrow, and the noise was keeping her from getting any sleep.


    Immediately after, Ke Yongzhu''s complaints came from another room: "So noisy..."


    He had been going to bed early these past few days, hardly leaving his room, either staying in to play on his phone or going out for a walk alone. Unless Bai Zini and Bai Ziling dragged him out to play, he was rarely seen around the house.


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    When Ke Mingye saw Bai Ziling going upstairs, he hurriedly used lip-reading to silently say to her, "Help us out, little sister number one."


    "I can''t help."


    Bai Ziling whispered, very seriously shaking her head with her snow-white hair swishing, then, with an expressionless face, swept past them and walked into her own room.


    She closed the door, locked it, making it clear she was cutting ties to avoid her mother''s wrath. Hearing the "click" of the lock, the three eldest brothers all felt a chill.


    Ke Yinzhi yawned, smiled slightly and said sarcastically, "Looks like... even your little sister isn''t willing to save you guys. You two brothers are quite a letdown, aren''t you?"


    Ke Xiaomo retorted, "Are you sure it isn''t you, the eldest brother, who''s a letdown?"


    Ke Mingye said, "I think you all are quite a letdown. If it were just me standing here, Zi Ling would have already pleaded with Mom on my behalf. She clearly doesn''t want to bother with you guys."


    After saying that, he quickly pinned his hopes on the second figure to come upstairs, joining his hands as if praying, "Help us out, little sister number two!"


    Upon hearing this, Bai Zini glanced up from her phone to look at the punishment stance of the three, first stunned, then unable to suppress her laughter while clutching her stomach, and finally, a schadenfreude expression appeared on her face.


    After coughing twice, she said, "Wow... isn''t this our eldest and older and not-as-old brothers? You''re pretty interesting, correcting your posture in the middle of the night. Are you practicing for military training at the university?"


    Honestly, Ke Mingye also wanted to bring in the Dice Monster at this moment and sarcastically say to Ke Xiaomo and Ke Yinzhi who were standing punished.


    "Wow, isn''t this our Ninja Sect Master and Black Judge? Why do you look so drained, standing against the wall in the middle of the night? You weren''t like this when you were recklessly killing out there."


    However, he himself was also part of the line-up being punished, which annoyed the hell out of him.


    "So are you going to help or not?" Ke Mingye squinted and asked.


    "Xiao Ni, please plead with Mom for us," Ke Xiaomo said with a sigh, arms crossed.


    "If it''s too difficult for you, then just plead for me, your eldest brother. You can ignore these two beside me," Ke Yinzhi said with a smile.


    "That will depend on your attitude. I''ll give you a little time to think about it," Bai Zini said as she entered the washroom hummingly under their expectant gazes, closed the door, and came out slowly after freshening up. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Please, Bai Zini, I''ll be your runner for the next week," Ke Mingye said with his hands together, "Do you think that''s okay?"


    "What about the other two?"


    Bai Zini seemed unsatisfied, gently tapping her arm with her finger as she looked at the other two.


    "I''ll buy you a Pikachu toy tomorrow," Ke Yinzhi said.


    "I''ll get you a new backpack," Ke Xiaomo said.


    Immediately, Bai Zini was theatrically excited, her eyes sparkling, clapping her hands together, "Wow, you three brothers are too kind. If you were always this nice, it''d be even better. Well, I''ll reluctantly help you guys out!"


    With that, she walked into their mother''s room, filled with their hopeful expectations, confident and assured.


    She was ejected in less than three seconds.


    Her face covered in dust, utterly disheveled.


    Ke Yinzhi shrugged;


    Ke Xiaomo sighed;


    Ke Mingye appeared disdainful.


    Bai Zini looked dejected, with a pitying glance at the three brothers who had differing degrees of scorn on their faces, saying, "Can''t you look at me without those faces? It''s all because the stakes you offered were too low. If you, eldest brother, were willing to buy me a Lolita dress, then I would have kneeled and begged Mom by the bed, how could I have been blown out at the speed of light?!"


    She paused, speaking deeply, "Looks like... only Dad can save you now."


    Ke Mingye said feebly, "Then hurry and call Dad to come home, just tell him Mom''s gone crazy again."


    Though he said this, he actually knew that Qing Ya was probably busy investigating the KQA Trading Building incident and looking for blue owl''s whereabouts. After all, Ke Mingye hadn''t used his phone to check in with Che Zhengchen and Bai Yi, having returned home by himself. They might even think blue owl was missing.


    "My phone is downstairs on the couch. Going down now, Mom would kill me. Take care of yourselves..."

 Chapter 186 Death Meeting with Gastella (Part 2)_3

    Bai Zini had finished speaking and without turning her head, walked back into her room.


    Ke Yinzhi spread his hands and said, "Mingye, if you hadn''t let mom confiscate my phone, I would have secretly messaged Dad to come home by now, served you right."


    Ke Mingye sneered, "Then I''d rather stand with you, this lowlife, a little longer, let''s go down together."


    Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath, "Please stop fighting. I don''t want to stand with you all night."


    "Alright... seeing you so pitiful, I''ll sneak downstairs and call Dad."


    Bai Zini said, then quietly slipped out of her room, bending over as she started her stealth mission, inching step by step toward the staircase.


    The three brothers held their breath, pinning their hopes on her retreating figure, fearing that their breathing would disturb her sneaking.


    However, in less than two seconds she froze in her steps under Bai Wenna''s scolding, trembling all over.


    "Bai Zini, aren''t you going to sleep, but going downstairs to watch TV?!"


    "No, mom, it''s all my third brother''s doing. He said he was bored standing, asking me to go downstairs and get a cellphone for him to play with!"


    Bai Zini stammered her response, then quickly darted back to her room, peeking through the door gap with a "I''m not not helping, I just can''t do it!" look of pitiful eyes at the others, before she closed the door once more without another sound.


    Ke Yinzhi shook his head and chuckled;


    Ke Xiaomo couldn''t help but smile;


    Only Ke Mingye really couldn''t find it funny.


    "I''m really fed up, not only a quick death but also betraying your teammates?" he sighed, holding his forehead.


    Bai Wenna walked out from her room, her tone icy as she interrogated, "You can''t stand honestly during a punishment, instructing your sister to sneakily fetch the phone for you?"


    "Pure slander," Ke Mingye hurriedly explained, "My second brother and elder brother can testify."


    As he spoke, he turned to look at Ke Xiaomo and Ke Yinzhi. However, both turned away their gazes left and right, respectively¡ªit seemed that between the protector-brother and protector-sister sides, they chose to support their sister.


    "Man, I really can''t stand this family anymore, not a single decent person..."


    Ke Mingye lamented hopelessly.


    Feeling utterly isolated, as he was contemplating how to kneel and apologize to his mother, suddenly the sound of the door opening came from downstairs.


    Click-click!


    Such a crisp and pleasant sound seemed to blossom next to Ke Mingye''s ears.


    Soon, their dad, with a cigarette hanging from his lips, came upstairs, glanced emotionlessly at the three of them, sighed, and then turned to say a few good words to Bai Wenna.


    Following that, under the barrage like "Look at what the kids have turned into because you''re always away from home," "Do they seem like they''ll become successful people in the future?" "If you don''t intervene now, what will this family turn into?" he finally managed to give the three a way out, finally allowing them to escape from Bai Wenna''s clutches.


    Ke Mingye was the first to rush into the washroom, freshened up in front of the mirror, then quickly walked back to his room, lay on his bed, took a long sigh of relief, and picked up the spare phone that was by his pillow.


    He unlocked the screen and opened the call log.


    Sure enough, he had received a bunch of missed calls from Che Zhengchen, but the phone was set to silent, so there were no alert sounds.


    He then clicked into the message page and saw the texts from Che Zhengchen''s number had piled up, casually opening two or three of them to see.


    [Che Zhengchen: Are you alright?]


    [Che Zhengchen: Blue Owl, are you still alive? If you get this message, please respond.] S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Che Zhengchen: Bai Yi said you were also seriously injured, why didn''t you wait for the Association''s rescue team to arrive before leaving the scene, it wouldn''t be too late to report to the Association before going back.]


    [Che Zhengchen: I mean no blame, but if you are safely unharmed now, please respond to my messages quickly, your teammates and I are very worried about you...]


    This was the first time Che Zhengchen had sent him a message, probably had remembered his backup phone number from the last time.


    Fortunately, this phone number was bought off the dark web, untraceable by telecom services. Plus, Cai Bing had made further assurances, so there was no need to worry about information leakages.


    But just to be safe, Ke Mingye still activated the "Spider Man Flirting App" designed by Cai Bing, entered Che Zhengchen''s number into the communication list of the APP, then replied to his texts.


    By doing so, the possibility of his location being tracked was further decreased.


    [Blue Owl: I''m fine. Any problems with Bai Yi and the others, I see Pioneer and the Nun were badly injured. Especially Pioneer, he even lost a hand.]


    [Che Zhengchen: Glad you''re fine. They''re okay. Pioneer is a mechanized man, he just needs a new arm attached.]


    [Che Zhengchen: I couldn''t reach you on the phone earlier, why didn''t you answer?]


    [Blue Owl: I was on my way home just now, didn''t have time to answer.]


    [Che Zhengchen: I didn''t expect Dice Monster to suddenly appear, I should have anticipated it earlier, this mishap is my fault.]


    [Blue Owl: No, nobody knows what that thing is thinking, this is definitely not your fault.]


    [Blue Owl: Commander, let''s talk more when I get to the Association Building tomorrow. I need to tend to my wounds, hanging up first.]


    After sending this message, Ke Mingye stuffed the spare phone under his pillow, casually turned off the light, and slowly closed his eyelids.


    Then, another silent night passed.


    .....


    .....


    July 11th, five o''clock in the morning. Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Ke Mingye''s eyelids faintly trembled as they opened, absorbing every word on the display panel.


    [Good morning, Player Sir, today is July 11, 2028, there are 342 days left until the deadline for the ultimate mission "Extinguish the Superhumans."]

 Chapter 186 Death Meeting with Gastella (Part 2)_4

    [Current number of surviving players worldwide: 94.]


    "As long as no one''s dead..."


    He thought to himself, yawned, got out of bed, and shuffled out of his room.


    Then he took out the anchor sunglasses from his bag and, as he approached his older brother''s room, pressed the button on the sunglasses to confirm whether his brother was still in the room and locked onto his location information.


    [Characters within an 8-meter radius of you include: Ke Xiaomo, Bai Qiuwu. Would you like to set an anchor on this person?]


    Seeing that his older brother was still resting in the room, Ke Mingye confidently put on the sunglasses and left home, while pulling out his spare phone to send an email to Ke Xiaomo.


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Time confirmed. Today at noon, at the cafe on Hong Ge Food Street. The player who controls the parasites will be meeting another player there.]


    After sending the email, he started running along the outskirts of Old Jingmai District and soon completed the required number of steps for his task. Then he dropped to the ground and did a hundred push-ups.


    [Daily Task 1: Run 3000 meters (Reward: one chance to spin the reward wheel) (Completed)]


    [Daily Task 2: Do a hundred push-ups (Reward: 2 freely distributable attribute points) (Completed)]


    [You''ve claimed the reward for Daily Task 2 "A hundred push-ups," receiving 2 freely distributable attribute points.]


    Ke Mingye raised his finger, allocating the two freshly acquired attribute points to the "Mental Strength" attribute.


    [Your "Mental Strength" attribute has changed: from 28 to 30 points (¡ü2 points)]


    [Congratulations, your "Mental Strength" attribute has successfully broken through the "Minimum standard for F-grade Superhuman" (30 points).]


    [You''ve claimed the reward for Daily Task 1 "Run 3000 meters," receiving one chance to spin the prize wheel.]


    As the prompt box disappeared, the reward wheel unfolded before him, and the text of the six sections came into view.


    [One, 3000 Mall Coins;]


    [Two, C-grade equipment ¡ª Sheep Rocket Launcher;]


    [Three, Magic Card bundle;]


    [Four, one piece of a Divine Disc;]


    [Five, one random equipment card;]


    [Six, 2500 Experience Points.]


    Ke Mingye reached out and pressed the start button on the wheel. The pointer began to spin rapidly, finally coming to a slow stop above section two.


    [Congratulations, you have won the prize for section two: C-grade equipment ¡ª Sheep Rocket Launcher (Fires a homing missile that, upon hitting the target, doesn''t cause harm, but temporarily turns the target into a harmless little sheep).]


    "Homing missile, huh," Ke Mingye thought, "seems pretty useless, but I''ll reserve judgment until I''ve tried it in actual combat. These gimmicky types of equipment can only be stuffed into the Dice Monster avatar."


    As was his routine after completing the daily tasks, he sat down on a public bench and took out his spare phone to open the Superhero Association APP.


    As soon as he entered the APP, a window popped up informing him that he had successfully completed an E-grade task set by the Association: preventing a workplace Superhuman uprising, earning him 100 points as a reward.


    "Earned some points, scored some credit, not a bad deal."


    Ke Mingye thought as he glanced at the Association APP''s store.


    Sifting through the various items, he went straight to the "Superhuman Exclusive Gene Enhancers" section.


    The display indicated that a bottle of Low-level Gene Enhancer required 500 points, meaning that at least five such tasks needed to be completed to purchase one bottle of Low-level Gene Enhancer.


    "The conditions aren''t tough, I just need to do a few more tasks to get the enhancer," he thought, standing up from the bench, "And now... it''s time to get ready to meet Gastella."


    .....


    .....


    July 11th, midday, Huanjing City, Hongge Commercial Street, Red Paris Cafe.


    Ke Mingye, controlling a Deception Puppet, sat at a table inside the cafe, lightly tapping the surface with his finger, while resting his chin in his hand and looking out the window. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, a girl in a wheelchair entered his field of view from outside the cafe. She slowly rotated the wheels, pushing the wheelchair into the cafe.


    After looking around, she wheeled up next to the Deception Puppet.


    "We meet again... Spider Man," Gastella said with a smirk.


    Ke Mingye was taken aback for a moment, observing the face before him carefully. Her appearance matched exactly with that of the wheelchair-bound girl recreated by Che Zhengchen with the brain imaging helmet.


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    Then he thought, "How could this be... She actually came to meet me in person?"

 Chapter 187 A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)

    ```


    His gaze fell upon the girl who was slowly approaching in a wheelchair, and the thoughts extending from his brain suddenly became as chaotic as snow, causing Ke Mingye to pause in astonishment for a while.


    "Gastella actually met with me using her real body, can that be true? Isn''t she worried about being ambushed by players, or could it be... this body isn''t her real one at all?"


    With that thought, he slightly raised his eyebrows, further scrutinizing the girl seated in the wheelchair.


    The girl in front of him was about 1.6 meters tall, dressed in an off-the-shoulder slip dress. The hem of the dress securely concealed her legs.


    Most striking were her red hair and the teardrop mole by her eye. The mole adorned a pair of eyes that burned like bright flames, as if they could see through people''s hearts.


    "Besides your hair, you seem to look quite different from the last time I saw you, don''t you?" Gastella rolled her wheelchair up to the table and turned her head to look at Ke Mingye. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Isn''t that mutual?" Ke Mingye sighed, "You talk as if you were the same person I met last time."


    The reason he hadn''t used the face he normally employed in front of other players was to prevent his second brother from capturing a photo of this face.


    After obtaining the photo, with the authority of the Management Bureau held by his eldest brother, it would be easy to locate this face in the surveillance footage throughout Huanjing and quickly track the player''s movements.


    After all, no matter how secretive his actions with Fan Quan and others were, considering the density of surveillance cameras in Huanjing, there were bound to be moments captured on camera while heading to the instance.


    "It looks like you''re wearing a human face mask, aren''t you?" Gastella asked with curiosity.


    "Yes." Ke Mingye nodded, casually explaining, "Since you mentioned you''d bring some Blood Clan Hunters over, I''m sorry but I don''t exactly trust them..." he said, glancing around. Other than him and Gastella, there were no other customers in the cafe, "Where are they?"


    "They haven''t arrived yet."


    Having said that, Gastella cupped her face with her hands, elbows resting on the armrests of the wheelchair, staring motionlessly at Ke Mingye, "I''m very curious, what exactly is your purpose?"


    "What are you referring to?" Ke Mingye asked.


    "You must have passed on the information I told you to the other players." Gastella said, "And they have come to an agreement with you to stay hidden, so in this ''player meeting,'' I see you again but no one else."


    "It''s not that they don''t want to see you, it''s just that they don''t trust you enough." Ke Mingye said, "I believe I mentioned it, we need to get acquainted with the vampire hunters behind you, to ensure that you are harmless to us."


    He paused: "Think about it, if those Blood Clan Hunters had control over your real body and threatened you to make contact with me, luring the other players into a trap, then wouldn''t we be finished?"


    "You''re certainly very cautious."


    "So, is this your real body?" Ke Mingye probed.


    "Indeed." Gastella nodded, "This is my real body."


    Ke Mingye shrugged: "Then can I send you a friend request now?"


    "Of course."


    At this, Ke Mingye was momentarily taken aback, he was quite caught off guard.


    In his mind, the situation was unexpectedly a bit awkward. Players could only add each other as friends when they met in person, Deception Puppets couldn''t send friend requests, and neither could Gastella''s puppet.


    If he said he couldn''t add the other party as a friend, it was tantamount to admitting he was just a puppet.


    In fact, stepping back a few paces, he could have his real body wear the Night Walk Belt to quickly approach this cafe, adding the wheelchair-bound girl as a friend from outside the window.


    But Ke Xiaomo had just received information from Dice Monster and was now lurking near the cafe. How could such a commotion escape his watchful eyes?


    All things considered, if he were caught by his second brother, the risk would far outweigh the benefit, so Ke Mingye couldn''t possibly do that.


    "Why don''t you send me a friend request yourself, to prove your innocence?" he posed the question.


    Gastella responded unhurriedly, teasing him.


    "Reason one, as a girl, I prefer if the boys take the initiative;


    "Reason two, I actually already tried to add you but failed, which means you''re not actually here in person but controlling someone else as your puppet; or maybe you''re not Spider Man at all, but a stand-in Spider Man found. After all, your face has changed, how can one be sure whether you''re really wearing a human face mask or not."


    On hearing this, Ke Mingye took the lemon water passed by the waiter, brought it close to his lips, and took a shallow sip before saying, "You really can twist the facts. I just tried, and when trying to add you, it showed failure, so I wanted to see how long you could play it up." Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "It gets interesting when you put it that way. Since neither of us is willing to believe the other, perhaps both of us are fakes, both here to gauge each other out of thin air?"


    Gastella said with a smile.


    "If you think it''s fun, keep pretending."


    Ke Mingye didn''t pick up her cue, instead he retorted coolly and then set down the water glass.


    Even though this girl in front of him bore an uncanny resemblance to Gastella as seen in the brain imaging picture, it still couldn''t prove she was definitely Gastella. Perhaps Gastella was testing him.


    By dressing a puppet in her own image, and then having it sit in a wheelchair pretending to be a person with a disability, wearing a human face mask, and finally controlling the puppet to meet with Ke Mingye, Gastella could test whether he had somehow glimpsed her true appearance through how he reacted at their meeting.


    ```

 Chapter 187 A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)_2

    But on the other hand, if this person really were Gastella, then she could indeed detect by simply sending a friend request that the person sitting across from her was not Ke Mingye himself.


    If their meeting was like before, still a fake facing another fake, then their conversation was like two people with blindfolds on their eyes testing each other verbally to see if they could see anything.


    One fiercely testing by saying, "I see your eyes are covered, you cannot possibly see me"; Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    while the other replied, "I just saw your eyes are covered, how can you possibly see me with a blindfold on? You''re completely bluffing."


    But in reality, both could not see the true face of the other and could only probe through verbal words behind a dark cloth. Neither trusted the other.


    Last time, because the Black Judge was there, Gastella did not dare make a rash move, so Ke Mingye could let paranoia replace himself in sending a friend request to Gastella to confirm if she was really who she claimed to be;


    this time, their meeting was a matter of life and death. If paranoia had come, it would mostly end up being captured for interrogation, so he had to take matters into his own hands. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You know, a person feigning sleep can''t be woken up, let''s not discuss who is fake for now,"


    she said, lowering her eyes, glancing at the coffee names on the menu, before continuing.


    "I should have told you I want you to collaborate with me to expose the player hiding a vampire at home, but you hide other players'' information from me and even refuse to let me meet them, why is that?"


    She paused and said, "Didn''t you say you also wanted to know the details of the player called ''Fan Quan'', but your actions seem to contradict your words."


    "I also wanted to trick him into meeting you, but he has disappeared these past few days, and I cannot contact him," Ke Mingye explained.


    "Why?" Gastella said, "Is it because Paranoia overheard our conversation and secretly told him, since, apart from you and me, only Paranoia was there, even though you asked him to leave first?"


    "That''s possible," Ke Mingye said, "but more likely, you let slip in the discussion group that you were mingling among Blood Clan Hunters, looking for a white-haired vampire." He paused, "Fan Quan felt guilty, so he didn''t come to meet you, and has been avoiding other players during this period."


    "Alright," Gastella still held her chin in both hands, her tone even, "then let''s change the perspective. How can I be sure, actually, you haven''t secretly contacted Fan Quan, tipping him off, telling him to stay away from Huanjing a bit?"


    "You''re right. I can''t prove that," Ke Mingye said, "but..."


    Before he could finish, a sharp explosion suddenly rang out next to his ear, as if the air was being torn apart.


    Immediately afterward, an arrow, shot from nowhere, pierced through the glass of the caf¨¦, streaking like a light and piercing Ke Mingye''s shoulder, pinning him to the ground.


    Soon after, a numbing sensation spread out, starting from the arrow that entered his body, like a giant worm burrowing through him, making his whole body limp, unable to move.


    He was poisoned.


    Ke Mingye concluded this instantly.


    The body of the Deception Puppet lay on the ground, twitching slightly, while barely opening its mouth to say hoarsely to Gastella in the wheelchair: "You tricked me?"


    "Didn''t you want me to bring Blood Clan Hunters here?"


    Gastella, looking down at him with a superior gaze from her wheelchair, said jokingly like a little girl, "Well... here they are."


    "You''re right... but I certainly didn''t want to meet them this way."


    Ke Mingye joked aloud, but deep inside he thought: he couldn''t let the puppet die here. If the puppet''s body exploded, releasing that eerie laugh in the caf¨¦, it would not only alert Gastella but also raise doubts in his elder brother.


    Gastella said, "This arrow is coated with a poison that even vampires can''t resist. Once hit, you will be unconscious for a long time, unable to move. So I suggest you stop thinking about resisting, get some good sleep, and after that, I''ll slowly chat with you to find out if you are really that player involved with the vampire..."


    Her words were cut off as a look of surprise appeared in her eyes.


    In that very second, Ke Mingye''s body along with the arrow suddenly vanished from the spot.


    In its place appeared a blue, bird-shaped tiny mechanical device on the floor of the caf¨¦.


    "He vanished?"


    Gastella was stunned for half a second, muttering to herself, and quickly raised her walking stick and pressed the bird-shaped machine attempting to take flight down to the floor.


    Without half a second''s thought, seeing it still fluttering its wings struggling, she decisively smashed it to prevent this bird-shaped machine from concealing any tricks, causing her trouble.


    Amid the shattered pieces and sparks, the bird-shaped machinery slowly became nonresponsive, closing its eyelids, its fluttering wings drooping to the ground.


    "If he is still nearby, he shouldn''t have gone far, given that his body is poisoned."


    Gastella thought to herself, without any hint of panic.


    "Let Lin Ke help me look for him."


    .....


    .....


    Meanwhile, on Hong Ge Food Street,


    Ke Xiaomo had already carefully searched the nearby buildings not long ago to ensure there were no suspicious individuals, then rapidly vanished into the shadows.


    The shadow he transformed into hid on the surface of a residential building directly facing the caf¨¦.

 Chapter 187 A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)_3

    At that moment, Ke Xiaomo revealed only a pair of eyes from the shadows, quietly gazing through the caf¨¦ window at the Deception Puppet and Gastella seated by the window.


    "The girl in the wheelchair is the exact same one from the photo that Dice Monster sent me. So, she is the one spreading the parasites in this city?"


    He watched the red-haired girl in the wheelchair inside the caf¨¦, thinking to himself.


    If nothing unusual happened later, he planned to enter the caf¨¦ and capture the two players conversing inside, and if possible, leave them alive, since there was much he wanted to ask them.


    However, interrogation was something better left to Ke Yinzhi. Ke Xiaomo was only skilled in the art of killing, not in tormenting others. He disliked seeing others suffer, so he mostly aimed to kill with a single stroke.


    But his thoughts were cautious, since Dice Monster had mentioned the possibility of encountering people from the "Blood Clan Hunter" organization, he couldn''t afford to be careless.


    It''s possible that the Blood Clan Hunters were lurking inside the caf¨¦ or maybe en route to it.


    Only after knowing their full details did Ke Xiaomo plan to make his move. Ninja, emphasized on the ''patience''. Before grasping the situation, maintain patience, be cautious, wait for the perfect moment, ensuring one hundred percent certainty of beheading the enemy. This is the rule of the Ninja Sect.


    Yet, in the next instant, a streak of light, like an arrow, whizzed past Hong Ge Food Street, piercing through the caf¨¦''s glass window, stabbing one of the players amidst the shower of glass shards that exploded like rain. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An arrow?


    It came from the six o''clock direction.


    Ke Xiaomo furrowed his brows and quickly retracted his eyes back into the shadow after drawing a conclusion in his mind.


    Immediately after, he morphed into a bird-like shadow that blasted over the surfaces of walls.


    In just a few seconds, he found the source of the arrow: it was the fifth floor of a nearby abandoned factory.


    As the shadowy figure of Ke Xiaomo flew into the factory, attaching to an abandoned machine shaking with patchy light and shadows on the fifth floor,


    his pupils instantaneously reflected three figures.


    On a pile of scrap metal and machinery, the three figures were positioned at various heights.


    Sitting at the top was a woman clad in a light green raincoat, wearing a hood, with a giant bow in her hands and gripping three arrows;


    Below her was a man dressed in a denim jacket and suit trousers, wearing a cowboy hat, long hair cascading behind, sporting a beard. He held two silver long-barrel guns in his hands;


    And at the very bottom sat a man about two meters twenty tall, with black hair and eyes, a muscular build almost knotted together¡ªa "giant".


    The giant wore a tank top and loose shorts and was sitting at the base of the pile of parts, casually wiping a massive sword.


    "This must be the ''Blood Clan Hunters'' that Dice Monster mentioned, they don''t look Asian. Why would they come to this city?"


    Ke Xiaomo observed these three figures, thinking to himself.


    At the same time, he could directly surmise that the archer woman and the two-meter-tall giant were probably not weak, as for the cowboy man''s strength, that was still unknown.


    First, the archer woman, who had managed to hit a player inside the caf¨¦ from a hundred meters away; then this giant, from his appearance alone, it''s apparent how abnormally strong he is. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    At that moment, the giant spoke in English, "How''s it going, Lin Ke?"


    "Hit him." The raincoat archer woman named "Lin Ke" also replied in English, "The player Sisteruo met seems not to be very skilled. My arrow was slow enough, I didn''t use my full strength to spare his life."


    "So, we''re taking this player back now?" asked the cowboy man.


    "Yes, Howard, go and check on it." said the giant.


    The cowboy man named "Howard" rubbed his head, complaining, "Such a hassle, Flint. Why don''t you go yourself?"


    Flint replied, "Quit the chatter."


    Speaking of which, have you guys felt something off just now? It seemed like something entered the factory," Lin Ke paused, then changed the tone, "It''s nearby."


    Ke Xiaomo, on hearing this, was slightly shocked, thinking, "I''ve been discovered?"


    "Of course, I noticed, and I wanted to surprise him. It''s no fun now that you''ve mentioned it."


    As he spoke, the cowboy man suddenly lowered his hat brim and fired a bullet glowing with pale blue flames from his silver gun toward an abandoned machine inside the factory.


    In a flash, Ke Xiaomo''s figure sprang out of the shadows, avoiding the incoming pale blue bullets.


    The moment the bullet hit the abandoned machine, violent blue flames erupted like a demon unleashing its claws, instantly engulfing the machinery, leaving a scorched trail on the ground.


    "Being able to detect me, their skills are indeed not ordinary. Should I try exchanging a few moves with them..."


    Ke Xiaomo slightly crouched, ready to flee into the shadows and escape from the ground at any moment.


    Flint, Lin Ke, and Howard simultaneously looked towards this uninvited guest in a black ninja suit, face covered with a metal ninja mask.

 Chapter 187 A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)_4

    "Ninja?" Howard lowered the brim of his hat, speaking with interest.


    "A superhuman I''ve never seen before," Lin Ke said, already notching an arrow onto his bowstring.


    "If they''re coming for us, then let''s slaughter them," Flint said calmly, slowly lifting his massive sword and standing up from the pile of parts.


    "No, my target is the player named ''Gastella.'' Capturing that player will allow us to pry the information about these three Blood Clan Hunters from her lips. Going into battle without knowing their details would be too reckless...,"


    Ke Xiaomo thought to himself, executing a backflip to land on the factory wall.


    In that instant, Howard raised his silver rifle and pulled the trigger, blue bullets burst out;


    At the same time, Lin Ke raised his bow, released the string, and his arrow shot towards Ke Xiaomo''s landing spot, as fast as a blur.


    However, the moment Ke Xiaomo''s feet touched the wall, his figure instantly transformed into a raptor-shaped shadow and merged into the wall. His wings vibrated, propeling him downwards explosively, and in the blink of an eye, he had left the factory.


    The next moment, the raptor shadow shot directly towards the caf¨¦.


    Upon entering the caf¨¦, Ke Xiaomo swiftly skimmed up from the shadow, appearing silently behind the girl in the wheelchair and striking her neck with a hand-chop, quickly knocking her out.


    Immediately after, Ke Xiaomo, carrying Gastella, slowly merged into the shadow at their feet, entering an isolated space woven from shadows where he could eliminate all external disturbances.


    "Shadow Space," within the entire Shadow Heir Ninja Sect, only he had successfully mastered this technique, not even the former Sect Master was an exception.


    The drawback of this move was that it needed too much time. It took three seconds to drag an enemy or oneself into the Shadow Space, which was practically useless against a slightly stronger opponent.


    "Something seems off..."


    In the dark space, Ke Xiaomo suddenly felt something was wrong: he had just brought his hand-chop down on the girl, who clearly passed out, but her body was still twitching slowly.


    The next moment, she turned her body with empty eyes and swung her cane towards Ke Xiaomo''s face.


    However, Ke Xiaomo easily sliced through Gastella''s cane with a shadow sword and restrained her body from behind with an outstretched arm.


    He realized it was a sign of being controlled by a parasite.


    "Was the information from the Dice Monster wrong, or is this not Gastella''s real body?"


    Ke Xiaomo thought to himself, reaching his hand towards the girl''s face. Soon, he peeled off an extremely thin human face mask from her face. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    "As expected... She''s just an ordinary person controlled by Gastella," Ke Xiaomo thought, wrapping his right hand with an inner strength and shocking the girl''s chest. The parasite wrapped around her heart screeched and burst out from her throat instantly.


    Seeing this, Ke Xiaomo held the now completely unconscious girl in his arms and raised his shadow sword to cut the parasite in two.


    A "hiss" sound followed, dirty blood splattered in the Shadow Space.


    Ke Xiaomo placed the girl on the ground, carefully checked her legs, and confirmed that her limbs were in normal condition, she wasn''t even disabled.


    She had just been sitting in a wheelchair, pretending to be disabled.


    If the real body of Gastella was truly the girl in the wheelchair seen in the picture, then she must have stuffed a parasite into the body of an ordinary girl and had her impersonate her to meet with another player.


    "But what''s the intention, and where did the other player who was shot by the arrow go?"


    Ke Xiaomo couldn''t figure it out. For the time being, he left the girl in the Shadow Space and returned to reality, escaping from Hong Ge Commercial Street at the fastest speed.


    ...


    ....


    On the other side, within an alleyway of Hong Ge Food Street.


    [Hint: "Bluebird Scout Plane" has been destroyed.]


    Before entering the caf¨¦, Ke Mingye had released the Deception Puppet with the Bluebird Scout Plane hidden in a nearby alley, making it convenient for him to swap places and escape.


    At this moment, the Deception Puppet, shot in the shoulder, was lying on the ground in the alley.


    Under the effect of the poison, its body still couldn''t move. It had no choice but to use a skill and quickly release a second Deception Puppet in the alley.


    The second puppet embraced the injured first one, while taking out a night belt from its bag and activating the "invisibility feature," quickly leaving Hongge Commercial Street.


    Finally, on a nearby beach, the second puppet deactivated its invisible state, holding the first puppet as they plunged into the sea and slowly sank.


    Then, an explosion occurred underwater, the sinister laughter not reaching the surface above.


    Ke Mingye did this to prevent Gastella from linking him with the Dice Monster.


    After all, the eerie laughter accompanying the Dice Monster''s explosion was well-known on the internet, with many having seen the video.


    If his puppet exploded in front of Gastella, Gastella would immediately realize that he was the Dice Monster.


    Then, after his family captured Gastella, and Gastella confessed that "the Dice Monster was actually a player," any future collaboration with his family would be nothing but a pipe dream.


    Everyone knows that no matter what tricks you''re playing, the ultimate goal is the extinction of Superhumans. So, who would collaborate with you or listen to another word from you? It would be nonsense.


    At this very moment, as both puppets exploded underwater, in one of the bedrooms at Bai Ke''s home.


    Ke Mingye thought to himself that his older brother should have held off those Blood Clan Hunters, otherwise his Deception Puppet would have had a high chance of not escaping Hongge Commercial Street, or at the very least, would have had to self-destruct in front of that group of Blood Clan Hunters.


    He let out a sigh of relief, took out his backup smartphone, and sent an email to Ke Xiaomo.


    [Mr. Strange Thing: How''s it going, Mr. Ninja?]


    [Xiao Mo: I met three strong individuals, are they the Blood Clan Hunters you mentioned?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Yes, they are. But wasn''t the focus supposed to be on the two players meeting in the caf¨¦? The one in a wheelchair is the player "Gastella" who''s been spreading parasites throughout the city.]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Uh, it seems that neither Gastella nor the player she was meeting with were caught by you?] S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Xiao Mo: No, I caught the one you mentioned, "Gastella."]


    [Xiao Mo: But she was a fake. Although she seemed to be in a wheelchair and her appearance matched the photo you gave me, she was actually an ordinary person controlled by parasites, with normal legs, wearing a facial mask.]


    [Xiao Mo: Are you sure the photo of "Gastella" you gave me is of her, not one of her controlled puppets?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: I''m sure it was her. At that time, she was using a cane to spread the parasites, not spitting them out of her mouth, so it should be her indeed.]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: It seems that Gastella didn''t use her real body for the meeting but had a puppet impersonate her instead.]


    [Xiao Mo: Why would she do that?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Who knows? Perhaps it was to test whether the other player knew her appearance or not. If they did, it would have been quite a shock, especially since this girl likes to manipulate others with puppets.]


    After typing this line, Ke Mingye breathed a light sigh of relief.


    "According to older brother, there were three Blood Clan Hunters he encountered..." he thought, "Still no detailed intelligence gathered, and no idea what Gastella''s next move will be after this meeting. Just have to play it by ear."

 Chapter 188 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)

    July 11th, afternoon following the meeting with Gastella.


    Ke Mingye sat cross-legged on the bed in his bedroom, his eyes downcast as he fiddled with his cellphone. On the wooden table beside the bed, a handheld fan rotated slowly, facing his face¡ªthe weather was hot enough to roast the cicadas that chattered noisily in the trees.


    In the email he had just replied to his second brother, he stated that he was unclear about Gastella''s intention of disguising puppets as himself.


    However, in truth, he knew that Gastella had done so for two main reasons:


    The first was to test whether the players had already discovered her true identity;


    The second was that if other players were aware of her appearance, by disguising her puppet in her own image, she might be able to lure out players who were lying in ambush nearby. Then, those three members of the Blood Clan who were Hunters could capture these players all at once, hopefully discovering the player who had a vampire hidden at home.


    But Ke Mingye couldn''t plainly tell his second brother these things.


    After all, spreading the news of infighting among players would lead to trouble, more or less.


    It must be said that it''s already a tall tale for just over a hundred players to exterminate the superhuman race, and if they were to start infighting at this time, it would be adding frost to the snow.


    At this moment, as he exited his email and was about to shut down the spare phone, two messages suddenly popped up on the lock screen.


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow slightly and glanced at the contents of the two messages. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    The top one was a QQ message.


    [I''m not Ash: Rainbow said she wants to meet with you. If you''re free, come to the elementary school. If not, never mind, it''s probably nothing important.]


    The one further down was a text message.


    [Che Zhengchen: Are you free today? Come show your face at the Superhero Tower, everyone is worried about you. Don''t have people holding a funeral when you''ve just started out.]


    "Please, why am I so busy?"


    Ke Mingye murmured, stretching his hand to scratch his head.


    He felt like he had a limited time experience of what an online scumbag feels like, although one of them was his sister and the other his boss.


    "Looks like I can''t miss either of them, or who knows if I''ll miss some vital information," he thought, "I should find a time to release two puppets."


    With that in mind, he got off the bed, put on his slippers, and walked out of the room.


    ....


    ....


    At this very moment, at the entrance to Bai Ke''s home.


    Ke Xiaomo leaned back against the door behind him, his eyes downcast, concealed by his bangs, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. After taking a deep breath, he slowly lifted his right hand, gently touching the doorknob.


    Truthfully, he was irritated.


    He clearly did not want to cooperate with the Dice Monster, yet he had to feign politeness.


    His ultimate goal in collaborating with the Dice Monster was singular: to use the clues provided by the Dice Monster to uncover its true identity step by step, and then make it kneel at his feet to fully taste the consequences of attacking his family.


    Especially last night, after seeing the wounds on Mingye''s body, Xiaomo almost lost control of his anger.


    At that moment, had the Dice Monster been in front of him, regardless of whether it was a fake or the real one, he probably would not have been able to resist tearing it to pieces...


    "Stay calm, be patient, and don''t forget how you''ve come this far," he thought to himself, exhaling slowly, trying his best to restrain the violence and rage in his heart. The veins on the back of his hand began to recede.


    Just then, the doorknob turned.


    Xiaomo released his grip from above and stepped back from the door, turning his head to see who was coming out of the house.


    Ke Mingye looked up from his phone, bewildered: "What are you doing standing at the front door?"


    "Nothing..." Xiaomo hesitated before continuing, "It''s time for lunch."


    "Okay, I''ll go downstairs to buy a drink and be right back," Ke Mingye said.


    Xiaomo nodded at his words, watching his figure enter the elevator, then turned his face towards the window by the corridor entrance. He looked through the window to see Ke Mingye''s form enter the supermarket at a leisurely pace.


    Only then did he turn his gaze back, reassured, and walked back into the house.


    .....


    .....


    Shortly afterward, during the afternoon, in the Hongdeng Commercial District, on the ground floor of the Superhero Tower.


    A figure clad in red and blue apparel walked into the Superhero Tower amid the astonished looks of onlookers.


    From passersby on the street to the organization''s superheroes and staff, the majority were aware of the incident that occurred the previous night.


    The Dice Monster had suddenly attacked the Bai Yi Squad, which was on a mission, critically injuring the Telekinesis Nun and the Mech Vanguard. Additionally, the rookie hero Blue Owl had gone missing.


    Yet the next afternoon, Blue Owl brazenly walked into the Superhero Tower and took the elevator to the first floor.


    With the nickname "Qing Ya''s illegitimate child" adding to the spectacle, attracting attention was unavoidable.


    Moments later, Blue Owl exited the elevator car, headed straight into Che Zhengchen''s office.


    Putting down the file in his hand and massaging the Tianming Acupoint, Che Zhengchen finally lifted his eyes to look at Blue Owl and sighed in relief, "This is the second time we''ve talked because of the Dice Monster."


    "Yes," Blue Owl replied, "I''m wondering if what happened last night was my fault. The Dice Monster targeted me, which may have led it to attack you and my teammates."


    "Really..." Che Zhengchen pondered, "That''s what you think, huh." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes."


    "How self-absorbed," Che Zhengchen retorted.


    "What?"


    "Instead of it targeting you, it would make more sense to say it targeted me and took a swipe at my team of superheroes."


    "But it was clearly coming for me," Blue Owl insisted.


    "Who knows? Don''t dwell on the thoughts of a madman, and don''t feel guilty because of what a madman does," Che Zhengchen spoke slowly, his hands coming together on the desk, "That''s the first thing I needed to talk to you about today."

 Chapter 188 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_2

    He paused, then gently adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, "Actually, even if I didn''t teach you, Qing Ya would have. After all, he has been opposing the Timekeeper for so many years, and many innocent people have gotten hurt because of it. He''s not so rational that he''s devoid of emotions; he often blames himself and even once came to me in the middle of the night, covered in wounds, asking me, ''Did I do something wrong?''"


    At this point, he sighed softly, speaking irritably, "I was startled at that time. It was the middle of the night and I was lying in bed resting when I suddenly saw an extra figure outside the window, draped in a tattered black cloak, the mask smeared with fresh blood."


    "...Huh?"


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl was momentarily stunned, thinking to himself that his old man, that gloomy, terrifying Crow Man, could also have moments of doubt about himself. Was this real or just an impostor? Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Anyway, even the Qing Ya you admire can encounter these issues, so it''s not strange that you would think like that," Che Zhengchen said, "If I didn''t remind you a bit, you''d keep taking these problems onto yourself, just like he did, and perhaps one day... you might become the second Qing Ya."


    "Isn''t that good?"


    Blue Owl tilted his head, his beak also tilted.


    "No no no, it''s certainly not good to be like him, you know..."


    Che Zhengchen paused for a moment before continuing, "I think he''s almost at his limit."


    "Which aspect do you mean?"


    "Both physically and mentally, he''s almost at his limit," Che Zhengchen stated calmly, "If he continues to be stubborn and refuses to step back, then it won''t be long before he might either be dealt with by the Management Bureau or locked up in England''s Bedlam Asylum."


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl was slightly taken aback and found himself at a loss for words.


    "I think, before dealing with the Timekeeper, Qing Ya is definitely not willing to retire. So maybe your appearance at this time is meant to be... he must believe that you are the last straw sent by heaven to save him."


    "You''re exaggerating too much, Commander Che," Blue Owl sighed.


    "No, my words are not an exaggeration."


    Che Zhengchen shook his head, speaking softly, "I know that both Qing Ya and I are selfish. As mature adults, we should be advising you to take off this suit and warning you that ''this can attract the Timekeeper and you might be killed by the Timekeeper,'' yet neither of us did."


    "We both know what each other''s intentions are, and how deplorable each other''s thoughts can be."


    He laughed self-mockingly, then continued, "I hope to use you to draw out the Timekeeper, to avenge my son, to give that damn Timekeeper a taste of what it''s like to have his corpse displayed on a skyscraper to everyone; and Qing Ya, he also hopes to use you to draw out the Timekeeper, to put an end to this drama that has last more than two decades, allowing him to step down from this chaotic stage with a clear conscience."


    Che Zhengchen paused, then changed the thread of his narrative.


    "Even though I know we are both selfish, even though I know this is definitely wrong, I still don''t want to change this thought."


    He lowered his voice slightly, saying, "So this is my request to you, Blue Owl, please do not give up on Qing Ya... he needs you, even if it means bearing the risk of being killed by the Timekeeper."


    Blue Owl stared at the complex expression on his face, lowered his head silently for a while, then slowly began to speak, "Isn''t this the reason why I put on this suit?"


    Che Zhengchen remained silent for a while and then smiled as if relieved.


    "Thank you... I really didn''t misjudge you."


    After finishing, Che Zhengchen lowered his eyes toward the documents in his hand, tapping the desktop with his finger lightly, "About last night, Bai Yi has already told me a lot, so you don''t need to report it again. Go outside, he''s been waiting for you for a while already."


    "Okay." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having said that, Blue Owl turned around and walked out of the office at a leisurely pace, closing the door gently behind him.


    Immediately turning his head to the right, just as last time, Bai Yi was leaning against the wall waiting for him.


    Differently this time, Bai Yi had removed his mask and was not wearing his combat suit but a thin plaid jacket and black casual long pants.


    His face was delicate, his complexion pale, like a scholar untouched by the secular world.


    "Are you sure this is your summer outfit?" Blue Owl asked.


    Bai Yi teased, "Don''t I just want to avoid getting tanned? This jacket is okay, not too thick."


    "If you like it, that''s what matters," Blue Owl said, shrugging his shoulders, and then inquired, "How are the Nun and the Vanguard doing?"


    Bai Yi responded, "Vanguard and the Nun are still in the Alliance''s internal hospital undergoing treatment, probably needing a few days of rest before they can move. For now, we can afford to relax."


    Blue Owl nodded, "That''s good."


    Both remained silent for a while, leaning against the wall outside the office, quietly looking out at the urban landscape and the white bullet train moving on the elevated tracks.


    Watching the train gradually pull away, amidst the rumblings of the engine, Bai Yi suddenly asked.


    "Got any time to come over to my place?"


    "Uh, I must have told you, I..."


    Blue Owl, holding his shoulders, hesitated.


    Bai Yi cut him off, "I want you to meet my sister. She said she''s bringing friends home to play this afternoon, and I was thinking of bringing a friend too, otherwise it would be awkward just me alone with several girls, don''t you think?"


    Blue Owl, surprised and curious, asked, "Wait, the friends your sister mentioned aren''t by any chance..."


    "Seems to be people from the Magical Girl Alliance," Bai Yi shrugged, "Of course, there could be other friends of hers too."

 Chapter 188 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_3

    "Alright, does this count as an Alliance and Superhero Association mixer?"


    "You could say that."


    "I must say, having a Magic Girl in the family feels quite amazing. I''m a bit envious of you," Blue Owl remarked.


    Bai Yi turned to look at him, "So, are you coming or not?"


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl hesitated for a long time, then sighed and replied.


    "Alright... I''ll come then."


    "Great."


    Bai Yi seemed not to have expected such a response, so his eyes brightened but then he quickly realized a serious issue, "So, are you going to wear your battle suit to my house?"


    He asked tentatively, then awkwardly chuckled and added, "That''s not really a problem, it would also make it easier for me to introduce you to my sister. An Hong mentioned you before."


    Blue Owl raised an eyebrow, murmuring this name: "An Hong?"


    Bai Yi explained, "My sister''s real name, her codename ''Magical Girl Rainbow'' is derived from her own real name."


    "What did your sister say about me?"


    "She often says... her friend Magical Girl Feng is your fan, mentions you every day, and it drives her crazy."


    "Oh, I think I''ve even taken a photo with that Feng before."


    Blue Owl said, shrugging his shoulders as if he remembered something unpleasant.


    "Taken a photo?" Bai Yi raised an eyebrow and joked, "You wouldn''t have any intentions towards girls that age..."


    "Definitely not, I would never have any such thoughts about your sister or her friends."


    Blue Owl spread his hands, interrupting him helplessly.


    He paused, "Speaking of which, when you see my face without the mask, you might think I look quite young." He hesitated, then added, "I might even be younger than your sister."


    Upon hearing this, Bai Yi was first taken aback, then his eyes widened slightly as he turned his head and looked at the man wearing a bird beak mask with a strange expression.


    He then asked skeptically, "Really? I thought you were at least twenty years old."


    Blue Owl lowered his head, touched his mask with his hand, and sighed lightly, "Uh, first of all, I''m only in my teens, and secondly, I kind of have a baby face."


    "Now I understand why you insist on wearing that mask."


    Bai Yi remarked.


    Blue Owl gave him a sidelong glance, then said, "Anyway, I''ll give you a phone number. Wait for me at a nearby cafe. I''ll go to my secret base to change out of my battle suit, then come meet you, okay?"


    "Okay." Bai Yi smiled, "No rush, my sister said they won''t be there until two in the afternoon, so it''s alright if you change clothes before going to my house. I hope you won''t stand me up."


    He paused: "By the way... my real name is An Renchuan. What about you, a fake name is fine, I don''t mind."


    Blue Owl hesitated for a long time, slowly looked up from behind his lenses, and uttered a name. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ke Mingye."


    .....


    .....


    Meanwhile, at Yandai Commercial Street.


    Xiaohongmao lowered her Magic Wand, her feet touching the ground of the school rooftop, the snow swirling around her dissipating like smoke.


    She turned her head to look behind her, where three figures leaned against the iron fence at the edge of the rooftop.


    Standing on the left, Magical Girl Hong waved at her, smiling lightly.


    Magical Girl Feng, who rested her head on Hong''s shoulder playing with her phone, sighed without looking up, "You''re really slow, newbie. Being this slow could get you eaten by the big bad wolf."


    Xiaohongmao responded indifferently, "Don''t worry, every version of Little Red Riding Hood has survived."


    Saying so, she shifted her gaze towards the person standing on the far right, keeping a clear distance from the other two, Ash.


    This goth-dressed girl was clutching the gaps in the fence with one hand, her profile facing them, her piercing eyes gazing towards the distant flyover, her gray fluttering ribbons swaying in the wind.


    Her expression was as usual, nonchalant, as if there was a glass separating her from this world.


    "So, senior, what did you want?" Xiaohongmao asked, looking at her profile.


    "Ask them." The goth-dressed girl answered.


    Xiaohongmao, hearing this, turned her gaze towards the inseparable duo, Hong and Feng, "May I ask what you need me for?"


    "Ask this guy." Feng said, poking Hong''s shoulder.


    Xiaohongmao shifted her gaze, staring expressionlessly at Rainbow.


    Rainbow stammered, unable to speak for a long time, she raised her hands, finger pointing to finger, before finally speaking, "Uh, actually I want... I want, to invite you and..."


    "Me and?" Xiaohongmao tilted her head.


    Rainbow suddenly shook her head, deflated, "No! I just want to invite you over to my place."


    Xiaohongmao shook her head, saying, "No, what you meant to say was, you want to invite me and Ash over to your place, right?"


    Magical Girl Ash, hearing her name, turned her gaze away from the distant flyover, slowly turned her head back, hugged her shoulders, and glanced at Xiaohongmao, then at Rainbow.


    "What about me?" she asked.


    "No, I didn''t mean that." Hong waved her hands hastily, nearly in tears.


    "She clearly meant that, she''s just afraid you''ll scold her." Feng said, then turned her head closer to Hong, "Hey hey, don''t chickened out when it matters."


    "I think it''s a good idea." Xiaohongmao said expressionlessly, "Why don''t you and I both go to her place?"


    "Her?"


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    Saying this, Magical Girl Ash''s gaze lingered on the flustered Rainbow, she tilted her head, her black hair tips slightly tilting as well.


    "Yeah, my brother is at home, I thought I''d introduce you to him. He''s a really nice guy! And he''s a superhero too! Although he only recently debuted, you should have heard his name!"

 Chapter 188 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_4

    After a series of combinations, the other three people present couldn''t help but be stunned. Silence enshrouded the rooftop briefly; the wind carrying the heat wave swept over the city, slapping against their cheeks.


    "Huh?" Feng was the first to be stunned, "Your brother is actually a superhero?"


    Rainbow nodded gently, then said, "Yes. He only recently became a superhero. He didn''t want to go out before because he had issues with his legs and never went to school."


    She paused for a moment, muttering softly, "I often talk to him about you guys. Once, while sitting in his wheelchair by the window, he said softly ''I''m really thankful they take care of you so well; it would be nice to meet them too.'' Since then, I''ve always thought about introducing him to you, but never found the right opportunity..."


    Hearing this, Magical Girl Ash was slightly surprised, asking softly, "Then why haven''t you mentioned this to us before?"


    "Isn''t this me mentioning it now?"


    While speaking, Rainbow touched her head embarrassingly and chuckled softly.


    "Fair enough," Magical Girl Ash paused, "But I still rather not..." she hadn''t finished her sentence when Xiaohongmao already moved closer, grabbing her elbow.


    "What are you doing?"


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    "Just go along with me, and let''s visit her house together," Xiaohongmao said.


    "No way."


    "If you say no, I''ll jump off the building. It turns out a girl raised with trash really isn''t fit to invite a girl raised with a silver spoon to someone else''s house."


    "When I say no, it''s no, is that clear?"


    Xiaohongmao leaned close to her ear, whispering, "Senior, can''t you be a bit more humane? Look at her expression. If you don''t accept, even if I don''t jump off, she might."


    Magical Girl Ash turned her fair face slightly to glance, then withdrew her gaze and tapped her arm with her fingers, hesitating before saying, "But, I have never let them see my true self."


    "Then let them see it." Xiaohongmao tilted her head, "What''s the trouble with that?"


    "You say that''s simpl..."


    Ash hadn''t finished speaking when Xiaohongmao suddenly shrouded herself in a layer of cocoon light, which then shattered to reveal her as the girl named "You Minglu."


    You Minglu was dressed in overalls, akin to a tomboy, but her indifferent demeanor surprisingly created a chemistry.


    The other three were momentarily dumbfounded, seemingly not expecting her to be so decisive.


    You Minglu asked indifferently, "Aren''t you guys transforming too if we''re going to her house?"


    Magical Girl Hong and Magical Girl Feng turned to look at each other, then changed back to their original forms amidst the shattered cocoon light.


    Hong wore a pale red pleated skirt, her slightly longer-than-shoulder-length hair flowing;


    Feng wore a yellow T-shirt and ripped pants, her hair cut short and neatly, with finely chopped locks near her ears.


    Their appearances, with black hair and brown eyes, didn''t differ much from typical high school girls: Hong''s face was somewhat chubby, yet quite cute; Feng looked more like a boy, her features androgynous.


    All three reverted to their original forms, shifting their gaze, pressuring Magical Girl Ash.


    The gothic skirt girl folded her arms, her back leaning against the wire mesh, stared at by the three until her eyes twitched. Ultimately unable to bear it, she opened her magic umbrella, Cinderella, intending to escape immediately.


    But Xiaohongmao, anticipating her move, pressed down on her right hand, then signalled Feng and Hong with her eyes.


    Feng complained, "Senior, other Magic Girls from different Alliances have known each other for years and can even bath together, yet we''ve known you so long and you''ve never even let us see your true self."


    Hong nodded innocently, "Yeah."


    Ash''s eyes twitched again, she hesitated for a long while, and slowly lowered the magic umbrella she was about to open, then turned her face aside, took a deep breath, and spoke in a haughty, cold tone.


    "Well, let me make it clear, if I revert to my original form and you dare comment on my looks, even a single word, you''ll bear the consequences," she said.


    Hong and Feng were intimidated by her aura, blankly nodding their heads.


    Magical Girl Ash stared at them seriously for a moment, then hugged her shoulders and pondered while looking down, apparently unable to stand it again, she stomped her foot, raised the handle of the magic umbrella, and tried to run away.


    Yet Xiaohongmao restrained her right hand again, staring into her eyes, shaking her head.


    "Running away at this moment isn''t something a senior should do."


    Magical Girl Ash locked eyes with her, and then sighed deeply, "Fine, if it must be, let''s do it." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After speaking, her elegant form was slowly engulfed in a layer of dark cocoon light.


    Hong and Feng''s eyes widened like bells. Having never seen Ash''s transformation, they concentrated intently, like high school students waiting for their college entrance exam scores, not even blinking.


    The next moment, the cocoon light enveloping Magical Girl Ash shattered. She looked down at the folding umbrella, silent and seemingly a bit embarrassed.


    "Her face didn''t change?"


    A look of confusion appeared on Feng and Hong''s faces.


    Xiaohongmao shook her head, pointing at Bai Zini''s pocket, "Senior, you still have one more mirror to use."


    Bai Zini raised the magic mirror, glanced in it, and her face immediately reverted to its original appearance.


    Hong blurted out, "So cute."


    Feng was stunned, stuttering, "So... Senior was this small?"

 Chapter 188 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_5

    Bai Zini shifted her gaze from the umbrella and raised her eyes, shooting an annoyed glare at the two people.


    "Be more careful in the future," she said.


    The two shuddered and quickly covered their mouths.


    "Let''s go, we''ll play at her place for a bit and then come back,"


    Yu Minglu said expressionlessly, pushing Bai Zini''s shoulder from behind.


    "Don''t, push, me."


    Bai Zini said, and Yu Minglu quickly moved to her side, walking shoulder to shoulder with her as they left the school rooftop.


    A moment later, the four of them left the long-abandoned elementary school, stopping in front of a vending machine on Yandai Commercial Street.


    "Wait for me. I''ll buy a few bottles of drinks to take back; the ones in the fridge are finished,"


    Rainbow said as she turned around and selected the drinks on the vending machine''s display with her fingers.


    Seizing this opportunity, Feng suggested, "Let''s exchange names with each other. We don''t have to use our real names; a nickname will do. We can''t still call each other by code names at her house, can we?"


    As she spoke, she shrugged her shoulders dismissively and said, "I''ll start, my real name is Qiu Xia."


    Rainbow turned back, distributing the drinks to everyone and said, "My real name is An Hong; though I feel like everyone probably already knows that."


    Yu Minglun took the cold Sprite and said, "Yu Minglu, the ''lu'' as in ''profit.''"


    Bai Zini was taken aback, then leaned in to ask in her ear, "Why did you just give your real name so directly?"


    Yu Minglu calmly explained, "Senior, I have no family or relatives, so even if bad people learn my name, it doesn''t really matter." As she spoke, she ''crack'' unscrewed the Sprite bottle cap and brought it to her lips.


    Upon hearing this, Bai Zini looked down and hesitated for a moment, then as if she had thought of something funny, the corners of her mouth gently curled up.


    She cleared her throat and said, "You can call me... Bai Mingye."


    Hearing this name, Yu Minglu immediately choked, almost spraying the Sprite she was drinking.


    "Cough... cough cough, cough cough cough."


    Wiping her mouth, she thought: Hey, hey, hey, do you not have your own name? Can you even steal this?


    "Senior, isn''t that your brother''s name?" Yu Minglu leaned in close to Bai Zini and questioned softly.


    "Is that not allowed?"


    "It''s all good; your brother''s name is now yours. You''re invincible," Yu Minglu said, bringing her mouth close to the Sprite bottle cap again.


    "Bai Mingye..." An Hong murmured, holding up a shopping bag with several bottles of drinks, and asked Bai Zini, "Senior, is this a fake name or real name?"


    "Real name," Bai Zini replied seriously.


    "What a nice name," Qiu Xia complimented, "It sounds as nice as your codename."


    "Exactly," Rainbow also said.


    Isn''t it nice, stolen from me? Yu Minglu silently drank her Sprite, complaining in her heart.


    "Let''s go then," An Hong said while carrying the shopping bag and continued to lead the way. "My home is in the Yandai residential area; it''s very close."


    All the way there, Bai Zini felt extremely, extremely uncomfortable walking in the middle of the four, getting goosebumps.


    Originally, she looked the most mature among the four after her transformation, but after taking off the ''Magic Mirror'' ¡ª this fig leaf ¡ª standing among them, she became the one who looked the youngest, like a mascot.


    It was truly a turn of the wheel of fortune. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    How torturous... Let this be over soon, Bai Zini took a deep breath, thinking to herself, all because of Xiaohongmao. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why are you looking at me, Senior?"


    "You''re quite cute (NTMD),"


    In the scorching summer heat, their figures emerged and disappeared among the billboards along the way, the densely packed high-rises, and the narrow alleys, with the chirping of cicadas drowning out the off-key advertising jingles.


    After walking for a while, An Hong, who was leading the way, stopped, and they all looked up to see a two-story rental house in front of them that seemed spacious enough.


    "Here we are; this is my home,"


    An Hong declared, pressing the doorbell of the rental house.


    Soon, the light blue door opened, with the wind chimes hanging on it clanging.


    "An Renchuan, your sister''s back,"


    Inside the rental house, Ke Mingye held his phone while saying this and looked up with an expressionless face at the three people, then suddenly froze.


    "Here they are."


    Saying that An Renchuan walked over from behind him, smiling warmly at An Hong, "You and your friends got here so quickly?"


    "Yeah," An Hong replied, pointing to An Renchuan and introduced to the three behind her, "This is my brother."


    "Hello," Qiu Xia nodded her head.


    "Hello," said Yu Minglu.


    However, at this moment, only Bai Zini seemed completely oblivious to An Renchuan; instead, she stared motionless at Ke Mingye standing inside the house.


    Their eyes locked.


    Her mouth slightly open, she was at a loss for words.


    Ke Mingye was similar, his eyes wide as bells.


    After a while, both of them spoke at the same time.


    "No way, what are you doing here?!" exclaimed Ke Mingye, shocked.


    "I was about to ask you the same?!" Bai Zini equally startled.

 Chapter 189 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 2)

    As Bai Zini and Ke Mingye questioned each other, the people in front of the rental house were momentarily transfixed; they seemed like a still photo, blurred by the sweltering summer heat.


    Suddenly, several people couldn''t help but give them peculiar looks. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An Renchuan took a sip of water, glanced at the dumbfounded Bai Zini, and then at the stunned Ke Mingye.


    A moment later, he asked with considerable curiosity.


    "So you two know each other?"


    Ke Mingye looked at Bai Zini in surprise, then shook his head and denied, "No, not really." Saying this, he walked back into the house as if nothing had happened, leaving Bai Zini standing there, dumbstruck.


    Bai Zini glanced at Ke Mingye walking into the living room, then at An Hong''s brother, pondering something.


    "Not really familiar, yet that was his reaction," An Renchuan said, shrugging helplessly before turning to An Hong to ask, "Speaking of which, I haven''t asked yet, who is this girl you seem to know my friend knows?"


    On hearing this, Bai Zini swiftly looked at An Hong with an icy stare.


    Under Bai Zini''s intimidating gaze, An Hong scratched her hand hesitantly for two seconds, then smiled wryly at her brother saying, "Ah haha, she''s a classmate of mine, named Bai Ming..."


    Before she could finish the word "ye," she was abruptly cut off by an intensely blushing Bai Zini: "Ming ming ming ming your head¡ª!"


    "Huh?"


    An Hong and Qiu Xia were stunned, thinking, Senior, why the sudden change? Weren''t you just called ''Bai Mingye'' a moment ago, and now it''s suddenly ''Ming ming ming ming your head''?


    "Come over here, let''s talk!"


    Bai Zini said anxiously, pulling the two of them and You Minglu together at a very fast pace. The four of them huddled together for an emergency meeting.


    Cicadas buzzed loudly as Bai Zini''s brain overheated almost to the point of short-circuiting.


    At that point, she couldn''t bother to make up a fake name and just blurted out her real one: "Actually, the name I mentioned earlier was a pseudonym, my real name is ''Bai Zini,'' not Bai Mingye, got it?!"


    "Bai Zini?" An Hong murmured.


    "So that is Senior''s real name," Qiu Xia said.


    "Yes, Bai Zini."


    Bai Zini paused, then added, "Also, when we go inside later, try not to bring up the topic of ''Magic Girl,'' and if you accidentally do, you must say I''m just an ordinary person, understand?"


    Qiu Xia and An Hong both nodded; they knew Magical Girl Ash definitely didn''t want her identity exposed, but wasn''t this conversation a bit too late?


    An Hong''s brother, who had been wheelchair-bound for those years, always heard her talk about Magic Girl, and naturally about Ash.


    With everyone visiting now, An Renchuan couldn''t possibly fail to realize that among the girls other than Qiu Xia and An Hong, one must be Magical Girl Ash.


    You Minglu covered his mouth to yawn softly, belatedly nodding in acknowledgment: "Got it."


    "Then it''s settled."


    Comrade Bai Zini declared the temporary strategy meeting adjourned.


    An Hong nodded again, then walked back to her brother''s side and introduced in his puzzled gaze, "Brother, this is my friend Bai Zini."


    Only then did Bai Zini relax her gaze, cradling her right elbow with her left hand, looking down at the folded umbrella in her right hand while her thoughts whirled chaotically as if they might explode.


    She thought to herself: Good thing my brother didn''t hear it; otherwise, having one Bai Mingye and one Ke Mingye here would be excessively embarrassing, and I''d get a verbal punishment from my brother once back home.


    Also, why on earth is my brother at An Hong''s house?!


    Could it be that he and An Hong''s brother are friends?!


    But that''s impossible. An Hong even said her brother is a superhero, and moreover, he didn''t socialize while he was using a wheelchair before his superpower awakened.


    How could my brother know him then? Surely they didn''t meet online, did they? That would be too coincidental.


    No, that''s not right!


    The only definite thing here is that besides myself, there''s another person who knows my brother.


    ¡ª Xiaohongmao!


    If Xiaohongmao brought my brother here, then everything starts to make sense. No wonder she was so insistent on having me join; the whole point was to set me up.


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    Damn it! If I had known, I would never have brought her home!


    Thinking this, Bai Zini nearly ground her back teeth to dust. She turned her head, her gaze as sharp as a blade, towards You Minglu beside her.


    You Minglu pretended not to notice, merely sipping his Sprite quietly, looking up to observe An Renchuan and An Hong.


    If you dare ignore me, you must be feeling guilty¡ª!


    Bai Zini opened her mouth slightly, her shoulders trembling with anger as she spoke: "Is there a bathroom here?"


    An Renchuan nodded and answered with a smile: "Yes, right after you enter, turn right. There are slippers at the entrance; you can change into them first."


    "Alright, she and I need to go to the bathroom."


    Bai Zini, saying this coldly while pulling You Minglu''s hand, made it sound as if they were headed for a duel to the death.


    "Senior, I don''t need to use the bathroom. You can go on your own."


    You Minglu shook her head, immediately declining.


    "No, you need to go to the bathroom."


    Bai Zini''s head shook more forcefully than hers, her tone cold.


    An Renchuan, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, watched this scene with some confusion: "Um, do all you girls go to the bathroom together?"


    An Hong and Qiu Xia shook their heads, speaking in unison.


    "No."


    But after a careless glance from Bai Zini, they quickly nodded and corrected themselves: "Yes, we girls do like going to the bathroom together."

 Chapter 189 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 2)_2

    So quickly, Bai Zini took off her shoes at the door, put on house slippers, and then pulled You Minglu along to exit the entryway and turned right into the bathroom at the corner.


    With a "snap," the bathroom door closed and locked. Below the dimly glowing light bulb, only Bai Zini and You Minglu were left.


    Leaning against the door, Bai Zini''s right hand resting on the doorknob, she took several deep breaths before slowly looking up from her forehead.


    You Minglu met her fierce gaze, tilted her head in confusion, and asked softly,


    "Senior, why are you looking at me like that?"


    Bai Zini stared at her and asked coldly, "What do you think?"


    "Senior, you''re not seriously going to use the bathroom with me, are you?"


    As she spoke, You Minglu widened her eyes slightly, covered her mouth, and hesitated, "If that''s what you need psychologically, I''m not entirely opposed to it."


    "Get lost! Stop playing dumb."


    "What exactly did I do to make you so anxious?"


    "You''re screwed."


    "I get it. Is the Witch Church coming to hunt me down? I''m so scared, Senior, protect me quick."


    The more Bai Zini listened, the angrier she got, thinking how could this guy play dumb so well, so she said each word with emphasis,


    "The Witch Church hasn''t arrived yet, but that doesn''t mean you''re not screwed."


    "Senior, just a few days ago you were going on about the Witch''s Night and telling me to run far away. Now you want to get rid of me today, changing your tone and not recognizing people within two days. Senior, you really are a heartless woman," said You Minglu, looking gloomy and hurt, "Sure enough, a little girl who grew up eating garbage can''t trust the words of a little girl who grew up with a silver spoon. We, the ones who grew up picking trash and eating dirt, have only a sincere heart left. It''s normal to be let down."


    "Get lost, get lost, get lost. You''re always talking about growing up with garbage; how come you haven''t been choked to death by it yet!"


    Bai Zini was so infuriated she felt chest tightness, thinking that aside from Ke Mingye and You Minglu, there probably wasn''t a third person in the world who could anger her like this. And she was powerless against these two.


    She took a deep breath, calmed down for a moment, then frowned and looked at You Minglu, asking in a low voice, "The thing is, did you call my brother over or not?"


    You Minglu paused: "I thought it was you who had called your brother over. Isn''t that the case?"


    "How could that be!" Bai Zini sighed, "Here we have a superhero and four Magic Girls, why would we call over a clueless big dummy, to have him as a control group?"


    "Then how did he get here?"


    "I want to ask you that. It wasn''t you who sent a message to invite him?"


    "Senior, given your brother''s character, do you think I could invite him out with just a text message?" You Minglu spoke nonchalantly, "If I may speak frankly, from the first time I saw him, he seemed like the kind of lazy otaku who couldn''t be bothered with anything."


    "How come you speak as if you know him very well."


    "Because I''m also a lazy dog," You Minglu said seriously, "Lazy dogs have the ability to recognize each other."


    "That seems to make sense."


    Bai Zini nodded, feeling oddly convinced by this reasoning.


    "And even if it were me who called him, why did he look so surprised when he saw you?" You Minglu sighed in relief and continued to plead her case, "Isn''t that strange?"


    "It is strange."


    While saying that, Bai Zini hugged her shoulders, her fingers lightly tapping her arm as she looked down and pondered, "If it wasn''t you who invited him over, then why on earth is he here?"


    "Rather than guessing, how about I just text him and ask?"


    You Minglu spoke and quickly took out her phone from the pocket of her jumpsuit.


    "Don''t you ask, I''ll ask myself."


    While speaking, Bai Zini took out her phone from the pocket of her blue and white denim jacket, her fair fingers tapping rapidly on the virtual keyboard, and then she clicked send.


    ....


    ....


    At this very moment, on the other side of the rental house.


    An Hong walked shoulder to shoulder with An Renchuan into the living room, quietly introducing.


    "This one with the short hair is Qiu Xia, I''ve showed you her picture before; the one who just went into the bathroom with Senior Bai Zini is You Minglu, the ''lu'' from prosperity."


    An Renchuan nodded and said with a smile, "Mm, I''ve got it."


    He paused, then asked hesitantly, "I know about Qiu Xia. But are your other two friends, like you, Magic Girls as well?"


    "No no no no." An Hong waved her hands hastily, saying, "Bai Zini is not a Magic Girl, just an ordinary friend."


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    "And what about You Minglu?"


    "She she she she... She is a Magic Girl."


    "I see."


    An Renchuan continued to inquire: "Does Bai Zini know about your secret identities?"


    An Hong thought for a moment and said, "Although we only meet occasionally, she knows about our identities, otherwise I wouldn''t have brought her into our home."


    Her survival instinct was extremely strong, fearful that one wrong answer would upset Ash Senior later on. She might pull out her Magic Umbrella and start spraying bullets at them.


    "So that''s how it is," An Renchuan murmured, then continued to ask, "Bai Zini seems to be acquainted with my friend, could you ask her if they''ve met somewhere?"


    "Okay, I''ll ask her later."


    An Hong spoke without much confidence, thinking to herself, my brother really is trying to push me into a fire pit. If by any chance I stumble into Ash Senior''s no-go zone, I might as well say goodbye to life!


    Qiu Xia, standing beside her, wrapped her arms around herself and said, "What are you two siblings whispering about over there? Do you have to be so intimate?"


    Ke Mingye chimed in from the couch, "For real. An Renchuan, did you bring us here just to be your props and show off your sibling love?"


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 Chapter 189 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 2)_3

    ```


    Hearing that, An Hong laughed awkwardly, "No, it was just normal conversation."


    An Renchuan just shrugged his shoulders and teased Qiu Xia, "Alright, alright, I''ll give my sister back to you, you guys have fun."


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    As he spoke, he took his cup and sat down next to Ke Mingye, whispering, "Comrade Blue Owl, so, what exactly is your relationship with that girl called ''Bai Zini''?"


    "Nothing special," Ke Mingye said, "We''ve met once, so her name is ''Bai Zini'' huh?"


    "My sister said she''s not a Magic Girl."


    "Of course, she''s not a Magic Girl," Ke Mingye paused, "she, she, she...forget it, I really don''t know her that well."


    An Renchuan interrupted him, chuckling, "By the sound of it, you seem quite familiar with her indeed."


    "Let''s not talk about her. How about we talk about your sister instead? What are her other friends like?" Ke Mingye said.


    An Renchuan answered, "That short-haired girl next to her is Qiu Xia, Magical Girl Feng; as for the girl in the jumpsuit, she''s You Minglu, and if I''m not mistaken..."


    He paused, "She should be Magical Girl Ash."


    "Magical Girl Ash?" Ke Mingye was startled and murmured, "Why do you think so?"


    An Renchuan smiled slightly and explained, "An Hong often talks to me about two Magic Girls named ''Ash'' and ''Feng,'' so if ''Magical Girl Feng'' is Qiu Xia, then Magical Girl Ash should be this You Minglu."


    You''re too smart, bro.


    Ke Mingye took a sharp breath, thinking to himself that to come to such a conclusion you must really be a genius, working with you in the future is going to be a blessing.


    After pondering for a moment he said, "No way, although that You Minglu looks alright, she gives off a rustic vibe, like a country girl. Is she really that Magical Girl Ash? Doesn''t quite seem like it..."


    "Most likely," An Renchuan said, "To be honest, I''m quite surprised myself."


    "Please, why don''t you just ask your sister?"


    "I''ll ask in a bit."


    "By the way, Comrade Bai Yi."


    "What is it?"


    Ke Mingye leaned into his ear and whispered, "Seeing is believing. Haven''t you noticed? I''ve told you your sister might be a lesbian; the way she looks at that Magical Girl Feng, she''s practically drooling."


    An Renchuan took a drink of water and said indifferently, "Let''s not discuss whether this is true or not. Even if it is, I can''t decide her sexual orientation."


    "Your family is that open-minded?"


    "No parents would be like that."


    "Damn, since your sister is a lesbian, it wouldn''t be strange if you were gay, right?" Ke Mingye said, and quietly moved his buttocks away from An Renchuan.


    "Not necessarily, not necessarily," An Renchuan shrugged, "But speaking of which, I never expected you to be such a person beneath the mask."


    "And what kind of person do you think I should be?"


    Hearing that, An Renchuan lowered his head and scratched his chin with a finger, trying to describe what he was thinking.


    "A big uncle with a bushy beard and a great sense of humor, who likes to cook shirtless while DJing."


    "What the hell are you imagining, all this messed-up stuff, you really must be gay, right?"


    As Ke Mingye complained, he glanced at his phone, only to see a WeChat message from Bai Zini. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Bai Zini: Bro, why the hell are you at my classmate''s house?]


    [Ke Mingye: I was about to ask you, why are you at my coworker''s house?]


    [Bai Zini: Coworker?]


    [Ke Mingye: Yes, coworker, any problem with that?]


    [Bai Zini: What kind of coworker, what work do you do?]


    [Ke Mingye: Summer volunteer work, helping old ladies clean their courtyards, cleaning up the streets and stuff. High schools have this kind of thing, you can get extra credits for doing it well, otherwise, I wouldn''t bother.]


    [Bai Zini: Oh, I see, you almost scared me to death.]


    [Ke Mingye: I''m about to die of embarrassment. Let''s pretend we don''t know each other after you come out of the bathroom, just say we''ve met once before.]


    [Bai Zini: Alright, how did we meet then?]


    [Ke Mingye: Say you kicked my dog on the street, we had a fight, that suits your unrefined persona perfectly, it''s very plausible.]


    [Bai Zini: Drop dead. (Panda puffing cheeks.jpg)]


    "I''m suddenly having second thoughts..." Ke Mingye said, "You mustn''t reveal my identity to them, just say I''m a regular guy you met during volunteer summer work, OKay?"


    "C''mon, what happened to our Superhero Magic Girl Mixer?" An Renchuan asked, puzzled, "It''s not fun if everyone hides their identities, what''s the point?"


    Ke Mingye sighed, "Then you should ask your sister, why would she bring someone who isn''t a Magic Girl to a meetup? What kind of mixer is that with a regular person?"


    "Not necessarily, maybe that Bai Zini is a Magic Girl too," An Renchuan murmured, speculating softly, "After all, being surrounded by three Magic Girls while being a regular person herself, seems too far-fetched. Plus¡­ looking at my sister''s behavior, they all seem to listen to what Bai Zini says and even act according to her expressions. Don''t you think it''s a bit odd for such a thing to happen if she''s just a regular person?"


    On hearing this, Ke Mingye fell silent for a moment, then murmured.


    "It does seem a bit strange..."


    "Right?" An Renchuan said with a slight smile, "So if you know her, ask her about it. Anyway, my sister refuses to tell me the truth."


    "How can you be so sure that your sister is lying?"


    ```

 Chapter 189 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 2)_4

    "I''ve been around Rainbow since we were little, and I know all her little tells and expressions when she lies,"


    Ke Ming said indifferently.


    Ke Mingye sighed and grumbled to himself, "It''s just that your family''s acting skills are no good. Not like our family, full of Oscar-worthy actors, who can lie without even blinking an eye, let alone any subtle expressions or movements."


    ... S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the restroom.


    "Senior, did you find out why your brother is here?"


    You Minglu looked at a relieved Bai Zini and asked her.


    "Volunteer work during the summer break. Rainbow''s brother is also a volunteer, so they know each other," Bai Zini muttered, "Her brother is really busy, huh? Being a superhero and a volunteer, serving the people around the clock, right?"


    "So that''s it," You Minglu said innocently, "I told you that you misunderstood me, but you didn''t believe me."


    "Alright, alright, my mistake. I''m sorry."


    Bai Zini turned off her phone, apologizing to him while slipping the phone into the pocket of her denim jacket, then she turned the doorknob and stepped out of the restroom.


    You Minglu followed her out.


    The two of them wore impassive faces as they calmly entered the living room and sat down next to Qiu Xia on the couch;


    Opposite them was another couch, different in color and looking like it was just bought, with the price tag not even removed yet¡ªafter all, both Rainbow and An Renchuan were considered wealthy, and the Alliance and the Superhero Association paid far more than ordinary jobs.


    Rainbow and An Renchuan were sitting on this new couch, with Ke Mingye seated next to An Renchuan and directly across from the recently seated Bai Zini.


    Ke Mingye was fiddling with his phone, not even bothering to glance at Bai Zini;


    Bai Zini also tried not to look in his direction, whispering something to You Minglu instead.


    "Speaking of which..."


    Qiu Xia spoke casually, breaking the awkward silence.


    She brought up a topic, "On the way here, Rainbow told me her brother is a superhero. Is that true?"


    As she said this, she looked up at An Renchuan.


    An Renchuan smiled, "If I say it''s true, can you all keep it a secret for me?"


    "Of course," Qiu Xia''s eyes brightened.


    An Renchuan said, "That''s right. I am a superhero."


    "...Huh?" Ke Mingye, who was engrossed in his phone, was taken aback upon hearing this, looking up at him and said, "No kidding, bro, you''re a superhero?"


    Bai Zini, who had tried to hold back, now couldn''t help but lift her phone to cover her face, her shoulders shaking slightly as she stifled a laugh.


    She thought to herself, big brother is too funny. So, when he found out that the summer volunteer worker he just met is actually a superhero, that''s the kind of expression he has?


    "This is my ID card,"


    An Renchuan said as he took out an ID card from his jacket pocket and casually showed it off.


    "Platinum Wing?" Qiu Xia''s eyes widened as she turned to Rainbow and said, "Wait, Rainbow, why didn''t you tell me your brother is the Platinum Wing?"


    "You never asked me," Rainbow replied with a worried smile.


    Platinum Wing?


    That name triggered some thoughts in Bai Zini.


    She didn''t recall much about these novice superheroes, but she did happen to see the news about "Bai Yi Squad" early that morning. It reported: Dice Monster attacked Bai Yi Squad, and two of their superheroes were seriously injured, with the blue owl''s whereabouts unknown.


    However, by afternoon, many photos of the blue owl entering Superhero Tower surfaced on social media, seeming like he was unscathed.


    So Bai Zini didn''t continue to pay attention.


    If it were before, she might have taken interest in this matter, but lately, the strange thing hadn''t been bothering her much, and she had almost forgotten about this annoying creature, hence she was even less inclined to view news related to it.


    Qiu Xia, her eyes gleaming, went on to say, "The blue owl is your teammate, right? Just a couple of days ago, he officially announced becoming a superhero and then joined your Platinum Wing Squad."


    An Renchuan said indifferently, "Yes, he is my teammate."


    Feigning surprise, Ke Mingye said, "No way, bro, you''re that powerful? A captain of a superheroes squad? What happened to trust and honesty between people?"


    As he spoke, he silently typed on his phone, then, using the coffee table in the middle of the couch as a cover, he turned his phone screen towards An Renchuan and nudged his shoe as a sign for him to look. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    An Renchuan glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw the note on the phone''s notepad: [I am warning you, do not reveal my identity in front of them.]


    Seeing this, An Renchuan couldn''t help but shake his head with a wry smile and said, "Since we''re all sitting in front of magic girls, they must understand the importance of keeping one''s identity secret."


    He paused, "So, I assume no one present would disclose your identity."


    "Mr. Bai Yi, who are you talking to?"


    Qiu Xia asked, puzzled by An Renchuan''s ambiguous remarks, since it surely couldn''t be the high school-looking youth beside him?


    "Talking to my comrade-in-arms. We''ll be working together for quite some time from now on,"


    An Renchuan spoke as he curled his lips into a smile, patting Ke Mingye on the shoulder and whispered, "Isn''t that right... Blue Owl."


    A moment of dead silence fell over the living room.


    Then, Ke Mingye''s eyes darkened as he slapped his forehead with a "smack" and slumped back onto the couch listlessly, utterly deflated.

 Chapter 190 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 3)

    "You mean it, huh... blue owl."


    As An Renchuan uttered these shocking words, he lifted his right hand and placed it on Ke Mingye''s shoulder, a knowing smile appearing on his face.


    In the living room, Bai Zini, Qiu Xia, You Minglu, and An Hong all froze on the spot. Qiu Xia almost burst the bottle of herbal drink she was holding in her hand.


    The cicadas outside were making noisy cries.


    The people inside were zoning out.


    Despite the fact that there was no air conditioning in the living room, just a slowly rotating fan that brushed against their cheeks, their expressions seemed to be frozen.


    You Minglu was the first to snap back to reality, yet she remained composed, her face expressionless.


    She slowly turned to Bai Zini, and in a flat tone spoke into her ear, "So it turns out, senior''s brother is actually a superhero, so impressive. But senior didn''t tell me something this important, it really shows that a girl who grew up with garbage doesn''t deserve to play with a girl born with a silver spoon." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Zini was stiff as a statue, first staring blankly at Ke Mingye''s face for a few seconds, then slowly coming to her senses after hearing You Minglu''s words.


    Then, her cheeks puffed up slightly.


    She lowered her head, struggling not to burst into laughter, and whispered into You Minglu''s ear, "Oh my god, he actually tricked us into thinking my brother is a superhero... like we wouldn''t know what this guy is capable of, I can''t even."


    "Yes, it''s too funny," You Minglu nodded in agreement, responding calmly, "A lazy dog can''t become a superhero; I can testify to that..."


    "And you, you lazy pig, didn''t you become a Magic Girl?"


    "Becoming a Magic Girl is beyond one''s control. Lazy pigs can be chosen by comets and become lazy pig Contracted Beasts."


    As they spoke, Qiu Xia finally came out of her daze, pointing at Ke Mingye with her finger, gaping at him, she stuttered, "Wait, you, you, you, you¡ªyou''re the blue owl?"


    "Right. Otherwise, why do you think he would be here?"


    An Renchuan took a sip of hot water and answered for Ke Mingye.


    "I''m not, I didn''t..."


    Ke Mingye slumped against the back of the sofa, covering his forehead and mumbling.


    "Blue... owl?"


    An Hong murmured, finding it hard to reconcile Ke Mingye with that slightly neurotic superhero, and so she was the first to voice doubt.


    "Bro, are you serious or just joking?"


    "Of course I''m serious," An Renchuan smiled.


    "You mean that owl that gets beaten up every day?"


    You Minglu threw in a question.


    "Saying he gets beaten up every day is a bit of an exaggeration..."


    As he spoke, An Renchuan chuckled twice and then teased.


    "Our comrade blue owl is quite capable. He put the mechanical cyborg Lester behind bars right after his debut. Everyone calls him the rising star of the Superhero Association, and many of the association''s female heroes are his secret admirers. He''s so popular even I''m a bit jealous; it''s not as bad as you say."


    Hearing this, You Minglu rested her chin on her hand and said expressionlessly, "Your version seems a little different from what I''ve heard. When I''m surfing the web, I see people calling him ''Qing Ya''s illegitimate son,'' ''nepotism superheroes''; no one says he''s a star of tomorrow."


    Bai Zini was puzzled, thinking about the astonishing lying capabilities of these people, so she took her drink, brought the bottle to her lips, and gulped it down, trying to relieve her frustration.


    Then she said, "Can you stop joking? Does this guy look even a tiny bit, even the slightest bit, like superhero material?"


    As she spoke, she glanced over at Ke Mingye disapprovingly, then quickly looked away.


    "Didn''t you say, you''ve only met once?" An Renchuan smiled, "You sound like you know him quite well."


    "Once is enough," Bai Zini said, turning her face away as her ponytail swayed softly.


    "I also think he doesn''t quite look like a superhero; he just looks like a normal high school student. An Hong''s brother sure knows how to play with us," You Minglu said calmly.


    Listening to the conversation of the three, Qiu Xia finally began to realize, "So it was a joke?"


    "Otherwise¡­"


    Ke Mingye was silent for a moment, intending to speak up, but An Renchuan cut him off.


    "That''s not it," An Renchuan shook his head, his tone becoming serious, "Because An Hong said she wanted to bring friends home to play, and since you are all Magic Girls, I invited blue owl as well. We are all superhumans fighting for the city, belonging to the same official organization, so I thought there was no need to hide our identities."


    "You''re invincible..." Ke Mingye said deeply.


    "So, you really are the blue owl?"


    "Do you think I look like it?"


    Ke Mingye tried to make a last stand, but at that moment, An Renchuan took advantage of his distraction, grabbed his phone, opened the gallery, found a photo, and showed it to the four of them.


    In the photo, blue owl and Magical Girl Feng were taking a selfie with their heads together.


    Qiu Xia stared at this photo, suddenly freezing in place, her gaze quivering.


    She remembered it was taken after they had resolved a public riot together. After blue owl took the photo with his phone, he asked her for her email address, saying he would send her the photo.


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    But at that moment, she hadn''t managed to give her email address before An Hong hustled her away from the scene.


    She had felt regretful for a long time afterward and kept complaining to An Hong about why she was rushed away so hastily, though she was too flustered herself to think clearly at the time, unable to recall her own email address for such a simple task, and thus couldn''t blame anyone else.

 Chapter 190 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 3)_2

    At this moment, quietly looking at the photo, Qiu Xia thought to himself, if there''s one person in the world who might have this group photo, that person must be Blue Owl.


    With that thought, Qiu Xia slowly shifted his gaze away from the group photo and surreptitiously studied the profile of Ke Mingye.


    "Give me back my phone, don''t you have any manners?"


    Ke Mingye said with a stern face, quickly snatching the phone back from An Renchuan''s hand. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An Renchuan curved his lips, shrugged lightly, and explained, "He just mentioned this group photo to me. He said you had resolved a parasite outbreak together back then, and Qiu Xia asked him for a group photo. But he didn''t manage to give it to her, so the photo has been in his phone album ever since."


    An Hong''s eyes widened, and she covered her slightly open mouth with her hand, thinking to herself that this was practically conclusive evidence. So, her brother hadn''t lied, was this person really Blue Owl?


    "So it really was you..." Qiu Xia murmured.


    "No, this group photo was just given to me by Blue Owl."


    Ke Mingye sighed deeply, avoiding her gaze while still making excuses.


    "No, Blue Owl isn''t that kind of person," Qiu Xia shook her head and declared.


    "Hehe, everyone says you''re not that kind of person," An Renchuan said.


    Speaking, he nudged Ke Mingye''s shoulder and teased him in a light tone, "The evidence is conclusive, just stop being stubborn. Why won''t you admit it? How much do you want your fans to be hurt?"


    "You''re really annoying. It looks like after I go back, I''ll have to request from Commander Che to transfer teams."


    "Is it necessary?" An Renchuan spread his hands.


    "Can I have that group photo?" Qiu Xia asked.


    "Here you go."


    "I''ve been coveting this group photo for a long time, thank you, Mr. Blue Owl."


    "Can you not call me that?"


    "Blue Owl?"


    "Ke Mingye."


    "Oh, is that your name?"


    "What else would it be?"


    "I always thought Blue Owl was at least an uncle, never imagined you to be so young."


    "What exactly did I do to give you guys such a misunderstanding?"


    In the conversation among them, one person remained silent.


    Bai Zini was like an outsider, listening to their conversation. Even though they were talking about her brother, the person she knew best and was closest to, she felt completely left out, awkwardly sitting on the sofa.


    It was as if... she knew nothing about this person.


    She bowed her head, dazed for a long, long time, and then slowly raised her eyes, glancing at An Renchuan and then at Qiu Xia, before finally turning her gaze toward the pale-faced Ke Mingye.


    She stared motionlessly at Ke Mingye for a good while.


    Suddenly, she slightly opened her mouth and asked slowly, "Is what he said true... or false?"


    The girl''s voice was very calm, as if asking a normal question, yet her tone was light as if the sound of cicadas.


    Ke Mingye met Bai Zini''s gaze, seeming about to say something, but just sighed softly instead.


    "From when?" she continued.


    Ke Mingye still didn''t answer, just avoided her direct gaze.


    "I''m asking you... from when did it start."


    Ke Mingye opened his mouth.


    "Why won''t you speak?"


    Ke Mingye turned his cheek away.


    "Is it fun..."


    Ke Mingye lowered his eyes.


    "It started when we were kids."


    "I don''t want to see you get hurt at all."


    "Why won''t you say a word."


    "You obviously know."


    Bai Zini paused before speaking again.


    "No one cares about you more than I do..."


    "No one."


    Towards the end, Bai Zini bit her lip and slowly lowered her head, her hair covering the eyes that faintly held a trace of teary anger.


    The living room briefly fell into silence, no one knew exactly what was happening, why Bai Zini suddenly reacted so strongly, they just stared blankly at them.


    A moment later, seeing that Ke Mingye still was silent, Bai Zini stood up from the couch, turned, and headed toward the entrance without turning back, not even putting on shoes, just clutching her sandals in the palm of her hand, then turning the doorknob, and stepping out barefoot, the door shutting with a "snap."


    Qiu Xia and An Hong were both shocked, re-examining Ke Mingye, thinking to themselves who else in the world could elicit such a reaction from the senior Ash, where did he come from?


    "I say, Comrade Blue Owl, what exactly happened between you and that girl?"


    An Renchuan was also a bit perplexed and couldn''t help but give Ke Mingye a surprised look.


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    Saying this, Ke Mingye took a deep breath and slowly began, "I''m going back first, continue having fun, don''t mind us." After saying that, he stood up and left the room.


    In the scorching summer day, a wind carrying the heat wave brushed against his face, he felt like he was about to melt into a puddle of roast pork.


    "Where did you go?"


    Ke Mingye raised his arm, shielding against the bright sunlight, walked a short distance down Yandai Commercial Street, and soon arrived at a little riverside path nearby.


    He remembered this place.


    When they were little, he and Bai Zini often came here after school, sitting by the river and chatting until the sun dipped below the horizon on a corner of the sky, then walked home along this small path. On the way home, they watched people cycling back and forth in the twilight, watched children frolicking by the riverside.


    Beneath the ruddy sunset, amidst the dancing grass, the girl walked backward with hands behind her back, facing him, step by step, with a smile from the memories faintly visible.


    Ke Mingye walked on, thinking, and looking up, he saw a girl sitting on the grassy riverbank, hugging her knees, looking at the shimmering lake. Under the intense sunlight, the bottom scenery of the lake appeared like a transparent exhibit box in an aquarium, with the turtles and fish moving slowly below clearly visible.

 Chapter 190 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 3)_3

    Ke Mingye fell silent for a moment, took a few steps to her side, patted the weeds, and sat down.


    "What are you doing...? You''re going to get roasted like a pig''s head," he said.


    Bai Zini didn''t respond, just buried her lower face in her slightly bent knees, her gaze lowered.


    "Is it my fault then?" Ke Mingye sighed, "You didn''t tell me your friend was Magic Girl either, right? I haven''t even got angry yet, so why are you angry?"


    Bai Zini still didn''t speak.


    "I know you''re worried about me, and it''s because I don''t want you to worry that I didn''t want to tell you."


    Ke Mingye looked across the river, talking on and on.


    "You are my little sister, remember you said you wanted to be Magic Girl to protect me... can''t I be a superhero to protect you? The world is such a mess now, you''ve said before that one of your friends was attacked by a Superhuman and felt terrible..."


    At this point, he paused for a while, then continued, "I''ve been thinking, isn''t that friend you mentioned Magic Girl?"


    "Dead."


    "What?"


    "Both of my friends are dead, they died a long time ago," Bai Zini said.


    "I''ve seen the news, are they the two Magic Girls killed by Ghosthand Buddha and Abyss Swordsman a few months ago?"


    "Yes. So I don''t want you to get into trouble too," Bai Zini paused, then said, straining to breathe as she repeated the same word over and over again, "you are very very very very very..." She took a deep breath and lowered her voice, "...important."


    "Got it, idiot."


    While speaking, Ke Mingye picked up a pebble and threw it hard across the surface of the river.


    The pebble drew a beautiful parabola in mid-air before falling into the river, causing ripples to spread.


    "So... when did it start?" Bai Zini asked.


    "About two months ago, my superpower awakened, and then I wondered if I could become a superhero too," he said. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Speaking, Ke Mingye plucked a blade of grass from the riverbank, his eyes downcast, "And then, before I knew it, this happened. Joined the Superhero Association, made some friends, went to his place... and then I ran into you."


    "So how long were you planning to keep it from me?"


    "Who knows," Ke Mingye replied softly, "Maybe I would have ended up telling you at some point."


    "Really?"


    "Please, don''t think I''m heartless, I worry too," Ke Mingye said.


    "If I hadn''t caught you, you would have kept it a secret forever."


    "I wouldn''t have."


    "I''ll trust you this time."


    "Are you still mad?"


    "It''s okay..."


    "So... do you still want to go back to your classmate''s place?" Ke Mingye asked.


    Bai Zini shook her head slightly.


    "Then let''s not go back, shall we go home?"


    "I don''t want to go home."


    "So what are you going to do, just sit here and wait to be cooked by the sun?"


    Ke Mingye cocked his head, asking with evident annoyance.


    Bai Zini rose silently from the grass and walked up to the riverside path, her profile facing the side as she gazed at the slowly spinning Ferris wheel in the distance.


    "Let''s ride that," she pointed to the Ferris wheel.


    "Okay...you''re the boss," he replied.


    After speaking, Ke Mingye walked with her to the nearby amusement park, paid for the tickets by scanning with his phone, and under the watchful eyes of the staff, they boarded the carriage of the Ferris wheel.


    As time meandered into dusk, with the sun setting in the west, they remained silent, Bai Zini just quietly sitting in the carriage looking out the window. The crisp silhouette of the girl was cast upon the window, blending with the distant mountains, shimmering as if in a trance.


    From beginning to end, the two didn''t speak a word, simply gazing silently at the city enveloped in the afterglow.


    When they finally disembarked from the Ferris wheel, the sky was nearly dark, and they walked wordlessly to the seaside.


    Bai Zini kicked off her sandals and walked barefoot towards the sea, leaving footprints of varying depths in the sand.


    "Don''t go any further...the tide is coming in," Ke Mingye stopped on the reddish sand and called out to her receding figure.


    Moments later, Bai Zini slowly turned around, her hands clasped behind her back, eyes downcast. Her figure was shrouded in the afterglow, as if covered by a layer of hazy butterfly wings.


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    "Answer a few questions for me,"


    she said softly against the backdrop of the sunset at the horizon.


    Ke Mingye stood still, watching her, and shrugged.


    "Then ask," he said.


    "Will you lie to me again in the future?"


    "I won''t,"


    Bai Zini took a gentle step backwards. Looking sideward, the setting sun turned the beach into a ruddy splendor, like spilled wine.


    "Will you leave me like my friends did?" she asked.


    "I won''t,"


    Bai Zini took another step back, drawing closer to the sea and further from Ke Mingye.


    "If I say... I say I''m a Magic Girl, what would you think?"


    she asked quietly.


    "What''s there to think? Even then, you''d still be my sister,"


    "You wouldn''t be angry?"


    "I wouldn''t be angry,"


    Bai Zini''s hair fluttered in the sea breeze, turned golden by the remnants of the sunset.


    She took another slow step back, as night approached and the sky darkened, the increasingly tumultuous tide began to swallow her fair ankles.


    "One last question,"


    "Ask,"


    In the rising sea breeze, Bai Zini''s lips moved slightly, her voice drowned out by the "whooshing" sound of the waves crashing against the shore. The illusory afterglow and splashing water waves undulated with her figure, and seagulls flew in pairs across the dim sky, dropping down white feathers in a flurry.


    In those brief two seconds, Ke Mingye couldn''t make out what she was saying, only vaguely discerning from her lip movements that she seemed to be asking something.

 Chapter 190 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 3)_4

    "To you, I''m just..."


    Just... what? Ke Mingye wondered.


    "The wind is too strong, I can''t hear clearly."


    As Ke Mingye spoke loudly, he walked forward, gradually approaching Bai Zini, and said irritably, "Classmate Bai Zini, didn''t your mom ever tell you, don''t wander by the seaside at night... it''s really dangerous."


    He took step by step towards Bai Zini and reached out to take her hand. At that moment, the sunset had completely dipped below the horizon, taking with it the last rays of twilight that had been spilling onto the world, and darkness fell over everything. From one end of the sea horizon came an overwhelming tide that swept in, engulfing the silhouettes of the two.


    Amid a few cries of seagulls, the waves slowly receded back into the ocean.


    When they came to their senses, two figures were lying sprawled on the soft, damp sand, staring blankly at the thoroughly dark night sky above, while waves gently lapped over the backs of their heads.


    After a while, the two slowly turned their heads, looked at each other, and smiled gently.


    "Let''s go home."


    "Yeah."


    Soon afterward, two soaking wet figures rode the subway home, attracting the curious glances of passersby. Cold, colored lights shone in the gently swaying subway car.


    The two sat together, their damp shoulders touching, silent. The scent of disinfectant filled the car, and the air conditioning above was cold, making Ke Mingye sneeze.


    He rubbed his nose with his hand, which was red.


    "After we get off, I have something to tell you..." the girl leaned on his shoulder, eyes closed.


    "Can''t you say it now?"


    "No."


    "Oh."


    When the train arrived at Old Jingmai District, Ke Mingye and Bai Zini got off side by side.


    Hand in hand, they crossed the bustling crowd, walked out of the subway station, and the smell of camphor and disinfectant suddenly dissipated, replaced by fresh air.


    In the growing thickness of the night, it was so quiet that the sounds of cicadas on the trees could be heard. They slowly walked on the way home, where children were playing with glow sticks in the dim lights.


    A "ding" of a notification sound came, and Bai Zini looked down at her phone.


    "A message from your mom?" Ke Mingye asked.


    "From my second brother, he''s asking where we went," Bai Zini said while responding to her second brother''s message. She sent a photo of herself with Ke Mingye, telling her second brother that she was with her third brother and not to worry.


    At home, Ke Xiaomo saw the message and glanced at the photo, breathing a sigh of relief. He thought, since Mingye and Xiao Ni were together, they probably wouldn''t suddenly dress up in combat gear and run around, right?


    So he didn''t concern himself with them and continued to sit by the windowsill, flipping through that ancient book.


    "So... what was it that you wanted to say on the subway?" Ke Mingye asked while walking.


    Bai Zini remained silent.


    Suddenly, she took Ke Mingye''s hand and pulled him into a deserted alley, then, like magic, she suddenly produced a crudely made collapsible umbrella from behind her.


    "You still have an umbrella with you?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Zini still didn''t speak. She slowly let go of Ke Mingye''s hand and took a step back.


    Immediately, with the umbrella handle as the starting point, the hazy cocoon light surged like the tides, gradually extending from her slender palm to her wrist, spreading towards her shoulder, and then slowly enveloped her entire body, trapping her as if she were a butterfly about to emerge from its chrysalis.


    Ke Mingye watched this scene, his eyes widening slightly.


    The next moment, as the figure shrouded in the cocoon light gently swept a strand of hair by her ear, that layer of hazy light shattered effortlessly.


    Following that, a young girl dressed in a gothic dress appeared before his pupils.


    Ke Mingye stood there, muttering to himself.


    "Is this for real..."


    As he spoke, Magical Girl Ash slowly raised her eyes, their gaze clear and pure like a spring under the moonlight.


    She slightly lowered her head, avoiding Ke Mingye''s gaze, her ear tips reddening.


    "You''re talking about me when it''s actually you who..."


    Before Ke Mingye could finish, he was interrupted by the cool touch emanating from the palm of her hand. The girl in the gothic dress took his hand and raised the magical umbrella, Cinderella, unfurling its majestic canopy against the night sky, glistening with linked thorns and floral patterns under the moonlight.


    The next moment, magic power ripples spread through the air like blooming flowers, lifting the girl and boy together into the night sky, reaching the clouds.


    After a while, on one of Huanjing''s viaducts.


    The girl holding the umbrella slowly descended, landing atop a high-speed train, the wild wind of the city caressing her snow-white cheeks. Her black hair fluttered in the moonlight, with gray streamers trailing into the distance.


    She lowered her gaze and unhurriedly let go of Ke Mingye''s hand.


    Ke Mingye instinctively took two steps back, his mouth slightly open, unable to utter a word. His hair was disheveled by the wind, out of shape. His expression was somewhat lost.


    He stood on the fast-moving train, swaying slightly like a roly-poly toy.


    Under the night moon, the two stood atop the white high-speed train, drifting further away in the city''s skies. Not a single neon light touched their silhouettes, as if they were cut off from the world.


    Moments later, Magical Girl Ash moved to the edge of the train without a word.


    She slowly bent down, sitting on the top of the train. Then she placed the magical umbrella, Cinderella, next to her, hugged her knees, and raised her eyes, clear as the aurora, gazing at the distant sky.


    Ke Mingye stood still for a long time before he gradually came to his senses. He turned sideways, took a couple of steps forward, hesitated for a moment, and then sat down on the top of the train, just like her.


    Their gazes were directed towards the distance, as the brightly lit city receded from view.


    The top of the carriage was swaying gently, "clanking" as it took them towards the distance, as if fleeing to another corner of the world.


    "This is what I wanted to tell you..." the girl said softly, her gray streamers and black hair fluttering in the wind together. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    "And you have the nerve to say that about me."


    "I have many enemies, I feared you''d get involved... Many times, I wanted to tell you but always gave up."


    "Does anyone else at home know about it?"


    "No..." The girl in the gothic dress paused then said softly, "I only told you."


    "I guess it''s my turn to ask now."


    "Ask."


    "Since when?"


    "A long, long time ago..."

 Chapter 191 Two People on the High-Speed Train, The Superpower Instructor with Surname Crow

    The C2703 high-speed train departed from the station north of Huanjing, accompanied by bright sparks, shuttling under the pitch-black sky. It slowly headed towards the south of Huanjing.


    The wheels rumbled over the high-speed railway tracks, sounding like the buzzing of a giant bee.


    At this very moment, atop this high-speed train, Mingye and a girl in a gothic dress were sitting on the edge, the steel plate of the car below them transmitting slight vibrations.


    Under the moonlight, both lowered their eyes, silently gazing at the city.


    Mingye bent one leg while the other hung between two windows below: it was a tricky position, just in case some unfortunate passenger sitting below suddenly turned their head, saw a human leg outside the window, and got so scared that they foamed at the mouth, losing consciousness.


    Whooo...


    The whistling evening wind brushed against his cheeks, tousling his hair.


    Mingye sniffled his swollen nose, the cold air streaming into his nostrils, his throat dry and slightly painful.


    Luckily, the superhuman constitution wasn''t too bad. Otherwise, after getting soaked and then sitting in an air-conditioned subway, and being dragged up on the high-speed train to enjoy the scenery, he''d probably have to lie down sick for a couple of days when he got home.


    Mingye did not know how long he would have to stay on the high-speed train, that all depended on his little sister''s mood; he didn''t dare to utter a word in any case.


    After a while, he quietly shifted his gaze from the cityscape and glanced over at Magic Girl Ash sitting beside him.


    The girl''s side facial profile was clear, her aura cold. Her pupils reflected the brightly lit city. The towering skyscrapers grew more distant, like fragile bubbles about to disappear from sight.


    Compared to usual, she seemed like a different person. Someone close at hand, yet unreachable.


    Mingye didn''t quite understand, it was the same person, so where did this feeling of distance come from?


    He thought, is it the Bai Zini at home who acts silly and neurotic, or is it this somewhat indifferent Magic Girl?


    After thinking for a while, Mingye suddenly said, "Remember last time at Hongge Commercial Street? When I wanted to shake hands with you, you rejected me. That was really stand-offish."


    "How would I know that it was you?"


    The girl in the gothic dress murmured, her tone carrying a hint of complaint.


    "But, you really are asking for a beating... It''s my first time seeing a superhero who talks so much. Should I say, you really are my big brother?"


    "Am I that much of an irritant?"


    "Yes."


    "Test, what was your first impression of blue owl?"


    "Lame and pretentious."


    "Come on, do you have to be that hurtful? Can''t you be a bit more subtle?"


    Though he said that, Mingye had long ago heard this assessment from Xiaohongmao. So deep down, he didn''t care that much, let alone feel deeply hurt.


    "Telling the truth, what else did you want me to say, ''Big brother, you''re so cool, I really admire you''?"


    Mingye sighed, trying to salvage some dignity, "Can you not be so sarcastic, considering I''ve just awakened my superpower a few days ago. It''s normal for me to seem a bit lame, okay?"


    He paused, "But don''t underestimate my potential. The association people have all said I''m a rising star. I''ll catch up to you eventually, got it?"


    "Catching up to me is useless," Ash suddenly said.


    "Why is it useless?"


    Hearing this, Magic Girl Ash was silent for a while before she answered, "In a year, I won''t be a Magic Girl anymore... I''ll just be a regular person then, and you can bully me all you want."


    "Heh, then I''ll catch up to you within a year, so you''ll lose convincingly."


    "Wow..." Ash glanced at him, unamused, "You really talk big, do you know I could beat ten of you right now? Ten... understand?"


    "Be confident. You could beat a hundred of me."


    "It seems you''re quite self-aware," she couldn''t help but curl her lips slightly as she spoke, "Actually, I wanted to say the same, but was afraid it might injure your pride."


    "No need for that, with our house full of demons and spirits I''ve had my pride wounded so many times since childhood, it won''t make a difference." Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Oh."


    "Speaking of which, do you remember that video, when you were little and saw me being bullied, you hugged me saying ''I will become a Magic Girl to protect brother,'' and everyone laughed at you. Every birthday they''d bring it out to tease you."


    Mingye shrugged, "Nobody knew, but later you really did become a Magic Girl."


    He paused, teasing her, "If everyone saw you now, they wouldn''t be able to laugh."


    "How could I forget that video. Every time you guys take it out, I really feel like hitting someone, you know?"


    "What do you mean ''you guys''? I didn''t join them in making fun of you. After all, I''m the main character in that video too."


    Mingye paused, then added, "And having a kindergarten-aged sister protect me is just embarrassing."


    "Oh, so I can''t protect you?"


    "So you became a Magic Girl just for that reason?" S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmm... guess?"


    "I''m not guessing."


    "Heh, then I won''t tell you."


    "Isn''t that just childish? What''s the difference between you and a primary school kid?"


    "The difference is: the primary school kid is still cooped up at home sulking, he''s been in a bad mood these days."


    "What''s up with him?"


    "He''s actually a dragon."


    "Ah, a dragon?"


    "I''ll tell you some other time when I feel like it. Not in the mood now."


    "Come on, are you being serious?"


    "Not in the mood. Don''t want to discuss this topic."


    "Alright, miss..."


    Talking about this, Mingye sighed, "By the way, there''s something I have to tell you: I think you could also try to be kinder to other people outside, not just to me."

 Chapter 191 Two People on the High-Speed Train, The Superpower Instructor with the Surname Ya_2

    Having said that, he shrugged and continued, "Well, although you''re pretty rough on me too."


    Hearing this, the gothic dress girl said indifferently, "You''re my family, what are others to me?"


    "At least be a bit nicer to your friends, right?" Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Am I not nice enough to my friends?"


    "You didn''t see yourself at Bai Yi''s place this afternoon. Your friend looked at you the way recruits look at their officers, everyone''s kinda scared of you. You''re just a naughty middle schooler at home, but outside, you''re like a female demon lord. You should work on better relations with your colleagues at least, not be so stiff," Ke Mingye commented, "You presented such a facade just because you want them to keep their distance, to stay away from you. Magic girls die easily. The closer people get, the deeper the wound. The more annoying I am, the less people bother me¡­ Yeah, that works for me."


    "If you say so, what about You Minglu then?" Ke Mingye asked, "You even brought her home and we played cards together. You can''t say you''re keeping a distance from her, right?"


    Ash was silent for a moment, "Don''t you think she''s a lot like you?"


    "Come on, do I really look anything like her?"


    "She resembles how you were when you were a kid. When you just came back from the orphanage, you had the same look in your eyes as her."


    Ke Mingye was taken aback, "Really? I never noticed. Is that true?"


    "Otherwise?" Ash spoke exasperatedly, "She''s even more annoying than you, always starting her sentences with ''A girl who grew up eating trash can''t compete with a girl who grew up with a silver spoon.'' I was almost choked with anger."


    "Haha, sounds like she has a good sense of humor."


    "If by ''sense of humor'' you mean the ability to annoy me, then yeah, both of you are quite ''humorous.''"


    "Uh... I actually think it''s pretty funny."


    "I don''t."


    The atmosphere briefly became tense as the rumbling of engines echoed around them.


    "So... who are you really? I''m starting to get confused," Ke Mingye said while thinking, "Are you the person at home, or the one outside?"


    The gothic dress girl lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, then offered another answer.


    "The one in your eyes," she said.


    "So at least you think you''ve never lied to me?"


    "No."


    "You say you haven''t lied to me, but at home, you act like a fool, even an Oscar-winning actress couldn''t fake it like you do."


    "Sometimes, it''s inevitable," Ash gave him a glare and explained, "Besides... aren''t all middle schoolers like that? How mature do you expect me to be at home?"


    "Middle schoolers at home are not typically that stupid." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Get lost."


    At the brightly lit top of the high-speed train, they both couldn''t help but chuckle softly. Stars twinkled above them, and the cold moonlight shrouded their figures. The chilly night wind brushed past their cheeks, tousling the girl''s hair.


    "So, that strange thing, do you know it?" she asked, brushing back some hair at her temples stirred by the wind.


    "Of course, I know it," Ke Mingye sneered, "It always pesters me, not only has it captured my boss but also hurt my teammates. Yet, it never laid a hand on me... Honestly, I don''t understand what it''s thinking."


    "Right, that''s because it''s a mad dog. Don''t bother with it," Ash frowned slightly, murmuring, "Every time I blow its head off, it hops back onto TV the next day¡­ really super annoying."


    "Totally agree," Ke Mingye nodded lightly and added, "Too bad I can''t figure out where it comes from, otherwise, I would have dealt with it long ago."


    As they spoke, from a corner of the train suddenly came a faint voice: "Oh... are you discussing me? Seeing you siblings bond so well, I''m relieved, but I didn''t expect you to miss me even when you''re alone... I''m truly flattered."


    Ke Mingye and Ash were stunned for a moment, then disdainfully turned towards the source of the voice.


    They saw a figure enveloped in a grayish glow slowly walk out of the night, becoming visible under the moonlight.


    "See, isn''t it annoying?"


    Ash sighed softly.


    "Indeed annoying. Not just a stalker but a voyeur too, hopeless."


    Ke Mingye shrugged, his mouth full of sarcasm.


    "Ah, prejudice really is a big mountain. What if, actually, I came to tell you something important, rather than stalking or peeping?"


    The strange thing waggled its upright pointer finger, speaking slowly.


    "Don''t listen to his babbling, let''s take him down together."


    "Okay."


    As they spoke, Ke Mingye and Magical Girl Ash glanced at each other, then both rose from the top of the train car.


    The former stared quietly at the Dice Monster, waiting for it to step within the eight-meter range around him;


    The gothic dress girl stood still, her left hand holding the magic umbrella Cinderella horizontally in front of her, her right hand leisurely drawing a tachi from the bottom of Cinderella.


    "Is that necessary?" the Dice Monster tilted its head, continuing to walk forward.


    As it stepped within the eight-meter range of Ke Mingye,


    Taking advantage of the moment, Ke Mingye unleashed an E-level Skill ¡ª "Phase Transfer."


    Just as he and the Dice Monster swapped positions, Magical Girl Ash smoothly drew the tachi from the umbrella.


    Whoosh¡ª!


    The moment the blade was unsheathed, a sharp, clear humming rang out. Amidst the piercing sound, reminiscent of a sparrow''s chirp, the gothic dress girl chopped off the Dice Monster''s head with a single stroke.

 Chapter 191 Two People on the High-Speed Train, The Superpower Instructor with the Surname Ya_3

    Without lifting a finger. Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Right after, the head of the Dice Monster together with its wobbly body fell toward the edge of the high-speed rail, exploding in mid-air like sand dispersed by the wind, turning into a firework-like blaze that pierced through the night sky.


    Then, a sinister laughter spread across the sky, as if enveloping the night.


    During this creepy laughter that lasted for two to three seconds, even Ke Mingye couldn''t help but shiver, his legs trembling slightly.


    He thought to himself, so this was how those people felt when they heard the puppet''s laughter during the times he played pranks on them; now the tables had turned.


    As if trying to wash away the stains on her blade, Magical Girl Ash swung her sword through the air and then slowly sheathed the tachi into the base of the umbrella handle of Cinderella.


    "Bad luck..." she said.


    "Very much so," Ke Mingye approached her, "but it seems we have a good rapport; it''s great how well we worked together for the first time."


    "Who doesn''t know about your three-trick pony abilities," Ash said, hugging her shoulders with an indifferent tone.


    "Alright, alright, three tricks. Let''s head home, lest it brought reinforcements."


    "Okay."


    Ke Mingye hesitated for two seconds, then exhaled softly, saying, "Eh... I can''t fly, you know what I mean?"


    With that, he turned his face and extended his hand toward the gothic-dressed magic girl.


    Magical Girl Ash was taken aback for half a second before she couldn''t help but puff her cheeks slightly and chuckled at his awkwardness. A smile was undeniable on her snow-white face.


    "What kind of superhero can''t fly?"


    As she spoke, she gently took his hand. Then, opening the grand umbrella, she rose through the rippling magic power and entered the deep night sky.


    .... sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ....


    Not long after, in Old Jingmai District, a duplex apartment building, the twelfth floor.


    The elevator doors slowly opened, and Ke Mingye and Bai Zini emerged from the brightly lit cabin.


    Both had unnatural expressions, avoiding each other''s gaze as if the images of their emotional moments became embarrassing and pretentious once back in the normalcy of their daily lives.


    "Where did you go?"


    Ke Youqing, leaning against the door and smoking, saw the two coming out of the elevator and casually asked them.


    "Er..."


    Ke Mingye was about to speak but was interrupted by Bai Zini.


    "I went to the amusement park with Third Brother."


    Bai Zini, moving closer to Ke Youqing, lowered her voice and asked tentatively, "Daddy... Mom isn''t angry anymore, is she?"


    "She''s been looking for you two. Good thing you''re back in time," Ke Youqing said with a deep voice while still holding his cigarette, "the rest of the family hasn''t eaten yet. She''s about to clean up the dinner table... Go inside quick, before you''re counted absent."


    "Okay."


    With that, Ke Mingye was the first to pass him, taking off his shoes and entering the house.


    Knowing he had little appetite, he ate just a few bites of dinner before heading straight to the second floor. He washed up in the bathroom and then flopped down on his bed, spread-eagled.


    At this very moment, on the other side of Huanjing.


    You Minglu had dinner at An Renchuan''s house and said goodbye to An Hong and others, and now he was strolling down the street, bored and alone.


    The spare phone was with her, not with Ke Mingye, so Ke Mingye had to switch to her perspective, taking out the spare phone from the jumpsuit pocket.


    He opened the "Spider Man Exclusive Chat Software" to check his inbox again.


    He revisited the emails exchanged with his second brother from this morning, sorting through the information he had received from him.


    [Xiao Mo: You said there are three Blood Clan Hunters in total, two males and one female. One male is wearing a vest; he''s about two meters twenty tall, with a huge stone sword of an unknown material; the other male is in a denim jacket and a cowboy hat, armed with two silver pistols; their bullets are very powerful, one hit and you''re probably done.]


    [Xiao Mo: The female has a bow and seemed to have hit a player in the cafe. But by the time I entered the cafe, that player had disappeared for some reason.]


    [Xiao Mo: So, do you know their details?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Of course, but patience, Mr. Ninja. I''ll tell you, just that it''s not time yet...]


    Now Ke Mingye could only pretend to be the Riddler. After all, he had no clue about the three individuals Ke Xiaomo mentioned; he hadn''t even seen them, let alone knew their details.


    "At least now we can confirm there are three Blood Clan Hunters, and even Second Brother acknowledges their strength, so they must be at least three ''A'' rank..."


    "I need to up my game, or else the legendary villain ''Dice Monster'' will have to change its name to ''Humor Riddler''."


    Ke Mingye thought checking the "Web Shooter''s" webbing supply. The current webbing supply was only 0.01%.


    He clicked on the [Refill] option for the "Web Shooter."


    [Would you like to spend 200 Mall Coins to purchase "Web Fluid" from the Mall and refill the "Web Shooter''s" "Web Fluid Quantity" to the maximum value?]


    Without giving it much thought, Ke Mingye clicked [Yes]. Such essential equipment couldn''t fail him at a crucial moment, or the strange thing would literally have to fly.


    [Thank you for your patronage, your remaining Mall Coin balance is "3100 coins."]


    Seeing this, he had You Minglu put the spare phone back into the Magic Book and then found a deserted corner to self-destruct, recovering the last puppet left in the city.

 Chapter 191 Two People on the High-Speed Train, The Superpower Instructor with the Surname Ya _4

    All perspectives vanished from his mind, and he yawned as though a weight had been lifted.


    Then he turned over and fell asleep, not uttering a word the entire night.


    .....


    ....


    The next day, early morning.


    Ke Mingye''s eyelids twitched as he opened his eyes, waking up from the bed.


    [Good morning, Mr. Player, today is July 12, 2028. You have 341 days left to complete the ultimate mission "Exterminate the Superhumans".]


    [Currently, the number of surviving players worldwide is: 94.]


    "No one died... that''s good, the most hopeful season."


    He murmured to himself, scratching his messy hair, and got up from the bed.


    Ke Mingye yawned as he got out of bed. He went to the bathroom to freshen up, then went downstairs, put on sneakers and ran, and did push-ups, quickly completing the daily tasks.


    [Daily Task One: Run 3000 meters (a chance to use the reward wheel) (Completed)]


    [Daily Task Two: Do 100 push-ups (2 freely distributable attribute points) (Completed)]


    [You have claimed the reward for daily task 2 "100 push-ups", receiving 2 freely distributable attribute points.]


    "Still two attribute points, looks like the players'' development is going to skyrocket."


    Ke Mingye thought, raising his right index finger and without a second thought, allocated the newly acquired two attribute points to the "Psychic Strength" attribute.


    [Your "Psychic Strength" attribute has changed: 30¡ú32 points (¡ü2 points)]


    [You have claimed the reward for daily task 1 "Run 3000 meters", earning a chance to spin the reward wheel.]


    As the notification box disappeared, the reward wheel unfolded before him. The text in the six sections caught his eye.


    [One, 2000 Mall Coins; Two, D-grade equipment¡ªFocus Helmet; Three, a bank card with a deposit of 100,000 yuan; Four, limited-use 1.5x Experience Card (after use, the experience you earn for a short time increases by 1.5 times); Five, a random equipment card; Six, 2000 experience points.]


    Ke Mingye didn''t even glance at it and casually pressed the start button on the wheel. Immediately, the pointer began spinning rapidly, eventually slowing to a stop above area ¢Ù.


    [Congratulations, you have received the reward from area ¢Ù: 2000 Mall Coins.]


    [Current total Mall Coins: 5100.]


    "Five thousand Mall Coins¡­ broke as a joke," Ke Mingye muttered softly.


    He had no plans to purchase an E-grade skill because all 10 skill slots were already full, and currently, there was no skill so poor that it needed immediate replacement;


    As for equipment, although the exclusive sales page looked fascinating and varied at first glance, a careful perusal revealed not a single usable item. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye suddenly remembered that the web shooter seemed to have room for modifications and upgrades, which he had been neglecting, so he switched to his inventory panel.


    Clicking on the icon for the sole piece of equipment "Web Shooter," a new option popped up at the bottom: [Upgrade Enhancement].


    He clicked on the option, and several enhancement directions appeared in text.


    [Currently, B-grade equipment "Web Shooter" has the following four enhancement options:


    1, Electric Shock Web (5000 Mall Coins) (After enhancement, the webs fired will carry an electric shock effect)


    2, Neurotoxin (7000 Mall Coins) (After enhancement, the webs are laced with a neurotoxin that can blur the opponent''s consciousness or even cause them to faint)


    3, Expand maximum web fluid capacity (1000 Mall Coins) (After enhancement, the maximum capacity of the web shooter''s fluid increases)


    4, Self-repair device (4000 Mall Coins) (After enhancement, the equipment will repair itself when damaged, with the repair time depending on the severity of the damage, the greater the damage, the longer the repair time required)]


    Ke Mingye scratched his chin, previewed the possible enhancements, and finally chose [Electric Shock Web] for enhancement.


    [Spent 5000 Mall Coins, Web Shooter successfully enhanced! You can activate the "Electric Shock Web" mode after setting up the gestures.]


    Just then, a vibration came from the spare phone in his pocket. Ke Mingye took out the phone and glanced at it casually.


    [Che Zhengchen: Are you free? I need to see you.]


    [Blue Owl: This early?]


    [Che Zhengchen: It''s not exactly urgent, but I think it''s best if you come. Otherwise, I think you''ll regret it.]


    [Blue Owl: Okay, I''m on my way.]


    Ke Mingye looked at this inexplicable message, replied, then turned on the street and walked towards the abandoned train station in the Old Jingmai District, entering platform number 9.


    He stopped in front of a dust-covered storage locker, opened it, and took out the Blue Owl Battle Suit.


    .....


    .....


    Half an hour later, in the early hours at the Superhero Tower.


    Blue Owl slowly walked into the Superhero Tower and showed his ID card to the front desk staff before boarding the elevator.


    Just then, his phone in the pocket of his battle suit began to vibrate. He took it out to look.


    [Che Zhengchen: Don''t go to the 45th floor, I''m not in the office. Come see me on the 25th floor.]


    Blue Owl raised an eyebrow and pressed the "25th floor" button on the elevator control panel. The elevator car hummed softly as it ascended, and soon reached the 25th floor of the Superhero Tower.


    As the elevator doors opened, he saw a corridor stretching straight ahead with Che Zhengchen leaning against the wall waiting for him.


    "You''re up early," Che Zhengchen said with a smile.


    "Well, you were the one who woke me up," Blue Owl replied as he walked out of the elevator. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Today, I''ve called you in for a routine superpower test. A specialist in superhero superpower research will soon join us to help you thoroughly test the performance of three superpowers in order to tailor a unique superpower training route for you. He will also offer advice on using your superpowers based on his experience, which might help broaden your thinking and enable you to master a brand new way to use your superpowers..."


    Che Zhengchen explained as they walked down the hallway, eventually stopping in front of a metal door labeled "Supernatural Ability Testing Room 27." He swiped his ID card through the card slot on the door, which then swung open.


    Blue Owl had been mostly silent, just nodding in response.


    "Go ahead, your superpower mentor is waiting for you," Che Zhengchen said with a smile.


    "Okay, I hope he doesn''t disappoint me and can help me master some new superpower techniques."


    Blue Owl casually responded and turned to walk through the door, where he was met by a silver metallic space that was completely empty, shimmering and barren in all directions.


    He turned back to see the metal door at the entrance slowly closing.


    As the gap narrowed, Che Zhengchen said from outside with his hands behind his back,


    "I''ll be waiting outside. You two have a good chat."


    As the words fell, under Blue Owl''s puzzled gaze, the silver metal door closed completely with a heavy "thump" sound, and then the whole world grew silent.


    "Have a good chat?"


    Blue Owl raised an eyebrow and muttered, "This is utterly bizarre, I haven''t even seen a single person yet... how are we supposed to chat?"


    He slowly turned his head, surveying the surroundings, only to see that the silver metal testing room was still empty, eerily quiet as if one could hear a pin drop, sending chills down his spine.


    "This is really ghostly..."


    Blue Owl let out a breath.


    If he hadn''t seen Fan Quan extract the parasite from Che Zhengchen''s body with his own eyes, he would definitely suspect Che Zhengchen was being controlled by a parasite from Gastella, locking him here as part of some scheming trap.


    But as he thought this, a sinister and hoarse voice suddenly came from behind him.


    "Turn around..."


    said the voice.


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl froze for a couple of seconds, then slowly turned his head to see, in a corner of the testing room, a figure standing on the silver metal floor, completely out of place.


    His entire body was enveloped in a dark cape, the mask''s beak extending forward like a blade, and his eyes in the sockets were deep as if they could pierce into the soul.

 Chapter 192 Qing Yas Guidance

    Blue Owl stared at the dark figure standing in the middle of the test chamber, thinking to himself.


    "Gosh, has Commander Che turned into a riddle-speaker too? So the superpower mentor he found for me was my old man. "


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    He shook his head, continuing to think, "Oh no, that''s not right. It must have been my old man who asked him to keep it secret from me. Our intimidating Crow Man loves to create this kind of unexpected atmosphere. "


    Seeing that Qing Ya remained silent, just silently gazing at him, Blue Owl suddenly felt invigorated, thinking if you''re not going to talk, then I won''t either. Is it a competition to see who has a bigger idol burden?


    Thus, the atmosphere in the silvery-white test chamber became awkward. The two of them stood helmet to helmet, their beak-like visors facing each other, like two warriors brandishing their bayonets at each other from a distance.


    For a second or two, Blue Owl really wondered if he''d come to compete over whose bird beak looked cooler, as if on the count of "three, two, one," they would both fly to the tree next to the Superhero Tower and peck at the branches, to see who could catch more bugs.


    Blue Owl frowned, trying to wave his hand. Qing Ya still showed no reaction, standing there like a statue.


    So, feeling helpless, Blue Owl tried to break the silence. He said, "Uh... hello, Mr. Qing Ya, did you want to see me for a reason?"


    Qing Ya was silent for another couple of seconds before getting straight to the point, without beating around the bush.


    "Show me your superpower..."


    He said this in a calm voice, yet it sounded like a huge crow''s hoarse and penetrating call. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Blue Owl was confused and asked irritably, "What do you mean by ''show''? "


    As he spoke, he spread his hands, "Also, I actually have three superpowers. So I''m curious, which one are you referring to?"


    "The one you discussed with the Commander," said Qing Ya.


    "Flame Fist, Position Exchange, or Fist-Guessing?" Blue Owl said, "I''ve mentioned all three superpowers to him, and I''m really curious which one you mean."


    Qing Ya didn''t answer this question but instead said, "First, use your original strength to simply rotate your arm."


    As he said this, he summoned several crows around himself. The crows slowly flapped their wings and approached Blue Owl, then squinted their crimson eyes and unblinkingly watched Blue Owl''s every move from all directions.


    To tell the truth, being stared at by so many crow-shaped monitors wasn''t a pleasant experience. Blue Owl felt the lifeless gaze of those creatures and a shiver ran down his spine.


    "What does this mean, can you please explain your intentions first?"


    Blue Owl crossed his arms over his shoulders and slightly tilted his head, the bird beak on his mask inclining with it.


    "Just do as I say," Qing Ya replied coldly.


    "Alright, alright, no need to rush," Blue Owl responded as he irritably rotated his arm once more, then asked, "Like this?"


    "Unleash your superpower," Qing Ya continued.


    Blue Owl raised a finger and said, "You know, one day as I was fighting a supervillain, I fell into a river. I was pulled out by the River God, who then asked me, ''Is the power you dropped this Position Exchange superpower, or this little Fire Fist skill, or is it actually the ability to rotate your arm for an exercise routine,'' guess how I answered him?"


    Qing Ya remained silent, offering no response.


    "Okay, I know you think I''m being awkward, but I just feel, can our atmosphere be a bit less... tense?"


    Blue Owl shrugged his shoulders, speaking slowly.


    Qing Ya still gave no response, looking at him perform like a statue.


    Blue Owl placed a hand to his forehead, shaking his head and sighing. He felt like he was talking to an AI, as if getting Qing Ya to speak one unnecessary word would be as difficult as taking his life.


    In fact, he knew which superpower Qing Ya wanted to see. He had discussed the "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill" superpower quite thoroughly with Che Zhengchen, and it was highly likely Qing Ya had heard about this from Commander Che.


    "Since you insist, then watch carefully. This is the fifth period of middle school exercises for the 21st century."


    As he spoke, he unleashed the B-rank Skill¡ª"Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill," and his right arm began to slowly rotate in midair, the air around him subtly stirring.


    Qing Ya stood in the distance, silently observing him through the eyes of the crows.


    "I want to clarify again, I cannot control this skill; once I start rotating, I must play rock-paper-scissors afterward. The outcome isn''t something I can decide; each result corresponds to a different power... so if I accidentally blow your head off, the Superhero Association won''t blame me, right? After all, I''m just doing as you instructed," said Blue Owl as he kept rotating his arm, "Rock-paper-scissors'' result isn''t something I can decide."


    By the end, the slowly turning right arm had already begun to make a heavy wooshing sound, and it seemed like the air pressure in the entire test chamber was changing with the rotation of his arm.


    Qing Ya tilted his head and squinted his eyes at him. Even at a distance of several meters, his cloak was still billowing due to the wind stirred up by Blue Owl''s rotating arm.


    He asked, "How many rotations can you do at most?"


    "Twenty," said Blue Owl, pausing for a moment, "That''s the limit my arm can endure; any more and my arm might detach. By the way, I don''t know if Commander Che has told you, but the more circles I accumulate, the stronger the force stored in my arm becomes, and the more powerful the resulting rock-paper-scissors ability will be."


    He spoke quickly, fearing the twenty rotations would be complete before he could finish his sentence. That would be such a drag.

 Chapter 192 Qing Yas Guidance_2

    Upon hearing this, Qing Ya said without hesitation, "Then make it twenty rotations."


    "Uh... are you sure?"


    "A piece of advice for you..." Qing Ya''s voice was ominously low.


    "What advice?"


    "You could talk less."


    "Talking more can disrupt the enemy''s thought process, which is better than just throwing silent punches."


    "Then you''re not doing it well enough," Qing Ya said coldly. "Those who are skilled at verbal attacks can hit the enemy''s weak spots precisely with cutting words; unlike you, whose speech lacks focus and is simply senseless rambling, only serving to annoy."


    "Isn''t being annoying enough of a distraction?"


    Blue Owl thought otherwise.


    Qing Ya did not pursue the matter further, but instead asked, "The speed... does it have to be one rotation per second?"


    "Exactly." Blue Owl nodded. "Otherwise, I can''t get the right feel, which might just be a limitation of this superpower."


    As he spoke, he slightly curved his lips, "Just five more rotations, are you sure you don''t want to step back? Don''t underestimate my abilities just because I''m new."


    "Unleash your superpower... at me."


    Qing Ya spoke calmly, even though he could feel the power accumulating in Blue Owl''s arm swelling to an exaggerated extent, his tone remained utterly unwavering.


    "Alright... since you say so."


    The moment his words fell, Blue Owl''s arm completed the twentieth rotation.


    A system notification sounded in his ears.


    [Accumulated rotary arm rotations: 20 rotations, reaching the limit, the power stored in the arm is now 10 times the original¡ª]


    [Triggered Level B Skill¡ª "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill" Effect Two: Release all the accumulated power in a random Fist-Guessing (choosing from rock, paper, scissors), and depending on the Fist-Guessing result, there are three different skill effects.]


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    Blue Owl''s right arm thrust forward.


    Then, carrying a blast of wind, his clenched fist swung forward.


    He thought, since Qing Ya was maintaining such a distance, Fist-Guessing outcomes of "rock" or "scissors" should not be able to reach him.


    For Qing Ya to be touched at that distance, the only possibility would be "paper."


    Result...


    It indeed turned out to be paper.


    Blue Owl''s right hand involuntarily splayed open, his palm facing Qing Ya''s figure. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the verge of triggering, the situation had become irreversible.


    [This Fist-Guessing result is ''''paper'''', skill effect as follows: When you choose paper, launch a beam of energy (the power and reach of the energy beam depend on the strength of your arm, the stronger the arm, the more powerful and farther the beam travels).]


    In a blink, Blue Owl''s palm, wrapped in a metallic glove, was enveloped by a light so dazzling, almost resembling the aurora. Beneath him, the silvery metallic floor seemed to distort under the force field, creating a mirage of sea cucumbers.


    Only he himself knew this was a skill effect, like the farewell laughter of a Deception Puppet, but the sight must have seemed utterly baffling from Qing Ya''s perspective.


    The next moment, golden lights flowed from his fingertips converging into a point at the center of his palm, and from there, a beam of light, a meter in diameter, burst forth.


    The oncoming beam was agile like a dragon, illuminating the uniform silvery metal like a torch, reflecting a roaring beam within Qing Ya''s pupils.


    However, his gaze remained utterly unpanicked, as calm as a dark rock standing resolute among raging tides.


    Bang¡ª!!!


    A thunderous boom resonated through the metallic space. In a flash, Qing Ya''s body was swallowed by the Fist-Guessing Skill''s beam of light, instantly turning to ash.


    Yet the beam of light continued unimpeded like a roaring unstoppable beast, thundering towards the testing room''s metallic walls, violently tearing through them.


    What the hell?


    Where''s the old man? Did I really just finish him off?


    Half-kneeling, Blue Owl''s right arm drooped powerless to the floor, his eyes flickering with bewilderment.


    Having just seen Qing Ya swallowed by his own energy beam, he froze for two seconds, then turned his head around, but Qing Ya''s figure was nowhere to be seen, causing sweat to bead on his forehead slightly.


    After a while, the residual effects of the energy beam completely faded, leaving silence and black smoke enveloping the metallic space.


    "Uh... Comrade Qing Ya, are you okay?"


    In the silence so deep it seemed one could hear a pin drop, Blue Owl barely opened his mouth, tentatively speaking towards the dense smoke.


    "For a new superpower user..."


    The next moment, accompanied by a ghostly voice, Qing Ya suddenly appeared at his side, both of them gazing at that thick curtain of smoke, and he added, "Not bad."


    "Are you sure it''s just ''not bad''?"


    As he spoke, Blue Owl stood up from the ground, patting the dust off his metallic glove, "I feel like my power has skyrocketed. Commander Che told me these walls are made from a special alloy. Logically, managing to blast a big hole in it is pretty impressive, right?"


    He turned to look at Qing Ya''s profile, thinking it was the first time he had so closely observed the old man dressed in battle gear.


    Due to the structure and function of the helmet, Ke Youqing''s eye shape and color were different from normal, so it was unrealistic to recognize his identity just from the contours of his eyes. For Blue Owl, the face he saw was cold and strange, like an executioner born in the inferno.

 Chapter 192 Qing Yas Guidance_3

    "In terms of sheer power, the performance is indeed very outstanding..."


    Qing Ya said slowly, lifting his eyes to the distance. As the black smoke dissipated, the huge crater on the silver-white metal wall gradually came into his view.


    "But the precondition for achieving this power is a 20-second charge time: unless it''s for an ambush, it''s not very practical in regular combat or skirmishes. It could even end up trapping you and thereby hurting your teammates."


    "Moreover, the outcome of Fist-Guessing is random."


    "Either that''s the rule of the superpower, or you simply can''t control this superpower proficiently yet. Either way, until you can control the outcome, this move is not suitable for real combat."


    Hearing this, blue owl sighed inwardly and looked up at him, "Is it necessary to belittle my superpower to worthlessness? This is my trump card, you know?"


    He paused, "And combined with my other superpowers, it''s still pretty strong, right? For example, after charging for 20 seconds, I could use a position-switch skill to close in on the enemy unexpectedly and hit them with a powerful Flame Fist."


    "Too idealistic." Qing Ya''s face was expressionless, "Real combat is far more complex than what you imagine."


    "Alright, so you think this move has no developmental value?"


    "No..." Qing Ya paused before continuing, "It has great potential."


    "Teacher Ya, are you schizophrenic or something? Didn''t you just criticize me a moment ago?"


    Blue owl grumbled, feeling like he had been emotionally manipulated.


    Qing Ya ignored him and changed the subject: "Do you know how much strength you gain with each rotation of your arm compared to the original?"


    "I never measured it, how could I possibly know that kind of data?" blue owl scratched his beak, saying, "I can''t just guess a number based on feel, that would be so unreliable."


    Hearing that, Qing Ya dropped his head and spoke unhurriedly, "When rotating your arm, your strength increases steadily, never decreasing... and every five rotations constitute an increasing phase, with a total of four phases within twenty rotations. If we liken your original strength to 1, then in the first phase, each rotation increases your arm strength by 0.5; in the second phase, each rotation increases it by 0.3; the third phase by 0.4; and the fourth phase by 0.6."


    At this point, he paused briefly before continuing.


    "Finally, upon reaching the 20th rotation, which is currently your limit, the cumulative strength on your arm is 10... that is, ten times the original number."


    Damn, for real? The limit of Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill, a 10 times increase in strength, and all that figured out by the old man?


    Thinking this, blue owl raised his eyebrows in surprise and said, "Uh... how come you seem to know my superpower better than I do?"


    He thought to himself, so the reason why Qing Ya let those crows observe his actions was to estimate the increase in strength when he released "Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill"?


    But being able to summarize the pattern of strength increase during the twenty rotations so accurately to almost match system data, that''s just too freaking scary... Ke Mingye himself had summarized the pattern of strength increases of the Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill based on data provided by the system, and it was less than a 0.1 deviation from what Qing Ya stated, giving him the chills. Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    If Ke Youqing released a round of crows at home to observe the force changes of his child every moment, he would quickly realize his child was a freak, and no one could hide their identity. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, he never did that at home... blue owl thought to himself.


    "It''s not that difficult..." Qing Ya said, "When you get to my level, you''ll be able to do it too."


    "So when can I be as strong as you?" blue owl asked.


    At that question, Qing Ya seemed to remember something, his face suddenly turned downward, and he remained silent.


    In the end, he didn''t answer the question but silently moved towards the exit of the testing chamber.


    Blue owl followed behind him, forcing conversation, "Uh... so according to you, the best ''bang for my buck'' with my Fist-Guessing superpower is in the last five rotations, where I gain the most strength; then it''s the first five, followed by the 11th to the 15th rotations, with the 6th to the 10th rotations being last, right?"


    "Obviously." Qing Ya said, "In combat, you should use this to decide when the best moment is to strike instead of just flailing your arms foolishly."


    "Okay, your analysis is of great significance to me, it made me aware of the limits of my superpower, all that blah blah blah, you get the drift."


    As he spoke, blue owl looked towards Qing Ya''s retreating figure with a teasing tone in his voice.


    "By the way, is there some kind of rating system for superpower mentors, so I can give our Qing Ya mentor a five-star review on the Superhero Association''s APP? Maybe other superheroes would line up to attend your classes?"


    Qing Ya ignored the latter part of his statement and only replied to the first part: "Most Superpower Users can raise the limit of their superpowers through training, so 10 times the strength... might not be the limit of your superpower."


    "Oh, then maybe I should demonstrate my other two abilities to you, like swapping places with your crow and showing you a backflip; or you create two crows, and let me roast them with Flame Fist, cooked and ready for you to eat, as thanks for analyzing my superpower. Also, will we meet again next time..."

 Chapter 192 Qing Yas Guidance_4

    Under the relentless verbal barrage from Blue Owl, Qing Ya''s figure suddenly morphed into a cloud of dissipating crow feathers. It was only after his shadow vanished that the intense buzzing, reminiscent of a swarm of giant bees flapping their wings, faintly reached them, echoing in the testing room''s solemn silence.


    "Really lacks a sense of humor."


    Blue Owl raised a hand to his ears and muttered before looking around the empty metal testing room.


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    This time, Qing Ya really had taken off.


    "Damn, seems like I forgot to take off my helmet in front of him."


    Blue Owl yawned, thinking to himself.


    "But it doesn''t matter, even without my Ke Mingye identity, he will still protect me. After all, he and Commander Che are still counting on me to lure out the Timekeeper..."


    While thinking, he walked toward the exit of the metal testing room and swiped his ID card in the slot above the metal door, which then slowly swung open.


    Che Zhengchen was leaning against the dark gold wallpaper of the corridor, arms crossed, his head bowed in a doze.


    At the sound of the metal door opening, he rubbed his Tianming Acupoint with one hand and groaned as he raised his head, prying his bleary eyes open to ask casually, "Are you done?"


    "He didn''t say a word, just watched me display my superpower and took off." Blue Owl spread his hands, "The superpower mentor you hired is kind of lacking... Commander Che."


    At these words, Che Zhengchen, while removing his glasses and wiping them with a cloth from his pocket, said with a smile, "It looks like you two got along quite well."


    Putting his glasses back on and tucking the cloth into his pocket, he adjusted the frame on his nose, "Qing Ya willing to be alone with you for three minutes¡ªword of that outside of the Association Building would probably astound everyone as the ninth wonder of the world, surpassing the eight wonders."


    "Is it really that exaggerated?" Blue Owl said, "I''m more curious, will this mentor of mine come every day to advise me?"


    "Who knows? All depends on his mood¡ªmaybe once a week, maybe once a month," Che Zhengchen said, "Don''t worry, if he really doesn''t want to bother with you, someone else will take his place and teach you how to become stronger."


    After speaking, he smiled faintly, "Shall we go have breakfast at the Association''s canteen?"


    Blue Owl hugged his shoulders, pondering for a moment, then cocked his head to look at him, "That sounds good. But can you help me repair this suit first?"


    Pointing at the tear in the red and blue suit, he added, "You can''t expect me to dine with you looking like this, right? It''s embarrassing."


    "I think that can be arranged. So, you''ll take off the suit when you get back and send it to me in some way?" Che Zhengchen inquired.


    "I''ll have Bai Yi take it to you."


    "Oh? You two are that close now?"


    "Yeah, it''s alright."


    While talking, Blue Owl pressed the button on the elevator control panel, and the elevator doors slid open. He stepped in ahead of Che Zhengchen and hit the button for the first floor of the Association Building.


    "So, what do you think of Qing Ya?"


    "Better than I expected to approach."


    "Heh, that''s good." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As they spoke, the elevator arrived at the first floor of the Association Building. Che Zhengchen watched as Blue Owl stepped out and, outside, a figure clothed in a silver-white suit was leaning against the wall waiting for him.


    "Been looking for you for a while." Bai Yi turned to look at him and said, "Why did you suddenly take off yesterday?"


    "Had something to do," Blue Owl said.


    "What exactly is your relationship with that girl named ''Bai Zini''?" Bai Yi asked, "Err, the reason you had me show them that photo, it wasn''t to let the other Magic Girls know your identity, but it was for that girl, right?"


    "Here''s a piece of advice," Blue Owl said, "Don''t pry into her business, or you''ll be in trouble."


    "What kind of trouble?"


    "That''s hard to say..." Blue Owl said meaningfully.


    "I even helped you out, and you won''t tell me about her background?" Bai Yi''s mouth curved slightly, "But I get it, everyone has a girl in their heart. You just hoped that she would find out you''re a superhero, maybe idolize you a bit, right?"


    "Err... you could think that," Blue Owl shrugged noncommittally, "Let''s go. I''ll change out of my suit when I get home. We can find a nearby breakfast place. You''re the captain, you''re treating."


    "Okay."


    Bai Yi nodded, then tilted his head and asked him, "Need a lift, flying-wise?"


    "I think that would save me a subway ride."


    "Might be a bit noisy though."


    "Who cares."


    No sooner had Blue Owl spoken than Bai Yi spread his silver-white wings and grabbed his shoulder from behind.


    The next moment, with a deafening boom, Bai Yi took to the skies in explosive flight, carrying Blue Owl along as they disappeared beneath the Superhero Tower.

 Chapter 193 July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass

    July 12, early in the morning.


    After Ke Mingye and An Renchuan each had removed their combat suits at the secret base, they met at Hongdeng Commercial Street, had breakfast, and then took a walk before parting ways.


    Ke Mingye took a taxi back to the Old Jingmai District, rode the elevator, and arrived on the 12th floor of the duplex apartment building.


    As the elevator doors opened, he stepped out of the car and looked up from the screen of his phone.


    Bai Ziling was standing alone at the entrance of the corridor, daydreaming. Her profile was like the empty gaze of a port during the autumn equinox, looking at the sky. The sky was faintly luminous, with the soft and hazy morning light filtering through the dust-covered windows and falling on her pale cheeks.


    Ke Mingye stared at the silhouette of the girl with white hair, paused for a moment, put away his phone, and asked.


    "Up so early?"


    "You woke me up. And then... I was waiting for you to come home."


    Bai Ziling said, turning her head, with her white skirt gently swaying.


    "Waiting for me for what? Couldn''t you just go back to sleep?" he asked.


    "Travel."


    "Huh?" Ke Mingye was puzzled by this abrupt statement.


    "I want to travel," Bai Ziling murmured softly, tilting her head slightly, her snow-white strands of hair leaning by her ear, "but dad and mom won''t agree."


    "Uh... so, you want me to take you?"


    "Mhm."


    Bai Ziling nodded, lifting her gaze from the snowy locks of hair.


    Those red eyes, as if covered with a layer of mist, remained fixed on Ke Mingye, as though waiting for his response.


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye thought for a brief moment.


    Truthfully, he could say with certainty that Gastella must have placed tightly fitting surveillance at strategic places around Huanjing, such as airport ticket inspectors and port fishermen.


    Otherwise, why would Gastella so blatantly declare the arrival of the Blood Clan Hunters in the city?


    The eerie speech she controlled, spoken by hundreds of people, might sound nonsensical to ordinary people, but it served as a clear signal to vampires.


    The reaction from Bai Ziling showed as much.


    She was so scared that she trembled and hid in her room, refusing to come out.


    From this, it could be inferred that those words might act like a sort of hunter''s spell specifically for vampires, containing magic power to intimidate the Blood Clan. And Gastella was precisely using this spell to signal to the white-haired vampire hiding in the city, telling her: We are here, there is nowhere for you to hide.


    And naturally, Gastella would anticipate that the white-haired vampire, upon receiving this threatening signal, would likely try to find a way to flee the city out of fear.


    Thus, she would naturally place spies at all the city''s exits and, like an experienced hunter, patiently wait for her prey to take the bait.


    Moreover, Bai Ziling''s features were very conspicuous: white hair, red eyes. Even with a wig and contact lenses, those vampire hunters might still be able to identify her with some kind of device.


    So, taking Bai Ziling out of town openly wasn''t very feasible ¡ª it might even play right into Gastella''s hands. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Otherwise, Ke Mingye would have done so long ago.


    If what Gastella said was true, then once the 30 days were up, the Blood Clan Oath on her would automatically activate, ending her life, fragile as a candle in the wind.


    And all Ke Mingye needed to do was keep making excuses to his family, continuing to flee with Bai Ziling to a distant land. Once Gastella was dead, those who followed her, the Blood Clan Hunters, probably wouldn''t persist in searching for the white-haired vampire.


    If, by that time, they still refused to give up, that would be good for Ke Mingye as well.


    Once Gastella was dead, Ke Mingye no longer needed to worry about his "player identity" being exposed.


    Besides, the remaining vampire hunters were nothing compared to the monsters accompanying him. If all else failed, he could always have Bai Zini invite Xizi Yue to execute a dimensionality reduction strike.


    Of course... Ke Mingye had also considered that since he himself could not take Bai Ziling out of the city, he might entrust this task to other family members.


    Firstly, his father and mother were unlikely candidates. They had just returned from a trip to London, England, not long ago, and his father was too occupied with Superhero Association matters to be spared.


    Therefore, it naturally fell to his brother and sister.


    Among the siblings, his eldest and second brothers were naturally the most suitable.


    If Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo took Bai Ziling out of the city, even the most powerful vampire hunters should not be able to handle this monstrous duo.


    But the problem still existed, which was allowing his eldest and second brothers to come into direct contact with Gastella, who might possibly reveal clues about other players to them.


    That meant, Ke Mingye would likely expose his own identity. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    Honestly, the last thing Ke Mingye wanted to see was Gastella falling into his eldest brother''s hands.


    The Black Judge understood the system''s rules and could likely make Gastella divulge information about other players without breaching the rule of death.


    And with the investigative skills of the Black Judge, once he obtained information from Gastella, there was a ninety percent chance that Ke Mingye''s player identity would be revealed.


    Therefore, he was not very keen on involving his overly astute father and eldest brother in this matter.

 Chapter 193 July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass_2

    But since the situation had already gotten this bad, recklessly making a move might not be a good choice.


    He would let Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo take Bai Ziling to travel, thereby luring those Blood Clan Hunters out at the airport or train station.


    Meanwhile, Ke Mingye would secretly watch from the sidelines to see if he could use this opportunity to find Gastella''s true form and erase her. Discover hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Of course, if it really came down to revealing their identities, Ke Mingye also had a way to cope: he would take the train from Old Jingmai District and escape before Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo returned home.


    From now on, he would no longer be a child of Bai Ke''s home but would become a member of an Anti-Superhuman Organization, a wandering traveler, or perhaps a hermit.


    To tell you the truth, no matter how things evolved, it''d be much more relaxed than staying in this home for another year.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye sighed.


    With a tone of helplessness, he asked, "Why don''t you ask second brother or eldest brother? Both of them are college students and are more experienced with long-distance travel. I''ve never even left the province; isn''t asking me just deceiving ourselves?"


    "Eldest brother said he''s busy," replied Bai Ziling.


    "What about second brother?"


    "Same."


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye couldn''t help but shrug, thinking he should have expected this. How could those two possibly go on a leisurely trip at this time? They must be preoccupied with the matter of parasites.


    "What about sister?"


    "I just want to go with third brother," Bai Ziling suddenly said after a moment of silence.


    "And the elementary school student... You two get along so well."


    Ke Mingye asked curiously, thinking you really don''t trust your little brother, huh? Wouldn''t it be better to take a disaster dragon alongside you, and when those Blood Clan Hunters make a move, just shut the door and let the dragon bite them?


    "He''s an elementary school student."


    "Then what use is there in finding me? Even though I''m not an elementary student, mom and dad definitely won''t allow just the two of us to go."


    "Why?"


    "One''s a high schooler, and the other''s a middle schooler; traveling alone just isn''t realistic. If we mention it, mom will surely scold us, just wait and see."


    Bai Ziling put her hands behind her back in her white dress, her eyes downcast, and remained silent.


    Ke Mingye stared at her for a long while and asked irritably, "Do you really want to go out that badly?"


    Bai Ziling silently nodded her head.


    "Don''t rush. Summer vacation is still a month away; let''s talk about it next month," Ke Mingye said indifferently, "Next month, our entire family will travel together. We''re not missing out on much time."


    "Really?"


    "Of course, it''s true," Ke Mingye shrugged, "When have I ever lied? Even if dad and mom don''t agree next month, I''ll try to persuade them."


    "Hmm."


    "Should I take you out for a walk? You haven''t been out much lately, just hiding at home," Ke Mingye paused, "You need to get some sunshine once in a while."


    "I don''t want to go out."


    "Didn''t you just say you wanted to travel?"


    "I don''t want to go out. But I want to go beyond Huanjing."


    Although Ke Mingye understood why she felt this way, he could only pretend not to understand and gave her a puzzled look.


    "I really don''t understand you middle schoolers. You''re at your rebellious phase, right?"


    After saying that, he was the first to change into slippers, pushed open the home door and entered.


    In the following nearly a week, there were no signs of activity from Gastella.


    She hadn''t even posted in the player discussion group, and the last message in the local discussion group was stuck on the date of July 11.


    Silently, time moved to July 20th.


    Since Ke Mingye was unsure of Gastella''s movements, he let Paranoia also temporarily keep a low profile, trying to move away from the city center but not completely leave the city, as it could likely lead to encountering Gastella''s spies.


    Paranoia surprisingly didn''t object and obediently did as told.


    Thus, by the end, only Ke Mingye and Cai Bing were left among the players in Huanjing city. With just the two of them, and under the unknown circumstances of Gastella''s movements, naturally, they couldn''t meet or explore any instances. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, these days, Ke Mingye typically completed the daily tasks set by the system, then showed up at the Superhero Association and patrolled specific areas of the city with the Bai Yi Squad as routine before going straight to sleep after a day''s work, without concerning himself with outside affairs.


    As for the Alliance, since Magical Girl Ash didn''t notify him, he didn''t bother going.


    Ke Mingye guessed that Bai Zini was probably too troubled by his matters to care about the Alliance or Little Red Riding Hoods, sitting under a magic umbrella every day, secretly flying behind blue owl, fearful that this brother might get his head busted by some supercriminal.


    Thus, Magical Girl Ash, an executive of the Alliance, blatantly went on strike overwhelmed by family issues; and the president of the China divided, Xizi Yue, was such a lazy person.


    So, Little Red Riding Hood naturally received no notification from the Alliance these days and was forced to take leave.


    And now on July 20th, approaching the one-month deadline mentioned by Gastella for death, it meant that Gastella might most likely make a move soon. With her capabilities, she could at a minimum make a citywide commotion, especially since the officials hadn''t found a way to completely eradicate the parasites.


    Ke Mingye still remembered that he had left an ace up his sleeve, the identity of Dice Monster, after his first meeting with Gastella.


    He had let the strange thing tell Gastella that as long as she brought the head of the blue owl to it, it would tell her the location of the player and the white-haired vampire she was looking for.

 Chapter 193 July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass_3

    So during these days, when Ke Mingye played the role of blue owl, he always let the Deception Puppet take the stage, while he himself hid in an unknown corner, just in case the blue owl comrade really got taken out by Gastella. Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    But as it turned out, it was perfect timing. By having the puppet play blue owl, he successfully passed the Superhero Association''s routine brain imaging helmet test.


    The test results undoubtedly led the senior officials and Che Zhengchen to mistakenly believe he was not a player.


    Most importantly... Qing Ya could also see these test results.


    This was what Ke Mingye valued most, and the reason he had not yet revealed his identity to Qing Ya: he knew that since the brain imaging helmet was gradually becoming commonplace in official organizations, as a new hero, blue owl taking a brain imaging test would be sooner or later.


    And at home, he couldn''t use the Deception Puppet to hide his tracks, after all, his big sister''s Eyes of Golden Flame were there. So if he were to be fitted with the brain imaging helmet at home, it would essentially be an unsolvable checkmate.


    That''s precisely why, before revealing his identity to his dad, he had to make his dad completely believe that he could not possibly be a player...


    As long as his dad confirmed he wasn''t a player through the test results provided by the Association, then once Ke Mingye took off the mask of blue owl and revealed his true identity to Qing Ya, there hopefully wouldn''t be a scene out of a horror movie where, after bustling around all day and wanting to rest at home, someone unexpectedly entered his room in the middle of the night and fitted "brain imaging helmet" over his head.


    Just thinking about it nearly made Ke Mingye piss his pants.


    "The preparations are almost all set, so next it should be Gastella''s turn."


    One morning, Ke Mingye stood in the corridor on the second floor, glancing at the tightly closed door of Bai Ziling''s room, he thought.


    "The deadline she talked about is coming soon. Either she was deceiving me from the start, and she doesn''t actually have anything like the ''Blood Clan Oath'' on her, or she''s still hiding, waiting for a chance to drag me out."


    "Let me see, just how long she will hide before she takes action."


    ...


    ...


    July 20th, at twilight, inside a private underground bar.


    In the dim lighting, Flint gently lifted Sisteruo from the wheelchair and helped her sit at a chair in front of the bar, then took a seat next to her.


    Both accepted drinks from the server, Flint''s was a strong liquor, while Sisteruo''s was milk.


    The server''s eyes were vacant, devoid of spirit, serving them like a puppet.


    "Is this really okay?" Flint said, "Those players might take advantage of this time to leave Huanjing." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The book of prophecy has mentioned that the player hiding a vampire at home is confined by some reason, and will not leave the city at least for this month." Sisteruo said indifferently, "According to the prophecy, he won''t run. It doesn''t matter if other players escape, I will find them one by one later, and take care of them then. The priority now is to find that white-haired vampire, so I can live a little longer."


    "Hmm." Flint nodded, "The next time the book of prophecy is unsealed is..."


    "In six days. But I can''t wait that long." Sisteruo said, "In four days, I will die due to the Blood Clan Oath, so I can''t rely on the book of prophecy to find him."


    Pausing, she took a sip of milk, licked her lips, and continued.


    "It''s strange when you think about it. After receiving my hint, that vampire doesn''t seem to have thought about fleeing the city, but rather is hiding and not coming out. Otherwise, we should have caught it by now."


    After some thought, Flint said, "Maybe it''s not as complicated as you think. It''s simply scared, so scared that it doesn''t even have the courage to flee the city, and therefore found somewhere to hide."


    Sisteruo put down the glass, propped her chin with her hands, and pouted.


    "So my actions have actually had a negative effect?"


    While they talked, a blonde woman in a green raincoat came through the entrance and sat next to Sisteruo.


    She said, "It was a bit reckless. Scaring snakes by beating the grass is not good; your behavior in announcing your presence was too hasty, it has had the opposite effect both for finding those players and locating that vampire."


    "Lin Ke said the same thing." Sisteruo stated, tapping the floor lightly with her cane, "It seems to be my fault, I underestimated those players. Since it can''t be helped, we''ll have to resort to a less desirable plan."


    "A less desirable plan?" Lin Ke asked.


    "The Dice Monster. He seems to know a lot, and he might be connected to the players." Sisteruo''s lips curled, "It said that if I kill that superhero called blue owl, then it would tell me who the player hiding a vampire at home really is, and where they''re hiding."


    "That could be a trap." Lin Ke paused, "That''s my intuition."


    "It doesn''t matter. Even if it is a trap, we''ll catch the blue owl first." Sisteruo said, "After capturing him, the Dice Monster will appear before me, then I can properly interrogate it to confirm whether my suspicions are correct."


    "So... what we need to do next is... capture that superhero?"


    Flint asked thoughtfully while sipping his strong liquor.

 Chapter 193 July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass_4

    ```


    "That''s right. For you, it should be quite easy," Sisteruo smiled, "Of course, not to make a move in the Superhero Tower, but to take action when he comes out for a mission."


    "I understand," Ke Mingye responded. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ...


    July 20th, six o''clock in the evening.


    The setting sun slanted in the west, and high-rise buildings stood in rows, shrouded in a hazy twilight interwoven with afterglow and neon lights.


    On his way home from the Superhero Association, Ke Mingye sent a message to Bai Zini and learned from her that his second brother and father were still at home. After confirming he wasn''t being followed, he released a Deception Puppet in an inconspicuous corner.


    Then, he opened the "Spider Man Chat Up Special APP" on a spare phone and sent an encrypted message to Bai Qiuwu''s phone.


    The content of the message was: [Miss Sun Wukong, if convenient, come meet me tonight at seven, the usual place¡ªYour good friend, dear Mr. Strange Thing.]


    After sending the message, Ke Mingye let the puppet carry the spare phone, equipped with a web shooter, and swing across the city skyline towards the direction of Bridge No. 7.


    When the puppet released the thread attached to the underside of the overpass and soared in an upward arc to land at the top of the bridge, it turned its head around to look, finding no one in the fading twilight.


    Mr. Strange Thing smirked, perched atop a streetlight, and opened the "Spider Man Chat Up Special APP" on the spare phone¡ªit hadn''t received any messages.


    Although Bai Qiuwu hadn''t replied to his message, he felt certain that Qiuwu would come.


    So, after Ke Mingye himself returned home from the abandoned train station and took off his battle suit, he went around his house and quickly noticed that Bai Qiuwu was nowhere to be seen.


    Upon asking his siblings, they all said that Qiuwu had gone out to meet a friend not long ago.


    Ke Mingye shrugged, sat down on the sofa, and started drinking a beverage while checking his personal panel.


    From July 13th to July 20th, those eight days of completing "Daily Task 1" provided him with a total of 16 attribute points to freely distribute.


    In the eight wheel of fortune rewards he got from completing "Daily Task 2," he had invariably received "Mall Coins" for the first four times, totaling 9000 coins;


    The fifth wheel granted him "2 freely distributable attribute points", and the sixth draw rewarded him with a Grade B Magic Card "Elegy of the Sprites" (healing effect).


    The last two spins resulted in fragments for synthesizing a low-level Skill Enhancement Card and a 30% discount shopping coupon.


    Ke Mingye allocated the 18 attribute points he earned during this period evenly across three attributes for a stable development.


    [Current player attributes as follows¡ªPhysical fitness: 74 points (¡ü6 points); neurological reaction: 44 points (¡ü6 points); mental strength: 38 points (¡ü6 points)]


    [Current total of Mall Coins: 9100 coins]


    Soon, as Ke Mingye confirmed his personal information with nothing better to do, a figure slowly approached from above on Bridge No. 7 in Mr. Strange Thing''s view.


    Ke Mingye let out a sigh of relief, finishing the last sip of Sprite in the bottle while making Mr. Strange Thing wave to her.


    .....


    .....


    Meanwhile, atop Bridge No. 7.


    From the distance on the road, a visitor dressed in a silver and black metallic long coat was slowly approaching.


    The comer wore a monkey mask, and a dark-gold staff was slung over her back. As dusk fell, the last hint of reddish sunlight cast onto her, highlighting her icy silhouette and stretching her shadow long and far across the road.


    "Hey... isn''t that our Miss Sun Wukong, long time no see."


    ```


    The strange thing squatted atop the streetlight, waving at her, and while reminiscing spoke, "The last time we met must have been half a month ago, haven''t you missed me? I''ve really missed you... so much so that today, I couldn''t help myself and sent you a text to call you out, by the way, I''m very happy to see you."


    On hearing this, Black Wukong fetched her phone from the pocket of her metallic coat, opened the memo app, and started typing away. She then turned the screen toward the strange thing.


    On the memo it was written, "Cut the small talk. Why have you sought me out this time?"


    The strange thing pouted, glanced at the text on the memo, and then looked up at the sky, "Just half a month apart and you''re unwilling to even speak, reverting back to communication through text... Is our relationship that fragile?"


    He paused, shaking his head and sighing, "It seems the saying on social media is true, women really are such creatures: if you don''t treat them well for three days, they''ll forget all about you."


    "Do you count as a person?"


    Black Wukong asked, with a cold indifference, as she stowed her phone back in her pocket.


    "Well, if you put it that way, probably not," the strange thing replied, tapping its jaw with its finger, "Of course, if you want me to be a person, I can be that too."


    "What do you mean?"


    Black Wukong questioned while crossing her arms and tilting her head, narrowing her crimson pupils as she continued to stare at it from behind her mask.


    "May I ask if you prefer a little boy, or a teenager, or are you into muscular hunks, blonde studs?"


    As the strange thing spoke, its face morphed, at times into a delicate little boy, at times into a sunny-looking teenager, at times into a charming blonde man, and at times into a handsome, buzz-cut hunk.


    "Stop it right there..." Black Wukong interjected, covering the eyeholes of her mask with her hand, bowing her head, and letting out a soft sigh, "I''m about to throw up the dinner I just ate."


    "Okay, it seems the seduction of beauty is ineffective. Looks like I''ll need to use something else to get your attention," the strange thing said, its mouth turning down at the corners. Suddenly, a red and black die appeared in its right hand.


    Black Wukong silently stared at it with puzzlement.


    The strange thing flipped down from the streetlight and landed on the surface of the overpass. As it walked towards Black Wukong, it extended its right hand towards the exterior of the bridge''s railing. Then he let go of the die, letting it fall towards the city.


    Just at that moment, the sunset completely dipped below the horizon, and the entire city was enveloped in the abrupt onset of night. On the overpass, it was pitch-black except for the flickering flames within Black Wukong''s Eyes of Golden Flame.


    Simultaneously, as the die of calamity dropped from a hundred meters high in the sky, plummeting to the earth, two numbers appeared just above it. Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    "6."


    In the darkness, the strange thing uttered a number.


    [You have chosen event "6" over event "3".]


    [Event 6: A grand firework will ascend into the sky.]


    The next instant, from the ink-black canvas of the sky, a meteor-like streak of light shot upwards and with a "whoosh" pierced the night, then exploded completely at its apex.


    Following a "bang", a rose-shaped firework blossomed in the night sky, scattering twinkling halos over the city. The world was as bright as day, with the illuminated sky and dazzling fireworks swaying together, blindingly beautiful.


    Cries of amazement and car horns sounded from below the city.


    On the deserted overpass, the brilliant colors from the night sky suddenly shattered the pervasive darkness, painting Black Wukong and the strange thing in the same hues.


    Black Wukong was stunned for a moment, then slowly raised her face, gazing off into the distance at the fireworks.


    "Do you like the birthday present I''ve prepared for you?"


    The strange thing, with its back to the fireworks and profile facing the night sky, called out to her directly by name.


    "Happy Birthday... Miss Bai Qiuwu."

 Chapter 194 Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl

    On July 20, at 7 p.m., on the Ring 7 Elevated Bridge.


    Watching the red and black dice slip from the strange thing''s hand, Bai Qiuwu slightly furrowed her brows.


    She had intended to lift the Jingu Bang to stop it, yet she couldn''t help but think,


    "What is this strange thing up to now?"


    Thinking thus, her movements slowed for a moment. Before she could swing the staff horizontally, the dice had already pierced the night sky, plummeting straight toward the earth.


    The next moment, a sudden explosion stunned her for a second. She turned her head to the right and, through the eyeholes of the monkey mask, gazed up at the sky of Huanjing.


    In the blink of an eye, dazzling fireworks swallowed her view.


    Bang, bang!


    The sound of the fireworks cracking filled the night sky. Faintly, amidst them, she could hear people''s exclamations and admiration. The sounds, distant and near, echoed around her ears.


    She tilted her snow-white neck back, silently gazing at the night sky, as if she had forgotten to maintain her fiery, golden eyes, the flames within slowly extinguishing. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The reddish-gold hue in her pupils faded, as if it had been covered by the blaze of the fireworks.


    The deep valley of her eyes reflected the myriad of fireworks in the sky.


    The evening breeze, coming from one end of the horizon and passing through the starry sky, quietly knocked her hood off without a sound. The hair at the nape of her neck fell like a waterfall and swayed in the wind, lightly brushing against the back of her metallic long coat.


    Bai Qiuwu remained silent for a long while, then slowly turned her face.


    From behind the mask, she lifted her clear eyes and stared for a few moments at this perplexing figure, then she slightly opened her mouth, only to close it again.


    "Uh¡­ did you just seem to have something to say?" the strange thing asked.


    Bai Qiuwu hesitated for two seconds, then slowly asked, "You once said that you can''t control the outcome of the dice?"


    "Oh, you remember that clearly, huh?"


    The strange thing said, turning back to meet her gaze, "That''s right, I can''t really control this dice."


    "So what?" Bai Qiuwu said, "You also said it was a carefully prepared gift for me, but it turned out to be otherwise." She paused, then whispered, "It was just a random toss."


    Upon hearing this, the strange thing first lifted its right hand, gently stroking its chin, then cocked its head in a puzzled tone, asking: "That''s strange¡­ did I ever use the word ''carefully''?"


    Bai Qiuwu paused, slightly opened her mouth, and looked down for two seconds, recalling. Then she turned away and said coolly, "Oh, sorry. I was being presumptuous."


    "You know, I actually wanted to summon a band to dance for you. Anything from Michael Jackson to The Beatles, as long as you like it."


    "Are you serious?"


    Bai Qiuwu crossed her arms, tilted her head, and the monkey mask on her face wobbled.


    "Well, I also feel that''s unlikely fitting your personality. You probably prefer something more serene."


    "No." Bai Qiuwu said, "I don''t like music and wish my ears could be a bit quieter." Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Is it because that monkey in your mind is always clattering?"


    "I''ve tried wearing headphones and turning the volume up high, but it still couldn''t drown out its noise." Bai Qiuwu said softly, "It''s noisy enough, adding music makes it even worse."


    "Still, on a birthday, some people hire a famous band to celebrate that important day. Wouldn''t you be happy?"


    "You say that as if¡­ you know me well."


    Bai Qiuwu spoke softly and sat on the bridge railing, gazing downward at the city. On the bustling streets below, children were yelling excitedly at the sudden fireworks.


    The strange thing shrugged, walked leisurely to her side, and sat down on the bridge railing.


    It said, "I really do understand you¡­ a girl who is overly serious, who likes to keep everything pressed in her heart. Facing divine erosion every day, clearly helpless and lonely, yet never able to muster the courage to speak to those around her, not even daring to say ''help me,'' thus keeping all the signals of seeking help hidden deep in her heart like a swamp, holding onto them until she sinks deeper."


    Having said that, the strange thing spread its hands. "You know, most martyrs and ascetics are male. This is the first time I''ve seen a girl, not just any girl but a 17-year-old girl, bearing such labels¡­"


    It sighed. "Humans are like goldfish: no matter how good they are at swimming, they sometimes need to surface for air, or else they will drown."


    "There you go again, speaking these mystical musings." Bai Qiuwu sighed softly.


    "So you don''t like that, huh?"


    "From what I''ve observed about you, you could act a bit more normal," Bai Qiuwu paused, "but you just don''t want to."


    "For instance, how would you define normal?" the strange thing countered, "Are those who over-care about others'' looks, suppress their own hearts, and live carefully in society like livestock ''normal''; while someone like me, who expresses my thoughts openly and is misunderstood by others, is ''abnormal''?"


    It paused. "Then, do you think, perhaps, that it''s the society that is diseased?"


    Bai Qiuwu shook her head.


    "The normal I''m talking about is just for you not to speak in such weird ways." She said, "Sometimes you''re quite normal."


    "For example, when?"


    Bai Qiuwu thought for a moment and said, "Like that day under the elevated bridge, when you said ''two voices are talking in my head,'' I''ve forgotten what you said then, but the way you spoke was very normal, not so neurotic, more like you were speaking your heart out."

 Chapter 194 Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl_2

    ```


    "Really?" the strange thing mused upon hearing that, "Maybe it was just because my acting was so explosive at the time that it covered up my weirdness. How credible can the words of someone like me be?"


    "It''s not to be trusted."


    She fell silent for a moment and said softly, "But you know, I''ll die soon. So... I don''t care that much."


    "Yes, you will die," the strange thing shrugged nonchalantly, "Soon, you will lose your mind due to the backlash of the way of communicating with gods, becoming a mere puppet in name only, driven by the divine to self-destruct. You will end up killing yourself, or... someone else will kill the out-of-control you."


    It paused, "It''s truly a tragic story, but do you know what''s even more poignant?" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What?"


    "The strange thing said slowly, "What''s even more poignant is that you know you will end up with the same fate no matter what, yet you still maintain this cautious way of living, fearing that everything you have will collapse in an instant."


    "Otherwise..." Bai Qiuwu lowered her eyes and asked softly, "What do you think I should do?"


    "I think you should be a girl with more personality, instead of spending every day either trying to meet your parents'' expectations by burying yourself in textbooks, or putting on an ugly battle suit to rush around the city protecting people who have nothing to do with you, staining your clean hands with blood."


    "I chose this."


    "You didn''t have to make that choice," the strange thing said, "Everyone has the right to choose, especially a girl whose life has so little time left."


    "No, this life is enough for me."


    Bai Qiuwu said, shaking her head slightly, "Actually, when I''m with you, I sometimes think that I too have moments when I can take off my disguise... At home, with my family, outside, with those criminals, heroes, police, I feel like I''m wearing a mask in front of everyone, and even when I feel like I''m about to break, I don''t know who to tell or who I can tell... So, only when I talk to you can I breathe a little."


    She paused and said softly:


    "Strange thing, you''re my only friend."


    Hearing this, the strange thing fell silent for a while.


    It said, "Well, I must admit I''m honored to hear you say that. But please don''t get me wrong... Even though I may be the only one in the world who understands you, and even though I did something as touching as setting off fireworks for a birthday celebration, I still hope you don''t build your emotional support on a super-villain of unknown origin."


    Saying this, the strange thing paused slightly before continuing to ramble on.


    "Maybe I''m secretly recording this conversation with a recording pen right now and at some point, I might upload the recording to the dark web, titling it ''Black Wukong''s little secret,'' with a description saying, ''Look at this sentimental guy, claiming to be ''Black Wukong''? Turns out her heart is so fragile, like a lamb to the slaughter, hehe, actually trusting my words so easily, it''s ridiculously stupid; manipulating a superhero''s feelings feels so wonderful,'' what do you think?"


    "To do such a despicable thing, do you count as a super-villain?"


    Bai Qiuwu asked disdainfully.


    "Don''t I?" the strange thing said seriously, raising a finger, "By the way, a few days ago, I attacked your brother''s superhero squad and killed a rampaging superhuman. He killed a lot of people; I was doing the public a service."


    "I had forgotten... When I came, I wanted to ask you why you did it."


    Bai Qiuwu was startled for a moment, then turned to look at him, her tone growing colder.


    The strange thing explained at a measured pace, "There are many reasons: I want your brother to come to his senses; I want him to recognize his own strength; I want him to give up the superhero identity sooner."


    It sighed, "Anyway, I didn''t lay a finger on him, nor did I go too hard on his teammates, well... hopefully. But the way it looks now, that kid seems to be getting more and more into it, with no intention of giving up being a hero. Does everyone in the Bai Ke family refuse to listen?"


    Bai Qiuwu remained silent for a moment, then said softly, "He has always been like that, seemingly indifferent to everything. But when it comes to things he''s decided on, he becomes as stubborn as an ox, not taking anyone''s words seriously."


    "Oh, such deep brother-sister affection, it moves me to see how much you care for your brother," the strange thing said with a sarcastic shrug.


    Bai Qiuwu gazed at the bustling city in the distance and raised her hand to remove the monkey mask from her face, placing it on the bridge railing.


    She looked up at the night sky.


    It was a mackerel sky, with wave-like cloud patterns everywhere, filling the deep blue night.


    A sliver of moonlight flitted in and out of the clouds.


    The girl''s clear face was bathed in moonlight, her beautiful hair fluttering in the evening breeze.


    She said, "When I die, I want to ask you for a favor."


    "Tell me, what is your last wish?"


    "First, look after my sister, Bai Zini, for me."


    "Miss Ash?"


    "Yes, she''s not like me, she''s a very rash girl. You just need to protect her until a year from now... Once the comet arrives, she will no longer be a Magic Girl and won''t be dragged into danger anymore."


    "Of course, do you have any other last wishes?"


    Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    ```

 Chapter 194 Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl_3

    Bai Qiuwu rested her hands on the railing and lowered her head in thought before continuing, "And my brother, Mingye."


    She paused, "I never imagined he would become a superhero. I hope... after I leave, you can help me take care of him and remind him more often, so he doesn''t fall into danger."


    "Uh... with all due respect, what if I say I can''t?" the strange thing asked seriously.


    Bai Qiuwu was taken aback, as if she had not anticipated being refused, the light in her eyes shifting.


    The strange thing smacked its lips, shook its head, and let out a long sigh, "Alright, actually I will help you. Who can stand to see a girl heartbroken?"


    Bai Qiuwu slowly lifted her head to look at it.


    "Really?"


    "Really."


    The strange thing, while saying this, met her gaze then suddenly changed the subject.


    It said, "By the way, do you know... I''ve never actually liked your Eyes of Golden Flame. I prefer the original color of your eyes, much nicer than those fierce red ones."


    Bai Qiuwu''s face turned slightly red. She frowned slightly, turned her face away, and her gaze drifted towards the city.


    Both of them were silent for a while, sharing the serene air on the elevated bridge.


    "Speaking of which... how long has it been since you last tried to scream your lungs out?" the strange thing suddenly asked.


    After thinking for a moment, Bai Qiuwu said, "It''s been a long time... a really long time. In fact, I don''t think I''ve ever shouted at anyone since I was little, let alone tried shouting into an empty space."


    "Then how about doing what you call a stupid thing and shouting towards the city?"


    "No."


    "Such a firm rejection, you''ve hurt my feelings." the strange thing looked down and clutched its chest, "Since it''s your birthday today, doing something outrageous once in a while is not so bad."


    "That''s just too weird."


    "What''s so strange about it, could it be stranger than me?" said the strange thing.


    Hearing this, Bai Qiuwu curled up the corners of her mouth lightly, "You have a point, perhaps there''s no one stranger than you in this world." Saying this, she bowed her head and pondered for a moment.


    After a while, she slowly lifted her head and asked, "What should I shout?"


    "Shout what''s in your heart." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Will you give a demonstration first?"


    "Absolutely no problem."


    The strange thing spread its hands and shook its head gently while speaking. Then, turning to the side, it gazed at the Superhero Tower in the distance with the S.H.A. logo and shouted, "I really wish to be treated like a super villain! You damn superheroes, one day I will show you the might of the Lord of the strange thing, the super villain."


    Bai Qiuwu was stunned for two seconds, and then her cheeks puffed slightly as she couldn''t help raising her hand to her mouth and giggling softly.


    The strange thing, out of breath from shouting, clutched its chest, "Now it''s your turn, Miss Bai Qiuwu."


    Upon hearing this, Bai Qiuwu hesitated for a moment and then closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.


    Moments later, she suddenly opened her mouth and shouted towards the brightly-lit city, "I don''t want to..."


    She stopped midway as if her voice were stuck in her throat. After two seconds, she opened her mouth again and said in a voice so soft it was barely audible, "Never mind, I can''t do it."


    "Your voice can be a little louder."


    "I don''t want to..."


    Bai Qiuwu raised her voice slightly.


    "You can make it just a little bit louder, there''s no one here but me..." said the strange thing, suddenly covering its ears, "If you don''t want me to hear, I can cover my ears."


    No sooner had it finished speaking than, amidst the silence, Bai Qiuwu took a deep breath, lifted her hand wrapped in gauntlets like a trumpet, and lowly shouted something.


    The girl''s shout echoed on the empty elevated bridge, but was soon overtaken by the whistling of the wind.


    The strange thing, with its ears covered, didn''t hear anything.


    After a while, it released its hands and curiously asked, "What did you say?"


    "I said..." Bai Qiuwu lowered her head, took a deep breath, and then shouted towards the brightly-lit city, "I don''t want to die¡ª!"


    Her hair danced in the wind as the hoarse voice traveled through the night sky towards the distance. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    The strange thing was stunned for a long time, scratching his ear.


    Bai Qiuwu seemed to have more to say, catching her breath and continuing to shout towards the city.


    Though no one responded to her words.


    A moment later, she fell silent for a while, then mumbled to herself, "It feels good to shout it out... "


    "Unexpectedly, you did well. Miss Bai Qiuwu, it seems you are the kind that surprises people when you unleash your true self?" the strange thing squinted at her.


    Bai Qiuwu said softly, "It feels very strange to hear you call me by my name."


    "So, Miss Qiuwu?"


    "Isn''t that the same thing?"


    "Miss Sun Wukong?"


    "Well, I''m used to that."


    "Oh, did you know? Both ''Miss Bai Qiuwu'' and ''Miss Qiuwu'' are holiday limited editions," said the strange thing seriously. "Today is your birthday, so that''s why I addressed you that way. After today, you won''t hear me talk like this anymore. Wouldn''t you miss it if you insisted on being called ''Miss Sun Wukong''?"


    Bai Qiuwu pondered for a couple of seconds and then said, "Alright then. But after my birthday, you have to call me normally."


    "Sure thing, Miss Qiuwu," said the strange thing.


    "You said you''d help me protect them," Bai Qiuwu paused, "but don''t you really dislike Mingye?"


    "I do dislike him, because he''s loathsome, arrogant, disrespectful, and has no regard for rules, always displaying his sense of humor at the most inappropriate moments."


    Bai Qiuwu interjected, "Just like you?"


    The strange thing paused, stroked its chin, and looked down in thought for a while.

 Chapter 194 Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl_4

    "That''s right, just like me," it said, "so I hate him. But actually, I don''t hate him that much."


    Both fell silent for a moment; Bai Qiuwu smiled faintly, as if reassured.


    Seeing her not speaking, the strange thing raised a finger and said, "Well, you might be sad to hear this, but celebrating your birthday was just incidental."


    With that, it sat on the bridge railing, "Actually, my main purpose in asking you to come here was to discuss something with you."


    "What is it?"


    The strange thing said, "Remember to keep an eye on the two people in your house during this time, the cute girl with white hair, and that little guy who likes to dress up as an owl and go out to fight crime."


    Bai Qiuwu was taken aback, "Why?"


    "They will be in danger," the strange thing said, "especially that white-haired girl, it would be best if you kept a close watch on her and didn''t let her leave the house."


    It paused: "I should be leaving now, and I advise you to go home sooner. A very important and serious event will happen in your house tonight."


    "A serious event?" Bai Qiuwu was taken aback, then frowned, "Don''t scare me."


    "You''ll know when you get back."


    The strange thing murmured these words, stood up from the bridge railing, and its figure fell toward the building engulfed in neon light. Its form gradually cracked, heated up, and then from the myriad tiny cracks, burst forth fire, turning into a weird laugh that vanished into the air.


    Seeing this, Bai Qiuwu froze for a long time, her heart racing.


    Something went wrong at home? How could it be?


    Thinking this, she quickly put on a mask to cover her face, then gathered her jet-black hair under a silver-black contrasting hood over her head.


    Then, a rolling bank of wild clouds began to appear beneath her feet. Soon after, amidst a noisy clamor, she rode the clouds into the darkness, disappearing without a trace.


    .....


    .....


    Ten minutes later, in Old Jingmai District, at a duplex apartment on the 12th floor.


    Bai Qiuwu stepped out of the bright elevator cabin, head slightly bowed in deep thought.


    "Important event? What exactly did that strange thing talk about?"


    With apprehension in her heart, Bai Qiuwu quickly keyed in the password for the electronic lock and laid her hand on the doorknob.


    She turned the doorknob with the faintest of force, pushing open the door to her home.


    Immediately after that, through the slight gap she created, she caught a glimpse of the scene inside the house.


    The whole entrance hall, and even the living room connected at the end of it, were dark as pitch, impossible to see anything.


    "It''s only seven o''clock, is no one home?"


    Seeing the darkness inside, hearing no sound, and recalling the words of the strange thing, Bai Qiuwu hesitated, her heartbeat quickening.


    "What on earth has happened?"


    Sweat beads formed on her forehead as she thought this and bent down, then she pushed the door fully open.


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    The next second, Bai Qiuwu suddenly noticed someone hugging the wall of the entrance, quickly approaching her from the darkness.


    Bai Qiuwu sensed the aura of the approaching figure, first startled, then relaxed.


    "So, it was this all along."


    As she thought this, she suddenly heard a "pop" sound by her ear.


    Immediately after, silver confetti fell upon Bai Qiuwu''s head. Someone had pressed a button on the wall; the entrance hall light was turned on, bathing her side face in a warm orange glow.


    Bai Qiuwu feigned being startled, opening her eyes wide, and it took her a while before she slowly straightened up. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Happy birthday, big sister."


    Ke Mingye held the cake with a disgruntled face and muttered, "Why is it always me holding the cake, do you guys not have hands?"


    "Happy birthday."


    Bai Ziling stood with her hands clasped behind her back, tilting her head slightly, as her snow-white hair gently swayed.


    "Happy birthday, oh sister, we love you!"


    Bai Zini said, while simultaneously retracting the party popper and hiding it behind her with a smirk.


    "Happy birthday."


    Ke Yongzhu took a sip of Wong Lo Kat, shifted his gaze away, and said faintly.


    "Happy birthday, our dear Qiuwu has finally reached adulthood. "


    Saying that, Ke Yinzhi leaned against the doorframe, holding a bottle of beer and said with a smirk, "After tonight you''ll be eighteen, it''s time to join me and your second brother for a drink, no chickening out at the last minute."


    Ke Xiaomo sighed and while pushing Ke Yinzhi away said, "Don''t listen to his nonsense, I don''t drink." He paused, "And you shouldn''t either, don''t pick up his bad habits."


    "You''re no fun, Xiao Mo," Ke Yinzhi said, eyeing him askance.


    "Boring. Don''t lead your little sister astray," Ke Xiaomo said expressionlessly.


    "Hey, you bunch of troublemakers, had to make such a fuss, what if you gave your elder sister a heart attack?"


    Bai Wenna turned on the living room light and walked over, saying with one eye open and one eye closed.


    Bai Qiuwu clutched at her chest, took a deep breath, "Yeah, I was almost scared to death, thought a burglar had gotten in..."


    Then she raised her hand, put it on Ke Mingye''s shoulder: "But I forgive you guys, thank you for preparing all this, and for celebrating my birthday."


    "You''re welcome," Ke Mingye said, "It was all this guy''s crazy idea." Saying so, he cast a disdainful look at Bai Zini.


    Bai Zini leaned her cheek against his shoulder, grumbling, "Big brother, how can you say that, we celebrated Second Brother''s birthday the same way last time."


    "Let''s not have a next time," Ke Xiaomo, recalling that day, said with a shiver, "Coming out of the bathroom to see the birthday cake really killed my appetite."


    "See what I mean?" Ke Mingye said sarcastically as he carried the cake into the living room.


    "Second Brother, you clearly said ''I''m touched,'' okay! You all just gang up on me."


    Bai Zini glared at Ke Xiaomo and then followed Ke Mingye into the living room.


    Ke Xiaomo shook his head and sighed.


    "Oh, I haven''t asked you, how does it feel to celebrate your birthday at the bathroom door?" Ke Yinzhi couldn''t help teasing Ke Xiaomo after hearing their conversation.


    "It''s indescribable," Ke Xiaomo said deeply.


    Bai Qiuwu patted his shoulder sympathetically, "I''ll make it up to you on your next birthday."


    "It''s your birthday now, don''t worry about me," Ke Xiaomo said.


    "By the way, actually, this is filled with orange juice," Ke Yinzhi said, shaking the bottle in his hand and added teasingly, "Shh... don''t tell the elementary school kid; he sneakily drank the beer from the fridge last time and actually thought beer tasted like oranges."


    "Wow, you guys are really mean."


    Bai Qiuwu commented.


    "It''s to prevent underage drinking; Yongzhu puts everything he sees in the fridge into his mouth," Ke Xiaomo said indifferently, and turning to go inside, added, "Alright, no more chitchat at the door, we''re waiting for you in the living room."


    Ke Yinzhi glanced at Ke Yongzhu and whispered, "Don''t tell the elementary school kid about what we just talked about, okay?" Saying that, he cracked a slight smile and followed the others back to the living room.


    "Hmm, I''ll come after I change my shoes."


    Watching their backs, Bai Qiuwu said this while lightly curling the corners of her mouth.


    She paused at the doorstep, recalling the eerie voice of the "strange thing," and thought to herself, "So, that ''very important, very serious matter'' the guy mentioned... was all about this, huh?"

 Chapter 195 Bai Kes Home Birthday Party

    In the dimly lit living room, Bai Qiuwu brushed the hair beside her ear, her face bathed in the warm glow of the candlelight.


    After a moment of thought, she made a silent wish in her heart, "I hope everyone can be safe and sound."


    Having made her wish, she leaned forward slightly and blew out the candles perched atop her birthday cake.


    The candle flames flickered and then quietly dispersed in the evening breeze.


    Ke Mingye subconsciously froze for two seconds. The moment he saw the candlelight reflected in Bai Qiuwu''s eyes, he thought he had seen Eyes of Golden Flame and was secretly startled.


    It was only after the candlelight was extinguished and the moonlight emerged from the darkness to reveal Bai Qiuwu''s eyes, that Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief.


    He shrugged his shoulders, thinking that due to the matters with Gastella, his mental state had been overly tense recently.


    "What''s up?"


    In the darkness, Bai Qiuwu turned her head to look at him and asked.


    "Nothing," Ke Mingye sipped his Coke and explained, "I was just wondering what wish you made."


    During their conversation, Ke Yinzhi, who was leaning against the wall drinking a beverage, raised his hand and "snap," turned on the living room lights.


    Bai Ziling tiptoed over emotionlessly and said, "Ding, ding, ding." While speaking, she took out the flower wreath hidden behind her and gently placed it on Bai Qiuwu''s head.


    Bai Qiuwu slightly bowed her head, touching one of the fresh flowers on top and felt a light yet cool sensation at her fingertips.


    She curved her lips, "Is it actually real flowers?"


    "Mm, I made it by hand," Bai Ziling said, "and yesterday I even went to buy flowers with Third Brother."


    "Why didn''t you call me?" Bai Zini asked.


    "Because sister can''t keep a secret," Bai Ziling said, hands behind her back, calmly stating, "If sister knew, the secret would have been exposed in the next second."


    Really now? I think apart from our old dad, your sister''s secret identity is the least known in the house. Ke Mingye thought, although there was a large element of luck involved.


    "Real flowers, huh. Not like our Xiao Mo''s birthday, where the wreath on her head was made of paper, quite pitiful."


    Ke Yinzhi took a sip of his orange juice, corners of his mouth curving, and while teasing, he patted Ke Xiaomo''s shoulder sympathetically.


    "That''s because there was no time," Bai Ziling paused, turned away her face, "because I only remembered it was Second Brother''s birthday on the day itself, so I had to fold the wreath from notebook paper."


    Hearing this, Ke Xiaomo hung his head and took a deep breath, "Can you guys stop beating a dead horse? Also, Xiao Ling, you really don''t need to explain."


    "You guys sure do talk a lot," Ke Yongzhu curled his lips, "Can we start eating now?"


    Amid their bantering, he had already silently divided the cake into seven equal parts with a plastic knife. Now, he was waiting to gobble up his piece and then go upstairs to sleep.


    "Oh, let''s eat then."


    Ke Mingye said expressionlessly, approached the table, picked up a piece of cake, and swiftly smeared it on the primary school student''s face.


    "Is it tasty?" he asked.


    The primary school student wiped the cream from his eyes, expressionless.


    The next instant, he grabbed another piece of cake from the table at an unreasonably fast pace and smeared it on Ke Mingye''s face.


    Then he said, "Why don''t you have a taste and see if it''s good or not?"


    Seeing this, Ke Xiaomo quickly picked up two pieces of cake and said indifferently, "You can play, but we as older brothers should be more mature and not get involved."


    Bai Ziling also held a piece of cake in each hand, imitating her second brother''s tone, "You can play, but Ni and I will be mature and not get involved."


    "That makes sense. Worthy of our Xiao Mo who is mature beyond her years, so my portion can be..."


    As Ke Yinzhi played with his phone, looking distracted while joking, Ke Xiaomo had already smeared the cake on his face.


    "Ah, truly my sister Xiao Ling..."


    Bai Zini clapped her hands, starting to speak triumphantly, when Bai Ziling had already smeared the cake on her face.


    Their words abruptly stopped.


    The next second, Ke Yinzhi and Bai Zini silently wiped the cream and cake from their faces.


    Ke Yinzhi''s face bore a haunting smile;


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    Bai Zini''s expression had turned cold.


    Immediately after, the six of them began a chase around the sofa.


    Seeing this, Bai Qiuwu quietly guarded her piece of cake and stood in a corner. She quietly ate her cake with a plastic spoon while watching them with a smile.


    A moment later, figures with cream smeared on their faces sat on the living room sofa to have a meeting.


    Bai Zini held a notebook and counted, "First, the birthday song that the primary school student didn''t finish last time. We must make it up this time!"


    "Seconded."


    Bai Ziling stated blandly, licking the cream from the corner of her mouth.


    "Last time it was Second Brother''s birthday, Big Brother wasn''t there either," Bai Zini coughed twice and said solemnly, "As punishment for Big Brother, we must have him sing alone!"


    "I second that."


    Ke Xiaomo folded his arms and said lightly.


    "Is that necessary?"


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi raised his hand to his chin and yawned, "Although I wasn''t back then, I''ve heard from him about your celebration for his birthday in front of the restroom. I mocked him mercilessly that night, so I guess that counts as participating, right?"


    "Still being stubborn, with questionable morals," Captain Dragonfly Bai Zini made her ruling, "Two songs!"


    "Alright, alright, make it two," Ke Yinzhi spread his hands, "But I have to say beforehand, I''m tone-deaf. To make fun of me, torturing everyone''s ears and even ruining the birthday ambiance seems a bit backwards, doesn''t it?"


    Ke Xiaomo called him out on the spot.


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 Chapter 195 Bai Kes Home Birthday Party_2

    ```


    "Tone-deaf, are you referring to the time in elementary school when I used a fake female voice to record a terrifying nursery rhyme, and then played the recorder at Mingye''s bedroom door in the middle of the night, scaring him so badly that for two months he didn''t dare go to the bathroom alone at night?"


    Bai Ziling was momentarily stunned, then horrified: "Holy shit, that was big brother messing with me back then?!" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Veins popped on his forehead, nearly bursting the cola can he was holding.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yinzhi started to play dumb: "Did that really happen?" While pondering, he pretended to be in deep thought, looking up at the ceiling, "Although my memory is a bit hazy, since it''s all in the past, I think, Mingye, when you look back on it now, it must just seem like an interesting and happy memory, right?"


    "Happy my ass, I almost pissed myself at the time! Next time on your birthday I''ll definitely don black clothes and sing you a funeral song to see if you still find it happy and interesting?!"


    Ke Mingye cursed under his breath.


    Ke Yongzhu let out a cold snort, saying, "That''s what you get for stealing pandas, what else can you expect from him in terms of quality."


    "Bad taste." Bai Ziling said.


    "Over the line." Bai Qiuwu said.


    "Keep it up." Bai Zini was the only one to say this.


    She covered her mouth with her hand, her cunning expression as if recalling a hilarious event, and said with schadenfreude, "I still remember big brother knocking on my door in the middle of the night, saying he was too scared to go to the toilet alone and asking me to stand guard outside." Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    She paused: "While inside, he kept asking if I had left, which was just pathetically funny, you know?!"


    On hearing this, Ke Yongzhu propped up her chin and remarked wistfully, "You''re really patient, I definitely wouldn''t have accompanied him to the toilet. I''d have just gone back to sleep in my room."


    "I was just a few years old back then; it''s normal to be scared, right?" Ke Mingye gritted his teeth, "What''s not normal is having a big brother playing ghostly songs outside his younger brother''s room in the middle of the night, the hell kind of person does that?!"


    Ke Yinzhi imitated his tone, with an innocent expression, saying: "I was just a few years old back then; it''s normal to be a bit naughty, right?"


    "Roll over, you don''t act like a human being, you''ve already reached the level of ''perverted,'' not ''naughty,'' okay?!"


    Ke Yongzhu finished his Wong Lo Kat, tossed it into the trash can, and said disdainfully, "I think none of you act like humans, you know that?"


    He paused: "This is the first time I''ve seen a genius celebrating a birthday at the toilet door."


    Ke Mingye said, "That was Bai Zini''s idea."


    "But big brother did it too." Bai Zini raised her right hand, indignantly pointing at Ke Mingye.


    "Hmm." Bai Ziling nodded, her tone indifferent yet serious, "It''s all third brother''s fault."


    "Fine, fine, now it''s my problem." Ke Mingye sighed, "By the way, can we stop talking about last birthday? Do we really need to keep flogging our poor second brother?"


    "Wasn''t it you who brought it up?"


    Ke Xiaomo said, massaging his Tianming Acupoint, contemplating how on earth to make the toilet birthday celebration a forgotten footnote in history.


    Ever since he and Ke Yinzhi mentioned it, he had to endure being teased about it by Ke Yinzhi every day; it was about to become a meme in the family chat group.


    He made up his mind.


    On the day of Ke Yinzhi''s birthday, he would also present him with a birthday cake the moment he stepped out of the toilet after flushing, preferably with black chocolate-flavored cream on top that resembled excrement.


    Thinking this, he decided to temporarily spare Ke Yinzhi and shifted his revenge focus to Ke Mingye.


    Thus, turning his head, he said to Ke Mingye, who was drinking his beverage, with all seriousness, "Next time on your birthday, I''ll gift you a blue owl figurine."


    "Cough... cough cough..."


    Ke Mingye coughed twice, almost spitting out the cola he had just sipped.


    His eyes twitched slightly, and he responded sarcastically, "Ha-ha, second brother, you really joke too much. If that trash hero ever gets popular enough to warrant a figurine, I''ll eat my hat, okay?"


    Bai Qiuwu took a sip of her drink and asked in puzzlement, "Hmm... you look down on him that much?"


    Bai Zini puffed her cheeks and covered her mouth to stifle her laughter.


    After struggling to hold it in, she closed her eyes and coughed twice, then dismissively said, "I agree with big brother, that blue owl doesn''t deserve a figurine, does it?"


    "Heh heh." Ke Mingye rolled his eyes at her.


    Satisfied with the response, Ke Xiaomo nodded in agreement, seriously adding, "You''re right. That blue owl is too lame; it doesn''t look like anyone would make a figurine for it."


    He paused, then asked, "So what figurine do you want?"


    "A figurine of Magical Girl Ash, please." Ke Mingye said blandly, "Oh, and make sure it''s the swimsuit version, thanks."


    Bai Zini''s smile disappeared, and her ears started to turn red.


    She was stunned for a moment, then blurted out in a raised voice, with a blush, "No way, absolutely not!"


    "What... why does it matter to you if second brother gives me a model figurine or something like that as a birthday gift?"


    After a pause, Ke Mingye sarcastically added, "I get it, you also want a figurine of Magical Girl Ash. Don''t worry, second brother doesn''t favor any one sibling; he''ll definitely get you a Miss Ash figurine too: a bikini version for me and a bathrobe version for you, side by side, invincible."


    "You... you... you''re seriously sick."


    Bai Zini stammered, unable to contain her anger, trembling with rage.


    "Xiao Ni''s reaction means she wants it." Ke Xiaomo said, assuming an ''I''m the older brother and I know best'' attitude, "We''ll get you one for your birthday too. Don''t worry, everyone will get one."


    Bai Zini gritted her teeth, nearly jumping up from the couch.


    ```

 Chapter 195 Bai Kes Home Birthday Party_3

    "Big bro, I said I don''t want it, can''t you just stop misinterpreting what I mean?!"


    Bai Qiuwu was stunned for a moment, and then turned to look at Ke Mingye, wondering if Mingye also knew that Xiao Ni was Magical Girl Ash.


    Listening to their conversation, Ke Yinzhi casually chimed in, "Really don''t want it? How come I remember that Xiao Ni seemed to really like Magical Girl Ash?"


    He raised an eyebrow, recalling, "Last month, you were always showing us her pictures, asking us every day if ''she looks pretty, much prettier in real life than in photos'' and stuff like that..."


    "When did I? Why do you usually have such a terrible memory but remember these trivial matters so clearly¡ª¡ª!"


    Bai Zini yelled loudly, her face, all the way to her ears, turned a deep red, her head seemingly steaming.


    "It wasn''t meant for you. She only tortured me, okay? Completely starstruck, badgering me every day about whether her idol looks good or not, without any shame," Ke Mingye pressed on.


    With her face all aglow, Bai Zini took a deep breath, huffed, darted a glare at him, then turned to speak to Ke Yinzhi.


    "Everyone has an idol phase! You make it sound like you never had a thing for any magic girl or superhero when you were in school!"


    After speaking, she turned to Ke Xiaomo with a flushed face and said softly, "Even if we were to buy one, it can''t be the swimsuit version... that''s just too risqu¨¦."


    Hearing this, Ke Xiaomo quietly pulled out his phone, searched "Magical Girl Ash figurine" on Taobao, and then showed Bai Zini the results that popped up.


    "Which one do you like?" he asked.


    Bai Zini reluctantly lifted her head to glance quickly over the search results displayed on the Taobao page, her mouth gaped in disbelief, and then she ground her teeth in anger.


    Finally speechless.


    As if she had conceded to the world.


    She held her forehead with her hand, sighed deeply, and while internally condemning the unscrupulous merchants'' money-making schemes, she said, "Then just buy the swimsuit version for big bro; that''s rather normal considering the rest."


    "Actually, I was just joking, who likes these kinds of things," Ke Mingye said.


    Ke Xiaomo, hearing Ke Mingye say this, then turned to Bai Zini and asked, "What about you, Xiao Ni?"


    "No!"


    Bai Zini raised her palm and firmly refused.


    Frowning, she thought to herself, Wouldn''t it be better to just look in the mirror after I transform, why bother buying a figurine, have you gone mad, second bro?


    "Then forget it," Ke Xiaomo said indifferently.


    Bai Zini breathed a sigh of relief, sat down beside Ke Mingye while sipping her drink, and asked in a low voice, "By the way, did second bro really know you are that owl hero?"


    Ke Mingye said, "What owl hero? I''m called ''blue owl,'' do you not know how to read ''owl'' with your middle school education, xiao, get it?"


    "Who wouldn''t know how to read it, even if I didn''t, I would just look it up on Baidu."


    "Oh, it seems I wronged you."


    "It''s just that your taste in naming is so bad, I don''t want to say it."


    "Oh, so Ash sounds good to you?" Ke Mingye said, "Sounds like cannon fodder, Magical Girl Cannon Fodder, I''m really afraid one day you''ll end up living up to the name and explode."


    "Drop dead."


    Bai Zini paused for a while, then asked quietly, "So, second bro really knows?"


    "What else?"


    "How did he find out... Don''t tell me, you didn''t tell me, but you told him?"


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye took a sip of his drink, clicking his tongue inwardly, thinking, you''re so possessive over your brother, sis, if you get a boyfriend in the future, he''s probably going to be pushed to hara-kiri by you.


    With these thoughts, he sighed and explained, "Bad luck, forgot to hide my diary, and he sneaked a peek. Otherwise, I wouldn''t tell you guys anything, none of you would get to know."


    As the words fell, Bai Zini was about to argue against that statement when suddenly, accompanying the sound of keys opening the door at the entrance, the family door was pushed open.


    Ke Youqing walked into the living room, turned his head to glance at the group, then at today''s date. Eventually, his gaze swept over the children''s faces, lingering leisurely on the floral wreath atop Bai Qiuwu''s head.


    He removed the cigarette from his mouth and spoke in a gentle voice, "Happy birthday, go to sleep early." Having said that, Ke Youqing headed upstairs, leaving behind only a weary figure.


    "Does dad know you''re Blue Owl?"


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    Bai Zini glanced at her father''s retreating figure, then turned to Ke Mingye and asked.


    "Not yet, why tell him? He''s dead tired from working overtime every day, and now he should worry about having a superhero son and a Magic Girl daughter on top of that?"


    "Haha, he only needs to worry about you, right? His daughter is so strong, what could possibly endanger her?"


    "Oh, sure." Ke Mingye responded nonchalantly, "That''s how parents are, no matter how strong you are, they will still worry about you, whether you''re a superhero or a Magic Girl, get it?"


    Upon hearing this, Bai Zini silently added in her heart, plus a big clumsy dragon!


    She thought this while shooting Ke Yongzhu a glare.


    Ke Yongzhu sneezed, feeling inexplicably puzzled, and shot Bai Zini a look back before continuing to play with his phone.


    "So only me and second brother know about it in the family?" she asked again.


    "Yeah."


    Ke Mingye nodded.


    Bai Zini pondered for a while, seemingly finding this outcome somewhat acceptable.


    So she said, "Big brother, you''re the only one in the family who knows my identity, remember to keep it a secret from them."


    Ke Mingye sighed, thinking to himself, your sister knows about your identity too, what''s with the act.


    "Alright, alright, I got it."


    While speaking, he glanced at Bai Qiuwu out of the corner of his eye.


    Bai Qiuwu took out her phone from her coat pocket, glanced at the screen, then quietly stood up from the sofa and walked to a corner of the living room.


    In the shadowy corner of the living room, Bai Qiuwu leaned against the wall, sipping her Coke and looking down at the message on her screen.


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Are you still having fun?]


    [Bai Qiuwu: You lied to me, said it was ''serious business,'' was it really just a birthday party?] S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Mr. Strange Thing: It''s a surprise, not a lie.]


    [Bai Qiuwu: So what were you saying before, what exactly happened to my sister and brother?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: A group calling themselves the "Blood Clan Hunters" has taken interest in them, as for the rest, well, I''m not at liberty to tell you.]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Anyway, best keep a close eye on them lately, don''t let them sneak out, or you''ll be responsible for the consequences.]


    "What could it be?"


    Bai Qiuwu thought to herself and huddled her shoulders, raising her eyes from her phone, she tilted her head slightly, gazing uneasily at Ke Mingye and Bai Ziling seated on the sofa.


    Then, as if she remembered something, she picked up her phone again, switched it on, and typed a message.


    [Bai Qiuwu: By the way, thanks for celebrating my birthday. The fireworks... were actually pretty beautiful.]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Oh, you''re welcome. We''re friends, aren''t we?]


    [Bai Qiuwu: Yeah, friends.]

 Chapter 196 The Orange Sky Before the Storm

    July 20, Bai Ke''s home.


    The night had deepened, with a sliver of moonlight hiding behind the fish-scale clouds. Cicadas were incessantly chirping in the verdant old trees. As the wind blew and leaves fell, the crisp moonlight filtered through the window into the house.


    The birthday party was nearing its end when Yuri finally woke up leisurely, stretched out on the carpet, yawned, and licked its own paws.


    Then, just as it thought about moving to a quieter place to sleep, it was suddenly scooped up by Zi Ling and held in an embrace, used as a backboard for her sketchbook.


    At the same time, everyone in the living room was planning to cap off the event with Yin Zhi''s singing. But not long after, with a shout from Wenna on the rooftop, everyone became well-behaved and promptly dismissed the idea.


    "Seems like it''s fate,"


    Yin Zhi said, spreading his hands, placing the microphone back on the table, yawning, and continuing to read his book with downcast eyes.


    "You can run for a day but not forever. Next month is Xiao Ling and my birthday. We share the same day, big brother, you absolutely must sing a song,"


    Zi Ni said while tilting her head. Once again, Wenna''s scolding voice came from the floor above.


    She clicked her tongue, carefully tiptoed toward the television, retrieved the USB for the wireless microphone from the back, then turned around to survey the living room smeared with cream.


    Hands on her hips, she declared with an ''I''m the boss here'' expression, "Whoever loses rock-paper-scissors cleans up the living room, otherwise mom will wake up with the mad monkey virus tomorrow!"


    Hearing the decrees of the household''s little tyrant, the other six siblings sitting on the sofa reached a silent agreement. Without lifting their heads, they raised their right hands and soundlessly made their moves.


    Right after the fate of who would tidy up the chaotic living room was decided by rock-paper-scissors, besides the unfortunate one still miserably cleaning, the rest were doing their own things on the sofa.


    Mingye was slumped over the back of the sofa, bored out of his mind, toying with a clown mask, while asking, "So, what exactly is this thing for?"


    At that question, Zi Ling lifted her eyes from beneath her snow-white fringe, glanced at it without much interest, then looked away.


    Squatting on the sofa with bare feet, she sketched in a blank notebook and said, "Sister Xiao Ni said that wearing the mask can give Qiuwu a scare, adding a little extra surprise."


    "No way, you guys call this an extra surprise?" Mingye quipped while putting on the mask, "I''d say it''s more like premeditated murder, typical of her mischief." Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    After saying that, he turned his head, looking disdainfully at Zi Ni through the mask.


    Zi Ni, who was sweeping up traces of cake from the floor, looked up, puffed out her cheeks, turned to the side, and glaring back at Mingye.


    She grumbled, "Tch, tch, tch! And I had specifically prepared it, too. In the end, it went unused. I was thinking of making the big brother wear it, but he wouldn''t, as if wearing it would kill him."


    "Wear your ghost," Mingye glanced at her, "If anyone is to wear it, it should be the big brother. He''s the only one in the family who looks like a clown. How could I convincingly wear this thing?"


    "Are you praising me, big thanks for the compliment,"


    Yin Zhi said indifferently, his eyes still on his book.


    "Heh, it''s the twenty-second century, and there are still people who think ''clown'' is a term of praise. I advise you surf the internet more to broaden your horizons,"


    Mingye said, his tone laced with sarcasm.


    "It''s not that I dislike going online, it''s just that there are too many idiots on the internet," Yin Zhi replied.


    Xiao Mo, with her arms crossed, reminded in a neutral voice, "No swearing at home. First offense is a warning, second offense means running errands for a week."


    "How is speaking the truth swearing?" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he spoke, Yin Zhi yawned and turned a page of his book, adding, "People who lack even basic independent thinking skills only care about ingesting information that they can''t handle, like addicts. If I had to describe it, it''s like spinning a cocoon around oneself, like moths to a flame. Over time, with their shallow knowledge and limited brain capacity, they''ll either become numb under the intense bombardment of these messages or turn into puppets manipulated by the media, much like... a slightly more advanced type of zombie."


    "Perhaps, as the internet becomes increasingly prevalent in the future, it could evolve into a new type of religion,"


    He paused, "After all, even the most unreliable information can ignite those without the power of judgment as soon as it reaches their ears. There''s a certain number of fools on the internet who will always fall for it. For instance, Qing Ya is a living example... Done nothing wrong, yet due to the majority of idiots online, he''s subjected to unanimous criticism."


    However, no one in the living room was listening to him. Only Mingye, without lifting his head, flashed the middle finger at him with a ''what are you on about'' expression.


    He said, "Heh, if there really is such a thing as an internet religion in the future, I''ll make sure to become the leader, spread misinformation and incite them to cyberbully you."


    Mingye paused, then added, "For example, ''Yin Zhi steals pandas,'' ''Yin Zhi abuses siblings at home, leaving his brother mentally scarred,'' both sound explosive enough."


    "Wow, to be so loved by my own brother, that''s really a lot of pressure. Too bad I don''t go online, so it doesn''t affect me,"


    Yin Zhi shrugged, chuckling softly as if recalling something, and taunted, "Hmm... Let''s hope ''Qing Ya'' doesn''t go online either."


    "How much do you like Qing Ya?" Xiao Mo casually asked.


    "Like...?" Yin Zhi pondered, saying distantly, "Can''t say I like him, just defending the underdog?"

 Chapter 196 The Orange Sky on the Eve of a Storm_2

    Ke Mingye played with his phone while saying, "That''s what people with skewed values are like, talking about how internet trolls can''t think for themselves, but isn''t it all to whitewash Qing Ya?"


    He paused, speaking disdainfully, "And are you even human? Bringing up ''Qing Ya'' at someone else''s birthday party is really bad luck, and you didn''t even ask my older sister for her opinion beforehand."


    Hearing this, Bai Zini, Bai Qiuwu, and Ke Xiaomo all cast a contemptuous look at him, thinking, who''s the one that idolizes Qing Ya to the extent of copying him and making a set of battle gear? Isn''t this the pot calling the kettle black?


    "I feel it''s worse for Second Brother to bring up ''blue owl'' at someone else''s birthday party. That owl is just an imitator of Qing Ya, birds of a feather, right?"


    Bai Zini said while dragging the floor.


    "Case closed," Ke Mingye said, "without mentioning ''blue owl'', ''Qing Ya'' wouldn''t have come up, it''s all Second Brother''s fault."


    "Then I''m really sorry," Ke Xiaomo decisively apologized. He flipped casually through a family photo album and said lightly, "Both are indeed bad luck, let''s not mention them in the future."


    Ke Mingye didn''t know why, but he felt oddly annoyed¡ªa sense of ''I can mock myself, but you''re crossing the line'' tugging at the corner of his eye.


    He glanced at Ke Xiaomo and said meaningfully, "I hope you mean it. If you bring up ''blue owl'' again with us, you''re a dog." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Xiaomo couldn''t be bothered to respond and simply stayed silent. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Let''s not talk about this ''blue owl''; I actually think that ''Qing Ya'' isn''t too bad," Bai Qiuwu said. "Despite the controversy around him, he has indeed made the city much safer, hasn''t he?"


    "Not sure, doesn''t feel as good as Magic Girl Ash," Ke Mingye said.


    "I agree," Bai Zini clapped her hands and hummed, "Wow, big brother, you''re actually saying something sensible for a change?!"


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yinzhi also joined the conversation casually.


    He said, "Wow, you all are praising this ''Magical Girl Ash'' that much, eh? Although like Qing Ya, she doesn''t follow the rules, I think there''s quite a fundamental difference between the two: If Qing Ya''s stubbornness and nonconformity is a manifestation of holding onto his beliefs, then this Magic Girl gives off a vibe of... arrogance, willfulness, and condescension."


    He paused, teasingly adding, "If we have to praise her, then I''d say, as a vigilante, this Magic Girl Ash isn''t as good as the Divine Communicator."


    Ke Xiaomo raised an eyebrow, thinking, what are you trying to get at, isn''t this obviously indicating to Qiuwu that you know her secret identity?


    So, to cover for him, he said, "Which Divine Communicator?"


    "Which else could there be?"


    Ke Xiaomo pondered for a moment, "Oh, the ''Black Wukong''?"


    "Exactly."


    Ke Xiaomo nodded, "In terms of strength, he seems to be quite a bit stronger than that Magic Girl."


    Bai Zini wanted to feign ignorance and quietly keep sweeping, playing the part of a stoic and strong Magic Girl.


    But hearing this, she shook with anger, and her little face instantly fell.


    She stood up straight, arms wrapped around the broom handle, turned her head to look at Ke Yinzhi, and said coldly, "It''s fine if you don''t like Ash, and I can even accept suppressing one to promote another. But that Black Monkey is the most annoying, don''t you praise her around us!"


    "My goodness, you must be what big brother talks about as an Internet dimwit troll, right? What did Black Wukong ever do to you?"


    Ke Mingye bowed his head, sipped his Coke, feeling indignant for the birthday-celebrating Black Wukong.


    Listening to the three of them chat, Bai Qiuwu briefly froze for two seconds, her lips on the edge of her cup, slyly casting a glance at Ke Yinzhi.


    She thought, why is Big Brother suddenly bringing me up, could it be he already knows my identity?


    "All right, enough of that," Ke Yinzhi said, smiling slightly and effortlessly changing the subject, "So what''s the deal with this blue owl, why has it been so discussed lately?"


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for two seconds, "Nothing special. Just a big mouth standing out among the superheroes for its oddity, that''s why there''s so much discussion."


    "I see," Ke Yinzhi casually replied.


    Ke Mingye said, "I think liking blue owl is better than liking Qing Ya."


    Ke Yinzhi said, "Pitting someone who relies on novel gimmicks to catch the public eye against Qing Ya, Mingye, you''re failing to see clearly."


    Ke Xiaomo sighed, "Brother, really stop hyping Qing Ya, like father like son."


    Bai Zini shook her head and seriously said, "It doesn''t matter. You guys could be straight as arrows, but Third Brother''s crookedness is beyond salvage."


    "Have you forgotten about your older sister?" said Bai Qiuwu, putting Zi Ni on the spot, "Or am I not even considered ''the upper beam''?"


    "No, I meant that however straight you guys are, it can''t outweigh how supremely skewed Third Brother is, a complete rascally spirit."


    Bai Zini explained with a tinge of grievance.


    "Exactly," Bai Ziling said, drawing a picture, "Skewed, spirit."


    "What does ''rascally spirit'' even mean? If you''re going to scold me, can you not make up such nonsensical terms?"


    Ke Mingye teased without a care.


    "Speaking of which, you guys are really mean. I was already freaked out. If I''d put on that mask at the start, we wouldn''t have been able to have this birthday party at all. Maybe you''d be holding a wake for me in a hospital by now," Ke Mingye said, lifting his glass and looking unimpressed at the clown mask on his face.


    Bai Qiuwu picked up her cup, took a sip of lemon water, and glanced at the clown mask on Ke Mingye''s face before speaking irritably,


    She paused, "By the way, where did you guys buy this thing?"


    "Ask the elementary school student," Ke Mingye said.

 Chapter 196 The Orange Sky on the Eve of a Storm_3

    "Toy store," Ke Yongzhu replied offhandedly, "Somebody asked me to buy them when I was getting fireworks for you."


    "That person always has a plethora of tricks up their sleeve."


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he put on a clown mask.


    Then, lowering his voice, he said eerily, "Hello, I am the super villain elementary school student. Lurking around Huanjing Fifth Elementary School, my specialty is bullying other students."


    "Idiot."


    Ke Yongzhu didn''t even glance at him.


    "Childish," Bai Zini said.


    Bai Ziling covered her mouth with her hand, barely suppressing a giggle.


    Bai Qiuwu, who was watching TV, suddenly froze. She turned her face, her gaze falling on the side of Ke Mingye''s masked face.


    For some reason, she was reminded of someone when Ke Mingye had put on the mask and was behaving foolishly:


    ¡ªA strange thing.


    "How could it be..."


    Bai Qiuwu shook her head, thinking to herself, and shifted her gaze away from the masked right side of Ke Mingye''s face.


    Before long, with Bai Zini having tidied up the living room, the evening''s festivities came to a definitive end. Everyone, heeding their mother''s call, headed upstairs one by one, lining up for their nightly routine of washing up and going to bed.


    After Ke Mingye had freshened up, he went back to his room, casually locking the door, and collapsed onto the newly changed, soft bed, drawing a deep breath as he propped his right arm behind his head.


    Nowadays, when he had nothing to do, he would often send out an extra puppet. This puppet would hold a spare phone and standby in some corner of the city, responsible for communication.


    Then, when its existence time was nearly up at six hours, he would transform into Magic Girl, tuck the phone into the Magic Book, and find some unnoticed corner to self-destruct.


    Otherwise, with his second brother around, it was risky to keep the spare phone on him at all times: even using the spare phone at home to chat could lead to his brother catching on.


    But there were still many situations that required contact, so, to be prepared, he had to leave a puppet outside.


    "It seems like there''s no one I need to contact today. Big brother and second brother share information, so they already know what they need to. Big sister knows too, so that just leaves my younger sister," Ke Mingye thought absently, when suddenly, he heard a "ding" near his ear.


    He raised his eyebrows slightly and quickly realized that the sound was not coming from next to him, but from the puppet lingering in the city.


    Switching perspectives quickly, he saw that a QQ message had just been received on the spare phone handled by the puppet. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye controlled the puppet to glance down at the phone.


    It was a momentous occasion... After nearly 10 days, the user with a "Gothic Penguin" avatar named "I''m not Ash" had finally replied to his QQ message.


    [I''m not Ash: Please, can you stop spamming?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: Please, can you stop giving me the cold shoulder, senior?]


    [I''m not Ash: How did you manage to send so many messages in just a few days?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: I thought you were dead, senior. I was about to use your QQ as a confession tree. You owe me a confession tree, senior.]


    [I''m not Ash: Why would I be dead?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: Dying for love. Forbidden love that is not understood, despised by the world, and demonstrating one''s will through death¡ªthis is a plot I often see in comics and novels.]


    [I''m not Ash: I can''t stand it, can you please read less shoujo manga?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: It''s not easy to get a full meal, of course I want to expand my hobbies. So, in senior''s eyes, a little girl who picks up trash can only pick up trash for life... This is the ugly face of the capitalist class, oppressing us poor little girls who just want to breathe and read shoujo manga.]


    [I''m not Ash: At least read something normal!]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: What''s ''normal''? ''The overbearing CEO falls for me''?]


    [I''m not Ash: Forget it, chatting with you online is pure self-torture.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: Is it less torturous offline, perhaps because I am more charming in person?]


    [I''m not Ash: No, seeing you in person means I can hit you directly, online I can only stew in frustration.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: Speaking of which, senior, you''re really heartless. I was actually considering breaking into your house to check on you, but I never did.]


    [I''m not Ash: It''s good that you didn''t. I would have been angry.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: By the way, let''s meet at that elementary school tomorrow morning, I have something to tell you.]


    [I''m not Ash: What is it, can''t say it over the phone?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: It''s about the strange thing.]


    Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    After sending this message, Ke Mingye had the puppet hide the phone in the Magic Book and then proceeded with a series of standard operations to retrieve the puppet.


    Then he closed his eyes, and the night passed in silence.


    ...


    ...


    The next morning.


    [Good morning, Player Sir, today is July 21, 2028. There are 332 days left until the ultimate task "Exterminate the Superhumans'''' comes to an end.]


    [The current number of surviving players worldwide is: 94.]


    Ke Mingye opened his eyes tremblingly, his gaze swiftly scanning across the panel, then deftly clicked the ''x''.


    Stretching with a yawn, he got out of bed, went to the bathroom to freshen up, went downstairs, put on his sneakers to run, did sit-ups. Before long, he had completed his daily tasks.


    [Daily Task 1: Run 3000 meters (one spin of the reward wheel) (Completed)]


    [Daily Task 2: Do one hundred sit-ups (2 attribute points to allocate freely) (Completed)]

 Chapter 1 - 1 - 001: Sons and Daughters

    Chapter 1 ¨C 001: Sons and Daughters


    Chapter 1: Chapter 001: Sons and Daughters


    ¡°Lately, there have been many Superhuman crime incidents, so be extra careful on your way to and from school and keep in touch with your siblings more often. Also, don¡¯t linger on the streets after school; head straight home,¡±


    the middle-aged man sitting across the dining table picked up a pair of chopsticks, advising unhurriedly.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye lifted his gaze from his phone screen and gave the man a helpless look, ¡°I got it, old man, you¡¯ve said it so many times,¡± he drawled.


    The moment his eyes landed on the middle-aged man, he saw a panel appear above the man¡¯s head.


    [Name: Ke Youqing]


    [Age: 45]


    ...


    [Gender: Male]


    [Strength: A+ level (possesses top-tier combat power far surpassing 90% of the Superhumans in the world)]


    [Hidden Identity: Justice Knight Azure Crow (Ranked NO.7 within the Superhero Association, one of the five giants of the Superhero Round Table)]


    [Annotation: Only in China, people would refer to officially employed extraordinary characters as ¡°Justice Knights¡±; in other countries like the ¡°United States¡± and ¡°England¡±, they are commonly known as¡ª ¡°Superheroes¡±.]


    ¡°Are your elder and second brothers on university break yet?¡±


    Ke Youqing said, accepting a bowl of rice passed by his wife and looked up at Ke Mingye.


    ¡°They¡¯re both off, the eldest brother texted saying he¡¯ll take the high-speed train back in a couple of days, the second brother said the same.¡±


    Ke Mingye picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks and sent it to his mouth, vaguely answering while chewing.


    Ke Youqing fell silent for a while, ¡°Since they are on break, let them come back early. It¡¯s not very peaceful outside recently, it¡¯s safer at home.¡± After saying that, he picked up a piece of spicy tofu, mixed it with rice, and put it in his mouth.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Ke Mingye casually responded, then lowered his head to continue playing with his phone.


    ¡°Old Qing, you are just too neurotic, can¡¯t you stop scaring the kids,¡±


    the voice came from in front of the kitchen sink where a woman, wearing gloves and a kitchen apron tied around her waist, was washing dishes and sighed reproachfully.


    Ke Mingye glanced at her. That was his mother, or more precisely, the mother of this body. Just like his old man, a panel also slowly appeared above her head at this time.


    [Name: Bai Wenna]


    [Age: 43]


    [Gender: Unknown (Non-human species, does not have fixed sexual characteristics)]


    [Strength: Unknown (suspected to have exceeds the limits of Earth¡¯s species)]


    [Hidden Identity: An extraterrestrial spy from ¡°Fangong Tower Star¡±, disguised as human and has long infiltrated Earth, providing basic data required for Fangong Tower Star people¡¯s Earth invasion.]


    [Based on your environment, a very important emergency side mission has been formulated¡ª ¡°Approach Bai Wenna in disguise to hide your identity and try to delay the ¡®Off-world Colonizers¡¯ attack on Earth¡±.]


    (The difficulty of this side mission is initially estimated to be¡ª SSS level)]


    [Warning: The completion of this mission will seriously impact future developments, please proceed cautiously.]


    ¡°Damn terrifying, indeed, never mess with a woman¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye mused silently with chopsticks in his mouth, not daring even to glance out of the corner of his eye at Bai Wenna, who was washing dishes.


    Ke Youqing turned his head and said to Bai Wenna, ¡°Don¡¯t just nag at me, you should come eat too. Otherwise, the dishes will get cold, and you can leave the cleaning to the kids.¡±


    Bai Wenna snorted coldly, ¡°Huh, I wonder who said they would do the dishes yesterday, and when I stepped out, I found the dirty dishes piled up in the sink.¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That was an accident,¡± Ke Youqing paused, ¡°I¡¯m getting older, not so good with memory.¡±


    Listening to their conversation, Ke Mingye shrugged. He knew it wasn¡¯t an accident. The central district of Huanjing had suddenly experienced a Superhuman crime incident the previous night. At that time, Ke Youqing was in the kitchen washing dishes, and upon hearing the news, he immediately put down the dish, wiped his hands, and went out without saying a word.


    No one knew what he went to do; his sister ¡°Bai Zini¡± even sneered, saying the old man must have craved a smoke, leaving the dishes halfway to go down to the supermarket for cigarettes, which was not normal at all.


    Anyway, Ke Mingye only knew that last night¡¯s incident was resolved by a timely arriving ¡°Justice Knight.¡± No casualties, all involved Superhumans were sent to prison.


    Ke Youqing still thought he was well-concealed; he came back holding a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, with one hanging from his mouth, provoking his sister to exclaim, ¡°See, I told you the old man definitely went for cigarettes.¡±


    But in Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes, the identity of every family member was completely transparent to him, so such cover-up tactics were meaningless.


    ¡°Okay, okay, an accident, an accident.¡± Bai Wenna washed her hands, took off her apron, picked up a pair of chopsticks, walked over to the dining table, and sat down to the right of Mingye, saying to him, ¡°Go call your sister down to eat.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t call her down, she¡¯s playing with her phone. She¡¯ll come down when she¡¯s hungry.¡±


    Ke Mingye picked up another piece of meat into his bowl, responding listlessly.


    ¡°You have to call her even if you can¡¯t.¡± Bai Wenna became more irritated and turned her head to shout at Ke Youqing, ¡°Look at you, being a father. This is the result of spoiling them, all spoilt beyond recognition. Come mealtime, not a single one is to be seen, they only come down when the food is cold!¡±


    Ke Youqing sighed and placed his chopsticks on the table, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call them.¡± He said slowly rising from his chair and walking towards the staircase.


    Bai Wenna ¡°hmmphed¡± and supported her chin with one hand, the other hand picking up a piece of ribs with the chopsticks and putting it into her bowl.


    Something¡¯s not right. Should I give a heads-up to the upstairs sisters¡­


    Ke Mingye glimpsed Ke Youqing¡¯s departing figure, thinking this to himself.

 Chapter 2 - 2 - 001: Sons and Daughters_2

    Chapter 2 ¨C 001: Sons and Daughters_2


    Chapter 2: Chapter 001: Sons and Daughters_2


    Then, taking advantage of his mom not paying attention, he exited the short video app he was browsing on his phone and opened WeChat. He clicked into the family group named ¡°Family Mutual Aid¡±, which contained seven members in the chat¡ªbesides his parents, all his siblings were in this group.


    He held his chopsticks in his mouth, eyes lowered, and typed a message into the group with his other hand, ¡°Dad just went up to call you all down. Come down and eat if you don¡¯t want to get an earful.¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No sooner had he sent the message than a series of ¡°clatter¡± and ¡°ding dong¡± sounds came from upstairs.


    Following that, his two little sisters tumbled down the stairs, pitter-pattering as if they hadn¡¯t seen him, breezing past their father who was standing at the top of the stairs, and then grabbed a pair of chopsticks and a bowl from the cabinet before joining the dinner table. Their movements were more nimble than one another, like two little rabbits scurrying with carrots in their mouths.


    Ke Youqing, with hands on his hips at the top of the stairs, looked at these two little bunnies, helplessly stroking the stubble around his mouth, ¡°Smart move.¡±


    Ke Mingye put away his phone and looked at the two sisters squeezing by his sides.


    ...


    The one sitting to his left was his older sister ¡°Bai Zini¡±, sporting a shoulder-length bob with delicate and graceful features, still dressed in her middle school uniform. Every year during family visits, Bai Zini always received comments like, ¡°Our little Xiao Ni is becoming more and more spirited; she will definitely be a great beauty in the future.¡±


    [Name: Bai Zini]


    [Age: 14 years old]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Power: B+ level (absolute elite among superhumans)]


    [Hidden identity: As ¡°Magical Girl Ash¡±, she had been active in China for a long time and is also one of the core members of the Magical Girl Alliance.]


    Bai Zini bit into a grain of rice and typed on her phone, quietly sending a message in the ¡°Family Mutual Aid¡± group.


    ¡°Thanks for the emergency help, big bro,¡± she typed.


    Ke Mingye replied in the group, ¡°No worries, just do me a favor later and buy two bottles of drinks from the supermarket downstairs.¡±


    Bai Zini responded with a sticker of an angry panda with puffed cheeks.


    Ke Mingye put away his phone and slightly turned to look at his quiet younger sister sitting on the right¡ª ¡°Bai Ziling¡±. The face that met his eyes was very much like Bai Zini¡¯s, or rather it was almost identical, as if God had crafted them using the same template.


    Yes, they were twins.


    But aside from their faces, there were many differences between Bai Ziling and Bai Zini. For instance, Bai Ziling¡¯s pale white hair cascaded behind her head like frozen spruce on a winter¡¯s day; her pupils were a strange red, different from ordinary people; her skin was pale as a specimen, without a hint of color.


    ¡°Albinism¡± was the greatest difference between Bai Ziling and Bai Zini. Influenced by albinism, her personality was much more indifferent than her sister¡¯s and was not as lively.


    [Name: Bai Ziling]


    [Age: 14 years old]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Power: A- level (possessing top combat abilities that far surpass 90% of the world¡¯s superhumans)]


    [Hidden identity: ¡°Vampire¡±, also referred to as the Blood Clan.]


    Suddenly, Bai Ziling nudged Ke Mingye¡¯s shoulder and whispered, ¡°Bro, can you help me with a signature?¡±


    ¡°A signature?¡±


    Chomping on a piece of tempura shrimp, Ke Mingye looked puzzled at his sister.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t pass the physics exam, mom will scold me if she signs,¡± Bai Ziling answered straightaway.


    No sooner had she finished speaking than a panel popped up in front of Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes.


    [Event Analysis: The ¡°Blood Clan¡± possesses an extremely special talent on the ¡°Spatial Cognition¡± level, but during early growth, this talent could result in an inability to normally recognize certain spatial structures.]


    ¡°Scram, scram, scram, don¡¯t drag me into this, mom will definitely lecture both of us if she finds out I¡¯ve signed for you.¡±


    Ke Mingye whispered, taking his gaze away from the panel above her head and disdainfully shaking off her elbow.


    Bai Zini, sitting next to Ke Mingye, heard the conversation and leaned in, bravely volunteering, ¡°I¡¯ll sign for you, I¡¯ll sign for you!¡±


    ¡°No good, your handwriting doesn¡¯t look like mom¡¯s,¡± Bai Ziling rejected her firmly.


    ¡°Shucks, if it doesn¡¯t look like it, then it doesn¡¯t. I can use magic to change it for you!¡± Bai Zini joked.


    You better not actually use magic to change it¡­ Ke Mingye looked at Bai Zini¡¯s ¡°Magic Girl¡± identity above her head, sweating bullets.


    Honestly, Ke Mingye was quite curious if the two sisters who got along so well were aware of each other¡¯s identities¡ªone as a Magic Girl and the other as a vampire¡ªboth keeping their secret identities hidden from the rest of the family.


    Time ticked away second by second, the wall clock¡¯s ticking never ceased.


    As the sun set, the last rays dipped below the horizon, lighting up the clouds with a bright transparency. The warm orange light entered the house, casting a faint golden hue on every shadow in the kitchen.


    The parents and two sisters were laughing and talking around the dinner table, but Ke Mingye didn¡¯t seem in the mood to joke with his family, simply resting his chin on his hand and gazing out the window absent-mindedly.


    The color of the sky was turning a shade between flushed red and silver-gray, with a spiral trail of a jet strewn across the ruddy sunset. A child from some family had let go of their kite, and in the dim twilight, it wobbled upwards into the sky like a solitary martyr.


    The cool evening breeze wafted through the French windows, brushing lightly against his cheek.


    Ke Mingye bit into a piece of chicken he held with his chopsticks in front of his mouth and turned his gaze back inside. As he looked at his family, a sudden chill ran through him involuntarily.

 Chapter 3 - 3 - 001: Sons and Daughters_3

    Chapter 3 ¨C 001: Sons and Daughters_3


    Chapter 3: Chapter 001: Sons and Daughters_3


    No matter how many times he looked, Ke Mingye always felt that the scene before him was too eerie, too absurd¡ªan ostensibly ¡°superhero¡± father, a mother with the true identity of an ¡°alien spy,¡± an older sister who secretly played the role of ¡°Magic Girl,¡± and a younger sister who seemed to have albinism but was actually a ¡°vampire.¡±


    Put them anywhere, and you¡¯d have an exceptional family, outdoing even Mr. and Mrs. Smith. But most crucially, apart from his alien mother, the rest of the family seemed to be unaware of each other¡¯s true identities.


    So, what sins have I committed to deserve this¡­


    Ke Mingye heaved a deep sigh in his heart.


    Three days ago, Ke Mingye had been reading in the library, and in the time it took to nod off with his book closed, he had crossed over.


    In this world teeming with Superpower Users, mutants, and other superhumans without number, he replaced the soul of the unfortunate man with the same name and surname, becoming a member of this Chinese middle-class family.


    ...


    According to his memories, Ke Mingye¡¯s family consisted of nine people¡ªtwo parents and seven children.


    It might seem bizarre, but it was quite normal in this parallel world. According to the policies of this parallel universe, Huaxia families could have up to four children. When planning for the fourth child, they happened to conceive the twins Bai Zini and Bai Ziling, and thus they were born.


    At that time, the family already had five children.


    Then the mother, disguised as an alien, proposed to adopt a child.


    Referencing policy, a family with children could only adopt one child, so they adopted ¡°Ke Mingye,¡± the predecessor of this body. At that point, the family already had six children.


    Subsequently, in the orphanage, the mother felt particularly sorry for a frail and sickly child whom no one would adopt.


    According to policy, if one wishes to adopt a child with such special circumstances, it can be considered on a case-by-case basis. So, she successfully adopted this child and named him ¡°Ke Yongzhu.¡±


    Thus, up to that point, the family had a total of seven children.


    Ke Mingye ranked fourth, and due to his neither high nor low position, he often got bullied.


    But after more than a decade, life had been fairly warm and ordinary. Although his father was often as invisible as a ghost, busy with work, his mother had still raised seven children from infancy to adulthood.


    Having referenced these memories in his brain, Ke Mingye, upon first arriving through the cross-over, really thought it was the same ordinary and happy family from over a decade ago.


    But the player panel in Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t tell him that. It even slapped his predecessor in the face, saying you¡¯re an idiot for not realizing that your home is full of monsters.


    It wasn¡¯t until Ke Mingye personally witnessed his family members and saw the panels above each person¡¯s head displaying extremely eerie data¡ªalien, superhero, Divine Communicator, dragonkin, Magic Girl¡­


    Only then did he know that the predecessor of this body had been deceived by this family of superhumans for sixteen whole years.


    Yes, after sixteen years of living together, this body¡¯s former occupant had not realized that his seemingly ordinary family members each had their secret identities.


    Keep in mind that according to Huaxia¡¯s policy, regardless of the family members, everyone must undergo ¡°Superhuman Gene Testing¡± twice a year to avoid genetic mutations.


    If one is tested to possess extraordinary genes, then they must be separated from ordinary people, attending different schools or doing different jobs.


    Each year, the results of Ke Mingye¡¯s family¡¯s biannual tests were very consistent. Without exception, every time, the entire family was normal, containing not a trace of extraordinary genes within their bodies.


    Perhaps also for this reason, aside from the mother who was an alien, other members believed that apart from themselves, there were no other superhumans in the family.


    However, whether each member is as peculiar as that still remains to be seen.


    After all, Ke Mingye had only been on this side for three days, having only met his father, mother, older sister, younger brother, and two younger sisters. As for the eldest brother and the second brother, he had yet to meet them¡ªbecause they usually studied at universities in other places and only returned home for the holidays, truly modern-day college students.


    Summer vacation was approaching fast, so in a few days they would be home, and then Ke Mingye would be able to fully grasp the whole picture of this family.


    To be honest, he was already under enough psychological pressure.


    Despite not harboring much hope, he still earnestly wished that the elder brother and second brother who would soon be returning home would, like him, be ordinary people rather than some Magic Girl, superhero, vampire, alien, or the like.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye suddenly paused, took a spoonful of hot rice, and mocked himself in his mind.


    ¡°That being said, I¡¯m actually not an ordinary person right now¡­ I¡¯m a player after all. But what exactly this system wants from me, I still have no clue after three days.¡±


    Just then, a panel of black and red suddenly popped up in front of him, almost occupying his entire pupil, sending a slight shiver through his body.


    On the panel, text formed by flowing blood pulsated.


    The text continued to update.


    [Having survived three days in the parallel world, the player¡¯s ultimate mission has been updated¡ªExterminate all superhumans.]


    [Please do your utmost, by any and all means, to exterminate all the superhumans of this parallel world, until only ordinary people remain on Earth.] S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Mission deadline: 365 days.]

 Chapter 4 - 4 - 002: Extinction Plan

    Chapter 4 ¨C 002: Extinction Plan


    Chapter 4: Chapter 002: Extinction Plan


    [The ultimate task for all players is now unified: Extinct the superhumans on Earth. (Time limit: 365 days)]


    [Consequence of failure: All players will be exterminated together.]


    The vivid, blood-red characters danced on the panel, flickering dimly and brightly like the fleeting flame of a candle.


    Ke Mingye paused for a moment, but his expression quickly returned to calm. He glanced at his family around the dining table almost imperceptibly, relieved that no one had noticed his unusual demeanor just now.


    [Current number of surviving players worldwide: (99/100)]


    [Daily report: Today, the player whose spawn point was Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan¡ª ¡°Amemiya Kazuko¡± was brutally murdered by a superpowered criminal, with not even their bones remaining. Players are advised to avoid revealing their identities to anyone until they become sufficiently powerful, especially those close to you.]


    ...


    [End of today¡¯s report.]


    After reading the continuous notifications, Ke Mingye took a light breath and brushed his hair back from his forehead with his hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, big bro?¡± Bai Zini, seeing his behavior, nudged his elbow and asked.


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t turn to look at her, and made an excuse on the fly, ¡°I saw the ¡®function question bank¡¯ the teacher posted in the group chat, almost threw up. Want to help me with it?¡±


    Bai Zini gave him a disdainful look: ¡°Please, I am just a middle schooler.¡±


    Bai Wenna, who was eating, couldn¡¯t help but join their conversation, ¡°Seriously, you, as the brother, want your sister to help with your homework? Have you no shame?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just joking, can¡¯t you take a joke, mom? Isn¡¯t high school stressful enough as it is, are you trying to kill me?¡±


    As Ke Mingye was talking tough, he was also worried that his alien mom might suddenly decide to pierce his skull with her laser eyes.


    Ke Youqing chewed on a piece of fish and said softly, ¡°If you can¡¯t handle it, ask your sister for help. She gets good grades; she can teach you. It would be good for next year when she¡¯s in senior year and you¡¯re in junior, to look out for each other.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself that she was busy fighting crime and wouldn¡¯t have time to tutor him. Out loud he said, ¡°My sis runs out as soon as school is over every day; don¡¯t even see her shadow, let alone asked her to help me.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you mention how your sister is ranked in the top ten of your school, and you?¡± Bai Wenna said, glaring at him.


    ¡°Me, me, me, oh, about me? I might as well go to a community college,¡± Ke Mingye responded in a sarcastic tone, thinking if superheroes weren¡¯t extinct by next year, then it would be my turn, still f***ing sitting here fretting about your college entrance exam scores and striving to be better than others.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Bai Wenna was so angry at his words that she put down her chopsticks and reached out to pinch Ke Mingye¡¯s shoulder, but fortunately, Ke Youqing stopped her in time, helplessly persuading, ¡°It¡¯s just a kid¡¯s joke, don¡¯t take it so seriously all the time. It¡¯s not good for the child¡¯s physical and mental development.¡±


    Bai Ziling and Bai Zini, the two younger sisters, didn¡¯t dare to speak, silently nibbling on their rice, occasionally glancing up at their parents¡¯ expressions.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not in the top fifty on the next monthly test, see if I don¡¯t teach you a lesson,¡± Bai Wenna said, word by word.


    Ke Mingye looked down at his bowl and sighed in frustration, thinking that¡¯s enough already, do you, an alien spy, really need to maintain such a fierce image on Earth? Can¡¯t we switch to a gentle and beautiful girl disguise, or even a deaf-mute one, least likely to slip up, is it really necessary to be so down-to-earth?


    Even though he knew his mom was an alien, he didn¡¯t dare point it out. After all, Bai Wenna¡¯s combat power was a question mark; who knew if she might even surpass his A+ ranked dad.


    The best way to deal with this affectionate mother would probably be to find evidence of her collusion with extraterrestrials and report her to the Superhero Association, then let the officials use the ¡°Superhero Round Table¡± elites to deal with her.


    It sounds easy, but gathering evidence is the hardest part.


    Bai Wenna had been lurking on Earth for over a decade, and even Ke Youqing, her husband, hadn¡¯t noticed anything amiss, let alone Ke Mingye.


    Moreover, Ke Youqing was a member of the ¡°Superhero Round Table.¡± It meant he was one of the world¡¯s strongest superheroes, and he hadn¡¯t detected Bai Wenna¡¯s alien identity, which only illustrated how terrifying her abilities must be.


    His thoughts drifted to that inhuman task set by the system.


    ¡°Extinct the superhumans, what an easy thing to say.¡± he mused, ¡°With only one hundred players coming to this world, how is it possible to wipe them all out without missing a single one in a year?¡±


    Thinking thus, Ke Mingye nibbled on shrimp while he opened his phone and searched for the Superhero Association¡¯s official data for the year.


    The results showed that currently, the number of superhumans officially registered in the global population is fluctuating around 25,000.


    Not to mention the unregistered wild superhumans, their numbers definitely aren¡¯t negligible. The Ke family was a case in point: every member had evaded the compulsory annual genetic test through various means, so none were officially registered as superhumans with the authorities.


    And seriously, if one were to really extinguish the superhuman population, one would have to confront, even topple, numerous formidable powers, like the Superhero Association, Magical Girl Alliance, Anomaly Control Bureau, Super-Dimensional Supervision Bureau, Time Management Bureau¡­


    And these are just the organizations known publicly; no one is in the dark about the number of organizations operating behind the scenes, nor how many nuclear-bomb level superhumans they hide.


    If one cannot extinct the superhumans within a year, will all one hundred players who came to this world die? That¡¯s hilariously absurd, haha, see if I¡¯m not laughing¡­


    As he mused, Ke Mingye turned off his phone and died a little inside.


    If not dead, he pretended he was already dead.


    ¡°Little sis, some people are alive, but in truth, they are already dead,¡± he whispered to Bai Zini next to him.


    ¡°Have you gotten addicted to Lu Xun?¡± Bai Zini asked with her chopsticks in her mouth.


    ¡°Xun is truly a master of human nature, I really feel like I¡¯m alive in appearance but already dead inside.¡±


    Ke Mingye said with a face full of despair, as he popped another piece of fish into his mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s just the college entrance exam, is it worth all this?¡± Bai Zini glanced at him and slowly said, ¡°Bro, didn¡¯t you just describe to Mom in vivid detail, how at worst you¡¯d go to a university¡­¡±


    As soon as Bai Wenna heard this, she erupted again, slamming the table as she shouted, ¡°Who dares to bring up community college again!¡±


    Bai Zini was at a loss for words, blinking and mumbling, ¡°Mom, I was wrong. I promise I¡¯ll definitely get into a university, and I¡¯ll make sure big brother does too.¡±


    ¡°Might as well be dead¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye muttered, thinking that being born into this family was indeed the worst luck of his past eight generations.


    The task assigned by the system was ¡°exterminate the superhumans,¡± yet he had transmigrated into a family where every member but him was a superhuman¡­


    The more pressing issue was that each of these superhumans was a one-man army elite, not a single one could be considered weak. This was no different than forcing a little Peppa Pig into the set of The Lion King for undercover assassination missions, was it?


    Ke Youqing rubbed his forehead and tried to educate these little rascals, ¡°Can you just eat your meal? How do you manage to make such a fuss over a simple dinner?¡±


    He paused, then turned to look at Bai Wenna, ¡°And you complain every day that I¡¯m not at home. If I was home every day, wouldn¡¯t you drive me into anxiety and depression?¡±


    ¡°Are you even human?¡± Bai Wenna started screaming in a high-pitched voice, ¡°This is like widowhood parenting, widowhood parenting! Understand? I¡¯m at home alone taking care of the kids, do you think it¡¯s not tiring? For so many years, if you¡¯re not working, you¡¯re working, and now recently when I asked you to wash the dishes, you managed to sneak off to smoke downstairs!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± said Ke Youqing with a woeful look, almost ready to kowtow at the dining table, ¡°My bad, my fault. The kids are at that rebellious age, it¡¯s normal. Don¡¯t get so emotional¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he turned to look at Ke Mingye, who was silently looking down, mumbling, ¡°Look how scared the kids are, is this the family atmosphere we want?¡±


    ¡°Ke Youqing, will you ever stop?¡±


    Just as Bai Wenna was about to erupt, Ke Youqing interrupted her, ¡°I¡¯m done, I¡¯m done. Let¡¯s eat, let¡¯s just eat.¡± He patted Bai Wenna¡¯s shoulder, murmuring comfortingly, no longer raising his voice.


    Ke Mingye thought to himself that their power levels were quite fitting for the scene, realizing that the only one in the family to be feared was Mom, right?


    As he was nursing his headache, a new panel with fresh text popped up before his eyes.


    [In accordance with the newly added ¡°ultimate task,¡± a number of ¡°main missions¡± have been devised for you, which can be viewed in the mission panel later.]


    [1. Actions against alien visitors.]


    [Mission details: ¡°Approach your mother¡ª¡¯Bai Wenna¡¯ under a disguised identity, kill her, and destroy the ¡®Celestial Colonizer¡¯ spacecraft coming to Earth.¡±]


    [Difficulty of the main mission one: SSS level (Apocalyptic grade)]


    [2. Actions against members of the Round Table Council, Justice Knight Azure Crow.]


    [Mission details: ¡°Approach your father¡ª¡¯Ke Youqing¡¯ under a disguised identity, gain his trust, infiltrate the international headquarters of the Superhero Association, become a member of the ¡®Round Table Council¡¯, and afterwards, find a way to kill Ke Youqing and all the superheroes in the council.¡±]


    [Difficulty of the main mission two: SS+ level (Dark Moon grade)]


    Ke Mingye scanned the content of these two side missions emotionlessly.


    He complained inwardly, ¡°Great, just great, what a wonderful filial piety script, as if I can¡¯t even get rid of this dutiful son script.¡±


    No matter how uncomfortable he felt inside, or how many times he cursed the system as a beast among jet fighters, the mission panel kept mercilessly updating.


    [3. Actions against Magical Girl Ash.]


    [Mission details: Approach your younger sister¡ª¡±Bai Zini¡± under a disguised identity, while also contacting other members of the Magical Girl Alliance, and find an opportunity to completely destroy the alliance.]


    [Difficulty of the main mission three: A level]


    Looking at this, Ke Mingye turned his head and emotionlessly stared at Bai Zini, who sat on his left, ¡°Little sis, could you die for a moment?¡± he asked straightforwardly, dropping the pretense.


    Bai Zini, with chopsticks in her mouth, turned her head to stare at him and said discontentedly, ¡°Bro, Are you even human? I just defended you a moment ago, so why are you pouring all your anger at Mom onto me?¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Never mind if you won¡¯t die, what do I care,¡± Ke Mingye retorted as the mission panel kept refreshing. He shifted his gaze away from his sister, continued to chew on the fish, and read the text above.


    [4. Approach your second younger sister¡ª¡±Bai Ziling¡± under a disguised identity, make contact with the surviving Blood Clan through her, ensure the slaughter of all the Blood Clan, and ensure the Blood Oath is completely lost.]


    [Difficulty of the main mission four: S level (Red Tide grade)]


    Ke Mingye looked at the text and then turned his head to stare at Bai Ziling who sat on his right.


    ¡°So, second sis, can you die for me?¡± he asked earnestly.


    Bai Ziling glanced at him and turned to look at their parents, about to suggest her brother might be mentally unstable, when a loud ¡°thud¡± interrupted her as she attempted to speak.


    Turning back, she saw that Ke Mingye had banged his forehead on the dining table, ¡°Sorry.¡± He put his hands together, apologizing with a defeated tone.

 Chapter 5 - 5 - 003: The Violent Madman

    Chapter 5 ¨C 003: The Violent Madman


    Chapter 5: Chapter 003: The Violent Madman


    ¡°Qiuwu still hasn¡¯t come back?¡± Ke Youqing asked.


    ¡°She went to pick up Yongzhu. Yongzhu had a basketball game today; he¡¯ll be back late,¡± Bai Wenna answered.


    Ke Mingye, with chopsticks in his mouth, listened to his parents¡¯ conversation. Bai Qiuwu was his sister; Ke Yongzhu was the youngest brother in the family and, like him, was adopted.


    Bai Wenna seized the opportunity to scold Ke Youqing, ¡°Look at you, claiming you care about the kids.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I won¡¯t argue with you,¡± he said.


    Ke Youqing shrugged his shoulders; the earlier drama at the dinner table had already taught him a lesson.


    ...


    Ke Mingye glanced at the ¡°Justice Knight Azure Crow¡± identity above Ke Youqing¡¯s head and thought to himself that his old man did care about his kids, just didn¡¯t have the time to show it.


    He had searched for news about ¡°Azure Crow¡± on his phone, knowing that it had been exactly twenty-eight years since this Chinese superhero first appeared globally. Calculating based on Ke Youqing¡¯s age, it indicated that he had worn the mask and donned the battle suit at seventeen and had been combating troublesome super-criminals around the world ever since.


    However, in every country, the reputation of Azure Crow was consistently terrible.


    In China, ¡°superheroes¡± are referred to as ¡°Justice Knights.¡±


    With the concept of ¡°Justice Knight¡± gaining popularity nationwide, the national government began a serious examination of each Justice Knight¡¯s image management, overall quality, and especially their impact on the public, particularly minors, to ensure they set a proper example with their actions.


    If a Justice Knight received numerous complaints from the public and faced mass vilification in the media, the Superhero Association might take measures to ¡°force them offline.¡±


    If the issue wasn¡¯t too severe, they might first put them on ice for a while before enrolling them in courses like ¡°Justice Knight Behavioral Management.¡± They would then cautiously leak some updates on the superhero¡¯s recent activities in the media and buy traffic to boost posts to salvage their reputation, until public sentiment warmed up again, legitimizing the superhero¡¯s return to the public eye.


    In this complex era, superheroes have gradually moved beyond the scope of ¡°special police¡± and have replaced most celebrity idols worldwide.


    As such, public expectations for their image have steadily increased, making each superhero ensure their conduct is flawless lest minders leverage any slip-up into a storm of public fury.


    Yet, under these conditions, ¡°Azure Crow,¡± who was Ke Mingye¡¯s old man, had become someone who completely acted against the norm.


    His reputation in the media was especially poor. People described him as a vigilante who used peace as a guise for his tyranny, a rogue who didn¡¯t hesitate to impose his own brand of justice, a beast who only brought psychological shadows and violent influences to teenagers, utterly unworthy of the superhero title symbolizing hope and peace.


    Despite ¡°Azure Crow¡¯s¡± extreme and controversial methods among superheroes, he was still a veteran figure of the Superhero Association and held significant influence within the Round Table Council.


    So, even as the public criticism grew louder and hot searches came in waves, he remained active and only received a few mild sanctions from the Association.


    On his first day transplanted here, Ke Mingye delved into ¡°Azure Crow¡¯s¡± details on the internet.


    In every photo, ¡°Azure Crow¡± was always in the same unchanging attire, his face covered by a sinister mask meticulously crafted with sharp contours, his eyes within the eye sockets glowing bright and deep. The center of the mask featured a protruding blue bird¡¯s beak, sharp like a sickle, making him appear brooding and beastly aggressive.


    His attire was a sleek black metallic bodysuit and a cape that enveloped his whole body.


    Overall, true to his moniker, he indeed dressed like a giant raven. The ¡°Azure¡± in his nickname, Azure Crow, came from the blue bird¡¯s beak on his mask.


    Quite the eccentric, bordering on mentally disturbed; it¡¯s no wonder why a ¡°superhero¡± dressing so frighteningly villain-like received complaints.


    That was Ke Mingye¡¯s first impression upon viewing the photos.


    He couldn¡¯t help but internally remark, ¡°Funny that you lecture at the dinner table about ¡®correcting a slouch to be taken seriously first for appearance, then for skills¡¯ when you dress like this to fight crime. Maybe there¡¯s something seriously wrong with your head?¡±


    Reflecting on this, he took another look at Ke Youqing. His heart still found it hard to imagine how his normally affable old man, once masked, could act so dark, tyrannical, and extreme. Whether the man at home was the real him, or the one behind the mask, remained unknown. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As his thoughts wandered, the ¡°click¡± of a lock suddenly reached his ears.


    Then, the front door at the entrance was opened.


    ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡± Bai Wenna asked.


    Bai Ziling poked her head out from the kitchen, looked with a blank expression, and said, ¡°Sis, and the little brother.¡± Then she lowered her head and continued eating.


    The two who entered locked the door behind them, washed their hands in the bathroom, and then walked into the kitchen where Ke Youqing and Bai Wenna greeted them and told them to hurry up and sit down to eat.

 Chapter 6 - 6 - 003: Violent Rogue_2

    Chapter 6 ¨C 003: Violent Rogue_2


    Chapter 6: Chapter 003: Violent Rogue_2


    Ke Mingye lifted his gaze toward Bai Qiuwu, who was his older sister.


    Bai Qiuwu had delicate features, clear, cold eyes, and a clean aura. Her soft, lead-gray hair shone brightly, topped with a green hairband, and she was still wearing her blue and white school uniform.


    She was about the same height as Ke Mingye, around 1.72 meters, though Ke Mingye was slightly taller.


    [Name: Bai Qiuwu]


    [Age: 17 years old]


    [Gender: Female]


    ...


    [Strength: A level (possessing top combat power far exceeding 90% of the world¡¯s superhumans)]


    [Hidden identity: Divine Communicator ¡¤ Wukong (holder of one of the twenty-seven Divine Pathways, the ¡°Sun Wukong¡± pathway)]


    [Promotion pathway deduced for this Divine Pathway: Immortal Stone ¡ú Spirit Monkey ¡ú Monkey King ¡ú Immortal ¡ú Horses¡¯ Fortune ¡ú Great Sage Equalling Heaven ¡ú Prisoner of the Five Elements Mountain ¡ú Golden-Hooped Monk ¡ú Fighting Buddha.]


    [Currently, this Divine Communicator is at the ¡°Horses¡¯ Fortune¡± stage of the ¡°promotion pathway¡±.]


    As Ke Mingye was staring in a daze at the absurdly long Divine Pathway, Bai Qiuwu had already taken a seat at the dining table. She looked at him and asked, ¡°When did Big Brother and Second Brother say they¡¯d come back?¡±


    ¡°They both said soon, probably in the next couple of days.¡±


    Ke Mingye replied casually. His gaze then shifted to Ke Yongzhu, who had entered the kitchen, the youngest brother in the family.


    Ke Yongzhu had a buzz cut and was wearing school uniform. He looked somewhat cute with his features, but he always had a stern face, like someone owed him money.


    [Name: Ke Yongzhu]


    [Age: 10 years old]


    [Gender: Male]


    [Strength: A+ level (possessing top combat power far exceeding 90% of the world¡¯s superhumans)]


    [Hidden identity: Juvenile form of the disaster dragon kind.] sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at this family, what Ke Mingye was most curious about was his younger brother¡¯s identity. After all, a 10-year-old kid with A+ level combat power indicated that this so-called ¡°disaster dragon kind¡± was undoubtedly dangerous without saying.


    ¡°I¡¯m full.¡±


    ¡°Me too, I¡¯m full.¡±


    Bai Zini and Bai Ziling spoke in unison, rising from the dining table and walking out of the kitchen, both playing with their cellphones as they settled onto the living room sofa.


    Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t even be bothered to talk, put down his chopsticks, rose from the dining table, and followed them to sit on the sofa.


    Seeing both of them looking down at their cellphones, he took the initiative, stretching out his hand first to grab the remote control from the sofa armrest, and only after securing the upper hand did he ask, ¡°What do you want to watch?¡±


    ¡°¡®Scream¡¯.¡± Bai Ziling suggested.


    ¡°No way, if you watch that I¡¯m running away right now.¡± Bai Zini said.


    ¡°What do you want to watch then?¡± Bai Ziling turned her head to look at her.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t ¡®Harry Potter¡¯ fine? You always have to think about your horror films.¡± Bai Zini gave her a sidelong glance.


    Hearing the movie title, Bai Ziling yawned, with strands of her pale white hair swaying subtly by her ears. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy,¡± she murmured with a smack of her lips.


    ¡°You two make such a fuss, let¡¯s not watch anything, just listen to the news.¡±


    Ke Mingye leaned back against the sofa, pressing the remote and exiting the on-demand channel to enter the financial news channel as he spoke.


    As a result, the three of them ended up hanging out on the sofa, listening to the news anchor¡¯s broadcast while playing with their cell phones.


    Soon, Bai Qiuwu and Ke Yongzhu had also finished eating in the kitchen, each grabbed a bottle of drink from the fridge, and sat down on the living room sofa.


    Arriving late, Ke Yongzhu could only sit on the armrest of the sofa, but he didn¡¯t mind, after all, that¡¯s the fate of being the youngest brother.


    ¡°You guys are listening to finance here?¡± Bai Qiuwu took a sip of orange juice, her lips curving into a smirk, teasingly saying, ¡°Not bad, all future bosses.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I improve my financial IQ?¡± Ke Mingye retorted offhandedly.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Bai Zini agreed verbally, not even lifting her head, insisting on playing with her cellphone, not even listening to what the host was saying.


    At that moment, 10-year-old Ke Yongzhu took a sip of Coke and said, ¡°Anything is fine to watch, just stop listening to this finance stuff, a bunch of morons.¡±


    Ke Mingye sarcastically countered him, ¡°Younger brother, how come you¡¯re so high-class? It¡¯s one thing to act like this outside, but at home, you¡¯d get spanked by me.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu took a sip of orange juice and casually put an arm around Ke Yongzhu¡¯s shoulder, asserting, ¡°I protect him at home, what¡¯s it to you? Got a problem with that?¡±


    Her voice was melodious, yet carried a maturity beyond her years.


    Ke Mingye rolled his eyes, thinking you¡¯re one with A level strength and the other with A+ level, who could be tougher than you guys? Fine, if you say so!


    ¡°No one in elementary school can beat me.¡± Ke Yongzhu added.


    Ke Mingye put away his phone and stated without expression, ¡°Okay, little tyrant. Don¡¯t go eating elementary students¡¯ brains raw or they¡¯ll think you¡¯re all noble and virtuous.¡±


    ¡°How can you talk as if our little brother isn¡¯t an elementary student himself?¡± Bai Qiuwu asked with a smile.


    Ke Mingye nibbled on a melon seed, ¡°He¡¯s calling us all morons, and you still treat him like an elementary student? Quality education starts at home, and then at school and society.¡±


    Still unrepentant, Ke Yongzhu said, ¡°A bunch of high schoolers listening to financial news, aren¡¯t you guys morons? I¡¯m just a grade schooler here, wasting my life with you.¡±


    ¡°Watch your tone, I¡¯m a middle school student, okay?¡± Bai Zini commented absently while playing on her phone.


    ¡°I¡¯m also in middle school.¡± Bai Ziling chimed in, not having heard what they were talking about.


    ¡°Middle schoolers don¡¯t listen to finance, I¡¯m still in elementary, wasting my life here with you all,¡± Ke Yongzhu said, as he tried to snatch the remote from Ke Mingye¡¯s hands.


    Ke Mingye refused to give it up, ¡°You¡¯re in such a hurry; we all have phones to play with, we¡¯re certainly not lacking TV to watch, nor do we feel like we¡¯re wasting our lives. The grade schooler is the one in a hurry, huh? Dare to have mom and dad buy you a phone too.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu was about to lose his temper, but Bai Qiuwu, with quick reflexes, grabbed the remote control from between them.

 Chapter 7 - 7 - 003: Violent Madman_3

    Chapter 7 ¨C 003: Violent Madman_3


    Chapter 7: Chapter 003: Violent Madman_3


    Ke Yongzhu glanced at her, not saying anything. At home, he only listened to his eldest sister, ignoring his other brothers completely.


    ¡°Big sis, can you not coddle him so much? His rotten temper is all because of you,¡± Ke Mingye turned his head, glancing at Bai Qiuwu.


    ¡°Alright, stop picking on your brother.¡±


    As Bai Qiuwu was speaking, she finished her orange juice and was about to pass the remote control to Ke Yongzhu.


    Just then, the TV screen changed, and the voice of the host changed as well. Bai Qiuwu stared at the TV, her slender right hand suddenly tightened around the remote control slightly but didn¡¯t continue to pass it to Ke Yongzhu.


    A buzzing sound like the flapping of gigantic wings came from the TV, it was a pair of pitch-black wings rapidly swirling in the night.


    ...


    This noise drew the attention of everyone on the sofa, who looked toward the TV where the interior of a helicopter was in view.


    A reporter standing bent over in the helicopter aimed the camera at the city below, shouting into the microphone:


    ¡°Breaking news! The superhuman criminal ¡®Ghost Tree¡¯ has appeared in the densely populated center of Huanjing and has now climbed to the top of Huanjing Tower!¡±


    ¡°Another superhuman crime incident?¡±


    Ke Mingye muttered, following the camera¡¯s view to a high tower constructed of steel that stood in the center of the city.


    At the very top of the tower, around twelve stories high, stood a blurry, minute figure. The helicopter¡¯s searchlight fell on him, making his profile pale and sharp.


    As the camera zoomed in, Ke Mingye could finally see the full figure of the silhouette.


    He was completely naked, showing clearly human contours, but his chest was embedded with a complex assortment of plants. Vines and thorns spread from the heart, enveloping all of his limbs. Most noticeably, antelope-like horns thrust skyward from both sides of his forehead, and these proud, curved horns framed him like a sinister deity.


    Before Ke Mingye could react, the man had already leaped from the top of the tower, and cries of surprise and screaming came from the crowd on the streets below.


    The camera continued to focus on the non-human creature. His figure, leaping from the top, continuously rotating in the air, brushing against the cold wind, created a chilling trail of fire-red behind him, cold and blood-like.


    Subsequently, he slowly coiled into a ball, his muscles fluttering and swelling, as if about to be torn apart by the strong currents created by his rapid descent.


    Finally, he crashed heavily onto the ground amidst the roaring screams of the crowd below.


    ¡°Bang¡ª!¡± Accompanied by a deafening noise, numerous cracks spread out, creating a deep crater about three meters deep.


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Ghost Tree¡¯!¡±


    Within the densely packed crowd, someone pointed at the figure that had landed and yelled.


    Ke Mingye had tried before, only by seeing the target with his own eyes could he show detailed information about them; if using live TV broadcasts, only partial information appeared before his eyes.


    But that was enough, at that moment the information of that uninvited guest was already in his eyes.


    [Code Name: A-Level Wanted Criminal ¡¤ Ghost Tree]


    [Name: Majiel ¡¤ Dike]


    [Age: 47]


    [Gender: Male] Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Strength: A-level (possesses top-tier combat capabilities far surpassing 90% of superhumans in the world)]


    [Identity: Divine Communicator ¡°Yudelaxil¡± (holds one of the twenty-seven Divine Pathways ¡°World Tree¡±)]


    [Related Introduction: ¡°Yudelaxil¡± is the World Tree in Norse mythology, described in the books as a massive gray oak tree supporting nine worlds, including the central world of humans, ¡°Midgard¡± (Midgard), and the residence of gods, ¡°Asgard¡± (Asgard).]


    [It is currently impossible to deduce the extrapolation route of this ¡°Divine Pathway¡± and the realm in which this Divine Communicator resides.]


    ¡°Bring Sun Wukong to me¡­¡±


    The Ghost Tree spoke in a deep voice as he slowly emerged from the pit, his fierce body wrapped in thorns fully exposed under the colorful neon lights, as if bathing in a sea of light. He extended his huge, root-like arms forward, and his rapid breathing accompanied by a furious roar echoed among the crowd.


    ¡°I won¡¯t say it a second time, call Sun Wukong out, or¡­ I will slaughter everyone here without exception!¡±


    Ah, Sun Wukong? Ke Mingye slightly raised his eyebrow, thinking that he must be referring to the Divine Communicator, which would be my older sister?


    Thinking this, he subtly turned his face, using the corner of his eye to confirm Bai Qiuwu¡¯s information panel.


    At that moment, Bai Qiuwu was holding an orange juice, her face still calm. But both her slightly clenched hands and the cold, sharp light in her eyes revealed her nervousness.


    [Name: Bai Qiuwu]


    [Hidden Identity: Divine Communicator ¡°Wukong¡± (holder of one of the twenty-seven Divine Pathways ¡°Sun Wukong¡±)]


    In the next moment, the Ghost Tree¡¯s colossal right arm, shaped like a tree root, suddenly aimed at the sky, which was also aimed at the journalist holding the camera.


    That right arm twisted at an insane speed, turning in an instant into millions of sharp thorns that surged forward, spanning a length of a hundred meters. Following this, it slashed through the night sky, shredding the helicopter¡¯s cabin photographer into a spray of blood that dispersed into the night.


    On the television, the camera smashed onto the cabin floor, but the image it captured remained.


    Once the Ghost Tree pulled on his arm, the thorn twisted and condensed into a huge hand that erupted violently inside the helicopter¡¯s cabin. The terrifying force instantly caused the whole helicopter to tilt and sway erratically mid-air. In a matter of seconds, the helicopter turned into a fireball skyrocketing into the sky, along with the pilot vanished into the horizon.


    Just then, Ke Youqing finished washing dishes and walked out of the kitchen, standing behind the children leaning against the couch, ¡°What are you watching?¡± he asked, hugging his arms and looking towards the television, his brows slightly furrowed.


    As the thud of the explosion settled, the entire television screen darkened, no longer showing any movement.


    At the same time, almost to the minute, several people gathered around the couch spoke simultaneously.


    ¡°I¡¯m going downstairs to buy some cigarettes,¡± said Ke Youqing.


    ¡°I suddenly remembered that I¡¯ve agreed to meet a friend at the coffee shop tonight, so I won¡¯t join you for TV.¡± said Bai Qiuwu.


    ¡°Ah, speaking of which, I also need to buy some stationery.¡± said Bai Zini.

 Chapter 8 - 8 - 004 Timed Betting

    Chapter 8 ¨C 004 Timed Betting


    Chapter 8: Chapter 004 Timed Betting


    As the camera exploded, the TV screen first flickered with intertwined black and white static, and then was left with nothing but a deep blue background.


    Only the English words ¡°No signal¡± remained, stretched across the middle.


    At that moment, Ke Youqing and Bai Qiuwu both suddenly announced one had to go buy cigarettes, the other had a date with friends, so they quickly headed towards the entryway.


    Bai Zini said she needed to go buy stationery but first rushed upstairs to grab something from the bedroom, making so much noise on the floor that she got yelled at by her mother, who was applying a face mask.


    Ke Mingye found it somewhat amusing and shrugged his shoulders.


    He had anticipated that upon seeing such a scene on TV, someone in the house would inevitably become restless. He just hadn¡¯t expected Ke Youqing, Bai Qiuwu, and Bai Zini to come up with such neatly aligned excuses, so overly perfunctory, truly a family trait.


    ...


    But it was also normal, the one who made an appearance in Huanjing this time was rated as an A-class super villain by the system.


    With the strength he demonstrated by casually shooting down a helicopter, the superheroes commonly seen were no match at all, going against him would merely be a death sentence.


    And although Ke Youqing was notorious and had a history of bad deeds, he was still a signature Superpower User in China Huanjing and would not possibly ignore such a situation. He may have already notified other heroes of the Superhero Association¡¯s China branch not to act rashly, waiting for his personal arrival.


    ¡°Xiao Ni, if you need any stationery just send me a list on your phone, I¡¯ll pick it up for you on my way back, it¡¯s not safe outside.¡±


    Ke Youqing stood at the door, hand on hip, hesitated for half a second, and then called out upstairs.


    ¡°No need! I¡¯ll be home soon.¡± Bai Zini¡¯s voice came down from upstairs.


    ¡°I can just go with her if it comes to that, old man, just go buy your cigarettes and don¡¯t suffocate yourself,¡±


    Sitting on the living room couch and munching on a sunflower seed, Ke Mingye spoke up to smooth things over for Bai Zini.


    ¡°You lack respect.¡±


    After dropping that comment, Ke Youqing left the house, taking the elevator up with Bai Qiuwu.


    It wasn¡¯t until they had left on the elevator that Bai Zini slowly came downstairs to the entryway, put on her shoes and hurried out the door with her backpack. Just as she stepped out, her shoelaces came undone again. She slammed the door forcefully, and then quickly crouched down to tie her laces.


    ¡°Does that door have a grudge against you?¡±


    Ke Mingye teased her casually.


    ¡°Mind your own business!¡± Bai Zini retorted, and without even waiting for the elevator, she dashed down the stairs, halfway through she changed her mind and called out, ¡°Bro, can you close the door for me?¡±


    Ke Mingye raised his middle finger behind her back, but Bai Zini was already far gone.


    ¡°Look at this child, so impatient, wonder who she takes after,¡± Bai Wenna, who was applying a face mask in the bathroom, sighed.


    ¡°Yeah, wonder who she takes after.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself, it¡¯s obviously your temperament she¡¯s got, and sighed softly, stood up from the couch, took a few steps to the entryway, and closed the door.


    When he returned to the living room, only Ke Yongzhu and Bai Ziling were left sitting on the couch.


    At the moment, Bai Ziling was squatting on the couch, her pale blonde hair draping over her knees. She looked up from her phone screen and turned to Ke Mingye, ¡°Watch a movie.¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡±


    ¡°Then watch what?¡±


    ¡°The news.¡±


    Bai Ziling looked at the ¡°No signal¡± on the TV and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing new.¡± In today¡¯s era, news of superhuman crimes would appear nearly every few days.


    Ke Mingye kept silent, thinking to himself that your two older sisters and dad are going to be on TV in a bit, it may not be newsworthy to you, but it surely is to me.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not watching the movie then I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    ¡°Actually, the remote isn¡¯t with me,¡± Ke Mingye reminded her. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The remote control on the couch was already in the hands of Ke Yongzhu, the one-meter-tall youngster imperiously situated in the middle of the couch, muttering,


    ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about the news, that criminal looks pretty weak.¡±


    Ke Mingye sat down on the couch, arm resting on the armrest, ¡°Ha, he could take a hundred of you little brats.¡±


    While he said that, he was also aware that Ke Yongzhu¡¯s hidden identity was terrifying, known as the ¡°Juvenile Form of the Storm Dragon,¡± with a paper strength rating of A-class, not less than that of the criminal who attacked the Huanjing Tower, and might indeed have the strength for a battle.


    ¡°`


    But he also knew that if he wanted to play ¡°Ke Mingye¡± well in front of his family, he had to relax a bit; that¡¯s how he would resemble the Ke Mingye in their memories. If he was too cautious because of their hidden identities and dared not talk back to them, it would actually have the opposite effect, making them more suspicious.


    Once these monsters found out that he was not the original ¡°Ke Mingye¡± but a player who had taken over his body, he would be finished.


    At best, he figured his bones would not be found.


    ¡°Forget it, you guys watch the movie.¡±


    Having said that, Ke Mingye got up from the sofa and headed upstairs with his phone in hand.


    He thought that the officials would probably not allow reporters to continue broadcasting the situation on-site, so it was definitely not possible to watch it on TV.


    Ordinary people would think to turn on live streaming platforms, but domestic live streaming platforms would also restrict such scenes from appearing. Even if someone was live streaming on-site with their phones, they would be immediately banned once discovered by officials.


    If it were those less dangerous superhuman criminals, it wouldn¡¯t matter, but in the face of high-risk criminals, it was necessary to strictly prohibit the footage from the scene to prevent the exposure of extremely bloody and violent images that could cause panic among the public.


    However, human nature being what it is, although official orders forbade it, there were still many ¡°illegal superhero¡± websites that escaped the eyes of censors on the internet.


    The types of videos uploaded on these websites are either battle videos of superheroes and wild superhumans shot by passersby, or erotic videos of famous female superheroes filmed by motels with hidden cameras, or even more bizarre, unspeakable videos.


    Some videos are not worth watching, as one side is much stronger and knocks down the other with a single blow; others are full of blood, with scenes of villains tearing superheroes apart not being uncommon.


    The developers of these sites generally fall into two categories: one is die-hard fans of superheroes or supervillains; the other is individuals looking to profit from site traffic.


    Anyone who grew up in this era, especially children interested in superheroes, would save at least one or two such websites to understand their favorite superheroes.


    A few years ago, Ke Mingye¡¯s predecessor secretly logged onto an illegal video website and saw a video of the criminal ¡°Timekeeper¡± torturing the superhero ¡°Phoenix¡± to death, which left him with a great psychological shadow.


    ¡°Phoenix,¡± a superhero serving the United States, was not a superpower user or mutant, but a Divine Communicator like his older sister, Ghost Tree.


    The powers of a Divine Communicator come from the inheritance of deities in mythology. They usually have a crest appear somewhere on their body, granting them a portion of the deity¡¯s power.


    Just as Bai Qiuwu¡¯s path to Divine Communication is ¡°Sun Wukong¡± and Ghost Tree¡¯s is ¡°World Tree¡±;


    The superhero with the codename ¡°Phoenix¡± had the path to Divine Communication with the same name, one of the twenty-seven pathways to Divine Communication¡ªthe ¡°Phoenix¡± pathway.


    In Ancient Greek mythology, the phoenix has the power to ¡°rise from the ashes.¡±


    Similarly, this superhero had incredibly strong regenerative abilities; even if he suffered catastrophic damage, he could revive in seconds, almost as if he were eternally living.


    However, in the video on the website, the villain known as ¡°Timekeeper¡± exploited this, using different methods of execution to torture Phoenix to death time and time again.


    Revive once, get tortured once.


    So it went on repeatedly.


    During this, Timekeeper¡¯s methods of torment included breaking fingers one by one, drilling nails through the skull, chopping off limbs¡­ When he lost interest in the punishment, Timekeeper uploaded the video to these illegal websites for others¡¯ amusement.


    It was also his way of telling the world that their admired superheroes were nothing but pigs to be slaughtered in his hands.


    Incidentally, five years ago, Ke Mingye witnessed this scene. His stomach churned, and he vomited directly into the trash can.


    If he hadn¡¯t turned off the sound in time, with Timekeeper¡¯s maniac laughter and Phoenix¡¯s cries of agony accompanying the video, the mental contamination would probably have doubled. Since then, Ke Mingye¡¯s predecessor never dared to enter any illegal superhero video website again.


    Fortunately, now the body was used by another person.


    ¡°Normally, at this time, just about any illegal website should have a live broadcast of the Huanjing city center,¡± he thought.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye decided to try whether that website was still accessible. He typed in the address of the site into the browser on his phone and clicked to enter.


    As the page refreshed, a video website with a black and red UI appeared, named ¡°Grey Pigeon Network.¡± Ignoring the dense array of ads, the largest live streaming box was placed at the very top of the site. It was live-streaming the scene of ¡°Ghost Tree¡± wrecking havoc on vehicles in the city center.


    Countless vehicles were flipped over by the thorny arms twisted from brambles; what was a bustling area full of people and flowing traffic instantly turned into a sea of flames.


    At the top of the live streaming box, in eye-catching red letters, was marked a line of text: ¡°Live broadcast! Breaking news, ¡®Divine Communicator¡¤Ghost Tree¡¯ has appeared below Huanjing Tower!¡±


    Next to this red text, there was another line of text marked with a ¡°Hot!¡± tag at the end: ¡°Limited-time betting is in full swing. Register an account, purchase virtual Superhero Coins, and immediately bet on which wild superhuman or superhero might appear to confront the event!¡±


    ¡°Limited-time betting?¡± Ke Mingye curled his lips, ¡°Okay, okay, so we¡¯re betting like this?¡±


    He thought that in the entire world, probably only he could accurately predict at least three superhumans who would appear in the city center in this live broadcast.


    Without a doubt, Ke Youqing, Bai Qiuwu, and Bai Zini would soon appear in this live stream under another identity.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 9 - 9 - 005 Magic Girl

    Chapter 9 ¨C 005 Magic Girl


    Chapter 9: Chapter 005 Magic Girl


    Upon clicking in, the list of heroes available for betting was a whopping 5,000 strong, all active vigilantes and wild superhumans in China.


    According to the website¡¯s betting rules, each person could bet on up to two superheroes.


    Among them, ¡°Justice Knight Azure Crow,¡± the one with the most bets, was no surprise, since Ke Youqing pretty much showed up in Huanjing wearing a mask every day, earning the reputation as a model worker with the worst public reviews; for the populace, his presence had already become too commonplace.


    Upon reaching the second floor, Ke Mingye entered his room, locked the door, sat on his bed.


    Figuring that it was almost a sure-win situation, he casually registered an account and navigated to the recharge interface. He used WeChat Pay to exchange the pitiful 100 yuan in his wallet into virtual currency, then entered the betting screen to filter names.


    Before long, he picked out these three characters from the list: ¡°Magical Girl Ash,¡± ¡°Divine Communicator ¡¤ Black Wukong,¡± and ¡°Superhero ¡¤ Blue Crow.¡±


    ...


    They corresponded to Bai Zini, who had just left the house, Bai Qiuwu, and Ke Youqing, respectively.


    It was clear that under the names ¡°Justice Knight Azure Crow¡± and ¡°Divine Communicator ¡¤ Black Wukong,¡± there were a large number of bets. No need to mention Azure Crow, but Black Wukong was specifically sought out by the nefarious ¡°Ghost Tree,¡± so naturally, people assumed he would accept the challenge.


    Betting on these two, even if one guessed correctly, wouldn¡¯t result in a particularly large sum of money received.


    Therefore, Ke Mingye decisively placed all 100 yuan on the name ¡°Magical Girl Ash.¡±


    And he prayed in his heart that Bai Zini wouldn¡¯t let him down, hoping she really wouldn¡¯t go off to buy stationery instead; since she was already out the door, she might as well follow her father and elder sister to the scene to fish in troubled waters.


    As the ¡°Successful Bet¡± pop-up appeared, Ke Mingye walked to his room on the second floor, locked the door, sat down on his bed, and clicked into the live streaming page.


    At this moment, the protagonists of this event had already begun to appear one after another.


    The cameraperson specialized in shooting such illegal videos, so instead of only focusing on the villain ¡°Ghost Tree,¡± the camera kept moving.


    Waiting for¡­ the appearance of any superhuman.


    After a while, the camera captured a silhouette, the lens gradually zooming in and focusing. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was the figure standing atop Huanjing Tower, under the night moon, where the orange glow radiating from the tower mingled with the clear moonlight, highlighting the lone figure standing atop the spire.


    She lifted her small face, her demeanor clear and majestic. Her jet-black hair, like a cascading waterfall, lay behind her head, wearing a grey gothic dress, pleated with layers of petal-like ruffles, tied at the front with a bow, her right hand grasping an open umbrella held sideways.


    That umbrella was her ¡°Magic Wand.¡±


    The umbrella¡¯s surface shimmered with a mottled grey and black hue, patterned with a series of clustered grey ornaments, an overwhelming variety of flowers with roses appearing particularly intricate. In the middle of the umbrella¡¯s pattern, a circle of thorny vines stretched out, as if connecting each blooming flower together.


    With just one glance at this umbrella, almost no one in Huanjing wouldn¡¯t be able to name its owner.


    The moment the camera zoomed in, the real-time comments on ¡°Ash Pigeon Net¡± exploded exponentially, and Ke Mingye could hardly see the screen anymore.


    ¡ª¡ª¡±Woccccccc, it¡¯s Ash!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡±Lady Ash, I¡¯m your loyal fan!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡±No way, had I known, I would¡¯ve bet on her, isn¡¯t she usually only around on Saturdays and Sundays? I would¡¯ve made a fortune if I¡¯d bet on her just now!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡±I thought the first one to show up would either be ¡®Qing Ya¡¯ or ¡®General Lingdong.¡¯ They¡¯re not going to bail, are they? I bet my entire fortune on them!¡±


    Ke Mingye clicked into the settings and blocked ninety percent of the bullet comments, thinking to himself, can you guys not drool over a middle schooler please, and for the love of God, quit the betting already.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m one of those bettors too, so I guess it¡¯s fine.¡±


    With that thought, he checked his earnings. Because he had bet all 100 yuan on ¡°Magical Girl Ash,¡± and since she had indeed made an appearance, he won big. His earnings from this bet were fifty times his original stake, amounting to five thousand yuan.


    ¡°At least I don¡¯t have to ask my old man for money now.¡±


    Muttering to himself, Ke Mingye continued to watch the livestream.


    The dignified grey umbrella on display in the livestream is one of the iconic items belonging to Magical Girl Ash, and also a weapon she commonly uses in combat.


    Being her own brother, Ke Mingye had researched her extensively online.


    This umbrella, named ¡°Cinderella,¡± has a lower section that is a ¡°Magic Wand,¡± and once the upper part, the umbrella canopy, is opened, it continues to spread out layers of gray magical ripples. It is these ripples that create an upward thrust, enabling her to fly in the sky and offering tremendous mobility.


    Moreover, by pointing ¡°Cinderella¡¯s¡± tip at the enemy and pressing the umbrella handle, the tip automatically opens into a gun barrel.


    According to some of the videos uploaded by her enthusiastic fans, Magical Girl Ash can not only shoot special magic-guided bullets far more powerful than ordinary ones from the umbrella, but when necessary, she can also fire a devastating energy beam from the tip that is said to be capable of obliterating almost anything.


    Logically, that move should be Ash¡¯s trump card¡ªshe only used it once against a superhuman criminal appraised as ¡°Catastrophic¡± by the Superhero Association. That time, she didn¡¯t just kill the criminal but also took out the top of a skyscraper.


    Besides that, when facing superhumans skilled in close-quarters combat, she would pull out a magic-enforced longsword from the base of ¡°Cinderella.¡±


    However, unlike most Magic Girls, Ash seems not adept at using ¡°Magic Books¡± and the ¡°Magic Cards¡± contained within them; she has rarely used a Magic Book. In contrast, most Magic Girls who have appeared in countries like Japan, Norway, France, and Denmark invariably rely heavily on the cards from their ¡°Magic Books¡± as their main method of combat.


    Because of her uniqueness, despite not appearing often, she has accumulated an incredibly horrifying amount of popularity on the internet.


    ¡°Please, what kind of magic disguise is this?¡±


    Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but cover his face, peering through his fingers at the face of that ¡°Magic Girl¡± in the livestream, feeling somewhat doubtful about life.


    He thought to himself, no wonder no one at home could recognize her; after all, ¡°Ash¡¯s¡± features were much more strikingly cold and beautiful, like an older Bai Zini by two or three years, with British-styled makeup, wearing a cold expression on her face.


    The face that appeared before his eyes kept overlapping and colliding with his memory of what his sister actually looked like.


    This naked feeling of shame was like a subtle electric current traveling from his head down his bones to the tips of his toes. If he had to make an analogy, it felt quite similar to watching his sister, whom he had grown up with, one day completely transform into an internet celebrity sensation, twisting her waist with contrived expressions while singing ¡°Sunshine Rainbow Little White Horse¡± on TV.


    Luckily, this so-called ¡°Magical Girl Ash¡± was of the cold and stunning type, with few changes in her expressions and unpretentious movements, so no one at home could connect Bai Zini with her. Compared to those Magic Girls in London and Tokyo who scream slogans every time they appear, she seemed relatively normal.


    At this moment, along with the screams of people on the scene and the moving livestream, this evening¡¯s second guest also made an appearance on camera.


    The number of bullet comments on the Grey Pigeon Network livestream spiked once again.

 Chapter 10 - 10 - 006: The God Communicator

    Chapter 10 ¨C 006: The God Communicator


    Chapter 10: Chapter 006: The God Communicator


    ¡°Big sis is here too, huh? But how come she¡¯s so much later than Bai Zini? It¡¯s not like Somersault Cloud can¡¯t beat an umbrella¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye thought puzzledly, his eyes shifting to the figure that had just appeared in the live broadcast.


    He suddenly remembered that Bai Qiuwu had left with their father, so he speculated that the two might not know each other¡¯s identities because they had left the building together, hindering each other until they were out of each other¡¯s sight before they could truly start moving.


    With that in mind, it was no surprise that Bai Qiuwu was slower than Bai Zini by a beat.


    ¡°And where did Dad go?¡±


    Before he could dwell on his confusion, Ke Mingye¡¯s attention was drawn to Bai Qiuwu¡¯s appearance.


    ...


    At that moment, in the background of the live stream,


    a uninvited guest was standing in mid-air, stepping on a mass of fog as deep as the night. The object under his feet shimmered like rising tide water and also resembled a pitch-black cloud.


    He wore a black hood and his face was covered with a monkey mask. Clad in a metallic long coat reminiscent of a trench coat, it gleamed with a cold metallic luster under the neon lights. His right hand, protected by a steel wrist guard, held a pitch-black staff upright behind his shoulder, its body occasionally visible and then disappearing under the LED lights.


    ¡°Somersault Cloud.¡±


    With just one glance, Ke Mingye recognized the origin of the foggy mass that Bai Qiuwu was floating on¡ªDivine Communicator¡¯s power came from their corresponding mythological figure, and when talking about the symbols of Sun Wukong in Chinese mythology, besides ¡°Jingu Bang,¡± it naturally was ¡°Somersault Cloud¡±.


    ¡°The thing in her hand, that must be Jingu Bang,¡± Ke Mingye thought again.


    The camera zoomed in, showing a chain descending from the sleeve of her trench coat. This chain was connected at one end to the folds of the right sleeve and wrapped around the surface of the Jingu Bang at the other.


    From afar, the black chain seemed to fuse her right arm and the Jingu Bang tightly together, inseparable.


    The eye sockets of the monkey mask were hollow, so through the holes, one could see a pair of crimson, sinister eyes that seemed to burn with fire.


    Divine Communicator: Sun Wukong.


    This was her original codename, like all Divine Communicators, they were referred to by the name of their deity. But because of her dark attire, the fervent followers on the internet had given her a distinctive nickname:


    ¡ª ¡°Black Wukong.¡±


    Such a tightly packed outfit made it impossible to tell whether the person inside was male or female. The vast majority believed that ¡°Black Wukong¡± was a male.


    So far, it was very possible that no one in the world knew the true identity of this Divine Communicator, ¡°Black Wukong,¡± who had appeared out of nowhere two years ago.


    Except for one person.


    Ke Mingye stared at the sinister figure on his phone. If the system¡¯s information was correct, then undoubtedly, this person was his sister, Bai Qiuwu.


    The Ghost Tree, which had been making a big show in the city center, was trying to draw out Black Wukong for a battle. Being one of the catalysts of this event, it was natural for her to appear in the city center as expected by all.


    At this very moment, Black Wukong was standing with her arms crossed, tilting her head slightly, looking down at the Ghost Tree without saying a word.


    The chain bound to her hand fluttered in the wind, with electronic billboards arrayed behind her.


    The LED screens mounted on the surfaces of skyscrapers were displaying a red exclamation mark set above two long swords, the warning sign for a ¡°Superhuman Crime Event.¡±


    Loudspeakers placed throughout the city were uniformly broadcasting ¡°Evacuation Warnings,¡± with a monotonous, cold female voice reminding every citizen to follow police orders and leave the city center as soon as possible.


    In the midst of the nearly world-drowning siren sounds, vehicles on the streets inevitably jammed together, many drivers angrily beating their steering wheels, taking their families to abandon their cars and flee following the crowd, led by the police.


    From above, it looked like a colony of ants moving along tree roots, orderly escaping the scene.


    ¡ª ¡°Fuck, Black Wukong is here.¡±


    ¡ª ¡°His fans must be going crazy right now; he¡¯s really come out to battle!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡±What kind of grudge does Ghost Tree have against him anyway?¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡±They fought in the United States six months ago and almost destroyed half of the Empire State Building. After that, Black Wukong didn¡¯t appear in the United States anymore, but went back to China, and Ghost Tree followed him there.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡±Can you focus the camera on my Miss Ash, stop filming this monkey all the time, or I¡¯ll switch to another channel!¡±


    On PigeonNet, one barrage after another quickly swept across the top of the live streaming interface.


    In another corner of the street, Ghost Tree seemed to sense someone¡¯s presence and suddenly looked up, staring at the figure hovering on a cloud.


    In that moment, his expression twisted violently, and lines of blood slowly spread in his green eyes.


    ¡°You¡­ have come.¡±


    He first muttered to himself, then his tone gradually became heavier, almost pausing between each word, filled with a grinding, blood-sucking fury.


    ¡°You finally¡­ came!¡±


    As his voice fell, his arms transformed into thousands of thorns wrapping towards the ground, instantly lifting his body a hundred meters into the air, stopping just above the LED screen on the fa?ade of a tall building.


    Next, he turned one of his arms into roots and smashed them into the display, igniting sparks. The massive screen immediately lost a chunk, exposing the tangled, intertwined wires inside.


    Ghost Tree forcefully clutched the indented corner of the display, keeping his body flush against the surface of the high-rise a hundred meters in the air, his green eyes staring fixedly at Black Wukong.


    ¡°Do you know how long I¡¯ve been looking for you? Since that fight we had in New York.¡±


    Ghost Tree said with a demented laugh, while gripping the entangled wires inside the screen. The neon lights reflected on his fierce face and yellowing teeth.


    The relentless wind blew down from the night sky, slightly lifting the hood of ¡®Black Wukong,¡¯ but she remained silent, just calmly looking at Ghost Tree through her monkey mask.


    ¡°When did they fight in New York?¡±


    Ke Mingye was puzzled but soon remembered: About six months ago, his mother had taken his older sister on a trip to New York, and that¡¯s probably when his sister and Ghost Tree started their feud.


    He chuckled softly, thinking how deep this villain¡¯s obsession was, following his sister all the way from the United States to China. He also felt his sister¡¯s sense of justice was truly overwhelming. Going to New York as a tourist was one thing, but there was no need to bother with the criminals there, especially since the Superhero Association¡¯s New York branch had plenty of formidable heroes.


    Like: Divine Communicator Zeus, Mutant: Red Wolf Warrior, Superpower User: Two-Dimensional Swordsman¡ªthere were plenty of renowned figures who could have stepped in. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, during just those two days of vacation, Bai Qiuwu still managed to stir up such a mess, which was totally not worth it.


    In the video, Black Wukong slowly raised her right arm, with the Jingu Bang, connected by a chain to her hand, also lifting, aiming at Ghost Tree¡¯s head.


    Initially, Ke Mingye did not understand the purpose of her using the chain to bind her arm and the Jingu Bang together.


    But taking his sister¡¯s personality into account, he thought it likely that she used the chain to remind herself to always conserve strength, lest she accidentally kill the criminal with a single strike.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you follow some rules, I was here first.¡±


    Just as they were about to begin fighting, a clear and cold voice suddenly came from above, causing Black Wukong and Ghost Tree to both look up at that person.


    The newcomer held a gray umbrella, floating mid-air, her snow-white chin lifted as she looked down upon the two from above.


    Waves of magic rippled from ¡°Cinderella¡¯s¡± umbrella, supporting her steady flight through the air.


    Relying on that umbrella, she descended gracefully, hanging slightly above the other two in a position slightly higher than theirs.


    Magic Girl Ash gently pulled at her black glove, the hem of her dress fluttering in the wind.


    With her left hand resting on the elbow of her right, which held the umbrella handle, she stepped through the air, slowly approaching Black Wukong. With a haughty and cold tone, she spoke:


    ¡°Last time was really careless of me, allowing you to escape. We still have a score to settle¡­¡±

 Chapter 11 - 11 - 007 Family Affairs

    Chapter 11 ¨C 007 Family Affairs


    Chapter 11: Chapter 007 Family Affairs


    As the goth-styled Magic Girl walked towards Diviner Black Wukong on the screen and left behind a line dripping with sarcastic undertones, Ke Mingye was left dumbstruck, his expression the epitome of astonishment.


    ¡°Ah? When did you two sisters start having issues with each other?¡±


    It took him a full two seconds to come to his senses, thinking to himself, can¡¯t they resolve whatever the issue is at home, must they don a disguise and lose face in public like this?


    Under the cloak of night, Magical Girl Ash and Black Wukong stood face to face. In the distance, a steel train rumbled across the elevated railway, its friction with the tracks scattering a shower of bright sparks.


    The cascade of sparks flew over their heads, so bright that even the neon lights on the buildings seemed dimmed for a moment.


    Seeing that the other party remained silent, she asked coldly, ¡°Can¡¯t you speak? You were mute the last time we met too.¡±


    ...


    True to her words, this Divine Communicator ¡°Black Wukong,¡± whenever he appeared before people¡¯s eyes, indeed remained silent from beginning to end, not uttering a single word, perhaps not even half a word.


    Bai Zini was different though. It was obvious that her voice had been magically altered¡ªcompletely different in tone and timbre from her usual speech, like two different people.


    If Ke Mingye hadn¡¯t been mentally prepared and absolutely sure that this character was his sister, he might not have recognized her at all.


    The sister who only knew how to throw tantrums at home suddenly adopted a domineering attitude outside, just short of bossing people around by riding on their necks, the contrast was simply too stark.


    ¡°At home, would you dare to speak to your sister with such arrogance¡­¡± sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing Bai Zini mock Bai Qiuwu like that, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but lose his composure.


    He pictured it, if Bai Qiuwu actually responded to her, Magical Girl Ash would be scared out of her wits upon hearing the familiar voice. Her eyes might just pop out of her head.


    Then, following her usual style, she might first cross her arms and maintain her composure for a while, and after everything had settled, find a secluded spot to begin whining:


    ¡°Sister, why is it you? There were too many people just now, I didn¡¯t mean to. Your servant knows she¡¯s wrong, wuwuwu.¡±


    The more Ke Mingye thought about it, the more outrageous it seemed. He had originally thought the main character of the night was that villain, but now all the attention had shifted to his own family.


    ¡°Please, if you¡¯re going to create an alias to strike at a criminal, could you not make a mockery of your own family? Do you think you¡¯re being funny¡­¡±


    He thought to himself but also came to some conclusions.


    It¡¯s another matter whether Bai Qiuwu knows that Bai Zini is ¡°Magical Girl Ash¡±;


    However, it seemed certain that Bai Zini had no clue that Bai Qiuwu was ¡°Diviner Black Wukong,¡± otherwise she wouldn¡¯t be so aggressive, every line she spoke clearly itching for a fight.


    At that moment, the ghost tree frowning at being left out was draped over a high-rise building¡¯s LED display, the electrical wire clutched in his hand producing a flickering light that illuminated his baffled, complex expression.


    Wasn¡¯t he the damn villain?


    Having thrown the whole district into chaos, with alarms blaring and smoke billowing, shouldn¡¯t the spotlight be on him?


    Why was he suddenly sidelined?


    Three succinct questions popped into his head, his brow furrowing deeper as he felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation.


    Meanwhile, as this weird scene unfolded, the number of comments on Pigeon Net exploded yet again, reaching a new peak.


    According to official information, both Magical Girl Ash and Divine Communicator Black Wukong were not part of the official camp and thus were considered superhumans but not quite superheroes¡ª at most, they were vigilantes.


    Since they could present themselves as vigilantes ¡°not under official control¡± before the public, and their identities were not in the superhuman database, they must have been illegal superhumans who had escaped genetic testing, and they should have been captured by the Superhero Association for a thorough interrogation.


    When such characters took action, they not only faced the pressure of criminals but were also under scrutiny by official forces¡ªofficials never supported ¡°unregistered¡± wild superhumans donning tight suits and pretending to be law enforcers, which was undoubtedly contrary to the law, essentially defecating on the Superhero Association¡¯s doorstep.


    But it was precisely because of their controversial status, as well as their unique outfits and abilities, that they kicked up a frenzy on the internet.


    The global discussion about ¡°Magical Girl Ash¡± and ¡°Divine Communicator Black Wukong¡± even rivaled some of the official superheroes in popularity.


    So now, a large group of people on Pigeon Net were asking if anyone could explain when this Magic Girl and Black Wukong became rivals.


    But Ke Mingye, who sat on the bed, was arguably the most shocked of all; the scene before him didn¡¯t quite align with his expectations.


    He had thought that if his father, older sister, and younger sister showed up together, even if they didn¡¯t know each other¡¯s identity, as righteous characters, they should logically join forces to take down the criminal who dared to cause trouble in Huanjing. Right?


    But when he arrived at the scene, it turned out that it was his sister and his younger sister who started to quarrel first¡­ Yes, two righteous characters started fighting in front of a villain. If this got out, the discussions would certainly not be lacking.


    At this moment, looking at the panels above the heads of the three of them, Ke Mingye suddenly remembered that Bai Zini¡¯s combat rating was only B+ level, a full tier below Black Wukong and the Phantom Tree.


    Yet among the three, it was she who behaved most arrogantly, striking an unyielding stance.


    Thinking back to Bai Zini¡¯s reaction half an hour earlier, Ke Mingye suddenly understood why she rushed out in such a fury after hearing the news on television, insisting on joining the commotion.


    Ke Mingye held his forehead and sighed, ¡°So she was out for revenge against our older sister? No wonder she was so fierce¡­¡±


    At that moment, the Phantom Tree was staring at the two from a distance, narrowed its eyes, and pulled up the corners of its mouth coldly as it said, word by word, ¡°You two pieces of trash, are you here to play house?¡±


    Dude, they¡¯re really not playing house¡ªthey are indeed family.


    Ke Mingye covered his face, feeling slightly inebriated; watching his siblings tear each other apart on live TV was indeed a unique experience.


    As soon as he spoke, the Phantom Tree suddenly roared, viciously aiming its left arm at Magical Girl Ash, not far ahead.


    In an instant, that arm morphed into thousands of thorny vines that stretched out, aiming straight for Ash¡ªwith one swipe of this move, the Phantom Tree had effortlessly knocked down a helicopter before, and its danger was imaginable.


    If Ash were to be hit, she might be shredded to pieces by the encircling thorns in the blink of an eye.


    Catching a glimpse of this out of the corner of her eye, Ash didn¡¯t even turn her head; instead, she triggered a gust of air from the tip of ¡°Cinderella¡±¡®s umbrella, using the reaction force to propel her body in the opposite direction and avoid the countless thorns.


    The thorns, like a giant python, slithered past her body with a thunderous noise, the howling cold wind lifting her hair strands.


    ¡°She can even dodge that¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking that Bai Zini indeed had some skills. The Phantom Tree had attacked in less than a second, and Bai Zini had reacted immediately after speaking with Black Wukong.


    As the wind died down, Ash¡¯s blown hair also fell back into place. She slowly lifted her gaze from her hair, her expression still calm, but the displeasure on her face was now more evident.


    ¡°Wait till I take down this ¡®Phantom¡¯ something, then I¡¯ll come after you, monkey,¡± she said.


    With that, she drew a lake-clear long knife from the base of Cinderella¡¯s umbrella handle, turned her head slowly, and shifted her gaze to the enraged Phantom Tree.


    Too cocky, little sis, can¡¯t you restrain yourself a bit¡­ Ke Mingye felt embarrassed for her while pouring himself a glass of water from the bedside.


    Even in the face of such provocation, Black Wukong remained silent, just standing on the Somersault Cloud, tilting his head to watch her.


    Then, he pulled out a cellphone from the pocket of his metallic coat, typed swiftly with one hand, and turned the screen towards the Magic Girl who had drawn the long knife from beneath the umbrella.


    The cameraman secretly filming the scene lay atop the rooftop of a high-rise building, and he zoomed his lens in countless times.


    Finally, everyone watching the live broadcast could clearly see the content on the cellphone screen.


    On the phone was a blank memo with the message written on it:


    ¡ª¡±I don¡¯t have time to play with kids, I suggest you step aside, he came looking for me.¡±


    Ke Mingye had just taken a sip of water and, upon seeing this text, sprayed it out, coughing while thinking to himself, ¡°With the situation this heated, it seems unlikely that you two sisters won¡¯t have a fight tonight to settle things.¡±


    Just then, Ke Mingye suddenly remembered someone¡ªthat was Ke Youqing, who hadn¡¯t yet appeared on the scene.


    So he couldn¡¯t help feeling puzzled: based on the usual pace, Ke Youqing should have put on his battle dress and arrived at the scene by now, appearing in front of the camera.


    ¡°Wait, where¡¯s dad?¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed and thought to himself.


    ¡°Could you be a bit useful, hurry up and go over there, blast the criminal with a punch, and while you¡¯re at it, discipline your two daughters¡ªdon¡¯t let them create a scene in public anymore.¡±

 Chapter 12 - 12 - 008: Midnight Ravens

    Chapter 12 ¨C 008: Midnight Ravens


    Chapter 12: Chapter 008: Midnight Ravens


    Ke Mingye took a sip of plain water and set down the cup. His pupils reflected the fiery scenes on his phone, his ears inundated with the roaring of bursting air currents.


    It was as if he were right there.


    The quality of the video and audio from the livestream suggested that the filmmaker had used sophisticated equipment.


    Such effects could only be captured by illegal filmmakers specializing in recording such scenes for profit, a far cry from random passersby whipping out their phones to take a video.


    However, although the actions and dialogues of the three characters in the sky above Huanjing were mostly captured, Ke Mingye wasn¡¯t entirely engrossed.


    Compared to the three people in the frame, he was more concerned about where Ke Youqing had gone. Could he have been intercepted by other superhuman criminals?


    ...


    After all, he had many enemies.


    But then, another possibility occurred to Ke Mingye¡ªKe Youqing was most likely helping the police rescue the vehicles previously hung up on Huanjing Bridge by the ghost tree.


    At this moment, the illegal filmmaker knocked the camera against the railing of the rooftop, drastically adjusting the lens to better capture the three figures darting between skyscrapers and dazzling neon lights.


    Every frame was like glimpsing flowers through the fog, fleeting and elusive.


    Amid the roars, glass curtain walls and LED giant screens on the surface of the steel buildings shattered consecutively. As the skirt of Magical Girl Ash fluttered, millions of glass shards poured down from mid-air like a furious snowstorm, lavishly sprinkling onto the streets congested with vehicles.


    As the glass splattered down, hitting car after car, the piercing alarms of car security systems once again filled the streets.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    He thought, why does it feel like you guys are going to have to renovate the entire city center if you keep fighting like this?


    Can¡¯t you pull out your big moves earlier instead of probing each other? Are you really going to escalate like in ¡°Dragon Ball¡± from Super Saiyan one to Super Saiyan five?


    Especially with ¡°curfew time¡± fast approaching at home, Bai Zini and Bai Qiuwu, you two better not get locked out by mom.


    Just as Ke Mingye was getting absorbed, suddenly, a hoarse and grim voice sounded almost within arm¡¯s reach, casually asking:


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Ke Mingye was slightly startled then blurted out, ¡°What the hell?¡±


    Soon, he confirmed that the voice seemed to have come from¡­ beside the filmmaker?


    But wasn¡¯t the filmmaker secretly filming from the rooftop of a nearby residential building? Then who could be speaking right beside his ear?


    ¡°You are committing a crime¡­ Filming fights involving superhumans is strictly prohibited by law.¡±


    The voice stated so. Sinister and hoarse, it echoed eerily on the silent rooftop.


    Like a giant crow was cawing, chilling to the bone.


    The filmmaker turned his head, only to see a profound shadow swaying in the moonlight at a corner of the rooftop, resembling a giant crow.


    At that moment, the camera also reflected the corner of the rooftop, revealing the elongated silhouette hidden in the shadows.


    His face was adorned with a sinister, finely arched mask. The eyes peering out from the eye sockets were bright and deep as torches in the darkness. A blue bird¡¯s beak protruded from the mask, and his cloak, like a large robe, concealed his body as though melding him into the night.


    Seconds before, eagle-eyed viewers had already recognized the source of the voice. Upon seeing this image, the upper part of the livestream was instantly filled with lines of commentary.


    ¡ª¡±It¡¯s Qing Ya, I told you this jerk would show up?¡±


    ¡ª¡±He finally came, I bet thirty thousand on him, thought I was gonna go bankrupt!¡±


    ¡ª¡±Holy shit! Qing Ya is here! This is the first time an illegal livestream has captured Qing Ya¡¯s face up close!¡±


    ¡ª¡±What are you waiting for, start recording!¡±


    As Ke Mingye was tearing open the packaging of an instant bread roll, he caught sight of this scene and couldn¡¯t help but pause.


    ¡°Old Daddy¡¯s finally turned up.¡±


    He was thinking while tearing open the bread¡¯s packaging.


    ¡°You are way too slow, your two daughters have already fought the villain for two or three rounds up there¡­¡±


    At this moment, dressed in a battle suit, the superhero ¡°Qing Ya¡± was leaning against a corner of the rooftop, his deep eyes behind the mask staring straight at the surveillance stealer.


    The sharp bird beak on his mask seemed like a blade poised to take a life, aiming directly at the camera.


    The surveillance stealer saw him and, while aiming the camera at him, screamed incoherently, ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer! A lot of people are watching!¡±


    The camera shook wildly, highlighting his fear.


    Seeing the man¡¯s ghostly reaction, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but laugh, thinking to himself: Big brother, you¡¯re really funny. Is such a reaction necessary? The guy in front of you is dressed a bit terrifyingly and quite shabbily, but he is an officially recognized superhero after all, right? Do you need to be so startled? S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Plus, you are live streaming, even if my dad has a bad temper, he shouldn¡¯t really¡­


    He shouldn¡¯t really¡­


    Ke Mingye was thinking this when, in the next instant, Qing Ya disappeared from the spot. At the same time, the camera lens suddenly darkened as if covered by a cloth.


    What remained was only silence.


    Death-like silence.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Ke Mingye let out two questioning sounds one after another, his fingers tearing the packaging pausing, and his expression froze for a second.


    ¡°Wait, dad didn¡¯t really get rid of him, did he?¡±


    At this time, the entire live stream was dark, with only lines of pale barrage flying rapidly across the top.


    After a brief silence of two seconds, he put down the bread, exited the live stream room, and opened the live stream list on Grey Pigeon website, only to discover a whole page of live streams about the ¡°Ghost Tree.¡±


    So he breathed a sigh of relief: ¡°As long as there¡¯s something else to watch.¡±


    He was about to click into another stream when, in just that split second, all the thumbnails for the live streams turned black, one page after another.


    Just like toppled dominoes.


    In the end, what was left was the death-like darkness and stillness.


    Seeing something was wrong, Ke Mingye¡¯s expression changed: ¡°We really won¡¯t have anything to watch now, will we?¡± he said, then flipped through two more pages, only to find the next page¡¯s ten live streams also turned black one by one.


    As if someone had turned off the lights.


    Without exception, the last scene in these surveillance thieves¡¯ live streams was a huge crow swooping down from the sky or bursting out of the shadows.


    After three seconds of silence, Ke Mingye, gripping the half-opened package of bread, sighed deeply.


    He was feeling very mixed, as if someone had unplugged his internet connection. He had been curious to see what kind of chemical reaction would occur when his dad, sister, and younger sister got together.


    Well, now no one will see it.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye flipped through Grey Pigeon website, randomly clicking into a few live streams. As he expected, the barrage in these streams was furiously cursing ¡°Qing Ya.¡±


    He finally understood why the superhero ¡°Qing Ya¡± had such a bad reputation on the internet; some things really weren¡¯t without reason.


    ¡°Dad, what on earth are you doing, dad?¡± he muttered, hanging his head and complaining softly.


    ¡°You show up at the scene, do nothing, and start by unplugging everyone¡¯s internet, right? You¡¯re really classy as hell¡­¡±

 Chapter 13 - 13 - 009: The Dragon of Calamity

    Chapter 13 ¨C 009: The Dragon of Calamity


    Chapter 13: Chapter 009: The Dragon of Calamity


    Ke Mingye took a bite of his instant bread and flipped through a few pages of Grey Pigeon Station¡¯s live broadcast, only to realize that Ke Youqing had indeed cleaned out all the illicit photographers thoroughly.


    Not one survived.


    ¡°I guess hundreds of illegal websites¡¯ bystanders watching the live broadcast all got banned overnight. The number of detractors sure grew by a few blocks, huh.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s our Chinese superheroes for you. First off, they show up like ghosts from a horror movie scaring people; then, instead of dealing with the criminals, they pull the plug on the common netizens¡¯ internet.¡±


    ¡°Might as well stop calling him ¡®Qing Ya¡¯ and rename him ¡®The Terror Crow Man¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Haha, do you guys have these dark heroes abroad or what? Dark heroes, you know? Not to mention others, even your son is thinking of filing a complaint against you at the Superhero Association.¡±


    ... S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Ke Mingye muttered sarcastically, he operated his cellphone and logged out of ¡°Grey Pigeon Network.¡±


    Just as he put down his phone, a system panel suddenly popped up in front of him.


    [System Announcement 1: Up until now, all the players who survived have passed the three-day adaptation test¡ªthe purpose of this test is to help players understand and adapt to the current situation of this parallel world. (Warning again: do not reveal your identity to the superhumans around you until you have sufficient strength.)]


    [System Announcement 2: Tomorrow morning, features like ¡°Daily Missions,¡± ¡°Global Instances,¡± ¡°Player Communication,¡± ¡°System Store,¡± etc., will officially be launched¡­]


    ¡°Great, finally I can discuss these past three days with the other ninety-something unlucky ones chosen, hoping their start was as hellish as mine¡ªsurrounded by a bunch of superhumans with magic dad data. Otherwise, I really might kill myself¡­¡±


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye selected [Confirm Receipt of Notices] at the bottom of the panel, got out of bed, and walked out of the room in his slippers.


    Just as he reached the second floor corridor, Bai Wenna¡¯s voice came from downstairs: ¡°Mingye, call Zi Ling down to get the cut fruit!¡±


    ¡°Coming.¡±


    Ke Mingye casually responded to her while walking in front of Bai Ziling¡¯s room.


    The door was closed, so he gently knocked and said with annoyance, ¡°Mom¡¯s calling you downstairs for fruit.¡±


    As he finished speaking, there was no response from inside. He knocked again, still no response.


    ¡°She¡¯s sleeping this early?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow, turned the doorknob, hearing a ¡°click,¡± it was locked. He glanced at his phone, only seven o¡¯clock.


    ¡°She¡¯s not inside¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye found it weird; Bai Ziling¡¯s room was eerily quiet yet tightly locked.


    But then, remembering that his younger sister Bai Ziling was from the Blood Clan, he figured it all out. Ke Ming felt she had probably snuck out the window by now, off to the hospital to steal blood bags or, more directly¡­ attack passerby to replenish her blood.


    ¡°So what does it have to do with me anyway.¡±


    He stretched lazily, moved under the orange cucumber lights left from last Christmas, and started walking downstairs when he suddenly heard a door opening.


    Following that, Bai Wenna¡¯s surprised voice came from downstairs: ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t that Xiao Mo? How come you¡¯re back so early?¡±


    Ke Mingye paused at the stairwell.


    My brother is back, at this time? How so sudden, when he just told me this morning he might not return for another couple of days¡­


    With that thought, his pupils constricted, and a wave of inexplicable unease welled up inside him.


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    Half an hour earlier, Huanjing, Old Jingmai District.


    In a secluded alley rarely trodden by foot, a white-haired girl slowly raised her head from the neck of a corpse, the moonlight brushing over her bloodstained lips and her silver-dyed hair.


    Her gaze was calm, devoid of any emotion.


    Bai Ziling wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, looking away from the corpse.


    ¡°Full¡­¡± she muttered softly.


    Just then, from the deep shadows of the alley, a hoarse yet majestic voice came, sounding like a bell yet with a childish tone.


    ¡°Are you eating a human?¡±


    The voice asked.


    Bai Ziling paused for a moment before slowly turning her head, lifting her eyes from beneath the silver bangs.


    With the sensory abilities of the Blood Clan, it was the first time she encountered someone who could approach her silently. But soon she realized¡­ that hidden in the shadows was not a human.


    It was¡­


    A dragon.


    This dragon, about two meters long, had upright pupils swirling with a lava-like hue. Its dark scales, metallic and layered, gave it a textured look. Currently, it sat on the ground, its tail hanging down like a broom, casting a long shadow.


    Believe it or not, it was somewhat cute, resembling a young dragon.


    Bai Ziling stared at it for a while, her expression softening.


    She was a vampire herself, so what was so strange about a world with Magic Girls, superheroes, or even a dragon?


    Thinking this, she shook her head: ¡°No, I never eat humans.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you doing?¡± asked the dragon from the shadows.


    ¡°Drinking blood,¡± Bai Ziling answered.


    The young dragon cautiously moved its claw forward, revealing more of its body from the shadows, and said tentatively.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient to just eat him?¡±


    Slowly, its face emerged into the harsh moonlight, displaying the fierce yet juvenile aspect of dragons¡ªsometimes childlike, at times like a born executioner.


    After looking at it for a while, Bai Ziling asked softly: ¡°Are you hungry?¡±

 Chapter 14 - 14 - 009: The Dragon of Calamity_2

    Chapter 14 ¨C 009: The Dragon of Calamity_2


    Chapter 14: Chapter 009: The Dragon of Calamity_2


    ¡°Hmm, can you give him to me?¡± the young dragon asked, swallowing a gulp of saliva.


    She fell silent for a moment, ¡°But you need to eat a bit cleaner, or it might leave my traces.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, neither you nor I want to be caught by humans¡­¡±


    As the young dragon spoke, it crawled over, lifted the corpse with its claws, and slowly dragged it into the corner.


    Bai Ziling blinked those blood-red pupils, hugging her knees and sitting on the ground, staring at it for a while. She was still curious, why was there a dragon here?


    But she was afraid her mother would check her room and find her missing, so she patted her buttocks, climbed up the ladder hanging from the wall, and stepped onto the iron plate holding an air conditioning unit.


    ...


    Then with a light jump, she leaped onto the roof of the residential building.


    Once on the roof, Bai Ziling turned back, casting her eyes down at the young dragon crouched in the shadows.


    It seemed the dragon didn¡¯t want her to see it eating, so it just crouched like a cat on the ground, raising its head, quietly waiting for her to leave.


    Human and dragon, a pair of red eyes met in the dark night.


    In the moonlight, she whispered softly,


    ¡°Dragons and vampires alike, everyone hates us.¡±


    The young dragon stared blankly for a moment.


    Having said that, Bai Ziling slowly turned around, her hands behind her, and walked along the edge of the roof as if she were walking a zebra crossing on the road.


    Gradually, her figure merged into the night.


    The young dragon, lifting its head, gazed blankly at the empty night sky for a long time, then placed its claws on the corpse and began to eat silently.


    Much later, a dense pool of blood flowed out from the shadows; the corpse was no longer there.


    It sighed deeply, flapped its still undeveloped short wings, and flew towards the night sky, hiding on the rooftop of an apartment building.


    Huddled in a corner of the rooftop, the young dragon¡¯s body gradually changed, taking the form of a human boy.


    Ke Yongzhu, embracing his naked body, curled up in a corner of the rooftop. He spaced out for a while, mumbling, ¡°Yes, sister, we are both monsters.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the first time he had seen Bai Ziling drink blood, but¡­ this was the first time he had mustered the courage to transform into a dragon form to say a word to her.


    Usually, he would always hide his presence, stealthily following behind her, silently hiding in a corner.


    At those times, he would think, it turns out it¡¯s not just me who¡¯s a freak in the family; sister is too.


    ¡°Oh well, she has gone home, I should go home too.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu sighed, picked up the clothes he had removed before transforming, put them on, and then strolled across several rooftops.


    Following Bai Ziling¡¯s scent, he walked toward his home.


    Shortly after he left, the color of the shadow on the ground in the alley he had left slowly grew darker, and a figure emerged from within the shadows.


    It was a young man, his features so delicate they were nearly feminine, who watched expressionlessly the pool of blood on the ground.


    After a long while, the youth murmured softly.


    ¡°Indeed, the descendant of the Calamity Dragon has emerged¡­¡±


    He took out a scroll-bearing green bird and a brush from the sleeve of his clothes. Opening the scroll carried by the bird, he used the brush to write:


    ¡°Report to the Ninja Sect, the descendant of the Calamity Dragon is in Huanjing. From the remaining traces, it is still in its juvenile form. It¡¯s not too late to find it now. Requesting reinforcements.¡±


    Having done all this, the youth closed the scroll, secured it to the back of the bird, and let it fly from his palm. It flapped its wings rapidly and soon disappeared into the moonlight with the scroll.


    The young man¡¯s figure once again turned into a mass of ink, melting into the shadows under his feet.


    Soon after, the youth emerged once again from a pool of shadows, appearing in front of a residential building, with no one around.


    He looked up at the sign of the building ¡°Old Jingmai Street Unit 1 Phase 5 Building 1201,¡± then entered the staircase and took the elevator to the ninth floor.


    The elevator doors slowly closed, and just at the moment they were about to shut, a young hand reached in, wedged in the middle of the elevator doors¡­


    Watching this eerie scene, the youth was first stunned, then slightly focused.


    He wiped the sweat from his forehead. Thinking, from such a distance, could the Calamity Dragon possibly have detected his scent? No, he couldn¡¯t be sure yet.


    With a hand wedged in the middle of the elevator doors, they slowly opened to each side.


    Under the flickering lights at the hallway entrance, a boy dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt stood at the entrance.


    He withdrew his hand that had been blocking the elevator door and expressionlessly looked at the nervous young man standing inside.


    The two exchanged a glance, and one of them spoke.


    ¡°Second brother?¡±


    Ke Yongzhu looked at his face, slightly stunned, and spoke first. He thought to himself that he had just finished consuming someone and happened to run into his second brother returning from outside.


    Ke Xiaomo also paused slightly.


    Then, looking at that familiar, kindly face, he relaxed deeply. He thought to himself that he had really been too paranoid, given that earlier, in the alley and from such a distance, using the utmost stealth methods and focusing on consuming the disaster dragon, how could it possibly have noticed his presence?


    So stupid¡­


    Ke Xiaomo chuckled as though laughing at himself.


    ¡°Little brother, long time no see,¡± he said.


    Ke Yongzhu, with his hands in his pockets, walked into the elevator, looked back at him, and asked curiously, ¡°Uh, why didn¡¯t you say you were coming back? Mingye said you were still at university and would be back in a couple of days?¡±


    ¡°Something came up, so I came back early,¡± Ke Xiaomo answered.


    Accompanied by their lukewarm conversation, the elevator doors closed smoothly this time. With a faint hum, the elevator began to ascend slowly.


    Ke Xiaomo reached out and ruffled his hair, asking, ¡°You must be in sixth grade by now, right? How has it been at school lately? You haven¡¯t been bullying any classmates, have you?¡±


    ¡°Hey, whether I bully classmates or not is another matter, but brother, stop touching my head; it¡¯ll make me not grow taller.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu brushed away his hand, complaining.


    Ke Xiaomo just smiled and remained silent.


    Soon, the elevator doors slowly opened. He glanced at the elevator indicator; it was the ninth floor, no mistake. Thus, he and Ke Yongzhu stepped out of the elevator together and pressed the doorbell next to the apartment door.


    The door slowly opened, revealing their mother¡¯s face in the light; she quickly looked surprised.


    Bai Wenna looked at him: ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t that Xiaomo? Why did you come back so early?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo scratched the bridge of his nose and explained, ¡°A friend here made plans with me, so I came back from university two days early. Just now, I even ran into my little brother on the way back.¡±


    Hearing this, Bai Wenna put her hands on her hips and glared at Ke Yongzhu, ¡°This rascal, you said you were going to the supermarket downstairs to get some Coke, and it took you so long.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I walk around a bit after buying the drinks?¡±


    Ke Yongzhu, looking down, said this a bit guiltily while wiping the corner of his mouth, thinking he had used the disaster dragon¡¯s abilities to eliminate the blood scent, hoping it wouldn¡¯t be detected.


    Speaking of which, how does our third sister manage to remove the scent of blood? She goes out to suck blood every once in a while, yet no one notices. He thought again.


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be too strict with them; it¡¯s just a walk.¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Xiaomo smiled gently, hugging the visibly annoyed Ke Yongzhu as they walked into the house.


    He stopped in the familiar living room and suddenly sensed a covert, strange gaze, causing him to suddenly look up and follow the staircase toward the entrance on the second floor.


    There, a youth stood by the railing of the second-floor staircase, his head lowered, emotionlessly playing with his phone.


    Ke Xiaomo, looking up, blurted out a name.


    ¡°Ming¡­ye?¡±


    While calling his brother¡¯s name, he felt it strange. He had clearly sensed someone watching him, and that gaze had lasted a solid two seconds.


    Undoubtedly, with a ninja¡¯s intuition, he could feel that it was a stare full of hostility, as if looking at a stranger.


    But when he looked up, all he saw was Ke Mingye playing on his phone, appearing as if he hadn¡¯t even noticed him.


    At that moment, having heard the noise, Ke Mingye looked up from his phone and glanced downstairs at Ke Xiaomo, his expression somewhat surprised.


    He raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Brother, when did you get back? Weren¡¯t you supposed to come back in a couple of days? Are you fooling me with your phone?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo, staring expressionlessly at Ke Mingye, met his gaze.


    At the same time, a thought crossed his mind: his brother¡­ seemed somewhat strange.

 Chapter 15 - 15 - 010 Enemies on a Narrow Road

    Chapter 15 ¨C 010 Enemies on a Narrow Road


    Chapter 15: Chapter 010 Enemies on a Narrow Road


    June 18th, night, inside a duplex apartment.


    Ke Mingye rested his arms on the railing of the second-floor staircase, leaning forward slightly. While staring at his phone, he kept an eye on his second brother and younger brother as they entered through the door.


    At this moment, Ke Xiaomo, with his arm around Ke Yongzhu¡¯s shoulder, walked into the living room. Simultaneously, in Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes, their information panels emerged above their heads.


    [Name: Ke Xiaomo]


    [Age: 20]


    [Gender: Male]


    ...


    [Strength: A+ (Possessing top-tier combat power far surpassing 90% of the world¡¯s superhumans)] S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Hidden Identity: Ninja of the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect and also ¡°The Big Disciple of the 27th Sect Master¡±.]


    A ninja, my second brother?


    So, was his insistence on going to college in Xi¡¯an because it was closer to Shadow Sail Mountain? The entire family was trying to persuade him to change his college preference, but he wouldn¡¯t listen to a single word.


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Ninja¡± didn¡¯t seem too dangerous. They probably still belonged to a law-abiding and righteous faction.


    If the family had someone like a serial killer music enthusiast, then he would have to worry about his own safety.


    [Note 1: When a ninja is nearby, always be careful of the shadows around you, as they could appear from them at any moment.]


    [Note 2: The ¡°Shadow Heir Ninja Sect¡± and ¡°Disaster Dragon Clan¡± are hereditary arch-enemies whose war has lasted for hundreds of years. While the ¡°Disaster Dragon Clan¡± has now disappeared, the ¡°Shadow Heir Ninja Sect¡± still believes the descendants of ¡°Disaster Dragons¡± possibly remain alive in the world. Therefore, the primary objective of the Ninja Sect is to find all the ¡°Disaster Dragon Offspring¡± in the world and eradicate them completely.]


    [Note 3: The base of the ¡°Shadow Heir Ninja Sect¡± is located at Shadow Sail Mountain.]


    ¡°So, this Ninja Sect and Disaster Dragons are arch-enemies?¡±


    ¡°Arch¡­ arch-enemies?¡±


    While thinking about this, Ke Mingye¡¯s brain froze for a second, wondering if he was seeing things, ¡°But isn¡¯t this guy hugging a Disaster Dragon Offspring right now?¡±


    He glanced again at Ke Xiaomo¡¯s panel description, and at Ke Yongzhu next to him.


    [Name: Ke Yongzhu]


    [Age: 10]


    [Gender: Male]


    [Strength: A+ (Possessing top-tier combat power far surpassing 90% of the world¡¯s superhumans)]


    [Hidden Identity: A juvenile form of the Disaster Dragon Offspring.]


    As Ke Mingye grasped what was going on, his mouth almost formed an ¡°O¡± shape in astonishment.


    In his eyes, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s gesture of hugging Ke Yongzhu turned horrific and glaring, as if beholding something as eldritch as The God Cthulhu.


    Despite his restraint, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help the twitch at the corner of his mouth, his eyelids constantly twitching.


    He thought to himself, Second brother, can you open your eyes and see what you¡¯re hugging? So the age-old enemies are just buddy-buddy with each other?


    Tell me, are you a double agent in the Ninja Sect, or just one of its liberal leftists?


    Despite struggling to suppress his snarky remarks, Ke Mingye knew that these two were probably unaware of each other¡¯s identities, which was why such an absurd situation had arisen.


    Retreating a ten thousand steps back, Ke Yongzhu might not even know what the Ninja Sect is. From his birth, he was abandoned in the streets in human form and then adopted by a nearby orphanage institution. It might have been during his growth that he gradually became aware of the peculiarities inherent within himself.


    Fortunately, his mentality matured faster than ordinary people¡¯s, allowing him to hide the fact that he was actually a dragon both in the orphanage and in this family.


    As an orphan, he hadn¡¯t been schooled by a dragon on how to avoid risks, nor would he be told that the ¡°Shadow Heir Ninja Sect¡± was the greatest nemesis of their disaster-stricken Dragon Clan.


    Therefore, Ke Yongzhu was mostly unaware that there was a large group of people in the world, scheming to find him and then slaughter him thoroughly.


    Compared to these, Ke Mingye admired the alien mother even more, thinking it kind of twisted that she managed to bring together a pair of generational enemies.


    On his first day arriving at this place, he couldn¡¯t figure out how his mother could have given birth to so many children with vastly different abilities and origins.


    First of all, he and Ke Yongzhu were adopted, so there were no blood relation concerns.


    The predecessor of this body, ¡°Ke Mingye,¡± was an ordinary person; this point was unquestionable, as the traversing Ke Mingye retained all the memories from before;


    Ke Yongzhu was different. Bai Wenna probably targeted him for his ¡°disaster dragon¡± identity and picked him up from the orphanage to bring him home.


    Let¡¯s rule out those two first.


    Then, among the other five biological siblings in the house¡ªThe eldest brother ¡°Ke Yinzhi¡± was still at university and had not returned home, so his true identity was not known;


    The second brother ¡°Ke Xiaomo¡± was a Ninja;


    The sister ¡°Bai Qiuwu¡± was a Divine Communicator;


    The eldest sister ¡°Bai Zini¡± was a Magic Girl;


    The second sister ¡°Bai Ziling¡± was a vampire.


    In such a small family, the emergence of such a complex ecological situation surely couldn¡¯t be blamed on their father Ke Youqing. He was simply a Superpower User, without such a muddled array of genes.


    So no matter how one thought about it, the problem definitely lay with the mother, an alien spy sneaked onto Earth.


    If Ke Mingye wasn¡¯t wrong, Bai Wenna must have meddled with her own reproductive system and used Ke Youqing¡¯s genes along with other special genes collected on Earth to perform various breeding experiments, resulting in a series of children with disparate bloodline and clan backgrounds.


    Thinking of it this way made sense. But what was the meaning behind her actions?


    About this question, Ke Mingye had only one guess in his mind, and he believed that the accuracy of this guess should be 100%.


    In order to provide the necessary preliminary investigation details for an attack on Earth by her home planet, Bai Wenna¡¯s main task was likely to thoroughly collect detailed information on the various superhuman types on Earth.


    Otherwise, there was no need for her to have spent so much effort secretly infiltrating Earth for so long.


    To achieve this goal, she needed to place children with different superhuman characteristics close by to observe, and she had surely stealthily guided these children to use their own methods at home to conceal their abilities, to prevent their father from finding out.


    Thinking about it, Ke Youqing was the biggest unfortunate soul in the household.


    He had been active as the super-hero ¡°Qing Ya¡± since he was seventeen, and for the past thirty years, he had helped the authorities solve countless large and small superhuman criminal cases. In recent years, through a series of ruthless measures, he had managed to reduce the crime rate in Huanjing to an unprecedented level.


    Yet, he had never imagined that the greatest threat to the nation and people he protected could stem from his own unguarded family.


    It was simply tragically inhumane.


    So¡­ what was the meaning behind Bai Wenna adopting me, an ordinary person?


    That was Ke Mingye¡¯s greatest curiosity.


    Perhaps Bai Wenna also needed a normal human child as a reference point for her other superhuman-type siblings, but with so many ordinary people on Earth, was it necessary to personally adopt one?

 Chapter 16 - 16 - 011 The Way Home

    Chapter 16 ¨C 011 The Way Home


    Chapter 16: Chapter 011 The Way Home


    Ke Mingye felt it strange, but precisely because of this point, Bai Wenna¡¯s attention on him should be much less than on the other children in the family.


    Therefore, he was likely the only person in the family whom Bai Wenna did not know thoroughly.


    Because Bai Wenna could not possibly guess: just three days ago, the one child who had been ordinary for sixteen whole years was suddenly replaced by a soul from a parallel world, thereby becoming a ¡°player¡±.


    Heh, now we¡¯re looking at a case of spy meets spy¡­


    Ke Mingye felt increasingly that the two of them were fated. Bai Wenna came from an extraterrestrial planet, and he was from a parallel world, both essentially spies lurking on Earth, with overlapping objectives; Bai Wenna aimed to help her mother planet invade Earth, while his goal was to exterminate superhumans.


    If Bai Wenna¡¯s alien species was not counted as ¡°superhuman¡±, then Ke Mingye might have even considered revealing his identity to her once he had enough power, to see if they could join forces.


    ...


    After all, compared to other players, his only advantage and biggest disadvantage was that ¡°all around him were superhumans¡± from various forces, none of whom were unimportant within their respective forces:


    ¡ªBai Wenna was a spy from an alien planet, Ke Youqing was a member of the Superhero Round Table, Bai Zini was a main member of the Magical Girl Alliance, and Ke Xiaomo was the grand disciple of the Ninja Sect Master¡­


    For that reason, Ke Mingye could plan to level up traditionally, boost his strength to a certain level, and then adopt a second identity, exploiting his knowledge of his family members to get closer to them.


    If this process went smoothly, he would then try to get in touch with the powers behind them, then attempt to blend in, and bide his time.


    But, sadly, the reality before him directly negated one of Ke Mingye¡¯s ideas.


    Based on the main tasks listed by the system, Bai Wenna was also fated to be one of the hundred players Earth had to eliminate behind the scenes¡­


    And there was likely a time limit to eliminate her before the alien attack on Earth; otherwise, once the alien spacecraft descended on Earth, their troubles would increase considerably.


    So, collaborating with Bai Wenna was mostly unlikely.


    Of course, all of this was not something he needed to consider at the moment, since judging from the player panel, his attributes were still not as good as an ordinary teenager¡¯s.


    However, if the game system believed that the players could exterminate superhumans, it would definitely provide them with the conditions to match that belief.


    As long as he increased his power step by step, he would eventually understand at what level Bai Wenna¡¯s power really was.


    And before he grew strong, his primary task was to ensure that none of his family members noticed anything unusual about him.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye leaned on the railing of the second floor, pretending to look at his phone, while secretly observing the panel above Ke Xiaomo¡¯s head. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiaomo, in the Ninja Sect, must also be among the elite, but his combat power still hadn¡¯t exceeded the A rank, stopping at A+.


    So far, apart from Bai Wenna, no one else in the family had shown any S-level combat capabilities, which was doubtlessly good news for Ke Mingye.


    He thought to himself, surely in this family, apart from his brother Ke Yongzhu¡¯s terrifying potential, it really was mom who was the undisputed final Boss¡ªsince everyone else¡¯s ratings fluctuated around A rank, only Bai Wenna¡¯s combat rating was three question marks, perhaps even far exceeding S rank.


    ¡°Mingye?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo suddenly looked up, staring at him with a strange expression for a while, then called out his name.


    Ke Mingye looked up from his phone, his face showing a surprised expression.


    ¡°So, second brother, why are you back?¡±


    ¡°I had some business here, came back early,¡± Ke Xiaomo said.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even give a heads-up, dad keeps asking me when you and big brother will be back, and so does big sister.¡±


    ¡°Where are they?¡±


    ¡°They all went out, but they should be back soon,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    It made sense for him to say that, since Ke Youqing had already arrived, the combined forces of ¡°Justice Knight Azure Crow¡±, ¡°Divine Communicator ¡¤ Black Wukong¡±, and ¡°Magical Girl ¨C Ash¡± should have more than enough power to handle a ghost tree with only A-rank combat power with no suspense.


    The ghost tree was not very powerful to begin with, at best evenly matched with Bai Qiuwu. Adding Bai Zini was already pressing, barely scraping by, not to mention the immensely experienced Ke Youqing joining the battle, which directly tipped the scales.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    At this moment, in a school located on Yandai Commercial Street.


    A charming figure streaked through the deep night sky, descended from the heavens with the umbrella in hand, and landed on the rooftop of this abandoned elementary school.


    This school, which had closed ten years earlier, served as the base for all the Magic Girls in Huanjing.


    Many of China¡¯s Magic Girls had visited this school, gathering in the empty classrooms to discuss their adventures, occasionally complaining about how uncomfortable their dresses were to wear and how their magic weapons were clumsy to use;


    Some of them, who fought relying on their Contracted Beasts, often publicly punished their beasts right in the classroom, passionately declaring how these creatures had tricked them from being ordinary young girls into Magic Girls endlessly busy with missions.


    When they became emotional, they¡¯d shed tears and murmur, ¡°What¡¯s the difference between being tricked into becoming a Magic Girl and being duped into studying Civil Engineering?¡±


    Since Magic Girls generally skewed younger in age, many of them absolutely detested the word ¡°school¡±.


    They had strongly resisted using this school as their base at first, but, for convenience¡¯s sake, this historic base was still in use until now.


    At such a late hour, the abandoned school was naturally empty, providing a convenient place to shed their magic dresses. Thus, Magical Girl Ash thought of this place immediately after detaching from her battle.


    The instant her toes touched the rooftop, her clothes fell away like an invisible gauze to the ground, disappearing and replaced by her usual school uniform.


    Meanwhile, the battle umbrella called ¡°Cinderella¡± in her hand also transformed into a plain, folding black umbrella.


    ¡°Ah¡ªchoo!¡±


    Bai Zini folded her umbrella while sneezing in the cold wind. She stretched out a finger to rub her nose and stamped her feet hard, mumbling incessantly.


    ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s so late, I haven¡¯t bathed yet, and I didn¡¯t catch that damn monkey! It¡¯s infuriating!¡±


    ¡°And that annoying Qing Ya, just a puppet for the officials, I feel sick just seeing him!¡±


    She still remembered the last time she encountered Qing Ya, this bizarre ¡°Crow Man¡± had followed her all across half of Huanjing, and she had exhausted every trick in the book to finally shake him off.


    She actually knew why Qing Ya followed her; after all, being directly subordinate to the officials, they naturally tasked him with thoroughly investigating the backgrounds of these unknown vigilantes.


    But every time she thought about it, Bai Zini first felt creeped out, followed by indignation, thinking: ¡°Aren¡¯t we all fighting criminals? How does tagging along with the officials suddenly make one superior?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m done, I¡¯m done; if I don¡¯t go home soon, my phone will be blown up by my mother.¡±


    Bai Zini hugged her shoulders with her left hand and took out her mobile phone from her school uniform pocket with her right. The sight of multiple missed call notifications from ¡°Mother¡± made her shiver.


    She put away her phone, lightly clicked her tongue, and entered the stairwell from the rooftop door, clomping noisily downwards.


    Just then, a shaft of moonlight brushed through the window at the stairwell entrance, casting her face onto her phone screen.


    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot to change back my face.¡±


    Bai Zini got the shivers and hurriedly pulled out a vintage folding mirror from the pocket of her school jacket¡ªthis ¡°Magic Mirror¡± was a gift from her mentor, ¡°Magical Girl ¨C Lilai.¡±


    As long as she concentrated, by imagining her desired appearance while looking into the Magic Mirror, her features would instantly shift.


    Bai Zini never failed; she always imagined her face a few years older, pairing it with a gothic dress and a complimenting British-style makeup ensemble.


    That way, no one would recognize her.


    Bai Zini looked into the mirror until her face reverted to its original appearance, only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.


    She put away the Magic Mirror, raised her head, and following the streak of moonlight overhead, looked out the window from the stairwell entrance.


    ¡°Mentor, are you doing okay over there in London?¡±


    She murmured softly, her pupils reflecting the sky.


    The moon played hide-and-seek in the clouds, on a mackerel sky night, with wave-like cloud patterns filling the deep blue night sky.

 Chapter 17 - 17 - 012 Each with Their Own Thoughts

    Chapter 17 ¨C 012 Each with Their Own Thoughts


    Chapter 17: Chapter 012 Each with Their Own Thoughts


    June 18th, night, Huanjing, Wine Reflecting Coast, inside an old lighthouse at a corner of the coast.


    Divine Communicator ¡¤ Black Wukong stood on the observation deck, silently gazing at the distant horizon. After a long while, he slowly removed the mask covering his face, taking off his metallic silver-white coat. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Like a goldfish surfacing for air, Bai Qiuwu closed her eyes and gently took a breath. When she opened her eyes again, her pupils were still as bright as a turbid fire burning.


    She removed the hood on her head, and her long hair tied behind cascaded down immediately.


    Then, she raised her right hand and stroked over her eyes. Soon, the crimson in her pupils, like a tiny flame, flickered and extinguished, leaving only darkness.


    Bai Qiuwu¡¯s eyes drooped, and it took a long while for the burning sensation in her eyes to ease slightly. She took a deep breath, lifted her face, and remained silent for a while outside the observation deck.


    ...


    Under the moonlight, waves sparkled as they continuously lapped against the shore, breaking into white foam, rustling loudly.


    ¡°It really is her¡­¡±


    In the empty exhibition room, she muttered softly.


    The ability ¡°Eyes of Golden Flame¡± brought by the divine path ¡°Sun Wukong¡± allowed her to see through all ¡°Illusion Techniques¡± and ¡°illusions¡±.


    Perhaps the Eyes of Golden Flame couldn¡¯t penetrate to see who was behind a mask, but when she cast her gaze on someone who had altered their appearance through magic or deception, she could definitely see their true form.


    Therefore, through these eyes, Bai Qiuwu saw the true face of Magic Girl Ash clearly.


    It was an incredibly familiar face.


    A face she had known since childhood, a face that had been in her memory for over a decade, a face that kept growing but still was affectionately familiar.


    She knew what this face looked like as a child, had seen it cry, pout, but she had never seen it show her a cold expression before.


    ¡°Zi Ni, why is it you¡­¡±


    With her shoulders hugged, Bai Qiuwu¡¯s gaze shifted as she murmured softly.


    ¡°Does anyone else in the family know her identity?¡±


    She shook her head.


    ¡°No, it should be only me who knows.¡±


    ¡°Should I tell mom and dad about this?¡±


    ¡°No, that would easily expose my own identity too, but letting her continue like this could easily lead to trouble.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu slightly tilted her head, her fingers brushing her jaw, continuously weighing in her mind.


    The repeated calls of ¡°sister¡± from Bai Zini still echoed in her ears, contrasting with the stern face of Magic Girl Ash, leaving Bai Qiuwu somewhat bewildered.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why Bai Zini had become a magic girl so quietly, without anyone at home knowing.


    The situation had arisen so suddenly that it caught her off guard.


    In fact, Bai Qiuwu had already seen through with Eyes of Golden Flame that the so-called ¡°Magic Girl Ash¡± was Bai Zini during their last encounter.


    At that time, Bai Zini was fighting a criminal, and to keep her from being hurt, Bai Qiuwu had almost instinctively summoned the Somersault Cloud and forcefully dragged her away from the battlefield.


    However, what she didn¡¯t expect was that Bai Zini would hold a grudge against her for a long time because of the instinctive action she made, even deliberately seeking her out this time.


    In Bai Zini¡¯s eyes, this so-called ¡°Black Wukong¡± simply seemed to be making trouble out of nothing. She was fighting well when suddenly she was whisked tens of thousands of miles away by a cloud, which would annoy anyone.


    Now as Bai Qiuwu recalled, not treating her as Bai Zini, but as Magic Girl Ash, her ability was indeed more than sufficient to handle that criminal.


    But seeing her for the first time, she inevitably viewed her as that vulnerable little girl and instinctively wanted to whisk her away from danger, hence the meddling¡­


    If it had not been so, Bai Zini wouldn¡¯t have harbored resentment towards her, endlessly chasing after her.¡±


    ¡°Never mind, I should head home first.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu gently shook her head, no longer speculating on Bai Zini¡¯s thoughts, but instead put on a sports jacket from the table and wore a baseball cap.


    After waiting for a while at the bus stop on the coastal highway, she boarded the last bus, gazing out the window at the brightly lit city, everything seemed so elusive, like a mirage.


    Soon, the bus stopped at its station on Old Jingmai Street.


    As soon as she got off, she saw a familiar figure next to the station.


    Ke Youqing, who hadn¡¯t returned home yet, was sitting on a public bench next to the supermarket, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, a pack of cigarettes and a lighter in his hand.


    Seeing Bai Qiuwu, Ke Youqing did not speak, but just calmly sat there, squeezing his eyebrows at his daughter.


    ¡°Dad, have you been smoking here for an hour?¡± Bai Qiuwu asked him with a chuckle, her arms folded.


    ¡°No, after buying the cigarettes, I went for a walk.¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Youqing bowing his head near the lighter, clicked it and lit the cigarette hanging from his mouth, and asked with a muffled voice, ¡°Did you have fun with your friends?¡±


    ¡°It was okay, just went shopping and then came back,¡± Bai Qiuwu tilted her head and added, ¡°pretty boring.¡±


    ¡°Then we should head home, otherwise your mom is going to get mad.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The two left the supermarket, took the elevator to the ninth floor of the duplex building.


    As Ke Youqing unlocked the door, looking through the foyer, he could see the children all gathered around the large TV in the living room watching a movie.

 Chapter 18 - 18 - 012 Each with Their Own Thoughts_2

    Chapter 18 ¨C 012 Each with Their Own Thoughts_2


    Chapter 18: Chapter 012 Each with Their Own Thoughts_2


    ¡°Oh, Xiao Mo is back too?¡±


    He had a cigarette in his mouth and looked surprised as his eyes fixed on the tall, slender figure in the living room.


    Bai Qiuwu was also surprised, thinking to herself, didn¡¯t Mingye say that Elder Brother would come back in a couple of days? How come he¡¯s home already?


    Upon hearing the voice, Ke Xiaomo turned his head toward Ke Youqing and said, ¡°Dad, I came back early because I had some things to take care of.¡± He then glanced at Bai Qiuwu, ¡°Why did you come back so late?¡±


    ¡°Went out with friends.¡± Bai Qiuwu replied, ¡°Brother, are you staying here the entire summer vacation?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t have much going on this summer; just staying at home,¡± Ke Xiaomo said, ¡°But what about you? You¡¯re going to be in senior year next semester, feeling the pressure?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Not really, just keeping a normal mindset,¡± Bai Qiuwu said.


    Sitting on the couch and munching on chips, Ke Mingye spoke up: ¡°She goes out to have fun every day, doesn¡¯t even need to review, and still always in the top ten of our grade, Elder Brother, you don¡¯t have to worry about her.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Ke Xiaomo said, looking at Ke Mingye, ¡°I heard your grades have dropped dramatically recently. Don¡¯t mess up and end up unable to get into a first-tier university.¡±


    Ke Mingye chuckled: ¡°Then I¡¯ll definitely follow your lead, scoring over six hundred points, not going for a 985 university, but instead heading to Xi¡¯an to attend an ordinary first-tier university, you nearly drove Mom and Dad mad.¡±


    Though he said this, he knew that Ke Xiaomo did so to attend a university closer to Shadow Sail Mountain, making it easier to connect with the Ninja Sect.


    Bai Zini popped her head over the back of the sofa and shouted, ¡°Dad, emergency! The TV membership is about to expire, recharge it quickly!¡±


    ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll recharge it soon, just keep watching for now.¡±


    Ke Youqing said in annoyance, still with a cigarette in his mouth, as he walked upstairs.


    Bai Qiuwu closed the door, her eyes constantly on Bai Zini.


    She was watching a movie with Bai Ziling, Ke Yongzhu, Ke Xiaomo, and Ke Mingye¡ªthe ¡°Lord of the Rings¡± trilogy. It was the usual scene, Bai Zini loved sticking next to Ke Mingye, who had been her playmate since childhood, apart from Bai Ziling.


    Does Zi Ling know that Xiao Ni is a Magic Girl? Bai Qiuwu thought. And what about Mingye? Maybe I should talk to them about it, but what if they don¡¯t know?


    With that thought, she fixed her gaze on Ke Mingye. As usual, while everyone else watched the movie, he was engrossed in his phone, yawning from time to time.


    Highly unlikely, Bai Qiuwu shook her head.


    Taking a sip of boiled water, Ke Xiaomo looked at her, ¡°Why are you standing at the door? Why not join us for the movie?¡±


    ¡°You guys go ahead; I¡¯ll join you after my shower.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu said, stripping off her sneakers and slipping on sandals, she moved toward the staircase.


    ¡°Why come, don¡¯t you have school tomorrow!¡±


    Bai Wenna had just come downstairs, grumbling, ¡°A bunch of little brats, always hiding behind your Elder Brother, thinking you don¡¯t have to sleep because Xiao Mo is home?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu brushed past her, responding helplessly: ¡°Alright, Mom, Elder Brother is back, and we are happy about it. What¡¯s wrong with staying up a bit late?¡±


    Bai Wenna glared at her: ¡°You still talk back, especially you and Mingye who are high school students. You should sleep when it¡¯s time to sleep, don¡¯t think you don¡¯t have to study just because summer vacation is coming soon!¡±


    Bai Qiuwu smiled, choosing not to retort further.


    Walking up the stairs, an idea suddenly struck her: What if she used Eyes of Golden Flame to scan every single person in the house?


    Would it be like the moment she looked at Magical Girl Ash, as if her entire worldview was turned upside down?


    With that thought, she stopped her steps and silently stood in the shadow on the stairway, turning to look at the side profiles of her family.


    It was evident, Ke Mingye had no interest in the movie and was already thinking of sneaking out, but Bai Zini blocked him, chattering about something;


    Ke Yongzhu and Elder Brother Ke Xiaomo were discussing his school tyrant tales; Bai Ziling was silent, her red pupils quietly reflecting the movie¡¯s screen.


    Despite everyone growing up, every person was still the same as in her memories.


    Like every year and each summer vacation to date, everyone gathered in front of the TV, sitting on the sofa, inseparable, without any barriers, just sharing joy and laughter.


    Even in a chaotic era, it was an ordinary, happy family. For Bai Qiuwu, returning home after fighting fiercely outside always felt like returning to a tranquil harbor.


    She didn¡¯t want to break the status quo.


    At that thought, Bai Qiuwu silently dismissed the idea of discussing the matter of Bai Zini with her parents, or her other siblings.


    After all, she too harbored her own secrets. Since she didn¡¯t wish to reveal her own identity to her family, Bai Zini surely felt the same.


    Why bother then? Bai Zini was no longer a child, she knew what she was doing.


    Just like me two years ago, I thought I was invincible after gaining immense power beyond ordinary humans and could not help wanting to do something.


    ¡°We are all the same¡­¡±


    Bai Qiuwu murmured to herself, her gaze lingering on Bai Zini for a second before she moved towards the stairs.


    At that moment, Ke Mingye, seated on the sofa, stealthily glanced at her retreating figure, then quickly averted his gaze.


    ¡°Look, look, I really can¡¯t stay awake¡­¡± he said languidly, his eyelids almost closing.


    ¡°Come on, bro, just stay up with me for this one last part! We¡¯ll watch the last part tomorrow.¡± Bai Zini pulled on his shoulder again, her eyes fixed on the TV, pleading with her mouth.


    Ke Mingye shrugged, thinking to himself that compared to her throwing tantrums in front of him, the so-called ¡°Cinderella¡± parasol held to his neck might be a bit more persuasive.


    If he hadn¡¯t seen the other side of Bai Zini, where she would call him brother only when she needed something, he might actually believe that her sister was just clingy.


    Perhaps, Bai Zini was just using him, an ordinary human, as a tool to conceal her identity at home.


    Thinking about it, he truly was a prime example of a tool among tools. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Wait for your elder sister to finish her bath, she¡¯ll come and watch with you. I¡¯m out¡­¡±


    Having said that, Ke Mingye had already risen from the sofa.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have time to watch a movie with them, but he realized that tonight, his second brother Ke Xiaomo was often quietly observing him.


    The reason was unclear, but it seemed like he had become suspicious of him.


    But why? As Ke Mingye walked up the stairs, he thought to himself: I shouldn¡¯t have given away any clues, and I tried my best to act like the original owner of this body.


    Could a Ninja read minds, knowing that his brother had been replaced by me? Even more absurdly, does he think I¡¯m the calamity dragon?


    Please, open your eyes and look¡ªthe dragon you¡¯re looking for is sitting right next to you. It¡¯s that bratty sixth grader, you know?


    Ke Mingye was filled with doubts, knowing it would be better to keep his distance from Ke Xiaomo for now, and to be careful when alone.


    According to the system, a Ninja could merge into shadows, so he had to always beware of the shadows in the room, lest his second brother was hiding in the shadows, secretly watching him.


    ¡°It¡¯s really like dealing with a ghost¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye got goosebumps, silently complaining to himself as he stepped onto the second-floor, took a few steps into his room, and locked the door.


    He propped one hand on his neck and lay on the bed, checking the date on his phone; today was June 18. He then looked up the vacation dates for several schools.


    Ke Yongzhu¡¯s elementary school still had three more days before summer vacation;


    Bai Ziling and Bai Zini¡¯s middle school had one more day;


    Ke Mingye¡¯s high school, where he and Bai Qiuwu studied, had two more days;


    His second brother¡¯s university had already ended for the summer and he had returned home early today;


    As for his eldest brother, it might take another two days for him to return. So far, his eldest brother ¡°Ke Yinzhi¡± was the only one whose details Ke Mingye did not yet fully understand.


    No matter what, this summer vacation was bound to be lively¡­


    Ke Mingye looked at the ceiling spotted with a few gamboge stains, thinking to himself.


    First, he needed to locate other players in the city and establish a quiet connection with them, to arrange a time to play some instances together, and quickly elevate his levels and powers;


    Second, he had to make sure his ¡°player¡± identity did not get exposed at home, because otherwise¡­ any random family member would be able to mince him up and feed him to the pigs.

 Chapter 19 - 19 - 013: Instance Unlocked

    Chapter 19 ¨C 013: Instance Unlocked


    Chapter 19: Chapter 013: Instance Unlocked


    Because his second brother ¡°Ke Xiaomo¡± had returned home and seemed to take an unusual interest in him, Ke Mingye didn¡¯t dare make any careless moves even when he was alone in his room, for fear of inadvertently revealing any information detrimental to himself.


    After all, according to the intelligence provided by the system, his brother ¡°Ke Xiaomo¡± was not only an A+ level superhuman but also happened to be a ninja¡ªa profession skilled in gathering intelligence and scouting enemy situations, not to mention the extremely buggy ability of ¡°phasing into shadows,¡± which was nearly impossible to guard against.


    Ke Mingye knew that as long as Ke Xiaomo was at home, in the dead of night, there might always be a pair of eyes observing him from some shadow in the room¡ªunder the wardrobe, the shadow cast on the desk by the lamp, or even in the silhouette his own back projected onto the bed behind him¡­


    Just imagining the scene in his mind was enough to make Ke Mingye¡¯s scalp tingle, let alone experiencing it firsthand. So he secretly decided that he should try not to burn the midnight oil this summer vacation.


    Having nothing pressing tonight, Ke Mingye washed up and went to bed early.


    A silent night passed.


    ...


    When Ke Mingye opened his eyes again, he yawned gently and, aided by the dim light coming through the window, glanced at the clock on the wall¡ªit was already six in the morning.


    He didn¡¯t know if anything had happened last night, but he had slept soundly anyway.


    The ancients spoke of a ¡°beheading meal,¡± but at least he had had his ¡°beheading sleep,¡± which should be enough for now, regardless of how dire the situation might become later.


    What caught his eye was a little different from yesterday; Ke Mingye could now see an ¡°email icon¡± in the upper right corner of his field of vision.


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, took a sip of water from his cup, and picked up a book from beside his bed. Pretending to flip through it, he tried tapping the icon with his finger.


    The moment his fingertip touched the icon, a ¡°ding¡± sounded unexpectedly in his ear, and one email after another popped up.


    [Notification Email 1: Functions such as ¡°Daily Tasks,¡± ¡°Player Panel,¡± ¡°Player Mall,¡± ¡°Communication,¡± and ¡°Dungeon Atlas¡± are now open all day¡ªevery city in the world is scattered with randomly generated instances. The daily limit for instance challenge attempts is 1, please actively search for instances scattered throughout the city.]


    [So far, the instance challenge progress in Huanjing City is: (0/100)¡ªnot a single instance has been conquered.]


    ¡°Does every city have a hundred instances? Would that mean players who spawn in smaller cities would find instances at a much higher efficiency than those in larger cities?¡±


    ¡°Or perhaps, there are more instances distributed in larger cities than in smaller ones¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye pondered for a moment, his finger sliding over this email.


    Meanwhile, six new icons appeared in the upper right corner of his vision, lined up in a vertical row beneath the ¡°email icon.¡±


    He glanced at them, and next to the icons, a line of tiny text emerged, explaining the functions they represented, which were ¡°Mall,¡± ¡°Knapsack,¡± ¡°Personal Panel,¡± ¡°Task Bar,¡± ¡°Dungeon Card Atlas/Dungeon Detector,¡± and ¡°Communication List.¡±


    As the icons materialized, the second email unfolded before his eyes.


    [Notification Email 2: ¡°Halloween Event Dungeon¡± advance notice. On October 31 of this year, traveling to Huanjing¡¯s ¡°Huanjing Happy Valley¡± amusement park will open the dungeon.] Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Note: This email will only be received by players who are in Huanjing City, China.]


    While Ke Mingye was reading the second email, a song with a spooky atmosphere suddenly sounded in his ear.


    He raised an eyebrow, recalling that he had heard this song before¡ª¡±Thriller,¡± by ¡°Michael Jackson,¡± which indeed could be considered a symbolic song for ¡°Halloween.¡±


    ¡°A Halloween instance, huh? It must be designed with a festive atmosphere¡­ sounds downright spooky,¡± Ke Mingye thought. ¡°But a dungeon that won¡¯t open until four months from now and you¡¯re starting the teasers already, afraid we¡¯ll forget and miss out on your surprises, huh?¡±


    With that thought, he emotionlessly swiped away the email, only to be met with another of the same format.


    [Notification Email 3: ¡°Spring Festival Instance¡± advance teaser. On January 25th of next year, travel to ¡°Winter City Avenue¡± in Huanjing City to activate the instance.]


    ¡°Great, great, you¡¯re previewing all the way into next year. I¡¯d be lucky to survive this summer and might need to light incense and pray¡ªby this time next year, the grass on my grave could be as tall as me.¡±


    Grumbling in his mind, Ke Mingye placed the cup on the bedside table and swiped past the email.


    His expression slightly changed as he saw the content of the next email.


    [Notification Email 4¡ª¡ªDeath Notice: Last night, players born in New York, United States¡ª¡±Wilmer Hogue¡± and ¡°Sean Cameron¡±¡ªwere captured by an Abnormal Regulation Bureau S-Level Enforcer ¡°Ke Yinzhi¡± and tortured to death.


    In their final moments, these two players committed some despicable acts: they confessed all known intelligence regarding ¡°players.¡±


    The Anomaly Control Bureau has now transferred this intelligence to the organization ¡°Super-Dimensional Supervision Bureau,¡± in charge of matters related to transmigrators. The concept of ¡°players¡± will gradually spread within superhuman forces, and they will learn that the mission of ¡°players¡± is ¡°to exterminate superhumans.¡±


    All surviving players must be extremely cautious of inspections by these two organizations and avoid arousing suspicion amongst the surrounding superhumans.]


    [Current number of surviving players: 97/100]


    Ke Mingye was stunned.


    ¡°But¡­ you two Americans, just dying was not enough, had to screw over your teammates before you went, thinking our undercover work wasn¡¯t hard enough, huh?¡± he thought.


    He had originally believed the script of this game was: if we¡¯re not strong enough, just lay low and endure, at worst endure a few days, then rely on the game system to grow stronger and suddenly rise up to overturn this world.


    Reality, however, immediately slapped him hard, and this slap came with a critical hit, damage x2.


    Yes, he never expected that, just on the fourth day, three players were already dead¡ªincluding the two Americans, who not only died but had turned traitor just before.


    Both of you gave up the word ¡°players,¡± so what¡¯s the point in playing anymore? Who knows what means the Super-Dimensional Supervision Bureau, specifically targeting ¡°transmigrators,¡± will use to single us out from the crowd¡­


    ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m already starting in hell, and you guys want to fuel the fire of my hellish start, thinking it¡¯s not burning fiercely enough, wanting me to go straight to heaven, is that it¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye struggled to keep his composure and took a deep breath.


    On one hand, he was dismayed by how incredibly useless his teammates were. Despite the dire situation, he had managed to stay alive, but did these two Americans have no acting skills at all?


    On the other hand, he was also taken aback by the high efficiency of the Anomaly Control Bureau. What had those two players done to get themselves targeted?


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye took another look at the email and realized he had overlooked a name¡ªthe so-called ¡°Abnormal Regulation Bureau S-Level Enforcer¡± who had captured the two players mentioned in the system email.


    The enforcer¡¯s name was:


    ¡ª ¡°Ke Yinzhi.¡±

 Chapter 20 - 20 - 014: Wheel of Fortune Rewards

    Chapter 20 ¨C 014: Wheel of Fortune Rewards


    Chapter 20: Chapter 014: Wheel of Fortune Rewards


    [Notification Email 4 ¡ª Death Notice: Last night, players born in New York, United States¡ª¡±Wilmer Hogue¡± and ¡°Sean Cameron¡±¡ªwere captured by the S-level Executor ¡°Ke Yinzhi¡± of the Anomaly Control Bureau and tortured to death.]


    ¡°Wait a minute, why does the name of this executor look so familiar?¡±


    Ke Mingye stared at the name ¡°Ke Yinzhi¡± on the email for two or three seconds before he finally came to his senses, realizing that he had been focusing on the wrong thing from the start¡­


    The point was not the two American players who were captured, but the name of the person who had caught them.


    The next second, he cursed inwardly, belatedly conscious of the fact.


    ¡°Damn it, isn¡¯t that my older brother?¡±


    ...


    Ke Yinzhi, the eldest son at home, 21 years old this year. As far as Ke Mingye could recall, this person had been frighteningly excellent since childhood and was currently attending university in Qifan, China.


    At this thought, Ke Mingye wanted to tell himself that his big brother was studying in China, and the executor in the report was just in New York, United States, probably just someone with the same name.


    But quickly, he metaphorically slapped himself, forcing the thought of escaping reality out of his mind.


    ¡°Please, what are the odds? How many people in China would have such a tongue-twisting name as ¡®Ke Yinzhi,¡¯ not to mention among those of Chinese descent.¡±


    Ke Mingye massaged his forehead for two seconds and let out a sigh.


    He was ninety-nine percent certain that the S-level executor affiliated with the Anomaly Control Bureau mentioned in the email was his big brother.


    He had been curious why his brother, despite being on university vacation, had not yet returned home. Now the truth had been laid bare in a way he least wanted to hear¡ªit turned out Ke Yinzhi was acting as a dog for the Anomaly Control Bureau, busy traveling around the world carrying out missions. And just yesterday, he had unfortunately captured two players.


    Now, Ke Mingye finally saw the full picture of this family.


    Indeed, just as he had predicted, there wasn¡¯t a single normal person in this family. Moreover, his eldest brother was a freak among freaks; in just a few days, he had captured players lurking in New York.


    No matter how Ke Yinzhi had managed to capture those two players, it was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for Ke Mingye.


    ¡°My spawn point design is really awesome, isn¡¯t it? Maybe I should find a pistol and shoot myself in the head before big brother comes home, just to check if this game has a Remake function.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself cheerfully as he put down the book he had been using as a disguise. The reason he had kept the book up to his face was that he was worried his second brother, Ke Xiaomo, might be observing him from some shadow in the room at this very moment, looking for something odd about him.


    He got out of bed, put on his shoes, cleaned up in the bathroom, then looked back to see the second-floor rooms still tightly shut, without any sign of life.


    All his siblings were lazy dogs; getting up at six was as good as eating shit to them, so Ke Mingye didn¡¯t bother waking them up.


    Before leaving the house, Ke Mingye made sure to take his backpack with him. Ke Youqing and Bai Wenna tended to get up late and had no time to prepare breakfast, so they usually gave their children money for breakfast and lunch the night before. Ke Mingye planned to stop at a roadside stall on the way to school to deal with breakfast.


    After leaving the house, he took the elevator down to the ground floor. As the elevator doors opened, his gaze through the lobby¡¯s entrance fell upon the desolate street outside. Each shop¡¯s door was firmly shut, only the supermarket across the street remained open, with the electronic sign ¡°7-Seven¡± flickering on and off in the morning light with its neon glow.


    Looking up, he saw a slightly oppressive dark blue sky, cloudless.


    Fortunately, the air was still relatively fresh in the early morning. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Can I really survive this¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess I just have to take it one step at a time.¡±


    Muttering softly to himself, Ke Mingye walked along the deserted street, pretending to look at his phone and opening the taskbar.


    [Daily Task One: Run 3000 meters in the morning. (This task must be completed before 8 a.m.)]


    [Reward for this task: A chance to spin the lucky draw wheel.]


    [Daily Task Two: Do one hundred push-ups.]


    [Task Reward: Receive one attribute point to allocate freely.]


    [Daily Mission Three: None (Each day there is a 10% chance to refresh a special daily mission; completing this mission will yield richer rewards than ordinary daily missions.)]


    [Note: Daily missions will refresh at 0:00 the following day, please aim to finish the missions before the time limit ends.]


    After reading the mission details, Ke Mingye left his backpack with the supermarket owner and started running along the streets of the Old Jingmai District.


    He ran and ran, sprinting without holding back, until the sky changed from a dark blue to pure white and his school uniform was drenched in sweat, only then did he stop.


    Ke Mingye placed his hands on his slightly bent knees and bent over, gasping for breath.


    After a while, he lifted his head from his sweat-drenched forehead and looked at the mission prompt floating before his eyes.


    [You have completed Daily Mission One and have earned an opportunity to spin the prize wheel. Would you like to spin it now?]


    ¡°Spin it.¡±


    As his words fell, a round prize wheel slowly unfolded before his eyes, with intersecting red lines dividing it into six sectors, each marked with text and icons.


    From sector one to six, the rewards are as follows:


    [1. C-class Weapon¡ªElectromagnetic Pulse Pistol (Ammunition can be purchased in the mall);]


    [2. 500 Mall Coins (Can be used to purchase items in the player¡¯s mall);]


    [3. One attribute point to allocate freely;]


    [4. Unique Item¡ªSpider-Man¡¯s Web Shooter (Derived from the superhero franchise in the second parallel universe ¡°Spider-Man¡±);]


    [5. B-class Item¡ª¡±Firearms Mastery Card¡±;]


    [6. Thank You For Participating.]


    Ke Mingye walked forward while checking each sector¡¯s reward on the prize wheel.


    Since he wasn¡¯t familiar with the game¡¯s items, he naturally didn¡¯t know which reward was the best; he only knew that if it landed on the sixth reward, he¡¯d seriously have to check if the system had a remake function.


    Without hesitation, he immediately pressed the ¡°Start Wheel¡± button below the prize wheel.


    The prize wheel spun like a windmill, the top pointer remaining stationary. Ultimately, the segment it landed on was the fourth sector.


    [Congratulations, you have obtained the prize from the fourth sector: Unique Item¡ª¡±Spider-Man¡¯s Web Shooter¡±.]


    [Item has been added to your inventory; open the inventory to check.]


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow: ¡°Nice stuff, but my current physical fitness probably won¡¯t cut it, might have to put it on ice for a while.¡±


    At that moment, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned his head, only to see a huge panel materializing above an abandoned train station in front of him.


    [Congratulations, you have discovered the ¡°7th instance¡± of ¡°Huanjing City¡±, which has been recorded in your dungeon atlas. You can open the atlas at any time to check.]


    [Instance Name: Crazy Train Station]


    [Instance Location: Old Jingmai District, Abandoned Train Station]


    [Instance Difficulty: F-class (Recommended for players below level 10 to form a team)]

 Chapter 21 - 21 - 015 Spider Web Device

    Chapter 21 ¨C 015 Spider Web Device


    Chapter 21: Chapter 015 Spider Web Device


    ¡°The entirety of Huanjing only has a total of one hundred instances, and I just happened to stumble upon one just by walking around, seems like my luck isn¡¯t too bad,¡± thought Mingye, looking up at the instance panel above the abandoned train station.


    The panel was as big as a cinema screen, embedded in reality, which undeniably created a surreal visual impact that was hard to miss.


    If every instance panel was this big, then logically, even if there weren¡¯t many players in Huanjing, each one could still find several instances.


    He didn¡¯t dare enter an instance alone, fearing that once in, he might not come out again. Better to wait and contact other players in the city and form a team before entering.


    With this thought, Mingye withdrew his gaze and glanced at the list of daily tasks.


    [Daily Task 1: Run 3000 meters (Completed)]


    ...


    [Daily Task 2: Do one hundred push-ups (Uncompleted) (Current: 0/100) (Reward: One attribute point to be assigned freely)]


    ¡°The next task¡¯s reward is an attribute point, huh¡­¡±


    Mingye thought, as he opened his personal panel.


    [Player Level: Lv.1]


    [Player Experience Points: 0 points/500 points (can be obtained via ¡°instances,¡± ¡°tasks,¡± ¡°killing superhumans,¡± etc.)]


    [Player Attributes: Physical fitness: 9 points; neurological reaction: 9 points; mental strength: 10 points]


    [Below are the attribute standards for different levels of humans:


    Normal adolescents: 13 points;


    Normal adults: 20 points;


    F-level superhumans¡¯ outstanding attribute: 30-60 points;


    E-level superhumans¡¯ outstanding attribute: 60-100 points;


    D-level superhumans¡¯ outstanding attribute: 100-140 points;


    C-level superhumans¡¯ outstanding attribute: 140-180 points;


    B-level superhumans¡¯ outstanding attribute: 180-250 points;


    A-level superhumans¡¯ outstanding attribute: 250-400 points.]


    Mingye raised an eyebrow, doing some quick calculations.


    ¡°Based on these calculations, Bai Zini could beat two hundred and fifty of me; Bai Qiuwu could beat three hundred of me; Dad could beat four hundred of me; Mom could beat at least five hundred of me.¡±


    In that moment, he felt genuinely thankful to God from the bottom of his heart, for having the honor to be born into this family and becoming an indispensable part of it:


    ¡ª as a unit of measurement for combat power.


    [Player Abilities: Firearms proficiency not yet activated, Lock-picking expertise not yet activated¡­ (Open abilities list to view all your ability details)]


    [Player Skills: None (Each player can equip up to ten skills, and can replace skills in the skill slot after it is filled.)]


    Ke Mingye clicked the close button on the panel and headed towards the supermarket where his backpack was stored, pondering along the way.


    ¡°Although the attribute point given by the daily task doesn¡¯t seem effective for now, it will be useful as it accumulates. One a day adds up to 365 points a year. If they are all added to physical fitness, then I¡¯d nearly be a superhuman whose strength is an A grade.¡±


    ¡°Logically, by that time, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to smash a Magic Girl with one punch.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention, I should also be able to gain attribute points by ¡®leveling up¡¯ or ¡®entering instances.''¡±


    ¡°However, my current physical fitness is really pitiful, darn it, only 9 points, a normal teenager has 13 points, that¡¯s a whole 4 points lower. Doing a hundred push-ups in a row would definitely be hopeless, I might even pass out. When I get to school, I¡¯ll do a few during the breaks, that should roughly add up by the end of the day.¡±


    Walking absentmindedly, Ke Mingye soon arrived at the supermarket at the entrance to his home. He retrieved his stored backpack from the owner and slung it over his shoulder.


    He checked his phone, and it was already seven o¡¯clock.


    ¡°Young man, I haven¡¯t seen you go for a morning run before,¡± the owner asked.


    ¡°The world is so dangerous nowadays, better to work out vigorously and strive to smash a Magic Girl with one punch.¡±


    Saying this, Ke Mingye took a pineapple bun and a bottle of oat milk from the supermarket¡¯s cabinet, held them in his hand, and paid by scanning a code.


    ¡°You don¡¯t say, I encountered a superhuman in the western district before, and it was a Magic Girl who saved my life. She used an umbrella as a gun, and she was so impressive that both my spouse and I were stunned. On the way back, my spouse and I discussed on the bus about these Magic Girls and this one with the umbrella was the most delicate looking.¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The owner said laughing. He picked up a folding fan and fanned his face with it.


    Ke Mingye laughed along, thinking to himself that Bai Zini not only appealed to both genders but also didn¡¯t spare the elderly, proving that in this era, the charm of Magic Girls is indeed more trendy than that of traditional celebrities.


    Not only do they have the underage Buff, but those who become Magic Girls are generally good-looking. Combined with their strong ability to protect the people, their appearance alone comes with a dazzling filter, making them hard not to be popular.


    Even the past idol agencies are no longer promoting idols. Perceptive agents have promptly aligned themselves with some not-so-serious superheroes or Magic Girls. With a little repackaging and some purchased online traffic, becoming an overnight sensation on the internet is no difficult feat.


    Those who still stick to the old idol routine are swimming against the current, attracting few followers, becoming the outcasts of the era.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a fan of hers, are you?¡±


    While he spoke, Ke Mingye tore open the package of the bread and glanced at the owner.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always seen her videos on TikTok.¡±


    ¡°Really? My classmates say that these Magic Girls never bathe, wearing the same outfit every day, which is really bad luck. Whenever we see them, we immediately block, unfollow, and report them. Time to go to school, see you later, boss.¡±


    Ke Mingye took a bite of the pineapple bun, casually maligned Bai Zini¡¯s reputation, and then left the supermarket with his backpack, heading towards Huanjing Third High School.


    His older sister, Bai Qiuwu, also attended this high school, although they were a grade apart. Once this summer vacation was over, one would be in the second year, and the other in the third year of high school, the academic pressure was indescribable. Luckily, Ke Mingye had good grades in his past life and handled it like a fish in water.


    On his way to school, he clicked on the ¡°Knapsack¡± icon in the upper right corner of his vision. This thing was like a backpack in an online game, used for storing equipment and materials.


    Upon opening it, he saw a total of fifty slots in the knapsack panel, with forty-nine of them empty except for the first slot, which held an item.


    The only item in the knapsack was a ¡°Web Shooter¡± he won from a spin-the-wheel lottery, from the well-known movie ¡°Spider-Man¡± in another parallel world.


    Ke Mingye had looked this up on his first day here; because this world already had superheroes, most ¡°superhero movies¡± had become ¡°documentaries¡± or ¡°biographical movies,¡± hence there were no such fictional characters as ¡°Spider-Man,¡± ¡°Batman,¡± or ¡°Superman.¡±


    Instead, there were superpower Users, mutants, Magic Girls, or characters adapted based on their images who had really existed in history.


    Thus, he guessed that when people from this world see him pull out the Web Shooter, their first reaction would probably be what on earth is this, rather than asking with a smile, ¡°Are you cosplaying Spider-Man?¡±

 Chapter 22 - 22 - 016 Contact List

    Chapter 22 ¨C 016 Contact List


    Chapter 22: Chapter 016 Contact List


    In the grid of the travel panel, the item icon for the ¡°Web Shooter¡± resembled a watch. A touch of the finger on the icon instantly popped up a series of small options.


    Ke Mingye sipped some oat milk and clicked on the ¡°View Item Description¡± option, and a panel the size of a palm appeared before his eyes.


    [Equipment Name: Web Shooter]


    [Equipment Strength: B- grade (this equipment can be modified and enhanced by betting Mall Coins)]


    [Rarity: Unique (only one piece)]


    [Equipment Description: A prop used by the protagonist Peter Parker in the famous superhero work from Parallel World No. 2, ¡°Spider-Man¡±.]


    ...


    Beneath the description was a top view of the item, and players could move the perspective by sliding their finger to get a comprehensive view of the equipment¡¯s appearance. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye was already familiar with this, but he still took a quick look.


    The Web Shooter¡¯s appearance resembled a ¡°metal wrist guard,¡± the difference being that it had a display the size of a watch on top, overall it was lightweight and sturdy, designed with a strong sense of technology. According to the description, the display could be used to check the time under normal conditions, but during battle, it could be used to check the remaining amount of webbing.


    Players could use the [Appearance Settings] option below to adjust the color of the ¡°Web Shooter¡±: according to the system¡¯s settings, there were two color schemes to choose from, one was black, and the other was a mix of red and blue¡ªseemingly generated based on the classic color scheme of the Spider-Man costume.


    Moreover, they could also change the activation conditions of the Web Shooter through the [Trigger Mechanism Adjustment] option, with several conditions available to choose from, generally involving a special pressing gesture.


    Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t be bothered to fuss over it and directly chose a gesture closest to that from the film ¡°Spider-Man¡± as the trigger condition, mainly as a tribute to the classic.


    A few videos were placed in the introduction panel, demonstrating how to use this equipment.


    The protagonist in each video was Spider-Man himself, using the Web Shooter to shoot out webbing, grabbing it to swing between skyscrapers; using the Web Shooter to bind the limbs of villains with webs; and using the shot web to stick to a car, grabbing the webbing and tossing the car towards the villains.


    All these kinds of usage methods were available, as if fearing that players wouldn¡¯t learn how to use this gadget.


    Besides, this equipment could be upgraded and strengthened, not remaining static.


    According to the item¡¯s description, by spending enough Mall Coins, the ¡°Web Shooter¡± could be modified in many ways, such as: increasing ¡°the maximum capacity of webbing,¡± enhancing ¡°the toughness of the webbing,¡± adding ¡°neurotoxicity¡± or ¡°electric shock effects¡± to the shot webbing, and so on.


    What bothered Ke Mingye more was that the ¡°webbing fluid¡± needed for the shooter, once depleted, had to be purchased in the players¡¯ mall using Mall Coins.


    But he still didn¡¯t know how to obtain Mall Coins. Would daily tasks refresh them? Or did players need to play instances, and currently, the game system had not provided any rewards for instances.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll find an open space after school to try out this thing.¡±


    Ke Mingye finished the last sip of oat milk through a straw, casually tossed it into a roadside trash bin, and exited the travel panel.


    He then clicked on the ¡°Friends Communication¡± icon in the upper right corner of his vision.


    Rows of text entered his pupils.


    [Among one hundred players, your serial number is NO.007, and the serial numbers of the three deceased players are NO.093 (Wilmer Hogue), NO.095 (Sean Cameron), NO.023 (Amemiya Kazuko).]


    [According to system detection, the players currently in ¡°China, Huanjing¡± with you total three, their codes respectively are: NO.039, NO.035, NO.032.]


    [If you do not want other players to know your real name, you can choose to create a virtual ID the first time you enter the friends communication list.]


    [Would you like to create an ID, or communicate with other players under your real name?]


    Isn¡¯t this obvious? Ke Mingye blurted out, ¡°Create.¡±


    [Please enter your ID on the panel, this ID cannot be changed, and other players will see this ID when they communicate with you in the communication list.]


    Ke Mingye raised his eyebrows, walked into a deserted alley, and almost instantly thought of the ID ¡°Failed Man¡±, so he immediately typed it into the panel and submitted it.


    This was a homophone for Spider-Man, which he slapped onto the keyboard in a flash.


    [Are you sure you want to use ¡°Failed Man¡± as your ID going forward?]


    ¡°Confirm.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself, could he not fail since he was surrounded by eight Superhumans right from the start, all of whom were tough guys, which was no different from being in prison?


    [Welcome to the Friends Communication List, Failed Man.]


    [Your initial avatar is set to: Mario.]


    [There are currently no friends in your list. Players must interact in person to add each other as friends. However, players in the same city can create a temporary discussion group before they become friends. Would you like to initiate a discussion group to include other players from the city?]


    Ke Mingye bit off the last piece of bread and summoned the command.


    ¡°Initiate.¡±


    [Discussion group created successfully, other city players have been added to the group, all players can leave at any time.]


    [You can mentally input and proofread text without needing to type.]


    A neutral notification tone sounded, and a chat panel appeared in front of him. It was very user-friendly, pretty much like the group chat UI on WeChat.


    Ke Mingye clicked on ¡°Group Chat List¡± and glanced at the other members of the discussion group. Everyone had registered their IDs by then, no one was using their real names. The avatars were all default ones, Mario. After all, since they were using fake IDs, surely no one would upload a selfie as their avatar, right?


    The IDs of the three people were ¡°Fan Quan,¡± ¡°Good Ju Zipi,¡± and ¡°Undefined Dream.¡±


    He thought to himself, why are these IDs so abstract? Could they have randomly mashed the keyboard to create them? Especially the last one, it¡¯s too unconventional.


    Ke Mingye tried inputting text with his mind, and clicked send.


    [Failed Man: Hello, anyone up for teaming up to run an instance?]


    No response.


    [Failed Man: Where are your starting points? Are there many Superhumans at home?]


    Still no response.


    Ke Mingye had to get serious, he pushed himself to use his short essay writing skills, input, and send.


    [Failed Man: How about this, let¡¯s take turns speaking, okay?]


    [Failed Man: If Superhumans aren¡¯t extinct in a year, we will be, stop hesitating. In this tense period, we are a community of fate, got it?]


    After sending this, no one in the discussion group still paid him any attention.


    Ke Mingye, expressionless, typed a new line in the chat box, ¡°If no one responds, your horses won¡¯t escape unscathed.¡±


    Ready to fire, his finger was about to send it.


    But just then, suddenly a chat notification sound came into his ears.


    Finally, someone noticed him.


    He had never found the ¡°ding¡± sound so pleasant, so he quietly retracted the finger he had on the send button, but the text he had typed in the chat box still went through.


    [Undefined Dream: I¡¯m an orphan.]


    [Failed Man: If you don¡¯t reply, your horses won¡¯t escape unscathed.]


    Ke Mingye was quick to retract.


    [Notification: ¡°Failed Man¡± has withdrawn a message.]


    He glanced at the message from ¡°Undefined Dream,¡± casually typed a reply with his mind, and sent.


    [Failed Man: Although I sympathize with you, what does that have to do with whether you have Superhumans at home?]


    [Undefined Dream: Your mom, I mean the game character I¡¯m using is an orphan, my starting point is in an orphanage, not that I was an orphan in my past life, get it?]


    [Failed Man: Sm¨¦e maase.]


    [Failed Man: Now that you mention it, I get it. Are there Superhumans in the orphanage?]


    [Undefined Dream: None.]


    Seeing this line of text, Ke Mingye burst out a curse in vernacular.


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    He took a deep breath, and after a long while, with a look of utter dejection, he accepted a fact: ¡°It turns out I¡¯m the only one who started in hell surrounded by eight Superhumans.¡±

 Chapter 23 - 23 - 017: Campus Daily Life

    Chapter 23 ¨C 017: Campus Daily Life


    Chapter 23: Chapter 017: Campus Daily Life


    After that brief moment earlier, the player had not spoken again. The other two local players in the discussion group remained silent, eerily so.


    Ke Mingye understood, given that a player¡¯s identity at the start should be random: office workers, orphans, fugitives¡­ anything was possible. They might have been in situations where they couldn¡¯t break away, like paying respects at their parents¡¯ graves, so not replying for the time being was not a big deal.


    He didn¡¯t bother with that discussion group anymore and finally arrived at the school¡¯s teaching building at 07:20.


    Just as he ascended the stairs, he brushed past a familiar figure, and a faint voice reached his ears.


    ¡°You¡¯re up so early, yet you arrive at school so late?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu spoke, pausing two or three steps higher on the stairs, turning her head to look down at Ke Mingye.


    ...


    ¡°I went for a run, so I was a bit late,¡± Ke Mingye replied, lifting his eyes from his phone to meet her gaze.


    A ray of morning light streamed through the window at the end of the corridor, falling on her lead-grey bright hair, as if one could see their own reflection in her crisp pupils.


    Bai Qiuwu casually tossed him a bottle, ¡°Here, Mom asked me to give this to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Ke Mingye caught the bottle and glanced down at it. It was a bottle of calcium tablets.


    ¡°Study hard.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu quirked the corner of her mouth at him, then continued upstairs.


    ¡°Sure, sis, same to you,¡± Ke Mingye casually replied as he watched her back.


    The students walking up the stairs, both boys and girls, would mostly give sidelong glances towards Bai Qiuwu. Ke Mingye didn¡¯t want to talk to her at school for this very reason¡ªif this were a Japanese school setting, she¡¯d be the type to find love letters overflowing from her shoe locker when she opened it in the morning.


    Ke Mingye continued up the stairs and stopped on the second floor. The first classroom around the corner was his class.


    He put his phone in his drawer and sat down in his seat. By then, the classroom was already full of students.


    In any parallel world, high schools in China are always among the most competitive.


    The reason why it¡¯s rare to see Chinese high schoolers saving the world in fantasy themes is typically because their daily schedule is filled with classes from morning to afternoon, followed by evening self-study after dinner, with their time clearly organized.


    Luckily, with summer vacation approaching, the school had discontinued the evening self-study. This allowed Ke Mingye to stay home last night.


    However, for Ke Mingye, being at school was far more relaxing than being at home.


    After all, compared to being trapped with a bunch of secretive monsters, forced into playing a hair-raising pretend game, he would rather stay in school, do some questions, and ease his tight nerves.


    This body¡¯s former self didn¡¯t have many friends either due to a very solitary personality; he usually kept to himself, which minimized the trouble of socializing.


    Upon entering the classroom, Ke Mingye heard the boys and girls gathered together, fervently discussing the superhuman attack that had occurred in the city center last night.


    In this world, the essential nature of the Superheroes video dark web was similar to that of adult websites in his past life: officially prohibited, yet most people have a link or two saved just in case.


    At that moment, a boy sitting in the back row had placed his phone on the desk, playing the live broadcast recording from last night, with other students crowding around the desk.


    As the volume of discussion and exclamations rose, few remained in their seats, all drawn to the commotion.


    When, at the end of the recording, Qing Ya suddenly burst out from the darkness, his eerie mask filling the entire screen; although many students were mentally prepared, they still jumped in fright when they saw the scene, scattering away from the desk with screams.


    The entire classroom fell quiet for a second, and those who weren¡¯t watching looked up from their desks, exchanging glances as if they expected the class teacher had arrived.


    Ke Mingye, toying with his phone, had already grown accustomed to such commotion.


    He yawned, thinking to himself, ¡°Do they understand? This is the ¡®terrifying Crow Man¡¯s¡¯ oppressive presence. Anyone who wants to play a villain in the future had better learn a thing or two¡­¡±


    There were also many high school girls who were fans of ¡°Magical Girl Ash.¡± When they saw last night¡¯s video on TikTok, they were screaming in excitement, saying how elegant and stylish the outfit was, determined to save their pocket money to buy one. It was common for students to purchase one-to-one scale replicas of the Magic Girl Cosplay outfits on online shopping platforms, similar to how people buy merchandise related to their favorite celebrities. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As stars gradually fade from people¡¯s sight, naturally, another kind of person replaces them to stimulate a similar economic effect.


    At this moment, the whole teaching building was bustling with noise. Just about every student was discussing last night¡¯s events with no sign of stopping, indicative of the high level of attention the matter received.


    Mostly, it was naive boys fiercely debating the combat capabilities of the superhumans, afraid that their favorite superhero might seem inferior.


    Ke Mingye sat quietly in a corner of the classroom, resting his chin on his hand.


    He was quite curious, what these people would think if they knew that Magical Girl Ash, in reality, was a junior high student two grades younger than them.


    However, considering the chaotic personalities fostered by internet culture that beset contemporary high school students, even after learning of this Magic Girl¡¯s identity, they would likely become even more zealous in their speech.


    Well, at most, the supportive comments would shift from ¡°Sister is so awesome, I love her!¡± to ¡°Ash, mommy loves you!¡±¡ª such bizarre remarks.


    Among the high school male crowd, the fans of ¡°Diviner Black Wukong¡± were especially numerous, and it wasn¡¯t unusual for figurines of this Divine Communicator to sell out overnight.


    However, the students in the class were discussing members of his own family.


    Having grown up with them, Ke Mingye knew each person¡¯s true nature, so the mystery that otherwise attracted others was absent for him. Even knowing their secret identities didn¡¯t captivate him with their charm.


    He couldn¡¯t fathom why Bai Zini¡¯s popularity was so frighteningly high in China, even outpacing other members of the Magical Girl Alliance by a large margin.


    Perhaps in a country as conservative as China, where everyone was used to watching magic girls who were pure-hearted and well-mannered on TV, a Magic Girl who flaunted her disobedience and independence so boldly was a refreshing sight.


    Of course, speaking of such characters, there was an even more independent figure involved in last night¡¯s events¡­


    To be precise, that individual had been so headstrong that he had faced universal condemnation¡ª undoubtedly, it was Ke Mingye¡¯s father, Ke Youqing, also known as the vigilante ¡°Qing Ya.¡±


    It was a harsh reality that in Chinese high schools, admitting to being a fan of a widely condemned, subpar vigilante like ¡°Qing Ya¡± could lead to isolation and ridicule, and even get you labeled as ¡°mentally abnormal.¡±


    Even political studies teachers would proclaim in class that it¡¯s totally fine to idolize superheroes and Magic Girls since they are the heroes of the people and the country; however, low-grade characters like ¡°Qing Ya¡± should be avoided to prevent negative influence.


    That said, there were always a few eccentric individuals in every class who insisted on going against the tide and liking something different, so despite being overwhelmingly rejected by society, ¡°Qing Ya¡± did in fact have a significant fan base in China, although the composition of this group was somewhat questionable.


    There were four classes in the morning. Each time the bell rang for the break, Ke Mingye would make sure to find an empty spot to silently complete twenty push-ups.


    So by the time school ended at noon, he had managed to drag his sluggish, tractor-like body through the hundred push-ups required for his daily task without missing a single one.


    [Daily Task Two: Do one hundred push-ups (Completed)]


    [Reward received: One freely assignable attribute point]


    Ke Mingye, looking dejected, slumped in his seat, gasping for air as he looked at the panel.


    He was genuinely worried he might drop dead any second now. Starting out in hell wasn¡¯t a joke; his body was beyond being described by the mere words ¡°poor constitution.¡±


    ¡°Frail¡± would be a more appropriate term.


    He rested his head on the desk for a moment before opening the player panel, pretending to scroll through short videos on his phone so as not to attract attention from his classmates.


    He clicked the plus sign next to the ¡°Physical Fitness¡± attribute, prompting a notification to pop up.


    [Notification: ¡°1 attribute point¡± has been added to the ¡°Physical Fitness¡± attribute.]


    [Current player attributes are as follows¡ªPhysical Fitness: 10 points; Neurological Reaction: 9 points; Spiritual Power: 10 points]


    Ke Mingye moved his shoulders a bit and couldn¡¯t be sure if it was just his imagination, but the feeling of fatigue seemed to have eased somewhat.


    At the same time, a subtle warmth flowed back and forth through his bones and muscles like the tide.


    After allocating the points, he closed the panel. With nothing else to do, he lay his head down on the desk and began scrolling through videos.


    Just opening an entertainment app in this world, like Douyin or Weibo, would almost immediately present a superhero¡¯s face, or at least be on the way to seeing one.


    As soon as Ke Mingye opened the video app, the first recommended video was a highlight reel of the ¡°Superhero Round Table¡¯s¡± top hero¡ª¡±Channeler Zeus.¡±

 Chapter 24 - 24 - 018 Mythical Carriers

    Chapter 24 ¨C 018 Mythical Carriers


    Chapter 24: Chapter 018 Mythical Carriers


    Firando Gomez, this superhero¡¯s code name is ¡°Channeler Zeus.¡± He is also a member of the ¡°Superhero Round Table¡± and is ranked No.3 on the Association¡¯s leaderboard.


    When Ke Mingye came across this video, he thought to himself, ¡°What bad luck. Am I cursed to watch highlight reels of the final boss again?¡±


    As the name suggests, Firando Gomez is a Divine Communicator. The path he channels symbolizes the supreme God King of Greek mythology¡ª ¡°Zeus.¡±


    Every time Firando appeared on camera, he consistently presented the same image: his face always bore the smile of an all-American boy. To be more precise, it was the kind of smile that was slightly na?ve yet candid, offering a row of neatly aligned teeth.


    With blond hair and blue eyes, his features were handsome, and his countenance rugged. His looks could rival the peak-era David Beckham, and some might say he even surpassed him.


    Combining a superior appearance, impeccable power, and a universally recognized status, he was almost like a presidential figure in the United States.


    ...


    After a national vote, multiple American media outlets named him ¡°the most perfect man in the world¡± No.1; now he is undeniably the most popular superhero in Europe.


    On the internet, one can easily find news and articles that lavishly praise his heroic stature to a tiresome degree.


    But even as such a figure, he is ranked only No.3 within the Superhero Association.


    Being third means that ahead of him, there are two more mysterious figures with abilities surpassing his, and like the No.7 ranked ¡°Qing Ya,¡± their information is not disclosed to the public.


    Ke Mingye considered that perhaps the top two individuals in the Association¡¯s ranks would only take action in the event of an apocalyptic crisis.


    After all, as a player, if he survived until the end, an inevitable confrontation with those two figures was unavoidable.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s mission was to become that ¡°crisis capable of destroying the world.¡±


    About ¡°Firando Gomez,¡± Ke Mingye had watched a public speech about him on Weibo the day before, discussing how ¡°superhumans and humans should coexist harmoniously in society,¡± touching upon various issues like employment and education for superhumans.


    But Ke Mingye hadn¡¯t absorbed a single word, as at that time, his attention was entirely focused on the character panel above Firando¡¯s head:


    ¡ª¡ªThe combat power rating given to ¡°Firando Gomez¡± by the system was ¡°S+ grade.¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In other words, apart from Bai Wenna, he was a notch stronger than anyone else in Ke Mingye¡¯s family; one could say he stood at the very pinnacle of the world without exaggeration.


    It¡¯s no surprise that in the world of this parallel universe, among the chaos of superhuman categories like ¡°Superpower Users,¡± ¡°Mutants,¡± ¡°Magic Girls,¡± ¡°Divine Communicators,¡± ¡°Blood Clan,¡± and so on, ¡°Divine Communicators¡± naturally had the highest potential.


    The power system used by Divine Communicators is derived from mythology, inherently one level above the rest, saying they¡¯re ahead at the starting line is not an overstatement.


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that Divine Communicators tend to appear rather average in the first five stages of their path, but once they reach the sixth stage, they achieve a qualitative leap in their capabilities.


    To use ¡°Bai Qiuwu¡± from his family as an example, she too is a Divine Communicator, channeling the path of ¡°Sun Wukong¡± from Chinese mythology.


    According to the system¡¯s extrapolation, the normal evolutionary path for this route is, Immortal Stone ¡ú Spiritual Monkey ¡ú Monkey King ¡ú Immortal Acolyte ¡ú Horses¡¯ Fortune ¡ú Great Sage Equalling Heaven ¡ú Prisoner Under the Five Elements Mountain ¡ú Golden-Hooped Monk ¡ú Fighting Buddha Sun Wukong.


    Presently, Bai Qiuwu is cultivating at the fifth stage of the path, ¡°Horses¡¯ Fortune.¡±


    And once she reaches the next stage, ¡°Great Sage Equalling Heaven,¡± she will be able to transform into the mythological ¡°carrier¡± corresponding to the path. In layman¡¯s terms, she can temporarily take on the appearance of a deity, with a significant increase in divine power obtained from the path during this period.


    At that point, her combat power rating in the system would likely leap directly from A grade to S grade or even higher.


    Ke Mingye could not imagine what Bai Qiuwu would truly look like when transformed into the appearance of the mythological carrier, but there were already real-life examples, such as the previously mentioned ¡°Channeler Zeus.¡±


    This monster, who ranked at the very top of the Superhero Round Table and even surpassed Ke Youqing, had already explored the sixth stage of the Divine Communicator¡¯s path.


    According to the system¡¯s analysis, his divine communication pathway¡¯s evolution direction was:


    [Oracle¡¯s Son ¡ú Thunder Wielder ¡ú Lightning Conductor ¡ú Thunder Liberator ¡ú Storm¡¯s Heart ¡ú King of Olympus ¡ú Sky Chain ¡ú Divine Arbiter ¡ú God King Zeus]


    Half a year ago, he had already reached the ¡°King of Olympus¡± stage, which is the sixth realm. Thus, he was qualified to summon the mythic vessel ¡°Zeus.¡±


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t need to search deliberately. He simply logged onto a dark web and clicked on the video with the highest views. The first video was the scene where Firando Gomez transformed into the ¡°Mythic Vessel, Zeus.¡±


    The video documented a prison riot from half a year ago.


    Firando Gomez received orders from the Superhero Association and immediately took a helicopter to the Eiffel Tower for a rescue mission.


    By that time, a rebellion had erupted inside the superhuman prison in Paris, France. The plotting superhumans had killed thousands of guards, broken out of prison, and were murdering innocent civilians along their way, singing a high-pitched song as they paraded through the streets. They finally converged and partied all night under the brightly lit Eiffel Tower, as if declaring the sovereignty of the city.


    All of Paris was submerged in a hysterical swamp.


    At that moment, the helicopter carrying Firando Gomez flew unobscured to the airspace right above the Eiffel Tower, capturing the attention of all the criminals below.


    In an instant, he leaped from the cabin, falling alone towards the bottom of the Eiffel Tower.


    The criminals at the base of the tower, upon seeing this, immediately mocked the foolhardy fellow. Weapons raised, they sneered and pointed at Firando Gomez as he fell from the sky. Some whistled at him, others hurled frenzied insults, and a few jeered in mock mourning, as if conducting a ritual of a cult.


    But just as he was about to reach the tip of the tower, a sudden burst of lightning shot down from the sky, engulfing Firando¡¯s body completely and forming a ball of light with arcing electricity.


    Immediately afterward, a torrential roar, powerful enough to drown the world, emerged from that cocoon-like giant sphere of light.


    It was as if day and night changed in that instant. The video was filled with blinding auroras, obscuring all sight, and no sound was recorded.


    Dead silence¡­


    It felt as if the world was a grand stage, performing a monochromatic mime. The sky was instantly covered by layers of clouds, and torrents of rain fell like burst floodwaters.


    Beneath the widespread clouds, thousands of peals of thunder accompanied a singular figure.


    That was a majestic silhouette, standing as if it were at the heart of the world, proudly upright on the black and white stage of this silent play, greedily and despotically basking in the spotlight upon itself.


    The next moment, that majestic form slowly emerged from the lightning, lifting its head.


    It wore a helmet forged of steel, and under the helmet¡¯s shadow, its eyes shone with the brilliance of the midnight sun. Its armor reflected the flickering lightning, glistening brightly. A pair of luminous wings, like those of a giant bird, unfurled from behind, sonorously sweeping away the harsh curtain of rain.


    At this moment, Zeus¡¯s entire body was pulsating with violent lightning. Against the backdrop of lightning, its sacred and inviolable head appeared more arrogant and brutal, like a monarch surveying the world.


    The rumble of thunder, like solemn ceremonial music, sounded endless in the sky above.


    Looking down following the gaze of this deity, the sinners gathered at the base of the Eiffel Tower stared blankly at the towering figure in the sky, and one by one, they knelt to the ground. Only a handful still harbored the desire to resist, but their frail bodies shivered inevitably in the wind and rain.


    The video stopped right there.


    Until the end, no one knew what became of those superhuman criminals involved in the ¡°Paris Riot Incident.¡± A few informed individuals reached a consensus on this matter, keeping a verbal silence to avoid trouble for themselves. Meanwhile, the Superhero Association employed all its resources to conceal the truth of the event from the public. The whereabouts of those criminals remained unknown half a year later.


    To others, this video might be significant for appreciating the heroic stance of a superhero and witnessing the divine power of a superhero standing at the world¡¯s apex.


    But to Ke Mingye, this video was nothing short of a ¡°final Boss preview scene.¡±

 Chapter 25 - 25 - 019 Skill Selection (Part 1)

    Chapter 25 ¨C 019 Skill Selection (Part 1)


    Chapter 25: Chapter 019 Skill Selection (Part 1)


    ¡°What kind of mythical avatar will my older sister have? When she shows up, will she also bring full special effects like Zeus, stirring up the weather?¡±


    Ke Mingye was thinking this and had already roughly envisioned Bai Qiuwu¡¯s mythical avatar in his mind¡ªafter all, Sun Wukong¡¯s appearance is well-known to every household, how far off could it possibly be? S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now Ke Mingye needed to pray that within a year, Bai Qiuwu¡¯s path to divinity through ¡°Sun Wukong¡± hadn¡¯t reached the sixth realm yet; otherwise, that would be another tough enemy to deal with.


    But no matter how powerful those superheroes at the top of the Superhero Association were, those were concerns for six months down the line.


    At this moment, no player had grown powerful enough to contend with them.


    The pressing issue hanging over Ke Mingye¡¯s head was how to survive the encounter with his older brother ¡°Ke Yinzhi,¡± who was about to come home¡ªhe had just caught two players who were Anomaly Control Bureau employees, one of them an S-class enforcer. Surely you couldn¡¯t just pull out a web shooter and slap a web on his face, then turn tail and run, right?


    ...


    As his thoughts drifted, the school bell rang in the teaching building, yet the classroom remained empty.


    This was the last afternoon class, and the schedule indicated it was time for P.E. Turning to look out the window, his classmates had all gathered on the playground, leaving him alone in the classroom.


    Ke Mingye had asked the class president to excuse him from the physical education teacher, claiming he had a stomachache. Since final exams were over and vacation was near, most teachers wouldn¡¯t be too hard on him.


    Now, he turned his attention to the ¡°mall icon¡± in the upper right corner of his field of vision; he had clicked it once before, and the system had clearly indicated that this function would be unlocked today at 15:00.


    The time was just right, and he clicked on the mall icon once more, finally entering the ¡°Player Mall¡± smoothly and without any hindrance.


    A light blue background panel appeared before his eyes.


    [The current version of the mall is divided into three pages: a page for daily consumables, a page for equipment and tools, and a page for skills.]


    [You currently have 0 Mall Coins.]


    Ke Mingye casually browsed through the first two pages.


    In the daily consumables page, most were items like ¡°Fast-acting Healing Spray¡± and ¡°Stamina Recovery Potions¡±;


    One noteworthy item on this page was something called a ¡°Travel Ticket¡±¡ªaccording to the description, by using a travel ticket, you could instantly move to any city in the world and return to the starting point at any time.


    However, the functionality of the travel ticket couldn¡¯t be used during combat, so it wasn¡¯t very practical for escape. Its price was also outrageously high: 10,000 Mall Coins per ticket.


    As for the ¡°equipment and tools page,¡± there were ten slots, each loaded with a piece of equipment or a tool, with a wide variety of items.


    Regarding equipment, there was everything from ancient cold weapons, to modern cold weapons and firearms, and even something as specific as ¡°Magic Girl¡¯s Magic Wand,¡± with an overarching theme of diversity;


    As for the tools, ¡°Poisoned Dentures¡± and ¡°Magic Cards¡± were the two strange and oddly shaped items that appeared.


    According to the system¡¯s introduction, at midnight every day, this page would timely refresh to showcase ten new pieces of equipment or tools for players to purchase.


    Also, the equipment and tools refreshed are only available for purchase within 24 hours. If the time limit is exceeded, they will be replaced by another batch of equipment during the next refresh¡ªhowever, players can lock an item to make it stay unrefreshed until the next day, but they cannot repeatedly lock the same item. This means that a piece of equipment will stay on the page for a maximum of two days. If not purchased by then, it¡¯ll be gone, and you can only hope to be lucky enough to see the same item appear in a future refresh.


    The lower the player¡¯s level, the lower the probability of refreshing high-level equipment on the page; conversely, the higher the level, the higher the probability.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s level was only Lv.1, so the current probability of refresh for this page was¡ª[E-grade equipment 80%; D-grade equipment 10%; C-grade equipment 8%; B-grade equipment 2%; A-grade equipment 0%; S-grade equipment 0%].


    The most outrageous thing would be to refresh a B-grade equipment item¡ªa mere 2% chance, but even if it did refresh, it would be useless without money.


    After reading the first two pages, Ke Mingye flipped through the textbook while clicking on the [Skill Exclusive Page] in the marketplace.


    Just as he entered this page, a system prompt popped up, covering his pupils.


    [As this is your first time entering the marketplace, the system will gift you the right to obtain two skills for free (please use within 24 hours, the right will vanish after the skill page is refreshed).]


    ¡°Free to obtain two skills, a zero-cost purchase, huh?¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes brightened with interest.


    As the prompt disappeared, the contents of the Skill Exclusive Page also came into view.


    Compared to the previous page, the mechanism here was utterly the same. Every day, 10 skills would be refreshed, and the chance of getting higher-level skills also increased with the player¡¯s level.


    The current refresh rate was: [E-level Skills 80%; D-level Skills 10%; C-level Skills 8%; B-level Skills 2%; A-level Skills 0%; S-level Skills 0%].


    Since players could only use their ¡°free two skills¡± privilege before the next refresh on the exclusive page, trying to play slick by waiting for powerful skills to refresh before using the privilege was impossible. Therefore, the choice had to be made from the existing 10 skills.


    ¡°Out of the ten skills, everyone gets to pick two for free. But luck is another story; maybe some player will hit that 2% and get a B-level skill right at the start on the exclusive page,¡± Ke Mingye thought.


    Ke Mingye mused, ¡°I hope my luck is a bit better, don¡¯t just give me 10 E-level skills, or I might as well just remake¡­¡±


    After roughly understanding the rules, he began to filter through the information: setting aside what the skills could do, he first checked the names and levels of the ten skills.


    This was the only way to determine just how bad his luck was.


    The filtering complete, the skill information slowly appeared on the panel and came into full view.


    [¢Ù: Hundred Percent Slap (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢Ú: Snap Finger Gun (D-level Skill, refresh rate 10%)]


    [¢Û: Moon Stomp (C-level Skill, refresh rate 8%)]


    [¢Ü: Deception Puppet (B-level Skill, refresh rate 2%)]


    [¢Ý: Thought Delivery (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢Þ: Sword Draw Strike (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢ß: Animal Communication Skill (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢à: Flat Ground Takedown Expert (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢á: Same-Sex Charm Skill (E-level Skill, refresh rate 80%)]


    [¢â: Disaster Dice (D-level Skill, refresh rate 10%) (Note: This skill can be leveled up through usage)]


    Ke Mingye stared at the sparkling skill in grid ¢Ü, expressionless. For a long time, he clenched his fist tightly, took a deep hiss of breath, almost on the verge of howling at the sky.


    ¡°Well, that settles it, the king of luck is none other than myself.¡±

 Chapter 26 - 26 - 020 Skill Selection (Part 2)

    Chapter 26 ¨C 020 Skill Selection (Part 2)


    Chapter 26: Chapter 020 Skill Selection (Part 2)


    Ke Mingye had barely played any games in his past life, only occasional rounds of Minesweeper and Tetris. His head was always buried in literature, and just when he got into university majoring in literature, he found himself transported to another world. As a result, he had little concept of the terms and core gameplay that many games revolved around.


    Fortunately, the former inhabitant of this body was without doubt a web-addicted teen who, starting from the age of six, had played every game adapted from real superhuman figures, ranging from single-player to pay-to-win mobile games, and he had dabbled in all the popular ones.


    It must be said that the capitalists of this world also had their own set of slick money-making schemes, from superhero movies to figurines and clothing, then to client-based games, and finally, the most critical moneymaker: the superhero mobile games. They crammed Magic Girls, super villains, and superheroes with superpowers into the games, luring players into the game to pay for unlocking heroes based on their popularity in real life.


    Therefore, having inherited the memories of his predecessor, Ke Mingye now effectively had ten years of web-addicted teen experience and naturally wouldn¡¯t fall short in understanding various games¡­ S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You must know that all the skills in this game were exorbitantly priced, far surpassing items and equipment of the same level, so the opportunity for a ¡°free skill selection¡± laid before him was extraordinarily precious, and to say it could directly determine the entire early progression of the game wasn¡¯t an exaggeration.


    In Ke Mingye¡¯s view, if his situation were likened to a game, then the early main theme of this game would inevitably include elements like ¡°spy,¡± ¡°assassin,¡± ¡°romance development,¡± ¡°family-friendly,¡± ¡°campus life,¡± and so on, before gradually revealing its true nature, transforming into a full-fledged ¡°Musou hack and slash game.¡±


    ...


    All that spy stuff, campus romance development, family-friendly themes¡ªget as far away from me as possible. No more pretending; players would switch to mowing down mode like Zhao Yun in ¡°Dynasty Warriors,¡± slashing through hordes on the battlefield, killing from the Arctic to Antarctica, clearing the Earth of grunts, focusing on blood and violence, with the occasional need to call on teammates to gang up and fight when facing a boss like ¡°Lv Bu,¡± just to avoid a beating.


    But that was the late game strategy. If one only focused on the late game and skipped the early and mid-game, Ke Mingye would definitely be picking skills like ¡°Invincible Overlord Fist¡± or ¡°Super Genesis Light Wave,¡± without thinking twice, grabbing them all decisively, considering everything for the sake of killing as easily as mowing the lawn.


    However, given that he was currently in the early stage of the game, he had to choose his skills based on doing his undercover work well; otherwise, forget reaching the ¡°fighting feels awesome¡± phase¡ªhe¡¯d choke in frustration with an early Game Over without any talk of later stages.


    In summary, the strength of the skills wasn¡¯t as important as imagined; selecting the most fitting skills out of the ten available that matched his current situation was the urgent priority.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s gaze scanned over the descriptions of each skill, weighing the value of each.


    The No. 1 skill, ¡°100% Slap,¡± an E-rank skill, ensures a slap will hit an enemy. It¡¯s a fearsome causality skill, but its limitation is that it only deals fixed damage, so it¡¯s not very useful and was passed over directly.


    The No. 2 skill, ¡°Snap Finger Gun,¡± a D-rank skill, allows you to enter the ¡°Snap Finger Gun¡± mode for five seconds. Every snap of the right hand fires an air bullet forward, with the damage linked to the player¡¯s ¡°Physical Fitness.¡±


    ¡°The more snaps in five seconds, the more air bullets fired in that period, sounds pretty interesting¡­¡± Ke Mingye thought as he tried snapping his fingers a few times in the empty classroom and then gave up. With the agility of his fingers, he couldn¡¯t manage multiple snaps in a short period, so this skill wasn¡¯t cost-effective for him.


    If it were Tengmura Satoruyuki who had broken the Guinness World Record by snapping 296 times in a minute, perhaps this skill would have been boosted from ¡°D-rank¡± to ¡°C-rank¡± or even ¡°B-rank¡± with the right technique.


    The No. 3 skill, ¡°Moonstep,¡± a C-rank skill, allows for a jump with added buoyancy for a short time, lasting 30 seconds.


    ¡°A flying skill¡­ could compensate for mobility, but I¡¯ve got a web shooter already. If I improve my physical fitness, I won¡¯t need this bit of mobility. This skill must be pretty tempting for other players,¡± Ke Mingye thought.


    The No. 4 skill, ¡°Deception Puppet,¡± a B-rank skill.


    The effect of this skill is to create a puppet. The player shares vision and hearing with the puppet and can control it while changing its voice and appearance at any time to deceive others.


    ¡°`


    And when the puppet is destroyed, it emits a terrifying laughter and explodes in a small radius, causing a continuous fear effect that stuns nearby enemies for 2 seconds.


    [With the current level of players, the maximum number of puppets that can exist is: 1.]


    ¡°Class B really is Class B¡­¡± Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, his right hand stroking his chin, ¡°It has quite a few uses, at the very least it can help me with my classes. Being tied down by the school is really annoying.¡±


    No matter what the skills behind it were, at least this skill was one he had decided on. From the description, it seemed that it could be of significant use not only in battle but also in other situations.


    Ke Mingye stretched out his finger and clicked on the skill name, and a panel immediately popped up.


    [You currently have two opportunities to acquire skills for free. Do you confirm the acquisition of the skill ¡°Deception Puppet¡±?]


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t hesitate and clicked ¡°Confirm.¡±


    [Skill ¡°Deception Puppet¡± acquired. The skill has been automatically loaded into the first slot of your skill bar. The skill bar can hold up to 10 skills, and must be replaced when full.]


    [You still have one opportunity to acquire a skill for free. This privilege will disappear after the exclusive skill sale page refreshes, please use it promptly.]


    [Note: You can release the skill by calling out its name in your mind or aloud.]


    The following number 5 skill ¡°Thought Delivery¡± allows the expression of thoughts in an email, and immediately sends the email to any target in the world.


    Ke Mingye already had a friend communication panel, and while this skill might have some uses, such as passing information to characters other than players, which might be miraculously effective in certain situations, it wasn¡¯t currently very useful to him.


    Skills number 6 ¡°Sword Draw Strike¡± and number 7 ¡°Animal Communication Skill¡± in the exclusive sale page were the kind that one could tell their uses just by their names. Ke Mingye glanced at them and skipped right over, the latter even reminded him of his friend, the Cheese Snow Leopard in another world, eliciting a wave of sentiment.


    Right after these two skills, number 8 ¡°Ground Throw Expert¡± and number 9 ¡°Same-Sex Charm Skill¡± both seemed very interesting.


    The former was a causality skill, incredibly powerful: within twenty seconds of activating the skill, any character standing on a flat surface within a ten-meter radius around the player must inevitably perform an irresistible ground throw, but this skill could not affect the same target twice during its activation period;


    The latter makes a person of the same gender drastically increase their fondness for you, and when their fondness reaches a certain level, you can issue an ¡°irresistible¡± command to them.


    Ke Mingye agonized for a long time; he was quite satisfied with both skills and wanted both if possible, but he only had one more free opportunity to acquire a skill.


    Especially the ¡°Ground Throw Expert¡± skill was so cunning it was almost unimaginable. The moment he saw the skill description, Ke Mingye imagined a scene: walking into the Superhero Association¡¯s meeting room, activating ¡°Ground Throw Expert,¡± and watching as the likes of Zeus, Qing Ya, and everyone else thudded to the ground at the same moment, with not a single one able to resist¡­


    Just imagining the scene, Ke Mingye thought it was outrageously powerful, especially since he really wanted to see Qing Ya fall to the ground, with Ke Youqing¡¯s expression of dumbfounded shock behind the mask.


    Thus Ke Mingye secretly decided that if the tenth skill did not bring him enough surprise, then it was highly probable that his second skill would be ¡°Ground Throw Expert.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 27 - 27 - 021: Calamity Dice

    Chapter 27 ¨C 021: Calamity Dice


    Chapter 27: Chapter 021: Calamity Dice


    Ke Mingye turned his attention to the last skill on the dedicated page, skill number 10.


    [Skill Name: Calamity Dice] S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Skill Level: D Level]


    [Skill Effect: Produces a dice in hand and allows for an ¡°irreversible¡± throw of the dice, after which an event corresponding to the number rolled will occur in reality. (Each occurrence brings a different event.)]


    [Skill Cooldown Time: One day]


    [After accumulating 10 uses of this skill, it will evolve: the evolved ¡°Calamity Dice¡± allows for two throws, and you can choose one event from the two numbers rolled.]


    ...


    [Each use of this skill presents a different event corresponding to the number on each face of the dice, below is an exhibition of a part of the publicly available events from the event library:


    ¢Ù: A gigantic Mario will soon run through the street; ¢Ú: A band will soon run in front of you and play loudly; ¢Û: A dance troupe will appear and perform the seaweed dance in front of you; ¢Ü: A huge hot-air balloon ship will fly across the sky; ¢Ý: A massive whale will fall from the sky; ¢Þ: Someone will aim a machine gun in your direction and fire¡­]


    ¡°This is defying the heavens.¡±


    This was Ke Mingye¡¯s first thought after reading the skill description.


    He considered that this skill was purely about luck¡ªbad luck could abruptly disrupt an ongoing scenario with a tragic event risking his own life; but then again, he thought that if luck was on his side, perhaps rolling the dice in a desperate moment could drastically change his fate and wasn¡¯t an exaggerated idea.


    A double-edged sword indeed.


    But for Ke Mingye, this skill was definitely not something to use in good times, but rather as a last resort in adversity: the worst outcome could only be death, so no matter what the dice roll resulted in, it couldn¡¯t get any worse.


    What to do? I only have one more skill acquisition right left, but I really want both this ¡°Calamity Dice¡± and that ¡°Flatland Fall Expert.¡±


    Ke Mingye let out a long sigh. He suddenly understood the feeling the protagonist of a harem anime must feel when forced into pure romance by the author. He could have chosen both, but he was forced to make a choice.


    The more he thought, the more confused he got. He decided to act decisively, and so he extended his finger to click on the ¡°Calamity Dice¡± panel, using his last authority. He acquired this skill for free from the system¡ª¡±Flatland Fall Expert¡± was after all a skill with a high gag component. It might sometimes work wonders, but relying on it to miraculously change fate was unlikely. From a practical standpoint, it was far inferior to Calamity Dice.


    After all, what true man doesn¡¯t want to defy fate with a roll of the dice in a dire situation? The spirit of a gambler burns deep within everyone¡¯s soul.


    Having chosen both skills, the gym class was also nearly over. The high school wouldn¡¯t officially start summer vacation until tomorrow noon, so he still had to come to school tomorrow morning.


    He glanced at today¡¯s date, June 19.


    Both Bai Zini and Bai Ziling had already started their junior high vacation¡ªthis meant that for this entire summer vacation, all of China could witness a Magical Girl Ash freed from school¡¯s gravity, instead of one who could only appear on Saturdays and Sundays; additionally, the likelihood of passersby being attacked by vampires at night might also increase.


    For other students, the approaching summer vacation would absolutely be a mood-lifter.


    But Ke Mingye was different. The words ¡°summer vacation¡± meant that he had to spend two months stuck with the monsters at home, especially his eldest and second brothers, whom he currently wanted to avoid the most.


    One was an operative at the Anomaly Control Bureau and the other a ninja, both of them top-tier in their respective organizations, not just any ordinary members.


    Ke Mingye could deceive the younger kids at home, but getting close to these two made it really easy to blow his cover, especially since Ke Xiaomo was already keeping an eye on him.


    ¡°Not only do I have to hide my identity from them, but I also have to find time under their watchful eyes to go out and meet other players and play the instance. It¡¯s like walking on thin ice,¡± thought Ke Mingye. ¡°Should I just sacrifice the other people in the house to distract them? Maybe use some subtle tricks, hint a little to Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo about the real identities of Bai Qiuwu, Ke Yongzhu, and Bai Zini, so both of them will focus on them and should have no time to bother with me, a muggle¡­¡±


    Thinking this, he shook his head, thinking it was not a great idea after all. It was very likely that in the process of leaking information and guiding them, he would be discovered, so it would be best to avoid taking the initiative for now.


    Ke Mingye did not think it was unlikely that his second brother, Ke Xiaomo, wouldn¡¯t come to school to observe him; hence, even when he was alone in the classroom, he tried to cover up small movements that had to be made on the operation panel by pretending to ¡°flip a book¡± or ¡°open a backpack,¡± handling most other operations with his mind, so no worries were needed.


    Right as he opened his backpack again, the ¡°Contacts¡± icon in the upper right corner of his vision suddenly began to tremble, and a bubble with the number ¡°1¡± appeared above the icon.


    As Ke Mingye pulled out his history textbook from his backpack, he raised an eyebrow. He knew this meant that he had received a message from the contacts list.


    He used his mind to click on the icon, opening the contacts list.


    [A message from the Local Players Discussion Group has arrived in the discussion group including players ¡°Unclear Dream,¡± ¡°Fan Quan,¡± and ¡°Good Tangerine Peel.¡±]


    [Fan Quan: Today at five-thirty PM, assemble at the Meiyijia Supermarket on Yandai Commercial Street downtown. Another player ¡°Unclear Dream¡± and I will be waiting for you two there.]


    [Fan Quan: Also, I only trust those who show up. If I don¡¯t see you, I¡¯ll assume you don¡¯t exist in this city. Don¡¯t expect me to provide any information via the communication board. Exchanging information with someone I haven¡¯t confirmed face-to-face holds no benefits for me.]


    After reading these two stern messages, Ke Mingye looked down and ran his fingers through his hair.


    ¡°How humorous, neither of you have anyone watching your starting points, so you can freely stroll around,¡± he thought. ¡°Now, how am I supposed to slip away when my second brother is watching me?¡±


    He knew this player with the ID ¡°Fan Quan¡± was trying to take control, and he didn¡¯t mind letting him take the initiative to gather the players. However, this person was a bit too eager, without considering the situations of other players.


    Ke Mingye thought, however, from someone else¡¯s perspective, that if someone couldn¡¯t even make it to a supermarket downtown within two hours, there really wasn¡¯t much point in collaborating¡ªafter all, a player who couldn¡¯t move freely in the city and was constantly watched, how could they collaborate with him? The risk of being dragged down was much greater than the potential benefits.


    If Ke Mingye¡¯s starting point were relatively safe and free, he would undoubtedly do something similar, isolating players in precarious situations and contacting players whose circumstances were safer and who could move freely.


    Ke Mingye knew he was surrounded at home by eight superhumans, leaving him in a perilous situation. Meeting other players now could easily drag them into trouble, especially if his elder and second brothers ended up watching them too, leaving them with nothing but the prospect of a group wipeout.


    Though he was aware of this, he didn¡¯t expect someone else to consider it so soon and even bring another player into the stance, leaving him caught between a rock and a hard place.


    If this continued, he might end up cutting contact with the other three local players entirely, left to struggle alone.

 Chapter 28 - 28 - 022 Urgent

    Chapter 28 ¨C 022 Urgent


    Chapter 28: Chapter 022 Urgent


    ¡°Truly, you leave me no wiggle room. Let me at least think about how to evade my family¡¯s surveillance before meeting with you.¡±


    Ke Mingye turned his head towards the playground and took a deep breath.


    According to the player ¡°Fan Quan¡± in the discussion group, only those who arrived at Yandai Commercial Street by five-thirty in the afternoon were qualified to collaborate with him.


    Ke Mingye did want to meet them, but he couldn¡¯t even be sure of his second brother¡¯s whereabouts now, how could he dare to act rashly.


    Maybe his second brother was lurking in some shadow in the classroom, secretly watching him.


    If he rashly checked with other family members about Ke Xiaomo¡¯s whereabouts, it could lead to trouble, especially since his younger siblings, Bai Zini and Bai Ziling, were unaware of his situation:


    ...


    ¡ªHis message asking ¡°Little sister, is the second brother at home?¡± could be seen by Ke Xiaomo, who might be sitting next to them, instantly confirming his suspicions.


    Ke Mingye looked at the date on the classroom wall, pondering methods to break the situation. If nothing else worked, he thought of asking the player in the discussion group if they could postpone the meeting until tomorrow, although the chances of being rejected were quite high.


    ¡°Right, today seems to be, the second brother¡¯s birthday.¡±


    With this thought, Ke Mingye suddenly raised his eyebrows, having devised a way to break the impasse. He decisively picked up his phone and sent a message to Bai Zini.


    ¡°Little sister, is the second brother at home?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah, he and Zi Ling are watching TV in the living room. What¡¯s up, big brother?¡±


    Bai Zini¡¯s response came quickly; her middle school had let out at noon, and she had only gone in the morning to collect her final exam grades and certificates.


    Like Bai Ziling, she was at home now.


    Ke Mingye typed on his phone and sent: ¡°Little sister, then please keep an eye on the second brother for me. If he disappears or goes out, tell me right away.¡±


    In other circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t dare send such a message. But today was Ke Xiaomo¡¯s birthday, so he had a reason to send the message without it seeming abrupt or strange.


    Bai Zini paused for a moment before typing back: ¡°Not to be weird, big brother, what are you up to?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget today is his birthday?¡±


    Bai Zini got it immediately: ¡°Oh, are you going to buy him a cake to surprise him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ke Mingye replied by text, ¡°so don¡¯t let the second brother get away even for a second and keep me posted constantly. Otherwise, if I bump into him face to face, wouldn¡¯t it be awkward?¡±


    Bai Zini quickly sent a message: ¡°Geez, I never saw you make such an effort when it was my birthday.¡±


    She paused again before adding: ¡°Fine, go ahead. I¡¯ll keep an eye on the second brother for you, making sure he doesn¡¯t leave the house, or I¡¯ll break his dog legs.¡±


    Receiving the message, Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief. After all, Bai Zini was a Magic Girl, and with her vision and hearing, keeping watch on the second brother wouldn¡¯t be too difficult.


    He had just received a sum of money in his Alipay account, earnings from last night¡¯s bet on the Superheroes dark web, totaling 5,000 yuan.


    However, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t possibly use this personal money to buy a cake. Instead, he opened WeChat to ask his parents for reimbursement. This also helped make the action seem more believable, preventing the second brother from becoming suspicious.


    After completing these actions, it was definitely too late to order a birthday cake, so he would just buy a ready-made one from a cake shop later.


    The bell for class dismissal rang just then. Ke Mingye grabbed his backpack and left, not forgetting to pilfer a set of new, unopened school uniforms from an unlucky classmate¡¯s drawer and a box of Nike sneakers from another.


    If it weren¡¯t necessary, he wouldn¡¯t have done this. After all, his life was at stake, and he could discard a bit of moral sense if needed.


    He placed the shoebox and the bag containing the school uniform into his backpack and turned his head toward the toilets in the teaching building. He chose a cubicle, closed the door, sat on the toilet lid, and opened his contact list.


    Mentally typing, he spoke in the discussion group.


    [Failed Man: Five-thirty, right? Wait for me.] sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Fan Quan: Okay.]


    Soon, a new face spoke up, the never-before-heard-from ¡°Ju Zipi¡±.


    ¡°Good Ju Zipi: I¡¯m also in, just got off work. Even after crossing over, I still have to slave away at my job¡ªI¡¯m literally sick of it.¡±


    ¡°Unclear Dream: We¡¯re waiting here for you guys, hurry up.¡±


    Ke Mingye sat on the toilet, closing the panel.


    He tried to chant the skill ¡°Deception Puppet¡± in his mind. As soon as the words fell in his heart, he summoned an extremely bizarre-looking puppet.


    ¡°Successful release of the skill ¡®Deception Puppet.¡¯ Using this skill consumes 20% of your physical energy. Your current physical energy remains at 80%.¡±


    ¡°Skill description: Create a puppet that shares the vision and hearing of the player, and can be controlled at will to change its voice and facial features in order to deceive others.


    Moreover, when the puppet is destroyed, it emits a terrifying laugh and explodes within a small area, causing a fear effect that stuns surrounding enemies for 2 seconds.¡±


    ¡°Maximum lifetime of the puppet: 3 hours.¡±


    Ke Mingye glanced at the upper right corner of his vision where a new grey bar appeared, symbolizing his physical energy, akin to mana in online games, with no energy left, no skills could be deployed.


    He then turned his gaze toward the summoned puppet above him. It was about 1.8 meters tall, shrouded in a hazy gray all over, but its mouth was twisted into a sinister smile. To draw a comparison, it was like the little black figures used in ¡°Detective Conan¡± to demonstrate crime methods.


    Since that player wasn¡¯t giving him a chance to breathe, if the puppet¡¯s test results met his expectations, Ke Mingye shouldn¡¯t need to meet them in person.


    Instead, he would use the puppet.


    But before that, Ke Mingye had to test if his idea was viable, as the precision with which he could control the puppet directly determined the outcome.


    ¡°This thing looks pretty abstract, but according to the skill description, I can freely adjust its appearance. Molding it into the figure of an ordinary high school student shouldn¡¯t be hard.¡±


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye first unfolded the school uniform he had swiped from a classmate¡¯s drawer and draped it over the naked body of the Deception Puppet.


    He then took out a pair of sneakers from the box, placed them on the floor, and like helping a child put on shoes, stuffed the puppet¡¯s feet into them.


    Next, Ke Mingye mentally controlled the puppet to crouch down on the ground, and then tried to manipulate its physique.


    The moment the thought was placed, the puppet¡¯s body began to violently transform, shrinking rapidly from 1.8 meters to 1.7 meters in just two seconds, fitting perfectly into the school uniform and matching the size of the sneakers, resulting in a less awkward overall appearance.


    Ke Mingye examined it for a moment, then focused his attention, starting to imagine a face of a normal high school student in his mind.


    The next moment, the Deception Puppet¡¯s face began to change as well, slowly distorting into a slightly juvenile and delicate face, with a healthy wheat-complexion continuing from its face throughout its body, turning the dark shade to the same wheat coloring.


    At that moment, the puppet dressed in a school uniform truly looked like a handsome high school student.


    ¡°Quite convenient, I thought it¡¯d take a lot more effort to make it look human.¡±


    Ke Mingye was quietly surprised internally, but wasn¡¯t idle. He heard the voices of two high school boys chatting by the urinal outside the restroom and began to try making the puppet mimic one of the students¡¯ talking manner and voice, then he had it speak softly.


    However, just then, Bai Zini sent a message, Ke Mingye stopped testing and looked down.


    ¡°Big brother has been in the rest room for a while now, could be constipated, so just go ahead and buy the cake. Hmph, if it comes to it, I¡¯ll trap him in the restroom and won¡¯t let him out.¡± Bai Zini.


    After reading the message, Ke Mingye¡¯s heart suddenly sank. Ke Xiaomo had been in their home bathroom for a long time?


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right. Big brother might have already escaped into the shadows from the restroom and left home, but Bai Zini doesn¡¯t know he has this trick¡­¡± he thought, ¡°Oh no, that means Big brother could have already been looking for me minutes ago. I need to hurry.¡±


    While thinking, Ke Mingye quickly double-checked the Deception Puppet¡¯s speaking voice, then saw the puppet opening its mouth, speaking in a mosquito-like voice:


    ¡°Those mock test questions are really tricky, especially that last big problem¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief. Whether it was the timbre or the intonation, the imitation was nearly perfect. It sounded almost exactly like the boy who had been by the urinal just moments before, and the similarity was so uncanny it was a bit eerie, almost creating an uncanny valley effect.


    He had the Deception Puppet crouch down, hiding in a corner of the stall, then he stepped out of the restroom first, casually closing the door; afterwards, while washing his hands at the mirror, he controlled the Deception Puppet to stand and walk out of the stall, joining him to wash its hands beside him.


    Then, the two walked out of the restroom side by side, split back-to-back in the hallway, and headed in different directions, disappearing into the shadows by the hallway entrance.

 Chapter 29 - 29 - 023 Double-Sided Action

    Chapter 29 ¨C 023 Double-Sided Action


    Chapter 29: Chapter 023 Double-Sided Action


    June 19, dusk, the rooftop of an abandoned teaching building at Huanjing Third High School.


    The setting sun cast a bloated shadow from a corner¡¯s solar panel on the ground, the rusty metal frame seemed on the brink of collapse.


    After a moment, a figure slowly emerged from the shadow, clearly a youth dressed in a white shirt and jeans.


    Ke Xiaomo leaned against the railings, motionless as he oversaw the whole school. His gaze drifted from the playground to the school gates, from the infirmary to each academic building. Whether it was students chatting in the hallways or figures running on the field, he saw them all.


    In just a few seconds, his gaze locked onto a figure on the second-floor corridor of a teaching building.


    The figure, with a backpack and head down, was engrossed in a cellphone, walked slowly out from the restroom, hurried towards the stairwell, then descended the stairs as if in a rush.


    ...


    Ke Xiaomo¡¯s gaze followed him without wavering for a moment.


    Ke Mingye made his way out of the teaching building and headed towards the school gates before boarding a bus at a nearby station.


    Ke Xiaomo memorized the appearance and license plate number of the bus, and then his form dissolved like ink ¡°splashing¡± down into the shadows at his feet.


    Soon, the rooftop of the abandoned teaching building returned to silence. As if no one had been there, under the sunset¡¯s glow, it resembled a slowly decaying piece of orange peel.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    At this very moment, on bus number 07 route 09 in Huanjing.


    Ke Mingye stood in an inconspicuous corner, holding onto a handrail while scratching his nose, the smell of mothballs and disinfectant mingling unpleasantly in the air.


    It was rush hour, and the bus was crowded. It swayed violently from time to time, causing him to bump into the sweaty man next to him. The cacophony of short video sounds, the bus engine¡¯s buzzing, and a woman scolding her child piled up into a messy heap, almost suffocating.


    He sighed softly, lowering his gaze to his phone.


    On WeChat, Ke Youqing finally responded to his message, sending him five hundred yuan to buy Ke Xiaomo a cake, and told him to be frugal with the rest before stopping his replies.


    ¡°Quite stingy, considering the salary you draw from the Superhero Association every year could buy at least two houses in Huanjing,¡± Ke Mingye grumbled to himself. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though displeased, his fingers honestly tapped to receive the payment. In reality, Ke Mingye wasn¡¯t short of those few hundred yuan, especially since winning five thousand yuan on the dark web the previous night was quite a sum for a high schooler.


    However, a sudden influx of money could arouse suspicion, so he should ask his parents for reimbursements like an ordinary high school student would.


    Ke Mingye pocketed his phone, slipped his left hand into his jacket pocket, and gripped the handrail with his right, turning to look out the rumbling, vibrating window.


    Although his pupils reflected the swiftly passing landscape outside the window, at that moment, his attention was entirely focused on another scene unfolding in his mind¡ªDeception Puppet shared its vision and hearing with the player. Hence, everything it saw and heard was synchronously transmitted to Ke Mingye¡¯s brain.


    The experience was starkly disorienting, akin to a schizophrenic playing Fps and Moba games in dual windows; it was normal to be overwhelmed, but he was trying his best to adapt to the tearing sensation of controlling two bodies simultaneously.


    Over time, the irritation of being on the bus gradually eased.


    After controlling the puppet to leave the school, Ke Mingye commanded it to walk toward Yandai Commercial Street on foot.


    It was only now that he realized he had miscalculated, he should have at least stuffed a couple of coins into the uniform pocket of the puppet before they parted, so it could take the bus.


    However, manipulating the puppet to walk did have the effect of getting used to it, so it wasn¡¯t too bad.


    He put on headphones on the bus, closed his eyes to rest, while concentrating on controlling the puppet¡¯s movements.


    First, he had the puppet look at its face in the glass showcase of a clothing store, making several expressions to check for smoothness. After becoming proficient, there was hardly any sense of incongruity, even to the extent of being able to precisely control the puppet¡¯s micro-expressions.


    Ke Mingye also took this time to check other matters, finally confirming that the Deception Puppet could use Skills, props, and equipment, but couldn¡¯t use other functions of the panel.


    The puppet¡¯s three attributes were entirely on par with a player¡¯s attributes; which is to say, though frustratingly, it inherited Ke Mingye¡¯s frail body.


    Beyond this, the biggest difference between this puppet and the player themselves was probably ¡°weight.¡±


    The weight of the puppet was far lighter than that of a normal person, so if not carefully controlled, a casual jump could send it three to four meters high, as light as a balloon.


    If there was a chance of being exposed in front of other players, it would definitely be this issue.


    But Ke Mingye had thought it through, he could explain to other players that the body was so light because of a ¡°passive Skill¡± that reduces body weight learned from the skill specialty page, or perhaps the body itself was superhuman, inherently possessing a superpower that made it light¡­


    Generally speaking, they wouldn¡¯t verify it that thoroughly.


    However, looking at it from another angle, the puppet¡¯s lightweight also brought a benefit¡ªthat it could do something Ke Mingye currently could not: using a web shooter to fire webs and swing through the air, moving at high speeds above the city like Spider-Man.


    Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t do it due to insufficient physical fitness, lacking the strength to support his weight; the puppet, on the other hand, was different. Although its strength was the same as Ke Mingye¡¯s, its weight was much lower, so it could potentially achieve this.


    After preparing, all that was left was to control the puppet to head to Yandai Commercial Street. That place wasn¡¯t far from Huanjing Third High School, only a half-hour walk.


    On the bus, Ke Mingye opened the system panel again, looked at some introductory items in the settings, and confirmed again those rules that were relatively important to him:


    ¡ª¡ªPlayers cannot see each other¡¯s game panels, so there¡¯s no need to worry about being identified through the panel by others, as the Deception Puppet won¡¯t give away itself;


    ¡ª¡ªPlayers can only read superhuman identities.


    ¡ª¡ªIf it¡¯s not a summon with its own consciousness but entirely controlled by the player, it can enter an instance as a unit representing the player, this is often used to probe the situation inside an instance.


    ¡ª¡ªThe same instance can only be challenged once a day; if a player dies inside an instance, they will not die but will be respawned outside of the instance.


    ¡ª¡ªSome instances take place in real-world scenarios, while others whisk players into a separate dimensional space.


    ¡ª¡ªAfter an instance ends, all players who participated in the instance will appear nearby in a ¡°confirmed unmonitored¡± location.

 Chapter 30 - 30 - 024: Happy Birthday

    Chapter 30 ¨C 024: Happy Birthday


    Chapter 30: Chapter 024: Happy Birthday


    After confirming that everything was correct, Ke Mingye let out a soft sigh of relief and opened the communication list on the bus. He was still inputting his thoughts to type and clicked to send in the discussion group.


    [Failed Man: How much longer until you all arrive?]


    [Fan Quan: Didn¡¯t we say 5:30? It¡¯s only four now.]


    [Unclear Dream: We can get there early.]


    [Good Ju Zipi: I¡¯m already on my way, waiting for you guys here.]


    Ke Mingye thought that the Deception Puppet¡¯s maximum duration was 3 hours; he had summoned the puppet exactly at 4 p.m., so it would disappear at 7 p.m.


    ...


    If he had to wait until 5:30 to meet the other local players, he needed to resolve things within an hour and a half to slip away from them in advance.


    So the sooner he met up with them, the better, otherwise, if he was chatting with them and the puppet suddenly exploded or disappeared, the consequences would be self-evident.


    Boarding the bus in front of the school, the journey from Huanjing Third High School to Old Jingmai District took merely 5 minutes; he was already nearing his stop.


    While using WeChat to pre-select a cake with the owner of a cake shop in the district, Ke Mingye typed and asked in the communication panel.


    [Failed Man: Open the mall, on the Skill exclusive page you can choose two skills to obtain for free, have you chosen?]


    [Fan Quan: I have.]


    [Good Ju Zipi: I refreshed two C-grade skills and took them both.]


    [Unclear Dream: Then you¡¯re quite lucky, the ten skills I refreshed on that page only had one C-grade, the rest were all E and D-grade.]


    [Fan Quan: Normal, the refresh rate for B-grade skills is only 2%. As players level up in the future, the refresh probability for high-level skills will become higher.]


    Originally, Ke Mingye had been wondering whether the first refresh of the Skill exclusive page was guaranteed to produce a B-grade Skill; he appeared lucky but maybe everyone was the same.


    Now it seemed he truly did just get lucky: he encountered a B-grade skill with a 2% refresh probability and got it for free through his starting permissions; if he were trying to refresh such a high-level skill at any other time, he wouldn¡¯t be able to purchase it due to a lack of Mall Coins and could only watch helplessly.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to have such luck; I hope things continue to go smoothly¡­¡±


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye¡¯s gaze moved to the window outside, high-rise residential buildings captured in his pupils, fleeting; pedestrians rode by on electric bikes, getting stopped by traffic police for not wearing helmets.


    Looking at the silhouettes of people hanging laundry on their rooftops, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help wondering whether Ke Xiaomo was currently trailing him or perhaps really staying in the bathroom at home playing on his phone. Or could it be that Ke Xiaomo was actually hiding on the bus, and he just hadn¡¯t noticed?


    No matter what, he couldn¡¯t confirm and had to proceed with the most conservative approach, ensuring precision at every step.


    Ke Mingye placed his hand on his phone but then set it down again. Soon enough, the ¡®huffing and puffing¡¯ sound of the bus¡¯s exhaust reached his ears, and the bus stopped at a station in the Old Jingmai District.


    There were quite a few passengers getting off the bus at the same district, and he followed the stream of people off the bus.


    Meanwhile, at a billiards club in Old Jingmai District.


    In an empty rooftop area, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s figure emerged from the shadows. Looking down, under the dusky twilight, Ke Mingye left the crowd and turned into a lane, walking slowly forward.


    Ke Xiaomo slowly moved across the rooftops of several high-rise buildings, keeping his eyes locked on Ke Mingye¡¯s movements, never letting him escape his sight for even a moment.


    Soon, Ke Mingye walked into Old Jingmai Street No. 3 and entered a cake shop with a sign that read ¡°Sam Bakery.¡± He walked directly to the counter, took out his phone, and said something to the shop owner. The owner glanced at him, then brought out a large package from the back kitchen and handed it to him.


    ¡°A cake shop?¡±


    Hiding behind a large standee, Ke Xiaomo cautiously peeked out his head, stealthily observing Ke Mingye inside the shop.


    Ke Mingye, having taken the package from the owner, exited the shop with it in hand. While playing with his phone, he strolled towards home, looking every bit like a delivery boy.


    Ke Xiaomo followed Ke Mingye in silence until he saw him enter the duplex apartment building and get on the elevator. Only then did he stop walking.


    He watched the elevator doors close and ascend slowly before stepping out from behind a large billboard and turning into the deserted alley behind him.


    ¡°After school, Mingye only went to that cake shop before heading home,¡± he thought. ¡°He didn¡¯t meet with anyone. If there¡¯s an issue, it should be connected to that cake shop. It seems the owner knows him; I wonder what they talked about. Mingye had a box in his hand when he returned; I don¡¯t know what was in it, but I¡¯ll check it out later.¡±


    With these thoughts, Ke Xiaomo looked around the alley to make sure no one was watching, then slowly disappeared into the shadows at his feet. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When he opened his eyes again, he was seated on the toilet in his home bathroom. The sound of the doorbell echoed from outside the bathroom, Ke Xiaomo listened to Bai Zini¡¯s pitter-patter footsteps rushing to open the door, knew that Mingye had returned, so he pressed the toilet flush lever. Amidst the noisy flushing, he turned on the faucet, washed his hands, and only then approached the bathroom door.


    His hand on the doorknob, he slowly turned it and pushed the door open.


    At that moment, a sudden ¡°snap¡± sound startled him.


    Ke Xiaomo had already noticed someone outside and knew it must be his sisters¡¯ doing, so he pretended to be surprised and extended his hand to protect his head.


    When he looked up, the lights inside the room were off, and in the dim corridor, colorful confetti fluttered down from the sky, landing on his hair and face.


    Ke Xiaomo paused slightly, then slowly lowered his hands from his forehead. He touched the paper confetti dangling on his face and looked bewilderedly at the three people standing in front of the bathroom.


    Bai Zini stood there with a mischievous smile, holding a paper popper the size of a horn in her hands;


    Bai Ziling stood beside her expressionless, arms stretching out a banner that read ¡°Happy Birthday ¡®Ke Xiaomo''¡±;


    Ke Mingye stood between his two sisters, hands cradling a cream cake lit with several candles. The candlelight reflected his awkward expression, as if he was somewhat reluctant.


    Surrounded by scattered confetti on the floor, the three of them spoke almost simultaneously.


    ¡°Happy birthday, second brother!¡± Bai Zini said.


    ¡°Happy birthday, I want a red envelope,¡± Bai Ziling said.


    ¡°Happy birthday, another year older for you,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    Ke Xiaomo stood at the bathroom door for a long while, then slowly extended his large arms to hug his two sisters and brother, bringing their heads close together.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ I am touched.¡±


    He said softly, his gaze meeting Ke Mingye¡¯s in the middle.

 Chapter 31 - 31 - 25: Birthday Party

    Chapter 31 ¨C 25: Birthday Party


    Chapter 31: Chapter 25: Birthday Party


    On June 19th, at twilight, a modest birthday party was happening in a duplex apartment.


    Bai Zini and Bai Ziling had turned off the lights in the living room early and drawn the curtains; Bai Zini passionately claimed that this was the only way to create an atmosphere, asking if you understood what a birthday was.


    Ke Mingye brought the birthday cake to the table. The room was dim, lit only by the light of the few candles. Turning his head to look at the balcony, the light blue curtains fell loosely, blocking most of the light from the setting sun. The twilight illuminated just an inch of the floor near the wall, elongating the shadow of the floor-to-ceiling windows.


    Bai Zini took it upon herself to open a karaoke channel on the TV. She plugged in a microphone with a USB cable, sat in front of the TV, and led the singing of the Happy Birthday song in an off-key comical tone.


    Bai Qiuwu and Ke Yongzhu, after coming back from school, quickly joined their ranks.


    The siblings gathered around the birthday cake. In the soft candlelight, they each took a turn with the microphone, singing a few perfunctory lines¡ªjust that their sister Bai Qiuwu sang with some semblance of talent, while the others¡¯ voices seemed possessed by indescribable ancient gods from the Cthulhu mythos.


    ...


    The birthday song rose intermittently in the living room, often interrupted by the laughter of others. A breeze blew through the twilight sky, lifting the gauzy curtains.


    Through the curtains, you could see several figures gathering around the cake, one of whom, tall and thin, had their eyes closed and hands clasped in front of their chest making a wish, with someone placing a paper wreath, made on the spot, on their head.


    Out of the six, Ke Yongzhu especially found singing this kind of song a big ask.


    When the microphone reached this temperamental elementary school student, he had a scowl with lines across his forehead. He would open his mouth without making a sound, pretending to start singing then suddenly turning his head, glaring with probing eyes at his family¡¯s reaction. If someone laughed out loud, he could put down the microphone without singing and feel justified.


    Those sitting on the sofa, as if they had reached a consensus on a ¡°do not laugh challenge,¡± kept a straight face, trying their best to hold back laughter¡ªlaugh and you lose.


    The corners of Bai Zini¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, and later, unable to hold back any longer, she stuffed a piece of cake into her throat, bowed her head, and chewed vigorously while trying to stifle her laughter, her cheeks puffed out like a panda¡¯s; this was her last resort.


    Finally, after several rounds of testing by Ke Yongzhu, he reluctantly moved his mouth close to the microphone. Hardly had he begun the first word of ¡°Happy Birthday¡± when the usually silent and indifferent Bai Ziling suddenly snorted, giggling lightly, prompting Ke Yongzhu to turn and glare at her right away. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Ke Yongzhu look her way, she tried to play it off by raising a slice of neatly cut cake to cover her mouth and cheeks. Eyes cast downward and tinged red, she purposefully coughed twice, her pale hair slightly swaying on her shoulders.


    Seeing her like this, Ke Mingye sitting beside couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. He appeared to be occupied with his phone, but in fact, he was slapping the sofa hard with his right hand, nearly breaking the armrest.


    Ke Yongzhu dropped the microphone with a dark face and pounced on Ke Mingye, knocking him into the sofa and persistently nudging against his chest with his head, causing Ke Mingye to upend his piece of cake onto the sofa, shouting ¡°Stop it, I haven¡¯t had my cake yet,¡± while laughing uncontrollably.


    It was clear that the little rascal was holding back; not transforming into a dragon and biting him was an act of extreme mercy.


    Just as the two were roughhousing, the door opened, and Ke Youqing and Bai Wenna came home.


    Bai Wenna, seeing a piece of cake smashed on the living room sofa, with cream tracing a path down the armrest, was about to get angry, but Ke Youqing stopped her, removed the cigarette from his mouth, and said something. She sighed, and in the end, merely stated it could not happen again.


    Bai Zini jumped off the sofa, ran to the entrance, and grabbed their hands, pushing them to sit on the sofa. Then she forcefully handed the microphone to Ke Youqing¡¯s mouth.


    The usually stoic father took a deep breath, gazing solemnly at the lyrics.


    However, the moment he started singing in that deep, honest voice, people around him were laughing so hard they fell to the ground, rolling about; some sprayed the cola they were sipping from their mouths, others rubbed their Tianming Acupoint and started chanting Buddhist scriptures.


    Time flew by quickly; the sunset slowly sank below the horizon, taking away the afterglow that spread over the city.


    Bai Zini went to the restroom, leaving her smartphone on the sofa. Her second brother, Ke Xiaomo, picked up the phone, holding a slice of cut cake, and walked towards the corridor entrance.


    He had remembered the gesture Bai Zini used to unlock her screen, so he easily entered the correct password, opened WeChat, and glanced at her chat messages with Ke Mingye.


    [Ke Mingye: I¡¯m on the elevator, is second brother still in the restroom?]


    [Bai Zini: Yes, he hasn¡¯t come out. What if he passed out?]


    [Ke Mingye: Maybe he¡¯s playing with his phone inside. You often play with your phone in the restroom too, sometimes staying in there for half an hour.]


    [Bai Zini: I¡¯m just following your lead, ¡®like father like son.¡¯ I¡¯ve already turned off the lights at home and drawn the curtains; Zi Ling even went to find the leftover firecracker and banner from last year. We¡¯re just waiting for you to come back, big bro, hurry up!]


    [Ke Mingye: Okay, if I¡¯m not there yet, you and Zi Ling just wait outside the restroom door, don¡¯t let him come out, I¡¯ll give him a surprise when I get there.]


    [Bai Zini: Okay.]


    After reading the messages, Ke Xiaomo put away the phone, leaning against the wall with half of his face shrouded in shadow.


    ¡°Is my judgment off? Mingye is still the same Mingye, maybe I¡¯m just being paranoid.¡± Thinking this, he turned his gaze towards Ke Mingye.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye was sitting on the armrest of the sofa, sipping cola, his eyes fixed on the TV screen. However, his mind wasn¡¯t there but rather on the Deception Puppet all along.


    The time was exactly the agreed 5:25 PM, and the Deception Puppet had arrived at the Meiyijia Supermarket on Yandai Commercial Street.


    This place was the meeting spot mentioned by a player with the ID ¡°Fan Quan,¡± though the supermarket appeared to have closed down, with a sign stating ¡°Temporarily Out of Business¡± pasted on the firmly locked doors.


    But Ke Mingye¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on the sign because there was a massive panel floating in front of him.


    [Congratulations, you have discovered the ¡°Huanjing No. 5 instance.¡± It has been recorded in your dungeon atlas, which you can open and view at any time.]


    [Dungeon name: Massive Zombie Chase]


    [Dungeon location: Yandai Commercial Street, Meiyijia Supermarket]


    [Dungeon difficulty: F-rank (recommended for players below level 3 to form a team to tackle the instance)]

 Chapter 32 - 32 - 026: Player Meeting

    Chapter 32 ¨C 026: Player Meeting


    Chapter 32: Chapter 026: Player Meeting


    ¡°The zombie element in this instance, too classic.¡±


    Ke Mingye glanced over the instance¡¯s introduction and then shifted his focus back to himself. With a thought, he opened the communication panel and sent a message to the discussion group.


    [Failed Man: Have you all arrived?]


    [Ju Zipi: Here.]


    [Indistinct Dream: 1.]


    [Fan Quan: The game experience shop next door, third room on the second floor. Just tell the owner you¡¯re with us and it¡¯ll be fine.]


    ...


    [Failed Man: Okay, on my way.]


    After sending the message, Ke Mingye moved his viewpoint back to the Deception Puppet. Controlling the puppet to turn its head, sure enough, there was a video game store not far from this supermarket.


    He maneuvered the Deception Puppet into the video game shop, said a word to the owner, and then went up to the second floor. Entering the third private room and lifting the black cloth, three unfamiliar figures came into view.


    In the private room of the video game shop, the orange light illuminated three faces. As the Deception Puppet walked into the shop, they simultaneously turned their faces away.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    ¡°Fan Quan.¡±


    The first to speak was a young man with glasses, wearing a black long coat and jeans. He was carrying a book with a black leather cover, and the look he cast was profound and lucid.


    ¡°Qing Meng. I typed the ID randomly, so just call me that.¡±


    The next to speak was a girl wearing a baseball cap. She had dyed light blue long hair, her hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket, her neck slightly raised, looking quite aloof, with a blue heart tattooed near her eye.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯m Ju Zipi.¡±


    The last one they saw was a handsome young man dressed in casual clothes. He was squinting and smiling, giving off the impression of being carefree and easy to approach.


    ¡°Why choose a console shop?¡±


    Ke Mingye ordered the puppet to sit on the sofa while asking this question.


    ¡°It¡¯s safer to have a conversation in this kind of shop, which is facing closure, than in places like cafes,¡± said Fan Quan.


    ¡°Makes sense.¡±


    Ke Mingye had already noticed when he came in that the video game store indeed didn¡¯t have many customers. It was very quiet.


    After all, with the economy developed, those who need consoles like the PS5 and Switch can easily buy one to play at home. There is no need to specifically go to a console experience shop. If it were a somewhat busier shop, it could act like a club for gaming enthusiasts. But for a small shop like this, the fewer customers it has with time, the worse the vicious cycle becomes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a chat. You must have seen the Meiyijia instance too,¡± Fan Quan said.


    ¡°Talking about a zombie chase, pretty classic,¡± Ke Mingye responded.


    ¡°Qing Meng and I have found a total of seven instances in Huanjing in the past two days. Among these seven instances, only this one has the lowest difficulty. The system recommends it for players ranging from ¡®Lv.1 to Lv.3¡¯ to attempt the challenge, so as our first instance, it should be the best choice.¡±


    Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t argue; indeed, it was tough to find an instance with an even lower difficulty.


    ¡°So, are we starting today?¡± he asked.


    ¡°After gaining the Skill at three o¡¯clock, Qing Meng and I already tried challenging that instance, but we failed,¡± Fan Quan said unhurriedly, ¡°The gap wasn¡¯t very big; we just lacked a player who can attract the attention of the monsters for coordination.¡± With that, he took a sip of coffee.


    ¡°Drawing fire? I think I can do that,¡± said Ke Mingye. He had a web-shooter, and the Deception Puppet was quite lightweight, so in terms of mobility, it was absolutely sufficient for drawing the instance monster¡¯s aggro.


    He added, ¡°But let me be clear, I haven¡¯t learned any damage-dealing Skills, just have¡­¡± Just as he was halfway through, he noticed Fan Quan sliding a handgun across the table, so he changed what he was about to say to, ¡°Never mind, then.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get that gun?¡± Ke Mingye asked, puzzled.


    ¡°This body¡¯s father gave it to me,¡± Fan Quan said as he slipped the gun back into his coat.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Ke Mingye was taken aback for a moment, thinking to himself that this was China, not the United States; which father was so bold as to give his son a handgun to play with?


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±


    Speaking of which, Fan Quan started to introduce his family background.


    His father was an illegal arms smuggler who occasionally gave him several guns to play with, so he could provide handguns for his teammates, but his father had also warned him that if he was discovered by the police, it would be the end for him. He had enrolled in a top domestic university but had taken a leave of absence due to health reasons, and his family didn¡¯t really monitor him, which basically allowed him to move around freely at all hours.


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty good, having the freedom to move and the ability to provide guns,¡± Ke Mingye commented.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing; players born in the United States can easily get their hands on guns. My background only gives me an advantage in China,¡± Fan Quan said calmly.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    The punk girl with the ID ¡°Qing Meng,¡± seated next to Fan Quan, also shared her background.


    She said, ¡°The previous owner of this body was a rebellious punk girl. As I mentioned in the chat group, she was an orphan who had organized a band in the orphanage using other orphans as a gimmick. Later, after attacking the police, she was sent to juvie, and the band dissolved.¡±


    As she spoke, she popped a piece of gum into her mouth, ¡°Anyway, now I can climb over the wall from the orphanage anytime, so I guess I¡¯m quite free too. Contact me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°That such things can happen in China is pretty sci-fi.¡±


    Ke Mingye remarked as he turned his gaze to the young man with the ID ¡°Ju Zipi.¡±


    Ju Zipi chuckled and said that the background of his body was that of an ordinary person from a normal family who was now on college vacation and had returned home to work in a bubble tea shop for the summer. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finally, it was Ke Mingye¡¯s turn, and all three looked at him.


    Ke Mingye thought if he really had to introduce his family history, he¡¯d need to write at least a ten-thousand-word thesis. So, he made the Deception Puppet take a sip of water from the glass on the table before introducing himself:


    ¡°Well, my father and I are filial and loving, and we have a harmonious family; everything¡¯s normal, Over.¡±


    In fact, he hadn¡¯t brought his real body partly to avoid involving these players in his family issues, so he chose to only infiltrate the player troops with a Deception Puppet and lay low. If he could mooch off the instance rewards, that would be a win, and even if not, he wouldn¡¯t lose anything¡ªafter all, with his background, not getting discovered by his family and just idly watching other players perform was the most pragmatic approach; trying to achieve greatness while shackled was like dancing in fetters.


    ¡°It seems that players typically take over the body of some normal person in this parallel world and largely come from normal families, with no Superhumans. This is probably to prevent players from developing emotions for the Superhumans, given that you also inherit all the previous occupant¡¯s memories when you travel here. These memories can easily cause you to develop feelings for your family members, leading to indecision.¡±


    After hearing everyone¡¯s stories, Fan Quan analyzed without hesitation.


    Ke Mingye forced a smile through the Deception Puppet and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all too human.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll meet here at this time tomorrow to get through the instance. In the time afterward, we¡¯ll take on the responsibility of finding the instance; whether you need to go to school or work doesn¡¯t matter. Just make sure you can make time to gather,¡± Fan Quan said.


    ¡°Alright, then see you tomorrow,¡± Ju Zipi said, ¡°I¡¯ll be going first.¡±


    ¡°Bye,¡± Qing Meng said, looking down at her phone and waving her hand.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°I¡¯ll be on summer break after my classes tomorrow; call me in the chat group when needed.¡±


    After finishing, he made the Deception Puppet be the first to leave the private room. The moment he left the host experience store, he changed his face. Turning down several streets, he then turned into an alley where he was sure there were no surveillance cameras.


    He let the puppet shrink, reverting to its original form and curling up in a trash can. The next moment, the puppet exploded from within, with cracks burning with fire engulfing every inch of its ¡®skin,¡¯ consuming it entirely.


    Soon after, a bizarre laugh spread through the alley.

 Chapter 33 - 33 - 027 A Step Away

    Chapter 33 ¨C 027 A Step Away


    [Notice: The ¡°Deception Puppet¡± has been actively destroyed; the next release of the puppet will require 10 minutes.]


    Ke Mingye massaged his Tianming Acupoint and let out a gentle sigh of relief, thinking that if that thing didn¡¯t disappear soon, his brain would have overloaded.


    When he opened his eyes again from the sofa, the only image left in his mind made him feel like the world was significantly more peaceful.


    Simultaneously controlling two bodies was no easy task, especially when the auditory and visual senses of both intertwined, creating a mental strain nearly akin to severe schizophrenia¡ªenough to drive someone mad over time.


    Ke Mingye sat on the sofa to recover for a moment, then glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. It was 6:25 PM; night had fallen, and the family birthday party had long since ended.


    After dinner, except for his second elder brother who was in his room, everyone else had gone out for a walk, leaving the house very quiet.


    With nothing pressing to attend to, Ke Mingye joined Bai Qiuwu and Bai Zini to watch TV for a while. He picked up the remote control and pressed the numeric keys to switch to a news channel.


    ...


    On the reasonably large screen, the host broadcasted a blurred video, describing it as it played:


    ¡°Last night, ¡¯Diviner Black Wukong¡¯ and ¡¯Magical Girl Ash¡¯¡ªtwo superhero vigilantes¡ªassisted the superhero ¡¯Qing Ya¡¯ in arresting a criminal ¡¯Diviner Ghost Tree¡¯ causing trouble in the center of Huanjing City. The Superhero Association highly commended their brave actions and pledged a generous reward if they decide to join the association;


    Huanjing City¡¯s mayor also made a personal appearance in a media interview, urging the vigilantes to register with the Superhero Association soon and become official members, to uphold the law with a legal identity.¡±


    Did you hear that? It¡¯s about you two, always running around with masks on, not caring about legality¡­ Ke Mingye thought to himself while casually glancing at Bai Qiuwu and Bai Zini on the sofa.


    Bai Qiuwu was coolly playing with her phone, perfectly indifferent, displaying outstanding acting skills;


    In contrast, Bai Zini was also fiddling with her phone while she carefully shifted her position on the sofa, moving closer to Ke Mingye, and asked in a seemingly casual tone,


    ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t you think that Magic Girl on the news looks pretty, with a kind of fresh and ethereal beauty?¡±


    Upon hearing her, Ke Mingye looked up at the photo of Magical Girl Ash on the news and tilted his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± he said.


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡¯it¡¯s hard to say¡¯?¡± Bai Zini pressed.


    ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s just average,¡± he reluctantly said.


    Bai Zini¡¯s mouth gaped open, but she hesitated, and after a brief pause, she gently clapped her hands and said, ¡°Look more carefully; is she really just average? I think she¡¯s the prettiest Magic Girl who has debuted lately.¡±


    After speaking, she seemed a bit unconvinced and continued muttering, ¡°Also, many classmates in our school are her fans! Some even say she looks a bit like me, what do you think, bro?¡±


    ¡°My goodness, if she really looks like you, then she¡¯s really unlucky, must have struck negative karma for eight lifetimes,¡±


    Ke Mingye teased nonchalantly, lowering his head back to his phone.


    ¡°You!¡± Bai Zini, unable to retort, just glared at him and angrily crinkled her nose, ignoring him thereafter.


    She instead turned to Bai Qiuwu and asked, ¡°What do you think, big sister? Doesn¡¯t this Magic Girl look much prettier than that darkly dressed monkey next to her?¡±


    Hearing this, Bai Qiuwu tilted her head and looked up at the three photos broadcasted in the news¡ªfull-body shots of ¡°Qing Ya,¡± ¡°Black Wukong,¡± and ¡°Ash.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ but aren¡¯t all three of them dressed in dark colors?¡±


    She pinched her chin, curling her lips, and teased earnestly.


    Just as Bai Zini was about to argue, she glanced at the three photos and could only purse her lips.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± she said.


    Ke Mingye chuckled twice, thinking it was all too true. He couldn¡¯t understand why this whole family preferred dark-colored battle suits; it must have been an inherited sense of aesthetics.


    Ever since the first time he went online to look at photos, he couldn¡¯t help but complain¡ªBai Qiuwu¡¯s battle suit was a mix of silver and black; Bai Zini¡¯s ¡°magic dress¡± was gray tinged with black; their dad, Ke Youqing¡¯s battle suit was even more ridiculously exaggerated, except for a patch of green on the mask¡¯s beak, it was utterly pitch black, making him completely invisible at night.


    It might just be that the three happened to think alike, since they often roamed at night, designing their battle suits in darker shades made it easier to conceal themselves.


    ¡°Either way, I can¡¯t figure why this monkey has fans¡­¡±


    Bai Zini muttered under her breath, picked up her phone to check a message, ¡°I left something at school, I¡¯m heading out first, bye.¡± After saying that, she stood up from the sofa and turned to walk toward the hallway.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your middle school already on summer break? Shouldn¡¯t it be closed by now?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    Bai Zini¡¯s voice came from the hallway: ¡°Mind your own business, pretty girl things.¡±


    ¡°Sorry princess, should I kowtow twice to cool you off?¡±


    Ke Mingye said sarcastically, though he was still quite curious about what Bai Zini was up to.


    Because just five minutes before, Ke Youqing had said he was meeting a colleague tonight, put on his coat, took a cigarette, and headed out, but Ke Mingye definitely didn¡¯t dare to follow him;


    Not long after, Bai Zini also said she had left something at school, and if she didn¡¯t go back to get it now, the school would lock up. She rushed out, perhaps they were dealing with the same thing.


    There weren¡¯t any criminals around now, right? Ke Mingye checked the trending topics on Weibo to make sure nothing was happening.


    ¡°Big bro!¡± He suddenly shouted upstairs.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Mingye?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo, hearing his shout, slowly walked down from the second floor.


    ¡°Little sister said she needs to go back to school to get something. Why don¡¯t you give her a ride on the electric bike?¡± Ke Mingye suggested, standing up from the sofa and walking towards the second floor, brushing past Ke Xiaomo.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Ke Xiaomo stopped on the stairs and looked toward Bai Zini who was putting on her shoes at the door, ¡°Shall I put on a coat and wait for you?¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just take the bus.¡±


    Bai Zini said while putting on her shoes and glared at Ke Mingye¡¯s retreating back.


    While they talked, Ke Mingye quickly returned to his room. Taking advantage of the fact that his big brother Ke Xiaomo was still on the first floor, he locked the door, opened the window, and once again used the ¡°Deception Puppet,¡± making the puppet appear outside the window.


    [Skill ¡°Deception Puppet¡± successfully released. The release of this skill will consume 20% of your energy level, leaving 80% remaining.]


    [The current maximum number of Deception Puppets is 1; the maximum existent time is 3 hours; there should be a one-hour interval between releasing puppets after one disappears, but if you actively destroy a puppet you can reduce the interval to 10 minutes.]


    At this moment, the puppet was clad in grey, grinning from ear to ear, looking quite eerie. But Ke Mingye didn¡¯t have time to change its appearance, he immediately made it jump down from the windowsill, rolling onto the rooftop of the neighboring residential building. Because of its light weight and the rolling reducing the impact, it landed unscathed.


    At the same time, another image appeared in Ke Mingye¡¯s mind¡ªit was the Deception Puppet¡¯s point of view.


    He closed the window, flopped down onto his bed in a spread-eagle position, thinking, ¡°Might as well give it a try, see if it can keep up with her pace.¡±


    Ke Mingye pulled out his phone and casually opened a video app. His fingers unconsciously swiped the screen, but his mind was controlling the movements of the Deception Puppet.


    He commanded the puppet to crouch on the railing of the adjacent building, intently surveying the neighborhood. Soon, Bai Zini walked out of the duplex apartment on the ground floor, entering the puppet¡¯s field of view.


    ¡°Here she comes.¡± Ke Mingye thought. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 34 - 34 - 028: Spider Web Tracking

    Chapter 34 ¨C 028: Spider Web Tracking


    Bai Zini twisted her head around to survey the street, and after confirming that no one was around, she entered a camera-free alley and pulled out a folding umbrella from her bag.


    In an instant, starting from the tip of the umbrella, a haze of interwoven gray and black colors flowed past, like a tide sweeping over the body of the umbrella, and then the lower half of the folding umbrella gradually transformed into a magic wand.


    Time seemed to stand still as intricate designs blossomed terrifyingly on the surface of the umbrella, finally linked together by a circle of thorns, and the magic umbrella ¡°Cinderella¡± was fully formed, unfurling in the night.


    The bearer was enveloped in that stream of light, trapped within a cocoon of light.


    Magic Girl Ash brushed the hair from her forehead with her hand, shattering the cocoon of light instantly, her black hair cascading down her back like a waterfall, her gothic gray skirt fluttering in the wind.


    She tilted her face upward and slowly lifted her eyes, her pupils cold and clear under the moonlight.


    Nonchalantly, she reached upward and removed a classic mirror from the inside of the umbrella, looked at her own face in the mirror, and her features subtly altered.


    ...


    If it wasn¡¯t for the Deception Puppet¡¯s vision being sharper than 1.5, given the darkness of the night, even Ke Mingye himself might not have seen these actions clearly. The entire transformation process took less than 3 seconds, smooth as flowing water.


    The girl took two or three steps forward, nonchalantly raising Cinderella. Accompanied by the ripple spreading from the umbrella, her slender body ascended into the night sky along with the umbrella.


    ¡°Little sister, can you slow down? I can¡¯t keep up.¡± Ke Mingye was secretly shocked.


    Even so, the moment Ash soared into the sky, he immediately ordered the Deception Puppet to crouch down, gathering all its strength in its legs and stomping fiercely, drawing a nimble arc in the air and leaping onto the top of another residential building. Firmly grabbing the ninth-floor railing to climb upward, he continued to dash forward after stepping onto the corridor.


    Then, it stepped on the railing again to leap further, rolling onto the rooftop of an office building. It sprinted forward on the solar panels, the metal beneath its feet crying out. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    During this time, the puppet¡¯s gaze was fixed on the silhouette of Ash flying through the sky, her body light as a kite, running among the towering buildings.


    Because this body was terrifyingly light, it could easily jump several meters high, but Ash¡¯s flight speed was increasing. Regardless of how far or high the Deception Puppet jumped, it couldn¡¯t match the speed of flight. If this continued, they would soon lose sight of her completely.


    Fortuitously, just up ahead was a steel jungle of high-rise buildings crowded together, with a sea of traffic on the city roads below. Thus, Ke Mingye ordered the Deception Puppet to equip the ¡°Web Shooter¡± and give it a shot.


    [Alert: Your summons ¡°Deception Puppet¡± has been equipped with the ¡°Web Shooter¡±.]


    As the system voice fell, a high-tech metal device appeared on the right wrist of the Deception Puppet, resembling a watch. It pointed the shooter toward the high-rise ahead, pressing down with its hand to activate it, and immediately a white spider-thread stretched out from the night, crossing the wide road and sticking to the glass curtain wall of the building like a palm.


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath, controlling the Deception Puppet to grab the spider thread and leap forward from the apartment building below.


    It clenched its fingers around the thread, swinging in a beautiful arc in mid-air, and at the moment it was about to crash into the building ahead, it again lowered its hand, shooting another thread toward an adjacent high-rise.


    The moment the thread snap-stuck to the building¡¯s facade, the Deception Puppet let go of the original thread and gripped the new one tightly, slanting its body as it swung forward.


    Despite Ke Mingye¡¯s intense focus, he still couldn¡¯t match the speed of Ash. Due to a lack of proficiency, the balance control in the air wasn¡¯t quite right.


    Meanwhile, Ash just held the handle of the umbrella, soaring leisurely through the night sky, not even at full speed, making it difficult even to see her silhouette.


    ¡°Hey hey hey, does it need to be so exaggerated? Now I know why she flies faster than my older sister¡¯s Somersault Cloud¡ªI need to speed up, or I¡¯ll lose her right away.¡±


    Ke Mingye was frantic, yet his control over the puppet remained precise.


    The puppet accurately grabbed each spider silk, wildly swinging forward under the neon lights as if shuttling through a bizarre world of movie trailers and beauty ads.


    The howling wind brushed past his cheek, and the horns of the trucks below blared deafeningly, but its movement was unimpeded, his pupils seemingly focused only on the flying skirt of the girl with the umbrella in mid-air.


    About thirty seconds later, the Deception Puppet released the last spider silk attached to a skyscraper, somersaulting into the rooftop of a long-closed school hotel, finally surpassing this modern jungle of neon and steel.


    Behind him, the strands of spider silk crisscrossed in the air like complex function graphs, connecting nearly dozens of skyscrapers¡¯ glass facades; several drivers on the road looked up at the dazzling web, got out of their cars to check, even causing minor traffic congestion.


    Ke Mingye had no intention to make the puppet turn its head, so he couldn¡¯t see the bizarre spectacle he had woven in his frantic movements. Soon, through the puppet¡¯s eyes, he finally saw Ash stop.


    She eventually landed on the rooftop of a long-closed school in Yandai Commercial Street, slowly descending with her umbrella, tiptoes touching down, folding up her umbrella, and walking toward the school building without looking back.


    ¡°Thank goodness, you finally stopped¡­¡±


    Watching Ash land on the rooftop, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Though he was just lying in bed at home, his back was already soaked with cold sweat.


    He even played a horror movie on his phone to ensure no one at home was monitoring him and wondering why he was breaking out in cold sweat for no reason.


    It has to be said, following the Deception Puppet¡¯s first-person perspective as it flew over the city was thrilling beyond measure. Leave aside the visual bombardment; his ears were nearly deafened by the honking of road trucks and the howling wind. His head spun, his heart racing as if he were a complete gaming newbie experiencing VR for the first time, feeling like his heart might just burst out.


    Now that he knew where Bai Zini had landed, Ke Mingye didn¡¯t have to worry about losing her.


    ¡°No need to panic, you can take your time now. Just now was damn terrifying.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought so, picking up the water glass from the desk and taking a sip of boiling water.


    He commanded the puppet to slowly lower its right hand, launching a spider silk from a nearby residential building, sticking it to the school building¡¯s rooftop railing, then leaping into the air, swinging around, and slamming face-first into the rough wall. Luckily, it was light, hitting the object like a balloon, not making much noise.


    At that moment, the puppet¡¯s raised arm clung tightly to the spider silk, its body pressed against the surface of the rooftop railing, slowly sliding downward.


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t intend to let the puppet directly enter the school building; that would be no different from suicide, so he had it observe from outside instead.


    Soon, he heard a faint murmur of voices emanating from the fifth floor of the derelict school building.


    Ke Mingye softly exhaled, commanding the Deception Puppet to dangle precisely outside the classroom by the spider silk, making sure to keep its body away from the windows to avoid being noticed by anyone inside.


    What is Bai Zini doing? Why did she specifically come to this place, and who is she meeting?


    Once calm, these questions slowly emerged in Ke Mingye¡¯s mind, but he wasn¡¯t in a rush because the answers were soon to be revealed.

 Chapter 35 - 35 - 029 Secret Meeting

    Chapter 35 ¨C 029 Secret Meeting


    Who was Bai Zini meeting with? Could it possibly be Dad, who had also gone out not long ago?


    As Ke Mingye pondered this, he ordered the puppet to move.


    The puppet used a strand of spider silk to stick to the railing of the rooftop, hanging upside down in midair, slowly descending along the wall until it came to rest just above the first classroom window on the fifth floor.


    The noise was coming from inside there, where the classroom was brightly lit, the firelight shining through the windows illuminating the night. The puppet slightly lowered its body, the back of its head sticking close to the wall as it neared the window, looking in from an angle.


    Inside, three hollow pumpkin heads with internal ghostly fires floated in midair, providing a warm light source for the classroom.


    Below the pumpkin heads was a square ¡°conference table¡± made up of more than ten wooden desks stacked together, around which sat six figures.


    They were divided into two sides, each with three people sitting face to face.


    ...


    On the side of Magical Girl Ash, two other figures came into the vision of the Deception Puppet. When the image reached Ke Mingye¡¯s brain, the system naturally superimposed the information panel provided.


    [Code Name: Magical Girl Rainbow]


    [Age: 13]


    [Strength: Grade C (slightly better than a small portion of superhumans)]


    This magic girl was clad in a pink pleated skirt, with her pink hair tied up with a red band. She sat prim and proper, hands resting on her knees, appearing somewhat constrained.


    [Code Name: Magical Girl Feng]


    [Age: 15]


    [Strength: Grade C++ (slightly better than a small portion of superhumans)]


    The other magic girl had short blond hair and a short skirt colored elegantly like maple leaves. Her face was androgynous, like a boy who was overly handsome.


    Her posture was more relaxed compared to Magical Girl Rainbow, but still quite proper;


    Looking back at Magical Girl Ash sitting between the two, she was sitting cross-legged, her right hand, clad in a black leather glove, propped under her chin, and the index finger of her other hand gently tapped on the table, showing a hint of impatience.


    Both of these magic girls were Grade C, Ke Mingye thought.


    In comparison, he suddenly felt that Bai Zini¡¯s strength was actually quite outstanding among the various magic girls.


    The puppet hanging outside the window shifted its eyes, quietly observing the demeanor of the three magic girls, still unnoticed for the moment.


    At that moment, Ke Mingye felt relieved that he hadn¡¯t arbitrarily changed the appearance of the puppet. After all, its original grey exterior was perfectly suited for hiding in the cover of night¡ªif one didn¡¯t look closely, it was virtually impossible to notice a grey, indistinct face hidden outside the window.


    Furthermore, since the puppet was hanging upside down, only its eyes and forehead were visible at the top of the window, making it even harder to detect.


    He manipulated the puppet, slowly shifting its gaze toward the other three figures sitting across from these three new magic girls. He was very curious who they were meeting with so late at night.


    The answer was soon revealed. The puppet¡¯s vision captured three enchanting figures, their beautiful appearances exuding grace and grandeur, forming a stark contrast to the three newcomers sitting opposite them, especially the nonchalantly seated Ash.


    In fact, the moment Ke Mingye¡¯s gaze touched the other three figures, he had already recognized the names of these notable individuals. Yet, the system gave the information panel, unsolicitedly adding to the picture.


    [Name: Udina]


    [Age: 19]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Strength: A+ (possessing top-tier combat prowess far surpassing 90% of the superhumans in the world)]


    [Identity: Magical Girl Udina (a magical girl from Russia, currently one of the three giants of the Magical Girl Alliance, she is a rare holder of a ¡°mutant magic wand¡±, whose prototype is a sword handle. When infused with magic power, the handle transforms into a blazing lightsaber, capable of instantly melting a high-rise building at its maximum power)] S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Udina was clad in a magic ceremony dress resembling Knight¡¯s Armor, unlike the luxurious beauty of other magic dresses, her attire was shrouded in steel in multiple places¡ªshoulder guards, gauntlets, chest plate, resembling a set of heavy knight armor, with only the lower half being a long dark red skirt reaching to the floor.


    Her face was handsome, and between her brows lay an uncontainable heroic air. Her gaze was piercing, captivating the soul. Her supple red hair cascaded down from the back of her head, this bright mane was the most distinctive feature on her.


    The Russian girl ¡°Udina¡± was after all one of the pinnacle figures among magical girls, and Ke Mingye had learned about her through social media and short video platforms to a certain extent.


    Similar to Bai Zini, also known as Magical Girl Ash, Udina was a bearer of a ¡°mutant magic wand,¡± the most unique category among the magical girls.


    The difference lay in the fact that Udina¡¯s magic wand was a sword handle, while Bai Zini¡¯s was an umbrella handle, which after transformation would become the magical umbrella ¡°Cinderella¡± and the holy sword ¡°Galohua¡± respectively.


    Udina set the Magical Sword Galohua aside and sat expressionlessly on the left of the three; in the middle sat a figure who was on par with her, also one of the three giants.


    [Name: Lilai]


    [Age: 18]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Strength: A+ (possessing top-tier combat prowess far surpassing 90% of the superhumans in the world)]


    [Identity: Magical Girl ¨C Lilai (a magical girl from England, currently one of the three giants of the Magical Girl Alliance, she is the only ¡°ice magic¡± card user in the world, possessing the power to create and control ice elemental cards, hence earning the nickname ¡°Extreme Ice Witch¡±)]


    Lilai had nearly silver light golden hair that shone with a cold light under the lamps, pure as snow upon glaciers.


    Her features were elegant with a hint of the beauty of a classic beauty. Those ice-blue eyes resembled lakes frozen beneath layers of dust, mysterious and deep, radiating an unreachable aloofness.


    She was draped in a magic dress of blue and silver, exuding a lofty air, as if a noble young lady from English classical literature had stepped out of the pages.


    Under the orange glow of a jack-o¡¯-lantern, Lilai lowered her eyes, slowly flipping through a dossier; in contrast to her meticulous behavior, an Asian girl sitting to her right was absentmindedly nibbling on a zongzi with her head bowed.


    [Name: Xizi Yue]


    [Age: 18]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Strength: A++ (possessing top-tier combat prowess far surpassing 90% of the superhumans in the world)]


    [Identity: Magical Girl Xizi Yue (a magical girl from China, currently one of the three giants of the Magical Girl Alliance, she is the magical girl with the most thorough mastery of various elemental magic cards in the world, her skill is so exquisite that she even created several trait-specific cards, for instance, the ¡°Space-Time Train¡± from the ¡°Magic Catalogue NO.3,¡± a Space Department card, is one of her masterpieces)]

 Chapter 36 - 36 - 030 Problematic Girl

    Chapter 36 ¨C 030 Problematic Girl


    Xizi Yue wore her hair in a bun at the top of her head, with ponytails on either side twisted into round shapes, making them resemble panda ears. Her appearance was pure and ethereal, her distinct features so pristine as if untainted by the mortal world.


    Moreover, unlike other magic girls¡¯ dresses, the dress worn by Xizi Yue was very rare¡ªa light blue cheongsam. Its design was only slightly modified from the traditional cheongsam, and the difference was not significant.


    With her exceptional appearance, coupled with her genuine Chinese nationality, one could predict that Xizi Yue¡¯s popularity in China was considerable.


    She had once continuously topped the ¡°National Style Goddess¡± rankings and appeared multiple times as the cover figure on famous domestic magazines such as Vogue China and Rayli. In any major city in China, taking a few steps on the street would likely expose one to this magic girl¡¯s beauty or fashion advertisement campaigns.


    Though it seemed like she endorsed many ads and appeared on numerous magazine covers, Xizi Yue was in fact an extremely lazy and casual person.


    If possible, she would have been happy to lie in bed for days on end without doing anything, simply sleeping and eating upon awakening.


    Xizi Yue only resorted to endorsing advertisements as a means to gather funds to prevent the Chinese branch of the Magical Girl Alliance from shutting down.


    ...


    In this country, minors were deeply restrained by law, and the majority of magic girls were not older than eighteen years, placing China¡¯s magic girl division in a dire and precarious situation.


    Although the death rate of magic girls had been rising along with superheroes over the years, the mortality rate between the two was about the same. However, discussions on the internet about ¡°magic girls dying in battle¡± were far more widespread than those concerning ¡°superheroes dying in battle.¡±


    Thus, opinions originally intended to show care and concern inadvertently propelled the existence of ¡°magic girls¡± into fierce controversy.


    A surge of domestic experts, previously silent, emerged atop this whirlwind of debate.


    They repeatedly expressed online that ¡°upholding the peace¡± should be the duty of the heroes from the Superhero Association, not left to a group of underage girls wearing bizarre dresses flitting through the skies. This not only set a bad behavioral precedent for young girls within the country but also severely breached laws protecting minors.


    In this difficult situation, China gave rise to ¡°Xizi Yue,¡± a prodigy hailed as ¡°once in three thousand years among magic girls,¡± who completely reversed the decline of magic girls.


    Her mastery in magic cards had reached a precedent unmatched by predecessors and probably unsurpassed by any to come, fitting to be called the new ¡°Mother of Magic Cards.¡±


    For the past three centuries, the fighting power of magic girls born in China had been slightly inferior to those from other countries, but the emergence of Xizi Yue directly altered this scenario.


    Undoubtedly, she now represented China¡¯s magic girls and was their true pillar of strength.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Xizi Yue¡¯s efforts in single-handedly turning the tide and staunchly holding out, the title of ¡°magic girl¡± might have already vanished from China¡¯s historical stage, completely replaced by the heroes of the Superhero Association.


    At this moment, Xizi Yue, Udina, and Lilai, each representing the strongest magic girls from China, Russia, and England, respectively, had gathered together, evidently to discuss important matters.


    The Deception Puppet was concentrating intensely, sticking its head out above the window, its upright eyes fixed on the three spokespersons of the magic girls¡¯ community.


    This image transmitted into Ke Mingye¡¯s mind, revealing a hint of surprise in his eyes.


    ¡°Bai Zini actually managed to connect with these significant figures, but there are two new magic girls beside Bai Zini, so this must be a routine meeting,¡± he thought.


    Being among the strongest magic girls, according to the system¡¯s provided data, Udina and Lilai¡¯s combat power was ranked A+, all while the Magic Girl Xizi Yue was just a step away from S rank at A++.


    Their power levels were tremendously exaggerated. If there were no other superhumans to stop them, with their combined strength, they could easily destroy the borders of a country, and there were few superhumans in the world who could match them.


    However, if all members of Ke Mingye¡¯s family were combined, they could potentially clash with them. Not to mention there was also their alien mother, whose combat strength was unknown, so Ke Mingye didn¡¯t think too highly of them.


    At this moment, since they had not yet spoken, Magic Girl Ash, Feng, and Rainbow, sitting directly opposite, naturally did not dare to speak either.


    Apart from Ash, the expressions of the other two were as if they were primary students waiting for the teacher to grade their papers, nervously shivering.


    Udina hugged her shoulders, closed her eyes in thought, and her dress¡¯s steel shoulder guards reflected a cold light under the lamplight;


    Lilai, with one hand on her forehead, brushed back her light blonde hair, while the other hand flipped through documents, her ice-blue eyes scanning the contents on the table intently;


    Xizi Yue played with her cellphone while casually munching on a rice dumpling, the munching sounds notably clear in the silent classroom.


    Feng and Rainbow watched her carefully, thinking to themselves that what they read on Weibo was indeed true: this national idol had an enormous appetite, able to devour two buckets of tubed rice in one meal.


    While eating, Xizi Yue seemed to suddenly remember something and looked up to ask the gothic girl sitting across from her, ¡°Xiao Ni, do you have free time after the meeting?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash, who was playing with her phone, was momentarily stunned by the question, hurriedly put away her phone, and looked up, ¡°I am free; I¡¯m on summer vacation.¡±


    She paused for a moment, ¡°But Master, what do you want to do?¡±


    Mingye was slightly taken aback before he realized: Master? Xizi Yue is my little sister¡¯s master? Her judgment really is lacking¡­


    ¡°Well later, when Wild Fox logs on, join me for a couple of rounds of Go,¡± said Xizi Yue.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but I¡¯ll have to see if my brother is willing to let me use the laptop,¡± said Ash, propping up her chin and speaking indifferently, ¡°My brother is really mean, always picking on me at home.¡±


    Mingye¡¯s eyelids twitched, thinking to himself that even in such a setting, she has to seize the opportunity to speak ill of me, right?


    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to,¡± Lilai looked up from her documents, adding coldly, ¡°And no staying up late.¡± She flicked up her light blonde hair as she spoke. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Magical Girl Ash pouted, staring straight into Lilai¡¯s ice-blue eyes, and said innocently,


    ¡°But Second Master, didn¡¯t you pull me into pulling an all-nighter playing Dota last time? You even said your Ice Maiden was the best in England, and if you weren¡¯t a magical girl, you¡¯d have gone pro!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the two new Magic Girls sitting nearby were flabbergasted.


    They thought to themselves, we all debuted as magical girls in the same period, how come you¡¯re the only one referring to the three chairpersons of the Alliance as ¡¯Master¡¯ and speaking so out of line? That¡¯s totally outrageous.


    Mingye, who was secretly listening, felt similarly.


    ¡°Second Master, too¡­ then the one sitting next to her, Udina, must be your Third Master. All the strongest modern magical girls are your masters, one teaches you swordplay, while the other two teach you how to control magic power, right?¡± he thought.


    The reason he specified magic power control rather than Magic Cards was that, like Bai Zini, Udina also rarely used Magic Cards in battle, primarily relying on her mutated magic wand for combat ¡ª her ¡°Cinderella¡± umbrella had so many forms, she naturally needed someone to teach her how to integrate and use them effectively in combat.


    ¡°Enough chatter,¡± Lilai still expressionless, ¡°We¡¯ve come here to discuss several recent issues, most of which you¡¯ve caused.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash sat in her chair, swinging her legs, and asked nonchalantly.


    ¡°First, the Alliance clearly stipulates that magical girls are not to kill. Yet, a month ago, you personally killed a superhuman criminal, and the resulting media storm has yet to settle down.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to kill him, but just¡­¡±


    Before Ash could finish, Lilai coldly interrupted her, ¡°Secondly, there¡¯s the issue with your identity. You are currently the only magical girl in China who has not officially registered her identity with the authorities. Do you understand the severity of this issue?¡±

 Chapter 37 - 37 - 031 First Negotiation

    Chapter 37 ¨C 031 First Negotiation


    As the voices in the classroom gradually turned into accusations directed at Ash alone, Ke Mingye also raised his eyebrows, remembering the incident from a month ago when Magic Girl Ash had accidentally killed someone.


    At that time, she had released a magic power beam with the tip of Cinderella¡¯s umbrella at the superhuman criminal ¡°Ghosthand Buddha,¡± creating a large hole in the criminal¡¯s chest. The body of Ghosthand Buddha slid down the glass curtain wall of a tall building, with blood pouring out and cascading down the high-rise building like a waterfall.


    The scene was so gruesome that it was unbearable to look at, causing the people on the street to scream in terror.


    In the video, Ash stood suspended in mid-air, silently watching the river of blood smeared across the surface of the high-rise building and quietly clenched the black umbrella.


    It was as if she hadn¡¯t realized she had killed someone.


    As for her identity issue, that¡¯s been a long-running topic.


    Magic Girl Ash wasn¡¯t strictly a formal Magic Girl, as she hadn¡¯t officially registered her identity. She acted as a vigilante to help citizens without any compensation.


    ...


    But on second thought, if she truly chose to compromise and officially register her identity with the authorities, then, with Ke Youqing¡¯s resources at the Superhero Association, he would soon find out about it. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Considering the importance he places on family, he would probably take off his mask and directly come over from the nearby Superhero Association, and forcefully demand that Bai Zini cease her involvement in the Magic Girl world.


    At this moment, in the brightly lit classroom, despite being sternly reprimanded by the president of the Alliance, Ash remained unfazed.


    She rested her elbow on the table, her fingers in black leather gloves propped against her chin, while her other hand¡¯s index finger lightly traced circles on the table¡¯s surface.


    She muttered coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t want my family to worry about me, nor do I need their support. What I want least is for them to restrict my steps; that¡¯s why I conceal my identity.¡±


    She paused, then turned her cheek slightly, her tone growing darker.


    ¡°Asking me to reveal my identity publicly? What¡¯s the difference between that and putting handcuffs on me? If that¡¯s the case, I might as well not be a ¡¯Magic Girl¡¯ at all. It¡¯s too troublesome.¡±


    ¡°That is your responsibility.¡± Udina spoke while opening her eyes wide, looking straight at her, ¡°From the first day you became a Magic Girl, you should abide by the rules.¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    Saying so, Ash lifted her eyes from the table, locking eyes with her, and retorted angrily, ¡°Third Master, who set the rules in your mouth? Those jerks who sit above us and do nothing while watching us risk our lives?¡±


    Seeing this scene, the two new Magic Girls beside her were stunned into silence, chilled to the bone. It was their first time seeing someone dare to talk back to Udina with such an intense tone.


    ¡°I advise you to watch your words carefully,¡± Udina said, ¡°especially in public. Speaking like this could not only put you in a difficult position but also damage the reputation of the Alliance.¡±


    The gothic skirt girl straightened up, leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and still spoke defiantly:


    ¡°Why must a Magic Girl have to publicly disclose her identity? Why must I not kill anyone, when not killing might result in my own death, might allow more people to die before my eyes? If I had to cross that line, must I be punished then? Or would you rather see him kill more citizens before I act? I don¡¯t mind, perhaps more deaths would prove my point.¡±


    Toward the end, she tilted her head slightly and scoffed coldly, her jet-black hair cascading down like powdered lead.


    Hearing these radical statements, Xizi Yue impassively continued to eat her sticky rice dumplings, and Udina maintained her silence as well; both appeared to dismiss it as if they were watching a child¡¯s rebellious antics.


    Both concurrently glanced at Lilai sitting between them, as if waiting for her to speak.


    ¡°So, putting all that aside for the moment,¡± Lilai began slowly, then suddenly asked coldly after a pause, ¡°Did you even remember to bring a witness to the meeting this time?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ash turned her head to glance at the two newcomers sitting beside her, and asked puzzledly, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who asked me to bring them here, Second Master?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean them. Could you explain who was the person crouched at the window, watching us for so long?¡±


    Lilai rested her chin, her tone calm, as she slanted her gaze toward a corner of the window, directly meeting the Deception Puppet¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I thought you hadn¡¯t noticed, I was wondering whether to mention it or not,¡± Udina said.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, I¡¯ve been curious since earlier about that thing hanging outside the window, looking like a giant spider ¡ª it¡¯s seriously ruining my appetite,¡± Xizi Yue also said.


    Had I been discovered?


    Ke Mingye, through the puppet and facing the one known as the ¡°Extreme Ice Witch,¡± remained calm.


    In fact, he wasn¡¯t at all surprised that he¡¯d been discovered. On the contrary, it would have been normal to be discovered since he hadn¡¯t used any ¡°invisibility¡± skills and was just peering through the window. In front of a group of the world¡¯s top powerhouses, this was no different from blatantly squatting right beside them.


    He¡¯d been waiting for these people to unveil him. If not, he¡¯d just go with the flow, ready to deactivate the puppet anytime and not worried about leaking any information.


    Since he had already mentally prepared himself, at that moment, he ordered the puppet to release the web strand linked to the balcony railing, and his figure fell beneath the school building, swiftly blending into the night.


    Ash then realized what had happened and suddenly turned her head towards the window where the noise came from, her pupils showing disbelief before her expression gradually darkened.


    Lilai stared at her face, as if mocking her, and slowly added, ¡°He came with you, so you handle it ¡ª bring him here to meet us.¡±


    Ash remained silent, having nothing to say this time as she gazed back at Lilai with revolving emotions. Her pride was too strong to endure such a scenario.


    ¡°My mistake, it won¡¯t happen again,¡± she said.


    Upon finishing her words, the handle of Cinderella flashed, the tip of the umbrella bursting with a powerful current that propelled her out like a cannonball. The classroom window shattered under the head-on force, opening the exit for her.


    Cinderella at full power, the body of the umbrella sending out ripples like ocean waves, lifting Ash¡¯s skirt as she swiftly traversed beneath the moonlit night like a dark cloud.


    Before long, her gaze locked onto a figure.


    The figure, swinging between skyscrapers by strands of web from unknown origins, finally climbed onto an overhead railway, sticking webs to the oncoming high-speed train above it, seized the strands in a flickering motion, and threw himself upward in an arc, landing atop the train.


    It was as if mocking Ash, just standing atop the steel dragon, motionless. He raised his hands, moving forward with the high-speed train along the track, racing over the bustling city below.


    ¡°Not moving anymore?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash frowned, thinking something was wrong. That person seemed to be baiting her into a trap.


    But still, she chose to lean the umbrella backward, thrusting out a majestic air stream, propelling her like a nail piercing the night sky, shooting forward tens of meters to catch up with the high-speed train.


    At that moment, the man on the train, among the sparks from the wheels grinding against the rails, turned to look back at Ash, who was slowly retracting her umbrella, landing atop the high-speed train.


    The two stood atop the train, facing each other against the thunderous noise of the engine.


    ¡°Did you think you could escape just by getting on a high-speed train?¡± Ash said.


    ¡°No, I was waiting for you,¡± the other replied.

 Chapter 38 - 38 - 032: The Puppet Girl

    Chapter 38 ¨C 032: The Puppet Girl


    Magical Girl Ash stood atop the train, her gaze fixed intently on the figure opposite her, not far away. She frowned and raised her voice, questioning them amidst the thunderous engine noise:


    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ve been waiting for me?¡±


    At this moment, the moonlight intertwined with the sparks flying from the friction of the train against the rails, illuminating the ghastly appearance of that shadowy figure.


    It was a human form shrouded in a hazy gray mist, its mouth twisted into an exaggerated smile, nearly reaching its ears. The closer one looked, the more chilling it became, prompting a quick avert of the gaze.


    Ash¡¯s eyes twitched wildly, feeling her sanity points nearly depleted, but she did not let her gaze wander for a second, lest it seized the opportunity to launch a sudden counterattack.


    What in the world is this hideous thing?


    While pondering this, she lifted Cinderella with one hand, pointed the umbrella tip at Deception Puppet, and said deliberately, ¡°Move one more step, and you¡¯ll be reduced to ashes.¡±


    ...


    Is this really something a Magical Girl should be saying? Could you maybe take a course in image management at the Magical Girls¡¯ Preparatory School before showing up?


    Ke Mingye complained in his mind while maneuvering the puppet to raise its hands in a sign of surrender.


    ¡°Calm down, calm down, I have no intention of fighting you,¡± it said with its mouth still stretched in a grin.


    ¡°As if you have the strength to fight me¡­¡±


    With those words, Ash shot the puppet a disdainful look, then extended her right hand toward the base of Cinderella¡¯s umbrella and drew out a tachi, ¡°I don¡¯t know who or what you are, but thanks to you, I¡¯ve been utterly humiliated in front of my master. I¡¯m quite irritated at the moment, so I¡¯ll be venting my anger on you first. Let¡¯s hope you¡¯re as durable as I imagine.¡±


    The blade reflected the cold moonlight, mirroring the girl¡¯s pitch-black pupils. Her words were nearly drowned out by the rumble of the high-speed train, but they still reached the other¡¯s ears.


    The Deception Puppet shrugged nonchalantly and continued, ¡°Let me reiterate, I¡¯m not your enemy. I know who you are.¡±


    ¡°Out of options, so you¡¯ve resorted to playing oracle?¡± Magical Girl Ash said sarcastically.


    The puppet lowered its face, its hollow eyes fixated on her, and whispered a name softly.


    ¡°Bai Zini.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ash instantly froze in place, and within the next second, her gaze turned cold. The gun barrel at the tip of Cinderella¡¯s umbrella was already open, the dark hole ready to emit dangerous sparks at any moment.


    ¡°You have three seconds to explain,¡± she said gravely, ¡°or I¡¯ll shoot.¡±


    ¡°Three¡­¡±


    As the countdown fell, the puppet maintained its raised hands, silent. Its slight body swayed atop the speeding train, like a humanoid weathervane.


    ¡°Two¡­¡±


    Ash counted down, her right hand already poised on the handle of Cinderella¡¯s umbrella, with magic missiles in the chamber ready to launch.


    ¡°One¡­¡±


    Just as Ash was about to pull the trigger, the puppet suddenly started speaking with a smile.


    ¡°I know who Black Wukong is; it¡¯s the person you¡¯ve been chasing,¡± it said hauntingly.


    Ash¡¯s expression turned even colder, ¡°And so?¡±


    ¡°I also know about your family, friends, everything around you. It¡¯s not difficult. Once you know your name, all your information is accessible,¡± the puppet said, tilting its head, ¡°So, I understand why you hide your identity. It¡¯s for your family, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Shut up! You strange thing!¡±


    ¡°Oh, did you know? I was originally thinking of being called ¡¯Riddle Man,¡¯ but ¡¯strange thing¡¯ has a nice ring to it. Call me Strange Thing from now on,¡± the puppet suggested, raising a nonexistent eyebrow.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be an ¡¯after¡¯; you¡¯re going to die by my hand right now.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t your master just teach you that Magic Girls can¡¯t kill?¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Ash sneered coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t think I really dare not kill you, do you?¡±


    ¡°Impulsiveness is the devil, I advise you to cool down your head.¡±


    The puppet spoke softly, raising its right hand slowly and putting up a finger: ¡°Each time I appear, I will tell you a secret. As long as you¡¯re willing to maintain long-term cooperation with me, I will tell you all the truths of this world.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your secrets, but I will tear off that fake face of yours and see who you really are.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really violent, Magic Girls should be cuter.¡± The puppet paused for a moment, ¡°So, here¡¯s the gift for this meeting: ¡¯Black Wukong is right beside you.¡¯¡±


    Ash was startled for a moment, then shouted lowly, ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, that¡¯s up to you.¡± The puppet laughed and said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s time for me to go, see you next time.¡±


    ¡°Next time? I¡¯ll just catch you and take you back to the division; we can see each other every day.¡±


    The moment she finished speaking, Ash held the blade in her right hand and the umbrella in her left, the tip of the umbrella aimed behind her burst forth with a current, propelling her towards the Deception Puppet, the blade tip pressed against his jaw.


    ¡°Hey, I would advise you to stay away from me, I¡¯m about to explode,¡± the puppet abruptly said. ¡°By explode, I don¡¯t mean ¡¯I¡¯m going to fight you to the death,¡¯ I mean¡­ I¡¯m seriously going to explode.¡±


    ¡°You think you¡¯re funny, huh, strange thing?¡±


    Ash said coldly, pointing the gun muzzle of the umbrella tip at his forehead, while her other hand pressed the tachi against his jaw, ¡°Move one more time, and your head will fall to the ground.¡±


    The puppet said, ¡°Even if you chop off my head, I will still explode, so you better stay away from me.¡± And with that, it began to count down aggressively.


    ¡°Three¡­¡±


    In that second, the temperature of the puppet¡¯s body surface skyrocketed.


    ¡°Two¡­.¡±


    In the next second, crimson cracks filled the puppet¡¯s entire body.


    ¡°One¡­¡±


    Before the final countdown could finish, Ash swiftly swung her blade and decapitated the puppet using the tachi.


    At the same time, she forcefully aimed Cinderella¡¯s gun muzzle at its chest and did not choose to shoot a magic bullet, but rather blasted out a strong current of air, blowing the puppet¡¯s body from the top of the bullet train into the night sky, avoiding an explosion that could harm the passengers below.


    At that moment, the puppet¡¯s head flew across the night sky.


    It opened its mouth, staring at Ash¡¯s silhouette, and still said composedly, ¡°We will meet again, Miss Ash. I may die, but there are thousands and thousands of me that will return.¡±


    The puppet¡¯s voice fell with the cold wind, replaced by a sinister laugh. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The body that was hurled into the air exploded completely, turning into a flash of fireworks-like light that briefly illuminated the sky above the bustling district.


    Listening to the neurotic laughter echoing in the air, Ash felt as though a large hand was squeezing her chest. She stood rooted to the spot, unable to move.


    Since becoming a Magic Girl, it had been a very long time since she had felt the emotion of ¡°fear,¡± so it took her a while to come back to her senses.


    ¡°What the hell is this thing¡­¡±


    She stared at the flash of light disappearing into the night sky and muttered softly to herself.


    Suddenly, as if realizing something, she quickly covered her mouth with her hands, eyes widening, ¡°Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, a Magic Girl just swore.¡±


    Ash murmured to herself while hugging her shoulders and squatting on the roof of the train, shivering twice in the oncoming cold wind.


    ¡°Amitabha¡­ Master, forgive me, I didn¡¯t mean to swear, it¡¯s all because of this damn strange thing!¡±


    The more she spoke, the angrier she got, so she stood up and fiercely stomped a few times on the train roof, then raised her hand holding Cinderella and swiftly flew into the night sky.

 Chapter 39 - 39 - 033 Qing Ya’s Letter

    Chapter 39 ¨C 033 Qing Ya¡¯s Letter


    After Magical Girl Ash had left, the classroom was enveloped in deathly silence for a long time, with three floating pumpkin lamps flickering intermittently in the semi-darkness.


    The faces of the people below alternated between light and shadow, making their expressions unclear.


    In such an uneasy atmosphere, two rookie Magic Girls rested their hands on their knees, occasionally scratching their hands and looking at each other, as if searching for an excuse to escape.


    Finally, Lilai from the top three leaders of the Alliance broke the silence, looking up at the two newcomers and said indifferently,


    ¡°As you have seen, an unexpected incident has occurred, so we will end the meeting here. You two should go back, and be careful on your way.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then dear seniors, we¡¯ll take our leave now!¡±


    The two Magic Girls, finding an opportunity to exit, quickly spoke in unison, immediately stood up to bow, and fled the classroom like a streak of smoke, leaving only the three presidents of the Alliance under the pumpkin lamps.


    ...


    ¡°Xiao Ni is still the same, impulsive, reckless, and stubborn.¡± Lilai glanced at the shattered glass on the floor and spoke unhurriedly, ¡°Honestly, should we not discuss who has been spoiling her character like this?¡±


    ¡°Whether during training or at other times, I have never relaxed my expectations of her for a moment,¡± Udina explained calmly for herself.


    At that moment, both turned their gaze to Xizi Yue, who was sitting on their right, silent.


    ¡°You guys are quite humorous, don¡¯t tell me you think it was me¡­¡± Xizi Yue had just started speaking when she saw the aggressiveness in their eyes intensifying and sighed lightly, changing her words, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s just say it was me who spoiled her that way. If you all are going to be like this, what can I say? Whatever suits you.¡±


    She finished her sticky rice dumpling, clapped her hands, and continued,


    ¡°But on the bright side, at least she¡¯s quite lively, isn¡¯t she? Otherwise, having ¡¯magic¡¯ without ¡¯girl¡¯ would render the title ¡¯Magic Girl¡¯ meaningless.¡±


    Lilai shifted her gaze away from her, her tone cold, ¡°That sounds easy for you to say, but who knows what trouble she might cause in this coming year.¡±


    ¡°Rather than worrying about these things that haven¡¯t happened yet, why don¡¯t we discuss the person who was following her? Doesn¡¯t that concern you?¡±


    Speaking of which, Xizi Yue cleverly and smoothly shifted the topic, ¡°Though the eavesdropper was weak, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have hidden so poorly, we should not take it lightly. Maybe he allowed himself to be discovered on purpose, aiming to lure Xiao Ni to follow him.¡±


    With those words, a heavy book with intricate patterns engraved on its cover appeared in her hand and gently rose into the air as if held by an invisible hand from below.


    Immediately, a card flew out from the book and shot towards the window, disappearing into the night without a trace.


    Xizi Yue grabbed the Magic Book, closed it, and while placing it on the table, she explained, ¡°If something happens to her, this card will teleport you there the moment you need to be.¡±


    Lilai noticed something off in her words and gave her a sharp look, ¡°Us? What about you?¡±


    ¡°Eating, sleeping, and gathering strength. I have a pile of adverts to shoot tomorrow,¡± Xizi Yue replied naturally.


    ¡°I really wish your fans in China could see what you¡¯re really like,¡± Lilai said.


    ¡°I am only paying homage to our national treasure, the panda,¡± she responded. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t insult pandas, they are not as lazy as you.¡±


    Udina interrupted their idle chatter, ¡°In any case, putting aside her personality, Bai Zini is indeed the most promising Magic Girl we have seen. Given her rate of progress, she might match us in less than a year. It¡¯s precisely because of her clearly visible potential that you both are focusing on nurturing her, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only regarding the speed of her magical power¡¯s growth; she might indeed match us within a year,¡± Lilai slowly said, ¡°But speaking of actual combat, this child is a true specialist at neglecting her studies, a Magic Girl who doesn¡¯t use Magic Cards, which is utterly unreasonable¡­¡±


    ¡°Speaking of specialists, isn¡¯t there one right here?¡±


    Xizi Yue lightly mocked as she glanced sideways at the primly seated Udina.


    Udina spoke noncommittally, ¡°Bai Zini¡¯s potential is far greater than mine. Variations in magic wands are one in ten thousand, and the emergence of a magic umbrella type is the first of its kind, unrivaled in thousands of years.¡±


    Just then, the magic book placed on the table by Xizi Yue slightly trembled. Both Udina and Lilai turned their gaze and asked, ¡°Is Xiao Ni in danger?¡±


    ¡°No, I had my phone tucked inside the magic book.¡±


    Xizi Yue said, reaching out to flip open the magic book on the table and took out the vibrating Huawei Nova13 phone from inside.


    The two beside her cast a disdainful look at her, thinking to themselves, what kind of Magic Girl puts her phone inside a magic book? Ash¡¯s poor behavior management must have rubbed off from you; why are all Chinese Magic Girls alike?


    Xizi Yue looked down at the message she had received, pausing for half a second.


    Then, lifting her eyes from the phone screen, she said, ¡°The Superhero Association¡¯s ¡¯Qing Ya¡¯ wants us to visit their headquarters, saying there¡¯s some important matter to discuss with us.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute, you actually have contact with that weirdo?¡± Lilai noticed that Xizi Yue was checking WeChat instead of some work-related software.


    Udina¡¯s eyes also showed a bit of disbelief. She shifted her gaze, staring intently at Xizi Yue¡¯s profile.


    Qing Ya was notorious worldwide as a superhero.


    Especially in China, Qing Ya¡¯s image is akin to a mediocre artist who had dabbled in marijuana, and criticizing him had gradually become a politically correct consensus.


    If someone as popular as Xizi Yue were to be exposed for maintaining a private contact with Qing Ya, her fandom might vanish overnight by seventy to eighty percent, directly jeopardizing the operations of the Chinese Magical Girl Alliance branch.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I have his contact?¡±


    Xizi Yue typed on her phone, her bangs shadowing her profile, leaving the other two only able to see the two bun-style hairdos on her head.


    ¡°Did the upper management want you to contact him?¡± Lilai speculated.


    ¡°No.¡± Xizi Yue paused briefly, cheeks flushing slightly as she said expressionlessly, ¡°Embarrassingly enough¡­ but¡­ I am his fan.¡±


    As her words fell, the entire room¡¯s atmosphere seemed to darken momentarily. The three pumpkin-shaped floating chandeliers controlled by Lilai lost their brilliance in the sky, regaining their orange glow only after two or three seconds.


    She took a deep breath and after a moment, questioned, ¡°Are you joking?¡±


    ¡°Why would I joke?¡± said Xizi Yue, ¡°Are you going or not? If not, I¡¯ll go alone and later relay to you whatever he tells me.¡±


    With that, she rose from the table.


    Udina spoke up, ¡°Of course we¡¯re going. The Alliance isn¡¯t yours to dictate alone.¡± She paused, ¡°Also, I must tell you something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Xizi Yue glanced at her.


    Udina looked her straight in the eyes and used the warning she had once given to Ash, now directed at the strongest Magic Girl in the world.


    ¡°Watch your image. Your actions might not only put you in trouble, but also affect the public image of the Alliance.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Xizi Yue nodded lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Qing Ya is waiting for us.¡±


    With that, she walked out of the brightly lit classroom with the other two, stepping into the corridor. Moonlight flowed like mercury on the ground, and tonight¡¯s night was beautiful.

 Chapter 40 - 40 - 034: Black Judge

    Chapter 40 ¨C 034: Black Judge


    ¡°I feel like there¡¯s still plenty of room for improvement in managing my villain image¡­ Maybe I should study some footage of my old man in action; his good guy persona is more terrifying than any villain¡¯s.¡±


    Ke Mingye slouched against the headboard, yawning while sarcastically mulling over in his mind.


    He had thought that since he was playing the villain, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to come up with one or two memorable exit lines like Team Rocket or the Big Bad Wolf, to let loose and vent some stress while he could use clones, so he wouldn¡¯t go crazy from playing too many roles in this house of monsters¡­


    But the actual footage was somewhat unbearable to watch.


    Bai Zini probably saw it as some ugly, bizarre Weeble wobbling on a train, spouting nonsense, blabbering on and thinking he was so cool, only to have his head lopped off and, damn, did it fly high.


    Show off all you want, the only trick in the book is self-destructing. Mysterious words and actions that completely mismatched the demonstrated power. Overall, for now, he¡¯s nowhere near a cool and mysterious villain.


    Being a villain is so frustrating, when will it ever be my turn to chop off someone else¡¯s head?


    ...


    Ke Mingye thought about it, then figured getting beheaded by his own sister was one thing, but if someone else beat him up like that, wouldn¡¯t that give him a heart attack?


    However, the pain from the puppets isn¡¯t shared with him, so it doesn¡¯t really matter how they are tormented. He could just blow himself up directly and deny others the chance.


    ¡°My head¡¯s flown off, can¡¯t even pretend to be cool, it¡¯s tough being me.¡±


    As Ke Mingye grumbled to himself, suddenly a prompt popped up before him.


    [Congratulations, you have completed the primary mission ¡°Destroy the Magical Girl Alliance¡¯s¡± first node¡ªby infiltrating under a disguised identity ¡°Magical Girl Ash.¡±]


    [The next target node for this main mission is: Approach the Magical Girl Alliance through ¡°Magical Girl Ash.¡±]


    [Node reward received: 1000 Experience Points, 5 attribute points, 1000 Mall Coins.]


    [Your level has been increased to Lv.2 (500/1000 points), and you have received 1 attribute point as a level-up reward.]


    [You currently have a total of 6 idle attribute points available, please allocate them promptly.]


    ¡°What a surprise, I thought rewards only came after completing the whole mission. But I guess that¡¯s right, by the time I¡¯ve destroyed the Magical Girl Alliance, the ship would have long sailed on any rewards.¡±


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself as he summoned his personal panel. He kept clicking the plus icon next to the ¡°Physical fitness¡± attribute, and suddenly a prompt popped up.


    [Notice: ¡°6 points of attributes¡± have been added to the ¡°Physical fitness¡± attribute.]


    [Current player attributes as follows¡ªPhysical fitness: 16 points; Neurological response: 9 points; Mental strength: 10 points]


    [Congratulations, your ¡°Physical fitness¡± attribute successfully surpassed ¡°the average level of normal adolescents¡± (13 points).]


    Ke Mingye looked at the word ¡°Congratulations¡± on the panel, thinking thanks for reminding me of how great my start was.


    As he shut off the panel, thinking about the 1000 Mall Coins from the recent task reward, he opened the ¡°Player Mall¡±. He skipped straight through the first two pages, heading directly for the ¡°Skills Exclusives¡± page. As it wasn¡¯t midnight yet, all ten skills remained unchanged.


    [¢Ù: Hundred Percent Slap (E-level Skill, price: 5000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Ú: Finger Gun Snap (D-level Skill, price: 12000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Û: Moon Step (C-level Skill, price: 30000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Ü: Deception Puppet (Already Owned)]


    [¢Ý: Thought Delivery (E-level Skill, price: 5000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Þ: Sword Draw Strike (E-rank Skill, price: 5500 Mall Coins)]


    [¢ß: Animal Communication Skill (E-rank Skill, price: 5500 Mall Coins)]


    [¢à: Flat Ground Slam Expert (E-rank Skill, price: 5200 Mall Coins)]


    [¢á: Same-Sex Charm Skill (E-rank Skill, price: 6000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢â: Calamity Dice (Already Owned)]


    Ke Mingye briefly glanced at the list, noting that even the lowest E-rank skills started at a minimum price of 5000 Mall Coins, let alone the more advanced skills; with his meager sum of 1000 Mall Coins, he could afford nothing.


    After some thought, he clicked on the ¡°Flat Ground Slam Expert¡± skill on the page, which immediately prompted three options: [Buy], [Introduce], [Lock].


    He chose the ¡°Lock¡± function to prevent this skill from being refreshed away by tomorrow morning.


    [The ¢à skill ¡°Flat Ground Slam Expert¡± on the skill exclusive page has been locked; it will be preserved for one more day and will not be replaced by new skills in the 3-hourly scheduled refresh.]


    After completing these actions, he closed all the panels in one breath, and the world suddenly became quiet.


    ¡°Now, I know what Bai Zini is up to, but what about dad, what is he up to?¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye thought casually.


    The reason he dared to track Bai Zini was partly because her alertness was relatively low at home, and partly because she was the only person at home who ranked only B+ in strength, while the others were fierce men of A rank or higher;


    If it were Ke Youqing, Ke Mingye wouldn¡¯t even dare to think about it, with Qing Ya¡¯s anti-surveillance capability, he might have been spotted the moment the Deception Puppet perched on the rooftop of the residential building.


    However, it was worth noting that having not seen her for just one day, he noticed that Bai Zini¡¯s strength had advanced from B+ to B++. He did not know what she had done, perhaps she broke through a minor bottleneck.


    With such a pace of progress, Bai Zini would soon become a superhuman of A-class combat strength, a truly formidable younger generation.


    ¡°Forget it, whatever dad is doing, I can¡¯t manage it; I¡¯ll just go to sleep for today.¡±


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye put down his phone and lay on the bed.


    Drowsiness surged up, prompting him to close his heavy eyelids, and he soon fell deep into sleep.


    ¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­.


    At this very moment, in the city center of Huanjing, on the 79th floor of the Superhero Association¡¯s China branch building, in a private resting room.


    In the cramped, silver-white metal passageway, Ke Youqing was deep in thought in front of a full-body mirror.


    The reflection in the mirror, save for his face, showed his body covered in that suit of pitch-black metal armor. A long cape fell to the floor like a tail, making him appear like a beast standing upright.


    He gazed into the profound eyes reflected in the mirror, as if looking at himself, a cold light swirling in his pupils.


    ¡°The Black Judge, huh¡­ He¡¯s back from New York.¡±


    Qing Ya murmured softly to himself, then slowly put on the mask he held in his hands. The eyes of the mask gradually opened, and the sinister beak of the crow stretched forward like a blade.


    Tonight, he, along with three world-class Magic Girls from the Alliance, would meet a high-ranking executive from the Anomaly Control Bureau in the conference room on the 99th floor of the Association branch building:


    ¡ª¡ª¡±The Black Judge¡±.

 Chapter 41 - 41 - 035 Secret Meeting

    Chapter 41 ¨C 035 Secret Meeting


    June 19, night, the Superhero Association branch building.


    Qing Ya stepped out of the rest room and boarded the elevator reserved exclusively for Round Table Council members. He took an ID card from within his cape, swiped it through the card slot, and at once, the silver-white cabin started moving upward with a low hum.


    Shortly after, the elevator stopped at the 99th floor, where the most secretive and secure meeting room of the entire Association¡¯s high-rise was arranged.


    He exited the elevator and walked for a moment down a corridor that seemed endless until a door-shaped gap opened slowly in the metallic wall on his right side, and a cool-toned light brushed over him.


    Qing Ya stepped into the meeting room and sat down beside the technologically advanced circular table at the front, silently waiting for the arrival of his guests.


    According to the message, the three giants of the Magic Girl troupe from the Alliance had already reached the 79th floor of the branch and were waiting downstairs for him. However, the Anomaly Control Bureau¡¯s agent had stated a desire for a one-on-one conversation, so here he was, alone in the meeting room.


    The official status of the Anomaly Control Bureau was slightly above the Superhero Association. Their work differed from the Association¡¯s¡ªthe former was responsible for investigating anomalous phenomena, while the latter dealt directly with disasters and superhuman criminal incidents.


    ...


    But that was only the official story. In actuality, the United Nations had created the ¡°Anomaly Control Bureau¡± organization with the fundamental aim of thoroughly preventing any possibility of an uprising within the Superhero Association.


    Experts within the Anomaly Control Bureau studied the abilities and characteristics of each superhero day and night, devising countless countermeasures against them. Should any superhero show signs of losing control, the Management Bureau would subtly issue a warning. If ineffective, they would then intervene directly.


    Most of their time was occupied dealing with ¡°out-of-control superheroes,¡± ¡°rule-breaking superheroes.¡± The number of superheroes who died at their hands or were imprisoned in the Management Bureau was in the hundreds, if not thousands, although to the outside world, these superheroes were either already dead or had vanished without a trace.


    Therefore, they only took action in two scenarios: first, when a significant bizarre event occurred that was difficult to explain, and second, when it was time to warn or handle a superhero.


    Ke Youqing hoped it was the former.


    Because if it were the latter, it meant that the Anomaly Control Bureau¡¯s visit from the ¡°Black Judge¡± was a clear sign that it wouldn¡¯t be long before they moved against him.


    But he was well aware that as ¡°Qing Ya,¡± he had been ruthlessly attacking criminals for nearly decades, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he caught the attention of the Management Bureau.


    At that moment, a series of footsteps could be heard slowly approaching along the corridor outside the meeting room.


    With his eyes closed behind his mask, Qing Ya slowly opened them as the wall in front of him opened a door-shaped gap, and a narrow, tall figure slowly walked into the meeting room.


    The newcomer was dressed in an all-black tailcoat and wore a sharply contoured mask. At its center was a prominent blood-red ¡°V,¡± while the rest was covered in pitch black. That unique and eye-catching V-shaped mask alone was enough for Qing Ya to identify the other¡¯s identity.


    ¡°Black Judge,¡± the monster rookie of the Anomaly Control Bureau.


    Within just two years, he had risen from E-class to the highest rank of S-class in the Management Bureau, becoming a much-discussed figure. He was almost universally known.


    Black Judge approached the metallic round table and, without ceremony, pulled a swivel chair and sat down, resting his elbows on the table surface, his fingers interlaced just below his jaw.


    His V-shaped mask faced Qing Ya as he said mockingly, ¡°Wow, what an honor to actually meet the famous ¡¯Qing Ya.¡¯ I thought the Association¡¯s Chinese branch would send ¡¯Ink Writer,¡¯ ¡¯Tai Chi Customer,¡¯ ¡¯Liquor Sword Feng,¡¯ or some other people of empty fame to meet me.¡±


    ¡°No, if it weren¡¯t for your specific request to see me, I wouldn¡¯t have come here,¡± Qing Ya said slowly.


    In the meeting room, both men¡¯s voices, altered by their masks, echoed. Qing Ya¡¯s voice was hoarse and sinister, while Black Judge¡¯s had a metallic magnetism, resembling machinery. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t expect to meet you,¡± Black Judge chuckled.


    ¡°Time is precious,¡± Qing Ya glared at him with piercing eyes, ¡°For what urgent matter has an agent of the Management Bureau taken the trouble to come here?¡±


    ¡°You misunderstand, I¡¯m not here for you,¡± Black Judge shifted his head, the blood-red V on his mask tilting as he spoke, ¡°Mr. Qing Ya, have you ever heard about ¡¯players¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Players?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Black Judge smiled, ¡°Just yesterday at dawn, I was shopping in a supermarket chain in New York when I happened to encounter two armed robbers. I was in a bad mood, so I hacked off their hands and feet, captured, and beat them up. Guess what they confessed?¡±


    Qing Ya remained silent, staring intently at Black Judge¡¯s mask.


    Black Judge let out a metallic snicker, raising his voice, ¡°They actually thought this world was a game and all of us were NPCs, so they could act as they pleased without being bound by the law. So, the first thing they did when they came here was to try out an armed robbery. Ridiculous, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re delusional?¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t be hasty, you¡¯ll understand,¡± Black Judge shook his head and continued with a smile, ¡°Initially I treated it as a regular robbery case, as you said, anyone else might consider their confession to be the ravings of a schizophrenic or someone with a persecution complex, but I was intrigued by what they confessed, so I had the Management Bureau¡¯s people use the latest brain-imaging equipment to replicate their vision of the world into a series of images.


    Guess what I found then?¡±

 Chapter 42 - 42 - 035 Secret Meeting_2

    Chapter 42 ¨C 035 Secret Meeting_2


    ¡°`


    ¡°What have you found?¡± Qing Ya asked.


    The Black Judge pressed a button on the table, and a groove opened, slowly raising a metal projector shaped like a fountain pen.


    He picked up the projector, and methodically loaded a memory chip he carried, and then said,


    ¡°I¡¯ve discovered that in the perspectives of these two ¡¯players,¡¯ there¡¯s a row of icons similar to game functions, just like¡­ uh, those tacky online games. Moreover, they can open a game store by touching these icons, make purchases within it, or open a mission panel issued by the game system. As long as they complete the tasks on the panel, they escalate in level and receive rewards.


    And the ultimate goal given to them by the system is¡­¡±


    He paused, continuing with a ghostly tone, ¡°to annihilate the superhumans within one year.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Are you joking with me?¡± Qing Ya fell silent for a moment before asking.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not joking,¡± the Judge said calmly, ¡°Based on the intelligence I¡¯ve extracted from those two players, there are currently a hundred players in the world. Whether this number will increase is another matter. Excluding the two players I¡¯ve captured and one who has already died, there are ninety-seven players remaining.


    They are lurking all over the world: the United States, England, China, India¡­ players could appear anywhere.¡±


    Having said this, he pressed a button on the pen-like projector, casting an image onto the meeting room wall.


    Qing Ya turned his head, staring at the picture projected by the Black Judge on the wall.


    The screen was displaying a first-person view of the scenery visible to a character¡¯s eyes. This person was staring blankly at a blank ceiling; his field of vision in the upper right was lined with seven tiny ¡°icons.¡±


    Soon, a bright red warning panel popped up in front of him, on which large black letters read, ¡°WARNING, do not disclose any information about ¡¯the players¡¯ to any superhuman. Your actions will seriously disrupt the progress of other players¡¯ missions and directly endanger their personal safety! WARNING, you are violating the Taboo Treaty! You are violating the Taboo Treaty!


    You are violating the Taboo Treaty! WARNING ineffective, your body and soul will be forced to die in five seconds.¡±


    The next moment, all the panels and functional icons in the player¡¯s view disappeared, replaced by a giant blood-red number ¡°5,¡± which was counting down by the second.


    Accompanied by a burst of panicked screams and wails, the timer¡¯s numbers dropped from ¡°5¡± to ¡°4,¡± then to ¡°3,¡± and finally only ¡°2¡± remained¡­


    The lower the number, the more violent his resistance became.


    But when the number reached ¡°1,¡± the player completely stopped resisting, and his brain imaging scene gradually darkened.


    The recording ended there. The Black Judge casually pressed a button on the projector, and the projected image on the wall disappeared.


    Qing Ya was silent.


    The meeting room was briefly shrouded in absolute silence, as though the two had reached a tacit understanding and said nothing.


    ¡°This is the brain imaging of that player,¡± the Black Judge was the first to break the silence. He twirled the projection pen between his index and middle finger, saying, ¡°The technicians from the Anomaly Control Bureau put in quite a bit of effort to meet my demands, even utilizing some neuro-decoding technologies, to barely realize this concept.¡±


    He spread his hands out, ¡°It¡¯s a real pity. They got snuffed by that thing called ¡¯the system¡¯ before I even had a chance to toy with them a bit more.¡±


    ¡°When did they start appearing?¡± Qing Ya asked.


    ¡°Four days ago.¡± The Black Judge put down the projector pen, ¡°Although currently they only possess the combat capabilities to rob a supermarket with guns, they are still dangerous. Based on my current conjecture of the system, it can likely enable these players to achieve incredible power boosts in a short period of time.


    So don¡¯t look at them as weak now; a year from now, they might be something entirely different, like¡­ a humanoid nuclear bomb.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me this because you want the Superhero Association¡¯s assistance in helping the Management Bureau to find these ¡¯players¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°From ten billion people, you want to find ninety-seven¡­¡± Qing Ya said sarcastically, ¡°Quite the pipe dream.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°This task should technically fall to the Superdimensional Control Bureau, but ¡¯players¡¯ are not traditional transmigrators. Their souls transferred to this world, directly occupying the bodies of some of the locals to disguise themselves, which means the Superdimensional Control Bureau¡¯s usual methods don¡¯t work on them¡­ thus the job has fallen into our hands at the Anomaly Control Bureau.¡±


    ¡°`


    Judge paused, ¡°But I believe this matter is far more significant than they imagine, which is exactly why I¡¯ve come to seek your help.¡±


    ¡°So why should I assist you? This is not part of my job.¡±


    ¡°Because even you, Mr. Qing Ya, everyone around you might already have been silently replaced by players, they¡¯re just very good at hiding it, without alerting you.¡±


    ¡°Are you any different, then?¡± Qing Ya snorted coldly, ¡°Worry about the people around you first.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t deny it,¡± Black Judge laughed, ¡°It¡¯s even possible that at this very moment, either you sitting between us, or I, have already been replaced by the so-called ¡¯players.¡¯¡±


    Qing Ya stared at Black Judge¡¯s mask for a moment, then scoffed, ¡°To treat our world as a game, how arrogant¡­¡±


    Black Judge¡¯s hands were on the armrest of the swivel chair, fingers intertwined, and a mechanically textured chuckle came from behind the mask.


    ¡°It seems we have, surprisingly, reached an agreement.¡±


    After speaking, he slowly rose from the swivel chair, ¡°Then, please convey my words to the three Magic Girls next door, they should be informed of this too.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t meet them personally?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not quite adept at dealing with these ostentatious people,¡± Black Judge said, ¡°That¡¯s why I specifically selected you as my intermediary. I have great respect for you, Mr. Qing Ya, you are a true hero. But you should know the Anomaly Control Bureau has been watching you closely in recent years. One day, if you truly lose yourself and cross that line, we will be on opposite sides.¡±


    As he spoke, he suddenly laughed, ¡°Of course, should that day come, I would be quite thrilled because I¡¯ll finally be able to tear off your mask myself and see who you really are¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not worthy to be my opponent,¡± Qing Ya said flatly, facing him.


    ¡°Without trying, who can know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time for you to leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes, then, goodbye, Mr. Qing Ya.¡±


    With an unhurried farewell, Black Judge turned and walked towards the exit of the conference room, walking down the corridor to the elevator at the end.


    Soon, he arrived on the 45th floor and entered the private guest room prepared for him by the Superhero Association.


    Black Judge first checked the room with a device on his wrist to confirm there were no surveillance devices, then he took off the V-shaped mask on his face, exhaling a breath.


    He stood by the window, pulled back the curtain, and flipped the slats of the blinds.


    His gaze overlooked the brightly lit city; trains thundered over the elevated tracks, and the traffic flowed endlessly like waves on the roads.


    ¡°Well, after a year of fighting, I¡¯m about to have enough, and in a couple of days, it¡¯s time to go home and enjoy a vacation.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi curled his lips and muttered softly. He looked down at his phone.


    The phone¡¯s lock screen was a family photo, and he remembered that summer, six brothers and sisters crowded on the sofa, he and his parents standing in the back, and as the camera clicked, every child¡¯s face lit up with a smile.


    ¡°Hopefully those maggots¡­ haven¡¯t made their way into my home.¡±


    He murmured to himself, his pupils reflecting a profound light, the smile at the corner of his mouth slowly fading away.

 Chapter 43 - 43 - 036 No Other Choice

    Chapter 43 ¨C 036 No Other Choice


    June 20th, early morning at 6 o¡¯clock.


    Ke Mingye slowly lifted his heavy eyelids, opened his eyes from the bed, and what came into view was a panel.


    His eyes filled with the tears of sleepiness as he scanned the text on the panel.


    [Daily tasks have been refreshed.]


    [Daily Task One: Morning run of 3000 meters. (This task must be completed before 8 A.M. There are 2 hours remaining until the deadline.)]


    [The reward for this task: A chance to spin the roulette wheel once.]


    [Daily Task Two: Do one hundred pull-ups.]


    ...


    [The reward for this task: An attribute point to be added to ¡°physical fitness.¡±]


    [Daily Task Three: None (There is a 10% chance each day that a special daily task will refresh. Upon completing this task, the reward will be much richer than for normal daily tasks.)]


    [Note: Daily tasks will refresh at midnight the following day, please try to complete them before the deadline.]


    ¡°Yesterday, I raised my physical fitness to 16 points, a bit higher than that of an average teenager. I should be able to complete one hundred pull-ups if I rest a bit, but I still have school today, so I¡¯ll just do them during the breaks,¡± Ke Mingye thought.


    He stepped out of bed, put on his slippers, opened his bedroom door, and went into the second-floor washroom to freshen up. Afterward, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed downstairs, but then he suddenly turned his head and realized someone was sitting on the living room couch.


    She was squatting on the couch in her pajamas, hugging a pillow, her head drooping on her slightly bent knees. Her eyes, unblinking, stared at the television, reflecting its glow.


    Ke Mingye had first thought it was Bai Ziling when he heard the sound of the TV, but when his gaze landed on her face, he realized it was actually Bai Zini.


    She woke up this early? Ke Mingye was a bit surprised, as she was usually the last of the seven children to get up, normally needing to be pulled out of bed by Bai Ziling otherwise Bai Zini¡¯s tardiness would surely rank first in her class.


    ¡°Staying up late just after the holidays started?¡± he asked as he approached.


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± Bai Zini replied without looking up or turning her head.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you sleep?¡±


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he glanced at her face and marvelled inwardly that, true to a Magic Girl, she showed no dark circles even after staying up late.


    ¡°Just can¡¯t sleep,¡± Bai Zini paused, then said, ¡°Right, brother, don¡¯t you still have a day of school before vacation?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Oh, I wanted you to keep me company watching TV,¡± Bai Zini said casually.


    Ke Mingye fell silent and followed her gaze to the TV. She was watching a movie called ¡°Guling Street Young Murderers.¡± Whenever Bai Zini was in a bad mood, she would turn to that film.


    ¡°Are you in a bad mood?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Not good,¡± Bai Zini whispered softly.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Ke Mingye asked knowingly, sitting down beside her and setting his backpack down, his attention returning to the television.


    After a moment of silence, Bai Zini thought of an excuse and said, ¡°A friend I play with a lot was attacked by a superhuman, and then I started thinking¡­ what if that happens to you guys too?¡±


    ¡°Why worry about something so unlikely? Our family has been safe for so many years, have we ever had trouble?¡±


    While Ke Mingye said this, he thought to himself: Little sister, each member of your family is a tough A-lister, you don¡¯t need to worry about them. It¡¯s okay to worry about me a little, since I¡¯m pretty much like a zombie right now, but strictly speaking, I¡¯m not really a part of your family.


    He could guess it was probably the words he had spoken through the Deception Puppet the previous night that had unsettled Bai Zini. After all, it was her first time dealing with an enemy who knew her identity, and unlike Ke Mingye, she wasn¡¯t able to easily identify the true nature of every person in the house, so her worry about her family being involved was understandable.


    ¡°I¡¯m off to school, and since dad and mom haven¡¯t woken up yet, you should head back to sleep quickly. Otherwise, if they find out you¡¯ve stayed up late, they¡¯ll catch you and give you a good scolding,¡± he said as he stood up from the couch and grabbed the strap of his backpack.


    ¡°Can I not go to school?¡±


    Just as he stood up, Bai Zini¡¯s voice reached his ears, low as a whisper of insects. She buried her head even deeper, her bangs obscuring her face, making it hard to see her expression.


    Startled, Ke Mingye paused, set his backpack back down, and sat down again. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just take a leave,¡± he shrugged. ¡°After all, it¡¯s the last day, and there¡¯s no particular class I must attend.¡±


    ¡°Forget it¡­¡± Bai Zini changed her tune, ¡°You should go, otherwise Mom will scold you.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    Bai Zini squeezed out a sly smile, just like she usually did, as if she didn¡¯t want him to worry.


    Ke Mingye looked at her, silently reached out, and ruffled her hair a bit. The girl¡¯s soft hair flowed through his fingers like water.


    ¡°The sky could fall, and your brother would be there to hold it up,¡± he said calmly. ¡°One brother isn¡¯t enough? You¡¯ve got two. If something¡¯s bothering you, just talk to us. Big brother will be back in a couple of days, won¡¯t he?¡±


    Bai Zini looked up from her knees at him, her face showed a rare ripple of emotion.


    ¡°Bro, why are you so nice all of a sudden today, possessed by a ghost or something?¡± she asked curiously.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know, just ask. If you¡¯re not in a good mood, who am I supposed to pick on?¡±


    Ke Mingye gave her a look and grabbed his backpack from the sofa to head out.


    Bai Zini stuck up her middle finger from the couch, puffed up her cheeks, stuffed her chin back into her knees, and looked down at her TV.


    Ke Mingye closed the front door and took the elevator. Inside the cold-tone cabin, he stared at the panel in front of him, lost in thought.


    [Ultimate Goal: Exterminate the superhumans on Earth.]


    [Time Limit for the Task: 363 days]


    [A new feature has been updated in the upper right corner of the player¡¯s field of vision ¨C ¡°Leaderboard¡±. It will be settled once a month, and the player who ranks first in the superhuman kill count leaderboard will get an additional reward.]


    ¡°So what can I do about it¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye hung his head low, his hanging bangs hiding his eyes. The elevator door slowly opened, and the sky that greeted his eyes was just like any other morning¡¯s, presenting a lifeless dark blue.


    He left his backpack with the owner of the supermarket opposite his house and ran three laps around the perimeter of Old Jingmai District. To him, whose physical fitness had been raised to 16 points, the three-kilometer route no longer required intermittent effort to complete.


    Soon, he slowed down and used the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his cheeks.


    [You have completed daily task one and have earned a chance for a lottery spin. Would you like to draw now?]


    ¡°Draw,¡± he whispered.


    At the command, a circular wheel unfolded, with intersecting red lines dividing it into six areas. Each area was marked with text and icons.


    The prizes represented by areas one through six are as follows.


    [One, 1000 Mall Coins;]


    [Two, 500 Experience Points;]


    [Three, a travel voucher (allows travel to any city in the world, returning to the original place after one day);]


    [Four, a Magical Girl Transformation Experience Card (after using, you can wear a magical dress for a short time and obtain a special Magic Wand);] Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Five, a friend addition card (after using, you can send a friend request to a player with a specific serial number without meeting them);]


    [Six, thank you for participating.]


    Ke Mingye walked forward, checking the rewards for each area of the wheel.


    ¡°Not four, not four, not four¡­¡±


    He prayed in his heart and pressed the ¡°Start¡± button beneath the wheel.


    The wheel then began to spin like a windmill, with the upward-facing pointer remaining still. At last, the area that the pointer hovered over was revealed as ¡°Area Two.¡±


    Ke Mingye secretly breathed a sigh of relief and walked into the ¡°7¡¤Seven¡± supermarket opposite his house to get his backpack back from the owner.


    [Congratulations, you have received the prize from Area Two: 500 Experience Points.]


    [Your level has been raised to Lv.3 (0 points/1500 Experience Points), and you have earned one attribute point to allocate freely.]

 Chapter 44 - 44 - 037 Preparation Time

    Chapter 44 ¨C 037 Preparation Time


    Ke Mingye, as usual, bought breakfast at the supermarket and then headed towards Huanjing Third High School.


    On his way, he casually added the attribute point he gained from leveling up to his physical fitness.


    [Congratulations, your ¡°Physical fitness¡± attribute has been raised to 17 points.]


    With a backpack slung over his shoulder, having finished his soy milk and pineapple bread, he arrived at the high school. Today was the last day before high school vacation began, and the students he saw on the street looked a lot more spirited than usual, not so listless.


    After Ke Mingye sat down in the classroom, he used his thoughts to click on the new icon that appeared in the upper right corner of his vision, and a rectangular black panel popped up immediately.


    [The current global player superhuman cumulative kill rankings are as follows.]


    [First place: 9 kills¡ª¡ªID: Ripper Z (Serial No.002)]


    ...


    [Second place: 7 kills¡ª¡ªID: Top Bull (Serial No.025)]


    [Third place: 5 kills¡ª¡ªID: A Zhe (Serial No.098)]


    [Fourth place: 3 kills¡ª¡ªID: Fan Quan (Serial No.039)]


    [Fifth place: 2 kills¡ª¡ªID: Dark Blade 01 (Serial No.021)]


    [Sixth place: 1 kill¡ª¡ªID: Cai Bing (Serial No.009)]


    [¡­¡­]


    [Your ranking: Currently tied with a total of 93 players for 7th place overall, with 0 kills.]


    [Note: Other players¡¯ English IDs have been automatically translated into Chinese IDs for you.]


    ¡°Are they really that fierce?¡± Ke Mingye thought, surprised, ¡°The first place has already killed nine superhumans. But it¡¯s the beginning of the game, maybe the ones he killed are superpower users with rather weak abilities¡­¡±


    In his mind, some lower-level superhumans and harmless superhumans weren¡¯t much different from ordinary people, and to kill them, all you needed was to shoot them in the head.


    So, for players born in the United States, as long as they got their hands on firearms, they could basically start aiming at some weaker superhumans; if one shot wasn¡¯t enough, then two would do.


    Ke Mingye quickly skimmed and found a familiar name on the leaderboard¡ªFan Quan from Huanjing, the young man who clutched a Bible and whose father was an arms smuggler.


    This guy had also already killed three superhumans, though it was unknown whom he targeted. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, from what Ke Mingye had seen, Fan Quan didn¡¯t seem like the kind of player who acted without thinking and likely took perfect precautions before making his move.


    Since killing superhumans could yield experience points, and players could receive rewards based on their ranking on the leaderboard each month, those with a higher kill count had a more significant advantage over other players; however, they also faced greater risks. After all, it¡¯s only the early stage of the game, and their abilities to hide their presence are limited.


    If, in order to develop quickly, they recklessly target weaker superhumans, it could very well bring about their own demise.


    It would be one thing if regular superheroes were to investigate the case, but with bad luck, running into a rare zealot like Qing Ya, even if you did a great job cleaning up the clues, you could still get caught by the tail.


    Therefore, Ke Mingye was definitely not in a hurry.


    His thought process was very clear; his current task was steady development because if other players took action first and disrupted their rhythm, they couldn¡¯t be considered steady anymore.


    ¡°Compared to them, my advantages are not small,¡± Ke Mingye rested his chin on his hand as he gazed at the writing on the blackboard, thinking, ¡°For instance, that main quest where one gets rewards for approaching family members with a disguised identity, the reward for getting close to Bai Zini has already been secured¡­


    Among the rest of the family, I¡¯ll avoid Dad and Mom, those two monsters, and in the short term, I can approach Bai Qiuwu and Bai Ziling with my second identity to claim the node rewards. It¡¯ll add up to a decent amount.¡±


    On this day of June 20, Ke Mingye still, just like the day before, managed to complete the hundred ¡°pull-up¡± activities during the break between classes, and just finished his second daily task at noon.


    [Daily Task Two Completed: Perform a hundred pull-ups.]


    [Reward Obtained: Gain one attribute point to be added to ¡°Physical Fitness¡±.]


    [Congratulations, your ¡°Physical Fitness¡± attribute has increased to 18 points.]


    The afternoon classes were also insignificant, mostly about the teachers from different subjects announcing the final exam results.


    Ke Mingye, with the memories from his previous life and having already gone through the college entrance examination once, handled things naturally and adeptly.


    He intentionally kept his grades in the upper-middle part of the class, around the top hundred in the whole school, maintaining his usual standard so as not to draw his mother¡¯s attention¡ªalthough Bai Wenna might not take action against him even if she noticed something was amiss, he still feared her the most in the family, as one could never predict what means an alien might possess.


    In the meantime, Ke Mingye also opened his knapsack to check the web fluid level of the ¡°Web Shooter¡±. After a spree of misuse the night before, it was down to 30%.


    [Would you like to spend 140 Mall Coins to purchase ¡°Web Fluid¡± from the mall and refill your Web Shooter¡¯s ¡°Web Fluid Volume¡± to the maximum?]


    ¡°Seventy percent of web fluid costs 140 Mall Coins, so each percent of web fluid costs 2 Mall Coins, not as expensive as I imagined,¡± Ke Mingye thought to himself, using 140 Mall Coins to buy web fluid and refilling the internal web fluid of the Web Shooter to full capacity, ready for any emergencies.


    [Thank you for your patronage, your current balance of Mall Coins is 860.]


    In the third period of the afternoon, which was also the last class, his younger sister Bai Ziling sent him a message.


    She said she was going to the cinema to watch a movie later and asked if Ke Mingye would like to join. If he was coming, they could head straight to the cinema after school without going back home.


    Through this message, Ke Mingye confirmed that his older brother Ke Xiaomo was staying at home, so he decisively raised his hand and asked the teacher to go to the bathroom.


    In the bathroom, he took out a set of spare school uniforms and a pair of cheap trainers, which he had tucked into his backpack in the morning, and then summoned the Deception Puppet. After adjusting its physique, appearance, hairstyle, and voice to be the same as yesterday, he ordered it to put on the school uniform and the canvas shoes and then to sit on the toilet and await orders.


    Ke Mingye then returned to the classroom and opened the discussion group using the communications panel.


    [Failed Man: I¡¯ll come straight after school. I should arrive at Yandai Commercial Street around 4:30. Tight on time, so we¡¯ll start the instance right away, OK?]


    [Fan Quan: No problem. We three will wait for you here.]


    After making all the preparations, Ke Mingye looked at the blackboard, steadied his breath, and quietly waited for the school bell to ring.


    He had to ensure that, in this instance battle, the Deception Puppet wouldn¡¯t die.


    Otherwise, according to the rule that ¡°players will be resurrected in reality after dying in an instance¡±, he would immediately expose a fact in front of the other players: he was deceiving them and attempting to maintain long-term contact with them using the puppet.

 Chapter 45 - 45 - 038: Meeting Preview

    Chapter 45 ¨C 038: Meeting Preview


    June 20th, in the afternoon, Huanjing Third High School.


    As the school bell rang throughout the building, the two-month summer vacation was announced. The students, who had already been restless, dragged their backpacks out of their drawers and noisily ran out of the classrooms, the festive sound of desk legs scraping the floor echoing in every corner of the building.


    Ke Mingye slung his backpack over his shoulder, standing still at his desk. He commanded the puppet, which had been crouching in a toilet stall, to stand up while he texted Bai Ziling on his phone.


    ¡°Where did you say the cinema is?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yandai Street, it starts in half an hour,¡± Bai Ziling replied quickly. Her text style was as brief as her way of speaking.


    Ke Mingye was taken aback, thinking, Why do you have to watch a movie at Yandai Commercial Street, it must be to monitor us playing the instance. But he still replied to the message calmly.


    ¡°Are your family members coming too?¡± he asked.


    ...


    ¡°Everyone but my parents,¡± Bai Ziling typed, ¡°You and big sister come by the same school, take the public bus.¡±


    No sooner had the message been sent than Ke Mingye turned his head and noticed someone outside the classroom staring at him¡ªit was Bai Qiuwu, dressed in a school uniform.


    She glanced at her phone then gently tapped the window with her finger, signaling him to move faster.


    Ke Mingye pursed his lips, walked out of the classroom, and left the building shoulder to shoulder with Bai Qiuwu. Along the way, he attracted quite a few glances but didn¡¯t mind, as he was busy controlling the Deception Puppet that followed them.


    The three of them maintained a steady pace to the bus stop outside the school, the puppet blending into the crowd.


    Before long, a bus heading to Yandai Commercial Street arrived. Bai Qiuwu and Ke Mingye got on one after another, followed by the Deception Puppet amid a group of students.


    In the slightly swaying bus, Bai Qiuwu stretched languidly, the upward motion of her uniform outlining her body¡¯s curves.


    The setting sun shone through the window, casting a light golden hue on her cheeks, and the downy hair by her ears fluttered gently like bird feathers.


    ¡°Finally, it¡¯s vacation,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re liberated,¡± Ke Mingye responded, though his gaze subtly shifted toward the puppet in the corner of the bus.


    Suddenly struck by a curious idea, he wanted to see if Bai Qiuwu could recognize the puppet¡¯s original appearance, so he controlled the puppet to move forward a couple of steps and grab the hanging ring next to her.


    Bai Qiuwu turned her cheek and glanced at the puppet¡¯s face.


    As the puppet drew closer, she seemed to realize something, and a barely perceptible red sheen crossed her pupils.


    Immediately following that, the face of the puppet transformed in her perception into a grotesquely unusual humanlike visage, its corners of the mouth almost reaching the ears in an upward curve.


    Are the Eyes of Golden Flame really that powerful?


    Ke Mingye observed Bai Qiuwu¡¯s changing expression out of the corner of his eye; he was pretty sure she had seen the puppet¡¯s true appearance. While silently breaking out in a cold sweat, he lowered his head to open a short video app. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Qiuwu glanced at the puppet and was silent for half a second before speaking to him, ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ke Mingye controlled the puppet to turn its head towards her and asked.


    ¡°Your shoelace is undone, classmate.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu said this as she casually swept back a strand of hair from her forehead and calmly directed his gaze to the oversized shoes.


    ¡°Oh, thanks.¡±


    The puppet said as it crouched down and tied its shoelaces leisurely. Ke Mingye even deliberately changed to a shoelace tying method he didn¡¯t usually use, to avoid his sister associating it with himself.


    He wondered why he hadn¡¯t triggered the contact reward with Bai Qiuwu. Was it because she was using her normal identity, rather than her hidden identity ¡°Black Wukong¡±?


    Having arrived at this conclusion, he felt somewhat disappointed.


    Since the instance location and the place where the family was watching a movie were both at Yandai Commercial Street, not too far apart, he had planned to send the Deception Puppet straight from Meiyijia into the cinema after finishing the instance, burst into Theater Number Three, roll twice in front of his five siblings, and hop onto the stage to act cute and introduce himself.


    Doing so, he might have bagged all the rewards for the ¡°contact family mission¡± objectives.


    But now it seemed unlikely.


    Moreover, he felt that if Bai Zini saw the puppet tumble twice on stage, she would probably be shocked to the point of dropping her jaw, ignore everything else, and chase after it, which would not be too good.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu stared at the puppet¡¯s face again, then shifted her gaze back and said to Ke Mingye beside her, ¡°I just remembered I have something later, how about you go to the cinema alone?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Ke Mingye knew what she was planning and firmly vetoed it.


    He looked up at Bai Qiuwu, sighed and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t go, then I won¡¯t either. I¡¯ll follow you, do whatever you do. It¡¯s rare for us all to watch a movie together, can you stop bailing out all the time, it¡¯s really disappointing.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu, finding him amusing, asked, ¡°But usually at home, aren¡¯t you the one who ducks out on us the most?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re talking about you now, don¡¯t change the subject. You see, even our second sister asked me to keep an eye on you because you always disappear suddenly, ditching us.¡±


    Ke Mingye continued his tirade and turned the phone screen toward her, showing her his recent chat history with Bai Ziling.


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t run away this time, and you¡¯re not allowed to either.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu said indifferently while shifting her face again, pretending to look out the car window but glanced sneakily at the school uniformed youth amidst the crowd.


    At that moment, she saw him, expressionless, holding up a piece of paper.


    On it in black and white was written, ¡°Black Wukong, meet at 8 p.m. on Huanjing¡¯s No. 7 Overpass. Don¡¯t approach me, don¡¯t make any sound, or the people and your brother in this car will be in danger.¡±


    The moment she read the text, Bai Qiuwu¡¯s gaze turned cold, like a beast ready to spring. She slightly frowned, and a layer of scarlet mist spread out in her pupils, as if fire was burning within.


    Just then, Ke Mingye¡¯s voice came from beside her, breaking her concentration.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not ditch each other.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu turned her head back, not looking at Ke Mingye¡¯s profile, but lowered her head, covering her wide-open eyes with her hand. Her pupils expanded and contracted, conveying a burning sensation like fire.


    She had experienced this many times; whenever her emotions got out of control, the Eyes of Golden Flame would involuntarily reveal themselves.


    At that moment, her face was shadowed by the locks of hair on her forehead, but the blood-red color in her pupils couldn¡¯t be erased.


    Bai Qiuwu struggled to even her breathing, her eyes trembling incessantly as they stared at the ground, her lips barely moving, murmuring to herself almost inaudibly.


    ¡°Calm down¡­ calm down¡­ calm down.¡±


    She breathed deeply, over and over, slowly closing her eyes. When she opened them again, the flame burning within had quietly died down, and the color of her pupils had returned to normal.


    Ke Mingye noticed her odd behavior, then twisted his head to look at her, ¡°Sis, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just not used to these contact lenses.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu casually dismissed it, lowering her hand that had been covering her eyes and slowly lifting her head.


    She took out a literary magazine from her backpack and quietly flipped through it in the dying light.


    Seven minutes flew by quickly, and the bus slowly stopped at the entrance to Yandai Commercial Street. Along the bustling street, Ke Mingye ensured Bai Qiuwu got off the bus with him, and they walked towards Yandai Cinema City.


    From a distance, Bai Zini was already shouting and waving at them, standing next to Ke Xiaomo, Ke Yongzhu, and Bai Ziling.


    Meanwhile, the Deception Puppet also got off the bus, mingling in the crowd, and soon arrived at a secluded corner of the commercial street, heading towards the electronic game store near Meiyijia.

 Chapter 46 - 46 - 039: Supermarket Instance

    Chapter 46 ¨C 039: Supermarket Instance


    Upon reaching the second floor, Ke Mingye slid open the door to enter the first booth. Under the tangerine light, the doll raised its eyes, and the three familiar faces were still what caught his gaze.


    Fan Quan sat in the middle of the sofa, flipping through a black leather bible without looking up as he spoke.


    ¡°It seems everyone is here. Let¡¯s make a quick introduction of our skills, then we can get started.¡±


    Ke Mingye made the doll bow its head to glance at the three handguns on the table, and asked, puzzled, ¡°Are we ready to start now? Shouldn¡¯t we distribute the guns first?¡±


    Fan Quan shook his head, his eyes signaling towards Qing Meng, ¡°No, all three guns are hers.¡±


    Qing Meng was still clad in a punk-style jacket over a white T-shirt, and her pale blue hair was tied back into a ponytail.


    Leaning against the sofa with her left hand on her shoulder and toying with her phone in her right, she said, ¡°I have a C-level skill called ¡¯Fire at Will¡¯ that can enhance the firepower of all firearms for 20 seconds; another skill enhances my concentration, increasing the accuracy of any attack.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Tough girl,¡± Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, ¡°Then indeed, the guns should be yours.¡±


    He turned his gaze to the three people and introduced his own skills, ¡°Er, my first skill makes my body lighter, a passive skill.¡± As he spoke, Ke Mingye made the doll lightly jump, shooting up to the ceiling before coming back down.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of exposing yourself?¡± Fan Quan grasped the crux, ¡°Since this skill doesn¡¯t have an off button, your weight will always be lower than normal people¡¯s, and with your identity as a regular student¡­ PE tests, genetic screening, many situations could easily¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I have a handle on it,¡± Ke Mingye quickly interrupted him, shifting the topic, ¡°My other skill is rolling out a die.¡±


    As he spoke, he began explaining how bizarre the D-level ¡°Disaster Die¡± skill was, and the three listened with a mix of belief and skepticism.


    Fan Quan was silent for a moment, ¡°Regardless of whether what you¡¯re saying is true, let¡¯s skip this skill and not use it in the instance. Unless our whole team is wiped out and you¡¯re the only one left inside, then you can try it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I was thinking the same,¡± Ke Mingye spoke through the doll, then tapped open the gear panel and strapped a newly acquired ¡°Web Shooter¡± to the doll¡¯s wrist, ¡°Also, I need to show you guys this piece, won from the ¡¯Rewards Wheel¡¯¡ª¡¯Web Shooter¡¯. You all must have seen ¡¯Spider-Man¡¯, right?¡±


    Qing Meng raised an eyebrow, eyeing him sideways, ¡°You managed to get that?¡±


    ¡°Lucky me.¡±


    ¡°Impressive¡­¡± Ju Zipi exclaimed, ¡°So that¡¯s why your ID is ¡¯Failed Man¡¯, a tribute to Spider-Man, huh?¡±


    ¡°No wonder you have the confidence to take on the role of drawing the Boss¡¯s aggro, reducing body weight combined with a web shooter, mobility-wise you¡¯re indeed much stronger than us,¡± Fan Quan commented.


    Subsequently, the three introduced their skills in the booth, and Fan Quan elaborated on the attack patterns of the Meiyijia Supermarket instance Boss.


    After exchanging information and discussing strategies, the four of them left the booth and gathered in front of the closed-down Meiyijia Supermarket.


    Taking advantage of the quiet surroundings, they pressed their palms against the instance panel simultaneously. The moment they made contact with the panel, their figures began to vanish.


    When Ke Mingye made the doll open its eyes again, the sight that met his gaze was a supermarket much larger than he had imagined.


    From the outside, one could never imagine that the interior of the Meiyijia Supermarket hid such a vast space¡ªit was as if two or three supermarkets of the same size had been folded together. Even the space itself seemed to find its arrangement unreasonable, subtly distorting as if it were a twisting mirage.


    Old light bulbs embedded in the ceiling flickered intermittently, casting a cold light from above that illuminated the desolate scene within the supermarket: ATM machines embedded in the walls, supermarket shelves toppled chaotically, shopping carts broken into pieces, and the floors, walls, and shelves were splashed with dazzling, dripping blood.


    At that moment, one could see a huge hole in a corner of the supermarket¡¯s depths. Looking inside, it was pitch black, with no human figures visible. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A rumbling noise was coming from the hole, and as the four people looked toward it, they could vaguely make out a huge, swollen silhouette emerging from within.


    The next moment, a strange smell, somewhere between blood and tobacco, hit their nostrils as the massive shadow roared out of the hole like a long-dormant porcupine.


    What appeared in the eyes of the four people was a gigantic zombie, four meters tall, with skin a mix of pale and dark green, so decayed that exposed sores leaked pus that dribbled down and evaporated into white gas as it hit the ground.


    It wore a chef¡¯s tall hat and a white robe, using a pig¡¯s trotter as a ¡°belt¡± to tie four horrifically disfigured ¡°self-detonating zombies¡± around its waist, treating these little creatures as hand grenades.


    [Instance Boss Name: Zombie Chef]


    [Instance Boss Level: Lv3]


    [Instance Boss Description: The Zombie Chef never uses kitchen utensils; instead, it has a special cooking method. It lifts both its prey and self-detonating zombies, allowing the latter to explode its prey into a charred mess before joyfully chewing the remains.]


    [Instance Boss Kill Rewards: Experience Points, Rare Items, Mall Coins, Unknown Rewards (additional rewards distribution based on players¡¯ overall performance during the battle, with players contributing more getting richer rewards)]


    Ke Mingye directed the puppet to the front, took a deep breath, and slightly lowered his right hand, ready to release the spiderweb shooter at any moment;


    Qing Meng lifted her gaze, her pale blue ponytail swaying in the approaching turbulent air, each of her hands gripping a dark pistol, aiming at its waist;


    Fan Quan lowered his gaze, flipping through the Bible in his hands. Three pages tore out automatically without a breeze, transforming into three little paper figures that hopped onto his shoulder;


    Ju Zipi slightly bent forward, extending his right hand, and a long sword formed from gathering water slowly appeared, waving rhythmically like a wave.


    [Total number of players participating in this instance: 4]


    [Damage Percentage Leaderboard is as follows.]


    [NO.1 ¡ª Failed Man: Damage percentage 0%]


    [NO.2 ¡ª Fan Quan: Damage percentage 0%]


    [NO.3 ¡ª Good Ju Zipi: Damage percentage 0%]


    [NO.4 ¡ª Indistinct Dream: Damage percentage 0%]


    [The instance battle officially begins, please defeat the instance¡¯s Boss by any means necessary.]

 Chapter 47 - 47 - 040: Battle with the Boss of Instance No. 5

    Chapter 47 ¨C 040: Battle with the Boss of Instance No. 5


    ¡°`


    [Warning: The battle against Boss Zombie Chef has started. All players, please fight with all your might!!!]


    Ju Zipi, gripping the katana forged by the tidal waves, squinted and whispered to Ke Mingye, ¡°It¡¯s coming, be careful.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    Speaking, Ke Mingye leaned forward slightly, his pupils reflecting the oncoming charge of the Zombie Chef.


    Accompanied by a deafening roar, the Zombie Chef spat out viscous saliva. Its massive feet stomped over the shelves along its path, leaving behind one bloody footprint after another.


    The ¡°bang, bang!¡± of its footsteps, like an earthquake, tugged at everyone¡¯s heartbeat, almost syncing with it.


    ...


    Ke Mingye took the lead, dashing forward to attract all of the Zombie Chef¡¯s attention, pulling its hatred toward himself.


    Meanwhile, lowering his right hand and making a trigger gesture, a strand of spider silk shot out from the nozzle of his web shooter, rapidly sticking to a pillar on the right.


    Just before colliding with the zombie, his right hand clenched the spider silk tightly.


    With a push against the ground, his lithe body was catapulted into the air, tracing a clean arc around the pillar at high speed.


    The Zombie Chef, roaring, pursued him, and with a palm, drew a tied-up suicide zombie from its waist. Holding it in its grasp, it then clenched its fingers into a fist and swung it at the pillar.


    At that moment, the suicide zombie in its palm detonated instantly, turning into flames that rose through the gaps in the giant zombie¡¯s fingers¡ªits force was no less than setting off several hand grenades in the palm of one¡¯s hand.


    The Zombie Chef¡¯s fist transformed into a column of flame at that moment, the surrounding air shrieking as it tore, moisture rapidly evaporating, turning into a white wave of steam rolling in.


    ¡°Is it really that exaggerated?¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s pupils shrank, nearly stunned.


    He had heard from Fan Quan about the Zombie Chef¡¯s attack method, but seeing it with his own eyes still shocked him to the core. He thought if he were that detonated suicide zombie, wouldn¡¯t he scream, ¡°Born from the same root, why be so quick to fry each other?¡±


    Watching the incoming fist, he quickly released the spider silk sticking to the pillar and dropped to the ground, rolling to cushion the impact from the high fall.


    He had barely landed when a boom came from mid-air. The explosive force of the giant fist smashed into the pillar, blasting it into scattered fragments that dissolved into nothingness amidst the flames.


    Ke Mingye propped himself up with his left hand on the ground and looked up to observe the situation. As the vanguard of the team, he had to continuously attract the Zombie Chef¡¯s hatred by maneuvering around it.


    Just then, the Zombie Chef smacked its lips and sneered, pinching another suicide zombie from its waist and twisting off its head like pulling a grenade pin.


    Then, with a flick of its wrist, it hurled the ¡°zombie grenade¡± toward Ke Mingye.


    The gesture was so excessive that it broke protocol, making Ke Mingye break out in a cold sweat, thinking, ¡°You really don¡¯t treat zombie comrades as people, using them like hand grenades¡­¡±


    The suicide zombie¡¯s body rapidly heated up in mid-air, cracked open, and then transformed into a violent fireball reaching out with its hand, almost catching Ke Mingye¡¯s form in its grip.


    Fortunately, he managed to shoot a strand of spider silk at the ceiling using his launcher before the suicide zombie exploded. Grabbing the silk, he swung up into the air, hanging from a single arm in midair.


    Ke Mingye looked down with a gaze from above, seeing the area within five meters below engulfed by the explosion¡¯s blaze.


    ¡°That was close,¡± he exhaled.


    At that moment, Qing Meng, from a distance, pulled the triggers of the two handguns she held.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The muzzle flashed, and two bullets shot straight for the Zombie Chef¡¯s waist, aiming for the other two suicide zombies tied there¡ªthose zombies were like an enhanced version of grenades, and it was definitely better to eliminate them early on.


    If it weren¡¯t for Ke Mingye, few players at this stage would be able to handle the suicide zombies hurled by the Zombie Chef. The range of the explosions was too wide, making it extremely difficult to escape unscathed.


    At the moment, the Zombie Chef¡¯s waist belt still had two suicide zombies attached. Hearing the gunshots, it reflexively brought one of its decaying hands to shield its waist.


    ¡°Clang!¡±


    ¡°Clang!¡±


    As if hitting an iron wall, the two bullets were effortlessly deflected by its palm, failing even to penetrate.


    Qing Meng frowned, lowering her pistols, ¡°Tch, it was the same last time. Shots aimed at its waist are always blocked.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste bullets; let Spider Man give it a try,¡± said Fan Quan, calmly speaking. Three paper figures on his shoulder whispered something into his ear, audible only to him. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, because of Qing Meng¡¯s two shots, the Zombie Chef shifted its target of hatred.


    Its bloodshot eyes turned toward Qing Meng, and with a slight movement of its right hand, it effortlessly tore off another suicide zombie¡¯s head. Then, with a swing, it threw this ¡°zombie grenade¡± in Qing Meng¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this skill have a cooldown?¡± Qing Meng was caught off guard. She broke into a run, but it was too late.


    The blast spread, sweeping towards her like the scythe of the Grim Reaper, inevitable.


    ¡°Hey hey, punk girl, are you okay?¡± Ke Mingye hung from the spider silk in midair and was shocked at the sight. He thought, if our main firepower dies, how are we supposed to continue fighting?


    ¡°`

 Chapter 48 - 48 - 040: Instance No. 5 Boss Battle_2

    Chapter 48 ¨C 040: Instance No. 5 Boss Battle_2 sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, as if delighting in others¡¯ misfortune, the three paper figures on Fan Quan¡¯s shoulder simultaneously raised their arms and cheered.


    Fan Quan had introduced his skills beforehand.


    The two skills he obtained for free from the specialty page¡ªone was a B-level skill called ¡°Portal of Humanism¡±; the other, an E-level skill named ¡°Resentment Transference.¡±


    The former was a unique skill; its strength depended on the player¡¯s ¡°knowledge reserve¡± in subjects like ¡°Theology,¡± ¡°Philosophy,¡± and other humanities¡ªthe deeper and broader the player¡¯s knowledge in humanities, the higher the skill¡¯s level would be.


    For an ordinary person encountering this skill, its rank might only be E or D level, limiting its strength within a certain range.


    But Fan Quan had lifted it to B-level with his solid knowledge reserve.


    According to the skill¡¯s effect, the Portal of Humanism would open a gate for him, summoning a number of paper figures ranging from ¡°3¡± upwards, depending on his level.


    ...


    Each paper figure would randomly bear three famous theories of some great figure.


    Each theory had been adapted into a special skill with different effects. Once a skill was used, the corresponding paper figure would disappear.


    Fan Quan also stated that since even he could only enhance the skill to B-level, he believed there were very few people in the world who could raise ¡°Portal of Humanism¡± to A-level.


    When Ke Mingye heard the introduction of this skill, he silently gave a thumbs-up and labeled him ¡°cultured¡± in his mind.


    Time rewinds to this moment.


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses. The bible in his hand flapped open without any wind, and each paper figure on his shoulder was chirping out three semantically obscure phrases.


    The first paper figure raised its right arm and shouted in German, ¡°God is dead!,¡± ¡°Will to Power!,¡± ¡°Eternal Recurrence!¡±


    The second paper figure, with a somber face, repeated in German, ¡°The ego.,¡± ¡°The id.,¡± ¡°The superego.¡±


    The third paper figure, with a tranquil face, spoke in Romanian, ¡°Sacred Time,¡± ¡°Sacred Space,¡± ¡°Eternal Return.¡±


    ¡°Will to Power.¡±


    Fan Quan calmly uttered one of the phrases.


    As his voice dropped, the first paper figure on his shoulder quickly withered, turning into a wisp of ash that dispersed.


    In the distance, Qing Meng, who was about to come into contact with the explosion, had already shielded herself with her arms, but suddenly she realized that her body wasn¡¯t engulfed in flames, nor did she feel even a trace of pain.


    So, she lifted her head in a daze and discovered that her body was enveloped in a faint golden glow, which was the light protecting her from the outside world.


    [Player ¡°Indescribable Dream¡± has received the buff skill ¡°Will to Power¡± from player ¡°Fan Quan,¡± making her invulnerable and impervious to all control for 2.5 seconds under the state of ¡°Will to Power.¡±]


    Nevertheless, the self-destructing zombie¡¯s napalm ignited everything around it¡ªvending machines, rows of shelves¡ªthe ¡°Will to Power¡± could only last 2.5 seconds, and she was unable to escape from it in one go.


    ¡°Sacred Space.¡±


    Fan Quan spoke softly, and the third paper figure on his shoulder withered away like a flower dissolving in the wind.


    Immediately after, a vortex constructed of dense religious texts opened beside both Fan Quan and Qing Meng, about two meters wide.


    ¡°A teleportation portal?¡±


    Looking down at the scene, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow.


    Qing Meng seemed to realize something too, and without hesitating, she turned and stepped into the swirling vortex, disappearing in the blaze; in her place, she emerged from the temporal vortex beside Fan Quan.


    ¡°I said, don¡¯t fire indiscriminately, it¡¯s easy to attract the boss¡¯s aggro,¡± Fan Quan said.


    ¡°Okay, my fault.¡±


    Saying this, Qing Meng turned and glanced back, where only the last paper figure remained on Fan Quan¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°He truly is a cultured man.¡± Ke Mingye, hanging in mid-air, breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that a B-level skill was indeed impressive, thankful that their main position was preserved.


    After all, he was currently using a B-level skill-generated puppet to run the instance with his teammates; without this skill, he¡¯d have no choice but to bear the agony in the cinema with his family. He couldn¡¯t deny the significant impact of this skill tier.


    At this moment, the aggro of the chef zombie once again shifted. This time its target was Fan Quan; it lowered its body and, like a bull, bellowed and charged towards him.


    ¡°Resentment Transference.¡±


    Fan Quan, with a calm expression, leisurely activated his second skill.


    Unlike ¡°Portal of Humanism,¡± ¡°Resentment Transference¡± was just an E-level skill that could affect the mind of a specific person for 3 seconds, causing them to shift their target;


    When used on an instance boss, it could directly shift its aggro target.


    Thus, at this moment, the chef zombie suddenly shifted its ominous gaze away from Fan Quan, raised its head, and fixed its attention on Ke Mingye, who was suspended from the ceiling.


    During this lengthy period, Ke Mingye wasn¡¯t idle.


    He seized an opportunity, shot out a strand of web and latched onto a pillar to the right of the chef zombie, swinging diagonally downwards through the air in a circle, and positioned himself behind the chef zombie.


    Then, he abruptly released the web, spinning his body in the air like a circus trapeze artist, followed a graceful arc and landed on its neck.

 Chapter 49 - 49 - 040: Instance No. 5 Boss Battle_3

    Chapter 49 ¨C 040: Instance No. 5 Boss Battle_3


    Meanwhile, he stretched out both hands, firmly grasping the tall chef hat atop its head, as the shoes stepping on the chef zombie¡¯s neck were almost eroded and rotted by the pus oozing out of the blood sores.


    According to Fan Quan and Qing Meng, inside the chef zombie¡¯s tall hat was a tied-up ¡°self-destructing zombie¡± ¡ª to see this self-destructing zombie, one must lift the hat off.


    This was a ¡°key point¡±; if they could detonate that zombie, it would inflict massive damage on the chef and also stun it.


    However, the chef hat was far heavier than its appearance suggested, and its size was so large that even shooting it twice would hardly knock it off.


    But Ke Mingye had his own idea. After hearing it, even though the others thought it was absurd, they agreed to let him try.


    At this moment, the chef zombie sensed someone climbing up its neck, so it stopped running, threw back its head, and started twisting its neck madly while snarling with wide eyes.


    Ke Mingye was not panicked in the least, only raising his right hand and aiming at the tall hat on its head, from which a web shooter device discharged a strand of webbing like an arrow, tightly sticking to the back of the hat.


    ...


    Right after, he clenched the webbing with both hands, channeled all his strength into his legs like a bungee jumper, kicked its shoulder, and fell backward.


    Driven by the violent force of the chef zombie shaking its head, Ke Mingye was thrown around in the air like a fly holding onto the webbing, but he clenched his teeth and never let go of the web attached to the hat.


    ¡°Someone help!¡± he yelled while in mid-air.


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m coming!¡±


    Just then, Ju Zipi responded with a low roar and rushed under him. He bent his knees slightly, the ¡°blade¡± of his tidal wave saber turned into rings of water swirling around him.


    Enveloped in the water streams, a buoyancy lifted his body and he dashed upward, almost instantly arriving beside Ke Mingye. Together, they grabbed the webbing.


    With the combined strength of the two and the help of gravity, they tugged hard on the webbing and gradually made the tall hat tilt backwards.


    After about two or three seconds, the tall hat finally detached from the chef zombie¡¯s head and fell backward onto the floor, raising a cloud of dust.


    The webbing snapped, and both Ju Zipi and Ke Mingye fell to the ground, thankfully not from a great height.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ju Zipi struggled to his feet and turned to look at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Ke Mingye said as he got up and turned his gaze to Qing Meng. He called out, ¡°Punk girl, your turn!¡±


    At this moment, the chef zombie slowly stopped its frenzied neck twitching.


    Now that the tall hat was off the chef zombie¡¯s head, everyone could see a self-destructing zombie, tied up like a pork hock, lying on its head.


    Qing Meng initially wanted to retort, ¡°Who are you calling a punk girl, that¡¯s just the persona my original self had!¡±, but stayed silent and lifted her handgun instead.


    She activated her D-level Skill ¡°Aggressive Focus¡±. Strings of data-like light flashed through her pupils¡ªas a result of this skill, for one minute, the user¡¯s hit rate for all offensive means would be greatly increased, naturally including firearm shots.


    Then, she pointed the black muzzle at the self-destructing zombie, her index finger on the trigger, and pressed down forcefully.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    From the chambers of the two un-silenced handguns flames burst forth, and two bullets traced parallel red streaks forward.


    ¡°Clear out!¡±


    After firing the shot, Qing Meng yelled, and upon hearing this, Ju Zipi and Ke Mingye immediately started to run.


    In that instant, two bullets precisely hit the self-destructing zombie on the chef zombie¡¯s head, entering its head and abdomen respectively. The self-destructing zombie then began to heat up and its body started to melt and crack under the high temperatures. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the next moment, it exploded into a burst of flame, engulfing the chef zombie¡¯s head!


    ¡°Roar¡ª¡ª!!!¡±


    The chef zombie¡¯s form slowly knelt to the ground, clutching its head and screaming; its head gradually drooping in the flames.


    [Wonderful Hit!!!]


    [Boss Chef Zombie¡¯s health: 100%¡ú64%]


    [Successfully hitting the target¡¯s ¡°fatal weak spot¡±, Boss Chef Zombie has entered a paralysis state for 7 seconds, please hurry up and attack.]


    As the panel information appeared in her eyes, a hint of red light flashed at the corner of Qing Meng¡¯s vision, and both guns in her hands took on a faint red hue.


    This was the effect of the C-level Skill ¡°Full Firepower¡±, which multiplied the firepower of all her guns by one and a half times for a duration of 20 seconds.


    The chef zombie¡¯s head was the only part with weaker defenses, so she aimed all her gun barrels at the zombie¡¯s head and pulled the trigger repeatedly with her slender fingers. As the guns furiously spewed fire, the recoil was also ravaging her fingers.


    Qing Meng used Colt 1911 handguns, each with a maximum magazine capacity of 7 bullets.


    The characteristic of this gun was heavy recoil, and because the barrel was too thin to support rapid fire, emptying the magazine in seven seconds while ensuring accuracy was not an easy task.


    Still, Qing Meng shot with all her strength, trying to use up all the bullets in the magazine. If the ammo ran out and still wasn¡¯t enough to finish the match, she had a spare handgun strapped to her waist, which she would use to end the fight.

 Chapter 50 - 50 - 040: Instance No. 5 Boss Battle_4

    Chapter 50 ¨C 040: Instance No. 5 Boss Battle_4


    At the same time, Ju Zipi was also busy.


    Carrying the long sword forged by the tidal wave, he stepped on the scorching body of the chef zombie and climbed upwards, finally stepping on its shoulder, his long sword slashing down.


    ¡°True Self.¡±


    Fan Quan watched the scene unfold, muttering softly as the last paper figure on his shoulder disappeared.


    [Player ¡°Fan Quan¡± used the amplification Skill ¡°True Self¡± on player ¡°Ju Zipi¡±, releasing their True Self, attributes significantly enhanced for a short period.]


    At this moment, Ju Zipi¡¯s eyes were shrouded in darkness.


    His sword swinging movement was fluid like drifting clouds, yet extremely ferocious, with his speed increasing from before. The Blade tip of the tidal sword snaked through the air like a dragon, striking repeatedly at the chef zombie¡¯s most vulnerable head.


    ...


    Meanwhile, gunshots continuously echoed through the supermarket.


    The barrage of gunfire intertwined with the flowing sword strikes, painting a violent picture of red and blue, with filthy blood flowing like a river from the top of the chef zombie¡¯s head.


    [Perfect Team Hit!!!]


    [Boss chef zombie¡¯s health: 64% ¡ú 6%]


    Drenched in the gushing blood, the chef zombie let out a furious roar from deep within its throat. If it was not defeated within seven seconds, it would rise again, thus the two main attackers were desperately outputting damage.


    It seemed the only one idle at this time was Ke Mingye, who hung beneath the ceiling with his silk, quietly contemplating what he could do.


    He couldn¡¯t just run over and punch the zombie a couple of times, right?


    Such blows might not even result in one percent damage and could potentially have a negative effect¡ªonce he entered Qing Meng¡¯s range of fire, it would impact her shooting accuracy.


    Not to mention using the ¡°Catastrophe Dice¡±; in such a situation, using it might just get his teammates lost as well.


    As he was thinking, Ke Mingye suddenly noticed a self-destructing zombie tied to the chef zombie¡¯s waist with a pork hock. He raised an eyebrow, and at the moment just before the stun effect ended, he used his silk to wrap around the self-destructing zombie¡¯s head and forcefully pulled like pulling a grenade¡¯s pin.


    Now that his Physical fitness had reached 18 points, surpassing that of an ordinary teenager, and since the head of the self-destructing zombie was quite loose, with one pull¡­


    He really managed to pull it off.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The body of the self-destructing zombie rapidly heated up, cracked open, and then burst into flames, completely engulfing the lower half of the chef zombie. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Final Strike!!!]


    [Boss chef zombie¡¯s health: 6% ¡ú 0%]


    ¡°Hmm, technically, did I just steal the kill?¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself as he slid down the silk, landing timidly on the ground.


    He turned around and sighed in relief. Fortunately, the looks from his other teammates were calm, without any hint of anger. Ju Zipi even gave him a smile.


    [The current instance battle declared a victory, current damage ratio panel as follows.]


    [NO.1¡ª¡ª[Indescribable Dream]¡ïMVP: Damage Ratio 61%]


    [NO.2¡ª¡ªGood Ju Zipi: Damage Ratio 33%]


    [NO.3¡ª¡ªFailed Man: Damage Ratio 6%]


    [NO.4¡ª¡ªFan Quan: Damage Ratio 0% (AFK detection will be conducted for this player)]


    [AFK Detection in progress for player ¡°Fan Quan¡±¡­]


    [Detection complete, player ¡°Fan Quan¡¯s¡± contributions besides ¡°dealing damage¡± are significant, AFK penalty has been cancelled.]


    [Congratulations to all players for successfully defeating Huanjing¡¯s instance No. 5¡ª¡±Zombie Pursuit¡±, commemorative card has been sent to each player¡¯s dungeon atlas.]


    [Current Huanjing Dungeon Conquest Progress: (1 out of 100)]


    [Players will return to the real world in five minutes, please prepare beforehand¡­]

 Chapter 51 - 51 - 041 Post-war Settlement

    Chapter 51 ¨C 041 Post-war Settlement


    Not long after the chef zombie died, his bloated body was stained by blood into a black statue, standing motionless like the shape of embers solidified, right in the center of the supermarket.


    The one flickering and broken light bulb on the ceiling was acting as the only source of light at this moment, occasionally making a ¡°pop pop¡± noise, and the sparks it scattered vanished in a flash in the darkness, drowned in the air filled with the smell of blood.


    Four players sat down against a cold wall.


    Their eyes were fixed on the panel in front of them, their fingers skillfully sliding across the screen, quickly checking the loot from instance No. 5.


    [You will leave the instance in two minutes, instance rewards have already been delivered to each player¡¯s bag, please confirm receipt¡­]


    [You have received the standard completion reward for instance No. 5, one, 3000 Mall Coins; two, 1500 Experience Points; three, one ¡°E-class Equipment¡± Lottery Ticket; and four, a one-time summon card, ¡°Suicide Zombie.¡±]


    [Your level has been elevated to Lv. 4 (0 points/2000 points), and you have gained one attribute point to allocate at will.]


    ...


    [The attribute point has been added to ¡°Physical Fitness,¡± and your ¡°Physical Fitness¡± attribute has been elevated to 19 points.]


    Ke Mingye closed the panel and looked ahead.


    Right before the chef zombie died, he vomited a solid piece of fresh blood, which stuck to a column in a sticky mess.


    Now, that solid piece of blood was melting slowly like ice, occasionally dripping down one or two drops onto the floor, making a ticking sound.


    They had just checked the large hole at the depth of the supermarket, the place where the chef zombie had charged out from, and found nothing but a huge pulsating heart inside.


    Ke Mingye signaled the other three with his eyes and then shot a strand of spider silk from his right hand that stuck to the heart and slowly pulled it outward.


    The next moment, the heart burst open, splashing blood all over everyone. They thought some rare item would explode out, so they pinched their noses and searched through the pool of blood.


    They came up empty-handed.


    Having lost both manpower and effort, their current appearance was very disheveled, covered in blood that they couldn¡¯t wipe clean.


    But since the instance couldn¡¯t be entered again after a successful challenge, it would be a pity to miss any hidden levels; bearing this thought, they had investigated once and were reassured.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye, with his Deception Puppet sitting cross-legged on the ground, was the first to break the silence.


    ¡°Are you guys hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ju Zipi turned and smiled at him, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be asking you? Weren¡¯t you the main target of its hatred all the way?¡±


    ¡°Not an issue, I think we should be more concerned about Punk Girl,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    ¡°Warn you, stop calling me Punk Girl, if it wasn¡¯t because this body¡¯s predecessor was a punk, I wouldn¡¯t need to fit in with the persona so tiresomely every day.¡±


    Qing Meng said this with a cold sideways glance at him.


    ¡°Personality largely depends on experiences, and the predecessor¡¯s memory counts as an experience. Thus, it¡¯s not strange for you to be influenced by her and gradually become a punk girl through subtle influence,¡± Fan Quan said as he sat on an overturned shelf while staring at a bible in his hand, not looking up.


    He paused, ¡°Besides, in the instance, it doesn¡¯t matter if we get hurt since we¡¯ll heal instantly when we return to reality.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Qing Meng said. ¡°Since it doesn¡¯t matter, can I shoot you in the head?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Tch, you really are a freak.¡±


    Qing Meng stopped looking at him and began disassembling the handgun in her hands while continuing to practice the assembly process of the firearm.


    In the player panel, ¡°General Skills¡± like ¡°Cooking Skills¡± or ¡°Firearms Use¡± all have proficiency progress, the higher the proficiency, the higher the skill level.


    If you want to increase the level of the ¡°Firearms Use¡± General Skill, practicing the disassembly and assembly of firearms is also a good way, not only firing them.


    ¡°Punk Girl, can you not be so terrifying?¡± Ke Mingye said. ¡°Even though shooting him in the head won¡¯t kill him, it will still hurt, right?¡±


    ¡°So what, it¡¯s not like he won¡¯t get shot in the future, let him get used to it early,¡± Qing Meng said.


    ¡°That¡¯s how it should be,¡± Fan Quan spoke emotionlessly, ¡°I suggest you all take advantage of being still in the instance to experience the stimulation of pain more, to prevent giving up too soon in real battles due to unbearable pain. For instance, if your arm is severed, you can still run, but if you just kneel down clutching your arm and yelling, it¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡±


    Ju Zipi nodded and echoed.


    In their past lives, everyone had been workers or students. If things truly came to blows with those superheroes, even a little scrape could leave them wincing in agony, not to mention whether they could still think clearly if an arm or leg were broken.


    Ke Mingye understood this very well, especially when it came to Qing Ya. He always felt that even if the old man had a huge gash in his stomach, he could still think calmly about what to do next.


    If the enemy could do that, then they had to achieve the same, otherwise, how could they stand against them?


    Qing Meng pointed her index finger at Fan Quan and squinted at Ke Mingye, ¡°Do you know how bizarre this guy is?¡±


    ¡°How bizarre?¡±


    Ke Mingye asked curiously, looking up at the cultural person sitting on the shelf.


    Ju Zipi answered the question for her, slowly explaining.


    ¡°On the way to Yandai Commercial Street today, we got tangled up with a couple of beggars. Initially, I thought about giving them a couple of dollars, but Fan Quan said that wouldn¡¯t solve the real issue. So he joined the beggars¡¯ line, taught them some more urbanized methods of begging, and even made a deal to take a cut of their earnings periodically.


    As a result, he was cursed and chased by the two beggars all the way here.¡±


    Ke Mingye was stunned for a moment; he had thought this man was merely aloof from reading too much, but now he realized the guy might actually be bordering on insane.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like a normal person.¡±


    Qing Meng shrugged her shoulders while clicking together a handgun and complained.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish, I taught them how to beg for money to survive, so they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about food and drink in the future,¡± Fan Quan defended himself. ¡°Their begging methods are still rural; they haven¡¯t adapted to new ideas in the city.¡±


    ¡°See, that¡¯s what happens when you read too much,¡± Ju Zipi said as he did push-ups with his hands on the ground and teased him.


    ¡°Right?¡± Qing Meng said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ke Ming replied, nodding.


    ¡°If there¡¯s a Skill in the mall that could check a teammate¡¯s educational level, I might consider buying it outright,¡± Fan Quan said as he flipped through a book with a cold sneer.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Ju Zipi got up from the ground, dusting off his hands, ¡°It¡¯s almost time to leave the instance. Should we all add each other as friends?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Fan Quan refused decisively.


    ¡°Playing mysterious, huh, cultured person?¡± Ju Zipi started to call him that too.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep the mystery too. Let¡¯s not add anybody,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    While he said that, he had a reason for not adding friends: Deception Puppets couldn¡¯t use the contact list, and adding friends required being face-to-face, which he couldn¡¯t always manage.


    ¡°You guys are really childish.¡±


    Muttering under her breath, Qing Meng successfully assembled a handgun, inserted the magazine, and cocked the gun.


    ¡°If we¡¯re not adding, then we¡¯re not,¡± Ju Zipi glanced at the countdown on the panel and waved, ¡°The countdown¡¯s almost up, see you guys later.¡±


    ¡°See you next time, Brother Ju,¡± Ke Mingye also waved at him.


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    Qing Meng bid them farewell while packing three handguns into her backpack and slung it over her shoulder.


    ¡°We¡¯ll let you know when we find a suitable next instance, see you then,¡± Fan Quan dropped a lukewarm comment and shortly after, the four of them disappeared within the supermarket.


    After a brief plunge into darkness, the Deception Puppet came to its senses, standing in a deserted alley on Yandai Commercial Street.


    After leaving an instance, the exit location in reality was chosen by the player; the system provided some ¡°unmonitored¡± locations as options. Ke Mingye chose the alley behind Yandai Cinema City, while the other three chose different locations, so there were no signs of them around.


    At that moment, the school uniform on the puppet, stained with blood, had reverted to its clean state, just as it was before entering the instance.


    ¡°Well, the instance is done, I hope the movie is over too,¡± Ke Mingye thought, having the puppet stay put in the alley while he himself opened his eyes in the cinema.


    S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 52 - 52 - 42: Cinema Crisis

    Chapter 52 ¨C 42: Cinema Crisis


    Ke Mingye lifted his eyelids and slowly ¡°woke up¡± from the dim movie theater.


    He raised the back of his hand to shield his eyes from the light of the screen and deceptively pinched his nose bridge with his index finger and middle finger, signaling to his family that he had indeed taken a nap.


    Looking around, ¡°Spirited Away¡± was playing on the Imax screen, an animated film by Hayao Miyazaki. The movie had premiered twenty years ago but had just been re-released, so Bai Zini had excitedly gotten their dad to cover the cost of the movie tickets and dragged everyone to watch it.


    The light from the huge screen waxed and waned, occasionally illuminating the faces of those seated nearby.


    Ke Mingye was sitting in the middle of this row, with Ke Xiaomo on his right. To his left, in order, were Bai Zini, Bai Ziling, Ke Yongzhu, and Bai Qiuwu.


    Bai Qiuwu was propping her chin in her hands, lost in thought, her mind clearly not on the movie.


    Without even thinking, Ke Mingye knew she must be pondering what had happened on the bus earlier.


    ...


    Bai Zini nudged him gently with her elbow and whispered, ¡°Brother, you came to the cinema to sleep, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s so like you.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Bai Ziling echoed in a low voice.


    Could I even tell you that I was actually focused on playing an instance? Ke Mingye curled his lips and said, ¡°I was dead tired after school, and then you guys dragged me to watch a movie. Can you blame me?¡±


    ¡°Watch attentively now that you¡¯re awake,¡± Ke Xiaomo said.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye looked around the theater.


    The auditorium was basically devoid of strangers; it might as well have been booked by the six of them. After all, the re-showing had ended several days ago, and this cinema city had only just been built, not enjoying much popularity.


    Just then, he suddenly noticed a young man in a cap and the uniform of the cinema staff walk in from the entrance of the theater and place a sign at the door that read ¡°As a lucky screening, guests watching in this theater will receive a free trial of a ¡¯brain imaging helmet¡¯.¡±


    Immediately afterwards, the young man closed the door to the theater, placed his hands on his abdomen, and his eyes were hidden under the brim of his cap. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, as if he was quietly waiting for someone.


    A brain imaging helmet, what is this thing?


    Ke Mingye glanced at the text on the sign and felt something was off, so he stared at the staff member a bit longer; his information panel gradually became visible before him.


    [Character Name: Ke Yinzhi]


    [Age: 21]


    [Gender: Male]


    [Strength: A++ level (possessing top fighting power far beyond 99% of superhumans in the world)]


    [Hidden Identity: Black Judge (A key figure in the Anomaly Control Bureau, one of the five S-level officers)]


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Ke Mingye mentally typed out two big question marks.


    He suspected he had read it wrong or that there was a bug in the system, so he took another look at the unassuming staff member, trying a different approach.


    But the result was the same.


    [Character Name: Ke Yinzhi]


    Ke Mingye paused for half a second, then quickly averted his gaze. ¡°Big brother? Why is he here?¡± he thought, his sweat pouring down, instantly soaking his back.


    He had imagined a thousand scenarios of meeting his brother at home, but never had he thought that his brother would appear before him in this way.


    In a cinema, disguised as a staff member?


    From the sign, his aim was to get us to wear this brain imaging helmet, but why?


    The myriad thoughts in Ke Mingye¡¯s mind fell to the floor like a ball of yarn, unraveling into thousands of strands.


    Brain imaging¡­


    The biggest difference between players and ordinary people is that the images captured by our eyes go through the system in our brains, allowing us to see prompts given by the system.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s face gradually turned pale, a flicker in his eyes.


    He pondered for a moment and soon came to a conclusion, ¡°Big brother wants to use this helmet to confirm if any of us has been replaced by a ¡¯player¡¯.¡±


    No, just sitting here won¡¯t do, he has a thousand reasons to not let me leave, and the moment I put on that helmet, I¡¯d truly be done for¡­


    With that thought, Ke Mingye spoke up, ¡°I need to use the bathroom, I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡± After saying that, he started to get up from his chair.


    ¡°Wait a second.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo spoke as he suddenly reached out and held his arm.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Second Brother?¡±


    As Ke Mingye asked, he slowly turned his head, his face expressionless as he met his gaze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wander off. Come right back after using the bathroom,¡± Ke Xiaomo said.


    Ke Mingye stiffened slightly, cold sweat trickling down his forehead, thinking to himself that with a second brother and a big brother, they¡¯re teamed up to screw with me in the cinema, huh? Did you two coordinate this in advance?


    ¡°That¡¯s right, now that you mention it.¡± Bai Zini also said, ¡°Last time, big bro, halfway through the movie with us, you said you were going to the bathroom and then ditched to play games at the next-door arcade!¡±


    Please, can you stop throwing daggers, little sister? If I don¡¯t make a run for it, I¡¯m straight up going to die here, right?


    Feeling as if he had plunged into an abyss of ice, Ke Mingye glanced out of the corner of his eye at the staff guarding the entrance to the screening room.


    ¡°Why are you bothering him?¡± Ke Yongzhu spoke with her chin propped on her hand, speaking impatiently, ¡°If he wants to leave, just let him be; don¡¯t disrupt my movie experience.¡±


    ¡°No way, Ni and I finally managed to get Dad to reimburse us for this,¡±


    Bai Ziling turned her head too, her face expressionless as she stared at Ke Mingye.


    Her red eyes were especially conspicuous in the dim light.


    Hearing their conversation, Bai Qiuwu¡¯s thoughts were interrupted, and she also glanced at him sideways, ¡°That¡¯s right. Just now, someone on the bus said to me, ¡¯We¡¯re going to watch a movie, and nobody is allowed to leave early.¡¯¡±


    Ke Mingye jolted with fear, thinking to himself that if it really came down to it, he would have to confront them all¡ªdamn it, a vampire, a magic girl, a ninja, and a Sun Wukong, really all teaming up against me, a simple player?


    Even with these thoughts, Ke Mingye still remained calm.


    He yawned, his eyes brimming with tears of tiredness, and spoke with a lethargic voice, ¡°Alright, alright, you win. I won¡¯t make a run for it. I¡¯ll just go to the bathroom and come straight back.¡±


    ¡°You said it,¡± Bai Ziling stared at him for a moment, ¡°Don¡¯t try to deceive me.¡±


    ¡°Second Brother, let him go,¡± Bai Zini said, satisfied.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo released his arm, ¡°Go and come back quickly. You¡¯ve already slept through most of it. Pay attention to the rest.¡±


    ¡°Just you guys are fussy,¡±


    Ke Mingye looked at them with disdain, feigned relaxation as he shrugged his shoulders, then rose from his seat and walked towards the exit of the cinema.


    With each step he took through the dimly lit auditorium, he drew closer to the door where Ke Yinzhi stood, his heart beating faster and faster, as if a myriad of tiny people were tap dancing on it.


    What will big brother do¡­ S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If I simply walk past him and out, will he stop me?


    What if he grabs the helmet and forces it on my head? With his strength, I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance, but just sitting there until the movie ends is tantamount to sitting ducks.


    But even if, by a long shot, big brother doesn¡¯t stop me and I do manage to escape the cinema, Second Brother¡¯s suspicion of me will only deepen.


    Damn it¡­


    I might as well take the risk; it¡¯s better than waiting for death.


    With that in mind, Ke Mingye purposely scuffed his shoe against the leg of the chair, causing his shoelace to come undone.


    Then he squatted down, pretending to tie his laces while he manipulated the Deception Puppet outside the cinema to change its appearance, bursting out of the alley, firing a strand of web at the traffic light sign post above the street, caught onto the web, and jumped up on top of the traffic lights.


    The puppet crouched down, looking ahead towards Yandai Cinema City, and used the skill¡ª¡±Dice of Catastrophe¡±.


    Immediately, a black die appeared in its hand, with blood-red numbers engraved on each of its six faces. Simultaneously, six possible events corresponding to these numbers were input into Ke Mingye¡¯s brain.


    The puppet stretched out its hand and rolled the die forward. The die tumbled through the air above the street before finally landing, bouncing, and coming to rest.


    Shortly after, the corresponding event took place.

 Chapter 53 - 53 - 043 Disaster Dice

    Chapter 53 ¨C 043 Disaster Dice


    [D-level Skill ¡°Catastrophe Dice¡± has been released, and the six events drawn from the event library are¡ª¡ª


    Number ¢Ù: A whale will fall onto the street;


    Number ¢Ú: A famous historical band of the deceased will appear on the street to perform songs;


    Number ¢Û: A parade of elephants will march through the street;


    Number ¢Ü: A minor earthquake lasting five seconds will be triggered on the street;


    Number ¢Ý: A team of lion dancers will appear on the street to perform;


    Number ¢Þ: A group of men will streak through the street.]


    ...


    The Catastrophe Dice slowly descended from above the traffic light, flipping through the air above the street, as Ke Mingye manipulated the Deception Puppet to intently watch the black-and-red dice land.


    Thud¡­


    The metallic dice hit the ground with a crisp sound, attracting the attention of many passersby to the Deception Puppet.


    The dice rolled a couple of times on the asphalt surface and gradually came to a stop, and in the puppet¡¯s pupils, the upward-facing number of the dice was reflected; the result turned out to be¡­ number ¡°¢Þ¡±.


    Event number six?


    [The event represented by number ¢Þ has been triggered: a group of men will streak through the street.]


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Ke Mingye was crouching on the floor of the theater, tying his shoelaces, and paused for a second when he saw the result, belatedly thinking.


    ¡°Actually¡­ it seems sort of alright?¡±


    The next moment, the Catastrophe Dice turned into a puff of black smoke and dissipated, followed by a scream from within the congested crowd. The people on the street turned toward the source of the scream, following the gaze of the screaming woman towards a corner of the street.


    They saw ten completely naked, muscular men running wildly through the street like bulls. If a vehicle blocked their path, they would leap over it like hurdle runners, jumping with an unbelievable amplitude, clearing the vehicle, and then landing heavily on the ground, punching a deep hole as they ran forward relentlessly under the setting sun.


    The Deception Puppet, perched on the traffic light, arched its non-existent eyebrows, observing the scene with interest, muttering to itself.


    ¡°Truly amusing¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, Ke Mingye finished tying his shoelaces, stood up leisurely, and walked forward while playing with his phone, keeping an eye on the staff member at the door out of the corner of his eye.


    With Ke Mingye¡¯s hearing, he could hardly hear the noise outside the cinema from inside the soundproof theater;


    But it was different for his older brother. Ke Yinzhi¡¯s combat rating was A++ level, and with such a commotion caused by the streaking men on the street, even from the inside of the well-insulated theater, he would definitely not fail to notice the situation outside.


    The ¡°staff member¡± at the door looked up, one hand behind his back, the other hand lowering the brim of his hat, his eyes shifting. After hesitating for half a second, he pushed open the door and stepped outside through the gap.


    Seeing that Ke Yinzhi had already left the entrance of the theater, Ke Mingye secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.


    He walked to the door, looked up from his phone screen, and pushed open the door. The auditorium¡¯s exit corridor was dimly lit and deserted, with promotional posters of the newest movies plastered on the walls. In just a blink of an eye, Ke Yinzhi had disappeared inside the cinema, most likely having run outside to check out the situation.


    Since he had briefly diverted his brother¡¯s attention, Ke Mingye¡¯s goal had been achieved.


    The Deception Puppet¡¯s body rapidly heated up and cracked, the bursting flames engulfed the traffic light signs, and even the six-meter-high traffic signal pole was affected, crashing down onto the street, causing screams from the crowds.


    [The ¡°Deception Puppet¡± has been actively destroyed. It will take 10 minutes before another ¡°Deception Puppet¡± can be released.]


    After leaving auditorium three, Ke Mingye casually walked towards the corner and then entered the men¡¯s restroom next to auditorium four.


    He went straight to the last stall, closed the door, sat on the toilet seat, and stared at the door in front of him while thinking.


    ¡°You can dodge on the first day but not on the fifteenth, even if I avoid it today in the movie theater, once I get home, big brother will probably use this brain imaging helmet on me, then what will I do?¡± he thought.


    ¡°Moreover, it was not easy to eliminate the suspicions of my second brother, and if I now run away from the cinema, he is very likely to start suspecting me again. This is more uncomfortable than being targeted by big brother, after all, the second brother is a Ninja, being watched by him all day during the summer vacation, no matter how I disguise myself, I will eventually expose myself¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed gently and, tilting his head back, continued to think.


    ¡°Judging by the name, that ¡¯brain imaging helmet¡¯ must be something that captures the brainwaves entering the brain and converts them into images. If my guess is right, once I put on the helmet, big brother would see through my eyes and confirm I¡¯m a player, not his brother.¡±


    ¡°Big brother has already caught two players, I don¡¯t know how much information those two players confessed.¡±


    ¡°In any case, this helmet must have been created to confirm whether there are any players sneaking into the house; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t need to go to the trouble of disguising as a cinema staff member.¡±


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye suddenly came up with a way to deal with his big brother.


    Ke Yinzhi using the brain imaging helmet extracted the scenes he saw, which indeed would show a bunch of game system panels and icons;


    But if what is read is the brain of a Deception Puppet, the result would be different¡ªthe brain structure of a Deception Puppet is no different from a normal person, usually, the images seen by the puppet¡¯s eyes are shared to Ke Mingye¡¯s brain for data processing to see some system data.


    So, if just the Deception Puppet is taken out, it is just a lightweight human template, even if wearing the brain imaging helmet, the images formed in its brain from its eyes would be no different from ordinary people.


    But to accomplish this, there was a necessary premise.


    That was, Ke Mingye must first divert Bai Qiuwu from the auditorium; otherwise, the outcome would be like on the bus, the moment the puppet got close to her, it would be immediately exposed by Eyes of Golden Flame.


    That way, no matter how much the puppet¡¯s appearance and behavior resembled Ke Mingye, in front of Bai Qiuwu, it¡¯s merely an act of futile deception, and Ke Mingye¡¯s identity would also be exposed along with the appearance of the puppet.


    Whether exposing his identity in front of big brother or big sister, the nature of it for him was the same¡ªwhether ¡°Black Judge¡± or ¡°Black Wukong,¡± either was enough to kill him a thousand times over.


    Although the likelihood of success was very low, Ke Mingye believed he only had to try. If he couldn¡¯t dispel big brother¡¯s suspicions here, then he would be severely restricted throughout the entire summer vacation.


    Moreover, if he escaped today, the situation he would face afterward would be even more dire. There was an opportunity in the cinema for the puppet to take his place, but at home, could he ensure that he was never caught by big brother?


    The answer was no. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So Ke Mingye didn¡¯t plan to run, he had to dispel big brother¡¯s wariness today.


    Of course, he had also prepared an escape route for himself; if his identity was exposed later in the cinema, he would break the restroom window and flee the cinema, then contact ¡°Fan Quan¡± through the communication list to see if Fan Quan could provide a hidden residence for him, and then slowly find a chance to leave Huanjing. Continue reading at empire


    Since Fan Quan was confident in killing three Superhumans at this kind of times, he surely had plenty of means to mask his tracks, finding a hideout for him should not be difficult.

 Chapter 54 - 54 - 044 Enemy on Both Sides

    Chapter 54 ¨C 044 Enemy on Both Sides S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye pulled out a second-hand mobile phone from the pocket of his school uniform jacket.


    Last night, he had asked a classmate whose family owned a mobile phone shop to bring him a second-hand phone from the store. That afternoon, he met that classmate in a corner of the playground, took the phone, and paid him 600 out of the 5000 yuan he had earned from bets on the dark web.


    Ke Mingye held the second-hand mobile phone, which didn¡¯t have a SIM card, and quietly watched the time. As the ten-minute cooldown period slowly passed, he was able to summon the Deception Puppet again.


    According to the length of the film, there were four minutes left before it would end. Ke Yinzhi would then pretend to be a staff member and leave his younger brothers and sisters in the cinema hall.


    Using a recently popular prank app, Ke Mingye sent two untraceable text messages to Bai Qiuwu¡¯s mobile number from the second-hand phone.


    ¡ª¡ª¡±Sun Wukong, guess whether I am possibly across from Yandai Cinema City right now?¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡±The Italian pasta at this western restaurant is really good. I bet the movie you¡¯re watching is nice too, but don¡¯t forget our secret meeting on the overpass tonight. Of course, if you¡¯re free now, we could meet up sooner.¡±


    ...


    After sending the texts, Ke Mingye turned off the second-hand phone and put it in his pocket. Simultaneously, he took out his usual phone and sent a message to Ke Yongzhu on WeChat.


    ¡°Elementary kid, are you there? I forgot to bring paper, bring me a pack to the restroom.¡±


    ¡°Are you sick in the head? Who goes to the toilet without paper,¡± Ke Yongzhu¡¯s reply came back quickly.


    ¡°My stomach hurts, what can I do?¡± Ke Mingye replied as he took off his pants, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to bring it, let Big Bro do it. Is he in the cinema? Tell him to hurry up and bring me a pack of paper.¡±


    ¡°Big Bro is a Hayao Miyazaki fan, and he¡¯ll be annoyed if you interrupt his movie,¡± Ke Yongzhu typed, ¡°Haha, are you sure you want me to call him?¡±


    Gazing at the message, Ke Mingye confirmed that Big Bro was still in the cinema. He silently pulled his pants back up, thinking pretending to have diarrhea might become an unforgettable experience for his lifetime.


    He was really worried that Ke Xiaomo was in the restroom¡¯s shadow watching him at that moment; but if that were true, Big Bro wouldn¡¯t be called Ninja, he would be a peeping tom.


    Bending over to type, Ke Mingye wrote: ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t call Big Bro then. He¡¯ll nag me about it. If you really don¡¯t want to help, ask Big Sis to sneak it over, okay? Oh, and don¡¯t let her come into the men¡¯s restroom. Just have her throw the toilet paper in from outside. I can pick it up off the floor when no one¡¯s around and open the door to retrieve it.¡±


    His previous message had been a probe to see if Big Bro was still in the cinema hall, while now he was testing to see if Bai Qiuwu had been lured away by the two ¡°anonymous texts¡± he¡¯d sent.


    Discover more stories at empire


    Ke Yongzhu replied quickly: ¡°Sure, Big Sis was just about to go to the restroom anyway. Call her.¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    Ke Mingye felt assured but, just to be safe, asked on his phone.


    He knew well that Bai Qiuwu wasn¡¯t likely to really be going to the restroom but had found an excuse to search the western restaurant across from the cinema for the Deception Puppet after receiving his message.


    Of course, Ke Mingye wasn¡¯t actually there waiting for her; meeting with Bai Qiuwu was scheduled for tonight.


    ¡°She just left the theater and hasn¡¯t reached the restroom yet. Call her,¡± Ke Yongzhu typed.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ke Mingye replied.


    He breathed a sigh of relief, opened the stall door, and moved to the edge of the washroom, outside the range of the cameras. He quietly watched the entrance to the women¡¯s restroom but never saw Bai Qiuwu appear.


    Once sure, Ke Mingye went back into the restroom stall, closed the door, and summoned the Deception Puppet again. The 1.8-meter-tall, grey humanoid crouched on the ground, resembling a benign dog.


    ¡°Transform into my appearance.¡±


    As Ke Mingye undressed, leaving only his boxers, he mentally commanded the puppet.


    The Deception Puppet¡¯s appearance and build changed rapidly. When he reopened his eyes, its appearance had become indistinguishable from Ke Mingye¡¯s.


    Ke Mingye looked at the puppet that bore no difference from himself, as if looking in a mirror, and felt a sense of uncanniness, a disturbing creepiness.


    Still, he calmly dressed the puppet in his clothes, ordered it to put on the pants, and then adjusted its hair slightly. This made its image look just like him when he had exited the cinema hall.


    Finally, Ke Mingye took off his own shoes and let him put them on, while he himself sat on the toilet.


    He took a deep breath and then ordered the Deception Puppet to walk out of the stall. After closing the stall door, it left the bathroom and turned a corner in the audience corridor, heading towards the entrance of Theater Three.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    At this moment, at the entrance of Yandai Cinema City, Ke Yinzhi, dressed in a staff uniform, was bowing his head, noting something down in a small notebook. Then he looked up, surveying the street and the collapsed traffic light pole on the ground.


    ¡°A gray strange man threw dice from the traffic signal and self-destructed; ten naked men vanished at the end of the street¡­ No sign of them after a search around the area, as if they had evaporated from the world. It seems that the Anomaly Control Bureau¡¯s file of oddities will have another entry these next few days.¡±


    He closed the notebook and tucked it into his uniform pocket, thinking, ¡°What an unfortunate day. Should I report this to the Management Bureau first¡­¡±


    ¡°No, better to settle the family matters first, so I can work with peace of mind.¡±


    Thinking this, Ke Yinzhi was about to turn and enter the cinema when he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure sweeping past him. He lowered the brim of his hat to conceal his gaze.


    After Bai Qiuwu had walked away, Ke Yinzhi slightly relaxed the brim of his hat, raising his eyes from under his hair.


    ¡°Qiuwu?¡±


    He glanced sidelong at Bai Qiuwu¡¯s retreating figure, pondering, ¡°Players possess the ability to read identities; she might have recognized me from inside the cinema, hence why she left early. Keep this possibility in mind, test her when I get home, and sort out the safety of the other little ones first.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi moved into the cinema, deftly put on a face mask at the corner, and pressed a tiny metal device on his fingertip against his throat; the device seamlessly merged with his skin.


    He coughed softly into his fist, and the sound was starkly different from before.


    Greeting the ticket attendant with a nod, he entered the dimly lit audience corridor. At the entrance, two other men dressed as staff were each holding a helmet, waiting for him. They followed Ke Yinzhi quietly, slowly heading towards Theater Three.


    At this moment, in Theater Three, the movie ¡°Spirited Away¡± had already ended.


    Ke Yinzhi and the two ¡°staff members¡± pushed open the door and stepped into the theater together.


    They wore standard, commercial smiles and stood at the entrance of the theater, quietly waiting for the arrival of Ke Xiaomo, Ke Mingye, Ke Yongzhu, Bai Ziling, and Bai Zini.


    Soon, Ke Xiaomo led his younger brothers and sisters towards the entrance of the theater.


    ¡°Sir, the audience in Theater Three for this showing has been selected as the lucky participants in our cinema promotion, and we would like to offer you a free chance to experience the ¡¯brain imaging helmet¡¯.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi spoke with a gentle and detached voice, reminiscent of the smell of disinfectant, seamlessly fitting the image of a staff member.


    As his voice faded, not waiting for Ke Xiaomo to reply, Ke Yinzhi¡¯s fellow staff members had already approached the group of children, introducing the rather intimidating and technologically advanced brain imaging helmet, claiming it could capture their brain signals and convert them into real images.


    Bai Zini was the first to clap her hands in delight, her eyes lighting up as she said it sounded really interesting.


    Ke Mingye was playing with his phone, muttering about how they could stop having so many events because he wanted to go home and sleep.


    Ke Yongzhu appeared indifferent, but his eyes kept sneakily glancing at the helmet, seemingly eager to try it on.


    Bai Ziling didn¡¯t show much reaction, but every now and then, she lifted her red eyes from her phone screen to watch the staff demonstrate how to use the helmet.


    Ke Xiaomo, watching their reactions, sighed softly and asked Ke Yinzhi, ¡°Is this thing safe? Could it possibly damage the brain nerves or something?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely safe,¡± Ke Yinzhi assured him, responding steadily, ¡°Sir, I guarantee it.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo looked into his eyes for two seconds before saying, ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s give it a try.¡±

 Chapter 55 - 55 - 045 Imaginary Time (Part 1)

    Chapter 55 ¨C 045 Imaginary Time (Part 1)


    In the bathroom of the projection area, Ke Mingye leaned over, sitting on the closed toilet lid with his hands clasped in front of his chest, his heart pounding away.


    ¡°Could this get any more thrilling?¡±


    He muttered to himself, while planning his escape route for after he was exposed and from the perspective of the Deception Puppet, he eyed the staff member standing in the middle.


    At this moment, the ¡°staff member¡± in the cinema hall looked nothing like Ke Yinzhi from his memory: it was as if he had put on a human skin mask, even the size and color of his pupils had changed, perhaps due to contact lenses, or maybe his elder brother had used some ability to alter his appearance.


    Ke Mingye was not at all surprised; rather, it had become quite normal for him.


    Living in this house of monsters, disguising oneself had already become an essential skill. Everyone wanted a second identity; if they couldn¡¯t change their faces, at the very least, they had to wear a mask, otherwise, wouldn¡¯t their identities be easily seen through by a family member?


    What played with people¡¯s minds was that those who could change faces were almost always seen through by Bai Qiuwu with her Eyes of Golden Flame; otherwise, Ke Mingye wouldn¡¯t have needed to specifically distract her to let the Deception Puppet enter the cinema hall.


    ...


    From the experimental results on the bus, Ke Mingye thought it was possible that Bai Zini¡¯s identity had already been discovered by Bai Qiuwu.


    He had observed the process of Bai Zini transforming; in the end, it was by means of a mirror that she changed the details of her face¡ªsuch an illusionary, rather than physical, face change was easily seen through by Bai Qiuwu¡¯s ¡°Eyes of Golden Flame.¡±


    So, it was very likely that Bai Qiuwu already knew that Bai Zini was ¡°Magical Girl Ash,¡± she just kept it a secret, not mentioning it outright.


    The vibration of the spare mobile phone in his pocket interrupted his thoughts.


    Ke Mingye opened the spare mobile phone, on which, on the prank app, he had received a reply from Bai Qiuwu.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the Western restaurant now, where are you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Received, wait for me there for a bit.¡±


    Ke Mingye typed and sent the message, trying to keep Bai Qiuwu hanging at the Western restaurant a bit longer.


    This moment, he had to pray that this damned helmet experience would end soon; otherwise, if the Deception Puppet walked out of the cinema hall and just happened to run into his elder sister coming back from the Western restaurant, it would indeed be an utterly tragic drama.


    ¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­.


    ¡°This helmet currently has two functions. The first is to replicate the images you see in your eyes. Its principle is to directly extract signals from the ¡¯visual processing area¡¯ in your brain and convert them into real images,¡±


    Ke Yinzhi paused, then continued.


    ¡°The second function is that you can try to imagine some images. Similarly, the helmet will try to read your brain signals and transfer them into images on the screen, but¡­ due to technical limitations, the second function is not yet perfect and stable, and sometimes the captured images may be incomplete and not so clear.¡±


    After listening to his explanation, Yongzhu hugged the helmet from the staff member and said, ¡°What¡¯s the point of the first function? It¡¯s just like a eyeball camera, let me try the second function.¡±


    Ke Mingye, looking down at his phone, thought to himself that the first function of this helmet was not prepared for you guys, but for me, right?


    ¡°So exciting, I want to try it too!¡± Bai Zini exclaimed like a grade-schooler, hands clasped together, eager to give it a go.


    Ke Mingye glanced at her sideways, thinking to himself, Ash my friend, can¡¯t you act less exaggerated? You weren¡¯t this naive and harmless when you pinned Cinderella on my forehead.


    Maybe she could make it to Hollywood, and bring back an Oscar Little Yellow Man the next year. Being a Magic Girl really buries her talent.


    ¡°Of course, everyone can try,¡± Ke Yinzhi said with his hands behind his back, turning his head and smiling at her, ¡°Although there are only two helmets, everyone present has the opportunity to experience them, taking turns.¡±


    I was wrong; big brother, you are the real acting talent. Ke Mingye disdainfully thought to himself.


    In Ke Mingye¡¯s memory, Ke Yinzhi had always been a very neurotic person, and every school he had ever attended had rumors circulating about him.


    Like accidentally blowing up the lab during an experiment, or targeting fellow dormitory mates who had inexplicably dropped out within a semester; or like skipping two grades in high school to attend the best key university, later humiliating the principal in a public speech upon returning to his Alma Mater, openly criticizing the school¡¯s education system;


    Even more extreme, saying that two years ago, ¡°Kafu,¡± the national idol-level panda that vanished from the Beijing Ring Zoo, was abducted by Ke Yinzhi, which was downright absurd.


    Despite being the eldest son at home, the only sibling Ke Yinzhi got along with was his second elder brother, Ke Xiaomo. The others didn¡¯t really like hanging out with their big brother because you could never understand his thought processes.


    Fortunately, ever since big brother returned from university three years ago, that unabashed neuroticism had subsided a lot, as if he had become a different person. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was as if¡­ something had been released during his time at university.


    ¡°You can imagine any scene freely. If you really don¡¯t know what to think of, perhaps I can give you a keyword,¡± Ke Yinzhi spoke slowly, ¡°For instance, when I say ¡¯player,¡¯ what do you think of?¡±


    Bai Zini listened to him while wearing the helmet, deep in thought with her eyes closed.


    When she took off the helmet and looked up at the image on the cinema¡¯s giant screen, what appeared was a ¡°My World¡± style mosaic world: under a dark sky, a mosaic version of the Bai Ke family stood atop a sky city built from mosaic blocks, pointing guns at each other¡¯s heads.


    Bai Zini was stunned, ¡°It really did recreate it¡­ How magical.¡±


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, thinking this was too absurd considering the current world¡¯s progress in brain imaging technology, it was impossible to do something like this.


    So, this thing must have been brought out by his elder brother from the Anomaly Control Bureau, only the Management Bureau could produce technology far beyond the common knowledge.


    But how could his second brother not realize this? He shouldn¡¯t be that obtuse, right? Or could it be¡­ indeed, his elder and second brothers were in cahoots from the start, each aware of the other¡¯s identity?


    ¡°Quite an imagination.¡± Ke Yinzhi looked at the giant screen, smiling as he commented, ¡°It¡¯s inevitable for the image to be a bit incomplete and blurry, after all, this technology is not yet able to precisely recreate the images you imagine.¡±


    Next, it was Yongzhu¡¯s turn to wear the helmet, and the image he conjured appeared on the screen.


    Displayed on the giant screen was a white-haired girl in a bikini, with a pair of black, bat-like wings on her back. She stood expressionless on the beach, with black tides behind her and a blood-red moon in the sky.


    He took off the helmet and looked at the cinema¡¯s giant screen, opening his mouth only for his face to instantly turn red.


    ¡°Pervert!¡± exclaimed Bai Zini, ¡°You, a grade-schooler, are thinking of such inappropriate images!¡±


    Bai Ziling looked up at the image and slightly stalled.


    ¡°Looks a bit¡­ like me?¡±


    She murmured softly, her red eyes wide open, pupils slightly constricted.


    ¡°What is this, a monster girl?¡± Bai Zini said, then suddenly realized an oversight, ¡°Ah! White-haired too, you were imagining it based on your sister Xiao Ling, huh, perverted grade-schooler!¡±


    ¡°No, this is an angel, okay!¡± Ke Yongzhu retorted with flushed face and hot ears. ¡°Angels have gold hair and black wings. I just accidentally imagined the gold hair as white!¡±


    Bai Zini didn¡¯t let him off, pressing him aggressively, ¡°What kind of angel has such a gloomy backdrop? The angels you imagine are so bizarre. Anyway, you can¡¯t escape being a pervert!¡±


    ¡°Boring! I¡¯m never playing this again.¡±


    Saying this, Ke Yongzhu frowned, placing the helmet on the seat, even his ears reddening.


    ¡°Grade-schooler, the angel you imagined looks a bit like a vampire, huh?¡± Ke Mingye initially wanted to tease him with this remark, but he paused for half a second, belatedly staring at the screen for a while.


    Wait a minute, did Yongzhu know that Bai Ziling was a vampire?


    Thinking this, he glanced at Bai Ziling.


    Her face was expressionless, but her eyes, under her pale blond hair, were wide open, as if she had seen something incredible.


    Ke Xiaomo, however, didn¡¯t take it seriously, thinking it was just child¡¯s play.


    Following this, it was Bai Ziling¡¯s turn to wear the helmet. Her experience ended quickly, and when she took off the helmet, a new image appeared on the cinema¡¯s giant screen.


    The image Bai Ziling conjured was of a young dragon squatting like a cat, its head raised in the moonlight as it quietly stared into the night sky from the shadows.


    ¡°What a cute dragon baby.¡± Bai Zini clapped her hands, not forgetting to tease Ke Yongzhu, ¡°Look at how imaginative your sister Ling is, much better than a certain grade-schooler who only thinks about bikinis and angels.¡±


    ¡°A dragon?¡±


    Ke Mingye was again startled, subtly watched Ke Yongzhu from the corner of his eye.


    Ke Yongzhu looked up at the image of the young dragon on the screen, frozen in place. He pursed his lips and scratched his nose, his face inexplicably growing redder, even unable to look at Bai Ziling again.


    Ke Mingye, watching the reactions of his brother and sister, became thoroughly convinced of one thing: Bai Ziling must have seen Yongzhu in his dragon form, and Yongzhu must know that Bai Ziling was a vampire¡ªhow else could this be such a coincidence?


    Aside from Ke Yongzhu, everyone else¡¯s reactions were quite calm.


    Only Ke Xiaomo¡¯s pupils contracted at this moment, he stared intently at the screen as if he had seen something sinister, muttering in a hoarse voice.


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    ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­ the juvenile form of the Calamity Dragon?¡±

 Chapter 56 - 56 - 046: Imaginary Time (Part 2)

    Chapter 56 ¨C 046: Imaginary Time (Part 2)


    Ke Yinzhi glanced sideways at Ke Xiaomo¡¯s profile while muttering softly, ¡°Kids sure do have vivid imaginations, don¡¯t they?¡±


    After Bai Ziling¡¯s imagined scene had been displayed, it finally came time for Ke Mingye to don the helmet, and everyone in the cinema turned their attention to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s time?¡±


    Inside the restroom, Ke Mingye murmured to himself, commanding the Deception Puppet in his mind to put the helmet on its head. It stared ahead with eyes wide open for a while before closing them under the staff¡¯s instruction.


    ¡°Clear your mind; don¡¯t think about anything,¡± Ke Mingye continued to instruct.


    The Deception Puppet complied, and the rest of the people in the cinema looked toward the big screen only to see that the image presented was nearly empty, almost a complete blank.


    ¡°Brother, are you too nervous?¡± Bai Zini, sitting beside the puppet, asked.


    ...


    Ke Yinzhi watched this scene and interjected, ¡°If you really can¡¯t come up with anything, maybe consider the key words I just mentioned, how about that?¡±


    He paused, then repeated to the Deception Puppet, ¡°When you hear ¡¯player,¡¯ what do you imagine?¡±


    Cold sweat trickled down Ke Mingye¡¯s temples, but a smile formed on his lips as he thought, you¡¯re still trying to plant suggestions in my mind, but what¡¯s sitting in the cinema isn¡¯t human at all; how could your words sway its thoughts?


    As he thought this, he ordered the puppet in his mind: ¡°Imagine that you are playing a shooter game on the screen, CS:GO will do, holding a gun and blowing the enemy¡¯s head off.¡±


    As the command was given, the big screen in Cinema Hall Four gradually displayed Ke Mingye¡¯s thoughts: He sat in front of a computer, playing a shooter game from a first-person perspective, holding an AK-47 in his hands, the aim of the mouse fixed on an enemy¡¯s head popping out from around a corner, ready to shoot. Then, the whole scene froze there.


    ¡°Wow, is it that responsive?¡±


    The puppet removed the helmet and looked up at the big screen in the cinema with a tone of surprise.


    Bai Zini sighed with her hand on her forehead, unable to help but say disdainfully, ¡°Brother, even with a helmet on, you imagine yourself playing a game¡ªis your internet addiction really that severe?¡±


    Ke Yongzhu snorted derisively, ¡°And he says I have no imagination; he¡¯s even worse. It figures for someone who slips out of a movie halfway to play games¡ªhis mind is filled with nothing but games.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo and Ke Yinzhi looked at the big screen in silence, then turned to exchange a glance.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn, second brother!¡± Bai Zini took the brain imaging helmet from Ke Mingye¡¯s hands and ran to Ke Xiaomo¡¯s side.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll pass,¡± Ke Xiaomo replied, his mind still full of the image Bai Ziling had conjured up, of the disaster dragon¡¯s young form crouched in the shadows.


    ¡°Ah? You¡¯re really not going to try? That¡¯s such a letdown,¡± Bai Zini said, looking at him eagerly.


    ¡°You guys have fun, I¡¯ll just watch,¡± Ke Xiaomo said.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Ke Yinzhi spoke up, ¡°Have all the kids had enough experience? If you want to save the images, please leave your WeChat info, and I¡¯ll send them to you on my phone later.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, I haven¡¯t had my fill,¡± Bai Zini said, then turned to ask a staff member behind her, ¡°Wasn¡¯t there another feature you mentioned?¡±


    The staff member explained, ¡°Do you mean the feature that converts your vision into images? The images were already automatically recorded when you put on the helmet.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s it! Let me see how this ¡¯brain camera¡¯ captured everything,¡± Bai Zini said curiously.


    Hearing this, the staff member tapped on his phone, and the big screen in the cinema began to display a series of more than a dozen photographs, all scenes they had seen with their eyes while wearing the helmet.


    Ke Yinzhi stared at the screen quietly as one photo after another flipped by.


    But within these photos, there was not a single scene that included a ¡°player icon,¡± each image¡¯s scene was normal¡ªin other words, what everyone saw was normal, and nobody¡¯s vision had been subjected to a secondary processing by the ¡°gaming system.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi took a few steps closer to Ke Xiaomo and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s been confirmed. Luckily, at least for now, none of these little ones have been replaced by ¡¯players.¡¯


    ¡°What about Mingye?¡±


    ¡°Yes, even though you said he was a bit odd, his visual scenes didn¡¯t exhibit any player characteristics; otherwise, there would be a bunch of strange icons appearing.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo also shifted his gaze from the screen, ¡°That¡¯s a relief, I was just being paranoid.¡±


    ¡°Buddy, you¡¯ve been looking somewhat odd since a while ago,¡± Ke Yinzhi paused, then asked, ¡°Is it related to the scene Zi Ling imagined?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ke Xiaomo hesitated for a second and then whispered in a lower voice, ¡°That was the juvenile form of the disaster dragon; I¡¯ve seen it once before, so I¡¯m certain of its characteristics.¡±


    ¡°You mean to say¡­ Zi Ling has seen the disaster dragon?¡± Ke Yinzhi raised his eyebrows.


    Ke Xiaomo nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, but I don¡¯t know when it happened. She must have seen the Catastrophe Dragon at least once, which is why she could sketch out its details in her mind so precisely.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi looked at him and reached out to place a hand on his shoulder. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While thinking, he slowly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, perhaps the Catastrophe Dragon had its eye on her some day earlier, but she was lucky to get away¡­ Anyway, as long as she¡¯s alright, that¡¯s what matters. Hasn¡¯t the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect already started searching for the Catastrophe Dragon in this city? We should have results in a few days.¡±


    He shrugged his shoulders, ¡°Besides, you and I are both going to be at home during these days of summer vacation, so she¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Ke Xiaomo said in a low voice, his gaze shifting, ¡°I really haven¡¯t been acting as a responsible elder brother, not knowing when my sister encountered the Catastrophe Dragon¡­ Ever since earlier, I¡¯ve been thinking, what if she was eaten by that dragon? I might never forgive myself in this lifetime.¡±


    ¡°When that dragon is dead, she will no longer be in danger,¡± Ke Yinzhi said lightly, ¡°Everyone will be alright, stop worrying.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a long while, ¡°Who in the family has not yet been confirmed?¡±


    ¡°Qiuwu, she left the cinema earlier than the rest,¡± said Ke Yinzhi with an expressionless face, ¡°So there¡¯s a slim chance that she might have been replaced by a ¡¯player.¡¯¡±


    He paused for a moment, ¡°Of course, that¡¯s just a possibility. None of us want to see something like that happen to our family, right?¡±


    ¡°What about our parents?¡± Ke Xiaomo asked again.


    ¡°According to the information provided by the two players we caught before, players only possess ordinary humans between the ages of ¡¯10 to 35¡¯, and since our parents are beyond that age range, there is no risk of them being possessed by players, which means we don¡¯t need to have them wear any brain imaging helmets.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo thought for a moment, ¡°So, that leaves only Qiuwu?¡±


    ¡°Right, I will confirm it myself, you get some rest,¡± Ke Yinzhi said with a smile, ¡°Stay sharp and wait for the Ninja Sect¡¯s information. If I¡¯m free the day you find it, maybe I¡¯ll come to lend a hand.¡±


    ¡°No need for that, the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect and the Catastrophe Dragon are sworn enemies of generations. Killing them is our generational duty, and per the rules of the Ninja Sect, outsiders are not allowed to interfere.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi chuckled, teasingly asking, ¡°So, I¡¯m already considered an ¡¯outsider¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ke Xiaomo shook his head, ¡°but this is different, brother, I hope you understand.¡±


    ¡°I get it,¡± Ke Yinzhi said with a smile as he patted his shoulder, then glanced over at the few people in the movie theater, ¡°I¡¯m going to look for Qiuwu now. You take these little guys home.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you be careful too,¡± Ke Xiaomo paused before adding, ¡°And, if Qiuwu really is a player¡­¡±


    Ke Yinzhi cut him off, ¡°If any creature dares to crawl into our home and harm our family, I will make them pay a heavy price.¡±


    He spoke calmly, as if stating a fact.


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a while, ¡°I¡¯m not against that, but let me confirm it first before you take any action.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it then¡­ I¡¯m off.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi said in a low voice, retreating his right hand from his shoulder, giving a signal with his eyes to the two staff members. They took back the brain imaging helmets from the children¡¯s hands and followed him out of the movie theater.


    Before long, Ke Mingye came over, touching Ke Xiaomo on the shoulder, ¡°Let¡¯s go, second brother, why stand here doing nothing?¡±


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    ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go,¡± said Ke Xiaomo, shifting his gaze away from Bai Ziling. No sooner had they left the movie theater than Ke Mingye said, ¡°I¡¯m going to hit the restroom, wait for me.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu glanced at him, ¡°How many times do you need the restroom for one movie, lazybones? Don¡¯t forget to bring paper this time.¡±


    Bai Ziling chimed in, ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Two little brats talk too much.¡±


    The Deception Puppet grumbled, roughly messing up their hair, then entered the corner restroom. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, he opened the door to the last stall and went inside.


    ¡°At least I got through that¡­¡±


    Sitting on the toilet, Ke Mingye closed the stall door and exhaled in relief. He commanded the puppet to strip off its clothes and shoes, then put them on himself.


    ¡°You just squat here until I leave, then lock the door.¡±


    After speaking, Ke Mingye tucked his hands into his jacket pockets and slowly left the stall, leaving behind a grey figure squatting silently inside, watching his retreating back, then closing the stall door.


    Half an hour later.


    As Ke Mingye and the others left Yandai Cinema City, the grey figure opened the window of the restroom and climbed out.


    It found a trashcan in the alley outside the cinema, stuffed the body inside, and immediately exploded, fire consuming everything around it.

 Chapter 57 - 57 - 047 Lonely Person

    Chapter 57 ¨C 047 Lonely Person


    The ceiling cast a cold, desolate light, illuminating the entire subway car, permeated with the scent of disinfectant in every corner.


    Those going home at this hour mostly had weary expressions, some placed their briefcases on the ground, their glasses still on as they leaned back and closed their eyes, their heads vibrating gently with the windows.


    Ke Xiaomo sat on the left side of the car, flipping through a yellow-paged ancient book without looking up, addressing Bai Ziling who was sitting beside him.


    ¡°In the cinema, did you see that dragon¡¯s image online?¡±


    ¡°Just imagined it.¡± Bai Ziling answered.


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she looked up and asked.


    ...


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Ke Xiaomo paused, then changed the subject, ¡°Do you think Mingye has changed recently?¡±


    At this, Bai Ziling shifted her face, her red eyes looking towards Ke Mingye sitting diagonally opposite.


    Ke Mingye leaned against the back of the seat, looking down at his phone, the light and shadow flickering on the window behind him. Bai Zini was leaning on his shoulder, deeply asleep, her nose reddened, her breath softly tapping on his neck.


    ¡°Big brother seems very lonely.¡± Bai Ziling lowered her head.


    ¡°Is it different from before?¡± Ke Xiaomo pressed.


    Bai Ziling lowered her eyes, shaking her head, ¡°A little, seems lonelier.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s been quite talkative recently.¡±


    ¡°Lonely people understand how lonely people feel.¡± she said.


    ¡°So, were you very lonely before?¡±


    Speaking, Ke Xiaomo stopped flipping through the pages, turned to look at her, and met her red eyes.


    ¡°Sometimes, I feel different from others.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of albinism?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo still remembered, because of her red eyes and white hair, Bai Ziling was often bullied by her classmates during childhood¡ªfor throwing away her homework, secretly throwing her backpack into a pond, calling her a foreigner, a mixed-race.


    Once she locked herself in the bathroom, cutting off half of her pale white hair with scissors, then huddled in a corner, unable to persuade her to open the door.


    Ke Xiaomo wanted to sneak into the shadows to check if Bai Ziling was alright in the bathroom, but at that time, someone at home successfully convinced her to open the door. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That person was Ke Mingye.


    That night, he sat leaning against the bathroom door, whispering something. After a long while, the door opened. He took Bai Ziling by the hand and led her out of the bathroom, his eyes obscured by his drooping bangs. Everyone watched Bai Ziling, whose hair was cut finely, in silence, just allowing them to walk through the middle.


    Ke Mingye quietly walked her out of the house, took her on his bicycle to a nearby barbershop, then handed over the pocket money he had saved up from the new year to the hairstylist, and got a weird, half-haired haircut like Bai Ziling¡¯s.


    Ke Youqing smoked at home for a long time, asking Ke Xiaomo and Ke Yinzhi to follow them to see how things were.


    So they followed all the way to the barbershop, and when they opened the door, Bai Ziling and Ke Mingye were clutching their stomachs, laughing into the mirror like two fools.


    But as she laughed, Bai Ziling suddenly started crying. She rubbed her red eyes, sobbing, and said, ¡°Brother, why am I the only one like this? Everyone hates me.¡±


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t say anything, just gently rubbed her hair and looked down at her.


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    The next morning, big brother Ke Yinzhi said he had something to do and incidentally dropped Bai Ziling off at school. After that day, the children who had bullied her mysteriously transferred schools.


    The subway, like a creeping white giant snake, roared through the pitch-dark tunnel. Every now and then, an orange-yellow wall lamp cast light into the carriage, enveloping each lonely figure.


    Ke Xiaomo thought, do lonely people understand how other lonely people think?


    Bai Ziling said, ¡°Dad always tells us that the third brother is adopted and that we must be kind to him. He¡¯s afraid that our kindness is because Dad asked us to, so he always keeps to himself. He hasn¡¯t changed; it¡¯s just that you don¡¯t understand him. The younger brother is the same; he always seems fierce, but he¡¯s actually very sensible.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a long time then closed the ancient book in his hands, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been busy with my own things. I haven¡¯t been there for you, and I don¡¯t understand you all at all.¡±


    He glanced at Ke Mingye a couple of times, then averted his gaze, thinking it should stop here. Because of one look, he had doubted his own brother for so long, which was somewhat ridiculous¡­


    Bai Ziling shook her head, her pale blond hair swaying gently.


    She didn¡¯t speak again and quietly moved her gaze away from Ke Mingye, her head bowed as she fiddled with the Pikachu doll Ke Mingye had won from the cinema¡¯s claw machine.


    Ke Mingye looked up from his phone screen to the digital display in the subway, then gently brushed Bai Zini¡¯s hair with his fingers.


    ¡°Wake up, you sleepyhead, we¡¯ll be home in a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Let me sleep a little longer,¡± she said.


    Ke Mingye withdrew his finger and toggled between playing on his phone and checking the shop panel, looking at the nine skills refreshed on today¡¯s special sale page.


    [Player currently holds: 3860 coins]


    [Player¡¯s current level: Lv.4, probability of skill page refresh: E grade skills 75%; D grade skills 12%; C grade skills 10%; B grade skills 3%; A grade skills 0%; S grade skills 0%]


    He could see that with the increase in level, the probability of B grade skills being refreshed had risen from two percent to three percent, and similarly, the probabilities for D and C grade skills had also increased;


    Correspondingly, the probability of E grade skills had decreased significantly, which actually wasn¡¯t a good thing at the beginning of the game, because the higher-level skills were too expensive and unaffordable.


    Ten skills gradually appeared on the panel.


    [¢Ù: Personality Split (E grade skill) (Your main personality splits into two secondary personalities for a short time, reaction speed and thought processing are doubled, thinking is expanded)]


    [¢Ú: Mental Link (E grade skill) (Link to any person¡¯s mental world, share thoughts with the individual during the skill¡¯s duration)]


    [¢Û: Lion¡¯s Roar (D grade skill) (Make a roar powerful enough to burst eardrums in front of you, easily stunning enemies)]


    [¢Ü: Growth of All Things (C grade skill) (Enter a state lasting three minutes, during which any plant you touch grows abnormally and serves your purpose)]


    [¢Ý: Timekeeper¡¯s Craft (D grade skill) (Create a clock, press its button and after ten seconds it will either explode or stop time for 1.5 seconds, during which you can act slowly) (The probability of explosion or time stop is one half each)]


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye slightly raised an eyebrow, thinking this was the superpower of the infamous villain ¡°Timekeeper,¡± the one who repeatedly tortured the Divine Communicator Phoenix to death and uploaded the videos on the dark web.

 Chapter 58 - 58 - 048 On the Overpass

    Chapter 58 ¨C 048 On the Overpass


    Ke Mingye¡¯s gaze lingered on the #5 Skill ¡°Clockwork Artistry¡± for a moment then continued to scroll down.


    The only Skills he could currently afford to purchase were of E-grade, so he passed over all other grades, no matter how good their effects were.


    [#6: Superhero-Style Landing (E-grade Skill) (This Skill can only be used when falling from a height above 8 meters from the ground. It allows you to land gracefully on one knee, immune to damage from the impact of the fall, and causes a violent tremor on the ground beneath your feet.)]


    ¡°This one seems awesome. In case I flip over a car with a web slinger from a tall building, I could use this Skill to save myself, or I¡¯d be toast from such a high fall,¡± Ke Mingye thought.


    His finger slid across the phone screen and simultaneously across the corresponding position on the exclusive sale page, bringing several other Skills into view.


    [#7: Night Walking Skill (E-grade Skill) (This Skill can only be used at night, rendering your body ¡¯invisible.¡¯) (Cannot be used in combat state.)]


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes lit up, thinking he was indeed lacking a stealth Skill.


    ...


    ¡°It¡¯s worth considering, but it can only be used at night; isn¡¯t that too restrictive?¡± he wondered.


    [#8: Ground Fall Expert (E-grade Skill) (The ¡°reserved¡± Skill from yesterday will disappear after the next refresh, and cannot be ¡°locked¡± again.)]


    [#9: ¡°Lights Out¡± (E-grade Skill) (Within ten seconds, cause all light within a fifteen-meter radius to temporarily vanish.)]


    [#10: Portrait Concealment Skill (E-grade Skill) (Temporarily turns your body into a portrait and seals it inside a frame, which can appear on nearby walls or the ground at your will.)]


    ¡°Why are all the Skills I get functionality-related? I¡¯m really lacking an E-grade damage Skill, otherwise I¡¯d just be watching my teammates perform in a group instance fight.¡±


    After scanning today¡¯s Skills for sale, Ke Mingye thought to himself.


    ¡°Forget it, right now I only have 3,800 Mall Coins. The cheapest E-grade Skill costs 5,000 coins. After meeting with big sis tonight and getting the node reward, I should have enough to buy an E-grade Skill.¡±


    With that thought, he closed the mall. Just then, the subway stopped at Old Jingmai Street Station, and he tapped Bai Zini¡¯s head with his fingertips to wake her up.


    ¡°Are we there?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What else?¡± Ke Yongzhu said, coming over from the next carriage, where he had gone because it was too crowded and he didn¡¯t want to stand.


    ¡°Right, where¡¯s sister?¡± Bai Ziling asked again.


    ¡°She said she¡¯s having dinner out with friends and told us not to wait for her,¡± Ke Mingye said, showing her his WeChat conversation with Bai Qiuwu on his phone.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go home first,¡± Ke Xiaomo said.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    As soon as they got off the subway, Ke Mingye put away his phone and said, ¡°Uhh, I need to take a major dump, you guys go ahead.¡±


    As he spoke, he didn¡¯t forget to pull out a pack of tissues from his pocket, as if to say, this time I didn¡¯t forget my toilet paper, so no bickering.


    Ke Yongzhu shoved his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, gave him a disdainful glance, and sneered, ¡°How many times do you have to go to the bathroom in a day?¡±


    ¡°See a doctor if you have a bad stomach,¡± said Ke Xiaomo indifferently. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you guys to wait for me.¡± Your next read awaits at empire


    Ke Mingye shot up his middle finger, turned around, and walked towards the subway¡¯s restroom without looking back, quietly queuing up for his turn.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back first,¡± Ke Xiaomo said without another look at him, turning to his younger siblings, ¡°It seems like big brother has come back tonight.¡±


    ¡°Big brother is back?¡± Bai Zini lifted an eyebrow.


    ¡°Really?¡± Bai Ziling also tilted her head quizzically.


    Ke Yongzhu clicked his tongue, ¡°For real? Can¡¯t we just not let him come back? He always knows how to annoy me.¡±


    Deep down, he was really annoyed by Ke Yinzhi, especially the vivid memory of being abandoned by Ke Yinzhi in the zoo as a child and getting lost alone. He couldn¡¯t find his way out and was extremely hungry, so he transformed into a dragon, crawled into the animal enclosure, and had a hearty meal. The last thing he remembered was quietly eating a plump, dark-eyed bear.


    He couldn¡¯t recall what that animal looked like anymore, only that he had been really hungry at the time and wasn¡¯t picky about his food. Later that night, he was flying in the sky, following the scent to find his way home.


    That evening, he saw a missing report about the plump bear on television.


    At the time, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, telling himself, what is a bear compared to me? I am a dragon, after all, don¡¯t you know that the Chinese people are descendants of dragons, just like my descendants.


    It wasn¡¯t until half a year later, when he started kindergarten and during a lesson about small animals, that he realized that the chubby creature he had eaten at the zoo was a national treasure. He had caused a disaster, and for a time, he was shivering at home, his tears almost rolling down, not attending school for two full days, wondering whether he should turn himself in.


    In the end, he spent two yuan at the zoo for a few posthumous photos of the panda and would kneel on the ground every day with the pictures by his bedside, exhaling a small flame from his mouth to light a cigarette, bowing silently to show his remorse.


    Years later, having matured quite a bit, he cringed and couldn¡¯t sleep whenever he thought about this embarrassing ordeal, tossing and turning in his bed. He ultimately decided to blame all his conflicted feelings on Ke Yinzhi, cursing him for abandoning him in the zoo, which led him to do such a foolish thing.


    ¡°Yes, big brother is coming back tonight,¡± Ke Xiaomo¡¯s voice broke into Ke Yongzhu¡¯s reverie, continuing, ¡°Mom and Dad even prepared a big meal. Let¡¯s hurry home.¡±


    After speaking, he walked with his arms around their shoulders towards the subway exit, and the silhouettes of the four gradually vanished into the crowd.


    After his siblings had left the subway station, Ke Mingye also left from another exit and then turned into an alley in the Old Jingmai District.


    He checked the time on his phone; it was now 7:30 in the evening. He still had half an hour before his agreed meeting time with Bai Qiuwu on the Number 7 overpass, enough time to get there.


    So, he released a Deception Puppet from the alley, and afterwards, they went in different directions, disappearing into the dark shadows.


    Twenty minutes later, as Ke Mingye reached home, the Deception Puppet, using a web shooter, swung to the top of the Number 7 overpass, perched on the railing, quietly waiting for the arrival.


    Soon, as a line of moonlight emerged from fish-scale clouds, the first glimpses of moonlight touched down on the city, and an enigmatic figure appeared in the space above the overpass.


    He wore a monkey mask on his face and a black hood on his head, clad in a silver and black metallic windcoat that fluttered in the chilling wind above Huanjing. In his right hand, he held a long staff behind him, and beneath his feet was a clump of dark clouds, shimmering like lake water.


    At this moment, the eyes behind his mask flashed with a fiery red glint, like a wild beast ready to devour its prey.


    The Deception Puppet stood up from the railing and grinned at him, saying,


    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived, Black Wukong. I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time.¡±

 Chapter 59 - 59 - 049 Uninvited Guests

    Chapter 59 ¨C 049 Uninvited Guests


    The night of June 20th, on the Ring 7 Elevated Bridge.


    Due to structural safety hazards, this elevated bridge had been officially decommissioned years ago.


    The police had set up barricades at the entrances, strictly forbidding vehicles from entering. Streetlights, which one could see every twenty-five meters, were dimmed now, the only source of light being the moon hanging in the night sky.


    The deep moonlight brushed down, each streetlight emitting a cold glow, casting long shadows on the empty road, like chilly-breathed devils.


    Above the desolate elevated bridge, a puppet had just risen from the railing only to find that a ten-meter radius around it was enveloped in a layer of reddish-gold flames, tightly sealed as if submerged in lava.


    The puppet stood on the railing, casually surveying its surroundings.


    The air on the bridge rapidly grew warmer, its slender body slightly distorting and swaying in the steam rising off the road, like the bizarre human figure in Edvard Munch¡¯s painting ¡°The Scream,¡± about to perish in the hot wind.


    ...


    ¡°Samadhi True Fire?¡± Ke Mingye thought, ¡°So this power is also within Sun Wukong¡¯s range of abilities¡­ Quite enlightening. I¡¯ve never seen my sister use this trick before on the dark web; she¡¯s really going all out.¡±


    Black Wukong stood on a cloud high in the moonlit sky, looking down at the puppet trapped in the Samadhi True Fire, his crimson pupils devoid of any emotion, like a warden watching a prisoner in his cell.


    She took a mobile phone out of the pocket of her metal coat, quickly typed something in her notes, and then turned the screen towards the puppet.


    It read: ¡°You lied to me. I waited for you at that Western restaurant for a long time.¡±


    The puppet lifted its hollow eyes to look at her and tilted its head, saying,


    ¡°I know you¡¯re angry, but can you not be so fierce?¡±


    Black Wukong¡¯s cold gaze from behind the mask seemed to replace any verbal response; she extended the dark-gold staff positioned behind her and aimed the tip at the puppet¡¯s head.


    Soon, even the staff itself faintly glowed with a layer of reddish-gold fire, resembling a torch used for executions.


    ¡°What is this, Samadhi True Fire? It looks like you plan to roast and eat me¡­¡±


    Saying this, the puppet spread its hands: ¡°Causing such a disturbance over the city, someone will come soon. I suggest you extinguish these annoying flames, and then we can have a proper chat?¡±


    Seeing no response, it reached out to touch the Samadhi True Fire burning on the railing, its entire left hand instantly consumed by the flames, vanishing without a trace.


    ¡°Hot hot hot, I¡¯m dying, I¡¯m dying¡ª!¡±


    The puppet theatrically shouted while flinging its severed arm around, stamping its right foot on the bridge¡¯s surface, then the next second, it regained composure, raised its hands high, casting its hollow gaze down, staring solemnly at her.


    ¡°Just kidding, it¡¯s actually not hot at all. You can totally burn me to death; I permit you to do so¡­¡±


    The puppet paused, dragging out its words: ¡°But then you¡¯ll never know the truth, never find out why I know your identity, and¡­ that your sister Bai Zini is the Magic Girl Ash.¡±


    Upon hearing the name ¡°Bai Zini,¡± Black Wukong¡¯s pupils were instantly covered by reddish-gold flames, but that flash of fire was fleeting.


    She narrowed her eyes, still maintaining her composure, and a cold voice came from behind the mask: ¡°Tell me, what exactly are you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re finally not using your phone to type?¡± the puppet grinned broadly, ¡°That¡¯s like burying your head in the sand, as I clearly know who you are.¡±


    ¡°Stop the nonsense, answer my question¡­¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Black Wukong¡¯s voice was deep, as the fire on the bridge raged even more violently.


    ¡°I¡¯m called ¡¯strange thing,¡¯ a jobless vagrant, and I just became disabled.¡±


    The puppet said, raising its arm that had lost its hand, shaking it in front of Black Wukong, ¡°Look, I only have one hand now; my life is ruined. It¡¯s all your fault. Is this what superheros should do?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not your body. You¡¯re just a puppet, or a machine,¡± Black Wukong coldly stated.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve figured it out.¡± The puppet, raising its non-existent eyebrows, said, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s exactly why I dare to meet you carelessly.¡±


    ¡°What is your real objective?¡±


    ¡°Just to be your friend.¡±


    ¡°Are you joking?¡± Black Wukong asked almost word by word.


    ¡°No, I am very lonely, so I need friends.¡±


    The puppet raised a finger, speaking in a low tone, ¡°Listen, I have a superpower that allows me to clearly see everyone¡¯s identity in the world, the truth hidden behind them. That¡¯s why, on the bus¡­ I recognized you at first sight, you are the ¡¯Black Wukong¡¯ from the TV.¡±


    He paused, then asked, ¡°Oh, right¡­ when you usually appear, you bind your right hand and Jingu Bang with chains, why not this time?¡±


    ¡°Because I came prepared to kill you.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ So, you wrap that chain around your hand normally to remind yourself to hold back, not to kill people, right?¡± the puppet asked.


    ¡°It seems you understand me quite well.¡± Black Wukong¡¯s eyes were cold.


    ¡°Of course, I can see the anger in your eyes, Divine Communicators really are a fearsome existence¡­ Whether unconsciously, your humanity has been twisted by so-called gods, becoming like this¡­ dark, violent, strange.


    And whether, from one day, you realized you were no longer like yourself, you started to lose control over the rage smoldering within you, you started to fear losing control, and so¡­ you picked up that chain, tightly winding it around your arm and that so-called Jingu Bang.¡±


    The puppet said solemnly, his hollow gaze locked onto the eyes behind Black Wukong¡¯s mask while they faced each other in the light of the fire.


    He fell silent for a moment and said, ¡°People foolishly seek the power of gods, yet they are devoured by it, how overconfident, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Black Wukong drew a deep breath and slowly asked, ¡°How much exactly do you know?¡±


    Ke Mingye pondered for half a second, then began his classic bluff and bluster.


    ¡°I think, I know everything in this world.¡±


    The puppet looked toward the brightly lit city, his expression somber, saying, ¡°But precisely because of that, I am very lonely. Do you understand? I¡¯m so lonely I almost want to kill myself. Knowing too much isn¡¯t always a good thing. I often want to empty my mind, but I can¡¯t. Those pieces of information flood into my brain like a tide, choking me.¡±


    Black Wukong was silent for a while, ¡°So you approached me just for fun?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t harm your family, nor will I harm you, nor affect your family relations, but¡­¡± the puppet said, ¡°if you don¡¯t become friends with me, then I will go and befriend those big villains.¡±


    He paused, ¡°Maybe one day, they suddenly ask me, ¡¯Who is the real Black Wukong, do you know?¡¯ and then I would give away your name, along with all your family members.¡±


    Behind the mask, Black Wukong¡¯s gaze sharpened, she stepped on the surging clouds beneath her feet and came in front of the puppet, raising the Jingu Bang to his neck.


    ¡°You dare?¡± she said coldly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I dare not, but I don¡¯t want to¡­ as long as you are willing to be friends with me.¡±


    The puppet covered his face with a hand, tilting his neck and slowly lowering his face, his voice as low as a drowning canine.


    ¡°Listen, lady, I¡¯m not a villain. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m just too lonely, lonely to the point where I can only attract your attention in this way.¡±


    Black Wukong remained silent for a long time, drew close, and stared into its hollow eyes.


    ¡°You are a monster¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I admit that, otherwise your sister wouldn¡¯t have called me ¡¯strange thing¡¯.¡± the puppet said dejectedly.


    ¡°Wait, she gave you that name?¡± A trace of surprise appeared in Black Wukong¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Yes, you can ask her,¡± the puppet muttered to itself, ¡°It¡¯s a good name, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Just then, a voice with a distinctive mechanical magnetism suddenly came from behind them, teasingly sounding on the elevated bridge.


    ¡°You guys seem to be having a lot of fun, can I join you? It¡¯d be best to put out the fire first; it seems like it doesn¡¯t quite welcome me.¡±


    Following the source of the voice, both turned their heads and through the flickering flames, they could see a figure slowly approaching from the other end of the elevated bridge, the tapping of footsteps resounding in the deadly quiet on the bridge.


    Looking up, the uninvited guest was dressed in an all-black tailcoat, wearing a sharply defined mask. In the center of the mask was an eye-catching blood-red ¡°V,¡± the rest covered in pitch black.


    At that moment, his information also passed through the puppet¡¯s eyes into Ke Mingye¡¯s mind.


    [Code Name: Black Judge]


    [Power Level: A++]

 Chapter 60 - 60 - 050 The Number One Person

    Chapter 60 ¨C 050 The Number One Person


    ¡°Damn, big brother? No, how could he be here¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes twitched fiercely as he looked up from his phone, puzzled.


    Before him was the wooden door of his home, with a penguin ornament still hanging on its ring. He then realized he had been standing at his doorstep playing with his phone for almost ten minutes.


    During this time, he had been pretending to play with his phone while intently manipulating the Deception Puppet and having a conversation with Bai Qiuwu on the elevated bridge.


    He stood frozen in place for a full two seconds, his thoughts slowly transitioning from their stunned state.


    Ke Mingye, while controlling the Deception Puppet, reached out with a hand dripping with cold sweat and pressed the doorbell.


    Soon, Bai Ziling opened the door for him.


    ...


    She lifted her red eyes and stared at him motionlessly, ¡°Why have you been in the bathroom for so long?¡±


    Ke Mingye ignored her question, and, while taking off his shoes, he scanned the living room, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say big brother was back?¡±


    ¡°Big brother said he¡¯s got something to take care of and would be back later,¡± said Bai Zini, who was playing with her phone on the sofa. ¡°Mom and dad have kept the dinner warm, just waiting for the two of you to come and eat.¡±


    ¡°Oh, big brother always likes to stand us up, not surprising.¡±


    With that, Ke Mingye took off his shoes, slipped into a pair of slippers, and slowly walked through the entryway to sit down at the dining table in the kitchen. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s also not surprising¡­¡± as he picked up chopsticks and put them in his mouth, he thought, ¡°Was it the text I sent to my older sister that blew my cover? But at the time, I really had no choice but to do so, did that mean I screwed over my sister?¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­.


    Half an hour ago, Old Jingmai Cafe.


    Ke Yinzhi sat in a private room on the second floor of the cafe, holding a cup of coffee, and studied the event footage collected by the Anomaly Control Bureau from the public ¡ª which was about ¡°the ten naked men running in front of Yandai Cinema City and the Dice Monster who threw dice from atop a traffic light.¡±


    He soon noticed that the grey, humanoid figure that swung to the top of a traffic light on a spider¡¯s thread was wearing a high school uniform, a jarring sight.


    He looked at the uniform in the footage and raised an eyebrow, ¡°This uniform looks like it¡¯s from Huanjing Third High School, which is¡­ the high school that Mingye and Qiuwu are attending.¡± Experience tales at empire


    Ke Yinzhi pondered for a moment and requested from the technical department of the Management Bureau all of Bai Qiuwu¡¯s text and social media messages from the past month.


    He sipped his coffee, set down the cup, and quickly skimmed through the documents, finding all the text messages from the previous month to be normal.


    It was not long before he found an anonymous message sent to Bai Qiuwu through a prank app today.


    ¡ª Anonymous User: Classmate Sun Wukong, guess whether I could be right across from Yandai Cinema City now?


    ¡ª Anonymous User: The spaghetti at this Western restaurant is really good. The movie you¡¯re watching must also be great, but don¡¯t forget our secret rendezvous on the elevated bridge tonight. Of course, if you¡¯re free now, we could also meet up earlier.


    ¡ª Bai Qiuwu: I¡¯m at the Western restaurant, where are you?


    ¡ª¡ªAnonymous user: Received, will you wait for me there for a moment?


    ¡°¡­Sun Wukong, my dear?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi gazed at the text on his phone and silently repeated the name in his mind, quickly associating it with a character who had been active in China for three years as a superhuman vigilante¡ª¡±Diviner Black Wukong¡±.


    He had a profound impression of this person because on the Anomaly Control Bureau¡¯s top-secret list of dangerous individuals, both ¡°Diviner Black Wukong¡± and ¡°Diviner Zeus¡± were included, which meant the Management Bureau had been watching them for more than just a day or two. They shared a common trait¡ªthey were both ¡°Divine Communicators¡±.


    After years of research by the Anomaly Control Bureau, they concluded that ¡°all Divine Communicators would inevitably spiral out of control after reaching the sixth stage; this trend was unavoidable.¡± Any Divine Communicator would sooner or later become uncontrollable.


    They were too powerful; for humankind, they were akin to human-shaped nuclear bombs ready to detonate any second, representing a tremendous threat to human civilization.


    Therefore, they had to be dealt with before they lost control.


    But Zeus was a world-renowned superhero now, ranking No. 3 among the top-tier figures of the Superhero Round Table. His name was almost synonymous with the ¡°Superhero Association,¡± so naturally, the association went to great lengths to protect him.


    Consequently, because of Zeus¡¯s status, the Anomaly Control Bureau had refrained from taking action against him, waiting instead for an opportune moment, a chance to pull him down from his pedestal.


    However, the situation was different for ¡°Diviner Black Wukong¡±. He didn¡¯t have the same powerful background as Zeus, which naturally placed him at the top of the priority list for handling.


    In other words, there would eventually come a day when the Anomaly Control Bureau would initiate an anomalous extermination operation against ¡°Diviner Black Wukong¡±, and even against ¡°Diviner Zeus¡±.


    And as one of the five S-class agents of the Anomaly Control Bureau, Ke Yinzhi would, of course, participate in this operation.


    At this moment, seeing the words ¡°Sun Wukong¡± here, a trace of disbelief inevitably flitted across his eyes.


    Ke Yinzhi lowered his gaze, brushing his fingertip across his lips while shifting his focus, with his attention locked on the phrase ¡°a covert meeting on the elevated bridge¡±.


    ¡°Elevated bridge.¡±


    He knew without having to search that among the elevated bridges around Huanjing, there was only one currently out of commission.


    That was Ring 7 Elevated Bridge.


    The official reason given for the decommissioning of this bridge was structural safety issues, but in fact, it was because of a paranormal event that had occurred there two years ago and remained unsolved to this day.


    In that event, five superheroes died; the Anomaly Control Bureau took over the investigation and eventually suspected that the supercriminal ¡°Timekeeper¡± was involved, but lacking evidence, they temporarily closed the operation of Ring 7 Elevated Bridge. To this day, it has not been fully reopened as the incident remains under investigation.


    ¡°Ring 7 Elevated Bridge, huh¡­¡±


    Ke Yinzhi rose from his seat at the table and walked down the spiral staircase, a profound light swirling in his pupils, ¡°Let¡¯s see with my own eyes what little Qiuwu from my family is up to.¡±


    Shortly after, he changed into his agent uniform and personally arrived above the Ring 7 Elevated Bridge.


    It was there, above that bridge, that his view penetrated a blazing curtain of flames, revealing two figures encircled by fire.


    They looked into each other¡¯s eyes, speaking words to one another.


    The former was the ¡°Dice Monster¡± who had made an appearance earlier that afternoon on Yandai Commercial Street, the same individual who had inexplicably blown up a traffic light post;


    The latter was the world-renowned superhuman vigilante¡ª¡±Black Wukong¡±, also one of the top individuals on the Anomaly Control Bureau¡¯s highest classified dangerous individuals list.

 Chapter 61 - 61 - 051 Family Gathering

    Chapter 61 ¨C 051 Family Gathering


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Judge himself? What wind brings you here?¡±


    The puppet raised its non-existent eyebrows, then lowered its right hand and shot a cobweb towards a street lamp in the distance, sticking to the yellowing lampshade. It pushed off from the bridge surface, leaping upwards, caught the cobweb and swung out of the range of the flames, and landed with a splash before walking over to Black Judge.


    Then, it extended its burned and severed arm towards him, ¡°How about we become friends, Mr. Judge? I¡¯ve admired your name for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Are you extending the wrong hand?¡± Black Judge asked, tilting his head, the blood-red V on his mask tilting accordingly.


    ¡°That seems to make sense.¡±


    Upon this reminder, the puppet looked down and then stretched out its intact hand.


    The next moment, a dark and profound light flashed through Black Judge¡¯s hands, and the puppet¡¯s right hand was severed in an instant, flying across the cold wind above the elevated bridge.


    ...


    ¡°Honestly, one an agent from the Management Bureau, the other a quasi-superhero, and just like that, you¡¯ve broken both my hands. Really low quality¡­ Let me guess, you both must be fans of Qing Ya; I suggest you don¡¯t emulate such poor-quality superheroes, it¡¯s easy to lead the kids astray.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The puppet stared at its flying right hand, helplessly waving its broken arms and muttering to itself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you don¡¯t have the privilege of shaking hands with me,¡± Black Judge said slowly. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in you. Step aside, I¡¯m not looking for you.¡± He walked towards Black Wukong as he spoke.


    Right after that, he pulled up his glove and a smear of dark light spread from the back of his hand, engulfing the Samadhi True Fire on the flyover like dark matter, and the wall of flames vanished in a moment.


    Is this the strength of an A++ rated being? Ke Mingye wondered, so what exactly is my big brother? A superpower user?


    Black Wukong turned his head to watch this scene, typed on the memo of his phone, and showed him the screen, which read, ¡°Are you a superpower user?¡±


    ¡°If I have to say¡­¡± Black Judge rubbed the lower part of his mask, ¡°I suppose I could be considered half a mutant.¡±


    ¡°Big brother is a mutant? Now the family¡¯s ecological environment is complete. Does mom have some kind of OCD, where she has to collect all types of superhumans?¡± Ke Mingye thought.


    Black Wukong continued typing, lifting the screen, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Black Judge.¡± A mechanical and magnetic voice came from behind Ke Yinzhi¡¯s mask, ¡°An agent of the Anomaly Control Bureau.¡±


    Black Wukong lowered his head to type, then turned his screen towards him: ¡°What a coincidence, we both have ¡¯Black¡¯ in our code names. But it was others who named me; I don¡¯t need a code name.¡±


    ¡°Quite a coincidence, but it doesn¡¯t matter. You committed arson on the flyover, in violation of the law. I now request on behalf of the Anomaly Control Bureau¡­¡± Black Judge paused, ¡°Take off your mask.¡±


    Black Wukong calmly looked at his V-mask, typed, and lifted his phone: ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°It seems I need to clarify something,¡± Black Judge said with a touch of resignation, ¡°From the scene just now, you should have already realized that you¡¯re no match for me, or do you want to verify it personally to be convinced?¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself, you¡¯re still fooling yourself, aren¡¯t you? She is your little sister; what¡¯s so hard to admit?


    While manipulating the Deception Puppet, he recklessly jumped between the two, ¡°Hold on, did you ask me before you got violent with her? I¡¯m her good friend.¡±


    As he spoke, the puppet patted Black Wukong¡¯s shoulder with its broken arms.


    Black Wukong typed, coldly lifting the phone to the overly familiar figure: ¡°Who¡¯s your good friend?¡±


    ¡°Me.¡± The puppet pointed to itself, then to Black Judge, ¡°It couldn¡¯t possibly still be him, right?¡±


    ¡°Truly a jumping clown,¡± Black Judge turned and looked at him, the V on his metallic mask flashing with a scarlet glow, ¡°I already let you go; aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±


    ¡°Why should I go?¡± The puppet said, placing its two broken arms akimbo, ¡°I can¡¯t die, and I can even stick my tongue out at you.¡± Stay updated through empire


    It opened its mouth to stick out its tongue, only to quickly cover its mouth again, sweating profusely as it said, ¡°Oh, right, I don¡¯t have a tongue, do I?¡±


    As soon as the words were out, a glint too fast for the naked eye to catch flashed in the Black Judge¡¯s hand, and the puppet¡¯s head had already hit the ground, rolling twice on the surface of the overpass before stopping by Black Wukong¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Looks like now you don¡¯t have a tongue, or even a head,¡± the Black Judge said with a shrug.


    ¡°Er, to be precise, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have a head; it¡¯s that I don¡¯t have a body anymore.¡±


    The puppet¡¯s head stood upside down on the ground and said, ¡°Do you know how cruel you are, treating a little underling like me¡­¡±


    Before it could finish, Black Wukong casually swept the Jingu Bang on the ground like swinging a golf club, sending the head flying off the overpass and into the city.


    ¡°Looks like it doesn¡¯t have a head now, either,¡± the Black Judge continued.


    Immediately after that, the puppet¡¯s remaining body swayed in the wind for a moment before slowly falling to the ground, its body cracking and heating up violently.


    In the moment before the explosion, the body was wrapped tightly in the dark glow released from the Judge¡¯s hand, like a black mummy. The explosion occurred inside that layer of darkness, and its sound was muted before it could even spread out. Even so, a creepy laugh abruptly filled the air over the overpass and invaded the ears of the two people.


    As the laughter faded, the Judge turned his gaze back to Black Wukong and said softly, ¡°Now, let¡¯s get back to our topic. Please remove your mask.¡±


    Black Wukong stared at him, silent, the Somersault Cloud beneath her feet churning noisily like a steam engine. In the next instant, the cloud took to the sky, swiftly carrying her silhouette into the night.


    The Black Judge raised his right hand, the tips of his fingers coming together slowly aiming at her retreating back. Countless tiny, dark particles rose slowly from in front of his fingernails, gathering into a small sphere.


    He was absolutely confident that, even from a hundred meters away, this strike could knock Black Wukong off the Somersault Cloud.


    But two seconds later, the dark orb at his fingertips dispersed, falling like rain onto the ground and ¡°eroding¡± tiny holes across the bridge¡¯s surface.


    The Black Judge looked up, silently watching Black Wukong¡¯s figure disappear into the night sky, gradually escaping his vision. After a while, he withdrew his gaze and walked toward the overpass railing.


    ¡°What a hassle¡­ Why do I have such a rebellious little sister?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi muttered to himself softly, removing his V-shaped mask, with the cold wind blowing his shoulder-length black hair in his face.


    He rested his arms on the railing, overlooking the brightly lit city, and whispered to himself, ¡°The good news is that Qiuwu is not a player, because a player wouldn¡¯t possess a superhuman; the bad news is that she is the Divine Communicator Sun Wukong, a T0-level target on the Management Bureau¡¯s eradication list.¡±


    As he said this, he flipped over the railing, resting his back against it, took a deep breath, and lightly tapped his fingers against the railing.


    ¡°So, what to do now¡­ The Management Bureau already has an eradication plan prepared for Black Wukong. It will be executed soon, and, with Qiuwu¡¯s strength, she can¡¯t possibly withstand them.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi hung his head, the hair on his forehead obscuring his eyes, his lips curling into a shallow smile, ¡°Maybe before that, I¡¯ll chop up the other four S-Class operatives from the Bureau and feed them to the pigs. I¡¯ve been fed up with them for a long time anyway¡­¡±


    Just then, a phone call interrupted his thoughts.


    Ke Yinzhi raised an eyebrow, glancing at the caller ID. It was his younger brother Ke Mingye calling.


    He answered the phone: ¡°What, missing me?¡±


    ¡°Miss you my ass, the dinner Mom cooked for you is getting cold. Hurry up and roll back home, will you?¡± Ke Mingye shouted on the phone.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m coming back, hanging up.¡±


    After saying that, Ke Yinzhi ended the call.


    ¡°The kid¡¯s still the same.¡± He chuckled, slipped the phone into his coat pocket, and slowly walked toward the shadowed side of the overpass.

 Chapter 62 - 62 - 52: Selecting Skills

    Chapter 62 ¨C 52: Selecting Skills


    ¡°Okay, okay, okay, you two siblings keep me out of the loop, huh? Well, you just carry on by yourselves; I¡¯ve already got my node reward anyway.¡±


    After having dinner, Ke Mingye grumbled about Ke Yinzhi and Bai Qiuwu inwardly as he made his way back to his room.


    As the Deception Puppet¡¯s head got swept towards the edge of the overpass by Black Wukong, the second perspective in his mind vanished, and his brain instantly felt a lot lighter, as if he had turned off a program that was hogging a high percentage of his CPU.


    He lay down on his bed, played with his phone, and checked the rewards for completing the node objective.


    [Congratulations, you have completed the first node objective of the main quest ¡°Myth Terminator¡±¡ªapproach ¡°Diviner Black Wukong¡± under a disguised identity.]


    [The next target node for this main quest is: Find other Divine Communicators in the world through ¡°Diviner Black Wukong,¡± and kill them by any means necessary.]


    [Node reward received: 2000 Experience Points, 8 attribute points, and 2000 Mall Coins.]


    ...


    [Congratulations, you have completed the first node objective of the main quest ¡°Heretics¡¯ Burial Day¡±¡ªapproach the Anomaly Control Bureau¡¯s S-ranked Executor ¡°Black Judge¡± under a disguised identity.]


    [The next target node for this main quest is: Collaborate with the ¡°Black Judge¡± to kill other S-ranked Executors from the Management Bureau.]


    [Node reward received: 2000 Experience Points, 8 attribute points, and 2000 Mall Coins.]


    Ke Mingye suddenly raised an eyebrow, thinking why his brother¡¯s main quest style was different from the other family members, why would it be ¡°collaborate with Black Judge to kill other Executors of the Management Bureau¡±?


    ¡°Is there something wrong with this thing?¡±


    He muttered to himself but didn¡¯t dwell on it and continued to click confirm on the panel, collecting his node rewards.


    [Total rewards acquired: 4000 Experience Points, 16 attribute points, and 4000 Mall Coins.]


    [Your level has been raised to Lv.5 (2000/2500 points), and you have received 1 attribute point as a leveling reward.] S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [You have a total of 17 idle attribute points. Please allocate them promptly.]


    Without much thought, Ke Mingye added all the attribute points to ¡°Physical fitness.¡± It was best to stack up physical fitness at the early stage, otherwise, getting one-shotted by someone before you can even fight back would be pointless.


    [Notice: ¡°17 attribute points¡± have been allocated to the ¡°Physical fitness¡± attribute.]


    [Current player attributes are as follows¡ªPhysical fitness: 36 points; neurological reaction: 9 points; mental strength: 10 points]


    [Congratulations, your ¡°Physical fitness¡± attribute has successfully broken through the ¡°standard for a normal adult¡± (20 points).]


    [Congratulations, your ¡°Physical fitness¡± attribute has successfully broken through the ¡°minimum standard for F-rank Superhumans¡± (30 points).]


    The pleasing notification tone sounded in his ears a satisfying two times.


    Ke Mingye instantly felt the thrill similar to a protagonist of a fantasy novel crossing two realms at once; however, he still needed to raise one of his attributes to 60 points to completely exit the category of F-rank Superhuman.


    He clenched his slightly warm fingers, feeling just like the descriptions in those ubiquitous fantasy novels: ¡°Strength was surging forth inexhaustibly.¡±


    Calculating with his fingers, Ke Mingye thought: ¡°F, E, D, C, B, A¡ªlooks like I need to cross five realms to reach the average level of my family¡­ But at least I¡¯m now a low-level F-rank Superhuman. If I roll the dice of catastrophe well enough, it might not be a problem to take down one or two Superhumans who are above my rank.¡±


    As he was thinking, Bai Wenna¡¯s voice came from downstairs, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t your big brother come back yet? Mingye, give him a call!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t someone else make the call?¡± Ke Mingye opened the door and yelled downstairs.


    ¡°Everyone else went out for a walk. Who¡¯s going to call if you don¡¯t? Your brother has changed his phone, I don¡¯t know his new number, are you trying to kill me with worry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m calling, I¡¯m calling, you just take a breather, Ma.¡±


    Ke Mingye quickly conceded, thinking that he couldn¡¯t afford to provoke this tigress from another planet. He then closed his room door, pulled up the contacts on his phone, and dialed his older brother¡¯s number directly.


    ¡°Miss me?¡± Ke Yinzhi asked right off the bat.


    If you don¡¯t know, just ask¡ªwho the hell just chopped off my hand and head, and you think I miss you? Not cursing you to get hit by a car as soon as you step outside is already merciful.


    Mingye cursed Yinzhi twice in his heart but said aloud, ¡°Miss you my ass, Mom¡¯s cooked meal is getting cold, can you hurry up and roll back home?¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m coming back, hanging up now,¡± Yinzhi replied and ended the call.


    Mingye sighed, thinking to himself that it would be great if everyone were as friendly with masks on as they were normally.


    He used his thoughts to click on the knapsack panel and began checking out the spoils of the day.


    [Mall Coins held: 7860]


    [Knapsack slot one: Spiderweb Shooter]


    [Knapsack slot two: One ¡°Grade E Equipment¡± Lottery Ticket]


    [Knapsack slot three: One-time summon card¡ª¡±Self-destructing Zombie¡±]


    Before his puppet¡¯s head got blown off, he quickly stowed the Spiderweb Shooter back in the knapsack so as not to lose it along with the puppet.


    The items in the next two slots were trophies won from defeating the Meiyijia zombie instance.


    Mingye clicked on the ¡°Grade E Equipment Lottery Ticket¡± in the second slot of the knapsack, and the introduction panel popped up [Introduction: Use to receive a random piece of Grade E weapon or Grade E item].


    Without overthinking it, he clicked on use.


    [Draw complete, congratulations, you have received a Grade E Item Card¡ª¡±Magical Girl Transformation Experience Card¡±].


    Mingye¡¯s eye twitched, thinking to himself that some nuisances never go away, huh? I managed to dodge you in this morning¡¯s daily draw, and now, the evening¡¯s lottery ticket still finds a way to bring you back?


    ¡°This must be fate,¡± Mingye muttered as he clicked confirm and pocketed the experience card in his knapsack.


    He closed the knapsack panel and, using his thoughts, clicked over to the mall¡¯s Skill Exclusives page, not forgetting to scroll through short videos on his phone, getting better at his acting by the day.


    [¢Ù: Personality Split (Grade E Skill, price: 5100 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Ú: Mental Link (Grade E Skill, price: 5000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Û: Lion¡¯s Roar (Grade D Skill, price: 11000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Ü: Growth of All Things (Grade C Skill, price: 30000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Ý: Clockwork Artistry (Grade D Skill, price: 12000 Mall Coins)]


    [¢Þ: Superhero Landing (Grade E Skill, price: 5500 Mall Coins)]


    [¢ß: Night Walking Skill (Grade E Skill, price: 5200 Mall Coins)]


    [¢à: Flat Ground Slam Expert (Grade E Skill, price: 5200 Mall Coins)]


    [¢á: ¡°Lights Out¡± (Grade E Skill, price: 5150 Mall Coins)]


    [¢â: Portrait Concealment Skill (Grade E Skill, price: 5100 Mall Coins)]


    Mingye confirmed the levels and prices of these ten skills and considered quietly in his mind.


    ¡°I have 7860 Mall Coins on hand. So the question is, which skill should I choose¡­ or should I wait until after midnight for the page to refresh and check out other skills.¡±

 Chapter 63 - 63 - 53 All Members Present

    Chapter 63 ¨C 53 All Members Present


    Due to the scarcity of resources in the early stage of the game, each skill selection seemed so precious, with Ke Mingye staring at the ten skills on the panel, carefully weighing them in his mind.


    He first passed on all skills of Grade D and above, for a very simple reason: he couldn¡¯t afford them.


    Because of the existence of the communication panel, Ke Mingye immediately skipped the ¡°Mental Link¡± skill, and besides, sharing thoughts could be dangerous. If he couldn¡¯t control his own mind and accidentally leaked important information, that would be a disaster.


    So, Ke Mingye turned to look at the descriptions of the ¡°Night Walking Skill¡± and ¡°Lights Out¡± skills.


    ¡°Night Walking Skill and Lights Out, neither of these is much use. Many superheroes have strong senses and night vision, so even if I block out light or become invisible, I could still be easily discovered,¡± he pondered.


    After dismissing most of the skills, he glanced at the ¡°Portrait Concealment Skill,¡± ¡°Personality Split,¡± and ¡°Superhero Landing¡± skills, thinking to himself.


    ¡°Personality Split sounds okay; it can let me use a puppet in combat to achieve a 2v1 situation. But the more I think about it, the spookier Personality Split sounds.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Portrait Concealment Skill sounds quite flexible. Although it¡¯s easy to be seen through, it can be useful to muddy the waters if being tracked or chased, and it might even be possible to dodge mortal danger.¡±


    ¡°As for the Superhero Landing, while it may seem to have many loopholes, this thing can act as a life-saving skill, a mobility skill, and even a damaging skill. It¡¯s pretty versatile.¡±


    With that thought, Ke Mingye accessed the introduction screen for Skill No. 6, ¡°Superhero Landing.¡±


    Looking up, the details of how the skill¡¯s damage is calculated were recorded at the top.


    The concussion damage caused by the landing depended directly on the player¡¯s ¡°Physical Fitness¡± attributes, as well as the height above the landing point: the farther from the landing point, the higher the damage caused, and vice versa.


    ¡°So, if I swing higher with a web shooter, the higher the damage of this move would be¡­¡± Ke Mingye thought, ¡°Then, if I drop down from the stratosphere at three thousand meters using Superhero Landing, wouldn¡¯t I just squash Qing Ya flat with one stomp?¡±


    More importantly, the damage from this move isn¡¯t related to ¡°weight¡± but to ¡°Physical Fitness.¡±


    This meant even a Deception Puppet could potentially inflict high damage with this move¡ªbecause while the puppet¡¯s weight was low, its ¡°Physical Fitness¡± attribute was identical to Ke Mingye¡¯s.


    ¡°It¡¯s you, then.¡±


    Ke Mingye made his decision inside, located the [Purchase] option below the skill introduction page, and lightly tapped it with his finger. A panel popped up before his eyes immediately.


    [Thank you for your purchase. You have bought the Grade E skill¡ª¡±Superhero Landing.¡±]


    [Total cost ¡°5500¡± Mall Coins, your current Mall Coin balance is ¡°2360.¡±]


    [Skill ¡°Superhero Landing¡± has been automatically equipped in your third skill slot, you still have seven vacant skill slots left.]


    Ke Mingye thought for a moment and used the ¡°Lock¡± function on Skill No. 1, ensuring it wouldn¡¯t be refreshed away in the daily update in a few hours.


    [Personality Split has been locked and will be retained until the end of tomorrow.]


    ¡°That¡¯ll do for now; I¡¯ll find some time to try out the skill later.¡±


    Ke Mingye switched to the equipment special sale page.


    After a quick scan, the ten pieces of equipment updated today were nothing special. There were Grade E items like ¡°Chieftain¡¯s Trident,¡± ¡°Never-extinguishing Torch,¡± and ¡°Templar Assassin¡¯s Hidden Blade¡±¡ªthings that made him want to shout, ¡°Sir, the times have changed!¡± Isn¡¯t a handgun much more useful than all these combined?


    However, the special sale page surprisingly had a Grade B item, a piece of equipment called ¡°100% Shield,¡± which allowed players to perfectly block damage from one attack, even unharmed against a nuclear blast.


    Unfortunately, priced around 30,000 Mall Coins, it was something Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t afford, so he didn¡¯t take another look and immediately closed the mall panel.


    ¡°I¡¯m home, open the door,¡± Ke Yinzhi sent a WeChat message.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have hands? Press the doorbell and let mom open the door for you,¡± replied Ke Mingye.


    ¡°I rang the doorbell. She¡¯s not home.¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed, got up from the bed, slipped on his slippers, and dashed downstairs to open the door at the entrance.


    Before him was a handsome face with distinct contours, a dash of elegance in his casual demeanor, bright eyes, a prominent nose, and shoulder-length black hair.


    Ke Yinzhi would usually wear two layers of masks when outside: a symbolic V-shaped mask of the Judge, and a human face mask. But now that he was home, he wasn¡¯t wearing any masks, revealing his true face without any disguise.


    His true appearance was almost similar to that of his second brother, Ke Xiaomo, both delicate enough to be mistaken for a woman. However, Ke Yinzhi¡¯s features had a more relaxed air to them, not as austere as his brother¡¯s.


    At this moment, he was wearing a brown trench coat, with his hands casually tucked in the pockets. Standing about 1.82 meters tall with broad shoulders, he made the coat look quite striking on him.


    Ke Yinzhi leaned on the door frame, yawning with teary eyes from fatigue, and muttered to himself, ¡°Took the high-speed train all day today, really tiring¡­¡±


    After that, he shrugged his shoulders and smiled at Ke Mingye, asking, ¡°Is there any dinner left for me?¡±


    Right, right, right, you¡¯ve been on the high-speed train all day, and as soon as you get home, you start acting, right? Let¡¯s see if I buy that.


    Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t be bothered with this attention-seeker, absorbed in his phone and responding half-heartedly.


    ¡°Nope, I dumped it.¡±


    ¡°Heh, that means there is some.¡±


    Saying this, Ke Yinzhi casually ruffled Ke Mingye¡¯s hair and was about to brush past him when the elevator doors opened, and Bai Qiuwu, still dressed in her school uniform, walked out.


    Ke Yinzhi paused, slowly turning his face, his bright eyes shifting to the person emerging from the elevator.


    Seeing Ke Yinzhi standing at the door, she was slightly startled: ¡°Old brother?¡±


    ¡°Oh, what a coincidence,¡± Ke Yinzhi raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise as he said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this our little friend Qiuwu? Have you eaten?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu gave an excuse upon being asked, ¡°Not yet¡­ I was planning to go out with a friend, but I got stood up.¡±


    Hearing her say so, Ke Mingye sneered inwardly: ¡°Please, I was the one who stood you up, but you don¡¯t really think I¡¯d go eat with you at a Western restaurant, do you?¡±


    ¡°Then come have dinner, I haven¡¯t eaten yet either.¡±


    With that, Ke Yinzhi gave a small smile and stepped into the living room, removing his boots first.


    Ke Mingye stood at the door, lifting his eyes from his phone to gaze at Bai Qiuwu.


    ¡°So, the question is, what were we talking about on the bus? I went through an entire movie at the cinema, while someone ditched halfway through.¡±


    He knew he was playing the villain by accusing her first, after all, he was the one who lured Bai Qiuwu away with a text message, but he still had to play his part.


    ¡°I had an emergency, what could I do?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu reached out and ruffled his hair, dismissively saying like she was placating a child.


    Ke Mingye swatted her hand away and sighed, ¡°Stop it, every damn time you guys come home, you ruffle my hair, if I don¡¯t grow to 2.1 meters, it¡¯ll be your fault.¡±


    ¡°You want to grow to two meters?¡± Bai Qiuwu laughed.


    Done with talking, she glanced at Ke Yinzhi, who was opening the fridge, and asked in a low voice, ¡°By the way, when did big brother get back?¡±


    ¡°Just now, same as you,¡± Ke Mingye answered.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Bai Qiuwu paused for a moment, ¡°That¡¯s quite a coincidence.¡± She said this and, changing into sandals, walked into the house. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 64 - 64 - 054: The Dragon and the Girl

    Chapter 64 ¨C 054: The Dragon and the Girl


    On the evening of June 20, the Ke Bai residence was particularly desolate.


    Ke Yinzhi and Bai Qiuwu were eating at the kitchen table, chatting about the events of the past six months. The two of them were deceiving themselves and each other with nonsense so natural, it seemed as if it had all really happened.


    Ke Mingye monopolized the sofa in the living room, sitting there, head down, playing with his phone, while silently listening to their conversation.


    If one were to say that perhaps one or two of the things Bai Qiuwu talked about that happened in high school were true;


    As for the college life anecdotes his older brother recounted, such as ¡°hanging out with transfer students,¡± ¡°going to internet cafes to play games with roommates,¡± or ¡°being punished by the teacher for failing classes,¡± Ke Mingye would never believe that even a single word of it was true. It was all made up on the spot.


    And it was made up poorly and perfunctorily, sticking to the most basic stereotypes of college students.


    As he figured, for the past six months, Ke Yinzhi probably spent most of the time wearing a mask, flying between countries to handle supernatural events, punishing superheroes who broke the rules.


    ...


    College was merely a name on paper; how could he possibly have time to really stay there? Most likely he just let the Management Bureau find a substitute to take his classes.


    Ke Mingye grew tired of the two of them spewing nonsense back and forth, finding it more and more insulting to his intelligence, so he picked up the remote and pressed the power button on the TV.


    The TV screen had only just lit up when a photo from a news event caught his eye.


    In the photo, two rookie Magic Girls were making a cute pose for the camera. Magical Girl Ash stood between the two, arms crossed, looking like she was forced into it, very reluctantly striking a victory sign. Her face almost screamed I want to escape, her eyes looking off into the distance, not even facing the camera.


    The female host sat elegantly, reporting a sudden incident in her standard announcer¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Just half an hour ago, Magic Girls Ash, Rainbow, and Feng successfully assisted the police in capturing the superhuman fugitives ¡¯Landmine Man¡¯ and ¡¯Qima.¡¯ According to police records, these two superhuman criminals escaped from prison a month ago, attacked police due to a grudge, creating a critical situation,¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, amid the police struggle with the criminals, the three Magic Girls stepped forward. With their courage and intelligence, they successfully captured these two fugitives, resulting in no casualties among the security personnel and bystanders during the incident.¡±


    I was wondering why she wasn¡¯t at home, so she took the new recruits on a mission¡­ Ke Mingye stared at the TV at Bai Zini, thinking, what were the others doing?


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    At the same time, at one end of the Wine Reflecting Coast.


    Bai Ziling stood on the deserted beach, her back against a huge rock, her right hand clutching a bag of blood, sipping it through a straw.


    Today she had not found a suitable person to prey on; the criminals, robbers, and such were nowhere to be seen, and she was too lazy to purposely travel far, so she ended up stealing a blood bag from the hospital. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her feet were bare, her sandals set aside, as the seawater gently caressed her toes.


    The black tide broke onto the shore, shattering into white foam. An unexpected sea breeze blew, chillingly lifting her bangs, her pale strands of hair seemingly scattering in the wind.


    Bai Ziling scratched her forehead with her hand, quietly gazing at the distant horizon.


    Suddenly, she turned her red eyes and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s you again.¡±


    The young dragon hid behind some nearby rocks, cautiously peeking its head out, carefully watching her: ¡°If you don¡¯t want to see me, I¡¯ll leave right away.¡±


    Bai Ziling looked at it for a while, then shook her head: ¡°Have you been following me all this time? Since when?¡±


    ¡°For a very long time, a very long time ago.¡±


    ¡°That long¡­ Then why haven¡¯t you spoken to me?¡±


    ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d dislike me,¡± the young dragon paused, its blood-red eyes drooping down in the shadow, ¡°I am a dragon.¡±


    ¡°I am a vampire,¡± Bai Ziling looked down at the sea at her feet, ¡°I¡¯m also afraid to tell people I¡¯m a vampire, afraid they¡¯ll dislike me.¡±


    ¡°Is it the family?¡± the young dragon asked.


    Bai Ziling fell silent for a moment, then gently nodded.


    ¡°Though they¡¯re right beside you, you find you cannot speak. Though they¡¯re all kind to you, only you are the odd one out, forever feeling as if separated by an entire world¡­ Is it that feeling?¡± the young dragon slowly said.


    Bai Ziling paused, then said softly, ¡°You¡¯re clearly a dragon, but you understand human thoughts so well.¡±


    ¡°Because I have observed many humans,¡± the young dragon said.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Bai Ziling hugged her knees and sat down on the beach, her eyes looking towards the undulating sea; the young dragon hesitated for a moment, then slowly moved its paws to sit beside her, crouching like a cat at her side.


    A human and a dragon sat quietly on the beach under the moonlight.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re not a bad person,¡± the young dragon said.


    ¡°I drink human blood, you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve even eaten a panda.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve eaten a panda?¡±


    Bai Ziling raised her eyebrows slightly and turned her head to look at it with curiosity.


    ¡°I was young then and didn¡¯t know it was a panda,¡± the young dragon said softly, ¡°Everyone liked it a lot, and every day many people came to the zoo to see it. The internet was full of people cursing me, saying I deserved the death penalty, but at that time I was thrown into the zoo, I was very hungry and didn¡¯t know anything, and before I knew it, I had eaten many animals.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so pitiful.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the panda is pitiful?¡± the young dragon¡¯s head drooped along with its tail, like a child who had done something wrong, ¡°I think so too, it did nothing wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s the dragon that¡¯s pitiful,¡± Bai Ziling said as she reached out to touch the horn on its head, ¡°You must feel very guilty, right?¡±


    The young dragon didn¡¯t speak, only gently scratched its cheek with its paw and nodded.


    ¡°Will I grow up to be very frightening?¡± it suddenly asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Bai Ziling shook her head, ¡°At least not to me.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I can¡¯t tell¡­ who I am. I always feel very lonely,¡± it said.


    ¡°So do I,¡± Bai Ziling said softly.


    They both fell silent for a while.


    ¡°I have a question I want to ask you,¡± the young dragon spoke up.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Can you be my friend?¡± the young dragon asked cautiously.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we already friends?¡± Bai Ziling said.


    Hearing this, the young dragon was stunned for a long time. It scratched its cheek with its paw, its tail lifted slightly, and it partly opened its mouth, but could not utter a single word.


    They watched the sea quietly for a while, with the waves gently lapping at the young dragon¡¯s feet and Bai Ziling¡¯s ankles, the moonlight casting long shadows of the two, one large and one small.


    ¡°I have to go,¡± Bai Ziling turned to look at it and softly broke the silence.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The young dragon nodded, cautiously retreating back into the shadows behind the rocks, waving a paw to the white-haired girl.


    ¡°Goodbye,¡± it said.


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    Bai Ziling also waved back, then stood up from the sand, picked up her sandals placed to the side, leaving behind shallow footprints in the sand as she slowly walked away under the moonlight.

 Chapter 65 - 65 - 055 Ninja Sect’s Letter

    Chapter 65 ¨C 055 Ninja Sect¡¯s Letter


    June 21st, early morning.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes trembled as he opened them, waking up from his bed. As always, what met his gaze was not the old, yellow-stained ceiling but a notification panel against a black background with red font.


    It was like some sort of mental pollution that he found repulsive.


    [Obituary: On the night of June 20th, born in Washington, United States, the player with the ID ¡°Dark Blade 01¡± was killed by the supervillain ¡°Timekeeper.¡±]


    [Current number of surviving players worldwide: 96/100]


    [No version updates for today.]


    ¡°This guy must have a few screws loose, picking a fight with a supervillain.¡±


    ...


    Ke Mingye, holding his throbbing forehead, slowly got out of bed, thinking that the Timekeeper was rated A+ in the system, and one should steer clear even from a mere glimpse.


    But it was probably just bad luck for that player. Given the Timekeeper¡¯s psychopathic level, even an innocent person who glanced his way could attract his lethal attention.


    [Today¡¯s Daily Tasks are as follows:]


    [1. Run 4000 meters (Reward: One spin of the lottery wheel)]


    [2. Use a disposable item once (Reward: 1 attribute point on ¡°neurological reaction¡±)]


    Upon seeing ¡°disposable item¡±, Ke Mingye immediately thought of the ¡°Magical Girl Experience Card¡± in his bag.


    He rested his hand on his chin, thinking it might be fine to let the puppet try it, since he wasn¡¯t using it himself. Controlling a magic girl, instead of a drab grey figure, seemed like a novel experience.


    Logically speaking, couldn¡¯t he have the puppet approach Bai Zini and get close to the Magical Girl Alliance?


    As Ke Mingye thought this, he switched the panel to the main mission tab, looking at the mission node for ¡°Magical Girl Ash¡±.


    [The next target node for this main mission is: Approach the Magical Girl Alliance through ¡°Magical Girl Ash.¡±]


    ¡°It seems like it might actually work,¡± Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, ¡°This would nail the second task too. I should try it when I find the time.¡±


    Just as he was about to close the mission panel, the previously empty ¡°Daily Task 3¡± slot suddenly refreshed, displaying a striking task in dark red font.


    [3. Kill a superhuman (This task is a rare daily mission that appears with low probability and carries extra rewards) (Reward currently unknown)]


    ¡°Kill a superhuman, isn¡¯t that a bit extravagant¡­ The rewards are still unknown; what if they just give me 100 Mall Coins as compensation?¡±


    Ke Mingye yawned as he got out of bed, put on his slippers, and reached for the doorknob. Just as he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of Ke Xiaomo, dressed in a plain white outfit.


    Leaning against the wall of the hallway, Ke Xiaomo looked up from the ancient book in his hands: ¡°Going for a morning run?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ yes.¡±


    Ke Mingye paused for a moment and then nodded his head.


    He thought to himself, seeing a villainous boss first thing in the morning¡ªif this kept up every day, how long before it gave him high blood pressure?


    ¡°Together, I am heading out too,¡± Ke Xiaomo closed his ancient book.


    ¡°Sure, let me wash up first.¡±


    Ke Mingye said as he passed by him and entered the bathroom, closing the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo gently knocked on the bathroom door as the emotionless voice came from outside the bathroom.


    My big brother wants to run with me in the morning? What is he up to? But it seems fine, as long as he doesn¡¯t suddenly go mad, pull out a brain imaging helmet, and clamp it on my head.


    Ke Mingye picked up his toothbrush and cup, turned on the faucet, caught a mouthful of water, and pondered in front of the mirror.


    After freshening up, Ke Mingye changed into his sneakers in his bedroom and, together with Ke Xiaomo, took the elevator down from their apartment.


    Today was the first day of summer vacation¡ªno school, free to do whatever they wanted, a day for fun and relaxation. Of course, this also meant that over the next while, every family member might be active in the city under a secondary identity.


    The early morning mist always enveloped Huanjing, with the sky tinged a sleepy hue of blue around the edges. The rising morning sun cast warm rays that gently burned through the fog.


    Ke Mingye shared his usual running route with Ke Xiaomo, and then the two of them started running around the perimeter of the district, the cool air rushing into their noses and ears, painfully tickling their throats and eardrums.


    ¡°Do you usually run around Old Jingmai District?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo asked him while running forward.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been working on my physical fitness recently,¡± Ke Mingye answered.


    ¡°I can tell, you¡¯ve gotten much more robust recently,¡± Ke Xiaomo paused, ¡°Has anyone been bullying you at school or anything?¡±


    ¡°Bro, don¡¯t worry about it, I just really want to get in shape so I¡¯m not always called skinny,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I just feel like I haven¡¯t cared enough for you guys before.¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed, ¡°You¡¯re just our older brother, not our dad. It¡¯s our always-absent dad who should be reflecting on himself, right?¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡± Ke Xiaomo said as he slightly increased his running pace, ¡°Keep up. Since you want to work out, put some more effort into it.¡±


    ¡°I made a mistake, so you want to be my drill sergeant?¡±


    Before long, under Ke Xiaomo¡¯s urging, Ke Mingye finished running three kilometers intermittently. He bent over, hands on his bent knees, and pretended to pant heavily.


    In reality, given his physical fitness, which far surpassed that of an ordinary human, running three kilometers wouldn¡¯t even make him breathe hard, but he still had to put on an act in front of Ke Xiaomo.


    ¡°Tired?¡±


    Seeing him like this, Ke Xiaomo slowly stopped and handed him a towel.


    Ke Mingye took the towel, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and gasped, ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ run anymore.¡±


    Just then, Ke Xiaomo suddenly looked up at the sky, where a blue bird with a scroll tied to it was flying from afar. It slowly folded its wings and landed on the railing of a rooftop nearby.


    Ke Xiaomo turned to Ke Mingye, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the public restroom nearby to relieve myself, wait here for me.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Ke Mingye did not even lift his head, continuing to feign the exaggerated breathing, mimicking the expected reaction of a weak body, but he noticed the unusual glance his brother had given earlier.


    Ke Xiaomo walked leisurely into the alley, heading toward the deep-set public restroom. Halfway there, he turned his cheek and glanced back to make sure Ke Mingye hadn¡¯t followed, then he gently whistled.


    The blue bird carrying the scroll heard the sound and flew over, gently landing on his fingertip. Ke Xiaomo unfastened the strap on its back, took out the scroll, and the bird flapped its wings vigorously, flying towards the azure sky.


    Ke Xiaomo unrolled the scroll, which contained writing, elegantly and energetically penned. He recognized it as his master¡¯s handwriting, the very leader of the Ninja Sect.


    The message read:


    ¡ªWe have confirmed the location and identity of the disaster dragon, which is masquerading as a human hidden among the populace. I am gathering disciples scattered around the world to form an elite squad, and we are likely to act on July 4th. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡ªMo, remember to conserve your strength during this period, do not startle the snake by hitting the grass, and quietly await our arrival.


    ¡°Half a month then¡­¡± Ke Xiaomo murmured to himself, ¡°I can¡¯t slack off on training recently.¡± After reading the message, he closed the scroll and let go, allowing it to fall towards the ground.


    If things went as he expected, then when the scroll hit the ground, it would be swallowed by the shadows there.


    But just at that moment, a strand of spider silk shot from above, sticking to the scroll about to hit the ground and forcefully dragging it upwards.


    Ke Xiaomo was startled and looked up towards the source of the spider silk.

 Chapter 66 - 66 - 056: Monster Family

    Chapter 66 ¨C 056: Monster Family


    Ke Xiaomo¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, then he looked up into the sky and saw that the thick spider silk tethering the message scroll was coming from the roof of a residential building adjoining the alleyway.


    At that moment, a sinister figure sat atop the railing of the rooftop.


    They were slightly hunched over, swaying their elongated legs, skin shifting in liquid-like shades of ashen grey. The corners of their mouth were raised high toward the sides, almost reaching the roots of their ears.


    ¡°Hey, friend, what were you just muttering to yourself? I¡¯m quite interested.¡±


    As they spoke, the Deception Puppet yanked up the scroll stuck with spider silk, grasping it in their palm, and casually flipping it open to look down at its contents.


    ¡°Uh, the Dragon of Disaster has already been found¡­ How intriguing. So why would ninjas and dragons be opposing forces, when they are two completely unrelated things? Oh, speaking of which, this reminds me of a game called ¡¯Ninja Dragon Sword Legend.¡¯


    Ke Xiaomo observed him quietly, as if gauging the strength of his enemy.


    ...


    ¡°Right, why didn¡¯t you hold onto the scroll, giving it up to me like this?¡±


    The puppet paused for a moment. ¡°Or is it that¡­ you¡¯ve already decided to kill me to silence me, so you think it doesn¡¯t matter?¡±


    Before the words had even finished, Ke Xiaomo had transformed into a shadow and dived into the ground, moving along the walls of the residential building like a snake running through the jungle, sweeping past the glass reflecting the morning light.


    In less than a second, the elongated, weasel-like shadow exploded onto the rooftop floor. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Xiaomo emerged from the shadow, capturing the puppet from behind, and pulled a dagger from his sleeve, pressing it against the puppet¡¯s throat.


    The dagger was covered with a layer of faintly dispersing shadows that were eroding at the puppet¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    He whispered almost word-for-word into the puppet¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Who I am is not important, but perhaps there will come a time when you need me. In half a month, your family will be in danger, and then on whose side will you stand? Will it be with the dragons or with the ninjas?¡±


    The puppet spoke calmly, toying with the scroll in their right hand, occasionally opening and closing it.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo said, moving the icy dagger a fraction closer, carving a notch into the puppet¡¯s neck.


    ¡°How about we become friends? That way, when the time comes, I might come and help you protect your family.¡±


    The puppet raised three fingers, still speaking unhurriedly, ¡°You know, my connections are vast, with characters like Qing Ya, Black Wukong, Magical Girl Ash¡ªthey¡¯re all my friends. Maybe I could ask them to come and lend you a hand, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°If you think I would waste time with a lunatic, you¡¯re mistaken.¡±


    As the words fell, Ke Xiaomo swiftly decapitated the puppet with his dagger.


    He thought this would end the farce, but upon glancing down, he saw the puppet¡¯s head roll on the ground twice and then continue to babble.


    ¡°Ah, why does everyone in your family have to be so ill-mannered, chopping off hands and heads at every turn? All fans of Qing Ya, not one with a healthy psyche.¡±


    Watching this scene, Ke Xiaomo said softly, ¡°You¡¯re not human.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m not human; I am called ¡¯strange thing¡¯, pleased to meet you.¡±


    As he spoke, the puppet suddenly broke into manic laughter, his tone getting faster and faster.


    ¡°You will understand me soon enough, Mr. Ninja. I am simply reminding you out of goodwill¡­ Perhaps when you face that choice, all the knowledge you have ever had will collapse in an instant¡­


    The heart you thought to be impregnable will be torn into thousands of pieces within a few short seconds, and when it¡¯s all over, no matter how humiliatingly you bend your waist, kneeling on the ground, you won¡¯t be able to piece it back together.¡±


    ¡°Like its name¡­ a strange thing,¡± Ke Xiaomo said with a frown, his mouth uttering the sarcastic remark coldly. Just then, a shout came from the alley, its clear voice falling into his ears.


    ¡°Big bro, are you done yet? Why¡¯s the bathroom taking you so long?!¡±


    ¡°Your brother is waiting for you, do you still want to tangle with me?¡± the puppet asked in a low voice.


    Ignoring the puppet¡¯s words, Ke Xiaomo took two steps forward, sheathed his dagger, and closed his eyes to take a deep breath.


    The next moment, the puppet¡¯s body and head began to slowly sink into the shadow cast on the ground, as if absorbed by a layer of gray, murky swamp.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing? This lump of shadow is about to devour me.¡±


    The puppet¡¯s head sank deeper into the shadow, as if being consumed. It looked down at the patch of darkness, its tone filled with surprise, ¡°This isn¡¯t fun at all.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo gave no response, and merely transformed into a weasel-like shadow pressing against the wall, rapidly weaving through to the interior of the public restroom, and finally emerging from the shadow of one of the stalls.


    He casually flushed the toilet and walked slowly outside amid the thunderous sound of the water.


    At the same time, the puppet¡¯s body and head were entirely swallowed by the shadow on the rooftop, disappearing without a trace as if it had never existed.


    ¡°That move was really vicious, huh? The Deception Puppet got swallowed by that shadow?¡±


    At this moment, the second perspective in Ke Mingye¡¯s mind faded away, indicating that the puppet was dead.


    He thought to himself, ¡°This method of killing and disposing of the body, I bet no one would be able to find where it is, no wonder he is an A+ ranked ninja. Big bro must be one of the top combatants in the Ninja Sect¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye reflected for a moment, recalling the information from that scroll, on July 4th, two weeks from now, the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect would launch an encirclement and suppression operation against Ke Yongzhu.


    Moreover, they did not mention the disaster dragon¡¯s human identity in the scroll, it seemed that they were deliberately concealing it from Ke Xiaomo.


    They probably believe that when Ke Xiaomo learns that the disaster dragon is actually his family member, even if he turns traitor, it would be more than enough to gather the entire strength of the Ninja Sect to fight against him and Ke Yongzhu.


    Ke Mingye was also unclear about what choice Xiaomo would make when he found out that the last disaster dragon breed was his own brother.


    At least he knew well that killing Ke Yongzhu would be far from as simple as the Sect Master had imagined.


    Thinking of this, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but snicker, thinking to himself that what they were facing wasn¡¯t just a dragon, it was an entire family of monsters¡­


    [Congratulations, you have completed the first node objective of the main mission ¡°Destruction of the Ninja Sect¡± ¡ª¡ª getting close to ¡°The Sect Master¡¯s Great Disciple¡ªXiao Mo¡± in a disguise.]


    [Node reward points obtained: 2000 Experience Points, 8 attribute points, 2000 Mall Coins.]


    [Your level has been raised to Lv.6 (1500/3000 points), and you have gained 1 attribute point as a level-up reward.]


    [You have a total of 9 unused attribute points, please allocate them promptly.]


    [The next node target of the main mission is: Observe what choice ¡°Xiao Mo¡± will make, and depending on his different choices, either aid him in slaughtering the last of the disaster dragon breed, or help him completely destroy the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect.]

 Chapter 67 - 67: Listing Comments

    Chapter 67: Listing Comments S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I received a notification from my editor¡ªthe book has been released.


    Thanks to everyone¡¯s overwhelming support, I had thought such a pioneering (or rather, haphazard) beginning would likely be short-lived, so I had braced myself for an early exit. Surprisingly, it held on for four rounds and even broke into the top 10 of the new book overall rankings.


    Unfortunately, it just missed the chance to be featured in the Sanjiang list by a whisker, but the launch has still scored a homepage new book promotion, which is pretty awesome.


    As everyone knows, the author is busy with end-of-term exams for the fourth grade of elementary school. Having not written for half a year, the writing feels a bit rusty, but I¡¯ve gained a more relaxed attitude.


    When I started this book, my goal was simply to entertain myself and give my brain a break, so I adopted a very casual writing style. Fortunately, many readers have resonated with it. As a semi-ensemble piece, the book¡¯s performance during the new release period is somewhat acceptable.


    Also, a big thank you to members of the Drunk Soul Out-of-Fans group ¡°Fan Quan, Dark Blade01, Qing Meng, Cai Bing, Ju Zipi, Yeye, A Zhe¡± for making cameo appearances in my book. The characters were adapted with some stereotyping, and they deviate significantly from the real persons; everyone is much more complex than what¡¯s portrayed in the book.


    This book might have multiple endings; currently, the author has prepared three different ones.


    ...


    Without further ado, I plan to release the launch chapters around 11 tonight. I¡¯d appreciate your support with a first subscription.


    .


    Last but not least, let me recommend a few new books from friends:


    ¢Ù Universe Survival Guide¡ªMy sister calls it a stream-of-consciousness masterpiece, unique in its narrative style.


    ¢Ú Monster Manual¡ªMy sister says it¡¯s a daily life masterpiece with clear, profound text and a vast, lingering charm. Its greatness speaks for itself.


    ¢Û The Chronicle of Ending Myths¡ªMy sister describes it as a mythological masterpiece with great writing and atmosphere.


    ¢Ü Ubume: Starting from Yamata no Orochi¡ªMy sister recommends this unlimited flow masterpiece for those who love female-lead stories and lively action. Not to be missed.


    ¢Ý Said to Practice Martial Arts, But You Cultivated a Heavenly Gang Portrait?¡ªMy sister says it¡¯s a fantasy masterpiece, extremely thrilling.


    ¢Þ Not a Witch, It¡¯s a Magic Girl¡ªA masterpiece for kids about Magic Girls. My sister says it¡¯s fun, hilarious, and adorable.

 Chapter 68 - 68 - 057 Who Isn’t a Magic Girl Now?

    Chapter 68 ¨C 057 Who Isn¡¯t a Magic Girl Now?


    ¡°Could my second brother really become an enemy of the family for the sake of the Ninja Sect¡­ And if big brother and dad found out that Yongzhu is the Dragon of Calamity, what would they think? Would they really protect a dragon?¡±


    Ke Mingye stood on the street corner, playing with his phone while scanning the text on the panel and thinking.


    He quickly dismissed the thought, telling himself to take it one step at a time. After all, the Ninja Sect wouldn¡¯t act until July 4th.


    Before long, Ke Xiao Mo emerged from the depths of the alley. He asked, ¡°I¡¯m done, shall we go to a nearby breakfast diner?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not. I¡¯m really dead tired after the run. How about you go buy it yourself, second brother, and grab Zi Ling and the others¡¯ share on the way?¡±


    Ke Mingye let out a sigh of relief, scratching the reddened tip of his nose and spoke in a disheartened tone.


    As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something. Dragons and vampires probably find it hard to digest human food, they may even feel nauseated.


    ...


    So, how did Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu manage for so many years? Although they didn¡¯t eat much at the dining table, at least they really did eat something, right¡­?


    ¡°Have they gotten used to it?¡± He wondered.


    ¡°Alright, you look quite tired, just go home then,¡± Ke Xiao Mo said and turned, heading towards the breakfast diner.


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t linger either. He pretended to rest for a while, then walked home.


    In the elevator, he opened his personal panel and added 9 spare attribute points to ¡°Physical fitness.¡±


    [Your ¡°Physical fitness¡± attribute has been increased to 45 points (36 points¡ú45 points).]


    Right after that, he opened the task panel and received the reward for daily task one, ¡°Run two kilometers¡±¡ªa chance to use the reward wheel.


    ¡°Activate the wheel.¡±


    With the command, a circular wheel unfolded, with intersecting red lines dividing it into six sections. Each section was marked with text and icons.


    [1. 1500 Mall Coins;]


    [2. A low-level General Skill Proficiency Card (Can be used to increase the proficiency of general skills like ¡°Cooking,¡± ¡°Firearms Use,¡± etc.);]


    [3. E-level Skill Card¡ªBasic Medical Technique;]


    [4. A fragment of ¡°Titanic Beast Godzilla¡± (50 Godzilla fragments required to craft a summoning card);]


    [5. C-level Equipment¡ªParalysis Watch;]


    [6. Thanks for participating.]


    ¡°Godzilla fragment?¡±


    Seeing the reward on area four of the wheel, Ke Mingye¡¯s brain froze for a second, thinking if someone really would bring Godzilla to life in the later stages of the game?


    This could be hope for exterminating the superhuman species, after all, even nuclear bombs can¡¯t deal with Godzilla, what are superheroes in comparison, right?


    He stretched out his finger and pressed the ¡°Activate wheel¡± button below the wheel.


    Following that, the wheel spun like a windmill, with the pointer above remaining still. In the end, the section above the pointer showed ¡°Area 1.¡±


    [Congratulations, you have won the prize for Area 1: 1500 Mall Coins, your current balance: 5860.]


    ¡°Not bad, enough to buy another E-level skill.¡±


    Ke Mingye immediately opened the skill specialty page and secured the ¡°Personality Split¡± skill he had locked in yesterday.


    Even though this skill wasn¡¯t very useful at the moment, down the line, when facing a strong enemy, it could allow a combined battle mode of ¡°Deception Puppet¡± and ¡°Personality Split¡± to outflank the opponent.


    It was a nice card to hold.


    [Thank you for your purchase. 5100 Mall Coins have been deducted, your current balance of Mall Coins is now 760.]


    [The skill ¡°Personality Split¡± is now loaded into your slot four.]


    ¡°I¡¯ll try it out when I find the time,¡± Ke Mingye thought. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amidst the rumbling sound, as soon as the elevator doors cracked open, Ke Mingye saw Bai Zini grabbing a denim jacket and running out. She had intended to take the stairs, but upon seeing the elevator doors open, she lightly trotted back.


    ¡°Bro, you¡¯re up this early during the summer break?¡±


    Bai Zini looked up to meet Ke Mingye¡¯s gaze. Hiding the folding umbrella in her right hand behind her back while putting on her denim jacket, she curiously asked.


    ¡°Never mind that, where are you going?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    ¡°To a meeting,¡± Bai Zini said instinctively, stepping past him into the elevator, then shook her head correcting herself: ¡°No, that¡¯s not right, I meant to go for a run.¡±


    A meeting?


    ¡°Then take me with you,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    ¡°No, no, no, I like to run alone,¡± Bai Zini quickly replied, wrinkling her nose and spoke hastily, pushing him out of the elevator with her left hand, ¡°You need to get out now, I¡¯ll accompany you next time.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡±


    Ke Mingye was pushed out of the elevator, and by the time he turned his head, the doors had already closed, with Bai Zini waving at him through the narrowing gap.


    He already had a hunch¡ªBai Zini was most likely heading to a meeting with the big three of the Magical Girl Alliance.


    Ke Mingye took off his shoes, entered the house, and closed the door behind him. Glancing towards the living room, he saw that Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu were already up, leaning forward as they watched a morning animation show on television.


    Ke Youqing was sitting calmly at the dining table, his legs crossed, as he read this morning¡¯s ¡°Superhero Society Publication¡± newspaper.


    Ke Mingye glanced at it out of the corner of his eye. The headline on the paper was, ¡°Look What Our Superhero ¡¯Qing Ya¡¯ Has Done Now?¡±


    In his memory, old man Ke practically watched the ¡°Superhero Society Publication¡± every week without fail. Of course, every issue was filled with blackening remarks and complaints from the citizens about him.


    Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but marvel at his dad¡¯s psychological toughness; every week he¡¯d routinely see how others bad-mouthed him. But after being widely criticized online for several years with no reaction, he probably didn¡¯t mind this little bit of agitation.


    Ke Yinzhi was in the kitchen brewing coffee with a grinder, wearing an apron. Seeing Ke Mingye walking in without turning his head, he asked, ¡°Want a cup?¡±


    Breakfast was generally prepared by the big brother when he was at home. Although everyone didn¡¯t quite like his edgy personality, they did acknowledge his cooking skills in their hearts, which were certainly much better than Bai Wenna¡¯s.


    ¡°Sure, make me a cup as well,¡± Ke Mingye answered.


    ¡°Want sugar?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and pour some milk too, I can¡¯t take it too bitter.¡±


    ¡°So many requests, come down and get it later.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi slightly smiled and continued to stir the pot of coffee gently with a spoon.


    Ke Mingye moved back to his room on the second floor, closed the door, opened the window to look outside, and prepared to release the Deception Puppet.


    Twenty minutes ago, just as the Deception Puppet was about to be engulfed by the shadows, Ke Mingye had detonated it in time to prevent Ke Xiaomo from trapping it in the shadow space for research.


    After all, he didn¡¯t know whether the Deception Puppet would still be under his control after being swallowed by those shadows.


    Since the puppet was self-destructed, the cooldown was only 10 minutes, and it was time to release the puppet again.


    He made the Deception Puppet appear outside the window. With its hands clasping the windowsill, it kicked off the wall, and the whole person fell toward the rooftop of a nearby residential building like a deflating balloon.


    Watching this scene, Ke Mingye took a deep breath, mentally prepared himself, and used a certain prop from his bag on it.


    [The ¡°one-time Magical Girl Transformation Experience Card¡± has been used on the Deception Puppet.]


    The system¡¯s prompt box appeared, and the puppet¡¯s body was gradually enveloped by a layer of enchanting cocoon light, looking like a colorful mummy.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Ke Mingye wondered, then suddenly remembered that to complete a transformation, a Magical Girl must perform a symbolic action.


    Thus, he commanded the puppet to imitate Magical Girl Ash¡¯s pose, lifting non-existent hair from the forehead and slowly raising its eerie face.


    The next moment, the cocoon light cracked open with a snap.


    The Deception Puppet slowly lifted its hollow eyes.


    At the same time, it was dressed in Santa Claus-like attire¡ªa red ceremonial dress, a red pointed cap, and a fur-lined red cloak draped over the shoulders with a white fur fringe. It also held a magic wand embedded with red gems in its hand. The overall color scheme was red and white, with a touch as cool as snow.


    ¡°Quite an eyesore¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed with his hand on his forehead and quickly changed the puppet¡¯s appearance. The next second, it became a 15-year-old beautiful girl with golden hair and blue eyes, fair skin, and a much more pleasant appearance.


    [The time limit of the Magical Girl Experience Card is one day. During this day, the subject using the experience card can freely transform into a Magical Girl and is granted the permission to use the Magic Book.]


    [The self-contained ability of the magic wand: to manipulate snowflakes, allowing oneself to fly in the air or to freeze enemies.]


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve got the ability, do I need to pick a code name?¡± Ke Mingye closed the window, thinking to himself, ¡°Hmm¡­ How about ¡¯Magical Girl Xiaohongmao¡¯?¡±


    Before long, Bai Zini walked out of the bottom floor of the duplex apartment and appeared in the puppet¡¯s line of sight.


    Having been tracked by the Deception Puppet at the last meeting and having lost face in front of the three masters, Bai Zini was more vigilant this time before she left.


    She quickly noticed the ¡°Magical Girl¡± on the rooftop observing her, and the girl in the red furry cloak turned and ran upon being seen, as if she had done something guilty.


    ¡°Hold on, is that a Magical Girl?¡±


    Bai Zini was taken aback as she saw the girl on the rooftop raise her magic wand, conjuring layers of snowflakes that danced beneath her feet and lifted her into the air.


    A Magical Girl who controls snow? Why is she spying on me, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen this Magical Girl in Huanjing before.


    Without time to think, Bai Zini walked briskly into a nearby alleyway, raised her collapsible umbrella, and was immediately enveloped by a faint grey cocoon light.


    The next instant, time seemed to stand still as ouses blossomed alarmingly on the umbrella, linking together with a ring of thorns in the blink of an eye. The collapsible umbrella wholly transformed into the ¡°Cinderella¡± magic umbrella.


    Magical Girl Ash also donned an elegant Gothic pleated dress. With a cold look, she tugged her gloves, opened the umbrella, and the grey ripples spreading from it lifted her into the sky.


    Her skirt fluttered, and the girl with the umbrella shot across the sky like a murky cloud, and soon found the red-hatted girl¡¯s silhouette above Huanjing.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± she called out coldly.


    The red-hatted girl turned to look at her, then quietly continued flying forward on the snowflakes, eventually landing on the roof of a residential building, where the snowflakes beneath her faded.


    Magical Girl Ash retracted her umbrella, pointed her toes to the ground, and descended slowly, then gently raised her face to look at the uninvited guest.


    The ¡°Cinderella¡± in her hand swiftly shifted its shape, and the sharp edges along the umbrella began to interconnect at the tip, the gun barrel opening in an instant with a clicking metal clank.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Magical Girl, Xiaohongmao,¡± the other replied, turning around.


    At the same time, Ke Mingye decided to learn on the fly and opened Baidu on his phone, typing ¡°How should a proper Magical Girl act¡± into the search box.


    Then he clicked to search, ready to start his own performance.

 Chapter 69 - 69 - 058: Qiyamate Comet

    Chapter 69 ¨C 058: Qiyamate Comet


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of you before,¡± Magical Girl Ash said.


    Given the current shortage of magic girls in China, if there was another magic girl in the same city, there¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t know her.


    ¡°The comet fragment inside me awakened just three days ago, so it¡¯s normal for you not to recognize me as a newcomer magic girl,¡± Magical Girl Xiaohongmao said.


    Ke Mingye had checked on his phone, and the reason why magic girls become magic girls goes back thousands of years to a comet named Qiyamate as it passed by Earth¡ªit left millions of fragments each time which some young girls absorbed into their bodies.


    These girls who came into contact with the comet fragments thus became magic girls.


    Moreover, the return period of the Qiyamate Comet is every 20 years. At these times, it gathers all the comet fragments from around the world and then disperses new fragments.


    Every twenty years, as the comet returns, the old magic girls lose their powers while new magic girls are born under its favor.


    ...


    Like plants and trees changing with the seasons, one withers while another thrives.


    Sometimes, the fragments of the Qiyamate Comet attach to animals, transforming them into ¡¯Contracted Beasts.¡¯


    These Contracted Beasts choose a suitable human girl to make a contract with and share their power with her.


    The girls who sign these contracts become so-called ¡¯Contracted Species Magic Girls,¡¯ fundamentally different from ¡¯Comet Fragment Species Magic Girls¡¯: their power comes from the comet fragments inside the contracted beasts, and not from within themselves.


    In Ke Mingye¡¯s version, Magic Girl Xiaohongmao, ahem, was a Comet Fragment Species Magic Girl; otherwise, he couldn¡¯t explain to Bai Zini why she didn¡¯t have a Contracted Beast.


    ¡°Then why are you following me?¡± she asked, her tone even colder, ¡°and how do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, I met someone called ¡¯strange thing¡¯ two days ago,¡± Xiaohongmao said.


    ¡°¡­Strange thing?¡±


    Ash frowned slightly, muttering the name as if it sounded familiar.


    Suddenly, she remembered that day on the elevated tracks, seeing that eerie gray figure whose head had been cut off yet could still speak.


    ¡°Strange Thing, what an appropriate name.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet again, Miss Ash, I¡¯ve died, but there are countless others like me who will return¡­¡±


    Her mind echoed with those words and that uncanny, soul-shivering laughter, making her right hand tremble slightly on the umbrella handle, her expression colder.


    That ugly thing is still alive? she thought and now it¡¯s spreading my identity everywhere, endlessly.


    ¡°Why do you know it?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash fell silent for a moment, then turned her face and asked. The breeze lifted the gray ribbons on her head, causing her jet-black hair to flutter elegantly in the wind.


    ¡°That day I was watching television. There was news about you on the TV, and I quietly wished, ¡¯I really want to meet Miss Ash.¡¯ When I turned my head, it was waving at me,¡± Xiaohongmao said, pressing her finger against the brim of her hat and speaking softly.


    Upon hearing this, Ash got goosebumps, thinking to herself, does that strange thing enjoy eavesdropping that much?


    ¡°And then what?¡± she asked, frowning.


    ¡°I was scared at first, but then I thought, since I¡¯m a magic girl, I opened the window. It immediately started talking, ¡¯I know Ash, she¡¯s Bai Zini, your classmate at school,¡¯¡±


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao paused: ¡°Then, to confirm what it said was true, I started following you.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash was silent for a moment, her eyes downcast and hidden by her falling bangs.


    After a while, she slowly began to speak.


    ¡°If you meet it again, pass on a message for me,¡± she said.


    ¡°What message?¡±


    ¡°Next time I see it, I will kill it,¡± she declared.


    Ke Mingye, caught off guard, thought to himself that¡¯s too violent, isn¡¯t it, little sister? Isn¡¯t this what a magic girl should say? You¡¯re already showing signs of becoming a witch.


    ¡°Okay, I understand,¡± Xiaohongmao said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to follow you.¡±


    ¡°Undo your transformation,¡± Magical Girl Ash said coldly, looking into Xiaohongmao¡¯s eyes, ¡°Let me see what you really look like, then I¡¯ll believe you.¡±


    Ke Mingye paused for a split second, thinking but I didn¡¯t put any clothes on the Deception Puppet, what should I do now?


    ¡°But senior, I¡¯m not wearing any clothes,¡± Xiaohongmao said.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing clothes?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to take off your clothes before you transform?¡±


    ¡°Who on Earth taught you that?¡±


    ¡°It was mentioned in the comments of the Magic Girl Support Association,¡± she explained.


    Ash took a cold breath and scolded, holding her forehead, ¡°Please, that¡¯s just a bunch of perverts who don¡¯t understand magic girls at all. How could you believe them? Stop browsing those sites, okay? There¡¯s no one normal there.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a fan of yours, I often browse your fan site,¡± Xiaohongmao said hesitantly, ¡°I know, there are even men commenting there wanting to wear your¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop! Enough!¡±


    Magical Girl Ash¡¯s ears turned red all at once, and she quickly interrupted what Xiaohongmao was saying. Even though she tried to appear calm, the anger in her eyes was very apparent.


    She hugged her shoulders, her gloved fingers gently tapping her arms as she spoke.


    ¡°As a magical girl, the first thing you should learn is to spend less time online reading comments about yourself; otherwise, your blood pressure might rise. Understand?¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°So what do you want to do now?¡± Ash asked again.


    Please, after talking for so long, we finally got to this point. Ke Mingye sighed and commanded the Deception Puppet.


    ¡°I want to join the Magical Girl Alliance,¡± said Magical Girl Xiaohongmao.


    ¡°You can.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Xiaohongmao was stunned by such a decisive reply, ¡°Is it that casual?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll soon find out that the president of the Alliance is an even more casual person,¡± Ash said. ¡°And this thing isn¡¯t as great as you think; the China branch is almost closing down, all held together by Senior Xizi Yue alone.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then how do I meet them?¡±


    ¡°Right here.¡± Ash pointed to the ground beneath her feet.


    ¡°Here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send her a WeChat message, and she will come over right away.¡±


    Ash spoke softly, reaching inside Cinderella¡¯s umbrella and pulling out a Magic Book.


    ¡°No, not this,¡± she muttered, putting the Magic Book back and continuing to fumble inside the umbrella, finally managing to find her phone and pulling it out.


    So, your Cinderella can also serve as a Hundred Treasures Bag, huh? How do you manage to hide both the phone and Magic Book in there?


    Ke Mingye tilted his head, completely astonished, thinking how multifunctional Bai Zini¡¯s Magic Wand was.


    Ash looked down, opened WeChat, clamped the umbrella handle under her arm, and began to type. She typed a message in the chat box and sent it.


    ¡°Master, a magic girl wants to join the Alliance; hurry over,¡± she said. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two seconds later, a huge hole the size of a soccer field net suddenly broke open near the rooftop, filled with chaotic grey-blue flowing lights, resembling the chaotic code that makes up space and time.


    Immediately afterward, a dark green tram thundered out from it, the wheels pressing down on the ground. The sounds of the engine and the horn overlapped and echoed in the mid-air.


    A massive beam of light from the headlight shone on Xiaohongmao¡¯s face, making her cover her eyes unwillingly. Looking through the glass, one could see a figure sitting in the driver¡¯s seat.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s brain had crashed, thinking, so you magic girls have your exclusive means of transport, huh?


    ¡°This is a Space Department Magic Card created by Senior Xizi Yue, serial number 03, Space-Time Train.¡±


    Ash, expressionless as she was used to it, held one arm across her shoulders while pulling the frightened Xiaohongmao to her side, introducing the situation to her.


    After a while, the tram calmed down, all lights turned off, only leaving two pumpkin lanterns still lit on the roof. Dressed in a light blue cheongsam, Magical Girl Xizi Yue opened the tram door and slowly stepped down the steps.


    ¡°Is it her?¡± Xizi Yue asked.


    ¡°Yes, Grandmaster, she is the one who wants to join the Alliance,¡± Ash said.


    Xizi Yue looked at Xiaohongmao for a moment, ¡°Your magic power nature is quite special, Snow. This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered this type of magic power; maybe you can, like Lilai, create a new Magic Card.¡±


    As she spoke, she summoned the Magic Book, and a book engraved with strange patterns fell from mid-air into her hands. She opened a page and pulled out a blank file.


    ¡°This is your resume, fill it out, and then contact us using the details above.¡±


    After speaking, she handed the file to Magical Girl Xiaohongmao.


    Xiaohongmao caught the file, looked down at it, and then Magical Girl Ash let go of her shoulder and followed Xizi Yue, stepping onto the Space-Time Train.


    ¡°I and Master are heading to New York for a meeting; we¡¯re leaving first.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash sat in the passenger seat, fiddling with her phone without lifting her head, and casually waved twice through the window to Xiaohongmao.


    Xizi Yue sat down in the driver¡¯s seat and picked up a pack of chips from it.


    ¡°The file¡¯s details can be filled out casually; I¡¯m reviewing the China division, and my demands are not that strict,¡± she said to Xiaohongmao while pulling the lever on the vehicle.


    The next moment, the tram clattered again, sounding like thousands of wind chimes swaying. A rift in space-time quickly formed in front of the tram, sucking the whole vehicle into it.


    The booming engine noise settled, and only Xiaohongmao was left on the rooftop, holding the file in a daze.


    ¡°Congratulations, you have completed the second node target of the main quest ¡¯Destroy the Magical Girl Alliance¡¯¡ªapproaching the Magical Girl Alliance through ¡¯Magical Girl Ash¡¯.¡±


    ¡°The next target node of the main quest is: infiltrate the Magical Girl Alliance under the guise of Xiaohongmao, bide your time, and assassinate the three heads of the Alliance (Lilai, Udina, Xizi Yue).¡±


    ¡°Node reward obtained: Near A-level item¡ª¡¯Permanent Magical Girl Transformation Card,¡¯ 2000 Experience Points, 5 attribute points, 1500 Mall Coins.¡±


    ¡°Your level has been raised to Lv.7 (0/4000 points), and you have gained 1 attribute point as a leveling reward.¡±


    ¡°You have a total of 6 spare attribute points; please allocate them timely.¡±

 Chapter 70 - 70 - 059: Preview of Mr. Fan Quan’s Instance

    Chapter 70 ¨C 059: Preview of Mr. Fan Quan¡¯s Instance


    Ke Mingye sat cross-legged on his bedroom bed, eyes downturned, flipping through a book called ¡°Five Years of College Entrance Exams, Three Years of Mock Tests.¡±


    ¡°Playing a game of house every day isn¡¯t enough, and now I have to add a magical girl role-playing game.¡±


    As he twirled a pen, he looked at the node reward, ¡¯Permanent Magical Girl Transformation Card,¡¯ and thought to himself.


    ¡°But even if they give me this thing, I can¡¯t let the doll mix in with them all the time¡­ With such a hollow background, a single check would spell doom. Nonetheless, this transformation card is still a combat enhancement item.¡±


    ¡°I can put the magical girl mainline on hold for now; the next node goal is to defeat the three giants of the Alliance, which requires at least the strength of an S-class superhuman.¡±


    Ke Mingye pondered that the family mainline node goals were set unreasonably. The difficulty of such tasks should generally escalate progressively.


    The first node was fine, but the second node was like jumping straight from newbie difficulty to hell mode.


    ...


    For example, Bai Qiuwu¡¯s mainline node goal is ¡°to find the other Divine Communicators in the world and kill them.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo¡¯s mainline node is ¡°to wait for the day the Ninja Sect begins their move on July 4th, observe his choices, and assist him.¡±


    Bai Zini¡¯s mainline node is ¡°to kill the three giants of the Alliance,¡± and Ke Yinzhi¡¯s mainline node is ¡°to cooperate with Black Judge and kill the other S-class executives of the Enforcement Bureau.¡± S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No matter how you look at it, these are out of his league¡ªoverstepping would be like courting an explosion.


    So, if he got the chance next, he would have to start the mainlines of ¡°Ke Yongzhu (Dragon of Calamity),¡± ¡°Ke Youqing (Qing Ya),¡± and ¡°Bai Ziling (Vampire);¡±


    As for mom, of course, she could only be left alone for now¡ªwho would dare provoke a hidden final boss at the beginning of the game?


    With that in mind, Ke Mingye opened his personal panel, assigning 6 attribute points gained from leveling up and node rewards to the ¡°Physical Fitness¡± category.


    [Attribute points have been added to ¡°Physical Fitness¡±, your ¡°Physical Fitness¡± attribute has changed: 45¡ú51 points.]


    From the player¡¯s attributes, the progress was incredibly swift. The ¡°Physical Fitness¡± category was approaching the minimum standard for an E-class superhuman.


    This was thanks to the advantage of the ¡°family mainline tasks,¡± which other players did not have.


    Without these missions, Ke Mingye¡¯s development speed would probably be at the bottom among the players as others did not face the same restrictions as he did.


    Ke Mingye got up from the bed, put on his slippers, and headed downstairs.


    Walking down the stairs, something occurred to him, and he slowed his pace.


    ¡°Wait a minute, could it be possible that the magical girls are gathering in New York because the Girl¡¯s Alliance already knows about the ¡¯players¡¯¡­¡± he wondered.


    Ke Yinzhi, while drying his hands with a towel, turned to him and said, ¡°Your caf¨¦ au lait is ready.¡±


    ¡°Call Qiuwu and mom down for breakfast.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo had also returned home; he unlocked the door, speaking as he stepped out of his shoes and walked into the kitchen, carrying a clear bag filled with plastic food containers.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll go call them.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye paused on the stairs, turned back to the second floor, and knocked on the second bedroom door: ¡°Sis, it¡¯s time to eat. Second brother brought breakfast back.¡±


    ¡°Shh, let me sleep a bit more, you guys start without me.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu¡¯s listless voice came from the room, as if she hadn¡¯t slept well and was murmuring into the pillow.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t insist, moving to knock on their mother¡¯s bedroom door. Hardly had he knocked once when he got yelled at, so he went back downstairs, covering his ears, and shrugged at his elder brother.


    ¡°Can¡¯t wake them,¡± he said in silent lip-speak.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s eat without them,¡± Ke Xiaomo said as he placed the containers on the dining table.


    Ke Yinzhi set up the tableware on the edge of the table and, with a smirk, called out to the two children watching TV in the living room: ¡°Zi Ling, Yongzhu, time to eat.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be there in a sec.¡±


    Bai Ziling responded in a low voice but still squatted on the couch without moving.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost done watching; what¡¯s the rush?¡±


    Ke Yongzhu chewed his gum, his muffled voice countering as he remained focused on the TV showing ¡°Kung Fu Panda,¡± not even blinking.


    Ke Mingye silently approached the back of the sofa, and while they weren¡¯t paying attention, he grabbed the remote and changed the channel to a news station¡ªPo¡¯s big face vanished in a flash.


    Instantaneously, both kids shot unfriendly glances at him, especially Ke Yongzhu, who seemed ready to bite with a darkened expression.


    ¡°You¡¯ve watched ¡¯Kung Fu Panda¡¯ several times already; are you going to miss this one time? Come on, hurry up and eat,¡± Ke Mingye said indifferently.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Zi Ling got off the couch expressionlessly, slipped on her slippers, and walked into the kitchen.


    Ke Mingye disdainfully looked at Ke Yongzhu, who still refused to give in. ¡°How much do you even like pandas?¡± he asked, holding the remote out of reach of the schoolboy.


    ¡°Go eat, Yongzhu, don¡¯t force people to repeat themselves,¡± their father finally spoke from his spot reading the newspaper, prompting Ke Yongzhu to concede with a scowl, get off the couch, and obediently head to the dining table.


    Just as Ke Mingye was about to switch off the television with the remote, the host began reporting breaking news: ¡°We interrupt our regular programming with urgent news. A bank robbery has occurred in Huanjing West District. Law enforcement has been in a standoff with the criminals for a long time, and the Superhero Association claims that the superhero ¡¯Ink Writer¡¯ is on his way to the scene¡­¡±


    He promptly pressed the power button. The TV screen went black, and the host¡¯s voice cut off abruptly.


    ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready, old man.¡±


    Ke Mingye said, while counting down in his mind: ¡°Three¡­ two¡­ one.¡±


    Just as the countdown hit ¡°one,¡± Ke Youqing folded up the newspaper, placed it on the table, then rose from his chair and said, ¡°I¡¯m going downstairs to buy a pack of smokes.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you go after dinner? Forget about your damn cigarettes for once.¡±


    Ke Mingye said hopelessly, thinking to himself that the news already reported other superheroes taking care of things, so could you please stop worrying?


    But Ke Youqing had already put on his leather shoes and left the house, leaving behind a sentence neither warm nor cold.


    ¡°Don¡¯t learn to smoke from me; that way, you won¡¯t get addicted¡­¡±


    After speaking, he closed the front door with a bang.


    Right, right, right, I guess your ¡°smoking addiction¡± won¡¯t quit unless you wipe out a whole nest of supervillains, right? Ke Mingye muttered to himself internally as he walked into the kitchen and pulled up a chair next to Bai Ziling.


    He picked up a pair of chopsticks and, resting his chin in his other hand, said, ¡°Hey, there sure are a lot of lazybones in this house.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi took a sip of coffee and, smiling, asked him, ¡°Speaking of which, what¡¯s got you up early lately? Used to be you¡¯d have lunch for breakfast, right?¡±


    ¡°Physical education exam. If I don¡¯t put in the effort, it¡¯ll drag down my overall grade.¡±


    ¡°Both your second brother and I scored full marks. I hope you don¡¯t drag down the family average,¡± Ke Yinzhi challenged with a raise of his chopsticks.


    ¡°How could I compare with you two old monsters.¡±


    Ke Mingye muttered with his chopsticks in his mouth and rolled his eyes at them.


    Ke Xiaomo looked around the kitchen and living room, then asked Ke Mingye, ¡°Where¡¯s Xiao Ni?¡±


    ¡°In a meeting,¡± Ke Mingye replied, ¡°Oh no, wait, she¡¯s out jogging.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo took a sip of soy milk, then continued, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop her? Her breakfast is getting cold.¡±


    ¡°Please, like I could stop her. She¡¯s got such a temper. Best to let her run and find something to eat outside afterward.¡±


    Saying this, Ke Mingye used his chopsticks to lift a piece of shumai to his mouth, thinking to himself that the food in New York must be awful.


    But considering Xizi Yue could use the time-space train to commute, they didn¡¯t necessarily have to breakfast in the United States.


    During this not-too-short, not-too-long breakfast time, Ke Mingye kept observing Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu out of the corner of his eye, aiming to see how a dragon and a vampire reacted to ordinary human food.


    Bai Ziling managed quite well; the food was truly being eaten.


    However, she frequently transferred food from her bowl to Ke Mingye¡¯s, under the noble pretext of ¡°Here, big bro, I don¡¯t like this one; it¡¯s for you, no thanks.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu was different, after eating half she would usually visit the restroom to vomit what she ate into the toilet and flush it away, then pretend to wash her hands and go back to the restroom to continue vomiting.


    So it appeared, either Bai Ziling was more tolerant than Ke Yongzhu, or the Cataclysmic Dragon felt a greater aversion to human food than the vampire.


    After breakfast, Ke Mingye sat on the living room sofa and picked up the remote control to turn on the TV.


    As he expected, the news currently being broadcast was about the superhero ¡¯Qing Ya¡¯ handling a bank robbery incident; the culprit had been handed over to the police, and there were multiple casualties during the event.


    As a model worker of Huanjing, Qing Ya was pretty much monopolizing other superheroes¡¯ opportunities, so many Chinese superheroes were reluctant to work in Huanjing because Qing Ya had a tendency to hog the credit for all events, big or small.


    Thus, not only did he have a poor reputation among the general populace, but even most of his colleagues would spit at the mention of his name.


    Meanwhile, Ke Youqing used his key to open the door and enter the house, bending down to take off his shoes.


    ¡°Did you save me any food?¡± he asked, with a cigarette dangling in his mouth, his voice sounding gruff.


    ¡°How dare we not? I suggest you register the name ¡¯Tobacco Hero¡¯ and make your debut as a supervillain straight away,¡± Ke Mingye sarcastically shot back.


    ¡°You little rascal¡­¡±


    Ke Youqing chuckled, tousled his hair from behind the sofa, then made his way to the kitchen and sat down at the dining table, snuffing out his cigarette butt and disposing of it in the trash can.


    He began eating the leftover breakfast while flipping through the ¡¯Superhero Society Publication¡¯ he hadn¡¯t finished reading.


    Right then, a bubble popped up in the top-right corner of Ke Mingye¡¯s vision in the communicator¡¯s chat list, signifying that he had received a message from the local players¡¯ discussion group.


    [Fan Quan: Found a suitable instance, today at three in the afternoon, at the abandoned train station on Old Jingmai District No. 4 Street.]


    [Good Ju Zipi: Received.]


    ¡°WTF, isn¡¯t that the ¡¯Crazy Train Station¡¯ instance I encountered on my jog the other day?¡±


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking to himself.


    ¡°Looks like¡­ since Fan Quan has already notified everyone to gather, they must¡¯ve tried challenging the instance once. The boss inside must not be as tough as imagined.¡±


    He typed his thoughts in the chat group as a response.


    [Failed Man: All right, I¡¯ll be there at three sharp.]


    [Fan Quan: Try to arrive early if possible; we still need to discuss tactics, and I have something on tonight.]


    Ke Mingye read the message and stretched on the sofa, thinking to himself that it was another classic instance run timing, perfect for testing out my new skill and seeing how effective it really is.


    With his current level and physical attributes, facing other players of the same stage should be practically a dimension-reducing blow.

 Chapter 71 - 71 - 060 The Warrant for the Dice Monster

    Chapter 71 ¨C 060 The Warrant for the Dice Monster


    June 21st, 2:30 PM, at the Ke Bai family residence.


    Ke Xiaomo went upstairs, hesitated for half a second, and with slightly bent fingers, gently knocked on the wooden door in front of him, producing a thunking sound.


    ¡°The door¡¯s unlocked,¡± Ke Yinzhi said.


    Hearing this, Ke Xiaomo reached out, turned the doorknob, pushed the door open, and entered the room, promptly closing the door behind him. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking up, he saw Ke Yinzhi lying on a black recliner, holding a copy of ¡°Ulysses¡± in one hand and constructing a tower with playing cards on the windowsill with the other.


    He pulled a playing card from the deck, pinched it between his index and middle finger, and slowly laid it atop the inverted V-structure made by two other cards.


    After ensuring that the tower remained stable, Ke Yinzhi closed the book in his hand and moved his gaze to ask, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ...


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°This morning during my run, I encountered a strange character. He called himself ¡¯a strange thing.¡¯ Do you have any clue about him?¡±


    ¡°Strange thing¡­¡± Ke Yinzhi mumbled the name then suddenly raised his eyebrows and turned to him, ¡°Are you talking about ¡¯Dice Monster¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve met it?¡± Ke Xiaomo asked, his expression curious.


    ¡°I have,¡± he said.


    Speaking, Ke Yinzhi shrugged and set the book on the table, ¡°Ah, that thing isn¡¯t exactly human. It¡¯s more like a kind of robot or puppet. The person controlling it probably doesn¡¯t care if it gets destroyed, which is why they let it wander in front of us without any fear.¡±


    Speaking, he self-mockingly smirked, ¡°Uh¡­ at that time, my mind was so preoccupied with Bai Qiuwu, I didn¡¯t bother with this Dice Monster. Looking back now, seems like I ought to have given it some respect.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi hesitated for half a second, debating whether to tell Ke Xiaomo about Qiuwu meeting the Dice Monster on the overpass the previous night, but ultimately he decided to keep it to himself.


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a chance?¡± Ke Xiaomo suddenly asked.


    ¡°A chance of what?¡±


    ¡°That it¡¯s a player,¡± Ke Xiaomo proposed.


    ¡°There¡¯s a chance,¡± Ke Yinzhi paused, ¡°but it can¡¯t be confirmed yet.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Based on the information I have, these players should still be quite weak. Like the two players I caught before, they robbed a convenience store with rifles, not superpowers,¡± Ke Yinzhi added, pausing, ¡°so, I think, at this stage, it¡¯s unlikely for a player to possess such complex abilities.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo recalled the morning¡¯s events and said softly, ¡°Even though the guy looked intimidating, his combat strength was weak. What was unique was his ability to shoot highly adhesive, tough spider silk, and even that wasn¡¯t his own ability, but achieved through some sort of technological device on his wrist.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Ke Yinzhi looked up, ¡°so, what else did it tell you?¡±


    ¡°It mentioned something about ¡¯Ninja Sect¡¯ and ¡¯Catastrophe Dragon Kind.¡¯ It was rambling, and the gist was that I would face a painful choice eventually, but it wasn¡¯t very clear,¡± Ke Xiaomo explained, pausing, ¡°It also said¡­ that it¡¯s friends with Qing Ya, Magical Girl Ash, and Black Wukong, and maybe they could help me when the time comes.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yinzhi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, as if he had heard some grand joke.


    After coughing twice, he said lightly, ¡°The moment you heard ¡¯Qing Ya,¡¯ you should have known it was bluffing. In my memory, Qing Ya never privately associates with others, even including me.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, but I don¡¯t know why¡­¡±


    Ke Yinzhi cut him off, ¡°Are you very concerned about it?¡±


    ¡°A bit,¡± Ke Xiaomo admitted.


    ¡°You know, if I took every villain¡¯s illogical rantings seriously, letting them disturb and influence me, by now I would probably not be sitting here but locked up in England¡¯s Bedlam Asylum,¡± Ke Yinzhi remarked.


    Sipping his coffee, he continued, ¡°So, I suggest you not take that unknown character too seriously, lest you entangle yourself unnecessarily.¡±


    He shrugged, ¡°Especially since it doesn¡¯t seem to be mentally stable.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Ke Xiaomo said softly, ¡°it¡¯s embarrassing that I thought I had disciplined my mind well, yet I was still affected by it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I already submitted its file to the Management Bureau¡¯s upper echelon last night. According to them, they¡¯ve forwarded its details to the Superhero Association, which means this matter is now under their jurisdiction,¡± Ke Yinzhi said, ¡°The Superhero Association has already issued a warrant for ¡¯Dice Monster¡¯ on their official website.


    Superheroes will soon join the effort to capture it.¡±


    Setting down his cup, he asked with interest, ¡°Speaking of superheroes in Huanjing, who¡¯s the first one that comes to your mind?¡±


    ¡°Qing Ya?¡± Ke Xiaomo blurted out.


    Apart from Qing Ya, other iconic superheroes in Huanjing largely fell short, with only a few exceptions. Thus, Ke Yinzhi once said that if they worked together, they could take on half the Superhero Association with no problems.


    ¡°Right, meaning this matter is now Qing Ya¡¯s responsibility. Given his abilities, it shouldn¡¯t take long to uncover the truth behind the Dice Monster and arrest it,¡± Ke Yinzhi said with a smile, ¡°If you are still uneasy, I can ask about those nonsensical ramblings on your behalf when I go there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that,¡± Ke Xiaomo said, lowering his eyes and letting out a long sigh, ¡°let me know the moment you get any information about that Dice Monster.¡±


    ¡°Of course, but you should rest a bit, don¡¯t be too tense,¡± Ke Yinzhi replied, looking straight at Ke Xiaomo, ¡°It¡¯s just a juvenile disaster dragon species, not as difficult to deal with as you imagine. Your Sect Master is making too much of a fuss over it, and moreover, he¡¯s underestimating your strength; you might even be able to handle that dragon perfectly on your own.¡±


    ¡°Being cautious is a good thing.¡±


    ¡°But being overly cautious can trip you up. Since we were kids, that¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve never understood about you,¡± Ke Yinzhi said slowly.


    ¡°That¡¯s the difference between us, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t be a Ninja, and you wouldn¡¯t have become an officer in the Management Bureau.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just your old ¡¯personality determines fate¡¯ spiel,¡± Ke Yinzhi said, ¡°but I really can¡¯t see myself ever becoming a Ninja. How is that any different from being a Taoist?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo was frank, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that accident, I think you¡¯d most likely have ended up a gambler.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi brushed it off, picking up the book from the table again, ¡°Then I should be grateful I became a mutant, at least I don¡¯t have to bear the unpleasant title of a gambler.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m off now,¡± said Ke Xiaomo.


    ¡°Heading to training?¡±


    ¡°Yes, conserve and build up energy, preparing for the battle in two weeks¡¯ time.¡±


    ¡°Good luck.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo turned the doorknob, walking slowly out of the room and casually closing the door behind him.


    He lowered his head, thinking that if it were Qing Ya, he would be able to dig up the details on that Dice Monster soon.


    By then, they would be able to know whether all those cryptic words were just nonsense or if they really meant that something was about to happen¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Time rewound to a few minutes earlier.


    Ke Mingye listened to the faint conversations coming from the adjacent room. Although he couldn¡¯t make out the details, he confirmed that his second brother was in there talking with his oldest brother.


    He glanced at the clock on the wall, thinking, ¡°It¡¯s almost time; I need to hurry and meet up with Fan Quan and the others at the instance site. While my second brother is in the next room, I¡¯ll let the Deception Puppet out.¡±


    With that in mind, Ke Mingye walked to the coat rack and took out a casual T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Then, he walked to the French windows, opened them, and placed the Deception Puppet on the windowsill before stuffing the two pieces of clothing into its arms and commanded it to jump up to the rooftop of the duplex.


    Subsequently, the Deception Puppet slowly dressed in the T-shirt and jeans, its feet still bare.


    Regarding the shoes, Ke Mingye planned to have the Deception Puppet steal a pair of children¡¯s shoes from a nearby children¡¯s clothing store. It must be said that the web shooter was perfectly convenient for stealing, grabbing whatever it touched as it retracted the sticky web.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye ordered it to transform into the appearance of a 16-year-old boy, a look familiar to Fan Quan, Ju Zipi, and the other three players.


    After a series of preparatory actions, he let it leap from the rooftop, using the web shooter to move quickly through the streets towards the children¡¯s clothing store in Old Jingmai District.


    The Deception Puppet shot a web towards the eaves of the store, dangling down as it stretched out its hand to open a window high up.


    Then, it lowered its right hand, shooting a web through this hidden window, sticking to a box containing new shoes, pulled it forcefully into its hand, quickly unwrapped it, and slipped on the shoes.


    Shortly after, the puppet released the web and gently landed in a nearby alley, straightening its tousled hair.


    While stepping out of the alley, it turned its head to glance at its reflection in the glass of the children¡¯s clothing store, looking completely like the vibrant young teen it was supposed to mimic.


    ¡°Should I light some incense and pray that this instance doesn¡¯t go south? If the puppet dies even once, they¡¯ll immediately figure out I¡¯m deceiving them,¡± Ke Mingye lay on the bed, placing his right arm under his head while staring at the mold spots on the ceiling, pondering.


    Honestly, ensuring that no instance goes south is a difficult task, but luckily Fan Quan only alerts them once the necessary preparations are made.


    As ironic as it was, this actually gave Ke Mingye the courage to bluff his way through.


    Soon, the puppet approached the entrance to the abandoned train station on Old Jingmai District No. 4 Street, where three figures clothed from head to toe were waiting for it.


    Simultaneously, the instance panel also appeared in its vision.


    [Instance Name: Crazy Train Station]


    [Instance Location: Old Jingmai District, Abandoned Train Station]


    [Instance Difficulty: F Level (Recommended for players under level 10 to team up)]

 Chapter 72 - 72 - 061 Instance 7 Boss Battle (Part 1)

    Chapter 72 ¨C 061 Instance 7 Boss Battle (Part 1)


    June 21st, three in the afternoon, Old Jingmai District Street No. 4.


    This was one of the most deserted streets in Old Jingmai, under the eaves of the abandoned train station entrance, where three figures leaned against the wall, quietly waiting for someone¡¯s arrival.


    Mingye recognized them at first glance through the perspective of the Deception Puppet.


    Fan Quan was wearing a dark-high neck jacket, a Lustig¡¯s hat atop his head. He was looking down at his phone, the raised collar hiding his profile;


    Qing Meng wore a band-printed tank top under her jacket, with her light blue hair still tied in a ponytail. She hugged her shoulders, bored, looking around;


    Ju Zipi was dressed in casual clothes but also wore a cap. He was reading a novel from the Cthulhu Mythos titled ¡°Fantasy Tales,¡± with a slight smirk on his lips.


    Mingye walked slowly towards the trio and leaned against the wall next to them. The three of them silently shot a glance at him, with two quickly looking away.


    ...


    ¡°You¡¯re here, Spider Man,¡± Ju Zipi said with a smile.


    ¡°Always the last one to arrive, quite typical of you,¡± Qing Meng said.


    ¡°Punk girl, what do you mean ¡¯always the last one¡¯? It¡¯s only been twice, okay?¡± Mingye glared at them, ¡°Also, can¡¯t you call me ¡¯Failed Man¡¯?¡±


    Fan Quan said, ¡°It¡¯s too long and complicated, Spider Man is just fine.¡±


    Mingye turned to him, ¡°Cultured man, in this hot weather, aren¡¯t you a bit too suspicious dressed like that?¡±


    ¡°Am I not allowed to feel cold, mind your own business.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, the leaderboard says you¡¯ve killed four superhumans, hasn¡¯t the Superhero Association issued a warrant for you yet?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re not sure it¡¯s the same person who did it. I¡¯m actually looking forward to what nickname they¡¯ll end up giving me,¡± Fan Quan adjusted his glasses.


    ¡°What if Qing Ya comes after you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just die and show him,¡± Fan Quan said expressionlessly, ¡°Enough chitchat, everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s enter the instance. I told you I have something else today, let¡¯s make it quick.¡±


    With that, he closed the black leather book in his hands, stood up from the wall he was leaning against, and led the way to the entrance of the station.


    Mingye was taken aback, ¡°Just like that we¡¯re entering the instance? Shouldn¡¯t we discuss tactics first?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk specifics inside the instance, it¡¯s not that complicated. This instance is different from the last one, we need to walk a bit after entering before we reach the Boss battle area,¡± Fan Quan explained as he walked ahead.


    Mingye looked towards Ju Zipi and Qing Meng, pointed towards Fan Quan¡¯s receding figure with a facial expression that screamed ¡¯this guy is nuts¡¯, and silently mouthed, ¡°You guys okay with this?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the strategist,¡± Ju Zipi said. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Dog-headed strategist,¡± Qing Meng remarked.


    They brushed past Mingye, and although confused, he didn¡¯t fall behind and quickly caught up, stretching out his hand.


    As the team¡¯s four hands touched, the panel seemed to surge with energy, gradually brightening.


    The next second, their figures had already vanished from the spot.


    [You have entered the ¡°Crazy Train Station¡± instance, soon you will arrive at the Boss battle area.]


    Mingye opened his eyes, and what met his pupils was a damp, cramped corridor with walls embedded with a sign, showing a blue background and black font that read ¡°Platform 7 ahead.¡±


    Looking back, he saw the path blocked by layers of rocks, seeming to signify that there was no turning back.


    At this moment, Qing Meng had already taken out two firearms from her backpack. Unlike last time, she was wielding two Desert Eagles, their silver-white bodies stood out in the dark.


    The four moved forward, with Fan Quan at the front speaking, ¡°Once we leave this corridor, we¡¯ll be at the Boss battle area.¡±


    ¡°Train platform?¡± Mingye said.


    ¡°This time the Boss is a train conductor.¡±


    After this, Fan Quan began describing what this instance¡¯s Boss looked like and the specific mechanics involved.


    Mingye and Ju Zipi listened intently, unfamiliar with this instance, unlike Qing Meng and Fan Quan.


    ¡°Strategist, why does my role sound so dire?¡± Mingye couldn¡¯t help asking after learning about his part from them.


    ¡°Just like last time, only you can do this,¡± Fan Quan replied.


    ¡°Why does this sound so much like a pyramid scheme sales pitch? Is Myanmar Train Station up ahead?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth.¡±


    Soon, the four of them reached the end of the corridor, and what came into view was a stairway leading upwards, with the adjacent elevator having ceased operation. Light poured in from above the platform.


    As they followed the source of light upwards, it was as if they were about to step into heaven, their eyes squinting slightly, unable to adapt to the sudden bright light.


    They finally arrived at the boss battle site.


    Ke Mingye turned his head to look around, finding himself on a long-abandoned platform.


    The sign marked ¡°Platform 7¡± was covered in moss, the ground pockmarked and wet with stagnant water, and the columns of the platform were marred with age-old cracks, spreading out like the arms of ghosts in all directions.


    Water accumulated on the eaves and formed thin streams through the gaps, which slowly fell to the ground, tirelessly tapping on the old tracks with a drip-drop sound.


    ¡°Get ready, just a few more steps forward, and the boss battle will start.¡±


    ¡°Is it that exaggerated?¡±


    Ke Mingye whispered, the sound of their footsteps overlapping with the falling water made him shiver, and the deep, eerie atmosphere in the air seemed to intensify.


    [Total number of players participating in this instance: 4]


    [The official raid instance begins now, please do whatever it takes to defeat the boss inside the instance¡ªCrazy Train Conductor.]


    As they walked, a warning panel popped up in front of them.


    Following that, the platform under their feet began to change, the world seemed suddenly compressed, and the rectangular ground eventually narrowed into a square platform about ten meters wide.


    In the sunset, an old rail track encircled the bizarre square platform tightly. Then, deep, bottomless tunnels appeared at each corner of the platform, their destinations unknown.


    As the boss arena was set, the main character of this place made its entrance.


    Puffing steam whistle sounds along with the thundering engine noises roared above the platform, nearly piercing Ke Mingye¡¯s eardrums; a dark train then burst from the tunnel on the northwest side of the platform.


    This train seemed endless, with a squad of pitch-black figures stationed on top of the carriages, resembling a cloud of dark clouds hovering over the roof.


    They held flame guns or machetes.


    Their faces were fierce, with a hint of red glow at the corners of their eyes, as if they could squeeze out blood.


    [Boss name of the instance: Crazy Train Conductor]


    [Boss level of the instance: Lv6.5]


    [Introduction of the instance boss:


    The conductor has gone mad.


    A hundred years ago, he got lost on this Mobius Strip-like track, no matter which direction he went or which tunnel he entered, he would inevitably return to this square platform.


    Many times, he tried to escape from the train with the passengers, to see if they could escape from the platform. But every person who disembarked died, turning into a burst of blood foam before his eyes.


    Since then, the conductor has traveled on this looping track for many, many years.


    He prayed every day, and slowly despaired, knowing he would never reach his destination and never see his child again.


    But for the passengers, and for those lovely lads, he made a secret decision in his heart.


    He decided to take up the responsibility of the train conductor, to form a team with the unfortunate passengers who arrived at this platform, and to ride forever on this track until death.


    Then one day, after he woke up from the driver¡¯s seat, he found a strange figure reflected in the mirror of the driver¡¯s cabin.


    The person was holding his stomach, laughing wildly at him.


    The conductor placed his arms on the table, constantly moving his face closer to the mirror, staring blankly for a long time, only to realize that the one laughing was¡­


    ¡ªhimself.]

 Chapter 73 - 73 - 062 Instance 7 Boss Battle (Part 2)

    Chapter 73 ¨C 062 Instance 7 Boss Battle (Part 2)


    [Warning: The battle against Boss ¡°Mad Train Conductor¡± has commenced. All players, engage with all your might!!!]


    Ke Mingye crouched down, his face upturned as he intently observed the dark train that rushed out from the tunnel.


    To clear this instance, they had to kill the train¡¯s conductor.


    The conductor was located in the driving cabin at the front of the train.


    To get close to him, they first had to figure out a way to climb to the top of the train, then bypass the group of gunmen and swordsmen on the roof, before descending into the carriage through a narrow opening from above.


    Finally, they needed to rush from carriage five all the way to carriage one and into the driver¡¯s cabin to finish off the powerless Boss, the conductor.


    The real difficulty of this instance lay in how to get inside the train. The ¡°Mad Train Conductor¡± seemed to be the Boss, but actually had no combat capability.


    ...


    ¡°The train is coming!¡±


    Fan Quan dashed over, taking shelter behind one of the thick pillars on the platform, and reminded the others, ¡°Quick, get behind the pillars!¡±


    ¡°Take cover first, don¡¯t get shot!¡±


    Qing Meng hunkered down behind another platform pillar, as she spoke.


    ¡°I know,¡± Ke Mingye gasped, quickly taking cover behind another thick pillar along with Ju Zipi.


    The four watched the train speed past the tunnel from the east, as the ragged ¡°passengers¡± standing on the roof raised their muskets, continuously firing at them.


    Muzzles flared with shots that struck the pillars, scattering sparks and flashes of light.


    The blistering wind roared past the cheeks of the four players.


    Then, accompanied by a weird laughter, the train entered the tunnel on the northeast side.


    Yet, though it seemed to head into the distance, the next moment, the train emerged from another unconnected tunnel, appearing on the southeastern side of the square platform.


    Ke Mingye silently watched this scene unfold.


    Just as Fan Quan said, each time the train entered a tunnel, it would emerge from one of the other three tunnels in a set pattern, cycling on the tracks to the north, south, east, and west of the platform.


    It was as if they were trapped in a Mobius Strip-like world.


    The four quickly shifted their positions to the other side of the pillars. With their backs against the pillars, they evaded the fierce barrage from the passengers¡¯ muskets on top of the train.


    Sheets of gunfire rained down like a torrent, but they failed to touch the players, only leaving fierce black marks on the pillars.


    In barely four seconds, the mad train once again charged along the tracks and into the pitch-dark tunnel.


    ¡°Which tunnel will it come from?!¡±


    Qing Meng peeked out from behind the pillar and shouted toward Fan Quan. The night before, when the two had entered the instance, Fan Quan had already memorized the train¡¯s travel pattern.


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Fan Quan loudly replied to her, ¡°The same one, it will burst out from the tunnel it just entered!¡±


    ¡°If you lie to me, you are dead!¡±


    Qing Meng dropped to a knee, raising the barrels of her two Desert Eagles, her gaze fixed on the entrance of the southwest tunnel.


    Simultaneously, she activated the skill ¡°Aggressive Focus¡±, significantly increasing her hit rate with all forms of attack for one minute.


    In her pupils, reflected the entrance to the southwest tunnel, while strings of rushing data swirled, overlapping to form a bizarre world of light and shadow.


    Then, with the thunderous sound of the engine and the bright glare of the headlights, the train shot out from the tunnel.


    Well-prepared, Qing Meng aimed her guns at the roof, the setting sun casting a reddish tinge on the silvery gunmetal. At this moment, she pulled the triggers.


    ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡±


    The successive gunfire, like windows being battered by a storm, sent lead-colored Magnum bullets flying from the barrels unrelentingly, tearing through the twilight mist and sweeping toward the gunmen on the roof.


    Ignoring the recoil, Qing Meng¡¯s fingers continuously squeezed the triggers.


    Her cheeks were lit a fiery red by the muzzle flash, her eyes unblinking, bright as torches, her light blue ponytail wavering like the tide in the scorching wind.


    In less than three seconds, all eight gunmen on the roof were wiped out, but the remaining bullets were precisely deflected by the knife-wielding ¡°passengers¡±.


    This was not something humans could do.


    According to the system settings, the thirteen swordsmen on the roof could not be taken down by ranged attacks, so Qing Meng¡¯s bullets only worked on the other eight gunmen.


    But this was enough, as dealing with the swordsmen was the job of another two team members, and that was the real show.


    The next moment, the train rumbled into the tunnel on the southeast side, and the world briefly fell into silence.


    Seeing this, Fan Quan didn¡¯t hesitate to shout, ¡°The train will appear next at the northwest tunnel.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon confirming the train¡¯s next appearance from Fan Quan, Ke Mingye immediately dashed from behind the pillar with Ju Zipi.


    The former lowered his arm and shot a thick web towards the pillar on the southwest side of the platform, pulling on the strand to leap off the ground and swing diagonally upwards into the sky;


    The latter released a constant stream of water from his fingertips, which gathered in his hands to forge a wave-crafted longsword, and then into clusters of waves that flew around his body, providing an invisible buoyancy that allowed him to soar into the air!

 Chapter 74 - 74 - 062 Instance 7 Boss Battle (Part 2)

    Chapter 74 ¨C 062 Instance 7 Boss Battle (Part 2)


    Finally, at the same second, both of them reached just above the northwest tunnel.


    It was also that same second when the dark train roared out of the tunnel like a raging porcupine; Ju Zipi seized the moment, executing a roll and landing on top of the train.


    Ke Mingye was different. He shot his web towards a point higher up on the pillar, grabbed hold of it, and swung even higher.


    Then, at the moment he reached ten meters above, he let go of the web and growled quietly.


    ¡°Today, you bastards are going to see what they call a superhero-style landing!¡±


    [Height detected to meet conditions (above 8 meters from the ground), Skill ¡°Superhero Landing¡± successfully released]


    [Description: It enables you to land instantly with the graceful pose of one knee on the ground, immune to the impact damage from the fall, and causes a violent shake on the ground beneath your feet.]


    ...


    The next moment, Ke Mingye¡¯s body seemed as if it had been possessed by The God Cthulhu, his right knee suddenly bending, right index finger pressed against his forehead, keeping this ludicrous posture, he plunged to the earth like a shooting star!


    Boom!


    Finally, he smashed precisely on the top of the train, the massive impact creating a deep dent on the train¡¯s surface, and with it, a severe shock wave spread out, knocking down five knife-wielding thugs within a two-meter radius.


    ¡°You deal with these five knife-wielding thugs!¡±


    After landing unscathed, Ke Mingye got up and ran towards a distant hole¡ªthe only way to drop into the train¡¯s interior compartments.


    ¡°Got it, you hurry into the train!¡±


    As Ju Zipi growled, he charged towards the five knife-wielding thugs Ke Mingye had knocked down, with his gigantic Wave Blade morphing into a sprightly water dragon that swept across, holding them in place.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye was sprinting across the rusted metallic body of the train, the thuds of his steps echoing, and although Ju Zipi had stopped the five thugs, another eight were still blocking his path ahead.


    The knife-wielding thugs swung at the air, their pupils flickering with ghostly fires, guarding the entrance to the compartment with unwavering diligence.


    Ke Mingye lowered his right hand, firing three webs from the spider-web shooter, sticking to the bodies of three thugs, temporarily rendering them immobile, before he dashed through them.


    As he charged forward towards the last five knife-wielding thugs, he shouted at Fan Quan, ¡°Man of culture, for the love of God, do something useful!¡±


    As his voice fell, Fan Quan on the platform looked down, the bible in his hands turning pages without wind.


    Three of its pages tore out fiercely, transforming into three little paper figures that hopped onto his shoulder.


    ¡°Did you get ¡¯Nietzsche¡¯?¡± Qing Meng asked in a near panic, turning to Fan Quan, ¡°That stupid Spider Man is about to get slashed to death, do something useful quickly.¡±


    ¡°Superhuman Will.¡±


    Fan Quan uttered a phrase softly, answering her question.


    [Player ¡°Failed Man¡± has received the enhancement skill ¡°Superhuman Will¡± from player ¡°Fan Quan¡±. A player under the state of ¡°Superhuman Will¡± will enter a 2.5-second state of ¡°invincibility to harm, free from all control¡±.]


    Atop the train, Ke Mingye¡¯s body was suddenly enveloped in a faint golden glow. He folded his arms in front of him and charged forward recklessly.


    Despite the knife-wielding thugs¡¯ tremendous strength and knives so sharp they seemed crafted by the world¡¯s most skilled artisan, they still couldn¡¯t rattle the golden figure.


    Ke Mingye, like a wild bull, battered his way through. His Physical Fitness of 51 played a decisive role at this moment, and with the boost of ¡°Superhuman Will¡± and his strength, he forcefully squeezed through them and then, lowering his body, he slid towards the hole in the roof of the train, flowing into it as smoothly as the clouds and water.


    At that moment, the train entered the tunnel, and all around him dimmed.


    Ke Mingye dropped from the hole in the ceiling and landed on the floor of the dim compartment. He quickly scrambled to his feet, his gaze fixed straight ahead.


    Although he could see nothing clearly, he was certain that the driver¡¯s cabin was at the very front, so he started sprinting forward, the roar of the moving train filling his ears.


    At that very moment, five ghost knife-wielders roared as they jumped down from the hole in the ceiling, charging forward without hesitation after landing. Their moves were as agile as a leopard¡¯s, and with such running speed, catching up to Ke Mingye was more than manageable.


    But suddenly, Ke Mingye halted, forcefully lowering his right arm, shooting a web strand towards the left-side window and right-side window of the fourth carriage.


    Then, grabbing two strands of spider silk from the left and right sides, he exerted all his strength to tense his body backward like a spring.


    Next, at the peak of tension, he released the spider silk from his hands.


    The Deception Puppet, being unreasonably light, used the recoil from the spider silk to launch itself like an arrow released from the bow, shooting through three cars before finally crashing down in front of the driver¡¯s cabin.


    Ke Mingye quickly got up and turned to look at the ghost knife-handlers who were fiercely chasing after him.


    Some were stepping on seats, others on windows, and some were running down the middle of the aisle, all racing crazily towards him. The ghostly fires burning in their empty sockets flickered in the dark carriage like souls out for vengeance.


    ¡°It¡¯s checkmate, buddy, and you¡¯re still chasing¡­¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye pulled out a Colt 1911 handgun from his pocket. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was given to him by Fan Quan in the passage leading to the platform. His mission was to break into the train¡¯s driver¡¯s cabin and fire a shot at the crazy train conductor¡¯s head.


    He was almost there, just one step away.


    Ke Mingye walked slowly inside the driver¡¯s cabin, approaching the driver¡¯s seat step by step.


    At this moment, the train burst out of the tunnel, and the glow of the setting sun allowed him to see the figure seated at the driver¡¯s seat, an old man with a sinister smile.


    The train conductor was still laughing stupidly, his gaze fixed on the gruesome, rotting face in the rearview mirror, seemingly oblivious to the fact that his end was near.


    ¡°Time to rest in peace, comrade.¡±


    While saying this, Ke Mingye approached the train conductor.


    He paid no attention to the howling coming from behind him as he slowly raised the Colt 1911 handgun, placing its dark muzzle against the conductor¡¯s forehead.


    The next moment, he pulled the trigger.


    Bang!


    The gunshot tore through the rumbling of the engine, echoing in the driver¡¯s cabin bathed in the afterglow of the sunset. Blood splattered on the seats, staining half of the window red.


    The old man¡¯s neck slumped down in the rearview mirror, his head coming to rest against the window.


    [Final Strike!!! (Finishing Blow!!!)]


    [Boss Crazy Train Conductor¡¯s Health: 100% ¡ú 0%]


    ¡°As expected, one shot and it¡¯s all over.¡±


    Ke Mingye watched the deceased train conductor, murmuring to himself.


    He turned slowly to look back at the first carriage, only to see the five relentless knife-handlers had already fallen to the floor, evaporating into a burst of hot gas.


    [Victory is declared for this dungeon; current damage ratio leaderboard as follows.]


    [NO.1¡ª¡ª[The Failed Man]¡ïMVP: Damage Ratio 100%]


    [NO.2¡ª¡ªGood Ju Zipi: Damage Ratio 0%]


    [NO.3¡ª¡ªIndescribable Dream: Damage Ratio 0%]


    [NO.4¡ª¡ªFan Quan: Damage Ratio 0%]


    [Congratulations to all players for successfully overcoming Huanjing¡¯s No. 7 dungeon¡ª¡±Crazy Train Station.¡± A memorial card has been issued to each player¡¯s dungeon atlas.]


    [Current progress in conquering Huanjing¡¯s dungeons: (2/100)]


    [In five minutes, players will return to the real world; please prepare in advance¡­]

 Chapter 75 - 75 - 063: Dice Monster, Isn’t That You?

    Chapter 75 ¨C 063: Dice Monster, Isn¡¯t That You?


    After the conductor died, the train slowly came to a stop on the ancient tracks.


    The rumbling engine sound disappeared, and the exhaust pipes that had been working day and night let out one last puff of turbid white steam before falling silent, as if finally at rest.


    In the dead silence, the train under the twilight was slowly rotting like orange peel.


    If they didn¡¯t leave within five minutes, they would automatically exit the instance, so all four of them boarded the train to search for any hidden stages or rewards inside.


    The first ten carriages of the train were standard, the middle five were sleeper carriages, and the last ten carriages were of various types: dining carriage, movie carriage, aquarium carriage, botanical garden carriage¡­


    Walking through each carriage was like traveling through a miniature of the wide world. However, with limited time, they merely glanced at these wonders and didn¡¯t stop to appreciate them.


    Compared to the dignified environment, the shadows flitting across the train windows were as thin as blank pieces of paper-cut art.


    ...


    Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t find anything valuable. Most items, such as ¡°movie tapes,¡± resulted in a prompt that said ¡°This item cannot be taken out of the instance¡± upon closer inspection.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this instance to be so easy,¡± Qing Meng commented as she stopped in the aquarium carriage and looked at the rotting, mutated fish in the tank.


    Their bodies emitted a strange, flickering glow that faintly illuminated her face.


    ¡°Normal,¡± Fan Quan said, ¡°The difficulty of this instance lies in changing one¡¯s way of thinking to find the key. If we really had to fight those little monsters, we would be dead meat.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because Spider Man is overly strong?¡± Ju Zipi remarked.


    Ke Mingye turned and looked at him, ¡°Ah, what does that have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very curious about your physical fitness attribute score,¡± Ju Zipi said, squinting his eyes at Ke Mingye.


    ¡°Not much,¡± Ke Mingye replied, ¡°Doesn¡¯t everyone have attributes in the tens? What¡¯s there to talk about?¡±


    Ju Zipi pondered for a moment and said with a smile, ¡°Hmm¡­ why do I feel like your words are like someone who¡¯s 199 centimeters tall saying that everyone is in the one meter range, and there¡¯s nothing to ask about height?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll phrase it differently, personal privacy.¡±


    ¡°Uh, didn¡¯t you just say something in the discussion group about how we share a common fate¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop the chit-chat,¡± Fan Quan cut off their conversation, ¡°If you¡¯re free, scoop out these four fish and check if there¡¯s anything inside them.¡±


    Ke Mingye was about to pull out his web shooter to see if he could lift the fish out with webs, but then he thought there might be someone more suitable for the job right next to him. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ju Zipi summoned the Wave Blade, manipulating the water currents to drag the fish out of the tank and dissect them.


    As the fish were torn apart, irregularly shaped crystals and innards fell out en masse onto the ground, still smeared with blood. It seemed the light inside the fish came from those crystals.


    They bent down to pick up the crystals¡ªexactly four, seemingly spawned according to the number of players who entered the instance.


    [Item Name: Mutated Fish Crystal]


    [Item Level: Unknown]


    [Item Description: If you¡¯re not afraid of death, swallow it and see. Something amazing might happen.]


    [Judgment: This item can be taken out of the instance and exchanged for Mall Coins in the shop.]


    After reading the description, Ke Mingye looked around at his three teammates and asked, ¡°Anyone want to swallow one and give it a try?¡±


    They remained silent, shooting him a ¡°are you stupid?¡± look.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me? Maybe eating it will increase attributes,¡± Ke Mingye shrugged.


    ¡°You might as well say that eating it could turn you into a mutant, like a fish-person who can breathe underwater,¡± Fan Quan suggested, ¡°I think that would be quite a spectacle. Maybe there are instances hidden beneath the sea. Training underwater could be much faster than in a big city, with no superheroes or vigilantes watching over you.¡±


    He paused, then continued rambling,


    ¡°Besides, this world is full of wonders. You might come across an underwater ruin between the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas that holds the legacy power of Poseidon. Then with that, you could gain a divine connection with Poseidon. Wouldn¡¯t that be great? You¡¯d leave the other players miles behind.¡±


    Ke Mingye nodded thoughtfully and put his hand on his shoulder, ¡°I think the cultured man has a point. Do you two want to try? Poseidon is waiting at the bottom of the sea for you.¡±


    ¡°Rather be swallowed by a whale,¡± Ju Zipi said.


    ¡°Damn mutants, damn Poseidon, you two talk so fancifully, why don¡¯t you try it yourselves?¡± Qing Meng scoffed, glancing disdainfully at them both.


    ¡°Fine, let Fan Quan cast a ¡¯Superhuman Will¡¯ on me, and I¡¯ll swallow it within 2.5 seconds,¡± Ke Mingye suggested.


    ¡°It¡¯s Fan Quan, not Fan Dog,¡± Fan Quan corrected him, then paused, ¡°Also, it¡¯s not every time you cast Gates of Humanities that you get Nietzsche. That skill is more about adapting on the fly and choosing the right theoretical skill from the randomly refreshed ones to use depending on the situation.¡±


    ¡°Forget it then, let¡¯s just turn it into Mall Coins, who knows what might happen after swallowing this stuff,¡± Ke Mingye concluded.


    Though he said this, Ke Mingye was actually quite curious to let a Deception Puppet swallow the Mutated Fish Crystal to see what would happen.


    Who knew, it might truly turn into a fish-person, then when being chased, jump into a sewer when in doubt¡ªthere certainly couldn¡¯t be any superheroes who would swim through waste as he could.


    A perfect escape route was born just like that.


    ¡°One crystal per person, if there are no objections, let¡¯s get off the train. We have one minute to exit the instance,¡± Fan Quan said, stepping off the train first.


    Then the four of them just sat on the platform, quietly watching the rusted tracks under the setting sun. The train car lay there forlorn, the sunset casting a faded red hue over it.


    ¡°Exterminating the superhumans, do you think it¡¯s really possible?¡±


    Ju Zipi suddenly asked.


    ¡°If not, just treat it as a trip, since the world we come from is pretty boring anyway.¡±


    Qing Meng gathered all the guns into her backpack, slung it over her shoulder, and spoke with indifference.


    Ke Mingye remained silent for a moment, then lifted his head to gaze at the giant sun.


    ¡°Compared to that, could you kill innocent people?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Your question is meaningless,¡± Fan Quan said expressionlessly. ¡°For example, we¡¯re just insects trapped in a cage, without the right to contemplate the actions of those outside the cage, nor should we consider whether the other insects we fight with are innocent.¡±


    He paused: ¡°To struggle by any means necessary to stay alive is the most basic, and the last, right of every life.¡±


    Ke Mingye was silent, his gaze lowered to the rusted track.


    He was about to speak when Qing Meng beat him to it.


    ¡°Please, can¡¯t your ideas be less formulaic?¡± she said. ¡°This thing you call a system already calls you a player, so just go with it and treat this world like a game. You¡¯ve played things like Grand Theft Auto, right? Do you feel guilty about killing in games like that?¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯ve never played it,¡± Fan Quan said.


    ¡°Neither have I,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    ¡°Feels not as good as¡­ Genshin Impact.¡±


    Ju Zipi looked down at the book ¡¯Fantasy Tales¡¯, mumbling to himself.


    Qing Meng opened her mouth, nearly suffocating with frustration.


    She was on the verge of pulling out a handgun from her bag and firing a bullet into each of their heads, but just then, the instance settlement panel appeared, diverting everyone¡¯s attention.


    Ke Mingye looked up at the panel.


    [You will leave the instance in thirty seconds. The instance rewards have been delivered to each player¡¯s inventory. Please confirm reception¡­]


    [You have received the standard completion reward for instance #7: One, 5000 Mall Coins; Two, 3000 Experience Points; Three, a set of train conductor uniforms (consisting of coat and trousers) (Grade E equipment).]


    [You have received the MVP additional completion reward for instance #7: One, 500 Experience Points; Two, 1000 Mall Coins; Three, the train conductor¡¯s cap (Grade D equipment).]


    ¡°Is this really the MVP reward?¡±


    Ke Mingye was astonished, thinking to himself that MVPs had such great benefits; he really shouldn¡¯t slack off in the future.


    [Current experience progress: Lv.7 (3500 points / 4000 points)]


    [Current Mall Coins amount: 8260]


    ¡°Knowing this is enough, saying it out loud makes you sound like a total pain,¡± Qing Meng said.


    ¡°I feel like the settlements are imbalanced. I should have been the MVP for both instances¡­¡±


    Fan Quan¡¯s gaze swept over the settlement screen, his head lowered, murmuring to himself in confusion.


    ¡°Cultured man, you had a damage share of zero in both instances. The fact that you weren¡¯t flagged for being AFK is already lucky,¡± Ju Zipi said with a smile. ¡°Anyway, see you next time.¡±


    In the final seconds before leaving the instance, Fan Quan suddenly turned to look at Ke Mingye: ¡°By the way, Spider Man, I need to talk to you alone. After we leave the instance, you set the place.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything you can¡¯t say now?¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t time, can¡¯t do it now.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s meet at the dessert shop on Third Street.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    As they were talking, the figures of the four disappeared. On the empty tracks, the train disintegrated into a heap with a mournful cry, melting into the desolate earth to nourish the weeds.


    When Ke Mingye opened his eyes again, he was in a deserted alley nearby. He walked out of the alley, and right around the corner was the meeting place he had arranged with Fan Quan.


    What does Cultured Man want to talk to me about?


    He wondered as he maneuvered his Deception Puppet into the dessert shop, taking a seat on the second floor.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Fan Quan walked up the stairs of the dessert shop. He pulled up a chair opposite Ke Mingye and looked directly at him through his glasses, his gaze piercing.


    He said, ¡°You¡¯re on the Superhero Association¡¯s official wanted list.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    Ke Mingye asked, pointing at himself.


    He thought to himself, come on, how could a model youth like me be on the wanted list? Did Qing Ya accidentally upload his son¡¯s handsome photo when he was posting the list of wanted criminals?


    Seeing Ke Mingye¡¯s reaction, Fan Quan took out his phone unhurriedly, operated it for a moment, and then turned the screen towards Ke Mingye.


    He asked straightforwardly, ¡°The Dice Monster, a Level C wanted criminal, that¡¯s you, right?¡±

 Chapter 76 - 76 - 064: The Arsonist

    Chapter 76 ¨C 064: The Arsonist


    ¡°C-level wanted criminal ¡¯Dice Monster,¡¯ charges: destruction of public facilities, arson on an overpass, and from his known behavior, he is suspected of having self-detonation abilities and can cause supernatural phenomena by throwing dice.¡±


    Fan Quan took a glass of lemonade from the waiter, speaking unhurriedly. His voice was as low as possible, audible only to him and Ke Mingye.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye was stunned for a few seconds before he realized, thinking to himself, ¡°Is this for real? I¡¯ve made it onto the wanted list, and the Superhero Association has marked my level so high?¡±


    He commanded the Deception Puppet to look up, gazing intently at the ¡°C-level wanted criminals list¡± on the Superhero Association¡¯s official website.


    The first photo that caught his eye was ¡°Dice Monster.¡±


    In the photo, a gray figure squatted above a traffic light sign. It was dangling its hollow eyes downward, the corners of its mouth turned up high, and its right hand was throwing a die toward the street below.


    The reasons for the warrant and the display of abilities were exactly as Fan Quan had said, without a single word of difference.


    ...


    Fan Quan continued slowly, ¡°This must be your doing, considering both the dice ability and the school uniform on the body, the details mostly match up. The appearance is a bit strange, but I¡¯ll go ahead and assume that this mechanical body of yours can change its appearance at will, especially given the ¡¯suspected self-detonation abilities¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, if it were just the above, it would still be speculation without evidence.¡±


    He paused, ¡°So, most crucially, this photo was taken yesterday afternoon, right in front of Yandai Cinema City, which is close to our meeting place at Meiyijia, and the timing was just after we came out of the instance.¡±


    As he spoke, he put away his phone, pocketing it: ¡°All these points, if merely a coincidence, would be far too coincidental.¡±


    Ke Mingye was silent for a while before he couldn¡¯t help but shrug, ¡°So you¡¯re dressed up like Sherlock Holmes today and even wearing a Lustig¡¯s Hat just to show off your deductive skills?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant to our discussion,¡± Fan Quan said.


    Ke Mingye calmly asked, ¡°So, can I at least try to argue that this thing isn¡¯t me?¡±


    In fact, he had anticipated this. It was only a matter of time before he was exposed, ever since he mentioned that he took a passive Skill for weight reduction¡ªthe very fact he wouldn¡¯t be able to pass a genetic test or school physical examination made it ludicrously obvious.


    At the time, he seemed to brush it off, but it made sense for Fan Quan to harbor suspicions about him.


    Had he really been exposed, Ke Mingye would certainly not reveal his situation to the other party.


    Given the severe ecological environment at home, one wrong step would finish him. To divulge that information would be to place his life in the hands of others, and Ke Mingye was not that naive.


    ¡°You may try to argue, but it would be pointless.¡±


    As he spoke, Fan Quan¡¯s hand, which had been holding the phone, slid into his pocket, leaning back in his chair, he raised his eyes to meet the face of the puppet: ¡°Considering all the evidence, this matter is basically inseparable from you. I hope you can give me an acceptable explanation.¡±


    Ke Mingye took a sip of tap water brought by the server, thinking to himself that he really had caused trouble.


    If he had known, he would have remembered to have the puppet take off the school uniform back at the cinema, so he wouldn¡¯t have slipped up, but at that moment his brother was blocking the entrance to the cinema, and he didn¡¯t have time to think so much, he had to act quickly.


    Besides¡­ even if the puppet hadn¡¯t been wearing the school uniform, Fan Quan most likely would have connected ¡°Dice¡± to him anyway.


    But it didn¡¯t matter, even without cooperating with other players, he was confident that he could still become stronger on his own. It¡¯s just that at the beginning, he was lacking in offensive methods, so being able to blend into an instance was an advantage.


    Ke Mingye leaned his head against the wall behind him, exhaling gently, speaking slowly and calmly, ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s not much to refute. I lied to you all; my first Skill wasn¡¯t weight reduction but creating a puppet.¡±


    ¡°So, the ¡¯Dice Monster¡¯ is your puppet, and the last time you went through an instance with us, you used this puppet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same now.¡±


    Ke Mingye was straightforward.


    ¡°Is it because you don¡¯t trust us?¡± Fan Quan speculated, ¡°But it also makes sense. If I had an ability to manipulate puppets, I surely would have it meet up with other players in my stead.¡±


    Ke Mingye met his gaze, explaining.


    ¡°It¡¯s not really about trust, it¡¯s just that my situation is very complicated. I can¡¯t discuss the specifics with you, all I can say is that where I come from isn¡¯t quite the same as you, and just about anyone around me could threaten my life¡­ So, if I want to meet you, I can only use a puppet; I have no choice.¡±


    He paused: ¡°If you think I would endanger your safety or expose your movements and identities, then I have no problem leaving the team right now. I¡¯m not shy about saying so.¡±


    There was a brief silence before Fan Quan said, ¡°I see, let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll leave the team.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve misunderstood me.¡±


    Fan Quan took a sip of his lemonade and said, ¡°What I mean is, let¡¯s just leave it at this, it¡¯s enough for you to use the Deception Puppet and join us in the instances.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow. He had expected the cultured man to confront him directly, but the matter being concluded like this felt odd.


    He didn¡¯t know what Fan Quan, that old schemer, was really thinking, so he just quietly waited for his companion to speak.


    Fan Quan stated, ¡°Your identity is indeed very suspicious, but judging from your performance in this instance, you are an indispensable part of the team, and there¡¯s no reason to let you leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, my situation is dangerous. Aren¡¯t you worried I¡¯ll drag you all down with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also a potential fugitive. Since our ultimate goal is the extinction of the superhuman race, we are all in the same boat. What¡¯s the difference?¡± Fan Quan spoke calmly. ¡°Besides, since I can manage my own troubles, I think you should be able to control yourself well enough not to implicate your own people.¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyelid twitched. Bro, my troubles are not on the same level as yours, I have eight A-class superhumans watching me at home.


    It¡¯s just a few superhumans you killed, at most, some minor heroes will come out to play hide and seek with you. If they can¡¯t catch you, they might just let it go. After all, there¡¯s a major incident every day in this world.


    Leaning back in his chair, Fan Quan flipped through the black-leather Bible and continued, ¡°Also, if you have any powerful skills, just use them directly in the instance next time. No need to hide them away.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, why do you think I¡¯m holding back any major skills?¡±


    ¡°After all, I¡¯ve killed four superhumans, but my wanted level on the official website is only E-class, nowhere near yours¡­ This shows that the Superhero Association regards you with higher importance, and your strength is likely far beyond what you have shown. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t pay so much attention to you.¡±


    ¡°Also, your performance in the instance is too outrageous. Your ¡¯Physical fitness¡¯ attributes must far exceed the average value of the players, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to break through those knife-wielding men.¡±


    After a two-second hesitation, Ke Mingye asked, ¡°Cultured man, do you think there¡¯s a possibility?¡±


    ¡°What possibility?¡±


    ¡°That the Superhero Association values me highly only because I was lucky before, and the results of my Dice Monster¡¯s throws were good. Maybe I¡¯m not as profoundly adept as you think.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    Mingye said that, but he knew the high level of his wanted status was definitely because his big brother had spiced up his criminal record.


    The charge of ¡°arson on the overpass¡± suggested that the wanted information was one hundred percent submitted by Ke Yinzhi.


    After all, apart from his brother, no one else knew about his meeting with Black Wukong on the overpass.


    In fact, when Mingye first saw this charge, he couldn¡¯t help but secretly retort, ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, arson on an overpass is pinned on me, when it was clearly Black Wukong¡¯s doing. Don¡¯t pin the things your sister did on me, big brother. Don¡¯t criminals have any rights?¡±


    Following this line of thought, it was most likely his brother who submitted his file to the Superhero Association and even exercised his authority as the highest executive officer of the Management Bureau to deliberately raise his threat level, purportedly to make the Association take notice and catch him as soon as possible.


    But being classified as C-level was really too exaggerated¡­


    Scanning the wanted list, Ke Mingye found the Deception Puppet out of place among the C-level fugitives, like a clown from a circus stuffed among a group of strong men.


    So, starting today, superheros will begin to bother me¡­ he thought to himself. Yet, they won¡¯t catch me, after all, the most troublesome bunch is playing house with me; I can perceive their movements instantly, so what is there to fear from anyone else?


    ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s leave it as it is for now. Same as usual, I¡¯ll contact you when needed,¡± said Fan Quan, closing the book.


    ¡°Thanks for speaking with me about this alone.¡±


    Fan Quan said expressionlessly, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to affect the other two. If there is discord, it would not be easy to cooperate in the instance. That would be a headache for me as the commander.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± said Ke Mingye.


    ¡°Goodbye, and if you encounter a special situation later that requires evasion, don¡¯t send the puppet recklessly, lest you expose your whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ke Mingye said after a pause. ¡°Goodbye¡­ I hope we both live to the end.¡±


    Fan Quan gave him a glance, stood up from his seat, and swept past him.


    Mingye waited a moment, deliberately offsetting his timing from Fan Quan¡¯s, then left the cafe. He changed his face, took a bus to the coast, and crammed his body into the sea to self-destruct.


    The flames were swallowed up by the turbulent waves, yet the sun remained fiercely bright.

 Chapter 77 - 77 - 065 Bai Zini’s Brain Imaging House Party! (Part One)

    Chapter 77 ¨C 065 Bai Zini¡¯s Brain Imaging House Party! (Part One)


    June 21, 4:30 PM.


    Ke Mingye walked out of his room, picked up a wireless controller from the sofa, and joined Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu in playing a cooperative game on the Switch platform, ¡°Overcooked 2,¡± on the TV.


    Ke Yinzhi was playing chess with his father at the nearby table, the former propping up his chin and the latter holding his forehead, both deep in a closely contested game.


    Ke Xiaomo leaned against the wall with arms crossed, quietly observing the chess game.


    After eating a late lunch, Bai Qiuwu went back to her room on the second floor to continue resting.


    She seemed quite down today, barely speaking during lunch as she fiddled with her chopsticks and remained mostly in bed, hardly moving.


    Bai Wenna had gone shopping with a close friend, telling them to eat dinner out as she wouldn¡¯t be back in the evening due to another commitment.


    ...


    The fan slowly spun, and at the moment the clock hand hit 4:45 PM, the front door of the Bai Ke household suddenly clicked open, and someone hurriedly pushed through.


    All eyes in the room instinctively turned towards the sound.


    ¡°The fabulous Magic Girl returns¡ªdid you miss me?¡±


    Bai Zini steadied herself, hands on hips and a smile curling on her lips as she looked around at everyone. She was clutching a heavy shopping bag, its contents unknown.


    Seeing that it was her, everyone quietly returned to their own affairs.


    ¡°Why is no one paying attention to me?¡± Bai Zini puffed her cheeks sullenly and frowned, ¡°Guess what I brought back from my friend¡¯s house. It¡¯s this¡­¡±


    She paused for effect, then pulled a black item from the shopping bag.


    ¡°Ta-da! A brain imaging helmet!¡±


    At this revelation, everyone¡¯s gaze shifted back to her.


    The quickest to turn their heads were Ke Yinzhi, Ke Youqing, Ke Xiaomo, and Ke Mingye, all of whom displayed an almost identical mix of surprise¡­ befuddlement¡­ perplexity, and even shock.


    Bai Zini held up the metallic helmet with excitement glittering in her eyes.


    At that moment, her brilliant mind was buzzing with thoughts as follows.


    ¡°Just wait, I¡¯m about to find out if there are any gamers in the family! It seems like my second brother and big sister haven¡¯t used this helmet before. My oldest brother just got back from university and hasn¡¯t tried it either¡­ The master just mentioned in the meeting that people over thirty-five won¡¯t be ¡¯possessed¡¯ by gamers, so there¡¯s no need to test mom and dad, just skip them.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ my targets are my oldest brother, second brother, and big sister. I must get them to wear the helmet today to confirm there are no traitors in the family!¡±


    As Bai Zini thought this, her gaze shifted to her oldest brother and father playing chess, her eyes gleaming with a ¡°you can¡¯t escape now¡± look, and her smile even wider.


    At that moment, several in the room were still processing what was happening.


    Especially Ke Youqing and Ke Yinzhi.


    Ke Youqing furrowed his brows, eyes intensely fixed on the helmet. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then just rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    The corner of Ke Yinzhi¡¯s eye twitched, his usual composure gone, his pupils flickering with a profound light.


    He thought, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why does Xiao Ni have a brain imaging helmet? According to the Management Bureau, only the three heads of the Magical Girl Alliance and Qing Ya from the Superhero Association should have these helmets at this time¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, Ke Xiaomo slowly unfolded his arms, staring in stunned silence at the helmet in Bai Zini¡¯s hands, his stern brows filled with disbelief.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why do dad and my older brothers look so suspicious? Could they really be gamers?¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Zini, observing everyone¡¯s reactions, slowly lowered the helmet, sensing that something was off, and continued brainstorming intensely.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have the winning ticket! If there are any players among them, they won¡¯t be able to escape now. Damn, why do I feel so anxious? Maybe my older and second brothers have really been possessed¡­ Right, what about my older sister? Is she sleeping upstairs?


    Maybe she¡¯s feeling guilty; after all, she was the first to flee in the cinema last time,¡± she thought.


    As she considered this, her gaze suddenly became resolute, yet her face still wore a happy smile.


    Ke Mingye turned his head, staring blankly at the brain imaging helmet in Bai Zini¡¯s hand.


    Although his face was expressionless, his back was drenched in cold sweat; he was nearly scared to fall off the sofa.


    ¡°Holy shit, what the hell is this?!¡± he thought, ¡°You go to New York for a meeting and bring this ominous thing home? Isn¡¯t your secret identity as a Magic Girl completely ruined now?¡±


    He guessed that Bai Zini had probably gone to New York for a meeting with the top three of the Magical Girl Alliance concerning ¡¯players,¡¯ and then obtained this brain imaging helmet from them.


    Without even thinking about it, it must have been Xizi Yue¡¯s doing; only Xizi Yue would carelessly give such a thing to Bai Zini to mess around with.


    Right after getting the helmet, Bai Zini hurried home, wanting to see if there was a mole among them. If there really was one, she would blow his head off with a Cinderella shot!


    Ke Yongzhu was the first to turn his head back, staring emotionlessly at the TV while dismissing with disdain, ¡°Boring, didn¡¯t we already play with this lousy helmet last time in the cinema?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not interesting at all, only elementary school students would enjoy playing with it,¡± Ke Mingye added mockingly.


    After speaking, he shrank back apprehensively against the sofa, cold sweat streaming down his forehead, thinking to himself, ¡°Bai Zini, you fool, if you want to blow your cover, just don¡¯t drag me into it¡­¡±


    Bai Ziling said nothing, just stared at the helmet for a while, then slowly turned her head back too. It seemed that compared to this helmet, she found playing Switch games with the family more interesting.


    The three on the sofa resumed the paused game of ¡°Overcooked¡± and continued playing, acting as if it had nothing to do with them.


    Ke Youqing thought for a few seconds, then turned to the three on the sofa with a somewhat hoarse voice asking, ¡°Are you saying you played with this thing last time at the cinema? When was that?¡±


    His eyes moved, scrutinizing each child¡¯s expression.


    Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo exchanged a glance, both seeking an answer from the other. However, the confusion in their eyes was clear ¡ª indeed, it was the two of them who had cooperated last time at the cinema, trying to test with the brain imaging helmet to see if their younger siblings had been possessed by players.


    But what was happening now? Why did Xiao Ni have a brain imaging helmet?


    While Ke Xiaomo thought, he averted his gaze and began to explain, ¡°Dad, it was yesterday afternoon. I took Mingye and the others to the movies, and then we met a staff member. That staff member offered a free trial of this helmet as part of the movie experience, and we all tried it.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Bai Ziling said softly, ¡°Last time only my second brother and Qiuwu didn¡¯t play, everyone else did.¡±


    As she spoke, she cocked her head, the light-colored strands of her hair swaying, her slender fingers quickly pressing the glowing button on the controller. In the game, the chef avatar moved swiftly around the kitchen, chopping up salmon with a knife.


    Ke Mingye and Ke Yongzhu on the sofa were equally silent, their eyes following the game characters as if their souls were sucked into the game, completely oblivious to the conversation around them.


    Ke Youqing was silent for a long while, his gaze fixed on Ke Xiaomo, he asked in a deep voice, ¡°Then¡­ did anyone have any problems while playing with the helmet, like brain damage or something?¡±


    On hearing this, Ke Xiaomo shook his head, his expression blank as he said, ¡°No, they assured us that it was very safe. They even demonstrated it themselves; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have let them play.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, we tried it once in the cinema,¡± Bai Zini hummed, ¡°My classmates also assured me it was very safe, so I thought I¡¯d bring it home for everyone to play with.¡±


    Saying this, she placed the brain imaging helmet on the table, looking around every corner of the home, puzzled, she asked:


    ¡°Eh, where¡¯s older sister? We¡¯re only missing her. It¡¯s a shame she missed out last time!¡±


    ¡°I was resting upstairs¡­¡± Bai Qiuwu yawned as she came down the stairs, saying, ¡°Why is it so noisy today, is there something going on at home?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, sister, how did you know there was a big event!¡±


    Speaking seriously, Bai Zini raised the brain imaging helmet from the table, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a Brain Imaging Party!¡±

 Chapter 78 - 78 - 066: Bai Zini’s Brain Imaging Family Party! (Part 2)

    Chapter 78 ¨C 066: Bai Zini¡¯s Brain Imaging Family Party! (Part 2)


    ¡°Zi Ni, where did you get this helmet from?¡±


    Ke Youqing paused for a moment, lifted his eyes to Bai Zini, and asked.


    At that moment, Bai Zini was explaining the usage of the brain imaging helmet to Bai Qiuwu. While multitasking, she casually answered her father¡¯s question.


    ¡°A classmate lent it to me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the name of this classmate?¡±


    ¡°Qiu Xia, she¡¯s in the same grade as me but in class two, right next to mine.¡±


    ¡°Do you have her WeChat?¡± Ke Youqing continued, ¡°If you do, send it to me. I want to ask her about this helmet, see if it¡¯s safe.¡±


    ...


    Bai Zini turned her head annoyingly and frowned heavily at him, saying irritably:


    ¡°So annoying! Dad, why do you care so much? Is this helmet going to explode or fry my brain or something, you stick in the mud!¡±


    Ke Youqing ignored her and simply held his arms with a serious expression, pinching the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°Qiu Xia¡­¡±


    He silently repeated the name, thinking he had heard it somewhere before.


    Soon, he remembered that this was the real name of the recently debuted ¡°Magical Girl Feng.¡±


    As a member of the Superhero Round Table, he had almost the highest level of access and could freely log into the Magical Girl Alliance¡¯s official website, and look through the Magic Girl profiles submitted by the Alliance, which he usually skimmed whenever he had time, so he had remembered this name.


    ¡°Just let us play, Dad, it¡¯s not dangerous, big brother can vouch for us. We used this helmet at the movie theater last time and nothing happened!¡±


    Bai Zini, puffing her cheeks like a panda, said while poking Ke Xiaomo¡¯s shoulder with her index finger.


    ¡°Stop poking me, if Dad says no, then there¡¯s nothing I can do. This thing belongs to someone else and should be returned,¡± Ke Xiaomo said expressionlessly, blocking Bai Zini¡¯s finger with one hand.


    ¡°Fine, you guys play then, I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡±


    Saying this, Ke Youqing moved to the restroom, closed the door behind him, and sat on the toilet lid. He unlocked his phone using his fingerprint, logged into his second WeChat account that he seldom used.


    He glanced through the contact list and found Xizi Yue, one of the three heads of the Magical Girl Alliance.


    He opened the chat window, hesitated for two seconds, typed a message on the keyboard, and pressed send.


    [Qing Ya: The brain imaging helmet from the Management Bureau, who have you given it to?]


    Xizi Yue was a surfing enthusiast who always had her phone with her 24/7, so she quickly replied to the message.


    [Xizi Yue: Two kids from around Huanjing, Magical Girl Rainbow, and Feng, you¡¯ve met them before. They said they wanted to check if there were any players in their families, so I just let them have the helmets.]


    Ke Youqing stared at the message and sighed softly, thinking how Xizi Yue was still as casual as ever. Even though she was the world¡¯s strongest magic girl, her approach to important matters was utterly disregardful of protocol.


    [Qing Ya: Where are they now?]


    [Xizi Yue: After the meeting this morning, I already sent them back to Huanjing, what¡¯s up?]


    [Qing Ya: Tell those two kids you escorted not to casually lend the brain imaging helmet to friends, especially not to ordinary people. This is a serious matter.]


    [Xizi Yue: Is that so?]


    She paused, then continued to send messages.


    [Xizi Yue: Hmm¡­ probably it¡¯s because Xiao Feng and Xiao Hong are quite kind to the people around them. They might be worried that a friend¡¯s family member has been replaced by a player, so they made an exception and lent it to them.]


    Ke Youqing stared at the message, pondering for a moment.


    Just to be safe, he logged into the Superhero Association¡¯s official website with the account that had the highest authority and unlocked the information of those two newcomer magic girls, quickly scanning it again.


    He then checked the latest news about them. In the photos, Magical Girl Ash was shown with them on a mission, and the three were giving a ¡°¡¯yea¡± sign to the media.


    Ke Youqing switched back to WeChat and continued to send messages to Xizi Yue.


    [Qing Ya: What¡¯s the relationship between Magical Girl Ash and the two newcomers?]


    [Xizi Yue: She¡¯s kind of an old cadre now, I asked her to take the new ones under her wing, no issues there, right?]


    [Qing Ya: Has Ash¡¯s identity still not been officially disclosed?]


    Experience more on empire


    [Xizi Yue: No, she¡¯s stubborn, just like you, absolutely refuses to register her identity.]


    [Qing Ya: What¡¯s her real name?]


    [Xizi Yue: Why do you ask, do you like that type of girl?]


    Ke Youqing suddenly fell silent, thinking, I¡¯m practically half in the grave, could you please show some respect when you speak, especially since you¡¯re still a face of the Alliance, totally lacking any sense of propriety.


    He then typed a reply. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Qing Ya: Just answer me.]


    [Xizi Yue: That¡¯s private, I promised her I¡¯d keep it secret, even from you, Comrade Qing Ya.]


    [Qing Ya: Just one question then, how old is she?]


    [Xizi Yue: Our little Ash is about 17 years old this year, a young high school student. If you were to act inappropriately towards a minor, even a superhero would provoke public outrage, not to mention that you are the notorious Mr. Qing Ya, it might just land you execution by the Anomaly Control Bureau this time.]


    [Qing Ya: Cut the nonsense, what is the Magical Girl Ash doing now?]


    [Xizi Yue: Hanging out with me at Le Bernardin in New York, having fun and dining.]


    After typing the message, she sent a photo.

 Chapter 79 - 79 - 066 Bai Zini’s Brain Imaging Family Party! (Part 2)_2

    Chapter 79 ¨C 066 Bai Zini¡¯s Brain Imaging Family Party! (Part 2)_2


    ¡°`


    In the photo, a round table draped with a white tablecloth was set with a dazzling array of seafood dishes: tuna tartare, salmon tartare, pan-seared cod, saut¨¦ed flounder, steamed Australian lobster, along with French caviar. A waiter was bringing the next dish to the table, a plate with cr¨¨me br?l¨¦e and an assortment of chocolate desserts.


    It must be said that the lives of these top-tier Magic Girls are indeed luxurious, especially for Xizi Yue, who had control over the Magic Card ¡°Time-Space Train.¡±


    In an interview, she had said that her greatest pleasure was to travel all over the world, tasting delicacies from every place, and the ¡°Time-Space Train¡± Magic Card was created specifically to fulfill this purpose.


    Why would such a person become a once-in-three-thousand-year genius Magic Girl? Couldn¡¯t there be someone more discreet and ethical for the role?


    Qing Ya had reflected on this point in his heart.


    [Qing Ya: It¡¯s nothing, you guys go ahead and play.]


    ...


    After sending this message, Ke Youqing turned off his phone.


    ¡°Is it just a coincidence¡­¡± He lowered his head, thinking to himself, ¡°Xiao Ni¡¯s classmate who is a Magic Girl is quite close to her, and she must have secretly lent her the brain imaging helmet.¡±


    What about the children mentioning having experienced the ¡°brain imaging helmet¡± at the movie theater? It sounded like the work of someone from the Anomaly Control Bureau, but the bureau¡¯s people should not be aware that I am Qing Ya¡­


    And even if someone did know my identity, they would have to be incredibly bold to make a move on my child behind my back.


    Cold light swirled in Ke Youqing¡¯s pupils, like a predatory beast ready to strike.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find the ¡¯Black Judge¡¯ some other day and have a good talk with him, but for now, let¡¯s see if any of these kids at home has actually developed a problem¡­¡±


    ¡­..


    ¡­


    At the same time, on the other side of the house.


    Ke Yinzhi opened his smartphone in the shadow of the stairway entrance and activated a secure Anomaly Control Bureau communication software, authenticating his identity with both fingerprint and facial recognition.


    ¡°Welcome to the Anomaly Control Bureau operatives¡¯ exclusive APP, Mr. ¡¯Black Judge.¡¯¡±


    A gentle yet distant female voice emanated from the phone, as if carrying the scent of disinfectant.


    Ke Yinzhi operated his phone and sent a message to the Information Department of the Anomaly Control Bureau: ¡°Qiu Xia, help me look up the background of this name.¡±


    The response was mechanically and concisely delivered: ¡°She awakened the Comet Fragment within her body on February 1st of 2028, which was 131 days ago, and thus became a Magic Girl. A week later, Qiu Xia was discovered by the Alliance leader Xizi Yue and joined the Alliance under the alias ¡¯Feng.¡¯


    Ke Yinzhi lightly touched his philtrum with his right hand.


    Upon receiving the message, he pondered for two seconds and said, ¡°Send a message to the three leaders of the Alliance, asking them to verify who has handled the brain imaging helmet dispatched to the Alliance today, and report the list to me¡­ the situation is urgent; they must respond within ten minutes.¡±


    After speaking, Ke Yinzhi sat on the stairway¡¯s handrail, quietly waiting, the shadow concealing his eyes while his index finger tapped slowly and rhythmically on the old mahogany handrail.


    Less than a minute later, a voice message arrived.


    ¡°The head of the Alliance¡¯s China division, Xizi Yue, claims that the helmet has only been in the hands of the new Magical Girls Feng and Rainbow from Huanjing; there are no other records of its movements.¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Yinzhi exhaled gently and closed his phone expressionlessly.


    ¡°So Xiao Ni¡¯s friend turns out to be a Magic Girl¡­¡± he thought to himself, ¡°Should I warn her in private to stay away from Xiao Ni?¡±


    ¡°Forget it, let it be for now.¡±


    ¡°`


    A moment later, Ke Yinzhi shook his head and slowly walked out of the shadow at the top of the stairs.


    At this time, the living room was thrown into chaos by Bai Zini, and Ke Xiaomo, sitting on the couch, was so annoyed he could barely stand it, so he was forced to put on the brain imaging helmet.


    A few seconds passed, and he took off the helmet.


    Bai Zini came over, glanced at the images displayed on the back of the helmet, breathed a sigh of relief, and thought it was good that her second brother wasn¡¯t a gamer.


    She suddenly looked up, staring at Ke Yinzhi and Bai Qiuwu like a little lion seeing its prey, and continued to pester them, ¡°That leaves only you, big brother and big sister, to have a try. Come over and experience it!¡±


    Ke Xiaomo sighed, placed the helmet on the couch, then stood up and approached Ke Yinzhi. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How is it going?¡± he asked quietly.


    Ke Yinzhi chuckled lightly, ¡°Xiao Ni¡¯s friend is a Magic Girl, and that Magic Girl just took the brain imaging helmet from the Alliance. She lent it to her.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo was shocked.


    ¡°Are people from the Alliance always this casual?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Just look at who the president of the China division is; it¡¯s her influence. It would be strange if they weren¡¯t casual,¡± Ke Yinzhi replied.


    ¡°Xizi Yue?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Ke Yinzhi shrugged, ¡°Almost everyone in the Management Bureau knows her name. If she wasn¡¯t so gifted, with her work attitude, she probably would have been dragged down from the president¡¯s position by the Alliance¡¯s top leaders long ago.¡±


    As they were talking, Ke Youqing walked out of the bathroom with a cigarette dangling from his mouth and asked Bai Zini, ¡°How¡¯s it going? Your brain alright?¡±


    Bai Zini gave him a look, ¡°Dad, are you just wishing to see the helmet explode and your dear daughter done for?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be nice. With one less troublemaker like you, I¡¯d have one less worry,¡± he said.


    With that, Ke Youqing took a deep drag of his cigarette, puffing smoke. His gaze moved, and now it was Bai Qiuwu¡¯s turn to put on the brain imaging helmet.


    ¡°Xiao Ni, is it as amazing as you said?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu held the helmet but hesitated to put it on, asking softly.


    She tilted her face slightly, wondering to herself, where exactly had Xiao Ni gotten this thing from¡­ Did she get it from the Alliance as Magical Girl Ash?


    ¡°Yes, ask third brother; he¡¯s tried it once in the cinema,¡± Bai Zini said.


    After speaking, Bai Zini hugged Ke Mingye¡¯s neck from the back of the couch, her eyes filled with annoyance, and said word by word into his ear:


    ¡°Big brother, speak up, will you! Why have you been playing dead since just now? Don¡¯t want to acknowledge me as your sister anymore, huh?¡±


    Ke Mingye was, in fact, playing dead, not daring to utter a single word from beginning to end.


    Now being hugged from behind by Bai Zini, he almost blacked out and nearly fainted on the couch. Experience tales at empire


    Upon recovering, he quickly shifted his shoulders forward to wriggle out of her embrace, saying impatiently, ¡°I¡¯m playing a game, can you not touch me, I¡¯ve been stuck on this level for a long time.¡±


    While he seemed to be responding quite calmly, Ke Mingye was at that moment praying devoutly in his heart.


    ¡°Om Amitabha, may the Buddha reveal himself, demons and ghosts stay away, demons and ghosts stay away, demons and ghosts stay away¡­¡±

 Chapter 80 - 80 - 067: Bai Zini’s Brain Imaging Family Party! (Three)

    Chapter 80 ¨C 067: Bai Zini¡¯s Brain Imaging Family Party! (Three)


    ¡°Wow, I was really just thinking about this image.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu took off the helmet and gazed down at the screen on the back of the brain imaging helmet with her clear, limpid eyes, in silence.


    The image printed on the screen was of fireworks blossoming in circles above the city, the brilliant pyrotechnics lighting up the night sky.


    Bai Zini picked up the helmet, fiddled with it, and brought up the image that had been read from Bai Qiuwu¡¯s visual processing area, relieved to see that there weren¡¯t rows of icons in the upper right corner of the visual field.


    Ke Youqing stood behind her, smoking and observing the imagery on the display.


    ¡°Alright, now that I¡¯ve had my turn, can I go back to resting?¡± Bai Qiuwu turned her head and asked Bai Zini.


    ¡°Go ahead, sister, love you,¡± Bai Zini said without looking up.


    ...


    Good, the older sister wasn¡¯t a player, which seemed to leave only the eldest brother who hadn¡¯t tried it. Thinking this, she shifted her gaze, searching for Ke Yinzhi¡¯s figure in the living room.


    At that moment, Ke Yinzhi was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, his gaze lowered as he read a book. He rested one arm on the back of the sofa, his fingers lightly tapping against it.


    So suspicious, no, extremely suspicious!


    Thinking this, Bai Zini walked over to Ke Yinzhi with her hands clasped behind her, holding the helmet, and whispered, ¡°Eldest, eldest, eldest brother, I command you to try on this helmet too!¡±


    ¡°Why ¡¯eldest, eldest, eldest brother¡¯?¡± Ke Yinzhi asked, puzzled.


    Bai Zini explained, ¡°Since the third brother is ¡¯eldest brother,¡¯ the second brother would be ¡¯eldest, eldest brother,¡¯ so when it comes to you, the eldest, you¡¯d be ¡¯eldest, eldest, eldest brother.¡¯ Is that not okay?¡±


    ¡°What can I possibly say to that, you¡¯re the one with the highest standing in the house,¡± Ke Yinzhi laughed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know what to say? Then don¡¯t say anything! Just put on the helmet and try to imagine something, anything at all.¡± S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As she spoke, Bai Zini came closer and forcefully placed the helmet on Ke Yinzhi¡¯s head, not leaving him any room for resistance.


    Ke Yinzhi shrugged helplessly, ¡°I say, Xiao Ni, can you not be so aggressive? It¡¯s like a cop slapping handcuffs on a criminal, could I even escape?¡±


    ¡°This is the handcuff, no moving!¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine, fine, I surrender,¡± Ke Yinzhi said as he raised his hands and closed his eyes, ¡°Has it started?¡±


    ¡°Yes, if you can¡¯t think of anything, I¡¯ll give you an example¡­ hmm¡­ I remember last time at the movie theater, the example that the staffer gave went something like this¡­¡±


    Bai Zini paused for a moment and lowered her voice, ¡°When you hear the words ¡¯player,¡¯ what comes to mind?¡±


    Ke Mingye picked up a cup from the table, took a light sip, and almost spit out the water he had just drunk when he heard the phrase that popped out of Bai Zini¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Man, the tables have turned, last time the eldest brother set you up, and now it¡¯s your turn to set him up, huh¡­ Truly worthy of our Magical Girl Ash, effortlessly doing what I wouldn¡¯t dare to do,¡± he thought to himself.


    Although within the eight family members, Bai Zini didn¡¯t even know the identity of one, Ke Mingye still silently gave her a thumbs up in his heart. There weren¡¯t many in the world who could get the Black Judge to wear a brain imaging helmet, little sister, you should take pride in this one day!


    At this very moment, Ke Youqing standing behind them furrowed his brow.


    Upon hearing the word ¡°player¡± from Bai Zini¡¯s mouth, he was completely certain that the cinema employee was indeed from the Anomaly Control Bureau.


    But why would someone from the Anomaly Control Bureau appear in a movie theater? Was it to randomly test the safety of the brain imaging helmet on a group of ordinary people?


    It was also too coincidental that they stumbled upon my child, indeed¡­ I must go and ask about it.


    Thinking so, he gently took a drag of his cigarette.


    ¡°Is it done?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi said, opening his eyes from within the helmet.


    ¡°Done.¡±


    Bai Zini picked up the helmet, the image shown on the screen depicted a blood-red sky above a desolate graveyard, with black crows circling above the crosses.


    ¡°Wow, big bro, your imagination is quite stylish.¡±


    Bai Zini remarked as she turned the screen towards Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo, letting them both take a look, and took the opportunity to tease Ke Xiaomo,


    ¡°The images imagined by our older brother are the most boring, all mountains and rivers, clear skies, serene breezes, like something an old man would think of.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with mountains and rivers? Young people should look at more scenery to cultivate their demeanor.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo said emotionlessly, arms crossed over his chest.


    ¡°Can you stop calling me ¡¯big big brother¡¯?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi just glanced briefly at the image before lifting his head to ask with a smile.


    ¡°I also don¡¯t want to hear the name ¡¯big brother¡¯ anymore,¡± Ke Xiaomo added his two cents.


    Holding the brain imaging helmet in her arms, Bai Zini spoke earnestly, ¡°Alright, big brother, second brother, thanks for your cooperation, I am extremely satisfied!¡±


    She paused and then continued, ¡°So, this ¡¯Brain Imaging Party¡¯ is now over, everyone can disperse.¡±


    ¡°You sure are dramatic,¡± Ke Mingye, who was on the couch, couldn¡¯t help saying.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you, someone who only has eyes for games, so heartless!¡±


    Bai Zini said coldly, turning her cheek away while walking behind him, reaching to place the helmet over his head.


    No way, what is she walking over here for, she¡¯s not seriously going to put that thing on my head, is she?


    Ke Mingye appeared to be playing with the game controller but was actually keeping an eye on the reflection in the TV screen, his eyeballs nearly popping out of their sockets as cold sweat streamed down.


    Just as he was about to stand up and make an excuse to go to the bathroom, thankfully, his great father spoke, ¡°Xiao Ni, stop it now. We have had enough fun with this thing; it¡¯s time to return it to your friend.¡±


    Continuing after extinguishing his cigarette and casually throwing it into the bin, Ke Youqing said, ¡°It looks expensive, we can¡¯t afford to lose it.¡±


    Bai Zini turned her cheek and stated with conviction, ¡°Pshaw! If we can¡¯t afford it, I will just find a Contracted Beast and make a contract with it to become a Magic Girl on the spot and collect a salary from the Alliance every month, right?¡±


    ¡°Please, you really don¡¯t even know the basics?¡±


    Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t listen any longer, playing his game while criticizing, ¡°Unless a Contracted Beast comes to you for a contract, there¡¯s no chance, okay? Every year, there are loads of girls trying to get the temple¡¯s Contracted Beasts to make a contract with them. Everyone wants to be a Magic Girl, but first, you need the right qualifications, got it?¡±


    Bai Zini was in an unconvinced mood, ¡°Am I not qualified? I think I can become a very strong Magic Girl too, it¡¯s just that no Contracted Beast has chosen me yet.¡±


    Ke Mingye was about to speak when Ke Xiaomo replaced him, asking in a calm tone, ¡°Xiao Ni, do you know how many Magic Girls die around the globe every year?¡±


    ¡°How many?¡±


    Before Ke Xiaomo could speak, Ke Yinzhi took a sip of his tea, speaking unhurriedly.


    ¡°Nearly a hundred Magic Girls die each year. Don¡¯t be fooled by their glitz and glamor on TV, you can¡¯t imagine how horribly one could be tortured if caught by criminals.¡±


    Bai Zini glanced at the three of them, the anger bubbling within her, ¡°Fine, fine, fine, so the three of you, big brother, second brother, and third brother, are ganging up on me, right? Then I¡¯m not playing with you guys anymore.¡±


    With that, she put the brain imaging helmet into her backpack and briskly walked towards the second floor, leaving behind an angry silhouette.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep, just you guys are amazing¡­ then you go be Magic Girls!¡±


    Her muttering faded away as her figure vanished into the shadow of the stairwell.


    Catching this scene from the corner of his eye, Ke Mingye finally let out a breath, his tense nerves relaxing.


    ¡°To deal with this drama every day, it seriously shortens one¡¯s life¡­¡±


    He rubbed his Tianming Acupoint, thinking to himself that the afternoon had been too agonizing, feeling like seconds ticked by like years.


    Ke Yinzhi glanced at his phone and spoke up, ¡°Mom says she¡¯s not coming home to cook tonight and wants us to eat out. It¡¯s almost six, should we go now?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go call Xiao Ni and Qiuwu to come down.¡± Ke Xiaomo stood up and headed to the second floor.


    ¡°Have you three had enough fun?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi put away his phone, smiling at the three on the couch, then glanced at the TV where they were playing ¡°Overcooked 2.¡±


    Ke Mingye yawned, set the game controller on the couch, and turned to Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu beside him, ¡°I¡¯m tired of playing, let¡¯s go eat.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu gave him a sidelong glance, ¡°You¡¯re hopeless, no help at all. Even a pig plays better than you.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Bai Ziling nodded lightly in agreement, her pale forehead-framing hair gently swaying along.


    ¡°You guys are real tyrants, what with your Darwinian gamers, so no one can play games poorly?¡±


    Ke Mingye slumped on the couch, pouting, thinking he¡¯d been on edge the whole time, fearing Bai Zini would suddenly go crazy and jam the helmet on his head¡ªhow could he focus on the game seriously?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, dinner time.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo had one hand on Bai Zini¡¯s shoulder, the other on Bai Qiuwu¡¯s, leading the two downstairs from the upper floor.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Ke Mingye posed an important question to everyone, ¡°So, with seven of us going out to eat, who¡¯s picking up the bill?¡±


    The seven siblings exchanged looks, and then, collectively, their eyes settled on their dad sitting on the couch, smoking a cigarette.


    ¡°A bunch of brats, I¡¯ll reimburse you,¡± Ke Youqing said disdainfully, lighting up another cigarette, ¡°I¡¯ll just find some leftovers from lunch at home. You guys go ahead.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo asked, ¡°So what do you guys want to eat?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m easy,¡± Ke Yinzhi casually replied, fiddling with his phone, ¡°Let¡¯s hear what the little ones have to say.¡±


    ¡°If dad¡¯s paying, we¡¯ve got to have Wellington steak for each of us,¡± Ke Mingye suggested.


    ¡°Lobster,¡± said Bai Ziling.


    ¡°Panda,¡± Ke Yongzhu chimed in.


    Ke Youqing turned his head, about to say you kids really want to eat me out of house and home, but before he got the words out, the seven children were already neatly shod and out the door.


    He rested his arm on the back of the sofa, lighting a cigarette with his lighter, taking a deep drag, ¡°Really, these little devils are such a worry.¡±


    The seven of them took the elevator down and had just stepped out of the house.


    Ke Mingye stood behind his older brothers, walking quietly in the middle, and lifted his gaze from his phone screen.


    The sun was setting, casting a spiral contrail against the evening¡¯s madder-colored sky. The last rays of the sun slowly sinking into the city bathed everyone¡¯s cheeks in a flickering twilight glow.


    It felt as if reaching out to touch it would cause it to shatter into a puddle of foam.


    ¡°What are you daydreaming about?¡± Bai Ziling tugged at his sleeve.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Ke Mingye lowered his gaze, meeting her eyes, ¡°I was just thinking, when we all grow up and go our separate ways, whether we can still gather like this.¡±


    ¡°There you go, getting sentimental. It¡¯s true what they say in books; adolescent boys do get overly sensitive,¡± Ke Yongzhu commented, arms behind his head, yawning and muttering.


    ¡°Looking for a beating, are you, elementary schooler?¡±


    Ke Mingye chuckled, reaching out to roughly ruffle his hair.


    Listening to their conversation, Bai Qiuwu turned to look at Ke Yongzhu and asked amusedly, ¡°There you go, making fun of others. Won¡¯t you also be hit by puberty in a couple of years?¡± Discover more stories at empire


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Bai Ziling added.


    ¡°That¡¯s what elementary schoolers are like,¡± Bai Zini chimed in.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, enough with the chatter.¡±


    ¡°Fine, whoever speaks first is a pig.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Pig.¡±


    ¡°Pig.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the pig.¡±


    ¡°Knew it, a pig.¡±


    Amidst the soft chatter, seven elongated shadows stretched out by the setting sun slowly receded into the dusk, reminiscent of a distant shot in a movie gradually fading out.

 Chapter 81 - 81 - 068: What are you doing, Fan Quan, Fan Quan!

    Chapter 81 ¨C 068: What are you doing, Fan Quan, Fan Quan!


    After dinner on Hong Ge Food Street, it had already grown dark; a few people took the subway back to Old Jingmai District and were walking home.


    As Ke Mingye walked, he suddenly noticed his older brother standing still ahead of him, so he raised his eyes to Ke Xiaomo¡¯s profile, then followed his gaze to the corner of the street.


    The next second, Ke Mingye was frozen in place.


    ¡°Fuck¡­ what the hell is going on here, Bai Zini just finished messing with me, now it¡¯s your turn to mess with me¡­¡± he thought, utterly shocked.


    In view, a figure wearing Lustig¡¯s Hat, draped in a coat, and a mask covering the face stood in front of the vending machine.


    The light inside the vending machine faintly illuminated his face, but sadly, it was tightly covered, making it difficult to see his features.


    At this moment, he was observing this side with a subtle gaze, holding a bottle of orange juice, the lenses under the brim of his hat reflecting light.


    ...


    ¡°This stupid outfit has to be Fan Quan, but what¡¯s he doing here?¡±


    ¡°Damn, he doesn¡¯t think he won¡¯t get caught by my brother just because he¡¯s observing from afar, does he? If my brother has caught his scent, how could he possibly escape¡­ they say my brother¡¯s tracking skill is the second best in the world, and honestly, few would dare claim the first.¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s mind felt like a ball of yarn dropped on the floor, his thoughts scattering like the threads, messy and endlessly stretching forward.


    All possibilities began to play out in his mind, but without exception¡­


    In the endings he imagined, Fan Quan¡¯s fate was definitely not going to be pleasant.


    Either die at the hands of the oldest brother or at the hands of the second brother, or perhaps even faster, be captured and tortured by the Anomaly Control Bureau, dissected, and who knows, maybe even spill my own information¡­ If the oldest and second brother combine this information, wouldn¡¯t they directly expose my true identity?


    Ke Xiaomo shifted his gaze from the vending machine, turned back to his younger siblings, and said calmly, ¡°There is a vending machine there, do any of you want a drink? I¡¯ll buy.¡±


    Are you sure you¡¯re going to buy drinks, not catch someone? Ke Mingye¡¯s eye twitched slightly; he was clear that Ke Xiaomo had already noticed Fan Quan secretly watching them.


    Ke Mingye lowered his head, eyes on his phone, and was the first to speak, ¡°Cola.¡±


    ¡°Add a cola.¡±


    ¡°Add two.¡±


    ¡°Sprite.¡±


    ¡°Mai Dong.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need any.¡± Ke Yinzhi, fiddling with his phone, said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take them home first; you can catch up after buying the drinks.¡±


    ¡°By the way, isn¡¯t there a supermarket right by our house? Why buy from the vending machine?¡±


    Ke Mingye stared at his phone, speaking nonchalantly to Ke Xiaomo, trying hard to cover for Fan Quan.


    At the same time, he summoned the communication panel and opened the discussion group page.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s fingers hesitated, contemplating whether to type in the discussion group to warn Fan Quan to run away.


    He thought, Fan Quan had already been spotted by my brother, and if he doesn¡¯t run now, it¡¯ll be too late¡­ But if I type on the player panel, wouldn¡¯t that be the same as telling him straight that I¡¯m the player ¡°Failed Man¡±?


    Luckily, he didn¡¯t need to warn him, as Fan Quan seemed to have realized something was off. He turned around, clutching that orange juice, and slowly walked into the street corner, leaving Ke Xiaomo¡¯s line of sight.


    ¡°The supermarket by our house hasn¡¯t been open these past few days, the owner had some matters, I¡¯ll just buy here.¡±


    Having said that, Ke Xiaomo had already started walking toward the vending machine.


    ¡°Uh, do you need help carrying the drinks, you sure you can manage all those bottles on your own?¡±


    Ke Mingye shrugged his shoulders, continuing to ask.


    ¡°No need, I grabbed a bag on my way out of the restaurant, I¡¯ll just put them in there. You guys go ahead home,¡± Ke Xiaomo said without turning his head.


    Fuck, this is it, it¡¯s all fucked. What can I do now? I can¡¯t exactly make a scene and keep my brother from going there, right? Fan Quan, what the hell are you doing? Isn¡¯t this just seeking death?


    Did he figure out my identity, or was it just bad luck that we bumped into each other on the road? How unlucky can you get¡­


    Ke Mingye glanced at Ke Xiaomo¡¯s back, a cold sweat running down his forehead, inwardly thinking, ¡°It¡¯s come to this, you might as well get your neck ready for the west, buddy; this is as far as I can help.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go; the game starts soon tonight. It would be a shame to miss it.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi said with a smile, leading the younger siblings away from the street.


    Ke Mingye put his hands in his coat pockets and walked forward while looking up at the dark night sky.


    His eyes flickered as he felt certain¡­ by tomorrow morning, he would receive the death notification of the player ¡°Fan Quan.¡±


    Fan Quan was already a dead man.


    ¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­.


    An hour earlier, in a dimly lit rental room in an urban village.


    The curtains in the room were drawn tightly, and only a cold-toned desk lamp was turned on.


    Under the lamp¡¯s light, Fan Quan sat at the table flipping through a booklet that contained information about superhumans recorded while watching live streams on the dark web.


    ¡°The first time Spider Man posted in the discussion group, he said, ¡¯How many superhumans does each of your families have¡¯¡­ At the time, I was puzzled, but looking back now, this question implies that there is at least one superhuman in his family; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have subconsciously asked in that manner.¡±


    ¡°In this afternoon¡¯s conversation, he said his situation was very dangerous, anyone around him could kill him, which further implies that there are at least two superhumans in his family to start with, and¡­ the strength of these superhumans is not weak, definitely not the harmless level of superhumans, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    Fan Quan flipped through the booklet, muttering to himself.


    ¡°Superhumans who are active in this area, whether villains or heroes, are not that many when you actually filter them down.¡±


    ¡°For villains, there are Boundary Serpent, Fly Immortal, etc. But because of Qing Ya, the criminal organizations in Huanjing are mostly disorganized. Moreover, if Spider Man was born into a criminal family, he could have just run away completely. Those villainous characters can¡¯t overtly seek him out, after all, they are still under Spider Man¡¯s control¡­¡±


    ¡°Thinking this way, if I turn my focus onto the heroes, the commonly active ones include Ink Writer, Liquor Sword Feng, Tai Chi Customer, Magical Girl Rainbow, Magical Girl Feng, Qing Ya, Black Wukong, and other characters¡­¡±


    ¡°Ink Writer, real name, Ma Yingchuan, combat power B-¡­¡±


    ¡°Liquor Sword Feng, real name, Ma Linye, combat power B¡­¡±


    ¡°Tai Chi Customer, real name, Gu Linchun, combat power A-¡­¡±


    ¡°Qing Ya, real name, Ke Youqing, combat power A+¡­¡±


    Fan Quan¡¯s gaze lingered on Qing Ya for a moment.


    ¡°Apart from Qing Ya, in Huanjing¡¯s resident heroes and magical girls, there basically aren¡¯t any with the surname ¡¯Ke,¡¯ which is not very common.¡± Fan Quan thought. ¡°Speaking of the surname ¡¯Ke¡¯¡­ Previously, the system had reported that the Anomaly Control Bureau agent who had killed those two players in the United States was called ¡¯Ke Yinzhi.¡¯¡±


    He pondered for a moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s overly coincidental, aren¡¯t they family¡­ But it¡¯s also not good to directly search for the information under the names ¡¯Ke Youqing¡¯ and ¡¯Ke Yinzhi.¡¯ Given their status, the resident records are either locked or publicly displayed as bait. Once someone looks up the records, it will send an alert to the person concerned.¡±


    ¡°Ink Writer and Tai Chi Customer both have the last name Ma, but they are following the idol route, with their real identities disclosed to the public. They can temporarily be ruled out.¡±


    ¡°Next, Black Wukong, real name, Bai Qiuwu, combat power A.¡±


    ¡°Magical Girl Ash, real name, Bai Zini, combat power B++.¡±


    ¡°These two have the same last name, and they are not backed by the officials, meaning with just a casual check, one can find out their family identities.¡±


    Fan Quan thought this and opened a secret chat interface, sending a message to a user named ¡°Cai Bing.¡±


    [Fan Quan: Do you have time to help me check on Bai Qiuwu and Bai Zini, see if they are family and also send me their family names and address.]


    ¡°Cai Bing,¡± the world¡¯s top hacker from his previous life.


    He was also Fan Quan¡¯s friend. Three days after travelling to this world, on a whim, he tried entering a website only the two of them knew about in his former life.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that he would actually log into that website. The page was empty, nothing in it.


    But soon, a line of neon-green text slowly appeared at the center of the webpage:


    ¡ª¡ª¡±Hello, old friend.¡±


    Fan Quan communicated with Cai Bing through this webpage, learning that she too had crossed over to this world as a player.


    Cai Bing had set up a similar website on her first day in this world, acting as a cipher, to confirm whether a few old friends from her past life were among these hundred players, but she had not expected to actually find one.


    Fan Quan was recalling this when Cai Bing had already sent a message.


    [Cai Bing: They are family. They live at Old Jingmai Street, Unit 1, Period 1, Building 5, Apartment 1201. You don¡¯t say, this family is quite peculiar. It consists of nine members; aside from the parents, they have seven children, two of whom are adopted. In addition, according to official records, this family are all ordinary people, no superhumans. Wait a sec¡­]


    [Fan Quan: What¡¯s up?]


    [Cai Bing: Are you messing with me?]


    [Cai Bing: Why is their dad named ¡¯Ke Youqing¡¯? What the hell did you have me look up?]


    Seeing the name ¡°Ke Youqing,¡± Fan Quan paused for a second, then quickly started typing.


    If there were players who may not have paid attention to ¡°Black Wukong¡± and ¡°Magical Girl Ash,¡± then ¡°Qing Ya,¡± a widely renowned character, would definitely be known to them, and they would have searched his real name using the information panel.


    Put differently, there might be only those ninety or so players in the world who could potentially know Qing Ya¡¯s real identity.


    [Fan Quan: Bai Zini is Magical Girl Ash¡¯s real name, Bai Qiuwu is Divine Communicator Black Wukong¡¯s real name, I noted this down during a livestream from the system provided information panel.]


    [Cai Bing: You mean, their dad is Qing Ya?]


    [Fan Quan: Cut the crap, did you directly hack into the official records database to get this info?]


    [Cai Bing: Yes.]


    [Fan Quan: Then you¡¯re screwed.]


    [Cai Bing: Yeah, you know that? It¡¯s all your fault.]


    [Fan Quan: I didn¡¯t expect it to be such a coincidence. They are Qing Ya¡¯s family, and surely Qing Ya had tampered with their records.] sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Cai Bing: I really can¡¯t handle this anymore; you always get me into trouble.]


    [Fan Quan: Get ready to run. Qing Ya must have set a visitation alert in his family¡¯s records. He probably knows your location by now. With his counter-surveillance skills, he will soon find you.]


    [Cai Bing: What the hell do you mean, are you messing with me?]


    [Fan Quan: I¡¯m not messing with you, I just didn¡¯t expect that Black Wukong and Magical Girl Ash were Qing Ya¡¯s family. I thought these two being not under the officials, using their real names to query the corresponding records, wouldn¡¯t be noticed by anyone.]


    [Cai Bing: Explain better next time. I need to get moving now, logging off.]


    After sending the last message, Cai Bing¡¯s avatar went dark.


    ¡°Old Jingmai Street, Unit 1, Period 1, Building 5, Apartment 1201.¡±


    Fan Quan glanced at it, memorized the address, then picked up the hat from the table, placing it on his head, and slowly walked out of the cramped rental.

 Chapter 82 - 82 - 069: Fan Quan’s Wonderful Adventure

    Chapter 82 ¨C 069: Fan Quan¡¯s Wonderful Adventure


    June 21, dusk at seven o¡¯clock, Old Jingmai District No. 4 Street.


    ¡°Old Jingmai Street, Block 1, Phase 1, Building 5, Room 1201, Qing Ya¡¯s residence is just ahead on the next two streets¡­¡±


    Fan Quan walked slowly with his head lowered, his hands buried in the pockets of his coat in the street where one could barely see their hand before their face.


    Putting together the clues he had gathered earlier, he was nearly ninety percent certain that the true identity of Spider Man was hidden within this family of nine.


    ¡°Enter the high-rise building opposite the duplex apartment and place a miniature camera beneath the railing of the rooftop. Then I¡¯ll be able to observe the comings and goings of the family¡ªthe players can see the info panel of the superhumans through the live camera feed, just like in real-time video footage, so later, I can make judgments based on the images captured by the camera.¡±


    Fan Quan touched his pocket to confirm that the miniature camera was still there as he continued to think.


    ¡°At the same time, players can¡¯t see the info panels of ordinary people and other players, only those of the superhuman kind.¡±


    ...


    ¡°So among this family, the first step will be to filter out those without info panels above their heads, then carry out a secondary selection based on age and characteristics within this narrowed pool to most certainly identify Spider Man¡¯s true identity.¡±


    ¡°But I must first ensure I have an escape route ready¡­ If the ¡¯Door of Humanities¡¯ doesn¡¯t yield a practical skill for survival, then the plan will have to wait for another day.¡±


    With this in mind, Fan Quan preemptively activated the skill ¡°Door of Humanities,¡± and the Bible he was holding opened by itself as if blown by an unfelt wind.


    Three pages tore themselves out and curled upward, transforming into three paper figures that slipped into his sleeves, clutching at his wrists and chattering away in dispute.


    The first paper figure was muttering in Romanian, ¡°Holy time,¡± ¡°Sacred Space,¡± ¡°Eternal Return¡±;


    The second, in Ancient Greek, was muttering ¡°Allegory of the Cave,¡± ¡°Metaphysics,¡± ¡°Rationalism¡±;


    The third, in Classical Chinese, was muttering ¡°The Doctrine of the Mean,¡± ¡°Benevolence as the Foundation,¡± ¡°Unity of Knowledge and Action.¡±


    Each paper figure had a maximum lifespan of 2 hours. Within those 2 hours, unless one of the three theoretical skills was used up, they would not disappear. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So there was no problem with releasing them ahead of time; on the contrary, it allowed him to verify the effects of the theories that had emerged.


    ¡°These will suffice¡­¡±


    Fan Quan listened to the whispers of the three paper figures in his sleeves, and in his mind envisioned the effects of the skills corresponding to each theory.


    Once he had prepared his contingencies for escape, he tucked the Bible into an inner pocket of his coat and put on a face mask to prevent his face from being exposed by nearby surveillance cameras.


    Fan Quan commanded the three paper figures in his sleeve to be quiet and then he stepped out of the alley.


    Just as he passed by a vending machine, he suddenly noticed seven figures slowly passing by a corner ahead, causing him to halt in his steps.


    Fan Quan lowered the brim of his Lustig¡¯s hat and took a ten-yuan coin out of his pocket, inserted it into the vending machine, selected a canned orange juice using the interface, all the while keeping an eye on the seven figures with his peripheral vision.


    Leading the group was a white-haired girl in a white dress. With her gaze lowered and hands clasped behind her back, she moved lightly forward, her pupils casting a faint red glow in the dark.


    [Name: Bai Ziling]


    [Strength: A-minus grade (possessing top combat power far surpassing 90% of the world¡¯s superhuman population)]


    [Hidden Identity: ¡°Vampire,¡± also known as the ¡°Blood Clan.¡±]


    ¡°An A-grade vampire?¡± Fan Quan was startled for half a second, thinking, ¡°Are there such superhuman species in the world that aren¡¯t listed in the Superhuman Encyclopedia¡­¡±


    Following closely behind the white-haired girl was a girl in a denim jacket, her head lowered as she played with her phone, while the breeze fluttered the ribbon atop her head.


    Too far to see her face clearly, Fan Quan could, however, see her info panel unfold before his eyes.


    [Name: Bai Zini]


    [Strength: B-double-plus grade (an absolute elite among superhumans)]


    [Hidden Identity: As ¡°Magical Girl Ash,¡± she has long been active in China, and is also one of the core members of the ¡°Magical Girl Association.¡±]


    With a ¡°thump,¡± a canned orange juice fell out of the vending machine¡¯s collection port.


    ¡°Magical Girl Ash, huh¡­ So these people must be Qing Ya¡¯s children.¡±


    Fan Quan bent down to take the drink out of the vending machine, all the while considering and observing the fleeting figures at the end of the street.


    Next in his field of vision was a boy in overalls with a panda design.


    The boy yawned with his arms behind his head, his gaze filled with sleepiness. His attention briefly shifted from what was ahead and glanced in Fan Quan¡¯s direction for a fleeting moment before swiftly turning away.


    [Name: Ke Yongzhu]


    [Strength: A-plus grade (possessing top combat power far surpassing 95% of the world¡¯s superhuman population)]


    [Hidden Identity: A juvenile form of the Calamity Dragon kind.]


    From the casual glance Ke Yongzhu had cast, Fan Quan felt a deep unease in his heart¡­ It was as if he was being looked down upon by a dragon, contempt and amusement filling its gaze.


    ¡°A-plus grade combat power?¡±


    Fan Quan murmured, his deep-set eyes narrowing slightly and shrouded by the shadows under the brim of his hat.


    ¡°Calamity Dragon kind, another superhuman category that I¡¯ve never seen before¡­ No, that¡¯s not quite right, it shouldn¡¯t be counted as a human category; this is more like another animal entirely.¡±


    ¡°Did it notice me with that glance just now, yet it seemed too disdainful to bother with me¡­¡±

 Chapter 83 - 83 - 069: Fan Quan’s Wonderful Adventure_2

    Chapter 83 ¨C 069: Fan Quan¡¯s Wonderful Adventure_2


    Before Fan Quan could react, a girl wearing a brown hoodie with a distinct, crisp air about her entered his field of vision. She wore her hood up, her hair strands falling over her shoulders.


    [Name: Bai Qiuwu]


    [Strength: A-level (Possessing top-tier combat power far surpassing 90% of superhumans in the world)]


    [Hidden Identity: Divine Communicator ¡¤ Black Wukong (Holder of one of the twenty-seven pathways to communicate with the divine, the ¡°Sun Wukong¡± pathway)]


    ¡°It¡¯s really true, Divine Communicator Black Wukong and Magical Girl Ash are family¡­¡± S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Fan Quan thought this, he bowed his head and twisted open the orange juice bottle cap, using it as a cover to observe.


    ¡°But why is it so strange? The four people I¡¯ve seen so far basically all have A-level strength. Could this whole family be such characters¡­ It¡¯s truly absurd. If Spider Man¡¯s real form is truly in this family, how has he managed to live until now and secretly contact us without his family knowing?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Is he really a player?¡±


    ¡°Or did I¡­ make a mistake in my judgment, and Spider Man isn¡¯t in this monstrous family at all?¡±


    A chill spread from his spine, spreading to every inch of his skin, and his pores clenched shut.


    The more he thought about it, the more his heart was filled with deep confusion and vacuity. He took deep breaths, feeling the evening air becoming stickier, like gel.


    It was like a dense and hopeless black tide surging over him.


    The glue-like air was nearly flowing into his nostrils and through his lips into his parched throat, filling every corner of his body, almost mummifying him right there.


    An instinct from his rationality kept reminding him, ¡°You should leave now, you should get out, quickly, don¡¯t look back¡­ ¡±


    Cold sweat continually streamed down his back, and his temples were soaked with sweat, making the Lustig¡¯s Hat on his head feel all the heavier at this moment.


    But Fan Quan just lowered his hat brim, took a deep breath, and did his best to suppress the fear in his heart.


    He expressionlessly sipped his orange juice.


    The cool liquid crossed his tongue, flowed down his throat, and fanned out towards his organs. One by one, his agitated nerves gradually calmed down.


    At this moment, Fan Quan had made up his mind.


    The truth was right in front of him. Spider Man could very likely be among these people¡­ If he backed down here, he would only lose his grip on the truth.


    After steadying his breathing with great effort, he raised his eyes and continued to observe the group of people walking past the end of the street from the corner of his eye.


    Behind the hoodie-clad girl was a handsome young man with a casual demeanor.


    He had shoulder-length black hair and wore a black sweater with a cross necklace hanging on his chest.


    Dressed like that on a hot night was insane, but his appearance and demeanor were too outstanding and unique, like a beautiful sculpture fitting for the front of a church.


    Every line on the young man¡¯s face was perfectly placed, as if he were a work of God. Yet, his eyes and brows held a disdain and frivolity for all doctrines, giving off the vibes of a Jesus who would stick out his tongue on the cross, unconsciously making one ignore his out-of-season bizarre attire.


    [Name: Ke Yinzhi]


    [Strength: A++ level (Surpassing 99% of superhumans, at the pinnacle of world combat power)]


    [Hidden Identity: Black Judge (A figurehead of the Anomaly Control Bureau, one of the five S-tier agents)]


    ¡°Black Judge¡­ the agent of the Management Bureau who recently massacred two players in the United States. He really is Qing Ya¡¯s son, no wonder they share the last name.¡±


    He adjusted his glasses, took a deep breath, and lowered his orange juice.


    At this moment, his suspicions were confirmed.


    Just then, the level of shock in Fan Quan¡¯s mind was comparable to when he took the ¡°Ice Bucket Challenge¡±: he closed his eyes, someone poured a bucket of ice water over his head¡­ He shuddered for a whole ten seconds, thinking he had made it through, but when he opened his eyes, he saw the bucket was filled not with ice water, but rather a mix of urine and feces.


    ¡°What exactly is the background of this family¡­ Could it be that among these nine people, a full seven are superhumans, no, plus Qing Ya, that makes eight.¡±


    ¡°So, within this family, could it be that only the wife is a regular person?¡±


    Fan Quan pondered in surprise, a slight twitch caressing his facial muscles.


    Even someone as calm as he was found his thoughts slipping into disarray at that moment¡­


    At this instant, despite his strict orders against the three paper figurines in his sleeve speaking, they were still hopping on his wrist, trying to catch his attention.


    ¡°Run, run, run¡­¡±


    The paper figurines spoke simultaneously in three different languages, like the sincere and fearful whispers of children.


    But before Fan Quan could react, his thoughts were thoroughly disrupted the next second.


    A handsome young man in a white shirt entered his line of sight, and almost as soon as Fan Quan spotted him, the young man shifted his gaze, meeting his periphery.


    The young man¡¯s gaze was unmasked, staring at him frankly, devoid of any emotion.


    Like a seasoned hunter examining his prey.


    [Name: Ke Xiaomo]


    [Strength: A+ level (surpassing the pinnacle combat power of 95% of superhumans)]


    [Hidden Identity: The grand disciple of the 27th sect master of the Ninja Sect¡ª ¡°Mo.¡±]


    Although they were half a street apart, Fan Quan and Ke Xiaomo¡¯s eyes met for that instant.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been discovered¡­ Ninja, are there really still ninjas in this world? No wonder he noticed me observing him at first glance, looks like I must leave.¡±


    Fan Quan¡¯s pupils slightly constricted, and he leisurely swallowed a mouthful of orange juice, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing.


    He knew he had to leave.


    Every cell in his body almost screamed in despair, and the three paper figurines on his wrist also bounced crazily on his arteries as if mad¡­


    Yet, he chose to linger for that one extra second.


    It was during that final second that he caught sight of a boy wearing a white T-shirt in his field of vision.


    In the moonlight, the boy¡¯s face was indifferent, his eyes downturned looking at his phone screen.


    Meanwhile, unlike the six people walking ahead of him, there wasn¡¯t a bright information panel appearing above the boy¡¯s head.


    This meant he was not a superhuman.


    Instead, a regular human, or else¡­


    ¡ª a Player.


    At that moment, the boy also looked up at Ke Xiaomo, then followed Ke Xiaomo¡¯s gaze to the vending machine over here, meeting Fan Quan¡¯s eyes.


    Fan Quan stood in front of the vending machine, turning his head to gaze at the boy¡¯s face and those bright, clear eyes.


    Simultaneously, in that brief second, he used telekinesis to tap on the communication list icon in the upper right corner of his vision, entered a discussion group, and used the ¡°Add Friend¡± function on a player named ¡°Failed Man¡±¡­


    According to the system¡¯s rules, only when two players meet face-to-face and make eye contact can they send a ¡°Friend Request¡± to each other.


    This means if the boy in front of him was a player, at the same time as Fan Quan sends the friend request, a notification panel saying ¡°Friend Request Sent Successfully¡± would pop up;


    If not¡­ then a crimson panel would appear in front of him, with the words¡ª¡±You are too far from each other, friend request failed to send.¡±


    Next second, a panel with a fluorescent green background also popped up in front of Fan Quan.


    [Ding, you have successfully sent a friend request to the player with the ID name ¡°Failed Man.¡±]


    [Awaiting the other party¡¯s response¡­]

 Chapter 84 - 84 - 070 The Death of Fan Quan

    Chapter 84 ¨C 070 The Death of Fan Quan


    ¡°Indeed¡­ he is Spider Man, without a doubt.¡±


    Fan Quan whispered to himself, the light behind his glasses shifting. As he had expected, this unremarkable-looking youth was the real identity of Spider Man and also the son of Qing Ya.


    His objective achieved, he couldn¡¯t stay put; that would have been tantamount to waiting for death. He picked up the bottle of orange juice and slowly turned around, stepping towards the corner of the street and into a damp, narrow alley.


    The moment his right foot stepped onto the alley floor, the three paper figures hidden in his sleeve began to tremble.


    Fan Quan lowered his gaze, calmly glancing at the three little figures within his sleeve.


    Through the reaction of the paper figures, he could clearly sense that the person named ¡°Ke Xiaomo¡± was catching up to him from behind.


    At the same time.


    ...


    After bidding farewell to Ke Mingye, Ke Xiaomo slowly walked towards that vending machine.


    In his eyes, Fan Quan slowly turned and entered an alleyway.


    As his relatives entered the corner behind him, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s figure instantly dissolved into a splash of ink towards the ground.


    Subsequently, transforming into a long eagle-like shadow clinging to the ground, flapping its wings, as if a bird of prey soared straight up to the clouds from the bottom of a valley, that shadow quickly navigated to the alley behind the vending machine.


    Half a second later, Ke Xiaomo rose to his feet from the center of the deserted alley, looking around, detecting no human presence. This was a one-way alley with no other exit.


    The next second, he halted his roving gaze.


    In the darkness, he glimpsed a colossal eye standing erect, its pupil shimmering with mesmerizing, colorful ripples, reminiscent of the aurora above the Arctic.


    [Skill Name: Medusa¡¯s Eye]


    [Skill Effect: Unfurling an eye of Medusa mid-air, anyone who makes eye contact with it for a single second will be petrified on the spot; duration varies based on the ¡¯mental strength¡¯ attribute of the person, with higher mental strength resulting in shorter petrification time and lower mental strength leading to longer duration (max petrification of 2.5 seconds).]


    What sort of ability is this? he thought.


    In the instant of making less than half a second of eye contact with ¡°Medusa¡¯s Eye,¡± Ke Xiaomo had already shifted his gaze away, quietly observing the eye from the corner until it dispersed into a vague dust, scattering into the night sky.


    ¡°The man must still be nearby, otherwise there would be no need for such a tactic to delay me.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo came to a conclusion in his mind.


    As the strange vertical pupil disappeared into the darkness, Ke Xiaomo saw a golden-light-flecked crack hidden behind it.


    Looking intently, inside the crack was teeming with dense religious script, almost enough to make someone with trypophobia scream and tear at their own throat.


    However, in the blink of an eye, the crevice dispersed, the twinkling glow falling to the ground.


    ¡°That thing looks like¡­ a door; it must be some kind of transportation medium. So, there¡¯s no mistake, he¡¯s likely nearby.¡±


    Thinking this, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s shape once again scattered across the ground like spilled ink, merging into an intense shadowous vapor.


    Time rewound three seconds.


    As Fan Quan entered the alley, he activated the D-grade skill ¡°Medusa¡¯s Eye¡± that he had just purchased on the skill sales page.


    Subsequently, he recited the theoretical phrase for one of his paper figures: ¡°Sacred Space.¡±


    Using this ability, which he had once exhibited in an instance, he opened a portal to a location 20 meters to the west behind Medusa¡¯s Eye and quickly stepped in.


    Inside Sacred Space, there were bizarre scenes all drawn with ¡°religious script,¡± at times revealing China¡¯s Exorcism Rituals¡­ at times, Christianity¡¯s baptismal ceremonies¡­ and at times, the Midsummer Night festivities of Medieval Nordic.


    It seemed as if every scene he witnessed was related to the word ¡°purification.¡±


    When Fan Quan emerged from Sacred Space, he had stepped into the interior of a standard residential building.


    Looking around, it was a very Chinese living room, complete with a mahjong table with an ashtray, old folding stools, an outdated television set, a Chinese knot, an embroidered wall hanging, and a six-person family photo.


    Noises came from the toilet, where a woman in her fifties was applying a face mask in front of the mirror while shrilly shouting towards the living room, ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡±


    Fan Quan made no sound, simply stepping back two paces to press against the wall while looking down at the paper figures in his sleeve.


    The first figure had already disappeared along with the ¡°Sacred Space¡± pathway. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were two paper figures left inside his sleeve.


    One of them clung to his wrist, murmuring ¡°The Allegory of the Cave,¡± ¡°Metaphysics,¡± ¡°Rationalism¡±;


    The other sat cross-legged on his wrist, reciting ¡°The Doctrine of the Mean,¡± ¡°Benevolence as the Core,¡± ¡°Integration of Knowledge and Action.¡±


    Fan Quan blurted out: ¡°The Allegory of the Cave.¡±


    As his words fell, the wall behind him seemed to transform into an ancient cave with a blazing fire, dragging his shape into it.


    Hearing the murmurs, the curly-haired lady rushed out of the toilet, hands on hips, scanning the living room, muttering to herself.


    ¡°What was that noise?¡±


    She took a feather duster and circled the living room. After confirming no one else was there, she cursed ¡°Crazy¡± under her breath, then strutted back into the toilet, continuing to apply the unfinished mask.

 Chapter 85 - 85 - 070 The Death of Fan Quan_2

    Chapter 85 ¨C 070 The Death of Fan Quan_2


    The next moment, a sinister figure slowly rose from the shadows of the living room. He moved his gaze through the darkness, silently surveying this seemingly ordinary living room.


    ¡°His scent disappeared right here. Did he use that teleportation skill to leave again? No, it¡¯s possible he¡¯s still here, just using some method to conceal his form.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo¡¯s face was expressionless as he observed in the darkness for a full five seconds.


    His figure slowly merged into the shadows, wandering shadows appearing successively in the rooms of the house, as if a pitch-black owl had flown through every corner.


    In the end, he was forced to enter the bathroom where the old lady was, hiding behind the door¡¯s shadow to watch her movements.


    Could that strange man from before have possessed this woman using some ability? Ke Xiaomo thought, and after a long while, he shook his head.


    ¡°Has he escaped¡­¡±


    ... S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He sighed softly, his figure sinking quietly into the lake at his feet, becoming one with it like a drop of ink.


    The old lady, hearing the faint sigh behind her, turned around tremblingly, her lips quivering, ¡°Just, just now, what was that sound? Seems like I really can¡¯t live in this house anymore, it¡¯s truly haunted I tell you¡­¡±


    At the same time, Fan Quan entered the cave created by the ¡°Allegory of the Cave,¡± looking up into its interior.


    Deep inside the cave, in front of a blazing bonfire, there sat two primitive people tied up hand and foot, backs turned to the entrance.


    They were ragged and their faces fierce yet numb, mumbling to the shadows on the wall.


    Those shadows were their own reflections.


    Watching this scene, Fan Quan recalled the ¡°Republic,¡± written by the philosopher Plato from Ancient Greece. The story of the ¡°Allegory of the Cave¡± came from there.


    ¡°A group of prisoners lived in a cave, bound hand and foot, unable to turn around, facing a wall with a fire behind them. They saw shadows of themselves and things on the wall and believed those shadows were the reality. Later, someone climbed out of the cave and discovered the real world.¡±


    He silently recited the story to himself.


    [Skill effect of ¡°Allegory of the Cave¡±: Enter a primitive cave independent of the outside world, where you can avoid all dangers within. However, the shadows on the wall will speak to you. Their words can be deceiving and may trap you there forever, so consider carefully how long you want to stay.]


    [Note: You might try convincing the two prisoners in the cave to leave. If you manage to do so, they will become your puppets and fight for you.]


    After reading the skill description, Fan Quan found a wall in the cave to sit down.


    He slowly turned his head to look at the two prisoners, who were stupified by the shadows¡¯ whisperings, then lowered his gaze to his own reflection on the ground.


    The shadow slowly curled its lips, whispering something to him.


    ¡°Look, what¡¯s so great about the outside? On those sleepless nights¡­ you always try to pop pill after pill into your mouth, every nerve seems to be torn apart by anxiety and agony, you¡¯re always running away from the arrival of daylight¡­ Isn¡¯t it nice to hide in this cave, where the outside world will never matter to you, where there¡¯ll be no pain¡­


    no fatigue, just this warm bonfire and me to accompany you¡­ go to sleep, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything, just have a good sleep.¡±


    Fan Quan suddenly felt his head grow heavy, so he shifted his gaze away from the shadow, looking instead toward the last paper figurine in his sleeve.


    The little paper figure was sitting cross-legged on his wrist, muttering the words ¡°benevolence as the essence,¡± ¡°unity of knowledge and action,¡± and ¡°doctrine of the mean.¡±


    ¡°Unity of knowledge and action.¡±


    Fan Quan picked out this phrase.


    Then he repeated a sentence to himself.


    ¡°No matter what happens, no matter what I hear, I will leave this cave in ten minutes¡­ No matter what happens, no matter what I hear, I will leave this cave in ten minutes.¡±


    As he finished speaking, his expression suddenly became vacant, as if his soul had been stripped away.


    [Skill effect of ¡°Unity of Knowledge and Action¡±: You can give yourself a command, and your body will act in absolute accordance with it.]


    At this moment, in the outside world.


    Ke Xiaomo moved like an arrow shot through the shadows, darting through every building within a three hundred meter radius, searching almost every corner of the Old Jingmai District.


    But he did not find the man¡¯s scent again¡­ not even a trace.


    Having given up, he finally returned to the street where he had started, leaning against a vending machine, bowing his head and looking at the ground, silent for a long while.


    ¡°He actually got away¡­ and I thought tracking was my forte.¡±


    Filled with a trace of unwillingness, Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath, slowly lifting his head to stare at the night sky, murmuring to himself.


    ¡°So there¡¯s someone in this city who can evade my tracking¡­ seems like I need to have a serious talk with my brother when I get back.¡±


    After a moment of melancholy, Ke Xiaomo stood up from the vending machine he had been leaning on, extended a finger, and pressed it on the corresponding icons for the beverages.


    ¡°Xiao Ni wants Coke, Mingye wants Coke, Qiuwu also wants Coke, Xiao Ling wants Sprite, Yongzhu wants Powerade.¡±


    He murmured softly, his fingers moving swiftly over the icons, the vending machine¡¯s glass reflecting his expressionless face.

 Chapter 86 - 86 - 070 The Death of Fan Quan_3

    Chapter 86 ¨C 070 The Death of Fan Quan_3


    Soon, five bottles of drinks clattered down from the dispenser.


    Ke Xiaomo felt his pants pocket and realized the food bag hidden inside was gone, so he had no choice but to hug all five bottles and turn to walk towards home.


    The vibration of his cell phone in his pocket prompted him to free one hand, pick up the phone, and turn on the screen. He saw a WeChat message from Ke Mingye.


    [Ke Mingye: Where the hell are you, dude? I¡¯m dying of thirst here, where¡¯s my Coke?]


    [Ke Xiaomo: Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m on my way.]


    Ke Xiaomo replied using voice-to-text and then walked into the pitch-dark street, a hint of a smile flickering at the corner of his eye.


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s head home.¡±


    ...


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Meanwhile, Fan Quan emerged from a mountain cave and once again stepped into the familiar old-fashioned living room.


    Turning his head, he saw an auntie with a face mask, holding a feather duster in her left hand and a ghost-expelling talisman in her right, cowering in a corner of the living room. Her face was pale as she muttered repeatedly, ¡°Namo Amitabha, demons and ghosts, quickly leave, demons and ghosts, quickly leave, demons and ghosts, quickly leave¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt.¡±


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses, left behind a cool remark, then walked expressionlessly toward the front door, turned the doorknob, and left the house.


    Shortly after, he returned to his rented room.


    Closing the door, he turned on his computer and logged onto the specialized website to contact Cai Bing.


    [Fan Quan: Are you still alive?]


    [Cai Bing: Died.]


    [Fan Quan: Good death.]


    [Cai Bing: Seriously though, thanks to you, I had to destroy over a dozen machines, and the local networks I just set up are gone as well. There¡¯s basically no difference from being dead, right?]


    [Fan Quan: What are you planning to do next?]


    [Cai Bing: Fortunately, Qing Ya and I aren¡¯t in the same city. He can only send association people to catch me. Before I left, I checked through the mini-surveillance cameras I left at home. Shortly after I finished messaging you, my place was surrounded by an armed troop, including one or two superhumans with B-level combat abilities.]


    [Fan Quan: So, did you escape their search area?]


    [Cai Bing: Might have escaped, but in any case, I can¡¯t stay in this city anymore.]


    [Fan Quan: Where do you plan to go?]


    [Cai Bing: The opposite direction, I¡¯m coming to Huanjing.]


    [Fan Quan: Good, do I need to welcome you with a song called ¡°Huanjing Welcomes You¡±?]


    [Cai Bing: Crazy, I really want to slap you dead. So what¡¯s the deal with Spider Man?]


    [Fan Quan: Confirmed, his character background is as Qing Ya¡¯s son, and out of his nine family members, at least seven are superhumans.]


    [Cai Bing: That exaggerated? So, what are you planning? Gonna take him by surprise and let him expose his identity in front of his family?]


    [Fan Quan: No, his existence is definitely a trump card the system arranged for us. If we really have a chance to exterminate the superhumans, his role in the future can¡¯t be overlooked.]


    [Cai Bing: I get it, you want to be his nanny?]


    [Fan Quan: I need your help. He is an important trump. We can¡¯t let his identity be exposed to other players, and certainly not to his monster family.]


    [Cai Bing: You wanna be a nanny and you¡¯re dragging me along to suffer with you?]


    [Fan Quan: Qing Ya will soon start his investigation on ¡¯Dice Monster¡¯. From my observations, Spider Man likely left quite a few clues, such as the photo of Dice Monster wearing ¡¯Huanjing Third High School¡¯s uniform¡¯, which will directly lead Qing Ya to his son¡¯s school and prompt him to pull up relevant surveillance footage, undoubtedly revealing weaknesses.]


    [Cai Bing: Huanjing Third High School, huh?]


    [Fan Quan: Right, we need to delete some surveillance footage related to the school before Qing Ya takes over the case, specifically on June 19 and June 20. Those were the days he learned the skill and started using puppets at school for a double life. With Qing Ya¡¯s scouting skills, he definitely won¡¯t overlook the school¡¯s surveillance, especially footage involving his own son.]


    [Cai Bing: Okay, I¡¯ll reluctantly help you cut those days¡¯ surveillance footage from that school, hoping your judgment isn¡¯t wrong.]


    [Fan Quan: Thanks.]


    [Cai Bing: Still in the limelight, we¡¯ll have to wait until I get to Huanjing to contact again. I¡¯m taking a boat tonight to smuggle myself over, should arrive in about two days.]


    [Fan Quan: Understood.] S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After sending the last message, Fan Quan closed his laptop and leaned back in his chair, taking a deep breath.


    It was then he noticed the ¡°communications list icon¡± in the upper right corner of his field of vision was flashing a bubble with the number 1. During the entire process of escaping from that Ninja, he hadn¡¯t noticed.


    After hesitating for two seconds, Fan Quan reached out his finger, clicked the icon, and the prompt panel popped up.


    [Player ¡°Failed Man¡± has accepted your friend request.]


    [Notification: Friend ¡°Failed Man¡± has sent you a message.]


    [Failed Man: Rest in peace, Fan Quan. If I¡¯m still alive this time next year, I¡¯ll remember to come offer you incense.]


    [Fan Quan: ?]

 Chapter 87 - 87 - 071: Skill Exclusive Sale Page, Spider Sense

    Chapter 87 ¨C 071: Skill Exclusive Sale Page, Spider Sense


    The night of June 21, at the Ke Bai family residence.


    Ke Mingye was the last to enter the house, leaning against the shoe cabinet as he took off his shoes, when he noticed a bubble with the number 1 popping up on the communication icon in the upper right corner of his field of view.


    He raised an eyebrow and clicked on the icon with a thought, and immediately a prompt message popped up.


    [Player ¡°Fan Quan¡± has sent you a friend request. Do you accept?]


    ¡°Looks like he must know that I¡¯m Spider Man¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye looked at the notification, silently sighed, and thought it¡¯s bad luck to keep a dead man on his friend list. Maybe it¡¯s better to decline.


    ¡°Really, literate man risks his life just to confirm who I am. I wish you¡¯d die cleanly and not let my brother drag you off for questioning and accidentally expose my information too. Wouldn¡¯t that harm both of us?¡±


    ...


    Grumbling inwardly, he put aside the friend request for the moment and walked into the living room.


    By now, his siblings were all sitting on the sofa, each doing their own thing. Normally, people would be tired after just stepping outside, but everyone at home was a superhuman; they didn¡¯t even breathe hard after walking for miles.


    Ke Mingye looked around and didn¡¯t see Ke Youqing. He thought, this guy really can¡¯t sit still. Even if there aren¡¯t criminals, he feels fulfilled only if he helps an old granny look for her lost cats and dogs, right?


    Mom is still out hanging out with her group of sisters, and dad usually doesn¡¯t mind her because he¡¯s so busy with work and hardly gets involved in family matters. What right does he have to comment?


    ¡°Big bro, you can¡¯t leave!¡± Bai Zini raised a game cartridge from the sofa and turned to ask him, ¡°Wanna play ¡¯Double Act¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Another round and I¡¯ll die of exhaustion. I¡¯m heading to my room to lie down. Ask Zi Ling to play with you.¡±


    With that, Ke Mingye took two steps at a time, bypassed the crowded sofa, and walked upstairs to his room.


    He locked the door, flopped down on the bed in a spread-eagle position, and stared blankly at the yellowing ceiling.


    ¡°Surviving today feels so great, first Bai Zini, then Fan Quan, one drama after another is almost giving me a heart attack¡­¡±


    ¡°Looks like my brother hasn¡¯t come back yet. He must¡¯ve already torn Fan Quan to shreds. That guy was asking for it, wasn¡¯t he? If you don¡¯t understand something just ask, why trouble me? If you don¡¯t die, who will?¡±


    Ke Mingye thought this and picked up his phone to send a message to Ke Xiaomo: ¡°Dude, I¡¯m dying of thirst over here. Where¡¯s my Coke?¡±


    Soon, the reply came: ¡°Hang on, I¡¯m coming.¡±


    Ke Mingye quietly looked at the message, did not grieve for Fan Quan for even a moment, and instead opened the task panel and glanced over the three daily tasks.


    [One, Run 4000 meters (completed)]


    [Two, Use a disposable item once (completed, unclaimed reward) (Reward: 1 attribute point added to ¡°neurological reaction¡±)]


    [Three, Kill a superhuman (special mission, uncompleted)]


    He stretched out his finger and lightly tapped the second daily task, claiming the corresponding reward.


    [Daily Task Two Reward Claimed, your ¡°neurological reaction¡± attribute has changed: 9 points¡ú10 points.]


    ¡°I need to boost this attribute too. Otherwise, being strong isn¡¯t enough. If I can¡¯t keep up with an opponent¡¯s moves during a fight, it¡¯s too easy for those with control powers to take me down with one move,¡± he thought.


    Ke Mingye yawned, his eyes brimming with weary tears, then turned to the skill sales page.


    [Player currently holds: 8260 coins]


    [Player¡¯s current level: Lv.7, Skill sales page refresh probability ¡ª E-grade skills 68%; D-grade skills 15%; C-grade skills 12%; B-grade skills 5%; A-grade skills 0%; S-grade skills 0%]


    The probability of B-grade skills refreshing is getting higher. Ke Mingye thought, does that mean when I reach level 10, there¡¯s a chance that A-grade skills will appear on the sales page?


    He could hardly imagine how strong an A-grade skill would be, considering just one B-grade skill was strong enough¡ªif he hadn¡¯t come across the B-grade skill ¡°Deception Puppet¡±, he might already be dead in the cinema.


    ¡°But I couldn¡¯t afford it anyway, upgrading even slightly is exorbitantly expensive.¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s gaze moved downward, looking at the panel of skills.


    [¢Ù: Personality Split (Skill retained from yesterday, purchased)]


    [¢Ú: Dream Weaving (E-grade skill) (Enter the dream of a target character, where you can converse or manipulate the environment and progress of the dream.)]


    ¡°Wow, a skill exclusive for charlatans, huh?¡± Ke Mingye thought, ¡°But what¡¯s the point? If you can enter their dream, why not just kill them while they¡¯re still asleep?¡±


    [¢Û: Martyr¡¯s Belief (D-grade skill) (Absorb and store any source of damage received to your own body for 10 seconds, and after 10 seconds, create an explosion centered on your body, to which you are immune) (The more damage your body absorbs in these 10 seconds, the higher the resulting explosion damage and the wider its coverage will be.)]


    ¡°Sounds like a double-edged sword¡­ Sustain damage for 10 seconds before activating the skill. Normal people would have been knocked out in that long, especially in a fight against a superhuman.¡±


    Ke Mingye looked at the skill description, thinking to himself.


    ¡°But how come I feel like it¡¯d be amazingly effective on a puppet? After all, it doesn¡¯t matter if it dies. Maybe it can trigger the skill right before death and take the enemy down with it.¡±


    [¢Ü: Flashbang Incoming! (E-grade Skill): Creates a strong flash of light centered on the user, possibly blinding nearby enemies for a short duration, while the user himself is immune to the flash¡¯s effect.]


    ¡°This is similar to the skill called ¡¯Lights Out¡¯ from yesterday, but this seems a bit more useful.¡± Ke Mingye thought, ¡°I¡¯ll skip it for now.¡±


    [¢Ý: Gravity Control (D-grade skill) (Gain the ability to alter the gravity affecting a target within a five-meter radius around the player for a short duration, making the target float or fall)]


    ¡°Looks pretty decent, good for offense and defense, and can even be used on myself. It¡¯s a pity this is a D-grade skill. The lowest price would be 10,000 Mall Coins. In the early stages, rather than saving up for a D-grade skill, it would be more practical and flexible to get two E-grade skills for the same price.¡±


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye scrolled down the exclusive sale page to look at more skills.


    [¢Þ: Frost Hands (E-grade skill) (Creates a controllable low-temperature field around the hands, useful for freezing small objects or creating ice weapons.)]


    ¡°This skill seems cost-effective, but it would be better if it could be released with one hand. Using both hands might damage my ¡¯Web Shooter,¡¯ better leave it.¡±


    Ke Mingye pondered for two seconds, internally snarking.


    [¢ß: Life Link (D-grade skill) (Establishes a link with another creature, sharing the damage received by the player with the linked individual for a short duration)


    (Note one: The damage shared to the other individual won¡¯t exceed their maximum sustainable damage, hence it won¡¯t be lethal.)


    (Note two: Similarly, damage received by the other party from external sources will also be shared with you through ¡°Life Link¡±.)]


    ¡°Great stuff.¡± Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes lit up as he praised it silently, ¡°Using it on a puppet is pretty cheeky too, cheeky to the extreme. It can save lives and harm others.¡±


    [¢à: ¡°Ding Dong, Here I Am!¡± (E-grade skill) (Creates a rat to gather intelligence, with the player able to control the rat¡¯s movements and share its vision and hearing.)]


    ¡°Not necessary for me, given I already have a puppet. Getting another rat would be impolite.¡± Ke Mingye thought.


    [¢á: Shadow Weaving Step (E-grade skill) (Upon activation, every move made over the next 10 seconds creates an afterimage, making it difficult for enemies to pinpoint your real location.)]


    ¡°Fancy stuff, superheroes aren¡¯t that easy to fool.¡±


    [¢â: Spider Sense (B-grade skill) (An active skill that, upon use, grants a spider-like sense for ten minutes¡ªallowing you to ¡¯anticipate danger,¡¯ ¡¯evade pursuit,¡¯ and thus acquiring ¡¯battle instincts¡¯ and ¡¯spatial awareness,¡¯ while greatly enhancing your ¡¯neurological reactions¡¯)]


    ¡°What is this, am I seeing things?¡±


    Ke Mingye stared at the name of the skill, instinctively tilted his head and rubbed his eyes.


    He blinked, confirming the skill name was correct.


    ¡°Damn, isn¡¯t this tailored for me? Now I¡¯m truly ¡¯Spider-Man¡¯, just missing a genetic mutation. Maybe tomorrow a visit to the lab and getting bitten on the back of the hand by a spider¡­ wait, why is this an active skill? A low-grade Spider Sense? If it were passive, wouldn¡¯t I be unbeatable?¡±


    With this thought, he finally noticed he hadn¡¯t checked the skill¡¯s grade, and looking down, his excitement subsided.


    ¡°No worries then, I was reaching too high. Hopefully, we can meet again someday.¡±


    Ke Mingye finished browsing today¡¯s exclusive sale page, thinking the E-grade skills today were quite useless. Better save a D-grade skill for tomorrow; after completing a series of tasks, he should have enough money to buy a D-grade skill.


    He then sat on the bed silently for a while, mentally clicked the icon in the top right corner, and accepted Fan Quan¡¯s friend request.


    [Failed Man: Rest in peace, Fan Quan, if I am still alive next year, I will remember to come and pay tribute to you.]


    [Fan Quan: ?] S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Failed Man: The system is really thoughtful, huh? Creating an intelligent AI similar to a deceased friend to converse with us, like playing ¡¯My 360 Days with a Dead Person¡¯ romance simulation game.]


    [Fan Quan: You¡¯re a bit paranoid.]


    [Failed Man: Wait, hang on, you¡¯re still alive?]


    [Fan Quan: Got time to meet up later? Yandai Commercial Street, the usual place, that video game store.]


    Ke Mingye looked at this message, hesitated for a few seconds, wondering if this was a trap set by his elder brother, and that Fan Quan had already been controlled¡­


    Just as he was contemplating whether to meet with Fan Quan, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s voice came from the living room downstairs, ¡°Mingye, come down and get your drink.¡±


    Hearing his elder brother¡¯s voice, Ke Mingye made up his mind, quickly walked to the window, opened it, and while releasing the Deception Puppet from the windowsill, replied to Fan Quan¡¯s message on the communication panel.


    [Failed Man: Okay, I¡¯m on my way. Wait for me there.]

 Chapter 88 - 88 - 072

    Chapter 88 ¨C 072 ¡°Strange Thing¡± VS Quirky Person


    After releasing the Deception Puppet from the windowsill, Ke Mingye turned and walked out of the room. He didn¡¯t expect that as soon as he went downstairs, he could no longer see Ke Xiaomo¡¯s figure in the living room.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Second Brother?¡±


    He asked the people on the sofa.


    Bai Qiuwu, sitting on the armrest of the sofa and holding a pen, looked at some college entrance examination math materials and responded, ¡°He went out with Big Brother. They said they wanted to sit at the caf¨¦ nearby, your cola is on the table.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t even need to think to know that Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo must have gone out to discuss cultural matters.


    So did Fan Quan really escape from Second Brother¡¯s hands, or did Second Brother and Big Brother already have Fan Quan under control, and were now setting a trap for him together¡­


    ...


    The more Ke Mingye thought about it, the more confused he became, so he picked up the remaining bottle of cola on the white round table in the living room, then sat down on the sofa to watch Bai Ziling and Bai Zini playing ¡°Double Act.¡±


    They were on the space level.


    Bai Zini controlled the thin female protagonist standing on a gigantic sphere;


    Bai Ziling controlled the fat male protagonist, who magnified his body and pushed the sphere while reminding Bai Zini to press the movement key, careful not to fall off the sphere.


    Ke Yongzhu, with his chin propped on his hand, sat on the side, mocking Bai Zini¡¯s skills.


    Each time she died in the game, this elementary schooler would click his tongue, his face screaming ¡°Let me play if you can¡¯t handle it.¡± Eventually, Bai Zini, frustrated, grabbed a pillow from the sofa and threw it at his face.


    Ke Mingye unconsciously twisted off the bottle cap, and steam erupted from the mouth of the bottle. Startled, he quickly brought his mouth close to the bottle to catch the cola that was about to overflow.


    Then, he gulped down a few mouthfuls of the cold cola and then released the bottle, breathing out deeply.


    He coughed twice, his eyes twitching, thinking to himself that Second Brother definitely did not come back home in the usual manner but had flown back from the shadows, and the cola had even fucking exploded.


    ¡°Forgot to remind you, do you need paper?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu, with a pen against her chin as she looked at the math materials, nonchalantly offered him a pack of paper.


    ¡°Really forgot?¡±


    ¡°Guess how my cola spilled.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t need the paper, mine didn¡¯t spill. Annoyed much?¡±


    Ke Mingye taunted her without even turning his head, continuing to watch the game on the TV.


    While his gaze seemed fixed on the television screen, his brain was actually controlling the Deception Puppet in the sky above the city, grabbing onto spider webs, weaving between tall buildings, flying towards Yandai Commercial City.


    Meanwhile, Ke Mingye opened the equipment panel, looking at two pieces of gear lying inside¡ª[Train Conductor¡¯s Uniform] and [Train Captain¡¯s Hat].


    These two items were rewards from the ¡°Crazy Train Station¡± instance at Number 4 Street in Old Jingmai District; it was highly unlikely that Ke Mingye himself would wear them, as they would be too out of place.


    But thinking differently, it was perfect for the puppet to use.


    This way, there was no need to go through great trouble stealing shoes or school uniforms anymore, although a train conductor¡¯s uniform was still too conspicuous when worn.


    It would be perfect in the future to buy a set of modern clothes in the store to keep in the bag.


    Having been busy all day, Ke Mingye hadn¡¯t really looked at the description of the two trophies.


    Just then, as he was about to rush to meet with Fan Quan, he took the time to read the descriptions of the gear.


    [Equipment Name: Train Conductor¡¯s Uniform]


    [Quality Level: E-rank]


    [Equipment Description: A complete set of train conductor¡¯s uniform, including a badge, jacket, shirt, pants, and shoes, which has been transformed by the Mobius Tunnel, making it fundamentally different from ordinary clothes.]


    [Equipment Ability: Whenever this train conductor¡¯s uniform is damaged, as long as there is enough left, it will regenerate itself and automatically clean every corner of the uniform, making it look brand new.]


    .


    [Equipment Name: Train Captain¡¯s Hat]


    [Quality Level: D-rank]


    [Equipment Description: The hat of a train captain, which has been on his head for over two hundred years. Although it has blocked many bullets for him, it did not block the last one that was fired at his head.]


    [Equipment Ability:


    ¢Ù When you receive a fatal injury to the head (such as from a gunshot) the hat will take over, bear the injury instead of your head, and then return to your bag to slowly self-repair.]


    ¡°Not bad at all, worthy of being an MVP reward from the instance. The hat can protect against headshots, and it even shares the self-repair feature with the conductor¡¯s uniform,¡± thought Ke Mingye.


    He clicked on the icons in the bag, equipping the Deception Puppet with the two pieces of gear.


    The next moment, the puppet¡¯s body was instantly covered in a clean, neat train conductor¡¯s uniform, the outer part a dark blue suit jacket with a badge from a last century train company on the front, and a white shirt inside. Around the neck hung a blank name tag, with neither a name nor an employee number filled in.


    At the same time, a dark blue hat appeared on its head, with a clear brim extending forward, shielding its eyes from the neon halos dancing on the high buildings.


    However, just as the puppet donned the new uniform, about to skim over the highway, a sudden large commotion came from nearby Huanjing Bridge.


    Ke Mingye heard the noise and immediately ordered the Deception Puppet to halt its motion, grabbing onto a spider web and hanging upside down on top of a building, turning its head to gaze at the upper part of Huanjing Bridge.


    There, the vehicles on the bridge were congested, seemingly blocked by something up ahead. Drivers abandoned their cars fleeing with their children or wives, screaming towards the exits of the bridge.


    Then, from a dense forest of vehicles piled up, a lithe and powerful figure gradually rushed forth.


    It resembled a horse yet was akin to a person, its body structure melding the aesthetics of both creatures, the lower body of a horse, the upper body of a person, each segment of the body possessing robust muscles, exuding a wild sense of power.


    ¡°Centaur?¡±


    The Deception Puppet blurted out.


    The moment he saw this scene, the name of a Class C fugitive emerged in Ke Mingye¡¯s mind:


    ¡ª¡±Ghost Horseman.¡±


    That afternoon, when Ke Mingye was looking at the wanted list that Fan Quan had searched for in the dessert shop, the name Ghost Horseman appeared right next to ¡°strange thing,¡± so he inadvertently remembered the name.


    Little did he think that in just half a day, he would encounter this equally overestimated brother in difficulty.


    Although the Ghost Horseman¡¯s wanted level was not low, his actual strength was considered the weakest among the Class C fugitives¡ªhe only had the strength equivalent to an E-class superhuman, one level stronger than Ke Mingye, a quasi-F-class superhuman, but that was it.


    The reason his wanted level was so high was because his past deeds were utterly unforgivable, from eating children alive to setting fire to the residences of five innocent families in succession, to attacking police officers. Just a few dozen words were not enough to list all his crimes.


    Over the past five years, Qing Ya had repeatedly arrested the Ghost Horseman more than ten times, but the Ghost Horseman, with his ¡°ghostly body¡± ability, often managed to escape from various superhuman prisons.


    At this moment, the Ghost Horseman was holding a huge cleaver in each hand, crashing wildly on the bridge, leaving terrifying hoof prints on top of one vehicle after another.


    He sprinted forward, wildly swinging the two cleavers, cutting the vehicles he passed by in two like a fierce wind. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The formerly sleek cars were no more, leaving behind nothing but pieces of ¡°paralyzed¡± scrap metal.


    The screams of the crowd gathered together, almost covering the entire bridge like a tide, making the silhouette causing such a commotion appear even more fearsome like a ghostly deity.


    ¡°Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t finished my daily task three yet, what was it¡­¡±


    The puppet was hanging upside down over the city, its pupils reflecting the Ghost Horseman rushing across Huanjing Bridge and successively killing two innocent civilians.


    ¡°Right, it¡¯s ¡¯kill a superhuman.¡¯


    ¡°Since dad refuses to deal harshly with criminals, I¡¯ll help him take down this Ghost Horseman¡­ to save him the trouble of sending him to prison again.¡±


    Thinking this, the Deception Puppet lowered its right hand and shot a web toward the giant screen of a tall building ahead, sticking to it like an open palm.


    Then, it released the original web and, grabbing the new strand of web, swung forward, while mentally rehearsing the Ghost Horseman¡¯s path of travel.


    Subsequently, at the moment the puppet swung to its highest point, it released a skill from a hundred meters above.


    The skill was called, ¡°Superhero Landing.¡±


    [Height detected as suitable (above 8 meters from the ground), skill successfully released ¡ª ¡°Superhero Landing¡±]


    In that instant, the Deception Puppet¡¯s body suddenly bent, its right knee cocked forward, and its forefinger on its forehead. Holding this comical pose, it plunged toward the ground like a beam of light.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    A deafening crash ensued as the puppet accurately smashed onto the top of the rampaging Ghost Horseman.


    It let out a hysterical horse¡¯s neigh as a violent jolt of force pressed him downward, all four horse legs bent simultaneously, and all four hooves knelt on the ground.


    Immediately thereafter, a huge crater formed on the asphalt road.


    At this moment, every giant screen on the buildings in the downtown area focused its camera on this figure descending from the sky, dressed in a train conductor¡¯s uniform, a gray oddity; the neon light halo enveloped its silhouette like an ocean.


    ¡°Who goes there, dare to¡­ dare to¡­¡±


    The Ghost Horseman supported himself on the ground with his arms, both cleavers falling into the depths of the crater, buried in the blood-soaked mud.


    ¡°Dead men talking, huh¡­¡±


    The Deception Puppet mocked with its mouth as it slowly lifted its head from the back of the Ghost Horseman, straightening up while lowering its right hand to shoot webs toward his hooves.


    With several ¡°snap¡± sounds, the highly adhesive web firmly fixed each of his hooves inside the crater.


    The Ghost Horseman struggled, supporting himself on the ground with his remaining two human arms, attempting to lift his torso out of the crater.


    But at that moment, Ke Mingye ordered the Deception Puppet to pull out the ¡°One-time Summon Card: Self-Destructing Zombie¡± from its bag, and a card appeared between the puppet¡¯s fingers.


    It crouched on the centaur¡¯s back, bit the card apart, and the next moment, a fierce-looking zombie appeared on the centaur¡¯s back, clutching tightly onto its head.


    ¡°What is, what is this?!¡±


    The Ghost Horseman screamed in panic; he couldn¡¯t see the creature clutching him, only feeling an intense heat rapidly rising from its body.


    ¡°Surprise.¡±


    The Deception Puppet grinned, shot a web and grabbed onto a nearby traffic light, kicked off the centaur¡¯s back, and shot up high, catching the web and swinging to above the traffic light.


    In the next instant, the zombie¡¯s body rapidly heated up and cracked, turning into a violent blaze that engulfed the Ghost Horseman¡¯s head.


    The thick black blood splattered from his skull evaporated into gas in the flames, and in a blink, it vanished.


    After a long moment, a red-background panel popped up in front of Ke Mingye, announcing the Ghost Horseman¡¯s death.


    [You have successfully completed ¡°Daily Task 3: Kill a Superhuman.¡± This task is a special task; please collect your reward promptly.]


    The Deception Puppet crouched above the traffic light, confirming that the Ghost Horseman was thoroughly dead, and was about to leave when it suddenly noticed a figure standing beside it.


    It froze for two seconds and slowly moved its face to look at the figure. It was a man, shrouded entirely in a black cloak, wearing a pitch-black mask, with an aggressively sharp blue beak protruding from the center of his face.


    ¡°You seem to be having quite some fun.¡±


    The dark figure rasped, his ominous voice almost seeping into the Deception Puppet¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 89 - 89 - 073

    Chapter 89 ¨C 073 ¡°Strange Thing¡± VS Qing Ya


    The night of June 21, in the center of Huanjing, a steel jungle of towering skyscrapers surrounded electronic signs densely packed together, like a deck of poker cards spread out on a table.


    In the square, every giant screen was broadcasting the same scene, featuring a gray creature squatting on top of a traffic light, with a deep pit beneath him.


    In the pit lay a bloodied figure, the villain ¡°Ghost Trickster,¡± who had just been defeated by him.


    The world first fell briefly into dead silence, followed by everyone in the city pointing at the figure squatting on the traffic light and beginning the classic post-battle cheers.


    It was still the old trilogy indispensable in superhero movies, some people knelt and wept, others clapped, some screamed in applause and then a child stretched out his finger pointing at him and shouted, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s a superhero, we¡¯re saved!¡±


    The Deception Puppet scratched his cheek, thinking that his cool photo was still hanging on the wanted list on the Superhero Association¡¯s official website. But since you guys want to do this, let¡¯s do it.


    ¡°Such a strange-looking superhero, why haven¡¯t I seen him on the official website?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Why is he wearing a flight attendant¡¯s outfit?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s mixed up with Qing Ya, does that not make him a sketchy superhero? Is that weird?¡±


    ¡°Qing Ya?¡±


    When the Deception Puppet heard that name, he realized something was not right, and just then, a raspy, sinister voice rang in his ear, making it quiver as if his brain marrow was trembling.


    ¡°You seem to be having a lot of fun.¡±


    That voice said so.


    The puppet sharply turned his head to look at Qing Ya, who was also standing above the traffic light. Some children in the crowd started crying upon seeing him, as if they saw a nightmare that kept them awake at night.


    Ever since Qing Ya debuted and became a model worker of the Superhero Association¡¯s Huanjing branch, every child in the city¡¯s sleep quality had noticeably declined. Frequently, people would dream of a giant crow swooping down at them, gnawing at their flesh.


    That was the impression Ke Youqing left people, his exceedingly brutal methods not only put an end to most crimes but also resulted in a situation where he faced public scorn. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, Ke Mingye himself was sitting on a couch, sipping on a Coke, watching Bai Ziling and Bai Zini play ¡°Double Act.¡±


    Just catching sight of Qing Ya¡¯s face was as terrifying as turning around in a horror movie to see a ghost screaming into one¡¯s face. He flinched, and his hand shook, tilting the Coke bottle and spilling the drink on a schoolchild¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Damn it, are you sick?!¡±


    Ke Yongzhu was initially stunned, then frantically jumped up, quickly getting to his feet and patting his clothes. He asked Ke Mingye with a dark face,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re going to take a shower later anyway.¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s back was drenched with cold sweat, he gave a couple of evasive responses, and after taking a breath to calm himself, he patted Ke Yongzhu¡¯s now-damp shoulder.


    Back when he used to watch live broadcasts on the dark web, he would mock those who were spied on and the arch-villains. Every time he saw how exaggerated Qing Ya¡¯s reactions were, was it really necessary, afraid of being eaten or something¡­ Only after having experienced it himself did he understand what it was like to not have a clue until you¡¯ve been through it.


    It was no different than being kicked off a cliff before your bungee jumping gear was securely fastened.


    Not wetting himself was already proof of good mental strength.


    At the moment, the puppet raised his non-existent eyebrows, slowly rose from the traffic light post, and took off his train conductor¡¯s hat to salute him.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Mr. Qing Ya, my apologies, I just didn¡¯t notice you were here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t salute me, you¡¯re a wanted criminal,¡± Qing Ya said.


    ¡°Right.¡± The puppet put on his train conductor¡¯s hat again, ¡°But I just dealt with a criminal who¡¯s on the same wanted level as I am, that should make up for my crimes, right? After all, my only offenses were setting fire on an overpass and blowing up a traffic light pole, as for causing a major streaking incident, that¡¯s a completely fabricated charge that I will never admit to¡­¡±


    He paused, ¡°Mr. Qing Ya, don¡¯t look at me as a villain. I actually have a heart that aspires to be a superhero.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think you could kill him with your power?¡± Qing Ya asked.


    The puppet pointed at the mangled corpse in the pit and turned to Qing Ya, ¡°What else could it be, his body has already cooled, yet you still doubt me?¡±


    ¡°While you pinned him down in the pit, I shot him with an inhibitor, injected inside his body, making his ¡¯ghostly body¡¯ ineffective,¡± Qing Ya spoke slowly, ¡°Otherwise, you would soon discover that Ghost Trickster not only survived the explosion but also escaped from your web.¡±


    The puppet suddenly realized, lowered the brim of his hat, and muttered to himself.


    ¡°I see¡­ I said this super villain had an ability to make his body untouchable, how come he didn¡¯t use it at the brink of death.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a super villain, just an insignificant character like you.¡±


    Qing Ya looked down at the corpse on the ground and spoke with sarcasm.


    ¡°Alright, alright, an insignificant character.¡± The Deception Puppet spread its hands. ¡°But let¡¯s get back to the point,, even if I didn¡¯t kill him with my own strength, I at least helped you take care of it, don¡¯t you think that should count as atoning for my wrongs?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a wanted criminal; we¡¯ll consider that at the police station.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t go?¡±


    As it spoke, the Deception Puppet had already kicked off from the top of a traffic light and leaped into the air above the street, while simultaneously lowering its right hand and shooting a web towards a screen embedded on the surface of a high-rise.


    But in the next moment, it almost didn¡¯t realize what had happened before its body was seized by a swift dark shadow, and then dragged along, shooting towards the surface of a tall building, climbing up along the glass curtain wall and finally reaching the upper airspace of the city.


    In this relentless assault, the entire curtain wall¡¯s glass shattered continuously, raining down on the street like a downpour, causing the crowd below to scream in horror.


    Qing Ya remained in midair, his cloak continuously releasing flock after flock of pitch-black crows, as if these birds were buoying his body, floating in the sky.


    Among the flock of crows, he grasped the puppet¡¯s neck, smashing its head viciously into a screen promoting a movie, creating a dent in the giant screen instantly.


    Bang!


    Behind the screen were tangled wires, the sparking electricity savaging the puppet¡¯s face, nearly tearing apart its brain.


    Seeing this scene, screams rose from the downtown area, the entire street buzzing with conversation. The cars grinding on the road all stopped, and every person poked their heads out of their car windows, looking up at this bizarre spectacle:


    ¡ª ¡°Qing Ya has just subdued the superhero who had just saved Huanjing Bridge inside an LED display.¡±


    It was as if he were administering electric shocks.


    ¡°Behave, don¡¯t think about running. A thousand of you couldn¡¯t escape from my palm.¡±


    Qing Ya whispered hoarsely, the light in his eyes behind the mask gleaming ferociously. With each word he spoke, his hand around the puppet¡¯s neck tightened, as if he was about to crush its neck any second.


    ¡°Cough¡­ cough cough, buddy, do you even count as a superhero?¡±


    The puppet¡¯s face twisted, but its mouth was still turned up in a grin.


    ¡°You should look at the eyes of the people down there, see their slightly open mouths. They clearly want to resist you, they want to scream at you, but they can¡¯t utter a word, just standing there dumbfounded. Do you know why that is?¡±


    It paused, leaning close to Qing Ya¡¯s ear, almost uttering each word carefully, ¡°Because they are afraid of you¡­¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Qing Ya lowered his face and asked coldly, ¡°what are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°So?¡± The puppet stared into the eyes behind Qing Ya¡¯s mask, laughing maniacally, ¡°In their eyes, I am the hero, while you¡­ are not a hero at all, just a thug.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if I am considered a hero in anyone¡¯s eyes; I only care whether what I am doing is right.¡±


    Qing Ya said coldly, staring straight at him, his black cloak flapping in the night sky.


    He held the puppet in his right hand, propelled into the sky by countless crows, bursting through the air like a black tidal wave, disappearing into thousands of cameras in an instant.


    ¡°What a pity, I suppose I won¡¯t be accompanying you back to the police station, Mr. Qing Ya.¡±


    The puppet, watching itself get farther and farther from the ground, sighed softly: ¡°You are really annoying, like a brute beast with unevolved intelligence. Perhaps those so-called supervillains are more reasonable than you.¡±


    As the words fell, his body rapidly heated and cracked in the night, the violently glowing cracks spreading across his body, eventually reaching his face.


    Qing Ya noticed this and stopped midway in the air, ceasing to rise.


    ¡°No one will remember you, this tyrant¡­ no one will.¡±


    After dropping this eerily toned phrase, the puppet¡¯s body exploded completely. Qing Ya released its neck and simultaneously vanished from the spot.


    After a while, a burst of intense firelight rose in the center of Huanjing, lighting up the dark night like fireworks, causing the crowd on the street to point at the sky and cheer.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the fireworks tonight?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fireworks!¡±


    ¡°Such beautiful fireworks!¡±


    But the next moment, a strange laugh sounded in the sky, enveloping everyone¡¯s ears like an electronic broadcast.

 Chapter 90 - 90 - 074: Superhero or Supervillain

    Chapter 90 ¨C 074: Superhero or Supervillain


    [Congratulations, you have completed the first node objective of the main quest ¡°Destroy the Superhero Round Table¡± ¡ª approach the superhero ¡°Qing Ya¡± in disguise.]


    [This main quest has split into two paths. If you wish to pursue both paths simultaneously, you will need to play two roles: ¡°superhero¡± and ¡°supervillain¡±.]


    As a red and black panel popped up in front of him, Ke Mingye came back to his senses on the couch, his hand empty from the cola he had just finished drinking, and he casually tossed the can into the trash can.


    ¡°Damn, is that the terrifying Crow Man?¡± he thought. ¡°Why do I feel like facing him is even more stressful than facing my brother? Our first encounter and he hits me with a combo without explanation, sending me straight to heaven. He doesn¡¯t make any sense at all.¡±


    Just in case, the moment Qing Ya caught him, he dismantled the web shooter and the train conductor uniform from the puppet. These items were far more precious than the puppet itself.


    ¡°Two paths?¡±


    Ke Mingye focused on the red and black panel in front of him, which was still refreshing with new text.


    ...


    [The following are the two target path contents for the main quest ¡°Destroy the Superhero Round Table¡±.]


    [The first path¡¯s node objective is: ¡°Not a superhero, but a justice-driven supervillain¡± ¡ª disguise yourself as a superhero through another false identity, infiltrate the inside of the Superhero Association, and raise your superhero rating within the association to D rank (the lowest rank of superheroes is E rank).]


    [The second path¡¯s node objective is: ¡°The Day of the Tyrant¡¯s Demise¡± ¡ª raise your wanted level on the official Superhero Association website to B rank (currently a C rank fugitive).]


    [Note: The two target paths can be pursued concurrently and interchangeably.]


    ¡°Please, can the difficulty get any higher?¡± Ke Mingye thought. ¡°Acting as a villain on one hand and pretending to be a superhero on the other, isn¡¯t that going to cause a mental split?¡±


    What he was more curious about was how to infiltrate the Superhero Association. To accomplish this, wouldn¡¯t he need a world-class hacker to fabricate a flawless identity for him?


    But he didn¡¯t have such a person by his side.


    [You have received the node reward: 2000 experience points, 8 attribute points, and 2000 mall coins.]


    [Your level has been raised to Lv.8 (1500/4500 points), and you have received 1 attribute point as a level-up reward.]


    [You currently have a total of 9 idle attribute points, please allocate them promptly.]


    Ke Mingye opened his personal panel, and without much thought, directly added all 9 attribute points to the ¡°Physical Fitness¡± category.


    His approach was to stack one outstanding attribute first, then use skills and equipment to compensate for the weaknesses from other attributes, and start to distribute attributes evenly in the mid-game.


    ¡°A person can have flaws, but cannot be mediocre. You must have one strength to truly stand out in society.¡±


    In memory, Ke Youqing had taught this lesson to the seven children at home.


    Every time he remembered this, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but scoff in his heart: ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, but Dad, you sure have too many flaws, right? Look at what people say about you online and then reflect on yourself, okay?¡±


    Especially the other six sisters at home, like Magical Girl Ash and Black Judge, their extreme and dualistic personalities were probably largely thanks to Ke Youqing¡¯s genes and upbringing.


    However, Ke Youqing was indeed as prolific in his strengths as he claimed, otherwise how could he have lasted so many years against a full-on internet backlash without being toppled.


    Ke Mingye found this approach to life very convincing and decided to apply this life formula to his attribute allocation: to fight the dragon with the way of the dragon, and the day to trample Qing Ya underfoot is not far off.


    [Physical Fitness attribute change: 51 points¡ú60 points.]


    [Congratulations, your ¡°Physical Fitness¡± attribute has successfully broken through the ¡°E rank superhuman minimum standard¡± (60 points).]


    ¡°This is so easy, thankfully the player leaderboard doesn¡¯t rank player strength, but rather the number of superhumans killed, otherwise I¡¯d be permanently at the top of the leaderboard.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself and opened his friends list, clicking on Fan Quan¡¯s Mario avatar.


    [Failed Man: Hey, you there?]


    [Fan Quan: What¡¯s up?]


    [Failed Man: I got caught by Qing Ya, looks like I won¡¯t be able to meet up with you.]


    [Fan Quan: Fine, I just watched the live stream, you really got beaten up pretty bad by your dad, let¡¯s do it tomorrow afternoon then.]


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eye twitched a bit as he thought to himself, why does this guy¡¯s words subtly give off the vibe of ¡°a primary school student sneaking out to an internet cafe at midnight getting caught and beaten on the buttocks with a stick by his father¡±?


    For heaven¡¯s sake, it was supposed to be the destined battle between the superhero ¡°Qing Ya¡± and the super villain ¡°strange thing,¡± can¡¯t he show a little respect?


    So, Ke Mingye¡¯s rebellious spirit was stirred up right then and there.


    Just because he got caught by his father, he thought, he¡¯d fire back with a retaliatory shot¡ªit wasn¡¯t possible to get caught a second time, was it?


    With that thought, he clicked on the skill cooldown icon at the top left of his vision, and a panel popped up: [Since you voluntarily destroyed the ¡°Deception Puppet,¡± it can be cast again after ten minutes].


    Then he typed his reply on the panel.


    [Failed Man: Why don¡¯t you wait at the arcade for a bit longer, I¡¯ll be there in ten minutes.]


    [Fan Quan: Oh, I¡¯m planning to stay here until ten o¡¯clock tonight anyway, do as you please, just don¡¯t let your dad catch you again.]


    [Failed Man: Screw off.]


    Ke Mingye closed the panel, and the world suddenly became peaceful.


    He was sprawled on the sofa like Ge You, turning his head to look at Bai Ziling and Bai Zini next to him. They were both tired of playing video games and were leaning back on the sofa, each playing with their phones.


    At that moment, Bai Zini¡¯s expression became a bit strange, her complexion unusually cold. Her eyes were fixed on the phone screen, which was showing a trending video from Weibo. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye leaned over to take a look.


    In the video, the superhero Qing Ya was talking to a grey humanoid figure dressed in a flight attendant¡¯s uniform, perched atop a traffic light. In the next instant, the grey figure shot a thread towards an electronic screen on a high-rise building, then leaped up, grabbing onto the thread, about to take flight.


    Suddenly, Qing Ya used some method to blink in front of it, stretching out a hand to tightly grasp its neck.


    ¡°Damn, what the heck is this drab thing, a new super villain?¡± Ke Mingye commented.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, first time seeing it,¡± Bai Zini said calmly.


    She paused for a moment, put away her phone, ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk, been playing games for too long, my eyes are sore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°No, I like walking alone.¡±


    ¡°You were just saying this morning that you wanted me to go running with you next time.¡±


    ¡°Bro, when did you become so clingy?¡±


    After speaking, Bai Zini gave him a sidelong glance, silently rose from the sofa, walked over to the entrance, put on her shoes and headed out.


    Ke Yongzhu watched this for a while and finally could take over Bai Zini¡¯s position and pick up the game controller, but Bai Ziling was already tired of playing and they ended up resting their heads together to watch TV.


    ¡°Little Shadow.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu watched the television with her eyes, but her mouth issued a comment directed at Ke Mingye.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Though Bai Ziling didn¡¯t know what was going on, she followed with a faint echo of agreement.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to either of you?¡±


    Ke Mingye glanced at them dismissively, wondering since when they had become so chummy. His attention was quickly diverted by something else.


    Just as Bai Zini had walked out the door, she returned, lowering her head to Ke Mingye and said, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s go for a walk together.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you have something to do?¡±


    Ke Mingye looked at her with a strange expression, thinking to himself how she seemed to be in and out constantly.


    He knew that Bai Zini had most likely intended to seek out Qing Ya to inquire about the ¡°strange thing¡±. But what was the point¡­ He had already extricated himself from Qing Ya¡¯s grasp by self-destructing, and there was no finding him now.


    ¡°Not going anymore, I¡¯d rather go for a walk with you.¡±


    Bai Zini remained silent for a while, then said softly.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. We can also check the nearby caf¨¦ for our eldest and second brothers on the way.¡±


    Ke Mingye hesitated for a moment, thinking about going upstairs for his phone to find an excuse, then releasing a Deception Puppet. But after a second thought, he decided against it and opened his friends¡¯ panel, sending a message to Fan Quan.


    [Failed Man: Something suddenly came up, won¡¯t make it tonight.]


    [Fan Quan: Did your dad catch you again?]


    [Failed Man: No, can¡¯t say more, see you tomorrow.]


    After sending the message, he closed the panel and moved to join Bai Zini at the door, squatting to put on his sneakers.


    ¡°Why so preoccupied lately?¡± he asked as he tied his shoelaces.


    ¡°Am I?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s written all over your face, you¡¯re terrible at hiding worries. Anyone at home can tell.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°So what happened?¡±


    Ke Mingye uttered as he entered the elevator, pressing the open door button on the panel, and quietly waited for Bai Zini to step into the cabin.


    Bai Zini stood outside the elevator with her hands behind her back, her head bowed, and strands of loose hair obscuring her eyes.


    ¡°Can you just not ask, okay?¡± she said.


    ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want to talk about it, then never mind.¡± Ke Mingye tilted his head, his finger continuously pressing the ¡¯Open¡¯ button on the panel, ¡°My hand is getting sore, what exactly do you want to do?¡±


    Bai Zini stayed silent for a while, weariness in her eyes. Slowly, she looked up from beneath her hair, opened her mouth as if to say something but then slowly stepped back.


    ¡°What if I told you, I am a magi¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye was taken aback, swallowing nervously, thinking to himself he hoped she¡¯s not about to blow up on him.


    ¡°Um, you are what?¡± he probed.


    Bai Zini was silent, one of them standing in the brightly lit elevator cabin, the other in the dimly lit corridor.


    After a long pause, the person in the corridor said softly, ¡°Do you remember when I was little, I said I wanted to be a Magic Girl, so I could protect you in the future?¡±


    ¡°I remember.¡±


    Ke Mingye quietly lowered his head, recalling the event in his mind.


    Back in primary school, he frequently got picked on for being adopted, with classmates calling him a parasite and cursed, leading him to fight every day and come home with a bruised face. Once, while still in preschool, a sympathetic Bai Zini hugged him while her eyes turned red from crying.


    Amidst her tears, she loudly declared that she would become a Magic Girl when she grew up, so no one could bully her brother.


    The rest of the children in the house laughed at her then.


    Especially Bai Qiuwu, who even though she tried to contain herself by pressing a fist against her lips, eventually couldn¡¯t help shaking with laughter.


    Only Ke Mingye had been stunned for a long while before he ended up patting her back.


    As Ke Mingye thought about it, he suddenly paused, looking up at Bai Zini, wondering if the reason she had become a Magic Girl was really because of that incident.


    ¡°You were so silly back then.¡± He scratched his nose, saying softly, ¡°Everyone was laughing at you, dad even made a video of it. It used to be played every year on your birthday and eventually, everyone forgot about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so mean.¡±


    Bai Zini got angry, her face turning red as she retorted, ¡°Back then, I just didn¡¯t want to see you hurt.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I always been fine? I haven¡¯t been bullied since then, maybe I owe it to your lucky charm.¡±


    With that, Ke Mingye released the open door button on the elevator panel, stepped out of the elevator, took her hand, and while the elevator doors hadn¡¯t closed yet, he pulled her into the cabin.


    Their figures passed through the narrowing gap, as if crossing into another world.


    The elevator doors closed, and with a humming sound, the cabin began to descend.


    Ke Mingye let go of her hand and instead picked up his phone, checking the time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get home before 9:30, or dad will nag us again. But we could stop by the caf¨¦ to find our eldest brother, get him to cover for us. We¡¯ll say he dragged us out to play,¡± he said with a crooked smile.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be upset anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not upset now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡±


    ¡°I feel like you¡¯ve changed a lot lately, you never used to care about me this much.¡±


    ¡°Was I really that heartless before?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that you never said it out loud, but I knew.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s settled then.¡±

 Chapter 91 - 91 - 075: Skill Enhancement Card, Two Puppets

    Chapter 91 ¨C 075: Skill Enhancement Card, Two Puppets


    On the late night of June 21st, Ke Mingye and Bai Zini walked on the lakeside path, where the moonlit lake shimmered with waves, reflecting the fleeting moon shadow amidst the clouds.


    ¡°Have you had enough of wandering?¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Bai Zini turned her head to look at him, speaking somewhat irritably, ¡°I feel like you, big bro, are about to fall asleep. I¡¯m really afraid you¡¯ll doze off on the way.¡±


    Ke Mingye shrugged, ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry and find our eldest and second brothers to pass the blame onto them, otherwise mom will definitely scold us for coming back so late.¡±


    ¡°Old bro, you know it best; you must have done this quite a few times before.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, how would we survive with mom¡¯s temperament?¡±


    While speaking, Ke Mingye suddenly remembered something, ¡°By the way, what was the reward for that mission of killing a superhuman? I haven¡¯t claimed it yet.¡±


    ...


    So, he opened the mission panel and glanced at the special task in the third slot.


    [Daily Task 3: Kill a Superhuman (Completed, Reward Unclaimed)]


    Ke Mingye mentally clicked on that red special task, and immediately, a reward notification popped up.


    [You have successfully claimed the reward for Daily Task 3, receiving the following two items: ¢Ù 1000 Mall Coins; ¢Ú a fragment of a Skill Enhancement Card.]


    [Current possession of Mall Coins: 10260 ¡ú 11260]


    ¡°My goodness, no wonder it¡¯s a special task with only a percent chance of refreshing. The rewards are so generous.¡± Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow and thought, ¡°Skill Enhancement Card, what exactly is this thing?¡±


    He opened his inventory panel to check the introduction of that shard.


    [Item Name: Fragment of a Skill Enhancement Card]


    [Item Description: Collect three pieces of the Skill Enhancement Card fragments to acquire a ¡°Skill Enhancement Card¡± which can be used to expand the capabilities of your current skills or to enhance the damage of the skills. (Note: Skill Enhancement Cards can only be used on skills of Grade C or above.)]


    [Item Source: ¢Ù This item has a 2% chance of appearing on the equipment item purchase page of the mall; ¢Ú This item can occasionally be obtained by completing special daily tasks.]


    Ke Mingye clicked on the special term ¡¯Skill Enhancement Card¡¯ in the introduction, and a new interface popped up.


    [Currently, in your skill bar, the skill eligible for the Skill Enhancement Card is Grade B skill ¨C ¡°Deception Puppet.¡±]


    [When using the Skill Enhancement Card on ¡°Deception Puppet,¡± the following changes will occur:]


    [¢Ù Allows you to simultaneously summon two Deception Puppets, but the attributes of the second puppet will only be 80% of the first one.]


    [¢Ú The duration time of Deception Puppet¡¯s existence will enhance from 3 hours to 6 hours.]


    ¡°Is this for real? This is so overpowered¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye stared at the text on the introduction panel, his mind whirling with thoughts, and it took him a couple of seconds to snap back and think that there was no reason not to grab this Skill Enhancement Card.


    Once he got it, he¡¯d just create two clones, one turning into the super villain ¡¯strange thing,¡¯ the other becoming the Magic Girl ¡¯Xiaohongmao,¡¯ while he himself could masquerade somewhat as a superhero. They could freaking perform a stage play with three identities interacting and supporting each other ¨C was there still any worry about revealing his identity in front of his family?


    This was unbeatable now. If one person couldn¡¯t defeat Qing Ya, could three combined still not manage it?


    The only issue was how to get the fragment¡­ Through the mall and special tasks, that was only by luck given the small chances, but it wasn¡¯t impossible.


    ¡°Speaking of finding our second and eldest brothers, where did you say they were again?¡±


    On the quiet lakeside path, Bai Zini turned her head and asked, breaking into Ke Mingye¡¯s thoughts.


    Ke Mingye looked down at his phone and answered, ¡°Second brother sent me his location, at the Old Jingmai Cafe on Seventh Street.¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­..


    Half an hour ago, on the second floor of Old Jingmai Cafe.


    Beneath the warm orange glow of the ceiling chandelier, two figures sat opposite each other in a compartment, sipping coffee while speaking softly.


    ¡°So¡­ you didn¡¯t catch him?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi raised his eyes, asking slowly, his tone slightly surprised.


    Earlier, upon spotting a passerby covertly observing them on Fourth Street, he had asked Ke Xiaomo to confirm the person¡¯s identity, but he hadn¡¯t expected this outcome.


    Ke Xiaomo shook his head, answering, ¡°No, he got away.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi raised an eyebrow, surprised as he appraised him, ¡°Uh¡­ are you sure you didn¡¯t let him go on purpose?¡±


    ¡°No, I did my best to look for him.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi said with interest, ¡°Oh¡­ so there are actually people who can escape from your grasp? I¡¯m not even confident I could get away from beneath your view, who could that be?¡±


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a chance he¡¯s a player?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, players at this level shouldn¡¯t be that formidable, at least none capable of escaping from you are likely to exist.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi shrugged his shoulders as he spoke, changing the topic, ¡°Rather, even if you look at the top superhumans in the world, there aren¡¯t many who can evade your tracking.¡±


    ¡°I think so too, but he just ran away right under my eyes¡­¡±


    ¡°That is indeed very strange.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi sipped his coffee, looked him in the eye, and curiously asked, ¡°Do you think the person we encountered just now was a player?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s just intuition, no evaluation¡­¡±


    Ke Xiaomo nodded and said softly.


    ¡°I trust your intuition. Ever since we were kids, your intuition has always been accurate, quite mystical.¡±


    ¡°While practicing in the valley, my master once told me that I have a spiritual sense, so I often sense things others wouldn¡¯t expect,¡± Ke Xiaomo said. ¡°That¡¯s why I always feel that the officials take the ¡¯player¡¯ matter too lightly, perhaps they are far more dangerous than we imagine.¡±


    ¡°It seems you and I share the same view.¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi chuckled softly, teasing, ¡°After all, if a hundred people could exterminate the world¡¯s superhumans, including two American sweethearts who rob convenience stores with guns¡­ if you were in the shoes of those battle-hardened antiques, would you really take it seriously?¡±


    ¡°No, it sounds too absurd¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point, I can¡¯t convince those old-fashioned folks either,¡± Ke Yinzhi spread his hands, ¡°They even said, since you think it¡¯s so important, you should try to find those hundred people yourself.¡± Saying this, he took a sip of coffee, ¡°So I had no choice but to seek help from Qing Ya and the Alliance members.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really not your style.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I wanted to take this opportunity to get to know them better, I always focused on fighting and killing, never caring about these social niceties.¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While speaking, Ke Yinzhi¡¯s coat pocket vibrated with his phone. He held the coffee cup in one hand and with the other, he pulled out the phone and placed it between his shoulder and ear to answer.


    Listening to the voice on the other end, he raised his eyebrows, ¡°Is that so, I understand¡­ okay.¡±


    After finishing, Ke Yinzhi hung up the phone, put it back in his pocket, and looked at Ke Xiaomo, ¡°Guess what news I just heard?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ke Xiaomo asked, perplexed.


    ¡°Your favorite Dice Monster has appeared again, and who knows what madness he¡¯s up to, he subdued a Class C wanted criminal ¡¯Ghost Horse Man¡¯ by Huanjing Bridge, and now he¡¯s been caught by Qing Ya.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s expression changed, and he asked:


    ¡°Did Qing Ya catch him then?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, no.¡± Ke Yinzhi shifted his gaze, speaking casually, ¡°Well¡­ you know, that thing is just a puppet, catching the puppet is useless, we need to catch the Puppet Master.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Ke Xiaomo¡¯s gaze shifted, each time the name Dice Monster was mentioned, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a palpitation.


    ¡°But no worries, the Dice Monster has already caught Qing Ya¡¯s attention, so it probably won¡¯t be long before its true body is exposed by Qing Ya.¡±


    ¡°You really have a lot of confidence in Qing Ya.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Ke Yinzhi bit into a cookie, jokingly said, ¡°We all know Qing Ya might not be the strongest superhero, but he certainly has the best investigative skills, like a hound, no one he targets can escape.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully.¡± Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath, ¡°I just hope this matter gets resolved quickly.¡±


    ¡°It will be fine, brother, don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi rested his chin in his hand and sighed lightly, speaking nonchalantly, and patted his shoulder.


    At that moment, Ke Xiaomo looked down at a message on his phone, then shut it off: ¡°Mingye and Xiao Ni said they want to come over to find us.¡±


    ¡°Let them come, after all, we¡¯ve discussed everything we needed to, and we might as well treat them to some dessert.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ke Xiaomo picked up his phone to send a message to Ke Mingye, and then asked Ke Yinzhi, ¡°Will you be here on the 4th of July?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s summer vacation; unless there¡¯s an emergency, I won¡¯t be going anywhere,¡± Ke Yinzhi paused, ¡°Is it about the matter of the Calamity Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I just can¡¯t understand why Master would keep the whereabouts of the Calamity Dragon a secret from me¡­¡±


    Ke Xiaomo put down his phone, silent for a long time, ¡°I might not be able to handle it alone, I need you by my side, then I¡¯ll be confident.¡±


    ¡°I promise you that¡¯ll be okay, whatever happens that day, I¡¯ll be here.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi smiled slightly, picked up a cookie and casually chewed on it.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°We are family, always have been.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Always have been.¡±

 Chapter 92 - 92 - 076: The Crow Chorus

    Chapter 92 ¨C 076: The Crow Chorus


    June 21, in the dead of night, the 79th floor of the Superhero Association building.


    Ke Youqing removed his mask, placed his hands on the sink countertop, and hung his head low, breathing deeply.


    Qing Ya¡¯s mask fell to the floor, emitting a metallic humming sound. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the shadows of his forehead, he raised his eyes, and the mirror reflected a tired, gloomy face, his bloodshot eyes staring at the mirror¡¯s surface.


    A crow stood on his shoulder, cawing: ¡°He got away, they all got away, you caught no one, you¡¯re really useless¡­¡±


    Hours earlier, an unidentified hacker had breached the official records database, searching for him and his family¡¯s records. Ke Youqing, using a pre-set counter-surveillance alarm, located the hacker¡¯s address at the first instance and dispatched a top-tier police squad and two B-level superheroes from the local Association branch to search.


    But the hacker reacted quickly, immediately destroying all clues and evidence, and furthermore, managed to escape unscathed from the encirclement of the police force.


    ...


    Thus, Ke Youqing was especially irritable tonight.


    Who could it be¡­ hacking into the record database, just to search for information on him and his family?


    He couldn¡¯t stop pondering this question, the more he thought about it, the more agitated he became.


    The follow-up investigation by the Association branch had not yielded any results so far.


    He could only wait¡­


    If he were decades younger, he believed he was accustomed to waiting, and good at it, too¡ªit was key in apprehending those criminals, patiently waiting for the right moment to act, never doing anything uncertain.


    But now he was too tired to qualify to wait any longer.


    So he could only act like a mad dog, recklessly aggressive, making the most of the last breath that still lingered in his throat.


    ¡°Go back, go back¡­ you useless thing.¡±


    The crow on his shoulder taunted him, its blood-red eyes filled with disdain.


    Ke Youqing remained silent, and after a long while, lifted his gloved right hand and pressed hard against the crow¡¯s head, crushing it.


    There was no blood spurting out, just crow feathers fluttering down to the floor, melting away like a black rain.


    He took a deep, raspy breath, irritably turning his head away to see two crows dancing a tango on the toilet lid; three crows on the windowsill playing bungee jumping games, plunging down from the ledge, fluttering their wings just before hitting the ground, flying back up to the windowsill; ten crows lined up in a corner of the restroom singing ¡°London Bridge is Falling Down,¡± the leading crow wielding a baton, conducting left and right, their hoarse singing echoing in the bathroom; the narrow bathtub piled with countless crow corpses, thick blood about to spill out.


    Ke Youqing had gone mad.


    But he didn¡¯t think he was mad yet.


    Rather, he couldn¡¯t afford to go mad¡ªif he did, who would take over his post, who would protect this city?


    He didn¡¯t know how much longer he could maintain his sanity. If he ever fancied that he could change the world, then he had utterly lost.


    He simply hoped that his family could remain safe, that every child could grow up successfully, find an ordinary life, and live peacefully.


    As for his ideals, he planned to find a successor he could entrust with them, to train him within this year to the best of his abilities, to take his place.


    Then, with a clear conscience, step away from this tangled stage.


    Ke Youqing remained silent for a long time, slowly removing his battle suit, step by step, he walked towards the bathtub.


    The dead flock of crows suddenly came to life, screeching hoarsely as they flew to the sky. Ignoring everything, he submerged himself in the warm pool of blood.


    He knew that it wasn¡¯t blood, but bathwater, yet his nose seemed to detect the thick scent of blood.


    Ke Youqing picked up the pack of cigarettes on the edge of the bathtub, drew one out, placed it in his mouth, and looked up at the ceiling.


    After decades of non-stop fighting, he still saw no sign of the world improving. In the end, he was covered in scars, protecting his family like a sick dog, praying they wouldn¡¯t be drawn into the other side of the world, into the unchanging darkness, yet¡­ today¡¯s events had completely broken his last line of inner defense, invading the last safe haven in his heart like a violent storm.


    ¡ªSomeone had set their sights on his family.


    ¡°Is it a player?¡± Ke Youqing wondered as he soaked in the blood pool, ¡°Or someone from the Management Bureau? Since the Management Bureau used a brain imaging helmet to scrutinize my child in the cinema, it¡¯s evident that someone among them knows who I am, so they searched the records of people around me¡­¡±


    Half an hour ago, he contacted the external affairs department of the Anomaly Control Bureau, requesting a meeting with the S-class operative, ¡°Black Judge,¡± but the Black Judge said he was enjoying his vacation time, had no time to meet him unless he helped expose Dice Monster¡¯s true identity. Then he might be interested in stopping by the Association to hear what he had to say.


    Although Ke Youqing did not want to admit it, the Anomaly Control Bureau indeed held a higher official status than the Superhero Association, so in communication with the Management Bureau, he had to be in a passive position.


    ¡°Dice Monster, why is Black Judge so fixated on this fugitive¡­¡±


    Ke Youqing pondered, recalling the words Dice Monster had left him with: ¡°I¡¯m the hero, you¡¯re just a thug¡­ no one will remember a tyrant, no one will.¡±

 Chapter 93 - 93 - 076 Crow Choir_2

    Chapter 93 ¨C 076 Crow Choir_2


    He leaned the back of his head against the edge of the bathtub and slowly closed his weary eyelids, taking a deep drag on his cigarette.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    June 22nd, morning, seven o¡¯clock.


    The alarm clock went off on time, and Ke Mingye, rubbing his bleary eyes, reached out to turn off the alarm and opened his eyes to find that same reporting panel before him.


    [Task time remaining: 361 days. Please complete the ultimate mission of ¡°Exterminate Superhumans¡± within the deadline.]


    [Current number of global surviving players: 96 out of 100]


    ...


    [No version updates are available for today.]


    [Today¡¯s daily tasks are as follows]


    [One, run 5000 meters (Reward: One spin the wheel lottery chance)]


    [Two, no special tasks have been refreshed today.]


    Ke Mingye yawned, closed the panel, ¡°Right, there were rewards for killing Superhumans, but how do I claim them¡­¡±


    Thinking this, he clicked on the ¡°Player Rankings¡± icon in the upper right corner of his field of vision,


    A red and black panel popped up before his eyes.


    [The current global player rankings for accumulated Superhuman kills are as follows.]


    [First Place: 17 people¡ªID: Ripper Z (Serial Number NO.002)]


    [Second Place: 15 people¡ªID: A Zhe (Serial Number NO.098)]


    [Third Place: 12 people¡ªID: Top Bull (Serial Number NO.025)] sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Fourth Place: 6 people¡ªID: Fan Quan (Serial Number NO.039)]


    [¡­]


    [Your Ranking: Currently tied with 23 other players for 8th place overall, 1 kill]


    ¡°Do these people have to kill so fiercely? Aren¡¯t they afraid of dying?¡±


    Ke Mingye was secretly shocked, wondering if the person at the top of the leaderboard, having already hunted seventeen Superhumans, wouldn¡¯t be targeted by some of the more formidable local superheroes?


    Especially this one named ¡°Fan Quan,¡± he seemed a bit off, as no one else has a character named ¡°Qing Ya;¡± this guy fully knew the dangers but still chose to walk into Tiger Mountain.


    Ke Mingye looked at the upper right corner of the ranking interface and saw an icon labeled [Kill Milestone]; he clicked on it.


    [Current number of E-Class Superhuman kills¡ª1 (One milestone reward available for claim)]


    Without much thought, Ke Mingye stretched out a finger and tapped this line of text, immediately prompting a panel to pop up.


    [Award Received: One D-Class equipment card, 1000 Mall Coins, 500 Experience Points.]


    ¡°Done, now off to run.¡±


    He threw back the covers, rolled out of bed, and twisted the doorknob to open the door.


    Stepping into the hallway, he looked around; the entire floor was shrouded in dead silence, not a sound to be heard, very much fitting his stereotype of this family¡ªeveryone was like pigs unable to get out of bed¡­ Of course, it¡¯s also possible that they were out being masked vigilantes last night, so there might be good reason for not being able to get up early.


    Of course, except for his second brother.


    Ke Xiaomo had already left for training in preparation for the battle in two weeks and had no time to play the ¡°Morning Run Simulator¡± with Ke Mingye¡ªthey could both run for tens of kilometers without so much as sweating or panting, as their bodies had already reached the human limit.


    There really wasn¡¯t much point to it, it was probably just self-deception, a performance they put on for each other.


    Without dawdling, Ke Mingye washed his face and headed out the door.


    Today, he chose a different running route, heading in the direction of Hong Ge Food Street to grab breakfast there along the way.


    He had only just reached the traffic light intersection and stopped to wait to cross the road when he heard roaring sounds from afar.


    Turning his head, he saw a Magic Girl in a gothic dress, clutching a black umbrella and darting through the air, chasing after a man in a white robe with dragonfly-like transparent thin wings.


    Ke Mingye was stunned for half a second, thinking to himself, ¡°Come on, little sis, when did you become such a workaholic too, inheriting dad¡¯s workaholic traits, huh?¡±


    ¡°Can you stop flying around, Fly Immortal?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash shouted sharply, her delicate face filled with coldness. Her skirt fluttered, and the gray ribbons on her head swayed with it, her brilliantly bright, lead-colored hair floating elegantly in the wind.


    ¡°What Fly Immortal? Show some respect, my name is ¡¯Fly Immortal¡¯, I¡¯m a sorcerer!¡±


    The man soared above the urban area, flashing six pairs of thin wings, grinning madly with a blood-streaked ancient white robe flapping in the wind, holding a blood-red charm between the index and middle fingers of his right hand.


    [Code Name: Fly Immortal]


    [Name: Li Jingshan]


    [Strength: C++ level (better than some superhumans)]


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, recognizing the criminal¡¯s name¡ªafter all, it was the 21st century, and if a real cultivator appeared out of nowhere, they¡¯d likely get caught by the Anomaly Control Bureau for dissection and research, showing up in a student¡¯s superhuman textbook before long¡­


    So, this guy was actually an outright mutant, with a title that sounded novel but had nothing to do with real cultivation.


    As rumors had it, he became this ghostly entity after being bitten by a genetically mutated fly.


    After the mutation, Li Jingshan inherited the characteristics of a fly, sprouting six pairs of thin wings and developing an abnormal craving for human blood, more vampire than the vampires themselves.


    Since his mind was rather unstable, always believing that his power came from the way of cultivation, rather than mutation, he slowly adopted the mocking title ¡°Fly Immortal¡± as he thought he could ascend through cultivation eventually.


    Years ago, Fly Immortal had even founded a cult, teaching followers the ¡°Tearful Cultivation Method¡± and tricking plenty of them. It was said that quite a few of these followers died during the process of fasting.


    Late on, Fly Immortal used the blood of these deceased followers to forge ¡°charms¡± and, thinking he was invincible, took to the streets shouting, ¡°Fly Immortal is here, kneel before me!¡± while brandishing a bamboo stick with blood-refined charms attached to it.


    In the end, he was knocked down to the street by the passing ¡°Diviner Black Wukong¡± with a cudgel, his six pairs of thin wings burned clean by the Samadhi True Fire, and then ¡°Top Bull¡± Qing Ya sent him to jail.


    In an unlucky twist, just a few days ago, a mischievous escapee broke out of prison and took Fly Immortal along, thus the charlatan saw daylight once more.


    Seeing him jumping around before me, it was clear that Fly Immortal¡¯s injuries had healed well; his wings burned off by Black Wukong had regrown.


    Even though the scene of the battle between Magic Girl and Fly Immortal was hundreds of meters away, the passersby with weaker nerves were already screaming and running the other way;


    Those with stronger nerves, on the other hand, were busy recording the scene on their phones, thinking of boasting to their colleagues at work later.


    ¡°Should I give her a hand¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye tilted his head back, gazing at the fluttering gray skirt of the Magic Girl, wondering to himself.


    Just then, Ash also caught a glimpse of Ke Mingye in the crowd from the corner of her eye.


    She paused noticeably, retracting Cinderella¡¯s umbrella and momentarily halting her chase, hanging in midair as she gazed obliquely at the sight of Ke Mingye from afar.


    ¡°Hey, what are you looking at me for? Go after your criminal,¡± Ke Mingye was rooted to the spot for a moment, unsure of how to react, then muttered to himself internally.


    This was his first time seeing Magical Girl Ash in her true form, so he could only respond with a confused look.

 Chapter 94 - 94 - 077 The Interrogation of Magical Girl Ash

    Chapter 94 ¨C 077 The Interrogation of Magical Girl Ash


    On the morning of June 22, Huanjing City was still enveloped in a thin mist, the sky pale as the belly of a fish.


    In the mid-air, the hazy dawn light shrouded the silhouette of a girl, the morning breeze sweeping in from the horizon, lifting the ribbons atop her head, her goth skirt swaying with the wind.


    At this moment, she was looking down upon someone from above.


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t dare to move a step, the corners of his eyes twitching slightly. In fact, he already wanted to make a run for it, thinking to himself that it wouldn¡¯t matter if she were a criminal or not, why was she just standing there not attacking, staring at him? What did she want?


    Cinderella¡¯s umbrella tip emitted a burst of airflow, propelling Magical Girl Ash to the ground swiftly. She tucked her umbrella behind her, and with light steps, she approached, her skirt¡¯s folds rippling in layers like waves.


    Ke Mingye watched as her face drew nearer, his heartbeat quickening. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that her expression resembled someone who wanted to press Cinderella¡¯s umbrella against his head and pull the trigger.


    He had originally anticipated that he might die at the hands of Qing Ya, Black Wukong, or Black Judge, or at the very least, be talked to death by elementary schoolers, right?


    ...


    But he had never imagined that he might end up dying at Bai Zini¡¯s hands, her menacing demeanor truly looking like she was about to kill someone.


    Magical Girl Ash stopped before him, lifted her face, and fixed her eyes on Ke Mingye, seemingly about to speak, yet hesitated.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    Ke Mingye met the girl¡¯s gaze, pointing at himself in a daze,


    Ash slightly frowned, her tone switching directions, ¡°No, you all.¡±


    ¡°Us?¡±


    Ke Mingye paused for a moment, glancing at the person standing next to him.


    ¡°Is it me,¡± he asked uncertainly, shifting his gaze, ¡°or us?¡±


    The tips of Magical Girl Ash¡¯s ears reddened.


    With a frown, her left hand on her hip, her right hand covered in a black glove slightly raised, she pointed her slender index finger at him, ¡°I originally wanted to talk about all of you, but since you put it that way, it¡¯s you now!¡±


    ¡°So what exactly is wrong with me.¡±


    ¡°You still ask?¡±


    The eyes of the goth-clad Magical Girl were as clear as the aurora of Iceland, yet now they held a touch of annoyance, her shoulders slightly raised like a cat puffing up its fur.


    ¡°How am I supposed to know what I did if I don¡¯t ask?¡±


    Ke Mingye was stunned, thinking to himself how unreasonable this girl was. One could at least communicate normally with Black Wukong, Black Judge, and Qing Ya, but with her, it was straight into playing the riddle game, right?


    ¡°What I mean is¡­¡± she leaned closer to Ke Mingye¡¯s face, her expression chilling, ¡°next time you find yourself in such a situation, stay further away, don¡¯t just stand there looking stupid, it could be dangerous, do you understand?¡±


    Under the watchful eyes of the public, their gazes locked, their faces nearly touching.


    Passersby were dumbstruck, thinking they had heard that this Magic Girl did whatever she pleased, not just any kind of capricious, but even the stray dogs passing by would get a kick from her.


    Consequently, everyone silently pitied Ke Mingye in their hearts, though a few were envious and resentful.


    ¡°Are you trying to make an example out of me, officer, with so many people around, you only pinpoint me?¡±


    Ke Mingye spoke platitudes in an effort to relieve the awkwardness, thinking thankfully it was early morning with not many people around. Had it been any other time, wouldn¡¯t he have wished to bury his head in the ground?


    ¡°You have something more to say?¡±


    Ash knitted her brows, her tone arrogant and cool.


    ¡°Okay, next time I see you fighting, I¡¯ll just turn around and run, sorry, officer.¡±


    Ke Mingye caved in quickly.


    The gaze of the Magical Girl remained icy, her eyes tightly fixed on him. However, the corners of her mouth involuntarily curled into a barely visible smile.


    But the next second, she quickly returned to a stern expression, lightly turning her cheek, as if trying her best to contain a laugh that was about to spill out.


    ¡°May I go now?¡± Ke Mingye asked timidly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash nodded slightly with her head down, then squeezed the handle of Cinderella¡¯s umbrella in her slim arm, lifted her fair shoulders, and slowly turned to look at the person beside Ke Mingye.


    ¡°That goes for all of you, not just him. If you¡¯ve seen me fighting a criminal from such a distance, don¡¯t just stand there, alright? What if you get involved?¡±


    As she said this, the girl¡¯s tone grew colder by a degree, her eyes fierce as if she could devour someone.


    ¡°Do you realize that every time a Magic Girl fights a criminal, it could affect many innocent bystanders? Maybe one of those bystanders is one of you guys filming with your phones!¡±


    Upon hearing this reprimand, those fans who initially wanted to come over for autographs dropped the idea, while a few with a twisted psyche became even more excited.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, Fly Immortal, you¡¯re not chasing anymore?¡± Ke Mingye reminded, ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten, have you?¡± He pointed upwards to the sky, where the criminal Bai Zini had been chasing hadn¡¯t escaped yet.


    At this moment, Fly Immortal was lying askew on a suspended platform hanging outside a tall building, equipment used by workers to wash high-rise windows.


    He lay there, propping his head with his hand, as if mocking the relentless pursuit of the Magic Girl, sipping from a gourd tied to his waist while looking down at Magical Girl Ash educating pedestrians on the ground, a sneer on his face, ¡°Ignorant people.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t forgotten, who do you think you¡¯re talking to?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash was taken aback for a moment, then furrowed her delicate brows, gripped Cinderella that was tucked under her arm, and opened the umbrella upwards.


    She did not take off immediately but reached into the interior of the umbrella, as if dipping into a pocket dimension, and pulled out a hefty Magic Book.


    ¡°There it is, the Hundred Treasures Bag,¡± Ke Mingye said, making a sarcastic comment.


    The girl drew a card from the Magic Book, its surface etched with intricate patterns. She channeled Magic Power into the card, and the one marked ¡°Gale¡± immediately dissipated.


    In its place, a roaring wind engulfed her body. She put away the Magic Book, casually lifted Cinderella, and with the lovely ripples diffusing from the umbrella, she shot up into the midair in an instant.


    In less than two seconds, she flew out a hundred meters, her speed more than half again as fast as before.


    The violent wind pressure grazed her cheeks, even causing the traffic light poles nearby to sway precariously, triggering a chorus of gasps from the pedestrians on the road.


    Ke Mingye raised his arm against the oncoming wind and squinted as he watched her retreating figure, finally letting out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Come on, Magic Cards are so powerful, why stick to one subject? You have to prove your rebelliousness to your three mentors without using cards, right?¡±


    Ke Mingye definitely did not want to deal with the aftermath. With Bai Zini¡¯s strength, she would have an overwhelming victory over Fly Immortal, provided she could catch up to him.


    Fly Immortal had the speed of a fly, which was astonishing. But with the power of the Magic Card, Ash was different now, she seemed truly incensed, otherwise she would never use the card¡¯s power.


    Now, seeing the Magic Girl coming after him again, Fly Immortal languidly crawled up from the high-rise platform, with six sets of thin wings fluttering noisily from the tear in his white robe.


    His six sets of wings thrust him through the sky and down into the bustling commercial district below.


    The hunched figure in white robes weaving through electronic billboards looked like an ancient being who had traveled to the present, completely out of place with his surroundings.


    However, soon Fly Immortal realized something was wrong. He noticed that the Magic Girl chasing him had suddenly increased her speed by more than fifty percent. She was not only keeping pace with him but also had time to launch an attack.


    The next moment, his form was engulfed by a barrage of magic-guided missiles from behind, causing him to plummet to the ground, leaving a dark trench mixed with mud and blood.


    The girl in the gothic dress approached him step by step while drawing the clear tachi from the base of the umbrella, pressing its blade to his neck, and murmuring something under her breath.


    Seeing this from a distance, Ke Ming put his hands in the pockets of his jacket and left the scene, relieved.


    He crossed the road and continued running along the edge of the street. Eventually, he completed the five kilometers required by the daily task and stopped to catch his breath.


    [Daily Task One: Run 5000 meters (Completed)]


    He looked up at the panel and claimed the daily task reward, and a prize wheel spun open before him.


    ¡°No way,¡± Ke Mingye stared at the wheel, ¡°Is this for real?¡± S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He touched the prize wheel, the pointer whirled swiftly, and finally settled on area ¢Ù¡¯s ¡°Skill Enhancement Card Fragment.¡±


    [Currently holding 2 fragments of Skill Enhancement Card. Upon collecting 3 fragments, a ¡°Skill Enhancement Card¡± will automatically be synthesized.]


    ¡°Looks like I might be able to add another disguise,¡± Ke Mingye thought, ¡°Hopefully, getting that last fragment won¡¯t be as hard as the last penny in a group discount.¡±

 Chapter 95 - 95 - 078 The Day of the Chosen, the Person of the Chosen

    Chapter 95 ¨C 078 The Day of the Chosen, the Person of the Chosen


    After finishing today¡¯s morning run, Ke Mingye went to Hong Ge Food Street and enjoyed some shumai and soy milk. He then took the subway home.


    Upon arriving, he unlocked the door and as it swung open, his gaze swept through the hallway. The living room was still emptily quiet.


    Ke Mingye sat down on the couch and idly scrolled through his phone. The old wall clock ticked away, its hands turning to 8:30, when finally some activity stirred in the living room.


    Ke Youqing and Bai Wenna woke up. One sat at the dining table reading a newspaper while the other fried eggs in a skillet, chatting about their plans to go on a honeymoon next week.


    Ke Youqing, unable to argue, had agreed to the plan. It looked like the Labor Model Hero would be missing from Huanjing for a while.


    Ke Mingye sat on the couch, silently listening to the couple¡¯s conversation.


    ¡°Dad and Mom are traveling, what about Ke Yongzhu? Without them, isn¡¯t our little brother basically going to be surrounded and turned into a dragon meat hotpot by the Ninja Sect?¡± he thought.


    ...


    Ke Mingye was like a reed swayed by the wind since the system¡¯s tasks either involved helping the Ninja Sect to chop down the dragon of calamity or helping Ke Xiaomo to destroy the Ninja Sect. Whose side he would take depended entirely on Ke Xiaomo¡¯s mood. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But wasn¡¯t it also important for a fence-sitter to have at least a bit of backbone?


    So, he planned to be like his older brother, to prepare well and aim to possess formidable combat abilities before July 4th arrived.


    The minute hand of the clock moved to 8:45 AM, and his older brother, Ke Xiaomo, arrived home.


    Sweat dripped from his forehead, soaking the white T-shirt sticking to his defined muscles. His damp hair hung over his eyes. It seemed he had undergone several intense training sessions early in the morning. Such intense training would be lethal to an ordinary person.


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t understand the extent of Ninja training, though he could somewhat imagine it.


    From movies and TV shows, he knew many ninjas trained by hanging upside down from cliffs. Those who survived this were absolute tough guys.


    However, he felt that honing one¡¯s determination by performing a ¡°Superhero-style landing¡± from a thousand meters above the city was more effective. Or navigating life surrounded by eight superhuman family members who could squash him with a slap, playing the charmingly evil role of ¡°strange thing¡±¡ªevery day was a brush with death¡­


    Now that was a real way to train one¡¯s resolve, right?


    Though, it did seem somewhat life-threatening.


    Ke Xiaomo took a shower, changed clothes, and then went back to his room for a nap.


    Bai Ziling, Bai Zini, and Ke Yongzhu had sneakily stayed up playing ¡°Star Monopoly¡± in their room, so they hadn¡¯t woken up yet, except for Bai Zini, who had sneaked out of the back window early in the morning to fight crime.


    The oldest brother and sister, however, were up.


    Bai Qiuwu hurried out the door after breakfast. She needed to attend an intensive course for college entrance exams and was pressed for time.


    Ke Yinzhi, yawning, sat down next to Ke Mingye, resting one arm on the back of the couch and quietly flipping through Dostoevsky¡¯s ¡°Notes from Underground.¡±


    Ke Mingye sat next to Ke Yinzhi, unreservedly opened the mall panel, main with an attitude of ¡¯if you find out, I¡¯ll just die.¡¯


    Stay updated with empire


    As usual, he skipped the first two pages and directly flipped to the skill specialty page.


    In his understanding as a gaming guru, skills were the real deal; everything else was just supplementary¡ªto purchase gear would only be considered when his skill slots were filled and when he desperately needed other ways to enhance his abilities.


    [Current Mall Coins: 12,260]


    [¢Ù: Day of the Chosen (D-grade skill, 11,500 Mall Coins) (specifies a date more than 60 days from now, on that day, you will receive a one-time skill named ¡°Chosen One,¡± which doubles all your attributes for 1 hour after activation) (Cooling period for Day of the Chosen: 60 days)]


    [Note one: The skill cannot specify the same date twice.]


    ¡°What future soldier?¡±


    Opening gambit critical hit, Ke Mingye thought what kind of weird skills the system was offering. Could he even predict what would happen two months into the future? Just surviving this summer should call for champagne, big brother system.


    But then he had another idea.


    ¡°Using it every two months, this skill could be activated a total of five times within a year¡­ those are five days I can harness a massive boost skill that doubles my attributes, making battling the likes of ¡¯Terrifying Crow Man,¡¯ ¡¯Diviner Zeus,¡¯ and ¡¯Alien Mom¡¯ a breeze.¡±


    ¡°If I randomly set it two months ahead, there¡¯s a good chance that I¡¯ll be busy with family issues on that day, unable to make full use of the doubled attributes, wasting this amplifying skill.¡±


    ¡°But what if all the dates are set during the last five days before the final mission deadline?¡±


    ¡°In those final five days, I could whip out this skill against tough guys every single time.¡±


    That was the plan, but Ke Mingye still felt it was too idealistic: doing this equated to borrowing from the present to invest in the future.


    So he looked at the skill listed below.


    [¢Ú: Blood Burst (C-grade skill, 30,000 Mall Coins) (Skill effect: Transforms your health proportionately into physical fitness and neurological reaction attributes; the more health sacrificed, the greater the increase in attributes.)]

 Chapter 96 - 96 - 078 The Day of the Chosen, The Chosen One_2

    Chapter 96 ¨C 078 The Day of the Chosen, The Chosen One_2


    ¡°`


    ¡°What Berserker.¡±


    [Skill 3: Martyr¡¯s Conviction (D-level Skill, 11,500 Mall Coins) (Skill retained from yesterday, will disappear the next day)]


    [Skill 4: Hundred Demons Parade (B-level Skill, 55,500 Mall Coins) (Opens a ¡°Hundred Demons Parade¡± in the space ahead, the higher your ¡°Spiritual Power¡± attribute, the higher-level demons and gods you can summon)]


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this damn thing supposed to be an A-level Skill?¡±


    Experience more tales on empire


    Ke Mingye had his doubts, but since he couldn¡¯t afford it, he had no right to bitch about it.


    ...


    [Skill 5: Essence Theft (C-level Skill, 30,000 Mall Coins) (Upon use, enter a state lasting 20 seconds, every time you deal damage to the enemy there will be a 20% chance success rate check; if successful, steal 10% of the enemy¡¯s attribute values, the stolen attributes will disappear after 5 minutes)]


    ¡°Can¡¯t afford it.¡±


    [Skill 6: Death of Jesus (B-level Skill, 51,500 Mall Coins) (Create a miniature cross in the palm of your hand and designate a target, if the target dies within 10 seconds, their soul will attach to the cross. If the cross is not destroyed within 10 minutes, the target will be resurrected)]


    ¡°Can¡¯t afford it, but why are there so many B-level Skills today?¡±


    [Skill 7: Partial Metalization (E-level Skill, 5,500 Mall Coins)]


    [Skill 8: Greed¡¯s Finger (D-level Skill, price is 12,000 Mall Coins) (Skill effect: Inflict ¡°varies with the amount of Mall Coins the player has¡± true damage on a target. If you manage to kill the target with this move, you will gain 200 Mall Coins) (Killing targets that are too weak will not yield Mall Coins)


    (Damage calculation formula: 500 points of true damage + additional damage affected by the number of Mall Coins; the more Mall Coins you have in your bag, the higher the damage this move will deal. Currently having 12,260 Mall Coins, Greed¡¯s Finger can deal an additional ¡°1% of the enemy¡¯s maximum health¡± as true damage)]


    ¡°This Skill is good for finishing off because it deals true damage. No matter how thick the opponent¡¯s skin is, it won¡¯t change the damage of this move. If used at the right moment, it could even burst coins,¡± Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow.


    [Skill 9: Toxic Mist Eruption (E-level Skill, 5,200 Mall Coins)]


    [Skill 10: Life Conversion (E-level Skill, 5,500 Mall Coins) (Convert your health into stamina on a one-to-one ratio)]


    Ke Mingye hesitated for a long time between the three D-level Skills ¡°Day of Divine Favor,¡± ¡°Martyr¡¯s Conviction,¡± and ¡°Greed¡¯s Finger,¡± finally choosing ¡°Day of Divine Favor.¡±


    If there was any Skill that could change the outcome, this one would definitely count as one, this was like an investment for the future.


    [Thank you for your patronage, you have purchased the D-level Skill¡ª ¡°Day of Divine Favor.¡±]


    [Total expenditure ¡°11,500¡± Mall Coins, your current Mall Coin balance is ¡°760.¡±]


    [The Skill ¡°Day of Divine Favor¡± has been automatically placed in your fifth skill slot, you now have five empty skill slots left.]


    Ke Mingye opened his phone and used the Baidu search engine to look up what day it is 361 days after June 22, 2028. The final result was ¡°June 18, 2029.¡±]


    He double-checked, then released the Skill¡ª ¡°Day of Divine Favor.¡±


    [You have used the Skill ¡°Day of Divine Favor,¡± please designate a date more than 60 days from now. On that future date, you will obtain a one-time use of the Skill ¡°Chosen One.¡±]


    [Skill effect date: 202¿ÚÄê¿Ú¿ÚÔ¿ڿÚÈÕ.]


    ¡°Seriously, isn¡¯t this like taking out a loan to invest? I¡¯m going all out here, so the future me should contribute at least a little, right? It¡¯s up to you to annihilate the superhumans.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself while selecting numbers on the panel.


    [Confirmed Skill effect date as: June 18, 2029.]


    [The ¡°Day of Divine Favor¡± has entered a two-month cooldown period, the next time you can use this Skill will be August 22, 2028.]


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Ke Mingye suddenly felt a sense of relief. To use an analogy, this was like the first day of summer vacation when you shove all your homework into a safe and put a timer lock that only opens on the last day of the holiday. That feeling.


    Let the future me deal with the things of the future.


    ¡°`


    Hey, it¡¯s just about eradicating superhumans, right? With a bit of effort, you can definitely do it. Keep it up, future Ke Mingye.


    At this moment, Bai Zini finally ¡°woke up.¡± She hurried into the kitchen, finished her breakfast, and then sat down between Mingye and Ke Yinzhi, picking up her phone.


    She pretentiously launched Weibo and seriously checked the trending topics as if she truly cared. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then¡­ just as Mingye expected, she was about to stir things up.


    ¡°Bro, you¡¯re trending on Weibo,¡± she said, covering her mouth and widening her eyes.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Mingye turned away from the TV with a look of resignation and turned to look at her, wondering what mischief she was up to now.


    ¡°Oh¡­ really, trending on Weibo?¡±


    Yin Zhi, piqued by her comment, closed the book he was reading.


    The two of them looked at Zi Ni, who was searching the trending topics on Weibo with her phone.


    The top trend read: ¡°Qing Ya killed a superhero last night who stood up for civilians, prompting public outrage, with large crowds gathering early this morning at the base of the Superhero Association tower demanding an explanation¡±;


    Right below it was the second trend: ¡°Magical Girl Ash lectures a passerby¡±;


    The third trend was: ¡°The Superhero Association made a public statement early today, clarifying that the individual who defeated the criminal ¡¯Ghost Rider¡¯ near Huanjing Bridge last night was not a superhero, nor a vigilante, but a C-level wanted criminal known as ¡¯Dice Monster,¡¯ and that Qing Ya acted to prevent this wanted criminal from escaping by disabling them.¡±


    After a glance at the trends, Yin Zhi asked in confusion, ¡°Zi Ni, which trend are you saying features our little friend Mingye?¡±


    ¡°The second one, I accidentally swiped to it just now.¡±


    As she spoke, Zi Ni clicked into the second trend and started playing a video recorded by a blogger. The video showed Magic Girl Ash chasing a criminal and suddenly stopping to lecture passersby who were filming with their phones; the first to cop it was Mingye, who hadn¡¯t done a thing.


    ¡°They blurred the faces of the passersby and altered the voices,¡± Zi Ni looked up at Mingye, then lowered her gaze to the video¡¯s pixelated lucky passerby, ¡°But the person being lectured by Magic Girl has got to be big brother, dressed just like you.¡±


    After saying this, she put on her ¡°only one truth prevails¡± detective face, her mouth curling into a smug smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s not me,¡± Mingye denied with a poker face, ¡°It¡¯s just someone else wearing the same clothes.¡±


    He muttered under his breath, thinking his sister really was a piece of work, set on giving him trouble whether he was in costume or not.


    ¡°It is you, it¡¯s definitely you!¡± Zi Ni wouldn¡¯t let him off, seriously analyzing, ¡°You went for a morning run wearing the same clothes, and you even used your phone to ask me if I wanted something packed from Hong Ge Food Street.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, judging by the figure and tone in this video, it¡¯s none other than our Mingye,¡± said Yin Zhi with a chuckle, shaking his head and dismissing Mingye¡¯s defense after watching the video.


    Mingye covered his face and took a deep breath, ¡°Bro, you¡¯re not letting me off the hook either, huh?¡±


    Yin Zhi took a sip of coffee, looking down at his book, ¡°Who told you to spectate at such a dangerous scene? Didn¡¯t they teach you in school¡¯s superhuman science class? When superhuman battles happen nearby, you should evacuate to a safe place immediately, never stay put, certainly not just to watch.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Zi Ni nodded and lamented, ¡°Who would have thought our big brother would also make it to the trends one day. Alas¡­ a pity it¡¯s as a negative example, so embarrassing.¡±


    Come on, what do you mean by me also making it to the trends, aren¡¯t I the main character in all three trending topics?


    Mingye sighed to himself.


    And besides, the other two trends¡¯ negative examples are obviously our dear old dad, okay? Could you maybe go nag him instead of tormenting me, pretty please¡­

 Chapter 97 - 97 - 079: No. 7 Instance Card, Trip to Tokyo

    Chapter 97 ¨C 079: No. 7 Instance Card, Trip to Tokyo


    Ke Mingye saw that his elder brother had spoken and knew he couldn¡¯t quibble, so he sighed and said, ¡°That ¡¯Magical Girl Ash¡¯ really has no manners, even the passing dogs get kicked by her.¡±


    ¡°She is the idol I support, even if you¡¯re my big brother, you can¡¯t talk about her like that in front of me,¡± Bai Zini said, glaring at him angrily.


    Bai Zini was so frustrated that she gave him a fierce sideways glance.


    ¡°Just admit that I¡¯m unlucky, will you? I go out for a morning jog and end up with this mess. If it were any other magic girl, she would have just flown past, but this one has such a weird logic; she stopped for no reason to lecture me, almost spraying spit on my face.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Bai Zini and Ke Mingye were about to start arguing when their father, sitting in the living room reading the newspaper, spoke up, ¡°She was only trying to look out for you. Every time there¡¯s trouble, you just stand there like an idiot. What would you do if one day you got caught up in it?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, with dad and big brother saying that, look how much the Magic Girl I support cares about the safety of the people. You still say she lacks manners; I think you¡¯re the one lacking manners.¡± Bai Zini said.


    ...


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Ke Mingye smacked his lips, ¡°I lack manners, I lack manners. Our ¡¯Magical Girl Ash¡¯ really has so much class, are you satisfied now?¡±


    ¡°Aside from that, just honestly tell me, don¡¯t you think, even a little bit, that she¡¯s pretty?¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Zini lowered her eyes, touching the video on her phone, pausing and playing it while muttering to herself absentmindedly.


    ¡°The pixelation in this passerby¡¯s shot is so bad, and yet she still looks so good in the frame. Your face was almost against hers¡ªdidn¡¯t you feel anything?¡±


    Ha, so you came over here on purpose to talk about this?


    Ke Mingye finally understood her intentions, thinking dismally to himself.


    He remembered the last time he and Bai Zini discussed the news, he mentioned, ¡°That magic girl¡¯s looks are just so-so,¡± and to his surprise, Bai Zini had held a grudge until now.


    Ke Mingye was unbending unto death, ¡°After seeing her in person, she felt even more average. Online pictures are indeed unreliable.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, big brother, you might as well drop dead.¡±


    Bai Zini picked up a panda pillow from the couch, stopped talking to him, and focused on her phone with an indifferent expression on her face that screamed, ¡°Let the world be destroyed.¡±


    ¡°Please, is Ash your mom or something, that you have to curse me too?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    Ignoring him, Bai Zini turned to Ke Yinzhi, in a huff, and asked, ¡°Old, old, old brother, what do you think? This Magic Girl is obviously the most popular in China after Xizi Yue, and yet the person beside me speaks so ill of her.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, speaking of Magic Girls,¡± Ke Yinzhi said distractedly, flipping through a book, ¡°how about ¡¯Magical Girl Kokonoe Sakura¡¯ from Japan? She has quite the style, or Scotland¡¯s ¡¯Magical Girl Spirit Bell Child¡¯, a nine-year-old magic girl with the power to destroy cities, which seems a lot more interesting than ¡¯Magical Girl Ash¡¯, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Bai Zini took a deep breath, put her hand to her chest, and told herself to stay calm, resisting the urge to reach for Cinderella and fire a couple of shots over the heads of her big and third brothers.


    Ke Youqing listened to their conversation and interjected with his opinion, ¡°Rather than interesting, it¡¯s simply nonsensical to give such power to a nine-year-old child.¡± Experience more tales on empire


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it, dad?¡± Ke Yinzhi shrugged.


    ¡°You make it sound as if they actually wanted it,¡± Bai Zini said. ¡°Spirit Bell Child is a ¡¯Contracted Magic Girl¡¯, and the Contracted Beast that made a pact with her is a dolphin, the only dolphin-type Contracted Beast in the world. It took a liking to Spirit Bell Child; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have become a Magic Girl at the age of nine.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡± Ke Mingye asked, confused. ¡°Can Contracted Beasts force people to become Magic Girls?¡±


    Bai Zini¡¯s expression grew more serious as she coldly said, ¡°What discernment skills does a nine-year-old child have? Directly tell them, ¡¯I¡¯ll give you a lollipop, sign a contract with me to become a Magic Girl,¡¯ and maybe they¡¯ll just agree to it.¡±


    ¡°It seems you have quite the potential to be a Contracted Beast,¡± Ke Mingye nodded and commented.


    ¡°How can humans become Contracted Beasts.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re not a dog¡ª¡ª¡±


    Before Ke Mingye could finish, he was already under Bai Zini¡¯s pillow being smothered and beat relentlessly.


    Ke Youqing said, ¡°I think the government should enact policies to eradicate those animals harboring comet fragments within them, or at the very least, isolate them from the human world.¡±


    He continued to read the newspaper and added, ¡°The comet-type Magic Girls are one thing; after all, it¡¯s not something they can control. But the contract-type Magic Girls can be managed.¡±


    ¡°Each Contracted Beast can only pact with up to five Magic Girls, and roughly seventy percent of Magic Girls that come into being each year are through contracts with Contracted Beasts. If we eliminate the Contracted Beasts, then no new contract-type Magic Girls will be born.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi sipped his coffee slowly and said, ¡°Dad and I share the same opinion, maybe I should consider becoming a journalist, or take the civil service exam or something. That way, society might actually hear my voice¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about changing the world, just be good at being yourself.¡±


    Ke Youqing sipped his tea and spoke.


    Ke Mingye listened to the two of them bantering back and forth, thinking to himself how awkward this was. You two could join hands, with Qing Ya pressuring the association and Black Judge proposing to the Management Bureau, and the ¡°Contracted Beast Extermination Plan¡± could start tomorrow.


    And here they are acting like reporters and civil servants, as if they don¡¯t have higher status than them¡ªit¡¯s just frickin¡¯ self-deception¡­


    At this moment, Bai Zini, after the incident just now, had been so angered that she had returned to the second floor.


    Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief, the world was finally quiet, and at last, no one was bothering him. He collapsed onto the back of the sofa, summoned his friends panel, and sent a message to his only friend.


    [Failed Man: I¡¯ve got nothing to do, are you free? Let¡¯s meet up early, in case I can¡¯t get away later.]


    [Fan Quan: Sure, I actually need to talk to you about something, there are two players coming to our city.]


    [Fan Quan: The usual place, the video game store.]


    [Failed Man: Two players?]


    [Fan Quan: Yeah, I just got the news, we¡¯ll talk when you get here.]


    Are players that easy to find? There are only a hundred players worldwide, and some had already died. How on earth did they manage to find each other? Ke Mingye looked at this message, puzzled.


    [Fan Quan: Oh, right, I¡¯ve invited Ju Zipi and Qing Meng, we¡¯re going to take a trip to Tokyo, do you want to come?]


    [Failed Man: Tokyo? Have you guys lost your minds? Leaving the country at this time, aren¡¯t you afraid of being discovered?]


    [Fan Quan: Haven¡¯t you read the ¡°dungeon atlas¡±? Open it and check the swag card from dungeon No. 7, then get back to me.]


    ¡°Dungeon atlas?¡±


    Ke Mingye looked up at the icon in the top right corner of his field of view, which indeed contained a ¡°Dungeon Card Atlas/Dungeon Detector,¡± something he had glanced at once and never opened again.


    Reminded by Fan Quan, he clicked open the icon again.


    A card collection interface opened before his eyes, where currently he had only unlocked the page for ¡°China Huanjing,¡± with slots underneath numbered NO.1 to NO.100.


    In slot NO.¢Ý and NO.¢ß, there was a card in each.


    He raised an eyebrow and clicked on card No. 5.


    The card depicted a zombie chef with his head thrown back, stuffing an exploding zombie and porcupine together into his mouth, like a hot dog.


    [Card Name: Zombie Chef]


    [Card Serial Number: NO.005]


    [Card Source: Defeating Huanjing No. 5 dungeon¡ª¡±Zombie Pursuit¡±.]


    [Card Effect: Players holding this card will be immune to 30% of neurotoxin virus effects.]


    ¡°So these loot cards actually have effects,¡± he thought.


    Ke Mingye then backed out and clicked on card No. 7. The card showed a train conductor leaning forward, pulling levers with a crazy expression, controlling the train as it sped forward.


    [Card Name: Crazy Train Conductor]


    [Card Serial Number: NO.007]


    [Card Source: Defeating Huanjing No. 7 dungeon¡ª¡±Crazy Train Station¡±.]


    [Card Effect: Once a week, players holding this card can go to Old Jingmai¡¯s 4th Street abandoned train station, board the old train at Platform No. 7, which will take you to other abandoned train stations around the world (Japan, United States, Iceland, Denmark, Norway¡ªas long as there is an abandoned train station, the train can take you there).]


    ¡°Holy crap, it¡¯s got this feature¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye understood from the card¡¯s effects what Fan Quan had meant by ¡°taking a trip to Tokyo later.¡±


    ¡°Now there¡¯s hope for a weekly world tour,¡± he thought, ¡°I¡¯ve gotta go and greet the players from other countries and swipe their dungeon resources while I¡¯m at it.¡±

 Chapter 98 - 98 - 080: The Anti-Superhuman Organization in Tokyo

    Chapter 98 ¨C 080: The Anti-Superhuman Organization in Tokyo


    June 22nd, at noon.


    Ke Xiaomo was still helping her older brother with lunch in the kitchen while everyone else was busy with their own things.


    So, in an unnoticed corner, Ke Mingye got up from the sofa, stepped upstairs, and seized the opportunity to release the Deception Puppet from the windowsill of his room.


    That set of flight attendant uniforms had already made an appearance as the villain ¡°strange thing¡± in front of everyone, so it was tantamount to fooling no one if worn by the puppet.


    Regrettably, Ke Mingye had to visit that children¡¯s clothing store once more.


    He silently apologized in his heart, then controlled the puppet to open the skylight and used a web shooter to steal a pair of shoes and a set of light green teenager¡¯s overalls, which he put on and headed towards Yandai Commercial Street.


    Along the way, he didn¡¯t forget to spend 160 Mall Coins in the mall to refill his web shooter¡¯s web fluid to full, to avoid any unexpected situations later.


    ...


    Before long, the puppet arrived at the video game store on Yandai Commercial Street.


    ¡°Cultural man, I¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    It announced its arrival while pulling the gate open and entering the game store¡¯s second floor compartment.


    Fan Quan looked up from the pages of the book he was flipping through, took one look at him, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s with the outfit?¡±


    The puppet sat down on the couch and replied nonchalantly, ¡°Acquired for zero dollars at the children¡¯s clothing store. Wouldn¡¯t you say it¡¯s quite youthful and teen-like?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t turn off auto-loot?¡± Fan Quan asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s an auto-loot feature for players? Of course, it¡¯s turned on, but it wouldn¡¯t pick up dog shit from the street and put it in my pocket, right?¡± the puppet raised an eyebrow.


    Fan Quan didn¡¯t continue with the banter and got straight to the point.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about last night¡¯s incident.¡±


    The puppet picked up a french fry from the table and dipped it in a bit of soy sauce, ¡°Before we chat, how about giving me a reason not to kill you, since you¡¯re aware of my background.¡±


    Fan Quan¡¯s expression remained calm, ¡°I have a friend who knows about this. If you kill me, she will expose your identity.¡±


    ¡°If it ever comes to that, I¡¯ll drag out that friend of yours you mentioned before I die, and slaughter her alongside you.¡±


    Ke Mingye spoke indifferently, voice flat as he ate the french fry with his head lowered.


    ¡°Spider Man, no¡­ I should call you ¡¯Ke Mingye¡¯. If I wanted to expose your identity, I would have already done so,¡± Fan Quan said, pausing for a moment before calmly continuing, ¡°We¡¯re not enemies.¡±


    ¡°What a pity¡­ I thought you would die at the hands of my second brother,¡± Ke Mingye responded as he took a cup from the table and sipped some water, speaking unhurriedly.


    ¡°I thought so too, but I was lucky, the skill I got from the Door of Humanities was just right¡­ Besides, if you got caught, I would have been dragged down too, so there¡¯s that,¡± Fan Quan replied.


    ¡°So what do you want?¡±


    Fan Quan answered, ¡°My hacker friend is one of the top hackers in the world, and not many people in this world can compare to her.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°Then, we will do our best to help conceal your identity so you don¡¯t get exposed in front of your family. Having a powerful hacker on your side will only be beneficial to your situation. Otherwise¡­ with just your own strength, hiding under Qing Ya¡¯s watchful eye for nearly a year is near impossible.¡±


    ¡°Why impossible?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s like I found a clue that could be fatal to you.¡±


    ¡°What clue?¡±


    ¡°The Dice Monster first appeared above the traffic light sign on Yandai Commercial Street, wearing a Huanjing Third High School uniform. This will lead Qing Ya¡¯s investigation toward that high school,¡± Fan Quan explained. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that, Fan Quan pulled out a phone from his coat pocket, accessed the photo album, and began playing a video.


    The video displayed a school corridor where Ke Mingye walked out of the restroom after washing his hands, followed by another male student wearing a uniform, who also emerged from the restroom.


    The two walked in opposite directions along the corridor, disappearing into the shadows.


    ¡°What does this video prove?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    ¡°With Qing Ya¡¯s level of caution, he¡¯ll check the face of the boy behind you, search the school database for such a person, and then discover that the school actually has no such person, nor did such a person enter the restroom in the ten minutes before. In other words¡­ that person appeared out of thin air after you entered the restroom,¡± Fan Quan clarified, taking a sip of water.


    ¡°Then, he will deduce that the student is actually a puppet you¡¯re controlling, and connecting it with the school uniform-wearing Dice Monster will reveal your identity.¡±


    ¡°You think he¡¯ll notice that?¡±


    ¡°He is Qing Ya, and you¡¯re his son,¡± Fan Quan asserted with certainty. ¡°While investigating the Dice Monster, it¡¯s very possible that he¡¯d scrutinize every frame about you, making such a tiny loophole all the more glaring.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I admit I was a bit careless then,¡± Ke Mingye said, propping up his chin and taking a deep breath, ¡°By the way, at the time, weren¡¯t you the one pressuring me in the discussion group? Can¡¯t you understand the awkwardness of having to meet up with you guys while my second brother was on my case? Would I have been careless enough to leave such a trace otherwise?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t plan to blackmail you. I already had my hacker friend delete the related school surveillance for you. By the time Qing Ya starts his investigation, it¡¯ll be too late,¡± Fan Quan reassured.


    ¡°How considerate of you,¡± Ke Mingye said sarcastically, munching on a fry, ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡±


    Fan Quan answered, ¡°We don¡¯t really need you to do anything. Just maintain the status quo and whip out a puppet to play an instance with us when you have the time.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the name of your hacker friend?¡±


    ¡°I told you, two players will come to Huanjing tomorrow. She¡¯s one of them, her player ID is ¡¯Cai Bing¡¯. You can see her in the kill rankings,¡± Fan Quan said.


    ¡°How are they coming here?¡±


    ¡°Cai Bing got Qing Ya¡¯s attention after looking up your family¡¯s files, so she had to figure out a way to leave the city,¡± Fan Quan explained. ¡°Right now, she¡¯s on a smuggling boat, almost reaching Huanjing.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Why are there two players on board?¡±


    ¡°Coincidence. She said she encountered a player on board, ID is ¡¯Paranoid.¡¯¡±


    Fan Quan paused, ¡°Also, she suggested that we kill ¡¯Paranoid¡¯ together.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Ke Mingye was puzzled, ¡°Players are already so few, why kill him?¡±


    ¡°Cai Bing said that guy¡¯s not quite right in the head, the reason he came to Huanjing was to find Qing Ya for a one-on-one fight.¡±


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose as he explained.


    Ke Mingye doubted he had heard correctly, ¡°Wait, what did you just say?¡±


    ¡°He wants to challenge Qing Ya one-on-one.¡±


    ¡°Challenge my old man one-on-one?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Damn, this idiot is really one of a kind,¡± Ke Mingye admired.


    Everyone was already avoiding the terrifying Crow Man, and here was this piece of work wanting to chase after Qing Ya with a knife. The system was really adding to the difficulty for other players.


    ¡°Anyway, if he gets caught by Qing Ya, it would be a catastrophic blow to our operational efficiency,¡± Fan Quan said. ¡°You know, with the previous example, when they find a player, it¡¯s not likely they¡¯ll kill him but rather control him, and use him to dig out the rest of us. That means even more restrictions for us.¡±


    Ke Mingye rubbed his forehead, pondering for a moment.


    ¡°Then, when their ship arrives, how about we capture this player called ¡¯Paranoid,¡¯ and lock him up in the abandoned train station on Old Jingmai Street?¡± he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking. We can¡¯t let him cause trouble.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s put this idiot aside for now,¡± Ke Mingye paused, ¡°What exactly are you and this ¡¯Cai Bing¡¯ planning? You shouldn¡¯t have a reason to take the risk of getting involved to help me, right?¡±


    ¡°I believe you¡¯re important.¡±


    Fan Quan picked up his cup and took a sip of water, replying without hesitation.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite humorous; maybe I¡¯ll be dead at home tonight,¡± Ke Mingye sighed.


    ¡°You¡¯ve survived a week already, which proves you have the ability to live in that monster family. If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t guarantee I could still be alive like you are now.¡±


    ¡°Just luck,¡± Ke Mingye scratched the bridge of his nose, ¡°There were a few moments when I thought I was a goner.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, I hope you realize something. From now on, our destinies are tied together¡­if you¡¯re exposed, with the information in your head, neither I nor Cai Bing will escape unscathed.¡±


    Fan Quan put his cup down on the table, looking straight at him. Behind his glasses, his gaze was calm and piercing.


    Ke Mingye hung his head, fiddling with a spare phone as he spoke.


    ¡°Then you¡¯ve really chosen the wrong path. From the moment you knew my identity, you should have cut ties with me.¡±


    ¡°Fortune favors the bold,¡± Fan Quan said. ¡°It¡¯s ludicrous to think we can exterminate superhumans in a year. Not taking a gamble on you would only make our chances slimmer.¡±


    ¡°Well, let it be, shall we talk about going to Tokyo now? Why do you suddenly want to go to Tokyo?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to Tokyo to meet someone.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°You can see him if you open the leaderboard. Third place in the kill count rankings, the player ID named ¡¯Top Bull.¡¯¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡±


    ¡°Do you know the ¡¯Anti-Superhuman Organization¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Ke Mingye nodded.


    He had read about the ¡¯Anti-Superhuman Organization¡¯ in his superhuman class textbook. Mostly, it was about how a radical faction of the world wanted superhumans to be completely isolated from society, so humanity could enjoy true peace and tranquility.


    Then, this faction formed a covert organization carrying out extreme actions against superhumans.


    Initially, the Anti-Superhuman Organization¡¯s acts were limited to maligning superheroes on the internet, inciting strife between common people and superhumans on social platforms over various binary oppositional topics, and encouraging the public to start ¡¯anti-superhuman¡¯ street protests.


    After being arrested multiple times, things gradually settled down.


    Your next chapter awaits on empire


    The authorities thought these people would be more cautious, but a few months later, they started escalating their methods, from kidnapping superhuman children to hunting down superheroes, murdering superhuman civilians at work¡­


    The heinous deeds were shocking.


    Moreover, most of the Anti-Superhuman Organization were normal humans, but they had developed several superpower inhibitors and genetic inhibitors to target superpower users and mutants. They¡¯d set traps, inject the caught ones with inhibitors, and then use powerful firearms to blast them away.


    There were videos uploaded by the Anti-Superhuman Organization on the dark web, and some superheroes¡¯ death scenes were unspeakably gruesome.


    ¡°The player with the ID ¡¯Top Bull¡¯ is involved with one such Anti-Superhuman Organization called the ¡¯Tengu Frontline¡¯.¡±


    Fan Quan continued.


    ¡°Their base is in Tokyo¡¯s Kabukicho, disguised as a host club named ¡¯Kurotengu.¡¯ That is to say, everyone in their organization, on the surface, all have the identity of hosts.¡±


    Ke Mingye was shocked. He had thought that the ID ¡¯Top Bull¡¯ was just for fun; he didn¡¯t expect the person to take it literally.


    Swallowing hard, his adam¡¯s apple bobbing, he asked timidly, ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, this Anti-Superhuman Organization, all its members are working as gigolos?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as exaggerated as you think,¡± Fan Quan said slowly, ¡°The job of a host is just to drink with rich women, provide emotional value ¨C it¡¯s common in Japan, and it¡¯s legal.¡±


    Ke Mingye split open a peanut on the table and popped it into his mouth while asking, ¡°Okay, the Japanese really know how to play. So what¡¯s your plan?¡±


    Fan Quan closed his book and explained, ¡°I¡¯m planning to use the player known as ¡¯Top Bull¡¯ to get in touch with this Anti-Superhuman Organization.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 99 - 99 - 081: Man’s Failed One-Day Tour of Tokyo

    Chapter 99 ¨C 081: Man¡¯s Failed One-Day Tour of Tokyo


    ¡°So even cultured folks dream of becoming a gigolo, huh?¡±


    Ke Mingye looked up meaningfully and stared at Fan Quan as he spoke.


    ¡°Typical of you, I bet you didn¡¯t listen to a word I said, just like playing the lute to a cow.¡±


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses slightly and sighed softly.


    He continued, ¡°Let¡¯s not even talk about whether one wants to or not, even if you do, it¡¯s no big deal. Don¡¯t box yourself in too much, unless you¡¯re too charming and some wealthy woman decides to keep you as her sugar baby, spending a fortune to buy your chastity, otherwise being a gigolo won¡¯t cause much trouble.¡±


    Ke Mingye said seriously, ¡°Really? Maybe we should stop trying so hard. Let¡¯s find a wealthy woman to maintain us for a year in the gigolo bar and then find a nice place to die.¡±


    Fan Quan sighed with his hand on his forehead, ¡°Less nonsense, are you sure you won¡¯t go with me?¡± S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ¡°Is it really necessary?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it would be great if we could establish a cooperative relationship with the Anti-Superhuman Organization. Our interests align with theirs, as both of our goals are to exterminate the superhumans.¡±


    Fan Quan paused, ¡°Moreover, there are different branches of the Anti-Superhuman Organization all over the world. Through the ¡¯Tengu Frontline¡¯, we can gradually contact other branches of the organization. It¡¯s like having a source of intelligence all over the world, and when needed, we can treat them as reinforcements.¡±


    ¡°Listen, cultured man, stop daydreaming,¡± Ke Mingye interrupted him, ¡°More than that, are you sure they won¡¯t consider us ¡¯superhumans¡¯? After all, in some sense, we are also ability users, right?¡±


    Fan Quan took a sip of water and stated calmly, ¡°Trust me, they would be happy to see a group of ¡¯players¡¯ with aligned goals join the group. That ¡¯Top Bull¡¯ player is a prime example.¡±


    He paused, ¡°Most importantly, joining the Anti-Superhuman Organization allows us to legitimately increase our kill count. Following their lead, even if we kill a Superhuman, the authorities will blame the Anti-Superhuman Organization and won¡¯t even associate it with the word ¡¯players¡¯. So, we are safe blending in there¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye was silent for a moment.


    His thoughts wavered between guarding his chastity and the mission to exterminate superhumans, but ultimately, he chose chastity.


    So he waved his hand and said, ¡°Master, why don¡¯t you go by yourself. I think that Juzipi is tender and good-looking, just perfect for a gigolo. Maybe he¡¯ll become a top earner in a day?¡±


    Fan Quan looked calm and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Despite the unlikelihood of that happening, if we really need to disguise someone as a gigolo, we could sell Juzipi. How about that?¡±


    ¡°Makes sense, the chastity of a teammate is not as important as our lives. Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    Ke Mingye and he locked eyes, reaching an agreement.


    Seeing that the other party had finally agreed, Fan Quan sighed with relief, ¡°I scheduled a meeting with Juzipi and the others at noon, they will be here in ten minutes, and then we¡¯ll head to that train station together.¡±


    Ke Mingye shrugged, ¡°Might as well treat it as a trip, but just reminding you, my puppet can only exist for three hours.¡±


    ¡°Three hours is enough,¡± said Fan Quan bluntly. ¡°Actually, bringing you along is just to have you act as our bodyguard; I¡¯ll handle the other discussions.¡±


    Ke Mingye fiddled with his phone, nodded, and said, ¡°Figured as much. I¡¯ll just tie you up there with a web and let them take you apart.¡±


    ¡°It seems I need to reconsider whether to take you to Tokyo.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Half an hour later, Old Jingmai District, abandoned train station.


    Ke Mingye, Fan Quan, Juzipi, and Qing Meng, each holding the trophy card ¡°Crazy Train Conductor¡±, soon, along with a roaring engine noise, the old train charged out from the tunnel, stirring up a hot breeze, fluttering the bangs of the four, and messing up their hair.


    Then, the train slowly stopped on the tunnel track, and after expelling its last breath from the exhaust pipe, it became still.


    Seeing that none of the three beside him moved, Ke Mingye was the first to step on the footboard, and as he put his foot on it, a panel popped out at the entrance of car number 7.


    The top read: [Please present Trophy Card NO.007 ¨C ¡¯Crazy Train Conductor¡¯. Only after presenting the card can you board the train.]


    Immediately following, a hovering card slot appeared in the air, flickering in and out of visibility.


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, picked up his card, casually swiped it through the slot, and following that, the panel blocking the entrance vanished, allowing him to board the car smoothly.


    The three others behind him saw this and followed suit, boarding one after another.


    ¡°Almost like swiping a high-speed train card, though I used to swipe my student ID,¡± Juzipi noted as he was the last to get on the train.


    No sooner had he spoken than the entire train, like a beast encased in ice, began to slowly and orderly unfreeze every muscle and cell.


    The floor of car number 7 trembled slightly, causing all four to hurriedly find something to hold. Moments later, the train burst forward with the roaring of its engine and entered the tracks.


    The dim tunnel lights shone on their faces.


    They sat in the right-side seats of car number 7, quietly watching the scenery outside the window.


    Each wall lamp could illuminate only a short section of the tracks, and between two lamps, one could hardly see their own hand. The train sped through the tunnel in alternating darkness and light, causing the passengers¡¯ faces to flicker in and out of shadow.


    It was as if they had forgotten the time, lost in the complexities of the world, sitting in the carriage in a daze.


    ¡°This thing really is magical,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°Can it actually take us to Tokyo?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s set up by the system, so it should be able to,¡± Ju Zipi said vaguely.


    Qing Meng, tilting her head, said, ¡°I¡¯m getting curious about what the effects of the other instance cards are. Are they as powerful as ¡¯Crazy Train Conductor¡¯?¡±


    During their talk, a conductor whose eyes burned with a deep ghostly fire approached, his footsteps echoing ¡°tap tap¡± in the carriage. Find your next adventure on empire


    ¡°Oh my god!¡±


    Perhaps because he had been traumatized by a previous instance, Ke Mingye reflexively jumped up from his seat, lowering his right hand towards it, almost slapping it with a cobweb.


    But then he pondered that it was unlikely for any minor monsters to appear at such a time and slowly lowered his right hand.


    The conductor stopped in the middle of the carriage, hunching over, rubbing his palms together, and asked in an eerie tone, ¡°Please, what is your destination?¡±


    ¡°Japan?¡± Ke Mingye ventured.


    The conductor continued, ¡°Which part of Japan? The train can only stop at a local abandoned train station.¡±


    ¡°Whichever abandoned station is closer to Kabukicho in Tokyo, stop there,¡± Fan Quan said.


    ¡°Then, the train will arrive at the destination in about thirty seconds, stopping at the abandoned station near Tokyo Shiba Park. Please be prepared,¡± the conductor said.


    After speaking, the conductor turned and walked towards the shadows, slowly disappearing from sight.


    In the quiet carriage, only the rumbling engine and the alternating dim yellow wall lamps remained.


    ¡°Thirty seconds, we can start the countdown now,¡± Qing Meng said, glancing at her phone.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re already here.¡±


    As Ke Mingye spoke, a blazing column of light pierced through the front of the tunnel. The train, like a dark arrow, shot through the intense light and arrived in a brand new world.


    Accompanied by the train stopping on the tracks, the four of them quickly disembarked, stepping onto the platform.


    In the dark and cramped station, an old sign hung on a pillar, inscribed with ¡°Tokyo Shiba Park Station No. 7 Viewing Window¡± at the top.


    ¡°Just asking, who here understands Japanese, and how will we communicate when we go out?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    ¡°I do, and I have some yen with me,¡±


    Fan Quan said, clutching a book as he headed towards the stairs leading away from the platform.


    ¡°As expected of a cultured person,¡± Ju Zipi said, arms behind his head.


    Fan Quan shook his head. ¡°No, I never learned Japanese in my past life. In my memory, the father of this body lived with me in Japan when I was a kid, so my Japanese is quite good.¡±


    Ke Mingye remembered that Fan Quan had mentioned his father was a smuggler, and therefore he clicked his tongue, ¡°It¡¯s not easy for the original owner of your body to have lived this long.¡±


    Soon, they left the abandoned station through a dark passageway, crossed the fence, and stepped onto the street from beside a warning sign.


    The humid air greeted them. Fine droplets beat against the tip of their noses, bringing with them the scent of the sky.


    The city was experiencing a light drizzle. In the curtain of rain, the lights of Tokyo shone brightly, and pedestrians in raincoats hurried past on the streets without paying any attention to the four suspicious figures.


    Ke Mingye looked up. Beneath the grey sky, a sea of neon halos colored the towering buildings. The nightlife throbbed, electronic billboards visible everywhere.


    In the rain, the structure known as the ¡°Tokyo Skytree¡± stood in the middle of Shiba Park. Its red and white segmented body radiated brilliant white light, its sharp spire pointing towards the dark blue sky, like a giant holding a torch, majestically standing at the center of the world.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, our destination is Kabukicho, not here. We need to take a train to get there,¡± Fan Quan said.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m the bodyguard; you call the shots.¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye took out his phone and snapped a photo of the distant Tokyo Tower. His first thought was whether to take a photo and share it in the family WeChat group.


    But he soon dismissed the idea.


    ¡°Am I an idiot?¡±


    He muttered to himself, put away his phone, and leisurely followed the others.

 Chapter 100 - 100 - 082 The Battle of Black Tengu Host Club

    Chapter 100 ¨C 082 The Battle of Black Tengu Host Club


    June 22, Japan time 12:15 PM, Shinjuku Ward.


    The dark green JR train whipped the raindrops aside and stopped at the platform of Shinjuku Station. Ke Mingye and the others got off the train and after a short walk arrived on the streets of Kabukicho.


    It was a rainy day, dull and melancholy, but this city that never sleeps was still brilliantly lit, overflowing with light.


    In the downpour, the endless stream of people, holding umbrellas, shuttled between malls, izakayas, and maid cafes. The dazzling electronic billboards were hung densely in the air, spreading a hazy neon halo through the rain curtain.


    A girl dressed like a cat girl stood outside the maid cafe, holding a sign written in Japanese and shouting slogans to the passersby.


    ¡°Do maids actually solicit customers on the street?¡± Orange Peel raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°This is Japan, you know?¡± Qing Meng said.


    ...


    ¡°It seems that Japan is the same in any parallel world,¡± Fan Quan said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit too much from the second dimension.¡±


    While walking, Ke Mingye looked up into the sky.


    The huge screens on the buildings were showing the latest Quick Rush Coffee advertisement¡ªa Magical Girl Kokonoe Sakura dressed in a dark red kimono, wielding a tachi walked from afar. Her blade transformed into thin, drifting sakura in the sky.


    She walked slowly towards a serene spot surrounded by plants and trees, sitting down to quietly enjoy her coffee, a faint smile playing at the corner of her eyes.


    The girl¡¯s aura was like that of the freshly bloomed Yoshino cherry trees, with a light pink that bordered on white, causing the pedestrians to stop in their tracks and look up at the screen.


    Trendy and fashionable pop music floated through the air, sung by the very popular idol group in Japan¡ª¡±Divine Communicator Yamata no Orochi¡± and ¡°Divine Communicator Ebisu Divinity.¡± Explore more adventures at empire


    The former had a voice as raspy as a hissing snake, quite distinctive and magnetic; the latter¡¯s voice was sweet and cunning, like a landowner¡¯s daughter from ancient times. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rich aroma of ramen from the famous Ichiran Ramen Shop mixed with the humid scent of rain, tantalizing every passerby¡¯s taste buds.


    At the entrance of a cutlery model shop stood a painting of the superhero ¡°Ji Feng Samurai,¡± famed for being able to manipulate a ghost hand and fight with six blades at once.


    The showcase in the mall displayed mannequins either dressed in Magic Girl Cosplay or superhero battle suits. Looking through the showcase into the shop, the glass cabinets housed various figurines of Magic Girls and superheroes.


    Among them, one could even spot Magical Girl Ash, which gave Ke Mingye a surreal feeling, as if his sister was still accompanying him in another form in this foreign land.


    The puddles on the road reflected the blue neon light, mirroring the silhouettes of the four individuals.


    They had bought raincoats on their way here and now walked enveloped in them through the bright lights of Kabukicho, their figures frail like paper cutouts, ready to be swallowed by the ubiquitous electronic billboards at any moment.


    Soon, Ke Mingye and Fan Quan stopped in front of a host club with a sign saying ¡°¤¯¤í¤Æ¤ó¤°,¡± directly translated as Black Tengu Host Club.


    The notice on the door indicated that the host club wasn¡¯t open at noon; it officially opened at seven in the evening.


    Fan Quan took off his raincoat hood and pushed the door open walking in.


    The four approached the bar, where a red-haired man, dressed as a bartender and wiping glasses, stood behind the bar and quietly watched them.


    ¡°The shop isn¡¯t open yet,¡± the red-haired man said with a forced smile.


    Fan Quan, speaking fluent Japanese, said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone.¡±


    As he spoke, he pulled out a photo of a man in a bartender outfit with golden shoulder-length hair and sunglasses.


    ¡°Tell him the words ¡¯Top Bull¡¯ and ¡¯Player¡¯; he¡¯ll understand what I mean,¡± he said.


    Fan Quan slid the photo across the bar, adding a comment as he did so.


    Ke Mingye watched the scene, recalling what Fan Quan had said during their journey.


    The hacker with the ID ¡°Cai Bing¡± became interested when she noticed a high-ranked player named ¡°Top Bull¡± while scanning the player leaderboards. Curious, she started investigating local host clubs in Tokyo and successfully hacked into the surveillance system of the Black Tengu Host Club.


    She soon discovered that Black Tengu was not just a business hub but also a base for the Anti-Superhuman Organization.


    She was certain that the player called ¡°Top Bull¡± was likely hidden in this host club.


    Players know players, Cai Bing noted some subtle behaviors in the surveillance footage, like browsing the marketplace and skill enhancements, along with changes in the ¡°Top Bull¡¯s¡± kill count, progressively narrowing down a suspicious individual¡ªYasushi Yamamoto.


    Yasushi Yamamoto¡¯s pattern of movement matched the dynamics of ¡°Top Bull¡± on the leaderboard perfectly; each time he disappeared from surveillance, it coincided with an increase in the player¡¯s kill count on the leaderboard.


    And whenever that happened, it was precisely the time for action at the Black Tengu Host Club, typically targeting superhumans spending leisurely in Kabukicho or attacking superheroes who passed by.


    At that moment, the red-haired man behind the bar picked up the photo, took a glance at the man in the picture, looked up at Fan Quan, and smiled, ¡°Sir, there is no such person here in our club. Could you be mistaken?¡±

 Chapter 101 - 101 - 082 Battle at the Black Tengu Host Club_2

    Chapter 101 ¨C 082 Battle at the Black Tengu Host Club_2


    ¡°This is the place, no doubt,¡± Fan Quan said calmly.


    Ke Mingye took off his raincoat hood and silently looked around. He could see the Cowherds, framed by large portraits on golden-wired walls, wiping windows, and cleaning the floor. At that moment, they all turned their gaze toward him, their expressions unfriendly.


    ¡°They don¡¯t seem very welcoming,¡± he said in Chinese.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Qing Meng said.


    ¡°Are they going to fight us?¡± Ju Zipi asked.


    As soon as the words left his mouth, two Cowherds quietly shut the club¡¯s main door.


    Meanwhile, a Cowherd wiping glasses at the bar, another cleaning the floor, and yet another replacing wall paintings, simultaneously turned around, pulled out a handgun from nowhere, raised the barrel, and aimed it at the four people¡¯s heads.


    ...


    Ke Mingye stood emotionlessly at the front of the group, both hands in the pockets of his raincoat. He remained unmoved, the rainwater flowing down the hem of his coat and soaking his pants.


    Fan Quan silently retreated to stand next to Qing Meng and Ju Zipi.


    Ju Zipi, prepared for this, produced a tide-forged wild knife in his right hand, as if dragon roars resonated from beneath the water.


    Just as those forefingers pulled triggers, the wave knife turned into a waterfall-like tide sweeping forward, instantaneously enveloping the trio and shielding them from the barrage of bullets.


    The high-speed whirling bullets entered the tide, like stones sinking into the sea, their momentum and kinetic energy instantly cushioned to nothing.


    Like babies in a cradle, nearly a hundred bullets softly swayed back and forth in the web woven by the tide.


    Simultaneously, Ke Mingye darted around inside the club like lightning, now appearing on a sofa, now on a chandelier from the ceiling, nearly perfectly dodging the sweeping hail of bullets.


    The lightness of a marionette, coupled with E-class superhuman physical fitness, made his movements unbelievably fast, far surpassing the physical limits of humans.


    No matter how ferocious the staff¡¯s gunfire, they were still human, and the naked eye simply couldn¡¯t catch Ke Mingye¡¯s speed; their shooting was always a beat too slow.


    While dodging the gunfire, Ke Mingye didn¡¯t forget to lower his right hand, shooting spider silk at the staff.


    In the blink of an eye, strands of spider silk with blazing white spider webs shot across the room, and within seconds, nearly fifteen Cowherds were completely disarmed, their weapons either stuck to the ground, the walls, or the sofas by the spider webs.


    Even worse, some had their gun barrels plugged by the spider webs, rendering one of their hands useless due to a blown chamber.


    Outside the club, pedestrians carried umbrellas through the curtain of rain, while the harsh gunfire from Black Tengu Club kept coming through, muffled by the spattering rain and the noisy music and advertisements.


    Finally, after a round of gunfire, the Host Club fell into a brief silence. Most of the Cowherds had been disarmed by the spider webs, and the rest, knowing that their bullets were useless against him, stopped shooting.


    All the Cowherds found cover and peeked out to observe the situation outside.


    Someone was ¡°clack-clacking¡± as they changed their magazine, but a strand of spider silk swiftly shot by Ke Mingye stuck his arm and the gun to the ground.


    He struggled with all his might, but the spider web didn¡¯t budge.


    Ke Mingye, holding onto a spider silk attached to a chandelier, dangled upside down from the ceiling and leisurely scanned the room, by now the focus of everyone¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I am the bodyguard for these three. In my stead, can we refrain from using knives and guns? It¡¯s rather uncouth, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    He paused, sighed impatiently, and switched to a more direct approach.


    ¡°Alright, what I mean is, if you don¡¯t show some respect, then I¡¯ll slaughter all you idiots, got it?¡±


    The cowherds stood still, deadly silent.


    They couldn¡¯t understand the gibberish Ke Mingye was speaking, but his composed demeanor in the midst of it all stunned them. Was this the look of someone who had just survived a hail of bullets?


    Ke Mingye had a sudden realization and remembered that they couldn¡¯t understand Chinese, so he turned to Fan Quan.


    ¡°Intellectual, translate this.¡±


    Behind the tidal wave curtain formed by Ju Zipi¡¯s crescent blade, Fan Quan spoke in Japanese, ¡°He said he¡¯s offended, he actually doesn¡¯t want to oppose you, but it was rude of you to start shooting without a word.¡±


    Seeing that Fan Quan had started to translate, Ke Mingye then glanced at the mist continuously pouring into the room from a pipe in the ceiling and added, ¡°Also, forget about that damn inhibiting spray, we are neither superpower users nor mutants.¡±


    Fan Quan translated his words, switching to Japanese, ¡°The inhibitor is useless on us, we are not superhumans.¡±


    ¡°Get the blond in the photo out here quick, or I¡¯ll smash this place up.¡±


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he shot a strand of web at the photo of the ¡°Top Bull¡± on the bar, grabbed it with a swift pull, and swung around in mid-air so that all the cowherds could see the photo clearly.


    Fan Quan said in Japanese, ¡°We just want to find someone. Here, look at the photo, if we really can¡¯t meet him, then we¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    The two played off each other, causing the cowherds in the club to look at each other, their low murmurs echoing in every corner.


    ¡°If they are not superhumans, then why do they have these abilities?¡±


    ¡°Are they Divine Communicators? Neither genetic inhibitors nor superpower inhibitors work on Divine Communicators.¡± Continue reading at empire


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s just call the assistant manager out, that guy is too weird.¡±


    As they were whispering among themselves, a tall, thin young man wearing a bartender¡¯s uniform, shoulder-length blonde hair, and sunglasses, walked out slowly from behind the bar, a cigarette dangling from his lips.


    ¡°I want to talk to them alone. You guys clean up the shattered glasses and replace the torn wallpapers where necessary. Get the bar back to normal by tomorrow; we¡¯re closed for tonight.¡±


    The blonde young man spoke in a clear and concise manner, twirling the cigarette in his mouth, puffing out clouds of smoke.


    Upon hearing this, the other cowherds in the club holstered their guns, stood up from behind cover, and went about their business as if nothing had happened; the entire bar continued to operate.


    ¡°See, that¡¯s settled then¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye said as he released the webbing and flipped down from the ceiling to land on the club¡¯s floor.


    Although Ju Zipi¡¯s wave blade hadn¡¯t dissipated, he was wary of the cowherds potentially double-crossing them. Thus, he kept his guard while escorting Fan Quan and Qing Meng toward the blonde man.


    The four followed the blonde man into a private room within the club.


    The blonde man turned on the light, sat down on the couch with his legs crossed, and looked up at them.


    ¡°So, how did you find me?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 102 - 102 - 083: Those Who Stayed, Collaboration Application

    Chapter 102 ¨C 083: Those Who Stayed, Collaboration Application


    In the private room of the Host Club, Ke Mingye stood emotionlessly in a corner, adopting the posture of a bodyguard, as he played Snake on a spare phone with his head down.


    Fan Quan sat opposite the Top Bull, recounting in Japanese how his hacker friend had managed to sniff him out.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± the Top Bull drawled with a breath of smoke, his reaction rather subdued, ¡°It seems I wasn¡¯t careful enough, and that¡¯s how your people found a flaw in me. So, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°Before I answer that, I have a question,¡± Fan Quan said.


    ¡°What question?¡±


    ¡°Does the organization know you are a player?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they do, and likewise, I¡¯ll introduce you to them,¡± the Top Bull said.


    ...


    Fan Quan continued to ask, ¡°Won¡¯t they have any aversion? After all, the nature of players and Superhumans is similar.¡±


    ¡°After a few missions together, they¡¯ve basically accepted my presence.¡±


    Fan Quan nodded, ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s continue the topic from before. We are here to make friends with you.¡±


    ¡°Why go through the trouble of seeking me out specifically?¡±


    ¡°Your starting point is inside an Anti-Superhuman Organization, and you¡¯re the deputy head of one of its branches. The importance goes without saying,¡± Fan Quan spoke slowly, ¡°And we are a player team, completely aligned with your stance. Befriending us is beneficial not just for you but also for the Anti-Superhuman Organization backing you.¡±


    ¡°What if I refuse?¡±


    The Top Bull, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, asked in a hollow tone. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You can refuse, but I¡¯ll come again in the future,¡± Fan Quan said expressionlessly, ¡°Hopefully, your ability to judge the situation will be sufficient to see the current scene clearly. You know nothing about us, while we not only grasp the ins and outs of your organization but also your identity. If we reveal your identity to the Superhero Association¡¯s branch in Japan, then¡­¡±


    The Top Bull interrupted him, ¡°It seems like you¡¯re not really giving me much choice. Introduce yourself and your three friends. Some other time, I¡¯ll take you to meet the leader of the Tengu Warfront¡¯s Tokyo division. The Black Tengu is just a small branch; the organization¡¯s main network is spread across the Tokyo Port Area, near Roppongi.¡±


    Fan Quan began introducing them one by one, gesturing towards Ke Mingye, ¡°Spider Man.¡± Then he pointed to Qing Meng, ¡°Punk Girl,¡± and finally to Ju Zipi, ¡°This one is called Ju Zipi, he can work here as a Cowherd, and I¡¯ve already thought of an artistic name for him, ¡¯Rotten Orange,¡¯ as in a rotten tangerine. Fits the Cowherd vibe, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Does he have an orphan background?¡±


    The Top Bull asked thoughtfully, wondering why this Fan Quan was so quick to sell out a teammate; could there be some deception?


    Fan Quan shook his head, ¡°No, but in these times, nobody cares about a missing ordinary college student. He will stay here as our diplomatic corps member, demonstrating our sincerity. When you need to run an instance or carry out a ¡¯Tengu Warfront¡¯ mission, or if the Host Club is short-staffed, you can pull him in.¡±


    He paused, ¡°But you¡¯ll have to prepare an identity for him and make him up appropriately, to prevent customers from China from recognizing him and causing a scandal with headlines like ¡¯Chinese missing college student found working as a host in Japan¡¯s Kabukicho,¡¯ which wouldn¡¯t be good for your situation either.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that; hiding someone¡¯s identity is quite simple,¡± the Top Bull said.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Ju Zipi scratched his cheek, his face wearing a warm smile.


    He didn¡¯t understand Japanese, but he felt that the reactions of the two were strange, occasionally casting glances at him, as if he had been sold off.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Fan Quan said.


    In the conversation just now, he had hinted that they had a top-tier hacker on their side. For the remainder of the time, the Top Bull would surely be cautious and wouldn¡¯t let Cai Bing simply control their movements through surveillance footage.


    Therefore, Fan Quan needed someone to stay inside this ¡°Tengu Warfront¡± Anti-Superhuman Organization to watch their every move. Otherwise, just communicating through the friend panel with the Top Bull, it would be impossible to ascertain whether the information he provided was true or false.


    Of those present, only Ju Zipi met the requirement, so he had no choice but to send him in.


    The Top Bull continued to ask: ¡°Will you stay around here for a while?¡±


    ¡°No, we might come over once a week, and occasionally it might be longer in between. So let¡¯s add each other as friends to keep in touch,¡± Fan Quan said, sending a friend request to the Top Bull.


    The Top Bull took a puff of his cigarette, accepted the friend request, then raised his head to look at Ju Zipi, ¡°Has this Ju Zipi worked in a bar before?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Then he¡¯ll need some proper training,¡± the Top Bull remarked, sizing up Ju Zipi¡¯s handsome face, ¡°He¡¯s got the right physical qualifications to be a Cowherd.¡±


    Ke Mingye was utterly confused and turned his head to say, ¡°Cultural man, your colonel¡¯s language, red bean paste, is very ¡¯sugo¡¯.¡±


    Fan Quan stepped beside him and quietly recounted his recent conversation with the Top Bull to Ke Mingye.


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re really ruthless,¡± Ke Mingye gasped in shock, looking at Ju Zipi with sympathy.


    Ju Zipi squinted his eyes, smiling at them, ¡°Um, if I don¡¯t understand I must ask, what¡¯s the situation now, why are you both looking at me?¡±


    Fan Quan ignored him and asked Ke Mingye, ¡°Do you have any objections?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± he replied.


    ¡°And what about you?¡± Fan Quan turned to Qing Meng.


    She spread her hands and said, ¡°Why are you asking me about the affairs of you men? You¡¯re not seriously thinking of having me dress up as a man and work as a Cowherd, are you?¡±


    Upon hearing those words, Fan Quan moved to Ju Zipi¡¯s left side, took a deep breath, and with a solemn face, wrapped his arm around Ju Zipi¡¯s left shoulder; Ke Mingye, with a brooding expression, walked to his right side and forcefully hugged his right shoulder.


    The two of them began talking into his ears from both sides, resembling a comedy duo as they recounted the agreement they had just made with the Top Bull to Ju Zipi.


    Ju Zipi was initially all smiles, but as he grasped the gravity of the situation, the smile on his face slowly stiffened.


    ¡°Wait a minute, but I don¡¯t speak Japanese,¡± he quickly found an excuse.


    Fan Quan consoled him, ¡°The Japanese you¡¯ve learned from anime is enough for now, and you can gradually learn the rest. The fifty sounds of Japanese are quite simple. It¡¯s a language that¡¯s relatively easy to pick up.¡±


    Ke Mingye patted him on the shoulder, ¡°Trust me, Brother Ju Zipi, with your handsome face, in six months, you¡¯ll be the number one Cowherd at Black Tengu Club.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Fan Quan said. ¡°Even if a year from now we haven¡¯t succeeded in eliminating Superhumans, at least in this splendid environment, you¡¯ll have seen all kinds of women. Coming here won¡¯t be a loss.¡±


    Ju Zipi covered his face and sighed, ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll give it my best.¡±


    ¡°Have you guys decided?¡± asked the Top Bull.


    Fan Quan replied, ¡°He stays with you. I hope you don¡¯t put him aside. Try to integrate him into your organization as much as possible.¡±


    The Top Bull shrugged, ¡°With my secret in your hands, what else can I say? I¡¯ll try to accommodate your requests as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you really think of yourself as a Cowherd?¡± Fan Quan asked.


    The Top Bull gave him a puzzled look and said slowly, ¡°Don¡¯t your memories influence you? During this period, I often can¡¯t tell who I am.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s bearable,¡± Fan Quan replied.


    He skipped the topic and continued to ask, ¡°How many players are there in this city of Tokyo?¡±


    ¡°Including myself, there are three,¡± said the Top Bull. ¡°We can set a time to meet again, and I¡¯ll bring the other two with me. I¡¯ve been wondering how to contact other players in the world, and you boldly came knocking, which saved me a lot of trouble.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect,¡± Fan Quan said without hesitation. ¡°Ju Zipi staying here also counts as adding strength to your team. Otherwise, with only three of you, it would be tough to fight in instances.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you now have only three people as well?¡±


    ¡°We have our ways,¡± Fan Quan replied.


    He thought to himself that once the smuggling ship arrived in Huanjing tomorrow, Huanjing would gain two more players. Of course, one of those players seemed to be a bit off mentally, and whether they could be a fighting force was questionable and would need to be observed for a while before any conclusions could be drawn.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s settled then. I need to get back to work,¡± said the Top Bull, pondering for a moment and then slowly rising from the sofa. ¡°Thanks to you, the whole bar needs a renovation today.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    Read latest chapters at empire


    Fan Quan gave him a glance and then left the private room with the other three.


    ¡°How did I do as a bodyguard?¡± Ke Mingye asked, putting away his phone.


    ¡°You were quite persuasive,¡± said Fan Quan casually.


    Ju Zipi turned to look at them and asked anxiously, ¡°So, I¡¯m really not going to get shot here, am I?¡±


    Ke Mingye reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if something like that really happens, we¡¯ll definitely come back to collect your body and blow them all up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good for you to stay here too, leveling up by racking up kill counts with Anti-Superhuman Organization, you¡¯ll develop faster and more safely than other players,¡± Ke Mingye continued.


    Fan Quan adjusted his glasses and tucked a book under his arm.


    ¡°Okay then, goodbye,¡± Ju Zipi said, stopping in his tracks and smiling.


    ¡°Take care.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°Good luck.¡±


    Each of them offered a parting word and then left Black Tengu Host Club. Ju Zipi stood still inside the establishment, watching their silhouettes disappear into the drizzling rain.

 Chapter 103 - 103 - 084: Black Wukong X Dice Monster X Magical Girl Ash (Part 1)

    Chapter 103 ¨C 084: Black Wukong X Dice Monster X Magical Girl Ash (Part 1)


    June 22, Huanjing Time 1:00 PM, Tokyo Port Area.


    After Ke Mingye and his group returned to Shiba Park, they swiped their cards to board the train back to the abandoned train station at Old Jingmai District, where they had started.


    Fan Quan greeted everyone and then disbanded the team. Deception Puppet stored its spare mobile phone with the supermarket owner in Old Jingmai District.


    Then, it boarded a bus and found a deserted alley in the neighboring district to self-destruct.


    Soon after, Ke Mingye pretended to buy a drink, went downstairs, and retrieved the spare mobile phone.


    He spent some time at home; outside, the sky slowly transformed its colors from the bright sunshine of noon to the sunset in the evening and then to a blood-red twilight that faded away, and the city welcomed another night.


    At this time, the city would experience its unique charm. Past deeds of sin always seemed to emerge under the cover of night. In the glitzy urban environment, among the endless flow of people, sinners revealed their sharp fangs on a stage constructed from neon lights, and superheroes were too busy to catch their breath.


    ...


    After dinner, Ke Mingye went out for a walk alone and seized an opportunity to release Deception Puppet.


    Before July 4th arrived, Ke Mingye needed to upgrade his ¡°Calamity Dice¡± from D level to C level and also to increase the ¡°Dice Monster¡¯s¡± wanted level on the Superhero Association¡¯s official website, targeting ¡°Qing Ya¡± at the main plot point. Thus, he decided to throw a dice on the streets of the downtown area to see the Association¡¯s reaction.


    Perhaps a major incident would occur, and the Superhero Association would directly upgrade his wanted level from C to A.


    So, he had Deception Puppet swing through the bustling urban area with spider silk, casually taking a bronze gong, a toy drum, and a drumstick from an antique shop on Yandai Commercial Street.


    Then he arrived above Huanjing Tower, sitting on the railings of the observation deck, fiddling with those objects in the night breeze.


    Suddenly, the sound of gong and drum attracted the nearby tourists.


    They raised their heads in confusion, looking at the gray humanoid sitting on the railing, bathed in the intermingling light of the moon and the tower, its high grin visible even from dozens of meters away.


    ¡°Hey, I am Dice Monster. You should recognize me; I¡¯m in today¡¯s trending topics,¡± it said.


    With that, the puppet bent over, supporting its waist, and casually placed the bronze gong, drumstick, and the barely used toy drum on the ground of the observation deck.


    Then it turned around, its hollow gaze overlooking the crowd below the tower.


    Swinging its legs, it tilted its head and said, ¡°I am going to perform a terror attack right here. In twenty seconds, I will throw a dice, and I have no idea what will happen. So, I advise you to get as far away from here as possible.¡±


    Then it began to count down unilaterally, ¡°Ten, nine, eight, seven, six¡­¡±


    The countdown rang out in mid-air, with Ke Mingye having adjusted the voice of Deception Puppet to the maximum, as loud as a horn, so each number clearly reached the ears of the citizens.


    Soon, a sheep-like frenzy of fleeing ensued, with shrill screams as visitors near Huanjing Tower quickly evacuated the area.


    ¡°Three¡­¡±


    ¡°Two¡­¡±


    ¡°One¡­¡± Find exclusive stories on empire


    Ke Mingye lowered his gaze, casually surveying the pedestrians on the street, deliberately slowing the pace of the countdown to allow some time for people to evacuate.


    Finally, after scanning to ensure no one was at the bottom of the tower, he released a D-level skill¡ª ¡°Calamity Dice¡±.


    A blood-red dice appeared in his hand.


    He held the dice, extended his arm forward, released his fingers, letting the dice crash toward the base of the tower.


    Then, he slowly stood up, pushing off the railings with his feet, his figure disappearing into the neon-flickering city, shooting upwards with a web spun across the night sky.


    The howling cold wind cut across his cheeks like a carving knife, and a cold notification tone rang in his ear.


    [Current D-level skill¡ª¡±Calamity Dice¡± has been used 2 times, this skill will undergo a qualitative change after 10 accumulative uses (Progress: 2/10)]


    [D-level skill ¡°Calamity Dice¡± released, six events drawn from the event library this time are¡ª


    Number ¢Ù: A giant turtle will crawl up Huanjing Tower;


    Number ¢Ú: A historically famous band of the dead will appear on the street to perform songs;


    Number ¢Û: A giant mole will burrow out of the ground, starting to dig holes on the street;


    Number ¢Ü: The next rainfall;


    Number ¢Ý: A group of mechanical giants will appear on the street, beginning a parade;


    Number ¢Þ: Someone will pull the trigger aimed at the back of your head.]


    ¡°Hey, hey, what the hell does someone pulling the trigger at the back of my head mean?¡± Deception Puppet cocked its nonexistent eyebrow.


    Thump¡­


    The red and black metal dice swiftly fell from the sky, striking the ground and producing a crisp sound on the deserted road.


    The dice collided with the ground, bouncing repeatedly, reaching heights of over four meters at its peak, and continued this pattern for two or three rounds before slowly coming to a halt.


    Finally, the number facing upwards was¡­ 3.


    [The event represented by the number 3 has been triggered: A giant mole burrows out from underground, beginning to dig holes in the street.]


    At this moment, Deception Puppet had already left Huanjing Tower far behind to evade being captured by Qing Ya but could hear distant tremors and the deep roars of a beast, along with continuous screams from people.


    Ke Mingye was curious about who would take care of the giant mole, so he took out his phone and logged onto the Grey Pigeon Dark Web.


    Indeed, since his appearance as Dice Monster at Huanjing Tower, pirated live streams of the incident had already started on the dark web.


    In the city, bright with lights and wine, the neon outshone the moonlight, tinting every corner of the streets.


    The pirator aimed the camera skyward, and the figure that appeared on screen was the superhero ¡°Ink Writer,¡± who at this moment, was standing atop the head of an Eastern dragon formed by converging ink.


    This ink dragon had two deer-like antlers on its head, with empty eye sockets and long whiskers by its mouth fluttering in the wind. It gently swayed its four legs and sixteen claws.


    It lacked wings, yet its body undulated through the air like a black and white sea wave swaying gently.


    Dressed in a white battle robe, Ink Writer drew the attention of the crowd. His fans pointed at his silhouette, screaming loudly as they lifted their phones. The flash from their cameras seemed to light up the city¡¯s night sky.


    In all of Huanjing, the only other superhuman who would dress up like this was perhaps the villain ¡°Fly Immortal.¡± These days, everyone valued cultural heritage; being too foreignized as a superhero could make it hard to gain popularity and was politically incorrect. Adding a touch of Chinese elements made it easier to attract fans, so his agency had designed his hero image in this way.


    Ke Mingye had viewed Ink Writer¡¯s information panel.


    This was also a character from the Ninja Sect. However, for reasons unknown, he had later become a superhero. He derived his powers from the secret arts passed down in the Ninja Sect, not from superpowers.


    Ink Writer¡¯s popularity in Huanjing was evident from the rapidly increasing count of comments on the Grey Pigeon Dark Web. If Qing Ya embodied the negative stereotypes of superheroes, Ink Writer represented the pinnacle of positive images; he was honorable, often participating in various charitable activities, and was keen on cooperating with official efforts to promote national culture.


    When he had free time, he would also live stream himself painting in ink wash or writing with ink brushes, each work worth a fortune. Ink Writer¡¯s reputation and capabilities were evident; any of his works that appeared at an auction would fetch at least a million, making him a regular fixture at the Huanjing nobility auctions.


    As Ke Mingye saw the screen crammed with an overwhelming number of comments, he opened the settings and blocked all the comments. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Immediately following, the pirator¡¯s camera caught two more figures, one of which was Magic Girl Ash arriving from the corner of the sky, seated on the handle of Cinderella¡¯s umbrella.


    The gothic-style Magic Girl had changed her usual entrance today, no longer opening an umbrella upwards but sitting on the handle like a witch on a broomstick.


    The neon lights of the city brushed across her snow-white face, and the wind from the night sky lifted her brightly powdered hair. Yet she lowered her gaze, her pupils revealing a cold sharpness.


    As for the other figure captured by the thief¡¯s camera, it was right above Huanjing Tower.


    It was Diviner Black Wukong, standing on a swirl of dark chaotic clouds.


    She gazed at the mole, her crimson eyes behind the monkey mask shimmering with a bizarre hue under the moonlit night, her silver and black hood flapping alongside her metallic coat in the wind.


    ¡°Please¡­ am I really that popular?¡±


    When Ke Mingye saw these two sisters together again after a week, he knew they were both there to settle scores with him, so he silently shut down the dark web.


    He focused on controlling his Deception Puppet, moving faster through the city while gradually reducing his usage of web-slinging as a mode of transport, lest others catch his trace before the webs dissolved. With his current physical fitness, just using his legs, the puppet could easily jump out ten meters and move between skyscrapers without issue.


    Before long, the Deception Puppet leapt from the glass fa?ade of a skyscraper, coming infinitely close to the deserted No. 7 overpass.


    He shot a web towards the underside of the bridge, then held onto the web with one hand as he dangled upside down beneath the bridge, quietly overlooking the brightly lit city in the distance.


    As time ticked by, the giant mole summoned by the Disaster Dice battled with the ink-dyed Eastern Dragon, their roaring sounds spreading across the skies, drowning out the noise of the news and advertisements. Bursts of dark ink momentarily swallowed the city¡¯s neon lights, making the vibrant neon dull under the shadow of the dark behemoth.


    Finding herself outmatched, the giant mole tried to burrow into a street hole, but Magical Girl Ash arrived on the scene and immediately unleashed her powerful attack.


    Perhaps because her opponent wasn¡¯t human, she aimed Cinderella¡¯s umbrella tip directly at the mole trying to escape into the ground.


    In an instant, a magnificent beam of light burst from the tip of the umbrella, like thousands of gray roses blooming in unison, or like a ferocious gray beast stretching its sky-covering claws. The world seemed to turn gray at that moment, all the neon colors shrouded by the dim magic power.


    Countless electronic signs lost their signals, and the giant screens on the skyscrapers went dark, as if a vast cloud of darkness had covered the human world and taken away all other colors.


    In just a moment, it pierced through the mole¡¯s back, and blood gushed out like a waterfall. The nearby skyscrapers were stained with a grim red, standing side by side like blood-soaked giants.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Wukong?¡±


    The Deception Puppet wasn¡¯t surprised by the spectacle in front of him; instead, he was more curious about where the other guest had gone. So he wiped his mouth and carefully observed the city¡¯s sky.


    As his thoughts settled, from above the clouds, a figure known to be extremely dangerous, riding on dark clouds, swept down and stopped beneath the Huanjing No. 7 overpass.


    Turning his head to look at her, the Deception Puppet held onto the web with one hand while waving to her with the other, his lips parting in a grin.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this our Sun Wukong¡­ Long time no see, I¡¯ve really missed you.¡±

 Chapter 104 - 104 - 085: Black Wukong X Dice Monster X Magic Girl Ash (Part 2)

    Chapter 104 ¨C 085: Black Wukong X Dice Monster X Magic Girl Ash (Part 2)


    In the night sky, the Deception Puppet was hanging upside-down by a spider thread beneath an overpass, while Black Wukong stood on Somersault Cloud, level with it in the air.


    The puppet pouted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you even going to say hello to me? That¡¯s pretty cold.¡±


    Black Wukong remained silent for a long time, then took out a cellphone from the pocket of his metallic coat and began typing on the notepad before turning the screen towards the Deception Puppet.


    ¡°What are you up to now?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much,¡± the puppet said, ¡°just got a gambling itch, wanted to casually throw a die, but it seems I threw the wrong one.¡±


    Black Wukong continued to type, ¡°That Dice Monster on the official site, was that you?¡±


    ¡°It was me.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Why did you blow up the traffic lights, and also¡­ summon ten naked men?¡± Black Wukong typed and asked.


    ¡°Uh, gambling itch?¡± the puppet scratched its cheek.


    Black Wukong fell silent for a while, his fingers slowly typing under the metal wrist guard.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just very lonely, believe me, a lonely person can do anything,¡± the puppet blurted out, ¡°Aren¡¯t you lonely? Or maybe¡­ there¡¯s always a monkey talking in your head, so you don¡¯t feel lonely.¡±


    ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°Saw it online while surfing. They say that a Divine Communicator¡¯s emblem harbors a part of divinity, and the higher your realm, the more you¡¯re influenced by that divinity, and then you lose control.¡± The puppet turned to look at her. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Black Wukong hugged her shoulders, silent and wordless, her eyes downcast beneath the hood.


    After a while, she lifted her eyes, hidden behind the monkey mask, and looked toward the brightly lit city in the distance.


    Seeing her unwilling to respond, the puppet nonchalantly shrugged and turned to look at the thriving city hanging upside down.


    The chilling evening breeze brushed their faces, one hanging upside down, the other standing on a cloud, as the long train cap and the silver-black hood swung slowly in the still wind.


    After a long time, Black Wukong reached out and typed on the notepad, turning to him, ¡°You said you almost know everything in this world.¡±


    ¡°Uh, that was just an exaggerated way of putting it, but I do know a lot,¡± the puppet lowered his cap brim. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Then do you know what I should do?¡±


    ¡°You mean, the problem with losing control?¡± the puppet raised a non-existent eyebrow.


    Read new adventures at empire


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re seeking a way to save yourself from a criminal?¡±


    Black Wukong typed, ¡°No one can answer me, no one will come to save me, the people around me don¡¯t even know who I am, so I can only ask you.¡±


    She paused for a moment, continued typing, and then turned the phone screen towards the puppet, ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve never harmed anyone, otherwise just now why did you tell the citizens to move away before you threw that die, strictly speaking¡­ you¡¯re not that bad.¡±


    The puppet stared at the text on the screen and hesitated, ¡°You¡¯re really nice, everyone else thinks I¡¯m a bad guy, they chase after me to hack at me.¡±


    ¡°So can you answer me?¡± Black Wukong typed. ¡°The question from earlier.¡±


    The puppet hesitated for a moment and shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know how to save you¡­ perhaps Divine Communicators are doomed to lose control, which is why every Divine Communicator in history eventually fades into obscurity.¡±


    Black Wukong¡¯s eyes drooped, reflecting the bright lights of Huanjing Tower.


    ¡°Is that so¡­ I understand now.¡±


    She put away her phone, her voice cold and clear from behind the mask.


    The puppet, hanging in the moonlight, turned to look at her, ¡°It seems you are also very lonely, with no one around to listen to your feelings, always pretending to be strong, holding all your pain and anxiety inside. It¡¯s really not easy.¡±


    She said, ¡°Since trying to protect others with my own strength, loneliness has just been the price¡­ if I can¡¯t endure loneliness, I would only bring danger to those around me.¡±


    The puppet slowly said, ¡°But before all this, you were just a girl, as vulnerable as anyone else, also bewildered and questioning herself, a person afraid of dying.¡±


    ¡°You might be neurotic, but you always see right through my thoughts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good at perceiving people¡¯s hearts.¡±


    ¡°Then who exactly are you, do you understand yourself?¡±


    The puppet lowered his hollow eyes and said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand, every day in my head there are two people talking. One says, ¡¯You killed me; you must compensate, protect them for me.¡¯ The other says, ¡¯I had no choice, I just want to live, that¡¯s all.¡¯ Listening to their arguments, sometimes I feel like I¡¯m going mad, but I can only pretend to live peacefully¡­ It¡¯s complicated, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re really a complete neurotic,¡± Black Wukong murmured.


    The puppet self-mockingly laughed, ¡°Right, I think so too.¡±


    The evening wind swept down from the night sky, the spider thread in his hands swaying precariously.


    ¡°I should leave now, I¡¯ll let you off this time.¡±


    As he spoke, Somersault Cloud beneath Black Wukong began to surge anxiously, like a shimmering black lake.


    ¡°Uh, so should I be thanking you for your mercy?¡± the puppet asked.


    ¡°What else?¡±


    The puppet shrugged its shoulders and was about to respond when an icy female voice came from behind the two of them, interrupting his thoughts.


    ¡°What a coincidence¡­ both of my enemies are here.¡±


    The puppet cocked his non-existent eyebrows, his right hand clutching at the spider silk as he turned his head towards the source of the voice, looking upside down at the uninvited guest.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Miss Ash?¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ve really outshone yourself tonight.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash stared at him with cold eyes and said each word slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve finally caught you, monster.¡±


    Hearing this familiar voice, Black Wukong was stunned for a couple of seconds, then slowly turned his head, his crimson pupils fixed on the gothic-styled magic girl.


    Magical Girl Ash shifted her gaze from the puppet and glanced at Black Wukong, sneering, ¡°As I thought, you are together, telling me ¡¯Black Wukong is right beside you,¡¯ what a bluff¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Black Wukong¡¯s fingers quickly typed on a memo pad, then he aligned his screen towards the Deception Puppet, ¡°Did you tell her my identity?¡±


    The puppet first said to Magical Girl Ash, ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong, Miss Ash, we really aren¡¯t together.¡± After that, he turned to Black Wukong, waved his hand and carefully chose his words, ¡°Uh, I just hinted at it a bit, but I didn¡¯t tell her, you can ask her yourself.¡±


    Black Wukong typed on his phone, then coldly lifted the screen: ¡°You¡¯re such an asshole.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash lifted her small face, scanning the two, her gaze as sharp as knives, ¡°Still putting on an act, you really think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re together?¡±


    The upside-down puppet sighed, reached out to pat Black Wukong¡¯s shoulder, and said to Ash, ¡°Yes, we are together. If you have any grievances, take it up with the one next to me.¡±


    Black Wukong shifted his face, glaring coldly through the mask at him and swung his Jingu Bang, which hung behind his shoulder; the spider silk the puppet was holding onto instantly snapped.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?!¡±


    Instantly losing his support, the puppet hung upside down, falling towards the bustling city, swallowed by the colorful neon lights coming from below.


    Below the overpass, Black Wukong and Magical Girl Ash exchanged glances across the night sky, silent.


    The light from the night moon was mostly blocked by the surface of the overpass, leaving half of Ash¡¯s face shrouded in shadows, the other half bathed in the cold moonlight.


    After a moment, Ash sighed, shifted her gaze away from herself, and looked down at the puppet falling towards the city.


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll settle the score with it first; I¡¯ll deal with you, dirty monkey, next time.¡±


    With that said, she clenched Cinderella in her hand, causing a ripple of magic power to burst forth, propelling her body like a slate-gray comet toward the city.


    Meanwhile, as the puppet was about to strike a high-altitude work platform, he lowered his right hand and shot a spider silk towards a glass curtain wall of a tall building, grabbing the silk and shouting as he swung out.


    ¡°Monster, stop right there!¡±


    Ash¡¯s voice came from above; she was holding an umbrella, plummeting swiftly, her skirt billowing and her black locks flying up.


    The puppet, while holding onto the spider silk and maneuvering among the high buildings, shouted back, ¡°I know what you¡¯re upset about, Miss Ash, and I¡¯m very sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    The girl interrupted him, anger written clear in her icy eyes.


    As she fell, she gripped the handle of the umbrella tightly, adjusting Cinderella¡¯s position, aiming the tip of the umbrella at the puppet¡¯s back and pulling the trigger.


    Bang!


    The gunshot rang out and a cold arc traced through the air, a finely guided magic bullet precisely aiming for the puppet¡¯s back.


    The puppet couldn¡¯t react in time, and a magic bullet hit him squarely in the back, puncturing a hole in his chest. He clutched at his heart, released the spider silk, spun around, and slowly plummeted toward the street below.


    A deafening sound of horns came from below, and once he hit the traffic-filled road, he would immediately be crushed into a pulp.


    In mid-air, he raised his hollow eyes, his hands clutching his chest, looking sincerely towards Ash hovering in the air: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to reveal your identity to Xiaohongmao, seeing her so pitiful, she admired you so much, wanting to know who you really are, how could I bear it?¡±


    ¡°I told you, go die.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash said coldly, her gaze shielded by her hanging hair.


    In the next instant, the puppet¡¯s body crashed onto the roadway, hitting a massive truck head-on and being thrown about ten meters further, crashing against the facade of a building.


    ¡°We are still friends, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    He lay like Jesus nailed to the cross, slowly raising his head from the crater in the building, grinning at Ash.


    ¡°Friends?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash sneered twice, lowered her gaze, and looked down at him from above, ¡°We were never friends¡­ not now, not ever.¡±


    With that, she aimed the tip of her umbrella at the puppet¡¯s head and forcefully pulled the trigger. A lead-gray magic bullet burst out of the tip of the umbrella, precisely targeting the puppet¡¯s head.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ you¡¯ll need me.¡±


    After leaving behind those final words, the puppet¡¯s head burst open with a ¡¯pop.¡¯


    His head slowly drooped, his body gradually cracked and heated up, and finally, erupted into a fierce fire that rose in the crater, illuminating the whole street and the pitch-black building.


    ¡°Someday, you¡¯ll need me¡­¡±


    Subtle words fell quietly, a sinister laugh echoing through every corner as if coming from thin air.

 Chapter 105 - 105 - 086: Serial Number NO.0, The Day of Qiyamate

    Chapter 105 ¨C 086: Serial Number NO.0, The Day of Qiyamate


    Night fell like a curtain, shrouding the brightly lit Old Jingmai District.


    In Bai Ke¡¯s home, scattered lights cast silhouettes on the curtains: someone sat by the window reading a book; someone sat at a table playing with their phone; someone opened the curtains, cupping their cheeks in their hands, gazing into the night sky, idling away as moonlight gently swayed strands of her snowy hair.


    In the constant chirp of cicadas, one by one, the lights behind the windows were extinguished by the evening breeze, and the entire apartment complex went dark.


    At that moment, in one of the dimly lit rooms.


    Ke Mingye lay on his bed, arms behind his head, his mind a whirl of thoughts.


    ¡°Every day I throw the dice, and by the evening of June 30, the ¡¯Disaster Dice¡¯ will have evolved into a C-level Skill.¡±


    ¡°With my current strength, it¡¯s still too hard to get involved in the strife between my second brother and that elementary school kid¡­ That kid could easily chew me up, and the Ninja sent by the Ninja Sect are probably not far off in strength either. But maybe on July 4, if I throw the dice well, I might be able to achieve a surprising effect?¡±


    ...


    He sighed deeply, closed his eyes, and tried to summon sleep, but he tossed and turned restlessly, unable to fall asleep.


    So he simply picked up the phone next to his pillow, unlocked the screen, and languidly opened the browser after his gaze lingered on the home screen for a second.


    Ke Mingye scanned the Baidu hot search list and clicked on the site ranking fifth in the hot search¡ª¡±The Magical Girl Alliance Official Website.¡±


    According to statistics, the Magical Girl Alliance¡¯s official website received nearly 500 million visits a day, which showed the extent of the public¡¯s interest.


    Any Magic Girl that had appeared around the world would have their profile recorded on the Alliance¡¯s website, even those who had only shown their faces to the public once or who had not joined the Alliance.


    But their real names were not made public.


    Normally, only internal officials of the Magic Girls had access to their real identities, while others could only see some one-sided information, such as ¡°favorite food,¡± ¡°things they hate,¡± ¡°what they do at the victory banquet after defeating villains,¡± ¡°preference in choosing a partner¡±¡­


    It was all rather useless information, the officials didn¡¯t even release their birthdays.


    If a Magic Girl had commercial cooperation with some enterprises, at the bottom of their profile it might read ¡°It¡¯s said that this Magic Girl likes ¡¯Miryu Summer¡¯ brand potato chips,¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that this Magic Girl usually uses ¡¯Lijie Kafu¡¯ brand skincare products,¡± and other overt commercial promotion information.


    Next to it hung a glaringly obvious hyperlink, with intentions clear without need for words, yet a portion of their fervent fans would still take the bait.


    In today¡¯s era of traffic, no matter the industry, if a business couldn¡¯t spend money on a Magic Girl or a superhero as a spokesperson, they would eventually be outdone by competitors.


    If by lucky chance they managed to hire a world top influencer like Firando Gomez or Xizi Yue, then even if the quality of their product was poor, it would likely sell out overnight.


    Ke Mingye aimlessly browsed the official website, his eyes flitting across the portraits of Magic Girls wearing sweet smiles, feeling somewhat aesthetically fatigued, until he scrolled to a girl dressed in goth style with a black dress. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was as if he had seen a crow standing out of place among a flock of dazzling white pigeons.


    The profile picture of Ash, the Magic Girl, clashed with the others; while the rest had at least a smile or at best a neutral expression on their faces.


    She was the only one with a cold little face, her head slightly tilted to the right, her eyes filled with disdain.


    Looking like she was in business against her will, probably Xizi Yue and others had dragged her to take the profile picture. With her temperament, she likely only listened to her three masters.


    Clicking on her profile, he couldn¡¯t even find information like ¡°favorite food¡± or ¡°fears.¡± Scrolling down the list, other than the ¡°Magic Girl Code¡± column being filled with a bold ¡°Ash,¡± everything else was blank.


    ¡°Such a willful little sister,¡± Ke Mingye chuckled lightly, his finger lingering on her profile for two seconds, thinking if it wasn¡¯t for Xizi Yue covering for her, Bai Zini couldn¡¯t possibly be so arrogant.


    But he was quite curious, which one was the real Bai Zini? Was it the domineering and proud Magic Girl Ash¡­ or the neighborly little sister she was at home?


    Or could it be, both were her?


    Ke Ming mindlessly thought, his finger slowly scrolling down, and the countenance of Magic Girl Ash disappeared from the screen.


    Looking further, the Alliance¡¯s official website also regularly released profiles of ¡°Magic Girl Interns¡± to arouse public attention and interest.


    As the name implied, these Magic Girls were all interning at the Alliance.


    If, compared to looks, some of the Magic Girl interns stood out more for their strength, they would officially join the Alliance, embarking on a mission to combat crime;


    But if the Magic Girl interns were more outstanding in appearance than in strength, the Alliance would offer them another option: to debut as idols, sign with talent agencies, learn to sing, dance, and rap, striving to shine on stage.


    They would also sign a revenue-sharing agreement so that if they performed impressively and became popular, they could bring substantial economic benefits to the Magical Girls Alliance.


    As a rule, the Magic Girl Alliances of each country would have a collaborative channel with local idol talent agencies:


    ¡ªThe Alliance would recommend exceptionally talented Magic Girls to the talent agencies, which would, in turn, provide a profit share based on their performance, reciprocating to the Magical Girl Alliance.


    This mutually beneficial collaboration, as an important revenue stream for the Alliance, was vigorously supported by officials.


    However, due to Chinese netizens¡¯ concern over the mortality rate of underage Magic Girls, lately there has been a growing opposition to Magic Girls, and therefore idols who debuted as Magic Girl interns faced uniform resistance in the entertainment industry.


    One of their revenue streams had been severely impacted, leaving the Magical Girl Alliance¡¯s Chinese branch in jeopardy, solely propped up by Xizi Yue¡¯s overtime work shooting advertisements.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she alone had brought tens of millions in economic benefits to the Alliance¡¯s Chinese branch, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold on until now.


    Ke Mingye flipped through a batch of intern profiles for magic girls, and within this group of interns, seventy percent had chosen to debut as idols.


    This figure was somewhat exaggerated, perhaps influenced by Chinese public opinion, other countries had also begun to take the issue of magic girl mortality rates seriously.


    However, unlike in China, where there was an outright rejection of magic girls, other countries felt it more fitting for magic girls to be decorative figures rather than combating criminals¡ªas if, just as Black people are naturally talented in RAP, magic girls have an innate advantage in being loved by the public, and it would be a waste not to utilize it.


    Ke Mingye yawned, his eyes filled with the tears of fatigue, as his fingers continued to slide across the screen.


    The Alliance¡¯s official website still publicly recorded some information about magic cards.


    According to current statistics, a total of 126 types of magic cards had appeared in the world, including some self-created cards, such as Udina¡¯s ¡°Holy Sword Burst,¡± Lilai¡¯s ¡°Iceberg Collapse,¡± and Xizi Yue¡¯s ¡°Space-Time Train¡±¡­


    The first two were A-grade cards, while the latter was an S-grade card.


    Only magic girls with exceptional talent could create their own cards, which was the case for these three¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t have become the representative figures of contemporary magic girls otherwise.


    But ordinary magic girls were capable of crafting magic cards, creating them by extracting a small part of the comet fragments within them and using tools to mold the fragments into cards engraved with magical runes.


    During the crafting process, they could whimsically add mysterious materials, potentially giving the card odd effects.


    Xizi Yue had summarized some patterns and experiences in card crafting, generously sharing them on the Alliance¡¯s official website.


    However, according to the Association¡¯s data, the comet fragments inside an ordinary magic girl were sufficient to craft at most 300 magic cards.


    If they used up the comet fragments without restraint, they would lose their magic girl powers and might even revert to being ordinary people¡ªafter all, the power of comet-kind magic girls comes from the fragments within them.


    ¡°Can I also craft cards?¡± Ke Mingye wondered, ¡°Turn mannequins into magic girls, then extract the comet fragments from their bodies to craft cards. Keep some extra cards for emergencies¡­ Magic cards can come in handy, whether facing instances or causing trouble outside.¡±


    However, crafting was easy, mastering the cards was not. Each magic card had its corresponding difficulty level, with higher-grade cards being harder to handle.


    They had to infuse magic power of the same nature as the card into it, resonate with the card to activate it and use it for themselves.


    This morning, Magical Girl Ash had used a B-grade magic card ¡°Gust¡± while chasing a superhuman criminal.


    Setting aside special elemental types like ice and snow, wind-type magic cards are the most difficult to control in the regular elemental categories.


    This showed that Ash was not inept at using magic cards; she was simply in a rebellious phase and didn¡¯t want to use them.


    For the safety of magic girls, official sources only released a scant amount of card information¡ªsome unofficial websites had even compiled more card types from past magic girl combat videos than those listed on the Alliance¡¯s official site.


    Ke Mingye clicked on the card directory on the official website, and the first card that appeared was the one with serial number NO.000¡ª¡±Day of Qiyamate.¡±


    The Qiyamate Comet first appeared three thousand years ago, which means¡­ the very first magic girl also came into being three thousand years ago, and calling her the progenitor of magic girls would not be an exaggeration.


    It was this progenitor who left behind the record of the card with serial number 0, symbolizing the beginning of all things.


    Apart from her, in these three thousand years, no other magic girl had ever used this card, meaning it was almost a card that existed only in legend.


    According to internet rumors, a magic girl who had predicted the end of the world once appeared among the Mayan tribes.


    This magic girl had said that the card named ¡°Day of Qiyamate¡± could not be crafted and would only appear on the day when Qiyamate Comet arrived, and only on that day could the card¡¯s power be released¡­


    There was a one in ten million chance that the magic girl chosen by the comet would obtain the magic card ¡°Day of Qiyamate¡± on that day.


    For three thousand years, besides the progenitor of magic girls, no other magic girl had been granted this card by the comet.


    As for the effects of this progenitor-level card, that was even more unknown. There were only some scattered speculations on the internet, but who could guess what happened three thousand years ago.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye raised his eyebrows, suddenly remembering something. He thus exited the website and entered ¡°the next time Qiyamate Comet passes Earth¡± into the search engine of the browser.


    ¡°The Qiyamate Comet will take away all the power of this generation¡¯s magic girls, scattering new comet fragments onto Earth. Girls who come into contact with these fragments will become magic girls¡­ So, if the comet happens to arrive this year, could it save some people from death?¡±


    ¡°And¡­ there¡¯s no need for me to oppose Bai Zini anymore.¡±


    With that thought, Ke Mingye hesitated for a moment before slowly pressing down his index finger on the search key. Your journey continues with empire


    Accompanying the page refresh, the results suddenly appeared in his view.


    [The next time Qiyamate Comet returns to Earth is the night of June 18, 2029.]


    Ke Mingye paused for two seconds, then shivered violently, his pupils slightly contracting as they reflected the date.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ the day before the deadline for the extinction task ends?¡± he thought.

 Chapter 106 - 106 - 087: The Two Players on the Smuggling Boat

    Chapter 106 ¨C 087: The Two Players on the Smuggling Boat


    In the darkness, the glow from his smartphone illuminated the astonished eyes of the young man.


    Ke Mingye stared at the date displayed on the screen, thinking to himself.


    ¡°The next return of the comet is on June 18, 2029, which is also the last day of the extinction mission deadline.¡±


    ¡°Is it really just a coincidence, or could it be that this so-called system is the work of the comet named ¡¯Qiyamate¡¯?¡±


    ¡°If not, then the timing of this comet is far too late, arriving on the last night. Will it manage to collect the powers of the Magic Girls in time?¡±


    He continued to ponder.


    ¡°If it¡¯s too late, players will still have to battle with the Magic Girls. Maybe, seeing that the Magic Girls are almost wiped out, it gave the comet the Sequence 0 Magic Card ¡¯Day of Qiyamate¡¯. What would they fight them with then? That card is a once-in-three-thousand-years kind of Magic Card, capable of destroying a country without surprise.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Forget it, let it be whatever it will be.¡±


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath, turned off his phone, and the last glimmer of light in the room vanished, plunging his face into pitch darkness.


    ¡°Rest, there¡¯s work to be done early tomorrow.¡±


    With that thought, he closed his eyes, and his consciousness gradually sank into sleep.


    A silent night passed, and the next day at five in the morning, a cold alert tone unexpectedly rang in his mind.


    Ke Mingye opened his eyes to a notification panel.


    [You have received a message from your friend ¡°Fan Quan.¡±]


    [Fan Quan: Time to move. Their ship will arrive at the port of Huanjing North District in thirty minutes, hurry over now.]


    Ke Mingye checked the message while yawning and rubbing his forehead.


    Fan Quan had mentioned yesterday that today two players would arrive in Huanjing on a smuggled ship; one player¡¯s ID was ¡°Cai Bing¡±, a hacker who had long been in cahoots with Fan Quan, and another player known as ¡°Paranoia.¡±


    Paranoia¡¯s mental state seems to be unstable; he said he was coming to Huanjing to challenge Qing Ya to a duel¡­


    This was no different than a ticking time bomb, so the three of them agreed to capture him before he disembarked and tie him up in a deserted place to fend for himself.


    ¡°The ship is arriving this early?¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself and glanced at the clock; it was only five-thirty, and it was still dark outside.


    He then checked the daily bulletin.


    [Obituary: On the night of June 20th, born in London, England, the player with the ID ¡°Kachila¡± was killed by the supervillain ¡°Divinity Communicator Phoenix.¡±]


    [Current global survivors count: 95 of 100]


    ¡°Damn it¡­ Can you die a bit slower?¡±


    Ke Mingye covered his face, sighing helplessly.


    In just a few days, only ninety-five players were left. Maybe I should lead a surrender; if it comes to it, I¡¯ll kowtow twice to the Anomaly Control Bureau to see if they¡¯ll let us scrape by another year, he thought.


    But on the bright side, the players who couldn¡¯t make it through the initial phase were either unlucky or inept. Filtering out these players early wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing, as it avoided dragging everyone else down later.


    However, more than the deceased players, Ke Mingye was more curious about the term ¡°Phoenix,¡± those three words.


    In the system panel, the prefix for Divinity Communicator Phoenix was ¡°supervillain,¡± not ¡°superhero¡± or ¡°vigilante¡±¡­


    This was very strange; after all, in Ke Mingye¡¯s memory, Phoenix had always been a superhero and was highly sought after by the American people. The President of the United States had once said that if not for Divine Communicator Zeus, then Divinity Communicator Phoenix would be America¡¯s Zeus.


    This shows how popular he once was.


    However, ever since ¡°Timekeeper¡± captured Phoenix and tortured him for several days and nights, Phoenix had completely disappeared, never to appear in the public eye again. Even the Superhero Association and the Anomaly Control Bureau had no news about him, and there was a time when the entire United States was searching for Phoenix.


    Some even suspected that Timekeeper might have thrown Phoenix into the sea, so the U.S. officials used equipment to sweep the nearby sea areas, but still, they found no trace of Phoenix.


    Unexpectedly, several years later, when Ke Mingye saw the name Phoenix, it was on the system panel, and Phoenix was now classified as a ¡°supervillain¡±¡­


    Absolutely bewildering.


    ¡°Was Phoenix driven mad by Timekeeper¡­¡± he wondered, ¡°or was he controlled by Timekeeper through some method, like brainwashing or mind control?¡±


    Ke Mingye soon gave up on delving deeper; these were not the things he needed to focus on now. One step at a time, he would complete today¡¯s daily tasks first.


    [Today¡¯s daily tasks are as follows]


    [1. Run 4000 meters (Reward: One lottery spin)]


    [2. Purchase an item at a mall (Reward: One 50% discount shopping card)]


    ¡°A 50% discount shopping card, can it be used to buy skills too?¡±


    He tidied his messy bangs, closed the panel, got out of bed, walked out of his room, and gently knocked on his older brother¡¯s door, asking softly, ¡°Big brother, want to join me for a morning run?¡±


    If Ke Xiaomo was inside, with his sharp senses, he would have heard Ke Mingye¡¯s call and would have gotten out of bed to open the door immediately.


    Seeing no response from inside, Ke Mingye quickly assumed that his brother must have already gone out to exercise. These past few days, his brother had been getting up exceptionally early, likely going out to exercise around three or four in the morning as part of his warm-up preparations before facing the calamitous dragon.


    He moved back to his room, locked the door, took out a set of clothes and a box containing spare sneakers from the closet, and then released the Deception Puppet from the windowsill.


    Ke Mingye ordered the puppet to carry the set of clothes and the box, watching as its silhouette vanished into the gray line where the sky met the ground.


    Then he turned, walked out of his room, quickly washed up, and headed downstairs by elevator.


    Ke Mingye jogged along the edge of the Old Jingmai District, while simultaneously controlling a puppet that raced through the city.


    Eventually, the puppet stopped in an alley close to the harbor in the Huanjing North District, dressed itself in trousers, shirt, and shoes, and then transformed its appearance into one that Fan Quan and others would recognize.


    He adjusted his hair, turned, and walked out of the alley and down the stairs toward the harbor ground, where he saw Fan Quan dressed in a brown coat and suit pants.


    ¡°Ju¡­ Didn¡¯t Qing Meng come?¡±


    Continue reading stories on empire


    As Ke Mingye approached Fan Quan and was about to ask where Ju Zipi and Qing Meng were, he remembered that Ju Zipi had gone to Japan to study the way of the Cowherd.


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t woken up yet,¡± Fan Quan said.


    ¡°Typical of her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that ship,¡± Fan Quan continued.


    At those words, Ke Mingye turned his head to gaze into the distance, the sea breeze lifting his bangs.


    At the gray boundary where sky met sea, shadows of a few fishing boats scattered across the surface. The morning light brushed over the grey, foggy horizon, breaking through the rolling sea mist that enveloped the sparkling waters.


    A cargo ship slowly emerged on the horizon, its bulky body undulating on the sea as it gradually approached the harbor.


    Fan Quan, staring at the cargo ship, said in a low voice, ¡°The woman standing on the deck is ¡¯Cai Bing¡¯.¡±


    Ke Mingye focused his gaze and discerned the scene on the deck.


    He saw a woman in a black raincoat standing at the bow, playing with her phone with one hand. She wore a duckbill cap, had shoulder-length curly hair, an indifferent expression, and a lollipop clutched between her lips.


    Fan Quan continued, ¡°The one sitting by the railing next to her is ¡¯Bias,¡¯ who is our target. As soon as he disembarks, restrain him immediately. I¡¯ll use the taxi parked at the harbor to take him away.¡±


    ¡°Okay, mission received.¡±


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he surveyed the man seated on the deck. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This uninvited guest was dressed in a black hoodie, his head covered by a hood, his face heavily bandaged, revealing only an eye riddled with blood vessels.


    ¡°What, like some bloodthirsty brute?¡±


    Ke Mingye took a sharp intake of cold air, his heart thudding.


    Fan Quan, with his hands in the pockets of his brown coat, said slowly, ¡°Even the bloodthirsty brutes have come, with a get-up that screams a typical anime-style delusional twist.¡±


    ¡°He certainly doesn¡¯t look easy to mess with.¡±


    ¡°We still don¡¯t know much about him, but Cai Bing said this guy is very confident, or he wouldn¡¯t be uttering nonsense about wanting to challenge Qing Ya alone. Maybe he really is skilled.¡±


    ¡°No worries, however strong he is, the three of us together can create chaos,¡± Ke Mingye whispered.


    Soon, the cargo ship stopped in front of the harbor,


    and Cai Bing was the first to descend the gangplank, coming to Fan Quan¡¯s side and whispering something to him.


    Following that, the player known as ¡°Bias¡± slowly stood up from beside the railing, and made his way down the gangplank, the thudding of his feet on the metal sending chills.


    ¡°He¡¯s carrying a sword bag on his back, it might have knives inside,¡± Cai Bing said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get rid of him straight away,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    After disembarking, Bias looked up and surveyed the three people blocking his path, and coldly asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Failed Men,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    ¡°Fan Quan.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen your name on the leaderboard; you¡¯re a player,¡± Bias said, his bloodied eye wide and his brows furrowing under the bandages.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Fan Quan calmly said. ¡°I heard you came to this city wanting to challenge Qing Ya one-on-one, was that just a joke?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m serious,¡± Bias said with a cryptic smile, ¡°I¡¯d advise you not to stop me, otherwise¡­¡±


    Fan Quan sighed and turned to Ke Mingye, ¡°Go ahead, he¡¯s definitely not normal.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer you bastards!¡± Bias suddenly shouted, simultaneously removing the sword bag from his shoulder, unzipping it, and pulling out a blood-red knife, laughing as he covered his face, ¡°You know I have a B-rank skill, right? You must be envious, this is¡­ ¡¯God¡¯s Luck.¡¯¡±


    As he brandished the knife, the air suddenly thickened, as if an invisible aura started emanating, enveloping the space.


    Ke Mingye was startled, ¡°Wow, this guy looks fierce, shall we retreat?¡±


    ¡°B-rank skill?¡± Fan Quan pondered for a half-second, cautioning, ¡°Be careful of the knife in his hand.¡±


    ¡°Right, let you bunch of ants witness, my B-rank skill,¡± Bias said, licking the blood-red knife, ¡°¡ª¡¯Magic Girl, Transform!¡¯.¡±


    As his words fell, a blood-red cocoon of light spread from the handle of the knife, swirling around Bias¡¯s body, tightly enveloping every corner of his form.


    Then, Bias lifted his bangs with both hands, and smiled seductively.


    The cocoon enveloping him shattered in an instant, and a beautiful girl dressed in a red and black gown, holding a gigantic scythe, appeared before the three.


    Ke Mingye was stunned, his eyes nearly popping out.


    Cai Bing was also dumbfounded, her mouth slightly open, the lollipop she held almost falling to the ground.


    Fan Quan was equally shocked, his glasses nearly falling off his nose.

 Chapter 107 - 107 - 088: Magical Girl Hongyue makes a grand entrance!

    Chapter 107 ¨C 088: Magical Girl Hongyue makes a grand entrance!


    A cool sea breeze blew in from the horizon, scratching the faces of the three and bringing with it the vivid sensation of being alive. At this moment, they stood petrified, too shocked to speak.


    Hey, what happened?


    Where did that bloodthirsty bruiser go? He had just been licking that knife, uttering lines with an almost regal arrogance. How did he disappear so suddenly?


    Ke Mingye was so mentally overwhelmed, he chose to forget.


    His expression blank, he re-examined the Magic Girl in front of him.


    Her gorgeous dress of red and black contrasts, adorned with a silver-white metallic skull accessory nestled in the folds of her dress, exuded a terrifyingly beautiful aesthetic.


    She was only about five feet tall, but her beauty was astounding, contempt in her eyes, her lips slightly curled, red as if drenched in blood, like a darkly vibrant black rose.


    ...


    The scythe in her hand was about nine feet long, its blade reflecting a chilling gleam.


    If he was not mistaken, this frighteningly long scythe was her magic wand. This meant she was a holder of a mutant magic wand just like Magical Girl Ash and Magical Girl Udina, belonging to the world¡¯s rarest breed of Magic Girls.


    The blood-red knife he had earlier pulled from his sword bag was the wand¡¯s disguised form, just as Cinderella¡¯s usual form was a foldable umbrella.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye felt his worldview had completely shattered. He had thought that because Deception Puppets had no gender, they were allowed to transform into Magic Girls.


    But what he hadn¡¯t expected was¡­


    It turns out bloody hell, men can also transform into Magic Girls! Can you even call that a Magic Girl anymore, damn it, isn¡¯t that too bizarre?!


    Ke Mingye stepped back with his hand on his chest, thinking if it could just erase this memory from his brain and restore his impression of Magic Girls¡­ For all he knew, all those internet Magic Girls might just be disguising dudes!


    Damn it, I just can¡¯t trust this world anymore.


    ¡°Is¡­ is this your Rank-B skill?¡±


    Fan Quan adjusted his nearly fallen glasses and asked with a hoarse voice.


    Magical Girl Hongyue flicked her smooth black hair and lifted her majestic face to look at the trio, utter contempt written across her silver-white pupils.


    ¡°Hehehe, shocked by me, aren¡¯t you? Yes, you may refer to me as, Magical Girl Hongyue.¡±


    Though her words were haughty and extravagant, unfortunately with her height less than five feet, her aura felt diminished, like a child throwing tough words at an adult.


    Why does this bloodthirsty bruiser give off the vibe of a bossy little ghost transformed into a Magic Girl? Ke Mingye spat out another mouthful of metaphorical blood, thinking.


    Please no, I beg you, don¡¯t traumatize my worldview any further!


    The hacker girl ID¡¯d as Cai Bing stood stiffly between the two, slow to react by a good couple of beats, seemingly unable to process the situation.


    Two seconds later, she finally caught on, turned around slowly, and dropped to her knees, holding her stomach as she tried to stifle her laughter.


    As she laughed and pounded the ground, Cai Bing exclaimed, ¡°Help me, I can¡¯t hold it anymore! Is this guy brain-damaged? Just now he was all about how¡­ ¡¯This is my Rank-B skill, let me show you the luck of a god.¡¯ Then he pulls a Magic Girl transformation! How can he even brag about this hahaha!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so bad about being a Magic Girl?¡± Hongyue spoke disdainfully, ¡°Even so, it remains a Rank-B skill.¡± S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fan Quan sighed, ¡°I somewhat feel your struggle. You probably saw you had the opportunity to acquire two skills for free, and when a Rank-B skill popped up on the page, you initially got excited. After seeing the skill, you found it¡¯s named ¡¯Magic Girl Transformation¡¯ and struggled bitterly before finally succumbing to the allure of its rank, ultimately putting your dignity aside to purchase it¡­¡±


    He paused, ¡°Now, all you can do is comfort yourself by saying it¡¯s a Rank-B skill.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, is it Rank-B or not?¡±


    Magical Girl Hongyue, as if having her thoughts exposed, raised her scythe towards Fan Quan, speaking furiously.


    ¡°Definitely Rank-B,¡± Fan Quan continued his verbal assault, seeming to retaliate for the emotional and physical ordeal he had just suffered, ¡°Both of us here have Rank-B skills, and our skills aren¡¯t about transforming into a Magic Girl.¡±


    ¡°How can it be, you¡¯re just bluffing.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, my Rank-B isn¡¯t forged,¡± Fan Quan mocked, ¡°It¡¯s a skill that strengthens with the volume of my knowledge, so I acquired it through my own effort, not like a certain lady who relied on luck to draw a Rank-B skill, saw the words ¡¯Magic Girl¡¯ and shamelessly claimed it.¡±


    Magical Girl Hongyue said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, let¡¯s fight a duel.¡±


    ¡°Alright, the three of us against you alone,¡± Fan Quan said blandly.


    Cai Bing lay on the ground laughing for a long time before slowly getting up, recovering her composure, ¡°This is how you deal with a fool; it should be three against one.¡±


    Suddenly, Ke Mingye asked Hongyue, ¡°Do you have a magic book?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what about it?¡± Magical Girl Hongyue responded.


    ¡°Good news, literate lady, the comet fragments inside Magic Girls can be used to create Magic Cards. We¡¯ll tear you apart, collect your comet fragments in a bottle, and use them for crafting,¡± Ke Mingye spoke slowly in an icy tone, sounding like a beast ready to pounce.


    ¡°Why so cruel all of a sudden?¡± Fan Quan asked, surprised.


    ¡°How can I not be cruel, man, I feel like I¡¯m about to puke at the sight of a Magic Girl.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good news; you can imagine all Magic Girls are actually cross-dressers, that way you won¡¯t feel guilty when you confront them,¡± Fan Quan said.


    Ke Mingye paused for two seconds, as if discovering a new world, thinking to himself that indeed there was a silver lining, everything was the best arrangement.


    ¡°True to your word, everything feels much more reasonable when the perspective changes,¡± he said.


    ¡°Who are you calling a cross-dresser?¡± Magical Girl Hongyue looked at the two.


    Ke Mingye glanced at her, first doubled over in dry heaves for a while, then wiped the corner of his mouth and slowly stood up, ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s deal with this guy first before he really goes to challenge Qing Ya alone, ruining our antagonistic image as players.¡±


    As he spoke, he kicked off from the ground, hurtling forward towards Magical Girl like a storm of wind and lightning.


    Just as he had just reached in front of Hongyue and was about to start throwing punches and kicks, the other side suddenly shouted in a coquettish female voice, ¡°Hold on!¡±


    ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°Since I got on that broken boat, I haven¡¯t eaten anything at all. I am really hungry now. Isn¡¯t it against martial virtues to fight with me now?¡±


    Magical Girl Hongyue snorted coldly, speaking sternly.


    ¡°And then?¡± Ke Mingye raised his fist, asking expressionlessly. Your journey continues with empire


    ¡°Treat me to a meal, and I¡¯ll let you go, and I won¡¯t challenge Qing Ya,¡± the girl said. ¡°Sounds like a good deal, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ke Mingye was stunned. ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°I can sign a contract, put my thumbprint on it, you cover my meals and I¡¯ll be your slave,¡± said Magical Girl Hongyue decisively.


    Ke Mingye sighed and lowered his fist, thinking this person¡¯s mind really wasn¡¯t right.


    He covered his face and said, ¡°Then change back your appearance first, I beg you. Otherwise, I feel like I¡¯m bullying a little schoolgirl.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me. What do you mean little schoolgirl? If it wasn¡¯t for your unscrupulous triple-teaming, I¡¯d already have you sprawling on the ground.¡±


    Having said that, Magical Girl Hongyue¡¯s appearance slowly returned to normal, reverting to the gloomy, bandaged man known as ¡°Paranoid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starving to death here. Feed me, quick,¡± Paranoid said, putting away his blood-red knife into his sheath and slinging it over his shoulder.


    Fan Quan gave him a skeptical look and asked, ¡°Are you sure that after eating, you won¡¯t suddenly go berserk and try to challenge Qing Ya?¡±


    ¡°I was just kidding about that. Did you really take it seriously? Hilarious,¡± Paranoid unwound the bandage from his face, revealing a pale, gaunt face.


    ¡°Why did you wrap your face in bandages?¡±


    ¡°I did it while sleepwalking,¡± Paranoid answered.


    Ke Ming approached Fan Quan, thumbs pointed towards Paranoid, whispering, ¡°Man, this guy must have split personality disorder. Maybe we should find a chance to finish him off, he seems like a handful.¡±


    ¡°Forget it,¡± Fan Quan shook his head, ¡°If we can avoid fighting, we avoid it. Let¡¯s take him out for a meal and see how it goes.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself then. I¡¯m leaving first. You guys handle it,¡± Ke Mingye sighed.


    ¡°We might need to fight an instance this afternoon, keep in touch,¡± Fan Quan advised.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Deception Puppet waved his hand, said goodbye, and then turned and headed towards the inner part of the port to find a place with good sound insulation to self-destruct.


    ¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­..


    Meanwhile, Ke Mingye had also racked up the requisite number of steps for his task, exactly 4000. He stopped at Old Jingmai Street No. 5, opened the task panel, and clicked to receive his daily task reward.


    Suddenly, a roulette wheel popped up, with each segment and their rewards marked in black font.


    [One, 2000 Mall Coins;]


    [Two, Unique Level Item¡ªWitch¡¯s Broom;]


    [Three, Divine Disk Fragment *1 (Collect the fragments to obtain a Divine Disk, which can be used to periodically locate a Divine Relic);]


    [Four, C-grade Equipment¡ªElectromagnetic Pulse Gloves;]


    [Five, ¡°Titanic Beast Godzilla¡± Fragment (50 Godzilla fragments are required to assemble a summoning card);]


    [Six, Thanks for participating.]


    Ke Mingye glanced briefly, pressed ¡°Start,¡± and then the pointer on the roulette started spinning rapidly, eventually stopping on the fourth segment.


    [Congratulations, you have received the prize from area four: ¡°C-grade Equipment¡ªElectromagnetic Pulse Gloves,¡± which has been added to your inventory.]


    ¡°Sounds like a great item.¡±


    However, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t feel happy, knowing that he might soon be teaming up with a lunatic and a nerdy hacker filled him with a feeling akin to having swallowed crap.


    ¡°I start to miss Ju Zipi. How come Fan Quan didn¡¯t trick this lunatic into joining the Black Tengu Club to serve as a gigolo? That would truly give those wealthy Japanese ladies a jolt¡­¡±


    He scratched his head, feeling downhearted as he thought.

 Chapter 108 - 108 - 089 Strange Thing X Catastrophe Dragon (Vote for Monthly Ticket!)

    Chapter 108 ¨C 089 Strange Thing X Catastrophe Dragon (Vote for Monthly Ticket!)


    ¡°Speaking of which, I still haven¡¯t received the node reward from being a primary school student and Bai Ziling.¡±


    ¡°Can the puppet keep up with their speed, though? One is a dragon, the other a vampire¡­ Although it¡¯s highly unlikely to catch up, it¡¯s still worth a try.¡±


    Ke Mingye walked home with his head lowered.


    While planning the night life for the Deception Puppet, he opened his knapsack and clicked on the icon for the ¡¯Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves,¡¯ opening the item¡¯s description bar.


    [Equipment Name: Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves]


    [Equipment Level: C]


    [Equipment Ability: 1. Launch an electromagnetic pulse up to 10 meters forward (after launch, it enters a 1-hour charging time); 2. Electromagnetic coverage on the gloves, producing electric shock and paralysis effects upon contact with enemies.]


    ...


    As his eyes scanned the equipment ability, Ke Mingye suddenly thought of a certain Iron Man.


    It¡¯s just a pity that this world doesn¡¯t have Marvel Company, as superhumans are everywhere. Therefore, when it comes to creating fantasy-themed works, the focus shifts more towards realistic life experiences. In today¡¯s world, a world without superheroes becomes a luxury and fantasy.


    In an ordinary world, people pursue hero fantasies. In a world filled with superheroes, they pursue an ordinary life. This is the compromise inherent in humanity.


    Ke Mingye then opened the overhead view of the equipment and looked at the appearance of these gloves.


    Just as the name suggests, the gloves appeared as a set of silver and black metallic gloves, their backs engraved with intricate, sharp-edged patterns resembling the blade of a knife.


    They looked somewhat like a low-end version of Iron Man¡¯s gloves.


    Ke Mingye was really curious if the system intended to turn him into a stitched-together Avenger, bearing the will of the entire Avengers Alliance, as if destroying a parallel world was not difficult enough.


    ¡°I would rather have a Thanos-style glove, just snapping my fingers would be more relaxing,¡± he sighed.


    He walked home on foot because he left home quite early and it was only 6:30 AM when he got back. It wasn¡¯t even fully light out yet, let alone any chance of the lazy bugs at home waking up.


    Ke Mingye mostly had nothing to do all day. In the afternoon, Fan Quan did not contact him, which meant that the plan to fight the instance was postponed to the next day.


    Ke Mingye was curious about what the next instance would be, hoping it wouldn¡¯t be as ghostly as the zombie chef.


    So, it seems the only difference between today and yesterday might be the addition of two new characters into the local player discussion group.


    [Player ¡°Cai Bing¡± and Player ¡°Paranoid¡± have entered the local discussion group.]


    [Ju Zipi: Hello.]


    [Failed Man: Man, Ju Zipi, how are you still in this discussion group?]


    [Cai Bing: Moving to another city allows you to exit your original local discussion group and join a new one, but there¡¯s no hard requirement to leave the original.]


    [Failed Man: Oh right, typical Ju Zipi, in Wei¡¯s camp but your heart is with Han.]


    [Paranoid: When do we group up to fight Qing Ya?]


    [Failed Man: Can you stop making such idiotic statements, bizarre guy?]


    [Paranoid: Why have I suddenly become ¡¯bizarre guy¡¯?]


    [Failed Man: Damn it, if you don¡¯t turn into a Magic Girl in the discussion group, I¡¯d already be grateful, the fact it¡¯s online means you can¡¯t pollute my spirit, how is this any different from shitting in public?]


    [Paranoid: So, when are we teaming up tonight to fight Qing Ya?]


    [Cai Bing: Hard to hold back, are you really dumb or pretending, do you think the few of us can take on Qing Ya?]


    [Paranoid: We will win.]


    [Fan Quan: Let¡¯s wait till we hit level 100, now whenever I see him I recommend not even turning your head, just run.]


    [Failed Man: I have no objections, at level 100 let¡¯s all gang up on the ultimate boss ¡¯Terrifying Crow Man¡¯.]


    Ke Mingye closed the panel, looked up at the clock, and it was already 2 PM. He had arranged to go out today with Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu.


    Bai Ziling said she wanted to visit the nearby aquarium, and Ke Yongzhu wanted to visit the zoo to see the pandas. Their old father didn¡¯t have the time, so the task naturally fell to the eldest child at home.


    Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo had their own plans for the day, so they just waved their hands and passed this challenging task onto someone else;


    Bai Zini and Bai Qiuwu said they were very tired today, as if something had happened last night. Both were resting in their rooms, unable to even get out of bed;


    Thus, the task naturally fell onto Ke Mingye¡¯s shoulders.


    He felt a bitterness in his heart that he couldn¡¯t express, but there was nothing he could do about it. This was the sad reality of being ranked fourth at home.


    Ke Mingye checked his phone, and thankfully, Huanjing¡¯s zoo and aquarium were connected, which would not take too much time. Encouraged by the nagging of the two little ones, he got up from the couch, put on his shoes, and left the house.


    Bai Ziling, because of her albinism was photophobic, so she wore a sun hat and sunglasses before going out. Nonetheless, her white hair still attracted a lot of attention on the street.


    Ke Yongzhu was wearing a light blue jumpsuit and kept exclaiming ¡°It¡¯s so hot¡± and ¡°I¡¯m so tired¡± after walking just a few steps, but he was actually very excited about seeing the pandas, as his slightly flushed ears could attest.


    Ke Mingye walked between them, navigating the way on his phone.


    Under the scorching sun, he was sweating profusely, his right hand holding a handheld fan blowing on his face, while the two little kids next to him didn¡¯t sweat a drop.


    The more he heard Ke Yongzhu¡¯s ¡°It¡¯s so hot¡± and ¡°I¡¯m so tired,¡± the more annoyed he felt, thinking ¡¯Couldn¡¯t you, this darn dragon, tone down the drama a bit?¡¯


    Ke Mingye led them to the aquarium.


    Bai Ziling, hands clasped behind her back, lifted her red eyes through her sunglasses, curiously watching a dolphin leap out of the shimmering water, its tail carving a watery trail in the air;


    Ke Yongzhu, hands clasped behind his head, spent more time secretly watching Bai Ziling¡¯s expression than the animals in the aquarium. Whenever Bai Ziling caught him staring, he would scratch his nose to cover it up.


    The three walked in the aquarium corridor, which reflected a deep blue glow, feeling as if they were walking under the sea, surrounded by marine life on both sides.


    The jellyfish swayed in the water, their fluorescent tentacles beckoning to them;


    The sea turtle breathed against the glass wall, leaving behind a mist of white vapor.


    Bai Ziling walked forward with light steps, occasionally reaching out to greet them, her pale hair gently swaying, her eyes filled with curiosity.


    ¡°Have you seen enough? Shall we go look at the pandas?¡± Ke Yongzhu asked casually.


    Bai Ziling whispered, ¡°I still remember after that panda disappeared, they never reopened the zoo here.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Please, this is the capital; the zoo is definitely going to reopen. It¡¯s all the fault of that panda thief. Kafu just disappeared like that, and everyone was very sad.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu walked forward, speaking indifferently.


    ¡°Big brother seemed to have been investigated for stealing the panda too,¡± Bai Ziling laughed.


    Ke Yongzhu said, ¡°Oh my, that guy stealing a panda isn¡¯t impossible, he definitely deserves to be shot.¡±


    Ke Mingye, listening to their conversation, complained, ¡°That¡¯s because the rumors at his school are outrageous, even spreading rumors about stealing pandas. How is anyone supposed to stay there?¡±


    ¡°So, are we going to see the pandas next?¡± Bai Ziling asked, withdrawing her gaze from the ocean tunnel.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go,¡± Ke Mingye, playing with his phone, said absentmindedly, ¡°My task today is to make you two little ancestors comfortable, however you want to enjoy yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Tch, if it weren¡¯t for dad being busy, I wouldn¡¯t have wanted to come with you,¡± Ke Yongzhu said.


    The three of them then arrived at the zoo, where Ke Mingye watched Ke Yongzhu leaning over the railing, looking at the panda enclosed in an air wall.


    He cupped his cheeks with both hands, his expression very serious and his ears red. He was even whispering something to the panda as if it could understand him.


    Bai Ziling, with her hands behind her back, looked up from under the brim of her straw hat and watched him with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, as if she had never seen Ke Yongzhu so silly before.


    Ke Mingye, bored to death, tried reading Ke Yongzhu¡¯s lip movements in his mind.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t eat Kafu on purpose, it really didn¡¯t taste good, I won¡¯t eat you, don¡¯t be scared of me.¡±


    The panda, as if understanding, dropped the bamboo it was chewing, scurried up a tree, and clung to the trunk, shivering.


    The zookeeper ran out to check the situation, unable to coax it down no matter how they tried.


    Watching this scene, Ke Mingye was shocked, thinking this must be the presence of a dragon to scare the national treasure like that. So, before any chaos ensued, he quickly dragged Ke Yongzhu and Bai Ziling out of the zoo.


    The sun set to the west, and the three walked on the road home, their long shadows stretched on the ground by the setting sun.


    ¡°Next time, I still want to see the pandas,¡± Ke Yongzhu said.


    Ke Mingye sighed, ¡°They don¡¯t want to be seen by you, climbing trees to get away.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Ke Yongzhu frowned.


    Bai Ziling turned to look at him, ¡°Do you really like pandas that much?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Is that so, then I like them too,¡± Bai Ziling said.


    They took the elevator home and gathered in the kitchen for dinner.


    Ke Mingye shared the afternoon¡¯s events at the dining table with his big brother, also questioning whether he had indeed stolen a panda as the school rumors suggested.


    Ke Yinzhi just held his chopsticks in thought, then sudden realization hit, and he opened his mouth to say that the student who spread rumors about him stealing the panda may have felt guilty and dropped out half a year later.


    So, it seems he was wrongfully accused.


    Experience tales at empire


    Listening to his big brother¡¯s story, the corner of Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes twitched slightly, thinking to himself how this was different from claiming to have achieved ¡°perfect stealth¡± in ¡°Assassin¡¯s Creed¡± by killing everyone.


    As he came back to his senses, the last streak of the sunset¡¯s glow withdrew from the earth, and the sky outside the window darkened.


    This signified that the night life of the Deception Puppet had officially begun. While others led colorful night lives, the night life of a Deception Puppet involved either being on the run or on the verge of death, clearly a different level.


    After dinner, Ke Yongzhu said he was going downstairs to buy a drink and left the apartment.


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye silently rose from the couch and went back to his room, where he released the Deception Puppet from the windowsill.


    It crouched on the rooftop of a nearby residential building, quietly observing the base of that duplex apartment building, but the elementary school student never appeared from there.


    ¡°Where is the elementary school kid?¡±


    While wondering, Ke Mingye controlled the Deception Puppet to move, wandering over several nearby rooftops, but he still couldn¡¯t find a trace of Ke Yongzhu.


    However, just as he crouched on the railing, surveying the streets below, a hoarse and cold voice suddenly came from behind.


    ¡°Hey, are you looking for me?¡±


    The puppet turned its head in shock. In the darkness, it saw a pair of upright, dark red pupils, which seemed to flow with molten gold.


    The boy shed his clothing and slowly emerged from the darkness, his form violently changing.


    Dark horns sprouted from his head, his lower jaw was covered with a layer of black metal, and his shoulder blades slowly cracked open. Between splits of skin and flesh, a pair of pitch-black wings slowly unfolded. Layers of scales emerged from the surface of his skin, covering each robust limb, and his claws, sharp as knives, carved trenches in the ground.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve got the guts, let¡¯s play hide and seek¡­¡±


    The eyes of the fledgling dragon gleamed in the dark; it slowly curled its lips into a mocking smile.


    ¡°Just you and me.¡±

 Chapter 109 - 109 - 090: Another Cataclysmic Dragon in the World (Vote for Monthly Tickets!)

    Chapter 109 ¨C 090: Another Cataclysmic Dragon in the World (Vote for Monthly Tickets!)


    The puppet squatted on the handrail of the rooftop, turned around unhurriedly, and stared at the dragon hiding in the shadows.


    It raised an eyebrow that didn¡¯t exist, fell silent for two seconds, and then slowly spoke:


    ¡°Oh, what a surprise to find a dragon here, how unusual.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you waiting around here because you know who I am?¡±


    The voice of Calamity Dragon was deep, its brow bones slightly arched, as if it was raising its eyebrows.


    ¡°You can even speak Chinese; truly a rare species.¡±


    The puppet said, tilting its head slightly, locking eyes with the dragon. The hollow eyes reflected a pair of crimson, beast-like vertical pupils that narrowed.


    ...


    ¡°Heh, got any last words?¡± the dragon sneered disdainfully from the shadows.


    ¡°Of course, Dragon Baby, may I inquire about your distinguished surname.¡±


    ¡°Dragon Baby?¡±


    The Calamity Dragon snorted coldly and crawled slowly out from the shadows. Moonlight slanted across its body, and every sharp, distinct part of it glinted with a cold edge.


    ¡°Are you ready to be devoured by me, and let¡¯s see who the ¡¯baby¡¯ really is,¡± it rasped out.


    ¡°To be fair, I am a flammable object, and I taste terrible, might even explode. What if I end up ruining your stomach, or worse, blowing up your insides¡ªwhat then?¡±


    The puppet paused, raising a finger, ¡°How about I pick out a nice ingredient for you? That superhero named Qing Ya isn¡¯t bad. You could also spit out a flame to roast it before eating.¡±


    It spread its hands, ¡°Char-grilled crow, delicious to the taste buds.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that idle; I only eat criminals, and just so happens, you¡¯re one,¡± said the Calamity Dragon proudly, casting a devilish shadow against the wall behind it.


    ¡°My goodness, didn¡¯t your mother teach you not to eat just anything?¡±


    The puppet sighed, twirling its finger around its ear, ¡°Besides, ¡¯criminal,¡¯ how do you even define what a ¡¯criminal¡¯ is? The world of children is so black and white. Everyone has their own positions¡ªthere¡¯s no clear-cut line between good guys and bad guys.¡±


    ¡°If you look ugly, you¡¯re a bad guy.¡±


    ¡°Damn, that hit deep. I¡¯m genuinely hurt now.¡±


    The puppet clutched at its heart and took a deep breath, ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t I spout some villainous lines, like¡­ ¡¯I advise you better not to lay your hands on me, I¡¯ve got something on you?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Got something on me?¡± The Calamity Dragon cocked its head, ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to be?¡±


    ¡°That is¡­¡± the puppet paused, lowering its voice, ¡°I know you ate a panda.¡±


    The young dragon was momentarily stunned, taken aback: ¡°Really now, how did you know?¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself, how could I not know? I was at the zoo this afternoon, and I saw every bit of your lip-reading with that panda, okay?


    ¡°I just know, and I¡¯ve got another hold on you.¡±


    As the puppet spoke, it lowered its right hand, shot a web into the shadows, and the web, like a hand, firmly stuck to a dress that Ke Yongzhu had just taken off. The puppet then pulled it back.


    Grabbing the dress in its hand, it shook it, ¡°If I throw away your clothes, then you¡¯re going to have to go home naked, poor thing. You might get a spanking from momma¡­¡±


    Before it could finish, the puppet¡¯s speech abruptly stopped. It felt a chill on its arm, and turning its head, it saw that the entire right arm was gone.


    ¡°Uhh, Dragon Baby, where¡¯s my hand?¡±


    The puppet froze for half a second, then shook its remaining arm at the Calamity Dragon. It looked up to see its right arm already in the young dragon¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Just the smell alone is awful, tastes like plastic¡­¡±


    The Calamity Dragon said, slowly spitting out the arm, and then, using its horn, it lifted the dress and carefully placed it back in the shadows, fiercely protective like a dog with its food.


    Without that dress, it really would have to return home bare. Later, after Bai Wenna inventoried her wardrobe, an extensive family meeting would have to be called to resolve the issue.


    The puppet withdrew the web shooter into its bag and stared at its amputated arm, muttering dejectedly.


    ¡°Great, this is the nightlife of us Deception Puppets, eh? Either an arm is lost or a head. Do you all have such exciting night lives?¡±


    ¡°You really do talk too much; I¡¯m done playing,¡± the Calamity Dragon declared, its body glowing with a dark red hue at each point, and fine steam started to jet out from the gaps in its scales.


    The next moment, a dreadful pressure overwhelmed the puppet, leaving it frozen in place, trembling, unable to move.


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s presence?¡± Ke Mingye thought, having seen in some movies that members of the Dragon Clan could use their aura to command lower life forms.


    ¡°Come here and tell me who you are, what you¡¯re really up to,¡± ordered the dragon.


    ¡°Stand still, don¡¯t speak,¡± Ke Mingye commanded. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Deception Puppet fell from the railing to the rooftop floor, its hollow eyes shrouded in dark red. It opened and closed its mouth sporadically, mumbling something incoherent.


    ¡°I am¡­ Ke, Ke, Ke, Ke.¡±


    Its mouth opened and closed, stuck on the syllable ¡°Ke,¡± repeating it mechanically.


    ¡°Ke?¡±


    The Calamity Dragon paused, wondering if this ridiculous thing might be Ke Yinzhi in disguise; his brother was nuts enough to possibly do it¡­


    The puppet raised its left hand to cover its mouth, its legs trembling as it stood in place.


    Pressing down its brow bones, the Calamity Dragon commanded further, ¡°You said you¡¯re Ke¡­ what?¡±


    Hearing this, the puppet suddenly dropped its left hand, and its legs stopped shaking.


    ¡°I am Conan Doyle,¡± it said with an easy tone, ¡°the author of ¡¯The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.¡¯ You must have heard of me. I think even a dragon would enjoy Sherlock Holmes.¡±


    The calamity dragon paused for a moment, then its face darkened, and the dark red in its pupils intensified.


    ¡°Kneel,¡± it commanded, spreading its dragon might.


    ¡°I won¡¯t kneel, I just won¡¯t. What can you do to me?¡±


    With one hand on its hip, the puppet leaned flirtatiously against the railing, propping the side of its head on its broken arm, like a beauty on the bed waiting for the favor of her king.


    Seeing this, the dragon¡¯s brow bones raised again.


    After a silent moment, it said, ¡°You are not human, not even an animal, otherwise such a weak creature should obey my commands easily.¡±


    The Deception Puppet slowly lifted its head, grinning, ¡°Yeah, they call me ¡¯strange thing.¡¯ We¡¯ll be seeing a lot of each other in the future.¡±


    ¡°There will be no future for you; you will die here,¡± the dragon said, every word deliberate.


    ¡°There will be a future,¡± the puppet spread its hands, ¡°Remember, little dragon, on July 4th, you may very well need my help. The feeling of being betrayed by a loved one is really terrible, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll come to console you then. Just don¡¯t start crying, okay? How embarrassing would it be for a noble dragon to shed tears?¡±


    No sooner had it finished speaking than its head and neck split apart.


    The calamity dragon, at some point, had grasped the puppet¡¯s head in its claw and casually breathed out a mouthful of black fire, burning the teetering body to ashes.


    Holding up the head, the dragon spoke with frivolous tone, ¡°Got anything else to say? Go on.¡±


    The puppet¡¯s head hung with eyes drooping, and the smile at the corners of its mouth slowly faded into silence.


    The calamity dragon sighed with boredom and was about to breathe fire on the head to burn it as well when suddenly a ghostly voice reached its ear.


    ¡°Actually, I can keep talking.¡±


    The head spoke calmly, lifting its face from its claw, a sly smile on its lips.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Explore more adventures at empire


    The calamity dragon was stunned, then bounced the puppet¡¯s head on the ground like a ball, catching it back in its claw, bouncing it and catching it again.


    It seemed to be experimenting to understand what this thing was made of, and why it was so peculiar.


    The puppet said: ¡°Could you treat my head with a little respect? I¡¯m not a basketball to be played with like this.¡±


    As the calamity dragon continued to bounce the head up and down in its claw, it complained, ¡°What bad luck, just out for a stroll and I run into such a weird thing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one with bad luck, okay?¡± complained the puppet¡¯s head, going up and down. ¡°I¡¯ve met a dragon who plays with my head like a ball. And just to correct you, I¡¯m a ¡¯strange thing,¡¯ not a weird thing.¡±


    The calamity dragon also sighed and clutched the puppet¡¯s head between its claws, about to split the head in half with a bit of force.


    ¡°Hey, hey, you¡¯re going to crack my skull. Aren¡¯t you even a little curious about what will happen on July 4th?¡±


    ¡°Not curious.¡±


    As it spoke, the young dragon split the puppet¡¯s head in half and then spewed out a torrent of flames, burning the skull and brains clean away.


    Even the eerie laughter that usually accompanied the puppet¡¯s destruction was silent, as if the flames swallowed everything, not even a muffled thud could be heard.


    ¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­.


    At the same time, in another corner of Old Jingmai District.


    [Congratulations, you have completed the first node of the main quest ¡°The Last Two Calamity Dragon Seeds¡± ¨C Successfully approach ¡°The Calamity Dragon ¨C Ke Yongzhu¡± in disguise.]


    [The next node of the main quest is: ¡°The Other Dragon¡± ¡ª Gain the trust of the calamity dragon and use its kind¡¯s sense of smell to locate the other calamity dragon seed in the world.]


    [Node Reward Obtained: 2000 Experience Points, 8 attribute points, 2000 Mall Coins.]


    [Your current level is: Lv.8 (4000 points/4500 points)]


    [You have a total of 8 spare attribute points; please allocate them promptly.]


    [You have allocated 8 attribute points between ¡°Physical Fitness¡± and ¡°Neurological Reaction¡±, with the following changes¡ªPhysical Fitness: 60 points ¡ú 64 points; Neurological Reaction: 10 ¡ú 14 points]


    Ke Mingye distributed the attribute points while cursing under his breath.


    ¡°Sheesh, just kids,¡± he thought. ¡°Others can be tricked into a few words, Qing Ya due to strong will, and kids because they are too single-minded. In a sense, this father and son pair do resemble each other.¡±


    He mused over the reasons for his likely instant defeat: It wasn¡¯t just the lack of physical fitness or the inability to see the actions of the young dragon, but also a lack of neurological reaction¡­


    No matter how fast the movements are, if the mind can¡¯t keep up, it¡¯s futile.


    Ke Mingye sighed in frustration and then remembered something.


    ¡°Wait, I think I forgot to mention something. If I directly bring up that his elder sister is a vampire, might the kid be a bit more patient with me?¡±


    Ke Mingye had this thought because, from his observations, Ke Yongzhu at home seemed to be only close to his sisters, Bai Ziling and Bai Qiuwu.


    Beyond that, even if you say to the young dragon, ¡°Your dad is Qing Ya, your elder brother is the Black Judge, and your second sister is Magical Girl Ash,¡± the kid would probably just respond with an ¡°Oh¡± and come back with, ¡°So what? What¡¯s it to me?¡±


    Ke Mingye rested his arm behind his head and opened the quest tab, eyeing the ¡°The Other Dragon¡± node quest and pondering.


    ¡°Come to think of it, there¡¯s another calamity dragon in the world¡­ The young dragon has A+ level combat power even at its juvenile stage. What if the other calamity dragon has evolved to ¡¯Complete Form¡¯? Wouldn¡¯t it have at least the S-rank fighting power like Diviner Zeus?¡±


    Chilled by the thought, Ke Mingye made a resolute decision.


    ¡°It seems I have to pry the information out of the young dragon quickly. Only he and the Ninja Sect can find the second dragon in the world¡­¡±

 Chapter 110 - 110 - 091: Magic Girl Yuffie’s Mechanical Castle

    Chapter 110 ¨C 091: Magic Girl Yuffie¡¯s Mechanical Castle


    ¡°This kid sure plays rough,¡± he thought, resenting how his head had been treated like a basketball. ¡°And here I was planning to save you during the July 4th incident.¡±


    Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but fume as he remembered his head being smacked around by a primary school student.


    Even though he thought this way, he couldn¡¯t guarantee that he would definitely stand by Ke Yongzhu¡¯s side when the time came. His actions would still depend on the situation.


    His mom and dad would be on a honeymoon trip and wouldn¡¯t be home, so among the six siblings at home, the strongest combatant was naturally his eldest brother, Ke Yinzhi.


    So¡­ Even though it seemed like the decision of his second brother, Ke Xiaomo, was most crucial, in reality, compared to him, Ke Yinzhi¡¯s judgment was what would decisively influence the battle.


    If Ke Yinzhi decided to side with the Ninja Sect upon learning the situation, Ke Mingye would mostly give up on Ke Yongzhu. After all, no one on either side could handle the Black Judge; supporting him was futile.


    Conversely, if Ke Yinzhi sided with Ke Yongzhu, it didn¡¯t matter how Ke Xiaomo chose; even if the Ninja Sect brought out their strongest combatant, breaking through the defenses of the Bai Ke family¡¯s six children would still be quite challenging.


    ...


    After all, the lineup of Black Wukong, Magical Girl Ash, Dragon of Calamity, Vampire Younger Sister, and Black Judge linking up already sounded incredibly powerful.


    With Ke Mingye added in, the six of them would cause chaos, with their main strategy being ¡°united siblings, invincible might.¡±


    Of course, Ke Mingye was responsible for the chaos, while they handled the fighting.


    ¡°Nearly time to sleep¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye yawned and, before heading to bed, opened his pack and used the ¡°D-rank Equipment Card,¡± a milestone reward obtained by defeating a superhuman.


    [D-rank Equipment Card used, a D-rank equipment or item has been acquired, please check inside the pack.]


    Ke Mingye checked the pack list and clicked on the new item, popping up an information panel.


    [Equipment name: Night Belt]


    [Equipment rank: D-rank]


    [Equipment ability: 1. Press the button on the belt to enter invisibility for five minutes; invisibility will not continue once engaged in combat;]


    [Equipment description: The belt hopes you don¡¯t use it for any weird reasons.]


    ¡°Nice,¡± Ke Mingye thought to himself, ¡°even though it can¡¯t be used in combat, it¡¯s pretty useful for sneaky stuff.¡±


    He stroked his chin, thinking further, ¡°If I use the belt¡¯s invisibility, would the primary schooler still notice me? How did he even find me? Could it be¡­ instinctive for a dragonkind?¡±


    Considering that dragonkind had evolved in a harsh environment, their instincts and intuitions developed in the wild shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. Maybe the primary schooler pulled him out just by relying on instinct.


    Ke Mingye reached out, pressed the switch on the wall, and instantly, the warm orange light went out.


    He fell straight to sleep, his heavy eyelids gradually closing.


    It must be said, today had really been a full day. First, he went to the port in the morning to pick up the two players, took a severe mental blow from Magical Girl Hongyue, then spent the afternoon with Ke Yongzhu and Zi Ling at the zoo, and finally battled the primary school student in the evening, with his head being kicked around like a ball.


    His body wasn¡¯t tired ¨C after all, the physical fitness of a D-rank superhuman was evident ¨C but his mind was completely exhausted.


    Just as Ke Mingye was finally drifting off to sleep a few minutes later, a commotion from downstairs abruptly pulled him back to reality.


    He took a deep breath, irritably opened his eyes, and, powered by a surge of getting-up energy, threw off his blanket. He quickly put on his slippers and strode downstairs to find out who was causing the noise.


    Looking closely from the stairway, besides Ke Yongzhu, who was still outside buying drinks, the siblings were gathered around the TV.


    Zi Ni, who had slept all day, was now energetically yelling at the TV screen. It was her startling actions that had woken Ke Mingye up.


    Ke Yinzhi¡¯s reaction was eye-catching. His bright eyes widened slightly, filled with surprise. His right hand, holding a coffee, trembled slightly before he forced himself to calm down and took a sip.


    Another super criminal in Huanjing, huh? Can¡¯t they ever give it a rest¡­ But what kind of person could make my big brother react like this? Must be a disaster-level tough guy, right?


    Seeing everyone¡¯s exaggerated reactions, Ke Mingye¡¯s curiosity overtook his sleepiness. He moved closer to the couch, sat on the armrest, and looked up at the TV screen.


    On the news channel, they were broadcasting live from Wine Reflecting Coast.


    Qing Ya stood at the top of a lighthouse on the coast, silently observing the distant sea. His figure was shrouded in a fluttering black cloak.


    The sea trembled, and from one end of the horizon, a rumbling sound like thunder emerged, followed by the slow appearance of a massive whale¡¯s silhouette.


    A helicopter shone a beam of light over the sea, extending the beam through the dense night and illuminating the massive object.


    It was clearly not a whale.


    It was a gigantic Mechanical Castle, nearly fifty meters tall, as high as an apartment building.


    The castle, with only its upper half emerging from the sea, showcased a highly intricate structure. Huge, tightly interlocked gears moved vigorously, creating a thunderous roar of collision. Exhaust pipes ¡°putt-putted¡± as they expelled steam, the hot, white vapor blending into the night at the next moment.


    ¡°Damn, what is this thing?¡± Ke Mingye was stunned.


    Just then, the front door at the entrance opened, and Ke Yongzhu walked in with a bottle of Coke, plopping down next to him with the bottle cap in his mouth: ¡°What movie are you guys watching?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a movie,¡± Zi Ling replied, ¡°it¡¯s the news.¡±


    ¡°News?¡± Ke Yongzhu frowned.


    ¡°Is this a¡­ mechanical fortress?¡± Ke Xiaomo also frowned.


    Bai Qiuwu hugged her shoulders, slightly tilted her head, seemingly taken aback as well.


    Bai Zini pointed at the TV screen, her eyes widening as she said, ¡°Ah! I remember this, my master, pfft, there were online discussions about a magical girl from Denmark who had once created a very powerful card called the Steam Castle, but it was banned for being too dangerous!¡±


    The reporter zoomed in the camera, revealing the upper part of the Mechanical Castle embedded with a door, and a striking figure standing on a small platform in front of it.


    She wore a purple magic gown and a white headband, her shoulder-length dark purple hair fluttering in the wind.


    ¡°A magical girl?¡±


    Ke Mingye paused for a moment, his eyes flashing up her information panel.


    [Character Code: Magical Girl¡¤Yuffie] Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Name: Yuffie¡¤Cecily¡¤Morganson]


    [Age: 18 years old]


    [Gender: Female]


    [Strength: A+ level (possesses top combat power far exceeding 95% of the superhumans in the world)]


    [Background Introduction: Born in Denmark, a genius comet-type magical girl who joined the Alliance three years ago and had served as the president of the Danish branch of the Magical Girl Alliance. However, she disappeared six months ago.


    She had once created a magic card named ¡°Yuffie¡¯s Steam Castle,¡± but due to its dangerous and uncontrollable nature, it was forbidden by the Alliance.


    Rumors have it that Yuffie had an emotional dispute with the ¡°Black Judge¡± of the Anomaly Control Bureau.]


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Ke Mingye, looking at the last line of the background introduction, thought to himself whether this was real or not; could a big brother who was so indifferent still have emotional disputes with women?


    At the top of the lighthouse, Qing Ya spoke in a gloomy tone, almost word by word, warning, ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer to the city, your actions will seriously endanger the safety of the citizens.¡±


    Discover stories at empire


    ¡°Fine, but I need to find someone,¡± Yuffie replied in English, just as firm.


    ¡°Who?¡± asked Qing Ya.


    ¡°Black Judge, the execution officer of the Management Bureau,¡± Yuffie declared firmly, ¡°Let him come to see me, otherwise I will not leave tonight.¡±


    Seemingly because the sensitive term ¡°Anomaly Control Bureau¡± was involved, the live broadcast ended instantly, and the screen abruptly went black, leaving only a screen flickering with black and white static.


    ¡°So boring, every time the live broadcast cuts to black midway, what¡¯s the point?¡±


    Having said that, Ke Yongzhu gulped down a sip of Coke and exhaled.


    Ke Mingye spoke, ¡°That Mechanical Castle looks very dangerous; what¡¯s the deal with this magical girl?¡±


    Bai Ziling nodded lightly, casually agreeing, ¡°Yeah, dangerous.¡±


    As she spoke, however, she picked up the remote control, switched the TV to the on-demand screen, and started watching ¡°Kung Fu Panda 3¡± intently.


    Bai Zini held her phone with both hands and looked up saying, ¡°Big brother, the internet says her name is ¡¯Yuffie¡¯ and she¡¯s a magical girl from Denmark, but she disappeared in New York six months ago.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu turned her face towards her, ¡°She disappeared in New York six months ago, so why would she appear here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either, big sister,¡± Bai Zini shook her head and leaned in to hug her.


    Bai Qiuwu chuckled, patting her on the back, ¡°It¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    ¡°World War IV¡¯s about to break out,¡± said Ke Yongzhu.


    ¡°Break out? It¡¯s just you, a middle schooler, making a big fuss,¡± Ke Mingye glared at him.


    ¡°Qing Ya has already gone there; it shouldn¡¯t cause too much chaos. It seems she just wants to meet someone.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo said, casting a glance at Ke Yinzhi, sharing a gaze as if to say, ¡°What are you up to, why is a magical girl on a Steam Castle specifically looking for you by name?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­¡± Ke Yinzhi put down his coffee cup, leaned closer to him and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± then turned to look at Ke Yongzhu, casually asking, ¡°I¡¯m a bit thirsty; Yongzhu, could you buy me a drink too?¡±


    ¡°Go buy it yourself.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu, focused on the TV showing ¡°Kung Fu Panda,¡± bluntly replied without giving any face.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go down and buy it. Does anyone want a drink?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi, unfazed, chuckled and stood up from the sofa, turning to look at the others. After they mentioned their drink preferences, he turned and left the house.

 Chapter 201 - 201 - 141 Witch’s Night

    Chapter 201 ¨C 141 Witch¡¯s Night


    July 7th, Bai Ke¡¯s home.


    After being disciplined by the system alarm clock, Ke Mingye¡¯s biological clock had become precise like machinery, always waking him up punctually at 6 AM before dawn.


    [Good morning, Mr. Player, today is July 7th, 2028. There are 346 days left until the deadline of the ultimate task ¡°Eradicate the Superhumans.¡±]


    The usual, opening his eyes to the system¡¯s pop-up was a hypertension inducer.


    Whether or not the superhumans would be eradicated a year later was unknown, but one thing was certain¡ªplayers suffering from hypertension wouldn¡¯t be in short supply.


    However, Ke Mingye didn¡¯t mind, feeling anxious in the past, but he had grown accustomed to it after this period of time.


    His mental fortitude, honed in Bai Ke¡¯s home, was evident.


    ...


    He scratched his messy hair, removing the `sleep¡¯ from his eyes just like he swiped away the notification panel.


    After finishing his bathroom routine, he left his home, ran around Old Jingmai District, and after completing one hundred push-ups, his damned daily task was done.


    [You have received the reward for daily task 2 ¡°One Hundred Push-ups,¡± obtaining 1 freely distributable attribute point.]


    [Your ¡°Spiritual Power¡± attribute has changed: 12¡ú13 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [You have received the reward for daily task 1 ¡°Run Seven Kilometers,¡± earning a chance at the lucky draw.]


    [You have drawn a reward from section four¡ª ¡°1500 Experience Points.¡±]


    [Your level has risen to Lv. 14 (500 points/8000 points), earning 1 freely distributable attribute point.]


    [Your ¡°Spiritual Power¡± attribute has changed: 13¡ú14 points (¡ü1 point).]


    To stand firm among Magic Girls and do slightly well, he quickly needed to raise his Spiritual Power to the Superhuman level, otherwise his current magic power was still too weak.


    Ke Mingye was quite confident. After all, ¡°Xiaohongmao¡± was a transformation ability brought by an almost A-grade props card, so the system set his talents quite high as a Magic Girl. Given that his Spiritual Power was still so low, the magic power Xiaohongmao could exert was already very effective.


    On reflection, investing in ¡°Spiritual Power¡± was a bargain; just two or three points of Spiritual Attribute could make Xiaohongmao¡¯s magic power rise significantly.


    This pace of progress would leave those average-talented Magic Girls far behind, almost like cheating.


    ¡°No wonder Xizi Yue took a liking to me, could it be¡­ I¡¯m the damn once-in-five-thousand-years genius Magic Girl?¡±


    As Mingye walked towards the Old Jingmai Cafe, he looked up to see that it was already open early in the morning, with the ¡°Open¡± sign hanging on the wooden door.


    He moved forward, pushing open the cafe¡¯s wooden door, as the wind chimes tinkled melodically.


    He had heard from his brother that the cafe¡¯s owner had returned in the past couple of days, so the cafe opened much earlier than usual;


    Not only did the owner make excellent coffee, but she also prepared some sandwiches daily, which were said to be quite tasty, prompting his visit to give them a try.


    Ke Mingye found a corner in the cafe, bathed in orange-yellow lighting, and soon after, a calm voice emanated from behind the counter.


    ¡°What would you like to drink?¡±


    Glancing at the menu on the wooden table, Mingye pondered for two seconds before replying, ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t drink coffee. Can I have a glass of milk and a sandwich?¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Stay updated via


    After putting down the menu, Mingye heard the owner¡¯s voice and thought to himself how young the owner must be. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While thinking this, a tall and thin silhouette appeared from behind the counter¡¯s back room. Leaning against the cafe¡¯s counter, he rested his arms on the surface, head bowed, fiddling with his phone.


    From the sound of it, he seemed to be playing Minesweeper.


    Mingye figured this person must be a staff member, so he just quietly checked the daily news on his phone without looking up.


    Lately, witch-related incidents had been increasing around the world.


    Many Magic Girls had fallen victim; in London, as many as seven Magic Girls had gone missing.


    One of the three leaders of the Alliance, Magic Girl Lilai, was deeply troubled by this matter and had only last night, on behalf of the London Alliance branch, vowed in a press conference to catch the witches lurking in the city and bring them to justice.


    During the press conference, journalists asked a question that Mingye was very interested in: whether ¡°Witch¡¯s Night¡± truly existed.


    Magic Girl Lilai maintained silence on this issue, her eyebrows creased lightly, offering no response.


    Mingye had searched for ¡°Witch¡¯s Night¡± online and heard it might be the witches¡¯ trump card¡ªif they gathered enough Qiyamate Comet Fragments, ¡°Witch¡¯s Night¡± could return to the world.


    But no one knows what ¡°Witch¡¯s Night¡± is, and there are various comments about it online.


    Some say it¡¯s the witches¡¯ ultimate weapon; others say Witch¡¯s Night is the world¡¯s most powerful witch, sealed inside an Egyptian pyramid by the original generation of Magic Girls;


    There are also those who claim Witch¡¯s Night is a natural disaster, originating from the Tower of Babel in the Bible, where humans incurred divine wrath by building a colossal tower, prompting deities to send down ¡°Witch¡¯s Night¡± as punishment.


    As Mingye browsed, it was hard to find consensus, making the information frustratingly unreliable.

 Chapter 202 - 202 - 141 Witch’s Night_2

    Chapter 202 ¨C 141 Witch¡¯s Night_2


    If you wanted to know what Witch Night was, you probably could only pry it out of the mouths of the three bigwigs at the Magical Girl Alliance, so he needed to get close to Xizi Yue.


    Ke Mingye was intensely surfing the internet when the ¡°clerk¡± who was leaning on the counter playing Minesweeper suddenly walked over and sat opposite him.


    The clerk tucked his phone into his jacket and said in a relaxed tone, ¡°Coming in so early, looks like you¡¯re just like me, heard the boss is back and wanted to taste his craftsmanship?¡±


    Who the hell are you?


    Ke Mingye looked up, confusion apparent in his gaze.


    Before him sat a handsome young man dressed in a gray hoodie, underneath which he wore a white T-shirt printed with the ¡°Polar Bear Bookstore¡± font and cartoon logo, paired with black cloth pants.


    The young man lifted his brown eyes, looking at him with interest, a slight smile curling the corners of his mouth.


    ...


    The next moment, Ke Mingye saw a informational panel pop up above the other¡¯s head.


    [Name: An Senlu]


    [Age: 20 years old]


    [Strength: Unknown]


    [Character Nickname: Old Day Chess Player (???)]


    Ke Mingye stared at the text displayed on the panel, stunned for a full two seconds, his thoughts nearly crashing.


    No way, the same question mark level strength as my mom?


    At that moment, he fiercely remembered that in the Superhero Round Table, the Divine Communicator Zeus, ranked S in strength, was only third. So could this guy possibly be that mysterious figure ranked NO.1 in the Superhero Round Table?


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye put away his phone and met the other¡¯s gaze feigning calm, asking, ¡°Buddy, you need something?¡±


    ¡°No worries, he just rarely sees someone coming in so early, so he struck up a casual conversation with you.¡±


    As he spoke, the owner of the coffee shop slowly walked out, placing a steaming cup of coffee and a plate of sandwiches on the table, then said calmly, ¡°Enjoy.¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes flitted over the manager for a moment, and he froze for half a second.


    [Name: Xia Mingwei]


    [Age: 19 years old]


    [Strength Rating: Unknown]


    [Character Nickname: Son of Rainbow God (???)] sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xia Mingwei had a sharp facial structure, with deep, dark eyes, and a prominent nose. He was dressed in a waiter-like black and white checkered uniform with a light brown kitchen apron.


    After serving the breakfast, Xia Mingwei leaned against the counter, one hand on his shoulder and the other holding a cup of hot coffee for himself, taking a light sip.


    ¡°Excuse me, boss, something just came up, can you pack this for me?¡±


    Ke Mingye hesitated for half a second before looking up to ask the manager.


    Hearing this, Xia Mingwei set down his coffee cup on the counter, sighed, and turned to An Senlu, saying, ¡°See, you scared him.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Saying this, An Senlu shrugged helplessly, ¡°Xia Mingwei, I feel like it¡¯s your problem.¡±


    ¡°Behave yourself.¡± Xia Mingwei said.


    Seeing that the two were not paying attention to him, Ke Mingye urged further, ¡°I¡¯m really tight on time, boss.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll pack it for you.¡± Xia Mingwei said.


    ¡°Buddy, my name is An Senlu, and we might meet again in the future. Of course, that will require fate, everything depends on fate.¡±


    An Senlu took out his phone from his pocket, lowered his eyes, and while playing Minesweeper, he spoke to himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ke Mingye, buddy, you wouldn¡¯t happen to be a Taoist, right?¡±


    ¡°No, just a chess player.¡±


    Ke Mingye scratched his nose and complained, ¡°But I¡¯ve only ever heard Taoists talk like that.¡±


    Hearing this, An Senlu chuckled softly, teasing, ¡°I actually know a Taoist who¡¯s currently living a reclusive life on Mount Hua.¡±


    As they spoke, Xia Mingwei came over with a well-packed bag of food and placed it on the table.


    ¡°It¡¯s all packed.¡±


    A moment later, Ke Mingye walked out of the coffee shop, holding the packaged bag, his heart still racing. Bathing in the morning sun helped soothe his uneasy mind.


    Damn, what kind of people are these two? So, just having a cup of coffee in the newbie village, and I happen to bump into two final bosses?


    As he pondered, he quickly left Number 7 Street and then opened the communication feature, tapping into the city¡¯s player discussion group.


    [City Players Discussion Group]


    [Failed Man: Guys, whatever you do, don¡¯t go near the caf¨¦ in Old Jingmai District. Sometimes there are two hidden bosses that spawn there.]


    [Fan Quan sent a private message.]


    [Fan Quan: If you¡¯re not fully awake, sleep a bit more, and stop spouting nonsense in the group. Isn¡¯t your whole family a bunch of final bosses?]


    [Ke Mingye: I¡¯ll explain later, my head is spinning.]


    After sending the message, Ke Mingye returned home, enjoying breakfast in the kitchen while searching for information about ¡°Witch¡¯s Night.¡±


    Then he sat on the couch and played ¡°Assassin¡¯s Creed: Black Flag¡± on his Switch.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Time quietly shifted to ten o¡¯clock in the morning, Yandai Commercial Street, on the long-abandoned rooftop of Huanjing Elementary School.


    A magic girl dressed in a gothic gray gown stood with one hand on her hip, leaning against the wall as she frantically tapped on her smartphone encased in black gloves.


    [I¡¯m not Ash: Have you arrived yet? You¡¯re standing me up again. Be careful, I¡¯ll tell the master and have her dock your pay!]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: Senior, you really are impatient. Can¡¯t you show a little more tolerance and love for a poor garbage-picking orphan girl?]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: I¡¯m giving you five more minutes.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: I¡¯m here, here!]


    Ash lifted her head, and from a corner of the sky, wrapped in wind and snow, a blonde girl dressed in a Christmas gown and wearing a Christmas hat was gently being brought over.


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao emerged from the wind and snow, her toes touching down on the rooftop floor.


    ¡°See, I¡¯m here,¡± she said.


    ¡°About time. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash said coldly, moving her gaze away from her and turning to walk through the rooftop door into the building.


    Xiaohongmao followed, and soon the pair reached a classroom on the fifth floor.


    Looking up, they saw two magic girls sitting in front of the ¡°meeting table.¡±


    [Code Name: Magical Girl Hong]


    [Age: 14]


    [Strength: C+ level]


    The magical girl on the left was wearing a pink pleated skirt, with long pink hair bound by a bright red hairband.


    She sat neatly, hands properly placed on her knees, appearing somewhat constrained.


    [Code Name: Magical Girl Feng]


    [Age: 15]


    [Strength: C++ level]


    The other magic girl had short golden hair and was dressed in an elegant skirt as red as autumn leaves. Her face held a neutral beauty, resembling a handsome boy.


    Magical Girl Ash, holding her shoulders, introduced to Xiaohongmao: ¡°These are your two teammates. You¡¯ll be working with them for a long time to come.¡±


    Xiaohongmao nodded, didn¡¯t reply, and tried to look a bit shy. Discover exclusive content at


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Magical Girl Hong, Hong as in Rainbow,¡±


    Hong lifted her head, showing a friendly smile, her voice sweet and fine, just like her smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m Feng, Feng as in Maple,¡± Feng said faintly.


    Seeing Xiaohongmao struggled to speak, Ash sighed and spoke for her, ¡°Let me introduce, this is Little Red Riding Hood¡­¡±


    As she said this, Magical Girl Ash turned her fair cheek away and continued, ¡°She is¡­ my sister.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Hong and Feng both paused, stunned.


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Xiaohongmao also paused for a few seconds, thinking, since when did I become your sister? Isn¡¯t that somewhat unethical?

 Chapter 203 - 203 - 142: Blue Owl X Little Red Riding Hood X Magical Girl Ash (Part 1)

    Chapter 203 ¨C 142: Blue Owl X Little Red Riding Hood X Magical Girl Ash (Part 1)


    A second ago, Xiaohongmao had found the idea of swapping roles a bit eerie, but the next, she readily accepted the arrangement, thinking to herself that at home she¡¯s the younger sister, but outside, she¡¯d take the role, like a fair bit of fortune-telling.


    So, she spoke, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m her younger sister.¡±


    ¡°Magical Girl Ash¡¯s real younger sister?¡±


    Magical Girl Hong clasped her hands at her skirt, her eyes wide in surprise.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Magical Girl Feng rested her chin on her hand, her face equally astonished.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, could it even be fake? She is my real younger sister, so take good care of her, got it?¡±


    ...


    Magical Girl Ash said, wrapping her arms around herself with an assertive tone, yet her expression slightly faltered, causing her to turn her face away and lower her head slightly.


    ¡°We definitely will,¡± Hong quickly responded, clapping her hands and smiling, ¡°After all, the senior has taken much care of us, we will definitely look after Xiaohongmao.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Xiaohongmao said, expressionlessly.


    Discover exclusive tales on


    Feng tilted her head slightly, eyeing both of them with amazement, ¡°It¡¯s no wonder the senior is so talented, having sisters both being magic girls. They must be the chosen ones.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not uncommon, sometimes it happens like this. Our grandmother is a magic girl too, she can make a magic healing medicine that cures all kinds of ills when taken.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash spoke, her face calm and her tone light, teasing.


    Xiaohongmao, seeing that she had quickly caught onto the gag she crafted, coldly added, ¡°Senior, you might as well say our grandmother is a wolf.¡±


    ¡°A three-generation family of magic girls?¡± Feng was stunned, immensely shocked.


    ¡°No, no, no, my mom¡¯s not a magic girl,¡± Ash paused, ¡°She¡¯s a devastating she-demon, way stronger than both of us.¡±


    Xiaohongmao stayed silent, thinking that if you add an ¡°alien¡± prefix before ¡°devastating she-demon,¡± you might actually accidentally get it right.


    Hong laughed lightly, ¡°Magical Girl Ash was just joking about Xiaohongmao and the wolf-grandmother thing, right? Not serious.¡±


    Feng caught on and scoffed, ¡°So it was a joke.¡±


    ¡°Ah, if only I had a magic girl in the family like me, I wouldn¡¯t dare tell my family about my own affairs,¡± Hong murmured, holding her face in her hands, ¡°Actually, I envy Xiaohongmao, having such an excellent and beautiful magic girl as a senior sister.¡±


    Hearing this, Xiaohongmao drooped her head, narrating pitifully.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯d rather not have such a situation. Senior takes advantage of being the older sister by constantly stealing my snacks and beating me up; I always end up eating her leftovers, and she makes me do all the chores every day.¡±


    Hong was struck speechless.


    Feng was at a loss for words.


    Both looked at Xiaohongmao¡¯s demeanor, thinking it didn¡¯t seem feigned, so they cast a peculiar glance toward Magical Girl Ash.


    Ash seemed used to Xiaohongmao¡¯s drama queen traits and commented coolly, ¡°Don¡¯t you have the wrong script? You¡¯re Xiaohongmao, not Cinderella.¡±


    Xiaohongmao said expressionlessly, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll change the story next time.¡±


    Hong chuckled softly, thinking to herself how harmonious the sisters were.


    Feng rolled her eyes and asked, ¡°So, what are we doing today, patrolling?¡±


    ¡°Not patrolling. Every time we fly around not finding any criminals, it¡¯s like being flies, plus we get gawked at and photographed by passersby. Better you two teach her card making?¡±


    As she spoke, Magical Girl Ash¡¯s phone vibrated. She glanced down at her WeChat; it was a message from Xizi Yue.


    [Xizi Yue: I spotted a group of people in the Hongge Commercial Street acting weirdly, smashing things around. You guys should check it out.]


    [Ash: Are there any superhumans among those people?]


    Xiaohongmao watched the scene, murmuring, ¡°I get it. Important people are added on WeChat, unimportant ones on QQ.¡±


    ¡°Are you a primary school student or what? I¡¯ll just add you on WeChat.¡±


    Ash glanced down at her phone and, without looking up, gently tapped Xiaohongmao¡¯s forehead, comforting her like a child.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have WeChat.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you talking about, get lost.¡±


    [Xizi Yue: Not sure, but take your junior to check it out anyway. If you can¡¯t handle it, just run, and wait for that big crow to arrive since his holiday¡¯s over.]


    [Ash: And what about you, Master?]


    [Xizi Yue: Sleeping.]


    [Ash: Master, having you is truly a blessing for the Alliance.]


    After finishing the message, Ash tucked the phone into the magic book, which she slid inside her Cinderella interior, then spoke up, ¡°Seems like something¡¯s up in Hongge Commercial Street. Let¡¯s go have a look.¡±


    Hong and Feng¡¯s expressions changed.


    ¡°Is the opponent strong?¡± Feng asked.


    ¡°Not sure, if they really are strong, you guys just watch from behind, I can go up alone.¡±


    As she spoke, Ash stretched open Cinderella¡¯s umbrella canopy, its intricate patterns enveloping the umbrella like intertwined thorns. With the infusion of magic power, they seemed to come to life, all the flowers flaunting themselves simultaneously.


    As Ash walked towards the corridor, she spread ripples of magic power from the umbrella, about to float into the sky, when Xiaohongmao suddenly said, ¡°Sister, take me with you.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you fly on your own?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash turned her head, glared at her irritably, and then took her hand, both being carried into the sky by Cinderella.


    As they flew toward Hong Ge Commercial District, the two Magic Girls in the classroom also raised their magic wands, injecting magic power into the gems in their wands and soon levitated.


    They struggled to follow behind Ash, thinking to themselves how much the senior cherished her sister, seeing for the first time that their senior took someone flying.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Moments later, Huanjing, Hong Ge Commercial District.


    Xiaohongmao¡¯s Christmas dress fluttered in the wind, its hem swaying like colorful flowers. She gazed down at the street from above.


    The scene on Hong Ge Commercial Street was chaotic, with emergency broadcasts echoing in the square, but they used the traditional emergency announcement instead of the classic markers of superhuman crime.


    This meant that among those causing trouble, there seemed to be no superhumans.


    At that moment, a nearly hundred-strong crowd was parading with hockey sticks, shouting slogans mechanically.


    ¡°Those demons that dare not see sunlight, those slaves dominated by the desire for blood, we are here, we are here, we are here, we are the eternal saints, and also the impure hunters¡­¡±


    The overwhelming sound echoed on the street, drowning out the emergency broadcast.


    They seemed to be controlled by some bizarre entity, their eyes hollow yet profound, muttering the same phrases. Some held hockey sticks, some held wrenches, and some held chainsaws, almost everyone clutching a weapon.


    Drivers who had driven to Hong Ge Commercial Street didn¡¯t have time to turn around and were blocked together, having to abandon their cars and flee.


    The crazed crowd stomped over trendy cars as they swept through the street, wielding hockey sticks causing widespread destruction; some smashed the electronic signs of shops, others damaged car windows, and some even smashed fashion billboards.


    The loud slogans were mixed with the piercing sounds of shattering glass and sparking electronics. Someone even used a chainsaw to smash an electric pole, which crashed to the ground with a deafening roar.


    Just as everyone was screaming and scattering, a figure went against the flow, standing at the center of the crossroads, slowly blocking the advancing crowd. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From a distance, the person was dressed like a red-and-blue human-sized owl: a helmet with a protruding beak at the center, a battle suit interwoven in red and blue colors, eyes behind the lenses mocking yet clear.


    Magical Girl Hong hovered midair, staring at the figure, puzzled, ¡°Who is that?¡±


    Feng raised her eyebrows, then said, ¡°Ah! I know him, Blue Owl.¡±


    Rainbow turned to look at her, ¡°Blue Owl?¡±


    Feng nodded, her face flushing, ¡°That video from Weibo that was super popular, didn¡¯t you see it? I think he is quite handsome.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen it. I¡¯ve been focused on studying these days, spent my free time in tutoring and piano classes,¡± Rainbow shook her head.


    ¡°He is really interesting, remember to check out that video on Weibo in a couple of days,¡± Magical Girl Feng said excitedly, as if she had succeeded as a fan.


    Xiaohongmao stared at the Blue Owl, expressionless, ¡°Handsome? Am I the only one who thinks his outfit is ugly?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash, gaze lowered, one hand holding Xiaohongmao, the other holding Cinderella high, looked down at Blue Owl from above.


    She disdainfully remarked, ¡°Isn¡¯t he that pathetic superhero who puts on an act and asks for a beating, what¡¯s there to pay attention to?¡±


    She had actually been indifferent toward such superheroes; weak though they were, they had helped quite a few people;


    but this idiot called Blue Owl had to mimic that annoying Crow Man¡¯s style, which inevitably made her dislike him, driven by a hatred of everything associated with that figure!


    ¡°But he is cool, isn¡¯t he?¡± Feng pouted, discontentedly saying, ¡°Senior, you don¡¯t even know him, could you not decide he¡¯s a bad person without knowing him?¡±


    Xiaohongmao spoke for Ash in response to Feng, ¡°But you don¡¯t know him either, do you?¡±


    Hearing this, Magical Girl Ash¡¯s lips curved slightly, thinking to herself, Nice, raising you, little sister, has its uses after all, even helping your sister argue.


    Magical Girl Hong, watching the three of them not focusing on the task, chuckled awkwardly, ¡°I say, let¡¯s get the job done and save the chitchat for later, he seems to be struggling on his own.¡±


    At the crossroads, Blue Owl was walking alone toward the nearly hundred-strong marching troop.


    His steps were slow yet fearless.


    As a deep blue arc flashed from the corner of his eyes, his figure suddenly accelerated, rushing into the crowd like a red-and-blue lightning bolt, instantly disarming the one leading them.


    Then, the surging crowd roared like zombies, rushing toward Blue Owl, like a tidal wave. Even during the battle, they continued chanting their eerie slogans.


    ¡°Stop watching, it¡¯s time to act, Senior,¡± Xiaohongmao turned and reminded Magical Girl Ash.


    She thought to herself, Sister, if you don¡¯t act now, I¡¯m going to be mauled to death by those zombies, save Blue Owl, Help, Help!

 Chapter 204 - 204 - 143 Blue Owl X Xiaohongmao X Magical Girl Ash (Part 2)

    Chapter 204 ¨C 143 Blue Owl X Xiaohongmao X Magical Girl Ash (Part 2)


    July 7th, 10:50 AM, Hongge Commercial Street.


    In front of the crossroads, the crowd was packed like machinery, loudly chanting stark slogans. Wherever they went was left in ruin; cars were smashed, electronic billboards fell to the ground, and billboards were riddled with holes.


    At this moment, as a figure with a mix of red and blue suddenly sprang up and captured the man leading the protest, the rest of the demonstrators turned their attention to him.


    ¡°Can you come up one by one? You really lack martial virtue,¡± the blue owl said, tilting its head to the side and lifting its eyes from behind glasses to look at the surging crowd.


    Their faces twisted with ferocity as they reached out their hands, trying to grab hold of his form. Your next chapter awaits on


    Some swung a hockey stick at his head, others went so far as to chop at him with a rapidly spinning chainsaw.


    But the blue owl remained calm, covering his fists in a layer of flame stream. After activating solar-powered punches and spinning rapidly, he unleashed a ring of heatwaves that radiated outwards.


    ...


    After the heatwave came a wave of steam caused by the high temperature, and the rioters were knocked back, crashing several meters away onto vehicles.


    In the sky above Hongge Commercial Street, Magical Girl Feng and Magical Girl Rainbow watched anxiously.


    They were waiting for Ash¡¯s directions, as Xizi Yue had clearly stated that when Ash was present, they must follow her lead.


    Little Red Riding Hood tugged at Ash¡¯s hem: ¡°Senior, stop looking.¡±


    ¡°This standing owl might be weak, but it should still handle a mob of ordinary people¡­¡±


    Magical Girl Ash began to say, then suddenly changed her tone, ¡°Alright, perhaps these people are indeed stronger than ordinary people. Is it because of brainwashing?¡±


    ¡°I mainly want some achievements. It would be no fun if this superhero took all the credit,¡± Little Red Riding Hood candidly admitted.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go then,¡±


    As soon as the words fell, Magical Girl Ash suddenly retracted Cinderella¡¯s umbrella shaft. Without the support of magic power ripples, she and Little Red Riding Hood plummeted from midair towards Hongge Commercial Street.


    Their hair blew high in the wind, and the hazy sleeves of their outfits fluttered wildly, their right hands still clasped tightly together.


    Little Red Riding Hood understood her meaning. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So at the moment they were about ten meters from the ground, she let go of Ash¡¯s hand, poured magic power into her magic wand, and conjured a piercingly cold snowstorm to lift Ash¡¯s figure.


    As she descended, Ash took out an Anesthetic Magic Guided Missile from the Magic Book and filled Cinderella¡¯s gun chamber with a series of non-lethal bullets.


    Then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she raised Cinderella¡¯s barrel and repeatedly pulled the trigger in midair, opening fire on the crowd.


    Indeed, a Magic Girl was conducting a gunfire strafe on a crowd, a scene as shocking as a priest suddenly pulling out a Gatling gun and spraying bullets at his own congregation, shocking enough to make the news headlines.


    The difference was that Ash used Anesthetic Magic Guided Missiles, which meant that even though the scene was explosive, at most it would just knock them unconscious if hit.


    Little Red Riding Hood, with one hand pressing down her Christmas hat and the other lifting her magic wand embedded with a ruby, assisted Ash.


    When the marching crowd saw them floating in the air, they would often throw things like hockey sticks, electric mosquito swatters, and even fruit baskets in helpless fury.


    Little Red Riding Hood allowed those objects to freeze in mid-air to ensure they did not reach Ash, so as not to affect her shooting accuracy and magic power control¡ªlosing control over the magic output or accidentally hitting someone in the forehead could be fatal, even with anesthetic bullets.


    For a Magic Girl of Bai Zini¡¯s level, killing an ordinary person was as easy as crushing an ant, so ensuring she did not accidentally kill them was actually a challenge.


    Magical Girl Rainbow and Magical Girl Feng were also busy, tasked with blocking traffic.


    Both holding a Magic Book, they drew out the ¡°Imprisoning Chains¡± cards to lock each rioter in place, preventing them from escaping the street.


    Since their opponents were just over a hundred out-of-control ordinary people and they had Magic Girl Ash, a formidable ally, the battle ended swiftly and easily.


    Blue owl stood alone on the street, attracting nearly all the firepower.


    Whenever the marching crowd lunged at him like zombies, he would push them away with a palm thrust, utilizing Inner Strength, much like Stephen Chow in ¡°Kung Fu¡±.


    If someone came at him with a chainsaw or hockey stick, he would apply a bit more force to shatter the blade or stick, then kick them away, carefully controlling his strength to avoid taking their lives.


    In addition, Little Red Riding Hood controlled the snowstorm to assist him, preventing him from being overwhelmed by a dozen attackers at once, allowing him to deal with the rioters one by one.


    Before long, with the last Anesthetic Magic Guided Missile streaking out of Cinderella¡¯s barrel, the final rioter fell to the ground with a crash, going into a deep sleep.


    Blue owl breathed a sigh of relief, looked around, and saw nearly a hundred figures lying on the street, forming a path of human bodies that seemed chilling to behold.


    Moments later, he looked up at the Magic Girls slowly descending from the sky, his gaze lingering on Magical Girl Ash.


    ¡°Is this what it feels like to fight alongside Magic Girls? I feel like I won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight,¡± he said, spreading his hands, ¡°Miss Ash, I have a little sister who is your fan. It would be great if I could take a photo with you. What do you think?¡±

 Chapter 205 - 205 - 143: Blue Owl X Little Red Riding Hood X Magical Girl Ash (Part 2)_2

    Chapter 205 ¨C 143: Blue Owl X Little Red Riding Hood X Magical Girl Ash (Part 2)_2


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother me.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash said coldly, closing her umbrella while breezing past Blue Owl, her skirt creating a draft.


    Her eyes were cast down, expressionlessly examining the thugs sprawled unconscious on the ground, as though confirming what had controlled them.


    ¡°You¡¯re so heartless, senior. Someone just wanted a photo with you.¡±


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao lifted her ice-blue eyes, speaking flatly.


    Magical Girl Feng walked over with her hands behind her back, taking small steps and blushing as she looked at Blue Owl, ¡°Ah, how about I take a photo with you then?¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Blue Owl asked.


    ...


    ¡°I know you, you defeated that modified human Lester before, super cool!¡±


    Blue Owl glanced at her through his helmet¡¯s visor and, touching the back of his head, said, ¡°Er¡­ I actually just wanted to get an autograph for my sister.¡±


    Feng pointed at herself, still pestering.


    ¡°Maybe your sister is a fan of mine too?¡±


    ¡°Forget it, maybe next time.¡±


    Blue Owl tilted his head, thinking to himself that Bai Zini was your senior, could she possibly be your fan?


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad, it¡¯s rare to meet the person themselves¡­¡± Feng pouted.


    She was feeling down when Blue Owl unexpectedly pulled out a spare phone, walked up beside her, leaned in close, and snapped a picture. Magical Girl Feng¡¯s surprised expression was captured in the photo.


    ¡°Do you have an email? I¡¯ll send it to you.¡±


    Blue Owl said nonchalantly, handing her the phone.


    ¡°I-I-I¡­ I do!¡±


    Magical Girl Feng was flustered for a long time, her face red as she spoke, and seemed out of sorts.


    Just as she was about to enter her email in Blue Owl¡¯s phone¡¯s memo, Rainbow pushed her from behind, forcing her to walk past Blue Owl.


    ¡°What are you doing, I was just asking him for a photo.¡± Feng said.


    ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve got business to attend to,¡± Rainbow whispered, ¡°Look at Ash¡¯s face, be careful or she might devour you!¡±


    Blue Owl watched the two leave, then turned his head towards Xiaohongmao, ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you before,¡± he said, stretching out his metal-gloved right hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m the new Magic Girl, nice to meet you.¡± Xiaohongmao said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s not shake hands, I¡¯m a germaphobe, and you¡¯ve got blood on yours.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Blue Owl shrugged, retracting his right hand.


    At that moment, Magical Girl Ash turned her head, gazing distantly at Xiaohongmao and asked coldly, ¡°Xiaohongmao, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Just talking.¡±


    ¡°Come here, we¡¯re leaving. The rest is up to the police.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xiaohongmao waved to Blue Owl and turned to walk towards Ash, then asked, ¡°Senior, do you really think the police can figure out why they lost control?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash shook her head and said calmly.


    ¡°If they can¡¯t handle it, they¡¯ll pass the case on to the Management Bureau or the Superhero Association. It¡¯s none of our business. We¡¯re Magic Girls, not detectives.¡±


    Xiaohongmao said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going back to the elementary school on Yandai Commercial Street first.¡±


    Ash paused, then in a suddenly awkward tone, ventured, ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you say yesterday that you wanted to come over to my place?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t I just kidding?¡±


    ¡°Ha, I thought you were serious.¡±


    Xiaohongmao lowered her hood a bit and said, ¡°I mean, it wouldn¡¯t be a no-go if I went, since I¡¯ve got nothing else to do.¡±


    She hesitated and then cautiously lifted her ice-blue eyes, ¡°That is if you¡¯re okay with it, senior.¡±


    Ash was silent for a while, then said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go. Just say you¡¯re my classmate, got it?¡±


    ¡°Is your place near here, senior?¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Over at Old Jingmai.¡±


    ¡°What about Rainbow and Senior Feng?¡±


    ¡°By the time we get to Huanjing Elementary School, you can let them go back and rest. Later, when the grandmaster wakes up, I¡¯ll report the incident for you, so it can be added to your performance record,¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Xiaohongmao nodded her head.


    A moment later, they arrived at the long-closed elementary school on Yandai Commercial Street.


    Upon reaching the fifth floor classroom, Ash sat on the conference table, glanced up, and said the job was well done this time, then allowed Rainbow and Feng to go home.


    On their way out of the classroom, Feng kept complaining that if it weren¡¯t for Rainbow, she would have gotten a photo with the blue owl!


    Rainbow just sighed, saying she was working at the time, so what could be done.


    The two had gotten to know each other, so by the time they walked out of the school, they had already reverted to their untransformed selves, walking arm in arm.


    After they had left, a cocoon of light gradually enveloped Magical Girl Ash.


    As the cocoon of light shattered, her appearance reverted back to normal.


    Bai Zini lifted her face, pulled out her ¡°magic mirror¡± to undo the disguise, then turned to Xiaohongmao and said, ¡°You need to change back too; you can¡¯t go to my house dressed as a Magic Girl, can you?¡±


    Xiaohongmao lifted her icy blue eyes, giving her a curious look for a while.


    After a moment of silence, she spoke up, ¡°Senior, you look quite petite.¡±


    Bai Zini was startled at first and then blushed instantly, frowning as she said, ¡°Scram, scram, scram. Hurry up and change back, and don¡¯t you dare comment on my untransformed appearance, got it?¡±


    Xiaohongmao¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile as she nodded silently, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the restroom and wash my face while I¡¯m at it.¡±


    After speaking, she walked out of the classroom and into the restroom on the fifth floor, entering one of the stalls.


    Xiaohongmao sat on the toilet seat, summoned the Magic Book, and from one of its pages, she took out a face mask combined into it¡ªthe face mask of ¡°You Minglu,¡± the girl from the mountain village who had died from illness.


    Apart from this mask, the Magic Book also contained another face mask: that of ¡°Ke Mingye¡± himself, a gift specially prepared for him by Cai Bing.


    The significance of this other mask was for days when he needed to use Deception Puppets to pose as the blue owl, so when taking off the helmet, there wouldn¡¯t be worry about his real appearance being seen through by Eyes of Golden Flame.


    Or, if within the Superhero Association there were any ability users who could see through illusions, then the Deception Puppet¡¯s identity would be in jeopardy; having this face mask was like having an extra layer of insurance.


    Early in the morning today, when Ke Mingye opened the locker in the abandoned train station in Old Jingmai District and saw this ¡°Ke Mingye¡± brand face mask, he was shocked.


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    He messaged, ¡°Hacker girl, how are you so incredible?¡±


    Cai Bing replied, ¡°Since I¡¯ve taken on this nanny job, I¡¯m in it for the long haul. Dozens of players are still waiting for you to come save them.¡±


    At that moment, Ke Mingye suddenly felt as though they were elevating him to a savior, and it put a lot of pressure on him.


    But after calming down and thinking about it, trading the lives of twenty-five thousand Superhumans for fewer than a hundred players didn¡¯t seem like the work of a savior, but more like that of a world destroyer.


    At this moment, Xiaohongmao was already disguised as ¡°You Minglu,¡± and by wearing ¡°You Minglu¡¯s¡± face mask on top of that, it was like donning two layers of faces.


    She then removed her transformed state, and the Magic Book along with the magic dress vanished on the spot.


    At this very moment, You Minglu was dressed in a light green dress. Her face was slightly gaunt, her skin pale, but she had an inherently delicate and fairly pretty look.


    You Minglu walked out of the restroom and made her way to the classroom, where Bai Zini sat on the conference table, her hair tied up in a high ponytail, one hand propped on the table, the other playing with her phone.


    Seeing You Minglu enter the classroom, Bai Zini lifted her eyes and examined her attire for a moment: ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve been shopping for clothes.¡±


    You Minglu asked expressionlessly, ¡°Senior, do you still remember my real name?¡±


    ¡°You Minglu.¡± Bai Zini tilted her head slightly and asked, ¡°Do you know my real name?¡±


    ¡°Bai Zini.¡±


    Bai Zini nodded in satisfaction, hopped off the conference table, and as she walked out of the classroom, she said, ¡°Next, we¡¯re going to my place to hang out, but you need to remember there¡¯s one taboo.¡±


    ¡°What taboo?¡± You Minglu followed her.


    ¡°When you see a guy who looks like this, stay away from him and try not to deal with him,¡±


    Bai Zini said earnestly, then lifted her phone to show a photo.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°My brother.¡±


    ¡°Got it, I promise not to kill him.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, it seems like you¡¯ve misunderstood.¡±


    Chatting and laughing, the two of them walked shoulder to shoulder out of the deserted school building.

 Chapter 206 - 206 - 144: You Minglu’s Visit, Vampire Hunter

    Chapter 206 ¨C 144: You Minglu¡¯s Visit, Vampire Hunter


    July 7th, 11:35 AM, Old Jingmai District.


    Bai Zini and You Minglu walked shoulder to shoulder down the street, their paces synchronized. From a distance, You Minglu was slightly taller, but so slender she resembled a bamboo pole.


    Beyond that, their styles contrasted sharply.


    The former sported a high ponytail, wore a women¡¯s denim jacket, and wide-sleeved pants;


    the latter donned a woolen hat, with bangs almost concealing her eyes, and with her pale complexion, she appeared particularly gloomy. Even in the midst of summer, she wrapped herself up tightly, hands hidden in the sleeves of her dress, not a bit of skin exposed.


    Bai Zini took a quick sideways glance at You Minglu, who detected it and feigned indifference as she looked away.


    Looking ahead, the bright sunshine illuminated the street vendors selling tanghulu and tofu pudding, with an occasional one or two kids darting past, brandishing ice pops. The innocent laughter of children intermingled with the occasional bark of a dog. Cicadas sang from the trees, and a hot breeze carrying the waves of heat rustled through the maple leaves.


    ...


    ¡°By the way, why are you wearing a wig?¡± she suddenly asked.


    ¡°Because my real hair is ugly,¡± You Minglu replied, ¡°The senior asked me to buy clothes, so I just bought the wig along with them. Is that not okay?¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Bai Zini sighed while holding her forehead, ¡°What about the scarf?¡±


    ¡°My magic power is of the snow attribute, I¡¯m cold-sensitive.¡±


    ¡°Who ever heard of that?¡±


    ¡°Am I not the only snow attribute magic girl in the world? Why can¡¯t that be a thing?¡±


    ¡°Alright, no one else has had snow attribute magic power, you have the final say,¡± Bai Zini mumbled, ¡°so you¡¯re wearing so much even in this scorching heat.¡±


    ¡°Senior, you¡¯re being quite nosy, are you deliberately playing the role of my long-deceased parents, trying to give me some affection? Thank you for your concern, but I¡¯ve long got used to days without parents.¡±


    You Minglu spoke rapidly.


    Bai Zini who was about to retort at the beginning, choked upon hearing the latter part.


    She couldn¡¯t say anything for a long time.


    She just stuttered: ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡±


    Seeing her reaction, You Minglu knew her own unique hellish conversation tactic had subdued Bai Zini and she needn¡¯t worry about further questions, for getting caught would be troublesome.


    Bai Zini wrestled with herself internally for a bit, took a deep breath, and looked up to give You Minglu a fierce glare.


    Then she said, ¡°But dressing up like a mummy in this heat, what if my family thinks you¡¯re sick and tells me to stay away from you?¡±


    ¡°Then just treat me as a sick person, which is fine,¡± You Minglu paused, ¡°but I believe your family members won¡¯t be so small-minded.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t mind, all people in my family are quite careless.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why they never discovered that their daughter is a magic girl, they really are careless. It¡¯s so obvious that you¡¯re careless yourself.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to infuriate me?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, I¡¯m just speaking the truth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s even more annoying.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll stop talking.¡± You Minglu said.


    Bai Zini clasped her hands behind her back, remained silent for a while, and then spoke.


    ¡°Actually, what you said just now reminded me of something. Master Lilai used to say she felt cold too. Her magic power is of ice attribute. Whenever the magic flowed through her outer body, it was like a block of ice sliding over her skin. That¡¯s why she used to dress warmly too. Maybe your situation is similar to hers?¡±


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    You Minglu was taken aback, thinking to herself that the younger sister was quite considerate, making excuses for her, then with a blank face, nodded earnestly and responded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s a similar feeling I have.¡±


    ¡°Enough talk, we¡¯re here. My home is on the twelfth floor of this apartment building.¡± Saying so, Bai Zini stopped in front of a duplex apartment building.


    In the midst of their conversation, the elevator on the first floor of the apartment building slowly opened out, revealing a brisk figure stepping out. She glanced at the two and halted.


    Bai Qiuwu raised an eyebrow, ¡°Little Ni, who is this?¡±


    ¡°Big sis, this is my classmate,¡± Bai Zini replied very naturally, showcasing her Schr?dinger¡¯s acting skills.


    After pausing for a moment, she turned her head with pride toward You Minglu and said, ¡°This is my sister, isn¡¯t she beautiful? When I was in junior high, the school bullies thought my brother was her boyfriend when they stood together and dragged him into the small garden for a lesson. When they found out he was her brother, the punks cried and apologized, saying ¡¯I¡¯m sorry, little uncle.¡¯ I almost died laughing at that time.¡±


    You Minglu¡¯s eyes twitched, thinking to herself if that was supposed to be funny. Her brother was just damned unlucky, wasn¡¯t he?


    She nodded and said, ¡°Uh-huh, very beautiful.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu scrutinized You Minglu, suddenly sensing something subtly off, but couldn¡¯t quite point it out, so she asked in a low voice, ¡°What was your name again?¡±


    ¡°You Minglu, with the same lu as in good fortune.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a nice name,¡± Bai Qiuwu curled her lips into a smile, ¡°It looks like my little sister has been under your care. She has such a bad temper; she has never brought a friend home before.¡±


    ¡°Indeed under my care, she even acknowledges me as her sister at school,¡± You Minglu said with a deadpan expression, unabashedly fabricating.


    Bai Zini hung her head low, tapping discontentedly at her phone screen, her eyelids quivering, thinking that Little Red Riding Hood, you just wait, I¡¯ll soon show you who the real sister is¡­


    ¡°Even better then, having two big sisters looking out for her, little Ni sure enjoys the princess treatment wherever she goes.¡±

 Chapter 207 - 207 - 144: Visit of You Minglu, Vampire Hunter_2

    Chapter 207 ¨C 144: Visit of You Minglu, Vampire Hunter_2


    Bai Qiuwu spoke carelessly, always feeling that the girl in front of her was somewhat bizarre, an unusual sense of dissonance lingering.


    She then raised her hand and gently rubbed her eyes.


    At the same time, she initiated the Eyes of Golden Flame in a flash, peering through the gaps of her fingers at the girl. The girl¡¯s appearance remained unchanged, not a single detail altered. Her body was tightly wrapped, hiding everything else.


    When Bai Qiuwu lowered her hand, the fiery golden flames burning in her pupils had already extinguished. A mocking laugh echoed in her mind, fleeting, as if a certain monkey was mocking her again.


    Bai Qiuwu slightly curled her lips¡ªit had become routine for her.


    Every time she activated the Eyes of Golden Flame, Sun Wukong would laugh at her, saying things like, ¡°This is simply an insult to my great name.¡±


    At that moment, You Minglu observed Bai Qiuwu¡¯s physical motions, but remained expressionless, shifting his gaze to stare at Bai Zini.


    ...


    He thought, after transforming, a Magic Girl¡¯s body undergoes a physical change based on their original appearance.


    And since Xiaohongmao found that the Transformation Card had permanently set her appearance with blonde hair and blue eyes after her last transformation, she didn¡¯t worry about her transformed appearance being discovered through the Eyes of Golden Flame because it naturally looked like that;


    But Bai Zini was different. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This girl was quite an oddity among the Magic Girls; her appearance before and after transformation was strikingly similar, so she could only rely on that magic mirror to change her looks.


    That¡¯s exactly why she could be exposed by Bai Qiuwu¡¯s Eyes of Golden Flame. If only Bai Zini¡¯s appearance changed slightly, like altering her hair color or tweaking some facial details, she wouldn¡¯t be so easily recognized.


    You Minglu rechecked that his clothes covered every inch of his skin, leaving only his face visible to Bai Qiuwu¡¯s Eyes of Golden Flame.


    But he was wearing a facial mask, so there was no worry about being exposed.


    ¡°Then you guys have fun, I have to go out today, can¡¯t stay home with you,¡± Bai Qiuwu said.


    ¡°Mmm, bye sister, love you.¡±


    Without turning her head, Bai Zini spoke and walked into the duplex apartment building with You Minglu, taking the elevator.


    ¡­.


    ¡­..


    Three minutes earlier, inside Bai Ke¡¯s home.


    In the living room, the not-so-spacious sofa was packed with Ke Mingye, Ke Yinzhi, Ke Yongzhu, Ke Xiaomo, and Bai Ziling, each occupied with their own activities, minding their own business.


    Ke Mingye fiddled with his phone while eating sunflower seeds, asking casually, ¡°So bro, who were you supposed to meet on a date yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it didn¡¯t work out, I got stood up,¡± Ke Yinzhi answered.


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow and asked casually, ¡°Wait, someone dared to stand you up? Who, a girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Song Yawen, that girl from the coffee shop who hit on you last time,¡±


    Ke Yinzhi said softly, eyes downcast as he flipped through a book.


    ¡°What?¡± Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes twitched slightly, ¡°No way, you¡¯re still in touch with her?¡±


    As he spoke, the sunflower seeds suddenly tasted bland in his mouth, so while talking, he summoned the chat panel, beginning the process of questioning his ancestors.


    [Failed Man: Seriously, what are you playing at, seeing my life going so smoothly and trying to pressure me, right?]


    [Cai Bing: What did I do now?]


    [Failed Man: Dude, it¡¯s one thing to fancy my brother, but standing him up after asking him out, what¡¯s that about?]


    [Cai Bing: It fits my badass sister persona, ever heard of playing hard to get?]


    [Failed Man: Fast forward to being dismembered by the Black Judge.]


    [Cai Bing: Busy, I¡¯m being a customer service little sister, I¡¯m at Huanjing, Huanjing customer service sis.]


    [Failed Man: Scram, and really stop bothering my brother.]


    Ke Yinzhi kept reading his book, asking, ¡°Can¡¯t I keep in touch? She¡¯s quite interesting.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo gasped and held his forehead, muttering, ¡°This is crazy, seems like a bad day to go out.¡±


    Ke Mingye said, ¡°I think so too, big bro, are you trying to frame that girl with the crime of stealing the panda by getting so close to her?¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Yongzhu¡¯s eye twitched slightly, thinking how he got dragged in for no reason again.


    He and Bai Ziling were enjoying their game just fine until he heard that, which brought back some not-so-happy memories. He then said ¡°Not playing anymore¡± and went upstairs to sulk on his own.


    Ke Yinzhi smiled: ¡°I have to clarify, that panda has really nothing to do with me.¡±


    Bai Ziling saw that Ke Yongzhu had run off, so she tugged on Ke Mingye¡¯s sleeve, asking him to join her in playing a video game. However, Ke Mingye declined, saying he wanted to use his phone.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Bai Ziling responded indifferently and then put down the Switch controller, sitting on the sofa and starting to play with her phone.


    At this moment, the now available TV was naturally taken over by Ke Xiaomo, who picked up the remote and switched to the news channel.


    The news was covering a riot that had recently occurred on Hongge Commercial Street. It was said that a group of people, seemingly brainwashed by a cult, took to the streets with baseball bats, shovels, and other dangerous items, chanting a series of bizarre slogans.


    ¡°Those demons who dare not see the sunlight, those slaves driven by the desire for blood, we have come, we have come, we have come, we are the eternal saints, and we are also the unclean hunters¡­¡±


    Hearing the noise from the TV, Bai Ziling¡¯s fingers paused slightly while playing with her phone.


    After a while, she slowly lifted her gaze from her snowy white hair, and her crimson eyes looked toward the TV screen, her pupils constricting.


    Her shoulders trembled slightly, and the last trace of color faded from her pale face, as thin as a tissue.


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    Soon, Bai Ziling silently rose from the sofa and walked toward the second floor.


    Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo were both captivated by the news, whispering something to each other.


    Only Ke Mingye noticed Bai Ziling¡¯s abnormal behavior, so after hesitating for a moment, he got up and went to the second floor.


    On the stairway, he suddenly thought of something, ¡°Wait, Vampire Hunter?¡±


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye opened the mission panel and looked at Bai Ziling¡¯s main quest.


    [The next target node for this main quest is: ¡°Destroy the Vampire Hunter Organization¡± Use Bai Ziling as bait to lure the vampire hunters to this city and kill all the vampire hunters.]


    Ke Mingye then thought back to the slogans chanted by the marchers, suddenly realizing who had been controlling them.


    He gently knocked on Bai Ziling¡¯s door and said, ¡°Hey? Weren¡¯t we going to play games? I¡¯m free now. Do you want to play and clear ¡¯Breakup Kitchen¡¯ together?¡±


    Seeing that Bai Ziling didn¡¯t reply, Ke Mingye continued to ask, ¡°Are you okay? Have you fallen asleep already?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Bai Ziling¡¯s voice, feigning calmness, came through, ¡°I don¡¯t want to play. You find your brother.¡±


    Just as Ke Mingye was about to speak, he was interrupted by a sudden voice.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with sister?¡±


    He paused at the words, turned his head, and saw Ke Yongzhu standing against the wall in the shadows, his dark eyes staring this way.


    ¡°Uh, your sister is probably fine,¡± Ke Mingye said ambiguously, ¡°It might just be that time of the month, girls are like that. You, a young kid, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, I¡¯m going to take a nap,¡±


    Ke Yongzhu said and walked back to his room, closing the door.


    As he spoke, the communication icon in the top right corner of Ke Mingye¡¯s field of vision suddenly popped up with a bubble. He raised his eyebrow and opened the chat panel using his thoughts.


    [Huanjing Local Gamers Discussion Group.]


    [A new player has joined this discussion group; the player¡¯s ID is ¡°Gastella¡±.]


    [Gastella: Hello, I¡¯m Gastella.]


    [Unclear Dream: Hey, how come suddenly there¡¯s a newcomer? When did you come to this city?]


    [Gastella: Just at two in the morning today, following my organization.]


    [Unclear Dream: Organization?]


    [Gastella: Yes, I was born into a Blood Clan hunter unit, had to blend in with them for survival and do their bidding.]


    [Unclear Dream: Damn, Vampire Hunter? There¡¯s an organization like that?]


    [Gastella: They call themselves ¡°The Hymn of Hell¡±. Have you heard of them?]


    [Fan Quan: No.]


    [Gastella: By the way, have you found a white-haired vampire in this city? If we capture her, we will leave and won¡¯t trouble you, everybody does their own business.]


    Ke Mingye was slightly stunned upon reading this, then looked up at Bai Ziling¡¯s room door.


    There on the door was a chalk-drawn smiley face of a white-haired girl¡ªa mark drawn by their mother to distinguish each child¡¯s room.

 Chapter 208 - 208 - 145 Gastella

    Chapter 208 ¨C 145 Gastella


    Ke Mingye stared at the text on the panel, zoned out for a moment, buzzing in his head.


    He thought, ¡°Gastella¡±¡­ This player¡¯s spawn point is right in the middle of a group of Blood Clan hunters, it¡¯s comparable to mine. From those two sentences just now, it seems they are after Zi Ling.


    But is this player really a Blood Clan hunter, to so casually mention it in the discussion group? Is he just daft, or is he lying?


    If he isn¡¯t lying, when it comes to white hair and vampires, who else in this city fits these two characteristics besides Zi Ling?


    It can¡¯t be that there¡¯s another vampire lurking in this city, and just like Zi Ling, happens to have white hair. That probability is so minuscule it¡¯s almost negligible.


    This is really tricky; I wonder if this Blood Clan hunter organization is filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers like the Ninja Sect.


    Ke Mingye thought idly, moving to the living room on the first floor and sitting on the sofa. The messages in the city discussion group were refreshing constantly, the text entering his field of vision.


    ...


    {¡°[Fan Quan: Why are you sure that there¡¯s a vampire in this city with such distinct characteristics? Do you have any clues?]¡±} S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    {¡°[Gastella: Because in our hunter team, one has the ability to predict the future; she said she found a vampire hiding in Huanjing.]¡±}


    {¡°[Gastella: Oh, and did you guys see the parade this morning? That was a prank I pulled off using my skill, fun wasn¡¯t it?]¡±}


    {¡°[Fan Quan: I saw it.]¡±}


    {¡°[Gastella: Speaking of which, the volunteer police in this city arrive so quickly, that costumed owl, and those magic girls, swooshing in like that.]¡±}


    {¡°[Failed Man: The white-haired vampire you¡¯re looking for, are there other characteristics?]¡±}


    {¡°[Gastella: Going to have dinner, chat later.]¡±}


    {¡°[Gastella: Maybe we can meet up in a couple of days.]¡±}


    Ke Mingye was editing the chat box with his telekinesis, about to ask more, when the doorbell from the entrance hall interrupted his thoughts.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know, just ask¡ªwho¡¯s going to answer the door?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi propped his elbow on the armrest of the sofa, supporting his head as he read, asking lazily.


    Seeing him ask this, Ke Xiaomo, with one hand on her shoulder and the other slightly raised in a fist, implied ¡°rock paper scissors is the fairest decision.¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed, thinking to himself, one is a legendary enforcer and the other a legendary Sect Master of the Ninja Sect. Getting them off the sofa to answer the door seems like asking for their lives.


    He felt that even Mr. Strange Thing with his indomitable spirit would be more useful¡­


    But under the overbearing pressure of the two older brothers, Ke Mingye was forced to raise his hand, deciding the matter with rock paper scissors.


    He walked away happily defeated, as both of the wily old foxes coincidentally chose paper, leaving his bright, shiny fist hanging in the air.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyelid twitched as he slowly lifted his head, his eyes filled with resentment as he glared at the two men.


    He thought, you two legendary wizards are bullying me, a muggle at home, is that it? The new version of ¡°Harry Potter¡±?


    Ke Mingye could tell, these two tricky old demons most definitely, surely, one hundred percent cheated. With their dynamic vision and reaction speed, it was a piece of cake to change their gestures the moment they saw his move.


    ¡°`


    But Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t see the speed at which they were changing gestures, so the matter that was clear between the two of them became non-existent to him.


    Ke Mingye grew angrier as he thought about it, telling himself he¡¯d log into that strange game at night and take a dump on their heads.


    Ke Yinzhi said, ¡°Seems like my luck isn¡¯t bad.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s open the door.¡±


    Ke Mingye, still dissatisfied with the outcome, shifted the topic, ¡°How childish, guys. We¡¯re in college and still playing rock-paper-scissors, like elementary school kids. Oh no, wait, our family¡¯s elementary school kids are more mature than you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d definitely think it¡¯s childish because you lost.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo said indifferently, hugging his shoulders.


    In his memory, when he was training on Shadow Sail Mountain, disciples of the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect often played a game: two parallel ropes were hung between two cliffs, and then two people would stand on a rope each, facing each other to play rock-paper-scissors. Whoever won a round would step forward, and the first to reach the other side would be the winner.


    If anyone fell off the rope along the way, they would be punished with a day without food;


    Similarly, if someone was slower than the other to reach the other side, they would also be punished with a day without food.


    Funnily enough, under such brutal training, the disciples who graduated from the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect hardly ever lost at rock-paper-scissors.


    As Ke Xiaomo thought about this, he suddenly found himself a bit ridiculous. Those brothers he had frolicked with on Shadow Sail Mountain over the years were all dead in that Wanxiang City now.


    He was the least qualified person to reminisce about those days.


    ¡°Exactly, I suggest you go open the door quickly. Be careful it might be your mom or your little sister outside.¡±


    As Ke Yinzhi yawned and continued reading his book, he lifted his well-defined hand to cover his mouth, his tone quite weary.


    Perhaps these past few days had been too comfortable, unlike his time at the Anomaly Control Bureau, where they were either on a killing spree or busy dealing with indescribable mystical dangers, so he truly couldn¡¯t muster much enthusiasm.


    ¡°Anyone there? Open the door, big big big brother. I just stepped out for a bit, has everyone died off?¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Bai Zini¡¯s low shout already came from outside the door. She sounded like an angry penguin, striding up and violently pecking at your head.


    She aggressively pressed the doorbell, with the bell ding-dinging incessantly, while managing to free a hand to spam messages in the ¡°Loving Family¡± group chat.


    If she knew her three brothers were on the couch playing rock-paper-scissors to decide who would open the door, she¡¯d probably kick the door down and corner the three of them for a round of intense scolding.


    ¡°Fine, fine, fine, you win. I¡¯ll tell Bai Zini on you later, say you didn¡¯t open the door for her.¡±


    Ke Mingye grumbled to himself, finally accepting the fact of the other two¡¯s cheating, and languidly rose from the sofa. Amidst the urgent ringing of the doorbell, he walked toward the door.


    ¡°Coming, coming.¡± He said as he opened the door.


    What met his gaze was Bai Zini¡¯s slightly lowered, discontent face, like a fluffed-up cat. Beside her stood a girl in a light aqua dress.


    The girl wore a knitted hat, her eyebrows and eyes indifferent beneath her bangs, her cheeks gaunt, but one could tell she had good facial features, which would attract attention with just a bit of makeup.


    ¡°Just asking out of curiosity, who is this?¡±


    ¡°`


    Ke Mingye raised his eyebrows and stared at the short-haired girl, casually asking Bai Zini.


    ¡°My classmate, You Minglu, Lu as in the character from ¡¯profit.¡¯


    Bai Zini said, lifting her hand and vigorously shaking it in front of Ke Mingye, frowning and saying, ¡°It¡¯s not like, big brother, can your eyes move at all? Just staring straight at someone like that, have you no shame?¡±


    Ke Mingye ignored Bai Zini, scratched his nose, and said to You Minglu, ¡°Uh, hello, I¡¯m her brother, Ke Mingye.¡±


    You Minglu met his gaze, nodded slightly without expression, and did not respond.


    ¡°Classmate, why are you dressed like that in such hot weather?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    ¡°I get cold,¡± You Minglu said.


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°What I wear is none of your business, move aside, move aside.¡±


    Bai Zini, who was already irked at being left at the door, was somehow even more annoyed now, and so she entered the living room with a gloomy face.


    Ke Yinzhi looked up from his book, sized up You Minglu, and said, ¡°How unusual, Xiao Ni actually brought a friend home?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo slightly raised his eyebrows: ¡°Never seen her before.¡±


    Bai Zini stopped in front of the sofa, seething, and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it, are you all freaking here on the first floor, yet no one opened the door for me, making me wait outside for two minutes?¡±


    She paused, too exasperated to stop herself, ¡°So, is there a zombie crisis at home, no one can understand the doorbell?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi defended himself, ¡°I was just in the bathroom, you see.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo also defended himself, saying, ¡°I was wearing headphones just now and didn¡¯t hear it.¡± As he spoke, he gestured to the Bluetooth headset on the table, which actually belonged to a primary school student.


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath at this, thinking you two legendary wizards, can you have any less shame? Who wants to bet that I¡¯m just about put on the Blue Owl Battle Suit and go pick a fight with Voldemort to vent my anger?


    Anticipating Bai Zini¡¯s impending outburst, he quickly turned his head, trying to explain, ¡°It¡¯s not, they were clearly playing rock-paper-scissors¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, so it was you, big brother, who didn¡¯t want to open the door for me.¡±


    Bai Zini was furious, turning her head to cut off Ke Mingye¡¯s words, ¡°Just wait and see if I even bother with you next time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, my bad,¡± Ke Mingye sighed.


    You Minglu walked over, looking slightly nervous, supporting her right elbow with her left hand, as if unsure what to do, simply standing quietly in the living room and looking around.


    She suddenly leaned closer to Bai Zini¡¯s ear and said, ¡°Senior sister, has anyone ever told you¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your brothers are quite handsome.¡±


    You Minglu said earnestly.


    Upon hearing this, Bai Zini scowled fiercely and declared, ¡°If anyone says that, they must be blind.¡± Then she looked at Ke Yinzhi and commented, ¡°One¡¯s a panda-stealing antisocial.¡± Then towards Ke Xiaomo, ¡°A geriatric teenager.¡±


    Finally looking at Ke Mingye, she said abruptly, ¡°And another, another¡­¡± Her gaze drifted away from Ke Mingye as she finally found the right word.


    ¡°A biochemical zombie.¡±


    ¡°Why a zombie?¡± You Minglu asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know too,¡± Ke Mingye said, raising his hand with a deadpan expression, ¡°Ms. Bai Zini, why is our fellow Mingye called a biochemical zombie?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not a zombie then what are you, the kind that reacts three minutes after hearing the doorbell, probably the lowest level, brainless type of zombie, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be so sluggish,¡± Bai Zini said.


    ¡°Heh, this is never-ending, huh?¡± Ke Mingye, looking down at his phone and said nonchalantly, ¡°If I turn into a zombie, I¡¯ll eat your brains first.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, no talking to zombies.¡±


    With that, Bai Zini took You Minglu¡¯s hand and they went up to the second floor, running into Bai Ziling in the hallway.


    Bai Ziling slightly tilted her head, her pale strands of hair fluttering.


    ¡°She is?¡± she asked.


    ¡°My classmate, I was just about to introduce her to you.¡± After saying this, Bai Zini turned to You Minglu and said, ¡°This is my sister, Xiao Ling, her hair looks nice huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it looks nice.¡± You Minglu said without expression, ¡°I¡¯m You Minglu, Lu as in the character from ¡¯profit.¡¯¡±


    Bai Ziling and You Minglu met each other¡¯s gaze, then swiftly averted their eyes, brushing past each other.


    Bai Zini asked, ¡°Coming to our room to play Fight the Landlord later?¡±


    ¡°Not playing today.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look a bit out of it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Bai Ziling said, her red eyes downcast, ¡°I want to take a nap, you can invite brother to play.¡± She entered her room and placed her hand on the door.


    Bai Zini sighed, ¡°I was almost knocked out by his frustrating behavior earlier, finally brought a classmate home to hang out, and he dragged his feet for three minutes to open the door, isn¡¯t it infuriating?¡±


    ¡°Beat him in Fight the Landlord and win his money money.¡±


    As Bai Ziling spoke, she waved her hand and closed the door to her room.


    Continue your journey with


    ¡°Big brother, bring the playing cards up.¡±


    Seeing this, Bai Zini reluctantly looked down at her phone and sent Ke Mingye a WeChat message with great reluctance.


    Ke Mingye saw the message and suddenly became excited, thinking, alright, you and Little Red Riding Hood team up, and I¡¯ll arrange a mole in your side, how will two against one lose?


    So, with a cheerful mood, he got up from the sofa, ascended to the second floor, entered Bai Zini¡¯s room, sat on the floor, and began his winning streak.

 Chapter 209 - 209 - 146 Timekeeper, Yuri, Bai Wenna

    Chapter 209 ¨C 146 Timekeeper, Yuri, Bai Wenna


    ¡°`


    ¡°A straight flush beats a three-of-a-kind, game over.¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes drooped as he said this, slapping all six poker cards in his hand onto the floor with a smack.


    Explore more at


    He then lifted his head, looking quite pleased with himself, and turned his gaze towards Bai Zini, seeing that she was so angry she was almost crumpling the poker cards into a ball, he proceeded to the classic post-battle gloating phase.


    ¡°Hey, little sis, you¡¯ve been bragging for so long but it seems like there¡¯s no real skill, why do I feel like winning was so effortless?¡±


    You Minglu stared at the poker cards on the floor, spaced out for a while, before finally catching up with the situation, and then he turned his head and leaned close to Bai Zini¡¯s ear, whispering.


    ...


    ¡°Senior, we lost again, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°How do I feel¡­ like I¡¯ve been played again?¡±


    Bai Zini hung her head, her eyebrows knitted, the corners of her eyes twitching slightly, and her hands weakly clenching two poker cards.


    She thought, if only the two people sitting beside her were criminals, like imagining those two as that damn strange thing!


    Then she¡¯d just lift Cinderella and shoot them away with two bangs, no need to take such a frustration!


    But unfortunately, they¡¯re not; one is her brother, the other her junior, with no way to vent her anger¡­


    If only that pack of angry dice would appear on the TV screen right now, she¡¯d immediately go after it with an umbrella to vent her anger, as it was her daily essential stress-reliever.


    The episode she missed the strange thing the most.


    It¡¯s infuriating, Bai Zini gnashed her teeth in hatred.


    ¡°And it starts again,¡± Ke Mingye looked up at her, his mouth dripping with sarcasm, ¡°So, losing means you were betrayed by your teammates, huh? That¡¯s way too classic.¡±


    ¡°No way, we have to review, we must!¡±


    Bai Zini muttered to herself while recalling the recent hand of cards.


    Even though You Minglu didn¡¯t end up blowing up his teammate like Ke Mingye did last time, most of the time Bai Zini was randomly throwing cards as if she were playing a handheld game console version of Fight the Landlord, just tapping wherever it lit up.


    But just as she was about to turn her head and say something to You Minglu, he had already started to speak up in his own defense, his tone pitiable.


    ¡°Senior, we matchstick-selling, dirt-eating little girls living in a pile of garbage have never played Fight the Landlord, you can¡¯t expect too much from me.¡±


    ¡°Damn, are you stacking buffs over there?¡±


    Ke Ming muttered to himself, genuinely baffled by this barrage of excuses, and then turned his head to ask Bai Zini, ¡°Bai Zini teacher, are all your classmates this abstract? No wonder they get along with you.¡±


    ¡°Get lost, she¡¯s the only one like this.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, among senior¡¯s friends, I¡¯m the only garbage-picker,¡± You Minglu said with a melancholic tone.


    Bai Zini held her forehead and sighed, ¡°Just stop talking, otherwise, your combo is going to give me high blood pressure.¡±


    ¡°So where¡¯s my red envelope? You have to admit defeat and pay up, you can¡¯t just welch on the bet,¡± Ke Ming said as he tidied up the poker cards on the floor.


    ¡°Tch, I¡¯ll just pay for her then,¡± Bai Zini said grumpily as she sent a red envelope through her phone.


    ¡°Bro, just wait, you play traitor on my side, and when you¡¯re facing me you just randomly kill, obviously playing me, right? Wait until Xiao Ling comes back and sees if we don¡¯t beat you up,¡± she threatened. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hey, after getting scolded by you yesterday I suddenly had a revelation. I¡¯m a card-playing genius; I think I should fly to Macau tonight to start filming ¡¯Gambling God 007¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Get lost, if it weren¡¯t for my teammate being such a drag, I wouldn¡¯t have lost so many games to you!¡± Bai Zini replied not yet conceding after having sent the red envelope from her phone.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, talk tough all you want until you¡¯re blue in the face,¡± Ke Mingye teased, about to look down and click on the red envelope when a notification bubble suddenly popped up in the upper right of his field of vision. He discretely burst the bubble with his mind.


    The chat panel popped up in front of him.


    [Fan Quan: That player with the ID ¡°Gastella,¡± I advise you to stay away from him for now. His background isn¡¯t clear yet, and he might not be on our side.]


    [Timekeeper: What do you mean, isn¡¯t he targeting my sister?]


    [Fan Quan: Hard to say, but keep your distance until we figure him out. In terms of his ability, he seems to be a player who specializes in mental control skills, and this skill very likely has a way of spreading contamination, otherwise, it doesn¡¯t explain how he could control so many ordinary people to march.]


    [Timekeeper: Looks like it might be a B-level skill, with such exaggerated effects.]


    [Fan Quan: Possibly, anyway be careful; I can¡¯t break away these days.]


    [Timekeeper: What are you up to?]


    [Fan Quan: I have to do some things for that gun-smuggling dad; killing him now would only affect my secrecy work. I have to cooperate for now.]


    [Timekeeper: Oh oh, good luck.]


    [Fan Quan: I¡¯ve discussed it with Cai Bing, and we¡¯ll keep the white-haired vampire¡¯s identity a secret for you. Don¡¯t do anything rash for now; wait for me to get back, and we¡¯ll figure out this newcomer.]


    [Timekeeper: Okay.]


    At this moment, Bai Zini was playing with her phone with a look of utter dejection, and You Minglu suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯m not playing anymore, senior, you¡¯re scaring me. I¡¯m going home.¡±


    ¡°When did I scare you? Playing like that would frustrate a pig.¡±


    ¡°You were pressuring me all the time.¡±


    Ke Ming packed the poker cards back into the box and brazenly interjected, ¡°How comes it¡¯s senior one moment, senior sister the next? Is it senior sister or senior?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they the same thing?¡±


    You Minglu asked back, expressionless.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 210 - 210 - 146: Timekeeper, Yuri, Bai Wenna_2

    Chapter 210 ¨C 146: Timekeeper, Yuri, Bai Wenna_2


    ¡°Seems like it,¡±


    Bai Zini let out a long sigh, ¡°Never mind, then. You can go back. Do you need me to send you off?¡±


    ¡°I know the way, there¡¯s no need for senior to send me personally,¡± You Minglu paused, then suddenly said, ¡°By the way, senior sister, can I add your brother on Weixin?¡±


    Ke Mingye looked up, giving the other a surprised look, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Bai Zini was startled for a moment, then asked, ¡°Add him for what, to see if he can lower his head even further? But he doesn¡¯t post anything on his Moments, and if you send him messages, he¡¯ll just play dead.¡±


    You Minglu said softly, ¡°Because he is senior¡¯s family member, I want to have a better relationship with senior.¡±


    ¡°If you want a better relationship with me, then keep your distance from that infuriating ghost,¡±


    ...


    While they were talking, Ke Mingye fiddled with his phone for a moment, then casually tossed it toward You Minglu, saying, ¡°This is my Weixin QR code.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    You Minglu said as he caught the phone, opened Weixin to scan it, and added Ke Mingye¡¯s Weixin.


    Bai Zini opened her mouth, intending to stop her, but she realized she didn¡¯t have a good reason to do so, so she closed her mouth and turned to ask Ke Mingye in a lowered voice with a sulky face.


    ¡°Big brother, you won¡¯t be sending harassing messages to my friend, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough; I have so many games I haven¡¯t played yet. What kind of person do you take me for?¡±


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he gave her a look, thinking to himself how he still needed to defeat criminals, why not leverage his connections? In the future, he could justifiably send a text to call Xiaohongmao over.


    If blue owl senior can¡¯t handle it, let Qing Ya handle it;


    If that¡¯s not enough, call in Magic Girl, the star of tomorrow, Xiaohongmao, and have Xiaohongmao send a text to summon the great Buddha Xizi Yue over;


    If all that is still not sufficient, then activate Dice Monster¡¯s connections, and bring the entire Bai Ke family together¡ªbanking on the freeloading strategy.


    If after this combination punch of connections, there¡¯s still any villain who stands, then it must be either Diviner Zeus gone rogue or his alien mother¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be a disgrace to lose to them.


    ¡°Senior sister, I¡¯m going home now, see you next time,¡± You Minglu said.


    ¡°Let me take you downstairs,¡± Bai Zini said as she opened the door for her and followed her down the stairs.


    Once the two had left, Ke Mingye came out of Bai Zini¡¯s room and went to the bathroom.


    Sitting on the toilet seat, he pondered to himself.


    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s nothing much to do today, I¡¯ll defeat Xiaohongmao and then rest¡­¡±


    He yawned, casually opened his phone, tapped into Weibo, and the first post that caught his eye was a speculation from a Superhero blogger.


    ¡ª¡ª ¡°The last superhero who imitated Qing Ya and made a name for himself was ¡¯Grey Pigeon¡¯, and just under a year into his career, he was slaughtered by the Timekeeper who came after hearing of him. Many people believe that a major reason for Grey Pigeon¡¯s death was due to Qing Ya¡¯s fault; if it weren¡¯t for Qing Ya antagonizing the Timekeeper, the Timekeeper would not have targeted Grey Pigeon.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª ¡°Because of Grey Pigeon¡¯s death, Qing Ya faced unanimous boycott from the public for a long time after. His reputation was terrible all over the world, with endless criticism.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª ¡°Now, after several years, a superhero ¡¯blue owl¡¯ who imitates Qing Ya has appeared on the scene¡­ oh no, he¡¯s not yet a superhero, just a vigilante, but I believe it won¡¯t be long before he joins the Superhero Association.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª ¡°With Grey Pigeon¡¯s cautionary tale, it remains a question whether the newly debuted ¡¯blue owl¡¯ will provoke the Timekeeper to come after him¡­¡±


    There was a poll below the post.


    The first option was: ¡°blue owl will be killed by the Timekeeper¡±;


    The second option was: ¡°blue owl will not be pursued by the Timekeeper.¡±


    Scrolling further down, there wasn¡¯t even an option that said, ¡°blue owl will be pursued by the Timekeeper but will not die,¡± because everyone assumed that once one is on the Timekeeper¡¯s radar, it¡¯s all over.


    Ke Mingye quietly moved his finger to tap into the poll results.


    Upon the screen refreshing, he saw that ¡°blue owl will be killed by the Timekeeper¡± had a staggering ninety-eight percent of the votes, completely crushing the other option.


    He sighed softly, scrolled down to read the Weibo comments, and saw that they were almost unanimously one-sided.


    [Netizen A: ¡°Qing Ya is causing trouble for young superheroes again.¡±]


    [Netizen B: ¡°This blue owl must be desperate for fame, to dare imitate Qing Ya even with Grey Pigeon as a precedent?¡±]


    [Netizen C: ¡°Wait for the twist. Maybe it¡¯s a publicity stunt by an entertainment company. Haven¡¯t you seen this kind of thing before? Can¡¯t you think for yourselves?¡±]


    [User D: ¡°Here comes Brother Understand, with his classic independent thinking. Just wait till he lures the Timekeeper here; then you won¡¯t talk so big.¡±]


    [User F: ¡°For real, Qing Ya and his imitator should both get the hell out of this city.¡±]


    That¡¯s also true¡­


    What should I do about the Timekeeper?


    Can I really guarantee that old dad can save my life from him, especially if I enter the fray in person? If the Timekeeper catches my real body, won¡¯t I be even more screwed?


    Ke Mingye silently logged out of Weibo, his head drooping as he pondered his tactics.


    At that moment, he glimpsed a pair of eyes watching him from the shadow of the bathroom. His legs trembled slightly, and he nearly peed himself in fright.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    Ke Mingye was first startled, but then quickly recovered and activated his Animal Communication Skill, saying, ¡°Yuri, can you freaking not scare people like that?¡±


    ¡°This lord likes to sleep here, got a problem with that?¡± Yuri responded coldly.


    ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re hiding from my mom?¡±


    After regaining his composure, Ke Mingye asked irritably.


    At these words, Yuri shuddered, scratching its nose with a paw, and after a moment of silence, it said, ¡°That woman is terrifying, ever since she came back, this lord hasn¡¯t had a single day of peace.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not just you who¡¯s afraid of her; everyone else in our family is, too.¡±


    Ke Mingye offered comfort, thinking to himself that even the formidable Black Judge Qing Ya had to bow down to Bai Wenna, let alone you, a mere mutant cat.


    ¡°Who on earth is she?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, can you analyze her superpower?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not a Superpower User.¡±


    ¡°True, I haven¡¯t figured out what she is either, let alone you,¡± Ke Mingye pondered for a moment, ¡°Forget it¡­ let¡¯s not talk about this. Are you interested in going out with me to fight criminals?¡±


    He figured, since there was no need to hide his blue owl identity from his family anymore, bringing Yuri along to fight criminals would not only allow it to analyze the abilities of Superpower Users but also steal them for himself, killing two birds with one stone.


    ¡°Not interested.¡±


    ¡°I see you don¡¯t care about your own life.¡±


    Yuri shivered, then lifted its eyes coldly, ¡°Interest noted. Is that better?¡± Experience more content on


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡±


    Ke Mingye said with a slight smirk, then suddenly froze.


    Right¡­


    He suddenly recalled that the Timekeeper was a Superpower User too! It was precisely because the Timekeeper was a time-related Superpower User that he was so uncontrollable and lawless.


    But as long as he was a Superpower User, Yuri could steal his ability. If time-related superpower faced time-related superpower, it would be unstoppable!


    Ke Mingye took a sharp breath.


    He had been worried about not having a way to counter the Timekeeper, thinking that if he went into battle and the Timekeeper took him down with a combo, it would be game over. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now, it seemed that the way to defeat the Timekeeper was right beside him. Not to mention he had a second heart as a backup; this increased his chances of winning even more!


    ¡°Why do I get the feeling you¡¯re looking at me more and more creepily?¡± Yuri asked warily.


    ¡°Nothing, just thought of something happy.¡±


    Ke Mingye said cheerfully, put away his phone, stood up from the toilet seat, flushed the toilet, and then turned the doorknob to leave the bathroom.


    Just as he looked up, he froze in place as if he¡¯d seen a ghost.


    There was an eerie figure standing in the shadows outside the restroom, staring at him expressionlessly.


    Bai Wenna.

 Chapter 211 - 211 - 147: Strange Thing X Shadow Heir Ninja Sect Sect Master (1)

    Chapter 211 ¨C 147: Strange Thing X Shadow Heir Ninja Sect Sect Master (1)


    Just a second ago, Ke Mingye was blissfully foolish in his mind, with classic lines from ¡°Shawshank Redemption¡± echoing in his head, ¡°The way to survive, that¡¯s what it¡¯s all about.¡±


    He thought to himself that the heavens had still left him a way out ¡ª with Yuri, this treasure specially for superhero users, wouldn¡¯t it just be a matter of time before he dealt with that damned Timekeeper?


    The next second, his hand was still on the bathroom doorknob when he looked up and saw an unimaginable sight: Bai Wenna was standing outside the door staring at him.


    It was just like the night he first watched ¡°The Grudge¡± back in elementary school.


    Dark¡­ Cold¡­ Trembling¡­


    Then no worries¡­ What Timekeeper, could it be more dangerous than having an alien mom here?


    Ke Mingye felt like he¡¯d been doused with cold water and realized something crucial: let¡¯s forget the Timekeeper for now, isn¡¯t the real final Boss right by my side, how on earth am I going to get past mom?


    ...


    So what, wait for alien spaceships to attack Earth, then pretend to team up with tough guys like Xizi Yue and Zeus to knock off the aliens, and then backstab them fiercely?


    Experience more on


    Please, their IQ isn¡¯t that low.


    Most likely the players and superhumans will end up in fierce internal fighting and the alien army will take advantage of their vulnerability to capture them easily.


    Ke Mingye was thinking if there was a way to make the alien spaceships land on Earth first, so players could profit from the situation.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye slowly withdrew his hand, trying to keep his cool, and asked with a puzzled face.


    ¡°Um, mom, what do you mean by looking at me like that?¡±


    He thought, to be reasonable, all his brothers and sisters were still at home, do the aliens have to pick this time to blow up, and what does it mean by looking at me like this?


    Just then, before Bai Wenna could speak, Bai Zini¡¯s distant words had already come from the hallway.


    ¡°Mom, I told you¡­¡±


    What, turns out this bushy-browed magic girl is in cahoots with the aliens?


    Ke Mingye¡¯s forehead sweated as he turned to look towards the source of the voice, only to see Bai Zini standing at the top of the staircase, staring at him disdainfully.


    Bai Zini lowered her face, picking up where she left off, continuing, ¡°Mom, look, isn¡¯t brother crying meow in the bathroom?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Bai Wenna crossed her arms and nodded coldly.


    At this moment, Yuri casually walked out of the bathroom, brushing under Ke Mingye¡¯s feet. It rubbed against Bai Zini¡¯s leg and then took off, leaving Ke Mingye still standing there getting scolded.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Mingye, didn¡¯t we grow up already, can we stop talking to cats?¡±


    Bai Wenna rubbed her Tianming Acupoint, speaking with a tone of resignation.


    ¡°Exactly, I don¡¯t really understand people who talk to animals.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Zini nodded in agreement.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eye twitched slightly, slowly pocketed his phone, and sighed.


    ¡°Man, I am truly fed up with you guys.¡±


    ¡°Bro, you don¡¯t have any weird fetishes with the kitten, do you? And it¡¯s even a male cat¡­¡±


    Bai Zini covered her mouth, shuddering.


    Ke Mingye shrugged, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me meowing, any objections, or did you just want to eavesdrop on me in the bathroom, I think you all are the ones with issues.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what way is this child talking, are you asking for a beating, believe it or not, I¡¯ll tell your dad?¡± Bai Wenna frowned.


    ¡°Right, right, absolutely right, that stinky old dad is always gone all day, and still talking to him.¡±


    Ke Mingye said as he passed by them, walking back to his room under their scrutiny, shutting the door forcefully, locking it, lying on the bed, taking a break.


    Closing his eyes, he rested for a while to settle his nerves, then he pulled out his phone to check Weibo.


    He had initially intended to check the trending topics in the bathroom, but the tweet about the blue owl and Timekeeper had distracted him, and he forgot what he was supposed to do.


    At this moment, upon opening the Weibo trending list, he saw that the photo of the blue owl and Magic Girl Ash appearing together had taken the second spot on Weibo¡¯s trending list;


    The first spot was taken by Huanjing¡¯s mass brainwashing riot, sharing the limelight for the same event.


    ¡°Damn, my little sister¡¯s traffic is so high!¡± Ke Mingye thought.


    When he as the blue owl first appeared, he only made it to the top five on Weibo¡¯s trending list, and that was with the traffic boost from the big internet star, mikaxi.


    Now, after just rubbing off Magic Girl Ash¡¯s fame, he had shot up to second on the trending list that very day.


    When he clicked on the photo, Ke Mingye was stunned, not knowing how the media managed to capture that kind of ambiance¡­


    It was exactly the second before Magic Girl Ash walked past him, ignoring him, that they grabbed this shot, capturing both their faces in a way that made the audience think they were looking at each other , as if Magic Girl Ash was walking towards the blue owl.


    It was ridiculously unreal¡­


    Ke Mingye was shocked, experiencing firsthand the media¡¯s ability to twist reality.


    He reckoned Bai Zini would faint on the spot after seeing this picture, stomping her feet and ignoring the blue owl while still being manipulated by dumb promotional accounts, ¡°Let whoever wants to be that damned Magic Girl be one!¡±


    But he didn¡¯t care at all, feeling a bit of joy inside.


    ¡°Alright, alright¡­ Last time I made an appearance, I leaped on the popularity of Dice Monster and the viral self-media star mikaxi, and this time, I¡¯m riding the wave of my little sis¡¯ fame. It feels like it won¡¯t be long before comrade Blue Owl is on fire and invited to join the Superhero Association.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself, quite pleased. He turned off his phone, continued to lie flat, and after waking up, it was already dusk.


    After being woken up by Ke Xiaomo knocking at his door, he washed his face and went downstairs to eat.


    Moonlight tore through the last of the twilight; dusk faded, and night enveloped Huanjing like a curtain.


    Having just appeared in front of the media¡¯s cameras early this morning, Ke Mingye wasn¡¯t in a rush to have Blue Owl make another appearance. Appearing too frequently would make him seem like some second-rate, hard-working hero, though of course, Qing Ya was an exception.


    So instead, he released the Dice Monster from the windowsill, letting it lurk in the night while he himself sat on the living room sofa, using the anchor sunglasses to lock on to Bai Ziling, who was about to go for a walk with Ke Yongzhu.


    Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo were a bit worried when they heard that the two were going out for a walk, as it had been a while since Yongzhu had left the house and had been hiding at home.


    It seemed they hadn¡¯t completely trusted yet that Yongzhu wouldn¡¯t lose control and turn into a dragon again.


    However, Bai Qiuwu quietly said from the couch to let them go, it would be alright;


    Bai Zini also added, exactly, a grade-schooler couldn¡¯t possibly bite his sister Zi Ling to death, so Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo eased their worries.


    Although Ke Mingye was nearby, they deliberately avoided him during their conversation.


    Still, he could pretty much guess what they were talking about.


    Ke Mingye was very certain that even if Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo appeared agreeable on the surface, Ke Xiaomo was likely to stealthily slip into the shadows behind them and keep an eye on Bai Ziling and Yongzhu.


    With Ke Xiaomo¡¯s personality, he could never be completely at ease with a grade-schooler.


    If the grade-schooler lost control outside, it would be too dangerous for both the grade-schooler and Zi Ling.


    Moreover, the Anomaly Control Bureau was currently investigating the incident with the Calamity Dragon and the Ninja Sect, and the matter was still in the limelight. If something went wrong at such a critical juncture, and Ke Yongzhu¡¯s identity was exposed, then the one to suffer most would be his older brother, Ke Yinzhi.


    After all, it was Ke Yinzhi who had used his position at the Management Bureau to conceal the Calamity Dragon¡¯s real identity and the origins of the Ninja Sect incident from the higher-ups.


    If the identity of the Calamity Dragon was revealed, it would mean that his deceit of the Management Bureau would be completely known to the higher-ups, and the penalty he might receive could very well be the death sentence.


    Even just for Ke Yinzhi, Ke Xiaomo would not let there be any chance of exposure for the grade-schooler.


    This concerned the safety of three people; thus, Ke Mingye was certain that no matter what the other siblings said, Ke Xiaomo would definitely be following Zi Ling and Yongzhu.


    ¡°So, having the strange thing track these two might very well bump into my second brother. Perfect, I¡¯ve been wanting to have a talk with him anyway, and there are still some mission tasks left undone.¡±


    With that thought, Ke Mingye equipped the strange thing with anchor sunglasses and pressed a button on the frame.


    Immediately, Bai Ziling¡¯s location appeared in his view; they hadn¡¯t gone far, just walking around in the Old Jingmai District.


    These two no longer needed to sneak off to the beach to meet, especially since Bai Ziling already knew that the dragon was just a grade-schooler.


    Since he knew exactly who the other party was, chatting while walking on the road was enough, having a secret meeting seemed rather humorous.


    The strange thing slowly lifted its hollow eyes from the lens and used spider silk to traverse the night, quickly locating the two people strolling on Old Jingmai Commercial Street.


    It descended, sat on top of a vending machine on the street, and then slowly turned its head to face Ke Yongzhu and Bai Ziling walking towards it.


    The strange thing raised its nonexistent eyebrow and said from a superior position, ¡°What a coincidence, running into you while out for a stroll.¡±


    Its figure was illuminated by the street light, and sitting on the vending machine late at night was particularly frightening.


    Ke Yongzhu paused momentarily, then sneered, ¡°What are you doing here again, want me to twist your head off?¡±


    Bai Ziling remained silent, just lifting her crimson eyes to stare at it.


    ¡°Hey, I thought you would thank me, after all, I did secretly warn you before it all happened, yet you completely ignored my good intentions.¡±


    Sitting atop the vending machine, the strange thing lowered its right hand, caught a five-yuan coin with a strand of spider silk, and then, like fishing, drew the coin toward the slot of the machine.


    It then released the spider silk, letting the coin and the web drop into the machine, and finally selected ¡°Wahaha Milk¡± with its toe on the vending machine interface.


    The canned Wahaha Milk soon popped out from the vending machine¡¯s outlet, caught by the spider web and pulled into its hand. It then tilted its head, twisted open the cap, and took a drink.


    Ke Yongzhu and Bai Ziling looked at it, bewildered, thinking, are you sick, making a spectacle out of drinking a bottle of Wahaha Milk?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Bai Ziling said indifferently.


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t bother with this strange thing.¡±


    As Ke Yongzhu turned to leave, he was stopped by the strange thing sitting on the vending machine, ¡°You¡¯re leaving so soon? Haven¡¯t seen you for several days, Baby Dragon, and our lovely Su¡­ ¡±


    Its voice suddenly cut off as a raptor-like shadow fiercely surged from the nearby ground, scaling up the surface of the vending machine.


    In just a moment, the strange thing was caught in the beak of the terrifying shadow, dragged like prey into the darkness, leaving only the bottle of Wahaha Milk behind, which fell to the ground.


    Under the street lamp, the murky white liquid continuously flowed out from the can.


    ¡°Where did it go?¡±


    Upon hearing the noise behind her, Bai Ziling turned her head and asked.


    Ke Yongzhu placed his hands behind his head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t know, who cares about it? Let¡¯s just go home; today has been an unlucky day.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Bai Ziling nodded, and alongside Ke Yongzhu walked toward the path home. The two figures walked quietly on the moonlit path, gradually disappearing into the night.

 Chapter 212 - 212 - 148: Strange Thing X Shadow Heir Ninja Sect Sect Master (2)

    Chapter 212 ¨C 148: Strange Thing X Shadow Heir Ninja Sect Sect Master (2)


    By the time the strange thing came to its senses, it was already being carried through the air by the beak of a bird above an alleyway.


    In a daze, the full moon hanging high in the night sky found its way into its pupils.


    Gazing downward, it saw that the predatory bird formed by converging shadows was flapping its slender wings against the backdrop of the moonlight, rolling threads of green light shimmering within its stark white eyes.


    The strange thing, still clutched in mid-air by the bird¡¯s beak, lifted its hollow eyes irritably and addressed the raptor.


    ¡°Uh, Mr. Ninja, I know you¡¯re very enthusiastic about me, but what¡¯s the difference between your actions and those of a burly female fan who, upon seeing her idol, impulsively hoists him into a van in a fit of passion, if not somewhat offensive?¡±


    No sooner had it finished speaking than the predatory bird-like shadow loosened its grip on the strange thing, causing it to fall towards the ground of the alley from directly overhead.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey¡­ was that really necessary to have such a temper?¡±


    ...


    The strange thing, with its soft and pliable body, landed on top of an air-conditioning unit, then bounced onto the sizable trash bin, and finally, with a somersault, settled on the ground of the alley. It supported the back of its head with one hand and slightly bent its right knee, lying in a provocatively casual pose as though the alley below were its own den.


    It said, ¡°Long time no see, isn¡¯t this our Mr. Ninja? It seems you¡¯ve been led astray by Qing Ya, just like Blue Owl, and developed a special fondness for playing the role of avian creatures.¡±


    Looking up, the black predatory bird had already merged into the wall, clinging to its surface. Within the glossy shadow that swayed like lake water, a pair of steady green eagle eyes fixed on it, a gaze from the abyss.


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, stay away from my family.¡±


    With those icy words, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s figure slowly emerged from the shadow in the shape of a predatory bird, his shoe soles coated with a thick layer of shadow that stuck to the wall, allowing him to stand perpendicular in midair without a hint of falling.


    The strange thing looked up at Ke Xiaomo and sighed.


    ¡°Another narcissist¡­ Are all the Bai Ke¡¯s family this self-centered, actually believing the whole world revolves around them?¡±


    It paused, ¡°I didn¡¯t come for you, I was looking for that cute little dragon baby.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m telling you to keep your distance from them.¡±


    ¡°The tone of your voice doesn¡¯t sound quite right, you know. Logically speaking, I should have the upper hand since you don¡¯t yet know who my real form is¡­¡±


    With one hand on its forehead, the strange thing circled its finger on the ground in a teasing manner, ¡°And me, what if I let slip to someone with the Management Bureau that the Black Judge¡¯s brother is actually a dragon and that he¡¯s been abusing his powers to conceal the truth about the Wanxiang City incident for personal feelings? What kind of punishment would he receive, I wonder?¡±


    ¡°But you wouldn¡¯t do that, because you want something else. Otherwise, you would have done so before we started talking.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo said calmly.


    The strange thing let out an ¡°oh,¡± thinking this ninja guy was quite sharp.


    Ke Yinzhi¡¯s goal was to kill the entire elite force of the Management Bureau, hence Ke Mingye had also received a main mission related to it. Betraying Ke Yinzhi at this point would be of no benefit to it, and might even lead to the collapse or disappearance of that mission.


    On the other hand, thinking about trading the destruction of the entire Management Bureau for the deaths of Ke Yinzhi and Ke Yongzhu seemed like a bad deal in every sense.


    Moreover, there was a high probability the brothers wouldn¡¯t die; they were already extraordinarily powerful, and with Ke Xiaomo¡¯s help, escaping the Management Bureau¡¯s siege would just be a matter of minutes.


    Not to mention in their home, they had an alien mother as an unstable factor¡­ a ticking time bomb, ready to explode on the slightest touch.


    Therefore, it was impossible for it to do such a thing. Instead, it would systematically increase its strength and wait for the day Ke Yinzhi rebelled against the Management Bureau, which was the safest route.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I wouldn¡¯t do that. But I merely wanted to express that I could.¡± the strange thing spoke slowly, ¡°Otherwise, why would you be willing to listen to me properly?¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°So what do you want?¡±


    ¡°To make a friend, a friendship we failed to forge last time should be made this time, especially since I¡¯ve pulled in a bunch of formidable people to help you, like Magical Girl Ash, Black Wukong, Magical Girl Xiaohongmao, all of them terribly powerful individuals¡­¡± the strange thing paused, ¡°Oh, you must already know that Black Wukong is your little sister, so let¡¯s leave her out of this count.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a while, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you must be a player.¡±


    ¡°Player, what¡¯s that, something edible?¡± the strange thing raised its nonexistent eyebrows in query.


    ¡°Stop playing dumb.¡±


    The strange thing spread its hands with an air of innocence, ¡°If I don¡¯t know something, then I really don¡¯t know it. Well¡­ I do know a thing or two about players, seeing as my character is the mysterious gentleman who possesses all truths. It would be quite embarrassing to say I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not denying the possibility of being a player?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, I am not a player. Players are too low-level for me. I am the all-knowing great strange thing.¡± the strange thing said disdainfully, ¡°But if you need my cooperation to root out these players, I might be willing to do so, provided you give me a sufficiently satisfying reward.¡±


    It paused, ¡°By the way, as far as I know, there¡¯s a player who has come to this city. He is also a member of the vampire hunters, and I would be really happy if you could sniff him out and do away with him.¡±

 Chapter 213 - 213 - 148: Strange Thing X Shadow Heir Ninja Sect Sect Master (2)

    Chapter 213 ¨C 148: Strange Thing X Shadow Heir Ninja Sect Sect Master (2)


    ¡°Why do you have any grudges with those players?¡± Ke Xiaomo asked expressionlessly.


    The strange thing raised its index finger, shaking it in front of Ke Xiaomo, ¡°There¡¯s no grudge, but that conspicuous bag has sucked away all my popularity. Alas, look at this morning¡¯s trending topics¡ªthe mass brainwashing march was all his doing.¡±


    It sighed, covering its face with a hand, and continued, ¡°Damn it, these people. I¡¯m supposed to be the most dazzling villain in this city. How could I let him steal my thunder?¡±


    ¡°So, your motive is indeed¡­ a lack of love.¡±


    ¡°Lack of love?¡± the strange thing was startled, ¡°I never lack love. You should see how many fans I have on the internet, and many want to have my babies.¡±


    ¡°Then their taste might be somewhat abnormal.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I must seriously refute¡­ I don¡¯t lack love, wait, what are you trying to do, you crazy fan? Do you really want to monopolize your idol like this?¡±


    ...


    As the strange thing spoke, it suddenly noticed that the shadow beneath it had become sticky, like a miniature swamp, slowly swallowing its body.


    If things went as expected, the moment it was completely engulfed by this shadow, it would enter a different space built within the shadows, and have an intense battle with Ke Xiaomo.


    Of course, this was just speculation. Unsure whether it would still be able to control its body after falling into this shadow space, it decisively self-destructed.


    Ke Xiaomo silently watched it.


    The next moment, the strange thing¡¯s body gradually heated up, cracked, and as fine cracks spread from the corners of its mouth, its face slowly revealed a sinister smile.


    It said, ¡°So, we¡¯re in a cooperative relationship now, right? I¡¯ll come looking for you when I¡¯m free.¡±


    ¡°How will I be able to find you?¡± Ke Xiaomo asked.


    ¡°If you want to find me, let¡¯s meet somewhere¡ªthe Huanjing 7 highway¡­¡± the strange thing suddenly closed its mouth, realizing it had said something terrible.


    ¡°Highway¡­ what?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo frowned, pressing for an answer.


    ¡°Oh no¡­ that place isn¡¯t so good. I refute it, otherwise, you¡¯ll find out I¡¯m there every night, meeting a cool and aloof beautiful girl.¡± Explaining, the strange thing bit its finger, ¡°How about this, let¡¯s meet at Wine Reflecting Coast from now on? It¡¯s a nice place with beautiful scenery where you can enjoy the night sea.¡±


    ¡°The place is set, but what about the time, how will I know if you¡¯re there?¡±


    ¡°If you see me throwing dice on TV, you can come looking for me. If I appear on the coast, it means I want to see you; if I¡¯m not there, it means I don¡¯t want to see you. Don¡¯t force it.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath, remaining noncommittal, ¡°You really are troublesome¡­¡±


    He paused for a while, his voice gradually turning cold, ¡°I¡¯m warning you for the last time, if you tell the Management Bureau about that incident in Wanxiang City, no matter if you flee to the ends of the earth, I will find you, and tear you to pieces.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I might seem fickle, but I¡¯m still very credible,¡± the strange thing sneered, ¡°That¡¯s it then. Goodbye, Sect Master of the Twenty-Eighth Generation of the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect, Ke Xiaomo, such a long and nauseating nickname, it makes me sick just saying it.¡±


    As the words fell, the gray humanoid body completely burst open, transforming into a sinister laugh that echoed through the alley.


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a moment, then took his phone out of his pocket and checked a message.


    [Ke Yinzhi: They¡¯ve both gone home, where are you?]


    [Ke Xiaomo: I¡¯m back.]


    After sending the message, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s figure transformed into a pool of ink ¡°splashing¡± into the shadow in the corner of the alley, as the narrow alley was gradually enveloped in a dismal silence.


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    [Completed the second node objective of ¡°The Fall of the Ninja Sect¡± ¨C Made contact with Ke Xiaomo, the Sect Master of the Twenty-Eighth Generation of the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect and attempted to establish a cooperative relationship with the Ninja Sect.]


    [The next main mission node is: Help the Sect Master Ke Xiaomo find the second Catastrophe Dragon in the world and together kill the out-of-control ¡°Second Dragon.¡±]


    ¡°Ah?¡± Ke Mingye slightly raised an eyebrow, thinking, ¡°How come brother¡¯s main sequence task is exactly the same as a little schoolboy¡¯s, both finding that second dragon? It looks like this second dragon is a hidden boss.¡±


    [Node reward obtained: B-grade weapon¡ª¡±Dragon Bone Blade,¡± 4000 Experience Points, 8 attribute points, 3000 Mall Coins.]


    Without hesitation, Ke Mingye allocated the attribute points to ¡°Spiritual Power.¡±


    [Your Spiritual Power attribute has increased from ¡°14 points¡± to ¡°22 points¡± (¡ü8 points).]


    [Your current level progress: Lv.14 (4500 points/8000 points)]


    [Your Mall Coins total: 20300]


    Bai Ziling opened the door, bent down to remove her sandals, and then walked in, handing a bottle of Coke to Ke Mingye on the sofa, and said lightly, ¡°Bro, your drink.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thanks.¡±


    Ke Mingye, looking at his phone, took the drink without looking up.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Second Bro?¡± she asked.


    ¡°In the bathroom, probably constipated.¡±


    Ke Mingye said nonchalantly.


    The next moment, accompanied by the sound of flushing from the bathroom, Ke Xiaomo pushed open the bathroom door and walked out expressionlessly.


    What, a toilet ninja?


    Ke Mingye secretly ridiculed in his mind, feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu: back when Ke Xiaomo was still suspicious of him, he would often sneak out of the bathroom to follow him, a classic remake¡­ Only this time the target of Second Bro¡¯s tracking had become elementary school students and Zi Ling.


    ¡°Bro, your drink.¡± Bai Ziling handed a cold Wong Lo Kat to Ke Xiaomo.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo said, taking the Wong Lo Kat with one hand and tousling Bai Ziling¡¯s snowy hair with the other.


    As Ke Mingye watched this scene, he remarked, ¡°Did you wash your hands? I only heard the toilet flush, Bro, you didn¡¯t hit the big time without washing your hands, did you?¡±


    Bai Ziling was stunned, then brushed off Ke Xiaomo¡¯s hand, her crimson eyes lifting slightly with a hint of hostility.


    ¡°Of course I did.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo said expressionlessly as he placed the cold Wong Lo Kat against Ke Mingye¡¯s neck, making him shriek, ¡°Still slandering your brother?¡±


    ¡°My bad, who dares to talk back to you?¡±


    Ke Mingye shrugged and said sarcastically. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Stop picking on our young friend Mingye, let¡¯s watch a movie.¡± Ke Yinzhi, with an arm over the couch and yawning, said, ¡°I¡¯m heading out early in the morning tomorrow, won¡¯t stay up late tonight¡­ Let¡¯s finish those movies we didn¡¯t complete last night.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going tomorrow?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo twisted open the cap of the Wong Lo Kat and took a seat on the couch, taking a sip.


    ¡°Secret.¡± Ke Yinzhi smiled.


    Ke Mingye, sitting next to the two, leaned his head back on the couch, looking at the local players¡¯ discussion group that popped up before him.


    [Local Players Discussion Group]


    [Gastella: Tomorrow morning, can anyone come to meet?]


    [Failed Man: I can come.]


    [Paranoid: Hehehe, Lord Paranoid has time too, it¡¯s about time to vet this newcomer to see if they qualify to be our partner.]


    [Failed Man: You know what, Paranoid, maybe you better not come.]


    [Gastella: Okay, I¡¯ll tell you the location later, goodnight.]


    Blood Clan Hunter, huh¡­


    Take it one step at a time, get a feel for his background, see what sort of bigshot they are.


    Ke Mingye looked at the messages on his screen, pondering slowly and was about to close his eyes when he was suddenly awakened by a cold sensation on his neck, quickly opening his eyes to see the bottle of chilled Wong Lo Kat against his neck.


    He pushed away the Wong Lo Kat, turned his head to look at Ke Xiaomo, and said angrily, ¡°Is this ever going to end?¡±


    ¡°If you want to sleep, go upstairs, not on the couch, you might catch a cold,¡± Ke Xiaomo said.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, you¡¯re always right,¡± Ke Mingye grumbled, rising from the couch and walking upstairs.

 Chapter 214 - 214 - 149 Paranoia: Am I Really Fighting the Black Judge?

    Chapter 214 ¨C 149 Paranoia: Am I Really Fighting the Black Judge?


    [Good morning, Mr. Player. Today is July 8, 2028, and there are only 345 days left until the deadline to complete the ultimate task ¡¯Extinction Superhuman.¡¯]


    Ke Mingye often thought that if he blinded himself, maybe he wouldn¡¯t see this panel when he woke up, but after calming down, he realized that since it was transmitted from his brain, he couldn¡¯t block it even if he lost his vision.


    Because he was really tired, he skipped his morning run today. Just two seconds after sitting up in bed, he flopped back down and deeply fell back to sleep.


    When he opened his eyes again, it was already nine in the morning, and Bai Ziling was there to wake him up for breakfast.


    ¡°Get up, otherwise I¡¯ll have Ni wake you,¡± her emotionless voice came from outside the door.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t let her wake me¡­¡± Ke Mingye said as he turned over in bed, burying his face in the pillow, ¡°I¡¯ll get high blood pressure.¡±


    His favorite thing was having Bai Ziling wake him up; her void of aggression and pressure, like a cool thin snowflake brushing across his cheek, naturally carried a hypnotic effect that always let him laze in bed a bit longer.


    ...


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll call Mom.¡±


    Bai Ziling paused outside the door, no sooner had she finished speaking than Bai Wenna¡¯s voice came from the living room downstairs: ¡°Mingye, if you don¡¯t get up I¡¯m going to lock your door!¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye scratched his messy hair, got out of bed, slipped on his slippers, and hung his head low as he opened the door to find Bai Ziling standing there with her hands behind her back, waiting.


    Today, Bai Ziling had her snow-white hair neatly tied in a high ponytail, a rarity for her. She usually didn¡¯t style her hair like her sister, so Ke Mingye took a second look.


    ¡°Why the change in hairstyle?¡±


    ¡°Does it look good?¡±


    Bai Ziling asked expressionlessly, lifting her red eyes from the wisps of hair in front of her forehead and staring motionlessly at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me for advice? You might get better opinions from your sisters¡­ just don¡¯t take our brother¡¯s advice, anyone else¡¯s taste in aesthetics, no matter how bad, is still within human range, brother¡¯s like from Mars.¡±


    ¡°I asked you.¡±


    ¡°Looks good, looks good.¡±


    Ke Mingye said sleepily, reaching out to ruffle her head as she bowed it slightly, then suddenly murmured softly, ¡°I feel¡­¡±


    ¡°Feel what?¡± Ke Mingye yawned, smacking his lips as he asked.


    ¡°Sometimes making a change isn¡¯t bad,¡± Bai Ziling said.


    ¡°Oh, is that so? I read online that when girls change their hairstyles, it¡¯s like they¡¯re changing their moods. You might want to try that more often.¡±


    Ke Mingye said as he walked into the bathroom, washing up in front of the mirror, asked nonchalantly, ¡°Speaking of which, what was with you yesterday? You seemed a bit down.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Just thinking that everyone will grow up and leave home eventually¡­ I¡¯ll have to leave too, sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to leave; what are you thinking?¡±


    Ke Mingye stared at his face in the mirror, muttering to himself.


    ¡°What if I have to leave?¡±


    Bai Ziling¡¯s voice got softer but was still devoid of emotion.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just bring you back,¡± Ke Mingye said while brushing his teeth, his voice muffled, ¡°like that time at the barber shop, remember?¡±


    ¡°¡­remember.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re feeling down and want to get some air, that¡¯s fine too; I¡¯ll just ride a bike and bring you back,¡± Ke Mingye paused for a bit, lowered his eyes, and said, ¡°after all, I¡¯m your brother.¡±


    After finishing, he ¡°gurgled¡± his mouthwash, spat it out into the sink, and then washed his face.


    ¡°So why the unhappiness, did you get dumped?¡±


    Seeing no response from behind, Ke Mingye turned his head slightly and asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Bai Ziling leaned against the hallway wall, lowered her eyes slightly, and shook her head gently, ¡°Actually, I am¡­¡± she paused for a while, slowly raised her hands making a scratching gesture, her mouth also slightly opened, showing a glimpse of her small fangs, ¡°a vampire.¡±


    She said it earnestly, yet her voice remained as emotionless as ever.


    ¡°Haha¡­ that¡¯s great, hurry up and drain mom¡¯s blood dry, or she¡¯ll lock my door and I¡¯ll have no privacy at home anymore.¡±


    Ke Mingye said as he walked out of the bathroom, patted her shoulder, ¡°Let¡¯s go, eat breakfast, comrade vampire.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised?¡±


    Their figures passed under the pumpkin lamp, and Bai Ziling¡¯s pale face was veiled in a faint halo of light.


    ¡°Damn, I am so surprised I can barely keep my eyeballs from falling out,¡± Ke Mingye said expressionlessly.


    ¡°What if I wasn¡¯t joking, if I really were a vampire¡­ would you still ride your bike to bring me back home then?¡±


    As they walked side by side down the stairs, Bai Ziling asked softly.


    ¡°Of course, even if you were an alien I¡¯d take you home,¡± Ke Mingye said lightly, ¡°but my bike was stolen back in junior high, you¡¯d have to persuade mom to buy me another one.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s a bit tricky,¡± Bai Ziling shook her head, a silent, subtle smile on her face.


    At the dining table, Ke Mingye checked the local discussion group while eating, Gastella hadn¡¯t sent a message yet.


    Halfway through the meal, Ke Yinzhi threw on a coat and left, saying someone had asked him out for coffee and a movie, and he was nearly three minutes late.


    Bai Zini and Bai Qiuwu sighed, wondering how someone with his memory and character managed to get a girlfriend?


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo, with chopsticks in mouth, glanced up at them and asked expressionlessly, ¡°Then do you think I have a chance?¡±


    Bai Zini squinted her eyes, ¡°I guess¡­ unless someone likes dating an old man.¡±

 Chapter 215 - 215 - 149 Paranoia: Am I Really Fighting the Black Judge? _2

    Chapter 215 ¨C 149 Paranoia: Am I Really Fighting the Black Judge? _2


    Bai Qiuwu was startled for a moment and pondered with his chin propped, ¡°Then it makes more sense for big brother to find a girlfriend.¡±


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t interrupt the usual banter among the group, merely glanced at today¡¯s skill special sales page.


    ¡°I now have twenty thousand mall coins. To buy a grade B skill, I need fifty thousand mall coins; with a fifty percent discount coupon, that would be about twenty-five thousand mall coins. Almost there, just five thousand short.¡±


    Thinking this, he diverted his attention back to the discussion group, waiting for that player¡¯s message.


    [Gastella: So, who¡¯s available to meet up?]


    [Fan Quan: I¡¯m out of town.]


    [Ju Zipi: Uh, I¡¯m undergoing Cowherd training.]


    ...


    [Cai Bing: I¡¯m tied up with urgent matters, very busy.]


    [Paranoia: Hehe, looks like it must be Paranoia-sama stepping in. Send the address, I¡¯ll be there in a flash.]


    [Gastella: Just you?


    [Failed Man: I¡¯ll come.]


    [Gastella: Okay, Yandai Commercial Street, E¡¤Star Open-air Caf¨¦, don¡¯t miss out.]


    ¡°I¡¯m full.¡±


    Ke Mingye said as he put down his chopsticks, went back to his room on the second floor, locked the door, and released a Deception Puppet from his windowsill, sending it off with a set of old man-style T-shirt and shorts from the Old Jingmai District.


    Then he sneakily stole a pair of sneakers from a shoe store, found a public restroom to change clothes, and then took a bus to Yandai Commercial Street.


    Soon, a message bubble popped up in the top right corner of Ke Mingye¡¯s vision.


    [Cai Bing: Buddy, can you change the location or timing of the meet-up?]


    [Failed Man: What do you mean? We¡¯re just meeting at the caf¨¦, is it bothering you playing customer service?]


    [Cai Bing: Do I really need to spell it out?]


    [Failed Man: No, hacker girl, where did you learn to talk in riddles? Didn¡¯t sneak some lessons from Dice Monster, did you?]


    By then, the Deception Puppet had taken the bus to Yandai Commercial Street, maneuvered through the bustling crowd, and approached the open-air caf¨¦ ¡°E¡¤Star,¡± settling down at a table.


    Leaning its chin on its hands, it slightly turned its head to observe the surroundings, only to see two figures in the caf¨¦ that shocked him to the core.


    The first was his big brother: Ke Yinzhi.


    The second was Cai Bing¡¯s disguise target: Song Yawen ¡ª or rather, it was Cai Bing herself.


    Today, Ke Yinzhi wore dark ear pendants, a long black coat, with a light-colored shirt underneath;


    Cai Bing wore a sun-protective coat with a camisole dress underneath, her slightly curly mid-length hair draped over her shoulders.


    At that moment, the two sat at the same table, quietly talking face to face.


    Simultaneously, Cai Bing¡¯s message very belatedly caught Ke Mingye¡¯s eye, disrupting his stunned thoughts.


    [Cai Bing: Well, actually, your brother and I are on a date here at this open-air caf¨¦, but it¡¯s fine if you guys come, just be ready for all of us to be annihilated.]


    Ke Mingye was thoroughly shocked and took a while before replying to the message.


    [Failed Man: Didn¡¯t you say you had urgent matters?]


    [Cai Bing: Isn¡¯t this an urgent matter? Aren¡¯t you tired of constantly exterminating superhumans? Can¡¯t we try something different?]


    [Failed Man: Damn it, everyone¡¯s exhausting themselves to fulfill the great task of exterminating superhumans, and here you are playing dating sims and whispering sweet nothings with the ultimate Boss?]


    [Cai Bing: We¡¯re all exterminating superhumans, you guys go the male-oriented route, I go the female-oriented route, can¡¯t you be a little more flexible in your thinking?]


    [Failed Man: I¡¯m enlightened, master.]


    [Failed Man: Then could you not mention you¡¯d switched to the female-oriented route a bit earlier? I¡¯m already here, why did you suddenly stop midway during our last talk?]


    [Cai Bing: I wasn¡¯t paying attention to the discussion group¡¯s messages, who knew you guys had planned to meet at the same place?]


    [Failed Man: What I meant is, why did you suddenly disappear while we were talking earlier? Do you realize how urgent the situation is now?]


    [Cai Bing: I was trying to contact Paranoia as soon as possible. If that creeper comes, then you¡¯ll have even bigger problems than me, especially since you just send your puppet to meetings; who would recognize you?]


    [Cai Bing: Okay, it¡¯s over.]


    [Cai Bing: That man¡­ he has arrived.]


    Upon seeing this message, Ke Mingye was severely shaken and controlled the Deception Puppet to turn and look.


    There, Paranoia slowly approached, donned in casual sports attire, scanning the area with a confident look that seemed to say, ¡°I have seen through everything.¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s vision darkened, and he nearly passed out as new messages continued to appear on the discussion panel.


    [Gastella: I¡¯ve arrived. Which table are you guys at?]


    Ke Mingye hastily looked up, scanning the entrance of the outdoor caf¨¦, only to see a girl in a dark grey bowtie tee and a deep blue pleated skirt slowly walking in, looking around.


    No way, a girl?


    Or is this a civilian being mind-controlled by Gastella?


    Ke Mingye¡¯s gaze lingered on her for a second. The girl didn¡¯t display a superhuman panel above her head¡ªmaking it uncertain whether she¡¯s a player or a normal person controlled by Gastella.


    Anyway, let¡¯s just assume she¡¯s Gastella for now.


    [Paranoia: Do you even need to ask?] Stay tuned with


    [Paranoia: Just look for the most handsome and dashing one there. That¡¯s Lord Paranoia, greatness needs no words.]


    Gastella looked around the caf¨¦ upon hearing this, finally resting her eyes on Ke Yinzhi.


    It seems¡­ she thinks he¡¯s the most handsome and dashing one Paranoia mentioned, so he must be Paranoia.


    But as soon as Ke Yinzhi¡¯s superhuman panel flashed before her eyes, she no longer thought so.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s vision blackened again, nearly fainting onto the bed.


    ¡°You really do stand out.¡± Cai Bing sipped coconut juice through a straw, whispering to Ke Yinzhi.


    Ke Yinzhi, eyes downcast, looked at the menu, twirling a ballpoint pen in his hand, casually asking, ¡°Do I?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed the pretty girl staring at you?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t paid attention, nor am I interested.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Cai Bing breathed a sigh of relief.


    Meanwhile, Gastella shifted her gaze from Ke Yinzhi, turning toward the confident-looking Paranoia.


    [Paranoia: Yes, that¡¯s me.]


    [Failed Man: I¡¯m at the far right table. Gastella, I suggest you come over here.]


    [Failed Man: And Paranoia, don¡¯t come here. Just stay there, don¡¯t look at anything, order some milk, drink it, and then scram.]


    [Paranoia: What do you mean, ostracizing Lord Paranoia, huh?]


    Having seen the messages, Gastella then turned to look at the most secluded table and immediately walked over, pulling up a chair to sit across from the Deception Puppet.


    Right then, Paranoia glanced at his private chat panel, which had been bombarded with messages in the past five minutes, discovering that Cai Bing had sent him over a dozen messages.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Black Judge, what¡¯s that all about?¡±


    After reading the messages, Paranoia¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. By chance, his peripheral vision caught Cai Bing and Ke Yinzhi at their table.


    Cai Bing, gaze lowered, nonchalantly fiddled with his phone;


    Ke Yinzhi, moving a ballpoint pen across the menu.


    At that moment, Paranoia¡¯s pupils mirrored Ke Yinzhi¡¯s information panel.


    His brilliant mind sparked a mental storm, as several personalities debated loudly in the hall of thought, finally arriving at a crucial conclusion.


    [Local Players Discussion Group.]


    [Paranoia: I¡¯ve figured it out. Detective Paranoia has seen through everything. (Man in trench coat, holding up magnifying glass.jpg)]


    [Paranoia: So, the real reason all four of us came here was to¡­ ambush Black Judge?]


    [Paranoia: I didn¡¯t expect this day to come so soon.]


    [Paranoia: Heh, Spider Man, Hackergirl, just give the word and I¡¯ll make my move, A++ level is no challenge.]


    [Cai Bing: Or¡­ you could just die.]


    Ke Yinzhi took the lemon water passed by the waiter, gently sipped it, then glanced up at the smirking Paranoia, curiously asking:


    ¡°Who is that? He seems to have been grinning at you all this time.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Cai Bing glanced at Paranoia, a look of surprise appearing on his face: ¡°To run into him here¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Do you know him?¡±


    Cai Bing shook his head, whispering, ¡°I don¡¯t know him well, but he was a high school classmate of mine with an intellectual disability. You can tell from his expression and actions, right?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi, hearing this, scrutinized Paranoia seriously, seeing Paranoia with his hand to his chin, a ¡¯I¡¯ve already seen through the truth¡¯ expression fixated on them.


    ¡°He does look a bit intellectually disabled.¡± Ke Yinzhi commented blandly.

 Chapter 216 - 216 - 150: The Scammers’ Date Time

    Chapter 216 ¨C 150: The Scammers¡¯ Date Time


    It¡¯s over¡­ totally over, will my paranoia not get me chopped up and fed to the pigs by my older brother?


    Please, I should have never brought my paranoia when I first came to meet Gastella¡­


    Ke Mingye gasped sharply, utterly shocked.


    He was almost fainting from the unbelievably bizarre scene, so he had no mind to communicate with Gastella, who sat down across the table from him, absolutely getting things backward.


    At the moment, Gastella was doing the same as him, secretly observing others present¡ªDeception Puppet glanced at Paranoia, while Gastella stole glances at Ke Yinzhi, each having their own focus.


    But the next moment, as Paranoia and Ke Yinzhi¡¯s eyes met, the funeral song ¡°Flower of Hope¡± started playing in Ke Mingye¡¯s mind.


    In his heart, he silently prayed, hoping that Paranoia would die quickly, ideally with no body left. That way, nothing critical would be discovered by the Management Bureau, sparing him and Cai Bing from disaster.


    ...


    However, upon making eye contact with Paranoia, Ke Yinzhi quickly averted his gaze and seriously asked Cai Bing, ¡°Speaking of which¡­ in this kind of situation, what should I do to act more like a normal person?¡±


    Cai Bing released the straw, a puzzled look on her face, ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°I mean, what would a normal person¡¯s reaction be during a date if they found out their date was being harassed by a creep?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi tilted his head, his earring swaying lightly, he said expressionlessly and unhurriedly, ¡°Should I get up angrily, walk over, and give him a good beating, then say, ¡¯Stop bothering her from now on?¡¯¡±, he paused for a bit, ¡°Or should I politely ask him to leave, showing my good manners and potentially making a better impression on you?¡±


    At that, Cai Bing sighed lightly, thinking to herself, ¡¯Dude, stop pretending to be innocent, I¡¯m not buying it.¡¯


    She said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you watched too many soap operas? Those plots are too clich¨¦d.¡±


    ¡°I should have reminded you, I don¡¯t have much experience communicating with the opposite sex,¡± Ke Yinzhi laughed.


    Sure, no experience communicating with the opposite sex, yet chased by a Magic Girl from Denmark to China. Cai Bing watched his act while inwardly commenting.


    Resting her chin on her hand, she said indifferently, ¡°It shows.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi glanced at Paranoia and stretched out his distinctively jointed hand to close the menu on the table, then asked, ¡°Do I really not need to do something to make him leave?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother about him,¡± Cai Bing supported her chin with her hand, pouting slightly.


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    As Ke Yinzhi withdrew his gaze from Paranoia and shrugged, he handed the menu to the waiter and casually asked Cai Bing, ¡°Should we change places?¡±


    After sipping her lemonade and setting down her glass, Cai Bing said nonchalantly, ¡°No need. He doesn¡¯t seem like a coffee drinker, he should leave soon when he sees I¡¯m ignoring him.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s good,¡± Ke Yinzhi bantered, ¡°You say I attract attention, but you¡¯re quite charming yourself¡­ hasn¡¯t there been an admirer who¡¯s been smitten with you since high school?¡±


    Cai Bing coldly said, ¡°I told you his mind isn¡¯t right, you can¡¯t judge his actions by normal standards.¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Switching topics naturally, she continued, ¡°Speaking of which¡­ I¡¯m actually quite surprised that a workaholic like you would actually show up for a date.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, since you were surprised¡­ why did you stand me up yesterday?¡± Ke Yinzhi asked.


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t expect you to show up.¡±


    ¡°Why, do I look that untrustworthy?¡±


    ¡°Intuition,¡± Cai Bing said expressionlessly, ¡°so when I saw your text yesterday saying you were there but didn¡¯t see me, I was actually quite surprised and somewhat touched.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I just think¡­¡± Ke Yinzhi said, propping up his chin, his bright eyes glaring at the tabletop, ¡°besides work, one should occasionally have a personal life too, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have family?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi sighed, sounding a bit frustrated, ¡°It¡¯s just that they often complain about me, which is annoying, then I start thinking maybe I shouldn¡¯t only focus on work and family; perhaps they also hope I¡¯d have other things to do.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­ I¡¯m just a tool to deal with your family?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi chuckled, ¡°Your logic is always so piercing, not to mention I wouldn¡¯t do that, but hypothetically, if I really needed such a ¡¯tool,¡¯ I wouldn¡¯t choose someone as troublesome as you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, is that a compliment¡­ or an insult?¡±


    Cai Bing looked up from her phone screen, asking casually.


    ¡°Both.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi sipped his lemonade, lifting his clear eyes from the glass, smiling at her.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ so what do your family say about you, I¡¯m quite curious,¡± Cai Bing asked.


    ¡°Uh¡­ neurotic, bad-tempered, poor memory, panda stealer?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi listed some examples while helplessly curling up the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°Panda stealer?¡±


    ¡°Rumor from school, someone said I stole a panda named Kafu; isn¡¯t that ludicrous?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi said, shrugging his shoulders with a self-deprecating tone. Experience new stories on


    ¡°Quite charming, if you really told me you had stolen a panda, I¡¯d start looking at you differently,¡± Cai Bing paused, ¡°Though for people to believe such a rumor, you must have been quite the oddball in school.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi sighed, ¡°How could I¡­ I¡¯m just a regular person, I can¡¯t do such things.¡±

 Chapter 217 - 217 - 150: The Scammers’ Date Time_2

    Chapter 217 ¨C 150: The Scammers¡¯ Date Time_2


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you for now¡­ but your family¡¯s not wrong about you being neurotic.¡±


    After speaking, Cai Bing sipped her lemonade, when suddenly a chat panel popped up in her eyes.


    [Paranoia: I get it, is drinking water a hint, are you suggesting we ¡°take action?¡±]


    [Cai Bing: Screw off, I¡¯ve already cleaned up your mess, why haven¡¯t you scrammed yet? Want to die here?]


    [Paranoia: Heh, according to the great Paranoid Detective¡¯s observation, hacker girl, you have a high likelihood of rebellion¡­ You¡¯re even in cahoots with someone from the Management Bureau, and so close at that.]


    [Paranoia: Wait till I, the Dog-headed Strategist, return and I¡¯ll report this¡­ Sorry, hacker girl, but you¡¯re done for. Lord Paranoid must be ruthlessly just.]


    [Cai Bing: Idiot, there¡¯s no point talking to you.]


    ...


    By the time Cai Bing regained her composure, another private chat panel had popped up.


    [Failed Man: Hacker girl, I don¡¯t have Paranoia as a friend, can you use the panel to tell Paranoia to add Gastella as a friend? I need to confirm if the person sitting here is her or if it¡¯s a puppet she¡¯s controlling.]


    [Cai Bing: Oh.]


    Sighing at his words, Cai Bing sent a message to Paranoia.


    [Cai Bing: Spider Man wants you to add Gastella as a friend, the woman sitting opposite him, hurry up.]


    [Paranoia: I can¡¯t send a friend request, it says the distance is too far, should I move closer?]


    [Cai Bing: No, you¡¯re close enough, that means she¡¯s a fake.]


    [Paranoia: Come to think of it¡­ I also can¡¯t add Spider Man as a friend, why is that?]


    [Cai Bing: Normal, he¡¯s fake too.]


    [Paranoia: Oh my god, so those two fakes are sitting there chatting?]


    [Cai Bing: Right, one is controlling a normal person with a psychic-type Skill, while the other created a puppet. Quite a matched pair, don¡¯t you think?]


    [Paranoia: Lord Paranoia feels hurt. So Spider Man has always been interacting with Lord Paranoia with a fake; Lord Paranoia¡¯s defenses are down; Lord Paranoia wants to commit suicide.]


    [Cai Bing: Roll over, he also interacts with us using a fake, only you make a big fuss about it.]


    [Paranoia: Lord Paranoia feels ostracized, Lord Paranoia is going dark.] S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Paranoia: Loneliness¡­ is a cold void, and I¡­ have already been peerless in the world.]


    [Cai Bing: Ridiculous.]


    [Paranoia: Lord Paranoia departs¡­ No need to miss me, loneliness is the destiny of a king.]


    After sending that message, Paranoia stood up expressionlessly, walked away from the outdoor caf¨¦, leaving behind a desolate and sad silhouette.


    Before leaving, Paranoia took a deep look at Ke Mingye, a trace of an almost imperceptible bitter smile crossing his lips, as if savoring the taste of betrayal. It seemed¡­ he was basking in his own tragic hero persona.


    Seeing that the walking time bomb had finally left, Cai Bing let out a sigh of relief and sent a message to Ke Mingye.


    [Cai Bing: Confirmed, the person sitting opposite you isn¡¯t Gastella.]


    [Failed Man: Figured as much.]


    [Failed Man: So what exactly do you want? You wouldn¡¯t be here just to date my brother, right, with love muddling your brain.]


    [Cai Bing: I want to see if I can find a way to hack the Management Bureau¡¯s database through him. The Anomaly Control Bureau¡¯s database is much more crucial than the national ones, containing records of ninety percent of superhuman criminals, superheroes, Bureau enforcers¡­ and even information on the internal structure of Azkaban Prison, along with those top-tier superhuman convicts detained in Azkaban.]


    [Cai Bing: Therefore, if we really can hack into the Management Bureau¡¯s internals, it would provide tremendous convenience for our future actions and also help us prepare for the raid on Azkaban Prison in ten months, so we won¡¯t blindly rush in then.]


    [Failed Man: No, bro, that sounds way too dangerous.]


    [Cai Bing: Fortune favors the bold.]


    [Failed Man: Just don¡¯t be bold to the point of sacrificing our teammates¡¯ lives; that would be a loss too great to afford.]


    The camera shifts back to Ke Mingye.


    Gastella fell silent for a moment, seemingly observing Ke Yinzhi from the corner of her eye. After a short while, she turned her attention to the Deception Puppet, leaning in slightly and whispering.


    ¡°It seems our luck is terrible, to encounter such a formidable figure just by coming out to meet, and one from the Management Bureau at that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ our luck is terrible.¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed, thinking to himself that if this was just bad luck, then his own luck must be rotten to the heavens. What was he to do if his whole family was made up of big shots of this caliber?


    Without hesitation, Gastella said, ¡°You must be the ¡¯Failed Man¡¯ from the discussion group, right?¡±


    Ke Mingye nodded calmly, responding, ¡°Yes, they all call me Spider Man.¡±


    Gastella held her glass of lemon water with both hands, looking up intently at him, ¡°Okay, Spider Man.¡±


    ¡°This body isn¡¯t yours,¡± Ke Mingye stated bluntly, ¡°I sent you a friend request but got no response, which indicates that your real body isn¡¯t nearby.¡±


    At this, a hint of surprise showed in Gastella¡¯s eyes.


    She extended her fair hand to prop up her chin, corners of her mouth curling slightly, ¡°Then let me be clear¡­ This body indeed isn¡¯t mine, it belongs to a passerby. I¡¯ve controlled her body with a Skill to meet with you.¡±


    Explore new worlds at


    ¡°Why?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    ¡°Simple, I don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t trust us, why meet at all? What do you want from us?¡±


    Gastella replied, ¡°Simple, it¡¯s because according to the clues I received from a prophecy, there¡¯s a player hiding beside the white-haired vampire I¡¯m looking for.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye was taken aback and murmured softly.


    ¡°A player?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, a player. But I¡¯m not sure who this player is, I only know he has a vampire with him, and they are part of one family,¡± Gastella continued calmly.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that in the family background of this player, one of his family members is a vampire?¡±


    Ke Mingye paused for two seconds, his voice tinged with surprise.


    Gastella asked, ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s more or less what I mean. And that vampire is quite strong, probably at least a B-grade in terms of power¡­ With that said, do you have any idea who it could be?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye pretended to ponder for a moment, then said, ¡°If you insist on putting it that way¡­ I believe out of all the players we¡¯re in contact with, there¡¯s one whose movements are highly suspicious.¡±


    He paused, adding very seriously, ¡°This player never interacts with other players. He doesn¡¯t even add other players as friends¡­ and up to this point, we haven¡¯t been able to figure him out. If there¡¯s anyone who might be hiding their family circumstances, it could only be him.¡±


    Gastella raised an eyebrow at these words, ¡°Who? The paranoid from earlier?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Ke Mingye shook his head, stating gravely, ¡°The ID of this player¡­ is called ¡¯Fan Quan.¡¯


    As he spoke, he lifted his gaze to meet Gastella¡¯s eyes, ¡°I believe Fan Quan is very likely the player you¡¯re looking for; and the white-haired vampire you¡¯re after is probably hiding in his home.¡±


    Gastella and the Deception Puppet exchanged looks for a while before she lowered her gaze pensively, saying slowly.


    ¡°Fan Quan, huh¡­¡±


    She silently noted this ID in her mind, lifting her head again, ¡°Understood, for now I will ascertain this player¡¯s background. Well then, thank you for your cooperation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, I¡¯m willing to cooperate with you, just because I want to clear up Fan Quan¡¯s backstory too. Besides, I hope one day you can talk to me with your real body¡­ and not with a puppet.¡±


    Speaking, Ke Mingye grabbed a glass of lemon water passed to him by the waiter, raised his cup, and took a light sip.


    ¡°Of course, I also hope you haven¡¯t lied to me,¡± Gastella smiled, ¡°After all, we¡¯re both players. Our stances should be aligned. Saving each other¡¯s lives shouldn¡¯t be so hard, right?¡±


    ¡°On that point, the feeling is mutual,¡± Ke Mingye said.

 Chapter 218 - 218 - 151: The Last Heart

    Chapter 218 ¨C 151: The Last Heart


    [Failed Man: Scholar, I suggest you¡¯d better not come and meet with us for a while.]


    [Fan Quan: Why?]


    [Failed Man: Gastella used an item and learned that the vampire he¡¯s looking for has a player with him, and he wants that player to guide him.]


    [Fan Quan: Isn¡¯t that you, what does it have to do with me?]


    [Failed Man: It is me, but I don¡¯t trust him, so I let you take the heat first.]


    [Fan Quan: Ha, you really know how to get me involved.]


    Ke Mingye was reminding Fan Quan through the mental chat panel when he was interrupted by Gastella¡¯s voice.


    ...


    ¡°What does that ¡¯Fan Quan¡¯ look like?¡±


    He replied offhandedly, ¡°Wears glasses, has the appearance of a smart person, likes to wear black trench coats, sometimes wearing a Lustig¡¯s hat.¡±


    ¡°Noted, next time I meet him, I¡¯ll try to confirm his background,¡± Gastella said, then suddenly switched topics, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not ruling out that you¡¯re lying to me, and you are actually that ¡¯player¡¯ who is hiding a vampire at home.¡±


    Her voice had a hint of childishness, and her gaze seemed to pierce through one¡¯s soul.


    However, Ke Mingye remained expressionless. He remained silent for a while and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about who that player is, let¡¯s discuss more important issues.¡±


    ¡°Go on,¡± Gastella said.


    ¡°First, why are you looking for a vampire, and what exactly is this ¡¯prophecy¡¯ you mentioned; why do you know there is a white-haired vampire in this city?¡±


    ¡°Asking two questions at once isn¡¯t very polite, so I¡¯ll start with the first one.¡±


    Gastella clasped her hands together, resting them on her chin, and slowly said, ¡°The reason I¡¯m looking for a vampire is to save myself.¡±


    ¡°To save yourself,¡± Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, puzzled, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Gastella continued, ¡°Since the moment I crossed over, my body has been marked with a ¡¯Blood Clan brand.¡¯


    ¡°What is a Blood Clan brand?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something a vampire left on me many years ago. It didn¡¯t kill me, but instead left this brand on me. Each month thereafter, this brand would periodically extract fresh blood from my body to transmit to that vampire, and it might only stop extracting my blood when I die.¡±


    Speaking, Gastella paused for a while: ¡°To sum it up, this body has been marked with a Blood Clan brand by that nameless vampire from when I was three years old, and it has been thirteen years now.¡±


    She rested her chin on her hand, her tone indifferent, ¡°In my memory, every year this body has been continuously supplying fresh blood to the owner of the brand. To it, I am like an automatic blood drinking machine. No matter where it is, how far from me, it can draw a mouthful of fresh blood from me each month.¡±


    ¡°Although you may see it as ¡¯not belonging to my memories¡¯, the recollection is still painful, and my body retains the marks of being tormented over the years.¡±


    Ke Mingye remained silent, quietly waiting for her to explain the whole story.


    ¡°Then, just half a month ago, the Blood Clan hunters killed that nameless vampire ¡­ but even so, the brand on my body has not disappeared and the power of the brand is getting stronger day by day.¡±


    Gastella lowered her eyes, her tone calm. Your next read awaits at


    ¡°If I don¡¯t find a way to remove the brand, it¡¯s very likely that I will be drained of blood by the brand within a month, and die inexplicably.¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye slowly started, ¡°Then, what is the connection between this white-haired vampire you are seeking and the brand on you?¡±


    Gastella answered, ¡°Half a month ago, I found a notebook in the Blood Clan¡¯s main base. The notebook said to lift the Blood Clan brand on me, I must collect the hearts of three different types of vampire.¡±


    ¡°And now we already have the hearts of two types of vampires, only the last one is missing, and it is the most important and rarest one.¡±


    She paused, then emphasized, ¡°The last heart must come from a white-haired vampire¡ªthe rarest kind within the Blood Clan, numbering very few, and there might even be only one left in the whole world. But we can¡¯t locate her at the moment because there¡¯s no tracking method for this type of vampire.¡±


    She needed a heart?


    If what this player named ¡°Gastella¡± said was true, without Bai Ziling¡¯s heart, she would die¡ªno wonder she seemed so determined.


    Without a heart, even a vampire can¡¯t be reborn, right? If Bai Ziling¡¯s heart were taken by a Hunter from the Blood Clan, then she would definitely die.


    Ke Mingye hung his head low, thinking, and asked, ¡°Then how did you confirm that this white-haired vampire is in this city?¡±


    ¡°The Hunters gave me a book, which the system classifies as a near A-grade item. Its effect is that once a month, it can be used to prophesy about a specific thing. I used the ability of this book to prophesy the whereabouts and movements of that white-haired vampire.¡±


    As he spoke, Gastella slightly lifted his gaze to meet the eyes of the Deception Puppet.


    ¡°And according to the images provided by the book, that white-haired vampire is hiding in this city; and the prophecy also told me that there¡¯s a player by the vampire¡¯s side, which clearly pointed out the clue¡ªI need to find that player, have him lead me to the vampire, and trick her out to take her heart.¡±


    Ke Mingye pondered for a moment.


    ¡°I see, so without this heart, you really would die?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Gastella said calmly, ¡°Believe it or not.¡±


    She lowered her voice and continued.


    ¡°In any case, based on what I know, not just the ¡¯Fan Quan¡¯ you mentioned, any player in this city could be the person I am looking for, and in fact¡­ that person could be you.¡±


    At the end, Gastella¡¯s eyes steadily focused on Ke Mingye, observing his expression. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Deception Puppet¡¯s expression remained calm as he said, ¡°I still can¡¯t fully trust you, especially since you met us using a puppet; what if you have been threatened by the officials to lure us players into a trap?¡±


    ¡°What will it take for you to trust me?¡±


    ¡°Let me meet you in person, as well as those Hunters behind you,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Very sure.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s meet another day.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t quite understand what benefit there is for us in helping you,¡± Ke Mingye asked, ¡°Will you get the Hunters around you to work with us to eradicate the Superhumans? Rather, aren¡¯t these Hunters themselves Superhumans?¡±


    ¡°Well then, first, I¡¯ll pose a question.¡±


    ¡°Which question?¡±


    ¡°How can you be sure that the player who has a vampire at home will not possibly betray you?¡±


    Gastella paused briefly, then spoke calmly, ¡°Moreover, he has been hidden among you for a long time without telling you that he has a Superhuman type at home¡­ isn¡¯t it exactly likely that he has a compassionate heart, trying to protect his family from being discovered by you players?¡±


    After speaking, she slightly lowered her tone: ¡°Let¡¯s work together to expose him; it¡¯s beneficial for both of us.¡±


    Ke Mingye hung his head, silencing himself for a while, then spoke calmly, ¡°From what I know, based on my familiarity with these players¡­ whoever the player you are talking about is, he shouldn¡¯t attack his companions over feelings and memories that do not belong to him.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Gastella sighed. ¡°Human nature is very complex¡­ having a Superhuman at home, memories of being accompanied by this Superhuman day and night¡­ do you think he could really distinguish clearly, when other players want to harm his family, whether he can firmly maintain his stance?¡±


    She sipped her lemonade, then asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think such a person sounds dangerous?¡±

 Chapter 219 - 219 - 152 Strange Thing: Help Me Kill a Person, His Name is Blue Owl

    Chapter 219 ¨C 152 Strange Thing: Help Me Kill a Person, His Name is Blue Owl


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said this much, I hope you can understand how dangerous that player really is.¡±


    Having said that, Gastella lifted his eyes from the glass and silently stared into the eyes of the Deception Puppet.


    Ke Mingye fell silent for a moment before speaking, ¡°Your theory is quite amusing. The memory is fake, the identity is also fake, so why would this player betray teammates who stand on the same side as him for his fake family?¡±


    He paused, then continued.


    ¡°Moreover, if the Superhuman isn¡¯t completely killed, he himself will die. That vampire is also considered as a Superhuman, it¡¯s not likely he would harbor feelings for a Superhuman, right?¡±


    Gastella lowered his eyelids, gently caressing the glass in his hand, with a mocking smile, ¡°Such things are uncertain, as long as it¡¯s a human, they might make different choices under various circumstances and factors.¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s only a ¡¯possibility¡¯, there¡¯s no need for you to speculate wildly, the world is full of possibilities.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Then tell me, even if there¡¯s just a one in ten thousand chance, in the end, after all your hard work, you¡¯re sabotaged by a despicable person, leading to total loss,wouldn¡¯t you be annoyed then?¡±


    ¡°How could he alone stop the other more than ninety players?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s under the premise of a frontal battle.¡± Gastella said sarcastically, ¡°Think of it in other terms, he¡¯s hidden among you, holding your complete trust, sharing all your intelligence. Just by tweaking a little something at a critical moment, he could sell all of you out. Leaving you dead without a place to be buried.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye fell silent for a while, then controlled the Deception Puppet to speak, ¡°In any case, since you¡¯ve said so much, I will do my best to cooperate with you to find this player.¡±


    He paused, ¡°No need to thank me, I¡¯m doing this also as a consideration for my own safety, it would be really troublesome if I truly got backstabbed by a teammate.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really good that you understand this so quickly, Mr. Spider Man. I hope we can expose this player sooner rather than later, to prevent future troubles.¡±


    Gastella spoke slowly, cupping his face in his hands, a smile appearing.


    ¡°Since we can¡¯t add each other as friends, let¡¯s leave a separate contact method, a cellphone number will do.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While saying this, Ke Mingye reached into the pocket of his sports shorts, pretending to pull out a cellphone with his body movements.


    At the same time, he took out the Anchor Sunglasses from his bag and held them in the palm of his right hand, quickly pressing the button above the Anchor Sunglasses.


    [Within a range of eight meters centered on you, there are total of: Cai Bing (player), He Jiali, Ma Haoping, Zheng Jiajie. On whom would you like to set the anchor?]


    Ke Mingye glanced sideways, Ke Yinzhi happened to be sitting outside the eight-meter range, so he wasn¡¯t listed in the characters identified by the sunglasses;


    And at the table to his northwest sat two men, so selecting from the masculine names, they must be ¡°Ma Haoping¡± and ¡°Zheng Jiajie¡± on the list;


    Thus, excluding Cai Bing, Ma Haoping, Zheng Jiajie, He Jiali must be the name of the young woman controlled by Gastella.


    ¡°He Jiali.¡±


    Ke Mingye responded inwardly.


    [An anchor has been set on ¡°He Jiali.¡± Next, just wear the sunglasses and press the button on the rim again to obtain the coordinates of this person.]


    As the system notification fell on his ear, Ke Mingye put the Anchor Sunglasses back into the bag with the Deception Puppet¡¯s hand.


    Subsequently, he released a second Deception Puppet from the windowsill of his room at home, equipping it with the Anchor Sunglasses, a web shooter, and a night belt in preparation for the following tracking work.


    As for the results of this tracking, if seen in a positive light, it might catch Gastella¡¯s true body;


    If considered slightly less optimistically, at the very least, it could uncover the real story behind the puppet controlled by Gastella¡¯s psychic Skill and how she would be dealt with.


    At this moment, in the open-air caf¨¦,


    Stay updated with


    the Deception Puppet took out a spare mobile phone, slowly reporting a backup mobile number to Gastella.


    Usually, when he had nothing else to do, he would stash the spare phone into Xiaohongmao¡¯s Magic Book, effectively locking it in a Different Space, thus he didn¡¯t worry about being tracked by the phone number.


    Upon hearing this, Gastella knew that Ke Mingye didn¡¯t give himself any room for refusal, so he also reported a series of mobile numbers slowly.


    Ke Mingye quietly noted down the number, writing it in the memo on his own phone.


    He was sure that this number was probably that of one of the puppets she controlled, and not Gastella¡¯s own¡ªsince she also knew that it would be troublesome if the phone was located.


    ¡°How long will you stay here?¡±


    ¡°Until I get that heart, I have only about a month¡¯s time. If I don¡¯t get that heart, I¡¯m dead.¡± Gastella smirked, ¡°I guess only one player will think this is good news.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that person who hides a white-haired vampire at home.¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°I will keep your situation secret for now and try not to startle the snake until we find that person.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Gastella put down the glass, ¡°So, that¡¯s it for now, goodbye.¡± Having said this, she stood up from the table and walked away from the open-air caf¨¦.

 Chapter 220 - 220 - 152 Strange Thing: Help Me Kill Someone, His Name is Blue Owl_2

    Chapter 220 ¨C 152 Strange Thing: Help Me Kill Someone, His Name is Blue Owl_2


    Ke Mingye witnessed her departure, seemingly sitting still, but in fact, he was quickly manipulating a second Deception Puppet to move, pressing the button on the frame of his sunglasses.


    The next moment, ¡°He Jiali¡±¡¯s location appeared on the map.


    She didn¡¯t walk very fast, circling around several alleys before stopping at a corner of Yandai Commercial Street No.5.


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    This corner used to be for selling tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and engaging in some illegal erotic transactions, but now, with the city management¡¯s sweep, the place had emptied, leaving only a mess behind.


    The Spider Man used a web shooter to traverse the city¡¯s skyline, finally stopping above the eaves of an abandoned tavern, looking down at this damp and cramped corner.


    He Jiali was seen leaning against the wall, eyes closed in thought, as if waiting for someone. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Not long after, a family of three approached slowly: parents with a child, who seemed to be looking for a public restroom, having just asked for its location from a passerby.


    ¡°Would there be a toilet in this kind of place?¡± the father muttered.


    ¡°Dad, was that person just now lying to us?¡± the child said.


    ¡°If there isn¡¯t one, we¡¯ll just leave,¡± the mother said.


    As the three of them spoke, Gastella made He Jiali move, stopping slowly in front of them.


    The next moment, He Jiali suddenly clutched her stomach and, with a fierce expression, spat out three slippery, dark worms from her mouth.


    Then, the three worms twitched on the filthy ground for a while, like goldfish floundering on the surface of the water, and then, with a speed beyond belief, began to crawl toward the stunned family, entering their pant legs, climbing up their legs, going over their abdomens, chests, necks, and finally moving to their lips.


    No matter how timely their reactions or intense their resistance, the worms still pried open their tightly closed mouths, slipped inside, and then slid down their throats into their bodies.


    Consequently, the family of three each swallowed a black worm, emitting nauseating, slippery noises from their throats.


    He Jiali tilted her head, quietly watching them.


    Their eyes gradually became lifeless, standing still like puppets with their strings cut, awaiting instructions from He Jiali.


    He Jiali ordered the worms inside them, ¡°Go out, and then temporarily give them back control of their bodies.¡±


    As her voice fell, the three of them turned around slowly and walked out of the eerily silent corner like zombies, entering the noisy street, their eyes then regaining their original sparkle.


    They stood still, looking at each other with confused and blank expressions on their faces.


    ¡°What happened to us just now?¡± the father asked hoarsely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the child shook his head.


    ¡°We seemed to be looking for a public restroom, right?¡± the mother said vaguely.


    Ke Mingye observed this scene through the eyes of the strange thing, pondering in his mind.


    ¡°A skill that controls others with worms, it¡¯s also unclear whether these worms are limited or unlimited in number.¡±


    ¡°But at least from the number of participants in that parade, Gastella can proliferate at least a hundred worms, otherwise, he would not be able to control so many pedestrians.¡±


    ¡°If these worms can keep multiplying, that would be too exaggerated¡­ Gastella could use this skill to incite a large-scale riot in Huanjing.¡±


    Thinking this, the strange thing released the web, dropping down from the eaves of the abandoned tavern, and set foot in the alley.


    He Jiali heard the noise and slowly turned her head.


    At the same time, Gastella, through He Jiali¡¯s vision, saw the figure of the strange thing, and his pupils revealed the information panel of this character.


    [Character Code: Dice Monster/Strange Thing]


    [Danger Level: D¨C]


    [Character Introduction: An obscure minor villain who seems to have a superpower triggered by dice.]


    A superhuman without a name?


    Gastella looked at the text on the panel, feeling somewhat astonished, then used the worms to control He Jiali¡¯s body to speak, ¡°Are you¡­ the Dice Monster?¡±


    The strange thing crossed his arms with a provocative, smug tone.


    ¡°I thought you hadn¡¯t even heard my name, but no¡­ I am the most famous super villain in Huanjing at the moment, Mr. Dice¡ªthe strange thing.¡±


    Gastella asked, ¡°What do you want with me? You can¡¯t possibly be looking for the original owner of this body, can you? If that¡¯s the case, I could let her out to have a chat with you.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The strange thing shook its head, its mouth dripping with sarcasm, ¡°It is you that I am looking for, you despicable little man who likes to control other people¡¯s bodies, yet hides in the background.¡±


    Gastella said with a smile, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you the same?¡±


    She paused, ¡°In my memory, you¡¯ve died many times, yet you always revive, which proves that you are not a real person but something akin to a mechanical being or a puppet.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s skip the nonsense.¡± The strange thing said bluntly, ¡°Let¡¯s talk business.¡±


    ¡°What business?¡±


    The strange thing lowered its face, its hollow eyes staring at Gastella, slowly said, ¡°This city is my territory, and I want you to get out.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s too bad, I have reasons to stay here,¡± replied Gastella.


    ¡°I know. The strange thing knows everything. You are looking for a ¡¯player who has a vampire hidden at home¡¯, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Gastella raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, asking, ¡°Oh, from that, it seems you are acquainted with the one called Spider Man, did he tell you about it?¡±


    She thought, since the Dice Monster¡¯s body displayed a superhuman panel, it couldn¡¯t possibly be a player, after all, players don¡¯t have panels floating above their heads¡­


    Thus, the only way Dice Monster could know about it must be through news from Spider Man.


    Gastella didn¡¯t expect that right after she left the outdoor caf¨¦, Spider Man had passed on the information she provided to such a dubious villainous character.


    Too strange.


    ¡°No, no, no, Mr. Strange Thing has no position, and I¡¯d rather not be associated with ¡¯players¡¯, that low-end thing. I know about this because I know everything about this city.¡±


    The strange thing paused, changed the topic, ¡°I can help you find that player, as long as you meet my demands.¡±


    As it spoke, it suddenly turned its head to see a group of office workers with hollow eyes and fierce faces, slowly pouring into the alley and surrounding him¡ªthese people must be Gastella¡¯s puppets.


    Gastella sneered, ¡°You say you¡¯ll help me find that player, but wouldn¡¯t it be faster just to capture you? Do you think I¡¯m that easily fooled?¡±


    The strange thing remained calm, its tone mocking, ¡°Let¡¯s just say, capturing me won¡¯t do you any good, and you can¡¯t capture me.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, it seems that even Qing Ya couldn¡¯t capture you, let alone me.¡±


    Gastella said this but still didn¡¯t stop those puppets controlled by insects from entering the alley, seemingly deliberately putting pressure on the strange thing.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The strange thing grinned, ¡°But if you do one thing for me, I will tell you where that player is.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There is someone I really dislike¡­ their name is ¡¯blue owl¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Blue owl? Are you talking about that vigilante dressed like an owl?¡±


    Gastella muttered to herself, remembering that she had seen the blue owl yesterday morning, during the riot she orchestrated with a hundred people under her control throughout the city.


    At that moment, blue owl was mingling with a group of Magic Girls, and together, they had taken care of more than a hundred of Gastella¡¯s puppets.


    ¡°Yes, that damned red and blue owl, I wanted to be his friend, and he ignored me¡­ trampling my dignity underfoot,¡± said the strange thing with a sinister tone.


    The mass of people controlled by insects slowly approached from behind, and the ¡°tap tap¡± of their footsteps nearly drowned out its slender figure like a tide.


    ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡± asked Gastella.


    The sunlight pouring into the alley began to be obscured by the gathering crowd, infinitely stretching shadows cast over the whole alley like a sudden shift from day to night.


    And still, the strange thing stood unaffected in the shadow, slowly raising its hands, its voice hauntingly articulating.


    ¡°I want you¡­ to help me kill this individual called ¡¯blue owl¡¯ and then bring his head to me.¡±

 Chapter 221 - 221 - 153: The Black Judge’s Latest Mission

    Chapter 221 ¨C 153: The Black Judge¡¯s Latest Mission


    July 8th, 11:05 AM, Yandai Commercial Street, in a damp and cramped corner.


    The crowd on the street suddenly erupted, like a wave of corpses surging in through the narrow entrance, inching closer step by step to the back of the Dice Monster.


    However, the strange thing paid no regard to the ghastly scene behind it, focusing all its attention on Gastella, who stood directly in front.


    ¡°Have you thought it through?¡±


    It tilted its head, asking casually.


    Gastella replied deliberately, ¡°Instead of being so eager to have me do your bidding, how about you first tell me, who exactly are you?¡±


    The strange thing slowly said, ¡°A villain, motivated by interest.¡± Stay tuned to


    ...


    As it spoke, the brainwashed crowd behind it was about to grab onto its back, nearly touching it.


    ¡°That¡¯s utterly nonsensical,¡± Gastella remarked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll reiterate one last time,¡± the strange thing lowered its face, speaking slowly, ¡°Just bring me the head of the blue owl, and I¡¯ll tell you¡­ who the player you¡¯re looking for is.¡±


    As its words fell, its body gradually heated up and cracked open. From its orange-yellow body surface, now tinted red by the firelight, thousands of fine cracks emerged and spread to every organ.


    ¡°How childish, to take a life just because someone ignores you?¡±


    Gastella stared at it, speaking calmly and mockingly.


    ¡°Likewise, if you ignore me, I¡¯ll find someone else to eliminate you. After all, Mr. Strange Thing knows everything, so I know who you really are and where you¡¯re hiding.¡±


    The strange thing dropped its last words, and its figure suddenly burst open into a raging blaze, rising from the alleyway amidst jostling. An eerie laughter then echoed, reverberating through the alley.


    ¡°Truly, a strange thing indeed¡­¡±


    Gastella sighed.


    If this strange thing was a player, she could understand. But with a superhuman panel atop this strange thing¡¯s head, she was a bit bewildered.


    Could it be that this person is a Superpower User, whose superpower is omniscience and omnipotence?


    Or maybe¡­ it¡¯s collaborating with a player, and on considering this, it¡¯s very likely that the collaborating player is Spider Man.


    Next time I see him, I¡¯ll ask Spider Man about this Dice Monster to see if I can extract some information.


    Anyway, killing a mere super hero is quite simple, setting a trap will do the job¡­ when it¡¯s done, I¡¯ll kill the blue owl too, then see what the Dice Monster has to say?


    Gastella pondered, her chin propped up, then ordered the puppets in the alley to retreat. Following this, she activated the bugs inside He Jiali¡¯s body, allowing her to regain control over her body.


    He Jiali stood bewildered in the alley, her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the dirty ground.


    ¡°What¡­ exactly happened to me?¡± she murmured softly.


    ¡­


    ¡­..


    Meanwhile, across from Yandai Cinema City in an open-air cafe.


    Ke Mingye sat on a chair, sipping on matcha milk. Looking up, he could no longer see Ke Yinzhi and Cai Bing; they had left after finishing their coffee. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The most critical thing now is to find out Gastella¡¯s true form, and also, how strong those Blood Clan Hunters around her really are.¡±


    ¡°They came for Bai Ziling, which could easily disrupt my plans and completely mess up the situation I¡¯ve worked so hard to achieve. Perhaps¡­ my identity might even be exposed to my family, after all, Gastella won¡¯t care about my life or death.¡±


    ¡°I must figure out the background of these Blood Clan Hunters first and then stop them.¡±


    ¡°Moreover¡­ Gastella doesn¡¯t trust me, she thinks I might betray the players because of my family, so there¡¯s no need for me to collaborate with her.¡±


    As Ke Mingye contemplated, the spare cell phone in the Deception Puppet¡¯s hand suddenly rang. He raised an eyebrow, manipulating the puppet to look down, it was an unfamiliar number.


    So he answered the phone, placing it to his ear: ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Gastella.¡± A vigorous and robust male voice came through the phone, making one imagine a sweaty athlete.


    Ke Mingye shrugged, ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re using another new puppet to call me.¡±


    Gastella joked, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m using a male puppet this time, is it too unfamiliar for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not even clear if you are a man or a woman, what¡¯s there to be unaccustomed to?¡± Ke Mingye retorted.


    ¡°I just encountered that Dice Monster, the big name of your city.¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­ we¡¯ve all been harassed by that thing, you can ask Fan Quan and Cai Bing, basically every player in this city has been harassed by the Dice Monster.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m really curious, what exactly is it?¡± Gastella asked.


    ¡°Not sure.¡±


    ¡°Can I assume that you¡¯re working with it then since it knew my intentions?¡±


    ¡°No no no, it also knew my intentions.¡± Ke Mingye said expressionlessly, ¡°Based on the rumors I found online, the Dice Monster¡¯s ability seems to be reading others¡¯ minds.¡±


    Ke Mingye knew he could no longer hide this from the other players, so he sent a message to Fan Quan.


    [Failed Man: Help send a message to Qing Meng and Ju Zipi, and Paranoid, they should all know the Dice Monster is me by now, especially since I used a web shooter in public videos.]


    [Fan Quan: I¡¯ve already told Ju Zipi and Qing Meng, they¡¯re not that dumb, they¡¯re essentially helping you keep your identity; as for Paranoid, I don¡¯t get along with him, you¡¯ll have to find Cai Bing.]

 Chapter 222 - 222 - 153: The Black Judge’s Latest Mission_2

    Chapter 222 ¨C 153: The Black Judge¡¯s Latest Mission_2


    [Failed Man: Right, let¡¯s keep everything about Gastella a secret from them.]


    [Fan Quan: Understood, we all have doubts about this new player and won¡¯t trust him easily.]


    [Failed Man: I can confirm now, her skill is to create a kind of bug that burrows into other people¡¯s bodies to enslave them.]


    After typing this line, Ke Mingye sent a photo taken with the player¡¯s built-in eyeball camera. It showed the scene where three bugs were burrowing into the mouths of three ordinary people in that alley.


    [Fan Quan: Really appetizing.]


    [Failed Man: I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s really up to, but she can¡¯t coexist with me, that¡¯s for sure. If she wants to get my sister¡¯s heart, it¡¯s highly likely to indirectly expose my identity.]


    [Fan Quan: Let¡¯s take it one step at a time. Don¡¯t do anything rash for now, wait for me to come back.]


    ...


    Ke Mingye sighed, thinking to himself that it was inconvenient for their brainy strategist to be absent, having been dragged into his father¡¯s smuggling business.


    He opened the chat panel with Cai Bing and went into a long explanation about Gastella¡¯s bug skill, along with sending her a photo that was nightmare fuel.


    [Cai Bing: That¡¯s nasty, isn¡¯t it?]


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    [Cai Bing: Seriously, dude, I¡¯m on a date. Can you not send such gross pictures? Nearly threw up on your bro¡¯s face.]


    [Failed Man: It¡¯s fine, throw up on my brother¡¯s face a bit more, just say you¡¯ve got a bad stomach and let me mock him when he gets home.]


    [Failed Man: Wait, you¡¯re still on a date? I¡¯m nearly keeling over here, can¡¯t you be of any use? Can you dig up Gastella¡¯s real identity and that Hunter organization from the Blood Clan for me?]


    [Cai Bing: I¡¯ll have to wait until I get home for that, what¡¯s the rush?]


    [Failed Man: Anyway, quickly check the identity and information of this face, and then help me look at the surveillance to see when she was controlled by those bugs.]


    After typing this, Ke Mingye sent a photo of the face of ¡°He Jiali,¡± the ordinary person Gastella had controlled for their meeting.


    [Cai Bing: Got it, I¡¯ll check the cameras when I get back to see when she fell under Gastella¡¯s control.]


    [Failed Man: It shouldn¡¯t be too hard to find, Gastella¡¯s bugs were probably spreading from her at first, and only later did she use puppet-controlled bugs to spread them. Just keep tracking back the investigations, and eventually, we should find Gastella herself.]


    [Cai Bing: Easier said than done, I¡¯m the one who has to do it.]


    [Cai Bing: Anyway, no more chatting for now, your brother¡¯s hurrying me to get popcorn. Is he missing a few brain cells? Usually, it¡¯s the guy who gets these, right?]


    Ke Mingye held his forehead and sighed deeply, wondering why his teammates were so unreliable.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Half an hour later, Yandai Cinema City, Screening Room 5.


    Compared to the fully packed screenings in other rooms, Number 5 was practically empty, with only two figures present. They had specifically chosen a screening that wouldn¡¯t be disturbed, watching a re-released old movie ¡°A Brighter Summer Day.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi was drinking cola through a straw, his clear eyes reflecting the images on the big screen, looking quite absorbed;


    Cai Bing rested her hand on her chin, casually tossing popcorn into her mouth as she watched the movie, her slightly curled short hair draping over her shoulders.


    ¡°By the way, how old are you?¡± she broke the silence of the theater.


    ¡°21.¡±


    ¡°A year younger than me.¡± Cai Bing mused for a moment, then said indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s not too bad though, I can live with a younger boyfriend.¡±


    As she said this, she turned to glance at Ke Yinzhi¡¯s profile, ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ When it comes to people I¡¯m interested in, I only care about their character and actions, age doesn¡¯t really matter whether it¡¯s older or younger.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi paused then thought of the higher-ups of the Management Bureau, and he said mockingly, ¡°Some useless people stay useless no matter how old they get.¡±


    He already moderated his tone, but in reality, his resentment toward those old heads at the Bureau was much stronger than the words he¡¯d spoken.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Cai Bing glanced at the big screen, her voice casual, ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡±


    Just as Ke Yinzhi was about to say more, the pendant on his ear trembled slightly, emitting a faint electromagnetic sound, which made him halt his words.


    So, he shrugged helplessly and whispered to Cai Bing, ¡°Miss Song, I need to use the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cai Bing didn¡¯t lift his head as he replied, his calm gaze fixed on the cinema¡¯s massive screen.


    Ke Yinzhi rose from his seat, walked slowly out of the auditorium, and stopped at a blind spot in the audience passage where the cameras couldn¡¯t see.


    He raised his hand and lightly pressed a glossy black metal earring, prompting a holographic panel to pop up in front of him.


    [Welcome to the exclusive communication device for the Abnormal Regulation Bureau S-Level Enforcer, ¡°Black Judge,¡± sir.]


    [You have received an investigation mission from the Management Bureau¡¯s high level (code name ¡°GE3¡±). The following is an introductory video for the mission.]


    As the scarlet text faded, a video began to play on the projection panel: the sun-kissed Huanjing East Coast, where a woman lay on the beach, basking in the sun.


    Suddenly, a man in a swimsuit approached and opened his mouth to expel a dark worm. The worm wriggled and moved at high speed across the sand, then burrowed into the woman¡¯s mouth.


    Immediately, the woman rose blank-eyed and followed the man away from the beach, joining a marching troupe.


    They walked towards Hongge Commercial Street like zombies, chanting enigmatic slogans.


    With that, the video ended, and the projection screen went dark.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the news from yesterday morning?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi raised an eyebrow slightly, running his index finger over his philtrum as he thought.


    He had seen the news on TV yesterday morning; over a hundred brainwashed people caused havoc in Hongge Commercial Street, damaging public buildings and topping the day¡¯s trending topics on Weibo.


    He had thought the case would fall on Qing Ya¡¯s shoulders, not his own¡­ But in the end, the Management Bureau pushed this troublesome matter to him.


    ¡°Those old timers at the top still don¡¯t trust Qing Ya enough, to have me step in¡­¡±


    Ke Yinzhi leaned against the wall of the audience passage, tilting his head slightly and quietly complaining to himself.


    Next moment, with a ¡°pat pat¡± sound, scarlet text began to emerge on the projection panel. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Video analysis: The suspect behind the Hongge Commercial Street riot incident is the small parasite seen in the video. Its origin remains unclear; it¡¯s suspected to be the work of a superpower user, gamer, or mad scientist.]


    [The detailed content of the mission is to: Find the creator of the parasite, and the hidden mastermind who spread the parasite, capture them alive, and bring them back to the Management Bureau.]


    [The mission difficulty has been initially determined as: B-level]


    ¡°Getting a day off doesn¡¯t come easy, and now it¡¯s Ninjas and Dragons, and whatnot with these parasites. Maybe the heavens don¡¯t want me taking any breaks¡­¡±


    Ke Yinzhi muttered to himself, then something occurred to him, and his brow lifted.


    ¡°Oh right, why not leave this matter to Xiao Mo¡­ It¡¯s a good chance for him to repay his big brother for the help I gave while he still hasn¡¯t returned to tend to the Ninja Sect.¡±


    With that thought, he pressed the earring, shutting down the projection panel, then pulled out his phone from his coat pocket.


    He opened WeChat and sent Ke Xiaomo a few messages briefly outlining the details of the mission.


    [Ke Xiaomo: Perhaps I can help you.]


    [Ke Yinzhi: How so?]


    [Ke Xiaomo: Find that Dice Monster. I¡¯ll see if it can spill the beans about the mastermind behind this incident.]


    [Ke Yinzhi: Oh, the noble Sect Master of the Ninja Sect is going to work with such a thing?]


    [Ke Xiaomo: Didn¡¯t I tell you last night? My goal is just to follow the trail to understand the identity of the Dice Monster. There¡¯s no harm in making contact.]


    [Ke Yinzhi: Sure, although I believe you¡¯re capable enough on your own, I won¡¯t object if you can get something out of him.]


    [Ke Xiaomo: And you? You usually can¡¯t wait for anomalies to knock on your door every day. Why the sudden wilt today?]


    [Ke Yinzhi: Just felt like you had a point. I should occasionally embrace life as a regular person, lest our younger brother and sister accuse me of being too ¡¯insensitive¡¯ or ¡¯neurotic¡¯.]


    [Ke Xiaomo: Huh, so you¡¯re stripping me of my normal life, huh?]


    [Ke Yinzhi: Please, you are the Sect Master of the Ninja Sect. You¡¯ll be busy enough in the future, not missing out on anything by helping with this.]


    [Ke Xiaomo: Fine, fine, I¡¯ll take it on and see if I can dig something up.]


    [Ke Yinzhi: Thanks a lot.]


    After sending the last message, Ke Yinzhi closed his phone and slipped it back into his pocket. With a slight smirk forming on his lips, he stepped back towards Auditorium 5.

 Chapter 223 - 223 - 154: Blue Owl X Qi’an Cultist X Superhero Squad

    Chapter 223 ¨C 154: Blue Owl X Qi¡¯an Cultist X Superhero Squad


    ¡°`


    Late at night, Hongdeng Commercial District.


    Blue Owl sat on the railings of the observation deck of Huanjing Tower, his leather-clad fingers fiddling with a cellphone, the beak of his helmet extending downward.


    The red and blue of his battle suit was nearly dyed the same color as the night, yet it remained vivid and eye-catching, as if every angle shimmered with a dim halo.


    Shifting his gaze away from the cellphone, his eyes drooped behind the lenses as he overlooked the brightly lit Hongdeng Commercial District. The flow of traffic was like a dragon, and the streets were noisy with people¡¯s voices, intermingled with one or two clich¨¦d advertising slogans, enough to cause one¡¯s ears to form calluses.


    Gazing farther into the distance, the skyscraper symbolizing the Superhero Association stood out among the rest, proudly towering against the black canvas of the sky, like a giant holding a torch aloft.


    Embedded in the upper middle part of the tower was a huge blue and white logo ¡°SHA¡± (short for SuperHero Association), each letter shining brilliantly against the night sky, diffusing a futuristic glow from the fluorescent lights.


    ...


    At the very top, a searchlight projected the emblem of the Superhero Association into the night sky, appearing above the clouds, as if warning those criminals lurking in the darkness.


    Moments later, the hustle and bustle of the city was broken by a sudden commotion.


    Blue Owl raised his eyebrows and turned his head to look.


    In the distance, a church suddenly erupted into chaos, followed by flames that soared and devoured the dome of the church like a devil in a blink of an eye.


    Then, the wailing of police sirens reached his ears.


    A procession of police cars, flashing red and blue lights, raced through the streets. Fire engines followed slowly behind, with high-pressure water cannons at the ready.


    ¡°A church¡­ lately there seems to be a criminal specifically targeting churches, known as the ¡¯Qi¡¯an Cultist¡¯.¡±


    Blue Owl looked down at the church engulfed in flames, bowed his head slightly, and checked the wanted list on the Superhero Association¡¯s official website using his backup cellphone.


    As a result, the beak on his helmet poked the screen again, and even damaged the screen protector.


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    ¡°Ah, seriously fed up with this¡­ really want to chop this damn thing off, why did I dig this hole for myself in the past?¡±


    He sighed, tilting his head up slightly to avoid the same situation, while lightly touching the beak and murmuring his complaints.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, join in the excitement, might even bump into old man.¡±


    Thinking this, Blue Owl stowed away his backup cellphone and slid down the ladder on the tower¡¯s side, leaning forward fiercely about ten meters above the ground. With one step on the safety ladder, he descended toward the security room of a nearby park.


    Inside the security room, a guard dozing off at the table suddenly awoke, the light bulb overhead flickering on and off. He lifted his gaze from his arms just in time to see a red and blue figure landing at the park¡¯s entrance and darting towards the street.


    Then, like a cheetah, Blue Owl sprinted towards the church, cutting through the bustling city center.


    The passing flow of vehicles and the crowd merely served as a backdrop, accentuating his swift and ferocious figure.


    With such speed, it wasn¡¯t long before he arrived at the church.


    At this very moment, on the lawn outside the church, the police were engaged in a standoff with a muscular monster clad in Christian clerical clothing, covered in cross tattoos.


    Through his visor, Blue Owl looked at this monster, with an information panel popping up before his eyes.


    [Codename: Qi¡¯an Cultist]


    [Name: Attev Sar]


    [Danger Level: D++]


    [Profile: An apostate expelled from Christianity for wantonly using his superpowers to kill innocents in the name of the Lord, he is currently obsessed with seeking revenge on Christians around the world.]


    The policemen raised their handguns, remaining relatively calm as they pulled the triggers against the charging ¡°Qi¡¯an Cultist.¡± Bullets hurtled out of the chambers with great kinetic energy, firing at the Qi¡¯an Cultist.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Several gunshots tore through the night, bullets arriving on cue.


    Yet, the Qi¡¯an Cultist merely raised his right arm, and the cross tattoos on his body simultaneously radiated a holy glow.


    Swiftly, a Holy Cross of Light formed in front of him, acting as a shield that blocked all the bullets.


    He stepped forward on the lawn, his figure rocketing out like a cannonball towards the police.


    In the astonished and petrified gazes of the policemen, the Qi¡¯an Cultist lifted the giant Holy Cross of Light, smashing it down towards the head of the officer before him like wielding a hammer.


    If nothing unexpected happened, this strike would directly crush the officer¡¯s head, scattering brains and bones.


    But upon seeing this, Blue Owl quickly charged forward, activating ¡°Phase Transfer¡± to swap positions with the officer while his right hand donned a metal gauntlet.


    In that moment, the surface of the gauntlet erupted with fierce electrical arcs and roaring flames.


    Lightning and fire intertwining, a deep blue streak of light shot from the corner of his eye as his right fist smashed forward, meeting the Holy Cross of Light coming at him from above.


    Bang!


    A deafening explosion followed, with a sharp wind scraping past his cheek.


    Blue Owl¡¯s figure was knocked back two to three meters, his legs carving out a trench in the ground;


    The Qi¡¯an Cultist, on the other hand, was hurled five to six meters away, slightly tumbling onto the lawn.


    ¡°Superheroes¡­ superheroes, superheroes everywhere! It¡¯s because of you nosey bastards that my life is filled with trepidation.¡±


    The Qi¡¯an Cultist twisted his scowling brows, growling with a stern face.


    ¡°Oh, if you are a fan of mine, then you¡¯d know from my interviews that I¡¯m actually not a superhero yet. Aren¡¯t you a bit mistaken about me?¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 224 - 224 - 154: Blue Owl X Qi’an Cultist X Superhero Squad_2

    Chapter 224 ¨C 154: Blue Owl X Qi¡¯an Cultist X Superhero Squad_2


    Blue Owl slowly straightened up, responding calmly in English.


    ¡°Why are you obstructing me? I am merely retaliating against those who betrayed me.¡±


    Blue Owl spread his hands and said sarcastically, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m protecting you. If you had encountered a large crow, your fate would have been much worse than coming across me.¡±


    ¡°Enough of your nonsense¡ª!¡±


    As his words fell, the Qi¡¯an Cultist fiercely swung the Holy Cross of Light from the lawn, chanting scriptures as he rushed towards Blue Owl like a martyr.


    Seeing this, Blue Owl slightly leaned forward, raising his right arm as if he were a matador, seemingly dragging an invisible red cape.


    Whoosh!


    ...


    As the Qi¡¯an Cultist charged, Blue Owl deftly sidestepped, avoiding the strike of the cross.


    The Holy Cross, glowing with sacred light, brushed past Blue Owl¡¯s figure. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the Qi¡¯an Cultist, quick and agile, spun around accumulating momentum. He gripped the Holy Cross with both hands and, like an axe, whipped up a roaring wind that spiraled towards Blue Owl¡¯s silhouette.


    Blue Owl slightly narrowed his eyes and while stepping back, raised his right elbow to block the middle of the cross and lifted his left hand to grasp the edge of the cross¡¯s top end.


    Using this stance, he exerted a covert force from both the middle and top sections, spreading the mighty force applied on the cross.


    Yet, his figure was still sent flying.


    Crack!


    Blue Owl¡¯s elbow twisted slightly under the immense pressure, and bones fractured.


    The red and blue figure tumbled several times on the lawn, finally flipping in mid-air, grabbing the grass to stop his momentum, with his legs dragging through the soil, furrowing muddy trenches.


    The rising flames from the church cast light upon his figure and the disheveled lawn.


    At that moment, taking advantage of the gap in the battle between Blue Owl and the Qi¡¯an Cultist, firefighters poured from their truck, lifting high-pressure hoses to shoot water at the church.


    On the lawn, as Blue Owl was just getting up, the Qi¡¯an Cultist chased after him like a mad dog.


    He closed the distance and swung the Holy Cross down at Blue Owl.


    Blue Owl was forced to retreat step by step, constantly dodging the relentless attacks from the Qi¡¯an Cultist, nearly erasing all the green from the lawn with his feet.


    If he found himself unable to dodge, he would lift his hands to gently resist the Qi¡¯an Cultist¡¯s offensive, distributing the force from the cross between his fingers and palms.


    A counterattack was impossible; he could only barely block the power of the cross, then his body was knocked back several meters.


    To tell the truth, if it were the player ¡°Failed Man,¡± beating this Superpower User would have been a breeze.


    But he was just Blue Owl: a fledgling superhero, who, for the sake of maintaining his image, had to take some hits. Moreover, there were many equipments and abilities he couldn¡¯t use, ultimately he could only bring out forty to fifty percent of his strength.


    Although Blue Owl was continuously taking hits, he was still managing effortlessly.


    This had a reason: during the battle, he looked up and suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure on the church¡¯s spire using his peripheral vision.


    The figure was shrouded in a pitch-black cloak, the beak elongated like a blade, the deep, narrow eyes seemed to penetrate the night.


    The dark figure was tinted red by the church¡¯s flames, the scorching breeze blowing through the flames rustled the cloak. Yet, he stood still on the spire like a demonic statue.


    Blue Owl didn¡¯t understand why Qing Ya wouldn¡¯t intervene, perhaps he was testing his strength.


    To be honest, it was quite embarrassing to be seen getting beaten up by Qing Ya, but there was nothing he could do about it, he had to pretend to be unaware.


    In the terrifying straight-standing crow¡¯s view, his fight with the Qi¡¯an Cultist probably looked like two kindergarten kids tussling and shoving each other on the playground, always ready to step in and stop it.


    ¡°Heh, my dad is supervising the battle here; if you dare, hit me harder, and try to take off my mask,¡± Blue Owl thought to himself as he swiftly rolled on the grass, dodging the Qi¡¯an Cultist¡¯s assault, then sprinted toward the church.


    Fighting wasn¡¯t his strong suit, running was.


    The police, seeing him and the Qi¡¯an Cultist so close together, never dared to pull the trigger, lest they accidentally hurt this young man who had just saved them.


    But at that moment, suddenly, clusters of bird feathers shot from the night sky like a storm of pear blossoms targeting the Qi¡¯an Cultist, pinning him down on the lawn.


    The silver-white feathers, as sharp and sturdy as blades, pierced deeply into the ground, even slightly disturbing the Holy Cross that the Qi¡¯an Cultist protected himself with.


    For a moment, Blue Owl couldn¡¯t see clearly and thought they were bullets. Only after the feathers stuck into the ground did he realize they were indeed feathers.


    ¡°Dad would use this move? Unlikely.¡±


    Blue Owl, hearing the noise, turned his head while thinking and lifted his gaze behind the lens toward the sky behind him.


    He saw a young man with a pair of giant eagle wings on his back hovering in the night sky. He had his arms crossed, wearing a silver Superhero uniform and a bird feather mask on his face.


    Indeed, those knife-like bird feathers were shot from his pair of wings.


    The firing rate was comparable to a submachine gun, and it was one with a significantly increased sweep range, at that.


    [Character Code: Platinum Wing]


    [Character Name: An Renchuan]


    [Strength Rating: D++ level]


    [Character Introduction: Once a young man with disabilities in both legs, he underwent a genetic mutation for unknown reasons two years ago, growing a huge pair of wings below his shoulder blades, thus becoming a mutant. Half a month ago, he joined the Superhero Association and became a member of the superheroes.]


    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡±


    This superhero, codenamed ¡°Platinum Wing,¡± while flapping his wings and shooting bird feathers at the Qi¡¯an Cultist, asked Blue Owl.


    ¡°Still alive.¡± Blue Owl observed the situation and asked, ¡°Are you alone?¡±


    Platinum Wing shook his head, ¡°No, I have two teammates.¡±


    At that moment, the Qi¡¯an Cultist¡¯s leg muscles bulged and he suddenly exerted force, roaring as he lifted the Holy Cross of Light amidst a flurry of bird feathers. He then swung his right arm and hurled the cross towards Platinum Wing in the sky.


    Clang, clang, clang¡ª!


    The swiftly spinning cross, like a giant boomerang, sliced through all the bird feathers and shot straight towards Platinum Wing.


    His expression remained calm, as he just hovered there with his arms crossed, seemingly indifferent.


    But then, in the next moment, a blue-green invisible force suddenly enveloped the Holy Cross of Light, stopping it mid-air.


    Blue Owl turned his head to look and saw a woman dressed in a nun¡¯s habit walking out from the church. She was holding a wailing child with one hand and with the other hand raised towards the Holy Cross of Light.


    Her eyes were full of blue-green light, showing that the telekinesis was her doing.


    [Character Code: Telekinetic Nun]


    [Character Name: Xia Jinlan]


    [Strength Rating: C level]


    [Character Introduction: A nun with telekinesis as her superpower, who received an invitation from the Superhero Association two months ago and thus became a superhero, though she often misses various missions.]


    The Qi¡¯an Cultist gasped for air heavily, tattoos on his body spreading out a fluctuating holy radiance. He tried to form another cross but was knocked to the ground on the grass by a figure that rushed from the darkness.


    Soon after, a high-speed spinning deep blue mechanical chainsaw pressed against the Qi¡¯an Cultist¡¯s neck, as if it could sever his lifeline at any moment.


    Blue Owl was stunned for half a second.


    Gazing intently, he saw that the chainsaw was attached to the right arm of the figure. The uninvited guest was wearing a biker jacket and had a scar running from the corner of his eye to his lip.


    He looked at the scene, eyebrows slightly raised in recognition, thinking that the device looked painfully familiar¡ªwasn¡¯t that the mechanical modification used by Lester, modifying his right hand into a chainsaw?


    [Character Code: Mechanical Vanguard¡ª Icarlott]


    [Character Name: Harrison Mills]


    [Strength Rating: C+ level]


    [Character Introduction:


    After the vigilante ¡°Blue Owl¡± defeated the mechanically modified person ¡°Lester,¡± the Management Bureau confiscated Lester and acquired the experimental data from his body.


    The next day, using a death row inmate ¡°Harrison¡± as a test subject, the bureau erased his memory, and through an improved experiment, turned him into a mechanically modified person, sending him to the Superhero Association under the name ¡°Mechanical Vanguard¡ªIcarlott¡± registered in hero records.


    Thus, Harrison appeared to participate in protecting the citizens as a superhero, but in reality, he was stationed internally at the Superhero Association as a spy for the Management Bureau.]


    ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    Blue Owl was stupefied, then tilted his head, the bird beak askew, thinking to himself.


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    ¡°What the heck are they doing at the Management Bureau, efficiency much? Have they already made a ¡¯tool hero¡¯ from the sample I caught?¡±

 Chapter 225 - 225 - 155: The Olive Branch from the Superhero Association

    Chapter 225 ¨C 155: The Olive Branch from the Superhero Association


    Looks like I¡¯ve run into a Superhero team?


    Blue Owl thought as he looked up and took in the three people who were approaching him.


    The superheroes¡¯ code names were ¡°Platinum Wing,¡± ¡°Telekinesis Nun,¡± and ¡°Mechanical Vanguard.¡± The naming was quite standardized, somewhat tacky, but easy to remember. Probably the work of some agency branding, tailored to follow internet trends.


    As for that Qi¡¯an Cultist who caused trouble in the church, he was knocked out by the superhero known as ¡°Mechanical Vanguard,¡± then handcuffed by the police and carried into a police car.


    ¡°Thank you for holding out for so long, or we¡¯d have had many more casualties by the time we got here.¡±


    Telekinesis Nun said as she put down the child she was holding and handed them over to the police.


    Platinum Wing decreased the vibration of his wings, descending slowly from mid-air and stepping onto the marble ground.


    ...


    As he walked toward Blue Owl, he said, ¡°Blue Owl, right? I¡¯ve seen you online. You¡¯ve been quite popular lately, didn¡¯t expect to meet you in person.¡±


    Blue Owl shrugged nonchalantly, ¡°Fame is but wind, didn¡¯t you see how that guy wielding the cross made me jump around?¡±


    Telekinesis Nun said, ¡°The police said that you got hit by that Qi¡¯an Cultist because you were protecting them, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have had the upper hand on you like that.¡±


    As she spoke, she turned to glance at the police officer standing by the car: ¡°The officer you saved just now said he wanted to thank you, he¡¯s right there.¡±


    She pursed her lips, signaling Blue Owl to look that way.


    Blue Owl turned his head, and the officer took off his cap to nod at him, his lips moving as if to say something. Blue Owl just waved dismissively and turned back to the three of them.


    When he turned around, he found himself eye to eye with Mechanical Vanguard, it was quite startling.


    Mechanical Vanguard had been silent the whole time, just standing quietly next to the Nun and bird man, his gaze fixed on Blue Owl with a cold, almost lifeless stare.


    Honestly, Blue Owl wasn¡¯t keen on this Lester 2.0 character, especially since the guy was a tool sent by the Anomaly Control Bureau to the Superhero Association. Being stared at like that only irked him more.


    ¡°Is he always like this?¡±


    Blue Owl pointed to Mechanical Vanguard and asked the other two in a low voice.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Platinum Wing laughed awkwardly, ¡°Actually, we just met him too, not very familiar.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s our teammate, we¡¯re a team.¡± Telekinesis Nun stated plainly, ¡°My code name is ¡¯Telekinesis Nun,¡¯ this bird man is ¡¯Platinum Wing,¡¯ and the other one is ¡¯Mechanical Vanguard.¡¯


    ¡°I told you not to call me bird man,¡± Platinum Wing sighed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it much better than Platinum Wing?¡±


    Blue Owl looked at the three of them and shrugged, muttering, ¡°All¡¯s good, team, although I think superheroes ought to fight solo.¡±


    Platinum Wing watched him, asking curiously, ¡°By the way, have you really not considered joining the Superhero Association? Our boss mentions you quite often.¡±


    ¡°Mention me?¡± Blue Owl raised an eyebrow. Experience tales at


    Platinum Wing nodded and smiled, ¡°He said your superpower is to swap places with a target and that it¡¯s very valuable in combat. If you joined the Superhero Association, he would do everything in his power to recruit you.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I don¡¯t know your boss, but I appreciate such a high opinion of me.¡±


    Blue Owl said, scratching his bird beak.


    Telekinesis Nun asked, ¡°Speaking of which, that ability to shoot fire from your fists, is it from your equipment, or is it your superpower?¡±


    Blue Owl found this question a bit tricky to answer.


    According to the superhuman course, there indeed are Superpower Users who possess multiple superpowers, and among Superpower Users, these anomalies are not uncommon.


    But if he claimed it was one of his superpowers, that meant ¡°Solar Fist¡± would have to occupy a slot in his skill set for a quite a long time.


    The skill set could only hold a maximum of 10 skills, and it was inevitable that he would have to replace such a low-tier skill eventually.


    Yet, if he claimed otherwise, saying the power of ¡°Solar Fist¡± came from his equipment, it would seem implausible for him to have such powerful gear, given that he was just a poor high school student.


    This was indeed a dilemma.


    After thinking about it for a moment, Blue Owl decided to claim it as a superpower, since that was still manageable: he could just keep Solar Fist in his skill set temporarily, and later on look for high-tier skills with similar characteristics and effects to replace it.


    Blue Owl placed one hand on his hip and said slowly, ¡°Eh, actually, I do have more than just the ¡¯swap places¡¯ superpower. That fiery fist is also one of my superpowers.¡±


    ¡°Dual superpowers? That¡¯s quite rare.¡±


    Platinum Wing raised an eyebrow, surprise showing in his eyes.


    Telekinesis Nun gave him a look, saying, ¡°There have been people in the world with four or five superpowers simultaneously, what¡¯s so strange about two?¡±


    Mechanical Vanguard nodded, still a silent listener, without intruding.


    ¡°Anyway, I still have to try to recruit you on behalf of our boss. He said if we met you, we must invite you to join the Superhero Association, and this is his business card.¡±


    Platinum Wing smiled, revealing a row of pearly white teeth as his right hand took out a business card and handed it to Blue Owl.


    Blue Owl took the card: ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll consider it, but the premise is I have to want to join the Superhero Association.¡± Saying this, he looked down at the card; the name on it was ¡°Che Zhengchen.¡±


    Ke Mingye had seen his name online; this was an Association executive who had mentored numerous generations of new superheroes. It was said that Grey Pigeon¡¯s affairs within the Superhero Association were managed by this ¡°Che Zhengchen¡± as well.


    Damn, seems a bit ominous, huh? Isn¡¯t this just setting me on the same path as Grey Pigeon, fast-forwarding to being dismembered by Timekeeper and hung from Superhero Tower as a humiliation to dear old dad.


    Even though Blue Owl thought this, he still gave the three of them face, casually placing the business card into his uniform pocket, together with his phone.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to join the Superhero Association?¡± Platinum Wing asked in surprise, ¡°Or is there some issue with your identity? If that¡¯s the case, our boss can help you resolve it, he¡¯s mentioned this before.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, my vigilantism is just a call of justice.¡± Blue Owl shook his head and sighed, ¡°Being a superhero is different, with PR firms, Association tasks, media pressure¡­ I can¡¯t handle all that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, if you join the Association you¡¯ll have teammates, and your teammates will share the burden with you in the future.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he said this, Platinum Wing reached out and patted Blue Owl¡¯s shoulder, corners of his mouth curving up: ¡°Who knows, maybe after you join the Association, we¡¯ll end up on the same team.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl turned his head, glancing casually at the reporters who were swarming towards them.


    He said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not discuss that possibility for now. Anyway, I have to go, and you need to report to the Superhero Association, don¡¯t waste time on me.¡±


    Having said that, he suddenly lifted his gaze toward the spire of the church. In that instant, a dark figure flitted through the air amidst a flurry of crows and then vanished.


    Only a few solitary crow feathers fluttered down from the spire of the church, slowly settling on the statues.


    ¡°So tsundere¡­ this old guy,¡± thought Blue Owl.


    ¡°It¡¯s Qing Ya!¡± Platinum Wing shouted, pointing toward the sky, ¡°I hadn¡¯t even noticed him before!¡±


    ¡°Has he been observing us all along?¡±


    The Telekinetic Nun asked with a frown.


    Mechanical Vanguard nodded his head and spoke for once: ¡°All along.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice him either,¡± Blue Owl shrugged and said slowly, ¡°Maybe he¡¯s here to see if this imitator is worthy of wearing a battle suit similar to his.¡±


    Platinum Wing looked at the crow feathers slowly descending from mid-air and let out a deep sigh: ¡°What a shame, I¡¯ve always wanted to meet him, get a photo together.¡±


    ¡°Be careful he doesn¡¯t smash your phone, and you want a photo,¡± the Telekinetic Nun sighed with a hand to her forehead.


    ¡°Blue Owl, have you ever met Qing Ya?¡±


    Platinum Wing still seemed somewhat excited as he asked.


    I see him all the time, even share meals with him, thought Ke Mingye.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only seen him on TV¡­ but I really admire him. Once, when a gang of thugs broke into my brother¡¯s school, they held a gun to his head to threaten the police to leave the school,¡± said Blue Owl.


    Blue Owl paused for a moment, his eyes filled with adoration. ¡°It was then that Qing Ya swooped down from the sky and saved my brother.¡±


    He scratched his nose, ¡°I only knew about it because I eavesdropped on my parents talking in the kitchen. Since then, I¡¯ve held the idea of imitating Qing Ya to become a vigilante fighting against criminals.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± said Platinum Wing with a hint of emotion, ¡°Mr. Qing Ya will definitely notice you as well.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the Telekinetic Nun chimed in with a thoughtful tone: ¡°But getting noticed by that kind of person might not be a good thing, I hope you think it over. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to change your costume and emblem before you join the Association.¡±


    ¡°No need, I have my own ideas,¡± Blue Owl shook his head and started walking toward the woods shrouded in nightfall, ¡°Well then, goodbye, everyone.¡±


    ¡°I hope the next time we meet will be at the Superhero Association,¡± Platinum Wing placed a hand on his hip, shouting toward his retreating figure, ¡°Our boss really likes you, and he won¡¯t let you down.¡±


    ¡°Seeing your enthusiasm, I¡¯ll think about it,¡±


    After finishing his sentence, Blue Owl waved without turning back and his figure faded into the night, vanishing from sight.


    ¡°I always feel like he¡¯s not very reliable¡­¡± the Telekinetic Nun wrapped her arms around herself, watching Blue Owl¡¯s departing figure, ¡°Someone like him is probably better off as a lone ranger.¡±


    ¡°Since Che has said so, we should make an effort to recruit him,¡± Platinum wing scoffed, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we need to submit the mission to the Association.¡±


    The moment he finished speaking, he unfurled his steel-like, silver-white giant wings behind him, turning his head to ask the Telekinetic Nun and Mechanical Vanguard.


    ¡°Need a lift?¡±


    They hesitated for a moment and then both silently extended their hands. Platinum Wing grinned, grabbed their hands, and with a powerful flap of his wings, whipped up a howling gust.


    Suddenly, like a shell shot into the night sky, they soared and in a matter of moments disappeared among the clouds.

 Chapter 226 - 226 - 156: Getting a B-level Skill at Half Price!

    Chapter 226 ¨C 156: Getting a B-level Skill at Half Price!


    Night, Old Jingmai District, abandoned train station.


    While controlling a Deception Puppet in the Blue Owl Battle Suit battling the Qi¡¯an Cultists, Ke Mingye himself had nothing to do but hide in that deserted abandoned train station, unable to go anywhere.


    He sat on a wooden public bench, hands resting on his thighs, tilting his head back and staring into the sky.


    Listening to the incessant chirping of the cicadas, by the end of the night, he could almost count the number of stars in the sky; it was truly pleasant.


    After the battle outside the church had ended, he controlled the interaction between the Blue Owl and that superhero squad while running back and forth on the empty platform.


    Once he achieved the system¡¯s required number of steps, he switched to doing push-ups.


    So, as the events involving the Blue Owl wrapped up perfectly, he also managed to complete the daily tasks he had set aside earlier in the morning.


    ...


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that today¡¯s daily task was slightly different from usual: the reward of attribute points was increased from one to two¡ªa situation that hadn¡¯t occurred in the earlier half of the month.


    ¡°Is it then an occasional task that rewards two attribute points, or starting today, will all daily tasks always reward two attribute points?¡±


    Ke Mingye stared at the text on the panel, pondering.


    He had rationally calculated and felt that the former possibility was more likely.


    Otherwise, if he really got two attribute points stable every day, he would accumulate about 700 attribute points from daily tasks alone in a year.


    If all those attribute points were added to ¡°physical fitness,¡± it would amount to an SS-tier muscular physique. He could transform into a one-punch superhero, shattering everything with sheer force, requiring no skill, and even a nuclear bomb couldn¡¯t penetrate his defenses¡­


    However, he was somewhat afraid of mind control skills, so he couldn¡¯t neglect the mental strength attribute. Otherwise, getting brainwashed would turn the tables against the players.


    Even if he only received one attribute point each day, along with instances¡­ missions¡­ and various other hidden rewards, if one could survive and steadily improve over a year, even the most ordinary player could acquire about 600 attribute points.


    No matter to which attribute these points were added, it would be considered a dimensional strike in this world.


    Moreover, the biggest advantage of players isn¡¯t in their growth attributes, but in the diversity of their ability mechanisms.


    Weird equipment and numerous skills are advantages that Superpower Users find unattainable.


    Superpower Users are like players who only possess one skill; even the most fearsome of them can have at most five superpowers, still not half as many as a player has.


    Moreover, every skill a player has is chosen by them, ensuring its usefulness, unlike the powers of Superpower Users which are bestowed by fate and sometimes completely useless.


    If a player were to develop over a year, by the latter stages, each would have about ten A-tier skills in hand, coupled with the informational advantage from the panel, calling them a ¡°natural disaster¡± wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration.


    And these would be dozens of ¡°roaming disasters,¡± rendering any place they visited barren.


    Discover hidden content at


    Of course, fantasies aside, if they died in the early stages, all these would be moot. One must stay practical, starting the eradication of Superhumans with running and push-ups.


    [Reward for daily task 2 ¡°one hundred push-ups¡± received, earned 2 freely distributable attribute points.]


    Ke Mingye raised his hand and allocated the two acquired attribute points to ¡°physical fitness¡± and ¡°mental strength¡± respectively.


    [Your ¡°physical fitness¡± attribute changed: 64¡ú65 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [Your ¡°mental strength¡± attribute changed: 22¡ú23 points (¡ü1 point).


    [Reward for daily task 1 ¡°5 kilometers running¡± received, earned a chance for a lucky draw on the prize wheel.]


    As the notification box disappeared, the prize wheel unfolded before him, texts in six sections catching his eye.


    [One, 2500 Mall Coins;]


    [Two. 1500 Experience Points;]


    [Three, a fragment of the Divine Disc *1 (Collect 5 fragments to earn a Divine Disc, which can be used to regularly locate a Divine Ruin);]


    [Four, a fragment of a low-tier Skill Enhancement Card (Collect three fragments to compose a low-tier Skill Enhancement Card) (The low-tier Skill Enhancement Card can be used to enhance an E-tier skill);]


    [Five, C-tier equipment¡ª¡ªMemory Stealing Gloves;]


    [Six, a random D-tier Skill Card.]


    Ke Mingye pressed the start button on the prize wheel, and the pointer began to spin rapidly.


    It finally stopped on zone one. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Congratulations, you¡¯ve received the reward from zone one: 2500 Mall Coins.]


    [Current total of Mall Coins: 22800.]


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Ke Mingye thought. ¡°If I scrap together just a bit more, with a B-tier Skill Card, I can buy a B-tier skill. I¡¯ll see how the skills I¡¯ve scouted out these past few days are and grab any suitable B-tier skill I find.¡±


    Thinking so, he opened his inventory, sold two items he rarely used¡ª¡±Upgraded Pirate Blunderbuss,¡± ¡°a Train Conductor Uniform,¡± and the ¡°Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves¡± that were almost wrecked in battle.


    Honestly, he quite liked those Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves, but unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have an autofix feature or a way to repair them using Mall Coins, so he had to sell them for some Mall Coins.


    [Sold D-tier equipment ¡°Upgraded Pirate Blunderbuss¡± and E-tier equipment ¡°a Train Conductor Uniform¡±, and C-tier equipment ¡°Electromagnetic Pulse Gloves¡± for a total of 4500 Mall Coins.]

 Chapter 227 - 227 - 156: Acquiring a B-grade Skill at Half Price!_2

    Chapter 227 ¨C 156: Acquiring a B-grade Skill at Half Price!_2


    [Current total Mall Coins: 27,300]


    Although he felt like he was being extravagant, he still eagerly clicked into the skills exclusive page.


    [¢Ù: Doomsday Shelter (C-rank Skill, price: 25,000 Mall Coins): Create a space separate from the outside world, allowing you and a target to briefly hide within it (the existence time of the independent space is closely related to your ¡°mental strength¡± attribute).]


    ¡°This is kind of like the intellectuals¡¯ ¡¯Cave Theory,¡¯ but his skill can only be used on himself, while this skill can also be used on teammates and, advancing, create a space for a 1v1 with the enemy, retreating, it can be used to protect teammates.¡±


    As Ke Mingye thought about this, he scrolled down the panel, shifting his gaze to the next skill.


    His goal was a B-rank skill. There was just one slot left in his skill bar, and since lower-level skills would definitely be replaced later on, it definitely wasn¡¯t cost-effective to occupy the last slot with a low-level skill now.


    Better to buy a B-rank directly; even if a B-rank skill needs to be replaced by an A-rank or S-rank skill in the future, that would be a mid-to-late game or endgame matter.


    ...


    [¢Ú: Flame Roar (C-rank Skill, price: 25,000 Mall Coins): Open your mouth and spew a tongue of flame forward, the greater your lung capacity, the longer the duration of the skill.]


    [¢Û: Earth Spike (D-rank Skill, price: 11,000 Mall Coins): Slam your right palm to the ground, forming sharp spikes in a rectangular area ahead¡ª the higher the level, the sharper and longer the spikes.]


    [¢Ü: Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill (B-rank Skill, price: 52,000 Mall Coins):


    After activating the skill, slowly rotate your arm, completing a full rotation every second, and for each rotation, the power accumulated in your arm increases by one level¡ª with a maximum of 20 rotations. When you reach 20 rotations, your strength will be 10 times the original;


    You can stop the arm rotation at any time and release all the power accumulated through the rotations, delivering a Fist-Guess that¡¯s outcome is unknown (randomly choosing rock, paper, or scissors). Depending on the Fist-Guess outcome, one of three scenarios will occur:


    When you choose rock, the power of the punch increases again, delivering a super-fast punch forward;


    When you choose scissors, you slice forward with your right hand¡¯s two fingers, creating a medium-ranged blade light (the power of the blade light depends on the strength of your arm);


    When you choose paper, a beam of energy is blasted forward, (the power and maximum range of the energy beam depend on the strength of your arm; the stronger your arm, the more powerful the beam, and the farther the range it shoots).]


    ¡°Damn, what kind of all-round Hunter.¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes widened slightly as he thought. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Looks awesome¡­ The upper limit of this skill sounds very high. But it¡¯s too uncertain, randomly selecting one of three effects to release, sounds unreliable no matter how I think about it.¡±


    It¡¯s like the dice of catastrophe; a high upper limit, but strong uncontrollability.


    However, if used cleverly enough, one could greatly reduce the skill¡¯s unpredictability and fully exploit the skill¡¯s maximum potential.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s¡­ fantasy time.¡±


    Ke Mingye scratched his chin, thinking.


    ¡°If in the later stages I could get some kind of key item or even a divine channel of communication with the Goddess of Fate, and then turn ¡¯dice of catastrophe¡¯ or ¡¯Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡¯ from a risky skill into a stable one, being able to choose a result from multiple options would be great.¡±


    He didn¡¯t dare to imagine how formidable he would be if that situation actually occurred.


    Choosing one out of six possibilities from the dice events, miraculously surviving death;


    Or, rotating 20 times accumulating maximum power and guessing paper, then blasting a beam of energy forward to level the Superhero Tower to the ground.


    [¢Ý: Undead, Heed My Command (D-rank Skill, price: 10,500 Mall Coins): Summon a group of skeletal warriors to fight for you.]


    [¢Þ: Shadow Wolf Summoning (E-rank Skill, price: 5,500 Mall Coins): Summon a shadow wolf to battle for you.]


    Ke Mingye stared at the 5th and 6th skills, suddenly recalling someone, Top Bull, who mentioned Japan¡¯s third player¡ª¡±Night Plead.¡±


    Although he didn¡¯t see Night Plead during his last trip to Tokyo, Top Bull had mentioned that Night Plead took the summoning route, choosing skills related to summoning.


    ¡°Summoning players, huh, if they could summon Godzilla in the later stages, wouldn¡¯t they be invincible.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought and scrolled further down the page.


    [¢ß: Thunder Strike (C-rank Skill, price: 30,000 Mall Coins): Summon the power of heavenly thunder to imbue into your weapon, delivering a destructive blow to the target, powerful but risky to the user.]


    [¢à: Full Mastery of Languages (D-rank Skill, price: 10,500 Mall Coins): This passive skill allows you, upon purchase, to automatically learn and fluently use all languages of the world.]


    [¢á: Floating Turret (C-rank Skill, price: 30,000 Mall Coins): Set up a floating turret above your head, which will fire lasers, targeting the same enemy as you.]


    [¢â: Deep Dive Skill (E-rank Skill, price: 5,100 Mall Coins): After using this skill, you will be able to breathe underwater for one hour, and your speed in the water will greatly increase.]


    After some consideration, Ke Mingye decided to take down this B-rank skill. Opportunities like this are fleeting and might not come again; what a pity it would be to miss out.

 Chapter 228 - 228 - 156: Acquiring a B-grade Skill at Half Price!_3

    Chapter 228 ¨C 156: Acquiring a B-grade Skill at Half Price!_3


    So he opened his bag and used the long-treasured fifty-percent-off shopping coupon.


    [A fifty-percent-off shopping card has been used (applicable for purchasing props, equipment, and skills graded B or below). When buying eligible items, the final price will be adjusted accordingly.]


    Immediately, he clicked into the skills for-sale page and locked onto Skill No. 4 ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill,¡± decisively pressing the purchase button.


    [Current total Mall Coins held: 27,300]


    [Under the effect of the fifty-percent-off shopping card, the price of B-grade skill ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡± has dropped, changing to 52,000 X 0.5 = 26,000 Mall Coins.]


    [Thank you for your patronage, you have successfully purchased the B-grade skill¡ª ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡±.]


    [Total expenditure this time: ¡°26,000¡± Mall Coins. Your current balance of Mall Coins is ¡°1,300¡±.]


    ...


    [Skill ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡± has been automatically loaded into your number 10 skill slot.]


    [Important notice 1: There are now 0 empty skill slots left. If you wish to learn new skills, you must first overwrite an old skill!]


    [Important notice 2: Overwritten skills will disappear and return to the skills for-sale page. If the player encounters the skill again, it can still be repurchased!]


    ¡°My skill slots are full already, huh? I always feel like it¡¯s not quite real.¡±


    Ke Mingye muttered as he glanced at his skill slots.


    [1, Deception Puppet (B-grade); 2, Disaster Dice (D-grade); 3, Superhero-Style Landing (E-grade); 4, Personality Split (E-grade); 5, Day of the Chosen (D-grade); 6, Phase Transfer (E-grade); 7, Solar Energy Punch (D-grade); 8, Safety Restrictions Release (E-grade); 9, Animal Communication Skill (E-grade); 10, Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill (B-grade)]


    ¡°If I¡¯m going to swap out skills in the future, it looks like ¡¯Solar Energy Punch,¡¯ ¡¯Safety Restrictions Release,¡¯ and ¡¯Superhero-Style Landing¡¯ are the ones to go. Their irreplaceability isn¡¯t that strong.¡±


    ¡°Also, once Yuri sacrifices herself in the battle with Timekeeper, I can rightfully replace the ¡¯Animal Communication Skill¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I hope this dead cat proves worth it, having spent the money on an E-grade skill and occupied a slot for so long.¡±


    Ke Mingye closed the panel, murmuring to himself.


    After purchasing the skill on the skills for-sale page, he didn¡¯t rush to try it out.


    After all, this was a B-grade skill, and stirring up a big commotion could attract the police¡¯s attention, which would be a loss. This abandoned train station was his secret base.


    So right now, he was concentrating on controlling the blue owl to rush to this abandoned train station.


    To be honest, Ke Mingye was a bit worried that Qing Ya might track the blue owl. If Qing Ya were to see this, he would immediately realize that it was a puppet playing the part of the blue owl.


    It would be hard to explain then; he couldn¡¯t just say he had another superpower controlling puppets, that¡¯d be too suspicious. With his father¡¯s personality, it wouldn¡¯t be like him if he didn¡¯t fit Ke Mingye with a brain imaging helmet.


    So to prevent such an indefensible situation from occurring, Ke Mingye had put in a lot of effort.


    While controlling the blue owl on its way back, he specifically chose a shadowy area to activate his Night Walk belt¡¯s ability and entered stealth mode.


    Then he deliberately took several winding alleys and finally returned to Old Jingmai District through the most concealed route, swiftly entering the inside of the train station.


    Despite all this, Ke Mingye was still worried that Qing Ya was following behind, so he released the Bluebird Scout Plane from his bag.


    This little blue bird-shaped reconnaissance machine paused on the ground for a moment, leaning sideways towards the floor as if it was a newborn chick that had not yet learned to walk.


    Ke Mingye scratched his chin and looked at it somewhat helplessly, feeling that it looked like a student¡¯s mechanical innovation exhibit, crude in appearance.


    ¡°Can this thing really fly?¡±


    As he pondered, the Bluebird Scout Plane suddenly straightened itself up, wobbling unsteadily but with determination, as the long feather on its head, resembling ¡°wings,¡± stood erect.


    ¡°Fly up. Circle above the train station and see if there are any crows. If you see a crow, turn around and leave immediately.¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s orders settled in his mind.


    As the wings atop the Bluebird Scout Plane began to rotate at high speed, it flapped its mechanical fledgling wings and soared into the sky, patrolling back and forth above the abandoned train station.


    Shared with its vision, Ke Mingye controlled the Bluebird telepathically to patrol the sky, ensuring that no black birds were hiding under the eaves of the train station to secretly observe him.


    If crows appeared in the vicinity, it would mean Qing Ya might already be nearby, and he would have to find a way to slip away.


    Fortunately, after a circle in the air, the Bluebird Scout Plane indeed found no suspicious birds, so Ke Mingye retracted the clumsy reconnaissance bird into his bag.


    ¡°Lucky that the old man didn¡¯t follow me over¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye had a scare and covered his chest in relief, his backhand dripping with cold sweat.


    He didn¡¯t even dare to think what would happen if his old man actually followed the blue owl here and saw the two Ke Mingyes; the situation would become incredibly complicated.


    That¡¯s why, in the future, Ke Mingye would certainly have to go into battle himself, otherwise, if Qing Ya really did start tracking him one day to figure out his secrets.


    Sooner or later, his use of a puppet in battle would be discovered, and by then it would be impossible to explain.


    But now was different; currently lacking strength and confidence, and having not yet disclosed his identity to his family, nobody would be covering for him.


    Going out to fight criminals under these conditions, if he encountered a tough one, he might just end up throwing away his life.


    Watching the blue owl enter the abandoned train station and again sharing its vision, seeing himself seated on a public bench, Ke Mingye felt this scene almost made him seem schizophrenic.


    He had the blue owl remove its battle suit, lay down a spare cell phone, uninstall all the player equipment, then hand over the ¡°Commander of the Superhero Association¡± business card to himself.


    Then he instructed the blue owl to face the wall in a corner, find a comparatively cramped and sound-proof corner, and self-destruct.


    Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief, pocketed the spare cell phone, and then picked up the business card.


    ¡°As long as I dial the number on this card, then report to the Association, I¡¯ll be a superhero¡­¡± he thought, ¡°And then my old man will immediately know my identity, really curious what will happen then.¡±


    As he was thinking, an information bubble suddenly appeared in the upper right corner of his vision. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Cai Bing: Asleep?]


    [Failed Man: Are you kidding me, bro? I was just fighting crime. Don¡¯t you know a superhero¡¯s nightlife is rich?]


    [Cai Bing: Oh, I didn¡¯t watch the news.]


    [Failed Man: So, have you found Gastella¡¯s real body yet?]


    [Cai Bing: No, she¡¯s very secretive. I guess she only operates through puppets since releasing the first insect, and she never shows herself.]


    [Failed Man: Can you figure out who the first ordinary person controlled by the insects was, and at what location?]


    [Cai Bing: I¡¯ve got that. I pulled up the city¡¯s surveillance and traced the timeline back to the start. Finally, I found out the first to spread those insects was a person named ¡°Che Zhengchen,¡± the location was in the Hongdeng Commercial District.]


    Che Zhengchen?


    The moment Ke Mingye saw this name, he first felt it was somewhat familiar, then rested his chin in his hand and thought about where he had seen a similar name.


    Suddenly he froze in place, slowly lowering his head, casting his eyes down to look at the business card he was clutching.


    The contents of the card were very simple, yet they sent chills down Ke Mingye¡¯s spine.


    ¡ª¡ªCommander of the Superhero Association: ¡°Che Zhengchen,¡± Contact Number: XXXXXXXX.

 Chapter 229 - 229 - 157: I Will Join the Superhero Association

    Chapter 229 ¨C 157: I Will Join the Superhero Association


    In the deathly silence of the abandoned train station,


    Ke Mingye sat frozen on a public wooden bench, his gaze fixed on the name on the business card. He swallowed hard, his Adam¡¯s apple rolling slowly up and down. Cold sweat seeped from the back of his hand.


    Regaining his composure, he slowly lifted his eyes again, looking toward the name on the chat panel.


    There was no mistake¡­ the first ordinary person in the city to be controlled by a parasite had the exact same name as the ¡°Commander of the Superhero Association¡± on the card in his hand:


    ¡ª¡ª¡±Che Zhengchen¡±.


    Ke Mingye inhaled sharply, only now belatedly realizing that the offer of an olive branch to Blue Owl by this commander could very well be Gastella¡¯s doing.


    ¡°Is it really true? ¡¯Che Zhengchen¡¯ has already been controlled by Gastella with worms¡­¡±


    ... S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Why else would he be interested in me¡­ after all, I had the strange thing commission Gastella to kill Blue Owl. Was Gastella trying to lure me into a trap through ¡¯Che Zhengchen¡¯?¡±


    Ke Mingye muttered to himself, shocked by this revelation and breaking into a cold sweat.


    If he were to join the Superhero Association as Ke Mingye, revealing his identity in front of Che Zhengchen.


    And, only when he donned the battle suit would he have the superhuman information panel on his body.


    If Gastella were to see his true form through the eyes of Che Zhengchen after he shed his battle suit and realize that Ke Mingye did not have an information panel on his person, it would all be over¡­


    ¡°Good thing I didn¡¯t fall for the trap.¡±


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath, thinking to himself.


    Upon further thought, he suddenly realized something strange: if Che Zhengchen was controlled, the high ranks of the association should have noticed, and the members of the superhero teams would likely have detected it as well.


    So Gastella must be leaving Che Zhengchen unattended, allowing him to act freely. When needed, Gastella would then activate the worms inside him to manipulate his actions.


    From previous observations, a person infested with worms wouldn¡¯t remember what they did while being controlled, which could explain why Che Zhengchen himself was unaware.


    ¡°Thinking about it, his offer to me must have been of his own volition, not Gastella¡¯s control. Otherwise, the new superheroes would have questioned him about it afterwards, and he would have noticed something wrong,¡± Ke Mingye thought.


    Che Zhengchen was definitely a good card to play, an ordinary person holding certain qualifications and status within the Superhero Association; he might even meet the association¡¯s top brass.


    Gastella would never be so foolish as to overplay this card on a regular basis, risking Che Zhengchen realizing he was infested with worms.


    After all, getting rid of a small fry like Blue Owl wasn¡¯t just a matter of ease; there was no need to involve Che Zhengchen, especially since she hadn¡¯t fully trusted the strange thing¡¯s words.


    Ke Mingye opened the chat panel with his thoughts and sent a message to Cai Bing.


    [Failed Man: The ¡°Che Zhengchen¡± you found out about, he¡¯s a commander of the Superhero Association, isn¡¯t he?]


    [Cai Bing: No bro, I was just about to tell you, how did you know?]


    [Cai Bing: I just found out his background. You haven¡¯t planted surveillance devices in my rental, have you? Or have someone peeping at me, that¡¯s a bit over the line. I suggest keeping some distance.]


    [Failed Man: Can you not misunderstand me? I just went out in the Blue Owl Battle Suit to bump into a newbie superhero and got this ¡°Che Zhengchen¡± business card from him.]


    Stay tuned for updates on


    [Failed Man: That person said Che Zhengchen is his superior, the kind of commander who specifically manages superhero teams. From what I¡¯ve heard online, this role usually involves acting as a psychological counselor for superheroes, as well as giving them orders and assigning missions.]


    [Cai Bing: Ah, I see.]


    [Cai Bing: That¡¯s quite a coincidence. Anyway, I suggest you don¡¯t join the Superhero Association for now. This guy has been controlled by Gastella¡¯s worms and might do anything unexpected.]


    [Cai Bing: By the way, the surveillance camera there was damaged, but I used some special means to restore the footage. Right now, it should just be the two of us who know about it.]


    Ke Mingye typed in the chat box: [No worries, I can actually interact with him, see if I can get some information on Gastella from him¡­]


    Before he could finish, Cai Bing sent another message.


    [Cai Bing: Even though I said that, I feel like with your personality, you¡¯re definitely going to want to try anyway. So good luck.]


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eye twitched as he silently retracted what he was about to type.


    [Failed Man: Haha, you know me too well.]


    [Cai Bing: Right, I have a one-time ¡°hypnosis¡± gadget at my disposal, given to me by Fan Quan last time. If you need it, you can ask me for it.]


    [Failed Man: What use would that be?]


    [Cai Bing: For example, those who are controlled by the parasitic worms tend to selectively forget about the worms, but they may not have actually forgotten. Hypnosis might help them retrieve these memories.]


    [Failed Man: I see, you want me to hypnotize Che Zhengchen to see if we can find any leads on Gastella?]


    [Cai Bing: You¡¯ll also need a brain imaging helmet so that you can recreate Gastella¡¯s likeness from Che Zhengchen¡¯s brain.]


    [Failed Man: I¡¯ll try my best. Maybe my old man will stuff a brain imaging helmet in my hands to play with, or I could ask Xizi Yue for one. Shouldn¡¯t be hard.]


    [Cai Bing: Is this the charm of living off women? I¡¯m a bit envious.]


    [Failed Man: Heh, aren¡¯t you on a date with my brother? Have the nerve to talk about me, huh.]


    [Cai Bing: By the way, to be fair, Gastella is indeed dangerous, but for us players, she¡¯s also a good card to have. To be honest, at this stage, she might be more useful than you are. Of course, in the long run, if we choose to trust you, taking her out to keep your identity secret is also an option.]


    [Cai Bing: It¡¯s just that we don¡¯t know her stance and background, and that Blood Clan Hunter organization behind her is also quite suspicious.]


    [Cai Bing: So what do you plan to do, take out Gastella?]


    [Failed Man: Depends on the situation.]


    [Cai Bing: Are you planning to betray your vampire sister?]


    Ke Mingye¡¯s fingers hesitated for a moment before typing on the chat panel.


    [Failed Man: Still depends on the situation.]


    [Cai Bing: Depends, depends. Anyway, I follow Fan Quan¡¯s lead. If he thinks you¡¯re trustworthy, then I don¡¯t need to say anything.]


    [Cai Bing: Off to sleep.]


    [Failed Man: Okay, thanks for your help today, hacker girl.]


    [Cai Bing: One more piece of intelligence.]


    [Cai Bing: So far, Gastella¡¯s parasitic worms have only attacked ordinary people, not superhumans. In surveillance footage, there were a few instances where it could have chosen to infect superhumans but didn¡¯t.]


    [Cai Bing: This means Gastella¡¯s worms can¡¯t infect superhumans, only ordinary humans. By the same logic, they should have no effect on players, so you don¡¯t have to worry about being infected.]


    [Failed Man: So you¡¯re saying Che Zhengchen is an ordinary person.]


    [Cai Bing: Who says the commander of the Superhero Squad has to be a superhuman? He just needs to use his brain, sit in a chair, and command others, get it?]


    [Failed Man: Makes sense. You go to sleep, I¡¯ve got some things to do.]


    [Cai Bing: Bye.]


    Ke Mingye closed the chat panel and sat quietly on the public wooden bench at the platform, staring at the text on the business card in the moonlight.


    After a while, he got up and walked toward the storage locker, took out the Blue Owl Battle Suit from the locker, and detached the ¡°badge¡± voice changer from the neckline of the suit.


    Then, holding the voice changer, he walked back to the public bench, took out a spare phone, entered the phone number from the business card into the contacts, and dialed the number.


    Beep¡­


    Beep¡­


    Beep¡­


    The call was quickly connected.


    ¡°Hello?¡± a rather warm voice came from the other side of the phone.


    Ke Mingye was silent for a moment, then raised his hand, brought the badge voice changer close to his mouth, and then spoke with a changed voice.


    ¡°Che Zhengchen?¡±


    ¡°Who is this?¡±


    ¡°Blue Owl,¡± Ke Mingye said. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind. I will join the Superhero Association.¡±


    As he spoke, he paused for a moment and slowly lowered his voice, ¡°But I have one condition. I hope to keep my identity secret¡­ even from you.¡±

 Chapter 230 - 230 - 158 The Reason to Become a Hero

    Chapter 230 ¨C 158 The Reason to Become a Hero


    At the abandoned train station, Platform No. 7.


    In the leisurely night, puddles by the rails shimmered crystal clear, reflecting the full moon cradled by layers of fish-scale clouds, occasionally hidden, then revealed.


    It had rained not long ago. Large drops of water fell from the eaves of the platform roof, drawing crisp arcs in the air and pattering down upon the tracks. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Overlapping with the bustling voices from a phone call.


    Ke Mingye sat on the wooden bench on the platform, his gaze lowered.


    After saying, ¡°I will join the Superhero Association, but on the condition that I keep my own identity secret,¡± through a voice changer, there was a short silence from Che Zhengchen on the other end of the line.


    ¡°If that¡¯s not okay, then forget it¡­¡± Ke Mingye sighed calmly and continued, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me one way or the other. I¡¯ll give you ten seconds to respond, or I¡¯m hanging up.¡±


    ...


    After he finished speaking, he began to count down unilaterally: ¡°Ten, nine, eight, seven¡­¡±


    Two seconds before the end of the countdown, Che Zhengchen broke the silence.


    ¡°Are you free to meet tomorrow afternoon? At the Superhero Association building. After you come in, report my name to the staff, and then follow them to the office on the forty-fifth floor. That¡¯s where you¡¯ll find me.¡±


    ¡°Is it a one-on-one meeting?¡±


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow slightly and continued, ¡°Or do you want me to interact with the upper echelons of the Superhero Association? I¡¯m not particularly good at handling those kinds of situations.¡±


    He was definitely not worried about encountering any danger from meeting Che Zhengchen alone. Enjoy new chapters from


    After all, though Che Zhengchen¡¯s body harbored Gastella¡¯s insects, he still maintained control over his body most of the time.


    Furthermore, their meeting place was at the Superhero Association, and Gastella wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to attack there¡ªit would be equal to giving up the valuable asset that was Che Zhengchen.


    And even if Gastella decided to take control of Che Zhengchen to attack him or had arranged a group of people within the Association¡¯s building, complete with traps to subdue Blue Owl on the spot¡­


    Then Ke Mingye could simply let the puppet self-destruct in the Superhero Association to erase all traces.


    The consequences of such an action were not severe; it merely equated to abandoning the identity of ¡°Blue Owl.¡±


    If needed, he could just adopt a different alias and re-debut after some time. After all, very few people at home were certain that he was Blue Owl.


    ¡°Yes, a one-on-one meeting. I want to have a good talk with you about some things,¡± Che Zhengchen said, a warm tone in his voice.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why not just tell me on the phone?¡±


    ¡°About why I took an interest in you,¡± Che Zhengchen chuckled, ¡°Oh, and by the way, White Wings and the others have a good first impression of you. If you decide to join the Association, it¡¯s very likely that I¡¯ll assign you to the same team as them. Do you have any objections?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I hope you can take on the role of team leader.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit too soon to talk about this, Sir? We haven¡¯t even met yet,¡± Ke Mingye sighed.


    Upon hearing this, Che Zhengchen let out a chuckle from the other end of the phone, pausing for a moment before saying, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m looking forward to our meeting. Although I don¡¯t understand why you want to hide your identity from me, after we meet tomorrow, I¡¯ll determine if you¡¯re someone I can trust. You can also see for yourself what kind of person I am.¡±


    As he spoke, he coughed twice: ¡°If we get along well, and you eventually let down your guard and reveal your identity to me, it won¡¯t be too late.¡±


    ¡°You trust me that much?¡±


    ¡°My instincts are rarely wrong. The people I¡¯ve taken an interest in usually end up being well-known, top-tier heroes,¡± Che Zhengchen said confidently.


    After finishing, he added, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve worked with Qing Ya for a while, but as his position in the Association grew, he no longer needed a Commander to direct his actions, which is why he does as he pleases.¡±


    Ke Mingye realized the person on the other end of the phone was very clever, deliberately mentioning Qing Ya to curry favor with him.


    After all, Blue Owl¡¯s public persona was that of a newcomer vigilante imitating Qing Ya. Now that the other party brought up Qing Ya, it would be hard for him not to lower his guard.


    Of course, a persona is just a persona.


    Ke Mingye could hardly develop affection for someone he spent day and night with. Not to mention lowering his guard simply because someone mentioned Qing Ya.


    After all, in the memories of more than a decade in his head, there were numerous scenes of his ¡°whipped¡± husband Ke Youqing making blunders at home, and it was hard not to think he was taking out his domestic frustrations on the criminals.


    An anime character once said, idealization is the farthest feeling from understanding, and that is probably what it meant.


    ¡°Judging by your voice, you seem much younger than Qing Ya. You actually led him?¡±


    Ke Mingye tried to squeeze a bit of surprise into his voice.


    ¡°Yes, it took me a lot of effort to convince him to join the Superhero Association. He is very stubborn and insisted many times that he only wanted to be a vigilante¡ªsaid that without external constraints, he could do everything best.¡±


    Che Zhengchen paused for a while, his tone nostalgic, ¡°But eventually, he still joined the Association.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Ke Mingye was puzzled.


    Honestly, he couldn¡¯t understand why his father, who had been a lone ranger for so many years, suddenly wanted to join the official ranks.


    Che Zhengchen replied, ¡°Because Qing Ya knew that as long as a vigilante like himself kept showing up around Huanjing, cleaning up most of the crime, then the existence of the Superhero Association would appear meaningless.¡±


    ¡°And then, people would become disappointed in the authorities and start questioning those superheroes who dedicate their lives to the Association, putting their reputation and status at risk.¡±

 Chapter 231 - 231 - 158: The Reason to Become a Hero_2

    Chapter 231 ¨C 158: The Reason to Become a Hero_2


    ¡°Considering these factors, in the end he decided to give up his vigilante identity and join the Superhero Association.¡±


    ¡°So essentially, Qing Ya¡¯s act of joining the Association was purely out of concern for the reputations of other heroes.¡±


    ¡°After all, consider this: if the officially certified heroes can¡¯t measure up to mere vigilantes, then the so-called Superhero Association, along with other ¡¯superhero¡¯ titles, would lose all credibility.¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye thought for a moment, then spoke dismissively, ¡°Interesting, so you think I should follow Qing Ya¡¯s path, abandon my vigilante identity, and join the Association?¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s exactly what I mean,¡± Che Zhengchen said, ¡°The more vigilantes there are, the more visible they become, and the more respected they are among the public, the more people will be disappointed with the officials and the laws.¡±


    He paused, his tone growing a bit more serious.


    ¡°So, if you truly want to help the people, then joining the Association could be a choice.¡±


    ...


    ¡°It won¡¯t be too different from your previous life, except that you¡¯d be acting officially, adopting a more formal method of combating criminals. Also, if we talk about more practical matters, becoming an official superhero could at least bring some policy benefits and convenience for your family.¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye remarked sarcastically, ¡°From what you¡¯re saying, if the Superhero Association can be influenced by a few capable vigilantes, then it perhaps doesn¡¯t serve any great purpose.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Qing Ya initially thought the same,¡±


    Che Zhengchen laughed.


    ¡°But later, he felt that people needed something to believe in, a pillar that could allow them to live in peace, and that pillar was the Superhero Association; vigilantes would always just be vigilantes, staying outside the law, running counter to ¡¯safety¡¯ and ¡¯stability¡¯, no matter how hard they work, they ultimately only bring chaos to this city.¡±


    Ke Mingye neither agreed nor disagreed, ¡°You might be right.¡±


    He paused, and then suddenly said, ¡°By the way, if I remember correctly, Hui Ge should also be one of the superheroes you¡¯ve handled, right?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Che Zhengchen fell silent for a full six or seven seconds.


    After a while, Che Zhengchen exhaled softly, trying to keep his tone calm, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I want to talk to you about. I hope to see you at the office tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll be all for now, hanging up.¡±


    Having said that, Ke Mingye ended the call.


    He then used the ¡°Permanent Magical Girl Transformation Card¡± from his bag to transform, inserting his spare cell phone into the Magic Book before making the Magic Book disappear to prevent the phone signal from being traced.


    After completing all these tasks, he moved away from the abandoned train station and headed toward his home, taking the elevator to the twelfth floor of the duplex apartment building.


    Pressing the doorbell, he bowed his head, fidgeting with his phone, waiting for someone inside to open the door.


    ¡°Big brother, where have you been?¡±


    Soon, Bai Zini opened the door for him and, looking up from her phone, immediately asked.


    ¡°Night running.¡±


    Saying this, Ke Mingye took off his sports shoes, put on slippers, and looking at his phone as he walked past her, ¡°Can you not check on me every time I go out, like Mom¡¯s teaching you bad habits?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just because I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get kidnapped?¡±


    Bai Zini said as she closed the door, hands behind her back, quietly following him, ¡°By the way, that friend of mine¡­ she didn¡¯t send you any messages, right?¡±


    ¡°My God, you have friends?¡±


    Hearing this, Bai Zini frowned, about to speak, but Ke Mingye interrupted with a suddenly remembered look, ¡°Oh, You Minglu, huh? She talked to me last night.¡±


    Bai Zini was taken aback, hesitating to ask, ¡°What did you talk about?¡±


    ¡°About you.¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°She asked me, ¡¯Do you also boss around like this at home?¡¯¡±


    ¡°And? What did you tell her?¡±


    ¡°I said, ¡¯Your behavior at home is not just bossy; it¡¯s downright invincible.¡¯¡±


    Ke Mingye said expressionlessly, quickening his pace, leaving Bai Zini behind.


    ¡°Go away.¡±


    Bai Zini¡¯s face darkened, infuriated, she flung a middle finger at Ke Mingye¡¯s retreating figure.


    As if expecting it, Ke Mingye responded with a middle finger without turning his head, then climbed up to the second floor.


    Walking back to his room, he locked the door, lay half on the bed, feet still on the floor. Ke Mingye sighed in relief, too lazy to wash his face, and simply reached out to turn off the light, placed an arm across his forehead, and sorted through his thoughts.


    Che Zhengchen, one of the commanders of the Superhero Association¡¯s Huanjing division, his primary task being to oversee the superhero squads.


    He has managed many superhero squads, the more famous Grey Pigeon Squad, and the more recent Platinum Wing Squad were both directly under his jurisdiction.


    Right now, there are two possibilities around his identity.


    The first possibility: he was the first ordinary person controlled by Gastella¡¯s bugs after arriving in this city;


    The second possibility: he is Gastella.


    The second possibility certainly exists because Che Zhengchen isn¡¯t superhuman but an ordinary person, under forty-five years of age, all conditions align with those required for a player¡¯s possession.


    Thus, it was indeed possible he could end up being a player¡¯s starting point. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye opened his eyes, took out the mobile phone from beside his pillow, and checked the Superhero Association¡¯s related information. After searching for a long time, he found a post from last month related to ¡°Che Zhengchen.¡±


    Experience exclusive tales on


    The post showed that Che Zhengchen represented the Superhero Association on June 19, along with several other well-known heroes, to attend a charity event at a deaf-mute elementary school.

 Chapter 232 - 232 - 158: The Reason to Become a Hero_3

    Chapter 232 ¨C 158: The Reason to Become a Hero_3


    Ke Mingye saw Che Zhengchen in the photo wearing gold-rimmed glasses, a slicked-back hairstyle, dressed in the Association uniform.


    He looked radiant with a warm and gentle smile, a very classic leadership image.


    In the photo, the figure of Ink Writer could also be seen. After all, he was also a prominent figure in the China division, and such charity events were beneficial for the public image.


    However, ever since the battle with the Ninja Sect, Ink Writer had been absent from the public eye for some time. It was likely that he would soon announce his withdrawal from the Superhero Association.


    As for Ink Writer¡¯s whereabouts, Ke Mingye didn¡¯t know.


    All he knew was that Ink Writer¡¯s fate should be in the hands of his eldest and second brothers, so his future actions would probably depend on their decision.


    ¡°On June 19th, the system had just launched the feature to create local player discussion groups, and all players with Huanjing as their point of origin were automatically entered into the group,¡±


    ...


    ¡°At that time, Gastella¡¯s name didn¡¯t appear in the discussion group, which means she wasn¡¯t in Huanjing on June 19th,¡±


    ¡°But Che Zhengchen was representing the Superhero Association at a school for the disabled in Huanjing doing charity work, so it can be confirmed that Che Zhengchen is not Gastella.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just an ordinary person who was victimized by one of Gastella¡¯s bugs.¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s train of thought paused here.


    He sighed softly. If Gastella had been Che Zhengchen, that would have saved him the effort of finding Gastella¡¯s real body.


    But it seemed that to find Gastella¡¯s true form, he would still have to start with Che Zhengchen.


    After all, he was the first person in this city to be victimized by Gastella¡¯s bugs, and perhaps there were still remnants of memories related to Gastella¡¯s real body in his brain.


    ¡°I should come clean about my identity with dad as soon as possible. If there¡¯s anyone in the family who can ensure my safety and pull me out of any danger I might encounter, it¡¯s only dad,¡±


    Clearing his cluttered thoughts, Ke Mingye slowly closed his eyes and soon fell into a deep sleep.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    The next day, at five in the morning.


    [Good morning, Mr. Player, today is July 9, 2028, there are 344 days left until the deadline for the ultimate mission ¡°Exterminate the Superhumans.¡±]


    Ke Mingye woke up mechanically, got out of bed, walked out of the room while checking his daily tasks, and entered the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash up in front of the mirror.


    [Daily Task One: Run five kilometers (Reward: one spin of the reward wheel)]


    [Daily Task Two: Do one hundred sit-ups (Reward: 2 attribute points to allocate freely)]


    ¡°As expected, there are more attribute points, but whether it¡¯s like this every day is still in question,¡±


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, spit out a mouthful of mouthwash, and felt a secret joy. He had just opened the bathroom door and saw a figure standing in front of it.


    ¡°A run together?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo, with arms folded, tilted his head slightly and asked.


    ¡°Jesus, you scared me, big bro,¡± Enjoy exclusive adventures from  sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye held his chest and took a breath of relief, the corners of his eyes twitching slightly as he complained, ¡°You give me the vibe of those ninjas in Wanxiang City, always popping up out of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t be, can it?¡± Ke Xiaomo gave a light ¡°heh¡± and slowly said, ¡°I have something to deal with at the university, so I have to go back to Xi¡¯an in a couple of weeks, and then I probably won¡¯t come back for the summer break.¡±


    ¡°I get it, you want to build up your presence at home before you leave, so we don¡¯t forget about you, right?¡± said Ke Mingye.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    The two of them chatted as they went downstairs, took the elevator to Old Jingmai Street, and began to run slowly around the perimeter of Old Jingmai District under the early morning sun.


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your opinion on superheroes?¡±


    While running, Ke Xiaomo suddenly asked.


    ¡°If I see them, I keep my distance, what else?¡± Ke Mingye replied, looking back at him as he ran ahead.


    ¡°I mean¡­ have you ever thought about becoming a superhero?¡±


    ¡°Every high school student has thought about it, I guess,¡± Ke Mingye quipped, raising his head, ¡°But we¡¯re just ordinary people. It¡¯s more realistic to study hard for college and hope to land a decent job as a well-treated ¡¯corporate slave¡¯ later.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo paused for a moment and probed further, ¡°So what do you think of that recent ¡¯Blue Owl¡¯ then?¡±


    Here it comes¡­ If you want to ask that, why not just say so? Why beat around the bush?


    Ke Mingye rolled his eyes internally, but he replied aloud.


    ¡°Big bro, what¡¯s there to care about such small fries? Haven¡¯t there been a lot these past few years? First media hype, then after a couple of days, they get packaged by a talent agency and start a career to make money. Don¡¯t believe me? Just watch, I surf the web every day; I definitely know more than you.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Sounds about right.¡±


    ¡°`


    Ke Xiaomo said no more, simply accompanying Ke Mingye as he finished the five-kilometer run, then helped him count as he completed one hundred sit-ups.


    Then the two had breakfast at a nearby morning diner.


    ¡°So¡­what would you think if I really wanted to become a superhero?¡±


    At the diner¡¯s table, Ke Mingye asked, chopsticks in mouth, glancing up cautiously.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said you were just an ordinary person?¡± Ke Xiaomo inquired.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a hypothetical.¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s chopsticks paused mid-air. He lowered his eyes in thought for a moment, then stated profoundly, ¡°Of course, you¡¯re my brother, I¡¯ll support whatever choice you make.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Ke Mingye nodded in response, picking up a piece of siu mai with his chopsticks and popping it into his mouth, avoiding Ke Xiaomo¡¯s gaze.


    He couldn¡¯t stand this kind of conversation. Ke Xiaomo was probably the only person in the family who spoke in such a serious manner. Bai Qiuwu was serious too, but occasionally she cracked jokes, not this dull and awkward.


    While eating, he claimed the reward for his daily task.


    [You have claimed the reward for daily task 2 ¡°One Hundred Sit-ups,¡± earning 2 attribute points to allocate freely.]


    Ke Mingye raised a finger and distributed the two attribute points¡ªone to ¡°Physical Fitness¡± and the other to ¡°Mental Strength.¡±


    [Your ¡°Physical Fitness¡± attribute has changed: 65¡ú66 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [Your ¡°Mental Strength¡± attribute has changed: 23¡ú24 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [You have claimed the reward for daily task 1 ¡°Run Five Kilometers,¡± earning one spin on the lucky wheel.]


    With the prompt box disappearing, the reward wheel unfolded before him, and the text in the six sectors caught his eye.


    [One, 2000 Mall Coins;]


    [Two, 30% Off Shopping Coupon;]


    [Three, a Magic Card Bundle;]


    [Four, a fragment of a low-level Skill Enhancement Card (collect three fragments to forge one low-level Skill Enhancement Card) (A low-level Skill Enhancement Card can be used to enhance an E-grade skill);]


    [Five, an E-grade Skill Card Pack (contains three random and different E-grade Skill Cards);]


    [Six, 1000 Experience Points.]


    Ke Mingye sipped his soy milk, pressing the spin button on the wheel with a thought. The pointer began to spin at high speed.


    It finally stopped on the fourth sector.


    [Congratulations, you have obtained the fourth sector¡¯s reward: a fragment of a low-level Skill Enhancement Card (you now possess 2 fragments, collect 3 to complete one low-level Skill Enhancement Card).]


    After breakfast, they didn¡¯t linger outside and went straight home.


    As soon as Ke Mingye sat down in his room, his spare phone received a message. He glanced down to see it was from a QQ friend.


    [Not Ash: Are you free? Come to the elementary school, the master wants me to teach you card crafting.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: On my way.]


    ¡°Card crafting, huh¡­ The more life-saving cards I craft, the more useful they¡¯ll be later on.¡±


    Ke Mingye had been looking forward to this for a long time, picturing a workaholic persona split from a personality split, controlling Little Red Riding Hood to produce cards day and night.


    So he quickly unleashed the Deception Puppet and had it head to the abandoned train station.


    He took out a set of women¡¯s clothes from the storage locker, dressed himself in them, put on a face mask, and then used a ¡°Magical Girl Transformation Card.¡±


    Before long, when Magical Girl Xiaohongmao arrived at the long-disused Huanjing Elementary School, the scene that met her eyes caused her to pause briefly.


    She almost fell from mid-air.


    Her toes tapped awkwardly on the ground, and the layers of snowflakes wrapped around her slowly dissipated, turning into specks of light that fell to the ground.


    Looking up, she could see Magical Girl Ash leaning on a corner of the roof¡¯s iron fence, one hand on her shoulder, the other fiddling with a phone.


    Casual and carefree, her long black hair swayed gently in the light breeze.


    Xiaohongmao¡¯s attention, however, was drawn to the fact that, at that moment, next to Ash¡¯s feet, sat a helmet that seemed extremely futuristic, hardly of this era.


    Ke Mingye was very familiar with the gadget, as it had tormented him for quite some time.


    The brain imaging helmet.

 Chapter 233 - 233 - 159 Three-quarters of a Friend

    Chapter 233 ¨C 159 Three-quarters of a Friend


    Little Red Riding Hood stabilized her figure in mid-air and slowly descended. Her heels touched the rooftop floor, and she nonchalantly tucked the handle of the ruby Magic Wand under her arm, then walked towards Magical Girl Ash.


    She tilted her head, her gaze lowered towards the brain imaging helmet at Ash¡¯s feet, and asked curiously.


    ¡°Senior, what is this thing, an Ultraman transformation device?¡±


    ¡°Transformation device my foot, it¡¯s for you to use!¡±


    Magical Girl Ash spoke without looking up, her brow slightly furrowed, her slender fingers wrapped in black leather gloves tapping away vigorously on the phone screen, the dense typing sounds entering one¡¯s ear, which felt rather infuriating.


    From the visible corner of the screen: it seemed she was chatting with Xizi Yue on WeChat.


    The pattern of their chat was mostly Ash sending a barrage of text with lightning speed, then Xizi Yue either ignoring it or replying with a word or two, or even just one word¡ªanyone unaware would think it was some loser trying to chat with a goddess.


    ...


    But anyone who knew a little about these two would realize that this way of chatting was because Ash was too impatient, while Xizi Yue was too laid back.


    Little Red Riding Hood, expressionless, clasped the Magic Wand under her arm around her shoulder, with the other hand propped against her chin.


    She thought for a moment and said, ¡°It¡¯s not some kind of brainwashing device, is it, senior? I know you might swing that way, but to do this to your own colleague is a bit much, won¡¯t it be awkward when you can¡¯t look each other in the eye later?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Magical Girl Ash lifted the hand that was clutching her shoulder and rested it against her forehead with a sigh. She had long grown accustomed to Little Red Riding Hood¡¯s erratic thinking and thus decisively skipped the rebuttal phase. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My mentor said that to join the Alliance nowadays, one must wear this helmet for testing.¡±


    ¡°Testing what?¡±


    ¡°Testing whether you¡¯re a player or not.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s a player?¡±


    ¡°The big bad guys who want to destroy the world.¡±


    ¡°Senior, you might as well not have said anything at all, the way we kids, who grew up on garbage, talk is just not the same as you kids, who grew up with silver spoons in your mouths.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to understand; I order you to put it on right now, and then I¡¯ll take a picture for my mentor to report, got it?¡± Saying so, Magical Girl Ash put away her phone, bent down to pick up the brain imaging helmet from the ground, and handed it to Little Red Riding Hood.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Little Red Riding Hood took the brain imaging helmet, held it in both hands, and hesitated for half a second: ¡°This isn¡¯t really some sort of brainwa¡­¡±


    Ash frowned and interrupted her brusquely, holding her shoulder: ¡°Stop talking nonsense and just put it on.¡±


    Little Red Riding Hood slowly lifted the brain imaging helmet and placed it on her head, and Ke Mingye ordered her to clear her mind, so she just stood there blankly, her gaze fixed on Ash.


    A moment later, Ash shifted her gaze away from her and said lightly.


    ¡°You can take it off now.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Little Red Riding Hood removed the brain imaging helmet, and on the display screen on the back of the helmet appeared some images, the very scene she had just seen with her eyes.


    She was experienced with this; when the brain imaging helmet captures the visual neural signals of a Deception Puppet, the resulting images are no different from what a normal human eye would see, otherwise she would have been caught by her brother Ke Yinzhi and taken to the Management Bureau for punishment during her movie theater stunt.


    Magical Girl Ash took the brain imaging helmet silently, lowered her cool face, and confirmed the photo formed through captured brain signals with a glance.


    Her fingers swiftly swiped across the control panel of the helmet, quickly flipping through, and she didn¡¯t see any strange player icons or messy panels above these photos.


    Relieved, she thought to herself that the Grandmaster was really such a fusspot, insisting on putting her through this, as if those players, if they could choose their spawn point, would pick such a pitiful girl? Enjoy exclusive chapters from


    ¡°What a fascinating thing, can I have another look?¡± Little Red Riding Hood asked.


    ¡°Just keep it, don¡¯t look at me with those puppy-dog eyes.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, senior.¡± Little Red Riding Hood said as she took the helmet, feeling its cool, smooth surface.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ash said, ¡°We¡¯ll head back to the classroom, and then I¡¯ll teach you how to make cards.¡±


    ¡°What about the helmet?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash, walking ahead of her, said as they descended the stairs of the teaching building, ¡°There¡¯s quite a lot of this stuff around now, it¡¯s not very rare, you can keep it to play with.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°True¡­¡± Ash was about to reply, when she suddenly thought of something and her tone changed abruptly, sounding rather annoyed, ¡°Oh, seems like that won¡¯t do. Last time I brought the brain imaging helmet home, my mentor scolded me, saying that Qing Ya was messaging her asking who she gave the brain imaging helmet to. If it weren¡¯t for my mentor covering for me, that damned erect Crow Man would¡¯ve definitely taken the chance to annoy me, accusing me of moving important property without authorization or something.¡±


    ¡°Qing Ya pays that much attention to you?¡± Little Red Riding Hood asked softly, hands clasped behind her back.


    ¡°He¡¯s sick in the head, I have no idea why he¡¯s targeting me.¡±


    The two of them talked as they walked along the empty corridor, the morning light slanting in from the windows, casting a beautiful silhouette on them. Soon, they entered the classroom. Seeing no one else in the classroom, Ash simply sat down at the conference table, too lazy to even move a chair.


    She summoned the Magic Book, her eyes downcast, and took out two blank cards from the book with a snap, laying them on the table.


    ¡°These are models of Magic Cards, made of a special material.¡± She said, ¡°Magic Girls can collect up to five blank card models from the Alliance each week to create Magic Cards. However, most Magic Girls have mediocre talent, and even the comet-type Magic Girls hardly know how to create cards, let alone those who are contract-type.¡±

 Chapter 234 - 234 - 159: Three Quarters of a Friend_2

    Chapter 234 ¨C 159: Three Quarters of a Friend_2


    Xiaohongmao said, ¡°There seem to be more Magic Girls who debut as idols after making a contract, right? I¡¯ve seen many people undergoing idol training at the Alliance building, but I hardly ever see them take on missions.¡±


    ¡°That is indeed the case.¡±


    Ash placed her hands on the table, the skirt of her dress spreading out like a beautiful flower over the conference table. She curled her lips disdainfully and spoke without reservation, ¡°Although it might sound harsh, with their half-baked strength, it¡¯s more fitting for them to sing and dance and earn money by showing their faces. If they pretend to be strong, it¡¯ll be too late for regrets when something happens.¡±


    ¡°From the way you speak, senior, you must have interacted with quite a few contract-based Magic Girls.¡±


    ¡°There were one or two Magic Girls I got along well with, but they were contract-based and very weak.¡± The gothic-dress girl said softly, her eyes downcast, ¡°Later, they all died, one torn in half by Ghosthand Buddha, another beheaded by an abyssal swordsman. Actually, I think they got what they deserved. It was all because they were too weak that they met such ends.¡±


    She tilted her head, her long, black hair swaying gently with the gray ribbons, ¡°After that, I basically stopped teaming up with other Magic Girls and fought solo most of the time.¡±


    Xiaohongmao thought for a moment and asked, ¡°So, senior, is that why you killed Ghosthand Buddha?¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ¡°Yeah, my master always told me to stay calm, but I still couldn¡¯t hold back and killed him that time.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash turned her pale cheek to the side, her gaze drifting toward the skyscrapers outside the window while she spoke slowly.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see how bloody the scene was? Those people online even gave me a bunch of nicknames because of it. Some called me a murderer among Magic Girls, others said I didn¡¯t deserve to be a Magic Girl at all, some said I had no bottom line, that I was no different from those lunatics and would soon become the next Witch.¡±


    At this point, she paused for a while.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t care because no matter how they judge me, it doesn¡¯t affect me. I won¡¯t become a Witch, nor will I become timid because of their views. I am who I am and won¡¯t change for anyone.¡±


    Xiaohongmao fell silent for a moment, holding the brain imaging helmet and walking up to the conference table. She gently sat down beside Ash and took one of the card molds, ¡°So, how exactly do we make the cards?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash also fell silent for a while, picked up a blank card mold with her index and middle fingers, then infused the card with gray Magic Power.


    Soon, the Magic Power enveloped it like a protective film. Immediately after, Ash¡¯s chest burst into a strange glow, and the bowtie on her gown fluttered in the brilliant light.


    She closed her eyes, reached into the hollow of her chest with her right hand, clasped the glow, and slowly ¡°pulled¡± it out.


    Then she slowly opened her eyes, spread her palm, and the glow in her hand vanished. In its place was a stone flickering with black and white spots, about the thickness of a finger.


    Xiaohongmao¡¯s eyes showed surprise as she silently stared at the stone, thinking that it must be the Comet Fragment inside a Magic Girl.


    She had heard that if this fragment were destroyed, the Magic Girl would also die on the spot, so it was generally impossible for a Magic Girl to remove the fragment in front of others.


    At the moment, the surface of the Comet Fragment was covered in a halo of densely interwoven black and white spots, like the snowy effect that appears on a malfunctioning television screen, making it impossible to see the actual appearance of the fragment.


    ¡°This is the Comet Fragment inside me,¡± Magic Girl Ash said expressionlessly. ¡°You have one inside you too. Imagine in your mind what the Hope Fragment would look like, and then infuse it into the blank card mold. For example, if I want to make a ¡¯Magic Power Supply,¡¯ I would imagine the appearance and effects of ¡¯Magic Power Supply¡¯ in my mind, then catch the moment of resonance with the Comet Fragment, and infuse the Comet Fragment into the card mold.¡±


    After saying this, she brought the fragment in her palm and the card mold in her hand together, and the fragment burst into a dazzling light, instantly swallowing the card mold.


    ¡°Also, if you want to add some materials during card making, you can do that too, like this.¡±


    Read new chapters at


    As she spoke, Magical Girl Ash pulled a piece of Spirit Fragrance Wood, as thick as a finger, from her Magic Book, letting go of the wood from above the glow, allowing the Spirit Fragrance Wood to fall into it.


    Soon, the Spirit Fragrance Wood was engulfed by the glow as if falling into a mysterious creature¡¯s maw.


    Xiaohongmao watched this scene quietly, feeling a bit eerie.


    Before long, accompanied by a chewing sound, the glow slowly faded away, leaving behind the stone flickering with black and white spots and a fragrant Magic Card¡ª¡±Magic Power Supply¡±¡ªfloating in midair.


    The front of this card showed a Magic Girl praying with her hands together under the night sky, with a meteor sweeping across the dark canopy; the back had no design, only a complex and exquisite pattern of Magic Power.


    Magical Girl Ash extended her hand with a placid expression, catching the card and the Comet Fragment. She returned the Comet Fragment to her body while handing the card to Xiaohongmao.


    Xiaohongmao took the card, looked at it for a while, then flipped it over to check the content on both sides. It was the same ¡°Magic Power Supply¡± she had seen in the card library of the Alliance building, a perfect replica.

 Chapter 235 - 159 Three Quarters of a Friend_3

    Chapter 235: Chapter 159 Three Quarters of a Friend_3


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between this and regular ¡®magic power supply¡¯?¡± Ash asked. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It smells really good,¡± Xiaohongmao sniffed and said in a low voice.


    Magical Girl Ash nodded and explained, ¡°Exactly, giving the card a pleasant fragrance is a characteristic that comes with adding ¡®Spirit Fragrance Wood¡¯ during the card-making process.¡±


    ¡°I see, so can I start making cards now?¡±


    ¡°Wait a few days, right now neither your control precision over magic power nor your magic power reserves are up to the mark,¡± Ash said, ¡°And you¡¯d better not practice alone at home in secret. Because if you accidentally take out the Comet Fragment and can¡¯t put it back, or if the fragment gets damaged, your body will experience some abnormalities.¡±


    As she spoke, she took a deep breath, her tone a mixture of wistfulness and sarcasm, ¡°A number of Magic Girls died that way in the past. I have to say, they were really stupid.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll listen to my senior and practice more before starting card crafting,¡± Xiaohongmao nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s it for today then, both tasks at hand are done,¡± Magical Girl Ash said, glancing over at the brain imaging helmet on the conference table, ¡°Should I take you home?¡±


    Xiaohongmao hung her head and stayed silent for a while, then suddenly looked up with a pitiful expression, ¡°Senior, can I just borrow the helmet to play with for one day?¡±


    ¡°You really want to play with it that much?¡±


    ¡°It seems fun. We poor kids who scavenge through trash haven¡¯t seen this kind of toy.¡±


    ¡°Hey hey, this is not a toy,¡± Ash sighed with a hand to her forehead, ¡°Alright, one day shouldn¡¯t be a problem, just bring it back here tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, senior, love you.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash was taken aback at first, then turned her head with a shiver, giving her an odd look as she asked, ¡°When did you learn to say such cheesy stuff?¡±


    Xiaohongmao tilted her head and said expressionlessly, ¡°Doesn¡¯t senior talk to her family like that? Like ¡®sister loves you¡¯, ¡®brother loves you¡¯ and the sort?¡±


    At those words, the pallor of the gothic dress girl¡¯s face immediately flushed red. She opened her mouth and poked Xiaohongmao¡¯s cheek with her hand, frowning in quick protest.


    ¡°Stop, stop, STOP! Sister loves you is enough, I did say that. But what the hell is brother loves you?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it doesn¡¯t affect my love for senior,¡± Xiaohongmao said seriously.


    ¡°If you say such cheesy things again, I¡¯ll shoot you with Cinderella. We¡¯re just coworkers, get it?¡±


    ¡°Not friends?¡±


    ¡°Half a friend,¡± Magical Girl Ash muttered with a downcast face, speaking coldly, ¡°To prevent you from dying a horrible death like my previous friend one day, which would upset me, I¡¯d rather consider you half a friend.¡±


    ¡°Then half a friend it is. I¡¯ll open your heart, strive to become three-quarters of a friend in your eyes, and then move on to becoming a full-fledged friend.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Magical Girl Ash paused, then turned her cheek and chuckled softly, one hand on the table and the other lifting a finger to poke Xiaohongmao¡¯s cheek again.


    ¡°Are you an idiot?¡±


    After saying that, she quickly got up from the conference table and walked out of the classroom at a steady pace. She opened her magic umbrella, Cinderella, from the corridor and then glanced sideways at Xiaohongmao.


    ¡°I won¡¯t take you today, get home by yourself,¡±


    ¡°Okay, bye-bye, senior.¡±


    As her voice fell, Cinderella¡¯s umbrella unfolded, and the gothic dress girl holding the handle soared into the clear sky, leaving a trail of grey magic ripples lingering in the air.


    In the classroom, Xiaohongmao watched the scene and slowly lowered her eyes to the brain imaging helmet in her arms.


    ¡°One day, huh?¡±


    ¡°Then I must find a way today to lure Che Zhengchen out of the Superhero Association building, then hypnotize him to recall the images from when he was infested by the bug, and see if I can use the brain imaging helmet to replicate Gastella¡¯s appearance from his memories¡­¡±


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 Chapter 236 - 160 Dice Monster Strikes Superhero Tower (Part 1)

    Chapter 236: Chapter 160 Dice Monster Strikes Superhero Tower (Part 1)


    July 9th, late afternoon, Huanjing city center, Hongdeng Commercial District.


    The densely packed electronic billboards were arranged as tightly as a deck of cards on a table, and the camera, moving downwards, revealed a modern street bathed in the pollution of neon lights.


    The street was noisy with people¡¯s voices, occasionally punctuated by shouts and exclamations, as if they had seen something unbelievable.


    At this moment, a figure in a red and blue battle suit was walking through the crowd, conspicuously out of place, head bowed playing with a cellphone while carelessly making his way toward the Association Building.


    Wearing a superhero costume in broad daylight on the street, especially when it was a rookie hero who had been all over the media recently.


    It had been less than a week since he had debuted in front of the media, and the manufacturers had not even had time to launch the Blue Owl¡¯s CosPlay costume, let alone have imitators at this point in time.


    ...


    Thus, everyone could deduce that the one walking on the street was definitely Blue Owl himself. Naturally, this scene attracted many onlookers, as well as the constant flashing of cameras.


    But why Blue Owl had so conspicuously appeared in front of the public, nobody knew.


    Some quickly guessed that he was about to join the Superhero Association; others immediately said it was something any fool could see; while some laughed, hoping that upon joining the Association, he wouldn¡¯t be coerced by capital to become one of those ¡°idol heroes¡± who knew only how to make money through marketing but didn¡¯t do real work¡ªit was too common these days.


    However, that person was soon drowned out by disdain, for Blue Owl had indeed solved a few criminal cases, distinctly different from those heroes who relied on hype to make their debut.


    Regardless of the public discussion, Blue Owl was just scrolling through Weibo while walking on the street. occasionally waving his hands at pedestrians blocking the way ahead, signaling them to step aside. Disturbing the traffic order was not good.


    Before long, he passed through the Hongdeng Commercial District and entered the Superhero Association Building located in the center of the city. Looking up, the tower soared into the sky, its top out of sight.


    At the moment, the projection giant screen of the Superhero Association Building was introducing the latest rookie hero team of the week¡ª¡±Platinum Wing Squad¡±.


    However, there weren¡¯t many people on Hongdeng Commercial Street who looked up for a second glance at the projection screen. Instead, their attention was fixed on Blue Owl standing in front of the building.


    Blue Owl shrugged his shoulders, pocketed his cellphone into the pocket of his battle suit, and walked into the first floor of the Superhero Tower, showing a business card with Che Zhengchen¡¯s name to the reception staff.


    With one hand on his hip, he spoke, ¡°I¡¯m here to see someone, Che Zhengchen.¡±


    The well-trained staff was obviously used to such cases and simply nodded calmly, extending an arm to the right, her voice devoid of emotion as she spoke.


    ¡°Hello, Commander Che Zhengchen has already scheduled your appointment in advance. Access to the forty-fifth floor of the Association Building has been unlocked for you. Please turn right to the commissioner-specific elevator and select the specific floor number on the elevator control panel.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Hearing this, Blue Owl left the business card at the front desk, turned, and entered the glass wall elevator at the end of the first floor. The numbers on the control panel had automatically been selected for him, and so the elevator doors slowly closed, and the car ascended.


    Through the glass walls of the elevator, one could glimpse this cold steel city, looking down upon the myriad skyscrapers and their billboards displaying various fashion and beauty brands.


    In a short while, the elevator doors opened outward, revealing a corridor carpeted in red, and the first room along the hallway was an office.


    The person sitting behind the desk put down their pen and lifted their eyes from the documents, smiling and waving at him. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blue Owl surveyed the man for a moment¡ªgold-rimmed glasses, pompadour hairstyle, a gentle and refined demeanor, and crows¡¯ feet at the corners of his eyes when he smiled. Without a doubt, this was Che Zhengchen.


    So, he stepped into the office,


    ¡°Close the door, please,¡± Che Zhengchen spoke warmly, his tone matching that of their previous phone conversation.


    Hearing this, Blue Owl casually closed the door, then approached the desk, pulled up a chair, and sat down, resting his arms on the desk like a primary school student sitting attentively in class.


    Then, tilting his head, the red and blue beak-like mask followed suit, ¡°Uh, so what¡¯s up? Are you sure you want to agree to my terms, meaning I¡¯ll appear in front of you in this battle suit from now on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, and I will help you enter the Superhero Association while keeping your identity hidden.¡±


    ¡°At this point, I suppose I should say ¡®thank you¡¯,¡± Blue Owl paused, ¡°but actually, I¡¯m more curious¡ªyour reasoning for doing this?¡±


    ¡°Simple, you remind me of my son.¡±


    ¡°Your son?¡±


    ¡°Che Maochen.¡±


    Blue Owl lifted his eyes from behind his glasses, looking at him puzzledly, ¡°Huh? Who is he? You can¡¯t possibly trust me unconditionally just because I resemble your son in character, right?¡±


    Che Zhengchen gave a slight nod, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses, ¡°My son was killed by Timekeeper five years ago, dismembered into twenty-three pieces, and hung from the Superhero Association¡¯s high-altitude work platform.¡±


    Blue Owl was stunned for a moment, ¡°The gray pigeon?¡±


    Che Zhengchen smiled faintly, ¡°That¡¯s right, the superhero Gray Pigeon was my son.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl was momentarily taken aback before he regained his composure.


    He thought to himself that for Che Zhengchen to talk about that incident so calmly, one could tell his mental fortitude was exceptional, or perhaps he had been tormented over the past five years to the point of acceptance.


    ¡°In these five years, I have not been able to come to terms with it, not even for a moment.¡±


    As he spoke, Che Zhengchen pointed to the white hair on his head, his face still wearing a smile, ¡°So when I saw you, I was reminded of the night my son first brought up his wish to become a superhero.¡±


    Blue Owl silently stared at him, offering no response.


    ¡°You are a lot like my son, similar in character, similar in behavior, both of you debuted imitating Qing Ya, both proposed to keep your identities hidden from the outside world, even from within the Association,¡± Che Zhengchen said, his head lowered, speaking softly.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I might even wonder if he came back from the dead¡­ and returned to my side.¡±


    Blue Owl shrugged, ¡°But I¡¯m not your son, I hope you¡¯re not letting your emotions get the better of you. Allowing someone like me, with an unknown background, into the Superhero Association is not the style of a Commander.¡±


    Che Zhengchen was silent for a while before suddenly saying, ¡°Have you ever thought, your actions might attract the Timekeeper, just like my son did?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It would be too fake to say I haven¡¯t thought about it.¡±


    ¡°But you still put on this combat suit?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Just from this point alone, I am willing to trust you,¡± Che Zhengchen said decisively, meeting Blue Owl¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Starting tomorrow, you are a member of the Superhero Association. Don¡¯t worry about your identity issues; I will handle the higher-ups. With my seniority in the Superhero Association, I should be able to keep you safe.¡±


    Blue Owl was taken aback, ¡°Just like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just like that,¡± Che Zhengchen said with a smile, ¡°By the way, you will be assigned inside the Platinum Wing Squad, contending for the position of team leader. If you perform even better, this squad might be renamed ¡®Blue Owl Squad¡­¡¯


    He was speaking when suddenly the lights in the office changed from a cool tone to a dangerous and dazzling red.


    Che Zhengchen slightly furrowed his brows, his gaze shifting to the right, where the projector hung on the wall suddenly activated, projecting an image onto the wall opposite.


    On the projected image, a strange humanoid form, glowing with a gray halo, was clinging to the surface of the Superhero Tower, sticking to the glass curtain wall above with webs shot from a device on its wrist.


    Then, holding onto the tenacious web, it spun and whirled upwards in mid-air, hurtling towards the top of the tower with an unbelievably quick speed.


    At the same time, a deafening warning sound erupted in the office, bathed in red from the lights.


    ¡°Warning, warning, warning¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Detected C-ranked fugitive ¡®Dice Monster¡¯ invading Superhero Association Building¡ª! Detected C-ranked fugitive ¡®Dice Monster¡¯ invading Superhero Association Building, all superheroes please prepare for battle¡ª!¡±


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 Chapter 237 - 161 Dice Monster Strikes Superhero Tower (Part 2)

    Chapter 237: Chapter 161 Dice Monster Strikes Superhero Tower (Part 2)


    On the 45th floor of the Superhero Tower, in the Commander¡¯s private office.


    ¡°The Dice Monster probably used some kind of invisibility ability. He must have jumped from the highest point nearby onto the surface of the Superhero Tower; otherwise, the alarm would have gone off sooner.¡± Che Zhengchen explained to the blue owl while staring intently at the projector screen through his glasses.


    ¡°Dice Monster?¡±


    Muttering the name, the blue owl then said, ¡°What¡¯s that thing doing at the Superhero Tower? Surely it¡¯s not strapped with a nuclear bomb, trying to go down together with the Superhero Association?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s actually a possibility of that.¡± Che Zhengchen¡¯s face grew serious, ¡°We¡¯ve always paid close attention to this character, even though his actions are somewhat illogical.¡±


    While looking at the projector screen, he continued, ¡°Although we don¡¯t know his target, or which part of the Association Building he¡¯s aiming for, he¡¯s already reached the thirtieth something floor. Just above this are where some elite Superheroes rest, and someone will soon move to stop him¡­¡±


    ...


    As he spoke, Che Zhengchen¡¯s expression suddenly changed, ¡°Wait, he seems to be heading for us!¡±


    On the projector screen, the Dice Monster was spiraling upwards along the surface of the Superhero Tower using spider silk, gliding through the air beneath the heavens much like an acrobat.


    Since it kept shifting, appearing now on the west side of the building, now on the north, and then flitting to the east side, its destination was unclear.


    One thing was certain, though¡ªit was continuously ascending towards the pinnacle of the tower.


    Then, as it neared the thirty-ninth floor, it shot spider silk upward, sticking to the aerial work platform, pulled on the silk to swing upward, and landed on the railing of the platform.


    Then, disengaging safety constraints, it crouched to gather energy and burst upward from the railing, rocketing up like a gray streak of lightning, instantly passing several floor sections.


    ¡°Quickly press the button behind the vase to your right; it can initiate metal protection mode for the office side facing the windows.¡±


    As he spoke, Che Zhengchen quickly rose from behind his desk and turned to look at the floor-to-ceiling window behind him. At that very moment, his pupils contracted slightly. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He saw a gray humanoid figure, sinuous as a dragon or serpent, leapt into the air, appearing outside the floor-to-ceiling window.


    There was a mocking, eerie smile on its face, with inscrutable light swirling in its hollow pupils, floating in mid-air as it briefly locked eyes with Che Zhengchen.


    In the next moment, two strands of spider silk shot out from the Dice Monster¡¯s wrist-mounted web shooter, sticking to the floor-to-ceiling window like death¡¯s own grasp.


    Then, gripping a strand of silk in each hand, it pulled hard and propelled itself forward with ferocious force, shattering the glass window with a brutal kick.


    Bang¡ª!


    Amid the rain of glass shards flying in all directions, the Dice Monster once again lowered its right arm and shot a strand of spider silk that precisely latched onto the disappearing figure of Che Zhengchen.


    It dragged Che Zhengchen toward itself with the right hand, then, with a swift motion of its arm, the Dice Monster locked his neck within its grasp, pulling him along as they both plunged towards the ground below the high-rise.


    The blue owl¡¯s right hand was poised on the ¡°metal defense switch¡± behind the vase when he saw this scene unfold and was completely taken aback.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    As he spoke, a layer of metal barrier swiftly descended from above the window, attempting to envelop the entire window.


    But the blue owl, seizing the moment before the metal barrier could descend, dashed forward, squeezed through the broken window, and then plummeted from a height of one hundred and fifty-nine meters above, heading straight down into the steel city below!


    At this very moment, the Dice Monster and Che Zhengchen were clinging onto the glass curtain wall, falling downwards.


    The Dice Monster¡¯s grin was reflected on the glass curtain wall, along with Che Zhengchen¡¯s fearful and shocked face.


    He pulled fiercely at the Dice Monster¡¯s right arm with both hands, yet he dared not exert too much force. If the Dice Monster really let go in mid-air, his own life would be forfeit.


    Che Zhengchen¡¯s pupils shrank to the size of wheat grains. He couldn¡¯t imagine that he would end up in such a situation at the Superhero Tower. Did this criminal really not consider how to escape from the encirclement of hundreds of Superheroes after attacking the tower?


    Or was it simply that he was a lunatic who didn¡¯t think about the consequences of his actions at all?


    The fast falling wind lifted Che Zhengchen¡¯s gold-rimmed glasses, and the pressure distorted his face almost beyond recognition, obscuring the details of his features. His carefully styled hair from the morning had now become disheveled and unruly.


    At this point, the Superheroes stationed in the Association Building were all in full motion, with those capable of flying converging from above to corner the Dice Monster.


    This included the familiar figures of Platinum Wing and Telekinetic Nun.


    One of them spread out silver-white wings and pursued Dice Monster; another enveloped herself in a sphere of telekinesis, descending towards the ground like a pale blue orb.


    Superheroes who lacked the power of flight rapidly arrived at the ground, standing at the base of the Superhero Tower, awaiting the fall of the Dice Monster.


    One of the superheroes, known as ¡°Balloon Hero,¡± had the superpower to inflate his body. He puffed out his cheeks, inhaled deeply to fill his lungs with air, and his body, dressed in a yellow battle suit, suddenly expanded, especially his enormous belly, which became a giant safety airbag.


    Meanwhile, Blue Owl descended rapidly from mid-air, trying to get close to Dice Monster. His plan was simple: at the moment they neared the ground, he would use ¡°Phase Transfer¡± to swap places with Dice Monster, hoping to bring Che Zhengchen back¡­


    But this plan was too risky. He was still one step too late and couldn¡¯t close the distance to within eight meters of Dice Monster.


    Before Dice Monster could enter the range where Blue Owl could execute Phase Transfer, at the instant it reached seven meters above the ground, a door made of dense religious text suddenly appeared beneath it. At that moment, this mysterious door was radiating a sacred, untouchable glow.


    The next moment, Dice Monster fell through that glowing, holy doorway with Che Zhengchen, and they, along with the doorway itself, disappeared without a trace.


    Just like that, in full view of everyone, they escaped to the heavens, vanished without a trace.


    Platinum Wing stopped in mid-air, flapping his wings to maintain ascending momentum, and looked around in shock, ¡°Dice Monster¡­ disappeared?¡±


    The Telekinetic Nun hovered beside him in her telekinesis sphere, ¡°I just saw a golden door. It vanished right after hitting that door.¡±


    ¡°Is it a superpower¡­?¡± Platinum Wing pondered aloud.


    ¡°Not sure.¡± The Telekinetic Nun shook her head, then suddenly looked up. Her tone shifted, ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that Blue Owl?¡±


    ¡°Blue Owl? What¡¯s he doing here?¡±


    Platinum Wing paused for a moment and then turned to look, only to see Blue Owl passing by not too far away, plummeting straight toward the earth, ¡°Wait, he¡¯s falling. Why aren¡¯t you saving him?¡±


    ¡°I barely have enough telekinesis to keep myself afloat, how can I save him?¡± The Telekinetic Nun asked.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Upon hearing that, Platinum Wing violently flapped his wings, creating a sharp gust of wind as he dived rapidly downward.


    On the ground in front of the Superhero Tower, someone shouted at Balloon Hero, who had become an ¡°inflated airbag¡± and was lying on the ground, ¡°Balloon Hero! Adjust your position quickly, Dice Monster disappeared, but there¡¯s a superhero falling down over there!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Blue Owl!¡±


    ¡°He clearly doesn¡¯t have the ability to fly, why did he jump off following Dice Monster?!¡±


    Originally, Balloon Hero had inflated his belly to catch Dice Monster and Che Zhengchen, but now Dice Monster had vanished, replaced by a superhero plummeting from the sky and still some distance away from his location.


    This series of unexpected events caught him off guard all at once.


    ¡°I can¡¯t adjust my position in time; someone catch him!¡±


    Balloon Hero shouted gutturally, his breath pouring out of him, causing his chunky body to quickly revert to its original size. He scrambled to his feet, his face filled with panic as he looked towards Blue Owl, plummeting rapidly from the sky.


    Blue Owl thought he could use Phase Transfer to switch positions with nearby superheroes, and the momentum from falling would be gone in the instant of the switch ¨C he had tested this before.


    If he weren¡¯t concerned about the onlookers, he could use the ¡°Superhero Landing¡± to be extra safe, but at this moment, under the guise of Blue Owl and in front of an audience, such a landing would blur his association with Dice Monster.


    Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t matter. There were plenty of superheroes around his landing zone. He could safely land by swapping places with any of them using Phase Transfer.


    However, just as he was about to hit the ground, at ten meters in the air, a curtain of pitch-black crow feathers suddenly fluttered past his eyes. Immediately after, thousands of crows descended from the sky like a vast cloud, enveloping Blue Owl in their midst.


    Blue Owl, lifted by the mysterious flock of crows, was gently carried by their tender wing beats and lowered towards the ground at the base of the Tower.


    At that moment, all the surrounding superheroes fell silent, knowing who had intervened¡­


    Blue Owl looked up in a daze, only to see a figure shrouded in a dark cloak standing in the midst of the crows. As the flock dispersed, the figure came into full view.


    ¡°Remember to think before you act¡­¡±


    Qing Ya dropped that remark as she coldly glanced at Blue Owl through her beak mask. Then, accompanied by a buzzing sound like raging bees, her figure vanished in an instant, leaving only a flurry of scattered crow feathers drifting to the ground.


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 Chapter 238 - 162: The True Face of Gastella

    Chapter 238: Chapter 162: The True Face of Gastella


    Five minutes after Che Zhengchen was kidnapped by the Dice Monster, in a hidden underground room connected by an alley in the Hongdeng Commercial District.


    This cramped and damp basement had been fashioned into an operating room, with a bed covered in pristine white sheets set up in the center, and nothing else.


    At this very moment, the Dice Monster and Fan Quan stood beside the bed, while Che Zhengchen lay unconscious upon it.


    Fan Quan was still wearing his trench coat, now with an Ultraman mask on his face.


    Neither of them spoke, maintaining their silence.


    Fan Quan wrote on his notebook and lifted it, on it was written, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you show up in front of me like this.¡±


    ...


    The Dice Monster curled the corners of his mouth as he typed on a spare phone¡¯s memo app, lifting the screen to show, ¡°So what? You think you¡¯d get scared of me?¡±


    To prevent Gastella from eavesdropping on their conversation using the bugs inside Che Zhengchen, the two resorted to this way of communication, like two mutes talking or a comical pantomime.


    ¡°Just not used to it,¡± Fan Quan wrote.


    The Dice Monster typed and lifted the screen again, ¡°We need to move quickly. Who knows if Qing Ya will find this place in the next second.¡±


    Fan Quan went to adjust his glasses, only to touch the Ultraman mask instead. He wrote, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. This place is very secret; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have specifically bought this basement from those drug dealers.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s your plan?¡± asked the Dice Monster through text.


    ¡°Upon seeing the news, Gastella would normally take control of Che Zhengchen¡¯s body with the bug right away to check the situation,¡± wrote Fan Quan. ¡°But since Che Zhengchen is unresponsive, it means the bug can¡¯t control someone who is unconscious. We can take our time, no rush.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± the Dice Monster stood with a hand on his hip, typing on the phone and lifting the screen, ¡°Then let¡¯s see some action.¡±


    ¡°First of all, we need to remove that bug from his body.¡±


    After writing this, Fan Quan showed it to the Dice Monster and then took a pair of crimson gloves out of his trench coat pocket and slid them on his hands.


    The Dice Monster watched silently.


    Fan Quan told him that these gloves, named ¡°Blood Erosion Hand,¡± were a B-ranked tool capable of penetrating directly through human skin and bones to touch organs.


    From a combat perspective, this glove allows one to ignore the opponent¡¯s outer defense and directly crush the internal organs;


    From a medical angle, the glove can manipulate problematic internal parts without the need to cut.


    The current situation was different, however. Fan Quan aimed to extract the bug from Gastella¡¯s body.


    After returning to the city this morning, he had caught an ordinary person infested with the parasite, killed them for dissection, and found that Gastella¡¯s parasitic worm typically resided on the heart, coiling around it like yarn.


    Thus, with the Blood Erosion Hand on, Fan Quan reached out towards Che Zhengchen¡¯s chest. The crimson glove, ignoring skin and bones, went straight into his body.


    Fan Quan grabbed Che Zhengchen¡¯s heart, gently cradling the thick ¡°black membrane¡± encircling it.


    With a slight tug, the black worm revealed itself, struggling frantically within Che Zhengchen¡¯s body.


    But no match for its adversary, the worm was eventually dragged out of Che Zhengchen¡¯s body by Fan Quan and pulled into reality.


    At the same time, Che Zhengchen coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Fortunately, he remained unconscious, steeped in slumber.


    The Dice Monster, watching with alarm, clicked his tongue secretly. He shot out a strand of webbing, sticking to the worm and pulling it into his hand before crushing it forcefully.


    Amidst the worm¡¯s shrill cries, black blood splattered, staining the floor of the basement.


    The Dice Monster sighed with relief, thinking he could finally speak, then asked, ¡°The worm is out. What¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°This is the hypnotic tool.¡±


    As he spoke, Fan Quan took off the Blood Erosion Hand gloves, stowed them in his bag, and took out a pocket watch from his coat.


    The copper lid snapped open with a click, revealing a small clock ticking inside, the second hand tirelessly moving around.


    Right after, Fan Quan pried open Che Zhengchen¡¯s eyelids, forcing him to stare at the clock for a moment until his eyes gradually hollowed, turning into whirlpools.


    Seeing this, Fan Quan pulled out his phone, unlocked it, entered the photo gallery, and played a pre-recorded video.


    He then angled the video toward Che Zhengchen¡¯s propped open eye.


    The video showed a black worm wriggling on a dirty ground, repeating two or three frames over and over.


    In the background, a magnetic mechanical voice kept repeating, ¡°Think back, have you seen such a worm before? Recall from your mind the memories that were hidden, imagine the situation when you encountered this worm.¡±


    As the video played, the Dice Monster picked up the brain imaging helmet from the floor, slowly and gently placing it on Che Zhengchen¡¯s head.


    This brain imaging helmet came from the three giants of the Magical Girl Alliance; Xizi Yue, to test if Xiaohongmao was a player, handed the helmet over to Magical Girl Ash, entrusting her with using it on Xiaohongmao.


    So after passing the test, Ke Mingye borrowed the helmet from Ash, using the alias Xiaohongmao.


    Since Ash had said it could only be used for one day, Ke Mingye had to make his move today; after all, he would have to return the brain imaging helmet tomorrow. Such an important item couldn¡¯t simply be kept without returning it.


    At this moment, as Dice Monster placed the brain imaging helmet on Che Zhengchen¡¯s head, he walked behind the bed, slowly lifted Che Zhengchen¡¯s body up, and then looked at the screen image on the back of the brain imaging helmet.


    What he activated was the helmet¡¯s second function: this feature allowed capturing the user¡¯s brain signals, replicating the images they were imagining in real life.


    This function had been used by Ke Mingye and Bai Ziling among others at Yandai Cinema City before.


    So now, Che Zhengchen, who was in a state of hypnosis, was listening to the mechanical guiding voice coming from the phone.


    ¡°Think back, have you seen this kind of insect? Recall the memory hidden in your mind, imagine the scene when you saw this insect.¡±


    At the same time, his forced-open eye was intently watching the black insect in the video.


    After this combo, Ke Mingye didn¡¯t believe Che Zhengchen couldn¡¯t recall the memory of being infested by the insect. But the screen of the brain imaging helmet was still slow to respond, only flickering with black and white static.


    ¡°He seems to be short-sighted. Maybe he can¡¯t see the phone screen clearly. Should I give him your glasses to wear?¡± Dice Monster said.


    Fan Quan shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s unlikely. Don¡¯t joke around at a time like this.¡±


    While they spoke, the screen on the back of the brain imaging helmet gradually revealed Che Zhengchen¡¯s imagined images. It seemed that under the influence of this set of hypnotic suggestions, his brain was finally responding.


    The scene that appeared was from Che Zhengchen¡¯s first-person perspective: he was sitting inside a private tavern, drinking sullenly, picked up his phone, and quietly looked at a photograph. The photo showed a rather handsome young man.


    ¡°The guy in the photo, that should be his son,¡± Dice Monster said while looking at Che Zhengchen¡¯s memory images.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Fan Quan asked.


    ¡°He said his son is Qing Ya, you know?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the hero who was dismembered by Timekeeper?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡±


    ¡°No wonder Che Zhengchen is so partial to you. It seems it¡¯s mostly for emotional reasons. I thought someone really appreciated your super hero image with that so-so kung fu.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, my friend. My blue owl is rated D- level superhuman in the system¡¯s rating, not as worthless as you make it sound.¡±


    ¡°Not as weird as strange things.¡±


    ¡°The strange thing is right here. It says thank you for the compliment, but it doesn¡¯t affect the fact that you¡¯re a taciturn sort.¡±


    ¡°Stop talking, pay attention, and don¡¯t miss the clue to Gastella¡¯s true form.¡±


    In the brain imaging display, Che Zhengchen was staring at his son¡¯s photo when suddenly, a girl in a wheelchair entered the tavern. She turned the wheels with her hands, pushing the wheelchair over to his side.


    Seeing this scene, Fan Quan and Dice Monster both focused intently.


    Che Zhengchen, drowsy, turned his head, removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and put the glasses back on again. The image of the girl in his eyes gradually became clearer.


    She had shoulder-length red hair, was dressed in a classic British-style cloth dress, and held a cane in her hand. Her face was lovely, but her clear eyes contained an indelible sense of mockery.


    The girl said something, then lifted her cane, blocking Che Zhengchen¡¯s throat.


    The next moment, a black insect crawled along the handle of the cane towards the end, quickly stuffing itself into Che Zhengchen¡¯s mouth.


    Che Zhengchen clutched his throat, collapsed backward onto the floor, and slowly closed his eyes, losing consciousness. The brain imaging display also grew dark.


    Fan Quan and Dice Monster turned to look at each other.


    They had already captured the face of the girl in the brain imaging screen on their phones.


    And, even assuming the girl was wearing a human face mask at the time, at least they now had her main identifying feature: a girl in a wheelchair, disabled.


    ¡°This must be Gastella herself,¡± Fan Quan said.


    Dice Monster nodded silently, looked at the photo they had taken on the phone for a while, and then said, ¡°So next, the task of finding Gastella should be handed over to Cai Bing.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m off, you figure out how to take Che Zhengchen back by yourself.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you for this, cultured man.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. Covering for you has already become a consensus between me and Cai Bing.¡±


    As he spoke, Fan Quan turned his head, glanced at Dice Monster, and walked slowly out of the basement.


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 Chapter 239 - 163: Two Similar People, the Cycle of Fate

    Chapter 239: Chapter 163: Two Similar People, the Cycle of Fate


    When Qing Ya discovered Che Zhengchen¡¯s figure, the location was inside an abandoned factory in the Hongdeng Business District. He had come here following the clues left by the Dice Monster.


    Qing Ya stood at the entrance of the abandoned factory, nodded slightly, and took a deep breath.


    He was not unfamiliar with this abandoned factory, after all, it was here that Timekeeper had started a live stream, showing how he tortured and killed the widely admired rising star superhero¡ª¡±Grey Dove.¡±


    He still vaguely remembered that scene, the pitiful screams begging for mercy, that face drenched in blood and despair, the severed head gruesomely hanging from the work platform¡­


    The memories surged into his mind like a tide, unconsciously tightening his fist.


    A glint of uncontrollable violence fleeted across his eyes beneath the mask.


    ...


    After a while, Qing Ya raised his head, his beak sharp as a blade extending forward, his gaze coldly piercing through the mask and straight ahead.


    There, Che Zhengchen was slumped against a pillar on the ground, body hunched, head lolling to one side, arms spread out touching the floor. He looked to have long lost consciousness.


    Beyond that, Che Zhengchen¡¯s suit was filled with graffiti of a peculiar sense of humor.


    The designs were childlike, featuring characters like Peppa Pig, Black Cat Sheriff, Mickey Mouse; one might think some little kid had run amok doodling all over him.


    And next to Che Zhengchen, there lay a rusty steel plate. Someone had scrawled a few lines of cute handwriting on the surface of the steel plate with a pink chalk, as if done by a young elementary school girl.


    Qing Ya slowly focused his eyes, looking at the words on the steel plate.


    ¡­


    To Mr. Owl or Comrade Crow:


    ¡°Actually, I was just playing a prank, with no hard feelings. Please take our upright and kind-hearted Commander Che back, Blue Owl, sir. Oh, P.S.: If it happens to be Qing Ya who comes here, please cross out ¡®Blue Owl, sir¡¯ and change it to ¡®Qing Ya, sir.''¡±


    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t forget to pair him with a new pair of glasses. Not wire-rimmed, please. I hate wire-rimmed glasses; they give off the impression of a nouveau riche trying too hard to appear serious, with that smell of copper. ¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t like them at all. Maybe the whole point of kidnapping him was to remind him to get a pair of glasses that suit him better, like rimless or at the very least black-rimmed glasses. Anything is better than wire-rimmed.¡±


    ¡°Well, actually, I¡¯ve already picked out glasses for him. Remember to tell him no need to thank me when he wakes up; it was just me doing a good deed on a whim.¡±


    ¡ªYour good friend and fashion adviser, Dice Monster (strange thing)


    ¡­


    Qing Ya was silent for a long time, quietly staring at the words on the steel plate, feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu that involuntarily reminded him of someone.


    Timekeeper.


    More than two decades ago, he and Timekeeper, who was then just an ordinary person, met in college. He simply treated the other as a normal friend, his only friend, and they often hung out together.


    However, after his identity as a vigilante was accidentally revealed to the other, everything quietly changed.


    ¡°Should I call you Ke Youqing, or¡­ Qing Ya?¡±


    In his memory, it was pouring rain at the time, and the young man stood alone on the streets, whispering to him without a voice.


    ¡°Qing Ya, he killed my family, made me feel what it¡¯s like to have nothing;


    ¡°Ke Youqing, you were my best friend, you made me feel like I wasn¡¯t completely worthless, and maybe no matter how painful life was, as long as I endured, things would slowly get better.¡±


    ¡°And now you tell me¡­ you¡¯re Qing Ya?¡±


    At that time, Ke Youqing didn¡¯t understand the cause of the situation, just stared at him, and slowly began to ask.


    ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡±


    The young man stood still in the rain, his gaze lifting from his soaked brow towards him, his face changing, his mouth slowly curving into a smile that mixed anger and sorrow.


    After a moment, he bent down, slowly taking out many crow specimens from his backpack, carefully placing them one by one on the ground. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Most of them were torn and ragged, too painful to look upon, sporting sharp cuts as if someone had unleashed their fury upon them.


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet again, in a different way¡­¡±


    ¡°As friends, as well as enemies.¡±


    After dropping that sentence, the young man tilted his head and lifted a watch he held in his right hand.


    His index finger slowly pressed a button on the watch, then, with a series of clicking sounds, his figure suddenly disappeared into the rain.


    As if a second had been stolen from the heavens, or as if he had been devoured by the torrential downpour.


    From that day on, Ke Youqing never saw that friend again.


    But soon after, with the broadcast of the young man¡¯s disappearance throughout the city, a figure calling himself ¡°Timekeeper¡± began to emerge in Huanjing, hunting down superheroes within the Superhero Association.


    In just a week, dozens of superheroes were dead¡­


    In the following two decades, they entangled each other from opposite sides, at times like old friends reunited, at other times like enemies filled with mutual hatred.


    Qing Ya had once wondered whether it was his doing that had turned the lamblike, gentle youth from his memories into the future Timekeeper, but he could only wear away those thoughts full of pain and guilt time and again in his mind, trying his best to make amends in reality for those mistakes.


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 Chapter 240 - 163: Two Similar People, the Cycle of Fate_2

    Chapter 240: Chapter 163: Two Similar People, the Cycle of Fate_2


    But in the subsequent decades, he never managed to catch the Timekeeper, because the Timekeeper might be the person in this world who hated him the most and, at the same time, understood him the best, thus he always managed to escape from his grasp with ease.


    It was like playing a game of cat and mouse, where the ones who got hurt were never the two main characters, but the innocent bystanders.


    At this moment, the scene before him made Qing Ya recall that name once again.


    The temperament of the Dice Monster resembled that of the Timekeeper when he was a greenhorn: mad, bizarre, acting without logic, yet considering a certain superhero a friend and toying with him in the palm of his hand.


    The relationship between Blue Owl and the Dice Monster seemed to be much the same as his own with the Timekeeper back then.


    Thinking thus, Qing Ya couldn¡¯t help but feel that the world was like a giant cycle. The past always repeated itself, and things one had said goodbye to always appeared before one¡¯s eyes in another form.


    ...


    Bowing his head, he took a deep breath of the murky air, then gradually released the flock of crows, which lifted Che Zhengchen up, and then he walked out of the abandoned factory.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    As dusk approached, on the fifth floor of the Superhero Tower, a cafeteria for the staff.


    This cafeteria was decorated in the utmost opulence, with elaborate and beautiful decorations everywhere, yet the ceiling was adorned with cool-toned incandescent lights that made the overall ambiance quite mismatched.


    At this moment, Blue Owl was sitting in a corner with Bai Yi and others, silently drinking afternoon tea around a table covered with a luxurious tablecloth.


    Blue Owl¡¯s gaze wandered around the room, noticing many superheroes walking back to their seats with their meals, commanders waiting in line to get their food, and even the cafeteria workers casting discreet glances at him.


    Ever since they witnessed Qing Ya rescue him with his own hands, the way the entire Superhero Association¡¯s staff looked at him had changed.


    They had been making bets in private, and many believed that Qing Ya wouldn¡¯t even give a damn about this reckless imitator. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But just now, to everyone¡¯s shock, Qing Ya had intervened in full view to save Blue Owl, even reminding him with a word, ¡°Next time think before you act.¡±


    So, everyone finally started taking this mysterious red and blue owl seriously, becoming curious about Blue Owl¡¯s identity.


    Some said that Blue Owl might be a child from Qing Ya¡¯s extended family; some argued that Qing Ya was a university professor, and Blue Owl his student;


    Others scoffed, saying if Qing Ya had a son, then his son should be old enough to don a battle suit by now, get my drift?


    Others refuted this, saying if a creature like Qing Ya could start a family they¡¯d literally eat crap, suggesting it¡¯s more plausible that he adopted an orphan.


    There were also those who said even if he had adopted an orphan, with Qing Ya¡¯s influence, the kid would inevitably become a very solitary and gloomy freak. Compared to that, Blue Owl seemed much sunnier and certainly didn¡¯t seem like someone brought up by Qing Ya.


    Blue Owl sighed, retracting his attention from the surroundings, and while eating his ice cream with a silver spoon, he asked, ¡°So what¡¯s the situation, is Commander Che okay?¡±


    The Telekinetic Nun answered, ¡°Qing Ya rescued him. He said there¡¯s nothing seriously wrong with his body, he has been taken to the Central Hospital. There are also a bunch of superhuman bodyguards on guard, so there¡¯s no need to worry about him for the moment.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t they need to pull me in for questioning or something?¡± Blue Owl leaned his head in closer and whispered.


    ¡°Move your head away a bit,¡± the nun said.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because your beak is almost pecking my face.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    ¡°I suggest you take that thing off your helmet, or someone might sue you for sexual harassment.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but if I may be so bold, shouldn¡¯t they sue Qing Ya along with me?¡±


    Bai Yi, who was listening in, said with a laugh, ¡°No, no, Qing Ya almost never interacts with others, I¡¯ve hardly ever heard him talk, so I was actually pretty shocked when he reminded you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an old timer giving a newbie some advice, what¡¯s there to be shocked about?¡± Blue Owl paused, then said with a lowered head, ¡°Alright, I admit I¡¯m pretty happy about it too.¡±


    The Platinum Wing laughed and said, ¡°It shows, after all, your suit is a blatant imitation of his.¡±


    ¡°So back to the main point, I was just sitting in the office when Commander Che was taken away,¡±


    ¡°No need, Qing Ya has taken over the investigation of this matter,¡± the Telekinesis Nun said, ¡°He has access to view the surveillance cameras of the entire Superhero Tower, including those in Commander Che¡¯s office. However, only the high-level officials and Round Table superheroes are qualified to view the surveillance in the Commander¡¯s office.¡±


    On hearing this, Blue Owl was slightly stunned, his mind racing as he bit on his chopsticks.


    ¡°No way, what was Commander Che thinking? If there¡¯s a camera in the office, wouldn¡¯t dad and the Association¡¯s higher-ups all know that I got Commander Che to pull strings for me to get into the Association?¡±


    He thought for a moment and then felt that couldn¡¯t be right; if Commander Che didn¡¯t want that conversation to be overheard, he wouldn¡¯t have spoken right under the surveillance camera.


    That suggested the words Che Zhengchen had said to him at the time were actually also meant for the ears of the Superhero Association¡¯s higher-ups.


    He wanted to explain to the higher-ups that a hero who dares to wear a suit that might attract the Timekeeper couldn¡¯t possibly be a hidden danger.


    And with Che Zhengchen¡¯s over-twenty years of experience in the Superhero Association, his position and ability were enough to persuade the higher-ups to accept his view.


    Not to mention, Blue Owl¡¯s recent action of risking his life to save him must also have been noticed by the higher-ups.


    Even if we back up a lot, Blue Owl was just a minor figure. Even with the label of ¡°Qing Ya imitator¡± attached to him, he was still an insignificant minor figure. How many people would pay attention to him?


    To catch the eye of those bigwigs, you would, at the very least, need to wear titles like a Round Table member or an S-level executive officer of the Management Bureau, not some E-level hero who just debuted without having made a name yet.


    After pondering for a moment, Blue Owl asked curiously.


    ¡°Right, you said Round Table superheroes have the qualifications to access the surveillance in the Commander¡¯s office. Does that mean the status of Round Table superheroes is even higher than that of the Commander?¡±


    The Telekinesis Nun cocked her head and frowned at him.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, heroes who can enter the Superhero Round Table basically don¡¯t need the Commander to direct and manage them. Don¡¯t you even know this bit of common knowledge?¡±


    At the corner of the table, the Mechanical Pioneer, who had been silent all along, suddenly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t understand, you can ask me, I can help you search on Baidu.¡± Saying this, he took a sip of his drink.


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl turned his head and cast a surprised look at the cyborg, then teasingly asked, ¡°Er¡­ brother, you don¡¯t have a Baidu installed in your brain, right?¡±


    The Mechanical Pioneer remained silent.


    ¡°There¡¯s actually a Baidu,¡± White Wing chuckled, and said mysteriously, ¡°His brain has been modified and comes with a built-in search engine.¡±


    The Mechanical Pioneer nodded, not denying it.


    Blue Owl was stunned for a moment, put his hands together and silently apologized, ¡°Never mind then. I was wrong, Mechanical Pioneer bro, I¡¯ll ask you from now on since you have a partnership with Baidu.¡±


    White Wing couldn¡¯t help but smile and continued, ¡°No need for formalities, just call us by our code name initials, like ¡®Bai Yi¡¯ for me, ¡®Nun¡¯ for her, and ¡®Pioneer¡¯ for this big guy.¡±


    ¡°Do you guys agree?¡±


    Saying this, Blue Owl turned his gaze toward the other two, one of whom nodded silently, while the other gave a deep ¡°Hmm¡± of agreement, both indicating no objections.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine then.¡± Blue Owl tilted his head and spread his hands, his beak sloping to the side.


    ¡°Anyway, are you now confirming you want to join our team?¡± the Nun asked.


    ¡°Guess so, I look forward to working with you.¡±


    As Blue Owl said this and extended his hand toward her, the Nun completely ignored his hand, grabbed his beak instead, and shook it up and down expressionlessly.


    ¡°I look forward to working with you,¡± she said.


    Blue Owl was stunned, withdrew his right hand, shrugged his shoulders, and moved his beak, ¡°Er¡­ that¡¯s not wrong, but could I accuse you of harassing me?¡±


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 Chapter 241 - 164: Hell Cantata

    Chapter 241: Chapter 164: Hell Cantata


    ¡°`


    July 9th, at dusk, inside a private bar called ¡°Inca Dream.¡±


    The low and warm sounds of jazz enveloped the ears of every patron.


    The interior of the bar was classically and meticulously decorated, with dim lights cascading from the chandeliers onto the wooden bar and leather seats. The walls were adorned with black and white photos full of a sense of the past.


    ¡°How strange¡­ the bug inside Che Zhengchen¡¯s body is gone, why?¡±


    The red-haired girl sitting in a wheelchair murmured to herself, her head hung low, gently tapping the floor with her cane, producing a thumping sound.


    ...


    Next to her, a man who could be described as a giant¡ªstanding over two meters tall, with black hair and eyes, a muscular build with sinewy muscles¡ªsat at the bar, wiping a huge sword with a cloth, and calmly asked, ¡°How could this be?¡±


    Gastella turned her face toward him, let go of her cane and, resting her chin in her hand, said, ¡°I don¡¯t know, who knows what the Dice Monster is up to?¡±


    The moment her gaze met his, Gastella¡¯s eyes displayed her superhuman panel.


    [Character Name: Flint]


    [Danger Rating: A++]


    [Character Codename: Blood Clan Hunter ¡°F¡±.]


    [Character Background Introduction: One of the remnants of the Hunters organization ¡°Hell¡¯s Chorale,¡± they are the Blood Clan Hunters who gain strength by consuming Blood Clan blood. However, during the campaign against the vampire progenitor ¡°Queen Icaria,¡± nearly all members of Hell¡¯s Chorale were wiped out.


    As the top combat force of ¡°Hell¡¯s Chorale,¡± Flint¡¯s body is extremely formidable, his physical fitness standing at the pinnacle of A-class superhumans.]


    Flint lifted his rugged face and said to Gastella in a low tone, ¡°Could you have been played by it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Speaking softly, Gastella then lifted her fair hand to prop her chin, her eyelids drooping as she stared at the floor, gently tapping it with her cane.


    ¡°What exactly does that Dice Monster want? It seems to know I was growing a bug inside Che Zhengchen¡¯s body, but why would it abduct Che Zhengchen, take the bug out, and then return him?¡±


    She sighed, continuing to ponder.


    ¡°But what¡¯s the point of that? Isn¡¯t it supposed to want me to kill the blue owl for it? With its abilities, it could completely kill that superhero itself, so why insist on having me do it?¡±


    Flint said, ¡°It must be a trap.¡±


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Gastella curved her lips into a smile, ¡°Looks like the Dice Monster is on the side of that player, the one hiding the vampires~¡±


    ¡°Fan Quan?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily Fan Quan. I might have been duped, but anyway, as long as I catch all the players in this city within a month, it should be fine.¡±


    Gastella spoke indifferently.


    After a moment of silence, Flint said, ¡°Once you catch them, what do you plan to do with those ¡®players¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You all are my family, Flint, you, Lin Ke, Howard too. And those players, to survive, will definitely become stronger at all costs and then come after you.¡±


    Gastella rested her head on the bar, burying it in her arms, and whispered, ¡°So, I must find them before that happens¡­ and kill them all. That way no one will be able to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°But what I really want to know is, what about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll die. I¡¯ll die in a year.¡±


    Flint¡¯s mouth opened slightly, his expression becoming somewhat gloomy: ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die, Sisteruo.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Flint. But without you, I would have died a long time ago.¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gastella slightly curved her lips and said, ¡°When I was thrown in the slums, unable to move my legs, with a Blood Clan vow cursed into me by the vampires, if you hadn¡¯t saved me back then, I would have died a terrible death¡­ No one would remember me, not even worth a struggle, just dead like that.¡±


    She paused for a moment, gently tapping the wooden floor with her cane, speaking nonchalantly.


    ¡°In these ten years, you took me to many places, the Arctic, Antarctica, Iceland, the United States, England, places I never even dared to dream about¡­ How vast the world is.


    ¡°So I¡¯m already very content, having you by my side for so many years.¡±


    Flint remained silent.


    After a while, he finally spoke, ¡°You¡¯re also important to us. Lin Ke once said, when she first saw you lying on the ground in that slum, unable to move, a group of kids stole your food and tipped over your wheelchair. You fell to the ground and cried for a long time, reached out to her, and said, ¡®Save me.''¡±


    He paused, ¡°Lin Ke said, back then she thought despite how dirty you were, you shone like an angel, so heartbreakingly bright, that if she didn¡¯t take you with her, she would regret it forever, and be punished by God.¡±


    ¡°So she took you with her.¡±


    ¡°For the past ten years, we have treated you as our own sister. Among us, no one wants to lose you. Especially me, Sisteruo.¡±


    At these words, Gastella fell silent for a moment, then lifted her head, looking directly into Flint¡¯s eyes as she said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll save all of you, just like you saved me. Even though you must think I¡¯m strange, I¡¯m a player¡­ so only I know how dangerous those players are. Eventually, they will become unstoppable monsters, and then they will come to harm you.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°No, you really don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    Flint paused, his tone awkward as he continued, ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re not someone who likes to hurt others, Sisteruo. I don¡¯t need you to hurt others for our sake.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t wait for someone who might hurt you to get stronger. I can¡¯t do that, Flint,¡± Gastella repeated over and over as if to reassure herself.


    ¡°My only wish is to see the three of you well before I die. That would be enough for me.¡±


    She lowered her gaze, her voice growing softer, ¡°Even if it¡¯s just for one year, being by your sides has already made me so happy.¡±


    Flint hung his head, his giant face clouded with an indescribable sorrow. Eventually, he simply said hoarsely, ¡°You¡¯ll be with us afterward¡­ We¡¯ll always be together, never apart.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know your clan¡¯s traditions. I hope that you¡¯ll carry my ashes with you, so we can continue to travel together.¡±


    Gastella said this with a happy smile, reaching out her hand to touch her leg which wouldn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Take me to see farther places, Flint.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± he answered.


    ¡°After I die, don¡¯t forget me, Flint.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± he promised again.


    ¡°When the time comes, can you hold me, Flint? I¡¯m actually quite scared of the thought of dying in a year.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± he reassured her.


    ¡°Then sing me a song then.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± he promised.


    ¡°Do you really¡­ not think of me as an impostor at all, Flint?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m certain that you are Sisteruo. You are our angel,¡± he affirmed.


    ¡°But why does it have to be like this? The memories in my head keep telling me that I¡¯m not Sisteruo, that I¡¯m just someone who has stolen her life.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve been with you for more than ten years. Lin Ke, Howard, and I watched you grow up bit by bit.¡±


    Flint, clearly at a loss, spoke haltingly, ¡°How could we not know it¡¯s you, Sisteruo, you¡¯ve just been affected by something.¡±


    ¡°So I am Sisteruo, right?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± he confirmed.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. You know, in those memories that thing gave me, it told me I was a girl with cancer named ¡®Iris,¡¯ and my parents abandoned me because they couldn¡¯t afford my medical bills.¡±


    Gastella lifted her head, saying, ¡°It hurts so much, so very much¡­ Staying in that hospital room, staring at the same ceiling every day, looking at the hateful chimneys and eaves outside the window, it felt like the world was a prison. Then I just died, no one saved me¡­ they all abandoned me¡­¡±


    As she spoke, Gastella suddenly curved her lips into a smile, her eyes concealed by her drooping bangs, ¡°But it¡¯s good you told me that wasn¡¯t true¡­ that it¡¯s just a false memory, that I still have you all.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t die at the age of nine. You took me out of that slum. You took me to so many places¡­ The world seemed so vast, so enormous!¡±


    The voice of the girl in the wheelchair was drowned in jazz music, somewhat unclear, but one could discern her soft cries.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just about the bricks of slums, not just about the ceilings of hospital rooms. You showed me penguins, polar bears in Antarctica, you took me to see polar bears in the Arctic, the icebergs were magnificent! The Eiffel Tower was so beautiful! Turns out there are places in the world where it doesn¡¯t snow, where there¡¯s not just war, pain, suffering, and quarrels.¡±


    ¡°I feel so content. That girl who died in the hospital ward, even if she really existed, she must be content too.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m starting to have a hard time distinguishing who I am. Sometimes I feel like I¡¯m Iris, and other times I think I¡¯m Sisteruo¡­¡±


    ¡°So can you tell me who I really am, Flint?¡±


    Gastella asked, slowly lifting her tear-filled eyes to stare motionlessly at Flint¡¯s face.


    Flint¡¯s eyes darkened, and he opened his mouth slightly, his voice hoarse, ¡°You are Sisteruo, our angel, the family member God has given us, irreplaceable.¡±


    ¡°So can you hug me?¡±


    Flint was silent for a long time before his ponderous body leaned forward, embracing the girl in the wheelchair.


    He whispered hoarsely into her ear, ¡°Sisteruo, we will find that last vampire and remove the curse from you, to let you live.¡±


    After a pause, certainty flashed in his eyes, ¡°Then¡­ although we still don¡¯t understand what ¡®the system¡¯ is, and what ¡®player¡¯ means, we will make sure you live, not just this year. We want to be together always, to more places, farther away.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Flint,¡± Gastella murmured, burying her head in Flint¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been the kindest to me.¡±


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 Chapter 242 - 165: A Deal with the Sect Master of the Ninja Sect

    Chapter 242: Chapter 165: A Deal with the Sect Master of the Ninja Sect


    July 9, evening, Hongdeng Commercial District.


    Beams of searchlights emitted from the top of the Superhero Tower were drifting across the night sky, slowly floating back and forth, resembling a gigantic lighthouse or like ghosts devouring the darkness.


    Not far from the tower, the eerie gray humanoid figure appeared again on the rooftop.


    This figure was quite mysterious, always elusive.


    Sometimes it called itself Dice Monster, saying that was its formal name; other times it called itself ¡®strange thing,¡¯ stating that was its nickname, used only by those close to it.


    Regardless, tonight.


    ...


    The Dice Monster, as always, sat on the exhibit platform, swinging its slender legs, banging drums and gongs while picking up a megaphone and shouting loudly.


    ¡°Dice Monster is here for a terror attack, and if Mr. Ninja doesn¡¯t show up, I¡¯m not leaving¡ª!¡±


    Such an incomprehensible, childishly mischievous declaration was followed by the surrounding tourists on the rooftop, who had already mostly dispersed amidst screams.


    Under normal circumstances, some of Dice Monster¡¯s fanatic fans might have stayed at the base of the tower, cheering: ¡°Lord Dice, what kind of show are you going to perform for us today!¡±


    But today was different.


    If you asked what was different, it was certainly the incident where Dice Monster had kidnapped the famous commander of the Superhero Association¡ª¡±Che Zhengchen.¡±


    This incident was creating a buzz, naturally catapulting Dice Monster to fame, so much so that the Superhero Association was considering upgrading its warrant level from C to B to ease their PR efforts in whitewashing through the media.


    After all, daring to abduct someone in broad daylight from the Superhero Tower was akin to defecating on the Superhero Association¡¯s head, as offensive as the time the Timekeeper had hanged the corpse of Grey Pigeon on a high-altitude platform years ago.


    Even just considering the Timekeeper incident, the Superhero Association could explain that the Timekeeper possessed time-related skills: after all, no superhero can prevent a time-related superpower.


    If you looked up the official records from that time, you would see that the Superhero Association even subtly shifted the blame for that heinous crime onto the ¡°Time Management Bureau.¡±


    Very humorous, like departments pushing responsibility onto each other in front of leaders after a corporate mishap.


    The association¡¯s upper echelons said, unless someone from the Time Management Bureau took action, capturing the Timekeeper, a criminal who had been at large for over twenty years, would definitely be a difficult battle.


    Since the Timekeeper¡¯s superpower involved time, why couldn¡¯t the Time Management Bureau act, was a significant question.


    The Time Management Bureau operated independently of the Anomaly Control Bureau and the Superdimensional Control Bureau, embodying a more mysterious character, with even higher secrecy.


    If ranking the four in terms of international fame and public influence, naturally the Superhero Association would be above the ¡°Anomaly Control Bureau,¡± the Management Bureau above the ¡°Superdimensional Management Bureau,¡± and last would be the virtually ignored ¡°Time Management Bureau.¡±


    But in terms of official status, the Time Management Bureau was slightly higher than the Anomaly Control Bureau, with the Anomaly Control Bureau and Superdimensional Management Bureau on the same level, finally followed by the ¡°Superhero Association.¡±


    That is to say, the Superhero Association, although only fourth in the official hierarchy, had tremendous fame and had to shoulder all the public scrutiny when crises arose.


    Consequently, they learned their lesson. Whenever they encountered insurmountable public relations issues, they subtly implied in the paperwork and shifted the blame to the three higher-ups.


    Implying that these three brothers, though higher in official rank, were squatting on the pot without doing the deed, was that reasonable?


    Following this method, the Superhero Association¡¯s leaders tasted success and unanimously praised it, forming a consensus. Henceforth, whenever they faced unsolvable public relations issues, blaming the three Management Bureaus above became a classic resolution method.


    They reasoned that everyone was working for the country. If trouble arose, you took some blame, I took some, and he took some, keeping things from collapsing was important.


    Therefore, after such an intense narrative from the Superhero Association concerning the Time Management Bureau, leveraged by people¡¯s intense detestation for the Timekeeper and their remembrance and affection for the new star, Grey Pigeon, sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    they almost shredded the Time Management Bureau online.


    However, the three big brothers above the association were not pleased, thinking you, the youngest, usually take all the glory, reap all the benefits, while we three work earnestly and quietly like oxen, not seeking fame and tirelessly working. Yet, when problems arise, all the blame is thrown onto us, how is that fair?


    Therefore, under immense pressure, the Time Management Bureau was finally forced to make a statement.


    The senior management of the Time Management Bureau publicly stated that since its inception, it had a clear directive: they only handled one thing¡ªto help restore the status quo when severe time-line shifts and temporal chaos occurred in the world and mend the time-lines back to their original state.


    While the Time Management Bureau might have seemed silent, they had discreetly resolved no less than a hundred cases of time shift issues caused by powerful time ability users.


    The abilities of these users either involved time travel or affected the future. The most trivial ability was even sending letters to one¡¯s past self, but even such abilities could trigger a butterfly effect powerful enough to destroy the world.


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 Chapter 243 - 165: A Deal with the Ninja Sect Master_2

    Chapter 243: Chapter 165: A Deal with the Ninja Sect Master_2


    There were several occasions when the structure of the timeline was nearly collapsing, and the world was about to be destroyed, but each time it was the Time Management Bureau who saved the day, anonymously bringing the situation back from the brink and allowing the world to continue as normal.


    As for the Timekeeper, his ability was merely to stop time temporarily, not to traverse it, nor to directly affect the continuation of the timeline in any way.


    Therefore, it naturally fell outside the jurisdiction of the Time Management Bureau.


    The Time Management Bureau even went out of their way to belittle the Timekeeper¡¯s abilities in official documents, implying that such matters didn¡¯t warrant their intervention, when it was clearly the Superhero Association¡¯s incompetence at fault. Blaming them instead was downright disgusting.


    With such a public statement full of veiled, stinging satire, the public reaction intensified, once again shifting the blame back to the Superhero Association.


    At that time, the media competition between the Superhero Association and the Time Management Bureau was incredibly fierce, nearly every other period they would issue an insinuating statement to imply the other was doing worse, guiding their fans to attack the other, and as much as possible steering the public¡¯s attention to make them vent their anger on the other party.


    ...


    As a result, people gradually paid less attention to the death of Gray Pigeon and instead focused more on the debate over which party should be taking responsibility.


    Ironically laughable, it even made one question if Gray Pigeon¡¯s existence and death held meaning only for gaining attention and generating traffic.


    But back to the main topic.


    When the Timekeeper caused trouble in the Superhero Tower years ago, the Superhero Association could still focus on the ¡°time-related abilities¡± to shift the blame onto the Time Management Bureau.


    But now they were left speechless, given that the Dice Monster possessed no time-related abilities, and was even a straw bag of a straw bag, incapable of being any more of a straw bag.


    Yet this thing managed to abduct a commander in broad daylight.


    And not just any commander, but the most famous and beloved one in the whole Huanjing and the entire country: Che Zhengchen.


    The higher-ups of the Association were dumbfounded when they received the news.


    In their minds, their headquarters was a place habitually guarded by hundreds of superheroes, and even the fearsome Crow Man would stay inside the building when bored. Wasn¡¯t the Round Table Council¡¯s Qing Ya familiar to you?


    So, no sane person would imagine that a criminal would dare to approach, let alone attack the Superhero Tower¡ªit was akin to walking into a trap.


    So, with this overconfidence, as time went by, the defensive measures against enemies at the Superhero Tower were naturally not so tightly knit, giving the Dice Monster an opportunity to exploit.


    Even though the Association¡¯s PR department did their best to play down the incident on various social media platforms, it still sparked intense global discussion.


    At this moment, the Dice Monster, having just stirred up a global frenzy and topped the trend lists of both domestic and international websites, was not idling away or hiding from the spotlight. It had no intention of shrouding itself in mystery.


    After making a terrorist declaration via loudspeaker at Huanjing Tower, it smirked, raised its right hand, and tossed down a red and black dice.


    Without even watching the result of the dice roll, it had already swung away towards Wine Reflecting Coast on a web line, blending into the night with its belt¡¯s invisibility function.


    As the red and black dice landed, tracing a beautiful parabola in mid-air, a massive whale fell from the sky and smashed onto the deserted street below.


    Immediately after that, like a huge fountain suddenly appearing in the center of the street, the whale spouted thousands of furious torrents of water from its blowholes, shooting upwards, bursting like fireworks at the apex, and turning into billions of water droplets that scattered down like rain amidst the screams of the crowd, drenching the ground.


    It was as if a downpour had suddenly started in the Hongdeng Commercial District.


    Many running passersby were knocked down by the water, completely drenched.


    Fortunately, the chaos did not last long, as the Air Balloon Squad from the Superhero Tower and the famous A-level superhero¡ªGeneral Lingdong quickly arrived on the scene, resolving the situation with the enraged whale in a swift and forceful manner.


    At this time, in the dark night sky over the city, a figure stood on a dark cloud, overlooking the situation in the commercial district, then zoomed towards the direction of Highway Seven.


    However, there was no one waiting for her there, a bit of a letdown really.


    Shortly after, the Dice Monster arrived at Wine Reflecting Coast, disabled its belt¡¯s invisibility feature, and walked over to a corner of the coast to stand next to a fisherman.


    Looking up, the fisherman was sitting on the railing, holding a Daiwa fishing rod, and completely focused on fishing.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m the strange thing,¡± the Dice Monster said, introducing itself with one hand on its hip.


    The fisherman ignored him.


    The Dice Monster sighed with its palm to its forehead, ¡°Oh, my guy. You¡¯d rather fish than chat with the charming and adorable villain Dice Monster, huh?¡±


    Still, the fisherman ignored him.


    The Dice Monster cocked its head, waving a hand in front of the other, ¡°You know it¡¯s illegal to fish like that. Didn¡¯t you see the sign on the fence that says no climbing? Yet, here you are, sitting on it, fishing.¡±


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 Chapter 244 - 165: A Deal with the Ninja Sect Master_3

    Chapter 244: Chapter 165: A Deal with the Ninja Sect Master_3


    The fisherman still ignored him, merely gazing intently at the line float on the water with his eyes lowered.


    ¡°I kidnapped the Commander, you know,¡± said the Dice Monster.


    ¡°What does that have to do with me fishing?¡± asked the fisherman.


    ¡°I am a supercriminal. To be precise, an apprentice supercriminal who has trained for two and a half years and is about to become a full-fledged one,¡±


    said the Dice Monster as he waggled his finger solemnly.


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to fish, then leave, don¡¯t disturb me,¡±


    said the fisherman. The Dice Monster¡¯s mouth turned downward upon hearing this, and with his head tilted, his hollow eyes gazed at him, asking, ¡°You¡¯re really cold-hearted, can I fish with you then?¡±


    ¡°The fishing rod is over there. But if you want to use my bait, you have to pay me,¡± the fisherman paused, then added, ¡°But if you catch a fish, you can give it to me, and we¡¯ll call it even for the bait.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you. This is my Magical Girl Transformation Card, I¡¯ll leave it with you as a collateral for the bait,¡±


    said the Dice Monster, pulling out an intricately patterned card from nowhere and placing it beside the fisherman¡¯s rear before sitting on the railing next to him and lifting the impressive fishing rod propped against it.


    ¡°Wow, this fishing rod is really heavy,¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    said the Dice Monster as he baited the hook and then cast the line forward, causing ripples to glimmer under the moonlight as the hook hit the water.


    ¡°What does this card do?¡± the fisherman suddenly asked.


    ¡°It lets you transform into a cute Magic Girl. Don¡¯t be ashamed of it, for example, Magical Girl Ash is actually a man, and there are many such cases,¡±


    said the Dice Monster.


    ¡°She¡¯s a man?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But this is a secret, you mustn¡¯t tell anyone else,¡±


    the Dice Monster said cheerfully, nodding his head, then raised a finger to his lips, signaling him to keep the secret.


    He hummed to the tune of ¡°London Bridge is Falling Down¡± while fishing in the sea breeze, occasionally shaking his head and tapping his foot.


    Not long after, a figure dressed in a pitch-black ninja outfit emerged from the shadows, slowly appearing above the shoreline. His face was concealed behind a metal ninja mask, revealing only his dark eyes.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    asked the ninja gently from behind the Dice Monster.


    ¡°I¡¯m just fishing with my newfound friend here, I wasn¡¯t looking for you, please don¡¯t flatter yourself,¡±


    the Dice Monster retorted with his mouth twisted, not turning around and keeping his eyes fixed on the float in the water.


    ¡°What about what you said on Huanjing Tower then? Do you know any other ninjas besides me?¡±


    ¡°Alright, actually, I was looking for you,¡± the Dice Monster said as sudden intense ripples appeared near the float and the weight on the fishing line skyrocketed, ¡°but I¡¯ve suddenly changed my mind.¡±


    As the words fell, he yanked the fishing rod, and a fish with alternating red and black patterns leapt out of the water, rising into the air amidst the splashing waves.


    While taking it off the hook and tossing it into the fisherman¡¯s basket, the Dice Monster said to the fisherman, ¡°Hey bro, should this cover the cost of the bait?¡±


    With that, it retrieved the Magical Girl Transformation Card and stuffed it into its own butt crack, the card vanishing from sight.


    The fisherman gasped in shock, wondering if the Dice Monster¡¯s butt crack contained an alternate dimension. He felt relieved he hadn¡¯t accepted that so-called Transformation Card.


    The Dice Monster knocked the fisherman out with a casual karate chop and then turned around on the railing to sit facing the shore. It lowered its hollow eyes and stared at Ke Xiaomo with a smile.


    Ke Xiaomo, with his arms crossed, looked at it calmly, ¡°So spill it, what do you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°No no no, I actually just came to enjoy some fishing with you. You ninjas promote self-cultivation, I figured your fishing skills must be pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Since you have nothing else, I have a question for you.¡±


    ¡°What question?¡± the Dice Monster asked.


    ¡°That player spreading parasites around the city, who are they?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean her?¡± the Dice Monster tilted its head and said slowly, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    ¡°We can have an exchange of equals. If you need anything in the future, as long as it doesn¡¯t violate my principles, I¡¯ll help you out.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, Mr. Ninja, I know you¡¯re all high and mighty on the surface, but really quite sly. You only say such things to deceive a good kid like me,¡± the Dice Monster sighed and spread its hands as it spoke, ¡°But who can help it if I just have such a kind heart? Since you¡¯re asking sincerely, I¡¯ll just answer you honestly.¡±


    It paused: ¡°The player spreading the parasites, their ID is ¡®Gastella¡¯, a disabled girl with red hair, sitting in a wheelchair, oh, and she always carries a cane with her.¡±


    As it spoke, the Dice Monster picked up a spare phone, opened the photo album to the first picture, and turned the screen towards Ke Xiaomo.


    Ke Xiaomo stared at the girl in the wheelchair in the photo for a moment before asking, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± said the Dice Monster, ¡°Deceiving you would bring me no benefit.¡± It spoke slowly and then scrolled to the next video in the album.


    Tapping the screen, the first-person video began to play. A girl in a wheelchair was shown slowly entering a private bar. She lifted her cane and stuffed a parasite into a man¡¯s mouth.


    After playing the video, the Dice Monster closed the phone and, with a corner of its mouth curled, said, ¡°The video isn¡¯t that great. But I¡¯ll find a way to send you Gastella¡¯s photo, like to your QQ email. Await my message, Mr. Ninja.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo said, ¡°Alright, I hope you¡¯re not fooling me, or our cooperation will end here.¡±


    ¡°By the way, as a bonus for this cooperation, I have a piece of information to share with you.¡±


    ¡°What information?¡±


    Lowering its face and speaking in an eerie whisper, the Dice Monster said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you guess, Blue Owl, that fledgling hero kid, who is he really?¡±


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 Chapter 245 - 166: Witch Black Rose X Black Wukong X Mr. Ninja

    Chapter 245: Chapter 166: Witch Black Rose X Black Wukong X Mr. Ninja


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment, lowered his face masked by the ninja mask, and took a deep breath. Then he lifted his eyes and looked at the Dice Monster as he asked.


    ¡°Is it really Mingye?¡±


    As he uttered the final name, it was as if he had released a heavy stone hanging over his heart, and he breathed out deeply.


    ¡°Oh, you figured it out?¡±


    The Dice Monster raised non-existent eyebrows, surprisingly not dodging the question, ¡°Give me the reasons, why do you think it¡¯s him?¡±


    ¡°He has been acting strangely these days, and every time Blue Owl appears, it highly corresponds to the times he leaves the house.¡±


    ...


    Ke Xiaomo spoke slowly.


    ¡°Although I haven¡¯t deliberately tracked him, I found a notebook in his room. In it, there were early sketches of Blue Owl¡¯s costume with a date marked a month before Blue Owl appeared. So, I am almost certain ¡ª either he is Blue Owl, or he knows Blue Owl.¡±


    At this, he sighed lightly, murmuring to himself, ¡°My eldest brother is a mutant, my sister is a Divine Communicator, the youngest brother is a dragon; I should have realized another Superpower User in the family wouldn¡¯t be strange¡­¡±


    The Dice Monster spread his hands: ¡°The world is absurd like that, Mr. Ninja. If I were you, I¡¯d feel desperate. To think that the family you¡¯ve been with so long, each harbors secrets, with no sincerity at all.¡±


    ¡°Not all of them.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, not all.¡± the Dice Monster said in a comforting tone, ¡°At least there are still some family members who are consistent inside and out, not deceiving you, which is truly comforting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also concealed my identity and abilities from them, so I have no right to speak of this.¡±


    Having said this, Ke Xiaomo paused for a while, then asked, ¡°But really, why are you so interested in my family, just to get close to me?¡±


    Here it comes, Mr. Underdog. You Bai Ke family members are all like this: oh, oh, oh, ¡°Why do you get close to my family, just to get close to me?¡± ¡°Throwing dice isn¡¯t just to meet me on the overpass?¡± Too self-centered, none of you are redeemable.


    The Dice Monster thought to himself, though his body stood upright, hands on his hips, as he slowly spoke.


    ¡°Yes¡­ it¡¯s to get close to you.¡±


    You¡¯re far too important! he added in his mind, without you the family wouldn¡¯t complete nine people.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point? Wouldn¡¯t trying to get close to my older brother be a better choice? He is much stronger than me and also holds a significant position within the official organization.¡± Ke Xiaomo continued asking.


    ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s not certain he would win if you fought.¡±


    The Dice Monster said with a sneer.


    In his mind, after all, the two of you are both A++ grade combatants, there¡¯s no clear stronger or weaker, it all depends on power suppression, who has the informational advantage, and who is better prepared.


    And the Black Judge¡¯s strengths are an unparalleled destructive power, with weaknesses in speed and mobility ¡ª at the same A level, his abilities here clearly can¡¯t match up to your second brother and old man, so it¡¯s really hard to say who¡¯d win if it actually came to blows, Ke Xiaomo might actually crush Ke Yinzhi.


    But the most crucial reason among the series of reasons Ke Mingye hesitates to get too close to the Black Judge is: does Ke Yinzhi seem like the type you can approach?


    Leaving aside the old man and mom, out of all the siblings, he is the most difficult to deal with.


    Especially after, damn it, putting on the Black Judge mask, he really seems like he¡¯s on a high, letting himself go. Particularly in Wanxiang City that time, he killed a hundred ninjas without a second thought, mercilessly.


    Despite holding the title of a Management Bureau officer, his mannerisms are no different from a madman¡¯s, eventually, he¡¯ll just be used and thrown away by the Management Bureau¡¯s higher-ups, treated as a dangerously double-edged sword.


    Of course, whether the Management Bureau¡¯s higher-ups make the first move against him or he does against them, that¡¯s hard to say¡­


    ¡°I have to go.¡±


    ¡°How¡­ are you in such a hurry to leave? I wanted you to keep me company to fish.¡± said the Dice Monster.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t have that kind of leisure¡­¡±


    Ke Xiaomo hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he was interrupted by the Dice Monster: ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about our comrade Blue Owl?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What happened to him?¡± Ke Xiaomo frowned.


    ¡°While we¡¯ve been chatting, he seems to have gotten into trouble again.¡± the Dice Monster said teasingly, ¡°I¡¯d advise you¡¯d better go check on him soon, otherwise I can¡¯t say what kind of end he¡¯ll face. The location is at the Linjiang Business District.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better not be lying to me.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo slightly furrowed his brows, dropped these words, then his form instantly dissolved into ink splashing over the ground, gradually merging into the deep shadows until he disappeared.


    ¡°Who would lie to you?¡± the Dice Monster stood with cross-arms, mumbling to himself, ¡°Oh, everyone would lie to you¡­ everyone would.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Five minutes later, Linjiang Business District.


    Under the moonlight, a graceful figure was enveloped in countless twisted thorns mid-air. She was dressed in a dark red gown, her right hand raised to her chin, her left hand holding a magic wand wrapped in layers of thorns.


    The gem embedded at the top of the wand was currently showing a cracked and dim state, only through fissures could one glimpse the dangerous and dazzling dark purple light within.


    The sharp thorns had torn part of her sleeve, binding and piercing into the skin on her wrist, connecting her arm and the magic wand. It seemed as though attempting to fuse them together, or as if sucking blood to nurture the wand¡¯s power.


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 Chapter 246 - 166: Witch Black Rose X Black Wukong X Mr. Ninja_2

    Chapter 246: Chapter 166: Witch Black Rose X Black Wukong X Mr. Ninja_2


    The girl, perched high above, wore an ironic smile on her face cloaked in moonlight. The dark red hem of her dress fluttered in the night wind, splashing the scene with a terrifying beauty.


    The thick thorns that had burst from the ground were slowly growing, nearly spreading across the entire street: some rooted in the insides of shops, others pierced through the screens of electronic signs, and some completely encased billboards.


    In front of the girl stood three figures clad in superhero costumes.


    Bai Yi folded his wings and approached Blue Owl, ¡°Are you alright?!¡±


    Blue Owl, clutching his chest where a couple of ribs were nearly broken, groaned and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    The nun spoke rapidly, ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless, we just need to hold out until the higher-level heroes arrive for backup. This opponent is strong, and we¡¯re not a match for her at the moment.¡±


    ...


    Blue Owl slightly bent down on one knee, lifted his head, and his narrowed pupils reflected the superhuman information panel of the enchanting figure in the air.


    He had planned to go out with Bai Yi and Telekinesis Nun to observe the routine patrol routes of this superhero squad, so as to prepare for future work needs.


    But as fate would have it, they encountered such a formidable figure on the way.


    [Code Name: Witch Black Rose]


    [Real Name: He Yinlu]


    [Danger Level: A-Class] S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Character Introduction: A Witch, that is, a fallen Magic Girl, who grows stronger by hunting Contracted Beasts and devouring the Comet Fragments within them, but at the same time gradually loses her humanity.


    Witch Black Rose is among the best of the Witches, a high-ranking member of the Witch Church ¡°Babel Tower.¡± However, a month ago, she left the church to come to Huanjing alone to seek vengeance against her old friend ¡°Magical Girl Ash.¡±]


    ¡°Wait a minute, she and Bai Zini were old friends? Old friends¡­¡±


    Blue Owl blanked out for half a second, thinking.


    ¡°Bai Zini hardly mentioned having any friends, but she did say that she used to play with two Contracted Magic Girls who were very close to her, yet they both died at the hands of the supervillain Ghosthand Buddha.¡±


    ¡°Damn, could it be that Witch Black Rose was one of the Magic Girls and she had actually faked her death back then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find some time after I get back to confirm this. Such incidents are usually recorded in official reports; I¡¯ll check if the names of the two Magic Girls who died then match up with this Witch.¡±


    As he was contemplating, Witch Black Rose tilted her head, and from the throne of intertwined thorns, she lifted her magic wand imbued with a strange beauty.


    As the jewel on the wand started to glow from the cracks, a childlike chant, reminiscent of a silver bell, rose from all directions, echoing through the streets like a persistent breeze.


    Suddenly, countless sturdy thorns burst from the ground, ensnaring Telekinesis Nun, Bai Yi, and Blue Owl, who were fleeing.


    Her abilities were similar to those of the Divine Communicator ¡°Ghost Tree.¡± Like him, she controlled thorns, but Witch Black Rose was clearly more precise in her control, unlike Ghost Tree, who specialized only in altering his own body.


    The thorns appeared massive and robust, but they moved with alarming speed, slithering across the ground like pythons, quickly capturing the trio.


    In the face of an A-Class superhuman, even Bai Yi, who prided himself on his speed and agility, had to admit defeat.


    This was a naked display of power overwhelming. If one¡¯s average ability score was 500, and yours only 100, even their weakest attribute would be enough to surpass your strongest one.


    Bai Yi frantically stretched his wings in midair, but the sharp ends of the thorns pierced into his two pairs of wings, immobilizing him in the air like prey caught in a spider¡¯s web.


    Amid the bloodshed, he let out a pained roar. The thorns delved deeper, wrapping around his wings as if a wild beast born from the jungle was slowly devouring a pure white dove.


    With his arms bound by the thorns and stretched out to the sides, Blue Owl knelt on the ground and slowly raised his eyes to Witch Black Rose: ¡°Who exactly are you?¡±


    ¡°A specter,¡± Black Rose stated, ¡°a specter¡­ longing to see an old friend.¡±


    No sooner had she spoken than her expression changed, and she looked up into the night sky.


    In that moment, a figure clad in a silver and black metallic trench coat descended from the sky with a dark golden staff in hand, smashing towards her head and creating a foul wind in its wake.


    Witch Black Rose¡¯s expression darkened, and the throne of thorns beneath her instantly transformed into over a dozen upward-stretching spear-like thorns, pierce at the unwelcome visitor with unstoppable momentum.


    If the newcomer maintained their original posture of attack, they would be impaled by the dozen spear-like thorns in an instant.


    Yet, in the blink of an eye, the person from the sky stopped the descent of the dark staff and hoisted the Jingu Bang fiercely, its cold iron whispering through the air.


    The next moment, a torrent of crimson flames gushed from the five fingers of her right hand, coursing towards both ends of the Jingu Bang.


    Instantly, the Jingu Bang blazed with an unprecedented brilliance, vibrating violently and humming as if a freed demon.


    Black Wukong used both hands to twist rapidly in midair, spinning the Jingu Bang, which swept around like a phantasm.


    Then the crimson flames clinging to the staff roared forth like a tornado of fireworks, smashing into the oncoming thorns and shattering them in an instant.


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 Chapter 247 - 166 Witch Black Rose X Black Wukong X Mr. Ninja_3

    Chapter 247: Chapter 166 Witch Black Rose X Black Wukong X Mr. Ninja_3


    Staff Twirling.


    It was a move often used by Sun Wukong in Chinese mythology. When Black Wukong employed this technique, she even added Samadhi True Fire onto the staff, making the twirling staff bloom with scorching flames, capable of burning away all evil spirits.


    ¡°Somewhat skilled.¡±


    Witch Black Rose¡¯s beautiful eyes slightly widened, taking in the scene with interest, and then she manipulated the thorns beneath her to transform again, instantly lifting her figure above the ground and putting some distance between her and Black Wukong.


    After Black Wukong used the twirling staff to clear away the thorns, her form followed and fell toward the ground. A pitch-black cloud came flying from afar and caught her heels just before she landed.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the Witch asked, raising her chin curiously at the uninvited guest.


    ...


    ¡°That¡¯s what I should be asking you.¡±


    A cold and neutral voice came from behind Black Wukong¡¯s monkey mask, lacking any gender characteristics.


    She then raised her fiery golden eyes, glancing from the corner of her eye towards the blue owl trapped in the thorns a short distance away.


    Upon seeing this, she lifted her left arm, and crimson-gold flames blazed up, burning away the thorns entangling the blue owl, Bai Yi, and the nun in just two seconds.


    Bai Yi¡¯s wings, punctured by the thorns and riddled with openings, retracted in an instant, tucking back into his shoulder blades. His consciousness fuzzy, he fell from mid-air but was caught by the nun¡¯s telekinetic grip and carried into her arms.


    ¡°Is he okay?!¡±


    The blue owl swiftly approached the nun, his gaze shifting to the barely breathing Bai Yi.


    The nun spoke solemnly, ¡°He¡¯s alive. These wounds aren¡¯t too serious for him. With his healing abilities, he should recover in a day or two.¡±


    ¡°Saved.¡± Bai Yi¡¯s eyelids trembled as he pried his face from the nun¡¯s grasp, looking fuzzily towards Black Wukong¡¯s silhouette, and rasped in a hoarse whisper: ¡°It¡¯s Black Wukong¡­¡±


    ¡°Black Wukong?¡±


    Murmuring to himself, the blue owl likewise set his gaze on Black Wukong¡¯s figure.


    ¡°Divine Communicator, Vigilante,¡± the nun said. ¡°With him here, we should be safe.¡±


    On the other side, Witch Black Rose caressed her lips with her slender fingers, her pupils suddenly brightening as she slightly curved the corners of her lips and said.


    ¡°Oh, I remember now, the Divine Communicator¡­ Black Wukong.¡±


    Without a reply, Black Wukong silently lifted her staff, pointing its iron-wrapped tip at Witch Black Rose¡¯s figure.


    At the same instant, a figure suddenly swept up from the shadows. He was dressed in a black ninja outfit and wore a ninja mask forged from metal on his face, only his dark and sharp eyes were visible.


    The moment the ninja¡¯s gaze met Black Wukong¡¯s, a flash of surprise crossed his pupils. He quickly turned his head, casting his eyes towards the blue owl not far away.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this now?¡± After a brief shock, the blue owl turned and asked Bai Yi and the nun beside him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± the nun replied.


    Bai Yi, struggling to keep his eyelids open, observed the figure dressed in the ninja garb and said in a hoarse whisper, ¡°Judging by the outfit, seems like a ninja?¡±


    The nun covered his eyes with her hand and said, ¡°Stop struggling. Go to sleep, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± As she spoke, the nun used her telekinesis to lift Bai Yi¡¯s body and headed towards the end of the street.


    She turned her head to give the blue owl a glance: ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±


    ¡°I want to see what happens. You take Bai Yi to the hospital first and also request assistance from the association,¡± he said without looking back, his eyes fixed on the silhouettes of the ninja and Black Wukong.


    ¡°Alright then, although Black Wukong is here, remember to run if there¡¯s danger.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    After their exchange, the nun quickly carried Bai Yi through the dense thorns, leaving the desolate street behind.


    On the other side, Witch Black Rose cocked her head and stared disdainfully at the ninja emerging from the shadows, asking Black Wukong, ¡°Who is this, your friend?¡±


    Black Wukong was equally puzzled and stared silently at the taciturn ninja.


    At this moment, Ke Xiaomo, seeing the blue owl still lively and hopping about, seemingly only lightly injured, closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.


    When he opened his eyes again, a sword-like clarity flowed in his pupils, chilling to the core.


    Ke Xiaomo turned his head and, through the ninja mask, looked indifferently at Black Rose as if he were looking at a dead person.


    He then slowly raised his right hand, shadows flowing from his fingertips, instantly coalescing into a long tachi.


    At the same time, accompanied by a resounding eagle cry that echoed through the sky, a pitch-black predatory bird, crafted from shadows, rose slowly from behind him, almost enveloping him within it.


    Seeing this, Black Wukong instinctively spurred the Somersault Cloud beneath him to retreat a great distance, putting space between him and Ke Xiaomo, while the spark of surprise flickered in his fiery, golden eyes.


    ¡°So strong¡­¡± Bai Qiuwu murmured in a daze behind her monkey mask.


    Even having put such a distance between them, she could still feel clearly the terrifying killing intent emanating from above the dark predatory bird.


    It was a resolve Bai Qiuwu had never seen before, like a furiously erupting volcano, or a grim, boundless ice sea.


    Contained within it was a will forged through a thousand trials, like the sunset suspended over a valley, eternally undying¡­


    And at that moment, as the image of that predatory bird reflected in her pupils, the composed expression on the Witch¡¯s face began to change.


    What on earth is this?


    How come I¡¯ve never heard of such a person?


    Witch Black Rose bit her lip, her expression growing serious as she pondered for a moment, then violently raised her magic wand.


    The nearly shattered gem burst forth with an unprecedented brilliance, followed by millions of thorns breaking through the ground, surrounding her tightly like a fortress.


    The next moment, the gigantic predatory bird flapped its wings, and with a deafening roar, took to the sky, plummeting from the pitch-black night with a screeching dive.


    It was almost an event that occurred in 0.1 seconds, fleeting.


    From within the deafening sonic boom, the predatory bird, with a cascade of shadows, swooped down from the heavens. Its sharp beak and steel-like wings effortlessly tore open the thorny fortress as if slicing through a layer of tofu.


    Immediately after, a shadow-forged tachi cleaved through Black Rose¡¯s waist, leaving behind a gash deep to the bone.


    The predatory bird then dissipated into thousands of shadow strands in mid-air, revealing Ke Xiaomo¡¯s true form. He stood behind Black Rose, sword poised in the void, his ninja outfit rustling in the night breeze.


    Before the Witch could react, dark purple blood burst from her waist and splattered noisily all over the ground.


    Her pale face still held an expression of disbelief as her body began to slowly topple toward the ground.


    ¡°Damn, what is this thing?¡± gasped the blue owl, staring wide-eyed at the scene.


    Black Wukong also looked at the ninja¡¯s silhouette with surprise. Being many times stronger than the blue owl, she could better grasp the chasm-like difference in strength between herself and the ninja.


    The gaze behind Bai Qiuwu¡¯s mask flickered, and she thought that if she had been the ninja¡¯s target, her fate would have been similar to Black Rose¡¯s, with even the most robust defenses being shattered in an instant.


    After a moment, the ninja took a slight breath, turned his head, and said to Black Wukong in a robust, disguised voice, ¡°I spared her life. You take her to the police station; the police will be responsible for sending her to the superhuman prison.¡±


    As his words fell, he glanced at the blue owl one more time through the mask, then melted into a pool of ink-like shadow, splashing toward the ground, leaving no trace behind.


    Only then did Black Wukong breathe a sigh of relief, her right hand, which had been gripping the Jingu Bang beneath her metal gauntlet, was already covered in cold sweat.


    She could hardly imagine, if the ninja had been her enemy, how she would have survived the night. Most crucially, the blue owl was still here. According to the strange thing¡¯s claim, he was very likely Mingye.


    With that thought, Black Wukong slowly turned around, the Jingu Bang positioned behind her as she turned her face to the side, looking across the half-street distance at the blue owl, their gazes meeting from afar.


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 Chapter 248 - 167 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 1)

    Chapter 248: Chapter 167 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 1)


    Linjiang Business District.


    Amidst leaping electric arcs, thorny vines twisted like countless pythons, entwining every corner of the street.


    The commercial street no longer looked as prosperous as it once had, but rather like a unique maze with both modern features and the wild traits of untamed nature.


    Black Wukong stood still at the center of the street, tilted his head, and gazed silently at the distant blue owl through his mask. He remained silent, his emotions complex.


    It was somewhat funny to say, but the reason Bai Qiuwu had gone out was because she had recently seen the news on Weibo that ¡°Dice Monster had appeared again at Huanjing Tower!¡±


    Given the previous examples, the moment she saw the news, Bai Qiuwu subconsciously thought that this strange thing was probably inviting her to meet again, right?


    ...


    To pay attention to it seemed rather pointless;


    Yet to ignore it didn¡¯t feel quite right either¡­ Who knows whether it would do something utterly shocking out of boredom.


    But she really didn¡¯t know what kind of reason to come up with to meet it; being led by the nose every time would be rather embarrassing.


    Just then, she remembered that today ¡°Dice Monster kidnapped the Commander but then released him unharmed¡± had happened, so Bai Qiuwu thought she might as well ask this strange thing what mischief it was up to today, thus giving her a reason to meet it.


    Immediately, she left the house without looking back and rode the Somersault Cloud towards Huanjing¡¯s Number 7 Overpass.


    When Bai Qiuwu hurried to the Number 7 Overpass, she found not a single soul there, so she had no choice but to sit alone on the railing, staring blankly at the brightly lit city in the distance for a while, unfortunately still failing to wait for the Dice Monster¡¯s appearance.


    In the end, she felt like a grudge-bearing person who had been stood up on a date, somewhat irked, yet also feeling as if she was making too much of it: Not every time the strange thing rolled the dice did it mean to chat with her on this overpass, not to mention the passing mention of ¡°Ninja Mr.¡± which she had subconsciously taken as babble and ignored¡­


    Just as Bai Qiuwu was about to dejectedly pick up her Jingu Bang to go home, she suddenly heard a huge commotion from Linjiang Business District, thinking since she had already come, it wasn¡¯t a wasted trip if a superhuman crime incident had occurred.


    Bai Qiuwu then rode the Somersault Cloud at top speed to the place, had a glance, and that led to all the subsequent events.


    At this moment, seeing Black Wukong staring at him, blue owl slightly tilted his head, tilting his beak as well.


    ¡°Er¡­ hello?¡±


    He spoke slowly, greeting her and waving from a distance.


    Black Wukong watched him for a while and then let out a sigh of relief.


    Since her current Golden-Eye Fire-Viewing ability could not see through substantial objects, only illusions, she couldn¡¯t see who was beneath the blue owl mask. Moreover, the other party was using a voice changer, making voice recognition unrealistic.


    ¡°Should I get tough and pry off his mask?¡±


    She thought this and then shook her head.


    ¡°No, better not. There are plenty of other methods and means to confirm his identity. Prising off his mask now might actually put him in danger.¡±


    While thinking this, Black Wukong glanced sideways at those fearless media reporters and passersby filming with their phones. In such a situation, she definitely couldn¡¯t unmask blue owl in public, regardless of who the person beneath the mask was.


    So, she took out her phone from the pocket of her metal windbreaker and typed rapidly on the screen with her fingers wrapped in her gauntlet before turning the screen toward blue owl.


    Blue owl looked closely and saw the message on the screen: Are you hurt.


    He shrugged and replied, ¡°Minor injury, just a broken rib or two. With a superhuman physique, it¡¯ll heal in a couple of days. Thanks for your concern, Mr. Black Wukong. If you hadn¡¯t arrived in time, I¡¯d probably be torn in half by that bad woman by now¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    Black Wukong continued to type and raised the screen to respond.


    Meanwhile, she made a mental note of where blue owl was injured, planning to go home and grill Ke Mingye, turning into a step-by-step advanced reading machine, pressing exactly where it hurt to see if the lad would keep pretending or not?


    Of course, if he didn¡¯t react, she¡¯d actually be happier: Having a dragon brother and a Magic Girl sister at home was enough; adding a superhero brother would make daily life utterly unbearable.


    She glanced back at the unconscious Black Rose, beneath whom a pool of blood had already formed.


    Although the Ninja claimed to have shown restraint, it didn¡¯t seem completely the case: Such a wound would have already been fatal for a weaker superhuman; luckily, Black Rose¡¯s body had a natural healing ability, so she could withstand this amount of blood loss.


    Bai Qiuwu had initially thought about having blue owl take Black Rose to the Association Building, which would have allowed him to gain some credit.


    But if Black Rose was only pretending to be unconscious, that would be a huge problem; with this lad¡¯s modest skills, a nearly defeated counterkill would be more than enough.


    After all, blue owl was not like her, receiving daily martial arts instruction from Sun Wukong.


    Though the monkey taught in a rather half-hearted way, as if humoring a child. In Chinese mythology, the majority of Sun Wukong¡¯s battles were won with exceptional strength rather than martial arts, but this did not stop him from being innately smart and self-taught.


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 Chapter 249 - 167 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 1)_2

    Chapter 249: Chapter 167 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 1)_2


    So Bai Qiuwu knew in her heart that Black Wukong wasn¡¯t incapable, he simply didn¡¯t want to put his heart into teaching her. Nonetheless, the little she had learned was sufficient: in most fights against criminals, her combat skills had the upper hand.


    During that moment, Black Wukong commanded the Somersault Cloud to slowly lift Witch Black Rose¡¯s body, allowing her to lie on the rolling clouds. Bai Qiuwu had personally experienced this sensation before, which felt like lying on a massage chair, conducive to promoting sleep.


    As for herself, she planned to stay nearby and secretly observe the route Blue Owl would take to leave. Being unable to leave, she could only rely on the Somersault Cloud to attend to this matter.


    Presently, compared to the police force, she trusted the Superhero Association more. After all, the portion of superhumans within the police force was small, and escorting a witch was safer left to the Superhero Association.


    But just as Black Wukong was about to send Black Rose toward the Superhero Tower using the Somersault Cloud, suddenly, a deafening boom resonated throughout the sky.


    Amid the cries of the crowd and the suddenly dimmed neon lights, she swiftly lifted her gaze and narrowed her Eyes of Golden Flame toward the slit that was slowly spreading across the night sky.


    ...


    Within the crack, a vast and hazy silhouette began to emerge.


    Like a giant folded umbrella slowly opening, the pattern leisurely stretched out, eventually forming a ring-shaped tower ascending upwards, its shape making it hard not to associate it with the ancient Tower of Babel from the ¡°Bible.¡± The tower¡¯s body shimmered like the aurora, dazzling yet exuding a sacred and inviolable grandeur.


    ¡°What is that¡­?¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Black Wukong gazed upward, murmuring in astonishment.


    The next moment, a pillar of light expanded from the central part of the high tower, instantly enveloping Witch Black Rose¡¯s body, and scattering the Somersault Cloud beneath her.


    Black Wukong took a quick step backward, instantly putting a significant distance between herself and the light descending from the ¡°Babel Tower.¡± By the time she regained her senses, the light pillar, along with Witch Black Rose¡¯s body, had vanished.


    Looking up into the heavens, the slit in the sky dome, as well as the pattern of Babel Tower, had already disappeared without a trace, as if a divine hand had erased them from this world.


    Not far away, Blue Owl was equally shocked, his pupils reflecting the image of the tower while the system indicated it was the doing of the ¡°Witch Church¡ªBabel Tower.¡±


    ¡°Black Rose has already left the church, yet it seems those witches haven¡¯t completely given up on her and have actually rescued her.¡±


    Blue Owl snapped back to reality, pondering to himself.


    He decided to ask Ash about the ¡°Witch Church¡± and ¡°Witch¡¯s Night¡± while returning the brain imaging helmet tomorrow.


    The next moment, as Babel Tower receded from the sky dome, the neon lights and billboards on the street lit up once more. The thorns that had rooted everywhere had decayed and withered, dispersing like a puddle of mud.


    ¡°It seems the witch has been rescued. What do we do now?¡±


    Blue Owl asked as he walked toward Black Wukong¡¯s silhouette.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ You should hurry up and leave, there could still be danger here.¡±


    Black Wukong didn¡¯t turn to look at him, instead lowering her head in thought for a moment before stepping into an alley while forming the Somersault Cloud under her feet once again, stepping onto the cloud and soaring into the sky, vanishing swiftly from the sight of onlookers.


    ¡°Right, it¡¯s time to go home,¡± Blue Owl muttered to himself with one hand on his waist, ¡°When I get back, I¡¯ll probably be called for a meeting by my second brother and eldest sister. I hope they don¡¯t bring along my eldest brother to pressure me, otherwise, I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t be able to handle it¡­¡±


    Since Che Zhengchen was still unconscious in the hospital, he had no reason to return to the Superhero Association for the time being.


    After all, he had completed the necessary paperwork and oral reports for the Dice Monster incident; as for tonight¡¯s Witch Church incident, once Commander Che awoke tomorrow and learned of today¡¯s events, he would naturally contact him. A trip to the Association would suffice then.


    Afterward, as usual, Blue Owl turned into an uninhabited area, activated the invisibility feature of his night belt, and proceeded to tiptoe back the way he came, slipping into another alley.


    He then entered an underground gambling den and exited from another door of the expansive casino. After taking several long detours and swapping places with a small dog on the second floor of an apartment using ¡°phase transfer,¡± he hid away in a dark corner for a while, before calmly making his way to Old Jingmai Commercial Street. Arriving at the abandoned train station, he synchronized with his original body and made the switch.


    Apart from that, Ke Mingye¡¯s original body had also released a Bluebird Scout Plane in the train station in advance to watch for any unusual activity in the vicinity.


    Fortunately, it seemed that nothing had happened.


    This precaution was taken to guard against his second older brother, a shadow-lurking ninja who was most likely still observing him from nearby. If he couldn¡¯t shake off his brother, the fact that he used a puppet decoy would be exposed.


    Besides, after half a day, the existence of the puppet was nearing its limit, as it would soon automatically self-destruct. There was no time to lose, so it was imperative to find a safe place to dispose of the puppet quickly.


    Finally, Ke Mingye stored items like the Blue Owl Battle Suit and the brain imaging helmet in an old storage locker of the train station, then landed a heavy punch to his own chest.


    It had to be said, that punch was extremely forceful, causing him to spit out a mouthful of fresh blood and break one or two ribs. He gasped for air in pain, clutching at his chest.


    But that was the desired effect; otherwise, it would be hard to explain why the injuries that appeared on Blue Owl¡¯s body were not present on him.


    Then, he sat on a public bench, cradling his chest to catch his breath, took a sip of mineral water to clear the blood taste from his mouth, and then stepped away from Old Jingmai Train Station.


    Playing with his cellphone while walking home, Ke Mingye also used his browser to search for the names of ¡°the two Magic Girls killed by the supercriminal Ghosthand Buddha a few years ago.¡±


    The results came back quickly. In the official obituaries released at the time, the code names of the two contracted Magic Girls were ¡°Magical Girl Bird Skill¡± and ¡°Magical Girl Yinyi.¡± On such occasions, there was no need for the authorities to hide the real names of these heroes who sacrificed themselves for public safety, so their real names were also made public in the obituary. The former was named ¡°Lin Jiaqi.¡±


    As for the latter, she was named ¡°He Yinlu.¡±


    Lin Jiaqi¡¯s remains had been cremated, while He Yinlu¡¯s body was not left: according to the official explanation, He Yinlu¡¯s body was likely torn into many pieces by Ghosthand Buddha and thrown into the furnace of a factory, making recovery impossible.


    ¡°He Yinlu¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye murmured the name and recalled the true name of the ¡°Witch Black Rose¡± he had just encountered. He soon raised his eyebrows slightly, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.


    As absurd as it sounded, the true names of the deceased ¡°Magical Girl Yinyi¡± from a few years ago and today¡¯s ¡°Witch Black Rose¡±¡­


    Were identical.


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye murmured to himself, pocketing his cellphone and stepping onto the elevator to go home.


    There are no such coincidences in the world, so Ke Mingye could be certain that Witch Black Rose¡­ was the Magic Girl Yinyi who died at the hands of Ghosthand Buddha years ago.


    ¡°No wonder she said she was a ghost; the information panel also mentioned she was a friend of Magical Girl Ash, but my younger sister¡¯s friends back then were only those two contracted Magic Girls who died at the hands of Ghosthand Buddha. Who else could it be¡­¡±


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye took a deep breath and raised his eyes from his forehead to look at the elevator¡¯s indicator panel. The digital ¡°12¡± lit up, and with it, the elevator doors slowly opened.


    He had just stepped out of the elevator and into the hallway when his steps suddenly stiffened. He looked up to see Ke Xiaomo leaning against the corridor wall with her shoulders hugged, her eyes closed, quietly waiting for him.


    For a long moment, the elevator doors closed, and the light spilling from inside the elevator faded away, leaving the corridor entrance engulfed in near pitch darkness.


    The next moment, the ceiling light above flickered on, banishing the night, casting a ghastly glow upon Ke Mingye¡¯s cheeks.


    In the abrupt light, Ke Xiaomo slowly opened her eyes, turned her face toward him, and her gaze was as cold and sharp as a blade.


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 Chapter 250 - 168 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 2)

    Chapter 250: Chapter 168 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 2)


    Ten minutes ago, Old Jingmai District, Bai Ke¡¯s home.


    Ke Xiaomo inserted the key into the keyhole, pushed the door open, took off his shoes, entered the living room, and sat on the sofa. He turned to Ke Yinzhi beside him and said, ¡°I just went to meet Dice Monster.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡± Ke Yinzhi asked.


    ¡°It told me that the player spreading parasites within the city is a girl in a wheelchair and showed me her photo,¡± he said.


    As he spoke, Ke Xiaomo opened the QQ email he had just downloaded on his phone and logged into his long-unused QQ account, only to see an email lying in the inbox.


    He clicked on the email. The subject of the email read ¡°To My Dearest Ninja Sir,¡± and the email contained no text, just an attached image.


    ...


    The image depicted a girl in a wheelchair, raising her cane forward while black bugs rushed along the cane as if they were about to burst out of the screen.


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re just assuming this photo is real?¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi glanced at the photo in the email and then said, ¡°From my perspective, this photo is strange, the environment, the facial features, whether it¡¯s one part or another, all seem to be deliberately refined with lines, indicating that the original image must have been very blurry. Even the environmental part seems to have traces of artificial filling, as if, in the original photo, a part of the image was missing, blank, reminding me of something¡­¡±


    ¡°What thing?¡± Ke Xiaomo asked.


    ¡°Not a monitor. Logically, images taken by monitors wouldn¡¯t have so many missing and blank areas.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it?¡±


    ¡°A brain imaging helmet,¡± Ke Yinzhi answered.


    ¡°Brain imaging helmet?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, images generated by brain imaging helmets indeed have many incomplete parts, and the image quality isn¡¯t that clear,¡± Ke Yinzhi said. ¡°If the person who altered this photo was trying to disguise this matter, that would explain why the photo looks so discordant.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo frowned: ¡°Does that mean the Dice Monster has a brain imaging helmet?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily, this is just my speculation.¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi yawned and changed the TV channel with the remote control, then continued.


    ¡°Moreover, the existence of players has gradually become public. The Superhero Association, the Magical Girl Alliance, and the Management Bureau worldwide are already beginning to use the brain imaging helmets to check if players have infiltrated their staff. To investigate the distribution of the brain imaging helmets isn¡¯t that easy, it¡¯s very energy-consuming.¡±


    ¡°Why not just narrow the scope and start with Huanjing?¡±


    ¡°The brain imaging helmets will not be introduced to the organizations here in Huanjing for another two days. Guess who currently controls the brain imaging helmets in Huanjing?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Xizi Yue, Qing Ya. Do you think either of them seems like someone the Dice Monster could fool?¡± Ke Yinzhi said. ¡°Although Xizi Yue is irresponsible, she is not stupid, actually quite astute; and Qing Ya, even less needs to be said.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a while, then voiced his speculation.


    ¡°Could it be that Xizi Yue played around with other magic girls and then Dice Monster got the helmet from those magic girls, especially considering the recent incident with Xiao Ni? She brought the brain imaging helmet given by the Magic Girl Feng back home, which really scared us then.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of this, I previously warned Xizi Yue explicitly on behalf of the Management Bureau not to hand over the brain imaging helmets to any subordinate unless absolutely necessary.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi slightly paused as he spoke, his tone seemed uncertain, ¡°Uh¡­ even for Xizi Yue, she probably wouldn¡¯t completely ignore my words.¡±


    After speaking, he shrugged his shoulders and made an excuse for himself: ¡°However¡­ as the brain imaging helmets become more common, she might have gotten carried away. I¡¯ll try to ask her in a few days to see if I can find any leads.¡±


    At this, Ke Xiaomo suddenly remembered something and spoke up.


    ¡°Right, Dice Monster also told me earlier that he knows Magical Girl Ash¡­and Magical Girl Ash is close with Xizi Yue. Could it be Ash who gave the helmet to Dice Monster?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, I¡¯ll look into it when I have some time in a few days,¡± Ke Yinzhi said.


    ¡°With your memory, you¡¯ll probably have forgotten in two days.¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Xiaomo sighed and changed the subject: ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that for now, let¡¯s discuss what Dice Monster did today. Why do you think he kidnapped Che Zhengchen and then released him?¡±


    ¡°Who knows¡­¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi suddenly raised his eyebrows, his tone shifting: ¡°Oh, I think I understand. The photo you saw must have been extracted from Che Zhengchen¡¯s memory.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Those parasites only target ordinary people, and Che Zhengchen is an ordinary person. He most likely had a parasite implanted into his body by that player not long ago and then forgot about it.¡±


    ¡°Forgot?¡± Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The data from the Management Bureau says that people infested with parasites automatically forget the infestation,¡± Ke Yinzhi explained as he picked up the Coke on the table, propped up his chin, took a sip through the straw, and continued.


    ¡°Although Che Zhengchen himself forgot, that memory might still be recoverable, so to extract the appearance of that player from Che Zhengchen¡¯s mind, Dice Monster abducted him from the Superhero Tower this afternoon and fitted a brain imaging helmet over his head somewhere.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a while and then said, ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°So it seems that the Dice Monster isn¡¯t as omniscient as you thought. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have needed to resort to such methods to find the culprit spreading the parasite.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi curled his lips, speaking slowly.


    He paused, ¡°The key point is, if that wheelchair-bound woman is indeed a player as it claims, that would seem to suggest that the Dice Monster is likely not a player.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo nodded and said, ¡°Indeed. If the girl spreading the parasite really is a player, then it suggests that the Dice Monster probably has no relationship with the players.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi shrugged, ¡°Exactly. If it were a player, there would be no reason for it to act this way: to take such a big risk just to betray its own kind, that doesn¡¯t fit with the typical behavior of this group.¡±


    He thought for a moment, then added a few more words.


    ¡°Besides, as a player, it should have had more methods to single her out, like the ¡®Friends System¡¯ I mentioned earlier¡­ I remember there is such a feature on the players¡¯ panel. In any case, it didn¡¯t need to go to such lengths, unless¡­¡±


    ¡°Unless what?¡± Ke Xiaomo asked.


    ¡°Unless there was infighting among the players.¡±


    ¡°Infighting?¡±


    ¡°Who knows. At this point, we¡¯re still not familiar enough with this group, but given their situation, if they don¡¯t extinguish the superhumans within a year, they¡¯ll die. Theoretically, the chances of infighting should be low,¡± Ke Yinzhi pondered aloud as he spoke.


    Hearing this, Ke Xiaomo relaxed a bit.


    He said, ¡°So can we rest easy now, thinking the Dice Monster might just be a mad dog and not a player?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still uncertain,¡± Ke Yinzhi said indifferently. ¡°Either way, since you chose to cooperate with it, remember to be cautious and not fall into its trap.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking to me?¡±


    ¡°And that too,¡± Ke Yinzhi smiled mockingly, ¡°With our Sect Master¡¯s ability, you shouldn¡¯t be led astray by such a thing.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo stared at the television screen, and the two of them quietly watched TV for a while.


    Suddenly, he said, ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something else I need to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    At that moment, Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a while, hesitating whether or not to discuss the matter concerning Mingye with Ke Yinzhi, but then he recalled that just two days ago, Ke Yinzhi had told him he wanted to enjoy a peaceful vacation and experience a normal life, which is why he had entrusted the parasite issue to him.


    With just Qiuwu and Yongzhu already causing him enough worry, adding Mingye into the mix, even someone with a big heart like Ke Yinzhi would probably be choked up enough to lose his appetite¡­


    Thinking this, Ke Xiaomo sighed softly and lightly shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he said.


    Just as Ke Yinzhi was about to press further, the doorbell rang, interrupting his thoughts. He opened the door to find Bai Qiuwu returning home. She had just changed into sandals at the entrance and immediately asked, ¡°Has Mingye come back yet?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi answered, ¡°Not yet.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo, pretending to be clueless, asked, ¡°What were you out doing just now?¡±


    ¡°I went to a classmate¡¯s to pick up some math materials,¡± Bai Qiuwu said, lifting the workbook in her hand, ¡°Call me when Mingye returns, I need to speak with him.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± said Ke Yinzhi.


    As Bai Qiuwu went upstairs, Ke Xiaomo carefully started, ¡°Qiuwu, I just dealt with a witch causing trouble in the Linjiang Business District with her.¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Yinzhi tilted his head and looked at him curiously, asking, ¡°Oh¡­ did she recognize you?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo shook his head, ¡°You said that the Eyes of Golden Flame cannot see through physical masks, only illusions, so she didn¡¯t recognize me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going out to buy some drinks and also look for Mingye. He¡¯s been out for so long today, I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s wandered off to,¡± Ke Xiaomo said as he stood up from the sofa and walked out of the room.


    He casually closed the electronic door behind him, turned his head, and saw that the elevator indicator was lit, someone slowly ascending towards the 12th floor.


    Ke Xiaomo breathed a sigh of relief, leaned back against the wall, and hugged his shoulders, pondering how exactly to bring up the issue with Mingye.


    After a while, the elevator doors slowly opened.


    Ke Mingye, his hand over his chest, walked out of the elevator, looked up from his phone, and glanced at him evasively: ¡°Uh¡­ big brother, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I have something to talk about with you, but not here. Let¡¯s go downstairs and buy some drinks while we¡¯re at it,¡± Ke Xiaomo said as he walked towards him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, giving him no chance to resist.


    Ke Mingye hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


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 Chapter 251 - 169 Family Meeting Second Loop (3)

    Chapter 251: Chapter 169 Family Meeting Second Loop (3)


    Ke Mingye pinched the cap of a Pepsi bottle tightly with his right hand and twisted it open with all his strength.


    With a ¡°pop,¡± the bubbles in the bottle surged up. He quickly caught them with his mouth and then plopped down onto the public wooden bench outside the ¡°7-Seven¡± supermarket.


    ¡°So, Second Brother, what did you want to see me for?¡±


    Under the dim streetlight, he turned his head and asked Ke Xiaomo, who had also seated himself on the public bench.


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a while, sipped some Wong Lo Kat down his throat, the chilled drink flowing into his belly.


    Aside from Ke Yinzhi, he didn¡¯t know how many years it had been since he last sat down and really talked with his younger siblings at home, and now he was even somewhat unsure of how to start the conversation.


    ...


    It was a summer night, and the faint sound of cicadas could be heard from the trees. The fan of the small chain supermarket behind the wooden bench was slowly turning. The incandescent light was emitting a cool glow outward.


    The old owner, wearing reading glasses, was sitting behind the counter, fanning his face while scrolling through ¡°Magic Girl¡± videos on a short-video app.


    Ke Xiaomo placed the Wong Lo Kat on the bench and started, ¡°When I was cleaning your room¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, wasn¡¯t my room locked?¡±


    Ke Mingye had just sipped his Pepsi and nearly sprayed it out, coughing twice before continuing suspiciously.


    ¡°Mom opened it with the key.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo explained expressionlessly.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye sighed and then said sarcastically, ¡°Haha, mom really is invincible, I¡¯m 16 and still have no privacy rights.¡±


    ¡°Then, guess what I found in your room?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo said slowly.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t open my computer, did you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡±


    Ke Mingye lifted his Pepsi, took a sip by the mouth of the bottle, and then covered his mouth with the bottle itself, speaking in a muffled voice, ¡°Then there shouldn¡¯t be things like inflatable dolls hidden in my room, right? Not to mention those even more dangerous items. Come on, why do you sound like you caught me doing drugs?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo silently reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a journal.


    The moment his gaze fell on the familiar sketch journal, Ke Mingye¡¯s face turned pale as though all blood had drained away.


    ¡°Not cool, bro, are you sick or something?! Cleaning up a room and you freaking peeked at my journal. I haven¡¯t even been writing in it, that¡¯s all ancient history now, complete cringe fest!¡±


    While whining and fretting, Ke Mingye quickly reached out to grab the journal from Ke Xiaomo¡¯s hand but was blocked by Ke Xiaomo¡¯s other hand.


    ¡°Chill, will you?¡± Ke Xiaomo glanced at him and calmly said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen everything in there. What¡¯s the use of getting it back now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all over, totally over.¡± Ke Mingye sighed hopelessly, ¡°Just so you know, although the journal mentions that I had a crush on a boy in my class when I was a child, it was ultimately because that boy just looked too much like a girl. My sexual orientation is perfectly normal. It never happened again afterward.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    ¡°Then it must be about middle school, right? I did skip class to surf the internet quite often, but I was always in the top 20 in our grade, not too shabby, right? You wouldn¡¯t go and snitch about this to mom, would you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about that either,¡± Ke Xiaomo shook his head.


    ¡°Then what is it?¡±


    ¡°This.¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Xiaomo casually opened the journal and turned to the page marked by a ¡°tea leaf bookmark.¡±


    This tea leaf was his usual bookmark, given to him by the Sect Master from Shadow Sail Mountain. He generally carried it with him and often used it while reading; now, it was marking Ke Mingye¡¯s ¡°criminal record.¡±


    After turning to that page, he slowly rotated the journal, tilting the page towards Ke Mingye as if to show him the contents on the page.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s hand trembling barely perceptibly as it clutched the Pepsi. He narrowed his eyes and read the words on the page.


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    June 5:


    Based on my current research on myself, my superpowers mainly consist of three abilities.


    The first superpower is to accumulate some kind of energy by spinning my arms in circles, which then allows me to perform different attacks based on my hand gestures. However, this superpower isn¡¯t very practical in combat, feels pretty idiotic from an outsider¡¯s perspective, totally lacking in style, better keep it under wraps¡­ yeah, coolness is everything;


    The second superpower is to instantly ignite flames on my fists, making my punches faster, and I still don¡¯t know the principle behind this power, but fortunately, it doesn¡¯t harm my hands;


    The third superpower is to instantly swap places with a target within a ten-meter radius, it can¡¯t be an object, it has to be a person;


    I haven¡¯t precisely tested whether this range is truly ten meters, maybe I should find time to measure it. But this power must be used on humans, randomly testing it on someone on the street feels somewhat morally wrong. Last time it nearly gave that bully from my school a heart attack, but it was quite satisfying. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Summary complete.


    With these three superpowers, even among superpower users, I¡¯m probably considered one of those with extraordinary talents, huh, I¡¯m indeed a one-in-a-million genius.


    Although the most terrifying known superpower user has a total of five superpowers, that¡¯s only two more than me.


    Life, you never know what will happen next.


    To think I awakened superpowers at 16 years old, could it be that I was born to be a superhero?


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 Chapter 252 - 169: Family Meeting, Second Loop (3)_2

    Chapter 252: Chapter 169: Family Meeting, Second Loop (3)_2


    I really want to join the Superhero Round Table, to maintain peace alongside Qing Ya, Zeus, and Dimensional Swordsman. Just thinking about it gets me damn excited.


    Speaking of which¡­ Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Is it possible that, besides me, there are other Superpower Users in my family, or am I the only one?


    Could it be that either my old man or mom had superpowers?


    Otherwise, how could I be a Superpower User?


    However, the Superhuman textbook says that even if both parents are ordinary people, there¡¯s still a small chance that their child could become a Superpower User.


    ...


    It seems that my awakening doesn¡¯t have much to do with genetics after all. After all, the superhuman genetic test results for my old man and mom, provided by the Superhero Association, both came back normal, and those results couldn¡¯t possibly be faked, right¡­


    Speaking of which, what am I going to do about the next Superhuman genetic test?


    If dad and mom find out, I¡¯m screwed. Forget about being a vigilante, not being pulled into a two or three-day family meeting would be getting off easy.


    What should I do?


    I need to find a way to join the Superhero Association and see if anyone there can help me hide the results of the next Superhuman genetic test. As long as my family doesn¡¯t find out, that would be fine.


    Since I¡¯ve awakened my superpower, does this mean I can become a superhero like Qing Ya?


    People online have speculated based on the timeline that Qing Ya started wearing a mask and fighting crime at the age of about 16, which is exactly my age now.


    But even if I want to be a vigilante, at the very least, I need to have a decent suit of armor, right?


    Heh, I remember some superhero darknet sites offer custom-made superhero suits, though they¡¯re crudely made and exist mainly to scam idiots. But it should be fine for my current stage.


    Ordering one to try wouldn¡¯t hurt. To be safe, let¡¯s have an online friend make the purchase for me, to prevent my parents from discovering my spending record.


    Holy shit, is this what it feels like to hide your identity from your family as a superhero? It¡¯s so thrilling.


    But it¡¯s also awesome.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    After reading the words in the diary, Ke Mingye thought to himself, this date is very misleading. By deliberately setting the date of this diary entry to one month ago, mimicking a timeframe before the Gamer appeared, my second brother won¡¯t suspect that I¡¯m the Gamer.


    After all, the Gamer can¡¯t possess the body of a Superhuman.


    According to the diary, I had already awakened my superpower a month ago; therefore, it¡¯s impossible for me to be the Gamer.


    Additionally, with the brain imaging helmet test, it¡¯s unlikely my second brother would continue to suspect me.


    ¡°How do you explain this diary entry from a month ago?¡±


    Under the streetlight, Ke Xiaomo looked at Ke Mingye¡¯s face with a calm gaze and asked in an equally calm tone.


    Ke Mingye swallowed nervously, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing.


    ¡°No, big bro, you¡¯re misunderstanding,¡± he said, shrugging casually and running his hand through his sweat-dampened hair, then explaining.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a game our class has been playing called ¡®Superhero Role-Playing Diary.¡¯ The idea is to imagine ourselves as superheroes, write in the diary and then share it with classmates.¡±


    He paused, ¡°There¡¯s also a classmate who acts as a judge, scoring everyone¡¯s diary to see who writes the most interesting and realistic ones. The person with the highest score gets a red packet from the other participants. In the end, it¡¯s just like writing a novel, you know?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo articulated each word, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this game.¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed, replying calmly, ¡°It¡¯s the latest trend among young people. What would a primitive man like you know? That¡¯s how we high schoolers roll.¡±


    He shrugged his shoulders, sipped his Coke with a guilty conscience, then mockingly added, ¡°Heh, no wonder little sister says you¡¯re an old soul¡ªno, an old man in your youth.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo kept his gaze on Ke Mingye¡¯s face, then reached out with his index finger and continued flipping through the diary.


    ¡°Then how do you explain this next diary entry?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    July 4th, morning:


    I feel like my training is almost complete, and the suit I had purchased through a darknet friend has arrived. Maybe I should make my move today.


    I discussed it with that net friend, and from now on, my vigilante and superhero alias will be ¡®Blue Owl,¡¯ playing off ¡®Qing Ya¡¯¡ªowl means owl after all.


    It¡¯s true what they say online.


    Superpower Users benefit much more from physical exercise than ordinary people. I feel like my strength has increased a lot in just a month, even though I used to be a skinny dog.


    I should be able to knock out those classmates who targeted me with a single punch now. That idiot hit my back with a basketball last time; next time we play basketball I¡¯ll smash his head in.


    No, never mind. As a superhero, I should suppress my personal desires. Lesson one of being a superhero: don¡¯t use your superpower on ordinary people.


    Just thinking about it excites me. Did Qing Ya feel the same when he first started wearing the suit and fighting criminals twenty years ago?


    Where should I hide the suit? Maybe somewhere further away from home. Otherwise, if mom finds it while cleaning my room, that would be awkward.


    July 4th, evening:


    Shit, shit, shit!


    I¡¯ve just taken down the cybernetically enhanced Lester, that Lester! On my first outing, I beat Lester. Is this what it means to have the substance of a genius superhero?


    Alright, if I hadn¡¯t used my swap-place superpower to make him crash into that big truck, I probably couldn¡¯t have beaten him.


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 Chapter 253 - 169 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 3)_3

    Chapter 253: Chapter 169 Family Meeting Second Loop (Part 3)_3


    ¡°Wealth comes from taking risks, and since I succeeded, it means my plan was flawless. It¡¯s just that my foot got injured, I¡¯m limping when I walk, looks like I¡¯ll have to rest and recover for a couple of days.¡±


    After becoming a Superpower User, my body¡¯s self-healing ability had become many times stronger than before. Normally, this kind of wound would heal on its own fairly quickly.¡±


    After knocking down Lester, that infamous Dice Monster appeared recently.


    I really don¡¯t understand what it wants to do, it says it wants to be friends with me, but damn it, it¡¯s a villain, if I befriend it wouldn¡¯t I start my career with a tainted reputation, impossible to clean ever?


    Only an idiot would befriend him, honestly, I just don¡¯t get how there can be fools in this city befriending the Dice Monster, jumping straight into a fire pit.¡±


    After that, I was interviewed by that mixed-race lady, Mikaxi, doing social media. I used to watch her interview videos a lot, never thought I¡¯d appear on one myself.¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    When I got home in the evening, it seemed like my older brothers had just finished a meeting, really have no idea what they talked about.¡±


    So curious, why on earth did my older and second older brothers need to secretly drag my younger sister and brother into a meeting? Have I really been isolated?


    Damn it, they had a meeting without me.


    But man, I have to go out and combat crime, no time for their meetings, haha.¡±


    Really curious what they will think after they find out there¡¯s a superhero in the family? They must think I¡¯m incredibly awesome, soon I¡¯ll be the first Superhuman in our family.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what a ¡®do not despise the poor youth¡¯ script.¡±


    Got fired up, once I make a mark, I¡¯ll reveal my identity to them, turn the family hierarchy on its head, throw a punch at mom, kick Bai Zini.¡±


    Fast forward to becoming a member of the Round Table Council.¡±


    I can¡¯t, my leg hurts like hell.¡±


    Is this the price of being a superhero?


    Resting now, tomorrow I should see my news all over the internet, kind of can¡¯t sleep¡­¡±


    Will it be okay?


    Although I always thought about how cool it would be to be a superhero, it seems there¡¯s actually a lot of pressure, got up in the middle of the night and felt much better in my leg but can¡¯t do any heavy exercise, otherwise, the wound might open.¡±


    Sure enough, every app was blown up by my video.¡±


    What should I do from now on?


    Continue like this?


    Is it too late to think about giving up now since I¡¯ve already taken the first step?


    I¡¯ll just have to grit my teeth and move forward, this was my choice.¡±


    Slept.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Ke Mingye, holding a cola, stared dumbfounded at the content of the diary. His lips twitched slightly, and cold sweat gradually covered his forehead.¡±


    Under the dim streetlight, his face was pale, and the reflection of the diary¡¯s words in his pupils were slightly blurred.¡±


    Then, before Ke Xiaomo could ask any further, he strategically took a big gulp of cola, masking his panic, then offered an awkward smile and explained.¡±


    ¡°Dude, this diary is obviously written after blue owl made his appearance. I was just imagining what it would be like if I were the superhero blue owl, wondering how he might react, okay?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Ke Xiaomo questioned, ¡°Then how could you guess the superpower of blue owl a month ago?¡±


    ¡°A lucky guess.¡±


    Ke Mingye halfway through his sentence, hastily amended: ¡°Oh, wrong, that was also written after blue owl appeared. I was just mimicking his perspective, writing that diary entry in reverse.¡±


    Saying this, he paused slightly, then continued trying to justify himself.


    ¡°Think about it, it says blue owl has three superpowers, right? But how could he possibly have a superpower that involves spinning his arms to store energy, how stupid, and blue owl never demonstrated that superpower either.¡±


    Listening to this, Ke Xiaomo looked down and took a deep breath, raised his hand, and gently massaged the Tianming Acupoint.¡±


    After a long silence, he slowly raised his head, stared into Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes, and his voice gradually became serious.


    ¡°Stop pretending, Mingye, this matter is much more serious than you think.¡±


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 Chapter 254 - 170: The Second Family Meeting (Part 4)

    Chapter 254: Chapter 170: The Second Family Meeting (Part 4)


    Ke Mingye swallowed a mouthful of water and then slowly raised his head to meet Ke Xiaomo¡¯s gaze.


    Gazing into those eyes, as deep as the night, Ke Mingye was slightly stunned for a moment before he lowered his head, shifting his gaze and taking a light sip of his Coke.


    He could tell that despite Ke Xiaomo¡¯s best efforts to stay calm, from his tone to his expression, everything seemed very calm and gentle, just like their usual everyday conversations.


    But from Ke Xiaomo¡¯s eyes, there was still a subtle fury and blame being conveyed.


    Like a volcano sealed under ice, ready to erupt at any moment and incinerate the seemingly solid and calm layer of ice completely.


    The two brothers sat on the public bench, their eyes shifted away from each other, and they remained silent for a long time. All that could be heard were the cicadas in the trees and the sound of fans spinning from the supermarket.


    ...


    Hunched over on the public bench, Ke Xiaomo sat with his hands together, his eyes faintly flickering. The pale light from inside the supermarket bathed his side face.


    After a while, Ke Mingye set down his bottle of Coke on the bench and spoke in a low voice to break the deadly silence.


    ¡°Do you still remember what you said at that breakfast shop?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo retained his silence and simply nodded.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes were cast down as he continued, ¡°I think you said, if I really wanted to be a superhero, you would support me.¡±


    ¡°No, at that time I was just hoping to induce you to tell me the truth, but you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°How could I ever say it?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo¡¯s eyes twitched slightly as he stared at the ground and took a deep breath, speaking slowly, ¡°So, it really is you¡­ You¡¯re the Blue Owl, right?¡±


    Ke Mingye kept silent for a moment, then lifted his right index finger.


    In the battle at the Linjiang Business District, he had used up all the solar energy stored for his ¡°Solar Punch,¡± and it would take some time to recover to 100%. He was currently left with only 3%.


    But this 3%, was enough to raise a flame on the tip of his right index finger.


    He pointed his fingertip towards the sky, and the warm light of the fire erupted from his finger, with scattered sparks bursting just like the hand-held sparklers from his childhood.


    Ke Xiaomo stared blankly at this scene, at the flickering flame rising from Ke Mingye¡¯s fingertip.


    Then he averted his gaze, his chest heaving sharply.


    In fact, Ke Xiaomo had long been mentally prepared.


    Whether it was the diary found under Ke Mingye¡¯s bed, the hints from the Dice Monster, or even the dissonance he felt from Mingye a few weeks prior, everything pointed definitively to some change that had occurred in Mingye.


    Nevertheless, he still harbored a stubborn, unrealistic hope deep down in his heart.


    He hoped that Mingye could provide a solid reason to refute the contents of the diary as being untrue.


    To refute that his suspicions were wrong.


    But the answers did not match his expectations. Facing his questions, Ke Mingye¡¯s explanations were full of holes, hardly any of them convincing, further corroborating the diary¡¯s content as true.


    If after this, Ke Xiaomo still clung to a self-deceptive notion, gripping onto that last thread of hope in his heart, not willing to let go¡­


    Then, witnessing the scene before him, the last shred of his hope shattered.


    He drew a deep breath of cold air, which, like a sharp scalpel, pierced his insides, causing his brain to tremble, and his tightly clasped fingers to quiver.


    Ke Xiaomo hung his head low, his jet-black eyes shrouded in the shadow of his forehead hair, his pupils reflecting a complex light.


    His brother, Ke Mingye, was the superhero ¡°Blue Owl.¡±


    The reckless¡­ imitator of Qing Ya.


    The naive superhero who doesn¡¯t know the vastness of heaven and earth.


    The moth to a flame that could very likely draw the Timekeeper¡¯s attention.


    Fury at its peak, Ke Xiaomo couldn¡¯t help but let out a light snort of laughter, filled with self-mockery.


    ¡°So what do you want to do, tell mom and dad about my activities to stop me?¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°Or maybe you want to bring big brother in to dissuade me?¡±


    As he spoke, he paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°But none of that means anything. I¡¯ll just tell you straight, I can¡¯t give it up.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Ke Xiaomo asked in a hoarse voice, almost whispering, ¡°Do you think being a superhero is more important than your family? Is it just for that bit of vanity¡­ to show off in front of your classmates, or to make those who looked down on you see you in a new light? Do you really believe¡­ these things are worth risking your life for, to become a hero?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not for vanity that I want to become a superhero,¡± he said. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye looked into Ke Xiaomo¡¯s eyes, gently shook his head, and spoke calmly.


    ¡°Is it for Qing Ya?¡±


    ¡°Not for him either, though he is part of the reason why I want to be a hero.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea how dangerous what you are doing really is,¡± Ke Xiaomo said emphatically, ¡°dangerous enough to kill you a thousand times, ten thousand times, or even more¡­¡±


    ¡°Even so, I would still do it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°No reason, just that I want to do it,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°If there¡¯s something I can do and I don¡¯t do it, I would regret it for the rest of my life.¡±


    He paused: ¡°A long time ago, when I was still in that orphanage, I watched my only friend die at the hands of a superhuman criminal. At that time, I thought that if I ever got the chance, I would definitely not give up on becoming a hero.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t even protect yourself,¡± Ke Xiaomo said gravely.


    ¡°Why do you think that?¡±


    ¡°Do you know what happened to the last person who tried to emulate Qing Ya?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Gray Dove. He was dismembered into 24 pieces by Timekeeper and hung from the roof of Superhero Tower.¡±


    ¡°It was 23 pieces,¡± Ke Mingye corrected him, ¡°And they were not hung from the roof of Superhero Tower but below the high-altitude work platform of Superhero Tower.¡±


    His tone was as calm as well water, without a ripple, let alone fear.


    ¡°Anyone involved with Qing Ya could become a target of Timekeeper. That¡¯s why Qing Ya has been fighting alone for so many years; he doesn¡¯t want others to repeat the same mistake.¡±


    Upon saying this, Ke Xiaomo paused briefly, speaking as calmly as possible, ¡°And if Timekeeper would act against Gray Dove, then he is very likely to act against you as well.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    A twitch crossed Ke Xiaomo¡¯s lips, then he abruptly turned his head to look at him: ¡°Do you know? Do you want Xiao Ni, Xiao Ling, Yongzhu, and the others to see your body hanging up high for everyone to admire?!¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°You are far too naive.¡±


    ¡°I have confidence.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath, then his voice gradually cooled down, no longer feigning gentleness, ¡°You know, it would only take one finger from Timekeeper to crush you¡­ to tear you to pieces and let the whole world witness your demise.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°So, you still insist on doing this?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to be a hero, a true hero,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°Qing Ya will find me, and if Timekeeper comes, I¡¯ll join him in defeating Timekeeper.¡±


    ¡°Utterly¡­ hopeless.¡±


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath, still with a calm expression: ¡°You¡¯re my brother, and I wish you would support me. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll let you dictate my own beliefs.¡±


    During their conversation, the elevator on the first floor of the duplex across from the supermarket suddenly opened, and a crisp figure stepped out, walking slowly towards them.


    Bai Qiuwu, wearing a hoodie, looked up from his phone screen, casting a puzzled glance at the two sitting on the public bench.


    ¡°What are you two talking about that¡¯s got you looking as if you¡¯re constipated?¡±


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 Chapter 255 - 171: Agreement Before Losing Control

    Chapter 255: Chapter 171: Agreement Before Losing Control


    ¡°You two look so suspicious, you¡¯re not talking about something weird behind my back, are you?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu said this as he took a chilled drink from the fridge outside the supermarket, then slightly turned his face, curiously sizing up the two sitting on the public wooden bench with the corner of his eye.


    Their expressions were equally awkward, unable to speak for a long time.


    Seeing their demeanor, Bai Qiuwu slightly raised his eyebrows, dragged out his voice in confusion, ¡°Hmmm,¡± and then said to the inside of the supermarket, ¡°Boss, put it on my dad¡¯s tab.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The boss replied without lifting his head.


    Bai Qiuwu twisted off the bottle cap, took a sip, and then, arms crossed, looked at the two, ¡°So, what are you up to?¡±


    ...


    ¡°We were¡­¡± Ke Xiaomo spoke and paused slightly, ¡°Nothing much. Just talking about his new girlfriend at school, this guy absolutely denies it.¡±


    Ke Mingye turned his face away, resignedly said, ¡°I told him I just lost a truth or dare game, but he won¡¯t believe it.¡±


    As they spoke, a bus slowly passed by the front of the supermarket. The headlights briefly illuminated the night, accompanied by a burst of horn sounds before disappearing into the darkness.


    ¡°Forget it, can¡¯t really argue with this kid.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment, gently raised his hand, ruffled Ke Mingye¡¯s hair, and then stood up from the public wooden bench with a stern face and walked towards home, taking the elevator.


    Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief, thinking thankfully his older sister came to the rescue, otherwise with their older brother¡¯s personality, he¡¯d probably have tied him here for a night-long therapy session.


    Bai Qiuwu quietly watched Ke Xiaomo¡¯s retreating back, then quietly sat down on the public wooden bench and softly asked Ke Mingye next to him.


    ¡°What exactly did you do? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen him so angry.¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°His old man temperament could get so angry, you definitely did something wrong.¡±


    ¡°Oh come on, just because he¡¯s angry doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s my fault. Stop joking.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu rolled his eyes at him, pressed the chilled drink against his neck, and leaned in to whisper, ¡°Are you confessing or not?¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed, pushed the bottle away with his hand, and said, ¡°You guys were isolating me at the last meeting, how dare you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t care?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu was speaking when he suddenly looked down at the corner of the bench.


    She noticed that before her brother left, he had left a notebook on the bench. Flipping through it quickly, she saw the initial sketches of the Blue Owl Battle Suit someone had doodled.


    ¡°What are you flipping through, you really have no shame, snooping through a teenage boy¡¯s stuff.¡±


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye immediately panicked, speaking as he reached out to take back the notebook, stuffing it into his shorts pocket.


    ¡°I¡¯m still a teenage girl.¡±


    ¡°Gross.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to drive me mad as well?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu said with a smirk, slightly clenched her fist, and threw a punch with a speed so fast yet restrained, gently ¡°tapping¡± on Ke Mingye¡¯s chest.


    Ke Mingye instantly widened his eyes, raised his right hand, clutched his chest and wailed, even his spine couldn¡¯t stay straight, his complexion turned pale instantly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, sis?!¡± he turned his head, furrowing his brow as he spoke.


    The shopkeeper behind the counter adjusted his reading glasses and squinted at this scene outside. Bai Qiuwu, feeling quite embarrassed, patted Ke Mingye on the back and asked in a low voice.


    ¡°I barely touched you, why are you screaming like that, acting much?¡±


    Her tone was casual, but her eyes subtly shifted, her expression gradually becoming more serious.


    Bai Qiuwu recalled the scene not long ago in Linjiang Business District, where Blue Owl was injured by the Witch at exactly the chest area, he even said he broke a rib or two.


    Thinking this, Bai Qiuwu imperceptibly glanced at Ke Mingye¡¯s chest. Through the sweat-soaked T-shirt, she could clearly see a patch of blue and black.


    She paused, then slightly bowed her head, gently exhaling. A flicker of light in her eyes, usually when this brother acted bratty she felt like making him mute, but at this moment, she genuinely felt distressed¡­


    Bai Qiuwu shook her head, turned to look at the street shrouded in darkness, using the dim light of the supermarket to clearly see the train passing far away on the elevated bridge.


    Moments later, amidst the sound of cicadas, she almost spoke, ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°Family worries about you, if there¡¯s anything, remember to tell us, don¡¯t keep it to yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°No matter what you do, don¡¯t be too stubborn.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu lowered her head in silence for a while, her tone carrying a hint of reproach as she quietly asked.


    ¡°Do you really know?¡±


    ¡°I do, I do, you and an old man just like the older brother, he¡¯s an old man teenager, and you¡¯re an old girl teenager.¡±


    ¡°Alright, now you¡¯d even talk to me like that.¡± Bai Qiuwu laughed, ¡°Now I know why he was so angry at you.¡±


    ¡°I was wrong, I was wrong¡­ please don¡¯t hold onto this for a therapy session.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ let¡¯s head home.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu left these words behind as she rose from the public bench and walked step by step towards the apartment building, her back to the supermarket lights.


    ¡°I will protect you.¡±


    ¡°Before losing control, protect everyone around you. Then¡­ find a place to peacefully depart.¡±


    As she thought this, she slightly raised her head, her face vanishing into the darkness of the building entrance, but a flickering flame of reddish-gold sparkled momentarily in her drooping pupils.


    Ke Mingye sat quietly on the public bench, watching Bai Qiuwu¡¯s figure enter the elevator.


    Judging by this, it was almost confirmed that both my older brother and oldest sister knew my identity. Besides, my older brother was also investigating the person spreading the parasites, and if I guessed correctly, it must have been my oldest brother who had asked him to find the culprit behind this.


    Since I had already revealed Gastella¡¯s true identity to my older brother as Dice Monster, it was only a matter of time before she was found by him.


    Cai Bing would also help. As soon as Gastella appeared on the city¡¯s monitors, she would inform me immediately.


    With this dual security, even if Gastella hid well, I should be able to find her within two weeks.


    Then¡­ I would kill her.


    Ke Mingye was deep in thought when the supermarket owner got up from behind the counter, holding a fan, and said, ¡°I¡¯m about to close up, young man.¡±


    He said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll leave in a bit.¡±


    ¡°The recent times really aren¡¯t peaceful, what with parasites, Dice Monster, and now criminals daring to attack Superhero Tower. What else won¡¯t they do in the future.¡±


    The owner lifted his head, squinting towards the brightly lit high buildings in the distance, his mouth expressing lament.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, things will get better after this year¡­ everything will be fine.¡±


    Ke Mingye, his head down, fiddled with his cellphone, speaking without much concern.


    The owner fanned his face with his fan and laughed, ¡°Indeed, let¡¯s hope next year is better.¡±


    Ke Mingye shrugged his shoulders and opened the task panel for the day. While using Blue Owl to patrol, he had also completed the daily tasks at the train station.


    [Daily Task 1: Run 3000 meters (once use of reward roulette) (completed)]


    [Daily Task 2: Do one hundred pull-ups (2 attribute points available for free distribution) (completed)]


    [Reward for daily task 2 ¡°one hundred pull-ups¡± claimed, receiving 2 attribute points available for free distribution.]


    Ke Mingye pretended to play with his phone, silently raising his finger, and respectively allocated the newly acquired two attribute points to ¡°Physical Fitness¡± and ¡°Mental Strength.¡±


    [Your ¡°Physical Fitness¡± attribute change: 66¡ú67 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [Your ¡°Mental Strength¡± attribute change: 24¡ú25 points (¡ü1 point)]


    [Reward for daily task 1 ¡°Run 3000 meters¡± claimed, receiving one roulette draw chance.]


    As the notification box disappeared, the reward roulette unfolded before him, and then six areas with text came into view.


    [One, 3000 Mall Coins;]


    [Two, Sixty percent off shopping voucher;]


    [Three, A summon card pack bundle;]


    [Four, A piece of a low-level Skill Enhancement Card (Collect three pieces to form one low-level Skill Enhancement Card) (A low-level Skill Enhancement Card can be used to enhance an E-level Skill);]


    [Five, An instance refresh ticket (Allows you to re-challenge an instance you have already won, but some rewards cannot be claimed again);]


    [Six, 2 attribute points available for free distribution.]


    Ke Mingye sipped a Coke while pressing the roulette¡¯s start button, followed by the needle beginning to spin quickly.


    Finally, it slowly stopped above area four.


    [Congratulations, you have received a reward from area four: a piece of a low-level Skill Enhancement Card (Currently holding 3 pieces).]


    [Having collected 3 pieces of a low-level Skill Enhancement Card, they are automatically assembled into one ¡°low-level Skill Enhancement Card,¡± which has been added to your inventory.]


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye slightly raised his eyebrows, then quickly opened his inventory, clicking into the introduction panel of the low-level Skill Enhancement Card.


    [Item Name: Low-level Skill Enhancement Card]


    [Item Description: A low-level Skill Enhancement Card can be used to enhance any E-level skill, producing different enhancement effects depending on the E-level skill it is used on.]


    [Currently in your skill column, the skills that meet the use conditions of this item include: ¡°Phase Transfer,¡± ¡°Superhero-style Landing,¡± ¡°Animal Communication Skill,¡± ¡°Safety Limits Removal,¡± ¡°Personality Split.¡±]


    [Select a skill to enhance it.]


    Ke Mingye had already reviewed the enhancement effects beforehand, so he unhesitatingly pressed ¡°Personality Split¡± in the options.


    [Confirm using this enhancement card on the skill ¡°Personality Split¡±?]


    ¡°Yes,¡± he responded mentally.


    [After enhancement, ¡°Personality Split¡± skill¡¯s effect has been expanded.]


    [Specific change as follows: Split your main personality into ¡°2¡± alter egos ¡ú Split your main personality into ¡°3¡± alter egos.] sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Dang, now I can form a whole mahjong table.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself.


    ¡°Oh, playing landowner might work too¡­ but Blue Owl and Xiaohongmao won¡¯t end up being grinded to the ground by that strange thing, will they?¡±


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 Chapter 256 - 172: Intracranial Meeting: Strange Thing X Blue Owl X Xiaohongmao (Part 1)

    Chapter 256: Chapter 172: Intracranial Meeting: Strange Thing X Blue Owl X Xiaohongmao (Part 1)


    By the time Ke Mingye pushed open the door, he slipped on his slippers while surreptitiously glancing around the living room with barely perceptible eyes.


    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t see Ke Xiaomo¡¯s figure. It seemed that his second brother had already returned to his room to rest.


    Good, good, the pressure monster is sleeping¡­


    Ke Mingye relaxed inwardly, cautiously walked past the sofa, and ascended the stairs, even his slippers¡¯ flap was extraordinarily restrained.


    Fearing he hadn¡¯t even entered his room when he¡¯d get dragged into therapy again.


    Such a day would certainly shave years off his life, today¡¯s events followed one after another, finally allowing him a moment to breathe.


    ...


    Of course, while the meeting time with his older sister and second brother was over, his father¡¯s meeting was still lined up.


    Ke Mingye guessed in his heart, betting that in a few days he¡¯d be dragged by his father to a meeting, where he¡¯d either be cast aside or proceed down the path of father-son affection.


    In any case, the good days were still ahead. His father¡¯s meetings would definitely be more pressure-laden than his second brother¡¯s.


    At this thought, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but sigh lightly.


    Just as he reached the second floor, he saw Yongzhu, Zi Ling, and Zi Ni spread a fluffy blanket on the floor and were sitting under a pumpkin lantern playing Monopoly.


    As he was about to pretend not to see and pass by, Bai Zini suddenly tugged at his trousers, asking him to throw a dice for her and threatening to bite him if he landed on a mine!


    Knowing he couldn¡¯t outstubborn Bai Zini, Ke Mingye casually picked up the dice and threw it onto the Monopoly board. Perhaps because he was used to throwing disaster dice, he actually rolled a good number this time.


    ¡°Big brother loves you!¡±


    Bai Zini clapped her hands, her eyes brightening as she moved her token swiftly into the bank, collecting both Bai Ziling¡¯s and Ke Yongzhu¡¯s deposits into her stash.


    The other two¡¯s faces darkened as they silently cast blaming glances at Ke Mingye.


    ¡°How is this my fault?¡±


    Saying that, Ke Mingye looked down at the two of them, then whisked past the carpet and returned to his room.


    He closed the door, locked it swiftly, then slumped onto his bed, raising his right arm to block the ceiling light, as if he were blocking out the noisy world outside.


    Yet he could still hear the laughter and playful noises coming from the hallway.


    He extended his other hand¡¯s index finger, slowly pressing the light off button on the bedside table.


    Click.


    As the light in his room went out, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, slowly closing his eyes while activating his enhanced E-level skill¡ª¡±Personality Split.¡±


    With this skill effect, he could split his main personality into three alter egos.


    But since the other two personas were too unreliable and their temperaments even slightly sinister, they easily went to extremes.


    Thus, he decided to leave the authority to cancel ¡°Personality Split¡± with our reliable comrade, the blue owl, to prevent any accidents from happening and not being able to revert the persona, resulting in a bigger mess.


    Then, as the ¡°Personality Split¡± skill took effect, Ke Mingye¡¯s consciousness split amidst severe tearing sensation, with a violent buzzing engulfing his ears.


    When he came to his senses, he felt like a god who could neither approach nor intervene in the world. Hovering above, he gazed down at a miniature world.


    At dusk.


    The setting sun cast a fading glow, tinting the sky like flush red wine. In the dim twilight, crows flew in, tumbling and racing, their tail feathers flickering brilliantly beneath the enormous sun.


    Accompanying the flock of crows swooping past the abandoned school, only a gradually fading hoarse call and a few dark feathers remained in the dead still air.


    One of the crow feathers drifted towards the empty school building, casting a fleeting lonely shadow on a window, then rising with the evening breeze, slowly sweeping across the rooftop.


    At this moment, a strange humanoid figure, glowing with a gray aura and naked, sat on the school building¡¯s rooftop railing, holding a mobile phone in hand.


    It eyed downward vacantly as it tapped on the phone, sending out a message to someone.


    [Strange Thing: It¡¯s time for the meeting, my comrades. Why haven¡¯t you arrived yet?]


    [Blue Owl: I¡¯m coming, I¡¯m coming. What¡¯s the hurry, act like you¡¯ve never had a meeting before.]


    [Strange Thing: Shut it, owl.]


    [Xiaohongmao: Overslept.]


    [Strange Thing: Oh, if it¡¯s my beautiful Miss Xiaohongmao, then it¡¯s understandable.]


    Not long after, a figure in a red and blue suit pushed open the rooftop door, walking in from the stair entrance. He stood with his hand on his hip, raising his eyes and glancing around through his glasses.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Xiaohongmao?¡±


    ¡°Good question, blind thing.¡±


    The Strange Thing said nonchalantly, raising a finger. Blue Owl followed the direction of his finger, only to see a figure in a Christmas robe flying rapidly amidst the snowflakes and descending.


    As Xiaohongmao¡¯s feet touched the rooftop floor, she lifted her blue eyes, looking expressionlessly at the Strange Thing and Blue Owl.


    Then, as if agreeing with Blue Owl, they each found a wooden desk on the rooftop to sit down at.


    The former rested her hands on her skirt, her expression indifferent;


    The latter crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly, and his beak inclined correspondingly.


    The Strange Thing, still sitting on the railing, somehow procured a blackboard and a stick of chalk.


    It cradled the blackboard in its arms, hanging its head and writing on the board with chalk, then turned the blackboard to face the blue owl and Xiaohongmao.


    ¡°So, the first topic of today¡¯s meeting, do you think Mr. Ke Mingye¡¯s portrayal of us was realistic enough?¡±


    As soon as those words fell, 11 scorecards suddenly appeared on the desks of the blue owl and Xiaohongmao, each marked with numbers from ¡°0¡± to ¡°10.¡±


    The strange thing spoke somberly, ¡°The highest score is 10, the lowest is 0, please go ahead and score.¡±


    Xiaohongmao raised the scorecard marked ¡°0¡±;


    The blue owl pondered for a moment, then raised the scorecard marked ¡°5¡±;


    Dice Monster raised its nonexistent eyebrows and lifted a ¡°3¡± scorecard from nowhere.


    It looked around, shook its head, and said in a rather helpless tone, ¡°It looks like everyone is not very satisfied with Lao Ke¡¯s interpretation of his character, are they?¡±


    ¡°Children who grew up with a golden spoon don¡¯t understand the feelings of those who grew up with garbage.¡±


    Xiaohongmao looked down, expressionless, as he spoke.


    ¡°That so-called fishing diary was written like a true muggle, not quite fitting my character. I don¡¯t understand whether he wanted to make me look foolish or tried to mimic his sister¡¯s contrasting character, pretty awkward.¡±


    The blue owl, supporting his forehead with his hand, spoke somewhat helplessly.


    ¡°Oh my gosh, you actually know you¡¯re playing awkward?¡±


    While saying this, the strange thing sitting on the railing made a gagging gesture, paused for a long while, then continued.


    ¡°Back at the Rainbow Light Crossroads, your affected nonsense nearly made me vomit, ugh, things like ¡®only I understand Qing Ya,¡¯ ¡®he is the true hero,¡¯ ¡®nobody can change my opinion of him,¡¯ a clear case of playing the superhuman awkwardly, and you still have the nerve to accuse others of awkwardness.¡±


    ¡°Please, that was just for the situation; in terms of drawing attention, the result was spectacularly successful, okay?¡±


    The blue owl spoke indifferently, spreading his hands, ¡°Anyway, as an actor, I am perfectly qualified. Not like you, who only think about yourself, doing whatever makes you happy.¡±


    The strange thing tilted its head and squinted its hollow eyes, ¡°Mr. Owl, how can you talk as if I¡¯ve contributed nothing to this family?¡±


    ¡°Uh, what exactly did you contribute?¡±


    ¡°What contribution?¡±


    Saying this, the strange thing took a deep breath, covered its face with a hand, and spoke quite indignantly, ¡°If you ask me, I am the real model worker, okay? You guys don¡¯t need explosions every time you appear; either cozying up to a pretty girl or relying on your super-daddy¡¯s help; only I, dammit, explode in every episode. Is this fair, is it?!¡±


    It paused, shaking its head, ¡°And yet, we are paid the same wage, seriously violating labor rights. I¡¯m going to the women¡¯s federation to complain tomorrow.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xiaohongmao nonchalantly raised the 0 scorecard and said languidly.


    ¡°Support. Fight against Lao Ke¡¯s tyranny, starting with the strange thing.¡±


    The blue owl tapped lightly on the desk, sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t start any trends buddy, I bet either of you would blow your cover on the first day if you guys play role-playing games at someone else¡¯s home.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking to me? Seems like you¡¯re out of touch,¡± Xiaohongmao retorted.


    ¡°You¡¯re underestimating the lovely and charming villain, the strange thing. If I were in charge, by now, the ¡®exterminate the superhumans¡¯ ending would have been achieved flawlessly.¡±


    The strange thing said as it raised a finger and shook it pretentiously like a Western cowboy blowing the smoke off his gun¡¯s barrel.


    Caught in its act, it suddenly covered its face and sobbed, ¡°Let¡¯s drop this depressing topic.¡±


    Then, in the next second, it switched back to its expressionless state, ¡°So, the first topic is concluded. Next is the second topic.¡±


    Saying this, the strange thing continued to hold the blackboard in its arms, writing on it with chalk.


    It soon finished writing, then flipped the blackboard toward the blue owl and Xiaohongmao.


    The strange thing lowered its face, grinning as it stared blankly at them.


    ¡°So, now it¡¯s time to vote, those who vote to ¡®kill the entire Bai Ke family,¡¯ please write ¡®I¡¯m coming to kill your family¡¯ on your blackboard;¡±


    ¡°And those who vote ¡®not to kill the entire Bai Ke family,¡¯ please kindly jump off the rooftop, thank you.¡±


    Saying this, it pointed behind itself, towards the edge of the railing, ¡°Jumping from such a height must be exhilarating, right?¡±


    ¡°Idiot.¡± Xiaohongmao said placidly, ¡°I can fly. I won¡¯t die from a fall.¡±


    The strange thing spread its hands, ¡°Oh, speaking of which, I can use a web-shooter, also won¡¯t die from a fall. So, is there anyone here who can¡¯t fly?¡±


    After the twins spoke, they jointly turned their gaze towards the silent blue owl.


    The complexion of the blue owl gradually grew solemn, he propped his chin with his hand, slowly speaking, ¡°Well, it seems like I might actually die from a fall. Looks like I have to decide carefully.¡±


    Hearing this, Xiaohongmao withdrew his gaze from him, sarcastically commented, ¡°Looks like you are an idiot too.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Xiaohongmao, what do you mean by that?¡± the blue owl asked.


    ¡°The body of a puppet is very light, it won¡¯t die from a fall.¡± Xiaohongmao said.


    ¡°Oh, that makes sense.¡±


    Listening to their conversation, the strange thing shrugged, speaking solemnly, ¡°Okay, actually I was just joking earlier. As the host of the meeting, I must ensure strictness, justice, and fairness, so I respect each person¡¯s opinions.¡± S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having said that, it paused slightly and then continued.


    ¡°So, voting continues, whether to kill the entire family or not. This is a question. As a community with shared fate, we need a convincing answer.¡±


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 Chapter 257 - 173: Intracranial Meeting: Strange Thing X Blue Owl X Xiaohongmao (Part 2)

    Chapter 257: Chapter 173: Intracranial Meeting: Strange Thing X Blue Owl X Xiaohongmao (Part 2)


    Under the sunset, the strange thing was sitting on the railing, slightly lifting the corners of its mouth.


    It hummed a tune while drawing Black Cat on the blackboard it held in its arms and said, ¡°Those in favor of killing Bai Ke and his entire family, please mark a 1 on the blackboard; those against it, please draw a Koch Snowflake.¡±


    The blue owl tilted its head, puzzled as it looked at it;


    Xiaohongmao slowly lifted her eyes, expressionlessly scrutinizing the strange thing.


    The strange thing looked up at the two, then lowered its head and raised a finger, saying, ¡°Alright, I know the Koch Snowflake is too difficult for you, so let¡¯s lower the difficulty, how about a Mobius Strip?¡±


    The blue owl shook its head helplessly, ¡°Are we going to play or not?¡±


    ...


    Xiaohongmao said, ¡°I feel like¡­ draw your mom.¡±


    The strange thing said, ¡°Miss Xiaohongmao, can you be a bit more cultured, like the gentle and elegant Mr. Strange Thing? With such an excellent role model by your side, even if you¡¯re a little girl who grew up with a rotten spoon in her mouth living in a trash heap selling matches and eating dirt, you must be influenced somewhat positively, right?¡±


    ¡°You might be mistaken here, drawing your mom is by far more complex than a Mobius Strip,¡± Xiaohongmao said.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    The strange thing tilted its head and raised a nonexistent eyebrow.


    ¡°Your mom¡¯s an alien; who knows what she looks like.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± the strange thing had an epiphany and changed its tune, ¡°then, draw my mom, alright?¡±


    ¡°Idiot.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s room to lower the standards,¡± the blue owl said.


    Xiaohongmao glanced at him, ¡°What do you expect from a trash heap girl in terms of quality?¡±


    The blue owl shrugged, ¡°That¡¯s why I said there¡¯s room to lower standards, not raise them. Especially when dealing with this strange thing, we should suppress it thoroughly to prevent the growth of unhealthy trends.¡±


    The strange thing sighed, ¡°Ah, you¡¯re not cooperating at all, which really embarrasses me as the host, so I¡¯ll just commit suicide. Being born a human, I¡¯m truly sorry. I haven¡¯t bothered anyone. It¡¯s not me that¡¯s wrong, it¡¯s this world.¡±


    After blurting out several classic brooding elementary student catchphrases in one breath, it tilted backward from the railing and fell towards the ground, holding the doodle blackboard.


    ¡°What¡¯s for dinner tonight?¡±


    The blue owl turned to look at Xiaohongmao.


    ¡°Trash,¡± Xiaohongmao said.


    ¡°Eating trash isn¡¯t great, I think we could have pasta together instead.¡±


    ¡°What I mean is you¡¯re pretty trashy, not that we should eat trash.¡± Xiaohongmao¡¯s gaze was downturned as she flipped through a fairy tale picture book, ¡°Also, we girls who grew up in trash heaps have never seen pasta.¡±


    ¡°Then isn¡¯t that all the more reason to try it?¡±


    Amidst their conversation, a mournful voice came from beneath the rooftop, ¡°Don¡¯t bow your head, the crown will fall; don¡¯t cry, the villain will laugh.¡±


    ¡°Still going through a phase.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what elementary students are like.¡±


    As they spoke, the blue owl slowly rose from his seat, moved closer to the edge of the rooftop, and leaned his arms on the railing, looking down through his glasses.


    There, the strange thing was using a strand of spider silk stuck to the railing, its left hand holding the silk, and its right hand clutching the blackboard, silently watching the sunset on the horizon.


    Its hollow eyes reflected the huge sun, filled with sorrow.


    The blue owl looked down at it, asking in confusion, ¡°Uh, no offense, but how long are you going to hang there?¡±


    ¡°I thought if I jumped off, you¡¯d care more about me,¡± the strange thing said with tears welling up, ¡°but you don¡¯t care at all. In such a world, it¡¯s better not to stay.¡±


    As its words ended, it released the spider silk, and as it fell towards the ground, its form started to crack and heat up, immediately transforming into a burst of wild fireworks that shot up into the sky, leaving a sinister laugh echoing through the lonely academy.


    The blue owl sighed.


    Just as he turned around, he saw a gray humanoid figure push open the rooftop¡¯s iron door and walk in.


    It stood with its hands on its hips, saying ethereally, ¡°The strange thing is already dead. There was not a moment of mourning for the strange thing¡¯s death, and now making an entrance is¡­ Dice Monster.¡±


    The blue owl crossed his arms, looking at it helplessly, ¡°Can we stop with the cringeworthy act?¡±


    ¡°Could it be your cringe?¡± the Dice Monster said, ¡°You know, I just remembered a setting about me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the setting?¡±


    ¡°Only those close to me have the right to call me strange thing, and you, you rude brats, can only call me¡­¡±


    With that, it paused for a moment, slowly lowering its face, its hollow eyes shrouded in shadow, ¡°Dice Monster.¡±


    Xiaohongmao said, ¡°Idiot.¡±


    The blue owl said, ¡°Moron.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you guys are no fun at all. You don¡¯t get my sense of humor.¡±


    The Dice Monster said this with a twist of its mouth, found a table to lean against, and sat down hugging its shoulders, ¡°So back to the topic, vote 1 for killing the whole family, and 2 for not killing.¡±


    As the voice faded, an empty drawing board and a pencil appeared in front of both Xiaohongmao and the blue owl.


    After a moment of silence, the blue owl lifted the pencil and marked a number on the drawing board;


    Xiaohongmao, without a second thought, quickly lifted the pencil and marked a number on the drawing board.


    The Dice Monster hung its head low, and with a casual stroke of the pencil on the board, it tilted its head, its hollow eyes reflecting the faces of the two.


    It said, ¡°Looks like you both have reached your conclusions?¡±


    As the voice faded, the three of them slowly turned their drawing boards around to show each other.


    The blue owl¡¯s board had a ¡°2¡± written on it;


    Xiaohongmao¡¯s board had a ¡°1¡± written on it;


    The Dice Monster¡¯s board had a ¡°?¡± written on it.


    Seeing this, the Dice Monster arched its nonexistent eyebrows, turned its head to gauge their expressions, ¡°Oh¡­ what to do now, looks like it¡¯s going to be a tie.¡±


    ¡°Is there something to think about, what is more important than being alive?¡± Xiaohongmao asked. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The blue owl was silent for a while, then said, ¡°I can¡¯t accept surviving by killing my own family.¡±


    ¡°Those are false memories.¡±


    ¡°But they trusted me, protected me, helped me.¡±


    ¡°They trusted and protected you because they thought you were the original Ke Mingye,¡± Xiaohongmao said. ¡°Don¡¯t get your role confused; you¡¯re just a murderer who took someone else¡¯s life and family.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t deny that,¡± the blue owl paused, ¡°which is why I shouldn¡¯t lay a hand on them, otherwise, wouldn¡¯t that make me appear even more despicable?¡±


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re not only an idiot but also a saint. It¡¯s not like you wanted this situation,¡± Xiaohongmao said without expression. ¡°Be realistic. All you need to consider is how to stay alive. In fact¡­ don¡¯t drag me down with your foolish sentiment.¡±


    ¡°What about you, don¡¯t you have any feelings for them?¡±


    She said, ¡°Anyone who develops feelings from false memories is either too weak or too foolish.¡±


    The Dice Monster gazed at the two somberly, ¡°Oh, I like debates like this.¡±


    Xiaohongmao turned to look at it, her tone cold, ¡°In the end, the vote was inconclusive because someone wrote a question mark on their board, right?¡±


    ¡°Who might that person be?¡±


    The Dice Monster crossed its fingers, smiling.


    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± Xiaohongmao said.


    The blue owl lowered its head, silent for a moment, then slowly turned to look at the Dice Monster.


    The Dice Monster said leisurely, ¡°Isn¡¯t my position simple? I go with whatever¡¯s more interesting: whether betraying the player or betraying the family, both seem like fun to me.¡±


    The blue owl asked, ¡°So, whose side are you on?¡±


    ¡°Neither side,¡± the Dice Monster said. ¡°But it¡¯s simple; just reach a consensus between you. Two against one, even if I vote against, I¡¯d still have to support you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pass the buck to someone else,¡± Xiaohongmao said.


    The Dice Monster grinned and then turned to the blue owl, ¡°So, if I vote to kill the whole family, could you accept that?¡±


    As it said this, it also turned its head to Xiaohongmao, ¡°Or if I vote not to kill the whole family, Xiaohongmao, can you accept that?¡±


    ¡°Vote,¡± Xiaohongmao said. ¡°The rules are set; there¡¯s nothing unacceptable about them.¡±


    The blue owl said, ¡°The rules are the rules; I can accept them.¡±


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s roll a dice to decide,¡± said the Dice Monster.


    As it spoke, a red and black dice appeared in the hand of the Dice Monster, ¡°If the result of the dice is 1 to 3, then I¡¯ll vote to kill the family; if it¡¯s 4 to 6, then I¡¯ll vote not to kill the family.¡±


    As the voice faded, before the two could make out the numbers on all six sides of the dice, the Dice Monster had already thrown it, its hollow pupils reflecting the slow fall of the dice.


    Clang.


    The next moment, accompanied by a crisp buzzing sound, the dice landed.


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 Chapter 258 - 174: The Transfer Student Magic Girl

    Chapter 258: Chapter 174: The Transfer Student Magic Girl


    Under the gaze of Little Red Riding Hood, the blue owl, and the Dice Monster, the red and black die slipped from the grey palm and slowly descended toward the rooftop floor.


    The die tumbled and spun in the air, its faces veiled by a faint mist, rendering the numbers on top indiscernible.


    The next moment, as the die came to a stop upon touching the ground, emitting a crisp reverberation, time seemed to freeze.


    At that moment, aside from the Dice Monster, whose expression remained composed, the other two slightly held their breath.


    Subsequently, the die bounced up again then settled back on the ground, spinning a few more times before coming to a complete stillness, as if petrified on the spot.


    ¡°It looks like the result has been revealed,¡± the Dice Monster spread its hands, ¡°so may I ask everyone¡­ Can you accept this outcome?¡±


    ...


    Little Red Riding Hood said, ¡°Idiot.¡±


    The blue owl said, ¡°Moron.¡±


    The Dice Monster tilted its head, ¡°Why are you insulting me again?¡±


    The two looked at it disdainfully, then lowered their heads and cast a contemptuous glance at the die. The die faced upwards, basking in the glow of the setting sun.


    A large question mark ¡°?¡± was carved on its top side.


    ¡°Well, the truth is there¡¯s something wrong with this die,¡± the Dice Monster coughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let me roll again. It¡¯s quite normal to have a mishap occasionally.¡±


    Having said that, it bent down to pick up the die, blew on it, then swung its arm and threw it down once more. This time, as the die landed, the Dice Monster covered its mouth, eyes bulging in alarm.


    The die showed the number ¡°7¡±.


    ¡°Every second I listen to it speak, I should probably get my IQ checked,¡± Little Red Riding Hood said.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a comedian, bro,¡± the blue owl said, ¡°You might as well hang below the rooftop. Better still, use spider silk to form a loop around your neck; that way you won¡¯t even need to hold the strands and you¡¯ll save some energy.¡±


    The Dice Monster said, ¡°But why do I feel like both of you seem relieved? I think you should thank me. Otherwise, if the outcome was something you didn¡¯t like, that would have been a complete disaster.¡±


    Little Red Riding Hood said, ¡°There was never any credibility in the first place. This is the internal world of the skull, anything you want can appear.¡±


    The blue owl crossed it¡¯s arms, ¡°You want to make a decision by throwing a die in the real world?¡±


    The Dice Monster said, ¡°No, no, no, Comrade Ke would never be as silly as us.¡± It paused, ¡°Since the results of this vote are tied, it looks like we¡¯ll have to decide at the next meeting.¡±


    Having spoken, it spread its hands, ¡°That concludes the first council within the skull.¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°When¡¯s the next meeting?¡± asked Little Red Riding Hood, ¡°Don¡¯t wait until death is upon us to have regrets.¡±


    ¡°Who should I ask? But there¡¯s no need to rush; there¡¯s still a year left.¡±


    As the Dice Monster spoke, it turned its gaze towards the blue owl, ¡°Comrade Owl, you have the authority to put us back together.¡±


    No sooner had the words left its mouth than the setting sun high in the sky began to break apart, its scattered rays twisting into sinister, bizarre halos.


    As the world spun upside down, the rooftop and the three silhouettes contorted, resembling the scene depicted by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch in his painting ¡°The Scream,¡± until eventually, everything seemed to be sucked into a black hole, disappearing into darkness.


    Ke Mingye opened his eyes from his bed, gasping for air.


    He clutched at his chest, the pain from the broken ribs persistent, not at all relieved by a short bout of sleep.


    ¡°Incredible, they¡¯ve even started holding meetings.¡±


    He breathed deeply, enduring the pain emanating from his chest, got out of bed, limped into the bathroom to freshen up, and then returned to bed.


    Closing his eyes, the night passed without a word.


    ¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­


    [Good morning, Mr. Player. Today is July 10th, 2028. There are 343 days remaining until the end of the ultimate mission ¡°Eradicate Superhumans.¡±]


    [The current number of surviving players worldwide is: 94 (¡ý1)]


    [Obituary: In London, the player with the ID ¡°Ripper Z¡± was killed by the Magical Girl Spirit Bell Child during an assassination attempt on a Superhuman.]


    Ke Mingye was stunned for a moment, thinking, isn¡¯t this the top-ranked brother? How could he die so carelessly?


    As for Spirit Bell Child, she seemed to be the leading Magical Girl in London, England. Apart from Ice Girl Lilai, the Spirit Bell Child was the most powerful of them all.


    Recently, his brother and father were discussing her in the living room, saying that a nine-year-old Magical Girl had the power to destroy an entire city, which was utterly absurd.


    The two also talked about implementing the ¡°Eradicate Contracted Beasts¡± policy, a shame that the initiative eventually fizzled out. Considering their respective positions within the organization, a slight resignation might have been enough to draw official attention to the matter.


    ¡°Spirit Bell Child, I remember she¡¯s a Contracted Magical Girl, her Contracted Beast being a dolphin. The only one of its kind in the world, that¡¯s why she¡¯s particularly fierce,¡± he thought.


    With that in mind, Ke Mingye picked up the mobile phone by his pillow, turned it on, accessed Baidu, and checked the official record in the Magic Girl Alliance.


    As he remembered, the girl who killed the player ¡°Ripper Z¡± was indeed that nine-year-old Magical Girl.


    ¡°I thought it was the top brother who died, or am I mistaken?¡± he wondered.


    Quickly, he opened the Superhuman Kill Leaderboard to confirm whether his memory was correct.


    [The current cumulative Superhuman kill count leaderboard for global players is as follows.]


    [First place: 52 kills ¡ª ID: Ripper Z (Serial NO.002) (Deceased)]


    [Second Place: 30 kills¡ªID: A Zhe (Serial No. NO.098)]


    [Third Place: 22 kills¡ªID: Top Bull (Serial No. NO.025)]


    [Fourth Place: 21 kills¡ªID: Hongya (Serial No. NO.001)]


    [Fifth Place: 20 kills¡ªID: Jungle (Serial No. NO.021)]


    [Sixth Place: 19 kills¡ªID: Good Orange Peel (Serial No. NO.039)]


    [Seventh Place: 18 kills¡ªID: Night Plea (Serial No. NO.092)]


    [¡­¡­]


    [Your Ranking: Currently tied with 33 other players for 20th place overall, with 4 kills.]


    ¡°Damn, 52 people, this first-placer big bro has gone berserk. Even those backed by the Anti-Superhuman Organization aren¡¯t killing as crazily as him. No wonder the officials are targeting him; isn¡¯t he just digging his own grave?¡±


    Ke Mingye stared at the kill count of the first-placer for a few seconds, thinking to himself.


    ¡°And the dead still remain on the list, taking up the reward spots of other players, how annoying is that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so the second place is A Zhe, backed by the Black Tengu Host Club, and with the likes of Orange Peel and Top Bull watching his back, it shouldn¡¯t be hard to surpass the first place¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t stay in his room for long, quickly getting up to wash and then routinely jogged around Old Jingmai District before finishing a hundred push-ups by the riverbank.


    Now, he completed a hundred push-ups without even pretending, just doing them in one go¡ªafter all, it was only a matter of time before his identity as blue owl was revealed to his entire family.


    After finishing his push-ups, Ke Mingye bought a bag of soy milk from a roadside stall and, without even gasping for breath, sat down on a bench by the side of the road.


    He opened the task panel and checked the rewards.


    ¡°Today¡¯s task also rewards two attribute points, I wonder if it¡¯ll be like this from now on,¡± he thought to himself.


    [Daily Task One: Run 3000 meters (a chance to use the reward wheel) (Completed)]


    [Daily Task Two: Do a hundred push-ups (2 attribute points for free distribution) (Completed)]


    [You have claimed the reward for daily task 2 ¡°a hundred push-ups,¡± gaining 2 attribute points for free distribution.]


    Ke Mingye raised a finger and allocated the newly acquired two attribute points between ¡°Physical Fitness¡± and ¡°Mental Strength.¡±


    [Your ¡°Physical Fitness¡± attribute changes: 67¡ú68 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [Your ¡°Mental Strength¡± attribute changes: 25¡ú26 points (¡ü1 point).]


    [You have claimed the reward for daily task 1 ¡°Run 3000 meters,¡± gaining one spin of the reward wheel.]


    As the prompt box vanished, the reward wheel unfolded before him, and then the text in six areas caught his eye.


    [One, 4000 Mall Coins (Jackpot);]


    [Two, a 30% off shopping voucher;]


    [Three, a low-level skill card pick-two-out-of-three bundle;]


    [Four, a Godzilla summon card fragment;]


    [Five, a travel voucher;]


    [Six, 2500 Experience Points.]


    Ke Mingye sipped his bagged soy milk through a straw while pressing the start button on the reward wheel with his finger.


    Following that, the pointer began to spin at high speed.


    Finally, it came to a slow stop above the first area.


    [Congratulations, you have received the reward of area one: 4000 Mall Coins.]


    [Current total of Mall Coins in possession: 5300.]


    After completing the daily tasks, Ke Mingye headed back home the same way he came. Once back in his bedroom, he took out a spare phone and sent a message to Bai Zini on Little Red Riding Hood¡¯s QQ.


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Senior, where shall I return the brain imaging helmet to you later?]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: Let¡¯s meet at the school, and by the way, the Alliance has something going on today.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: What¡¯s happening?]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: There are exchange students from other Alliance branches in other countries.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood Selling Matches: Exchange students?]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: Yeah, sometimes this happens.]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: I heard that after summer vacation, they will be attending our local schools, seems like it¡¯s Huanjing Third High School.]


    ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t that my high school?¡±


    Ke Mingye was shocked, thinking to himself that it couldn¡¯t be that after the summer vacation, suddenly one or two Magic Girls disguised as foreign exchange students would transfer to his class, right?


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 Chapter 259 - 175: Four Transfer Students, A Preview of Witchs Night

    Chapter 259: Chapter 175: Four Transfer Students, A Preview of Witch¡¯s Night


    July 10, Yandai Commercial Street, Huanjing Elementary School.


    On a deserted overpass at the horizon, there was a moment of silence before a train rumbled by. The wheels friction against the rails shook off brilliant sparks, scattering them from the edge of the overpass into the chillingly quiet city.


    The sky transitioned from dark to light as a sliver of dawn quietly spread across the horizon.


    The morning light then fell upon the city, like a yellow bus slowly entering Huanjing from the eastern horizon.


    It meandered leisurely between the densely packed skyscrapers and the cluttered electronic signs, all the while gilding the city¡¯s network of electrical wires and the Ferris wheel with a faint golden fringe.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the rooftop of this elementary school, which hadn¡¯t heard a morning bell in quite some time, was also slowly engulfed in the gentle light of dawn.


    ...


    The rust-streaked railings and wire mesh were tinged with a faint orange, and through the gradually warming gaps in the wire mesh, one could glimpse the sun slowly rising from a corner of the horizon.


    Above the rooftop, a girl in a Christmas dress slowly stabilized her stance, dropped her head, and touched down on her tiptoes. Her figure, flowing through the flaring skirt, landed on the rooftop.


    She slightly lifted her gaze, grasping the brain imaging helmet in her right hand. Holding the helmet to her chest, she walked towards the silhouette leaning against the wire mesh.


    ¡°Senior, here¡¯s your brain imaging helmet,¡± she said.


    ¡°So, what exactly did you do with it?¡±


    Looking towards the source of the voice, the girl in the gothic dress remained leaning against the wire mesh as before, holding her shoulders and playing with her phone, her head still bowed as she asked.


    Little Red Riding Hood replied, ¡°I imagined some of your photos in my mind to see if I could replicate them.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash raised her eyes from her phone, silent and motionless like a black cat staring at her.


    ¡°I understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°If you want a beating, just say so. There¡¯s no need to beat around the bush,¡± she replied.


    ¡°I was just joking, Senior. It seems a trash-picking little girl like me doesn¡¯t deserve to joke. As soon as I joke, I get scolded.¡±


    Little Red Riding Hood looked sorrowfully dejected.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of playing with the same gag?¡± Ash asked disdainfully.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve become tired of me already,¡± she replied.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Seeing her reaction, Little Red Riding Hood quickly regained her normal expression and asked lightly, ¡°So¡­ who is the transfer student you mentioned in the message this morning?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash paused for a moment, as if reminiscing, then answered nonchalantly.


    ¡°Magical Girl Spirit Bell Child, Magical Girl Kokonoe Sakura, Magical Girl You Ya, and Magical Girl Qili, from the Alliance¡¯s branches in England, Japan, Iceland, and the United States respectively. They will be stationed at our division for a while.¡±


    ¡°All big names, huh.¡±


    Little Red Riding Hood slightly raised her eyebrows, saying it with a hint of surprise.


    She thought, Spirit Bell Child is coming? That nine-year-old magic girl? And what about Kokonoe Sakura, isn¡¯t she the most famous magic girl in Japan? The Japanese division actually let her come over?


    ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash responded indifferently.


    Little Red Riding Hood pondered for a while before asking, ¡°So why suddenly do we have these transfer students? Is it a rule?¡±


    ¡°The Alliance branches around the world send their iconic figures to each other to foster good relations. It used to be quite common.¡±


    At this, Ash paused slightly, then continued, ¡°Normally, our China division wouldn¡¯t bother with this rule, since our master Xizi Yue said, ¡®What¡¯s the point of transferring schools? So boring and troublesome. If you want to try foreign food, just ask me. I can take you there on a space-time train, no plane ticket needed¡¯.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very much in Master Xizi Yue¡¯s style,¡± Little Red Riding Hood nodded, then asked, ¡°So why are there suddenly so many transfer students coming over?¡±


    ¡°Because of¡­ witches.¡±


    ¡°Witches?¡± Little Red Riding Hood realized, ¡°The Witch Black Rose, right? I saw her on the news last night.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ash nodded, ¡°According to the masters, we can now confirm that this witch who appeared suddenly is a member of the Witch Church ¡®Babel Tower¡¯. That¡¯s why we need to be more cautious.¡±


    ¡°Witch Church, Babel Tower, I¡¯ve heard of them online.¡± She pondered, remembering how she had been beaten up by Black Rose the night before, and how the witch had been whisked away by Babel Tower in the end.


    Magical Girl Ash put her phone in her pocket and then adjusted her black leather glove.


    She thought and said, ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of big bad guys and target magic girls and Contracted Beasts, so you should be careful as well.¡± After saying this, she turned to glance at Little Red Riding Hood, ¡°You¡¯re better off staying in the Alliance¡¯s building during this period.¡±


    Having said that, the gothic-dressed girl moved toward the rooftop¡¯s iron door and gently pushed it open.


    Following behind, Little Red Riding Hood tentatively said, ¡°Strange things are also being smuggled out of Superhero Tower, including a Commander. Isn¡¯t it dangerous for me to stay in the building too?¡±


    She paused, ¡°After all, if those witches were going to strike, they¡¯d likely strike at this location, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but my great master and the Superhero Association¡¯s bunch of useless show-offs aren¡¯t the same,¡± Ash said flatly, ¡°If the Alliance¡¯s building comes under attack, she will arrive on the train immediately, so that¡¯s why I said staying in the division¡¯s building is safer.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Little Red Riding Hood said, then suddenly wondered, ¡°Wait, so those transfer students, are they sent here to counter the witches appearing in Huanjing?¡±


    Ash nodded, not denying it.


    ¡°Exactly, you¡¯re pretty smart,¡± she said,


    As she paused, she extended her hand and took the brain imaging helmet from Little Red Riding Hood¡¯s arms, then continued, ¡°They say transfer students, but they are actually reinforcements sent by the Alliance¡¯s divisions. They are some of the most formidable among all magic girls.¡±


    ¡°I see. Senior, I have another question.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Spirit Bell Child from London only 9 years old?¡± Xiaohongmao said, ¡°If she transfers here, wouldn¡¯t she have to start from the first grade of elementary school?¡±


    ¡°My master told me that the kid¡¯s intelligence is far beyond her peers. She might even be smarter than you, so attending high school is more than enough for her,¡± Ash paused, ¡°So she will disguise herself as a high school student and study at Huanjing Third High School with the other four Magic Girls transferred from foreign branches.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    Xiaohongmao sighed softly, thinking that it looks like she¡¯ll have to play role-playing games not only at the Alliance but be careful with those four Magic Girls at school when summer vacation ends and school starts.


    ¡°Why the sigh?¡±


    ¡°Just envious that they have school to attend.¡±


    ¡°You could go to school too. I¡¯ll have my master pull some strings, then you can join my school.¡±


    ¡°No thanks, I don¡¯t like that idea.¡±


    ¡°You really are strange¡­¡±


    The two made casual conversation as they entered the classroom and sat down at the conference table, both bowing their heads in silence.


    After a while, Magical Girl Ash broke the silence.


    ¡°In any case, you don¡¯t need to understand or get involved in this matter. If you see anyone from Babel Tower, stay far away, understand?¡±


    ¡°Even if my senior is in danger?¡± Xiaohongmao asked.


    ¡°Even if I¡¯m in danger.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash spoke softly, her beautiful face expressionless.


    ¡°Alright, I understand,¡± Xiaohongmao said, ¡°But could you tell me what exactly are the people from Babel Tower?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and neither does my master. All we know is that they are all witches, and that¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°I remember the news from last night¡ªafter Black Rose was defeated by Black Wukong, she was rescued by a beam of light. There was a pattern of a high tower in the sky at the time, could that be¡­¡±


    Magical Girl Ash interrupted her, lowering her voice: ¡°That¡¯s the symbol of Babel Tower¡­¡±


    Speaking, she gently inhaled, slowly raising her slender arm to the right, lifting her pale fingers, and poking Xiaohongmao in the side of her head.


    ¡°What are you doing, senior?¡± Xiaohongmao covered her head.


    ¡°My master said, that witch is coming for me.¡±


    ¡°Black Rose?¡±


    ¡°Yes. So if they come, stay away from me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve said that many times.¡± Xiaohongmao muttered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see my friends die before my eyes again, and I don¡¯t want to see them get hurt because of me, so¡­ stay far away,¡± the girl said, her clear eyes obscured as she lowered her fringe. Her right arm still suspended in mid-air, her finger pointing at Xiaohongmao¡¯s head.


    Xiaohongmao fell silent for a moment, then nodded lightly: ¡°Well. But why would that witch target you?¡±


    Ash withdrew her hand, shaking her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    She continued: ¡°But it will be a battle to the death, my three masters and those four Magic Girl transfer students are very likely to be involved, you being amidst them would just be like paper being torn apart, understand?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°So don¡¯t come near, and don¡¯t even glance at it.¡±


    ¡°But what if my senior is in danger, like that time in Wanxiang City, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°This is different from that time at Wanxiang City, it¡¯s much, much more dangerous¡­¡±


    As she spoke, Magical Girl Ash opened her mouth slightly, her voice growing colder, ¡°Even my master said¡­ ¡®Night of the Witches¡¯ could occur in this war.¡±


    ¡°Night of the Witches?¡± Xiaohongmao was stunned for a moment. ¡°What is the Night of the Witches?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know what it is, just remember my words.¡±


    Xiaohongmao fell silent for a while: ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t ask.¡± She said, changing the subject, ¡°Then, senior, when will those four transfer students arrive?¡±


    ¡°In a week or two, they still have tasks to handle on their own.¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day, send me a message after you get home, telling me you¡¯re alright.¡±


    The gothic-dressed girl tilted her face slightly, wrapping her arms around the brain-imaging helmet inside. Her grey skirt spread slowly across the cold conference table, like withered petals. She bent her knees, her shoes resting on the edge of the table, her right hand hugging her delicate knee, the toes of her other leg pointed in mid-air, gently swaying.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After saying that, Xiaohongmao shifted her gaze away from her, turned around, and walked out of the classroom without looking back.


    Just as she stepped through the doorway, she stopped, turned her head, and glanced at Ash sitting at the conference table, saying softly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re in danger, senior, I definitely won¡¯t just sit by and watch¡­¡±


    As her voice fell, she raised her magic wand embedded with rubies, swept up in a flurry of snowflakes under the gothic-dressed girl¡¯s gaze, and slowly disappeared into the sky.


    Magical Girl Ash was momentarily stunned, then withdrew her gaze from the now empty corridor.


    ¡°Really an idiot¡­¡±


    She sighed, murmuring softly, leaning her cheek against her bent knee, her eyes tilting towards the classroom floor, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


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 Chapter 260 - 176

    Chapter 260: Chapter 176 ¡°Do not lock yourself up.


    July 10th, around noon, Bai Ke¡¯s home, living room.


    Ke Mingye sat cross-legged on the sofa, furiously pressing the controller and manipulating the character on the TV screen, all the while silently complaining in his mind.


    ¡°Seriously, at a time like this, Bai Zini is still playing the enigma. What on earth is ¡®Witch¡¯s Night¡¯¡­ If it were some kind of nuclear secret weapon, I wouldn¡¯t be here role-playing, I would have fled straight to Siberia.¡±


    As he thought this, Bai Ziling, who sat beside him, shifted her gaze from the TV and tilted her head slightly, staring at his profile through her snow-white, fragmented hair with her motionless red eyes.


    ¡°Focus,¡± she said emotionlessly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not focused, just have mercy on the noob.¡±


    ...


    Defending himself in such a way, Ke Mingye looked up and seriously surveyed the TV screen.


    He and Bai Ziling were playing ¡°Double Act,¡± and the two of them had been stuck on the plane level for a long time.


    Because he played carelessly, using almost no strategy, he always ended up twisting the plane¡¯s course towards the wall or crashing directly into obstacles along the path.


    Consequently, the two toy characters on the screen repeatedly crashed along with the plane. Bai Ziling, the unfortunate victim who was dragged down, did not complain. Feeling exhausted, she just picked up the Yuri from the couch, stroked its fur, and then continued the game.


    If Bai Zini were the one beside him, she would have either already angrily shaken his shoulders, asking how he could game with an idiot, or jumped off the couch to deliver a three-hundred-and-sixty-five-degree roundhouse kick;


    Fortunate it was Bai Ziling; she was very patient.


    Especially towards Ke Mingye, she hardly ever lost her temper with him.


    From childhood to adulthood, the only time she got really mad was when Ke Mingye sulked in an Internet caf¨¦ over a tiff with their mom and missed her birthday party.


    Back then, Ke Mingye was still in middle school.


    He walked back home from the Internet caf¨¦, carrying his backpack, stepped into the elevator, and pressed the button for the 12th floor somewhat nervously.


    When the elevator doors opened, a white-haired girl was standing alone at the corridor entrance, leaning against the door of their home. Her hands were behind her back, apparently waiting for someone.


    As the sun set in the west, looking through the window at the corridor entrance, the sunset slowly took away the last glimmers of daylight from the land.


    She wore a white dress, her head hung low, the strands of her snow white hair gently swaying in the breeze, turned golden by the last rays of the sunset.


    Ke Mingye stepped out from the stairway and just stood there looking at her quietly; they both remained silent.


    After a while, he asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    She didn¡¯t move from the doorway but stood there with her head bowed, ¡°Today is my birthday¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, happy birthday.¡±


    Said Ke Mingye in a low voice, he was about to walk past Bai Ziling, but she didn¡¯t move aside.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± he asked.


    Bai Ziling remained silent, her face concealed by the hair falling across her forehead.


    Ke Mingye tilted his head slightly, his ears faintly catching the sounds of children playing. He turned and looked out the window, watching children running up and down the street below, gripping their kite strings as their kites wobbled uncertainly in the twilight.


    ¡°Mom said, you haven¡¯t replied to her message,¡± she said.


    Ke Mingye was silent for a moment, then touched his nose and said, ¡°She smashed my laptop just yesterday, I was so mad I didn¡¯t even want to come home, let alone reply to any messages.¡±


    ¡°Can you let me in now? Mom went out looking for me, and it¡¯ll be really awkward meeting her if I get back too late,¡± he said, turning to look at Bai Ziling.


    ¡°This is the birthday gift mom gave me.¡±


    Bai Ziling spoke softly, then extended her hands which had been hidden behind her back, revealing an elegantly wrapped box.


    ¡°I wanted to give it to you, brother. It¡¯s a tablet. But you weren¡¯t here, and I waited until the cake was all eaten, and you still hadn¡¯t come back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    ¡°Every time you¡¯re upset, you like to shut yourself away for a long, long time.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same, talking about me?¡± Ke Mingye turned his cheek, ¡°You even cut your own hair that one time, dummy. It made me have to comfort you by getting a crazy haircut too, and I was laughed at by my classmates for half the term.¡±


    Bai Ziling¡¯s head hung even lower.


    ¡°So, when you¡¯re unhappy, I also want to share some of your troubles,¡± she said.


    Then, she looked up, her eyes earnestly fixed on Ke Mingye. Perhaps because she didn¡¯t quite know how to make herself appear more serious, her gaze looked like she was angrily glaring at someone. It was strangely intense, her red eyes almost bulging out.


    Ke Mingye had never seen her look like that before and thought she was actually angry, so he quickly conceded, ¡°My fault, my fault, don¡¯t be mad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad.¡±


    ¡°Eyes bulging out like that and you say you¡¯re not mad, such a grade schooler.¡±


    ¡°Really not mad.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Alright, alright, not mad.¡±


    Ke Mingye muttered, taking the box with the tablet from her, seeing the box labeled with ¡°Bai Ziling to Ke Mingye, no one else is allowed to take it,¡± the handwriting itself looked fierce, as if it truly was warning others.


    He looked down at the inscription, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s play together in the future.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Bai Ziling, expressionless, reached out and tugged at Ke Mingye¡¯s hand, ¡°Promise, only you and I can play.¡±


    ¡°Grade schooler, huh,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°then let¡¯s pinky swear.¡± Saying that, he extended his index finger and hooked it with the girl¡¯s tiny finger, gently shaking it.


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    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 261 - 176

    Chapter 261: Chapter 176 ¡°Don¡¯t Lock Yourself Up.¡± _2


    ¡°`


    ¡°Are we done?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Hmm. Don¡¯t be mad at mom anymore.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I got it.¡±


    ¡°And you can¡¯t ignore me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t shut yourself in.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°`


    Time reverted to the present, and Ke Mingye¡¯s thoughts were once again interrupted by the sound of a plane crashing.


    Bai Ziling put down the controller and asked abruptly, ¡°Going out?¡±


    ¡°Why suddenly head out?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re playing without any focus,¡± she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the aquarium.¡±


    ¡°With the recent hot weather, better not to go out. Stay home more. Bai Zini said she¡¯ll be home soon, she plays better than me, I¡¯ll let her keep you company.¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Bai Zini pushed open the door and walked in, her head lowered, seemingly deep in thought.


    ¡°See, here she comes.¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye glanced at Bai Zini passing by the sofa, quickly got up, pushed her onto the sofa, and handed her the blue and white Switch controller.


    Only then did Bai Zini belatedly react, lifting her eyes from her dark bangs to stare at Ke Mingye.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Quick, play games with your little sister Xiao Ling. I¡¯m going to take a nap. Call me when it¡¯s time to eat.¡±


    After saying that, Ke Mingye went upstairs without looking back, thinking to himself that the two of them better not cause any trouble. It¡¯d be best if they both stayed home, to avoid one being caught by a Blood Clan Hunter and the other by the Witch Church¡­


    ¡°This Witch Church and Blood Clan Hunters are eager to make a move on my two sisters, it seems they¡¯d turn the whole city upside down to come after them. I don¡¯t even know who will strike first, nor what their origins are. Damn it, with all their maneuvers, Huanjing is going to be trampled into a quagmire¡­ might as well not bother and just hop on a train and get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Still not important enough within the Alliance, no seniority, otherwise I could have forced Xizi Yue to tell me¡­ I should have been able to find out what this ¡®Witches¡¯ Night¡¯ is all about.¡±


    While pondering, Ke Mingye moved back to his room, locked the door casually, and flopped onto the bed in a star shape.


    Just as his gaze shifted toward the ceiling, a message bubble popped up in the top right corner of his field of vision. He raised an eyebrow and tapped to pop it, bringing up the discussion panel.


    [Gastella: Hello, can we meet today?] S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Gastella: Last time I only saw Spider Man and the Paranoid classmate, can I meet the others this time? Like Fan Quan, Unsettling Dreams, Good Orange Peel, Cai Bing.]


    [Good Orange Peel: Just to clarify, I¡¯m in Japan. I¡¯ve just stayed in this discussion group and haven¡¯t left. You won¡¯t find me in Huanjing.]


    [Gastella: Japan?]


    [Failed Man: He¡¯s indeed not in Huanjing, I can vouch for that.]


    [Failed Man: Where shall we meet, are you bringing those vampire hunters?]


    [Gastella: Of course.]


    [Failed Man: Can¡¯t you come in person? Otherwise, it¡¯s really insincere.]


    [Gastella: You talk like this and it makes me very embarrassed, exposing me in front of so many people.]


    [Failed Man: So, is it okay or not?]


    [Gastella: Depends on the situation. So, can Fan Quan come or not?]


    [Failed Man: He¡¯s missing, hasn¡¯t made a peep these past few days.]


    [Gastella: Wow, that¡¯s troublesome.]


    [Gastella: Let¡¯s meet tomorrow then. I¡¯ll bring you to them, tomorrow at noon, same old place, that open-air caf¨¦.]


    [Failed Man: No, you bring them to the open-air caf¨¦.]


    [Gastella: Well, that¡¯ll depend on the situation, I don¡¯t fully trust you yet.]


    Ke Mingye sighed lightly and thought: ¡°What to do¡­ Let¡¯s see Gastella¡¯s reaction first, hoping to see her Blood Clan Hunters tomorrow, but the problem is¡­ if she finds out I¡¯m using a puppet, then her suspicion of me will increase.¡±


    He was lost in thought when another chat panel popped up.


    [Cai Bing: Paranoid is looking for you.]


    [Failed Man: What does he want?]


    [Cai Bing: To run an instance.]


    [Failed Man: Just him and me?]


    [Cai Bing: Yeah. Sweet duo queue. It shouldn¡¯t be hard for you to carry him through an instance, right?]


    [Failed Man: You are invincible, buddy. What¡¯s the reason?]


    [Cai Bing: We¡¯re still not clear on Gastella¡¯s background. She¡¯s only met the two of you, me and Fan Quan can¡¯t show ourselves easily. If you get targeted while running the instance, that¡¯d be trouble.]


    [Failed Man: What about Paranoid? I am just a puppet, it¡¯s no big deal if Gastella is onto me, but Paranoid is different.]


    [Failed Man: Last time, Gastella didn¡¯t act against me and Paranoid because the Black Judge was at that caf¨¦. This time it¡¯s different.]


    [Cai Bing: Then let Paranoid die.]


    [Failed Man: Holy crap, hacker lady, that¡¯s too cruel.]


    [Cai Bing: It would be better if you could finish him off yourself, stab Paranoid to death. To prevent him from falling into Gastella¡¯s hands and spilling our info.]


    [Cai Bing: Anyway, go handle your Paranoid master. Given his temper, if you ignore him, I¡¯ve got no clue what he¡¯d do.]


    [Failed Man: You¡¯re unbelievable¡­ so which instance are we supposed to run?]


    [Cai Bing: Remember the basement Fan Quan took you to last time? Where you used the brain imaging helmet on Che Zhengchen.]


    [Failed Man: Don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s an instance there?]


    [Cai Bing: There really is.]


    [Failed Man: Oh, I¡¯ll go check it out.]


    [Cai Bing: Paranoid is already waiting for you in that alley in Hongdeng Commercial District. When you have time, add him as a friend with your real body, it¡¯s killing me to keep contacting him through me.]


    ¡°`


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 Chapter 262 - 176

    Chapter 262: Chapter 176 ¡°Don¡¯t Shut Yourself Away.¡± _3


    [Failed Man: In this kind of situation, how dare I show up in person? If Gastella targets me, it¡¯s all over.]


    [Cai Bing: Then just wait for her to die before making a move.]


    [Cai Bing: I¡¯m off. The customer service girl is still on duty¡ªdon¡¯t disturb her.]


    Ke Mingye closed the chat panel, took a long breath, and quickly took the elevator down.


    Taking advantage of his older brother still busy in the kitchen, he released a Deception Puppet at a deserted train station nearby. Then, he honestly returned to the living room sofa and watched Bai Ziling and Bai Zini play video games.


    He dared to stand up others, but he wouldn¡¯t dare defy the paranoid man, fearing that the guy would get bored and run solo to Superhero Tower looking for a duel with Qing Ya.


    ...


    A moment later, at Hongdeng Commercial Street, a filthy deserted alley.


    The Deception Puppet entered, and deep in the alley, there was a tall, slender figure leaning against the wall, hugging his shoulders and hanging his head, waiting for him.


    With a ponytail and pale skin, his face was lean¡ªit was no doubt the paranoid man. Even from a distance, one could feel the unique aura of this man.


    Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself, Thank heavens, at least he didn¡¯t imitate Dice Monster and go attack Superhero Tower; otherwise, I would have had a blood pressure spike.


    Hearing footsteps, the paranoid man slowly turned his head to look at Ke Mingye.


    After a moment of silence, he deeply said, ¡°Spider Man, did you really deceive me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I deceived you,¡± Ke Mingye said as he approached him, ¡°The reasons are complicated and hard to explain; just blame Fan Quan for it all.¡±


    ¡°Just as I thought¡­ was it all directed by Fan Quan¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly. It was all the scholar¡¯s doing; any issues, go find him.¡±


    Saying so, Ke Mingye stood back against the wall, glanced at a nearby iron door.


    Fan Quan had left him the key to this iron door.


    After opening the door and walking downstairs for a while, taking several turns and using the key to open a second door, they could enter the basement where they had conducted experiments after abducting Che Zhengchen last time.


    The paranoid man pondered for a moment, ¡°I see, it was the scholar all along, deliberately sabotaging our friendship.¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly, Fan Quan is just too damn despicable, no better than a beast.¡±


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he walked toward that iron door, inserted the key, turned the doorknob, and pushed the door open. The paranoid man followed behind him, casually closing the door.


    The two proceeded down the staircase into the darkness.


    Before long, they arrived at an area only filled with columns and walls, so vast it seemed like a parking lot.


    The gang had designed this place even more intricately to facilitate escape and evade the police: adding many columns, building several walls, and creating numerous corners.


    Sometimes it resembled a library, other times a labyrinth.


    The basement was located at one of the corners in this underground labyrinth. But that was not Ke Mingye¡¯s destination; following Cai Bing¡¯s directions, he walked forward to the third corner.


    Glancing down the narrow corridor, at the far end of the darkness, there floated a dark blue panel.


    [Congratulations, you have discovered China¡¯s ¡°Huanjing City¡± instance ¡°No. 14¡±, which has been recorded into your dungeon atlas, and you can check the atlas anytime.]


    [Instance Name: The Spider Prince of the Basement]


    [Instance Location: China, Huanjing, Hongdeng Commercial Street, No. 6 Alley, Underground Labyrinth.]


    [Instance Difficulty: D-level (Team-up recommended for players above level 11)]


    ¡°Unbelievable, this damn place actually has an instance,¡± Ke Mingye thought. ¡°No wonder the scholar specifically bought this place from the gang; he had this intention all along.¡±


    ¡°Is this the instance we¡¯re fighting?¡± the paranoid man asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    While talking, the two approached the instance panel, glanced at each other, and then placed their hands on the panel.


    ¡°Will we win?¡± the paranoid man asked.


    ¡°We will,¡± Ke Mingye answered.


    As the words on the panel were gradually engulfed in bright fluorescence, their figures vanished from the spot, and a deep echo resonated through the silent underground labyrinth. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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 Chapter 263 - 177 Xiaohongmao: Beating Your Mothers Instance

    Chapter 263: Chapter 177 Xiaohongmao: Beating Your Mother¡¯s Instance


    Ke Mingye opened his eyes with a slight tremor, and when he came to his senses, he realized he was still in a dimly lit corridor, lit only by the faint glow of torches brushing against his cheeks.


    Looking up, the structure was highly similar to the ¡°Underground Labyrinth¡± he had just been in.


    However, compared to the narrow labyrinth outside that could only accommodate one person, the place he was in now was obviously much more spacious. There were niches set into the walls on both sides of the corridor at intervals, each holding a torch radiating a quiet, gloomy light.


    The grim light flickered, making the alternately bright and dark corridor look like a hunting ground tailor-made for some creature.


    Right now, from deep within the darkness of the corridor, there came a faint ¡°creak creak¡± of breathing, which further reinforced Ke Mingye¡¯s thought.


    ¡°What was the Boss¡¯s name mentioned in the instance name outside just now?¡± Paranoia, beside him, asked.


    ...


    ¡°Spider Prince,¡± Ke Mingye answered.


    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t this Spider Man your fellow countryman?¡± Paranoia frowned, resting his hand on his chin, posing seriously, ¡°Killing one¡¯s own kind, could this be¡­ the cruelty of nature?¡±


    ¡°Hey, they¡¯re a prince among spiders, I¡¯m just a common spider man, can you compare the two?¡± Ke Mingye said indifferently as he walked forward, ¡°Commoners cannot beat princes, so it¡¯s up to Lord Paranoia to take action.¡±


    As he spoke, he kept turning his head to look around at both sides.


    There were many corners along the corridor, each leading to another endless corridor, and this corridor itself was designed with countless turns.


    In the original Underground Labyrinth, one could see many underground room doors, which could be opened with keys.


    But in the instance, this wasn¡¯t the case. At every turn one took, looking around, the eye was met with corridor after corridor with no visible end, like a bottomless abyss.


    At the same time, each corridor was extremely spacious yet empty, making it hard not to feel that this was specially prepared for the Boss¡¯s entrance.


    Thereby, Ke Mingye roughly surmised the Boss¡¯s size in his mind: presumably, it would be a size that could move nimbly within the corridors, rather small.


    At least, it definitely couldn¡¯t be a behemoth like the Zombie Chef.


    ¡°I see. Heh, is Lord Paranoia¡¯s importance really that high?¡±


    Paranoia said while curling his lips into a cold smirk.


    Ke Mingye sighed and said rather circumspectly, ¡°That¡¯s right. But I feel that in this kind of situation, we might need¡­ Magical Girl Hongyue even more than we need Lord Paranoia.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Paranoia turned his head and asked, ¡°Can we transform together?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between that and us taking a dump together?¡±


    ¡°I was just wondering what it feels like to transform with a Magic Girl colleague.¡±


    Ke Mingye rolled his eyes and then nodded, ¡°I think it¡¯s possible.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Paranoia pulled out the sword bag he carried on his back, unzipped it, and took out the small knife-shaped Magic Wand used for transforming.


    ¡°Alright, three, two, one¡­ wait, what is this?¡±


    Paranoia was seriously counting down when he suddenly noticed an additional figure beside him, glowing with a gray halo throughout, and he couldn¡¯t help but pause, turning to examine it.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we¡¯d transform together?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We are transforming together.¡±


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he manipulated the Deception Puppet beside him to pull out a Magical Girl Transformation Card.


    With a ¡°click,¡± the card in the puppet¡¯s hand disappeared. In its place, its figure was suddenly enveloped in a hazy cocoon of light.


    Then another ¡°click,¡± the cocoon shattered, and a girl dressed in a Christmas dress with a Christmas pointy hat appeared abruptly in the gloomy corridor.


    She slowly lifted her head, and underneath the golden hair, those blue eyes were as sharp and cold as ice.


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao glanced sideways, and said emotionlessly to Paranoia, ¡°I¡¯ve transformed. What about you?¡±


    Paranoia was stunned for two seconds, glanced at Xiaohongmao, then at Ke Mingye, and then hung his head to briefly contemplate life.


    Finally, he spoke languidly, ¡°I get it now, this is a puppet. Spider Man, is this how you play us in the palm of your hand?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to trick you guys on purpose; there¡¯s a real unspeakable secret. In any case, please transform quickly, the Boss is about to appear,¡± Ke Mingye said irritably while fitting the web shooter onto his right hand and directly activating ¡°Safety Limit Off,¡± a trace of deep blue arc light flickering in the corner of his eye.


    [The total number of players participating in this instance is: 2¡ªFailed Man, Paranoia.]


    [The battle for this instance officially starts, please by any means defeat the Boss within the instance: Spider Prince¡ªCarl, the Woodcutter.]


    He shrugged his shoulders and flexed his stiff fingers, raising his eyes to look ahead.


    The next moment, heavy breaths sounded from the darkness at the end of the corridor, and a man with eight slender spider legs protruding from his back slowly emerged.


    The man was naked, not wearing a thread. His face was gaunt; his features, beautiful. But his eyes were a uniform black, with no whites to be found. Instead, pure darkness filled his eye sockets.


    Moreover, each of his spider limbs was five to six meters long, with joints bristling with barbs that could easily claim a person¡¯s life like bladed arms.


    He had no lower half, only a torso, so he was supported mid-air by the eight spider legs, his arms crossed over his shoulders.


    From a distance, the sight was quite spine-chilling.


    To be honest, he looked more like Doctor Octopus from ¡°Spider-Man¡± than a ¡°Spider Prince,¡± except that the mechanical octopus arms were replaced with organic spider limbs.


    Ke Mingye stared at the Spider Prince, his pupils slowly reflecting the creature¡¯s stat panel.


    [Instance Boss Name: Spider Prince¡ªCarl]


    [Instance Boss Level: Lv11]


    [Instance Boss Introduction: Never enter the Underground Labyrinth, or you will become the Spider Prince¡¯s dinner; if you¡¯ve entered by accident, defeating it is the only way out. Pray and struggle with all your might.]


    ¡°So you¡¯re the one they call Spider Prince, huh?¡± Ke Mingye thought emotionlessly, ¡°Man, I just happen to be in a really bad mood, so today I¡¯ll show you what ¡®the wrath of an ordinary guy¡¯ is about. I¡¯m going all out, from the bottom up.¡±


    Quickly, he released ¡°Personality Split.¡± It was a preemptive measure in case Magic Girl Xiaohongmao or his own bodycouldn¡¯t react in time to the Spider Prince¡¯s moves.


    Paranoia licked the knife in his hand.


    Then, he was enveloped in a layer of cocoon light, and much like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly amid the scattering stardust, he became a girl dressed in a red and black long dress.


    Magical Girl Hongyue hefted the slender scythe while saying, ¡°Spider Man, how should we deal with him?¡±


    After activating Personality Split, Ke Mingye slowly opened his eyes. His expression seemed less despondent and careless, as if a part of him had detached from his body.


    He backed away and said, ¡°Let¡¯s make it quick. I¡¯ll hold on to a big move, and you two Magic Girls buy me some time, okay?¡±


    Magical Girl Hongyue turned her cheek to the side, casting a sideways glance at the Spider Prince while asking Ke Mingye.


    ¡°How long do you need, Spider Man?¡±


    ¡°Distract it for about ten seconds or so to attract its fire, and then I¡¯ll try to one-shot this Boss.¡±


    While speaking, Ke Mingye began to slowly rotate his right arm, unleashing the skill ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill.¡±


    [Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill (B-rank Skill) Effect 1: After using the skill, rotate your arm slowly; for every full circle completed in one second, the power accumulated in the arm increases by one level¡ªup to 20 rotations. At 20 rotations, your strength will be enhanced to ten times its original power.]


    This scene was pretty comical. The incongruity was so strong, it was as though someone started doing a standard new-century primary and middle school radio calisthenics routine in the middle of a tensely drawn battle arena. Moreover, due to the restriction of the skill, the speed Ke Mingye¡¯s arm circled at was one rotation per second, as slow as a turtle, which was all the more amusing.


    ¡°Elementary schoolkid. Have to do radio calisthenics before fighting,¡± Xiaohongmao said expressionlessly, following with a light roast and summoning the Magic Book from the void into her hand.


    She quickly flipped to a specific page and removed all the Magic Cards from the slot.


    While rotating his right arm, Ke Mingye said, ¡°Uh, Xiaohongmao, go easy on the Magic Cards. They¡¯re consumables. Once we use them in the instance, they won¡¯t come back.¡±


    ¡°Are you teaching me how to do my job?¡± Xiaohongmao said, ¡°How about you go and hold on for 10 seconds? Calling people out to fight bosses and still being so fussy.¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My bad.¡±


    Ke Mingye continued to rotate his arm, speaking indifferently as the cold system prompt continued to ring in his mind.


    [Preparing to release ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill,¡± the accumulated rotations: 3 rotations.]


    [The higher the number of rotations, the more powerful the skill ¡°Fist-Guessing Skill¡± will be upon release. You may stop rotating at any time to instantly unleash the skill.]


    After thinking it over, Ke Mingye said, ¡°Well, since we¡¯re fighting a boss, might as well spin for 20 rotations to test the upper limit of this move¡¯s power.¡±


    To avoid conflicting actions between his left and right hand, he had deliberately, against his usual habit, set up the web shooter on the left wrist.


    Otherwise, shooting webs while spinning his arm would be just too bizarre.


    Xiaohongmao responded unhurriedly, ¡°20 rotations? You expect me and Hongyue to last 20 seconds against the Boss? We¡¯d be dead for you to see.¡±


    ¡°Not Hongyue, Lord Paranoia,¡± said Magical Girl Hongyue.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Xiaohongmao snapped.


    Amidst their exchange, the Spider Prince¡¯s figure fully materialized under the light of the torches, his eight spider legs casting long, knife-sharp shadows on the walls.


    In the next moment, his arms began to slowly morph, and with a loud ¡°crack,¡± flesh tore and finger joints twisted violently. Then, each of the Spider Prince¡¯s hands transformed into a chilling, porcelain-white bone blade.


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    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 264 - 178: This is the Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill!

    Chapter 264: Chapter 178: This is the Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill!


    The dimly lit corridor flickered with the uncertain light of the torches, casting the Spider Prince¡¯s face into a changing play of light and shadow.


    Ke Mingye slightly arched his eyebrows, his gaze fixed on the Spider Prince¡¯s arms, which had transformed into enamel-like bone blades, and he warned in rapid speech, ¡°It looks like this Boss¡¯s attack method isn¡¯t its spider legs but the blades formed from its hands, you two be careful.¡±


    While he spoke, he retreated a great distance, ducking into one of the corners. This move undoubtedly piled all of the Spider Prince¡¯s aggro onto Hongyue and Xiaohongmao.


    At the same time, he was slowly rotating his arm, accumulating circles for his rotary move.


    [About to release ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill,¡± accumulated rotary arm circles: 5 circles.]


    At this moment, Xiaohongmao didn¡¯t forget to pull out the Bluebird Scout Plane from her pack.


    ... sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The clumsy mechanical bluebird fluttered its wings, lightly flying into another corridor around the corner.


    ¡°This thing¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye murmured to himself, thinking that the Bluebird Scout Plane had an ability to ¡°instantly swap positions with the owner,¡± which was similar to Qing Ya¡¯s superpower, and very appropriate for escaping.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a one-time-use item; it will reset even if it¡¯s destroyed in an instance,¡± Xiaohongmao said, ¡°If I weren¡¯t unclear whether the ¡®Second Plant-Installed Heart¡¯ gets reset after use, I would have already taken it out and strapped it to my body.¡±


    ¡°Well, I really appreciate your kindness in sparing that,¡± Ke Mingye said, thinking that the Second Plant-Installed Heart was a life-saving card he had to save for Timekeeper¡¯s arrival, as if it broke in a mere dungeon instance, he would truly be vomiting blood.


    ¡°Spider woman, your Spider Prince is coming for you!¡±


    While warning Xiaohongmao, Magic Girl Hongyue tightened her grip on the sickle in her hand. Crimson magic power surged like flowing water, enveloping the surface of the blade.


    At the same time, her figure shot into the air, leaving the ground and rushing into another corridor to the side.


    ¡°The spider woman is here already, if you¡¯ve got a problem, just spit it out, foolish and cunning man.¡±


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao said coldly, gripping her magic wand tightly.


    The cold wind, laden with flying snow, brushed past the soft golden strands beneath her hood. She created a snowflake screen wall in front of her, attempting to slow down the Spider Prince¡¯s onslaught.


    But in an instant, the Spider Prince¡¯s eight spider legs curved slightly, gouging deep grooves in the walls, and then, with all eight legs coiled, they sprung forward.


    Bang!


    In the deafening explosion, the Spider Prince shot towards her like a cannonball, cracking open countless fissures in the floor and walls along its path.


    In the fleeting 0.5 seconds, he crossed his arms in mid-air, superimposing the enamel-like bone blades into a cross to shatter the oncoming snowflake screen wall, continuing to hurtle forward amidst the scattering wind and snow.


    If he collided with Xiaohongmao, it would surely chop her into four pieces. But Xiaohongmao¡¯s face remained calm, and her icy pupils reflected the onrushing Spider Prince.


    In the instant when the enamel-like bone blades and her face were mere inches apart, she activated the Bluebird Scout Plane¡¯s ability.


    She switched places with the mechanical bluebird that had already ducked into another corridor.


    Bang!


    In the second following the swap, the bluebird was instantly torn apart by the overlapping bone blades, sparks flying.


    In her place, Xiaohongmao¡¯s figure safely appeared in another corridor, lifting her ice-blue eyes to watch the Spider Prince¡¯s body at the corridor¡¯s end.


    The Spider Prince steadied his form, his eight spider legs stuck in the walls, maintaining his position mid-air.


    He slowly lifted his head, exhaling a coarse breath.


    Then he sprang forth again, the eight spider legs writhing like serpents, driving him like a fortress charging through the corridor, quickly catching up with Xiaohongmao once more.


    At the same time, along the way, he continuously laid seeds, the revolting spider eggs scattering on the floor, instantly bursting open. Within the splashing pus, tiny spiders roared as they chased after the other two.


    Dense and swarming, they climbed from the corridor¡¯s ceiling, left wall, right wall, and floor all at once.


    It was like a mass of writhing black sesame seeds, or like a tv screen filled with black and white static. Someone with trypophobia might faint on the spot at the sight.


    ¡°Can you handle it?¡± Ke Mingye asked while still spinning his arm, addressing the paranoid.


    Heh, are you asking Lord Paranoid?¡±


    Magic Girl Hongyue said, advancing to meet the tide of spiders. She stood before the swarm, ever so slightly bending her body forward, both hands on the handle, pressing down the sickle in unison.


    She took the Sword Draw Strike stance.


    Immediately after, she released the Grade C skill Magic Power Blast (using twenty percent of magic power, infusing into her next attack).


    [Sword Draw Strike] and [Magic Power Blast], the effects of both skills stacked together.


    Magic Girl Hongyue unleashed her power at the instant of full charge, and right as the million-headed swarm closed in.


    She swung her blade fiercely, and the dark red magic power swept out like a tornado, mingled with chilling blade-light, accompanied by a whooshing sound, instantly sweeping clean the surrounding swarm closing in from all directions.


    It was as if a vacuum cleaner had sucked away the debris from the floor.


    A filthy mist of blood spread, and the girl flicked her dark red hair, her skirt fluttering amidst the bloody tempest.


    ¡°This is the power of Lord Paranoid, huh.¡±


    Magic Girl Hongyue wiped her nose with her hand and turned to Ke Mingye to speak.


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    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 265 - 178: This is the Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill!_2

    Chapter 265: Chapter 178: This is the Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill!_2


    ¡°Quite the zealot, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s too fierce.¡±


    Ke Mingye said nonchalantly, while observing the scene unfold through the eyes of Xiaohongmao.


    On the other side.


    Xiaohongmao raised her magic wand, her figure wrapped in a flutter of crystal-clear snowflakes as she flew mid-air. Her Christmas cone hat flattened by the wind, her soft, golden fringe elegantly fluttering.


    She narrowed her ice-blue pupils and, forced to change direction repeatedly in the midst of the Spider Prince¡¯s pursuit, she kept ducking into alley after alley, dashing swiftly through corridors of the same shape.


    But even with such flexible adaptability, she ultimately lost due to the fundamental difference in speed, which allowed the Spider Prince to catch up to her from behind.


    ...


    The enamel bone knife stabbed fiercely, slicing a crimson ravine across her shoulder and nearly severing her left arm.


    Splat!


    Amid the spray of blood, Xiaohongmao embraced her bleeding shoulder, calmly flying forward, rounding a corner after another to extend the distance between her and the Spider Prince.


    ¡°Spider Woman, can you even handle this?!¡±


    Magical Girl Hongyue roared, scythe in hand as she dove down.


    But Ke Mingye pushed down his left hand, shooting out a strand of web that stuck to her right arm, sternly preventing her from charging at the Spider Prince.


    ¡°Please buddy, that¡¯s just one of my puppets; if it dies, it dies,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    Hongyue turned around, her eyes blazing as she stared at Ke Mingye and yelled, ¡°Which one of you is the Spider Man? I can¡¯t tell, I can¡¯t tell¡ª!¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t tell, then don¡¯t bother,¡± Ke Mingye said indifferently, ¡°She¡¯s the Spider Woman. It doesn¡¯t matter if the Spider Woman dies, the Spider Woman is an idiot, okay?¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling an idiot?¡±


    Xiaohongmao said coldly.


    After her injury, her speed was nowhere near what it was before. The Spider Prince quickly caught up to her again, his ivory-white bone knife thrusting towards the girl¡¯s back, whipping up a howling dirty breeze.


    However, at that moment, without even turning her head, Xiaohongmao calmly crushed the Magic Card ¡°Random Flash¡± in her hand.


    As the card shattered, her form instantly vanished from the spot, leaving the Spider Prince stabbing at thin air.


    It gradually stopped and looked around bewilderedly, quickly catching Xiaohongmao¡¯s scent in the air.


    But just then, since both Xiaohongmao and Ke Mingye had put some distance between themselves and the Spider Prince, its black eyes rolled, shifting its attention instead to the figure of Magical Girl Hongyue.


    ¡°Oh, come on¡­ keep away from me.¡±


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye hurriedly released the webbing from Hongyue¡¯s wrist, slowly rotating his own arm to build up revolutions, while bending over to create distance between them.


    From a distance, he looked like a fool, or perhaps someone suffering from epilepsy.


    ¡°Run.¡±


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao¡¯s chilling voice pierced through several corridors, reaching Hongyue¡¯s ears.


    Upon hearing this, Magical Girl Hongyue immediately reacted.


    The Spider Prince had already set his sights on her, prowling with his eight spider legs across the walls of the corridor, bumping along in pursuit.


    Hongyue spurred her magic power to fly at high speed toward the end of the corridor, her scythe¡¯s blade making a ripping sound as it cut through the air.


    ¡°Heh, I knew you couldn¡¯t catch up, oh obsessive one,¡± she sneered.


    She curled the corners of her mouth upward and glanced over her cheek, catching a glimpse of the Spider Prince with the corner of her eye.


    The Spider Prince¡¯s massive legs furiously scuttled in the corridor, resembling a giant, writhing insect.


    However, the thunderous noise that followed was more terrifying than the sound of a train roaring through a tunnel, invoking fear in those who heard it.


    ¡°Damn it, how can he be so fast?¡±


    Hongyue¡¯s pupils shrank.


    At that moment, from a distance, the Spider Prince suddenly opened his bloody maw and shot a sharp column of blood at Hongyue¡¯s silhouette, like a dark, long tongue.


    Hongyue quickly turned and activated her skill ¡°Lethal Counterattack¡± (blocking as much damage from the next attack as possible and recovering a certain amount of health), placing her scythe-shaped magic wand in front of her to intercept the oncoming blood column.


    Even so, she was sent flying several meters, crashing into a wall niche, knocking down torches and illuminating her skirt spread out on the ground.


    Just two seconds before she was about to be caught, the Spider Prince had already extended his enamel-like bone knives, baring his fangs like a leopard ready to devour his prey at close range.


    But at that very moment, a tremendous fireball shot toward him from behind, nearly engulfing half the corridor.


    ¡°Arghhhh!¡±


    The fireball momentarily lit up the Spider Prince¡¯s somber face; he bellowed furiously as his jade-like body was crazily seared by the flames, hissing and cracking as bright red lines spread across him. When the fireball¡¯s power dissipated, the air was still filled with wisps of black smoke and steam, along with the lingering heatwave.


    [Wonderful Hit!!!]


    [Boss Spider Prince: Carl¡¯s Health: 100%¡ú82%]


    After a moment, with a fierce look, he twisted his head backward and saw Magical Girl Xiaohongmao floating calmly in the blizzard at the entrance of the corridor, watching him calmly.


    ¡°Fireball?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Magical Girl Hongyue, who was already prepared to fight to the death, turned her head to see that the Magic Card ¡°Fireball Technique¡± in Xiaohongmao¡¯s hand had shattered into specks of light that fell to the ground and disappeared.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have another.¡±


    Xiaohongmao said expressionlessly as she crushed another Fireball Technique card in her hand. The fireball, entwined with rampaging flame serpents, roared forward and whipped up a scorching gale in the dark corridor.


    This time, the Spider Prince smartened up, anchoring his form with two spider legs dug into the ground, while the other six formed a dark net in front, blocking the oncoming fireball.


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 Chapter 266 - 178 This is Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill!_3

    Chapter 266: Chapter 178 This is Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill!_3


    ¡°`


    The spherical flames burst open under the defense formed by six thick spider legs, instantly transforming into a pillar of fire that rushed backward, illuminating the entire corridor before fading into tiny sparks and disappearing.


    Even so, while the main body was unharmed, the six legs of the Spider Prince used for defense were scorched black, emitting steam-like billows of white smoke.


    Roast them a little longer, and it felt like one could have a feast on spider legs.


    [Wonderful Hit!!!]


    [Boss Spider Prince: Carl the Woodcutter¡¯s HP: 82%¡ú74%]


    ...


    ¡°Seems like this Boss is afraid of fire, otherwise a Fireball Technique wouldn¡¯t do so much damage¡­ Too bad Punk Girl isn¡¯t here; I remember she had a flamethrower in her bag,¡± Ke Mingye mused as he continued to rotate his arms, watching the scene through Xiaohongmao¡¯s perspective.


    He had already spun around sixteen times, with the ultimate power just within reach; he only needed four more spins.


    The Spider Prince roared furiously, its black and red legs bent on the floor, charging up power, then propelling its body forward like a black bus ramming into Magical Girl Xiaohongmao.


    The porcelain-like bone knife was raised high, determined to chop off Magical Girl Xiaohongmao¡¯s head this time.


    ¡°Too bad. I still have one last card.¡±


    As the words fell, Magical Girl Xiaohongmao lifted her face, her gaze coldly fixating on the Spider Prince, then she crushed the last Fireball Technique in her hand.


    Right after, a gust of wind came from behind her. Next to the shimmering Christmas skirt in the heatwave, a massive fireball shot through, heading straight for the Spider Prince¡¯s head.


    If the Spider Prince, from a few meters away, was still conscious enough to quickly raise a spider leg to block the fireball;


    This was mid-air, with the body still in an attacking stance, and it was too late to dodge or defend.


    Thus, facing the oncoming inferno, it had nowhere to escape, as if the pitch-blackness in its eyes was about to melt into a stagnant, dark liquid due to the intense heat.


    ¡°Roar¡ª!!!¡±


    The face and upper body of the Spider Prince were engulfed in the soaring flames, leaving only roars to be heard from within the twisted heat.


    [Perfect Hit!!!] Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Boss Spider Prince: Carl the Woodcutter¡¯s HP: 74%¡ú51%]


    [Having hit the target¡¯s ¡°critical weakness,¡± Boss Spider Prince has fallen into a paralyzed state for 4 seconds. Seize the moment to attack!]


    ¡°Great opportunity, switch hands!¡± Ke Mingye shouted, running toward Xiaohongmao.


    ¡°Just headshots,¡± Xiaohongmao said, ¡°Pure noob.¡±


    During their exchange, Ke Mingye used the E-grade Skill ¡°Phase Transfer,¡± swapping positions with Magic Girl Xiaohongmao.


    At the same time, his arms had already spun to the twentieth round, a staggering force ready to be unleashed.


    He was waiting for just such a moment to activate the skill!


    [Cumulative rotary arm spins: 20 spins. The power accumulated in the arm has reached its limit, currently 10 times the original strength.]


    [Triggered B-grade Skill¡ª¡±Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡± effect 2: Release all the accumulated power from spinning to perform a random Rock-Paper-Scissors attack (choosing one from rock, paper, or scissors), with three different skill effects based on the outcome of the Fist-Guessing.]


    ¡°Rock, Paper, Scissors, any one will do, I¡¯m guaranteed to win.¡±


    With that confidence, Ke Mingye dashed toward the Spider Prince, who was hanging its head low, and threw his clenched right hand forward.


    In the end, the fingers of his right hand slowly came together into a fist, standing defiantly amidst the raging tides like an unyielding rock.


    [The result of the Fist-Guessing is ¡°Rock.¡± Skill effect as follows: When you throw a rock, the power of the fist increases once more, delivering an extremely fast punch forward.]


    In a split second, Ke Mingye¡¯s right fist was engulfed in a dazzling glare akin to an aurora. The gravel on the ground began to levitate, and the fire of the torches flickered in the terrifying force field.


    The next instant, he threw his punch.


    His fist moved so quickly that it almost surpassed the limits of the naked eye, even the paranoid superhumans couldn¡¯t see the speed of his punch.


    Boom!


    A rumbling sound followed¡ªthe mere punch wind overturned the torches on the wall, and surrounding torches went out simultaneously, falling to the ground.


    The darkness highlighted his right fist even more, making it appear as a man-made miniature sun.


    Then, this miniature sun struck the Spider Prince¡¯s chest without restraint.


    Boom¡ª!!!


    Under the deafening noise, Ke Mingye¡¯s glowing right hand went dark. His right arm dislocated completely, hanging limply downwards, as if the bones were about to break one by one.


    ¡°What the heck?¡±


    Gazing at his own right arm, Ke Mingye belatedly realized that his body seemed incapable of withstanding such a formidable attack.


    But the next instant, the Spider Prince¡¯s body vaporized in the blink of an eye, bursting into a mist of blood that slowly dissipated in the air with a ¡°pop.¡±


    [Final Strike!!!]


    [Boss Spider Prince: Carl the Woodcutter¡¯s HP: 51%¡ú0%]


    [Victory declared in the Huanjing dungeon, damage contribution panel as follows.]


    [NO.1¡ª¡ªFailed Man]¡ïMVP: Damage contribution 100%]


    [NO.2¡ª¡ªParanoia: Damage contribution 0% (Under review for AFK detection)]


    [Congratulations to all players for defeating Huanjing¡¯s No. 14 dungeon¡ª ¡°The Underground Spider Prince,¡± a memorial card has been sent to every player¡¯s dungeon atlas.]


    [Current progress in conquering Huanjing¡¯s dungeons: (12 out of 100)]


    [Entering the data settlement phase, players will return to the real world in five minutes, please prepare in advance¡­]


    ¡°`


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    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 267 - 179: Do You Want to Meet Qing Ya Alone?

    Chapter 267: Chapter 179: Do You Want to Meet Qing Ya Alone?


    [One minute later, you will leave the instance, and the instance rewards have already been sent to each player¡¯s bag, please confirm receipt¡­] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye and Xiaohongmao, along with three others, sat down against the corridor wall.


    Xiaohongmao, holding her injured left arm, silently rested her head on his shoulder with her ice blue eyes downcast, watching the reward panel with him.


    ¡°Can you stop leaning on me and just find a corner to explode in already?¡± Ke Mingye sighed.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I check what the instance dropped before I die? I did play a major role, after all.¡± Xiaohongmao said.


    ¡°Fine, fine, the hero?¡ª?¡ª


    ...


    Ke Mingye said perfunctorily and then turned to glance down the distant corridor.


    With the death of the Spider Prince, his eight giant spider legs lost their connection points and scattered on the ground. Amidst the dirty dust and flickering torches, the legs crisscrossed messily like a charred giant net.


    ¡°Stop looking around, check your panel.¡± Xiaohongmao said.


    ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable. Who¡¯s the master here, you or me?¡±


    Ke Mingye said, shrugging his shoulders as he started to flip through the reward panel.


    [You have received the standard completion rewards for Instance 14: one, 12,000 mall coins; two, 8,000 experience points; three, a one-time skill card ¡°Toxic Blood Spray¡±.]


    [For your outstanding performance in this instance, you have also received the MVP completion rewards for Instance 14: one, 6,000 mall coins; two, 4,000 experience points; three, unique equipment¡ª¡±Detachable Giant Spider Legs¡±.]


    [Total experience points gained: 12,000 points.]


    [Your level has risen to Lv.15.]


    [Your level has risen to Lv.16 (0 points/9000 points).]


    [You have advanced two levels and earned 2 attribute points to allocate as you wish.]


    [Total of 18,000 mall coins obtained, current total balance: 23,300 mall coins.]


    Ke Mingye casually opened his personal panel and allocated the two attribute points to mental strength.


    [Your ¡°Mental Strength¡± attribute has changed: 26 points¡ú28 points (¡ü2 points)]


    Today in the instance, he had seen Xiaohongmao¡¯s potential. Increasing mental strength was akin to investing in Xiaohongmao, indirectly boosting her capabilities, so without hesitation, he at least wanted to bring it up to a superhuman level.


    ¡°Speaking of which, what is this contraption? The MVP reward even came with a pair of spider legs. Do they expect me to roast and eat them? Let Fan Quan try it first to see if it¡¯s poisonous.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ it turns out to be equipment, not a consumable. That seems somewhat useful.¡±


    Ke Mingye muttered to himself, clicking into the introduction of the Detachable Spider Legs.


    [Equipment Name: Detachable Giant Spider Legs]


    [Equipment Level: C-grade]


    [Equipment Description: Compared to the Spider Prince, this set of spider legs is much smaller and consists only of two limbs. However, they fit perfectly on a normal person¡¯s back without causing too much strain on the shoulder blades. They can also assist you in movement by lifting you into the air, helping with climbing, moving along the surfaces of tall buildings, and even aiding in combat¡­]


    [Note 1: This equipment can be upgraded in the player¡¯s mall for 20,000 mall coins, evolving the Detachable Giant Spider Legs into ¡°Mechanical Spider Legs¡± (B+ grade equipment).]


    [Note 2: After the equipment¡¯s evolution, the number of spider legs increases from 2 to 4, substantially enhancing strength, agility, and toughness, and it gains the ability of automatic repair.]


    ¡°Damn, I must have seriously misunderstood this thing.¡±


    Ke Mingye said, tilting his head with a sudden gleam in his eyes, ¡°Since this thing can help me climb on high-rise surfaces, it compensates for some of the shortcomings of the web shooter; though, the upgrade is pricey.¡±


    ¡°This really turns Spider Man into a Spider Prince.¡± Xiaohongmao mocked.


    ¡°Would you shut it, Spider Woman?¡±


    ¡°Helping you with the instance and now I¡¯m Spider Woman too? We¡¯ll see if I complain next time.¡±


    ¡°What, do I need to kowtow to you too?¡±


    ¡°Never mind¡­ I¡¯m a bit tired, bye.¡±


    Xiaohongmao yawned, speaking languidly, then starting from the wound on her left shoulder, her figure gradually cracked open, with fire light faintly rising from the cracks.


    Shortly after, as the air temperature rapidly increased, she burst into a burst of explosive light, briefly illuminating the dimly lit corridor.


    Although she exploded right next to Ke Mingye, he was not the least bit anxious, maintaining composure.


    Right before the explosion, Ke Mingye suddenly released an E-grade skill ¡°Phase Transfer,¡± swapping places with the paranoid sitting not far away.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª!¡±


    Accompanied by a harsh scream, the Paranoid was suddenly blasted several meters away by Xiaohongmao¡¯s explosion, coughing up blood amidst eerie laughter.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Spider Man, is there another Boss in this instance?!¡±


    He clutched his blood-soaked chest, his face pale as he looked up, his expression as stern as a mountain, his features sharp as a knife.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, it might be the last ripple left by the Spider Prince, like maybe he created some invisible little spiders that explode before he died. Stay calm.¡±


    Ke Mingye explained to the Paranoid while clicking into the instance card gallery.


    As icons were illuminated, a collection book-like interface opened before him.


    Currently, he had unlocked the ¡°China Huanjing¡± and ¡°Tokyo, Japan¡± pages in the instance. However, the ¡°Tokyo, Japan¡± page did not have an instance card, which means the Tokyo Bay Bridge incident did not drop an instance card, perhaps because it was a PVP-style instance, unlike regular instances.


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 Chapter 268 - 179 Do you want to meet with Qing Ya alone?_2

    Chapter 268: Chapter 179 Do you want to meet with Qing Ya alone?_2 S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye switched to the ¡°China Huanjing¡± page.


    He saw one hundred card slots, each marked with a serial number from NO.1 to NO.100. Inside the card slots with serial numbers NO.5, NO.7, NO.10, and NO.14, a card was each contained.


    He poked the NO.14 card.


    The image on the card front depicted the Spider Prince, slumbering in the deep darkness, quietly rubbing his bone blade, which was transformed from his arms, against his spider legs, the blade gleaming brightly.


    [Card Name: Spider Prince]


    [Card Serial Number: NO.014]


    ...


    [Card Source: Victory over Huanjing NO.14 instance ¡ª ¡°The Spider Prince in the Basement¡±.]


    [Card Effect: Summons 10 small toxic spiders to attack one target (Cooldown: one day)]


    [Current Huanjing instances cleared: (12/100).]


    Seeing this data, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows slightly. From his memory, he had only cleared four instances himself. There was no need to mention who cleared the rest.


    Of course, Gastella might have cleared one or two instances. But she had no teammates and could only fight alone, so at most she might have cleared one or two.


    From the leaderboard, it appeared Gastella had not slaughtered superhumans en masse; rather, her superhuman kill count was only 10. This suggested that her bug skill was probably acquired with the initial permissions gifted by the system store.


    Moreover, its level must be high; Ke Mingye guessed it had to be at least a C-grade skill, with a B-grade skill being more likely;


    As for an A-grade skill, well, as the number one player himself, he¡¯d never even seen a hint of it, let alone other players.


    Ke Mingye said, ¡°So it seems, during the time I couldn¡¯t leave, you guys had already cleared so many instances behind my back, huh?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. At that time I even asked the Dog-headed Strategist why we shouldn¡¯t bring S¡± >pider Man. He said we had already isolated Spider Man.¡±


    He paused for a moment and stroked his chin, ¡°Now it seems, Spider Man, that there was a reason you couldn¡¯t come with us on long journeys. Heh heh heh, the detective has seen through everything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°It was all Fan Quan¡¯s doing. I was just his henchman.¡±


    ¡°I figured it out. I was wondering why you would deceive us. Turns out¡­ it was all Fan Quan¡¯s fault.¡±


    The voice of the paranoid suddenly deepened.


    ¡°Having said that, don¡¯t go assassinating any cultured man.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­ I also want him to experience the taste of betrayal. Killing him so simply would be too kind.¡±


    As the paranoid said this, his expression indifferent, he licked the blade like a husky.


    ¡°Okay, good luck.¡±


    Ke Mingye spoke, then suddenly everything went dark before his eyes. When he came to his senses, he and the paranoid were back in the underground labyrinth.


    They walked the same way out of the underground labyrinth and after spotting the stairs leading up, they went straight up, not long before they returned to the cramped, damp alley.


    Ke Mingye casually closed the iron door, leaned against the wall, and took a deep breath before asking, ¡°Well¡­ having accompanied you on a trip to the instance, how do you feel, have you asked everything you wanted to?¡±


    Back against the wall, arms folded, the paranoid said, ¡°Spider Man, even though I don¡¯t know your secret troubles, when you need the great Paranoid, I will definitely be there.¡±


    ¡°I will need you.¡± Ke Mingye lifted his head, looking towards the fragmented sky cut by the edges of the apartment buildings and the iron fence, ¡°By the way¡­ are you really foolish, or just pretending?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? With Paranoid the Great so smart, you actually think Paranoid the Great is foolish?¡±


    ¡°It seems you truly are foolish.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, it seems you have been influenced by the hacker girl. Paranoid the Great forgives you, after all, you¡¯re not on a level to understand¡­ the wisdom of a god.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, I¡¯m off to eat, see you next time.¡±


    Having said that, Ke Mingye stepped away from the alley. He walked wearily on the street, the somewhat dim sunlight falling on his face, when suddenly his pocket vibrated with a notification from his phone.


    He took out his phone and glanced down.


    The caller ID displayed ¡°Che Zhengchen.¡±


    ¡°That was quick¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye stared at the name on the screen, raised his eyebrows, and then walked into a public restroom inside KFC, answering Che Zhengchen¡¯s call in the last stall.


    ¡°Commander Che, you¡¯re awake already?¡±


    ¡°My body¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve already returned to the Association Building. What about you, everything okay?¡±


    The warm voice of Che Zhengchen came through the phone.


    ¡°No, Witch Black Rose injured a bone or two, but with my constitution, it¡¯ll heal in a couple of days.¡±


    If Ke Mingye wanted, he could drink a few sips from the Rebirth Medical Bottle to immediately heal the chest injury, but that would be too fake. It was better to leave the injury and deal with it in a couple of days. After all, the physique of a superhuman was there, it wouldn¡¯t cause much harm.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Che Zhengchen paused, ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask if you could come over to Superhero Tower now?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye said without hesitation, ¡°I¡¯m on my way. I¡¯ll be there in half an hour.¡±


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    Exactly half an hour later, on the forty-fifth floor of the Superhero Association Building, in the office.


    Che Zhengchen sat behind the office desk, lightly tapping the back of his hand with a pen.


    He was thinking about something after being captured by the Dice Monster; he suddenly remembered that a few days ago at the underground bar, he seemed to have arranged a meeting with someone.


    It seemed to be a very important person, but he couldn¡¯t remember who it was.


    ¡°How strange¡­¡±


    He put down the pen, resting his right hand against the side of his head, and murmured to himself.


    A moment later, a notification sound from the desk phone interrupted his thoughts.


    ¡°Commander, a superhero codenamed ¡®Blue Owl¡¯ requests to meet with you. Should I grant him access?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Che Zhengchen breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face, ¡°Let him up.¡±


    ¡°Received.¡±


    After a short while, accompanied by the slow opening of the elevator door opposite the office, a figure dressed in a red and blue uniform walked out and directly entered the office.


    ¡°I am here, Commander.¡± Blue Owl, ever the familiar one, said and immediately pulled up a chair in front of the desk and sat down, facing Che Zhengchen.


    He looked up at Che Zhengchen from behind his glasses. The Commander¡¯s attire was no different from usual: a suit and a slick back hairstyle, only the glasses had been swapped for rimless ones.


    He actually took the advice, changed from the gold-rimmed glasses, huh? Blue Owl thought amusingly.


    Che Zhengchen said, ¡°I called you here today mainly for two things.¡±


    ¡°Is it about the Dice Monster?¡±


    Che Zhengchen shook his head, smiling, ¡°No, there¡¯s surveillance in this office, so there¡¯s no need for your explanation. The Association has seen your actions. You jumping off the building to save me was touching, but don¡¯t be so impulsive next time; after all, you don¡¯t have flying abilities like Platinum Wing and the others.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the matter then?¡± Blue Owl asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put aside the first matter for now;¡±


    Che Zhengchen said, pausing for a moment, looking up at Blue Owl, then asked deeply.


    ¡°For the second matter, would you like to meet Qing Ya alone?¡±


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 Chapter 269 - 180: ID Card, Superhero Association Exclusive APP, Hero Community

    Chapter 269: Chapter 180: ID Card, Superhero Association Exclusive APP, Hero Community


    ¡°`


    ¡°Um¡­ are you sure you said ¡®Qing Ya¡¯?¡±


    Blue Owl stared at Che Zhengchen through his glasses, double-checking that he hadn¡¯t misheard.


    ¡°No mistake,¡± Che Zhengchen smiled, ¡°I am asking if you¡¯d like to meet Qing Ya alone. Maybe if you really get close to him, you¡¯ll gain a new understanding of him.¡±


    On hearing this, Blue Owl dropped his head and twisted in his swivel chair, spinning around once before the bird¡¯s beak on his mask returned to its original position.


    He pondered to himself.


    ...


    Can this be real? It¡¯s been just a few days since we met, and Che Zhengchen is already eager to set me up with Qing Ya. Could it be that he¡¯s colluded with my old man to set me up?


    That fits right into my plan, though. Even though I don¡¯t really want the other Association members to know my identity, I am willing to let Commander Che and my dad know.


    After all, I¡¯ve already removed the parasites from Commander Che¡¯s body, so I don¡¯t have to worry about him being controlled by Gastella and leaking my information.


    Thinking this, although Blue Owl felt this was an excellent opportunity, he still symbolically demurred, like a child hesitantly refusing a red envelope during the New Year.


    ¡°Um¡­ before I answer that question, I want to ask you,¡± he tilted his head, weighing his words, ¡°Commander Che, are you sure Qing Ya wants to meet me alone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the official surveillance records, and when you were about to hit the ground yesterday, Qing Ya saved you.¡±


    ¡°Are you joking? Swap in another superhero, and he would have done the same. Or is it¡­,¡± Blue Owl paused, his tone skeptical, ¡°Commander Che, do you think Qing Ya seems like the type who wouldn¡¯t save someone? Not to mention leaving a fellow vigilante to die¡ªthat¡¯s not his style, not at all.¡±


    Che Zhengchen fell silent for a moment, then smiled slightly, ¡°But he also spoke to you: if he had saved another superhero, he might not have taken the time to warn them afterward.¡±


    ¡°Is there a possibility that you brought him into the Superhero Association and were his Commander for a time, becoming old friends? So essentially, he spoke to me more because he knew I endangered myself to save you and did it to give you face. See, there¡¯s no need to read too much into it.¡±


    ¡°That is indeed possible,¡± Che Zhengchen took a sip of his tea and said lightly, ¡°But in all these years, I really haven¡¯t seen him interact much with other superheroes. Seems like he does care about you, the ¡®imitator¡¯.¡±


    Blue Owl sighed, his elbows on the chair¡¯s armrests, his forehead in his palm, and said irritably.


    ¡°My goodness, you know, it feels like we¡¯re having a high school boy¡¯s conversation about how ¡®oh, that girl must be into you because she never talks to boys,¡¯ and Qing Ya is that class¡¯s silent but academically stellar ice queen who attracts envy and jealousy from other students.¡±


    ¡°Heh, hehe¡­¡± Che Zhengchen laughed and shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s drop this subject. Anyway, I should be able to get you a chance to meet Qing Ya alone. You just need to tell me; do you want to see him or not?¡±


    Blue Owl hung his head, silent for a couple of seconds, before saying, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Of course, I want to see him. Otherwise, what¡¯s the point of me wearing this suit?¡±


    He paused, ¡°Rather than asking me, you should ask him if he wants to see me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Che Zhengchen shrugged and said calmly, ¡°I think he wants to talk to you, just hasn¡¯t found the right moment. Don¡¯t let his appearance fool you; outside of work, he¡¯s quite awkward, uh¡­ to put it bluntly, he¡¯s repressed.¡±


    ¡°Haha, aren¡¯t you afraid that suddenly a crow will shatter the glass and abduct you from your office?¡±


    ¡°Not really, I¡¯m more afraid of a Spider-Man-like guy breaking the glass and kidnapping me. I¡¯ve already got a psychological shadow from that,¡± Che Zhengchen joked.


    ¡°Well, you have a point,¡± Blue Owl said and then fell silent for a moment. Although he knew he would be dining with Comrade Qing Ya once he got home, he still asked himself in pretense.


    ¡°So when can I meet Qing Ya?¡±


    Che Zhengchen opened his mouth, his tone somewhat evasive, ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll get back to me, but it shouldn¡¯t drag on for a month or two.¡±


    ¡°A month or two is rather exaggerated, aren¡¯t you two old friends? Is he that indifferent to you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just his way of doing things, it¡¯s not about being cold or anything like that. Ah, I don¡¯t quite understand you young people,¡± Che Zhengchen said.


    Blue Owl asked with concern, ¡°Speaking of which, Commander Che, there should be no issue with your body, right? Like, during the time Dice Monster had you, he didn¡¯t implant nanomachines, bugs, or trackers in you?¡±


    ¡°No, after Qing Ya brought me back, he immediately had someone scan my body with precision equipment.¡±


    ¡°And the result?¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Che Zhengchen smiled and answered, ¡°Besides a minor fracture, there is nothing wrong with my body. So the idea of Dice Monster tampering with me is out of the question, unless its methods are advanced enough to fool the detection devices provided by the Management Bureau.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    As he spoke, Blue Owl mused for a moment and, pretending to ponder, said, ¡°Right¡­ about the recent viral mass riot incident, I was secretly observing from an alley and saw someone vomit out a black worm. That worm crawled into another person¡¯s mouth. It seems like those rioters were controlled by those parasites infiltrating their bodies.¡±


    ¡°`


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 Chapter 270 - 180: ID Card, Superhero Association Exclusive APP, Hero Community_2

    Chapter 270: Chapter 180: ID Card, Superhero Association Exclusive APP, Hero Community_2


    He lifted his eyes to Che Zhengchen, his tone growing increasingly strange, ¡°Commander Che, could it be that Dice Monster did it, and then abducted you to stuff a parasitic worm into your body?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Che Zhengchen let out a long exhale, speaking calmly and unhurriedly.


    ¡°Regarding those parasites, the Superhero Association has already internally announced the progress of the investigation today, stating that the parasites will not target superhumans. Therefore, they conducted tests on every non-superhuman commander and ordinary staff members in the association to confirm they were not infected by the parasites.¡±


    He paused, ¡°I am also a normal person, so I was included in the association¡¯s testing list. Fortunately, the test showed no signs of parasitic infection in my body.¡±


    ¡°Then, since it¡¯s unrelated to the parasites and there has been no change in your body, what exactly did Dice Monster capture you for?¡±


    Blue Owl pondered with a tone full of confusion.


    ...


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe it was reminding me to change my glasses; it just so happens that I¡¯ve been wearing that pair for a long time.¡±


    Saying that, Che Zhengchen laughed self-deprecatingly and continued, ¡°It was a gift from my son, that is¡­ Qing Ya. When he earned his first paycheck from the Superhero Association, he bought those glasses as a gift for me. Over the years, even though my vision has deteriorated quite a bit, I never changed glasses.¡±


    Blue Owl was taken aback upon hearing this, almost biting his hands in frustration, thinking to himself how cruel it was to throw away the glasses gifted by someone¡¯s son who was dismembered, and even suggesting he get a new pair.


    Is this what a person would do?


    It¡¯s a pure hellish joke if there ever was one¡­


    Both men in the office fell silent for a moment, and just as Blue Owl was about to express his opinion and soothe the feelings of this grieving father, he was interrupted by Che Zhengchen.


    ¡°Actually, getting a new pair of glasses might be quite nice, at least the prescription would be correct.¡±


    Che Zhengchen spoke with a self-deprecating tone, lightening the mood.


    Seeing this, Blue Owl quickly shifted the topic to prevent the atmosphere from turning stiff again.


    ¡°Then, Commander Che, what are the official measures in response to those parasites? Surely we can¡¯t have everybody undergo surgery to extract the worms, right?¡±


    ¡°That would be impossible, it¡¯s too labor-intensive, and Huanjing¡¯s medical personnel can¡¯t cope with such a task,¡± said Che Zhengchen, ¡°Moreover, concerning those parasites, we now have a non-invasive method of removal: They seem to be very afraid of noise, so they can be forced out of the host¡¯s body using a sonar-based ultrasonic device. After that, they can be eradicated en masse.¡±


    Blue Owl thought for a while and said, ¡°Could this device be used in broadcasts? If all the infected people in the city heard those sounds, wouldn¡¯t the worms inside them all come out at once?¡±


    ¡°Still not possible. That would cause large-scale chaos, and expelling the worms isn¡¯t that simple. According to the association, a series of precise operations are necessary to extract the worms, and just spreading the sound through a broadcast isn¡¯t going to force them out.¡±


    Blue Owl clasped his hands together on his chair and leaned back against the chair back, sighing.


    ¡°I understand. So what are we supposed to do? We can¡¯t just reenact ¡®Dawn of the Dead¡¯ or ¡®Resident Evil 10¡¯ in the city in a few days, can we?¡±


    With such a question, Che Zhengchen could only reply helplessly, ¡°We¡¯re left with no choice but to use the dumbest method, letting the public undergo the device inspection one by one.¡±


    ¡°But there are so many people in Huanjing. If those infected hide at home and don¡¯t come out for testing, won¡¯t we still be unable to find them?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s very troublesome,¡± Che Zhengchen shook his head and sighed, ¡°The headquarters is also still pondering solutions, but it¡¯s not something for us to worry about.¡±


    Blue Owl suggested, ¡°Is there a possibility that instead of figuring out how to force the worms out of people, we should catch the person who first spread the worms and find a way to immobilize the parasites from him?¡±


    Che Zhengchen nodded, ¡°That¡¯s the most practical approach, but currently, we have no leads. The association is tracking with all its might, and it seems Qing Ya has also become involved in this matter.¡±


    Is Dad also here? I¡¯d really feel secure then, no matter how strong the Blood Clan Hunters behind Gastella are, my side¡¯s fighting power should be no less than theirs.


    Blue Owl thought to himself.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that anymore, let¡¯s discuss the first reason I sought you out.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl looked up from behind his glasses at Che Zhengchen, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°This.¡± Che Zhengchen said, pulling out a card encased in a protective sleeve from a drawer and pushing it forward to Blue Owl, then rested his folded hands on his chin and watched him with a smile, ¡°This is your ID card. Congratulations, from today onwards you are a member of the Superhero Association, E-class superhero: Blue Owl.¡±


    Blue Owl took the ID card and glanced down at it.


    Just as the internet had said, a special material was used for the recognition code at the top of the card, making it extremely difficult to forge Association ID cards since the method for crafting that peculiar material was kept in the hands of the higher-ups in the Association.


    ¡°What can this card do?¡±


    As he asked, he flipped the card over: the front bore his codename, sequence code in the Association, and hero level; the back featured the classic logo of the Superhero Association: ¡°S¡¤H¡¤A¡±.


    ¡°It allows you free entry and exit from the Association without needing permission from the Commander, which is me. At the same time, you can log into the official Superhero Association APP with your ID card. On the APP, you can befriend superheroes from around the world, chat and interact with them in the forums set up by the Association, and receive notifications of missions instantly.¡±


    Che Zhengchen took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, then slowly introduced the features.


    ¡°With enough mission points, you can also exchange them for currency and advanced combat equipment, genetic enhancement drugs, and so on through the APP¡¯s store.¡±


    Blue Owl raised his eyebrows: ¡°Genetic enhancement drugs?¡±


    Che Zhengchen¡¯s face remained expressionless up until that point, but now he got excited, thinking that perhaps the genetic enhancement drugs could be used to upgrade his panel stats.


    ¡°They are drugs used to increase the physical strength of Superpower Users or mutants.¡± Che Zhengchen explained with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re very safe. It¡¯s just that they can¡¯t be mass-produced, so the Association encourages heroes to exchange mission points for them: the more you work, the more you earn.¡±


    Blue Owl let out a surprised ¡®Oh¡¯, then asked, ¡°So there must be a limit to the effects of those enhancers, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Che Zhengchen gave an example, ¡°For someone as strong as Qing Ya, they¡¯ve probably already reached the limit of what enhancers can do.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve got a rough idea.¡±


    Blue Owl nodded, thinking gleefully to himself: they¡¯ll be ineffective once someone reaches A-class superhuman status, so until then, I can keep enhancing my three attributes by using genetic enhancement drugs. Compared to other players, I¡¯ve got another advantage.


    ¡°Besides, the Superhero Association APP has many more functions, you¡¯ll figure them out in time.¡± Che Zhengchen added.


    ¡°All right.¡± Blue Owl paused, ¡°But you won¡¯t use the APP to find out my phone¡¯s location, right? Wouldn¡¯t that leave my identity nowhere to hide?¡±


    Che Zhengchen shook his head: ¡°Not to that extent. The APP is highly secretive, only the founders of the Superhero Association can access location information. Unless it¡¯s an emergency, they usually don¡¯t do that.¡±


    Blue Owl, still not completely reassured, said, ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s one last thing.¡± Che Zhengchen crossed his arms and rested them on his chin, ¡°Would you like me to be your Commander, Blue Owl?¡±


    Blue Owl raised his eyebrows, casting an amused look at the other: ¡°What kind of question is that? Of course. If you hadn¡¯t come to find me, I¡¯d probably still be playing the part of a vigilante.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ from today on, you are officially a member of the Platinum Wing Squad.¡± Che Zhengchen said with a smile, ¡°The other three are waiting for you outside the office, go out and have a chat with them.¡±


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 Chapter 271 - 181: What, Your Sister is Also a Magic Girl?

    Chapter 271: Chapter 181: What, Your Sister is Also a Magic Girl?


    Blue Owl pulled out a spare phone from his pocket and then obtained the Superhero Association¡¯s dedicated APP from Che Zhengchen. After clicking download, he turned off the phone and stepped out of the office.


    He casually closed the electronic metal door and turned his head, only to see Bai Yi, dressed in a silver-white battlesuit, leaning against the wall with arms folded, waiting for him. The plume mask on his face made his profile clear and sharp.


    ¡°It¡¯s just me today,¡± Bai Yi said, glancing at him with a half-smile. ¡°Shall we take off our battlesuits and go out for coffee, or maybe visit the nearby art gallery?¡±


    He paused, ¡°It¡¯s quite boring staying in the Superhero Association cafeteria every day, and the food isn¡¯t that great either.¡±


    ¡°Not a bad idea,¡± Blue Owl remarked casually. ¡°But if we go, I¡¯ll be in this uniform; it doesn¡¯t matter if you wear yours, but I might cause you trouble.¡±


    ¡°Just like Commander Che said, you don¡¯t want to remove your mask in front of others, do you?¡± Bai Yi laughed. ¡°I understand that if our true identities were known to the enemy, they could easily target our loved ones. But to still insist on wearing the mask in front of your own teammates¡­ isn¡¯t that a bit strange?¡±


    ...


    He paused again, ¡°Or perhaps, you don¡¯t trust us?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Blue Owl tilted his head slightly, replying offhandedly, ¡°I have my reasons, which have nothing to do with you. As for what those reasons are¡­ I have no comment.¡±


    Having said that, he moved past Bai Yi and headed towards the elevator direction.


    To tell the truth, after much deliberation, within the Superhero Association, he still decided he would only reveal his true identity to Qing Ya and Che Zhengchen;


    As for the three teammates in his squad, he would wait and see how things went.


    After all, Mech Pioneer was a mechanically enhanced being, and an informant sent by the Management Bureau. If he exposed his identity to Bai Yi and the Nun, there was a high chance they might inadvertently inform Mech Pioneer.


    This was a scenario Ke Mingye did not want to see.


    Even with his older brother watching over the situation at the Management Bureau, Ke Mingye always felt that the Bureau¡¯s people were not very reliable, and there were a plethora of indescribable species at his home: a Dragon of Calamity, vampires¡­


    If Ke Mingye¡¯s identity were to be exposed, it might implicate Ke Yongzhu and Bai Ziling.


    If the Management Bureau found out that he was harboring these two creatures, they might descend upon his home in full force, not to mention that they were already planning to make a move against Bai Qiuwu.


    If things got complicated, and it alarmed his mother, he didn¡¯t even dare imagine what would happen. The last incident in Wanxiang City was lucky as it coincided with his mother¡¯s vacation; next time, he might not be so fortunate.


    Ke Mingye certainly did not want to see what a rampage by this alien on Earth would look like. Maybe the identity he had carefully concealed for so long would be blown by his mother in one go, affecting the whole family¡­


    ¡°Well, alright¡­ after all, everyone has their secrets,¡± Bai Yi said as he paused, withdrew his gaze from Blue Owl¡¯s retreating back, lowered his eyes, and added, ¡°Did you know, I have a sister who¡¯s a Magic Girl.¡±


    On hearing this, Blue Owl stopped in his tracks.


    He slowly turned his head, his eyes calmly fixed on Bai Yi for several seconds, before he said, ¡°Uh¡­ Magic Girl, I didn¡¯t mishear you, did I?¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t,¡± Bai Yi smiled.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Having a Magic Girl as a sister at home must be quite an experience, huh?¡±


    While saying this aloud, Blue Owl thought: Could it be true, did I just encounter a fellow compatriot?


    Having a Magic Girl for a sister at home is really a nightmare! Especially since her codename is ¡®Ash¡¯! She¡¯s a tough fighter outside, but a little tyrant at home, using flying kicks to settle disputes, and it¡¯s like living in hell, right?!


    Bai Yi smiled slightly, ¡°It¡¯s not really a secret. Magical Girl Rainbow, you¡¯ve heard of her, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl froze for a couple of seconds, then slowly nodded.


    Oh no, isn¡¯t Magical Girl Rainbow a teammate of our friend Xiaohongmao? He thought. Should I tell him his sister seems a bit lesbian? She¡¯s always so close to Magical Girl Feng, it looks like her eyes are about to stick on the other Magic Girl¡­


    While thinking, he said, ¡°I have, she¡¯s quite active in Huanjing. I often see her in the news on TV. She usually operates together with Ash and Feng, right?¡±


    ¡°Right, Magical Girl Rainbow is my sister. In fact, our parents passed away a long time ago; she and I rely on each other, so she is the only family I have,¡± said Bai Yi, his gaze lowered as he spoke slowly.


    ¡°She¡¯s really strong, even stronger than me. So what I said earlier about ¡®wearing a mask to protect my family¡¯ is kind of bullshit. It would be more accurate to say she wears a mask to protect me¡­¡±


    ¡°Dude, seriously, stop feeling inferior,¡± Ke Mingye thought. ¡°My sister, Magic Girl, is still at B-level combat power. Your sister is only at C-level, which is the same rank as yours. With a bit of effort, overtaking her shouldn¡¯t be hard.¡±


    He didn¡¯t quite understand that machismo mentality of ¡°I must be stronger than my sister to protect her.¡± He was the sort who would gladly idle away if he could, regardless of whom he was with, devoid of so much sentimental angst and unnecessary competitive spirit.


    Though he thought this, it would be the end of any future collegial relationship if he said it out loud.


    So Blue Owl considered it for a while, then said quite considerately, ¡°Uh¡­ dude, I think I can guess what you¡¯re thinking. You want to be stronger than your sister so you can protect her, right?¡±


    Bai Yi neither confirmed nor denied but simply continued speaking.


    ¡°Actually, I was quite inferior before I awakened my superpower: I was disabled, and in the same car accident that took my parents, my legs were completely paralyzed. My sister had to go to school every day, take care of my daily needs, and then at night, she had to fight dangerous criminals as a Magic Girl. Compared to her, I was like a useless person. Can you understand how I felt?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Blue Owl nodded, ¡°That must have been really tough.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m grateful for this gift called ¡®superpower.¡¯ It restored my legs to how they were before the accident, even made them stronger, and it even gave me a pair of wings.¡±


    Bai Yi said this, then laughed self-deprecatingly: ¡°I often used to think how nice it would be if I could fly like a bird. When my sister saw me sitting on the rooftop staring at the sky, she was scared, thinking I was contemplating suicide, and she quickly dragged me back into the house.¡±


    As he spoke, he sighed, hugged one shoulder with one hand, and rubbed the tip of his nose with the other, before continuing.


    ¡°Now I¡¯m finally qualified to stand up. The wheelchair I¡¯d usually sit in felt like a coffin to me. It wasn¡¯t easy to get out of that coffin. I hope I can fly higher and farther, to become someone my sister can be proud of, not¡­ a worthless person who could only rely on her to live.¡±


    Blue Owl fell silent for a moment before speaking: ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡±


    At the question, Bai Yi slowly lifted his eyes and looked at Blue Owl through the feathered mask, smiling faintly as he spoke.


    ¡°I just want to say that we all have our unspeakable difficulties. But since we¡¯re both in the same team, and I¡¯m the team¡¯s captain, it¡¯s my responsibility to bring our relationship closer. Since I¡¯m willing to share my story with you, I hope that one day you¡¯ll also be willing to share your true identity and background with us so that we can truly trust each other.¡±


    Please¡­ If this guy is serious, then he¡¯s a bit of a naive idealist, maybe too blunt and simplistic. Is it because he¡¯s been out of touch with society for too long due to being disabled and confined to his home?


    But if he really is like this, without any pretense, then perhaps forming a deeper bond with him wouldn¡¯t lead to a stab in the back.


    Thinking thus, Blue Owl bowed his head and touched the beak at his philtrum, and after a long pause, said, ¡°I¡¯ll consider it. Thanks for thinking so much about the team.¡±


    He paused, then added, ¡°And¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You are already someone your sister can be proud of.¡±


    After dropping this line with a tone neither warm nor cold, Blue Owl immediately turned and entered the open elevator, to avoid the awkwardness of standing there, frozen by his own motivational words.


    Behind him, Bai Yi paused for a couple of seconds, his gaze unwavering on Blue Owl¡¯s retreating figure. As the elevator doors slowly closed and ascended, the red-and-blue silhouette disappeared from his view.


    He slightly bowed his head, then let out a soft chuckle.


    ¡­..


    ¡­¡­


    At this very moment, inside the glass-walled elevator.


    Blue Owl gazed down at the city through the glass wall, bowing his head and letting out a long sigh of relief.


    He thought, so the captain is trying to do some self-strategy? Are the thoughts of these kids, who hardly interact with society and rush to be superheroes right after getting their powers, really this pure?


    Just then, a message bubble popped up in the upper right corner of his field of vision.


    [Cai Bing: Spider Man, you there?]


    Ke Mingye raised his eyebrows, leaning against the glass wall, and replied with his mind.


    [Failed Man: What¡¯s up, have you found Gastella¡¯s location yet?]


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 Chapter 272 - 182: Bai Yi Squad vs. Dice Monster (Part 1)

    Chapter 272: Chapter 182: Bai Yi Squad vs. Dice Monster (Part 1)


    [Cai Bing: No, I haven¡¯t located Gastella yet. She¡¯s hidden very well, barely appearing under surveillance.]


    The glass curtain wall elevator carrying Qing Ya reached the bottom, and as he walked out of Superhero Tower, he mentally replied to Cai Bing¡¯s message.


    [Failed Man: Alright, I guessed as much that she wouldn¡¯t be easy to find.]


    [Failed Man: So, what do you want from me?]


    [Cai Bing: Fan Quan and I have discussed it, and we both don¡¯t recommend that you meet with Gastella.]


    [Cai Bing: Talk to him for the details, I won¡¯t waste my breath. I still have to go to work, such a hassle.]


    ...


    Qing Ya heaved a slight sigh, opened Fan Quan¡¯s chat panel, typed a message, and sent it.


    [Failed Man: What¡¯s your great insight, cultured man?]


    [Fan Quan: I¡¯ve said it, don¡¯t meet with her tomorrow.]


    [Fan Quan: You¡¯ve said it yourself, she didn¡¯t make a move against you and Paranoid in the caf¨¦ last time because Black Judge was nearby; this time, she¡¯s likely to attack you, and regardless of the outcome, it won¡¯t be in your favor.]


    [Fan Quan: You should know she has less than a month left. If she can¡¯t find the vampire sister in your family, she¡¯ll die because of the Blood Clan Oath.]


    [Fan Quan: In such a scenario, how could she possibly have a friendly conversation with you and wait for you to scout for her?]


    [Fan Quan: She¡¯s more likely to just take you and get what she wants through forceful means; if that fails, to hold you captive to lure out other players. For her, that¡¯s definitely the better choice¡­ In fact, if I were in her shoes, I, or you, would definitely do the same. Nothing is more important than one¡¯s own life, and that also goes for relationships with other players.]


    [Failed Man: I know.]


    [Fan Quan: Of course, you might say, ¡®In the worst case, I can detonate the puppet and break free at any time.¡¯], but if Gastella hears the sound of the puppet exploding, she¡¯ll naturally realize Dice Monster is you.]


    [Fan Quan: After all, someone has recorded a video of Dice Monster exploding before. That laugh can¡¯t be unique anymore. Once she investigates, she¡¯ll know.]


    [Fan Quan: If the background of Dice Monster is exposed, it will lead to many clues. If Gastella publicly declares ¡®Dice Monster is a player,¡¯ then from now on, you can forget about working with your family. They all know you¡¯re aiming to exterminate Superhumans, and knowing your true intentions, how could they still be fooled by you?]


    [Failed Man: That, I¡¯m aware of.]


    [Failed Man: Gastella is testing my depth, and I¡¯m doing the same with hers. If she doesn¡¯t bring any members of those vampire organizations, she alone won¡¯t be able to catch me. Just dealing with players, I¡¯m ninety-nine percent confident I can win against her, or at the very least, escape from her clutches.]


    [Fan Quan: What if she really brings those Blood Clan Hunters, even one A-rank, you can¡¯t escape from them.]


    [Failed Man: Then I¡¯ll also bring people, let¡¯s see whose team is stronger. This is one of the few chances I can leverage the gap in intelligence. She doesn¡¯t know I have a bunch of tough guys at home.]


    [Fan Quan: That makes sense, then who do you plan to bring?]


    [Failed Man: That¡¯s my own issue, you don¡¯t need to worry about it.]


    [Fan Quan: If you don¡¯t have ninety percent certainty, then I¡¯ll say it again, avoid her for the time being. Understand your position versus hers; she¡¯s the offense, you¡¯re the defense: if she can¡¯t find a vampire within a month, her heart will stop; but you don¡¯t have that restriction, you just need to hide, not attack proactively.]


    [Failed Man: No, I do have a limitation.]


    [Fan Quan: What are you referring to?]


    [Failed Man: The limitation is, if my family captures Gastella alive, I have a ninety-nine percent chance of being exposed.]


    [Failed Man: If she confesses to official personnel that ¡®in this city, there is a player hiding a vampire in their home,¡¯ and gives up that once-a-month usable Book of Prophecy, then following these two leads, my family will quickly realize Bai Ziling is actually that vampire.]


    [Failed Man: Then, after a thorough investigation at home, they¡¯ll immediately know I¡¯m that player.]


    [Fan Quan: You have a point. It seems your situation is no easier than Gastella¡¯s. You¡¯ll have to find Gastella faster than your family.]


    [Failed Man: No, I¡¯m staying at home, so I¡¯m very aware of every single person¡¯s actions and have already infiltrated their organization with several aliases.]


    [Failed Man: I don¡¯t need to ensure that I find Gastella faster than they do, I just need to make sure that after they catch Gastella, before Gastella can spill the information, I find a way to deal with her. That¡¯s enough.]


    [Fan Quan: That¡¯s very difficult. What if your ninja bro or Qing Ya takes her away? How are you going to find her then? You can¡¯t keep up with those two, let alone find them.]


    [Fan Quan: And what about killing Gastella right under their watchful eyes?]


    [Failed Man: I have a tracking device, Anchor Sunglasses. I can track them when they are at home, so I¡¯m not afraid of losing them.] S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Failed Man: As for how to kill Gastella, my skill speciality is surprise; it¡¯s not without a chance.]


    [Fan Quan: Even so, the difficulty is still high.]


    [Failed Man: It is high. But I can¡¯t leave my fate in the hands of others and just wait for death at home.]


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 Chapter 273 - 182: Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 1)_2

    Chapter 273: Chapter 182: Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 1)_2


    [Fan Quan: After analyzing the situation like this, you¡¯re completely stuck now. Whether you take the initiative to attack or stay hidden, there¡¯s a high chance your identity will be revealed because of Gastella.]


    [Fan Quan: Hey, to be honest, I think there¡¯s a high probability that you¡¯re really done for this time. She¡¯s like divine punishment sent to deal with you. Why not just resort to the worst-case scenario?]


    [Failed Man: What¡¯s the worst-case scenario?]


    [Fan Quan: Abandon the identity of Ke Mingye. Then use the No. 7 instance card to board the train at the abandoned train station in the Old Jingmai District and make a getaway, moving to another operational base.]


    [Fan Quan: You could stay near Tokyo, using the Deception Puppet and Ju Zipi to play the role of Cowherd, while your actual self grinds instances on the Tokyo side. Doesn¡¯t that sound pretty good?]


    [Fan Quan: Moreover, considering the current situation, it¡¯s unlikely that the Black Tengu Club will fall, so it¡¯s safe there.]


    ...


    [Failed Man: Cut it out. If I¡¯m really going to abandon the identity of Ke Mingye, then what was the point of hiding out this long at home?]


    [Fan Quan: Look on the bright side, it¡¯s better to give up your Huanjing identity now and lie low in Japan for a year than to be caught, spill the beans about the Japanese branch¡¯s affairs, and drag the Black Tengu Club and Ju Zipi down with you. Sure, you¡¯ll be lacking a powerful network, but it won¡¯t be too bad. At least you¡¯ll be alive.]


    [Failed Man: Although it makes sense, I refuse. It¡¯s too lame to admit defeat before the battle even starts.]


    [Fan Quan: There¡¯s a term in psychology called ¡°sunk cost¡±. You¡¯re probably experiencing that right now, feeling that you¡¯ve put so much effort into your disguise, you¡¯re reluctant to easily give up the identity of ¡°the fourth son of Bai Ke¡¯s home¡±.]


    [Fan Quan: But really, it¡¯s only been a month, so it¡¯s not a sunken cost. It¡¯s time to cut your losses. After this Gastella incident, I think your chances of survival are less than thirty percent.]


    [Failed Man: Thirty percent is enough for me, let me take a gamble.]


    [Failed Man: If I get caught, then you remember to notify Ju Zipi and the Anti-Superhuman Organization in Japan to evacuate Kabukicho as soon as possible, so they don¡¯t get dragged down by me.]


    Fan Quan was silent for a long time before replying to his message.


    [Fan Quan: I see your point, with your stubbornness, I never really thought I could persuade you.] S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Fan Quan: Let¡¯s agree in advance then, we can¡¯t afford to take the risk with you. Helping you to this extent is already the limit. Not to mention that you¡¯ve made Gastella shift her focus onto me.]


    [Failed Man: Even if you hadn¡¯t reached out to me, I would have made it clear to you and the others as soon as possible. I¡¯m aware of my situation.]


    [Fan Quan: Cai Bing will still keep in touch with you. If she locates Gastella through the monitors, she¡¯ll inform you immediately; the rest of us will stay away from Huanjing, to avoid entanglement with Gastella.]


    [Fan Quan: That¡¯s it. I have nothing else to say.]


    [Failed Man: Okay, you better get out of Huanjing fast. Gastella¡¯s parasites have probably spread throughout the entire city, her eyes are everywhere.]


    [Fan Quan: I know, just take care of yourself.]


    After sending that message, Blu Owl glanced around to make sure no one was following him or that there weren¡¯t one or two crows flying overhead, then turned and entered an alley.


    He activated the invisibility feature of his nocturnal belt and soon returned to the abandoned train station in the Old Jingmai District.


    Today, Ke Mingye, when playing Blu Owl, used his real body, not a Deception Puppet, so at present, there was no one waiting for him on the platform.


    Since his second brother and elder sister were almost certain of his identity, at this point in time, it was best to switch to his real body.


    Even if those Blood Clan Hunters were formidable, he was confident in Ke Xiaomo. Even if there was someone his second brother couldn¡¯t defeat, his second brother could carry him and easily escape. Never underestimate a ninja¡¯s evasion tactics.


    So, even if Ke Xiaomo tracked him to this train station, it was no big deal.


    Moreover, Ke Mingye had already warned Fan Quan and the others in advance.


    He had said not to leave any items or evidence related to the players at this train station, to avoid that sullen second brother coming over to search the place someday, and discovering any clues.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s spare cell phone, the Magic Girl Alliance ID card, and the like were tucked into the Magic Book of Xiaohongmao.


    Now, if they were still stored in the platform locker, that would be far too dangerous. The chance of discovery by his second brother was as high as ninety-nine percent.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m meeting Gastella tomorrow. I need to prepare tonight,¡± Ke Mingye thought while taking off the Blu Owl battle suit.


    He folded the suit neatly and stored it in the locker on the platform, closing the door with a ¡°clang¡±, then shifted and sat down on a public wooden bench next to the locker.


    Ke Mingye looked up at the sky and exhaled.


    He didn¡¯t know what he was clinging to. If it were a smart person, they would have thought about how to leave Huanjing the moment Gastella appeared, instead of thinking of ways to oppose her.


    Am I worried about Bai Ziling? he thought mockingly, or unwilling to have worked so hard on the disguise, for it all to be undone overnight?


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t dwell on his thoughts, but instead pulled out his phone from his pocket and, pretending to play with it, opened the backpack interface.


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 Chapter 274 - 182 Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 1)_3

    Chapter 274: Chapter 182 Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 1)_3


    He gently tapped on ¡°Detachable Giant Spider Legs¡± with his finger, and several options popped up.


    First, he opened the [Equipment Preview Screen] to confirm if the appearance and functionality of these two biomechanical spider legs were as he had imagined.


    In the preview screen, the scapula of an ordinary office worker suddenly cracked open, and two spider legs as thick as human limbs extended from the slits in the skin. They were 1.5 meters long and could even continue to grow.


    In the function demonstration, the two giant spider legs were planted on the ground, lifting the office worker¡¯s body into the air with a powerful force, enabling him to avoid a hail of bullets coming from below.


    Then another scene was demonstrated: the adult utilized the two giant spider legs to traverse the surface of a skyscraper. The spider legs were incredibly adhesive, sticking to the glass curtain wall without loosening. Thus, the office worker climbed from one corner of the high-rise to the rooftop, where the two spider legs latched onto the railing, lifting his body high to enjoy the sensation of being bathed in the sunset¡¯s afterglow.


    The final function demonstration scene was a combat scenario: the office worker stood in the middle of the street, cursing and rushing towards the superhero Qing Ya with his briefcase while two spider legs exploded from his scapulae, crisscrossing to strangle Qing Ya to death.


    ...


    ¡°Please¡­ is my old man that easy to kill? Can we change to another superhero model for the demonstration?¡±


    Ke Mingye watched disdainfully as Qing Ya knelt in the training screen, his lips twitching slightly as he couldn¡¯t help but criticize inwardly.


    However, after such a demonstration, he was pretty clear about the capabilities of the spider legs, which were not far off from what he had envisioned. They would be immensely helpful in enhancing both his combat abilities and mobility.


    After confirming all was correct, Ke Mingye clicked on the [Enhance] option, and a confirmation panel immediately flashed in front of him.


    [Your current balance is: 23,300 Mall Coins. Would you like to spend 20,000 Mall Coins to evolve ¡°Detachable Giant Spider Legs¡± into ¡°Mechanical Spider Legs¡± (B+ grade equipment)?]


    [Introduction: After the equipment enhancement, the number of spider legs will increase from 2 to 4. Their strength, agility, and toughness are all significantly improved, and they gain the ability to self-repair.]


    ¡°Confirm.¡±


    [Equipment upgrade successful. Please check your inventory.]


    [Your Mall Coin balance: 3,300 coins]


    ¡°So, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting blue owl test out this equipment, not with dad and my older brother later questioning the source of the gear,¡± Ke Mingye thought. ¡°So let¡¯s just let strange thing have some fun tonight and test out how strong this thing really is.¡±


    He took a deep breath, closed all the panels, and as he pocketed his phone, he got up from the public bench and walked towards the exit of the train station.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    Time slipped away like sand through the fingers, and soon Huanjing welcomed another bustling and lavish night.


    In the exhibition area of Huanjing Tower, Dice Monster shifted on the railing, pulling out the B+ grade [Mechanical Spider Legs] from his bag.


    The next moment, with the scapula glowing a grayish halo cracked open, and four gleaming, cold metallic mechanical spider legs violently sprang from four narrow slits, unfurling behind him like the claws of a specter, exuding a wildly ferocious aura.


    Dice Monster glanced back at the four mechanical legs behind him, then turned his head forward, lifting his hollow eyes to stare at the brightly lit city in the night wind, his mouth slowly curving into a sinister smirk.


    ¡°So let¡¯s see¡­ which unlucky soul will become my test subject.¡±


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 Chapter 275 - 183: Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 2)

    Chapter 275: Chapter 183: Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 2)


    ¡°Oh? Here it appears now,¡±


    The Dice Monster mumbled to itself while swinging its legs on the railing.


    With great interest, it widened its hollow eyes and gazed towards one of the offices in the ¡°KQA Overseas Trade Company¡± building.


    With the Dice Monster¡¯s powerful vision, it could clearly see that inside the office, an employee in a work uniform suddenly stood up from his computer, clutching his head and hysterically screaming at the ceiling.


    The other employees sitting nearby scattered, staring at him in terror.


    The next moment, the man¡¯s work uniform began to tear apart, and one by one, stark white bone-made spikes started to densely protrude from his body, making him look like a giant hedgehog.


    ...


    ¡°An office, huh? No wonder. Sigh, is this the trouble with being a corporate slave, who doesn¡¯t go mad working?¡±


    The Dice Monster didn¡¯t rush to take action and instead seemed to feel suddenly disheartened, sitting on the railing and silently observing for a moment.


    As a superhuman rampage accident occurred in the 23rd-floor office of the ¡°KQA Overseas Trade Company,¡± it seemed the police had been alerted, and the nearby Superhero Tower also quickly responded.


    ¡°Oh ho, so what¡¯s next¡­ It¡¯s the beloved time for superheroes~¡±


    Whistling a cheery tune, the Dice Monster turned its gaze toward the Superhero Tower, which towered like a giant in the center of the neon world.


    The glass curtain wall on the 22nd floor of the Superhero Tower suddenly opened up, and a superhero wearing a silver-white battle suit and a feathered mask grabbed another person in a red and blue battle suit and flew out of the Superhero Tower, speeding toward the trade company like a bolt of lightning beneath the night sky.


    Shortly after, a figure in a nun¡¯s habit raised her arms, enveloping herself and another figure, who had undergone mechanical modifications, in a layer of teal telekinesis, carrying him along as they followed the two superheroes ahead.


    ¡°I should get going now. By the time I arrive, they should be almost done fighting.¡±


    Thinking this, the Dice Monster leaned forward towards the bottom of Huanjing Tower and then gracefully shot out a strand of web toward the spire of a nearby clock tower as it began to fall.


    Humming a tune, it held onto the web with both hands and swung toward a nearby skyscraper.


    Amid the howling wind, just as it was about to collide with the fashion advertisement board on the surface of the high-rise, the four mechanical spider legs on its back suddenly reached forward, their tips grasping the surface of the advertisement like the claws of a three-fingered robot, steadying the Dice Monster¡¯s figure.


    Though it seemed as stable as an old dog, the Dice Monster¡¯s action still made a loud ¡°snap,¡± which overpowered the sounds of the loudspeakers and hawkers on the food street below.


    In the colorful and bustling Hongdeng Commercial District,


    Hearing such a loud noise, everybody lifted their heads, looking up at the grey humanoid figure sprawled on the advertisement board in an inelegant pose, and its protruding rear end.


    ¡°Cough, cough cough¡­¡±


    Feeling the gazes from behind, the Dice Monster coughed awkwardly, then using the spider legs attached to its scapulae, it slowly turned around in mid-air.


    With hands on hips and hollow eyes looking down, it addressed the crowd that was watching from the street below.


    ¡°Have you seen the fashion advertisement behind me? It¡¯s all nonsense; I hope everyone doesn¡¯t fall into such empty consumer traps. Clothes are not necessarily good because they¡¯re expensive, understand?¡±


    The Dice Monster shook its head and sighed, slowly speaking.


    ¡°So next up, Mr. Dice Monster¡¯s summer fashion advice: actually, anything is fine, but I hate red and blue outfits, especially the one worn by a certain owl, it¡¯s just nauseating.¡±


    Upon hearing this, even the bystanders below couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. Nowadays, everyone knew that the Dice Monster didn¡¯t actually harm innocent people.


    Even after capturing Commander Che Zhengchen, it released him without a scratch and even gave him some tips on choosing glasses, which was extremely odd.


    However, it was precisely because of such surprising and puzzling playful acts that many on the internet had become its fans.


    Their greatest pleasure every day was to sit in front of their computers or TVs, to see what kind of mischief the playful troublemaker would create tonight before going to bed.


    So now, seeing the Dice Monster in person, these people felt curiosity, not fear.


    ¡°Well, although Mr. Strange Thing would like to leave you with more fashion advice, I must go. Otherwise, mommy will spank me.¡±


    As it spoke, the four Mechanical Spider Legs behind the Dice Monster abruptly moved, climbing up the wall at high speed, and within seconds it had reached the top of the building.


    The Dice Monster casually waved at the onlookers gazing up at it while the Mechanical Legs pushed it further away, disappearing from their sight.


    In the whipping wind beneath the dark night sky, its face was caressed by the cold breezes, and the city lights grew more distant in its empty eyes. Then, leaping from the railing at the top of the skyscraper, it shot webs toward another building¡¯s wind barrier and swung towards the far end of the city.


    Its target was the ¡°KQA Overseas Trade Company,¡± which was currently engulfed in a fierce battle.


    ¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­


    On the other side, inside the ¡°KQA Overseas Trade Company,¡± on the 23rd-floor office.


    The four members of the Superhero Squad ¡°Bai Yi¡± received the superhuman crime alert and immediately rushed to the trade company¡¯s office.


    Platinum Wing arrived on the scene in less than half a minute, flapping his wings to dive down, breaking through the window, and amidst the tinkling scattering of glass, he released his tight hold on Blue Owl¡¯s shoulders.


    Thud!


    Blue Owl tumbled to the ground, rolling amidst the shards of glass, and sighed, looking up at Bai Yi with irritation. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Man, buddy, next time you let go, can you pick a better spot?¡±


    As he spoke, he looked down at his body. Fortunately, the material of his combat suit, although not great, was thick enough to prevent being cut or punctured by the glass shards.


    Bai Yi then folded his wings and landed, giving him an awkward smile, ¡°Sorry, my bad, my bad. Next time I¡¯ll make sure to warn you first.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, how come the nun is so slow?¡±


    Blue Owl brushed the glass fragments off his backside, asking him as he did so.


    ¡°She¡¯s skilled at telekinetic flight, but not at flying with someone else, especially since Vanguard is quite heavy,¡±


    Bai Yi explained.


    At this very moment, the employees in the office had all curled up in the corner, while the ¡°hedgehog man¡± covered in bone spikes was about to commit violence against them.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, because I¡¯m a superhuman, you discriminate against me¡­ target me everywhere.¡±


    The bone man said in a deep voice.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand how hard my life is, how many years I¡¯ve spent to get the government to recognize me as a harmless superhuman, but it¡¯s no use¡­ You still look at me with those eyes!¡±


    His face was obscured by layers of bone spikes, looking particularly ferocious. The employees were just screaming in fear. Nobody was paying attention to what he was saying.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Junmaro?¡± Blue Owl said.


    ¡°Oh, you like Naruto too?¡± Bai Yi asked.


    Amid their conversation, Blue Owl had already advanced, darting forward with a quick step to close the distance with the bone man.


    Just as the bone man was about to lift the bone blade on his right arm and behead a colleague, his figure suddenly disappeared from the spot, and in his place, Blue Owl appeared at that position.


    Phase Transfer.


    An incredibly versatile skill, useful for saving or harming others; the above was an example of its use to save someone.


    Of course, apart from saving people, Blue Owl had another purpose for switching places with the bone man.


    Bai Yi had anticipated this, and the instant the bone man appeared right in front, he spread his wings, launching a torrential downpour of sharp feathers from the massive bird wings.


    In the blink of an eye, each feather, like the edge of a knife, shot straight towards the bone man¡¯s body. The bone man suddenly raised his arms covered with bone blades, crossing them to protect his front.


    Yet, his figure was still pushed back several meters, smashing straight into the edge of an office desk and a desktop computer¡¯s tower.


    Some of the feathers pierced into his body, drawing blood; others were deflected by the solid bone blades, clanging loudly.


    The next moment, the bone man, with his arms crossed protectively in front of him, roared and charged forward, attempting to reach Bai Yi despite the onslaught of bird feathers and slash him in half.


    But just then, his body was suddenly shrouded in a deep, azure glow.


    The Telekinetic Nun had arrived.


    She stood amidst the shards of glass, expressionless, raising her right hand and applying a surging telekinetic force onto the bone man. His body, which had been lunging forward, instantly froze in place.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh¡ª!!!¡±


    The bone man grimaced and moaned, struggling desperately against the telekinetic constraints.


    To draw an analogy, it was as if giant walls were closing in on him from both sides, steadily squeezing his body.


    He was trapped between these two walls, barely able to breathe, as if he would be crushed the next moment.


    At that instant.


    In front of him, the freshly landed Mechanical Vanguard charged like a bull, transforming his right arm into a deep blue chainsaw, the chain whirring to life as it swung towards the bone man¡¯s left arm;


    Behind him, Blue Owl¡¯s right fist, wrapped in a metal glove, blazed with fiery flames. He stepped forward, punching with a fist engulfed in strong winds and raging flames towards the bone man¡¯s right arm.


    In the next instant, both of the bone man¡¯s arms were severed simultaneously, flying off into the sky. Under the pressure of the telekinetic force, he was powerless to resist and collapsed to the ground with a thud.


    He spat out a mouthful of blood and then passed out on the spot.


    Seeing this, Blue Owl breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and walked towards the edge of the office. He spoke to the people sitting on the ground, their faces contorted with fear,


    ¡°Hey, you all okay?¡±


    As he spoke, he paused briefly, then leaned down and added, ¡°What I really want to say is, workplace bullying is unacceptable. I hope you¡¯ll learn your lesson and treat your colleagues better in the future. Otherwise, today there¡¯s this bone man; tomorrow, who knows if a gloomy, obese otaku might come in with a kitchen knife and chop you up like pigs. Got it?¡±


    The employees fell silent, the look in Blue Owl¡¯s eyes behind his glasses wasn¡¯t friendly but more like a warning.


    No sooner had he finished speaking than a loud crash echoed from behind him.


    Bang!


    Blue Owl swiftly turned around, only to see a figure cloaked in a grey aura forcefully kick through the window, bringing a heavy rain of glass shards swirling into the room.


    Then, in mid-air, the four Mechanical Spider Legs attached to its back unfolded, wrapping around the bone man¡¯s neck and head.


    The next instant, all four Mechanical Spider Legs exerted force, and with a ¡°crack,¡± they twisted off the bone man¡¯s head.


    Blood sprayed like a fountain, and amidst Blue Owl¡¯s stunned gaze, it streamed from the severed neck of the bone man.


    It took a full two seconds for the bone man¡¯s head to finally drop to the ground, landing with a ¡°thud¡­¡± in a pool of blood.


    In the office, Bai Yi, the Nun, and Vanguard simultaneously froze, not immediately processing what had happened.


    The next moment, Dice Monster planted the tips of the Mechanical Spider Legs on the floor, carving four grooves into the silvery floor, while its body was held aloft.


    ¡°Oh, is this the thrill of racking up kills? Awesome.¡±


    As Dice Monster spoke, it slowly raised its head and gazed somberly at the members of the Bai Yi Squad.


    Licking the blood from the corner of its mouth, it mocked, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, comrades of the Bai Yi Squad. I helped you butcher a criminal, saving you the trouble of him escaping from prison so you won¡¯t have to send him back again. That would be stupid beyond measure¡­ wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


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 Chapter 276 - 184: Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Three)

    Chapter 276: Chapter 184: Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Three)


    KQA International Trade Company Building, 22nd floor, office.


    Shreds of paper and files danced in the air above the office, partitions between desks were completely shattered, and on the ground lay the carcasses of several desktop computers.


    Incandescent tubes in the ceiling dropped fragmented fireworks, while casting a ghastly white light downwards.


    The faces of the Bai Yi Squad members were inconsistent under the flickering lights, all showing shock and bewilderment.


    [Killed one E-class Superhuman; milestone recorded, total E-class Superhumans killed: 2.]


    Listening to the system prompt in his ear, Dice Monster slowly raised his head, curving his lips into a smile.


    ...


    The ends of his four mechanical legs, with ¡°click clack¡± sounds, propped on the broken partitions between desks, lifting his body high.


    Seeing this, Blue Owl, while retreating, said to the employees huddling behind him, ¡°Hurry and leave through that emergency passage over there; this guy is not on the same level as the skeleton creature from before.¡±


    Hearing this, the employees nodded, quickly bent down, and shuffled along the wall toward the office, then scrambled into the emergency passage beside the elevator.


    Without turning back, Dice Monster said, ¡°Well done. Getting the civilians out means they won¡¯t be involved in our fight, and the reputation of lord strange thing is saved.¡±


    Then, the office was shrouded in momentary silence until the Blue Owl behind Dice Monster spoke slowly, breaking the silence.


    ¡°You¡­ you killed him, why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Well, I am a villain, isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±


    Dice Monster spread his hands and said slowly.


    ¡°Oh, Dice Monster doesn¡¯t kill; Dice Monster never kills the innocent; Dice Monster just loves to cause trouble, but deep down, he¡¯s not bad. Look at this world, everywhere there are labels. Everyone likes to stick labels on others, yet few really take the time to understand a person with their own eyes.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He paused, his tone becoming stern, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m also a superhero. Following in the footsteps of my dad, I wanted to be that despised hero who thinks he¡¯s so cool. Even when others call me a terrifying vigilante, I see myself as a lone hero in the dark alleys. None of them understand me; I only do what I think is right, yet always leave those murderers a thread of life¡ªeven that ghostly guy who ate children alive.¡±


    He pressed his forehead and sighed deeply, ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s disgustingly stupid.¡±


    Lifting his head, he shrugged and continued, ¡°Not like me. I never let murderers off the hook; that fake sympathy is so disgusting. Bastards deserve to be eradicated, chopped up and fed to pigs.¡±


    Having said all this to himself, he genuinely puzzled the four superheroes of Bai Yi Squad.


    If they had to describe it, the villains they¡¯d encountered before were either bloodthirsty or insane, but they had never seen such a bizarre character.


    It sounded like he was ranting, yet his tone was especially calm, like an outsider sitting on a sofa eating popcorn while commenting on something.


    However, as soon as the words fell, Dice Monster took advantage of everyone¡¯s lack of reaction and pressed down his right hand hard, shooting out two strands of webbing from his right hand toward the Telekinesis Nun¡¯s right hand, sticking to her left and right hands respectively.


    Dice Monster knew very well that the nun could only release her superpowers when her hands were free, so he controlled her hands first.


    By doing so, he could prevent her telekinesis, avoiding being suppressed by her.


    For him, the Telekinesis Nun was without a doubt the greatest threat in the Bai Yi Squad: telekinesis, that indefinable thing, is virtually invincible among Superpower Users. If he didn¡¯t take her down swiftly, she would become a threat once she grew.


    Next, Dice Monster pulled with all his strength on the webbing, drawing the nun towards his body.


    Meanwhile, he also released a one-time Skill Card ¡°Poison Blood Spray¡± from his pack as a precaution.


    As expected, the Mechanical Pioneer immediately lifted his chainsaw next to the nun, the high-speed rotating chainsaw cutting through the webbing he shot out.


    But in the next instant, before the nun could even raise her right hand, she was hit by a stream of dark purple blood coming straight at her.


    In the last moment, she wrapped her abdomen with telekinesis, trying hard to counteract the impact of the blood, but her body was still sent flying dozens of meters.


    ¡°Nun!¡±


    Bai Yi growled, swiftly flapping his wings to her side, and with concern, picked her up from the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m poisoned¡­¡± The nun¡¯s forehead beaded with perspiration as she lifted her trembling right hand to her abdomen, rasping, ¡°But I can resist the poison with telekinesis. You guys finish the fight quickly, then take me back to the medical department of the Association Building.¡±


    ¡°Understood, then wait here for us for a bit.¡±


    Bai Yi said gravely, slowly turning his head to look at Dice Monster, ¡°Why¡­ why are you doing this, what exactly is your purpose?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking a wanted criminal, ¡®Why are you doing this¡¯?¡±


    Dice Monster shook his head and continued, ¡°It¡¯s utterly ridiculous. Birdman brother, don¡¯t you need an IQ test to be a superhero these days? Superhero Association sure is easygoing.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    In the midst of speaking, Mechanical Pioneer and Blue Owl had already flanked Dice Monster from both front and back.


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 Chapter 277 - 184: Bai Yi Squad vs Dice Monster (Part 3)_2

    Chapter 277: Chapter 184: Bai Yi Squad vs Dice Monster (Part 3)_2


    The mechanical pioneer¡¯s electric saw spat out scorching blue fireworks, with a fierce light flashing in his cybernetic eye;


    Blue owl¡¯s left fist blazed with roaring flames, a deep blue arc lightning passing by the corner of his eye.


    However, Dice Monster merely used its four Mechanical Spider Legs to push off the ground, and its figure burst into the air like a spring without leaving a trace, simultaneously evading the attacks of both, the electric saw and Flame Fist brushing past.


    The tips of the mechanical legs clung tightly to the ceiling, keeping it firmly upright.


    It stood upside down in the air, feet on the ceiling, just like that it raised a forefinger, mockingly looking down at everyone with its hollow eyes.


    ¡°So, next up is¡­ Dice time.¡±


    ...


    As the words fell, a red and black dice suddenly appeared in Dice Monster¡¯s hand, which it promptly threw onto the office floor without hesitation.


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Bai Yi shouted as he raised the right side of his wing, shooting out blade-like feathers at the parabolic path of the dice as it fell toward the floor.


    Blue owl had intended to smash the dice with his fist but, seeing this, he decisively dropped to the ground, narrowly avoiding calamity. The sharp feather rain brushed over his head, but it failed to shatter the red and black dice, not even causing a single crack on its surface. It remained unscathed.


    ¡°It¡¯s that hard?¡± Blue owl raised an eyebrow.


    The next moment, the dice knocked by the bird feathers flew towards the office¡¯s blackboard, rebounding towards the silvery floor with a ¡°clang¡± of metallic ringing.


    Ping¡­


    Pong¡­


    [D-level Skill ¡°Catastrophic Dice¡± has been released, and the six events drawn from the event library are as follows¡ª


    Number ¢Ù: Cause a minor earthquake inside the office;


    Number ¢Ú: A herd of fast-moving alpacas appears inside the office;


    Number ¢Û: In 10 seconds, the office floor will suddenly crack open;


    Number ¢Ü: In 5 seconds, a mild rain will start falling inside the office;


    Number ¢Ý: Perform an indiscriminate bullet barrage inside the office;


    Number ¢Þ: Cover the walls of the office with indecent photographs.]


    The red and black dice stopped on the office floor, revealing that the first roll resulted in ¡°¢Ý¡±;


    Then, after a brief pause, it unnaturally gained upward momentum once more, bounding upwards and landing instantly.


    The result of the second roll was ¡°¢Þ¡±.


    [Please choose between event ¢Ý and ¢Þ within three seconds. If no choice is made, the dice will automatically select one of the events to occur in reality.]


    Dice Monster, inverted on the ceiling, cocked its head and unhesitatingly picked a number.


    ¡°¢Ý.¡±


    [Event ¢Ý chosen: Perform an indiscriminate bullet barrage inside the office.]


    Immediately following, Dice Monster covered its body tightly with its four Mechanical Spider Legs, as if suddenly vanishing from the world, enclosed within this small, oval-shaped dark room.


    Blue owl, as if anticipating something, roared at Bai Yi and Mechanical Pioneer, ¡°Take cover!¡±


    With that, he suddenly lunged to the ground and rolled under a desk, even picking up a piece of steel plate from the ground to hold over his head.


    Bai Yi stared blankly at the red and black dice, not knowing what would happen next, but instinctively returned to the nun¡¯s side. He spread his enormous wings, draping them around his and the nun¡¯s bodies, not leaving a single gap exposed.


    Mechanical Pioneer activated its defense mode, with metallic pieces seeping out all over its skin. Quickly, these metal pieces armored him like a freshly minted robot.


    The next instant, a torrential barrage of bullets fell from above, engulfing every desk, every shadow, every computer in the office.


    ¡°Bang bang bang bang¡ª!!¡±


    It was as if thousands of Gatling guns were firing from the sky, sparing no one.


    Thanks to its Mechanical Spider Legs, Dice Monster was able to escape unscathed from the sudden onslaught;


    The desk above Blue owl became riddled with holes in an instant, but luckily he had a steel plate in his hand, relying on it and the desk¡¯s dual defense to barely fend off the barrage of bullets;


    Bai Yi hugged the nun tightly, his wings as firm as iron, completely shielding them from the falling bullets. Feathers crazily shed, scattering all over the floor like a heavy snowstorm;


    As for Mechanical Pioneer, there¡¯s no need to mention, the metallic plates covering his body deflected every bullet, sparkling with the electric saw as they fell to the ground, creating a jarring metallic symphony.


    The next moment, when Mechanical Pioneer lowered the arm covering his head, he looked up to discover a dense cluster of spiders descending along the walls from the ceiling.


    They emitted a dark green poisonous mist, looking like a fast-moving toxic fog!


    ¡°Hiss hiss hiss hiss¡ª!¡±


    The sibilant sound of spiders filled the office, grating on the ears.


    ¡°Spiders?¡±


    Bai Yi saw that the bullet barrage had ended, immediately spreading his wings to peer out through the gaps, only to see this scene.


    However, by then the spiders had almost reached him and the nun, and it was too late to react.


    ¡°Surprise.¡±


    Dice Monster revealed only its head from the enclosure of its mechanical legs, uttering eerily as it hung upside down in the air.


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 Chapter 278 - 184: Bai Yi Squad vs Dice Monster (Part 3)_3

    Chapter 278: Chapter 184: Bai Yi Squad vs Dice Monster (Part 3)_3


    These spiders were created by him using the recently acquired Huanjing No.14 instance card, whose effect was: to create 10 toxic spiders to attack a specific target.


    The target chosen by the Dice Monster was naturally the telekinetic nun lying on the floor of the office, barely clinging to life.


    But just as the toxic spiders were about to crawl onto Bai Yi¡¯s wings, the mechanical pioneer suddenly turned around, lifted his right arm, and his hand quickly transformed into a machine gun, firing bullets from his fingers as if they were gun barrels.


    The next moment, a barrage of bullets bearing ice-blue flames swept towards the spider swarm on the ground, instantly annihilating them.


    ¡°Hiss hiss hiss¡ª!¡±


    As the spiders died, their bodies withered instantly like plants, and the dark green toxic mist spreading from their bodies dissipated.


    ...


    ¡°Thanks, Pioneer,¡± Bai Yi said, letting out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± responded Pioneer calmly.


    ¡°What a disappointment, my little spiders,¡± Dice Monster sighed and shook its head.


    Not only its head but now its entire body emerged from the mechanical spider legs, like a butterfly breaking free from its chrysalis.


    ¡°Just used my teleportation superpower¡­ Can¡¯t use it again in a short time. Damn, should have saved it instead of wasting it on that skeleton. No need for that,¡± Blue Owl muttered as he dashed out from under the table and immediately slid toward the ground right underneath the Dice Monster, closing in on an office desk.


    His hands, which had been accumulating ¡°solar charging,¡± were almost entirely depleted after the two ¡°solar energy punches¡± he had used just moments ago.


    Nevertheless, he stepped on an office desk in front of him and, like a leaping antelope, soared toward the Dice Monster clinging to the ceiling.


    Then, raising his left fist still retaining traces of flames, he smashed it fiercely towards the Dice Monster¡¯s head!


    ¡°You¡­are pathetically weak, you know?¡±


    As he spoke, the Dice Monster could not even bother to look at him, four thick and powerful mechanical legs crossed over rapidly above its head, easily blocking the punch thrown by Blue Owl.


    Then it casually flicked one of its spider legs at Blue Owl, flinging him several meters away.


    Blue Owl grunted as he hit the wall of the office, creating a dent, with debris flying around, his body lodged in it, unable to move.


    Meanwhile, the mechanical pioneer was about to raise his wrist machine gun to aim at the ceiling, planning to shoot down the Dice Monster from mid-air.


    But before the deep blue fire bullets could burst from the barrel, the Dice Monster, as if expecting this, lowered its right hand and shot web at the gun muzzle on his finger.


    In the blink of an eye, the flexible web shot out from the web shooter, swiftly passed through half the office, and stuck to the mechanical pioneer¡¯s gun muzzle.


    The next moment, the bullets exploded out, but upon encountering the web at the exit, the gun burst.


    ¡°Boom¡ª!!!¡±


    In the explosion¡¯s loud noise, the mechanical pioneer¡¯s right arm blew up completely!


    He let out a terrible scream, twisted in pain as he clutched his severed mechanical right arm, falling to the ground. Exposed wires from the break danced wildly, sparking with electricity.


    ¡°This is what you call reaping what you sow, murderer¡­ there¡¯s always a day of reckoning,¡± said the Dice Monster mockingly. Then it turned its head to look at Blue Owl embedded in the wall, ¡°Next, it¡¯s your turn, Comrade Owl. I hear you¡¯re not willing to be my friend. Regretting it now?¡±


    No sooner had the words ended than it suddenly lowered its right hand towards Blue Owl¡¯s chest, shot web silk with the intention to pull his body towards itself and twist his head off with the mechanical spider legs.


    Yet, Blue Owl was not about to sit still and wait for death.


    He violently pulled his arms in, and his body rapidly fell out of the dent in the wall, landing on the ground, thereby narrowly avoiding the oncoming web.


    ¡°Then I must declare, I¡¯ve never once regretted rejecting a friendship with a bastard like you. Not now¡­ and never will in the future,¡± he stated.


    As he spoke, he knelt on one knee, releasing his B-grade Skill¡ª¡±Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill,¡± and started to slowly rotate his arms, one revolution per second.


    [Rotary Arm Count Accumulated: 1 revolution.] sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re spinning round now?¡± Dice Monster raised an eyebrow, ¡°It looks utterly foolish. Are you practising a broadcast-calisthenics routine? To take time out of your busy afterlife to make me laugh, you really¡­ outdid yourself.¡±


    In the next instant, Blue Owl repeated his trick, rotating his arms while jumping off the office desk toward the Dice Monster.


    At the same time, his ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡± reached its outcome in that instant.


    [Rotary Arm Count Accumulated: 3 revolutions; the current power amassed on the arms amounts to 2.5 times the original strength.]


    [B-grade Skill ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡± Effect Two Triggered: Release all the power accumulated from spinning in one go to launch an unpredictable Fist-Guessing attack (randomly selecting one out of ¡°Rock,¡± ¡°Paper,¡± ¡°Scissors¡±), with three different Skill effects depending on the outcome.]


    [Result of Fist-Guessing: ¡°Paper¡±; Skill effect as follows: When using paper, unleash a beam of energy (The power and range of the energy beam depend on the strength of your arms; the stronger the arms, the more powerful the beam and the farther it shoots).]


    ¡°Paper!¡±


    Blue Owl¡¯s gaze turned icy as he uttered a low shout, his hand clad in a metal glove spread wide into a palm, aimed straight at the Dice Monster¡¯s head.


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 Chapter 279 - 184: Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 3)_4

    Chapter 279: Chapter 184: Bai Yi Squad VS Dice Monster (Part 3)_4


    In an instant, Blue Owl¡¯s palm was enveloped in a dazzling light akin to an aurora. In the office, scraps of paper and broken parts began to float slowly, and the incandescent light flickered under the potent force field.


    The next moment, a golden-yellow energy beam as brilliant as a furnace shot out from his palm, lunging at the Dice Monster¡¯s head like a ferocious beast on the prowl!


    ¡°A superpower that must be activated by rotating the arm is simply stupid to the extreme, but I must admit it suits you quite well, Comrade Blue Owl.¡±


    The Dice Monster spoke, seemingly all too familiar with Blue Owl¡¯s moves, merely tilting its head in advance and effortlessly dodging the energy beam that Blue Owl had fired.


    The beam, no thicker than a fist, shot past its ear and struck the wall, leaving an exceedingly deep gash as charred cracks spread out.


    At that moment, Bai Yi once again spread his wings, shooting thousands of feather blades at the Dice Monster.


    ... S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the Dice Monster merely had to cross its four Mechanical Spider Legs in front of itself to block and deflect all of the feather blades. Following this, it kicked against the ceiling and did a flip in mid-air to land on the floor.


    ¡°I had a lot of fun, farewell, everyone.¡±


    Within the disorderly office, the Dice Monster casually spoke while stepping back, steadily nearing the gaping hole in the floor.


    With its arms raised in surrender and a mocking smile playing on its lips, behind it stood the brightly lit viaducts and a densely packed skyline of high-rise buildings.


    The next second, it stepped onto the edge of the office, plummeting completely through the large breach and falling into the neon haze of the city.


    ¡°Wait¡ª!¡±


    Bai Yi, wings aflutter, burst forth from the office, passing through the cracked wall, looked up and around, but the Dice Monster¡¯s figure had already vanished into the night. It seemed to disappear in an instant.


    All that met his gaze was the bustling metropolis still in operation, its illusory neon lights illuminating every corner of the city like a mirage.


    The harsh night wind whipped at Bai Yi¡¯s cheeks as if mocking his helplessness. He stared at the towering buildings, swallowing hard, his fist clenched, and his teeth gritted in a low growl: ¡°Damn it!¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey¡­ the nun¡¯s been poisoned, and you¡¯re the only one who can fly here. Stop looking around, and hurry up and get her back to the Superhero Association or she¡¯s going to die.¡±


    Blue Owl, clutching his injured chest, called out to Bai Yi, who lingered in mid-air outside the office.


    ¡°I¡¯m on it, sorry!¡±


    At this reminder, Bai Yi re-entered the office, retracting his wings, and strode quickly toward the nun who was barely clinging to life, cradling her in his arms.


    ¡°Pioneer, are you okay?¡± He glanced over at Pioneer before taking off.


    Mechanical Pioneer lay sprawled on the floor in an ¡°X¡± shape, his metal-covered body sparking with electricity as if short-circuited, staring motionlessly at the ceiling with eyes wide open. Beside him on the floor was his severed right arm amidst a scattering of fragments.


    Bai Yi paused for half a second, then bit his lip hard, nearly drawing blood.


    ¡°Damn it¡ª¡ª!!!¡±


    He yelled hysterically, his voice of discontent echoing through the messy office.


    ¡°Don¡¯t dawdle; Pioneer will be fine. Cyborgs typically have robust lives. As long as the brain is intact, they should be able to be saved.¡±


    With that, Blue Owl groaned while clutching his chest, then continued: ¡°Support from the Association is already on the way¡­ Someone else will take Pioneer back to the Association Building. Take care of the nun; she truly won¡¯t make it if you delay any longer.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Bai Yi hung his head and hesitated for two seconds before speaking deeply, ¡°I will come back for you. I don¡¯t know if the Dice Monster is still nearby; be careful.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­ I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Blue Owl nodded, speaking hoarsely.


    ¡°I promise¡­ this won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Bai Yi said solemnly, his face twitching slightly.


    After speaking, he held the nun, heading toward the window breach and suddenly unfurled his huge wings. In the roaring wind, he shot into the night sky like a cannonball and vanished amidst the clouds in a moment.


    ¡°So tiring¡­¡±


    Watching him go, Blue Owl caught his breath, lying sprawled on the floor and murmuring as he stared blankly at the ceiling.


    He slowly closed his eyes.


    ¡°Have a good rest¡­¡±


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 Chapter 280 - 185: Deadly Meeting with Gastella (Part 1)

    Chapter 280: Chapter 185: Deadly Meeting with Gastella (Part 1)


    July 10, nine o¡¯clock at night.


    Street No. 7 in the Old Jingmai District was deserted, pitch-black with not a soul in sight.


    Nevertheless, the Blue Owl moved stealthily along the shadows at the street corners, quietly looking around to make sure no one was there before leaning against his chest and taking slow steps into the abandoned train station.


    Since he was the actual entity playing Blue Owl today, the self-inflicted wound on his chest had not yet fully healed; a fierce battle at KQA Trading Company earlier had only worsened the injury.


    Luckily, he retrieved a ¡°Rebirth Medical Bottle¡± from his bag to somewhat alleviate the injury, preventing further deterioration.


    Of course, this did not fully heal the wound, but kept the injury to a bearable level so his family wouldn¡¯t suddenly find the wound healed upon a surprise check.


    ...


    Mingye thought over explaining to his family, ¡°My self-healing ability is just that awesome, I sleep and wake up all better¡±¡ªbut that wouldn¡¯t explain why, after a fight with the mechanical transformer Lester, his leg limped for a good four to five days; his second brother and father weren¡¯t that slow to notice.


    As he thought, he walked into the interior of the train station; the platform was deserted, the floor bathed in moonlight that flowed like water. He followed the flickering moonlight, walking as if on a shimmering lake surface, soon arriving at Platform No. 7.


    It should have been a time when he could finally catch a breath, but the Blue Owl paused slightly, lifting his head adorned with a beaked helmet, peering through the lens at the figure ahead.


    On the public wooden bench on the platform sat a silhouette with its back against the chair, gazing downwards, quietly flipping through an aged yellow book by the moonlight.


    After a brief silence, the person seated at the wooden bench spoke first.


    ¡°I saw it on the news just now, you and those other superheroes encountered the Dice Monster during a mission. Did your teammate get severely injured?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I was lucky, it didn¡¯t really target me¡­¡±


    Mingye hesitated for half a second, removing his beaked helmet as he responded.


    ¡°Why would it target you?¡± Ke Xiaomo was silent for two seconds before continuing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it just inexplicably latched onto me. From what I understand, it seems that this city¡¯s superheroes and vigilant citizens have been harassed by it to various extents, like Black Wukong, Magic Girl Ash, and¡­ Qing Ya.¡±


    When he reached the last name, Mingye lowered his voice slightly.


    ¡°What¡¯s so great about Qing Ya that keeps you so fixated on him?¡± Ke Xiaomo asked slowly.


    ¡°He¡¯s a hero who shuns the limelight, silently protecting this city despite the slanders¡­ and besides, he saved our eldest brother.¡±


    After speaking, Mingye opened the old storage locker at desk No. 7; the door made a resonating clang that echoed loudly on the silent platform, like a droplet falling into a still lake.


    ¡°He saved our eldest brother?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo pretended to ask, unclear how Mingye came to know this.


    ¡°Mom and Dad were talking about it at the dinner table, I overheard them,¡± Mingye said, ¡°You and our eldest brother are so close, he must have mentioned it to you¡­ It was back when he was still in middle school, a fugitive had taken a whole classroom of students hostage, threatening the police to evacuate the school.¡±


    He paused, his eyes downcast, the light in his eyes subtly shifting, ¡°At that time, our big brother had a gun pointed at his head by a criminal, and it was Qing Ya who swooped down from the skies to save him. If not for Qing Ya, we might only be visiting our brother¡¯s grave at the cemetery every year.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo remained silent, just closing the ancient book, taking a shallow breath.


    He truly didn¡¯t know what Ke Yinzhi would think if he told him about this.


    How should he put it: his darling younger brother Mingye had unwittingly awakened his superpowers, accidentally becoming a superhero, and furthermore, his motive to become one stemmed from Qing Ya saving Ke Yinzhi years ago, hence harboring an admiration for Qing Ya and wishing to emulate him to gain fame and clear his name in Huanjing.


    After hearing this, Ke Yinzhi would probably first ask, ¡°Are you joking?¡± and then, most likely after Ke Xiaomo explained, he might just laugh in disbelief¡­


    He could never have imagined that his random hostage experience would trigger such a chain reaction, marking the beginning of his little brother¡¯s path as a superhero.


    It was utterly ludicrous.


    Mingye remained silent as well.


    He removed the slightly torn red and blue battle suit in front of the locker, leaving only his underwear, the injury on his chest clearly visible: although bandaged, the edges of the bandage faintly revealed swollen, bruising contours.


    Ke Xiaomo glimpsed this scene from the corner of his eye, his face twitching slightly, violence flashing through his lowered eyes.


    Mingye folded the Blue Owl battle suit and placed it into locker No. 6.


    Gazing at the damaged parts of the battle suit, he thought of having the Superhero Association¡¯s technical staff repair it in a couple of days and possibly seeing if Commander Che could use his connections to modify his battle suit.


    ¡°So, big brother, when did you discover my secret base?¡±


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 Chapter 281 - 185: Deadly Meeting with Gastella (Part 2)

    Chapter 281: Chapter 185: Deadly Meeting with Gastella (Part 2)


    Ke Mingye pulled out a T-shirt and shorts from the storage locker while asking.


    ¡°At noon, I happened to see you entering that train station,¡± Ke Xiaomo answered.


    ¡°Damn, I thought I was hidden well enough. You bumping into me probably means I wasn¡¯t careful enough.¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye put on the clothes he had just taken out and then sighed slightly, ¡°Honestly, Second Brother, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re suitable to be a Taoist anymore.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Suddenly I feel that you¡¯re more suited to be a private detective; not doing it is a waste of talent,¡± Ke Mingye mocked.


    ...


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for a moment, didn¡¯t pick up the topic, and simply asked, ¡°Your chest wound, it¡¯s not a big problem, is it?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯ll heal in a couple of days. I am a Superpower User after all; you should see how tough I am.¡±


    ¡°How did you join the Superhero Association?¡±


    ¡°Bai Yi. That superhero said his Commander was very impressed with me and then he gave me a business card,¡± said Ke Mingye, ¡°I called the number on that card and said I wanted to keep my identity hidden within the association. The Commander agreed, and then I met him at a scheduled time and got the association¡¯s ID card from him.¡±


    While talking, he took out the Superhero Association¡¯s ID card from the pocket of the Blue Owl Battle Suit, showed the front of the ID card to Ke Xiaomo, and closed the storage locker.


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo stared at the ID card, frowning slightly and said decisively, ¡°The Commander of the Superhero Association, how could he officially register someone without a publicly disclosed identity as a superhero?¡±


    Ke Mingye was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°His son is the Gray Dove. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying now?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo was taken aback, then quickly grasped the implication behind Ke Mingye¡¯s words.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± he murmured softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m going home to rest. Second Brother, you shouldn¡¯t just sit here either; you¡¯re not planning on secretly taking my battle suit to burn it, are you? Just to be clear, if my battle suit goes missing, I¡¯m coming to you first tomorrow.¡±


    While saying this, Ke Mingye turned around and stepped towards the stairs at the exit of the platform, his figure gradually swallowed by the darkness.


    Before returning to the train station, he summoned another Deception Puppet, transforming it into a Magic Girl, and then slipped the spare mobile phone into Xiaohongmao¡¯s Magic Book.


    So there was no need to worry about Second Brother finding the phone in the storage locker; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t dare to just leave the train station like this.


    ¡°Che Zhengchen probably has been blowing up my phone by now; he never would have thought that I would just leave without saying a word,¡± Ke Mingye thought silently as he walked on the moonlit road home.


    After a brief walk, he arrived in front of the duplex apartment building, ascended to the 12th floor in the elevator, and saw Bai Wenna standing at the entrance of the corridor, brandishing a feather duster menacingly.


    Ke Mingye clicked his tongue, stepping out of the elevator, trembling slightly.


    She asked, ¡°You know to disappear without a message all day now?¡±


    Ke Mingye said, ¡°Second Brother took me out on a crazy adventure; don¡¯t believe me? Ask him.¡±


    Bai Wenna smacked his head hard with the feather duster, ¡°Alright, kid, I¡¯ll let you off for now, but when your Second Brother comes back, we¡¯re settling this together.¡±


    Ke Mingye nodded, scratched his hair, and hurried past Bai Wenna, taking off his shoes to enter the living room.


    Sitting on the sofa, Bai Zini asked, ¡°Big brother, why have you been getting home so late recently?¡±


    Bai Ziling, sitting on one side, said, ¡°Exactly.¡± Handing him a bottle of Wong Lo Kat from the table, she added, ¡°This is all that¡¯s left.¡±


    Ke Mingye took the bottle of Wong Lo Kat, twisted off the cap, and gulped down a big drink, ¡°Thanks.¡± After speaking, he casually ruffled Bai Ziling¡¯s white hair.


    Bai Zini narrowed her eyes, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that even dogs wouldn¡¯t drink Wong Lo Kat?¡±


    ¡°Brother is a dog,¡± Bai Ziling said matter-of-factly.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m a dog, I¡¯m a dog.¡±


    Ke Mingye said without expression, stepped up to the second floor, returned to his own room, locked the door, and laid down in bed.


    ¡°Truly fucking exhausting.¡±


    As soon as he lay down on his bed, he could hear his mother below scolding Ke Xiaomo, ¡°Now you know to take your brother out gallivanting until this late?¡±


    ¡°Great job, Mom, actually managing to distract Second Brother for me; now I don¡¯t have to worry about him spying on me.¡±


    Ke Mingye took the opportunity to pull out the Magic Girl Transformation Card, transformed into Xiaohongmao, then extracted the spare mobile phone from the Magic Book, and quickly returned to his original form.


    No sooner had Ke Mingye grasped the spare mobile phone in his hand than he heard an angry shout from downstairs: ¡°Mingye, you come down here too.¡±


    Ke Mingye rolled his eyes, decided to ignore it completely, and put on ear muffs; after all, the room door was locked, and unless his mother was so angry that she used the spare key, there was nothing she could do about him.


    He propped his right arm under his head, unlocked the phone screen, and glanced at the apps on the homepage.


    A few days before, Ke Mingye had casually asked Cai Bing, ¡°Can you help me create an app that allows for risk-free email sending without worrying about personal information and sending address being traced?¡±


    Turns out, Cai Bing had actually taken the time to create such an app in the past couple of days and had sent it to his spare phone just a few seconds ago.


    Instead of saying sent, it was more like ¡°stuffed,¡± because the hacker girl apparently found it too troublesome, so after creating the software, she directly hacked into his spare phone and downloaded the app straight to the homepage.


    Strangely enough, when Ke Mingye unlocked his phone¡¯s homepage, he saw an unfamiliar app nowhere to be found.


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 Chapter 282 - 185: Deadly Meeting with Gastella (Part 3)

    Chapter 282: Chapter 185: Deadly Meeting with Gastella (Part 3)


    The app¡¯s icon was ¡°Australian Casino Beauty Dealing Cards,¡± it was so conspicuous that for a moment, I thought my phone might have been infected with a virus, or that I had accidentally clicked on an ad while browsing the dark web, automatically downloading such a money-draining thing.


    However, when Ke Mingye saw the app¡¯s name displaying ¡°Spider Man¡¯s Exclusive Flirting Software,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but freeze for two or three seconds, then he barely reacted: it turned out this thing was the software the hacker girl made for him.


    Consequently, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and he opened the chat panel with a look of dissatisfaction.


    [Failed Man: Can you get any more awesome, Hacker Girl?]


    [Cai Bing: Customer service sis at work, do not disturb.]


    Ke Mingye shrugged his shoulders, closed the chat panel, and started messing with the APP: he used the APP to send himself two or three emails, then tested it with some box-opening software that was circulating on the dark web, and soon confirmed that the APP was indeed useful, the box-opening software online couldn¡¯t track the address and source of the emails at all.


    ...


    So, feeling secretly pleased, he thought that since there was no fear of the address getting traced, he could use this APP to send messages to his second brother and elder sister in the future, also sparing them the hassle of specifically throwing dice to meet up on the bridge or beach, which was not too friendly for him as a homebody.


    The key was that playing the role of the strange thing was also very taxing on the brain, and a single slip could cause a character collapse.


    A moment later.


    Ke Mingye sent an email to Ke Xiaomo¡¯s QQ mailbox using the ¡°Spider Man Flirting Exclusive APP,¡± signing it ¡°Your Good Neighbor¡ªMr. Strange Thing.¡±


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Do you have time tomorrow, Mr. Ninja?]


    [Xiao Mo: What¡¯s the deal with you following my brother?]


    [Xiao Mo: I saw the news, you attacked the superhero squad called ¡°Platinum Wings,¡± seriously injuring two superheroes.]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: At least I didn¡¯t seriously injure your brother and his Captain Bai Yi, now did I?]


    [Xiao Mo: Why would you do this?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Because doing so makes me happy. Do I need any other reason? So let¡¯s talk about tomorrow¡¯s matter, shall we? The player named ¡°Gastella,¡± who¡¯s the culprit spreading the parasite, will meet with another player in a private caf¨¦ in the morning. If you¡¯re interested, why not come and check it out?]


    To avoid arousing his elder brother¡¯s suspicions, Ke Mingye arranged to meet Gastella at the caf¨¦ on Hong Ge Food Street, rather than the previous open-air caf¨¦.


    [Xiao Mo: The address?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Hong Ge Food Street. There¡¯s only one caf¨¦ on that street; with your ability, just look around and you¡¯ll easily find it.]


    [Xiao Mo: Will you be there?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: It depends, oh. I¡¯ve done my part by helping you find that player. If you expect me to help you catch him too, that would be too lame. By the way, the player might bring someone from the Hunter organization of the Blood Clan, so you¡¯d better be careful, Mr. Ninja; they¡¯re not easy to mess with.]


    After sending this email, Ke Mingye decisively turned off his spare phone and stuffed it into the pocket of his shorts.


    ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯m going to find out Gastella¡¯s location.¡±


    ¡°Even if she uses a puppet to show up for the appointment, as long as she brings a Hunter from the Blood Clan, I can use the Anchor Sunglasses to lock onto their position, then follow the vine to find her real body.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself as he slowly closed his eyes.


    As he was getting sleepy, he suddenly heard a ¡°click¡± sound. When he opened his eyes and turned his head, he saw Bai Wenna opening the door with the spare key, forcibly dragging him out of bed, and pulling him out to stand in the corridor alongside his second brother, getting a lecture.


    When their mom left, Ke Mingye, leaning against the wall, deeply reflected.


    ¡°What on earth did I do in my last life?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo, with her arms crossed, let out a soft sigh.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one saying that?¡±


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 Chapter 283 - 186: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 2)

    Chapter 283: Chapter 186: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 2)


    Ke Xiaomo and Ke Mingye stood silently against the wall, not speaking.


    Their phones and books had been confiscated, so they had no choice but to stare blankly at the stairway entrance, reverting to primitive lifestyles.


    Soon, as the sound of the door opening came from downstairs, Bai Wenna¡¯s scolding sounded again in the living room.


    ¡°As the eldest brother, you didn¡¯t teach your younger siblings anything good, coming back so late?!¡±


    Ke Yinzhi seemed to start explaining something, but still lost to his mother¡¯s overbearing presence and obediently went upstairs after a short while.


    He looked up, surprised, and glanced at the two being punished. First, he paused, then shook his head with a light laugh, and finally, under the sympathetic gazes of Ke Mingye and Ke Xiaomo, silently joined the punishment line.


    ...


    In fact, compared to Ke Xiaomo and Ke Mingye, Ke Yinzhi was slightly better off; at least his phone hadn¡¯t been confiscated.


    ¡°We truly are brothers in distress¡­¡±


    As Ke Yinzhi said this, he yawned, casually took out his phone from the pocket of his black coat, and asked nonchalantly, ¡°So¡­ what kind of major violation did you two commit this time? Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Ask second brother.¡± Ke Mingye directly passed the buck.


    ¡°We went out for a night run.¡± Ke Xiaomo answered.


    ¡°You ran until this late?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi looked down, fiddling with his phone, and asked casually.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Hearing Ke Xiaomo¡¯s response, Ke Mingye slightly raised his eyebrows, thinking, so second brother didn¡¯t tell big brother about him being a superhero.


    That wasn¡¯t really scientific, was it?


    The relationship between the big brother and second brother could be described as conjoined twins; how could they not inform each other about such crucial matters?


    He had been prepared to be dragged into a meeting by big brother as well, and he couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback at this moment.


    Ke Mingye silently sighed, often reflecting on the fetal status of the two punished middle schoolers beside him.


    Who would have thought that the three eldest brothers of Bai Ke¡¯s home, the pillars: Black Judge, Sect Master of the Shadow Heir Ninja Sect, Superhero Blue Owl, were now standing stupidly against the wall under the corridor¡¯s pumpkin lamp.


    Just like middle school students who were late to class and got kicked out by the homeroom teacher.


    They could faintly hear the dialogues from a movie coming from the living room downstairs; it was Bai Ziling and Bai Zini revisiting the ¡°Harry Potter¡± series again.


    In fact, Bai Ziling wasn¡¯t very interested in these kinds of movies.


    When she watched many bizarre fantasy films, she always saw plots like ¡°vampires harming humanity, acting wickedly, and then being rushed by the protagonist group and killed with a slash, emitting an unpleasant scream before their spirit dispersed,¡± similar to ¡°Blade,¡± ¡°Van Helsing,¡± and ¡°Bloodrayne.¡±


    When she was younger, while her siblings gathered on the sofa to watch these movies, she always felt uneasy, drooping her head, burying her eyes under her snowy white bangs.


    At those times, she would move her spot closer to Ke Mingye, gently grab his sleeve, and curl up on the sofa like a kitten, hiding behind him.


    At that time, Ke Mingye thought Bai Ziling was scared of the vampires in the movies, so when choosing films, he automatically filtered out those containing vampires and demonic elements.


    It was only now that Ke Mingye realized Bai Ziling wasn¡¯t scared of the vampires, given she could watch horror movies alone at night eagerly; the fantasy vampires were not scary to her, but she was actually afraid of the scene where vampires got their heads chopped off in the movies.


    Although there were vampires in the ¡°Harry Potter¡± universe, they were unrelated to the main storyline, so she wasn¡¯t very interested but would still occasionally revisit the movie with Bai Zini as it was a summer vacation staple.


    Ke Mingye looked up at the ceiling, his thoughts wandering, with a dull pain in his chest.


    During this time, Ke Xiaomo seemed to want to say something repeatedly, but he always just opened his mouth and then shoved his words back down his throat, silently shifting his gaze away.


    After a moment, Bai Wenna came out from the bedroom and said, ¡°Are you coming back this late again next time?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi quickly raised his head; while stowing away his phone back into his coat pocket, he raised his free left hand like a schoolkid and said indifferently, ¡°I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°Be more serious.¡± Bai Wenna crossed her arms, frowning at him.


    ¡°Mom, we¡¯re all college students now; can¡¯t you let us have a bit more freedom?¡±


    As Ke Yinzhi said this, he shrugged his shoulders, making a suggestion: ¡°I think just punishing Mingye would suffice. After all, he is a high school student and needs to maintain a proper schedule. Xiaomo and I might as well head back to our rooms to rest, right?¡±


    ¡°Dude, are you even human?¡±


    Ke Mingye was shocked, thinking there were indeed brothers who would betray their siblings, thus promptly ratting out his big brother: ¡°Mom, you absolutely can¡¯t let him off the hook. A crooked beam leads to crooked corners! And big brother hasn¡¯t had his phone confiscated yet; it¡¯s still in his pocket, can we treat everyone equally and fairly?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo shook his head, chuckling softly. He recalled how they often had similar incidents in their childhood; whenever it came to this juncture, the three brothers would blame each other.


    ¡°Shut up, do you think your mother doesn¡¯t understand these things?¡± Bai Wenna asked coldly.


    Since the objective had been achieved, Ke Mingye obediently closed his mouth.


    Bai Wenna glanced at Ke Mingye and then turned to Ke Yinzhi: ¡°You never act like an older brother, always so careless. I really don¡¯t know whose temperament you¡¯ve inherited¡­¡±


    As she spoke, their mother took out the phone from his coat pocket, confiscated it, and then turned her gaze toward Ke Xiaomo and Ke Mingye.


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 Chapter 284 - 186: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 2) _2

    Chapter 284: Chapter 186: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 2) _2


    Ke Xiaomo said, ¡°It won¡¯t happen again, Mom.¡±


    Ke Mingye said, ¡°If Second Brother has nothing to say, Mom, then please let us go.¡±


    Bai Wenna asked, ¡°Second Brother has nothing to say, but what about you?¡±


    ¡°Second Brother took me out to play; I was forced to, okay?¡± Ke Mingye sighed, ¡°So if he¡¯s reflecting on it, that should be enough. What am I reflecting on, Mom? This is a bit unreasonable.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo didn¡¯t try to argue; he simply shook his head and sighed, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and staying silent.


    He knew Ke Mingye was injured, so he didn¡¯t want to make it hard on him. If he could take the blame for him, then just taking it would be better than letting him get a lecture in the corridor.


    ...


    ¡°Seems like you haven¡¯t reflected enough; stand some more,¡± Bai Wenna said and went downstairs with the feather duster, leaving them. Soon after, the pleas of Bai Zini and Bai Ziling could be heard as they bounced up the stairs like rabbits.


    At that moment, a soft sigh from Bai Qiuwu came from the next room. She had tutoring classes tomorrow, and the noise was keeping her from getting any sleep.


    Immediately after, Ke Yongzhu¡¯s complaints came from another room: ¡°So noisy¡­¡±


    He had been going to bed early these past few days, hardly leaving his room, either staying in to play on his phone or going out for a walk alone. Unless Bai Zini and Bai Ziling dragged him out to play, he was rarely seen around the house.


    When Ke Mingye saw Bai Ziling going upstairs, he hurriedly used lip-reading to silently say to her, ¡°Help us out, little sister number one.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help.¡±


    Bai Ziling whispered, very seriously shaking her head with her snow-white hair swishing, then, with an expressionless face, swept past them and walked into her own room.


    She closed the door, locked it, making it clear she was cutting ties to avoid her mother¡¯s wrath. Hearing the ¡°click¡± of the lock, the three eldest brothers all felt a chill.


    Ke Yinzhi yawned, smiled slightly and said sarcastically, ¡°Looks like¡­ even your little sister isn¡¯t willing to save you guys. You two brothers are quite a letdown, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo retorted, ¡°Are you sure it isn¡¯t you, the eldest brother, who¡¯s a letdown?¡±


    Ke Mingye said, ¡°I think you all are quite a letdown. If it were just me standing here, Zi Ling would have already pleaded with Mom on my behalf. She clearly doesn¡¯t want to bother with you guys.¡±


    After saying that, he quickly pinned his hopes on the second figure to come upstairs, joining his hands as if praying, ¡°Help us out, little sister number two!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Bai Zini glanced up from her phone to look at the punishment stance of the three, first stunned, then unable to suppress her laughter while clutching her stomach, and finally, a schadenfreude expression appeared on her face.


    After coughing twice, she said, ¡°Wow¡­ isn¡¯t this our eldest and older and not-as-old brothers? You¡¯re pretty interesting, correcting your posture in the middle of the night. Are you practicing for military training at the university?¡±


    Honestly, Ke Mingye also wanted to bring in the Dice Monster at this moment and sarcastically say to Ke Xiaomo and Ke Yinzhi who were standing punished.


    ¡°Wow, isn¡¯t this our Ninja Sect Master and Black Judge? Why do you look so drained, standing against the wall in the middle of the night? You weren¡¯t like this when you were recklessly killing out there.¡±


    However, he himself was also part of the line-up being punished, which annoyed the hell out of him.


    ¡°So are you going to help or not?¡± Ke Mingye squinted and asked.


    ¡°Xiao Ni, please plead with Mom for us,¡± Ke Xiaomo said with a sigh, arms crossed. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°If it¡¯s too difficult for you, then just plead for me, your eldest brother. You can ignore these two beside me,¡± Ke Yinzhi said with a smile.


    ¡°That will depend on your attitude. I¡¯ll give you a little time to think about it,¡± Bai Zini said as she entered the washroom hummingly under their expectant gazes, closed the door, and came out slowly after freshening up.


    ¡°Please, Bai Zini, I¡¯ll be your runner for the next week,¡± Ke Mingye said with his hands together, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s okay?¡±


    ¡°What about the other two?¡±


    Bai Zini seemed unsatisfied, gently tapping her arm with her finger as she looked at the other two.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a Pikachu toy tomorrow,¡± Ke Yinzhi said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you a new backpack,¡± Ke Xiaomo said.


    Immediately, Bai Zini was theatrically excited, her eyes sparkling, clapping her hands together, ¡°Wow, you three brothers are too kind. If you were always this nice, it¡¯d be even better. Well, I¡¯ll reluctantly help you guys out!¡±


    With that, she walked into their mother¡¯s room, filled with their hopeful expectations, confident and assured.


    She was ejected in less than three seconds.


    Her face covered in dust, utterly disheveled.


    Ke Yinzhi shrugged;


    Ke Xiaomo sighed;


    Ke Mingye appeared disdainful.


    Bai Zini looked dejected, with a pitying glance at the three brothers who had differing degrees of scorn on their faces, saying, ¡°Can¡¯t you look at me without those faces? It¡¯s all because the stakes you offered were too low. If you, eldest brother, were willing to buy me a Lolita dress, then I would have kneeled and begged Mom by the bed, how could I have been blown out at the speed of light?!¡±


    She paused, speaking deeply, ¡°Looks like¡­ only Dad can save you now.¡±


    Ke Mingye said feebly, ¡°Then hurry and call Dad to come home, just tell him Mom¡¯s gone crazy again.¡±


    Though he said this, he actually knew that Qing Ya was probably busy investigating the KQA Trading Building incident and looking for blue owl¡¯s whereabouts. After all, Ke Mingye hadn¡¯t used his phone to check in with Che Zhengchen and Bai Yi, having returned home by himself. They might even think blue owl was missing.


    ¡°My phone is downstairs on the couch. Going down now, Mom would kill me. Take care of yourselves¡­¡±


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 Chapter 285 - 186: Death Meeting with Gastella (Part 2)_3

    Chapter 285: Chapter 186: Death Meeting with Gastella (Part 2)_3


    Bai Zini had finished speaking and without turning her head, walked back into her room.


    Ke Yinzhi spread his hands and said, ¡°Mingye, if you hadn¡¯t let mom confiscate my phone, I would have secretly messaged Dad to come home by now, served you right.¡±


    Ke Mingye sneered, ¡°Then I¡¯d rather stand with you, this lowlife, a little longer, let¡¯s go down together.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath, ¡°Please stop fighting. I don¡¯t want to stand with you all night.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ seeing you so pitiful, I¡¯ll sneak downstairs and call Dad.¡±


    Bai Zini said, then quietly slipped out of her room, bending over as she started her stealth mission, inching step by step toward the staircase.


    ...


    The three brothers held their breath, pinning their hopes on her retreating figure, fearing that their breathing would disturb her sneaking.


    However, in less than two seconds she froze in her steps under Bai Wenna¡¯s scolding, trembling all over. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Bai Zini, aren¡¯t you going to sleep, but going downstairs to watch TV?!¡±


    ¡°No, mom, it¡¯s all my third brother¡¯s doing. He said he was bored standing, asking me to go downstairs and get a cellphone for him to play with!¡±


    Bai Zini stammered her response, then quickly darted back to her room, peeking through the door gap with a ¡°I¡¯m not not helping, I just can¡¯t do it!¡± look of pitiful eyes at the others, before she closed the door once more without another sound.


    Ke Yinzhi shook his head and chuckled;


    Ke Xiaomo couldn¡¯t help but smile;


    Only Ke Mingye really couldn¡¯t find it funny.


    ¡°I¡¯m really fed up, not only a quick death but also betraying your teammates?¡± he sighed, holding his forehead.


    Bai Wenna walked out from her room, her tone icy as she interrogated, ¡°You can¡¯t stand honestly during a punishment, instructing your sister to sneakily fetch the phone for you?¡±


    ¡°Pure slander,¡± Ke Mingye hurriedly explained, ¡°My second brother and elder brother can testify.¡±


    As he spoke, he turned to look at Ke Xiaomo and Ke Yinzhi. However, both turned away their gazes left and right, respectively¡ªit seemed that between the protector-brother and protector-sister sides, they chose to support their sister.


    ¡°Man, I really can¡¯t stand this family anymore, not a single decent person¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye lamented hopelessly.


    Feeling utterly isolated, as he was contemplating how to kneel and apologize to his mother, suddenly the sound of the door opening came from downstairs.


    Click-click!


    Such a crisp and pleasant sound seemed to blossom next to Ke Mingye¡¯s ears.


    Soon, their dad, with a cigarette hanging from his lips, came upstairs, glanced emotionlessly at the three of them, sighed, and then turned to say a few good words to Bai Wenna.


    Following that, under the barrage like ¡°Look at what the kids have turned into because you¡¯re always away from home,¡± ¡°Do they seem like they¡¯ll become successful people in the future?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t intervene now, what will this family turn into?¡± he finally managed to give the three a way out, finally allowing them to escape from Bai Wenna¡¯s clutches.


    Ke Mingye was the first to rush into the washroom, freshened up in front of the mirror, then quickly walked back to his room, lay on his bed, took a long sigh of relief, and picked up the spare phone that was by his pillow.


    He unlocked the screen and opened the call log.


    Sure enough, he had received a bunch of missed calls from Che Zhengchen, but the phone was set to silent, so there were no alert sounds.


    He then clicked into the message page and saw the texts from Che Zhengchen¡¯s number had piled up, casually opening two or three of them to see.


    [Che Zhengchen: Are you alright?]


    [Che Zhengchen: Blue Owl, are you still alive? If you get this message, please respond.]


    [Che Zhengchen: Bai Yi said you were also seriously injured, why didn¡¯t you wait for the Association¡¯s rescue team to arrive before leaving the scene, it wouldn¡¯t be too late to report to the Association before going back.]


    [Che Zhengchen: I mean no blame, but if you are safely unharmed now, please respond to my messages quickly, your teammates and I are very worried about you¡­]


    This was the first time Che Zhengchen had sent him a message, probably had remembered his backup phone number from the last time.


    Fortunately, this phone number was bought off the dark web, untraceable by telecom services. Plus, Cai Bing had made further assurances, so there was no need to worry about information leakages.


    But just to be safe, Ke Mingye still activated the ¡°Spider Man Flirting App¡± designed by Cai Bing, entered Che Zhengchen¡¯s number into the communication list of the APP, then replied to his texts.


    By doing so, the possibility of his location being tracked was further decreased.


    [Blue Owl: I¡¯m fine. Any problems with Bai Yi and the others, I see Pioneer and the Nun were badly injured. Especially Pioneer, he even lost a hand.]


    [Che Zhengchen: Glad you¡¯re fine. They¡¯re okay. Pioneer is a mechanized man, he just needs a new arm attached.]


    [Che Zhengchen: I couldn¡¯t reach you on the phone earlier, why didn¡¯t you answer?]


    [Blue Owl: I was on my way home just now, didn¡¯t have time to answer.]


    [Che Zhengchen: I didn¡¯t expect Dice Monster to suddenly appear, I should have anticipated it earlier, this mishap is my fault.]


    [Blue Owl: No, nobody knows what that thing is thinking, this is definitely not your fault.]


    [Blue Owl: Commander, let¡¯s talk more when I get to the Association Building tomorrow. I need to tend to my wounds, hanging up first.]


    After sending this message, Ke Mingye stuffed the spare phone under his pillow, casually turned off the light, and slowly closed his eyelids.


    Then, another silent night passed.


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    July 11th, five o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s eyelids faintly trembled as they opened, absorbing every word on the display panel.


    [Good morning, Player Sir, today is July 11, 2028, there are 342 days left until the deadline for the ultimate mission ¡°Extinguish the Superhumans.¡±]


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 Chapter 286 - 186: Death Meeting with Gastella (Part 2)_4

    Chapter 286: Chapter 186: Death Meeting with Gastella (Part 2)_4


    [Current number of surviving players worldwide: 94.]


    ¡°As long as no one¡¯s dead¡­¡±


    He thought to himself, yawned, got out of bed, and shuffled out of his room.


    Then he took out the anchor sunglasses from his bag and, as he approached his older brother¡¯s room, pressed the button on the sunglasses to confirm whether his brother was still in the room and locked onto his location information.


    [Characters within an 8-meter radius of you include: Ke Xiaomo, Bai Qiuwu. Would you like to set an anchor on this person?]


    Seeing that his older brother was still resting in the room, Ke Mingye confidently put on the sunglasses and left home, while pulling out his spare phone to send an email to Ke Xiaomo.


    ...


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Time confirmed. Today at noon, at the cafe on Hong Ge Food Street. The player who controls the parasites will be meeting another player there.]


    After sending the email, he started running along the outskirts of Old Jingmai District and soon completed the required number of steps for his task. Then he dropped to the ground and did a hundred push-ups.


    [Daily Task 1: Run 3000 meters (Reward: one chance to spin the reward wheel) (Completed)]


    [Daily Task 2: Do a hundred push-ups (Reward: 2 freely distributable attribute points) (Completed)]


    [You¡¯ve claimed the reward for Daily Task 2 ¡°A hundred push-ups,¡± receiving 2 freely distributable attribute points.]


    Ke Mingye raised his finger, allocating the two freshly acquired attribute points to the ¡°Mental Strength¡± attribute.


    [Your ¡°Mental Strength¡± attribute has changed: from 28 to 30 points (¡ü2 points)]


    [Congratulations, your ¡°Mental Strength¡± attribute has successfully broken through the ¡°Minimum standard for F-grade Superhuman¡± (30 points).]


    [You¡¯ve claimed the reward for Daily Task 1 ¡°Run 3000 meters,¡± receiving one chance to spin the prize wheel.]


    As the prompt box disappeared, the reward wheel unfolded before him, and the text of the six sections came into view.


    [One, 3000 Mall Coins;]


    [Two, C-grade equipment ¡ª Sheep Rocket Launcher;]


    [Three, Magic Card bundle;]


    [Four, one piece of a Divine Disc;]


    [Five, one random equipment card;] S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Six, 2500 Experience Points.]


    Ke Mingye reached out and pressed the start button on the wheel. The pointer began to spin rapidly, finally coming to a slow stop above section two.


    [Congratulations, you have won the prize for section two: C-grade equipment ¡ª Sheep Rocket Launcher (Fires a homing missile that, upon hitting the target, doesn¡¯t cause harm, but temporarily turns the target into a harmless little sheep).]


    ¡°Homing missile, huh,¡± Ke Mingye thought, ¡°seems pretty useless, but I¡¯ll reserve judgment until I¡¯ve tried it in actual combat. These gimmicky types of equipment can only be stuffed into the Dice Monster avatar.¡±


    As was his routine after completing the daily tasks, he sat down on a public bench and took out his spare phone to open the Superhero Association APP.


    As soon as he entered the APP, a window popped up informing him that he had successfully completed an E-grade task set by the Association: preventing a workplace Superhuman uprising, earning him 100 points as a reward.


    ¡°Earned some points, scored some credit, not a bad deal.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought as he glanced at the Association APP¡¯s store.


    Sifting through the various items, he went straight to the ¡°Superhuman Exclusive Gene Enhancers¡± section.


    The display indicated that a bottle of Low-level Gene Enhancer required 500 points, meaning that at least five such tasks needed to be completed to purchase one bottle of Low-level Gene Enhancer.


    ¡°The conditions aren¡¯t tough, I just need to do a few more tasks to get the enhancer,¡± he thought, standing up from the bench, ¡°And now¡­ it¡¯s time to get ready to meet Gastella.¡±


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    July 11th, midday, Huanjing City, Hongge Commercial Street, Red Paris Cafe.


    Ke Mingye, controlling a Deception Puppet, sat at a table inside the cafe, lightly tapping the surface with his finger, while resting his chin in his hand and looking out the window.


    Soon, a girl in a wheelchair entered his field of view from outside the cafe. She slowly rotated the wheels, pushing the wheelchair into the cafe.


    After looking around, she wheeled up next to the Deception Puppet.


    ¡°We meet again¡­ Spider Man,¡± Gastella said with a smirk.


    Ke Mingye was taken aback for a moment, observing the face before him carefully. Her appearance matched exactly with that of the wheelchair-bound girl recreated by Che Zhengchen with the brain imaging helmet.


    Then he thought, ¡°How could this be¡­ She actually came to meet me in person?¡±


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 Chapter 287 - 187: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)

    Chapter 287: Chapter 187: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)


    ¡°`


    His gaze fell upon the girl who was slowly approaching in a wheelchair, and the thoughts extending from his brain suddenly became as chaotic as snow, causing Ke Mingye to pause in astonishment for a while.


    ¡°Gastella actually met with me using her real body, can that be true? Isn¡¯t she worried about being ambushed by players, or could it be¡­ this body isn¡¯t her real one at all?¡±


    With that thought, he slightly raised his eyebrows, further scrutinizing the girl seated in the wheelchair.


    The girl in front of him was about 1.6 meters tall, dressed in an off-the-shoulder slip dress. The hem of the dress securely concealed her legs.


    Most striking were her red hair and the teardrop mole by her eye. The mole adorned a pair of eyes that burned like bright flames, as if they could see through people¡¯s hearts.


    ...


    ¡°Besides your hair, you seem to look quite different from the last time I saw you, don¡¯t you?¡± Gastella rolled her wheelchair up to the table and turned her head to look at Ke Mingye.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that mutual?¡± Ke Mingye sighed, ¡°You talk as if you were the same person I met last time.¡±


    The reason he hadn¡¯t used the face he normally employed in front of other players was to prevent his second brother from capturing a photo of this face.


    After obtaining the photo, with the authority of the Management Bureau held by his eldest brother, it would be easy to locate this face in the surveillance footage throughout Huanjing and quickly track the player¡¯s movements.


    After all, no matter how secretive his actions with Fan Quan and others were, considering the density of surveillance cameras in Huanjing, there were bound to be moments captured on camera while heading to the instance.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re wearing a human face mask, aren¡¯t you?¡± Gastella asked with curiosity.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Ke Mingye nodded, casually explaining, ¡°Since you mentioned you¡¯d bring some Blood Clan Hunters over, I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t exactly trust them¡­¡± he said, glancing around. Other than him and Gastella, there were no other customers in the cafe, ¡°Where are they?¡±


    ¡°They haven¡¯t arrived yet.¡±


    Having said that, Gastella cupped her face with her hands, elbows resting on the armrests of the wheelchair, staring motionlessly at Ke Mingye, ¡°I¡¯m very curious, what exactly is your purpose?¡±


    ¡°What are you referring to?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    ¡°You must have passed on the information I told you to the other players.¡± Gastella said, ¡°And they have come to an agreement with you to stay hidden, so in this ¡®player meeting,¡¯ I see you again but no one else.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t want to see you, it¡¯s just that they don¡¯t trust you enough.¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°I believe I mentioned it, we need to get acquainted with the vampire hunters behind you, to ensure that you are harmless to us.¡±


    He paused: ¡°Think about it, if those Blood Clan Hunters had control over your real body and threatened you to make contact with me, luring the other players into a trap, then wouldn¡¯t we be finished?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly very cautious.¡±


    ¡°So, is this your real body?¡± Ke Mingye probed.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Gastella nodded, ¡°This is my real body.¡±


    Ke Mingye shrugged: ¡°Then can I send you a friend request now?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    At this, Ke Mingye was momentarily taken aback, he was quite caught off guard.


    In his mind, the situation was unexpectedly a bit awkward. Players could only add each other as friends when they met in person, Deception Puppets couldn¡¯t send friend requests, and neither could Gastella¡¯s puppet.


    If he said he couldn¡¯t add the other party as a friend, it was tantamount to admitting he was just a puppet.


    In fact, stepping back a few paces, he could have his real body wear the Night Walk Belt to quickly approach this cafe, adding the wheelchair-bound girl as a friend from outside the window.


    But Ke Xiaomo had just received information from Dice Monster and was now lurking near the cafe. How could such a commotion escape his watchful eyes?


    All things considered, if he were caught by his second brother, the risk would far outweigh the benefit, so Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t possibly do that.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you send me a friend request yourself, to prove your innocence?¡± he posed the question.


    Gastella responded unhurriedly, teasing him.


    ¡°Reason one, as a girl, I prefer if the boys take the initiative;


    ¡°Reason two, I actually already tried to add you but failed, which means you¡¯re not actually here in person but controlling someone else as your puppet; or maybe you¡¯re not Spider Man at all, but a stand-in Spider Man found. After all, your face has changed, how can one be sure whether you¡¯re really wearing a human face mask or not.¡±


    On hearing this, Ke Mingye took the lemon water passed by the waiter, brought it close to his lips, and took a shallow sip before saying, ¡°You really can twist the facts. I just tried, and when trying to add you, it showed failure, so I wanted to see how long you could play it up.¡±


    ¡°It gets interesting when you put it that way. Since neither of us is willing to believe the other, perhaps both of us are fakes, both here to gauge each other out of thin air?¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gastella said with a smile.


    ¡°If you think it¡¯s fun, keep pretending.¡±


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t pick up her cue, instead he retorted coolly and then set down the water glass.


    Even though this girl in front of him bore an uncanny resemblance to Gastella as seen in the brain imaging picture, it still couldn¡¯t prove she was definitely Gastella. Perhaps Gastella was testing him.


    By dressing a puppet in her own image, and then having it sit in a wheelchair pretending to be a person with a disability, wearing a human face mask, and finally controlling the puppet to meet with Ke Mingye, Gastella could test whether he had somehow glimpsed her true appearance through how he reacted at their meeting.


    ¡°`


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 Chapter 288 - 187: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)_2

    Chapter 288: Chapter 187: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)_2


    But on the other hand, if this person really were Gastella, then she could indeed detect by simply sending a friend request that the person sitting across from her was not Ke Mingye himself.


    If their meeting was like before, still a fake facing another fake, then their conversation was like two people with blindfolds on their eyes testing each other verbally to see if they could see anything.


    One fiercely testing by saying, ¡°I see your eyes are covered, you cannot possibly see me¡±;


    while the other replied, ¡°I just saw your eyes are covered, how can you possibly see me with a blindfold on? You¡¯re completely bluffing.¡±


    But in reality, both could not see the true face of the other and could only probe through verbal words behind a dark cloth. Neither trusted the other.


    Last time, because the Black Judge was there, Gastella did not dare make a rash move, so Ke Mingye could let paranoia replace himself in sending a friend request to Gastella to confirm if she was really who she claimed to be;


    ...


    this time, their meeting was a matter of life and death. If paranoia had come, it would mostly end up being captured for interrogation, so he had to take matters into his own hands.


    ¡°You know, a person feigning sleep can¡¯t be woken up, let¡¯s not discuss who is fake for now,¡±


    she said, lowering her eyes, glancing at the coffee names on the menu, before continuing. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I should have told you I want you to collaborate with me to expose the player hiding a vampire at home, but you hide other players¡¯ information from me and even refuse to let me meet them, why is that?¡±


    She paused and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you also wanted to know the details of the player called ¡®Fan Quan¡¯, but your actions seem to contradict your words.¡±


    ¡°I also wanted to trick him into meeting you, but he has disappeared these past few days, and I cannot contact him,¡± Ke Mingye explained.


    ¡°Why?¡± Gastella said, ¡°Is it because Paranoia overheard our conversation and secretly told him, since, apart from you and me, only Paranoia was there, even though you asked him to leave first?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°but more likely, you let slip in the discussion group that you were mingling among Blood Clan Hunters, looking for a white-haired vampire.¡± He paused, ¡°Fan Quan felt guilty, so he didn¡¯t come to meet you, and has been avoiding other players during this period.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Gastella still held her chin in both hands, her tone even, ¡°then let¡¯s change the perspective. How can I be sure, actually, you haven¡¯t secretly contacted Fan Quan, tipping him off, telling him to stay away from Huanjing a bit?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I can¡¯t prove that,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°but¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, a sharp explosion suddenly rang out next to his ear, as if the air was being torn apart.


    Immediately afterward, an arrow, shot from nowhere, pierced through the glass of the caf¨¦, streaking like a light and piercing Ke Mingye¡¯s shoulder, pinning him to the ground.


    Soon after, a numbing sensation spread out, starting from the arrow that entered his body, like a giant worm burrowing through him, making his whole body limp, unable to move.


    He was poisoned.


    Ke Mingye concluded this instantly.


    The body of the Deception Puppet lay on the ground, twitching slightly, while barely opening its mouth to say hoarsely to Gastella in the wheelchair: ¡°You tricked me?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want me to bring Blood Clan Hunters here?¡±


    Gastella, looking down at him with a superior gaze from her wheelchair, said jokingly like a little girl, ¡°Well¡­ here they are.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ but I certainly didn¡¯t want to meet them this way.¡±


    Ke Mingye joked aloud, but deep inside he thought: he couldn¡¯t let the puppet die here. If the puppet¡¯s body exploded, releasing that eerie laugh in the caf¨¦, it would not only alert Gastella but also raise doubts in his elder brother.


    Gastella said, ¡°This arrow is coated with a poison that even vampires can¡¯t resist. Once hit, you will be unconscious for a long time, unable to move. So I suggest you stop thinking about resisting, get some good sleep, and after that, I¡¯ll slowly chat with you to find out if you are really that player involved with the vampire¡­¡±


    Her words were cut off as a look of surprise appeared in her eyes.


    In that very second, Ke Mingye¡¯s body along with the arrow suddenly vanished from the spot.


    In its place appeared a blue, bird-shaped tiny mechanical device on the floor of the caf¨¦.


    ¡°He vanished?¡±


    Gastella was stunned for half a second, muttering to herself, and quickly raised her walking stick and pressed the bird-shaped machine attempting to take flight down to the floor.


    Without half a second¡¯s thought, seeing it still fluttering its wings struggling, she decisively smashed it to prevent this bird-shaped machine from concealing any tricks, causing her trouble.


    Amid the shattered pieces and sparks, the bird-shaped machinery slowly became nonresponsive, closing its eyelids, its fluttering wings drooping to the ground.


    ¡°If he is still nearby, he shouldn¡¯t have gone far, given that his body is poisoned.¡±


    Gastella thought to herself, without any hint of panic.


    ¡°Let Lin Ke help me look for him.¡±


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    Meanwhile, on Hong Ge Food Street,


    Ke Xiaomo had already carefully searched the nearby buildings not long ago to ensure there were no suspicious individuals, then rapidly vanished into the shadows.


    The shadow he transformed into hid on the surface of a residential building directly facing the caf¨¦.


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 Chapter 289 - 187: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)_3

    Chapter 289: Chapter 187: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)_3


    At that moment, Ke Xiaomo revealed only a pair of eyes from the shadows, quietly gazing through the caf¨¦ window at the Deception Puppet and Gastella seated by the window.


    ¡°The girl in the wheelchair is the exact same one from the photo that Dice Monster sent me. So, she is the one spreading the parasites in this city?¡±


    He watched the red-haired girl in the wheelchair inside the caf¨¦, thinking to himself.


    If nothing unusual happened later, he planned to enter the caf¨¦ and capture the two players conversing inside, and if possible, leave them alive, since there was much he wanted to ask them.


    However, interrogation was something better left to Ke Yinzhi. Ke Xiaomo was only skilled in the art of killing, not in tormenting others. He disliked seeing others suffer, so he mostly aimed to kill with a single stroke.


    But his thoughts were cautious, since Dice Monster had mentioned the possibility of encountering people from the ¡°Blood Clan Hunter¡± organization, he couldn¡¯t afford to be careless.


    ... sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It¡¯s possible that the Blood Clan Hunters were lurking inside the caf¨¦ or maybe en route to it.


    Only after knowing their full details did Ke Xiaomo plan to make his move. Ninja, emphasized on the ¡®patience¡¯. Before grasping the situation, maintain patience, be cautious, wait for the perfect moment, ensuring one hundred percent certainty of beheading the enemy. This is the rule of the Ninja Sect.


    Yet, in the next instant, a streak of light, like an arrow, whizzed past Hong Ge Food Street, piercing through the caf¨¦¡¯s glass window, stabbing one of the players amidst the shower of glass shards that exploded like rain.


    An arrow?


    It came from the six o¡¯clock direction.


    Ke Xiaomo furrowed his brows and quickly retracted his eyes back into the shadow after drawing a conclusion in his mind.


    Immediately after, he morphed into a bird-like shadow that blasted over the surfaces of walls.


    In just a few seconds, he found the source of the arrow: it was the fifth floor of a nearby abandoned factory.


    As the shadowy figure of Ke Xiaomo flew into the factory, attaching to an abandoned machine shaking with patchy light and shadows on the fifth floor,


    his pupils instantaneously reflected three figures.


    On a pile of scrap metal and machinery, the three figures were positioned at various heights.


    Sitting at the top was a woman clad in a light green raincoat, wearing a hood, with a giant bow in her hands and gripping three arrows;


    Below her was a man dressed in a denim jacket and suit trousers, wearing a cowboy hat, long hair cascading behind, sporting a beard. He held two silver long-barrel guns in his hands;


    And at the very bottom sat a man about two meters twenty tall, with black hair and eyes, a muscular build almost knotted together¡ªa ¡°giant¡±.


    The giant wore a tank top and loose shorts and was sitting at the base of the pile of parts, casually wiping a massive sword.


    ¡°This must be the ¡®Blood Clan Hunters¡¯ that Dice Monster mentioned, they don¡¯t look Asian. Why would they come to this city?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo observed these three figures, thinking to himself.


    At the same time, he could directly surmise that the archer woman and the two-meter-tall giant were probably not weak, as for the cowboy man¡¯s strength, that was still unknown.


    First, the archer woman, who had managed to hit a player inside the caf¨¦ from a hundred meters away; then this giant, from his appearance alone, it¡¯s apparent how abnormally strong he is.


    At that moment, the giant spoke in English, ¡°How¡¯s it going, Lin Ke?¡±


    ¡°Hit him.¡± The raincoat archer woman named ¡°Lin Ke¡± also replied in English, ¡°The player Sisteruo met seems not to be very skilled. My arrow was slow enough, I didn¡¯t use my full strength to spare his life.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯re taking this player back now?¡± asked the cowboy man.


    ¡°Yes, Howard, go and check on it.¡± said the giant.


    The cowboy man named ¡°Howard¡± rubbed his head, complaining, ¡°Such a hassle, Flint. Why don¡¯t you go yourself?¡±


    Flint replied, ¡°Quit the chatter.¡±


    Speaking of which, have you guys felt something off just now? It seemed like something entered the factory,¡± Lin Ke paused, then changed the tone, ¡°It¡¯s nearby.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo, on hearing this, was slightly shocked, thinking, ¡°I¡¯ve been discovered?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I noticed, and I wanted to surprise him. It¡¯s no fun now that you¡¯ve mentioned it.¡±


    As he spoke, the cowboy man suddenly lowered his hat brim and fired a bullet glowing with pale blue flames from his silver gun toward an abandoned machine inside the factory.


    In a flash, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s figure sprang out of the shadows, avoiding the incoming pale blue bullets.


    The moment the bullet hit the abandoned machine, violent blue flames erupted like a demon unleashing its claws, instantly engulfing the machinery, leaving a scorched trail on the ground.


    ¡°Being able to detect me, their skills are indeed not ordinary. Should I try exchanging a few moves with them¡­¡±


    Ke Xiaomo slightly crouched, ready to flee into the shadows and escape from the ground at any moment.


    Flint, Lin Ke, and Howard simultaneously looked towards this uninvited guest in a black ninja suit, face covered with a metal ninja mask.


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 Chapter 290 - 187: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)_4

    Chapter 290: Chapter 187: A Deadly Encounter with Gastella (Part 3)_4


    ¡°Ninja?¡± Howard lowered the brim of his hat, speaking with interest.


    ¡°A superhuman I¡¯ve never seen before,¡± Lin Ke said, already notching an arrow onto his bowstring.


    ¡°If they¡¯re coming for us, then let¡¯s slaughter them,¡± Flint said calmly, slowly lifting his massive sword and standing up from the pile of parts.


    ¡°No, my target is the player named ¡®Gastella.¡¯ Capturing that player will allow us to pry the information about these three Blood Clan Hunters from her lips. Going into battle without knowing their details would be too reckless¡­,¡±


    Ke Xiaomo thought to himself, executing a backflip to land on the factory wall.


    In that instant, Howard raised his silver rifle and pulled the trigger, blue bullets burst out;


    ...


    At the same time, Lin Ke raised his bow, released the string, and his arrow shot towards Ke Xiaomo¡¯s landing spot, as fast as a blur.


    However, the moment Ke Xiaomo¡¯s feet touched the wall, his figure instantly transformed into a raptor-shaped shadow and merged into the wall. His wings vibrated, propeling him downwards explosively, and in the blink of an eye, he had left the factory.


    The next moment, the raptor shadow shot directly towards the caf¨¦.


    Upon entering the caf¨¦, Ke Xiaomo swiftly skimmed up from the shadow, appearing silently behind the girl in the wheelchair and striking her neck with a hand-chop, quickly knocking her out.


    Immediately after, Ke Xiaomo, carrying Gastella, slowly merged into the shadow at their feet, entering an isolated space woven from shadows where he could eliminate all external disturbances. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Shadow Space,¡± within the entire Shadow Heir Ninja Sect, only he had successfully mastered this technique, not even the former Sect Master was an exception.


    The drawback of this move was that it needed too much time. It took three seconds to drag an enemy or oneself into the Shadow Space, which was practically useless against a slightly stronger opponent.


    ¡°Something seems off¡­¡±


    In the dark space, Ke Xiaomo suddenly felt something was wrong: he had just brought his hand-chop down on the girl, who clearly passed out, but her body was still twitching slowly.


    The next moment, she turned her body with empty eyes and swung her cane towards Ke Xiaomo¡¯s face.


    However, Ke Xiaomo easily sliced through Gastella¡¯s cane with a shadow sword and restrained her body from behind with an outstretched arm.


    He realized it was a sign of being controlled by a parasite.


    ¡°Was the information from the Dice Monster wrong, or is this not Gastella¡¯s real body?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo thought to himself, reaching his hand towards the girl¡¯s face. Soon, he peeled off an extremely thin human face mask from her face.


    ¡°As expected¡­ She¡¯s just an ordinary person controlled by Gastella,¡± Ke Xiaomo thought, wrapping his right hand with an inner strength and shocking the girl¡¯s chest. The parasite wrapped around her heart screeched and burst out from her throat instantly.


    Seeing this, Ke Xiaomo held the now completely unconscious girl in his arms and raised his shadow sword to cut the parasite in two.


    A ¡°hiss¡± sound followed, dirty blood splattered in the Shadow Space.


    Ke Xiaomo placed the girl on the ground, carefully checked her legs, and confirmed that her limbs were in normal condition, she wasn¡¯t even disabled.


    She had just been sitting in a wheelchair, pretending to be disabled.


    If the real body of Gastella was truly the girl in the wheelchair seen in the picture, then she must have stuffed a parasite into the body of an ordinary girl and had her impersonate her to meet with another player.


    ¡°But what¡¯s the intention, and where did the other player who was shot by the arrow go?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo couldn¡¯t figure it out. For the time being, he left the girl in the Shadow Space and returned to reality, escaping from Hong Ge Commercial Street at the fastest speed.


    ¡­


    ¡­.


    On the other side, within an alleyway of Hong Ge Food Street.


    [Hint: ¡°Bluebird Scout Plane¡± has been destroyed.]


    Before entering the caf¨¦, Ke Mingye had released the Deception Puppet with the Bluebird Scout Plane hidden in a nearby alley, making it convenient for him to swap places and escape.


    At this moment, the Deception Puppet, shot in the shoulder, was lying on the ground in the alley.


    Under the effect of the poison, its body still couldn¡¯t move. It had no choice but to use a skill and quickly release a second Deception Puppet in the alley.


    The second puppet embraced the injured first one, while taking out a night belt from its bag and activating the ¡°invisibility feature,¡± quickly leaving Hongge Commercial Street.


    Finally, on a nearby beach, the second puppet deactivated its invisible state, holding the first puppet as they plunged into the sea and slowly sank.


    Then, an explosion occurred underwater, the sinister laughter not reaching the surface above.


    Ke Mingye did this to prevent Gastella from linking him with the Dice Monster.


    After all, the eerie laughter accompanying the Dice Monster¡¯s explosion was well-known on the internet, with many having seen the video.


    If his puppet exploded in front of Gastella, Gastella would immediately realize that he was the Dice Monster.


    Then, after his family captured Gastella, and Gastella confessed that ¡°the Dice Monster was actually a player,¡± any future collaboration with his family would be nothing but a pipe dream.


    Everyone knows that no matter what tricks you¡¯re playing, the ultimate goal is the extinction of Superhumans. So, who would collaborate with you or listen to another word from you? It would be nonsense.


    At this very moment, as both puppets exploded underwater, in one of the bedrooms at Bai Ke¡¯s home.


    Ke Mingye thought to himself that his older brother should have held off those Blood Clan Hunters, otherwise his Deception Puppet would have had a high chance of not escaping Hongge Commercial Street, or at the very least, would have had to self-destruct in front of that group of Blood Clan Hunters.


    He let out a sigh of relief, took out his backup smartphone, and sent an email to Ke Xiaomo.


    [Mr. Strange Thing: How¡¯s it going, Mr. Ninja?]


    [Xiao Mo: I met three strong individuals, are they the Blood Clan Hunters you mentioned?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Yes, they are. But wasn¡¯t the focus supposed to be on the two players meeting in the caf¨¦? The one in a wheelchair is the player ¡°Gastella¡± who¡¯s been spreading parasites throughout the city.]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Uh, it seems that neither Gastella nor the player she was meeting with were caught by you?]


    [Xiao Mo: No, I caught the one you mentioned, ¡°Gastella.¡±]


    [Xiao Mo: But she was a fake. Although she seemed to be in a wheelchair and her appearance matched the photo you gave me, she was actually an ordinary person controlled by parasites, with normal legs, wearing a facial mask.]


    [Xiao Mo: Are you sure the photo of ¡°Gastella¡± you gave me is of her, not one of her controlled puppets?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: I¡¯m sure it was her. At that time, she was using a cane to spread the parasites, not spitting them out of her mouth, so it should be her indeed.]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: It seems that Gastella didn¡¯t use her real body for the meeting but had a puppet impersonate her instead.]


    [Xiao Mo: Why would she do that?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Who knows? Perhaps it was to test whether the other player knew her appearance or not. If they did, it would have been quite a shock, especially since this girl likes to manipulate others with puppets.]


    After typing this line, Ke Mingye breathed a light sigh of relief.


    ¡°According to older brother, there were three Blood Clan Hunters he encountered¡­¡± he thought, ¡°Still no detailed intelligence gathered, and no idea what Gastella¡¯s next move will be after this meeting. Just have to play it by ear.¡±


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 Chapter 291 - 188: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)

    Chapter 291: Chapter 188: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)


    July 11th, afternoon following the meeting with Gastella.


    Ke Mingye sat cross-legged on the bed in his bedroom, his eyes downcast as he fiddled with his cellphone. On the wooden table beside the bed, a handheld fan rotated slowly, facing his face¡ªthe weather was hot enough to roast the cicadas that chattered noisily in the trees.


    In the email he had just replied to his second brother, he stated that he was unclear about Gastella¡¯s intention of disguising puppets as himself.


    However, in truth, he knew that Gastella had done so for two main reasons:


    The first was to test whether the players had already discovered her true identity;


    The second was that if other players were aware of her appearance, by disguising her puppet in her own image, she might be able to lure out players who were lying in ambush nearby. Then, those three members of the Blood Clan who were Hunters could capture these players all at once, hopefully discovering the player who had a vampire hidden at home. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    But Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t plainly tell his second brother these things.


    After all, spreading the news of infighting among players would lead to trouble, more or less.


    It must be said that it¡¯s already a tall tale for just over a hundred players to exterminate the superhuman race, and if they were to start infighting at this time, it would be adding frost to the snow.


    At this moment, as he exited his email and was about to shut down the spare phone, two messages suddenly popped up on the lock screen.


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow slightly and glanced at the contents of the two messages.


    The top one was a QQ message.


    [I¡¯m not Ash: Rainbow said she wants to meet with you. If you¡¯re free, come to the elementary school. If not, never mind, it¡¯s probably nothing important.]


    The one further down was a text message.


    [Che Zhengchen: Are you free today? Come show your face at the Superhero Tower, everyone is worried about you. Don¡¯t have people holding a funeral when you¡¯ve just started out.]


    ¡°Please, why am I so busy?¡±


    Ke Mingye murmured, stretching his hand to scratch his head.


    He felt like he had a limited time experience of what an online scumbag feels like, although one of them was his sister and the other his boss.


    ¡°Looks like I can¡¯t miss either of them, or who knows if I¡¯ll miss some vital information,¡± he thought, ¡°I should find a time to release two puppets.¡±


    With that in mind, he got off the bed, put on his slippers, and walked out of the room.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    At this very moment, at the entrance to Bai Ke¡¯s home.


    Ke Xiaomo leaned back against the door behind him, his eyes downcast, concealed by his bangs, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. After taking a deep breath, he slowly lifted his right hand, gently touching the doorknob.


    Truthfully, he was irritated.


    He clearly did not want to cooperate with the Dice Monster, yet he had to feign politeness.


    His ultimate goal in collaborating with the Dice Monster was singular: to use the clues provided by the Dice Monster to uncover its true identity step by step, and then make it kneel at his feet to fully taste the consequences of attacking his family.


    Especially last night, after seeing the wounds on Mingye¡¯s body, Xiaomo almost lost control of his anger.


    At that moment, had the Dice Monster been in front of him, regardless of whether it was a fake or the real one, he probably would not have been able to resist tearing it to pieces¡­


    ¡°Stay calm, be patient, and don¡¯t forget how you¡¯ve come this far,¡± he thought to himself, exhaling slowly, trying his best to restrain the violence and rage in his heart. The veins on the back of his hand began to recede.


    Just then, the doorknob turned.


    Xiaomo released his grip from above and stepped back from the door, turning his head to see who was coming out of the house.


    Ke Mingye looked up from his phone, bewildered: ¡°What are you doing standing at the front door?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Xiaomo hesitated before continuing, ¡°It¡¯s time for lunch.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go downstairs to buy a drink and be right back,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    Xiaomo nodded at his words, watching his figure enter the elevator, then turned his face towards the window by the corridor entrance. He looked through the window to see Ke Mingye¡¯s form enter the supermarket at a leisurely pace.


    Only then did he turn his gaze back, reassured, and walked back into the house.


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    Shortly afterward, during the afternoon, in the Hongdeng Commercial District, on the ground floor of the Superhero Tower.


    A figure clad in red and blue apparel walked into the Superhero Tower amid the astonished looks of onlookers.


    From passersby on the street to the organization¡¯s superheroes and staff, the majority were aware of the incident that occurred the previous night.


    The Dice Monster had suddenly attacked the Bai Yi Squad, which was on a mission, critically injuring the Telekinesis Nun and the Mech Vanguard. Additionally, the rookie hero Blue Owl had gone missing.


    Yet the next afternoon, Blue Owl brazenly walked into the Superhero Tower and took the elevator to the first floor.


    With the nickname ¡°Qing Ya¡¯s illegitimate child¡± adding to the spectacle, attracting attention was unavoidable.


    Moments later, Blue Owl exited the elevator car, headed straight into Che Zhengchen¡¯s office.


    Putting down the file in his hand and massaging the Tianming Acupoint, Che Zhengchen finally lifted his eyes to look at Blue Owl and sighed in relief, ¡°This is the second time we¡¯ve talked because of the Dice Monster.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Blue Owl replied, ¡°I¡¯m wondering if what happened last night was my fault. The Dice Monster targeted me, which may have led it to attack you and my teammates.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡± Che Zhengchen pondered, ¡°That¡¯s what you think, huh.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How self-absorbed,¡± Che Zhengchen retorted.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Instead of it targeting you, it would make more sense to say it targeted me and took a swipe at my team of superheroes.¡±


    ¡°But it was clearly coming for me,¡± Blue Owl insisted.


    ¡°Who knows? Don¡¯t dwell on the thoughts of a madman, and don¡¯t feel guilty because of what a madman does,¡± Che Zhengchen spoke slowly, his hands coming together on the desk, ¡°That¡¯s the first thing I needed to talk to you about today.¡±


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 Chapter 292 - 188: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_2

    Chapter 292: Chapter 188: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_2


    He paused, then gently adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, ¡°Actually, even if I didn¡¯t teach you, Qing Ya would have. After all, he has been opposing the Timekeeper for so many years, and many innocent people have gotten hurt because of it. He¡¯s not so rational that he¡¯s devoid of emotions; he often blames himself and even once came to me in the middle of the night, covered in wounds, asking me, ¡®Did I do something wrong?''¡±


    At this point, he sighed softly, speaking irritably, ¡°I was startled at that time. It was the middle of the night and I was lying in bed resting when I suddenly saw an extra figure outside the window, draped in a tattered black cloak, the mask smeared with fresh blood.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl was momentarily stunned, thinking to himself that his old man, that gloomy, terrifying Crow Man, could also have moments of doubt about himself. Was this real or just an impostor?


    ¡°Anyway, even the Qing Ya you admire can encounter these issues, so it¡¯s not strange that you would think like that,¡± Che Zhengchen said, ¡°If I didn¡¯t remind you a bit, you¡¯d keep taking these problems onto yourself, just like he did, and perhaps one day¡­ you might become the second Qing Ya.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that good?¡±


    ...


    Blue Owl tilted his head, his beak also tilted.


    ¡°No no no, it¡¯s certainly not good to be like him, you know¡­¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Che Zhengchen paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°I think he¡¯s almost at his limit.¡±


    ¡°Which aspect do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Both physically and mentally, he¡¯s almost at his limit,¡± Che Zhengchen stated calmly, ¡°If he continues to be stubborn and refuses to step back, then it won¡¯t be long before he might either be dealt with by the Management Bureau or locked up in England¡¯s Bedlam Asylum.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl was slightly taken aback and found himself at a loss for words.


    ¡°I think, before dealing with the Timekeeper, Qing Ya is definitely not willing to retire. So maybe your appearance at this time is meant to be¡­ he must believe that you are the last straw sent by heaven to save him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating too much, Commander Che,¡± Blue Owl sighed.


    ¡°No, my words are not an exaggeration.¡±


    Che Zhengchen shook his head, speaking softly, ¡°I know that both Qing Ya and I are selfish. As mature adults, we should be advising you to take off this suit and warning you that ¡®this can attract the Timekeeper and you might be killed by the Timekeeper,¡¯ yet neither of us did.¡±


    ¡°We both know what each other¡¯s intentions are, and how deplorable each other¡¯s thoughts can be.¡±


    He laughed self-mockingly, then continued, ¡°I hope to use you to draw out the Timekeeper, to avenge my son, to give that damn Timekeeper a taste of what it¡¯s like to have his corpse displayed on a skyscraper to everyone; and Qing Ya, he also hopes to use you to draw out the Timekeeper, to put an end to this drama that has last more than two decades, allowing him to step down from this chaotic stage with a clear conscience.¡±


    Che Zhengchen paused, then changed the thread of his narrative.


    ¡°Even though I know we are both selfish, even though I know this is definitely wrong, I still don¡¯t want to change this thought.¡±


    He lowered his voice slightly, saying, ¡°So this is my request to you, Blue Owl, please do not give up on Qing Ya¡­ he needs you, even if it means bearing the risk of being killed by the Timekeeper.¡±


    Blue Owl stared at the complex expression on his face, lowered his head silently for a while, then slowly began to speak, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the reason why I put on this suit?¡±


    Che Zhengchen remained silent for a while and then smiled as if relieved.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ I really didn¡¯t misjudge you.¡±


    After finishing, Che Zhengchen lowered his eyes toward the documents in his hand, tapping the desktop with his finger lightly, ¡°About last night, Bai Yi has already told me a lot, so you don¡¯t need to report it again. Go outside, he¡¯s been waiting for you for a while already.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Having said that, Blue Owl turned around and walked out of the office at a leisurely pace, closing the door gently behind him.


    Immediately turning his head to the right, just as last time, Bai Yi was leaning against the wall waiting for him.


    Differently this time, Bai Yi had removed his mask and was not wearing his combat suit but a thin plaid jacket and black casual long pants.


    His face was delicate, his complexion pale, like a scholar untouched by the secular world.


    ¡°Are you sure this is your summer outfit?¡± Blue Owl asked.


    Bai Yi teased, ¡°Don¡¯t I just want to avoid getting tanned? This jacket is okay, not too thick.¡±


    ¡°If you like it, that¡¯s what matters,¡± Blue Owl said, shrugging his shoulders, and then inquired, ¡°How are the Nun and the Vanguard doing?¡±


    Bai Yi responded, ¡°Vanguard and the Nun are still in the Alliance¡¯s internal hospital undergoing treatment, probably needing a few days of rest before they can move. For now, we can afford to relax.¡±


    Blue Owl nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Both remained silent for a while, leaning against the wall outside the office, quietly looking out at the urban landscape and the white bullet train moving on the elevated tracks.


    Watching the train gradually pull away, amidst the rumblings of the engine, Bai Yi suddenly asked.


    ¡°Got any time to come over to my place?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I must have told you, I¡­¡±


    Blue Owl, holding his shoulders, hesitated.


    Bai Yi cut him off, ¡°I want you to meet my sister. She said she¡¯s bringing friends home to play this afternoon, and I was thinking of bringing a friend too, otherwise it would be awkward just me alone with several girls, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Blue Owl, surprised and curious, asked, ¡°Wait, the friends your sister mentioned aren¡¯t by any chance¡­¡±


    ¡°Seems to be people from the Magical Girl Alliance,¡± Bai Yi shrugged, ¡°Of course, there could be other friends of hers too.¡±


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 Chapter 293 - 188: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_3

    Chapter 293: Chapter 188: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_3


    ¡°Alright, does this count as an Alliance and Superhero Association mixer?¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    ¡°I must say, having a Magic Girl in the family feels quite amazing. I¡¯m a bit envious of you,¡± Blue Owl remarked.


    Bai Yi turned to look at him, ¡°So, are you coming or not?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl hesitated for a long time, then sighed and replied.


    ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll come then.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Bai Yi seemed not to have expected such a response, so his eyes brightened but then he quickly realized a serious issue, ¡°So, are you going to wear your battle suit to my house?¡±


    He asked tentatively, then awkwardly chuckled and added, ¡°That¡¯s not really a problem, it would also make it easier for me to introduce you to my sister. An Hong mentioned you before.¡±


    Blue Owl raised an eyebrow, murmuring this name: ¡°An Hong?¡±


    Bai Yi explained, ¡°My sister¡¯s real name, her codename ¡®Magical Girl Rainbow¡¯ is derived from her own real name.¡±


    ¡°What did your sister say about me?¡±


    ¡°She often says¡­ her friend Magical Girl Feng is your fan, mentions you every day, and it drives her crazy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think I¡¯ve even taken a photo with that Feng before.¡±


    Blue Owl said, shrugging his shoulders as if he remembered something unpleasant.


    ¡°Taken a photo?¡± Bai Yi raised an eyebrow and joked, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have any intentions towards girls that age¡­¡±


    ¡°Definitely not, I would never have any such thoughts about your sister or her friends.¡±


    Blue Owl spread his hands, interrupting him helplessly.


    He paused, ¡°Speaking of which, when you see my face without the mask, you might think I look quite young.¡± He hesitated, then added, ¡°I might even be younger than your sister.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Bai Yi was first taken aback, then his eyes widened slightly as he turned his head and looked at the man wearing a bird beak mask with a strange expression.


    He then asked skeptically, ¡°Really? I thought you were at least twenty years old.¡±


    Blue Owl lowered his head, touched his mask with his hand, and sighed lightly, ¡°Uh, first of all, I¡¯m only in my teens, and secondly, I kind of have a baby face.¡±


    ¡°Now I understand why you insist on wearing that mask.¡±


    Bai Yi remarked.


    Blue Owl gave him a sidelong glance, then said, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll give you a phone number. Wait for me at a nearby cafe. I¡¯ll go to my secret base to change out of my battle suit, then come meet you, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Bai Yi smiled, ¡°No rush, my sister said they won¡¯t be there until two in the afternoon, so it¡¯s alright if you change clothes before going to my house. I hope you won¡¯t stand me up.¡±


    He paused: ¡°By the way¡­ my real name is An Renchuan. What about you, a fake name is fine, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Blue Owl hesitated for a long time, slowly looked up from behind his lenses, and uttered a name.


    ¡°Ke Mingye.¡±


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    Meanwhile, at Yandai Commercial Street.


    Xiaohongmao lowered her Magic Wand, her feet touching the ground of the school rooftop, the snow swirling around her dissipating like smoke.


    She turned her head to look behind her, where three figures leaned against the iron fence at the edge of the rooftop.


    Standing on the left, Magical Girl Hong waved at her, smiling lightly.


    Magical Girl Feng, who rested her head on Hong¡¯s shoulder playing with her phone, sighed without looking up, ¡°You¡¯re really slow, newbie. Being this slow could get you eaten by the big bad wolf.¡±


    Xiaohongmao responded indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, every version of Little Red Riding Hood has survived.¡±


    Saying so, she shifted her gaze towards the person standing on the far right, keeping a clear distance from the other two, Ash.


    This goth-dressed girl was clutching the gaps in the fence with one hand, her profile facing them, her piercing eyes gazing towards the distant flyover, her gray fluttering ribbons swaying in the wind.


    Her expression was as usual, nonchalant, as if there was a glass separating her from this world.


    ¡°So, senior, what did you want?¡± Xiaohongmao asked, looking at her profile.


    ¡°Ask them.¡± The goth-dressed girl answered.


    Xiaohongmao, hearing this, turned her gaze towards the inseparable duo, Hong and Feng, ¡°May I ask what you need me for?¡±


    ¡°Ask this guy.¡± Feng said, poking Hong¡¯s shoulder.


    Xiaohongmao shifted her gaze, staring expressionlessly at Rainbow.


    Rainbow stammered, unable to speak for a long time, she raised her hands, finger pointing to finger, before finally speaking, ¡°Uh, actually I want¡­ I want, to invite you and¡­¡±


    ¡°Me and?¡± Xiaohongmao tilted her head.


    Rainbow suddenly shook her head, deflated, ¡°No! I just want to invite you over to my place.¡±


    Xiaohongmao shook her head, saying, ¡°No, what you meant to say was, you want to invite me and Ash over to your place, right?¡±


    Magical Girl Ash, hearing her name, turned her gaze away from the distant flyover, slowly turned her head back, hugged her shoulders, and glanced at Xiaohongmao, then at Rainbow.


    ¡°What about me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Hong waved her hands hastily, nearly in tears.


    ¡°She clearly meant that, she¡¯s just afraid you¡¯ll scold her.¡± Feng said, then turned her head closer to Hong, ¡°Hey hey, don¡¯t chickened out when it matters.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea.¡± Xiaohongmao said expressionlessly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you and I both go to her place?¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Her?¡±


    Saying this, Magical Girl Ash¡¯s gaze lingered on the flustered Rainbow, she tilted her head, her black hair tips slightly tilting as well.


    ¡°Yeah, my brother is at home, I thought I¡¯d introduce you to him. He¡¯s a really nice guy! And he¡¯s a superhero too! Although he only recently debuted, you should have heard his name!¡±


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 Chapter 294 - 188: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_4

    Chapter 294: Chapter 188: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_4


    After a series of combinations, the other three people present couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. Silence enshrouded the rooftop briefly; the wind carrying the heat wave swept over the city, slapping against their cheeks.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Feng was the first to be stunned, ¡°Your brother is actually a superhero?¡±


    Rainbow nodded gently, then said, ¡°Yes. He only recently became a superhero. He didn¡¯t want to go out before because he had issues with his legs and never went to school.¡±


    She paused for a moment, muttering softly, ¡°I often talk to him about you guys. Once, while sitting in his wheelchair by the window, he said softly ¡®I¡¯m really thankful they take care of you so well; it would be nice to meet them too.¡¯ Since then, I¡¯ve always thought about introducing him to you, but never found the right opportunity¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Magical Girl Ash was slightly surprised, asking softly, ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you mentioned this to us before?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this me mentioning it now?¡±


    ...


    While speaking, Rainbow touched her head embarrassingly and chuckled softly.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Magical Girl Ash paused, ¡°But I still rather not¡­¡± she hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Xiaohongmao already moved closer, grabbing her elbow.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Just go along with me, and let¡¯s visit her house together,¡± Xiaohongmao said.


    ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°If you say no, I¡¯ll jump off the building. It turns out a girl raised with trash really isn¡¯t fit to invite a girl raised with a silver spoon to someone else¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°When I say no, it¡¯s no, is that clear?¡±


    Xiaohongmao leaned close to her ear, whispering, ¡°Senior, can¡¯t you be a bit more humane? Look at her expression. If you don¡¯t accept, even if I don¡¯t jump off, she might.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash turned her fair face slightly to glance, then withdrew her gaze and tapped her arm with her fingers, hesitating before saying, ¡°But, I have never let them see my true self.¡±


    ¡°Then let them see it.¡± Xiaohongmao tilted her head, ¡°What¡¯s the trouble with that?¡±


    ¡°You say that¡¯s simpl¡­¡±


    Ash hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Xiaohongmao suddenly shrouded herself in a layer of cocoon light, which then shattered to reveal her as the girl named ¡°You Minglu.¡±


    You Minglu was dressed in overalls, akin to a tomboy, but her indifferent demeanor surprisingly created a chemistry.


    The other three were momentarily dumbfounded, seemingly not expecting her to be so decisive.


    You Minglu asked indifferently, ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys transforming too if we¡¯re going to her house?¡±


    Magical Girl Hong and Magical Girl Feng turned to look at each other, then changed back to their original forms amidst the shattered cocoon light.


    Hong wore a pale red pleated skirt, her slightly longer-than-shoulder-length hair flowing;


    Feng wore a yellow T-shirt and ripped pants, her hair cut short and neatly, with finely chopped locks near her ears.


    Their appearances, with black hair and brown eyes, didn¡¯t differ much from typical high school girls: Hong¡¯s face was somewhat chubby, yet quite cute; Feng looked more like a boy, her features androgynous.


    All three reverted to their original forms, shifting their gaze, pressuring Magical Girl Ash.


    The gothic skirt girl folded her arms, her back leaning against the wire mesh, stared at by the three until her eyes twitched. Ultimately unable to bear it, she opened her magic umbrella, Cinderella, intending to escape immediately.


    But Xiaohongmao, anticipating her move, pressed down on her right hand, then signalled Feng and Hong with her eyes.


    Feng complained, ¡°Senior, other Magic Girls from different Alliances have known each other for years and can even bath together, yet we¡¯ve known you so long and you¡¯ve never even let us see your true self.¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hong nodded innocently, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes twitched again, she hesitated for a long while, and slowly lowered the magic umbrella she was about to open, then turned her face aside, took a deep breath, and spoke in a haughty, cold tone.


    ¡°Well, let me make it clear, if I revert to my original form and you dare comment on my looks, even a single word, you¡¯ll bear the consequences,¡± she said.


    Hong and Feng were intimidated by her aura, blankly nodding their heads.


    Magical Girl Ash stared at them seriously for a moment, then hugged her shoulders and pondered while looking down, apparently unable to stand it again, she stomped her foot, raised the handle of the magic umbrella, and tried to run away.


    Yet Xiaohongmao restrained her right hand again, staring into her eyes, shaking her head.


    ¡°Running away at this moment isn¡¯t something a senior should do.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash locked eyes with her, and then sighed deeply, ¡°Fine, if it must be, let¡¯s do it.¡±


    After speaking, her elegant form was slowly engulfed in a layer of dark cocoon light.


    Hong and Feng¡¯s eyes widened like bells. Having never seen Ash¡¯s transformation, they concentrated intently, like high school students waiting for their college entrance exam scores, not even blinking.


    The next moment, the cocoon light enveloping Magical Girl Ash shattered. She looked down at the folding umbrella, silent and seemingly a bit embarrassed.


    ¡°Her face didn¡¯t change?¡±


    A look of confusion appeared on Feng and Hong¡¯s faces.


    Xiaohongmao shook her head, pointing at Bai Zini¡¯s pocket, ¡°Senior, you still have one more mirror to use.¡±


    Bai Zini raised the magic mirror, glanced in it, and her face immediately reverted to its original appearance.


    Hong blurted out, ¡°So cute.¡±


    Feng was stunned, stuttering, ¡°So¡­ Senior was this small?¡±


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 Chapter 295 - 188: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_5

    Chapter 295: Chapter 188: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 1)_5


    Bai Zini shifted her gaze from the umbrella and raised her eyes, shooting an annoyed glare at the two people.


    ¡°Be more careful in the future,¡± she said.


    The two shuddered and quickly covered their mouths.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll play at her place for a bit and then come back,¡±


    Yu Minglu said expressionlessly, pushing Bai Zini¡¯s shoulder from behind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, push, me.¡±


    ...


    Bai Zini said, and Yu Minglu quickly moved to her side, walking shoulder to shoulder with her as they left the school rooftop.


    A moment later, the four of them left the long-abandoned elementary school, stopping in front of a vending machine on Yandai Commercial Street.


    ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll buy a few bottles of drinks to take back; the ones in the fridge are finished,¡±


    Rainbow said as she turned around and selected the drinks on the vending machine¡¯s display with her fingers.


    Seizing this opportunity, Feng suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s exchange names with each other. We don¡¯t have to use our real names; a nickname will do. We can¡¯t still call each other by code names at her house, can we?¡±


    As she spoke, she shrugged her shoulders dismissively and said, ¡°I¡¯ll start, my real name is Qiu Xia.¡±


    Rainbow turned back, distributing the drinks to everyone and said, ¡°My real name is An Hong; though I feel like everyone probably already knows that.¡±


    Yu Minglun took the cold Sprite and said, ¡°Yu Minglu, the ¡®lu¡¯ as in ¡®profit.''¡±


    Bai Zini was taken aback, then leaned in to ask in her ear, ¡°Why did you just give your real name so directly?¡±


    Yu Minglu calmly explained, ¡°Senior, I have no family or relatives, so even if bad people learn my name, it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± As she spoke, she ¡®crack¡¯ unscrewed the Sprite bottle cap and brought it to her lips.


    Upon hearing this, Bai Zini looked down and hesitated for a moment, then as if she had thought of something funny, the corners of her mouth gently curled up.


    She cleared her throat and said, ¡°You can call me¡­ Bai Mingye.¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this name, Yu Minglu immediately choked, almost spraying the Sprite she was drinking.


    ¡°Cough¡­ cough cough, cough cough cough.¡±


    Wiping her mouth, she thought: Hey, hey, hey, do you not have your own name? Can you even steal this?


    ¡°Senior, isn¡¯t that your brother¡¯s name?¡± Yu Minglu leaned in close to Bai Zini and questioned softly.


    ¡°Is that not allowed?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all good; your brother¡¯s name is now yours. You¡¯re invincible,¡± Yu Minglu said, bringing her mouth close to the Sprite bottle cap again.


    ¡°Bai Mingye¡­¡± An Hong murmured, holding up a shopping bag with several bottles of drinks, and asked Bai Zini, ¡°Senior, is this a fake name or real name?¡±


    ¡°Real name,¡± Bai Zini replied seriously.


    ¡°What a nice name,¡± Qiu Xia complimented, ¡°It sounds as nice as your codename.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Rainbow also said.


    Isn¡¯t it nice, stolen from me? Yu Minglu silently drank her Sprite, complaining in her heart.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± An Hong said while carrying the shopping bag and continued to lead the way. ¡°My home is in the Yandai residential area; it¡¯s very close.¡±


    All the way there, Bai Zini felt extremely, extremely uncomfortable walking in the middle of the four, getting goosebumps.


    Originally, she looked the most mature among the four after her transformation, but after taking off the ¡®Magic Mirror¡¯ ¡ª this fig leaf ¡ª standing among them, she became the one who looked the youngest, like a mascot.


    It was truly a turn of the wheel of fortune.


    How torturous¡­ Let this be over soon, Bai Zini took a deep breath, thinking to herself, all because of Xiaohongmao.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me, Senior?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite cute (NTMD),¡±


    In the scorching summer heat, their figures emerged and disappeared among the billboards along the way, the densely packed high-rises, and the narrow alleys, with the chirping of cicadas drowning out the off-key advertising jingles.


    After walking for a while, An Hong, who was leading the way, stopped, and they all looked up to see a two-story rental house in front of them that seemed spacious enough.


    ¡°Here we are; this is my home,¡±


    An Hong declared, pressing the doorbell of the rental house.


    Soon, the light blue door opened, with the wind chimes hanging on it clanging.


    ¡°An Renchuan, your sister¡¯s back,¡±


    Inside the rental house, Ke Mingye held his phone while saying this and looked up with an expressionless face at the three people, then suddenly froze.


    ¡°Here they are.¡±


    Saying that An Renchuan walked over from behind him, smiling warmly at An Hong, ¡°You and your friends got here so quickly?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± An Hong replied, pointing to An Renchuan and introduced to the three behind her, ¡°This is my brother.¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± Qiu Xia nodded her head.


    ¡°Hello,¡± said Yu Minglu.


    However, at this moment, only Bai Zini seemed completely oblivious to An Renchuan; instead, she stared motionless at Ke Mingye standing inside the house.


    Their eyes locked.


    Her mouth slightly open, she was at a loss for words.


    Ke Mingye was similar, his eyes wide as bells.


    After a while, both of them spoke at the same time.


    ¡°No way, what are you doing here?!¡± exclaimed Ke Mingye, shocked.


    ¡°I was about to ask you the same?!¡± Bai Zini equally startled.


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 Chapter 296 - 189: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 2)

    Chapter 296: Chapter 189: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 2)


    As Bai Zini and Ke Mingye questioned each other, the people in front of the rental house were momentarily transfixed; they seemed like a still photo, blurred by the sweltering summer heat.


    Suddenly, several people couldn¡¯t help but give them peculiar looks.


    An Renchuan took a sip of water, glanced at the dumbfounded Bai Zini, and then at the stunned Ke Mingye.


    A moment later, he asked with considerable curiosity.


    ¡°So you two know each other?¡±


    Ke Mingye looked at Bai Zini in surprise, then shook his head and denied, ¡°No, not really.¡± Saying this, he walked back into the house as if nothing had happened, leaving Bai Zini standing there, dumbstruck.


    ...


    Bai Zini glanced at Ke Mingye walking into the living room, then at An Hong¡¯s brother, pondering something.


    ¡°Not really familiar, yet that was his reaction,¡± An Renchuan said, shrugging helplessly before turning to An Hong to ask, ¡°Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t asked yet, who is this girl you seem to know my friend knows?¡±


    On hearing this, Bai Zini swiftly looked at An Hong with an icy stare.


    Under Bai Zini¡¯s intimidating gaze, An Hong scratched her hand hesitantly for two seconds, then smiled wryly at her brother saying, ¡°Ah haha, she¡¯s a classmate of mine, named Bai Ming¡­¡±


    Before she could finish the word ¡°ye,¡± she was abruptly cut off by an intensely blushing Bai Zini: ¡°Ming ming ming ming your head¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    An Hong and Qiu Xia were stunned, thinking, Senior, why the sudden change? Weren¡¯t you just called ¡®Bai Mingye¡¯ a moment ago, and now it¡¯s suddenly ¡®Ming ming ming ming your head¡¯?


    ¡°Come over here, let¡¯s talk!¡±


    Bai Zini said anxiously, pulling the two of them and You Minglu together at a very fast pace. The four of them huddled together for an emergency meeting.


    Cicadas buzzed loudly as Bai Zini¡¯s brain overheated almost to the point of short-circuiting.


    At that point, she couldn¡¯t bother to make up a fake name and just blurted out her real one: ¡°Actually, the name I mentioned earlier was a pseudonym, my real name is ¡®Bai Zini,¡¯ not Bai Mingye, got it?!¡±


    ¡°Bai Zini?¡± An Hong murmured.


    ¡°So that is Senior¡¯s real name,¡± Qiu Xia said.


    ¡°Yes, Bai Zini.¡±


    Bai Zini paused, then added, ¡°Also, when we go inside later, try not to bring up the topic of ¡®Magic Girl,¡¯ and if you accidentally do, you must say I¡¯m just an ordinary person, understand?¡±


    Qiu Xia and An Hong both nodded; they knew Magical Girl Ash definitely didn¡¯t want her identity exposed, but wasn¡¯t this conversation a bit too late? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An Hong¡¯s brother, who had been wheelchair-bound for those years, always heard her talk about Magic Girl, and naturally about Ash.


    With everyone visiting now, An Renchuan couldn¡¯t possibly fail to realize that among the girls other than Qiu Xia and An Hong, one must be Magical Girl Ash.


    You Minglu covered his mouth to yawn softly, belatedly nodding in acknowledgment: ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡±


    Comrade Bai Zini declared the temporary strategy meeting adjourned.


    An Hong nodded again, then walked back to her brother¡¯s side and introduced in his puzzled gaze, ¡°Brother, this is my friend Bai Zini.¡±


    Only then did Bai Zini relax her gaze, cradling her right elbow with her left hand, looking down at the folded umbrella in her right hand while her thoughts whirled chaotically as if they might explode.


    She thought to herself: Good thing my brother didn¡¯t hear it; otherwise, having one Bai Mingye and one Ke Mingye here would be excessively embarrassing, and I¡¯d get a verbal punishment from my brother once back home.


    Also, why on earth is my brother at An Hong¡¯s house?!


    Could it be that he and An Hong¡¯s brother are friends?!


    But that¡¯s impossible. An Hong even said her brother is a superhero, and moreover, he didn¡¯t socialize while he was using a wheelchair before his superpower awakened.


    How could my brother know him then? Surely they didn¡¯t meet online, did they? That would be too coincidental.


    No, that¡¯s not right!


    The only definite thing here is that besides myself, there¡¯s another person who knows my brother.


    ¡ª Xiaohongmao!


    If Xiaohongmao brought my brother here, then everything starts to make sense. No wonder she was so insistent on having me join; the whole point was to set me up.


    Damn it! If I had known, I would never have brought her home!


    Thinking this, Bai Zini nearly ground her back teeth to dust. She turned her head, her gaze as sharp as a blade, towards You Minglu beside her.


    You Minglu pretended not to notice, merely sipping his Sprite quietly, looking up to observe An Renchuan and An Hong.


    If you dare ignore me, you must be feeling guilty¡ª!


    Bai Zini opened her mouth slightly, her shoulders trembling with anger as she spoke: ¡°Is there a bathroom here?¡±


    An Renchuan nodded and answered with a smile: ¡°Yes, right after you enter, turn right. There are slippers at the entrance; you can change into them first.¡±


    ¡°Alright, she and I need to go to the bathroom.¡±


    Bai Zini, saying this coldly while pulling You Minglu¡¯s hand, made it sound as if they were headed for a duel to the death.


    ¡°Senior, I don¡¯t need to use the bathroom. You can go on your own.¡±


    You Minglu shook her head, immediately declining.


    ¡°No, you need to go to the bathroom.¡±


    Bai Zini¡¯s head shook more forcefully than hers, her tone cold.


    An Renchuan, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, watched this scene with some confusion: ¡°Um, do all you girls go to the bathroom together?¡±


    An Hong and Qiu Xia shook their heads, speaking in unison.


    ¡°No.¡±


    But after a careless glance from Bai Zini, they quickly nodded and corrected themselves: ¡°Yes, we girls do like going to the bathroom together.¡±


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 Chapter 297 - 189 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 2)_2

    Chapter 297: Chapter 189 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 2)_2


    So quickly, Bai Zini took off her shoes at the door, put on house slippers, and then pulled You Minglu along to exit the entryway and turned right into the bathroom at the corner.


    With a ¡°snap,¡± the bathroom door closed and locked. Below the dimly glowing light bulb, only Bai Zini and You Minglu were left.


    Leaning against the door, Bai Zini¡¯s right hand resting on the doorknob, she took several deep breaths before slowly looking up from her forehead.


    You Minglu met her fierce gaze, tilted her head in confusion, and asked softly,


    ¡°Senior, why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    Bai Zini stared at her and asked coldly, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Senior, you¡¯re not seriously going to use the bathroom with me, are you?¡±


    As she spoke, You Minglu widened her eyes slightly, covered her mouth, and hesitated, ¡°If that¡¯s what you need psychologically, I¡¯m not entirely opposed to it.¡±


    ¡°Get lost! Stop playing dumb.¡±


    ¡°What exactly did I do to make you so anxious?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re screwed.¡±


    ¡°I get it. Is the Witch Church coming to hunt me down? I¡¯m so scared, Senior, protect me quick.¡±


    The more Bai Zini listened, the angrier she got, thinking how could this guy play dumb so well, so she said each word with emphasis,


    ¡°The Witch Church hasn¡¯t arrived yet, but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not screwed.¡±


    ¡°Senior, just a few days ago you were going on about the Witch¡¯s Night and telling me to run far away. Now you want to get rid of me today, changing your tone and not recognizing people within two days. Senior, you really are a heartless woman,¡± said You Minglu, looking gloomy and hurt, ¡°Sure enough, a little girl who grew up eating garbage can¡¯t trust the words of a little girl who grew up with a silver spoon. We, the ones who grew up picking trash and eating dirt, have only a sincere heart left. It¡¯s normal to be let down.¡±


    ¡°Get lost, get lost, get lost. You¡¯re always talking about growing up with garbage; how come you haven¡¯t been choked to death by it yet!¡±


    Bai Zini was so infuriated she felt chest tightness, thinking that aside from Ke Mingye and You Minglu, there probably wasn¡¯t a third person in the world who could anger her like this. And she was powerless against these two.


    She took a deep breath, calmed down for a moment, then frowned and looked at You Minglu, asking in a low voice, ¡°The thing is, did you call my brother over or not?¡±


    You Minglu paused: ¡°I thought it was you who had called your brother over. Isn¡¯t that the case?¡±


    ¡°How could that be!¡± Bai Zini sighed, ¡°Here we have a superhero and four Magic Girls, why would we call over a clueless big dummy, to have him as a control group?¡±


    ¡°Then how did he get here?¡±


    ¡°I want to ask you that. It wasn¡¯t you who sent a message to invite him?¡±


    ¡°Senior, given your brother¡¯s character, do you think I could invite him out with just a text message?¡± You Minglu spoke nonchalantly, ¡°If I may speak frankly, from the first time I saw him, he seemed like the kind of lazy otaku who couldn¡¯t be bothered with anything.¡±


    ¡°How come you speak as if you know him very well.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m also a lazy dog,¡± You Minglu said seriously, ¡°Lazy dogs have the ability to recognize each other.¡±


    ¡°That seems to make sense.¡±


    Bai Zini nodded, feeling oddly convinced by this reasoning.


    ¡°And even if it were me who called him, why did he look so surprised when he saw you?¡± You Minglu sighed in relief and continued to plead her case, ¡°Isn¡¯t that strange?¡±


    ¡°It is strange.¡±


    While saying that, Bai Zini hugged her shoulders, her fingers lightly tapping her arm as she looked down and pondered, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you who invited him over, then why on earth is he here?¡±


    ¡°Rather than guessing, how about I just text him and ask?¡±


    You Minglu spoke and quickly took out her phone from the pocket of her jumpsuit. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ask, I¡¯ll ask myself.¡±


    While speaking, Bai Zini took out her phone from the pocket of her blue and white denim jacket, her fair fingers tapping rapidly on the virtual keyboard, and then she clicked send.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    At this very moment, on the other side of the rental house.


    An Hong walked shoulder to shoulder with An Renchuan into the living room, quietly introducing.


    ¡°This one with the short hair is Qiu Xia, I¡¯ve showed you her picture before; the one who just went into the bathroom with Senior Bai Zini is You Minglu, the ¡®lu¡¯ from prosperity.¡±


    An Renchuan nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Mm, I¡¯ve got it.¡±


    He paused, then asked hesitantly, ¡°I know about Qiu Xia. But are your other two friends, like you, Magic Girls as well?¡±


    ¡°No no no no.¡± An Hong waved her hands hastily, saying, ¡°Bai Zini is not a Magic Girl, just an ordinary friend.¡±


    ¡°And what about You Minglu?¡±


    ¡°She she she she¡­ She is a Magic Girl.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    An Renchuan continued to inquire: ¡°Does Bai Zini know about your secret identities?¡±


    An Hong thought for a moment and said, ¡°Although we only meet occasionally, she knows about our identities, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have brought her into our home.¡±


    Her survival instinct was extremely strong, fearful that one wrong answer would upset Ash Senior later on. She might pull out her Magic Umbrella and start spraying bullets at them.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± An Renchuan murmured, then continued to ask, ¡°Bai Zini seems to be acquainted with my friend, could you ask her if they¡¯ve met somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask her later.¡±


    An Hong spoke without much confidence, thinking to herself, my brother really is trying to push me into a fire pit. If by any chance I stumble into Ash Senior¡¯s no-go zone, I might as well say goodbye to life!


    Qiu Xia, standing beside her, wrapped her arms around herself and said, ¡°What are you two siblings whispering about over there? Do you have to be so intimate?¡±


    Ke Mingye chimed in from the couch, ¡°For real. An Renchuan, did you bring us here just to be your props and show off your sibling love?¡±


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 Chapter 298 - 189: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 2)_3

    Chapter 298: Chapter 189: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 2)_3


    ¡°`


    Hearing that, An Hong laughed awkwardly, ¡°No, it was just normal conversation.¡±


    An Renchuan just shrugged his shoulders and teased Qiu Xia, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll give my sister back to you, you guys have fun.¡±


    As he spoke, he took his cup and sat down next to Ke Mingye, whispering, ¡°Comrade Blue Owl, so, what exactly is your relationship with that girl called ¡®Bai Zini¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Nothing special,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°We¡¯ve met once, so her name is ¡®Bai Zini¡¯ huh?¡±


    ¡°My sister said she¡¯s not a Magic Girl.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Of course, she¡¯s not a Magic Girl,¡± Ke Mingye paused, ¡°she, she, she¡­forget it, I really don¡¯t know her that well.¡±


    An Renchuan interrupted him, chuckling, ¡°By the sound of it, you seem quite familiar with her indeed.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about her. How about we talk about your sister instead? What are her other friends like?¡± Ke Mingye said.


    An Renchuan answered, ¡°That short-haired girl next to her is Qiu Xia, Magical Girl Feng; as for the girl in the jumpsuit, she¡¯s You Minglu, and if I¡¯m not mistaken¡­¡±


    He paused, ¡°She should be Magical Girl Ash.¡±


    ¡°Magical Girl Ash?¡± Ke Mingye was startled and murmured, ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    An Renchuan smiled slightly and explained, ¡°An Hong often talks to me about two Magic Girls named ¡®Ash¡¯ and ¡®Feng,¡¯ so if ¡®Magical Girl Feng¡¯ is Qiu Xia, then Magical Girl Ash should be this You Minglu.¡±


    You¡¯re too smart, bro.


    Ke Mingye took a sharp breath, thinking to himself that to come to such a conclusion you must really be a genius, working with you in the future is going to be a blessing.


    After pondering for a moment he said, ¡°No way, although that You Minglu looks alright, she gives off a rustic vibe, like a country girl. Is she really that Magical Girl Ash? Doesn¡¯t quite seem like it¡­¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Most likely,¡± An Renchuan said, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m quite surprised myself.¡±


    ¡°Please, why don¡¯t you just ask your sister?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask in a bit.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Comrade Bai Yi.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Ke Mingye leaned into his ear and whispered, ¡°Seeing is believing. Haven¡¯t you noticed? I¡¯ve told you your sister might be a lesbian; the way she looks at that Magical Girl Feng, she¡¯s practically drooling.¡±


    An Renchuan took a drink of water and said indifferently, ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss whether this is true or not. Even if it is, I can¡¯t decide her sexual orientation.¡±


    ¡°Your family is that open-minded?¡±


    ¡°No parents would be like that.¡±


    ¡°Damn, since your sister is a lesbian, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if you were gay, right?¡± Ke Mingye said, and quietly moved his buttocks away from An Renchuan.


    ¡°Not necessarily, not necessarily,¡± An Renchuan shrugged, ¡°But speaking of which, I never expected you to be such a person beneath the mask.¡±


    ¡°And what kind of person do you think I should be?¡±


    Hearing that, An Renchuan lowered his head and scratched his chin with a finger, trying to describe what he was thinking.


    ¡°A big uncle with a bushy beard and a great sense of humor, who likes to cook shirtless while DJing.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you imagining, all this messed-up stuff, you really must be gay, right?¡±


    As Ke Mingye complained, he glanced at his phone, only to see a WeChat message from Bai Zini.


    [Bai Zini: Bro, why the hell are you at my classmate¡¯s house?]


    [Ke Mingye: I was about to ask you, why are you at my coworker¡¯s house?]


    [Bai Zini: Coworker?]


    [Ke Mingye: Yes, coworker, any problem with that?]


    [Bai Zini: What kind of coworker, what work do you do?]


    [Ke Mingye: Summer volunteer work, helping old ladies clean their courtyards, cleaning up the streets and stuff. High schools have this kind of thing, you can get extra credits for doing it well, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t bother.]


    [Bai Zini: Oh, I see, you almost scared me to death.]


    [Ke Mingye: I¡¯m about to die of embarrassment. Let¡¯s pretend we don¡¯t know each other after you come out of the bathroom, just say we¡¯ve met once before.]


    [Bai Zini: Alright, how did we meet then?]


    [Ke Mingye: Say you kicked my dog on the street, we had a fight, that suits your unrefined persona perfectly, it¡¯s very plausible.]


    [Bai Zini: Drop dead. (Panda puffing cheeks.jpg)]


    ¡°I¡¯m suddenly having second thoughts¡­¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°You mustn¡¯t reveal my identity to them, just say I¡¯m a regular guy you met during volunteer summer work, OKay?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, what happened to our Superhero Magic Girl Mixer?¡± An Renchuan asked, puzzled, ¡°It¡¯s not fun if everyone hides their identities, what¡¯s the point?¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed, ¡°Then you should ask your sister, why would she bring someone who isn¡¯t a Magic Girl to a meetup? What kind of mixer is that with a regular person?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily, maybe that Bai Zini is a Magic Girl too,¡± An Renchuan murmured, speculating softly, ¡°After all, being surrounded by three Magic Girls while being a regular person herself, seems too far-fetched. Plus¡­ looking at my sister¡¯s behavior, they all seem to listen to what Bai Zini says and even act according to her expressions. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit odd for such a thing to happen if she¡¯s just a regular person?¡±


    On hearing this, Ke Mingye fell silent for a moment, then murmured.


    ¡°It does seem a bit strange¡­¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± An Renchuan said with a slight smile, ¡°So if you know her, ask her about it. Anyway, my sister refuses to tell me the truth.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure that your sister is lying?¡±


    ¡°`


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 Chapter 299 - 189 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 2)_4

    Chapter 299: Chapter 189 Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 2)_4


    ¡°I¡¯ve been around Rainbow since we were little, and I know all her little tells and expressions when she lies,¡±


    Ke Ming said indifferently.


    Ke Mingye sighed and grumbled to himself, ¡°It¡¯s just that your family¡¯s acting skills are no good. Not like our family, full of Oscar-worthy actors, who can lie without even blinking an eye, let alone any subtle expressions or movements.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in the restroom.


    ...


    ¡°Senior, did you find out why your brother is here?¡±


    You Minglu looked at a relieved Bai Zini and asked her.


    ¡°Volunteer work during the summer break. Rainbow¡¯s brother is also a volunteer, so they know each other,¡± Bai Zini muttered, ¡°Her brother is really busy, huh? Being a superhero and a volunteer, serving the people around the clock, right?¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it,¡± You Minglu said innocently, ¡°I told you that you misunderstood me, but you didn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, my mistake. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Bai Zini turned off her phone, apologizing to him while slipping the phone into the pocket of her denim jacket, then she turned the doorknob and stepped out of the restroom.


    You Minglu followed her out.


    The two of them wore impassive faces as they calmly entered the living room and sat down next to Qiu Xia on the couch;


    Opposite them was another couch, different in color and looking like it was just bought, with the price tag not even removed yet¡ªafter all, both Rainbow and An Renchuan were considered wealthy, and the Alliance and the Superhero Association paid far more than ordinary jobs.


    Rainbow and An Renchuan were sitting on this new couch, with Ke Mingye seated next to An Renchuan and directly across from the recently seated Bai Zini.


    Ke Mingye was fiddling with his phone, not even bothering to glance at Bai Zini;


    Bai Zini also tried not to look in his direction, whispering something to You Minglu instead.


    ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡±


    Qiu Xia spoke casually, breaking the awkward silence.


    She brought up a topic, ¡°On the way here, Rainbow told me her brother is a superhero. Is that true?¡±


    As she said this, she looked up at An Renchuan.


    An Renchuan smiled, ¡°If I say it¡¯s true, can you all keep it a secret for me?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Xia¡¯s eyes brightened.


    An Renchuan said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I am a superhero.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Ke Mingye, who was engrossed in his phone, was taken aback upon hearing this, looking up at him and said, ¡°No kidding, bro, you¡¯re a superhero?¡±


    Bai Zini, who had tried to hold back, now couldn¡¯t help but lift her phone to cover her face, her shoulders shaking slightly as she stifled a laugh.


    She thought to herself, big brother is too funny. So, when he found out that the summer volunteer worker he just met is actually a superhero, that¡¯s the kind of expression he has?


    ¡°This is my ID card,¡±


    An Renchuan said as he took out an ID card from his jacket pocket and casually showed it off.


    ¡°Platinum Wing?¡± Qiu Xia¡¯s eyes widened as she turned to Rainbow and said, ¡°Wait, Rainbow, why didn¡¯t you tell me your brother is the Platinum Wing?¡±


    ¡°You never asked me,¡± Rainbow replied with a worried smile.


    Platinum Wing?


    That name triggered some thoughts in Bai Zini.


    She didn¡¯t recall much about these novice superheroes, but she did happen to see the news about ¡°Bai Yi Squad¡± early that morning. It reported: Dice Monster attacked Bai Yi Squad, and two of their superheroes were seriously injured, with the blue owl¡¯s whereabouts unknown.


    However, by afternoon, many photos of the blue owl entering Superhero Tower surfaced on social media, seeming like he was unscathed.


    So Bai Zini didn¡¯t continue to pay attention.


    If it were before, she might have taken interest in this matter, but lately, the strange thing hadn¡¯t been bothering her much, and she had almost forgotten about this annoying creature, hence she was even less inclined to view news related to it.


    Qiu Xia, her eyes gleaming, went on to say, ¡°The blue owl is your teammate, right? Just a couple of days ago, he officially announced becoming a superhero and then joined your Platinum Wing Squad.¡±


    An Renchuan said indifferently, ¡°Yes, he is my teammate.¡±


    Feigning surprise, Ke Mingye said, ¡°No way, bro, you¡¯re that powerful? A captain of a superheroes squad? What happened to trust and honesty between people?¡±


    As he spoke, he silently typed on his phone, then, using the coffee table in the middle of the couch as a cover, he turned his phone screen towards An Renchuan and nudged his shoe as a sign for him to look.


    An Renchuan glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw the note on the phone¡¯s notepad: [I am warning you, do not reveal my identity in front of them.]


    Seeing this, An Renchuan couldn¡¯t help but shake his head with a wry smile and said, ¡°Since we¡¯re all sitting in front of magic girls, they must understand the importance of keeping one¡¯s identity secret.¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He paused, ¡°So, I assume no one present would disclose your identity.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Bai Yi, who are you talking to?¡±


    Qiu Xia asked, puzzled by An Renchuan¡¯s ambiguous remarks, since it surely couldn¡¯t be the high school-looking youth beside him?


    ¡°Talking to my comrade-in-arms. We¡¯ll be working together for quite some time from now on,¡±


    An Renchuan spoke as he curled his lips into a smile, patting Ke Mingye on the shoulder and whispered, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right¡­ Blue Owl.¡±


    A moment of dead silence fell over the living room.


    Then, Ke Mingye¡¯s eyes darkened as he slapped his forehead with a ¡°smack¡± and slumped back onto the couch listlessly, utterly deflated.


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 Chapter 300 - 190: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 3)

    Chapter 300: Chapter 190: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 3)


    ¡°You mean it, huh¡­ blue owl.¡±


    As An Renchuan uttered these shocking words, he lifted his right hand and placed it on Ke Mingye¡¯s shoulder, a knowing smile appearing on his face.


    In the living room, Bai Zini, Qiu Xia, You Minglu, and An Hong all froze on the spot. Qiu Xia almost burst the bottle of herbal drink she was holding in her hand.


    The cicadas outside were making noisy cries.


    The people inside were zoning out.


    Despite the fact that there was no air conditioning in the living room, just a slowly rotating fan that brushed against their cheeks, their expressions seemed to be frozen.


    ...


    You Minglu was the first to snap back to reality, yet she remained composed, her face expressionless.


    She slowly turned to Bai Zini, and in a flat tone spoke into her ear, ¡°So it turns out, senior¡¯s brother is actually a superhero, so impressive. But senior didn¡¯t tell me something this important, it really shows that a girl who grew up with garbage doesn¡¯t deserve to play with a girl born with a silver spoon.¡±


    Bai Zini was stiff as a statue, first staring blankly at Ke Mingye¡¯s face for a few seconds, then slowly coming to her senses after hearing You Minglu¡¯s words.


    Then, her cheeks puffed up slightly.


    She lowered her head, struggling not to burst into laughter, and whispered into You Minglu¡¯s ear, ¡°Oh my god, he actually tricked us into thinking my brother is a superhero¡­ like we wouldn¡¯t know what this guy is capable of, I can¡¯t even.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s too funny,¡± You Minglu nodded in agreement, responding calmly, ¡°A lazy dog can¡¯t become a superhero; I can testify to that¡­¡±


    ¡°And you, you lazy pig, didn¡¯t you become a Magic Girl?¡±


    ¡°Becoming a Magic Girl is beyond one¡¯s control. Lazy pigs can be chosen by comets and become lazy pig Contracted Beasts.¡±


    As they spoke, Qiu Xia finally came out of her daze, pointing at Ke Mingye with her finger, gaping at him, she stuttered, ¡°Wait, you, you, you, you¡ªyou¡¯re the blue owl?¡±


    ¡°Right. Otherwise, why do you think he would be here?¡±


    An Renchuan took a sip of hot water and answered for Ke Mingye.


    ¡°I¡¯m not, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye slumped against the back of the sofa, covering his forehead and mumbling.


    ¡°Blue¡­ owl?¡±


    An Hong murmured, finding it hard to reconcile Ke Mingye with that slightly neurotic superhero, and so she was the first to voice doubt.


    ¡°Bro, are you serious or just joking?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m serious,¡± An Renchuan smiled.


    ¡°You mean that owl that gets beaten up every day?¡±


    You Minglu threw in a question.


    ¡°Saying he gets beaten up every day is a bit of an exaggeration¡­¡±


    As he spoke, An Renchuan chuckled twice and then teased.


    ¡°Our comrade blue owl is quite capable. He put the mechanical cyborg Lester behind bars right after his debut. Everyone calls him the rising star of the Superhero Association, and many of the association¡¯s female heroes are his secret admirers. He¡¯s so popular even I¡¯m a bit jealous; it¡¯s not as bad as you say.¡±


    Hearing this, You Minglu rested her chin on her hand and said expressionlessly, ¡°Your version seems a little different from what I¡¯ve heard. When I¡¯m surfing the web, I see people calling him ¡®Qing Ya¡¯s illegitimate son,¡¯ ¡®nepotism superheroes¡¯; no one says he¡¯s a star of tomorrow.¡±


    Bai Zini was puzzled, thinking about the astonishing lying capabilities of these people, so she took her drink, brought the bottle to her lips, and gulped it down, trying to relieve her frustration.


    Then she said, ¡°Can you stop joking? Does this guy look even a tiny bit, even the slightest bit, like superhero material?¡±


    As she spoke, she glanced over at Ke Mingye disapprovingly, then quickly looked away.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say, you¡¯ve only met once?¡± An Renchuan smiled, ¡°You sound like you know him quite well.¡±


    ¡°Once is enough,¡± Bai Zini said, turning her face away as her ponytail swayed softly.


    ¡°I also think he doesn¡¯t quite look like a superhero; he just looks like a normal high school student. An Hong¡¯s brother sure knows how to play with us,¡± You Minglu said calmly.


    Listening to the conversation of the three, Qiu Xia finally began to realize, ¡°So it was a joke?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye was silent for a moment, intending to speak up, but An Renchuan cut him off.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± An Renchuan shook his head, his tone becoming serious, ¡°Because An Hong said she wanted to bring friends home to play, and since you are all Magic Girls, I invited blue owl as well. We are all superhumans fighting for the city, belonging to the same official organization, so I thought there was no need to hide our identities.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re invincible¡­¡± Ke Mingye said deeply.


    ¡°So, you really are the blue owl?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I look like it?¡±


    Ke Mingye tried to make a last stand, but at that moment, An Renchuan took advantage of his distraction, grabbed his phone, opened the gallery, found a photo, and showed it to the four of them.


    In the photo, blue owl and Magical Girl Feng were taking a selfie with their heads together.


    Qiu Xia stared at this photo, suddenly freezing in place, her gaze quivering.


    She remembered it was taken after they had resolved a public riot together. After blue owl took the photo with his phone, he asked her for her email address, saying he would send her the photo.


    But at that moment, she hadn¡¯t managed to give her email address before An Hong hustled her away from the scene.


    She had felt regretful for a long time afterward and kept complaining to An Hong about why she was rushed away so hastily, though she was too flustered herself to think clearly at the time, unable to recall her own email address for such a simple task, and thus couldn¡¯t blame anyone else.


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    sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 301 - 190: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 3)_2

    Chapter 301: Chapter 190: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is a Superhero (Part 3)_2


    At this moment, quietly looking at the photo, Qiu Xia thought to himself, if there¡¯s one person in the world who might have this group photo, that person must be Blue Owl.


    With that thought, Qiu Xia slowly shifted his gaze away from the group photo and surreptitiously studied the profile of Ke Mingye.


    ¡°Give me back my phone, don¡¯t you have any manners?¡±


    Ke Mingye said with a stern face, quickly snatching the phone back from An Renchuan¡¯s hand.


    An Renchuan curved his lips, shrugged lightly, and explained, ¡°He just mentioned this group photo to me. He said you had resolved a parasite outbreak together back then, and Qiu Xia asked him for a group photo. But he didn¡¯t manage to give it to her, so the photo has been in his phone album ever since.¡±


    An Hong¡¯s eyes widened, and she covered her slightly open mouth with her hand, thinking to herself that this was practically conclusive evidence. So, her brother hadn¡¯t lied, was this person really Blue Owl?


    ...


    ¡°So it really was you¡­¡± Qiu Xia murmured.


    ¡°No, this group photo was just given to me by Blue Owl.¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed deeply, avoiding her gaze while still making excuses.


    ¡°No, Blue Owl isn¡¯t that kind of person,¡± Qiu Xia shook her head and declared.


    ¡°Hehe, everyone says you¡¯re not that kind of person,¡± An Renchuan said.


    Speaking, he nudged Ke Mingye¡¯s shoulder and teased him in a light tone, ¡°The evidence is conclusive, just stop being stubborn. Why won¡¯t you admit it? How much do you want your fans to be hurt?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really annoying. It looks like after I go back, I¡¯ll have to request from Commander Che to transfer teams.¡±


    ¡°Is it necessary?¡± An Renchuan spread his hands.


    ¡°Can I have that group photo?¡± Qiu Xia asked.


    ¡°Here you go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been coveting this group photo for a long time, thank you, Mr. Blue Owl.¡±


    ¡°Can you not call me that?¡±


    ¡°Blue Owl?¡±


    ¡°Ke Mingye.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that your name?¡±


    ¡°What else would it be?¡±


    ¡°I always thought Blue Owl was at least an uncle, never imagined you to be so young.¡±


    ¡°What exactly did I do to give you guys such a misunderstanding?¡±


    In the conversation among them, one person remained silent.


    Bai Zini was like an outsider, listening to their conversation. Even though they were talking about her brother, the person she knew best and was closest to, she felt completely left out, awkwardly sitting on the sofa.


    It was as if¡­ she knew nothing about this person.


    She bowed her head, dazed for a long, long time, and then slowly raised her eyes, glancing at An Renchuan and then at Qiu Xia, before finally turning her gaze toward the pale-faced Ke Mingye.


    She stared motionlessly at Ke Mingye for a good while.


    Suddenly, she slightly opened her mouth and asked slowly, ¡°Is what he said true¡­ or false?¡±


    The girl¡¯s voice was very calm, as if asking a normal question, yet her tone was light as if the sound of cicadas.


    Ke Mingye met Bai Zini¡¯s gaze, seeming about to say something, but just sighed softly instead.


    ¡°From when?¡± she continued.


    Ke Mingye still didn¡¯t answer, just avoided her direct gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you¡­ from when did it start.¡±


    Ke Mingye opened his mouth.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you speak?¡±


    Ke Mingye turned his cheek away.


    ¡°Is it fun¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye lowered his eyes.


    ¡°It started when we were kids.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt at all.¡±


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you say a word.¡±


    ¡°You obviously know.¡±


    Bai Zini paused before speaking again.


    ¡°No one cares about you more than I do¡­¡±


    ¡°No one.¡±


    Towards the end, Bai Zini bit her lip and slowly lowered her head, her hair covering the eyes that faintly held a trace of teary anger.


    The living room briefly fell into silence, no one knew exactly what was happening, why Bai Zini suddenly reacted so strongly, they just stared blankly at them.


    A moment later, seeing that Ke Mingye still was silent, Bai Zini stood up from the couch, turned, and headed toward the entrance without turning back, not even putting on shoes, just clutching her sandals in the palm of her hand, then turning the doorknob, and stepping out barefoot, the door shutting with a ¡°snap.¡±


    Qiu Xia and An Hong were both shocked, re-examining Ke Mingye, thinking to themselves who else in the world could elicit such a reaction from the senior Ash, where did he come from?


    ¡°I say, Comrade Blue Owl, what exactly happened between you and that girl?¡±


    An Renchuan was also a bit perplexed and couldn¡¯t help but give Ke Mingye a surprised look.


    ¡°So annoying¡­¡±


    Saying this, Ke Mingye took a deep breath and slowly began, ¡°I¡¯m going back first, continue having fun, don¡¯t mind us.¡± After saying that, he stood up and left the room.


    In the scorching summer day, a wind carrying the heat wave brushed against his face, he felt like he was about to melt into a puddle of roast pork.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    Ke Mingye raised his arm, shielding against the bright sunlight, walked a short distance down Yandai Commercial Street, and soon arrived at a little riverside path nearby.


    He remembered this place.


    When they were little, he and Bai Zini often came here after school, sitting by the river and chatting until the sun dipped below the horizon on a corner of the sky, then walked home along this small path. On the way home, they watched people cycling back and forth in the twilight, watched children frolicking by the riverside.


    Beneath the ruddy sunset, amidst the dancing grass, the girl walked backward with hands behind her back, facing him, step by step, with a smile from the memories faintly visible. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye walked on, thinking, and looking up, he saw a girl sitting on the grassy riverbank, hugging her knees, looking at the shimmering lake. Under the intense sunlight, the bottom scenery of the lake appeared like a transparent exhibit box in an aquarium, with the turtles and fish moving slowly below clearly visible.


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 Chapter 302 - 190: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 3)_3

    Chapter 302: Chapter 190: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 3)_3


    Ke Mingye fell silent for a moment, took a few steps to her side, patted the weeds, and sat down.


    ¡°What are you doing¡­? You¡¯re going to get roasted like a pig¡¯s head,¡± he said.


    Bai Zini didn¡¯t respond, just buried her lower face in her slightly bent knees, her gaze lowered.


    ¡°Is it my fault then?¡± Ke Mingye sighed, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me your friend was Magic Girl either, right? I haven¡¯t even got angry yet, so why are you angry?¡±


    Bai Zini still didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about me, and it¡¯s because I don¡¯t want you to worry that I didn¡¯t want to tell you.¡±


    ...


    Ke Mingye looked across the river, talking on and on.


    ¡°You are my little sister, remember you said you wanted to be Magic Girl to protect me¡­ can¡¯t I be a superhero to protect you? The world is such a mess now, you¡¯ve said before that one of your friends was attacked by a Superhuman and felt terrible¡­¡±


    At this point, he paused for a while, then continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, isn¡¯t that friend you mentioned Magic Girl?¡±


    ¡°Dead.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Both of my friends are dead, they died a long time ago,¡± Bai Zini said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the news, are they the two Magic Girls killed by Ghosthand Buddha and Abyss Swordsman a few months ago?¡±


    ¡°Yes. So I don¡¯t want you to get into trouble too,¡± Bai Zini paused, then said, straining to breathe as she repeated the same word over and over again, ¡°you are very very very very very¡­¡± She took a deep breath and lowered her voice, ¡°¡­important.¡±


    ¡°Got it, idiot.¡±


    While speaking, Ke Mingye picked up a pebble and threw it hard across the surface of the river.


    The pebble drew a beautiful parabola in mid-air before falling into the river, causing ripples to spread.


    ¡°So¡­ when did it start?¡± Bai Zini asked.


    ¡°About two months ago, my superpower awakened, and then I wondered if I could become a superhero too,¡± he said.


    Speaking, Ke Mingye plucked a blade of grass from the riverbank, his eyes downcast, ¡°And then, before I knew it, this happened. Joined the Superhero Association, made some friends, went to his place¡­ and then I ran into you.¡±


    ¡°So how long were you planning to keep it from me?¡±


    ¡°Who knows,¡± Ke Mingye replied softly, ¡°Maybe I would have ended up telling you at some point.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t think I¡¯m heartless, I worry too,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t caught you, you would have kept it a secret forever.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you this time.¡±


    ¡°Are you still mad?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    ¡°So¡­ do you still want to go back to your classmate¡¯s place?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    Bai Zini shook her head slightly.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s not go back, shall we go home?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home.¡±


    ¡°So what are you going to do, just sit here and wait to be cooked by the sun?¡±


    Ke Mingye cocked his head, asking with evident annoyance.


    Bai Zini rose silently from the grass and walked up to the riverside path, her profile facing the side as she gazed at the slowly spinning Ferris wheel in the distance.


    ¡°Let¡¯s ride that,¡± she pointed to the Ferris wheel.


    ¡°Okay¡­you¡¯re the boss,¡± he replied. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After speaking, Ke Mingye walked with her to the nearby amusement park, paid for the tickets by scanning with his phone, and under the watchful eyes of the staff, they boarded the carriage of the Ferris wheel.


    As time meandered into dusk, with the sun setting in the west, they remained silent, Bai Zini just quietly sitting in the carriage looking out the window. The crisp silhouette of the girl was cast upon the window, blending with the distant mountains, shimmering as if in a trance.


    From beginning to end, the two didn¡¯t speak a word, simply gazing silently at the city enveloped in the afterglow.


    When they finally disembarked from the Ferris wheel, the sky was nearly dark, and they walked wordlessly to the seaside.


    Bai Zini kicked off her sandals and walked barefoot towards the sea, leaving footprints of varying depths in the sand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go any further¡­the tide is coming in,¡± Ke Mingye stopped on the reddish sand and called out to her receding figure.


    Moments later, Bai Zini slowly turned around, her hands clasped behind her back, eyes downcast. Her figure was shrouded in the afterglow, as if covered by a layer of hazy butterfly wings.


    ¡°Answer a few questions for me,¡±


    she said softly against the backdrop of the sunset at the horizon.


    Ke Mingye stood still, watching her, and shrugged.


    ¡°Then ask,¡± he said.


    ¡°Will you lie to me again in the future?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡±


    Bai Zini took a gentle step backwards. Looking sideward, the setting sun turned the beach into a ruddy splendor, like spilled wine.


    ¡°Will you leave me like my friends did?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡±


    Bai Zini took another step back, drawing closer to the sea and further from Ke Mingye.


    ¡°If I say¡­ I say I¡¯m a Magic Girl, what would you think?¡±


    she asked quietly.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to think? Even then, you¡¯d still be my sister,¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be angry?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be angry,¡±


    Bai Zini¡¯s hair fluttered in the sea breeze, turned golden by the remnants of the sunset.


    She took another slow step back, as night approached and the sky darkened, the increasingly tumultuous tide began to swallow her fair ankles.


    ¡°One last question,¡±


    ¡°Ask,¡±


    In the rising sea breeze, Bai Zini¡¯s lips moved slightly, her voice drowned out by the ¡°whooshing¡± sound of the waves crashing against the shore. The illusory afterglow and splashing water waves undulated with her figure, and seagulls flew in pairs across the dim sky, dropping down white feathers in a flurry.


    In those brief two seconds, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t make out what she was saying, only vaguely discerning from her lip movements that she seemed to be asking something.


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 Chapter 303 - 190: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 3)_4

    Chapter 303: Chapter 190: Bai Zini: What, My Brother is Actually a Superhero (Part 3)_4


    ¡°To you, I¡¯m just¡­¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just¡­ what? Ke Mingye wondered.


    ¡°The wind is too strong, I can¡¯t hear clearly.¡±


    As Ke Mingye spoke loudly, he walked forward, gradually approaching Bai Zini, and said irritably, ¡°Classmate Bai Zini, didn¡¯t your mom ever tell you, don¡¯t wander by the seaside at night¡­ it¡¯s really dangerous.¡±


    He took step by step towards Bai Zini and reached out to take her hand. At that moment, the sunset had completely dipped below the horizon, taking with it the last rays of twilight that had been spilling onto the world, and darkness fell over everything. From one end of the sea horizon came an overwhelming tide that swept in, engulfing the silhouettes of the two.


    Amid a few cries of seagulls, the waves slowly receded back into the ocean.


    ...


    When they came to their senses, two figures were lying sprawled on the soft, damp sand, staring blankly at the thoroughly dark night sky above, while waves gently lapped over the backs of their heads.


    After a while, the two slowly turned their heads, looked at each other, and smiled gently.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Soon afterward, two soaking wet figures rode the subway home, attracting the curious glances of passersby. Cold, colored lights shone in the gently swaying subway car.


    The two sat together, their damp shoulders touching, silent. The scent of disinfectant filled the car, and the air conditioning above was cold, making Ke Mingye sneeze.


    He rubbed his nose with his hand, which was red.


    ¡°After we get off, I have something to tell you¡­¡± the girl leaned on his shoulder, eyes closed.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you say it now?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    When the train arrived at Old Jingmai District, Ke Mingye and Bai Zini got off side by side.


    Hand in hand, they crossed the bustling crowd, walked out of the subway station, and the smell of camphor and disinfectant suddenly dissipated, replaced by fresh air.


    In the growing thickness of the night, it was so quiet that the sounds of cicadas on the trees could be heard. They slowly walked on the way home, where children were playing with glow sticks in the dim lights.


    A ¡°ding¡± of a notification sound came, and Bai Zini looked down at her phone.


    ¡°A message from your mom?¡± Ke Mingye asked.


    ¡°From my second brother, he¡¯s asking where we went,¡± Bai Zini said while responding to her second brother¡¯s message. She sent a photo of herself with Ke Mingye, telling her second brother that she was with her third brother and not to worry.


    At home, Ke Xiaomo saw the message and glanced at the photo, breathing a sigh of relief. He thought, since Mingye and Xiao Ni were together, they probably wouldn¡¯t suddenly dress up in combat gear and run around, right?


    So he didn¡¯t concern himself with them and continued to sit by the windowsill, flipping through that ancient book.


    ¡°So¡­ what was it that you wanted to say on the subway?¡± Ke Mingye asked while walking.


    Bai Zini remained silent.


    Suddenly, she took Ke Mingye¡¯s hand and pulled him into a deserted alley, then, like magic, she suddenly produced a crudely made collapsible umbrella from behind her.


    ¡°You still have an umbrella with you?¡±


    Bai Zini still didn¡¯t speak. She slowly let go of Ke Mingye¡¯s hand and took a step back.


    Immediately, with the umbrella handle as the starting point, the hazy cocoon light surged like the tides, gradually extending from her slender palm to her wrist, spreading towards her shoulder, and then slowly enveloped her entire body, trapping her as if she were a butterfly about to emerge from its chrysalis.


    Ke Mingye watched this scene, his eyes widening slightly.


    The next moment, as the figure shrouded in the cocoon light gently swept a strand of hair by her ear, that layer of hazy light shattered effortlessly.


    Following that, a young girl dressed in a gothic dress appeared before his pupils.


    Ke Mingye stood there, muttering to himself.


    ¡°Is this for real¡­¡±


    As he spoke, Magical Girl Ash slowly raised her eyes, their gaze clear and pure like a spring under the moonlight.


    She slightly lowered her head, avoiding Ke Mingye¡¯s gaze, her ear tips reddening.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about me when it¡¯s actually you who¡­¡±


    Before Ke Mingye could finish, he was interrupted by the cool touch emanating from the palm of her hand. The girl in the gothic dress took his hand and raised the magical umbrella, Cinderella, unfurling its majestic canopy against the night sky, glistening with linked thorns and floral patterns under the moonlight.


    The next moment, magic power ripples spread through the air like blooming flowers, lifting the girl and boy together into the night sky, reaching the clouds.


    After a while, on one of Huanjing¡¯s viaducts.


    The girl holding the umbrella slowly descended, landing atop a high-speed train, the wild wind of the city caressing her snow-white cheeks. Her black hair fluttered in the moonlight, with gray streamers trailing into the distance.


    She lowered her gaze and unhurriedly let go of Ke Mingye¡¯s hand.


    Ke Mingye instinctively took two steps back, his mouth slightly open, unable to utter a word. His hair was disheveled by the wind, out of shape. His expression was somewhat lost.


    He stood on the fast-moving train, swaying slightly like a roly-poly toy.


    Under the night moon, the two stood atop the white high-speed train, drifting further away in the city¡¯s skies. Not a single neon light touched their silhouettes, as if they were cut off from the world.


    Moments later, Magical Girl Ash moved to the edge of the train without a word.


    She slowly bent down, sitting on the top of the train. Then she placed the magical umbrella, Cinderella, next to her, hugged her knees, and raised her eyes, clear as the aurora, gazing at the distant sky.


    Ke Mingye stood still for a long time before he gradually came to his senses. He turned sideways, took a couple of steps forward, hesitated for a moment, and then sat down on the top of the train, just like her.


    Their gazes were directed towards the distance, as the brightly lit city receded from view.


    The top of the carriage was swaying gently, ¡°clanking¡± as it took them towards the distance, as if fleeing to another corner of the world.


    ¡°This is what I wanted to tell you¡­¡± the girl said softly, her gray streamers and black hair fluttering in the wind together.


    ¡°And you have the nerve to say that about me.¡±


    ¡°I have many enemies, I feared you¡¯d get involved¡­ Many times, I wanted to tell you but always gave up.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone else at home know about it?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± The girl in the gothic dress paused then said softly, ¡°I only told you.¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn to ask now.¡±


    ¡°Ask.¡±


    ¡°Since when?¡±


    ¡°A long, long time ago¡­¡±


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 Chapter 304 - 191: Two People on the High-Speed Train, The Superpower Instructor with Surname Crow

    Chapter 304: Chapter 191: Two People on the High-Speed Train, The Superpower Instructor with Surname Crow


    The C2703 high-speed train departed from the station north of Huanjing, accompanied by bright sparks, shuttling under the pitch-black sky. It slowly headed towards the south of Huanjing.


    The wheels rumbled over the high-speed railway tracks, sounding like the buzzing of a giant bee.


    At this very moment, atop this high-speed train, Mingye and a girl in a gothic dress were sitting on the edge, the steel plate of the car below them transmitting slight vibrations.


    Under the moonlight, both lowered their eyes, silently gazing at the city.


    Mingye bent one leg while the other hung between two windows below: it was a tricky position, just in case some unfortunate passenger sitting below suddenly turned their head, saw a human leg outside the window, and got so scared that they foamed at the mouth, losing consciousness.


    Whooo¡­


    ...


    The whistling evening wind brushed against his cheeks, tousling his hair.


    Mingye sniffled his swollen nose, the cold air streaming into his nostrils, his throat dry and slightly painful.


    Luckily, the superhuman constitution wasn¡¯t too bad. Otherwise, after getting soaked and then sitting in an air-conditioned subway, and being dragged up on the high-speed train to enjoy the scenery, he¡¯d probably have to lie down sick for a couple of days when he got home.


    Mingye did not know how long he would have to stay on the high-speed train, that all depended on his little sister¡¯s mood; he didn¡¯t dare to utter a word in any case.


    After a while, he quietly shifted his gaze from the cityscape and glanced over at Magic Girl Ash sitting beside him.


    The girl¡¯s side facial profile was clear, her aura cold. Her pupils reflected the brightly lit city. The towering skyscrapers grew more distant, like fragile bubbles about to disappear from sight.


    Compared to usual, she seemed like a different person. Someone close at hand, yet unreachable.


    Mingye didn¡¯t quite understand, it was the same person, so where did this feeling of distance come from?


    He thought, is it the Bai Zini at home who acts silly and neurotic, or is it this somewhat indifferent Magic Girl?


    After thinking for a while, Mingye suddenly said, ¡°Remember last time at Hongge Commercial Street? When I wanted to shake hands with you, you rejected me. That was really stand-offish.¡±


    ¡°How would I know that it was you?¡±


    The girl in the gothic dress murmured, her tone carrying a hint of complaint.


    ¡°But, you really are asking for a beating¡­ It¡¯s my first time seeing a superhero who talks so much. Should I say, you really are my big brother?¡±


    ¡°Am I that much of an irritant?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Test, what was your first impression of blue owl?¡±


    ¡°Lame and pretentious.¡±


    ¡°Come on, do you have to be that hurtful? Can¡¯t you be a bit more subtle?¡±


    Though he said that, Mingye had long ago heard this assessment from Xiaohongmao. So deep down, he didn¡¯t care that much, let alone feel deeply hurt.


    ¡°Telling the truth, what else did you want me to say, ¡®Big brother, you¡¯re so cool, I really admire you¡¯?¡±


    Mingye sighed, trying to salvage some dignity, ¡°Can you not be so sarcastic, considering I¡¯ve just awakened my superpower a few days ago. It¡¯s normal for me to seem a bit lame, okay?¡±


    He paused, ¡°But don¡¯t underestimate my potential. The association people have all said I¡¯m a rising star. I¡¯ll catch up to you eventually, got it?¡±


    ¡°Catching up to me is useless,¡± Ash suddenly said.


    ¡°Why is it useless?¡±


    Hearing this, Magic Girl Ash was silent for a while before she answered, ¡°In a year, I won¡¯t be a Magic Girl anymore¡­ I¡¯ll just be a regular person then, and you can bully me all you want.¡±


    ¡°Heh, then I¡¯ll catch up to you within a year, so you¡¯ll lose convincingly.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Ash glanced at him, unamused, ¡°You really talk big, do you know I could beat ten of you right now? Ten¡­ understand?¡±


    ¡°Be confident. You could beat a hundred of me.¡±


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re quite self-aware,¡± she couldn¡¯t help but curl her lips slightly as she spoke, ¡°Actually, I wanted to say the same, but was afraid it might injure your pride.¡±


    ¡°No need for that, with our house full of demons and spirits I¡¯ve had my pride wounded so many times since childhood, it won¡¯t make a difference.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, do you remember that video, when you were little and saw me being bullied, you hugged me saying ¡®I will become a Magic Girl to protect brother,¡¯ and everyone laughed at you. Every birthday they¡¯d bring it out to tease you.¡±


    Mingye shrugged, ¡°Nobody knew, but later you really did become a Magic Girl.¡±


    He paused, teasing her, ¡°If everyone saw you now, they wouldn¡¯t be able to laugh.¡±


    ¡°How could I forget that video. Every time you guys take it out, I really feel like hitting someone, you know?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®you guys¡¯? I didn¡¯t join them in making fun of you. After all, I¡¯m the main character in that video too.¡±


    Mingye paused, then added, ¡°And having a kindergarten-aged sister protect me is just embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so I can¡¯t protect you?¡±


    ¡°So you became a Magic Girl just for that reason?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ guess?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not guessing.¡±


    ¡°Heh, then I won¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just childish? What¡¯s the difference between you and a primary school kid?¡±


    ¡°The difference is: the primary school kid is still cooped up at home sulking, he¡¯s been in a bad mood these days.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up with him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s actually a dragon.¡±


    ¡°Ah, a dragon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you some other time when I feel like it. Not in the mood now.¡±


    ¡°Come on, are you being serious?¡±


    ¡°Not in the mood. Don¡¯t want to discuss this topic.¡±


    ¡°Alright, miss¡­¡±


    Talking about this, Mingye sighed, ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something I have to tell you: I think you could also try to be kinder to other people outside, not just to me.¡±


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 Chapter 308 - 192 Qing Yas Guidance

    Chapter 308: Chapter 192 Qing Ya¡¯s Guidance


    Blue Owl stared at the dark figure standing in the middle of the test chamber, thinking to himself.


    ¡°Gosh, has Commander Che turned into a riddle-speaker too? So the superpower mentor he found for me was my old man. ¡±


    He shook his head, continuing to think, ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s not right. It must have been my old man who asked him to keep it secret from me. Our intimidating Crow Man loves to create this kind of unexpected atmosphere. ¡±


    Seeing that Qing Ya remained silent, just silently gazing at him, Blue Owl suddenly felt invigorated, thinking if you¡¯re not going to talk, then I won¡¯t either. Is it a competition to see who has a bigger idol burden? Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, the atmosphere in the silvery-white test chamber became awkward. The two of them stood helmet to helmet, their beak-like visors facing each other, like two warriors brandishing their bayonets at each other from a distance.


    For a second or two, Blue Owl really wondered if he¡¯d come to compete over whose bird beak looked cooler, as if on the count of ¡°three, two, one,¡± they would both fly to the tree next to the Superhero Tower and peck at the branches, to see who could catch more bugs.


    ...


    Blue Owl frowned, trying to wave his hand. Qing Ya still showed no reaction, standing there like a statue.


    So, feeling helpless, Blue Owl tried to break the silence. He said, ¡°Uh¡­ hello, Mr. Qing Ya, did you want to see me for a reason?¡±


    Qing Ya was silent for another couple of seconds before getting straight to the point, without beating around the bush.


    ¡°Show me your superpower¡­¡±


    He said this in a calm voice, yet it sounded like a huge crow¡¯s hoarse and penetrating call.


    Hearing this, Blue Owl was confused and asked irritably, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®show¡¯? ¡±


    As he spoke, he spread his hands, ¡°Also, I actually have three superpowers. So I¡¯m curious, which one are you referring to?¡±


    ¡°The one you discussed with the Commander,¡± said Qing Ya.


    ¡°Flame Fist, Position Exchange, or Fist-Guessing?¡± Blue Owl said, ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned all three superpowers to him, and I¡¯m really curious which one you mean.¡±


    Qing Ya didn¡¯t answer this question but instead said, ¡°First, use your original strength to simply rotate your arm.¡±


    As he said this, he summoned several crows around himself. The crows slowly flapped their wings and approached Blue Owl, then squinted their crimson eyes and unblinkingly watched Blue Owl¡¯s every move from all directions.


    To tell the truth, being stared at by so many crow-shaped monitors wasn¡¯t a pleasant experience. Blue Owl felt the lifeless gaze of those creatures and a shiver ran down his spine.


    ¡°What does this mean, can you please explain your intentions first?¡±


    Blue Owl crossed his arms over his shoulders and slightly tilted his head, the bird beak on his mask inclining with it.


    ¡°Just do as I say,¡± Qing Ya replied coldly.


    ¡°Alright, alright, no need to rush,¡± Blue Owl responded as he irritably rotated his arm once more, then asked, ¡°Like this?¡±


    ¡°Unleash your superpower,¡± Qing Ya continued.


    Blue Owl raised a finger and said, ¡°You know, one day as I was fighting a supervillain, I fell into a river. I was pulled out by the River God, who then asked me, ¡®Is the power you dropped this Position Exchange superpower, or this little Fire Fist skill, or is it actually the ability to rotate your arm for an exercise routine,¡¯ guess how I answered him?¡±


    Qing Ya remained silent, offering no response.


    ¡°Okay, I know you think I¡¯m being awkward, but I just feel, can our atmosphere be a bit less¡­ tense?¡±


    Blue Owl shrugged his shoulders, speaking slowly.


    Qing Ya still gave no response, looking at him perform like a statue.


    Blue Owl placed a hand to his forehead, shaking his head and sighing. He felt like he was talking to an AI, as if getting Qing Ya to speak one unnecessary word would be as difficult as taking his life.


    In fact, he knew which superpower Qing Ya wanted to see. He had discussed the ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡± superpower quite thoroughly with Che Zhengchen, and it was highly likely Qing Ya had heard about this from Commander Che.


    ¡°Since you insist, then watch carefully. This is the fifth period of middle school exercises for the 21st century.¡±


    As he spoke, he unleashed the B-rank Skill¡ª¡±Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill,¡± and his right arm began to slowly rotate in midair, the air around him subtly stirring.


    Qing Ya stood in the distance, silently observing him through the eyes of the crows.


    ¡°I want to clarify again, I cannot control this skill; once I start rotating, I must play rock-paper-scissors afterward. The outcome isn¡¯t something I can decide; each result corresponds to a different power¡­ so if I accidentally blow your head off, the Superhero Association won¡¯t blame me, right? After all, I¡¯m just doing as you instructed,¡± said Blue Owl as he kept rotating his arm, ¡°Rock-paper-scissors¡¯ result isn¡¯t something I can decide.¡±


    By the end, the slowly turning right arm had already begun to make a heavy wooshing sound, and it seemed like the air pressure in the entire test chamber was changing with the rotation of his arm.


    Qing Ya tilted his head and squinted his eyes at him. Even at a distance of several meters, his cloak was still billowing due to the wind stirred up by Blue Owl¡¯s rotating arm.


    He asked, ¡°How many rotations can you do at most?¡±


    ¡°Twenty,¡± said Blue Owl, pausing for a moment, ¡°That¡¯s the limit my arm can endure; any more and my arm might detach. By the way, I don¡¯t know if Commander Che has told you, but the more circles I accumulate, the stronger the force stored in my arm becomes, and the more powerful the resulting rock-paper-scissors ability will be.¡±


    He spoke quickly, fearing the twenty rotations would be complete before he could finish his sentence. That would be such a drag.


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 Chapter 309 - 192 Qing Yas Guidance_2

    Chapter 309: Chapter 192 Qing Ya¡¯s Guidance_2


    Upon hearing this, Qing Ya said without hesitation, ¡°Then make it twenty rotations.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ are you sure?¡±


    ¡°A piece of advice for you¡­¡± Qing Ya¡¯s voice was ominously low.


    ¡°What advice?¡±


    ¡°You could talk less.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Talking more can disrupt the enemy¡¯s thought process, which is better than just throwing silent punches.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Then you¡¯re not doing it well enough,¡± Qing Ya said coldly. ¡°Those who are skilled at verbal attacks can hit the enemy¡¯s weak spots precisely with cutting words; unlike you, whose speech lacks focus and is simply senseless rambling, only serving to annoy.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t being annoying enough of a distraction?¡±


    Blue Owl thought otherwise.


    Qing Ya did not pursue the matter further, but instead asked, ¡°The speed¡­ does it have to be one rotation per second?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Blue Owl nodded. ¡°Otherwise, I can¡¯t get the right feel, which might just be a limitation of this superpower.¡±


    As he spoke, he slightly curved his lips, ¡°Just five more rotations, are you sure you don¡¯t want to step back? Don¡¯t underestimate my abilities just because I¡¯m new.¡±


    ¡°Unleash your superpower¡­ at me.¡±


    Qing Ya spoke calmly, even though he could feel the power accumulating in Blue Owl¡¯s arm swelling to an exaggerated extent, his tone remained utterly unwavering.


    ¡°Alright¡­ since you say so.¡±


    The moment his words fell, Blue Owl¡¯s arm completed the twentieth rotation.


    A system notification sounded in his ears.


    [Accumulated rotary arm rotations: 20 rotations, reaching the limit, the power stored in the arm is now 10 times the original¡ª]


    [Triggered Level B Skill¡ª ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡± Effect Two: Release all the accumulated power in a random Fist-Guessing (choosing from rock, paper, scissors), and depending on the Fist-Guessing result, there are three different skill effects.]


    Blue Owl¡¯s right arm thrust forward.


    Then, carrying a blast of wind, his clenched fist swung forward.


    He thought, since Qing Ya was maintaining such a distance, Fist-Guessing outcomes of ¡°rock¡± or ¡°scissors¡± should not be able to reach him.


    For Qing Ya to be touched at that distance, the only possibility would be ¡°paper.¡±


    Result¡­


    It indeed turned out to be paper.


    Blue Owl¡¯s right hand involuntarily splayed open, his palm facing Qing Ya¡¯s figure.


    On the verge of triggering, the situation had become irreversible.


    [This Fist-Guessing result is ¡±paper¡±, skill effect as follows: When you choose paper, launch a beam of energy (the power and reach of the energy beam depend on the strength of your arm, the stronger the arm, the more powerful and farther the beam travels).]


    In a blink, Blue Owl¡¯s palm, wrapped in a metallic glove, was enveloped by a light so dazzling, almost resembling the aurora. Beneath him, the silvery metallic floor seemed to distort under the force field, creating a mirage of sea cucumbers.


    Only he himself knew this was a skill effect, like the farewell laughter of a Deception Puppet, but the sight must have seemed utterly baffling from Qing Ya¡¯s perspective.


    The next moment, golden lights flowed from his fingertips converging into a point at the center of his palm, and from there, a beam of light, a meter in diameter, burst forth.


    The oncoming beam was agile like a dragon, illuminating the uniform silvery metal like a torch, reflecting a roaring beam within Qing Ya¡¯s pupils.


    However, his gaze remained utterly unpanicked, as calm as a dark rock standing resolute among raging tides.


    Bang¡ª!!!


    A thunderous boom resonated through the metallic space. In a flash, Qing Ya¡¯s body was swallowed by the Fist-Guessing Skill¡¯s beam of light, instantly turning to ash.


    Yet the beam of light continued unimpeded like a roaring unstoppable beast, thundering towards the testing room¡¯s metallic walls, violently tearing through them.


    What the hell?


    Where¡¯s the old man? Did I really just finish him off?


    Half-kneeling, Blue Owl¡¯s right arm drooped powerless to the floor, his eyes flickering with bewilderment.


    Having just seen Qing Ya swallowed by his own energy beam, he froze for two seconds, then turned his head around, but Qing Ya¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen, causing sweat to bead on his forehead slightly.


    After a while, the residual effects of the energy beam completely faded, leaving silence and black smoke enveloping the metallic space.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Comrade Qing Ya, are you okay?¡±


    In the silence so deep it seemed one could hear a pin drop, Blue Owl barely opened his mouth, tentatively speaking towards the dense smoke.


    ¡°For a new superpower user¡­¡±


    The next moment, accompanied by a ghostly voice, Qing Ya suddenly appeared at his side, both of them gazing at that thick curtain of smoke, and he added, ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s just ¡®not bad¡¯?¡±


    As he spoke, Blue Owl stood up from the ground, patting the dust off his metallic glove, ¡°I feel like my power has skyrocketed. Commander Che told me these walls are made from a special alloy. Logically, managing to blast a big hole in it is pretty impressive, right?¡±


    He turned to look at Qing Ya¡¯s profile, thinking it was the first time he had so closely observed the old man dressed in battle gear.


    Due to the structure and function of the helmet, Ke Youqing¡¯s eye shape and color were different from normal, so it was unrealistic to recognize his identity just from the contours of his eyes. For Blue Owl, the face he saw was cold and strange, like an executioner born in the inferno.


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 Chapter 310 - 192 Qing Yas Guidance_3

    Chapter 310: Chapter 192 Qing Ya¡¯s Guidance_3


    ¡°In terms of sheer power, the performance is indeed very outstanding¡­¡±


    Qing Ya said slowly, lifting his eyes to the distance. As the black smoke dissipated, the huge crater on the silver-white metal wall gradually came into his view.


    ¡°But the precondition for achieving this power is a 20-second charge time: unless it¡¯s for an ambush, it¡¯s not very practical in regular combat or skirmishes. It could even end up trapping you and thereby hurting your teammates.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, the outcome of Fist-Guessing is random.¡±


    ¡°Either that¡¯s the rule of the superpower, or you simply can¡¯t control this superpower proficiently yet. Either way, until you can control the outcome, this move is not suitable for real combat.¡±


    Hearing this, blue owl sighed inwardly and looked up at him, ¡°Is it necessary to belittle my superpower to worthlessness? This is my trump card, you know?¡±


    ...


    He paused, ¡°And combined with my other superpowers, it¡¯s still pretty strong, right? For example, after charging for 20 seconds, I could use a position-switch skill to close in on the enemy unexpectedly and hit them with a powerful Flame Fist.¡±


    ¡°Too idealistic.¡± Qing Ya¡¯s face was expressionless, ¡°Real combat is far more complex than what you imagine.¡±


    ¡°Alright, so you think this move has no developmental value?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Qing Ya paused before continuing, ¡°It has great potential.¡±


    ¡°Teacher Ya, are you schizophrenic or something? Didn¡¯t you just criticize me a moment ago?¡±


    Blue owl grumbled, feeling like he had been emotionally manipulated.


    Qing Ya ignored him and changed the subject: ¡°Do you know how much strength you gain with each rotation of your arm compared to the original?¡±


    ¡°I never measured it, how could I possibly know that kind of data?¡± blue owl scratched his beak, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t just guess a number based on feel, that would be so unreliable.¡±


    Hearing that, Qing Ya dropped his head and spoke unhurriedly, ¡°When rotating your arm, your strength increases steadily, never decreasing¡­ and every five rotations constitute an increasing phase, with a total of four phases within twenty rotations. If we liken your original strength to 1, then in the first phase, each rotation increases your arm strength by 0.5; in the second phase, each rotation increases it by 0.3; the third phase by 0.4; and the fourth phase by 0.6.¡±


    At this point, he paused briefly before continuing.


    ¡°Finally, upon reaching the 20th rotation, which is currently your limit, the cumulative strength on your arm is 10¡­ that is, ten times the original number.¡±


    Damn, for real? The limit of Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill, a 10 times increase in strength, and all that figured out by the old man?


    Thinking this, blue owl raised his eyebrows in surprise and said, ¡°Uh¡­ how come you seem to know my superpower better than I do?¡±


    He thought to himself, so the reason why Qing Ya let those crows observe his actions was to estimate the increase in strength when he released ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡±?


    But being able to summarize the pattern of strength increase during the twenty rotations so accurately to almost match system data, that¡¯s just too freaking scary¡­ Ke Mingye himself had summarized the pattern of strength increases of the Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill based on data provided by the system, and it was less than a 0.1 deviation from what Qing Ya stated, giving him the chills. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Ke Youqing released a round of crows at home to observe the force changes of his child every moment, he would quickly realize his child was a freak, and no one could hide their identity.


    Fortunately, he never did that at home¡­ blue owl thought to himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult¡­¡± Qing Ya said, ¡°When you get to my level, you¡¯ll be able to do it too.¡±


    ¡°So when can I be as strong as you?¡± blue owl asked.


    At that question, Qing Ya seemed to remember something, his face suddenly turned downward, and he remained silent.


    In the end, he didn¡¯t answer the question but silently moved towards the exit of the testing chamber.


    Blue owl followed behind him, forcing conversation, ¡°Uh¡­ so according to you, the best ¡®bang for my buck¡¯ with my Fist-Guessing superpower is in the last five rotations, where I gain the most strength; then it¡¯s the first five, followed by the 11th to the 15th rotations, with the 6th to the 10th rotations being last, right?¡±


    ¡°Obviously.¡± Qing Ya said, ¡°In combat, you should use this to decide when the best moment is to strike instead of just flailing your arms foolishly.¡±


    ¡°Okay, your analysis is of great significance to me, it made me aware of the limits of my superpower, all that blah blah blah, you get the drift.¡±


    As he spoke, blue owl looked towards Qing Ya¡¯s retreating figure with a teasing tone in his voice.


    ¡°By the way, is there some kind of rating system for superpower mentors, so I can give our Qing Ya mentor a five-star review on the Superhero Association¡¯s APP? Maybe other superheroes would line up to attend your classes?¡±


    Qing Ya ignored the latter part of his statement and only replied to the first part: ¡°Most Superpower Users can raise the limit of their superpowers through training, so 10 times the strength¡­ might not be the limit of your superpower.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then maybe I should demonstrate my other two abilities to you, like swapping places with your crow and showing you a backflip; or you create two crows, and let me roast them with Flame Fist, cooked and ready for you to eat, as thanks for analyzing my superpower. Also, will we meet again next time¡­¡±


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 Chapter 308 - 192 Qing Yas Guidance

    Chapter 308: Chapter 192 Qing Ya¡¯s Guidance


    Blue Owl stared at the dark figure standing in the middle of the test chamber, thinking to himself.


    ¡°Gosh, has Commander Che turned into a riddle-speaker too? So the superpower mentor he found for me was my old man. ¡±


    He shook his head, continuing to think, ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s not right. It must have been my old man who asked him to keep it secret from me. Our intimidating Crow Man loves to create this kind of unexpected atmosphere. ¡±


    Seeing that Qing Ya remained silent, just silently gazing at him, Blue Owl suddenly felt invigorated, thinking if you¡¯re not going to talk, then I won¡¯t either. Is it a competition to see who has a bigger idol burden? Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, the atmosphere in the silvery-white test chamber became awkward. The two of them stood helmet to helmet, their beak-like visors facing each other, like two warriors brandishing their bayonets at each other from a distance.


    For a second or two, Blue Owl really wondered if he¡¯d come to compete over whose bird beak looked cooler, as if on the count of ¡°three, two, one,¡± they would both fly to the tree next to the Superhero Tower and peck at the branches, to see who could catch more bugs.


    ...


    Blue Owl frowned, trying to wave his hand. Qing Ya still showed no reaction, standing there like a statue.


    So, feeling helpless, Blue Owl tried to break the silence. He said, ¡°Uh¡­ hello, Mr. Qing Ya, did you want to see me for a reason?¡±


    Qing Ya was silent for another couple of seconds before getting straight to the point, without beating around the bush.


    ¡°Show me your superpower¡­¡±


    He said this in a calm voice, yet it sounded like a huge crow¡¯s hoarse and penetrating call.


    Hearing this, Blue Owl was confused and asked irritably, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®show¡¯? ¡±


    As he spoke, he spread his hands, ¡°Also, I actually have three superpowers. So I¡¯m curious, which one are you referring to?¡±


    ¡°The one you discussed with the Commander,¡± said Qing Ya.


    ¡°Flame Fist, Position Exchange, or Fist-Guessing?¡± Blue Owl said, ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned all three superpowers to him, and I¡¯m really curious which one you mean.¡±


    Qing Ya didn¡¯t answer this question but instead said, ¡°First, use your original strength to simply rotate your arm.¡±


    As he said this, he summoned several crows around himself. The crows slowly flapped their wings and approached Blue Owl, then squinted their crimson eyes and unblinkingly watched Blue Owl¡¯s every move from all directions.


    To tell the truth, being stared at by so many crow-shaped monitors wasn¡¯t a pleasant experience. Blue Owl felt the lifeless gaze of those creatures and a shiver ran down his spine.


    ¡°What does this mean, can you please explain your intentions first?¡±


    Blue Owl crossed his arms over his shoulders and slightly tilted his head, the bird beak on his mask inclining with it.


    ¡°Just do as I say,¡± Qing Ya replied coldly.


    ¡°Alright, alright, no need to rush,¡± Blue Owl responded as he irritably rotated his arm once more, then asked, ¡°Like this?¡±


    ¡°Unleash your superpower,¡± Qing Ya continued.


    Blue Owl raised a finger and said, ¡°You know, one day as I was fighting a supervillain, I fell into a river. I was pulled out by the River God, who then asked me, ¡®Is the power you dropped this Position Exchange superpower, or this little Fire Fist skill, or is it actually the ability to rotate your arm for an exercise routine,¡¯ guess how I answered him?¡±


    Qing Ya remained silent, offering no response.


    ¡°Okay, I know you think I¡¯m being awkward, but I just feel, can our atmosphere be a bit less¡­ tense?¡±


    Blue Owl shrugged his shoulders, speaking slowly.


    Qing Ya still gave no response, looking at him perform like a statue.


    Blue Owl placed a hand to his forehead, shaking his head and sighing. He felt like he was talking to an AI, as if getting Qing Ya to speak one unnecessary word would be as difficult as taking his life.


    In fact, he knew which superpower Qing Ya wanted to see. He had discussed the ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡± superpower quite thoroughly with Che Zhengchen, and it was highly likely Qing Ya had heard about this from Commander Che.


    ¡°Since you insist, then watch carefully. This is the fifth period of middle school exercises for the 21st century.¡±


    As he spoke, he unleashed the B-rank Skill¡ª¡±Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill,¡± and his right arm began to slowly rotate in midair, the air around him subtly stirring.


    Qing Ya stood in the distance, silently observing him through the eyes of the crows.


    ¡°I want to clarify again, I cannot control this skill; once I start rotating, I must play rock-paper-scissors afterward. The outcome isn¡¯t something I can decide; each result corresponds to a different power¡­ so if I accidentally blow your head off, the Superhero Association won¡¯t blame me, right? After all, I¡¯m just doing as you instructed,¡± said Blue Owl as he kept rotating his arm, ¡°Rock-paper-scissors¡¯ result isn¡¯t something I can decide.¡±


    By the end, the slowly turning right arm had already begun to make a heavy wooshing sound, and it seemed like the air pressure in the entire test chamber was changing with the rotation of his arm.


    Qing Ya tilted his head and squinted his eyes at him. Even at a distance of several meters, his cloak was still billowing due to the wind stirred up by Blue Owl¡¯s rotating arm.


    He asked, ¡°How many rotations can you do at most?¡±


    ¡°Twenty,¡± said Blue Owl, pausing for a moment, ¡°That¡¯s the limit my arm can endure; any more and my arm might detach. By the way, I don¡¯t know if Commander Che has told you, but the more circles I accumulate, the stronger the force stored in my arm becomes, and the more powerful the resulting rock-paper-scissors ability will be.¡±


    He spoke quickly, fearing the twenty rotations would be complete before he could finish his sentence. That would be such a drag.


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 Chapter 309 - 192 Qing Yas Guidance_2

    Chapter 309: Chapter 192 Qing Ya¡¯s Guidance_2


    Upon hearing this, Qing Ya said without hesitation, ¡°Then make it twenty rotations.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ are you sure?¡±


    ¡°A piece of advice for you¡­¡± Qing Ya¡¯s voice was ominously low.


    ¡°What advice?¡±


    ¡°You could talk less.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Talking more can disrupt the enemy¡¯s thought process, which is better than just throwing silent punches.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Then you¡¯re not doing it well enough,¡± Qing Ya said coldly. ¡°Those who are skilled at verbal attacks can hit the enemy¡¯s weak spots precisely with cutting words; unlike you, whose speech lacks focus and is simply senseless rambling, only serving to annoy.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t being annoying enough of a distraction?¡±


    Blue Owl thought otherwise.


    Qing Ya did not pursue the matter further, but instead asked, ¡°The speed¡­ does it have to be one rotation per second?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Blue Owl nodded. ¡°Otherwise, I can¡¯t get the right feel, which might just be a limitation of this superpower.¡±


    As he spoke, he slightly curved his lips, ¡°Just five more rotations, are you sure you don¡¯t want to step back? Don¡¯t underestimate my abilities just because I¡¯m new.¡±


    ¡°Unleash your superpower¡­ at me.¡±


    Qing Ya spoke calmly, even though he could feel the power accumulating in Blue Owl¡¯s arm swelling to an exaggerated extent, his tone remained utterly unwavering.


    ¡°Alright¡­ since you say so.¡±


    The moment his words fell, Blue Owl¡¯s arm completed the twentieth rotation.


    A system notification sounded in his ears.


    [Accumulated rotary arm rotations: 20 rotations, reaching the limit, the power stored in the arm is now 10 times the original¡ª]


    [Triggered Level B Skill¡ª ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡± Effect Two: Release all the accumulated power in a random Fist-Guessing (choosing from rock, paper, scissors), and depending on the Fist-Guessing result, there are three different skill effects.]


    Blue Owl¡¯s right arm thrust forward.


    Then, carrying a blast of wind, his clenched fist swung forward.


    He thought, since Qing Ya was maintaining such a distance, Fist-Guessing outcomes of ¡°rock¡± or ¡°scissors¡± should not be able to reach him.


    For Qing Ya to be touched at that distance, the only possibility would be ¡°paper.¡±


    Result¡­


    It indeed turned out to be paper.


    Blue Owl¡¯s right hand involuntarily splayed open, his palm facing Qing Ya¡¯s figure.


    On the verge of triggering, the situation had become irreversible.


    [This Fist-Guessing result is ¡±paper¡±, skill effect as follows: When you choose paper, launch a beam of energy (the power and reach of the energy beam depend on the strength of your arm, the stronger the arm, the more powerful and farther the beam travels).]


    In a blink, Blue Owl¡¯s palm, wrapped in a metallic glove, was enveloped by a light so dazzling, almost resembling the aurora. Beneath him, the silvery metallic floor seemed to distort under the force field, creating a mirage of sea cucumbers.


    Only he himself knew this was a skill effect, like the farewell laughter of a Deception Puppet, but the sight must have seemed utterly baffling from Qing Ya¡¯s perspective.


    The next moment, golden lights flowed from his fingertips converging into a point at the center of his palm, and from there, a beam of light, a meter in diameter, burst forth.


    The oncoming beam was agile like a dragon, illuminating the uniform silvery metal like a torch, reflecting a roaring beam within Qing Ya¡¯s pupils.


    However, his gaze remained utterly unpanicked, as calm as a dark rock standing resolute among raging tides.


    Bang¡ª!!!


    A thunderous boom resonated through the metallic space. In a flash, Qing Ya¡¯s body was swallowed by the Fist-Guessing Skill¡¯s beam of light, instantly turning to ash.


    Yet the beam of light continued unimpeded like a roaring unstoppable beast, thundering towards the testing room¡¯s metallic walls, violently tearing through them.


    What the hell?


    Where¡¯s the old man? Did I really just finish him off?


    Half-kneeling, Blue Owl¡¯s right arm drooped powerless to the floor, his eyes flickering with bewilderment.


    Having just seen Qing Ya swallowed by his own energy beam, he froze for two seconds, then turned his head around, but Qing Ya¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen, causing sweat to bead on his forehead slightly.


    After a while, the residual effects of the energy beam completely faded, leaving silence and black smoke enveloping the metallic space.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Comrade Qing Ya, are you okay?¡±


    In the silence so deep it seemed one could hear a pin drop, Blue Owl barely opened his mouth, tentatively speaking towards the dense smoke.


    ¡°For a new superpower user¡­¡±


    The next moment, accompanied by a ghostly voice, Qing Ya suddenly appeared at his side, both of them gazing at that thick curtain of smoke, and he added, ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s just ¡®not bad¡¯?¡±


    As he spoke, Blue Owl stood up from the ground, patting the dust off his metallic glove, ¡°I feel like my power has skyrocketed. Commander Che told me these walls are made from a special alloy. Logically, managing to blast a big hole in it is pretty impressive, right?¡±


    He turned to look at Qing Ya¡¯s profile, thinking it was the first time he had so closely observed the old man dressed in battle gear.


    Due to the structure and function of the helmet, Ke Youqing¡¯s eye shape and color were different from normal, so it was unrealistic to recognize his identity just from the contours of his eyes. For Blue Owl, the face he saw was cold and strange, like an executioner born in the inferno.


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 Chapter 310 - 192 Qing Yas Guidance_3

    Chapter 310: Chapter 192 Qing Ya¡¯s Guidance_3


    ¡°In terms of sheer power, the performance is indeed very outstanding¡­¡±


    Qing Ya said slowly, lifting his eyes to the distance. As the black smoke dissipated, the huge crater on the silver-white metal wall gradually came into his view.


    ¡°But the precondition for achieving this power is a 20-second charge time: unless it¡¯s for an ambush, it¡¯s not very practical in regular combat or skirmishes. It could even end up trapping you and thereby hurting your teammates.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, the outcome of Fist-Guessing is random.¡±


    ¡°Either that¡¯s the rule of the superpower, or you simply can¡¯t control this superpower proficiently yet. Either way, until you can control the outcome, this move is not suitable for real combat.¡±


    Hearing this, blue owl sighed inwardly and looked up at him, ¡°Is it necessary to belittle my superpower to worthlessness? This is my trump card, you know?¡±


    ...


    He paused, ¡°And combined with my other superpowers, it¡¯s still pretty strong, right? For example, after charging for 20 seconds, I could use a position-switch skill to close in on the enemy unexpectedly and hit them with a powerful Flame Fist.¡±


    ¡°Too idealistic.¡± Qing Ya¡¯s face was expressionless, ¡°Real combat is far more complex than what you imagine.¡±


    ¡°Alright, so you think this move has no developmental value?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Qing Ya paused before continuing, ¡°It has great potential.¡±


    ¡°Teacher Ya, are you schizophrenic or something? Didn¡¯t you just criticize me a moment ago?¡±


    Blue owl grumbled, feeling like he had been emotionally manipulated.


    Qing Ya ignored him and changed the subject: ¡°Do you know how much strength you gain with each rotation of your arm compared to the original?¡±


    ¡°I never measured it, how could I possibly know that kind of data?¡± blue owl scratched his beak, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t just guess a number based on feel, that would be so unreliable.¡±


    Hearing that, Qing Ya dropped his head and spoke unhurriedly, ¡°When rotating your arm, your strength increases steadily, never decreasing¡­ and every five rotations constitute an increasing phase, with a total of four phases within twenty rotations. If we liken your original strength to 1, then in the first phase, each rotation increases your arm strength by 0.5; in the second phase, each rotation increases it by 0.3; the third phase by 0.4; and the fourth phase by 0.6.¡±


    At this point, he paused briefly before continuing.


    ¡°Finally, upon reaching the 20th rotation, which is currently your limit, the cumulative strength on your arm is 10¡­ that is, ten times the original number.¡±


    Damn, for real? The limit of Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill, a 10 times increase in strength, and all that figured out by the old man?


    Thinking this, blue owl raised his eyebrows in surprise and said, ¡°Uh¡­ how come you seem to know my superpower better than I do?¡±


    He thought to himself, so the reason why Qing Ya let those crows observe his actions was to estimate the increase in strength when he released ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡±?


    But being able to summarize the pattern of strength increase during the twenty rotations so accurately to almost match system data, that¡¯s just too freaking scary¡­ Ke Mingye himself had summarized the pattern of strength increases of the Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill based on data provided by the system, and it was less than a 0.1 deviation from what Qing Ya stated, giving him the chills. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Ke Youqing released a round of crows at home to observe the force changes of his child every moment, he would quickly realize his child was a freak, and no one could hide their identity.


    Fortunately, he never did that at home¡­ blue owl thought to himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult¡­¡± Qing Ya said, ¡°When you get to my level, you¡¯ll be able to do it too.¡±


    ¡°So when can I be as strong as you?¡± blue owl asked.


    At that question, Qing Ya seemed to remember something, his face suddenly turned downward, and he remained silent.


    In the end, he didn¡¯t answer the question but silently moved towards the exit of the testing chamber.


    Blue owl followed behind him, forcing conversation, ¡°Uh¡­ so according to you, the best ¡®bang for my buck¡¯ with my Fist-Guessing superpower is in the last five rotations, where I gain the most strength; then it¡¯s the first five, followed by the 11th to the 15th rotations, with the 6th to the 10th rotations being last, right?¡±


    ¡°Obviously.¡± Qing Ya said, ¡°In combat, you should use this to decide when the best moment is to strike instead of just flailing your arms foolishly.¡±


    ¡°Okay, your analysis is of great significance to me, it made me aware of the limits of my superpower, all that blah blah blah, you get the drift.¡±


    As he spoke, blue owl looked towards Qing Ya¡¯s retreating figure with a teasing tone in his voice.


    ¡°By the way, is there some kind of rating system for superpower mentors, so I can give our Qing Ya mentor a five-star review on the Superhero Association¡¯s APP? Maybe other superheroes would line up to attend your classes?¡±


    Qing Ya ignored the latter part of his statement and only replied to the first part: ¡°Most Superpower Users can raise the limit of their superpowers through training, so 10 times the strength¡­ might not be the limit of your superpower.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then maybe I should demonstrate my other two abilities to you, like swapping places with your crow and showing you a backflip; or you create two crows, and let me roast them with Flame Fist, cooked and ready for you to eat, as thanks for analyzing my superpower. Also, will we meet again next time¡­¡±


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 Chapter 311 - 192 Qing Yas Guidance_4

    Chapter 311: Chapter 192 Qing Ya¡¯s Guidance_4


    Under the relentless verbal barrage from Blue Owl, Qing Ya¡¯s figure suddenly morphed into a cloud of dissipating crow feathers. It was only after his shadow vanished that the intense buzzing, reminiscent of a swarm of giant bees flapping their wings, faintly reached them, echoing in the testing room¡¯s solemn silence.


    ¡°Really lacks a sense of humor.¡±


    Blue Owl raised a hand to his ears and muttered before looking around the empty metal testing room.


    This time, Qing Ya really had taken off.


    ¡°Damn, seems like I forgot to take off my helmet in front of him.¡±


    Blue Owl yawned, thinking to himself.


    ...


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter, even without my Ke Mingye identity, he will still protect me. After all, he and Commander Che are still counting on me to lure out the Timekeeper¡­¡±


    While thinking, he walked toward the exit of the metal testing room and swiped his ID card in the slot above the metal door, which then slowly swung open.


    Che Zhengchen was leaning against the dark gold wallpaper of the corridor, arms crossed, his head bowed in a doze.


    At the sound of the metal door opening, he rubbed his Tianming Acupoint with one hand and groaned as he raised his head, prying his bleary eyes open to ask casually, ¡°Are you done?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say a word, just watched me display my superpower and took off.¡± Blue Owl spread his hands, ¡°The superpower mentor you hired is kind of lacking¡­ Commander Che.¡±


    At these words, Che Zhengchen, while removing his glasses and wiping them with a cloth from his pocket, said with a smile, ¡°It looks like you two got along quite well.¡±


    Putting his glasses back on and tucking the cloth into his pocket, he adjusted the frame on his nose, ¡°Qing Ya willing to be alone with you for three minutes¡ªword of that outside of the Association Building would probably astound everyone as the ninth wonder of the world, surpassing the eight wonders.¡±


    ¡°Is it really that exaggerated?¡± Blue Owl said, ¡°I¡¯m more curious, will this mentor of mine come every day to advise me?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? All depends on his mood¡ªmaybe once a week, maybe once a month,¡± Che Zhengchen said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if he really doesn¡¯t want to bother with you, someone else will take his place and teach you how to become stronger.¡±


    After speaking, he smiled faintly, ¡°Shall we go have breakfast at the Association¡¯s canteen?¡±


    Blue Owl hugged his shoulders, pondering for a moment, then cocked his head to look at him, ¡°That sounds good. But can you help me repair this suit first?¡±


    Pointing at the tear in the red and blue suit, he added, ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to dine with you looking like this, right? It¡¯s embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°I think that can be arranged. So, you¡¯ll take off the suit when you get back and send it to me in some way?¡± Che Zhengchen inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Bai Yi take it to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You two are that close now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s alright.¡±


    While talking, Blue Owl pressed the button on the elevator control panel, and the elevator doors slid open. He stepped in ahead of Che Zhengchen and hit the button for the first floor of the Association Building.


    ¡°So, what do you think of Qing Ya?¡±


    ¡°Better than I expected to approach.¡±


    ¡°Heh, that¡¯s good.¡±


    As they spoke, the elevator arrived at the first floor of the Association Building. Che Zhengchen watched as Blue Owl stepped out and, outside, a figure clothed in a silver-white suit was leaning against the wall waiting for him.


    ¡°Been looking for you for a while.¡± Bai Yi turned to look at him and said, ¡°Why did you suddenly take off yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Had something to do,¡± Blue Owl said.


    ¡°What exactly is your relationship with that girl named ¡®Bai Zini¡¯?¡± Bai Yi asked, ¡°Err, the reason you had me show them that photo, it wasn¡¯t to let the other Magic Girls know your identity, but it was for that girl, right?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s a piece of advice,¡± Blue Owl said, ¡°Don¡¯t pry into her business, or you¡¯ll be in trouble.¡±


    ¡°What kind of trouble?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to say¡­¡± Blue Owl said meaningfully.


    ¡°I even helped you out, and you won¡¯t tell me about her background?¡± Bai Yi¡¯s mouth curved slightly, ¡°But I get it, everyone has a girl in their heart. You just hoped that she would find out you¡¯re a superhero, maybe idolize you a bit, right?¡±


    ¡°Err¡­ you could think that,¡± Blue Owl shrugged noncommittally, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll change out of my suit when I get home. We can find a nearby breakfast place. You¡¯re the captain, you¡¯re treating.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Bai Yi nodded, then tilted his head and asked him, ¡°Need a lift, flying-wise?¡±


    ¡°I think that would save me a subway ride.¡±


    ¡°Might be a bit noisy though.¡±


    ¡°Who cares.¡±


    No sooner had Blue Owl spoken than Bai Yi spread his silver-white wings and grabbed his shoulder from behind.


    The next moment, with a deafening boom, Bai Yi took to the skies in explosive flight, carrying Blue Owl along as they disappeared beneath the Superhero Tower.


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 Chapter 312 - 193: July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass

    Chapter 312: Chapter 193: July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass


    July 12, early in the morning.


    After Ke Mingye and An Renchuan each had removed their combat suits at the secret base, they met at Hongdeng Commercial Street, had breakfast, and then took a walk before parting ways.


    Ke Mingye took a taxi back to the Old Jingmai District, rode the elevator, and arrived on the 12th floor of the duplex apartment building. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the elevator doors opened, he stepped out of the car and looked up from the screen of his phone.


    Bai Ziling was standing alone at the entrance of the corridor, daydreaming. Her profile was like the empty gaze of a port during the autumn equinox, looking at the sky. The sky was faintly luminous, with the soft and hazy morning light filtering through the dust-covered windows and falling on her pale cheeks.


    Ke Mingye stared at the silhouette of the girl with white hair, paused for a moment, put away his phone, and asked.


    ...


    ¡°Up so early?¡±


    ¡°You woke me up. And then¡­ I was waiting for you to come home.¡±


    Bai Ziling said, turning her head, with her white skirt gently swaying.


    ¡°Waiting for me for what? Couldn¡¯t you just go back to sleep?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Travel.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ke Mingye was puzzled by this abrupt statement.


    ¡°I want to travel,¡± Bai Ziling murmured softly, tilting her head slightly, her snow-white strands of hair leaning by her ear, ¡°but dad and mom won¡¯t agree.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ so, you want me to take you?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Bai Ziling nodded, lifting her gaze from the snowy locks of hair.


    Those red eyes, as if covered with a layer of mist, remained fixed on Ke Mingye, as though waiting for his response.


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye thought for a brief moment.


    Truthfully, he could say with certainty that Gastella must have placed tightly fitting surveillance at strategic places around Huanjing, such as airport ticket inspectors and port fishermen.


    Otherwise, why would Gastella so blatantly declare the arrival of the Blood Clan Hunters in the city?


    The eerie speech she controlled, spoken by hundreds of people, might sound nonsensical to ordinary people, but it served as a clear signal to vampires.


    The reaction from Bai Ziling showed as much.


    She was so scared that she trembled and hid in her room, refusing to come out.


    From this, it could be inferred that those words might act like a sort of hunter¡¯s spell specifically for vampires, containing magic power to intimidate the Blood Clan. And Gastella was precisely using this spell to signal to the white-haired vampire hiding in the city, telling her: We are here, there is nowhere for you to hide.


    And naturally, Gastella would anticipate that the white-haired vampire, upon receiving this threatening signal, would likely try to find a way to flee the city out of fear.


    Thus, she would naturally place spies at all the city¡¯s exits and, like an experienced hunter, patiently wait for her prey to take the bait.


    Moreover, Bai Ziling¡¯s features were very conspicuous: white hair, red eyes. Even with a wig and contact lenses, those vampire hunters might still be able to identify her with some kind of device.


    So, taking Bai Ziling out of town openly wasn¡¯t very feasible ¡ª it might even play right into Gastella¡¯s hands.


    Otherwise, Ke Mingye would have done so long ago.


    If what Gastella said was true, then once the 30 days were up, the Blood Clan Oath on her would automatically activate, ending her life, fragile as a candle in the wind.


    And all Ke Mingye needed to do was keep making excuses to his family, continuing to flee with Bai Ziling to a distant land. Once Gastella was dead, those who followed her, the Blood Clan Hunters, probably wouldn¡¯t persist in searching for the white-haired vampire.


    If, by that time, they still refused to give up, that would be good for Ke Mingye as well.


    Once Gastella was dead, Ke Mingye no longer needed to worry about his ¡°player identity¡± being exposed.


    Besides, the remaining vampire hunters were nothing compared to the monsters accompanying him. If all else failed, he could always have Bai Zini invite Xizi Yue to execute a dimensionality reduction strike.


    Of course¡­ Ke Mingye had also considered that since he himself could not take Bai Ziling out of the city, he might entrust this task to other family members.


    Firstly, his father and mother were unlikely candidates. They had just returned from a trip to London, England, not long ago, and his father was too occupied with Superhero Association matters to be spared.


    Therefore, it naturally fell to his brother and sister.


    Among the siblings, his eldest and second brothers were naturally the most suitable.


    If Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo took Bai Ziling out of the city, even the most powerful vampire hunters should not be able to handle this monstrous duo.


    But the problem still existed, which was allowing his eldest and second brothers to come into direct contact with Gastella, who might possibly reveal clues about other players to them.


    That meant, Ke Mingye would likely expose his own identity.


    Honestly, the last thing Ke Mingye wanted to see was Gastella falling into his eldest brother¡¯s hands.


    The Black Judge understood the system¡¯s rules and could likely make Gastella divulge information about other players without breaching the rule of death.


    And with the investigative skills of the Black Judge, once he obtained information from Gastella, there was a ninety percent chance that Ke Mingye¡¯s player identity would be revealed.


    Therefore, he was not very keen on involving his overly astute father and eldest brother in this matter.


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 Chapter 313 - 193: July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass_2

    Chapter 313: Chapter 193: July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass_2


    But since the situation had already gotten this bad, recklessly making a move might not be a good choice.


    He would let Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo take Bai Ziling to travel, thereby luring those Blood Clan Hunters out at the airport or train station.


    Meanwhile, Ke Mingye would secretly watch from the sidelines to see if he could use this opportunity to find Gastella¡¯s true form and erase her.


    Of course, if it really came down to revealing their identities, Ke Mingye also had a way to cope: he would take the train from Old Jingmai District and escape before Ke Yinzhi and Ke Xiaomo returned home.


    From now on, he would no longer be a child of Bai Ke¡¯s home but would become a member of an Anti-Superhuman Organization, a wandering traveler, or perhaps a hermit.


    To tell you the truth, no matter how things evolved, it¡¯d be much more relaxed than staying in this home for another year.


    ...


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye sighed.


    With a tone of helplessness, he asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask second brother or eldest brother? Both of them are college students and are more experienced with long-distance travel. I¡¯ve never even left the province; isn¡¯t asking me just deceiving ourselves?¡±


    ¡°Eldest brother said he¡¯s busy,¡± replied Bai Ziling.


    ¡°What about second brother?¡±


    ¡°Same.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye couldn¡¯t help but shrug, thinking he should have expected this. How could those two possibly go on a leisurely trip at this time? They must be preoccupied with the matter of parasites.


    ¡°What about sister?¡±


    ¡°I just want to go with third brother,¡± Bai Ziling suddenly said after a moment of silence.


    ¡°And the elementary school student¡­ You two get along so well.¡±


    Ke Mingye asked curiously, thinking you really don¡¯t trust your little brother, huh? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to take a disaster dragon alongside you, and when those Blood Clan Hunters make a move, just shut the door and let the dragon bite them?


    ¡°He¡¯s an elementary school student.¡±


    ¡°Then what use is there in finding me? Even though I¡¯m not an elementary student, mom and dad definitely won¡¯t allow just the two of us to go.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°One¡¯s a high schooler, and the other¡¯s a middle schooler; traveling alone just isn¡¯t realistic. If we mention it, mom will surely scold us, just wait and see.¡±


    Bai Ziling put her hands behind her back in her white dress, her eyes downcast, and remained silent.


    Ke Mingye stared at her for a long while and asked irritably, ¡°Do you really want to go out that badly?¡±


    Bai Ziling silently nodded her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Summer vacation is still a month away; let¡¯s talk about it next month,¡± Ke Mingye said indifferently, ¡°Next month, our entire family will travel together. We¡¯re not missing out on much time.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true,¡± Ke Mingye shrugged, ¡°When have I ever lied? Even if dad and mom don¡¯t agree next month, I¡¯ll try to persuade them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Should I take you out for a walk? You haven¡¯t been out much lately, just hiding at home,¡± Ke Mingye paused, ¡°You need to get some sunshine once in a while.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go out.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you wanted to travel?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go out. But I want to go beyond Huanjing.¡±


    Although Ke Mingye understood why she felt this way, he could only pretend not to understand and gave her a puzzled look.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand you middle schoolers. You¡¯re at your rebellious phase, right?¡±


    After saying that, he was the first to change into slippers, pushed open the home door and entered.


    In the following nearly a week, there were no signs of activity from Gastella.


    She hadn¡¯t even posted in the player discussion group, and the last message in the local discussion group was stuck on the date of July 11.


    Silently, time moved to July 20th.


    Since Ke Mingye was unsure of Gastella¡¯s movements, he let Paranoia also temporarily keep a low profile, trying to move away from the city center but not completely leave the city, as it could likely lead to encountering Gastella¡¯s spies.


    Paranoia surprisingly didn¡¯t object and obediently did as told.


    Thus, by the end, only Ke Mingye and Cai Bing were left among the players in Huanjing city. With just the two of them, and under the unknown circumstances of Gastella¡¯s movements, naturally, they couldn¡¯t meet or explore any instances. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, these days, Ke Mingye typically completed the daily tasks set by the system, then showed up at the Superhero Association and patrolled specific areas of the city with the Bai Yi Squad as routine before going straight to sleep after a day¡¯s work, without concerning himself with outside affairs.


    As for the Alliance, since Magical Girl Ash didn¡¯t notify him, he didn¡¯t bother going.


    Ke Mingye guessed that Bai Zini was probably too troubled by his matters to care about the Alliance or Little Red Riding Hoods, sitting under a magic umbrella every day, secretly flying behind blue owl, fearful that this brother might get his head busted by some supercriminal.


    Thus, Magical Girl Ash, an executive of the Alliance, blatantly went on strike overwhelmed by family issues; and the president of the China divided, Xizi Yue, was such a lazy person.


    So, Little Red Riding Hood naturally received no notification from the Alliance these days and was forced to take leave.


    And now on July 20th, approaching the one-month deadline mentioned by Gastella for death, it meant that Gastella might most likely make a move soon. With her capabilities, she could at a minimum make a citywide commotion, especially since the officials hadn¡¯t found a way to completely eradicate the parasites.


    Ke Mingye still remembered that he had left an ace up his sleeve, the identity of Dice Monster, after his first meeting with Gastella.


    He had let the strange thing tell Gastella that as long as she brought the head of the blue owl to it, it would tell her the location of the player and the white-haired vampire she was looking for.


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 Chapter 314 - 193: July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass_3

    Chapter 314: Chapter 193: July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass_3


    So during these days, when Ke Mingye played the role of blue owl, he always let the Deception Puppet take the stage, while he himself hid in an unknown corner, just in case the blue owl comrade really got taken out by Gastella.


    But as it turned out, it was perfect timing. By having the puppet play blue owl, he successfully passed the Superhero Association¡¯s routine brain imaging helmet test.


    The test results undoubtedly led the senior officials and Che Zhengchen to mistakenly believe he was not a player.


    Most importantly¡­ Qing Ya could also see these test results.


    This was what Ke Mingye valued most, and the reason he had not yet revealed his identity to Qing Ya: he knew that since the brain imaging helmet was gradually becoming commonplace in official organizations, as a new hero, blue owl taking a brain imaging test would be sooner or later.


    And at home, he couldn¡¯t use the Deception Puppet to hide his tracks, after all, his big sister¡¯s Eyes of Golden Flame were there. So if he were to be fitted with the brain imaging helmet at home, it would essentially be an unsolvable checkmate.


    ...


    That¡¯s precisely why, before revealing his identity to his dad, he had to make his dad completely believe that he could not possibly be a player¡­


    As long as his dad confirmed he wasn¡¯t a player through the test results provided by the Association, then once Ke Mingye took off the mask of blue owl and revealed his true identity to Qing Ya, there hopefully wouldn¡¯t be a scene out of a horror movie where, after bustling around all day and wanting to rest at home, someone unexpectedly entered his room in the middle of the night and fitted ¡°brain imaging helmet¡± over his head.


    Just thinking about it nearly made Ke Mingye piss his pants.


    ¡°The preparations are almost all set, so next it should be Gastella¡¯s turn.¡±


    One morning, Ke Mingye stood in the corridor on the second floor, glancing at the tightly closed door of Bai Ziling¡¯s room, he thought.


    ¡°The deadline she talked about is coming soon. Either she was deceiving me from the start, and she doesn¡¯t actually have anything like the ¡®Blood Clan Oath¡¯ on her, or she¡¯s still hiding, waiting for a chance to drag me out.¡±


    ¡°Let me see, just how long she will hide before she takes action.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    July 20th, at twilight, inside a private underground bar.


    In the dim lighting, Flint gently lifted Sisteruo from the wheelchair and helped her sit at a chair in front of the bar, then took a seat next to her.


    Both accepted drinks from the server, Flint¡¯s was a strong liquor, while Sisteruo¡¯s was milk.


    The server¡¯s eyes were vacant, devoid of spirit, serving them like a puppet.


    ¡°Is this really okay?¡± Flint said, ¡°Those players might take advantage of this time to leave Huanjing.¡±


    ¡°The book of prophecy has mentioned that the player hiding a vampire at home is confined by some reason, and will not leave the city at least for this month.¡± Sisteruo said indifferently, ¡°According to the prophecy, he won¡¯t run. It doesn¡¯t matter if other players escape, I will find them one by one later, and take care of them then. The priority now is to find that white-haired vampire, so I can live a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Flint nodded, ¡°The next time the book of prophecy is unsealed is¡­¡±


    ¡°In six days. But I can¡¯t wait that long.¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°In four days, I will die due to the Blood Clan Oath, so I can¡¯t rely on the book of prophecy to find him.¡±


    Pausing, she took a sip of milk, licked her lips, and continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange when you think about it. After receiving my hint, that vampire doesn¡¯t seem to have thought about fleeing the city, but rather is hiding and not coming out. Otherwise, we should have caught it by now.¡±


    After some thought, Flint said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not as complicated as you think. It¡¯s simply scared, so scared that it doesn¡¯t even have the courage to flee the city, and therefore found somewhere to hide.¡±


    Sisteruo put down the glass, propped her chin with her hands, and pouted.


    ¡°So my actions have actually had a negative effect?¡±


    While they talked, a blonde woman in a green raincoat came through the entrance and sat next to Sisteruo.


    She said, ¡°It was a bit reckless. Scaring snakes by beating the grass is not good; your behavior in announcing your presence was too hasty, it has had the opposite effect both for finding those players and locating that vampire.¡±


    ¡°Lin Ke said the same thing.¡± Sisteruo stated, tapping the floor lightly with her cane, ¡°It seems to be my fault, I underestimated those players. Since it can¡¯t be helped, we¡¯ll have to resort to a less desirable plan.¡±


    ¡°A less desirable plan?¡± Lin Ke asked.


    ¡°The Dice Monster. He seems to know a lot, and he might be connected to the players.¡± Sisteruo¡¯s lips curled, ¡°It said that if I kill that superhero called blue owl, then it would tell me who the player hiding a vampire at home really is, and where they¡¯re hiding.¡±


    ¡°That could be a trap.¡± Lin Ke paused, ¡°That¡¯s my intuition.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Even if it is a trap, we¡¯ll catch the blue owl first.¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°After capturing him, the Dice Monster will appear before me, then I can properly interrogate it to confirm whether my suspicions are correct.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ what we need to do next is¡­ capture that superhero?¡±


    Flint asked thoughtfully while sipping his strong liquor.


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 Chapter 315 - 193: July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass_4

    Chapter 315: Chapter 193: July 20th, Fireworks on the Overpass_4


    ¡°`


    ¡°That¡¯s right. For you, it should be quite easy,¡± Sisteruo smiled, ¡°Of course, not to make a move in the Superhero Tower, but to take action when he comes out for a mission.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Ke Mingye responded.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    July 20th, six o¡¯clock in the evening.


    ...


    The setting sun slanted in the west, and high-rise buildings stood in rows, shrouded in a hazy twilight interwoven with afterglow and neon lights.


    On his way home from the Superhero Association, Ke Mingye sent a message to Bai Zini and learned from her that his second brother and father were still at home. After confirming he wasn¡¯t being followed, he released a Deception Puppet in an inconspicuous corner.


    Then, he opened the ¡°Spider Man Chat Up Special APP¡± on a spare phone and sent an encrypted message to Bai Qiuwu¡¯s phone.


    The content of the message was: [Miss Sun Wukong, if convenient, come meet me tonight at seven, the usual place¡ªYour good friend, dear Mr. Strange Thing.]


    After sending the message, Ke Mingye let the puppet carry the spare phone, equipped with a web shooter, and swing across the city skyline towards the direction of Bridge No. 7.


    When the puppet released the thread attached to the underside of the overpass and soared in an upward arc to land at the top of the bridge, it turned its head around to look, finding no one in the fading twilight.


    Mr. Strange Thing smirked, perched atop a streetlight, and opened the ¡°Spider Man Chat Up Special APP¡± on the spare phone¡ªit hadn¡¯t received any messages.


    Although Bai Qiuwu hadn¡¯t replied to his message, he felt certain that Qiuwu would come.


    So, after Ke Mingye himself returned home from the abandoned train station and took off his battle suit, he went around his house and quickly noticed that Bai Qiuwu was nowhere to be seen.


    Upon asking his siblings, they all said that Qiuwu had gone out to meet a friend not long ago.


    Ke Mingye shrugged, sat down on the sofa, and started drinking a beverage while checking his personal panel.


    From July 13th to July 20th, those eight days of completing ¡°Daily Task 1¡± provided him with a total of 16 attribute points to freely distribute.


    In the eight wheel of fortune rewards he got from completing ¡°Daily Task 2,¡± he had invariably received ¡°Mall Coins¡± for the first four times, totaling 9000 coins;


    The fifth wheel granted him ¡°2 freely distributable attribute points¡±, and the sixth draw rewarded him with a Grade B Magic Card ¡°Elegy of the Sprites¡± (healing effect).


    The last two spins resulted in fragments for synthesizing a low-level Skill Enhancement Card and a 30% discount shopping coupon.


    Ke Mingye allocated the 18 attribute points he earned during this period evenly across three attributes for a stable development.


    [Current player attributes as follows¡ªPhysical fitness: 74 points (¡ü6 points); neurological reaction: 44 points (¡ü6 points); mental strength: 38 points (¡ü6 points)]


    [Current total of Mall Coins: 9100 coins]


    Soon, as Ke Mingye confirmed his personal information with nothing better to do, a figure slowly approached from above on Bridge No. 7 in Mr. Strange Thing¡¯s view. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Mingye let out a sigh of relief, finishing the last sip of Sprite in the bottle while making Mr. Strange Thing wave to her.


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    Meanwhile, atop Bridge No. 7.


    From the distance on the road, a visitor dressed in a silver and black metallic long coat was slowly approaching.


    The comer wore a monkey mask, and a dark-gold staff was slung over her back. As dusk fell, the last hint of reddish sunlight cast onto her, highlighting her icy silhouette and stretching her shadow long and far across the road.


    ¡°Hey¡­ isn¡¯t that our Miss Sun Wukong, long time no see.¡±


    ¡°`


    The strange thing squatted atop the streetlight, waving at her, and while reminiscing spoke, ¡°The last time we met must have been half a month ago, haven¡¯t you missed me? I¡¯ve really missed you¡­ so much so that today, I couldn¡¯t help myself and sent you a text to call you out, by the way, I¡¯m very happy to see you.¡±


    On hearing this, Black Wukong fetched her phone from the pocket of her metallic coat, opened the memo app, and started typing away. She then turned the screen toward the strange thing.


    On the memo it was written, ¡°Cut the small talk. Why have you sought me out this time?¡±


    The strange thing pouted, glanced at the text on the memo, and then looked up at the sky, ¡°Just half a month apart and you¡¯re unwilling to even speak, reverting back to communication through text¡­ Is our relationship that fragile?¡±


    He paused, shaking his head and sighing, ¡°It seems the saying on social media is true, women really are such creatures: if you don¡¯t treat them well for three days, they¡¯ll forget all about you.¡±


    ¡°Do you count as a person?¡±


    Black Wukong asked, with a cold indifference, as she stowed her phone back in her pocket.


    ¡°Well, if you put it that way, probably not,¡± the strange thing replied, tapping its jaw with its finger, ¡°Of course, if you want me to be a person, I can be that too.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Black Wukong questioned while crossing her arms and tilting her head, narrowing her crimson pupils as she continued to stare at it from behind her mask.


    ¡°May I ask if you prefer a little boy, or a teenager, or are you into muscular hunks, blonde studs?¡±


    As the strange thing spoke, its face morphed, at times into a delicate little boy, at times into a sunny-looking teenager, at times into a charming blonde man, and at times into a handsome, buzz-cut hunk.


    ¡°Stop it right there¡­¡± Black Wukong interjected, covering the eyeholes of her mask with her hand, bowing her head, and letting out a soft sigh, ¡°I¡¯m about to throw up the dinner I just ate.¡±


    ¡°Okay, it seems the seduction of beauty is ineffective. Looks like I¡¯ll need to use something else to get your attention,¡± the strange thing said, its mouth turning down at the corners. Suddenly, a red and black die appeared in its right hand.


    Black Wukong silently stared at it with puzzlement.


    The strange thing flipped down from the streetlight and landed on the surface of the overpass. As it walked towards Black Wukong, it extended its right hand towards the exterior of the bridge¡¯s railing. Then he let go of the die, letting it fall towards the city.


    Just at that moment, the sunset completely dipped below the horizon, and the entire city was enveloped in the abrupt onset of night. On the overpass, it was pitch-black except for the flickering flames within Black Wukong¡¯s Eyes of Golden Flame.


    Simultaneously, as the die of calamity dropped from a hundred meters high in the sky, plummeting to the earth, two numbers appeared just above it.


    ¡°6.¡±


    In the darkness, the strange thing uttered a number.


    [You have chosen event ¡°6¡± over event ¡°3¡±.]


    [Event 6: A grand firework will ascend into the sky.]


    The next instant, from the ink-black canvas of the sky, a meteor-like streak of light shot upwards and with a ¡°whoosh¡± pierced the night, then exploded completely at its apex.


    Following a ¡°bang¡±, a rose-shaped firework blossomed in the night sky, scattering twinkling halos over the city. The world was as bright as day, with the illuminated sky and dazzling fireworks swaying together, blindingly beautiful.


    Cries of amazement and car horns sounded from below the city.


    On the deserted overpass, the brilliant colors from the night sky suddenly shattered the pervasive darkness, painting Black Wukong and the strange thing in the same hues.


    Black Wukong was stunned for a moment, then slowly raised her face, gazing off into the distance at the fireworks.


    ¡°Do you like the birthday present I¡¯ve prepared for you?¡±


    The strange thing, with its back to the fireworks and profile facing the night sky, called out to her directly by name.


    ¡°Happy Birthday¡­ Miss Bai Qiuwu.¡±


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 Chapter 316 - 194: Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl

    Chapter 316: Chapter 194: Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl


    On July 20, at 7 p.m., on the Ring 7 Elevated Bridge.


    Watching the red and black dice slip from the strange thing¡¯s hand, Bai Qiuwu slightly furrowed her brows.


    She had intended to lift the Jingu Bang to stop it, yet she couldn¡¯t help but think,


    ¡°What is this strange thing up to now?¡±


    Thinking thus, her movements slowed for a moment. Before she could swing the staff horizontally, the dice had already pierced the night sky, plummeting straight toward the earth.


    The next moment, a sudden explosion stunned her for a second. She turned her head to the right and, through the eyeholes of the monkey mask, gazed up at the sky of Huanjing.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, dazzling fireworks swallowed her view.


    Bang, bang!


    The sound of the fireworks cracking filled the night sky. Faintly, amidst them, she could hear people¡¯s exclamations and admiration. The sounds, distant and near, echoed around her ears.


    She tilted her snow-white neck back, silently gazing at the night sky, as if she had forgotten to maintain her fiery, golden eyes, the flames within slowly extinguishing.


    The reddish-gold hue in her pupils faded, as if it had been covered by the blaze of the fireworks.


    The deep valley of her eyes reflected the myriad of fireworks in the sky.


    The evening breeze, coming from one end of the horizon and passing through the starry sky, quietly knocked her hood off without a sound. The hair at the nape of her neck fell like a waterfall and swayed in the wind, lightly brushing against the back of her metallic long coat.


    Bai Qiuwu remained silent for a long while, then slowly turned her face.


    From behind the mask, she lifted her clear eyes and stared for a few moments at this perplexing figure, then she slightly opened her mouth, only to close it again.


    ¡°Uh¡­ did you just seem to have something to say?¡± the strange thing asked.


    Bai Qiuwu hesitated for two seconds, then slowly asked, ¡°You once said that you can¡¯t control the outcome of the dice?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you remember that clearly, huh?¡±


    The strange thing said, turning back to meet her gaze, ¡°That¡¯s right, I can¡¯t really control this dice.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Bai Qiuwu said, ¡°You also said it was a carefully prepared gift for me, but it turned out to be otherwise.¡± She paused, then whispered, ¡°It was just a random toss.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the strange thing first lifted its right hand, gently stroking its chin, then cocked its head in a puzzled tone, asking: ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­ did I ever use the word ¡®carefully¡¯?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu paused, slightly opened her mouth, and looked down for two seconds, recalling. Then she turned away and said coolly, ¡°Oh, sorry. I was being presumptuous.¡±


    ¡°You know, I actually wanted to summon a band to dance for you. Anything from Michael Jackson to The Beatles, as long as you like it.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu crossed her arms, tilted her head, and the monkey mask on her face wobbled.


    ¡°Well, I also feel that¡¯s unlikely fitting your personality. You probably prefer something more serene.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Bai Qiuwu said, ¡°I don¡¯t like music and wish my ears could be a bit quieter.¡±


    ¡°Is it because that monkey in your mind is always clattering?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried wearing headphones and turning the volume up high, but it still couldn¡¯t drown out its noise.¡± Bai Qiuwu said softly, ¡°It¡¯s noisy enough, adding music makes it even worse.¡±


    ¡°Still, on a birthday, some people hire a famous band to celebrate that important day. Wouldn¡¯t you be happy?¡±


    ¡°You say that as if¡­ you know me well.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu spoke softly and sat on the bridge railing, gazing downward at the city. On the bustling streets below, children were yelling excitedly at the sudden fireworks.


    The strange thing shrugged, walked leisurely to her side, and sat down on the bridge railing.


    It said, ¡°I really do understand you¡­ a girl who is overly serious, who likes to keep everything pressed in her heart. Facing divine erosion every day, clearly helpless and lonely, yet never able to muster the courage to speak to those around her, not even daring to say ¡®help me,¡¯ thus keeping all the signals of seeking help hidden deep in her heart like a swamp, holding onto them until she sinks deeper.¡±


    Having said that, the strange thing spread its hands. ¡°You know, most martyrs and ascetics are male. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a girl, not just any girl but a 17-year-old girl, bearing such labels¡­¡±


    It sighed. ¡°Humans are like goldfish: no matter how good they are at swimming, they sometimes need to surface for air, or else they will drown.¡±


    ¡°There you go again, speaking these mystical musings.¡± Bai Qiuwu sighed softly.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t like that, huh?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve observed about you, you could act a bit more normal,¡± Bai Qiuwu paused, ¡°but you just don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°For instance, how would you define normal?¡± the strange thing countered, ¡°Are those who over-care about others¡¯ looks, suppress their own hearts, and live carefully in society like livestock ¡®normal¡¯; while someone like me, who expresses my thoughts openly and is misunderstood by others, is ¡®abnormal¡¯?¡±


    It paused. ¡°Then, do you think, perhaps, that it¡¯s the society that is diseased?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu shook her head.


    ¡°The normal I¡¯m talking about is just for you not to speak in such weird ways.¡± She said, ¡°Sometimes you¡¯re quite normal.¡±


    ¡°For example, when?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu thought for a moment and said, ¡°Like that day under the elevated bridge, when you said ¡®two voices are talking in my head,¡¯ I¡¯ve forgotten what you said then, but the way you spoke was very normal, not so neurotic, more like you were speaking your heart out.¡±


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 Chapter 317 - 194: Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl_2

    Chapter 317: Chapter 194: Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl_2


    ¡°`


    ¡°Really?¡± the strange thing mused upon hearing that, ¡°Maybe it was just because my acting was so explosive at the time that it covered up my weirdness. How credible can the words of someone like me be?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not to be trusted.¡±


    She fell silent for a moment and said softly, ¡°But you know, I¡¯ll die soon. So¡­ I don¡¯t care that much.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you will die,¡± the strange thing shrugged nonchalantly, ¡°Soon, you will lose your mind due to the backlash of the way of communicating with gods, becoming a mere puppet in name only, driven by the divine to self-destruct. You will end up killing yourself, or¡­ someone else will kill the out-of-control you.¡±


    It paused, ¡°It¡¯s truly a tragic story, but do you know what¡¯s even more poignant?¡±


    ...


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The strange thing said slowly, ¡°What¡¯s even more poignant is that you know you will end up with the same fate no matter what, yet you still maintain this cautious way of living, fearing that everything you have will collapse in an instant.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise¡­¡± Bai Qiuwu lowered her eyes and asked softly, ¡°What do you think I should do?¡±


    ¡°I think you should be a girl with more personality, instead of spending every day either trying to meet your parents¡¯ expectations by burying yourself in textbooks, or putting on an ugly battle suit to rush around the city protecting people who have nothing to do with you, staining your clean hands with blood.¡±


    ¡°I chose this.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to make that choice,¡± the strange thing said, ¡°Everyone has the right to choose, especially a girl whose life has so little time left.¡±


    ¡°No, this life is enough for me.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu said, shaking her head slightly, ¡°Actually, when I¡¯m with you, I sometimes think that I too have moments when I can take off my disguise¡­ At home, with my family, outside, with those criminals, heroes, police, I feel like I¡¯m wearing a mask in front of everyone, and even when I feel like I¡¯m about to break, I don¡¯t know who to tell or who I can tell¡­ So, only when I talk to you can I breathe a little.¡±


    She paused and said softly:


    ¡°Strange thing, you¡¯re my only friend.¡±


    Hearing this, the strange thing fell silent for a while.


    It said, ¡°Well, I must admit I¡¯m honored to hear you say that. But please don¡¯t get me wrong¡­ Even though I may be the only one in the world who understands you, and even though I did something as touching as setting off fireworks for a birthday celebration, I still hope you don¡¯t build your emotional support on a super-villain of unknown origin.¡±


    Saying this, the strange thing paused slightly before continuing to ramble on.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m secretly recording this conversation with a recording pen right now and at some point, I might upload the recording to the dark web, titling it ¡®Black Wukong¡¯s little secret,¡¯ with a description saying, ¡®Look at this sentimental guy, claiming to be ¡®Black Wukong¡¯? Turns out her heart is so fragile, like a lamb to the slaughter, hehe, actually trusting my words so easily, it¡¯s ridiculously stupid; manipulating a superhero¡¯s feelings feels so wonderful,¡¯ what do you think?¡±


    ¡°To do such a despicable thing, do you count as a super-villain?¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Qiuwu asked disdainfully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I?¡± the strange thing said seriously, raising a finger, ¡°By the way, a few days ago, I attacked your brother¡¯s superhero squad and killed a rampaging superhuman. He killed a lot of people; I was doing the public a service.¡±


    ¡°I had forgotten¡­ When I came, I wanted to ask you why you did it.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu was startled for a moment, then turned to look at him, her tone growing colder.


    The strange thing explained at a measured pace, ¡°There are many reasons: I want your brother to come to his senses; I want him to recognize his own strength; I want him to give up the superhero identity sooner.¡±


    It sighed, ¡°Anyway, I didn¡¯t lay a finger on him, nor did I go too hard on his teammates, well¡­ hopefully. But the way it looks now, that kid seems to be getting more and more into it, with no intention of giving up being a hero. Does everyone in the Bai Ke family refuse to listen?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu remained silent for a moment, then said softly, ¡°He has always been like that, seemingly indifferent to everything. But when it comes to things he¡¯s decided on, he becomes as stubborn as an ox, not taking anyone¡¯s words seriously.¡±


    ¡°Oh, such deep brother-sister affection, it moves me to see how much you care for your brother,¡± the strange thing said with a sarcastic shrug.


    Bai Qiuwu gazed at the bustling city in the distance and raised her hand to remove the monkey mask from her face, placing it on the bridge railing.


    She looked up at the night sky.


    It was a mackerel sky, with wave-like cloud patterns everywhere, filling the deep blue night.


    A sliver of moonlight flitted in and out of the clouds.


    The girl¡¯s clear face was bathed in moonlight, her beautiful hair fluttering in the evening breeze.


    She said, ¡°When I die, I want to ask you for a favor.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, what is your last wish?¡±


    ¡°First, look after my sister, Bai Zini, for me.¡±


    ¡°Miss Ash?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s not like me, she¡¯s a very rash girl. You just need to protect her until a year from now¡­ Once the comet arrives, she will no longer be a Magic Girl and won¡¯t be dragged into danger anymore.¡±


    ¡°Of course, do you have any other last wishes?¡±


    ¡°`


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 Chapter 318 - 194: Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl_3

    Chapter 318: Chapter 194: Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl_3


    Bai Qiuwu rested her hands on the railing and lowered her head in thought before continuing, ¡°And my brother, Mingye.¡±


    She paused, ¡°I never imagined he would become a superhero. I hope¡­ after I leave, you can help me take care of him and remind him more often, so he doesn¡¯t fall into danger.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ with all due respect, what if I say I can¡¯t?¡± the strange thing asked seriously.


    Bai Qiuwu was taken aback, as if she had not anticipated being refused, the light in her eyes shifting.


    The strange thing smacked its lips, shook its head, and let out a long sigh, ¡°Alright, actually I will help you. Who can stand to see a girl heartbroken?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu slowly lifted her head to look at it.


    ...


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    The strange thing, while saying this, met her gaze then suddenly changed the subject.


    It said, ¡°By the way, do you know¡­ I¡¯ve never actually liked your Eyes of Golden Flame. I prefer the original color of your eyes, much nicer than those fierce red ones.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu¡¯s face turned slightly red. She frowned slightly, turned her face away, and her gaze drifted towards the city.


    Both of them were silent for a while, sharing the serene air on the elevated bridge.


    ¡°Speaking of which¡­ how long has it been since you last tried to scream your lungs out?¡± the strange thing suddenly asked.


    After thinking for a moment, Bai Qiuwu said, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time¡­ a really long time. In fact, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever shouted at anyone since I was little, let alone tried shouting into an empty space.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Then how about doing what you call a stupid thing and shouting towards the city?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Such a firm rejection, you¡¯ve hurt my feelings.¡± the strange thing looked down and clutched its chest, ¡°Since it¡¯s your birthday today, doing something outrageous once in a while is not so bad.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just too weird.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so strange about it, could it be stranger than me?¡± said the strange thing.


    Hearing this, Bai Qiuwu curled up the corners of her mouth lightly, ¡°You have a point, perhaps there¡¯s no one stranger than you in this world.¡± Saying this, she bowed her head and pondered for a moment.


    After a while, she slowly lifted her head and asked, ¡°What should I shout?¡±


    ¡°Shout what¡¯s in your heart.¡±


    ¡°Will you give a demonstration first?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely no problem.¡±


    The strange thing spread its hands and shook its head gently while speaking. Then, turning to the side, it gazed at the Superhero Tower in the distance with the S.H.A. logo and shouted, ¡°I really wish to be treated like a super villain! You damn superheroes, one day I will show you the might of the Lord of the strange thing, the super villain.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu was stunned for two seconds, and then her cheeks puffed slightly as she couldn¡¯t help raising her hand to her mouth and giggling softly.


    The strange thing, out of breath from shouting, clutched its chest, ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn, Miss Bai Qiuwu.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Bai Qiuwu hesitated for a moment and then closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.


    Moments later, she suddenly opened her mouth and shouted towards the brightly-lit city, ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    She stopped midway as if her voice were stuck in her throat. After two seconds, she opened her mouth again and said in a voice so soft it was barely audible, ¡°Never mind, I can¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Your voice can be a little louder.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    Bai Qiuwu raised her voice slightly.


    ¡°You can make it just a little bit louder, there¡¯s no one here but me¡­¡± said the strange thing, suddenly covering its ears, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to hear, I can cover my ears.¡±


    No sooner had it finished speaking than, amidst the silence, Bai Qiuwu took a deep breath, lifted her hand wrapped in gauntlets like a trumpet, and lowly shouted something.


    The girl¡¯s shout echoed on the empty elevated bridge, but was soon overtaken by the whistling of the wind.


    The strange thing, with its ears covered, didn¡¯t hear anything.


    After a while, it released its hands and curiously asked, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said¡­¡± Bai Qiuwu lowered her head, took a deep breath, and then shouted towards the brightly-lit city, ¡°I don¡¯t want to die¡ª!¡±


    Her hair danced in the wind as the hoarse voice traveled through the night sky towards the distance.


    The strange thing was stunned for a long time, scratching his ear.


    Bai Qiuwu seemed to have more to say, catching her breath and continuing to shout towards the city.


    Though no one responded to her words.


    A moment later, she fell silent for a while, then mumbled to herself, ¡°It feels good to shout it out¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Unexpectedly, you did well. Miss Bai Qiuwu, it seems you are the kind that surprises people when you unleash your true self?¡± the strange thing squinted at her.


    Bai Qiuwu said softly, ¡°It feels very strange to hear you call me by my name.¡±


    ¡°So, Miss Qiuwu?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡±


    ¡°Miss Sun Wukong?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m used to that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, did you know? Both ¡®Miss Bai Qiuwu¡¯ and ¡®Miss Qiuwu¡¯ are holiday limited editions,¡± said the strange thing seriously. ¡°Today is your birthday, so that¡¯s why I addressed you that way. After today, you won¡¯t hear me talk like this anymore. Wouldn¡¯t you miss it if you insisted on being called ¡®Miss Sun Wukong¡¯?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu pondered for a couple of seconds and then said, ¡°Alright then. But after my birthday, you have to call me normally.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, Miss Qiuwu,¡± said the strange thing.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d help me protect them,¡± Bai Qiuwu paused, ¡°but don¡¯t you really dislike Mingye?¡±


    ¡°I do dislike him, because he¡¯s loathsome, arrogant, disrespectful, and has no regard for rules, always displaying his sense of humor at the most inappropriate moments.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu interjected, ¡°Just like you?¡±


    The strange thing paused, stroked its chin, and looked down in thought for a while.


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 Chapter 319 - 194: Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl_4

    Chapter 319: Chapter 194: Fireworks, Lies, and the Last Wish of a 17-Year-Old Girl_4


    ¡°That¡¯s right, just like me,¡± it said, ¡°so I hate him. But actually, I don¡¯t hate him that much.¡±


    Both fell silent for a moment; Bai Qiuwu smiled faintly, as if reassured.


    Seeing her not speaking, the strange thing raised a finger and said, ¡°Well, you might be sad to hear this, but celebrating your birthday was just incidental.¡±


    With that, it sat on the bridge railing, ¡°Actually, my main purpose in asking you to come here was to discuss something with you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    The strange thing said, ¡°Remember to keep an eye on the two people in your house during this time, the cute girl with white hair, and that little guy who likes to dress up as an owl and go out to fight crime.¡±


    ...


    Bai Qiuwu was taken aback, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°They will be in danger,¡± the strange thing said, ¡°especially that white-haired girl, it would be best if you kept a close watch on her and didn¡¯t let her leave the house.¡±


    It paused: ¡°I should be leaving now, and I advise you to go home sooner. A very important and serious event will happen in your house tonight.¡±


    ¡°A serious event?¡± Bai Qiuwu was taken aback, then frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t scare me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get back.¡±


    The strange thing murmured these words, stood up from the bridge railing, and its figure fell toward the building engulfed in neon light. Its form gradually cracked, heated up, and then from the myriad tiny cracks, burst forth fire, turning into a weird laugh that vanished into the air.


    Seeing this, Bai Qiuwu froze for a long time, her heart racing.


    Something went wrong at home? How could it be?


    Thinking this, she quickly put on a mask to cover her face, then gathered her jet-black hair under a silver-black contrasting hood over her head.


    Then, a rolling bank of wild clouds began to appear beneath her feet. Soon after, amidst a noisy clamor, she rode the clouds into the darkness, disappearing without a trace.


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    Ten minutes later, in Old Jingmai District, at a duplex apartment on the 12th floor.


    Bai Qiuwu stepped out of the bright elevator cabin, head slightly bowed in deep thought.


    ¡°Important event? What exactly did that strange thing talk about?¡±


    With apprehension in her heart, Bai Qiuwu quickly keyed in the password for the electronic lock and laid her hand on the doorknob.


    She turned the doorknob with the faintest of force, pushing open the door to her home.


    Immediately after that, through the slight gap she created, she caught a glimpse of the scene inside the house. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The whole entrance hall, and even the living room connected at the end of it, were dark as pitch, impossible to see anything.


    ¡°It¡¯s only seven o¡¯clock, is no one home?¡±


    Seeing the darkness inside, hearing no sound, and recalling the words of the strange thing, Bai Qiuwu hesitated, her heartbeat quickening.


    ¡°What on earth has happened?¡±


    Sweat beads formed on her forehead as she thought this and bent down, then she pushed the door fully open.


    The next second, Bai Qiuwu suddenly noticed someone hugging the wall of the entrance, quickly approaching her from the darkness.


    Bai Qiuwu sensed the aura of the approaching figure, first startled, then relaxed.


    ¡°So, it was this all along.¡±


    As she thought this, she suddenly heard a ¡°pop¡± sound by her ear.


    Immediately after, silver confetti fell upon Bai Qiuwu¡¯s head. Someone had pressed a button on the wall; the entrance hall light was turned on, bathing her side face in a warm orange glow.


    Bai Qiuwu feigned being startled, opening her eyes wide, and it took her a while before she slowly straightened up.


    ¡°Happy birthday, big sister.¡±


    Ke Mingye held the cake with a disgruntled face and muttered, ¡°Why is it always me holding the cake, do you guys not have hands?¡±


    ¡°Happy birthday.¡±


    Bai Ziling stood with her hands clasped behind her back, tilting her head slightly, as her snow-white hair gently swayed.


    ¡°Happy birthday, oh sister, we love you!¡±


    Bai Zini said, while simultaneously retracting the party popper and hiding it behind her with a smirk.


    ¡°Happy birthday.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu took a sip of Wong Lo Kat, shifted his gaze away, and said faintly.


    ¡°Happy birthday, our dear Qiuwu has finally reached adulthood. ¡±


    Saying that, Ke Yinzhi leaned against the doorframe, holding a bottle of beer and said with a smirk, ¡°After tonight you¡¯ll be eighteen, it¡¯s time to join me and your second brother for a drink, no chickening out at the last minute.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo sighed and while pushing Ke Yinzhi away said, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense, I don¡¯t drink.¡± He paused, ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t either, don¡¯t pick up his bad habits.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re no fun, Xiao Mo,¡± Ke Yinzhi said, eyeing him askance.


    ¡°Boring. Don¡¯t lead your little sister astray,¡± Ke Xiaomo said expressionlessly.


    ¡°Hey, you bunch of troublemakers, had to make such a fuss, what if you gave your elder sister a heart attack?¡±


    Bai Wenna turned on the living room light and walked over, saying with one eye open and one eye closed.


    Bai Qiuwu clutched at her chest, took a deep breath, ¡°Yeah, I was almost scared to death, thought a burglar had gotten in¡­¡±


    Then she raised her hand, put it on Ke Mingye¡¯s shoulder: ¡°But I forgive you guys, thank you for preparing all this, and for celebrating my birthday.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°It was all this guy¡¯s crazy idea.¡± Saying so, he cast a disdainful look at Bai Zini.


    Bai Zini leaned her cheek against his shoulder, grumbling, ¡°Big brother, how can you say that, we celebrated Second Brother¡¯s birthday the same way last time.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not have a next time,¡± Ke Xiaomo, recalling that day, said with a shiver, ¡°Coming out of the bathroom to see the birthday cake really killed my appetite.¡±


    ¡°See what I mean?¡± Ke Mingye said sarcastically as he carried the cake into the living room.


    ¡°Second Brother, you clearly said ¡®I¡¯m touched,¡¯ okay! You all just gang up on me.¡±


    Bai Zini glared at Ke Xiaomo and then followed Ke Mingye into the living room.


    Ke Xiaomo shook his head and sighed.


    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t asked you, how does it feel to celebrate your birthday at the bathroom door?¡± Ke Yinzhi couldn¡¯t help teasing Ke Xiaomo after hearing their conversation.


    ¡°It¡¯s indescribable,¡± Ke Xiaomo said deeply.


    Bai Qiuwu patted his shoulder sympathetically, ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you on your next birthday.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your birthday now, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Ke Xiaomo said.


    ¡°By the way, actually, this is filled with orange juice,¡± Ke Yinzhi said, shaking the bottle in his hand and added teasingly, ¡°Shh¡­ don¡¯t tell the elementary school kid; he sneakily drank the beer from the fridge last time and actually thought beer tasted like oranges.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you guys are really mean.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu commented.


    ¡°It¡¯s to prevent underage drinking; Yongzhu puts everything he sees in the fridge into his mouth,¡± Ke Xiaomo said indifferently, and turning to go inside, added, ¡°Alright, no more chitchat at the door, we¡¯re waiting for you in the living room.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi glanced at Ke Yongzhu and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t tell the elementary school kid about what we just talked about, okay?¡± Saying that, he cracked a slight smile and followed the others back to the living room.


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll come after I change my shoes.¡±


    Watching their backs, Bai Qiuwu said this while lightly curling the corners of her mouth.


    She paused at the doorstep, recalling the eerie voice of the ¡°strange thing,¡± and thought to herself, ¡°So, that ¡®very important, very serious matter¡¯ the guy mentioned¡­ was all about this, huh?¡±


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 Chapter 320 - 195: Bai Kes Home Birthday Party

    Chapter 320: Chapter 195: Bai Ke¡¯s Home Birthday Party


    In the dimly lit living room, Bai Qiuwu brushed the hair beside her ear, her face bathed in the warm glow of the candlelight.


    After a moment of thought, she made a silent wish in her heart, ¡°I hope everyone can be safe and sound.¡±


    Having made her wish, she leaned forward slightly and blew out the candles perched atop her birthday cake.


    The candle flames flickered and then quietly dispersed in the evening breeze.


    Ke Mingye subconsciously froze for two seconds. The moment he saw the candlelight reflected in Bai Qiuwu¡¯s eyes, he thought he had seen Eyes of Golden Flame and was secretly startled.


    It was only after the candlelight was extinguished and the moonlight emerged from the darkness to reveal Bai Qiuwu¡¯s eyes, that Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief.


    ...


    He shrugged his shoulders, thinking that due to the matters with Gastella, his mental state had been overly tense recently.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    In the darkness, Bai Qiuwu turned her head to look at him and asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Ke Mingye sipped his Coke and explained, ¡°I was just wondering what wish you made.¡±


    During their conversation, Ke Yinzhi, who was leaning against the wall drinking a beverage, raised his hand and ¡°snap,¡± turned on the living room lights.


    Bai Ziling tiptoed over emotionlessly and said, ¡°Ding, ding, ding.¡± While speaking, she took out the flower wreath hidden behind her and gently placed it on Bai Qiuwu¡¯s head.


    Bai Qiuwu slightly bowed her head, touching one of the fresh flowers on top and felt a light yet cool sensation at her fingertips.


    She curved her lips, ¡°Is it actually real flowers?¡±


    ¡°Mm, I made it by hand,¡± Bai Ziling said, ¡°and yesterday I even went to buy flowers with Third Brother.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± Bai Zini asked.


    ¡°Because sister can¡¯t keep a secret,¡± Bai Ziling said, hands behind her back, calmly stating, ¡°If sister knew, the secret would have been exposed in the next second.¡±


    Really now? I think apart from our old dad, your sister¡¯s secret identity is the least known in the house. Ke Mingye thought, although there was a large element of luck involved.


    ¡°Real flowers, huh. Not like our Xiao Mo¡¯s birthday, where the wreath on her head was made of paper, quite pitiful.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi took a sip of his orange juice, corners of his mouth curving, and while teasing, he patted Ke Xiaomo¡¯s shoulder sympathetically.


    ¡°That¡¯s because there was no time,¡± Bai Ziling paused, turned away her face, ¡°because I only remembered it was Second Brother¡¯s birthday on the day itself, so I had to fold the wreath from notebook paper.¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Xiaomo hung his head and took a deep breath, ¡°Can you guys stop beating a dead horse? Also, Xiao Ling, you really don¡¯t need to explain.¡±


    ¡°You guys sure do talk a lot,¡± Ke Yongzhu curled his lips, ¡°Can we start eating now?¡±


    Amid their bantering, he had already silently divided the cake into seven equal parts with a plastic knife. Now, he was waiting to gobble up his piece and then go upstairs to sleep. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s eat then.¡±


    Ke Mingye said expressionlessly, approached the table, picked up a piece of cake, and swiftly smeared it on the primary school student¡¯s face.


    ¡°Is it tasty?¡± he asked.


    The primary school student wiped the cream from his eyes, expressionless.


    The next instant, he grabbed another piece of cake from the table at an unreasonably fast pace and smeared it on Ke Mingye¡¯s face.


    Then he said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a taste and see if it¡¯s good or not?¡±


    Seeing this, Ke Xiaomo quickly picked up two pieces of cake and said indifferently, ¡°You can play, but we as older brothers should be more mature and not get involved.¡±


    Bai Ziling also held a piece of cake in each hand, imitating her second brother¡¯s tone, ¡°You can play, but Ni and I will be mature and not get involved.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. Worthy of our Xiao Mo who is mature beyond her years, so my portion can be¡­¡±


    As Ke Yinzhi played with his phone, looking distracted while joking, Ke Xiaomo had already smeared the cake on his face.


    ¡°Ah, truly my sister Xiao Ling¡­¡±


    Bai Zini clapped her hands, starting to speak triumphantly, when Bai Ziling had already smeared the cake on her face.


    Their words abruptly stopped.


    The next second, Ke Yinzhi and Bai Zini silently wiped the cream and cake from their faces.


    Ke Yinzhi¡¯s face bore a haunting smile;


    Bai Zini¡¯s expression had turned cold.


    Immediately after, the six of them began a chase around the sofa.


    Seeing this, Bai Qiuwu quietly guarded her piece of cake and stood in a corner. She quietly ate her cake with a plastic spoon while watching them with a smile.


    A moment later, figures with cream smeared on their faces sat on the living room sofa to have a meeting.


    Bai Zini held a notebook and counted, ¡°First, the birthday song that the primary school student didn¡¯t finish last time. We must make it up this time!¡±


    ¡°Seconded.¡±


    Bai Ziling stated blandly, licking the cream from the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°Last time it was Second Brother¡¯s birthday, Big Brother wasn¡¯t there either,¡± Bai Zini coughed twice and said solemnly, ¡°As punishment for Big Brother, we must have him sing alone!¡±


    ¡°I second that.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo folded his arms and said lightly.


    ¡°Is that necessary?¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Yinzhi raised his hand to his chin and yawned, ¡°Although I wasn¡¯t back then, I¡¯ve heard from him about your celebration for his birthday in front of the restroom. I mocked him mercilessly that night, so I guess that counts as participating, right?¡±


    ¡°Still being stubborn, with questionable morals,¡± Captain Dragonfly Bai Zini made her ruling, ¡°Two songs!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, make it two,¡± Ke Yinzhi spread his hands, ¡°But I have to say beforehand, I¡¯m tone-deaf. To make fun of me, torturing everyone¡¯s ears and even ruining the birthday ambiance seems a bit backwards, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo called him out on the spot.


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 Chapter 321 - 195: Bai Kes Home Birthday Party_2

    Chapter 321: Chapter 195: Bai Ke¡¯s Home Birthday Party_2


    ¡°`


    ¡°Tone-deaf, are you referring to the time in elementary school when I used a fake female voice to record a terrifying nursery rhyme, and then played the recorder at Mingye¡¯s bedroom door in the middle of the night, scaring him so badly that for two months he didn¡¯t dare go to the bathroom alone at night?¡±


    Bai Ziling was momentarily stunned, then horrified: ¡°Holy shit, that was big brother messing with me back then?!¡±


    Veins popped on his forehead, nearly bursting the cola can he was holding.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yinzhi started to play dumb: ¡°Did that really happen?¡± While pondering, he pretended to be in deep thought, looking up at the ceiling, ¡°Although my memory is a bit hazy, since it¡¯s all in the past, I think, Mingye, when you look back on it now, it must just seem like an interesting and happy memory, right?¡±


    ¡°Happy my ass, I almost pissed myself at the time! Next time on your birthday I¡¯ll definitely don black clothes and sing you a funeral song to see if you still find it happy and interesting?!¡±


    ...


    Ke Mingye cursed under his breath.


    Ke Yongzhu let out a cold snort, saying, ¡°That¡¯s what you get for stealing pandas, what else can you expect from him in terms of quality.¡±


    ¡°Bad taste.¡± Bai Ziling said.


    ¡°Over the line.¡± Bai Qiuwu said.


    ¡°Keep it up.¡± Bai Zini was the only one to say this.


    She covered her mouth with her hand, her cunning expression as if recalling a hilarious event, and said with schadenfreude, ¡°I still remember big brother knocking on my door in the middle of the night, saying he was too scared to go to the toilet alone and asking me to stand guard outside.¡±


    She paused: ¡°While inside, he kept asking if I had left, which was just pathetically funny, you know?!¡±


    On hearing this, Ke Yongzhu propped up her chin and remarked wistfully, ¡°You¡¯re really patient, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have accompanied him to the toilet. I¡¯d have just gone back to sleep in my room.¡±


    ¡°I was just a few years old back then; it¡¯s normal to be scared, right?¡± Ke Mingye gritted his teeth, ¡°What¡¯s not normal is having a big brother playing ghostly songs outside his younger brother¡¯s room in the middle of the night, the hell kind of person does that?!¡±


    Ke Yinzhi imitated his tone, with an innocent expression, saying: ¡°I was just a few years old back then; it¡¯s normal to be a bit naughty, right?¡±


    ¡°Roll over, you don¡¯t act like a human being, you¡¯ve already reached the level of ¡®perverted,¡¯ not ¡®naughty,¡¯ okay?!¡±


    Ke Yongzhu finished his Wong Lo Kat, tossed it into the trash can, and said disdainfully, ¡°I think none of you act like humans, you know that?¡± Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He paused: ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a genius celebrating a birthday at the toilet door.¡±


    Ke Mingye said, ¡°That was Bai Zini¡¯s idea.¡±


    ¡°But big brother did it too.¡± Bai Zini raised her right hand, indignantly pointing at Ke Mingye.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Bai Ziling nodded, her tone indifferent yet serious, ¡°It¡¯s all third brother¡¯s fault.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine, now it¡¯s my problem.¡± Ke Mingye sighed, ¡°By the way, can we stop talking about last birthday? Do we really need to keep flogging our poor second brother?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who brought it up?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo said, massaging his Tianming Acupoint, contemplating how on earth to make the toilet birthday celebration a forgotten footnote in history.


    Ever since he and Ke Yinzhi mentioned it, he had to endure being teased about it by Ke Yinzhi every day; it was about to become a meme in the family chat group.


    He made up his mind.


    On the day of Ke Yinzhi¡¯s birthday, he would also present him with a birthday cake the moment he stepped out of the toilet after flushing, preferably with black chocolate-flavored cream on top that resembled excrement.


    Thinking this, he decided to temporarily spare Ke Yinzhi and shifted his revenge focus to Ke Mingye.


    Thus, turning his head, he said to Ke Mingye, who was drinking his beverage, with all seriousness, ¡°Next time on your birthday, I¡¯ll gift you a blue owl figurine.¡±


    ¡°Cough¡­ cough cough¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye coughed twice, almost spitting out the cola he had just sipped.


    His eyes twitched slightly, and he responded sarcastically, ¡°Ha-ha, second brother, you really joke too much. If that trash hero ever gets popular enough to warrant a figurine, I¡¯ll eat my hat, okay?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu took a sip of her drink and asked in puzzlement, ¡°Hmm¡­ you look down on him that much?¡±


    Bai Zini puffed her cheeks and covered her mouth to stifle her laughter.


    After struggling to hold it in, she closed her eyes and coughed twice, then dismissively said, ¡°I agree with big brother, that blue owl doesn¡¯t deserve a figurine, does it?¡±


    ¡°Heh heh.¡± Ke Mingye rolled his eyes at her.


    Satisfied with the response, Ke Xiaomo nodded in agreement, seriously adding, ¡°You¡¯re right. That blue owl is too lame; it doesn¡¯t look like anyone would make a figurine for it.¡±


    He paused, then asked, ¡°So what figurine do you want?¡±


    ¡°A figurine of Magical Girl Ash, please.¡± Ke Mingye said blandly, ¡°Oh, and make sure it¡¯s the swimsuit version, thanks.¡±


    Bai Zini¡¯s smile disappeared, and her ears started to turn red.


    She was stunned for a moment, then blurted out in a raised voice, with a blush, ¡°No way, absolutely not!¡±


    ¡°What¡­ why does it matter to you if second brother gives me a model figurine or something like that as a birthday gift?¡±


    After a pause, Ke Mingye sarcastically added, ¡°I get it, you also want a figurine of Magical Girl Ash. Don¡¯t worry, second brother doesn¡¯t favor any one sibling; he¡¯ll definitely get you a Miss Ash figurine too: a bikini version for me and a bathrobe version for you, side by side, invincible.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you¡­ you¡¯re seriously sick.¡±


    Bai Zini stammered, unable to contain her anger, trembling with rage.


    ¡°Xiao Ni¡¯s reaction means she wants it.¡± Ke Xiaomo said, assuming an ¡®I¡¯m the older brother and I know best¡¯ attitude, ¡°We¡¯ll get you one for your birthday too. Don¡¯t worry, everyone will get one.¡±


    Bai Zini gritted her teeth, nearly jumping up from the couch.


    ¡°`


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 Chapter 322 - 195: Bai Kes Home Birthday Party_3

    Chapter 322: Chapter 195: Bai Ke¡¯s Home Birthday Party_3


    ¡°Big bro, I said I don¡¯t want it, can¡¯t you just stop misinterpreting what I mean?!¡±


    Bai Qiuwu was stunned for a moment, and then turned to look at Ke Mingye, wondering if Mingye also knew that Xiao Ni was Magical Girl Ash.


    Listening to their conversation, Ke Yinzhi casually chimed in, ¡°Really don¡¯t want it? How come I remember that Xiao Ni seemed to really like Magical Girl Ash?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow, recalling, ¡°Last month, you were always showing us her pictures, asking us every day if ¡®she looks pretty, much prettier in real life than in photos¡¯ and stuff like that¡­¡±


    ¡°When did I? Why do you usually have such a terrible memory but remember these trivial matters so clearly¡ª¡ª!¡±


    Bai Zini yelled loudly, her face, all the way to her ears, turned a deep red, her head seemingly steaming.


    ...


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t meant for you. She only tortured me, okay? Completely starstruck, badgering me every day about whether her idol looks good or not, without any shame,¡± Ke Mingye pressed on.


    With her face all aglow, Bai Zini took a deep breath, huffed, darted a glare at him, then turned to speak to Ke Yinzhi.


    ¡°Everyone has an idol phase! You make it sound like you never had a thing for any magic girl or superhero when you were in school!¡±


    After speaking, she turned to Ke Xiaomo with a flushed face and said softly, ¡°Even if we were to buy one, it can¡¯t be the swimsuit version¡­ that¡¯s just too risqu¨¦.¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Xiaomo quietly pulled out his phone, searched ¡°Magical Girl Ash figurine¡± on Taobao, and then showed Bai Zini the results that popped up.


    ¡°Which one do you like?¡± he asked.


    Bai Zini reluctantly lifted her head to glance quickly over the search results displayed on the Taobao page, her mouth gaped in disbelief, and then she ground her teeth in anger.


    Finally speechless.


    As if she had conceded to the world.


    She held her forehead with her hand, sighed deeply, and while internally condemning the unscrupulous merchants¡¯ money-making schemes, she said, ¡°Then just buy the swimsuit version for big bro; that¡¯s rather normal considering the rest.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I was just joking, who likes these kinds of things,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    Ke Xiaomo, hearing Ke Mingye say this, then turned to Bai Zini and asked, ¡°What about you, Xiao Ni?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Bai Zini raised her palm and firmly refused.


    Frowning, she thought to herself, Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just look in the mirror after I transform, why bother buying a figurine, have you gone mad, second bro?


    ¡°Then forget it,¡± Ke Xiaomo said indifferently.


    Bai Zini breathed a sigh of relief, sat down beside Ke Mingye while sipping her drink, and asked in a low voice, ¡°By the way, did second bro really know you are that owl hero?¡±


    Ke Mingye said, ¡°What owl hero? I¡¯m called ¡®blue owl,¡¯ do you not know how to read ¡®owl¡¯ with your middle school education, xiao, get it?¡±


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t know how to read it, even if I didn¡¯t, I would just look it up on Baidu.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it seems I wronged you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that your taste in naming is so bad, I don¡¯t want to say it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so Ash sounds good to you?¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°Sounds like cannon fodder, Magical Girl Cannon Fodder, I¡¯m really afraid one day you¡¯ll end up living up to the name and explode.¡±


    ¡°Drop dead.¡±


    Bai Zini paused for a while, then asked quietly, ¡°So, second bro really knows?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°How did he find out¡­ Don¡¯t tell me, you didn¡¯t tell me, but you told him?¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye took a sip of his drink, clicking his tongue inwardly, thinking, you¡¯re so possessive over your brother, sis, if you get a boyfriend in the future, he¡¯s probably going to be pushed to hara-kiri by you.


    With these thoughts, he sighed and explained, ¡°Bad luck, forgot to hide my diary, and he sneaked a peek. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t tell you guys anything, none of you would get to know.¡±


    As the words fell, Bai Zini was about to argue against that statement when suddenly, accompanying the sound of keys opening the door at the entrance, the family door was pushed open.


    Ke Youqing walked into the living room, turned his head to glance at the group, then at today¡¯s date. Eventually, his gaze swept over the children¡¯s faces, lingering leisurely on the floral wreath atop Bai Qiuwu¡¯s head.


    He removed the cigarette from his mouth and spoke in a gentle voice, ¡°Happy birthday, go to sleep early.¡± Having said that, Ke Youqing headed upstairs, leaving behind only a weary figure.


    ¡°Does dad know you¡¯re Blue Owl?¡±


    Bai Zini glanced at her father¡¯s retreating figure, then turned to Ke Mingye and asked.


    ¡°Not yet, why tell him? He¡¯s dead tired from working overtime every day, and now he should worry about having a superhero son and a Magic Girl daughter on top of that?¡±


    ¡°Haha, he only needs to worry about you, right? His daughter is so strong, what could possibly endanger her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure.¡± Ke Mingye responded nonchalantly, ¡°That¡¯s how parents are, no matter how strong you are, they will still worry about you, whether you¡¯re a superhero or a Magic Girl, get it?¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Bai Zini silently added in her heart, plus a big clumsy dragon!


    She thought this while shooting Ke Yongzhu a glare.


    Ke Yongzhu sneezed, feeling inexplicably puzzled, and shot Bai Zini a look back before continuing to play with his phone.


    ¡°So only me and second brother know about it in the family?¡± she asked again.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Ke Mingye nodded.


    Bai Zini pondered for a while, seemingly finding this outcome somewhat acceptable.


    So she said, ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re the only one in the family who knows my identity, remember to keep it a secret from them.¡±


    Ke Mingye sighed, thinking to himself, your sister knows about your identity too, what¡¯s with the act.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I got it.¡±


    While speaking, he glanced at Bai Qiuwu out of the corner of his eye.


    Bai Qiuwu took out her phone from her coat pocket, glanced at the screen, then quietly stood up from the sofa and walked to a corner of the living room.


    In the shadowy corner of the living room, Bai Qiuwu leaned against the wall, sipping her Coke and looking down at the message on her screen.


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Are you still having fun?]


    [Bai Qiuwu: You lied to me, said it was ¡®serious business,¡¯ was it really just a birthday party?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: It¡¯s a surprise, not a lie.]


    [Bai Qiuwu: So what were you saying before, what exactly happened to my sister and brother?]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: A group calling themselves the ¡°Blood Clan Hunters¡± has taken interest in them, as for the rest, well, I¡¯m not at liberty to tell you.]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Anyway, best keep a close eye on them lately, don¡¯t let them sneak out, or you¡¯ll be responsible for the consequences.]


    ¡°What could it be?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu thought to herself and huddled her shoulders, raising her eyes from her phone, she tilted her head slightly, gazing uneasily at Ke Mingye and Bai Ziling seated on the sofa.


    Then, as if she remembered something, she picked up her phone again, switched it on, and typed a message.


    [Bai Qiuwu: By the way, thanks for celebrating my birthday. The fireworks¡­ were actually pretty beautiful.]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Oh, you¡¯re welcome. We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?]


    [Bai Qiuwu: Yeah, friends.]


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 Chapter 323 - 196: The Orange Sky Before the Storm

    Chapter 323: Chapter 196: The Orange Sky Before the Storm


    July 20, Bai Ke¡¯s home.


    The night had deepened, with a sliver of moonlight hiding behind the fish-scale clouds. Cicadas were incessantly chirping in the verdant old trees. As the wind blew and leaves fell, the crisp moonlight filtered through the window into the house.


    The birthday party was nearing its end when Yuri finally woke up leisurely, stretched out on the carpet, yawned, and licked its own paws.


    Then, just as it thought about moving to a quieter place to sleep, it was suddenly scooped up by Zi Ling and held in an embrace, used as a backboard for her sketchbook.


    At the same time, everyone in the living room was planning to cap off the event with Yin Zhi¡¯s singing. But not long after, with a shout from Wenna on the rooftop, everyone became well-behaved and promptly dismissed the idea.


    ¡°Seems like it¡¯s fate,¡±


    ...


    Yin Zhi said, spreading his hands, placing the microphone back on the table, yawning, and continuing to read his book with downcast eyes. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You can run for a day but not forever. Next month is Xiao Ling and my birthday. We share the same day, big brother, you absolutely must sing a song,¡±


    Zi Ni said while tilting her head. Once again, Wenna¡¯s scolding voice came from the floor above.


    She clicked her tongue, carefully tiptoed toward the television, retrieved the USB for the wireless microphone from the back, then turned around to survey the living room smeared with cream.


    Hands on her hips, she declared with an ¡®I¡¯m the boss here¡¯ expression, ¡°Whoever loses rock-paper-scissors cleans up the living room, otherwise mom will wake up with the mad monkey virus tomorrow!¡±


    Hearing the decrees of the household¡¯s little tyrant, the other six siblings sitting on the sofa reached a silent agreement. Without lifting their heads, they raised their right hands and soundlessly made their moves.


    Right after the fate of who would tidy up the chaotic living room was decided by rock-paper-scissors, besides the unfortunate one still miserably cleaning, the rest were doing their own things on the sofa.


    Mingye was slumped over the back of the sofa, bored out of his mind, toying with a clown mask, while asking, ¡°So, what exactly is this thing for?¡±


    At that question, Zi Ling lifted her eyes from beneath her snow-white fringe, glanced at it without much interest, then looked away.


    Squatting on the sofa with bare feet, she sketched in a blank notebook and said, ¡°Sister Xiao Ni said that wearing the mask can give Qiuwu a scare, adding a little extra surprise.¡±


    ¡°No way, you guys call this an extra surprise?¡± Mingye quipped while putting on the mask, ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s more like premeditated murder, typical of her mischief.¡±


    After saying that, he turned his head, looking disdainfully at Zi Ni through the mask.


    Zi Ni, who was sweeping up traces of cake from the floor, looked up, puffed out her cheeks, turned to the side, and glaring back at Mingye.


    She grumbled, ¡°Tch, tch, tch! And I had specifically prepared it, too. In the end, it went unused. I was thinking of making the big brother wear it, but he wouldn¡¯t, as if wearing it would kill him.¡±


    ¡°Wear your ghost,¡± Mingye glanced at her, ¡°If anyone is to wear it, it should be the big brother. He¡¯s the only one in the family who looks like a clown. How could I convincingly wear this thing?¡±


    ¡°Are you praising me, big thanks for the compliment,¡±


    Yin Zhi said indifferently, his eyes still on his book.


    ¡°Heh, it¡¯s the twenty-second century, and there are still people who think ¡®clown¡¯ is a term of praise. I advise you surf the internet more to broaden your horizons,¡±


    Mingye said, his tone laced with sarcasm.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I dislike going online, it¡¯s just that there are too many idiots on the internet,¡± Yin Zhi replied.


    Xiao Mo, with her arms crossed, reminded in a neutral voice, ¡°No swearing at home. First offense is a warning, second offense means running errands for a week.¡±


    ¡°How is speaking the truth swearing?¡±


    As he spoke, Yin Zhi yawned and turned a page of his book, adding, ¡°People who lack even basic independent thinking skills only care about ingesting information that they can¡¯t handle, like addicts. If I had to describe it, it¡¯s like spinning a cocoon around oneself, like moths to a flame. Over time, with their shallow knowledge and limited brain capacity, they¡¯ll either become numb under the intense bombardment of these messages or turn into puppets manipulated by the media, much like¡­ a slightly more advanced type of zombie.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, as the internet becomes increasingly prevalent in the future, it could evolve into a new type of religion,¡±


    He paused, ¡°After all, even the most unreliable information can ignite those without the power of judgment as soon as it reaches their ears. There¡¯s a certain number of fools on the internet who will always fall for it. For instance, Qing Ya is a living example¡­ Done nothing wrong, yet due to the majority of idiots online, he¡¯s subjected to unanimous criticism.¡±


    However, no one in the living room was listening to him. Only Mingye, without lifting his head, flashed the middle finger at him with a ¡®what are you on about¡¯ expression.


    He said, ¡°Heh, if there really is such a thing as an internet religion in the future, I¡¯ll make sure to become the leader, spread misinformation and incite them to cyberbully you.¡±


    Mingye paused, then added, ¡°For example, ¡®Yin Zhi steals pandas,¡¯ ¡®Yin Zhi abuses siblings at home, leaving his brother mentally scarred,¡¯ both sound explosive enough.¡±


    ¡°Wow, to be so loved by my own brother, that¡¯s really a lot of pressure. Too bad I don¡¯t go online, so it doesn¡¯t affect me,¡±


    Yin Zhi shrugged, chuckling softly as if recalling something, and taunted, ¡°Hmm¡­ Let¡¯s hope ¡®Qing Ya¡¯ doesn¡¯t go online either.¡±


    ¡°How much do you like Qing Ya?¡± Xiao Mo casually asked.


    ¡°Like¡­?¡± Yin Zhi pondered, saying distantly, ¡°Can¡¯t say I like him, just defending the underdog?¡±


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 Chapter 324 - 196: The Orange Sky on the Eve of a Storm_2

    Chapter 324: Chapter 196: The Orange Sky on the Eve of a Storm_2


    Ke Mingye played with his phone while saying, ¡°That¡¯s what people with skewed values are like, talking about how internet trolls can¡¯t think for themselves, but isn¡¯t it all to whitewash Qing Ya?¡±


    He paused, speaking disdainfully, ¡°And are you even human? Bringing up ¡®Qing Ya¡¯ at someone else¡¯s birthday party is really bad luck, and you didn¡¯t even ask my older sister for her opinion beforehand.¡±


    Hearing this, Bai Zini, Bai Qiuwu, and Ke Xiaomo all cast a contemptuous look at him, thinking, who¡¯s the one that idolizes Qing Ya to the extent of copying him and making a set of battle gear? Isn¡¯t this the pot calling the kettle black?


    ¡°I feel it¡¯s worse for Second Brother to bring up ¡®blue owl¡¯ at someone else¡¯s birthday party. That owl is just an imitator of Qing Ya, birds of a feather, right?¡±


    Bai Zini said while dragging the floor.


    ¡°Case closed,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°without mentioning ¡®blue owl¡¯, ¡®Qing Ya¡¯ wouldn¡¯t have come up, it¡¯s all Second Brother¡¯s fault.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Then I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Ke Xiaomo decisively apologized. He flipped casually through a family photo album and said lightly, ¡°Both are indeed bad luck, let¡¯s not mention them in the future.¡±


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t know why, but he felt oddly annoyed¡ªa sense of ¡®I can mock myself, but you¡¯re crossing the line¡¯ tugging at the corner of his eye.


    He glanced at Ke Xiaomo and said meaningfully, ¡°I hope you mean it. If you bring up ¡®blue owl¡¯ again with us, you¡¯re a dog.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond and simply stayed silent.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this ¡®blue owl¡¯; I actually think that ¡®Qing Ya¡¯ isn¡¯t too bad,¡± Bai Qiuwu said. ¡°Despite the controversy around him, he has indeed made the city much safer, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Not sure, doesn¡¯t feel as good as Magic Girl Ash,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Bai Zini clapped her hands and hummed, ¡°Wow, big brother, you¡¯re actually saying something sensible for a change?!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yinzhi also joined the conversation casually.


    He said, ¡°Wow, you all are praising this ¡®Magical Girl Ash¡¯ that much, eh? Although like Qing Ya, she doesn¡¯t follow the rules, I think there¡¯s quite a fundamental difference between the two: If Qing Ya¡¯s stubbornness and nonconformity is a manifestation of holding onto his beliefs, then this Magic Girl gives off a vibe of¡­ arrogance, willfulness, and condescension.¡±


    He paused, teasingly adding, ¡°If we have to praise her, then I¡¯d say, as a vigilante, this Magic Girl Ash isn¡¯t as good as the Divine Communicator.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo raised an eyebrow, thinking, what are you trying to get at, isn¡¯t this obviously indicating to Qiuwu that you know her secret identity?


    So, to cover for him, he said, ¡°Which Divine Communicator?¡±


    ¡°Which else could there be?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo pondered for a moment, ¡°Oh, the ¡®Black Wukong¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo nodded, ¡°In terms of strength, he seems to be quite a bit stronger than that Magic Girl.¡±


    Bai Zini wanted to feign ignorance and quietly keep sweeping, playing the part of a stoic and strong Magic Girl.


    But hearing this, she shook with anger, and her little face instantly fell.


    She stood up straight, arms wrapped around the broom handle, turned her head to look at Ke Yinzhi, and said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t like Ash, and I can even accept suppressing one to promote another. But that Black Monkey is the most annoying, don¡¯t you praise her around us!¡±


    ¡°My goodness, you must be what big brother talks about as an Internet dimwit troll, right? What did Black Wukong ever do to you?¡±


    Ke Mingye bowed his head, sipped his Coke, feeling indignant for the birthday-celebrating Black Wukong.


    Listening to the three of them chat, Bai Qiuwu briefly froze for two seconds, her lips on the edge of her cup, slyly casting a glance at Ke Yinzhi.


    She thought, why is Big Brother suddenly bringing me up, could it be he already knows my identity?


    ¡°All right, enough of that,¡± Ke Yinzhi said, smiling slightly and effortlessly changing the subject, ¡°So what¡¯s the deal with this blue owl, why has it been so discussed lately?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo was silent for two seconds, ¡°Nothing special. Just a big mouth standing out among the superheroes for its oddity, that¡¯s why there¡¯s so much discussion.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Ke Yinzhi casually replied.


    Ke Mingye said, ¡°I think liking blue owl is better than liking Qing Ya.¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Yinzhi said, ¡°Pitting someone who relies on novel gimmicks to catch the public eye against Qing Ya, Mingye, you¡¯re failing to see clearly.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo sighed, ¡°Brother, really stop hyping Qing Ya, like father like son.¡±


    Bai Zini shook her head and seriously said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You guys could be straight as arrows, but Third Brother¡¯s crookedness is beyond salvage.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten about your older sister?¡± said Bai Qiuwu, putting Zi Ni on the spot, ¡°Or am I not even considered ¡®the upper beam¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No, I meant that however straight you guys are, it can¡¯t outweigh how supremely skewed Third Brother is, a complete rascally spirit.¡±


    Bai Zini explained with a tinge of grievance.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Bai Ziling said, drawing a picture, ¡°Skewed, spirit.¡±


    ¡°What does ¡®rascally spirit¡¯ even mean? If you¡¯re going to scold me, can you not make up such nonsensical terms?¡±


    Ke Mingye teased without a care.


    ¡°Speaking of which, you guys are really mean. I was already freaked out. If I¡¯d put on that mask at the start, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to have this birthday party at all. Maybe you¡¯d be holding a wake for me in a hospital by now,¡± Ke Mingye said, lifting his glass and looking unimpressed at the clown mask on his face.


    Bai Qiuwu picked up her cup, took a sip of lemon water, and glanced at the clown mask on Ke Mingye¡¯s face before speaking irritably,


    She paused, ¡°By the way, where did you guys buy this thing?¡±


    ¡°Ask the elementary school student,¡± Ke Mingye said.


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 Chapter 325 - 196: The Orange Sky on the Eve of a Storm_3

    Chapter 325: Chapter 196: The Orange Sky on the Eve of a Storm_3


    ¡°Toy store,¡± Ke Yongzhu replied offhandedly, ¡°Somebody asked me to buy them when I was getting fireworks for you.¡±


    ¡°That person always has a plethora of tricks up their sleeve.¡±


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he put on a clown mask.


    Then, lowering his voice, he said eerily, ¡°Hello, I am the super villain elementary school student. Lurking around Huanjing Fifth Elementary School, my specialty is bullying other students.¡±


    ¡°Idiot.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu didn¡¯t even glance at him.


    ...


    ¡°Childish,¡± Bai Zini said.


    Bai Ziling covered her mouth with her hand, barely suppressing a giggle.


    Bai Qiuwu, who was watching TV, suddenly froze. She turned her face, her gaze falling on the side of Ke Mingye¡¯s masked face.


    For some reason, she was reminded of someone when Ke Mingye had put on the mask and was behaving foolishly:


    ¡ªA strange thing.


    ¡°How could it be¡­¡±


    Bai Qiuwu shook her head, thinking to herself, and shifted her gaze away from the masked right side of Ke Mingye¡¯s face.


    Before long, with Bai Zini having tidied up the living room, the evening¡¯s festivities came to a definitive end. Everyone, heeding their mother¡¯s call, headed upstairs one by one, lining up for their nightly routine of washing up and going to bed.


    After Ke Mingye had freshened up, he went back to his room, casually locking the door, and collapsed onto the newly changed, soft bed, drawing a deep breath as he propped his right arm behind his head.


    Nowadays, when he had nothing to do, he would often send out an extra puppet. This puppet would hold a spare phone and standby in some corner of the city, responsible for communication.


    Then, when its existence time was nearly up at six hours, he would transform into Magic Girl, tuck the phone into the Magic Book, and find some unnoticed corner to self-destruct.


    Otherwise, with his second brother around, it was risky to keep the spare phone on him at all times: even using the spare phone at home to chat could lead to his brother catching on.


    But there were still many situations that required contact, so, to be prepared, he had to leave a puppet outside.


    ¡°It seems like there¡¯s no one I need to contact today. Big brother and second brother share information, so they already know what they need to. Big sister knows too, so that just leaves my younger sister,¡± Ke Mingye thought absently, when suddenly, he heard a ¡°ding¡± near his ear.


    He raised his eyebrows slightly and quickly realized that the sound was not coming from next to him, but from the puppet lingering in the city.


    Switching perspectives quickly, he saw that a QQ message had just been received on the spare phone handled by the puppet.


    Ke Mingye controlled the puppet to glance down at the phone. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a momentous occasion¡­ After nearly 10 days, the user with a ¡°Gothic Penguin¡± avatar named ¡°I¡¯m not Ash¡± had finally replied to his QQ message.


    [I¡¯m not Ash: Please, can you stop spamming?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: Please, can you stop giving me the cold shoulder, senior?]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: How did you manage to send so many messages in just a few days?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: I thought you were dead, senior. I was about to use your QQ as a confession tree. You owe me a confession tree, senior.]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: Why would I be dead?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: Dying for love. Forbidden love that is not understood, despised by the world, and demonstrating one¡¯s will through death¡ªthis is a plot I often see in comics and novels.]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: I can¡¯t stand it, can you please read less shoujo manga?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: It¡¯s not easy to get a full meal, of course I want to expand my hobbies. So, in senior¡¯s eyes, a little girl who picks up trash can only pick up trash for life¡­ This is the ugly face of the capitalist class, oppressing us poor little girls who just want to breathe and read shoujo manga.]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: At least read something normal!]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: What¡¯s ¡®normal¡¯? ¡®The overbearing CEO falls for me¡¯?]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: Forget it, chatting with you online is pure self-torture.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: Is it less torturous offline, perhaps because I am more charming in person?]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: No, seeing you in person means I can hit you directly, online I can only stew in frustration.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: Speaking of which, senior, you¡¯re really heartless. I was actually considering breaking into your house to check on you, but I never did.]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: It¡¯s good that you didn¡¯t. I would have been angry.]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: By the way, let¡¯s meet at that elementary school tomorrow morning, I have something to tell you.]


    [I¡¯m not Ash: What is it, can¡¯t say it over the phone?]


    [Little Red Riding Hood: It¡¯s about the strange thing.]


    After sending this message, Ke Mingye had the puppet hide the phone in the Magic Book and then proceeded with a series of standard operations to retrieve the puppet.


    Then he closed his eyes, and the night passed in silence.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    [Good morning, Player Sir, today is July 21, 2028. There are 332 days left until the ultimate task ¡°Exterminate the Superhumans¡± comes to an end.]


    [The current number of surviving players worldwide is: 94.]


    Ke Mingye opened his eyes tremblingly, his gaze swiftly scanning across the panel, then deftly clicked the ¡®x¡¯.


    Stretching with a yawn, he got out of bed, went to the bathroom to freshen up, went downstairs, put on his sneakers to run, did sit-ups. Before long, he had completed his daily tasks.


    [Daily Task 1: Run 3000 meters (one spin of the reward wheel) (Completed)]


    [Daily Task 2: Do one hundred sit-ups (2 attribute points to allocate freely) (Completed)]


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 Chapter 326 - 196: Orange Sky on the Eve of a Storm_4

    Chapter 326: Chapter 196: Orange Sky on the Eve of a Storm_4


    [The reward for the daily task ¡°one hundred sit-ups¡± was collected, earning 2 attribute points available for assignment.]


    Ke Mingye stepped out of the convenience store opposite his home, tearing open the packaging of a buttered bread while lifting his left index finger to allocate the two attribute points he had just received to ¡°mental strength.¡±]


    [Your ¡°mental strength¡± attribute has changed: 38¡ú40 points (¡ü2 points)]


    [The reward for the daily task ¡°run 3000 meters¡± was collected, earning a chance for a prize wheel spin.]


    As the prompt box disappeared, the reward wheel unfolded before him. The text in six sections caught his eye.


    [One, 3000 Mall Coins; Two, Grade-C equipment card; Three, a limited-time role-playing task; Four, instance refresh coupon; Five, travel coupon; Six, 2000 experience points.]


    ...


    Without a second glance, Ke Mingye carelessly pressed the prize wheel¡¯s start button. The pointer then began to spin rapidly, eventually slowing to a stop above area number 1.]


    [Congratulations, you have received the reward from area number 1: 3000 Mall Coins.]


    [Current total of Mall Coins: 12100.]


    Having routinely completed the daily tasks, Ke Mingye took a break on a bench and then went home for breakfast.]


    Before long, watching Bai Zini step out of her house without a greeting, Ke Mingye casually returned to his room.]


    He released a puppet from the windowsill to hurry towards Yandai Commercial Street.]


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    Shortly after, on the rooftop of the abandoned elementary school at Yandai Commercial Street.


    The girl in a Christmas dress landed, looked up at the beautiful figure leaning against the fence, and said softly, ¡°Cinderella, have you finally decided to meet me?¡±


    Pausing, she continued, ¡°Is the fact that your brother is a superhero really that shocking to you?¡±


    The girl in the gothic dress turned her head and glanced at her indifferently, saying as she hugged her shoulders.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about him today, or I¡¯m going home.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ I still had a lot to ask you.¡±


    ¡°No asking, and¡­¡±


    Xiaohongmao, as if seeing through her thoughts, interjected, ¡°Although I¡¯ve missed you a lot recently, I haven¡¯t contacted your brother through WeChat.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ so why are you looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Can you take me to pick up some cards first?¡± Xiaohongmao said quietly, ¡°Because you weren¡¯t around, I haven¡¯t yet collected the supply cards that I can get once a week.¡±


    She thought, what if I wasn¡¯t pushed by you, what if I accidentally used Blue Owl¡¯s ID card to swipe at the Alliance building, being too lax isn¡¯t good.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you collect them yourself, don¡¯t you have an ID card?¡±


    In the midst of the conversation, seeing Xiaohongmao lower her head and remain silent for a long time, looking about to cry, Magical Girl Ash paused, sighing softly.


    She said, ¡°Alright¡­ can you stop looking so pitiful, I¡¯ll take you.¡± With that, she grabbed Xiaohongmao¡¯s hand and opened the magic umbrella Cinderella in mid-air.


    Soon, the two arrived at the Magical Girl Alliance building.


    Ash swiped her ID card and took Xiaohongmao to the 15th floor, to the library-like card storage. She then stationed herself at the entrance and quietly waited for Xiaohongmao to pick out her supply cards.


    With prior experience, Xiaohongmao didn¡¯t take too long. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She quickly collected seven cards from the opened storage cabinet¡ª3 ¡°Random Flash,¡± 3 ¡°Fireball Technique,¡± and 1 ¡°Magic Power Supply.¡±]


    Then, she summoned an empty red Magic Book, placed the seven cards into the slots on the first page of the book, closed it, and made it disappear.


    After collecting the cards, the two stood against the brown coconut wallpaper in the corner. The chandelier above dropped warm light, enveloping their beautiful faces.


    ¡°So, what did you want to see me about?¡± the girl in the gothic dress asked.


    Xiaohongmao paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, ¡°I encountered something strange last night. It told me to stay away from Old Jingmai District for now, said someone is targeting a white-haired girl.¡±


    ¡°White-haired girl?¡± Ash slightly frowned, ¡°Did it say anything else?¡±


    ¡°Nothing else, but I thought it was strange, so I decided to tell you.¡±


    Hearing this, Magical Girl Ash lowered her eyes in thought for a moment, breathed out lightly, ¡°Alright, I got it. I have to go back for a bit, you should head home too.¡±


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 Chapter 327 - 197: Major Event II: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 1)

    Chapter 327: Chapter 197: Major Event II: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 1)


    July 21st, the 15th floor of the Alliance building.


    The gothic-dressed girl stood against the wall, arms crossed, as her slender index finger gently tapped her arm.


    She furrowed her brows in thought for a moment before asking coolly, ¡°That strange thing, what else did it say?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all it said.¡± Xiao Hongmao paused, then spoke softly, ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t want to bring this up since what the strange thing says isn¡¯t reliable, but you¡¯re living in the Old Jingmai District, and it just so happens that you have an albino sister at home.¡±


    As she spoke, she lifted her head to glance at Ash¡¯s face with her peripheral vision before continuing.


    ¡°So I thought, maybe what it was talking about is related to you. If I¡¯m being too nosy, I apologize in advance, and I hope you won¡¯t be mad at me.¡±


    ...


    ¡°I understand, be careful on your way back,¡± Ash said, while looking down and pondering absently. The grey ribbon tied on top of her head swayed, brushing against her delicate shoulders.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll head back now.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After speaking, Xiao Hongmao nodded her head, turned around, and entered the Alliance¡¯s dedicated elevator.


    She swiped her ID card on the elevator¡¯s control panel and took it down to the ground floor.


    Watching this scene from Xiao Hongmao¡¯s perspective, Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, ¡°Surely, my older and younger sisters combined can keep Zi Ling from wandering off, right?¡±


    After this, having reported some key matters to Magical Girl Ash and reminding her to be careful, Xiao Hongmao parted ways with Ash.


    She then undid her transformation near the Alliance building to avoid drawing attention.


    Before long, Ke Mingye made You Minglu self-destruct in an unnoticed corner. He quickly recovered the doll, while also reducing the cooldown time needed to deploy the doll again.


    Afterwards, he stayed at home playing games with Bai Ziling and Ke Yongzhu, ensuring that Bai Ziling wouldn¡¯t run around, lest she expose herself to the Blood Clan Hunters during such a crucial time.


    Because of the threats made in the open by Gastella, Bai Ziling had also been hiding at home these days, not venturing outside. Just yesterday, she suddenly proposed going on a trip, but her goal was to temporarily leave the city.


    Aside from time spent at home, she would only go for walks downstairs with Yongzhu, or to the downstairs supermarket to buy some drinks.


    With the abilities of an elementary school student, if anyone were observing them, he would definitely notice in an instant. Thus, when he and Bai Ziling took walks, the two were absolutely safe.


    As for Bai Ziling herself going down to the supermarket to buy drinks, that was also safe ¡ª because within a hundred meters of this duplex apartment building in the Old Jingmai District, it was simply impossible for any parasites to exist. His older and second brothers stayed at home; with their monstrous strength, they could easily detect someone nearby being controlled by parasites and could completely remove the parasites from their bodies without harming the person.


    It was even possible that before the parasitized people could react, the parasites inside their organs would have already been crushed.


    So undoubtedly, Gastella had no reason to know Bai Ziling¡¯s location.


    Unless she used that ¡°Prophecy Book.¡±


    But Ke Mingye was still not sure whether the prophecy book mentioned by Gastella really existed, after all, it was just her one-sided claim.


    Time passed quickly, and it was now noon.


    The living room of Bai Ke¡¯s home.


    Seeing his second brother was still at home, Ke Mingye walked to the entrance, took his sneakers from the shoe cabinet, put them on, and was about to leave home. Bai Qiuwu, who was reading a book at the table, suddenly spoke up, stopping him.


    ¡°Hold on a second.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ke Mingye turned to look at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s so hot today, why not stay in?¡± Bai Qiuwu said, pressing her finger against the middle of the page. She paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Be careful of heatstroke.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll catch a cab and meet with friends,¡± Ke Mingye sighed, ¡°There¡¯s air conditioning in the car and his room; I won¡¯t get heatstroke, don¡¯t worry so much.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Bai Qiuwu said, ¡°Next year is the second year of high school, and studies are intense. Let me help you preview the junior year curriculum in advance, and don¡¯t go out these next few days.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with you suddenly getting all paranoid, sis?¡±


    Ke Mingye said while turning the knob, opening the door, ¡°We¡¯ve had this weather for days, if I was going to suffer heatstroke, it would have happened already. Or do you think I¡¯m going to a cybercafe to play? I haven¡¯t been to one since junior high.¡±


    ¡°Still no.¡± Bai Qiuwu shook her head, still insistent, ¡°With that time, wouldn¡¯t it be nice to spend time with your brother and sister? Don¡¯t you agree, Yongzhu, Xiao Ling?¡±


    ¡°Let him leave already,¡± Ke Yongzhu clicked her tongue, ¡°He¡¯s so bad he might as well be playing with a handful of rice on the controller¡ªchickens would play better than him.¡±


    Bai Ziling said nothing, merely glancing at Ke Mingye from the corner of her eye through her pale tresses.


    ¡°Hear that? Almost two months of summer vacation, and I¡¯m tired of sticking around the house every day. When can I not play with them?¡± Ke Mingye complained, rolling his eyes at Bai Qiuwu, ¡°Tell me the truth, sis, is it because I and second bro came home too late once and ticked off mom, then she grounded me and secretly persuaded you to keep an eye on me?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu was taken aback for a moment. She meant to deny it, but after a second¡¯s thought, she decided to play along, ¡°Alright. Indeed, mom asked me to watch you, and I can¡¯t do much about that.¡±


    Mom, referring to the Dice Monster, Ke Mingye mocked Bai Qiuwu in his mind.


    At that moment, Ke Xiaomo was in the kitchen cutting vegetables, and upon hearing their conversation, the hand pressing on the cutting board hesitated momentarily.


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 Chapter 328 - 197 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (1)_2

    Chapter 328: Chapter 197 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (1)_2


    He thought to himself, seeing Bai Qiuwu¡¯s reaction, she must already know that Mingye dresses up like a superhero every day and hangs around the Superhero Association.


    But¡­ anyway, I¡¯ll keep an eye on Mingye later, letting him out wouldn¡¯t be dangerous.


    With that thought, Ke Xiaomo spoke while lifting his knife to chop vegetables, ¡°Let him go. It¡¯s just a holiday time and he¡¯s playing with friends, though the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree, there¡¯s no need to be so strict.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Bai Qiuwu hesitated for two seconds, her mind echoing the warnings from the strange thing, telling her to watch over Mingye and Zi Ling, saying there was something, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll go out later too.¡±


    ¡°Who cares.¡± Ke Mingye sighed, ¡°But you, big sister, just make sure you don¡¯t get heatstroke.¡± Saying so, he picked up a sun hat from the shoe cabinet and threw it towards Bai Qiuwu.


    Bai Qiuwu caught the sun hat, ¡°Alright then, you can go out. Be careful on the road.¡±


    ...


    ¡°OkayOkay.¡±


    Ke Mingye responded nonchalantly, walking out of the house and soon taking the elevator down to the ground floor.


    Then, he walked all the way to the abandoned train station in the Old Jingmai District and sat down on a public wooden bench on an empty platform. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He unlocked his phone and opened WeChat.


    Since the only person at home who openly knew his identity was Bai Zini, he opened the WeChat conversation with Bai Zini.


    Just as he was about to send a message to Bai Zini, a text popped up on the screen.


    [Bai Zini: Bro, I¡¯m home. Where are you? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d go shopping with me this afternoon?]


    [Bai Zini: (Panda handshake grinding teeth emoji)]


    [Ke Mingye: I received an urgent notice, I have to go to the Superhero Association this afternoon, the boss called me, I have to go.]


    [Bai Zini: Alright, alright, work is more important than your sister, huh?]


    [Ke Mingye: Ah, what can I do. But you, hurry up and help me out.]


    [Bai Zini: Damn, standing me up and still asking for my help, are you even human?]


    [Bai Zini: (Panda puffing cheeks emoji)]


    [Ke Mingye: Cut the drama, you also have to attend meetings every day as a Magic Girl, and even if there¡¯s no meeting, you still need to clock in regularly at the Alliance Building, right?]


    [Bai Zini: I do have meetings. But I sure won¡¯t stand you up to go to them.]


    [Ke Mingye: Oh, sorry.]


    [Bai Zini: So what do you need me to do?]


    [Ke Mingye: Simple, just check if our second brother is at home, see what he is doing. Ever since he found out about my identity, he¡¯s been staking out the train station in Old Jingmai District often. It¡¯s really annoying, just keep an eye on him for me.]


    [Bai Zini: He¡¯s still in the kitchen cooking, tied up for now, so drop it, hurry up and wear that owl cosplay suit, go to the association for a meeting, and then come shopping with me afterward!]


    [Ke Mingye: Okay, okay, I don¡¯t know how long the meeting will be, my commander can really nag.]


    [Bai Zini: Just make sure you come back soon, I have something to tell you.]


    [Ke Mingye: What is it?]


    [Bai Zini: It¡¯s about that strange thing. So annoying, so annoying!]


    Receiving the message that his second brother was still at home, Ke Mingye breathed a sigh of relief.


    Quickly afterward, he pulled the Blue Owl Battle Suit out of the storage locker on the platform, then created a Deception Puppet, making it transform into his appearance, dressed it in the battlesuit, put on the helmet and face mask, and hurried towards the Superhero Association.


    As for Ke Mingye himself, he took out a night duty belt from his bag, put it on his waist, then activated the invisibility feature, carefully sneaking out of the Old Jingmai District, always remaining highly vigilant, not letting any rustle go by, fearing that at this moment he might bump into his second brother and have the use of the puppet exposed¡ªif that happened, he would be practically dead, already a dead man.


    Soon after, Ke Mingye approached his secret base: the basement of Hongdeng Commercial Street.


    He entered the alley, used the key given by Fan Quan to unlock the door leading to the basement, and after wandering around the Underground Labyrinth for a while, finally located the basement.


    As he entered the basement, he controlled the Blue Owl to leap between high buildings, the Deception Puppet¡¯s body so nimble and light, shortly approaching the Superhero Tower.


    Then, in front of an old lady airing clothes on the rooftop, he glided down hugging an electric pole, landing on the ground. He patted his shoulders and entered the lowest floor of the Superhero Tower.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    A moment later, on the forty-fifth floor of the Superhero Association Building, in the north corner.


    The doors of the glass curtain wall elevator slowly opened, and Blue Owl stepped out, looking at the office directly ahead.


    He saw that the office door was tightly closed, with a ¡°Do Not Disturb¡± sign posted on it.


    It seemed Che Zhengchen must be busy, unable to break away for the time being.


    ¡°Such a busy man¡­¡±


    Seeing this, Blue Owl put his hands on his hips and sighed, then sat on a chair in the hallway, quietly waiting for Che Zhengchen to finish his tasks in the office.


    After a while, feeling really bored, he pulled out his phone from the pocket of his battlesuit, launched the Superhero Association official app, tapped into the Superheroes community forum, where a post by the Huanjing Heroes Squad was creating quite a buzz.


    It was the B-grade Heroes team led by Balloon Man that had a new member known as ¡°Car Man.¡± This newcomer was a Superpower User whose ability was to summon a car equipped with a turret, and he could merge with the car at any time.


    Last night, a hero known as ¡°the Rose in Hand¡± from the Balloon Man¡¯s team¡ª ¡°Kang Qilin,¡± had posted in the Superheroes forum: [Car Man assemble, come see Optimus Prime!].


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 Chapter 329 - 197 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 1)_3

    Chapter 329: Chapter 197 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 1)_3


    In the post, she attached a video of the superhero ¡°Automan¡± summoning his battle vehicle with his superpower in the testing room and merging with it.


    The footage was too bizarre, so by the next day, the thread¡¯s discussion exploded in popularity, shooting it to the top of the Superhero Community Forum in terms of views.


    Superheroes from around the world left witty comments on this spectacle, and many female heroes even expressed their desire to have Automan as a forum friend, offering large sums to Rose-in-Hand for his contact information.


    Blue Owl wanted to crack a joke too, but after some thought, he decided not to post any comment.


    ¡°We¡¯re all tough guys; someone as insignificant as me doesn¡¯t deserve to speak up,¡±


    he yawned, thinking to himself.


    ...


    The Bai Yi Squad was still just a D-class superhero team within the Association, lacking popularity. They couldn¡¯t compare to teams like Balloon Knight Squad, a B-class team.


    Moreover, he himself was the lowest, an E-class superhero, one in thousands in the forum, a dime a dozen and totally inconspicuous.


    After browsing the forum for a while longer, Blue Owl was just getting bored when the electronic sign on the office door suddenly changed from ¡°Do Not Disturb¡± to ¡°Please Enter.¡±


    Seeing this, Blue Owl rose from his chair and stretched lazily.


    He turned the doorknob, opened the office door, walked to the desk, and sat down in a black swivel chair.


    Blue Owl put his hands together in front of his stomach, then asked, ¡°Uh¡­ will I get to see my superpower mentor today?¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Che Zhengchen put down his pen, took a sip of water, ¡°Probably not.¡±


    ¡°Not again?¡± Blue Owl sighed, ¡°Qing Ya is really hard to meet. Maybe I should just switch to a different superpower mentor.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. If he actually decides to teach you seriously, a few words from him could be more useful than 10 mentors combined,¡±


    Che Zhengchen put down his water cup and said with a smile.


    Blue Owl drew out his words: ¡°That¡¯s if he ¡®really decides to teach me seriously.''¡±


    After a pause, he probed, ¡°Speaking of which, could Qing Ya already know who I am?¡±


    ¡°No, from my brief interactions with him, he definitely doesn¡¯t know yet,¡±


    Che Zhengchen shook his head in denial.


    ¡°Why?¡± Blue Owl tilted his head curiously, the beak skewing to the side, ¡°Logically, with Qing Ya¡¯s tracking abilities, he could¡¯ve easily found out my identity. So why hasn¡¯t he done it?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­ Qing Ya doesn¡¯t really want to see who¡¯s under your mask,¡±


    Che Zhengchen suggested, adjusting his glasses.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s afraid of hesitating, contemplating whether to use you as bait to lure out Timekeeper. Afraid that if you¡¯re just some young kid like Pigeon Dove, he¡¯ll be overwhelmed with guilt once again,¡±


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl fell silent for a moment.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this for now,¡±


    changing the subject, Che Zhengchen lifted his eyes to look at Blue Owl: ¡°I came to you today mainly to talk about the Association¡¯s advancement system. The evaluation for hero levels uses a points system. An E-class superhero needs to accumulate 500 points to be promoted to D-class. There are many ways to get points, and the most common is by carrying out missions.¡±


    He paused: ¡°In addition, superheroes that make significant contributions to various sectors of the nation, like those who use their superpowers to develop new types of energy, such as ¡®Porcelain Knight,¡¯ can be exceptionally promoted to the next level without having to meet the points requirement, and might even jump several levels.¡±


    ¡°I see, so I only need 200 more points to become a D-class hero?¡± Blue Owl asked.


    ¡°Roughly, yes,¡± Che Zhengchen nodded, ¡°But it still has to be approved by the committee, which is just a formality, unless there¡¯s some complication in your background. Otherwise, it¡¯s usually a secure promotion.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then¡­¡±


    Mid-sentence, the entire office was suddenly bathed in dazzling red light.


    Blue Owl¡¯s voice cut off abruptly. He braced his hands on the armrests of the swivel chair, turning his head to look around, ¡°This isn¡¯t like before, when someone invaded the Superhero Tower, is it?¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s off. Normally, if there were an outsider invading, there should be an alarm,¡± Che Zhengchen frowned.


    Right then, the entire Superhero Tower went into red alert mode, seemingly due to an external attack. Consequently, the superheroes received the warning and flew out of the windows to check the situation.


    Meanwhile, Che Zhengchen¡¯s office window was slowly covered by a layer of metal sheeting, blocking the view outside.


    ¡°I can¡¯t fly. So what do we do?¡± Blue Owl asked.


    ¡°Wait for me a second,¡±


    saying this, Che Zhengchen opened a private app on his phone, checking the reason behind the alert. However, he was slightly taken aback upon finding the source.


    This time, the red alert mode wasn¡¯t activated by detection of external threats by the Superhero Tower¡¯s defense mechanisms, but was initiated directly by a senior official using their authority.


    ¡°The defense mode was manually activated by higher-ups. As of now, in Huanjing, the only person capable of triggering this kind of authority is the president of the Huanjing Superhero Association Branch, Li Qingyao,¡±


    as Che Zhengchen said the last name, he paused, suddenly recalling something.


    A few weeks earlier, he was supposed to meet with the branch president Li Qingyao in an underground bar.


    For some reason, he didn¡¯t meet Li Qingyao, and his memory of the bar scene was a blur, with almost no complete memory of it.


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 Chapter 330 - 197 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 1)_4

    Chapter 330: Chapter 197 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 1)_4


    If I didn¡¯t see the President, then who was the person I met in that underground bar?


    What happened to the President at that time?


    Thinking of this, Che Zhengchen suddenly experienced a severe headache, and gradually an image came to mind: a red-haired girl sitting in a wheelchair, holding a cane.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know any ¡®President¡¯, but someone is taking the elevator coming up to this floor,¡± said Blue Owl, while glancing at the glass elevator outside the office with the corner of his eye. The number on the display panel was steadily climbing, getting closer to the 15th floor.


    ¡°Be careful, something is very strange,¡± Che Zhengchen said pensively as he operated the laptop, ¡°The surveillance footage has gone completely black, and it¡¯s not because of a hacker attack, but rather¡­ did the upper echelons manually shut down the monitors with administrative privileges?¡±


    He spoke with an increasingly strange tone toward the end.


    ... S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl paused for a moment, seeking confirmation to ensure he hadn¡¯t misheard.


    ¡°Uh¡­ the upper echelons manually shut down the monitors?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    As they spoke, the glass elevator reached the 15th floor, and the elevator door slowly opened outward.


    Blue Owl sensed something was wrong and quickly focused his gaze.


    But before he could clearly see the figure in the elevator through the narrow gap that had opened, he saw a sudden, piercing black shadow accompanied by a whooshing sound rushing towards him, instantly piercing through his shoulder.


    Blue Owl was thrown backward.


    He was pinned against the hallway wall, and upon closer inspection, he realized that what had pinned his shoulder was a black metal arrow. Blood flowed profusely, and the unexpected numbness made him immobile.


    An arrow?


    His brother had mentioned in a text message that among those three Blood Clan Hunters, one was an archer¡ªit seemed she was the one.


    Why did she not have an ID card, yet was able to take the Superhero Association¡¯s elevator?


    And why would the upper echelons shut down the monitor¡¯s footage and activate the alarm mode, diverting the attention of the superheroes to the outside of the building?


    It was as if they were aiding these Blood Clan Hunters¡­


    Commander Che had said that the only one who could manually activate such an alert mode was the president of the Huanjing Superhero Association Branch¡ª¡±Li Qingyao¡±.


    Could it be¡­ Li Qingyao had been parasitized by Gastella¡¯s parasite.


    But when did that happen?


    As Blue Owl pondered, he struggled to raise his head and forcibly kept his trembling eyelids open to look ahead.


    Before him, a woman in a green raincoat, wearing a green ghost mask on her face, stepped slowly out of the elevator, coming into his blurry vision.


    ¡°So you are Blue Owl,¡± Lin Ke said as she walked into the office, looking at the photo in her hand, ¡°I need you to come with me.¡±


    Saying so, she swiftly approached the office wall and knocked Blue Owl unconscious with the back of her bow.


    Following that, Lin Ke glanced at Che Zhengchen from the corner of her eye and casually pulled out an arrow. Holding it in her hand, she stabbed it toward Che Zhengchen¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Ugh ahhhh¡ª!¡±


    Che Zhengchen screamed, unable to react to the superhuman¡¯s assault in time. His arm split open, and blood gushed out, staining the arrow.


    ¡°I generally don¡¯t kill without reason. There¡¯s a bit of poison on this, so you¡¯ll be asleep for a while,¡± she said.


    After dropping this line, Lin Ke shifted her gaze away from Che Zhengchen.


    She took out a box, ¡°This device was always used for vampires, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m using it on a living person.¡±


    As her words fell, she pressed a button on the box, and Blue Owl¡¯s body was suddenly sucked into the narrow box like air.


    Seeing this, Lin Ke pocketed the box, stepped into the glass-wall elevator, and pressed the button for the first floor.


    ¡°Blue Owl¡­¡±


    As the elevator doors closed, Che Zhengchen, clutching the wound on his arm, watched helplessly as Blue Owl was taken away. Leaning against the office wall, he slowly collapsed and closed his heavy eyelids.


    ¡­


    ¡­..


    At the same time, in a basement in the Hongdeng Commercial District.


    Seeing that Blue Owl¡¯s perspective had gone dark, Ke Mingye slowly opened his eyes, cold sweat oozing from his forehead.


    ¡°Gastella actually made a move on Blue Owl, just as I expected,¡± he thought.


    ¡°It looks like Gastella probably won¡¯t kill me directly. So, next, I will most likely get to see¡­ what these Blood Clan Hunters truly look like.¡±


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 Chapter 331 - 198 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 2)

    Chapter 331: Chapter 198 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 2)


    July 21st, Huanjing, Hongdeng Commercial District, in a secluded and secret basement.


    The ceiling light bulbs cast a ghastly white light, enveloping the surgery table below. On the cabinet at the head of the bed, there were also some blood-stained dissection tools.


    God knows what Fan Quan had done here.


    At this moment, Ke Mingye was clenching a pitch-black spare phone in his hand, sitting hunched over on the bed. He took a deep breath, with cold sweat oozing from the palm of his hand.


    Right now, it had been a full twenty minutes since the blue owl had been abducted by the Blood Clan Hunter.


    In these twenty minutes, the blue owl¡¯s vision was black, hearing was equally silent, and the body remained motionless.


    ...


    It was like being trapped in a cramped and pitch-dark box, unable to make a sound or see anything.


    Ke Mingye turned on the phone, eyes fixated on the contacts displayed on the screen: Ke Xiaomo, Bai Qiuwu, Bai Zini.


    ¡°This must be resolved quickly, today might be the only chance,¡± he thought, ¡°The Deception Puppet exists for 6 hours, which means it will explode around eight o¡¯clock at night. By then, it will be too late.¡±


    Twenty minutes earlier, at Superhero Tower, the Deception Puppet playing the role of the blue owl didn¡¯t actually faint.


    Ke Mingye had made it feign the appearance of dizziness so the archer would feel at ease taking ¡°him¡± away. But he hadn¡¯t expected that the puppet would be sucked into a mysterious box.


    Without guessing, it was clear that it was mostly a tool used by the Blood Clan Hunter to capture members of the Blood Clan.


    Since Gastella didn¡¯t kill the blue owl right away, she must have her reasons. She probably wanted to coerce some information out of blue owl, hence why she let the archer take him away.


    This was exactly what Ke Mingye hoped for; he needed the Blood Clan Hunter to bring the blue owl to Gastella.


    Then, using the blue owl¡¯s perspective and the information gap between parties, he intended to pinpoint Gastella¡¯s location. His goal was to capture the Blood Clan Hunter in one fell swoop within the day.


    ¡°The Deception Puppet¡¯s auditory response has finally shown signs of life, suggesting that the archer has taken it out of the box,¡± Ke Mingye thought, ¡°Being unconscious for twenty minutes should be enough. Waking up now won¡¯t be too abrupt.¡±


    Thinking this, Ke Mingye ordered the blue owl to slowly open its eyelids and slightly lift its gaze.


    A glance at its own body revealed the blue owl was tied with layers of iron chains to a thick pillar, hands and feet immobilized. Its form was suspended mid-air.


    The blue owl was still dressed in its combat suit, but its mask was not covering its head. Looking down, the red and blue helmet lay askew on the ground, its beak touching the edge of the pillar.


    Moving its gaze from itself, the blue owl looked up, and what came into view was a floor that seemed long abandoned.


    With a slight twitch of its nose, the blue owl was greeted by a wave of musty, aged smell.


    The air was thick with dust that had settled over many years. The walls had long lost their original color, with mottled paint peeling off in sheets, exposing the yellowed bricks underneath. There was even moss growing in the corners.


    A few broken chandeliers hung from the ceiling, some with shattered shades, revealing the rusted bases.


    The floor was covered with a thick layer of dust and debris, along with some disorganized footprints.


    All the windows were broken, and without the covering of glass, the warm noon breeze entered the floor.


    Scattered about the floor were pieces of furniture, most of which had already fallen apart. Wooden tables and chairs were decayed and deformed due to prolonged exposure to the elements, while metal objects were covered in rust.


    In the corner, there was a pile of old papers and miscellaneous items. Occasionally, one could see a few opened but unread books, their pages yellowed and curled, the writing blurred.


    At this time, several rats were scurrying rapidly through the rubble, making faint scuttling noises. Sunlight streamed through the broken windows, casting mottled shadows on the ground.


    In this floor, the only human figure was a girl sitting in a wheelchair. She had shoulder-length red hair, her face pale, yet her sculpted features exuded a transcendental beauty.


    She looked like a statue handcrafted by God, standing breathtakingly at the center of a dirty, chaotic world.


    Is this¡­ Gastella¡¯s true form?


    Ke Mingye was stunned for two seconds, thinking to himself. The red-haired girl that the blue owl saw matched exactly with the image that Che Zhengchen had in his mind.


    At the moment, Gastella was quietly flipping through a fairy tale book, her eyes lowered. Her lips curved into a slight smile, like a girl engrossed in a story.


    Just as the blue owl was observing her profile, a cool voice suddenly reached its ears.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve already awakened,¡± said Gastella without looking up.


    Upon hearing this, the blue owl slightly opened its mouth, producing a somewhat hoarse voice.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve noticed¡­ In that case, Miss Red Hair, why did you have someone kidnap me here? Could it be that you¡¯re an avid fan of mine who wants to have a private chat?¡±


    He paused before adding, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you could have just told me. There was no need for such brutality. I¡¯m a bad guy who doesn¡¯t reject anyone, especially such a beautiful lady.¡±


    Gastella was unfazed by his trash talk, continuing to quietly turn the pages of the fairy tale.


    Amidst the rustling sound of her fingers brushing the pages, she said, ¡°Like others have said, you¡¯re very talkative.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I just?¡±


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 Chapter 332 - 198 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 2)_2

    Chapter 332: Chapter 198 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 2)_2


    ¡°My name is Sisteruo,¡± she said, ¡°Someone sent me to kill you. I had no choice but to bring you here.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Blue Owl paused, ¡°Could it be¡­ that strange thing?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know who the strange thing you¡¯re referring to is, if I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ it should be the Dice Monster, right?¡±


    ¡°Who else?¡± Blue Owl sighed.


    Sisteruo spoke nonchalantly, ¡°He¡¯s truly an odd one, dressing himself in drab colors.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, creepily strange.¡±


    ...


    After speaking, Blue Owl pondered for a moment, then belatedly said, ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re now planning to hand me over to the Dice Monster?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Sisteruo said. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for him to show up, though I don¡¯t know when he will.¡±


    Hearing this, Blue Owl let out a soft sigh and said irritably, ¡°Let me put it this way, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re after, but you¡¯ve been played by him¡­ He¡¯s not going to show up, I know his type well.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not just the Dice Monster I find interesting. I¡¯m personally intrigued by you,¡± Sisteruo continued.


    ¡°Eh¡­ so this is indeed a fan meet-and-greet?¡±


    While saying this, Blue Owl tried to twist his head unsuccessfully; his neck was nearly choking from the iron chain restraining him.


    Sisteruo, while flipping through a page, said, ¡°You know, when you put on that mask, a panel appears above your head; and when you take off the mask, the panel disappears. This is quite strange, I¡¯ve never seen anything like it before.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying,¡± Blue Owl said, ¡°Not to be rude, but are you sober right now, or have you lost your mind?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t understand?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Blue Owl sighed again.


    ¡°In any case, you¡¯re not normal,¡± Sisteruo paused, ¡°but you¡¯re not a player either because I tried to send you a friend request, and it didn¡¯t go through.¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye in the basement slightly widened his eyes, thinking, ¡°Sure enough, she is Gastella herself, otherwise how could she send a friend request to Blue Owl¡­ That¡¯s right, as long as I can get my second brother and old dad to find this place, it will be enough. Those Blood Clan Hunters should be lurking nearby, but they are no match for my dad.¡±


    Controlling Blue Owl, he spoke, ¡°Player, now I understand. Are you from that organization¡­ seeking to exterminate superhumans within a year?¡±


    ¡°To be precise, I am but one person, without an organization,¡± Sisteruo said with a curve of her lips, ¡°The other players don¡¯t play with me.¡±


    ¡°You know, when we heard about your plan to exterminate superhumans, many heroes in the association laughed,¡± Blue Owl said. ¡°They laughed at your lack of self-awareness, laughed that the higher-ups were actually worried and scared about this: The officials had us carrying around a helmet for testing, which honestly was quite a hassle. Do you know how much trouble you¡¯ve caused others, miss? It¡¯s time to find your way back. Given how cute you look, if you let me go now, I can still revoke the lawsuit against you.¡±


    ¡°To exterminate superhumans is indeed laughable.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± Blue Owl asked back, ¡°So, are you still set on doing it?¡±


    ¡°No, just they are,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about exterminating superhumans, even if not doing so means I¡¯ll die.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl was taken aback for a couple of seconds. With a drawn-out tone, he said, ¡°Uh¡­ are you joking? Not exterminating superhumans results in death, what kind of cult is this?¡±


    ¡°No joke,¡± Sisteruo assured.


    Calmly speaking, Sisteruo¡¯s gaze turned to the Ugly Duckling in the fairy tale book, her slender fingers resting on her chin, ¡°If I have to describe my feelings, it¡¯s something like¡­ the Ugly Duckling turned into a White Swan, and the White Swan ate the Ugly Duckling.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t quite follow,¡± Blue Owl admitted.


    Blue Owl glanced at her askance with a curious look.


    ¡°It means, I should¡¯ve been a girl who died in a hospital bed, but I chose to become who I am now,¡± Sisteruo said. ¡°I acknowledged those around me, and so¡­¡±


    Pausing for a moment, she whispered, ¡°I personally strangled that girl to death in the bed.¡±


    ¡°Still don¡¯t understand, can you speak human?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s normal that you don¡¯t understand,¡± Sisteruo said. ¡°You could say that I¡¯m killing time by talking to myself.¡±


    Blue Owl bowed his head and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said after a while.


    ¡°May I continue talking to myself?¡± Sisteruo asked politely.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Blue Owl said, ¡°I¡¯m still tied up after all.¡±


    ¡°What should I say next?¡±


    ¡°Are you really asking me?¡± Blue Owl responded.


    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯ve got it.¡± Sisteruo, focusing intently on the fairy tale book, fingering the pages slowly said, ¡°Did you know, I really enjoy reading fairy tales.¡±


    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t?¡±


    Blue Owl replied casually.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, who doesn¡¯t?¡± Sisteruo agreed.


    She flipped gently through the pages of the book, sharing, ¡°I have dual memories in my mind. In one memory, I was a girl from the slums, falling asleep every day with a tattered fairy tale book; in the other memory, things weren¡¯t so bad or untidy, but abandoned by my parents due to a terminal illness, I spent my days on a hospital bed, the only thing I could do was flip through that same fairy tale book over and over again.¡±


    After some thought, she continued, ¡°I really liked ¡®Cinderella,¡¯ and often dreamed of one day having glass slippers appear on my feet, of a carriage whisking me away from that sickroom to go to a ball; of a prince taking my hand and kissing the back of it; the ceiling above would be a splendid crystal chandelier, not that boring, oppressive one. ¡±


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 Chapter 333 - 198 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 2)_3

    Chapter 333: Chapter 198 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 2)_3


    Speaking of which, she paused.


    ¡°Although fairy tales are just fairy tales, they gave a desperate girl hope, allowing her to imagine¡­ perhaps in this world, beautiful things can still happen.¡±


    Blue Owl thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Er¡­ so, were you originally a schizophrenic?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ if you must put it that way, then I feel like all gamers are schizophrenics,¡± Sisteruo said softly.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know much about this ¡®gamer¡¯ organization; I¡¯ve only heard bits and pieces from others,¡± Blue Owl said, ¡°but I feel that you¡¯re probably not that bad of a girl.¡±


    Blue Owl thought again, and added, ¡°So in the gamers, do you count as a traitor, or what?¡±


    ...


    ¡°More or less.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no wonder those gamers don¡¯t play with you. It looks like you¡¯re smart, not brainwashed like they are. That¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not really brainwashing, because if the Superhumans aren¡¯t exterminated, they will truly die.¡±


    Blue Owl was stunned, then sighed heavily, ¡°Alright, although this is absurd, I¡¯ll try to accept it.¡±


    While speaking, Blue Owl fell silent for a while, then asked, ¡°What about you, then? Is it okay if you die?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Sisteruo said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ve died many times already. The first time was when my parents gave up on paying my medical bills; the second time was on the hospital bed, watching the trees outside the window wither, watching as my hair was shaved off by the doctors; the third time was the first time I saw the Arctic sky¡­ At that moment, I strangled my past self.¡±


    As she spoke, she lifted her finger to turn pages of a book, her face downturned, her profile enveloped in dappled light and shadow, ¡°So I¡¯m not afraid of dying.¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t want to do things against your conscience?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Sisteruo contemplated, ¡°I just hope that some people can survive, but they are Superhumans, which means if I want to live on, I have to hurt them.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re giving up your own life?¡±


    ¡°Not really, if I killed them, then I would indeed be giving up my own life,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°To me, they are the meaning of this phase of life, even if it¡¯s just for a year, it¡¯s enough happiness for me.¡±


    She paused, ¡°So I want to protect them from the hands of other gamers.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Blue Owl said, ¡°but why did you kidnap me? I¡¯m not a gamer, am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m about to die,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°If I don¡¯t find a white-haired vampire, I¡¯m going to die very soon, then forget about a year, I can¡¯t even make it through the next few days.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Hearing this, Sisteruo gently lifted the sleeve of her dark red dress, revealing a ghastly pattern on her arm drawn in blood, the face of a demon.


    From this pattern, dark veins spread throughout her body.


    ¡°I need a heart, a vampire¡¯s heart,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°but I can¡¯t find her¡­ so, before resorting to more extreme measures, I wanted to try if I could find her through the Dice Monster. This way, many sacrifices could be avoided.¡±


    She paused, turned her face, and met Blue Owl¡¯s gaze, ¡°Although I¡¯m sorry, for my own purpose, I might have to kill you.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me all this just to explain your reason for killing me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, but actually, there¡¯s also a part of me that¡¯s simply idle and bored,¡± Sisteruo smiled, ¡°You can pretend I¡¯m just talking to myself; I won¡¯t feel guilty. After all, I¡¯m someone who has ¡®died three times¡¯.¡±


    As her voice fell, the air in the deserted building was briefly shrouded in silence.


    Blue Owl didn¡¯t speak again but lowered his head and silently mused.


    While Gastella flipped through her book and didn¡¯t continue questioning him, he took the opportunity to retrieve the anchor sunglasses from his ¡°gamer satchel.¡± To avoid detection, he held them in his mouth.


    Then, he pressed the button on the edge of the sunglasses frame with his teeth.


    [Around you within an eight-meter radius, the only person is: Gastella (gamer). Would you like to set an anchor point on this person?] sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Set it up.¡±


    Blue Owl responded in his mind.


    [An anchor point has been set on the gamer ¡°Gastella.¡± For the next ten minutes, as long as you put on the sunglasses and press the button on their edge again, you will obtain that gamer¡¯s location coordinates.]


    As the system notification ended, Blue Owl quickly put the anchor sunglasses back into the satchel, looked up, and stealthily observed Gastella to confirm she hadn¡¯t noticed his slight movement.


    At the same time, in the basement of Hongdeng Commercial Street.


    Ke Mingye released his phone, took out the anchor sunglasses from the satchel, put them on, and then pressed the button on top.


    Immediately, a map of Huanjing appeared on the lenses of the sunglasses, with a conspicuous red light pulsing in one corner of the map.


    ¡°This location is¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye paused, then blurted out a name.


    ¡°Lodi Old Town District.¡±


    Quickly, he released another Deception Puppet in the basement, making it maintain its original appearance, equipped with a night belt, and sent it heading towards the exit in stealth mode.


    Then he picked up a spare phone, accessed the app designed by Cai Bing, and sent a message to Ke Xiaomo¡¯s inbox.


    [Strange Thing: Oh Ninja, you must be anxious right now, as your brother was suddenly kidnapped, yet you don¡¯t know his whereabouts.]


    [Strange Thing: But don¡¯t worry, I will bring you some good news.]


    [Strange Thing: Lodi Old Town District, west side entrance, the fifth abandoned building from the left if counting to the right. You¡¯re welcome, there might be many people lying in ambush there, I advise you to proceed with caution.]


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 Chapter 334 - 199 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 3)

    Chapter 334: Chapter 199 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 3)


    After sending a message to his second brother, Ke Mingye put away his phone and controlled the second Deception Puppet, the strange thing, stepping out from the basement.


    At this moment, three bodies that he needed to control coexisted simultaneously within the city. His original body could be ignored, but the blue owl and the strange thing could not afford a sudden crash on either side.


    Thus, knowing he couldn¡¯t control them all, Ke Mingye simply activated Personality Split.


    Following that, the strange thing slowly split open its mouth, flinging webs upwards and climbing from one tall building to another toward the Huanjing Tower.


    On the way, the strange thing deliberately stopped at the top of a supermarket, opened a window, shot webs at a small chalkboard that read ¡°Eggs at half price today!¡± Then it erased the text with the back of its hand and picked up a piece of chalk, writing ¡°Qing Ya LoveLove¡± with a few thuds.


    After writing, the strange thing seemed to realize something was amiss. It stroked its chin thoughtfully for a while and then, having an epiphany, drew a large heart next to the text.


    ...


    Then casually dropping the chalk, it tucked the chalkboard under its arm, raised its right hand to shoot webs sticking to the surface of a nearby high-rise, pushed off from the ground and swung upwards.


    Before long, it arrived at Huanjing Tower. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sitting on the railing of the observatory, it gazed vacantly towards the Superhero Tower in the distance.


    The Superhero Tower¡¯s emergency defense mode was already being deactivated, with the red veil slowly fading from the building¡¯s surface as if shedding a layer of skin.


    Soon after, everything returned to normal.


    ¡°Oh oh, the upright terror crow, terrible Crow Man¡­ hurry up, a bit faster, or our comrade blue owl might bite the dust,¡± the strange thing murmured, swinging its leg and merrily holding up the small chalkboard that read ¡°Qing Ya LoveLove,¡± waiting for an unwelcome visitor to show up.


    A moment later, it heard a hoarse and ominous voice behind it.


    ¡°Are you looking for me?¡±


    At the sound, the strange thing was slightly startled, then it lowered the chalkboard and grinned broadly, slowly turning its head and squinting with the corner of its eye at the dark silhouette behind it.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time, Mr. Qing Ya,¡± it said, ¡°are you worried about comrade blue owl? But don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s still alive.¡±


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like something you would do.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s always a pleasure to talk with a smart person. I couldn¡¯t cause such a commotion,¡± the strange thing paused and raised a finger, ¡°Have you ever heard of the Hunter of the Blood Clan?¡±


    Hearing this, Qing Ya, wrapped in his cape like wings, slowly said, ¡°¡®Hymn of Hell,¡¯ I¡¯ve dealt with one or two cases related to them before, but that organization should be extinct by now.¡±


    ¡°No, there are still one or two remnants of this organization alive, and their strength is not ordinary, you know.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Qing Ya pondered, ¡°I thought they had all been wiped out during the campaign against the progenitor of the Blood Clan, ¡®Icaria.''¡±


    ¡°So it seems,¡± the strange thing replied, touching its chin, ¡°perhaps it¡¯s because the few who are left are so strong that they were able to survive that battle, right?¡±


    ¡°All of this is irrelevant,¡± Qing Ya paused, ¡°why would they target the blue owl?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± the strange thing spread its hands, ¡°is there a possibility that the Timekeeper has actually been hiding inside the Hunter of the Blood Clan all these years?¡±


    Qing Ya was silent for a moment: ¡°It¡¯s you who did this, right?¡±


    ¡°NoNoNo, of course not, how would I know their reasons for targeting comrade blue owl,¡± the strange thing sighed, resting its forehead, ¡°don¡¯t make it sound like I¡¯m some sort of mastermind. I¡¯m just a creature who likes to play pranks, a bit naughty perhaps, but otherwise perfect in character. Look, I even brought you a gift before coming to meet you.¡±


    Saying this, it turned over the chalkboard that read ¡°Qing Ya LoveLove (heart)¡± and held it high, shaking it twice in front of Qing Ya.


    The strange thing smiled, cocked its head, and quietly waited for Qing Ya¡¯s response.


    However, Qing Ya ignored the chalkboard, not even glancing at the writing above, and asked.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the blue owl?¡±


    Hearing this, the strange thing¡¯s mouth corners dropped slightly, and it sighed, bending over, then carelessly discarding the chalkboard, said, ¡°Blue owl, you really have nothing but blue owl on your mind. To be honest, what¡¯s so great about that owl anyway?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again¡­ where is the blue owl?¡±


    Qing Ya said slowly, his tone growing heavier.


    ¡°So annoying, I¡¯m the kind who ¡®takes honey, not vinegar.¡¯ It would devalue me to tell you just because you ask, especially when you¡¯re the one in need and not me,¡± the strange thing stated, ¡°but seeing as you¡¯re in such a pitiable state¡­ I¡¯ll go to the trouble of telling you. After all, you wouldn¡¯t want to repeat history, like with the pigeon incident, right?¡±


    After speaking, the strange thing laughed ominously, its hollow eyes fixed unwaveringly on Qing Ya¡¯s face.


    Upon hearing the name Grey Pigeon, Qing Ya¡¯s expression remained calm, showing no anger as the strange thing had expected.


    The strange thing found it dull and shook its head: ¡°Very well, worthy of our battle-hardened Crow Man, no longer ruffled by the provocations of villains.¡±


    Pausing for a moment, its hands dangling on its knees, it turned to look towards the old town district, ¡°Lodi Old Town District, west side entrance, the fifth abandoned building from the left.¡±


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 Chapter 335 - 199 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 3)_2

    Chapter 335: Chapter 199 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 3)_2 sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The voice had hardly faded away when Qing Ya¡¯s figure vanished amidst a booming sound like the flapping of giant wings, leaving behind only a few crow feathers accompanied by the strange thing.


    The strange thing raised its right hand to its chin and quietly looked up at the sky as the wind blew the distant dark clouds closer, gradually shrouding the air. The first raindrop fell upon its cheek.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to rain¡­¡±


    The strange thing tilted its head back, its hollow eyes reflecting the gloomy sky.


    After a while, as the rain curtain grew heavier and the torrential rain enveloped the city, its mouth corners faintly curled up.


    ¡­.


    ...


    ¡­.


    Twenty-five minutes earlier, Hongdeng Commercial District.


    Ke Xiaomo, wearing a grey T-shirt and sweatpants, and donning a duckbill cap, was hidden behind a street corner billboard, quietly gazing at the silhouette of the blue owl.


    Watching him enter the Superhero Tower, Ke Xiaomo retreated to the back of the billboard, taking cover in the shadows to think.


    ¡°He¡¯s entered the Superhero Tower, so he shouldn¡¯t be in danger for the time being. With his skills, the tasks the Superhero Association is currently assigning him are low-level. His teammates are fairly capable, too. As long as they don¡¯t encounter any unexpected situations, the chances of something going wrong are slim. Looks like it¡¯s about to rain, should I keep following him? Probably not necessary¡­¡±


    Having thought this, Ke Xiaomo did not continue to track the blue owl but instead stepped out from behind the billboard and pulled over a chair to sit down at a nearby outdoor beverage shop.


    He ordered a cup of hot tea from the server and casually picked up a fashion magazine from the shelf beside him, sitting there for a moment. The clothing styles showcased in the magazine had him frowning repeatedly, so he closed the book.


    Ke Xiaomo sighed and was thinking of maybe just going home when sudden activity from the distant Superhero Tower caught his attention.


    The entire building was bathed in alarming red. The massive drone of the alarm bell echoed through the air, like an airplane passing overhead, drawing the attention of passersby who stopped to look up.


    Ke Xiaomo was startled at first, then rapidly lifted his gaze, peering at the crimson high-rise from the open-air caf¨¦. The high-rise¡¯s glass curtain walls were gradually being engulfed by metal bulwarks. From a distance, it looked like the skyscraper had turned into a colossal iron box, striking fear into onlookers.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­ the Superhero Tower just activated its defense system? Something seems to have happened inside, and Mingye is still in there.¡±


    With that thought, Ke Xiaomo didn¡¯t hesitate to put down his cup. Taking advantage of the pedestrians around him all looking up at the building, he slipped into the shadows at his feet from a blind spot in the surveillance, vanishing without a trace.


    Then, he swiftly navigated the streets and infiltrated the metallic curtain wall of the Superhero Tower, climbing from the first floor to the forty-fifth with the speed of a storm, circling each floor to roughly survey the situation inside.


    Along the way, on the tenth floor of the building, Ke Xiaomo glimpsed a figure inside a moving glass elevator.


    It was a woman in a green raincoat, hugging her shoulders, her expression calm.


    ¡°The archer?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo paused, quickly recalling that she was one of the three Blood Clan Hunters he had seen at Hong Ge Food Street the other day.


    Could this be the work of the Blood Clan Hunters? He wondered.


    Although he saw Lin Ke, he didn¡¯t see the blue owl in the elevator, and thinking that ensuring Mingye¡¯s safety was the primary objective, he temporarily ignored the Blood Clan Hunter and continued ascending.


    In the end, he found a man struck by an arrow in an office on the forty-fifth floor.


    ¡°This is¡­ Mingye¡¯s commander.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo observed the unconscious Che Zhengchen from the shadows, frowning slightly and murmuring softly.


    Intending to leave immediately with the thought that the Superhero Association¡¯s medical staff would soon arrive,


    he glanced at the amount of blood Commander Che was losing and felt that the man would die from blood loss before help arrived. Thus, he cloaked his face and body in shadow, shaping himself into a figure akin to the Dice Monster, then stepped out from the shadow on the wall and approached Che Zhengchen rapidly.


    Bending down, he reached out his right hand and wrapped the wound in a layer of shadow to prevent further blood loss.


    ¡°This should hold for a while, long enough for him to receive treatment. So¡­ where exactly is Mingye?¡±


    He rose from the floor, pondering this when suddenly there was a commotion from outside the door.


    Accompanied by a series of urgent and heavy footsteps, an armed police squad burst in, aiming the muzzles of their AK-47s at Ke Xiaomo, who was shrouded in shadows.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Dice Monster!¡± The leader was taken aback, then barked.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, the people behind him squeezed the triggers of their rifles in unison. Bullets streaked from the barrels, pouring down like rain on the grey-black figure they saw before them.


    Ke Xiaomo solidified from shadow to substance, protecting his body with shadow as he stepped back twice through the hail of bullets, careful to distance himself from Che Zhengchen so the latter wouldn¡¯t be hit by mistake.


    Then, the moment his back touched the wall, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s form seemed to dissolve like a puddle of black water into it, vanishing into a whirlpool of condensed shadows.


    ¡°Should I look higher up? No, at the time of the incident, Mingye should have been with his commander. Yet now he¡¯s gone. It seems the problem lies with that Blood Clan Hunter, I need to find her fast.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo plummeted down the metallic exterior of the Superhero Tower, his shadowy form swooping like a raptor, stirring up pitch-black gusts.


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 Chapter 336 - 199 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 3)_3

    Chapter 336: Chapter 199 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 3)_3


    At this moment, the glass curtain wall elevator had already reached the lowest level.


    Ke Xiaomo had searched the base of the Superhero Tower and the vicinity for a while but didn¡¯t find the figure of the raincoat archer. His expression darkened, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.


    He did not linger; instead, he searched the top few dozen floors of the Superhero Tower, spending nearly twenty minutes before confirming that Blue Owl was indeed not inside the building.


    He then quickly turned into an alley, emerging from the shadows on the wall and took out his phone from his pocket.


    He was about to open WeChat to send a message to Ke Mingye, asking if he was alright. But just then, Dice Monster¡¯s email notification popped up from the middle of the lock screen, catching his eye.


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Oh, Ninja Sir, you must be very anxious right now, your own little brother has suddenly been kidnapped, and you don¡¯t know his whereabouts.]


    ...


    Ke Xiaomo¡¯s pupils trembled slightly, stunned for a moment, his thoughts in turmoil.


    ¡°Mingye was abducted by the Blood Clan Hunter?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why are those Blood Clan Hunters after him?¡±


    As he thought this, Dice Monster sent two more emails.


    [Mr. Strange Thing: But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll bring you some good news.]


    [Mr. Strange Thing: Lodi Old Town District, western entrance, the fifth abandoned building from the left. You¡¯re welcome, and there might be quite a few people lying in ambush there, so I advise you to be careful.]


    Seeing the location in the message, Ke Xiaomo didn¡¯t think much and immediately let his body slip into the shadows beneath his feet, vanishing in a flash in the narrow alley.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Shortly after, in the living room of Bai Ke¡¯s home.


    Bai Qiuwu and Bai Zini were sitting on the couch, one resting her chin on the end of her pen, looking at her English vocabulary book, while the other was playing with her phone and watching TV.


    Suddenly, breaking news overtook the original broadcast on the TV.


    They both looked up at the sound.


    A male reporter in uniform was squatting on a helicopter, holding a microphone and speaking.


    ¡°Superhero Tower has apparently been attacked by external forces. This is your reporter on the scene: According to a certain superhero, this attack is suspected to be the work of Dice Monster. Currently, the whereabouts of Superhero Blue Owl are unknown, the veteran gold medal Commander ¡®Che Zhengchen¡¯ has been seriously injured, is unconscious, and is undergoing emergency treatment.¡±


    Upon hearing this, both of them got up from the couch at once, looking at each other with expressions of urgency.


    They opened their mouths slightly as if they wanted to speak but didn¡¯t know what to say, and they had already started moving, as if they didn¡¯t have time to ask why the other was acting so strangely.


    ¡°Sis, are you thirsty?¡± Bai Zini said, running toward the entrance, ¡°I¡¯ll go buy you a drink!¡±


    Her tone tried to sound as normal as possible, but tears were almost desperately falling as she thought, That damned creature, how dare it lay a hand on my brother, it¡¯s truly finished this time!


    ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty, I have something to take care of,¡± Bai Qiuwu said quickly, ¡°just buy for yourself.¡±


    Compared to Bai Zini, Bai Qiuwu¡¯s expression was more complex. She couldn¡¯t believe that just last night, after she had made a promise, today Dice Monster would make a move against Mingye.


    ¡°Oh¡ª! Then go ahead, sis, I¡¯ll buy it later! And it¡¯s raining outside, remember to take an umbrella!¡±


    As Bai Zini spoke, she seemed to suddenly remember something, turned her head from the entrance, quickly returned upstairs, and rushed into her room.


    She furrowed her brows tightly, grabbed the folding umbrella from her bed, locked her bedroom door, turned around, and opened the window.


    Grasping the umbrella handle, the girl¡¯s figure was immediately enveloped in a cocoon of light. As the cocoon light shattered, Magical Girl Ash appeared amidst the scattering glow, leaping over the windowsill while unfolding the umbrella as she fell through the air.


    Ripples of beautiful magic power spread out like the tide, carrying the descending Gothic-dressed girl, who shot through the sky like a grey spear piercing the curtain of rain.


    Under the grey sky, Magical Girl Ash, holding her Magic Umbrella Cinderella, was intent on flying full-speed to Superhero Tower. However, she suddenly sensed something amiss, lowered her eyes, and looked down.


    Soon she saw the entire Old Jingmai District, and indeed the entire city was exhibiting a chilling anomaly.


    Even with the torrential rain pouring down, the streets were still crowded with figures.


    They had vacant eyes, ferocious expressions, and were growling repetitive phrases, moving through the streets like zombies, damaging the buildings and vehicles along the way.


    Whenever they encountered a normal person, they would rush out, pinning him to the ground, then spitting out black bugs from their mouths and frantically stuffing them into his throat amid screams of terror.


    Under such brutal acts, one after another, humans were assimilated by the parasitic bugs, becoming fanatical cult-like beings parading through the streets, chanting the same slogans.


    As if a reservoir gate in the sky had opened, millions of tons of rainwater desperately washed over the earth, but the entire city was still dark and bleak, as if demons were running amok. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking to the left, passersby were being devoured by the parasites; looking to the right, the sounds of exploding cars thundered through the air, followed by rising flames.


    Magical Girl Ash was dumbfounded, not even knowing where to turn her gaze, because riots were happening everywhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a zombie¡­ crisis¡­¡± she murmured.


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 Chapter 337 - 200 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 4)

    Chapter 337: Chapter 200 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 4)


    ¡°`


    ¡°Speaking of which, are those Hunter friends of yours nearby?¡± blue owl asked casually.


    Sisteruo didn¡¯t respond, but just lowered her eyes and quietly looked at the picture book.


    ¡°Alright, ignore me if you want. But it seems like you didn¡¯t wait for Dice Monster,¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    blue owl said, withdrawing his gaze from her. He hung his head and continued to rest with eyes closed.


    ¡°I need to use the bathroom.¡±


    ...


    After speaking, Sisteruo lifted her eyes from the book, placed the fairy tale picture book aside, moved the wheelchair forward with her hands spinning the wheels, and slid down a descending ramp into the lower level.


    blue owl¡¯s arms were hung on a pillar, and upon hearing Sisteruo¡¯s words, he slightly raised his head and watched her silhouette, saying, ¡°Um, should I say ¡®go ahead¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No need for that. You¡¯re a dead person, no need to mind the manners.¡±


    Sisteruo¡¯s taunting voice came from the lower floor, growing farther and farther away.


    blue owl sighed, surveyed his surroundings, and thought that it shouldn¡¯t take long for his father and second brother to arrive at this speed. They would come and check the situation first, if they could handle it, they¡¯d simply kill off the opposite party, if not, they¡¯d rescue me first and then bring in reinforcements. When the older brother and the A-grade heroes from the association arrive, the other side wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.


    A moment later, Sisteruo returned to this level, still sitting in a corner not far from blue owl, and continued flipping through the fairy tale book.


    blue owl asked, ¡°By the way, what is that pattern on your arm actually?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Blood Clan Oath,''¡± Sisteruo said, her head low.


    ¡°Does that thing make you die?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, so I need a vampire¡¯s heart.¡±


    Sisteruo paused for a moment, nonchalantly, ¡°Did you know? I only learned yesterday that there¡¯s another person in this city who carries a Blood Clan Oath.¡±


    As she said this, she slightly curled the corner of her mouth, ¡°I must say, it really confirms that Chinese joke, ¡®Ignorance is bliss, a closer look brings a shock.''¡±


    ¡°Another holder of the Blood Clan Oath?¡± blue owl said with a strange tone.


    He thought, the vampires in this city seem to only include my younger sister. Gastella said Huanjing has another unfortunate soul cursed with the Blood Clan Oath. It couldn¡¯t possibly be that another cursed individual was branded by my sister, right?


    Sisteruo answered, ¡°Yeah. This Oath will periodically extract blood from me, and as I grow older, the amount taken increases little by little. It¡¯s like raising a pig, at first, they just scrape some skin and fat off you, and later when you¡¯re plump enough, they slaughter you, cook you, and serve you up.¡±


    As she spoke, she shifted her gaze from the book, ¡°But you see, the Oath on that person is different from mine, actually, it¡¯s quite the opposite.¡±


    ¡°Completely¡­ opposite?¡±


    blue owl asked word by word, his tone filled with confusion.


    ¡°Exactly, his Oath is recessive, invisible during ordinary times, he wouldn¡¯t even realize it. But this Oath can send a notification to the vampire who marked him whenever he¡¯s in danger, like a protection mechanism,¡±


    Sisteruo said, pausing for a moment before continuing.


    ¡°Furthermore, when he¡¯s in a dying state, the vampire will transfer some of their blood to him to prevent death from excessive blood loss¡­ and even, if that Blood Clan wishes it, they can transplant their heart to him when he¡¯s at death¡¯s door, letting him rise from the dead. After all, his body would¡¯ve grown accustomed to her blood; even a direct heart transplant wouldn¡¯t seem out of place.¡±


    Wait a second, what kind of crap is that?


    Upon hearing this, blue owl was stunned for a few seconds, then asked in a calm tone, ¡°Oh, there¡¯s such an Oath in the Blood Clan? Aren¡¯t humans considered prey to them?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°This really reshapes what I thought I knew. I always figured the Blood Clan saw humans as nothing but prey, monsters through and through. But now it seems there could really be some with a touch of humanity. This Blood Clan sister sounds quite tender, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    blue owl was silent for a while, ¡°Then have you found them, the human who¡¯s under this Oath?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°How should I know?¡±


    ¡°Your original body,¡± Sisteruo said somberly.


    Fuck?


    What¡¯s going on?


    Wait a second, is she bluffing?


    blue owl was stunned, pretending to be dumb as he thought, ¡°My original body, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Could it not be? He looks exactly like you,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°At about twenty meters away from you, my Blood Clan Oath made me feel your presence.¡±


    What? Do I actually have a Blood Clan Oath on me? Could it be a curse that Zi Ling secretly placed on me?


    blue owl¡¯s forehead broke into a cold sweat as he thought.


    ¡°You saw wrong, didn¡¯t you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Would I see wrong?¡±


    After a pause, he added, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about whether that person is me or not, why can your Blood Clan Oath detect his, but his can¡¯t detect yours?¡±


    ¡°Because his Oath is recessive, imperceptible even to himself, much less to others like me.¡±


    blue owl stayed silent, not responding for the time being so as not to give himself away. He wasn¡¯t sure if Sisteruo was probing because she was truly one to spin a tale; the two had been locked in a battle of wits and acting skills for more than a day or two.


    Sisteruo said indifferently, ¡°At that time, you were picking up a cake at a bakery, right? Lin Ke and I actually wanted to take you with us. But Lin Ke said the child with you was strong, it wasn¡¯t a good idea to make a move, nor would it be easy to follow him, so we let you go.¡±


    ¡°`


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 Chapter 338 - 200 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 4)_2

    Chapter 338: Chapter 200 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 4)_2


    Cake shop¡­


    It seems she really did bump into her there.


    Was she talking about Yongzhu? Thankfully, when I went to buy the cake, a schoolchild was next to me, otherwise Gastella would have already abducted my true form.


    Blue Owl sighed with relief in her heart and was secretly frightened.


    ¡°What a pity, if there had been more of us at that time, we could have taken you with us. However¡­ although I failed to capture you, before I left, I used an item on you,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°I just bought this item a few days ago from a store. It allows me to say a few keywords and then read some of the memory images in your mind.¡±


    She paused, and mockingly said, ¡°I said ¡®Blood Clan,¡¯ ¡®family,¡¯ ¡®player,¡¯ these three keywords. Guess what I saw in your mind?¡±


    ...


    Blue Owl was silent for a moment, then slowly lifted her eyes to look at her, disbelievingly asking.


    ¡°What did you see?¡±


    ¡°I saw a lot, a lot. There¡¯s a reason that Blood Clan girl trusted you so much,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°From your point of view, that family seems quite nice. She was also innocent, she shouldn¡¯t have died by my hand, right?¡±


    Blue Owl remained silent, avoiding her gaze.


    ¡°Speaking of which, your acting is really not bad, Spider Man¡­ oh no, you have other names, ¡®Dice Monster,¡¯ ¡®Blue Owl,¡¯ ¡®Mingye.¡¯ It¡¯s just hard to know which name to use for you. Rather, who do you think you are, who do you recognize yourself to be?¡± Sisteruo rested her chin on her hand, speaking calmly.


    ¡°Although I guessed that the player was you, I never thought for a second that the Dice Monster was actually you.¡±


    Blue Owl tried to shrug, but her body was fixed too tightly with chains, so she could only tilt her head, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you are saying, indeed there is some truth in your saying ¡®all players are schizophrenic.¡¯


    ¡°Did you know, I can¡¯t send you a friend request, which means your true self isn¡¯t here,¡± Sisteruo ignored his words, speaking on her own, ¡°and Blue Owl and the Dice Monster have both appeared on the same interface multiple times, so it proves you at least can control one puppet.¡±


    She paused, ¡°In some ways, we are really similar.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m similar to you in any way,¡± Blue Owl said, ¡°But if you¡¯ve concocted a character and put me into it, claiming I¡¯m similar to you, then I can only say you are too immersed in your own world, and no matter how I argue, it¡¯s useless.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just what you think. The fact is, we are very similar,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°When I read the ¡®family¡¯ key memory moment, I saw some scenes from before you came here. You are just like me¡­ the expression that inadvertently appeared on your face while buying that cake for the girl didn¡¯t look fake at all.¡±


    ¡°Enough of your nonsense?¡±


    ¡°As a patient, I¡¯ve known since I was young how to feign optimism in front of my parents, how to read other people¡¯s faces, believe me¡­ I understand acting better than you,¡± Sisteruo paused, ¡°so I know, you aren¡¯t pretending, we are the same, Mingye.¡±


    ¡°When did I ever say I was acting, don¡¯t get too carried away with your delusions. Don¡¯t talk yourself into an internal climax.¡±


    ¡°If you want to continue deceiving yourself, that¡¯s fine by me.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ what do you want me to say?¡±


    ¡°So, let¡¯s collaborate,¡± Sisteruo said calmly, ¡°You can temporarily leave this family and travel around the world with me, Lin Ke, and Flint, and in the process, identify and eliminate those hundred players within a year.¡±


    She paused, ¡°As a price, only one of your family members will die, that is your albino Blood Clan sister. I need her heart, it¡¯s a necessary thing.¡±


    Blue Owl was silent for a long time, ¡°So she¡¯s Blood Clan?¡±


    ¡°Still pretending, it seems the real one unable to distinguish reality from fantasy is you.¡± Sisteruo shook her head.


    ¡°Whether I pretend or not, I will refuse.¡±


    Blue Owl said slowly, her tone cold.


    ¡°As expected¡­ I guessed you would refuse,¡± Sisteruo¡¯s eyes lowered, ¡°That further proves our similarities. If you were to say to me, ¡®Hand over Flint¡¯s heart and our conflict will end,¡¯ I too would refuse, it¡¯s just how it is.¡±


    ¡°So we can only fight,¡± Blue Owl said.


    ¡°Yes, to the death,¡± Sisteruo said.


    Their tones were like casual conversation as they avoided each other¡¯s eyes.


    After a while, Blue Owl said softly, ¡°You don¡¯t stand a chance. There¡¯s still time to leave now.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think I don¡¯t stand a chance?¡±


    ¡°Close to zero,¡±


    Sisteruo said, ¡°Do you think I fell into your trap, catching you here and exposing my own position?¡±


    Blue Owl looked up at her, ¡°Otherwise?¡±


    Sisteruo said, ¡°Then you are too naive, I was merely turning your scheme against yourself.¡±


    ¡°Turning my scheme against myself?¡± Blue Owl pondered.


    ¡°You think I fell into your trap, but I was actually just trying to lure your family away. If they come to rescue you, the apartment building in the Old Jingmai District becomes easy to breach. That white-haired Blood Clan is likely isolated now. Don¡¯t worry¡­ even if I find your true form, I won¡¯t move against you for now, because I feel that no matter what, you will ultimately stand by my side,¡±


    She paused, ¡°So, after capturing that white-haired Blood Clan, I and Flint and the others will leave this city. When we meet again, it might be six months from now.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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 Chapter 339 - 200 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 4)_3

    Chapter 339: Chapter 200 Big Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Part 4)_3


    Blue Owl fell silent for a moment before speaking dismissively, ¡°It seems that the memories you read from my mind are still not complete.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°My family¡­¡± Blue Owl paused and sighed slightly, ¡°They are all monsters. Even if you drew some of them away, it¡¯s useless. The rest are still the monsters among monsters.¡±


    ¡°Well, if I may be so bold, my ¡®family¡¯ are all monsters too,¡± Sisteruo said with a smile, ¡°And I don¡¯t think they would lose to your family.¡±


    ¡°Well, in that respect, I suppose we do have something in common.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Sisteruo teased, ¡°Afraid that I¡¯ll reveal your true identity to your family, especially since they¡¯re on their way to rescue you right now.¡±


    ...


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of.¡± Blue Owl spoke calmly, ¡°If they are already here, they should be fighting with your companions by now. So, it¡¯s you who are truly alone.¡±


    He paused, ¡°Before they reach this floor, you will die here, by my hands. That¡¯s why there¡¯s no chance my identity will be exposed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty cruel. Don¡¯t you think that compared to me, you¡¯re sounding more like a ¡®villain¡¯?¡± Sisteruo said in an innocent tone, ¡°I¡¯ve been nothing but conciliatory.¡±


    ¡°Like you, I am only doing what I must.¡±


    ¡°Well then, no choice but to settle this here¡­¡±


    Sisteruo paused and then whispered, ¡°To the death.¡± Suddenly, a mischievous smile appeared on her pretty face, and she changed tack, ¡°Although I¡¯d like to say that, what if there¡¯s a possibility?¡±


    ¡°What possibility?¡±


    ¡°That what¡¯s here is simply one of my puppets,¡± she said slowly.


    ¡°Impossible.¡± Blue Owl scoffed, ¡°I¡¯ve checked with an item. The you that¡¯s here is definitely a player. That means the you in front of me is undoubtedly the real thing. Is pretending fun for you?¡±


    According to the identity assessment of the Anchorpoint Sunglasses, within an eight-meter radius of Blue Owl was ¡°Gastella (Player),¡± others might deceive him, but the system¡¯s judgment could never be wrong.


    At this point, because ten minutes had already passed, the sunglasses worn by Ke Mingye¡¯s real body had already lost Sisteruo¡¯s location.


    However, until just now, Sisteruo¡¯s location remained unchanged in this abandoned building, so he could be sure that the girl in front of him was indeed Gastella herself.


    ¡°Just now, it was indeed me here, but didn¡¯t I say a few minutes ago¡­ that I was going to the restroom?¡± Sisteruo suddenly said.


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl stiffened slightly.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, just now I switched to a puppet in front of you, and you foolishly didn¡¯t notice,¡± she said.


    As she spoke, Sisteruo slowly tore off the human face mask, revealing another face beneath it, the face of a stranger, a young girl.


    A flicker of disbelief crossed Blue Owl¡¯s eyes, then he furrowed his brow and took a deep breath.


    ¡°You got me¡­¡±


    The girl possessed by Sisteruo said, ¡°My real body is already heading towards your home, you should start praying now. Praying that the few left at your house can stop us, prevent us from taking the Blood Clan member.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°So, you purposely acted with me here for so long,¡± Blue Owl said in a low voice.


    Sisteruo shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s mutual. Neither of us is in a position to criticize the other.¡±


    With that, she controlled the puppet, once manipulated by parasites, to stand up from the wheelchair and approached Blue Owl, raised her hand, and gently touched his cheek.


    Then, she bent down to pick up the Blue Owl mask from the ground and gently placed it on his face.


    ¡°What a pity, I really thought we were in this together,¡± she said, staring into the eyes of the Blue Owl mask, speaking softly.


    ¡°That was just your delusion before death,¡± Blue Owl said expressionlessly, ¡°You can¡¯t beat my family, don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    Hearing this, Sisteruo leaned in close to his ear and whispered, ¡°But I can expose your identity, make you a hitman in front of your own family, a big liar who killed Ke Ming and tried to take his family away.¡±


    ¡°So what if you do, at worst I¡¯ll just leave this city and never live as Ke Ming again,¡± Blue Owl paused, ¡°And you¡­ you will die anyway, very thoroughly.¡±


    ¡°Who knows until the end¡­¡± Sisteruo said expressionlessly, ¡°But I¡¯m just lucky. If your real body didn¡¯t have the Blood Clan Oath left by your Blood Clan sister, I might have really fallen for your trap and died on this floor¡­ I must say, you¡¯re indeed a cut above, but fate is on my side.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too confident,¡±


    ¡°No one has beaten Flint. He¡¯s the strongest,¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s wait and see,¡± the blue owl said.


    ¡°By the way, I have some good news for you,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°actually, when I went to that underground bar, it wasn¡¯t to control Che Zhengchen, but the president of the Superhero Association¡¯s branch¡­ ¡®Li Qingyao,¡¯. He was about to meet with Che Zhengchen, so I took the liberty of planting a parasitic worm in Che Zhengchen¡¯s brain as well.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Sisteruo paused for a while, slowly curling her lips, ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a secret, Li Qingyao has a nuclear bomb in his hands.¡±


    The blue owl¡¯s pupils shrank, and he asked deliberately, ¡°A nuclear bomb?¡±


    Sisteruo gazed at his face and said softly, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never used this trump card to prevent his close associates from noticing anything unusual. He¡¯s been cautious and worked his way up over the decades, with an identity free from any danger. It must be said, he truly has the trust of the government and officials, otherwise why would he hold such power.¡±


    The blue owl met her gaze and swallowed hard.


    ¡°The nuclear bomb is probably about to launch now. Get your ¡®Crow Man¡¯ dad to save the scene. He¡¯s the only one who might know where the nuclear bomb¡¯s launch device is,¡±


    Saying this, Sisteruo turned her head in profile, her gaze empty as she looked out toward the distant city.


    ¡°Honestly, I never thought of using this nuclear bomb¡­ After all, if it¡¯s not handled well, it could cause a lot of casualties, but you forced my hand¡­¡±


    In that instant, her words were abruptly cut off by a figure that suddenly rose from the shadows behind her and struck Sisteruo¡¯s neck with a chop of the hand, knocking her unconscious.


    Immediately after, Ke Xiaomo sensed something was amiss, slightly frowned, and expelled the parasitic worm from the girl¡¯s innards with a burst of inner strength.


    He extended a thin blade of shadow from the tip of his finger and sliced up the parasitic worm that the girl had spat out.


    After that, only he and Ke Mingye were left awake in the abandoned building.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath, removed his gaze from the girl, and instead looked at the blue owl.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ but she¡¯s targeted our family,¡± the blue owl slowly raised his head and said with breaks in his voice, ¡°Older brother¡­ you better go back.¡±


    ¡°Our family?¡± Ke Xiaomo furrowed his brow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ maybe it¡¯s Yongzhu,¡± the blue owl shook his head.


    ¡°Yongzhu again?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo was briefly stunned, then quickly cut the chains on the blue owl with the shadow blade on his finger.


    ¡°No more talk¡­ go!¡±


    The blue owl broke free from the pillar, half-kneeling on the ground, and said hoarsely.


    ¡°I understand, be careful,¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Ke Xiaomo immediately disappeared into the shadows under his feet, vanishing within the floor.


    No sooner had he left than a dark shadow of a crow flew swiftly into the building, scattering feathers all over the place. Then, a dark figure suddenly appeared amongst the fallen feathers.


    ¡°Just you alone?¡±


    Qing Ya looked at the blue owl with the broken mask on his face and asked in a deep voice.


    ¡°That player is mixed in with the Blood Clan Hunters! She¡¯s used a parasitic worm to control the Superhero Association president ¡®Li Qingyao,¡¯. Hurry¡­ The president has the authority to launch the nuclear bomb!¡±


    After the blue owl spoke, he collapsed on the ground, completely exhausted, and lay motionless.


    ¡°Li Qingyao, nuclear bomb¡­¡±


    On hearing this, Qing Ya was slightly startled, murmured to himself, and then quickly disappeared from the spot, leaving only a few crow feathers whirling in the cool wind.


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 Chapter 340 - 201: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Five)

    Chapter 340: Chapter 201: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Five)


    ¡°Judging from the underground structure of the Association, the nuclear launch device could only be hidden on the 50th floor beneath the Superhero Association¡­¡±


    Qing Ya thought, closing the tablet in his hands and swiftly moving to the first floor of the Superhero Association¡¯s building. He then entered a secret passage accessible only to senior commissioners.


    At the end, he boarded an elevator to the underground, installed a rectangular hacking device on the control panel, and pressed the option for ¡°Sublevel negative 50.¡±


    As the device began to emit a cold blue light, the elevator plunged downwards uncontrollably, its edges sparking violently against the air from the friction.


    When the elevator doors opened, Qing Ya saw a seemingly endless corridor in front of him, guarded by a tightly knit web of infrared security lasers.


    He slightly lifted his right hand, and a storm-like flock of crows surged from his sleeve, sweeping forward and zig-zagging through the corridor like a blast of wind and lightning.


    ...


    Suddenly, he switched places with one of the crows, ensconced within the murder, hurtling further into the depths of the corridor, creeping forward like a massive black serpent.


    Amidst thunderous explosions, the serpent forged from crows rammed through, its flesh stripped away by laser fire from the walls, but the lasers never reached deep enough to touch its vitals.


    When Qing Ya stood at the end of the corridor, behind him lay the carcasses of hundreds of crows, piled up like a river.


    He took a deep breath, lifted a second hacking device, and installed it at the center of the metal door in front of him. As the device glowed red, the door unlocked and swung open.


    Immediately, over ten grim-faced guards raised their guns and pulled triggers, unleashing a torrent of bullets towards Qing Ya.


    In an instant, Qing Ya disappeared from the spot. At the same time, a smoke grenade exploded on the ground, enveloping the corridor with layers of smoke while the crows continually revealed their positions within it.


    The guards, amidst the smoke, fired wildly at the intermittently visible crows, leading to a scene of fratricide as bullets pierced their own comrades.


    Shortly after, all ten guards lay dead.


    Seeing this, Qing Ya dropped from the ceiling, stepped onto the floor of the corridor, and walked briskly towards the second metal door; it was too complex to be hacked with a device.


    So he let ten crows fly out of his cloak, each bird carrying a rectangular block of high-tech explosive in its beak.


    As Qing Ya moved back, he controlled the ten crows to advance. Then, lifting his cloak to cover half of his face, the next moment the bodies of the crows were torn apart by the light of the explosives, and a column of flames spread throughout the corridor, stopping just an inch away from the ground in front of Qing Ya, casting his dark mask in a bloody hue.


    Through the lingering smoke, Qing Ya slowly stepped forward, eventually sighting a room filled with electronic screens on all sides, resembling a cocoon of electronics.


    The president of the Huanjing Association branch, Li Qingyao, slumped in an office chair like a corpse, his hands joined together holding a detonator that had gone dark.


    Qing Ya quickly approached, checked for his breath with a fingertip, and then gently lifted the detonator with a crow, squinting his eyes to take a closer look.


    Finally, he looked up at the hundreds of screens in the electronic cocoon room.


    At this moment, each screen displayed the same scene.


    The sky was shrouded in dark clouds, and the ground quaked beneath the sheeting rain. A massive object stood silently on the launch pad, its cold metal shell shimmering faintly.


    Suddenly, the protective cover began to open slowly, the warning lights around the missile launch pad started to flash manically, painting the world with a garish and fierce color. Alarm bells echoed through the sky, their piercing sound shaking the eardrums of all present.


    A deep humming noise followed, smoke started to billow from beneath the missile, growing thicker.


    The screens began to show the countdown.


    ¡°Ten, nine, eight¡­¡±


    The flames beneath the missile grew more intense, the smoke spread rapidly, and the surrounding steel structures squealed under the scorching heat.


    ¡°Seven, six, five¡­¡±


    An ear-splitting roar came from the launch pad, thick smoke rose, and the ground shook violently. Surrounding instruments trembled slightly.


    ¡°Four, three, two¡­¡±


    In the pulsing countdown, the missile¡¯s engines burst into crimson flames, shooting out viciously. The powerful thrust shook the entire launch pad, the flames and smoke rushed towards the sky.


    ¡°One, zero.¡±


    In an instant, the missile seemed to break free from gravity¡¯s hold, piercing through the smoke and fire, gradually lifting off from the launch pad, accelerating towards the heavens. The earth trembled with an immense roar, the air filled with the scent of burning.


    The fiery trail from the missile¡¯s aft cut through the grey clouds, leaving a long smoky path, like a proud dragon in flight.


    The smoke spiraled in the rain, gradually dissipating. The silhouette of the missile shrunk and eventually vanished into the clouds.


    The deafening roar slowly faded, and the plum-blossom-shaped smoke lingered in the sky for a long time.


    ¡°A step too late¡­¡±


    Watching this, Qing Ya murmured gloomily, then took out his phone from within his cloak and opened the Superhero Association¡¯s most secretive official software, sending a message to someone unknown.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    A few minutes earlier, amidst the extreme chaos of the city of Huanjing, at Old Jingmai District.


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 Chapter 341 - 201: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Five)_2

    Chapter 341: Chapter 201: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Five)_2


    The four of them were proceeding slowly down the middle of the street as if traversing a wilderness. Madmen were everywhere, yet those uncanny figures took care to veer away upon encountering them, parting to create a thoroughfare.


    ¡°That white-haired vampire is just ahead,¡± Sisteruo said from atop a green horse, speaking slowly, ¡°Be careful though, while we need a swift victory, we can still retreat if we bump into a tricky situation.¡±


    ¡°Retreat¡­ You¡¯ve only got a few days left, we have no room for retreat, we must find that vampire this time,¡± said Flint, clad in a vest and shorts, his voice heavy.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there still a few days left?¡± Sisteruo smiled, ¡°This isn¡¯t the last chance.¡±


    ¡°Our Lolo is always optimistic.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wearing a denim jacket, Howard said as he sat on his horse, wiping his twin guns while steering the animal.


    ...


    Lin Ke stowed his longbow away and suddenly asked, ¡°That memory device you mentioned, it¡¯s fake, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Sisteruo nodded, ¡°Yes, to confirm it¡¯s him, he doesn¡¯t need a device at all. As the head of the Superhero Association branch, I used my privilege to search the Human Species Database for residents of Huanjing with the characteristic ¡®white hair¡¯.¡±


    Pausing a moment, she continued, ¡°Then I found, well, many elderly people also have white hair¡­ The art of prophecy didn¡¯t tell me the age of that vampire; if he¡¯s an old man, ¡®white hair¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be unusual. If that¡¯s the case, there would be too many people of concern.¡±


    ¡°In the end, I blindly hoped and screened out the elderly age group. Still, there were hundreds of people left. Then I began to go through these people one by one, eliminating those who live alone, those who have been out of town during this period, and was still left with over thirty people. Over these past days, we checked more than twenty people in person, eliminating them one by one to find¡­ the target is likely the person I initially dismissed, Bai Ziling.¡±


    ¡°Why did you exclude her at the beginning?¡± Lin Ke continued.


    ¡°Because when I first saw her father¡¯s name, I was shocked. Can you believe it? Her father is Qing Ya, the famous one, yet her mother is an ordinary human,¡± Sisteruo complained, ¡°The Blood Clan¡¯s genes should be inherited through generations, yet she was born into such a family.¡±


    ¡°So you mean, her mother could be a vampire?¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting the famous Qing Ya would marry a vampire without realizing one of his children is a ¡®player¡¯?¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°That¡¯s a bit sensational. Thinking this, I dismissed the target, but it turns out after going in circles, the one we initially excluded happens to be the person we¡¯re looking for¡­ That was really an oversight. Logically speaking, Qing Ya should have been aware of the ¡®player¡¯s¡¯ existence, and I underestimated Ke Mingye¡¯s strength, not imagining he, as a player, could hide under Qing Ya¡¯s nose for so long.¡±


    Sisteruo smiled, ¡°I kept thinking, Dice Monster and this player are connected, and Dice Monster wants me to kill Blue Owl, what¡¯s all this for¡­ Later, I suddenly realized, there¡¯s a white-haired girl in Qing Ya¡¯s family, and Blue Owl is a superhero who debuted mimicking Qing Ya. This is too coincidental, it seems¡­ everything is connected, eventually all arrows point to this family, particularly when they have a girl with albinism in their midst¡ªit would be absurd to dismiss her as the Blood Clan.¡±


    ¡°How did you confirm who was the player?¡±


    ¡°In the player discussion group, you can see the time when each player joined. That player joined the Huanjing discussion group a month ago. I used my chairman privilege to check, and during that time Ke Xiaomo, Ke Yinzhi were not in this city but remained at the university,¡± Sisteruo paused, then continued, ¡°So I investigated Ke Mingye a bit. I found out that he was still attending school those days, but I couldn¡¯t access the school¡¯s surveillance footage, even with the chairman¡¯s authority, because the surveillance footage for those days was deleted, all of it, which seems like a cover-up.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe Spider Man has a hacker supporting him, and to avoid exposing any clues, he had that hacker delete the footage¡­¡± Sisteruo mused, ¡°The critical point is, when Dice Monster first appeared, he was wearing the uniform of Huanjing¡¯s Third High School, which is the strangest detail¡­ It happens to suggest the connection between Ke Mingye and Dice Monster.¡±


    ¡°Of course, in their family, there¡¯s another person who was at that school when the surveillance was tampered with, that girl called ¡®Bai Qiuwu¡¯, but as I previously mentioned, she is Black Wukong¡­ so we can confirm she¡¯s not the player.¡±


    ¡°After all these considerations, I was left with only Ke Mingye as the matching candidate, he¡¯s most likely the player, but I¡¯m still not completely certain, because all of it is conjecture, without substantial evidence. But just now, I used two consecutive tests to indirectly make him admit he is indeed that player.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Lin Ke said, ¡°I was wondering what memory device you were talking about; I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡±


    ¡°Just playing with him, you have to use some tricks when dealing with smart people, and his reactions confirmed my suspicions¡­ I really didn¡¯t expect him to have four identities, that¡¯s playing big,¡± Sisteruo said with a touch of admiration.


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 Chapter 342 - 201: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Five)_3

    Chapter 342: Chapter 201: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Five)_3


    ¡°Right,¡± Lin Ke crossed his arms, ¡°So does that boy really bear the Blood Clan Oath?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually true, I only realized it when I got close to him,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°which made me even more certain that he¡¯s the player.¡±


    Speaking of which, Sisteruo sighed lightly, ¡°But this family really is a den of dragons and tigers. When we arrived at this district yesterday afternoon, if it hadn¡¯t been for spotting them buying a cake, we might still be unaware that there¡¯s a dragon in his house, and a A++ level combat power at that. It¡¯s terribly frightening, so we had to step back and rethink our plans. If we don¡¯t draw some of his family members away, even with Flint¡¯s help, we are likely unable to break through their defenses.¡±


    She paused, ¡°Especially that Qing Ya, I think he¡¯s the most dangerous one. But right now he must be busy dealing with the nuclear bomb, too occupied to bother with us. We need to find that vampire before the bomb explodes.¡±


    Lin Ke asked, ¡°So¡­ is Ke Mingye¡¯s real body hiding in this district?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very likely,¡± Sisteruo looked over the chaotic Old Jingmai Street.


    ...


    After thinking some more, she added, ¡°Anyway, our target is not him, but that vampire.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Lin Ke glanced at her, ¡°You seem reluctant to be his enemy.¡±


    ¡°I always feel we are kindred spirits¡­¡± Sisteruo spoke softly, ¡°though he won¡¯t admit it.¡±


    ¡°Some brat also dares to measure up to our Sisteruo. Ungrateful,¡± Howard scoffed, blowing the gun¡¯s muzzle.


    Sisteruo chuckled lightly and said, ¡°Speaking of which, Lin Ke, Flint, Howard, I want to ask one more time before the battle begins, do you really think I am Sisteruo?¡±


    ¡°Of course, otherwise I would¡¯ve killed you right away,¡± Lin Ke said as he ruffled her hair.


    ¡°You are¡­ our family,¡± Flint stated, expressionless.


    ¡°Sisteruo is talking nonsense again,¡± Howard laughed roguishly, ¡°If you¡¯re not Sisteruo, then who is?¡±


    ¡°Then Ke Mingye¡­ what is he?¡± Sisteruo tilted her head, ¡°And the other players, what are they?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lin Ke said, ¡°but if their existence means you can¡¯t keep living, then they are my enemies.¡±


    ¡°Do you think¡­ he could actually be a native of this world?¡± Sisteruo suddenly said.


    ¡°Like you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t you think I¡¯m just someone whose brain was implanted with another set of memories?¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°Of course, players might be divided into two groups: one where the natives are implanted with memories, and another where souls from a parallel world replace some natives of this world.¡±


    She hesitated, ¡°Ke Mingye might be the same as me, belonging to the former.¡±


    ¡°At least I think you are the first scenario; you and the Sisteruo I knew before are no different¡­ from bodily movements, micro-actions, facial expressions, to personality,¡± Lin Ke looked side-long at her, ¡°Stop worrying about it, we still have a battle to fight.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for believing in me, Lin Ke.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Sisteruo leaned from horseback and gently hugged her.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    That day, in the afternoon, at Bai Ke¡¯s home, in a room on the second floor.


    Ke Yinzhi yawned and slowly lifted his eyelids, waking up. He removed the book covering his face and looked up at the ceiling, only then realizing he had been sitting on the floor against the wall, asleep for a long time.


    Suddenly, he heard a noise from outside the floor-to-ceiling window and put the Bible beside him. He stretched, turned his face, and checked the situation outside from the corner of his eye.


    All he could see was devastation, and masses of rioters everywhere. Even the Old Jingmai District was shrouded in shadows of rioters, like a raging river sweeping in, trying to drown the world and carry it into the sea.


    ¡°Those demons who dare not face the sunlight, those slaves driven by the desire for blood, we are here, we are here, we are here, we are the eternal saints, yet also the unclean hunters¡­¡±


    In the rain, the resounding slogans echoed through the street, even drowning out the emergency broadcast sounds.


    ¡°Has it really come to this just because I slept?¡± Ke Yinzhi said, tilting his head, ¡°Am I still not awake¡­¡±


    He murmured to himself, stood up from the floor, and searched the living room on the first floor only to find that Bai Qiuwu and Bai Zini and others were not there; the living room was empty.


    So he moved back to the second floor, unable to recall the order of their rooms, he randomly chose a door to knock on and asked in a lazy tone.


    ¡°Xiao Ling, Yongzhu, are you in the room?¡±


    Saying this and seeing still no response, Ke Yinzhi turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. He quickly found that neither Ke Yongzhu¡¯s nor Bai Ziling¡¯s rooms were occupied at that moment.


    The entire second floor was empty of people.


    ¡°This is really worrisome¡­¡± Ke Yinzhi sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s haunted, that¡¯s what this is!¡± Bai Wenna yelled abruptly, walking out of the bathroom after applying a face mask, seeing the chaos outside the window and her eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Mom, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi casually responded, and while lowering his head, he sent a message to Ke Xiaomo asking him to help locate his younger siblings, then went downstairs to the living room. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yin Zhi, are the younger siblings still at home, they should still be upstairs, right?¡±


    Bai Wenna¡¯s face mask was about to fall off from fright, she turned to look at Ke Yinzhi, then again at the chaotic scene outside the window, and asked anxiously.


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 Chapter 343 - 201: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Five)_4

    Chapter 343: Chapter 201: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Five)_4 S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I¡¯m home alone¡­ but they should be fine, don¡¯t worry, Xiao Mo will look after them.¡±


    ¡°How can they be alright when everything outside is like this!¡± Bai Wenna said as she headed upstairs, ¡°They might still be hiding up there.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Mom, stay inside and don¡¯t wander around, I¡¯ll go out and check on things.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi said this as he walked toward the door, hearing a horde of parasites loudly shrieking. From the sounds of footsteps, they seemed to be rushing up from the bottom of the apartment, running on the stairs.


    Thereupon, Ke Yinzhi first opened his phone and, with the authority of the Black Judge, shut down the surveillance of this apartment building. Then, hands pocketed in his black coat, he leisurely walked out the door.


    After casually shutting the door behind him, he leaned against the doorframe, looking sideways with an expressionless face at the walking corpses rushing up from the stairs.


    ...


    The next moment, accompanied by tens of thousands of black arcs of light, the bodies of the parasitic puppets burst open, splattering pus and blood on the walls.


    ¡°This never ends, just the thing to perk me up¡­¡±


    Having dealt with the crowd at the entrance, Ke Yinzhi turned his head to glance at the streets full of parasitic puppets, slightly curved his lips, but then he suddenly paused, and the smile on his face abruptly ceased.


    He was stunned for a couple of seconds, then lowered his head, rubbing his forehead while muttering to himself.


    ¡°This is bad¡­ I forgot that these people shouldn¡¯t be killed, they were just ordinary citizens. I accidentally acted when I saw that annoying face of an elementary school classmate¡­ indeed, I shouldn¡¯t have taken a nap, it didn¡¯t leave me clear-headed enough.¡±


    Saying this, he lightly sighed, indifferently walked through a pool of blood, and headed toward the stairway below.


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s done is done¡­ let¡¯s consider it an accident.¡±


    Learning from his earlier experience, Ke Yinzhi made every effort to conserve energy, and the puppets that swept by his side fell one by one to the ground, vomiting out the parasites that had already been invisibly crushed within them, followed by falling unconscious.


    However, just as Ke Yinzhi¡¯s feet touched the floor below, his phone received a message.


    [The following is a message from the Anomaly Control Bureau operative¡¯s exclusive app.]


    [Qing Ya: A nuclear missile is currently falling toward this city.]


    [Qing Ya: I need your assistance; we must intercept the nuclear missile above Huanjing.]


    ¡°A nuclear missile, they are playing it big this time¡­¡±


    Ke Yinzhi slightly raised his eyebrows, muttering under his breath. His fingers, distinct and articulated, tapered up and down swiftly, typing a line and clicking send.


    [Black Judge: Honored indeed, so could you report the direction and location of that missile?]


    [Qing Ya: Look up.]


    Looking at this message, Ke Yinzhi tilted his head in confusion, his earring tilting accordingly. Then he slowly looked up, lifting his eyes to the sky through his pitch-black hair.


    In the corner of the horizon, a massive missile slowly glided through the clouds, speeding towards the center of Huanjing city.


    At the same time, thousands of crows enveloped the entire sky like a dark cloud, as if waiting for someone¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Really won¡¯t give me a break¡­¡±


    Ke Yinzhi looked at the flock of crows, smiling as he spoke.


    He put his phone back in the pocket of his black coat and lightly pressed on his earring. The uniform of the Black Judge enveloped his body in the form of a projection, seamless as if it were real.


    ¡°The final summer homework¡­ I must score full marks.¡±


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 Chapter 344 - 202: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Six)

    Chapter 344: Chapter 202: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Six)


    ¡°So¡­ what do you think?¡±


    Ke Mingye¡¯s expressionless face, while slowly stepping out of the basement, asked in his mind, ¡°Should we give up and just take the train, or should we go back and try again?¡±


    ¡°Gastella must have met your family before us,¡± the blue owl said, getting up from the ground of the abandoned floor, ¡°by then, your identity will be exposed.¡±


    He paused, ¡°But I don¡¯t care, it¡¯s all up to you.¡±


    Ke Mingye walked toward the basement exit with his head hung low, not saying a word.


    ¡°You all are really useless,¡± Strange Thing wagged its finger, ¡°Not like me, I¡¯m already on my way to Old Jingmai District.¡± It smirked, ¡°Guess what this is?¡±


    ...


    As it spoke, it raised its other hand, displaying a black necklace in its palm.


    ¡°A Lie Detector Necklace?¡± Ke Mingye blinked.


    That was from when he used the C-grade ninja¡¯s dropped equipment card after the Dragon Ninja battle had ended.


    Strange Thing spread its hands, ¡°Exactly. While Blue Owl comrade was still being deceived by that woman, Lord Strange Thing had already seen through the truth with the Lie Detector Necklace.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then why didn¡¯t you force out a word?¡± Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Ah, is it possible that I actually did speak, but you all didn¡¯t listen at all. It¡¯s your fault for not listening to Lord Strange Thing usually, if you paid more attention to me, you wouldn¡¯t have been deceived by that bad woman.¡±


    As Strange Thing spoke, it cradled its forehead, its voice deep, ¡°It¡¯s lonely being the most intelligent personality and yet constantly ignored¡­ I have long been¡­alone against the world.¡±


    ¡°Can we not with the ¡®Lord Strange Thing¡¯ anymore?¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°Also, have you paid him royalty fees for learning these pretentious abstract rhetorics?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point. Now, who among you is going to transform into a Magic Girl?¡± Strange Thing asked, ¡°Surely you don¡¯t expect Lord Strange Thing to fight this battle alone.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t possibly be me, can it?¡± Blue Owl said, ¡°The battle suit is still on me.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, I¡¯ll transform if I must,¡± Ke Mingye said calmly, ¡°And hurry up and get that ripped battle suit off; what¡¯s the point of wearing it when it¡¯s all torn up like that?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ take off the battle suit?¡± Blue Owl hesitated for two seconds, then asked, ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Serious,¡± Ke Mingye explained, ¡°You¡¯ll only run slower in that damaged suit, and running definitely won¡¯t be fast enough. We need to take turns transforming into Magic Girl¡­ Xiao Hong Mao¡¯s flying speed is outstanding among Magic Girls, even faster than Strange Thing with Mechanical Spider Legs. So, I¡¯ll transform first, and once I¡¯m near the scene, I¡¯ll revert back. Then it¡¯s your turn to use the Transformation Card and come flying over quickly.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re Ke Mingye when making the final appearance, and I¡¯m Magic Girl?¡± Blue Owl pondered.


    ¡°What else?¡± Ke Mingye retorted.


    Hearing this, Strange Thing pondered for two seconds, ¡°Could you please consult me before you split into two repulsive male personalities and misuse the body of my Miss Xiao Hong Mao, it¡¯s fucking nauseating.¡±


    ¡°Next time we¡¯ll let her out, not you,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit too much.¡±


    Blue Owl interrupted the two, ¡°Wait a minute, so you really plan to appear as Ke Mingye?¡±


    ¡°What else, and don¡¯t just stand there. Head towards Old Jingmai Street.¡±


    Saying that, Ke Mingye took a deep breath, reached for the door of the basement, then pulled out the Magical Girl Transformation Card from his pack and held it in his palm.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    Ten minutes earlier.


    Bai Ziling was squatting on a swivel chair, her arms around her knees, her eyes downturned, obscured by her pale hair. The fan rotated slowly, unable to dispel the heat of the summer. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She lifted her head, listening intently, the entire city enshrouded in a ferocious roaring sound. Glancing outside, parasitic puppets flooded toward the apartment building like a tide.


    Bai Ziling watched for a while then turned her gaze away, her head bowed low, looking at her trembling hands.


    ¡°Where is Brother¡­¡±


    She murmured softly, her eyes falling to her palm. A crimson mark appeared then disappeared, glowing like a firefly.


    ¡°Is he alright, could he be hurt because of me¡­¡±


    Bai Ziling said, turning her head again, her peripheral vision fixed on the people on the street being attacked, the severely injured lying on the ground, the destroyed billboards, and the streets engulfed in flames.


    She thought, they could be hurt because of me, I cannot stay here.


    I can¡¯t run away.


    I can¡¯t keep running away¡­


    At least¡­ I can¡¯t let brother get hurt.


    With that thought, she kept her gaze down, stared at the mark for a long time, then slowly and lightly clenched her right hand. Her closed fingers covered the mark in her palm.


    Outside the door, in the corridor.


    Ke Yongzhu approached Bai Ziling¡¯s room, standing in front of the door under the warm orange light, he raised his right hand, then retracted it.


    After a moment, he gently knocked on the door, speaking softly, ¡°Sis, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t come in.¡±


    ¡°I just want to know, are you alright?¡± Ke Yongzhu sighed.


    ¡°Many people have been hurt because of me, and brother could get hurt too, so don¡¯t come near me,¡± the girl in the room said.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, something seems to have happened outside, let¡¯s go find big brother¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go find third brother, you stay at home.¡±


    ¡°How can I let you go alone¡­¡±


    Ke Yongzhu¡¯s words trailed off abruptly. He felt that Bai Ziling was no longer in the room, so he closed his mouth and turned the doorknob. With a creak, he pushed the door open.


    The window was open, the white curtains were wet with rain, swaying in the foul wind.


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 Chapter 345 - 202: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Six)_2

    Chapter 345: Chapter 202: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Six)_2


    Ke Yongzhu fell silent for two seconds, then shoved his hands into the pockets of his jumpsuit and started walking briskly forward. With a light leap, he descended from the windowsill, his hair lifted by the wind and rain.


    Suddenly, Ke Yongzhu landed on the air conditioning units of the fifth floor, avoiding the gaze of residents shouting in the corridors as he moved agilely between the floors.


    After a while, he landed on his feet in a deserted alley.


    With his hands still in his pockets, he ambled forward casually, following the scent Bai Ziling had left behind and scanning his surroundings, ¡°Where did Third Sister go¡­¡±


    Swiftly, shadowy figures with fierce expressions twisted their heads towards him from the exit of the alley, their backs blocking the light and casting long shadows on the ground.


    ¡°Kneel¡­¡±


    ...


    Ke Yongzhu ordered nonchalantly as he continued walking forward.


    As he lifted his face, his pupils gleamed with a dark golden hue, and the puppets before him promptly dropped to their knees with a thud.


    He then casually let his right arm undergo draconic transformation, its scales covering his arm like armor. Next, he reached out with his dragon claw towards the rear direction. In a flash of lightning, numerous puppets approaching from behind were sent flying meters away by his claw.


    Because the television had said that these puppets were all victims who were ordinary people, he held back his strength.


    Otherwise, he would have crushed the puppets¡¯ skulls in an instant.


    Suddenly, Ke Yongzhu heard movements not far away, and taking a whiff, he murmured, ¡°That¡¯s Sister¡¯s scent¡­¡± He then walked briskly past the kneeling puppets.


    He turned several corners until his gaze lifted.


    Ke Yongzhu¡¯s pupils contracted slightly. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He saw a white-haired young girl pinned to a billboard by an arrow. Her body ablaze with raging fire. Her mouth slightly open but unable to make a sound, her snowy white hair dyed crimson, blood streaming from her empty pupils.


    And at that moment, four figures stood before her.


    ¡°Flint, this is that dragon we talked about last time.¡±


    Sisteruo glanced at Ke Yongzhu from atop her horse.


    ¡°A dragon?¡± Flint drew the giant sword from his back, grasping it in his hand and murmuring softly, ¡°This kid is indeed extraordinary.¡±


    Sisteruo shifted her gaze away, reminding him, ¡°There¡¯s no need to fight to the death, once I take her heart, we¡¯ll leave this place.¡±


    Howard blew the muzzle of his gun and said, ¡°Are we not going to teach this family a lesson before leaving?¡±


    Sisteruo replied, ¡°No, I released this nuclear bomb to divert their attention. One must know their own limits, Howard.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re giving them too much credit,¡± Howard said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make it quick,¡± Lin Ke said.


    Ke Yongzhu was stunned for a moment, then his expression gradually darkened, as if it could seep out black water. He gently bit his lips, almost drawing blood.


    ¡°You sons of bitches¡­ I¡¯m going to slaughter you all¡ª!¡±


    He growled intensely, his voice echoing through the streets like the booming of a bronze bell.


    He immediately shed his clothes and sprinted forward, rapidly undergoing dragonic transformation. Layers of scales emerged from his pores, covering every inch of his skin. His claws wildly extended, carving two dark furrows in the ground. His jawline became enveloped in metal as hard as iron, as if he had donned a ferocious helmet.


    Flint, unafraid, charged forward with his giant sword. His two-meter-tall figure, with iron-black skin, made him look like a steel-cast giant moving straight into the dragon¡¯s claws and teeth.


    Rain mixed with blood spiraled upwards like swirling snowflakes. The earth violently trembled, and the disaster dragon¡¯s claws began to fracture, oozing dark blood against the palm of the sword.


    ¡°I told you, Flint¡¯s the strongest,¡± Sisteruo commented indifferently.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth.¡±


    In the midst of those words, Howard raised his silver long rifle and pulled the trigger towards the dragon¡¯s head.


    Bullets engulfed in deep blue flames shot out furiously, and the giant dragon exhaled a breath of fire, igniting them mid-air. Amid the chaotic veil of rain, both the dragon and Flint were pushed back several meters by the bullet¡¯s force.


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    The dragon roared, its bloodshot eyes reflecting the image of the young girl repeatedly dying and reviving. Her silent screams under the ashen sky, her blood falling from her eyes and streaming down her naked body, quickly extinguished in the flames.


    Then, Lin Ke wearing a green raincoat was about to notch an arrow on her bow when suddenly a figure in a ninja suit burst from the shadows of the ground.


    His form sliced through the veil of rain, his eyes as cold as blades. The sword in his hand slashed out diagonally, aiming straight for Lin Ke¡¯s neck.


    But Lin Ke bent slightly forward, pushed off the ground, and shot out like a lingering shadow, his face nearly grazing the sword, leaving a trail of blood. In mid-air, he stretched the bow and shot an arrow towards Ke Xiaomo.


    The arrow, glowing with a blood-red hue, was covered in blood the moment it was loosed. This arrow was forged with the Blood Clan¡¯s progenitor¡¯s blood, and would be enveloped by the hardened blood of the progenitor as it flew.


    Ke Xiaomo, quick to react, flipped his shadow sword and intercepted the arrow with the blade.


    Instantly, the impact of the blood arrow caused the shadow sword to ripple violently like a wave.


    He was propelled dozens of meters away in mid-air. But just at the moment he was about to hit a high-rise, wings shaped like shadows slowly extended from the shoulder blades of the ninja.


    Ke Xiaomo resisted the massive force of the arrow while flapping the shadow wings on his back, shooting upwards like lightning. The arrow skimmed past his soles, dispersing a five-meter radius of rain and piercing through four or five high-rises before stopping.


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 Chapter 346 - 202: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Six)_3

    Chapter 346: Chapter 202: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Six)_3


    Meanwhile, Lin Ke pulled a dagger from his waist, one that flowed with endless fresh blood.


    Ke Xiaomo slightly furrowed her brows, peering through the ninja mask toward Sisteruo, who was slowly approaching Bai Ziling. She was about to slip into the shadows at her feet when another blood arrow, with the force of splitting bamboo, furiously shot towards her.


    ¡°It¡¯s the ninja from before,¡± said Howard, holding the whip.


    ¡°Leave it to Lin Ke,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°Her strength is at a disadvantage, but her reactions are not inferior to that ninja. Moreover, she has two weapons forged from the Ancestor¡¯s blood in her hands.¡±


    As she spoke, she dropped down from the horseback, her feet touching the rain-soaked ground, ¡°It feels good to walk on two feet again, having to pretend to be disabled all the time to conceal my identity.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why they can¡¯t find you,¡± Howard commented, ¡°Our little trickster is indeed clever.¡±


    ... sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sisteruo walked toward the girl with white hair nailed to the billboard, slowly raised a dagger, and made a small cut on her bare skin.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to say I had no choice,¡± Sisteruo lifted the girl¡¯s chin, ¡°but I hope you don¡¯t hold it against me.¡± With that, she leaned close to the girl¡¯s ear, and the dagger in her hand suddenly exerted force.


    The next moment, the girl¡¯s chest was torn open. Within the dripping blood, the pulsating heart was faintly visible.


    As flames raged, Bai Ziling¡¯s consciousness began to blur. In her closing vision, she saw a hand reaching for her body.


    From the canopy above, raindrops fell, pattering on her hair.


    The rain soaked through Bai Ziling¡¯s snow-white hair.


    She closed her eyes and had a dream.


    It was a similar feeling back then.


    From the ceiling of the classroom, liquid from a bucket was poured over her, splashing onto her short, deliberately cut snow-white hair.


    Bai Ziling crouched in the corner of the classroom, hugging her knees, staring through her wet bangs at the picture book on the ground, which had a little rabbit drawn by her brother in it.


    Her brother had said, rabbits also have white hair and red eyes. Rabbits are cute, and lots of people like them, so it wasn¡¯t strange that someone would like her too.


    ¡°Brother, liar¡­¡± Bai Ziling muttered softly, gazing at the water-drenched rabbit.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± a child asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you mute? We¡¯ve never seen you talk before.¡±


    She picked up the picture book, held it in her arms, and looked up through her bangs.


    She saw several faces with ill intent. Their smirking gazes looked down on her as if examining some kind of oddity.


    ¡°Freak.¡±


    ¡°Playing foreigner.¡±


    ¡°I hate foreigners the most.¡±


    Amidst their chatter, she picked up the open backpack and, under their gaze, methodically placed the books back into it. Then, unsteadily getting to her feet, she held the backpack and walked toward the classroom door.


    No sooner had she stepped out than a child took her backpack, snatched the picture book from her arms, and threw it into the pond.


    The girl paused, then approached the pond. She crouched down, allowing her shoes to get soaked, focusing on the picture book. Her red eyes stared blankly at the rabbit on the page.


    The rabbit¡¯s red eyes were also blurred by the pond water, murky like it was crying.


    Under the gaze of many, the thin girl looked at the picture book in the pond, making eye contact with the rabbit.


    ¡°Brother¡­ liar,¡± she whispered quietly.


    Some kids said she¡¯d finally gone mad, mumbling to the picture book; another threw her a new one, hitting her on the head, saying, ¡°Here¡¯s a new one for you.¡±


    The white-haired girl squatted by the pond, her baby-fat face buried in her knees. Her red eyes unblinkingly fixed on the picture book in the pond, staring at the lonely rabbit.


    She couldn¡¯t tell if it was herself crying or the rabbit.


    But the smile on the rabbit¡¯s face was so blurred, was it because it was wet, or because her own eyes were watery?


    That¡¯s what she thought.


    ¡°Brother, liar.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡±


    ¡°Big liar.¡±


    ¡°Rabbit, you¡¯re crying too.¡±


    She murmured quietly, her heart aching, yet unable to shed tears.


    Bai Ziling picked up the waterlogged picture book and hung her head as she walked out of the pond. The soaked sandals left uneven footprints on the playground ground.


    A boy came over, trying to snatch her picture book.


    Bai Ziling lifted her head, opened her mouth, and revealed sharp fangs. The boy was stunned and then fell to the ground in fright. The other boys around her looked at her with astonishment.


    ¡°Did you see her teeth?¡±


    ¡°I thought I saw it wrong?¡±


    ¡°Is there a monster?¡±


    ¡°Foreign kids are really different.¡±


    Bai Ziling stood dumbfounded for a long time, closed her mouth, clutched the picture book, and ran home.


    She hid in the bathroom, locked the door, placed the picture book on her knees, and opened it. Under the dim light, the rabbit¡¯s smile was very blurry.


    She tried to smile like the rabbit but couldn¡¯t lift the corners of her mouth. She stretched out her finger, and at some point, her nails had become sharp and tore through the wet rabbit, shattering its face.


    The girl froze for a long time, as if she had accidentally broken something, and tears spun in her eyes. She picked up the scissors and cut out the rabbit with the torn face from the picture book and set it aside. Then came the already very short white hair.


    In the end, she squatted among the scattered scraps of paper and white hairs, silently staring at her own red eyes reflected in the water.


    ¡°Xiao Ling, are you okay?¡± Second brother¡¯s voice came from outside the bathroom.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this child all of a sudden?¡± mother¡¯s voice followed.


    ¡°Xiao Ling, open the door,¡± father¡¯s voice said.


    ¡°Did something happen at school?¡± elder sister¡¯s voice asked.


    ¡°Xiao xiao Xiao Ling, stop playing hide-and-seek!¡± second sister¡¯s voice chimed in.


    ¡°Open the door, tell Big Brother what happened,¡± elder brother¡¯s voice urged.


    ¡°She might not want you to bother her,¡± the younger brother¡¯s voice suggested.


    ¡°What are you saying, kid? Your sister is like this,¡± mother¡¯s voice retorted.


    Finally, the people outside the bathroom were whispering something. Bai Ziling couldn¡¯t hear it clearly, only feeling that those voices were very distant, so distant.


    She stared blankly at the cut-out rabbit, tears dropping to the ground with a pat, pat.


    Feeling that the world was so far away from her.


    It was as if she and the rabbit had both been cut out.


    Suddenly, someone sat down outside the bathroom door and said softly, ¡°If you open the door, I¡¯ll take you to run away. We can run to a place where no one knows us, and it¡¯s okay not to speak; no one will blame you.¡±


    Bai Ziling quietly stared at the silhouette reflected on the door.


    After a while, she got up, walked over, and opened the door.


    Ke Mingye rose from the ground, entered the bathroom with his head drooped, took her hand, and led her through the midst of her family.


    The two silently walked out the front door.


    She sat on Ke Mingye¡¯s bicycle, leaning against his shoulder.


    On the bicycle, Ke Mingye took her away into the brightly lit night. The two watched the fireflies in the fields and the pond in the distance, wordlessly.


    In the evening breeze, his silhouette seemed to be softly saying something, or perhaps nothing at all.


    Bai Ziling, leaning against his back, softly sniffed his scent and quietly asked a question.


    ¡°Brother¡­ if I were a vampire, would you take me home?¡±


    Ke Mingye didn¡¯t speak, just smiled faintly, then continued to pedal forward.


    Suddenly, a familiar smell reached her nose.


    Bai Ziling slowly lifted her heavy eyelids. When she opened her eyes, the arrow that had pierced her chest had already fallen to the ground. She looked up, rain smacking against her cheeks.


    Gazing ahead in a daze.


    In her blood-reddened eyes, reflected was a figure in a tattered T-shirt with blood-stained shoulders.


    ¡°Bro¡­ Brother?¡±


    At her words, Ke Mingye was startled for a moment, then turned his head to look at her and said softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sleep, I¡¯ve come to take you home.¡±


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 Chapter 347 - 203: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Seven)

    Chapter 347: Chapter 203: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Seven)


    The torrential rain poured down, leaving the Old Jingmai District engulfed in dark, toxic mists. Dense parasitic puppets wreaked havoc among the rain, rampaging through the streets with the storm, demolishing the buildings as they went.


    ¡°There are just too many zombies to deal with, right¡­¡±


    A Gothic girl squatted on a rooftop with her skirt trailing over the wet floor. She first positioned her magic umbrella, loaded with paralyzing bullets, against the railing before turning it on the parasitic puppets in the streets, unleashing a barrage of fire.


    Puppet after puppet fell to the ground, struck by the paralyzing magic bullets.


    After emptying a clip of bullets, she refilled her magic umbrella with ammunition from her magic cards, frowning and thinking, ¡°Can¡¯t just blow their heads off with one shot, not enough anesthetic bullets, and who knows what¡¯s happening with Brother Howard. But it¡¯s not okay to ignore these people either¡­¡±


    As she pondered, Ash suddenly felt a powerful wave of heat from afar and looked on in astonishment.


    ...


    Not far above, Black Wukong, clad in silver-white battle armor and riding the Somersault Cloud, raised his right hand. Following Ash¡¯s gaze, he surveyed from above. In a corner of Old Jingmai Street, parasitic puppets were engulfed by the raging Samadhi True Fire, leaving them no escape.


    Still, the puppets charged fearlessly toward the red-golden flames. Seeing this, Black Wukong quickly dispersed the flames to avoid incinerating them in an instant.


    ¡°They have no self-awareness¡­ not even a fear of death,¡± Black Wukong thought. ¡°Have they forgotten even their instincts when controlled?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here again, you stinky monkey?¡±


    Magic Girl Ash lifted her umbrella to soar into the sky, flying towards Black Wukong and questioning him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not fight right now¡­¡±


    Saying this, Black Wukong turned his head to glance at her through the monkey mask, ¡°You deal with this situation. I have other urgent matters.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Huh? I was about to say the same thing,¡± Ash replied.


    Upon hearing this, Black Wukong was slightly stunned.


    He suddenly recalled seeing Bai Zini¡¯s anxious expression when she was watching the news in the living room, thinking that Xiao Ni¡¯s thoughts must be the same as his¡ªthey both considered rescuing Mingye. As expected, Xiao Ni was close with Mingye, so she must have known about Mingye¡¯s identity?


    If that¡¯s the case, let her go find Mingye. I¡¯ll stay here and see how things are at home.


    Thinking this way, Black Wukong spoke, ¡°You do your thing, I¡¯ll just¡­¡±


    He was interrupted mid-sentence by a loud gong-like sound coming from not far away, which instantly drew the attention of both Black Wukong and Magical Girl Ash.


    The two of them didn¡¯t even make eye contact or utter a word before reaching a silent consensus in their hearts. One rode the Somersault Cloud while the other sat atop her magic umbrella, both rushing towards the noise.


    When Black Wukong¡¯s Eyes of Golden Flame made out the scene on Street Six, his pupils instantly flashed with astonishment.


    ¡°Xiao¡­ Ling?¡±


    He murmured to himself as he stared at the figure pinned by arrows to a billboard on the street.


    ¡°That¡¯s Xiao Ling!¡±


    Watching the white-haired girl being scorched by the flames, the crimson pupils behind the mask narrowed to pinpoint size. Then, the Somersault Cloud beneath his feet surged, propelling him plummeting down from mid-air towards the street.


    ¡°What¡¯s that black monkey rushing for?¡±


    Magic Girl Ash murmured as she caught the scene below a beat slower than Black Wukong.


    Her first glimpse was of a black dragon locked in battle with a giant, and then her gaze sharply turned to a man in a raincoat and a ninja wielding a tachi fighting on the side of a high-rise building. Only then did she see the white-haired girl pinned to a billboard by an arrow, her head drooping with blood-tear-filled sockets, the city map behind her almost completely eroded by the flames.


    ¡°That dragon, it¡¯s just a primary school student!¡± she thought, ¡°And Xiao Ling, what on earth happened?!¡±


    Her mind nearly crashing, Ash decisively abandoned thought, retracting the ripples of magic power emanating from her umbrella to dive swiftly from the sky. Her black, sleek hair lifted against the rain, and her skirt fluttered wildly in the wind and rain.


    In just a few seconds, she and Black Wukong landed on the street together.


    ¡°Let her go!¡±


    Ash sprinted forward the moment she landed, her lightning-fast pace splashing water upwards, reflecting her fierce countenance. She drew a tachi from beneath her umbrella as she lowered her face, growling ominously at Sisteruo.


    ¡°Ho, both of your good sisters have arrived,¡± Sisteruo was about to reach for Bai Ziling¡¯s chest when he heard the commotion, turned his head slightly, and glanced at both Black Wukong and Ash.


    Howard, sitting on horseback, raised his dual guns, aiming at Black Wukong and Ash, and pulled the triggers. Blue fury-tinted gunpowder burst forth, streaking through the rain.


    Immediately after, twin haunting blue flames exploded, almost obliterating all color and raindrops.


    Ash opened her magic-enveloped umbrella in front of her, yet her body was still blasted several meters away, smashing into the glass window of a store, with shards of glass scattering over her skirt.


    Black Wukong reacted swiftly, maneuvering the Somersault Cloud to barely evade the bullets, and then leaped high from the cloud top, raising his staff to strike down at Howard¡¯s head.


    ¡°Sisteruo, hurry it up, these two broads are not easy to mess with. Get that vampire¡¯s heart, and we¡¯re out of here,¡± Howard ¡°tsked¡± as he spoke. The blue horse beneath him came to life like an awakened demon, its eyes suddenly ablaze with blue fire, and its hooves cast a ghostly flame, instantly evaporating the rainwater on the ground into vapor.


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 Chapter 348 - 203: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Seven)_2

    Chapter 348: Chapter 203: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Seven)_2


    ¡°Blue Flame Ghost Horse,¡± this was his superpower, which allowed him to summon a horse of terrifying speed and strength. When he was mounted, all damage inflicted on him would transfer to the horse.


    In that lightning-fast moment, the ghost horse beneath Howard violently reared up, its front hooves striking towards the Dark Gold Club wielded by Black Wukong.


    In the torrential downpour, a thunderous force scattered raindrops over several meters as the ground cracked open. The other hooves of the ghost horse slightly sunk in, and seeing its power matched that of Black Wukong, Howard immediately raised his gun barrel, aiming it right at Black Wukong¡¯s face and pulled the trigger.


    Bang¡ª¡ª!


    The shot was so close it left no room for reaction.


    But Black Wukong, quick as lightning, slightly squinted her fiery, golden eyes and lightly shook her club. Amidst the fierce metallic humming, her figure vibrated backward. She spun in mid-air¡ªher hands clasping the staff which twirled rapidly, encased in rainwater, while both ends ignited with surging Samadhi True Fire.


    ...


    ¡°Staff Flower Dance,¡± she had used this move against the Witch Black Rose before, and now she repeated the old trick.


    The next moment, Samadhi True Fire burst forth like a raging river from the rotating staff, meeting Howard¡¯s bullets head-on, followed by two violent flames colliding, evaporating the air within a ten-meter radius.


    Soon after, a dangerous figure emerged from the rising white mist¡ªBlack Wukong lowered her slightly cracked mask, gave a slight shake to the staff, and the white fog disintegrated.


    Her pupils gleamed with a ferocious, golden-red luster, like a wild beast choosing its prey.


    ¡°What kind of monster is this¡­¡±


    Watching this scene, Howard inwardly gasped, forced a smile, but cold sweat trickled down his forehead.


    He yelled to Sisteruo, ¡°Hurry up, Little Luo!¡±


    As he spoke, he was about to twist the horse¡¯s body to widen the distance between him and Black Wukong, but he suddenly turned his head and saw Magical Girl Ash raising her Magic Umbrella Cinderella, firing a devastating beam of magic power towards Sisteruo from the tip of the umbrella.


    ¡°Let her go¡ª¡ª!¡±


    The goth girl with wide, furious eyes, her cold voice piercing through the rain and straight to the heart.


    Then, the beam, like an unstoppable wild beast, roared tearing apart the rain and fire in its path, hysterically covering Sisteruo¡¯s silhouette.


    Sisteruo, slightly stunned, turned her cheek, her indifferent pupils reflecting the oncoming beam.


    The world seemed to be dyed gray by magic power, traffic lights, billboards, everything lost its luster.


    Sisteruo and the magic power beam were inches apart, about to engulf her, yet her expression remained calm.


    Because she believed, someone would come to rescue her.


    No matter how far¡­


    That person would definitely come.


    Suddenly, a two-meter-tall shadow nearby stomped, emitting a sonic boom, and exploded off the ground, lifting a massive sword in front of Sisteruo, like an iron wall.


    Flint clenched his teeth, the giant sword trembled violently, his hands gripping the hilt split open with fierce cuts. Yet, he stood like a lighthouse, countering the gray demon in front of him trying to devour all color.


    It wasn¡¯t long before, as the light beam collapsed, he also breathed a sigh of relief, the blood flowing from his hands dyeing the great sword¡¯s blade red.


    She resisted my magic beam? Ash was slightly astonished, and only his hands were hurt?


    ¡°Tsk, are kids these days so weak¡­¡± she muttered, covering her wound as she got up. Observing the bloody dark dragon, she became impatient and thought, ¡°If even this big guy can¡¯t stop me¡­ I must find a way past these two and rescue Xiao Ling.¡±


    Thinking this, she quickly summoned her Magic Book, from which she messily extracted several elemental magic cards¡ªa Random Flash, Gale Skill, and an A-grade card, Void Shadow.


    She crushed the five elemental magic cards in one go, then raised the tip of the Cinderella umbrella, aimed at Flint¡¯s body, and pressed her finger hard on the trigger!


    ¡°You damn bastard, get out of my way¡ª¡ª!¡±


    Accompanied by the goth girl¡¯s low roar, five finely patterned magic arrays simultaneously appeared behind her, vibrant magic power rippling across the patterns.


    The next instant, fireballs, earth spikes, wind blades, water columns, and lightning snakes erupted from the magic arrays floating in midair, hurtling towards Flint¡¯s body.


    To be honest, she rarely used these cards, not so much out of disdain, but because she had just released her powerful move ¡°Magic Conduit Beam,¡± and her magic power was nearly depleted, so she relied on the released card power to reverse the situation.


    One challenge had barely passed before another arose. Flint had barely caught his breath from the previous magic power beam¡¯s assault when a multicolored elemental attack swept towards him.


    Sisteruo took cover behind Flint, the two-meter-tall giant¡¯s back like a mountain, shielding her from the storm¡¯s fury and tsunamis.


    He lifted his giant sword, roaring as he swung it forward, a mountain-tsunami like sword wind pouring out, carrying the counterflow of rain to meet the elemental light screen! S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In an instant, several clothing and gourmet shop windows on the street shattered, the mannequins used for displaying clothes split in half, toppled to the ground.


    As the sword wind fell, the five low-rank magic cards that formed the elemental attack disintegrated, turning into a riot of colors that ravaged the street, knocking several parasitic puppets to the ground.


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 Chapter 349 - 203: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Seven)_3

    Chapter 349: Chapter 203: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Seven)_3


    But Magic Girl Ash stubbornly pulled the trigger, weak and pallid magic bullets surged from the barrel one wave after another, shooting straight towards Flint¡¯s head.


    However, Flint merely lifted his sword in front of him, blocking the bullets enveloped in a gray aura one by one. He then slightly vibrated the blade, causing all the bullets to fall to the ground like dead leaves, successively making a clatter.


    ¡°No wonder he can beat up a schoolkid¡­¡±


    Seeing this, Ash gritted her teeth, her small face wet from the rain and growing more sullen. She kept pulling the trigger for suppressive fire while charging forward, her skirt fluttering, the muzzle flashes faintly visible in the rain curtain.


    ¡°Stay away from me¡­¡± Flint said in a deep voice, ¡°I have no intention to kill you. Once we take the vampire¡¯s heart, we will leave and never come close to this place again.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ash brandished her long sword, charging towards Flint and shouting, ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, just get away from my sister¡ª!¡±


    ...


    Hearing this, Flint took a deep breath, his eyes slightly determined, and swung the sharp front of his sword at the girl charging towards him.


    However, at the moment she got close to Flint, Ash crushed the A-rank card ¡°Void Shadow¡± she held in her hand. Her body then twisted into a blur of air, sweeping through Flint like a gust of wind, and instantly appeared behind him, her form becoming visible again.


    ¡°This is bad¡­¡±


    Flint was momentarily stunned, then turned his head just in time to see Ash charging towards Sisteruo behind him.


    Sisteruo slightly raised her eyebrows, looking sideways at the gothic-dressed girl approaching her.


    ¡°Get away from my sister¡­!¡±


    Ash roared as she lifted her tachi, channeling the last of her magic power into it, slashing at Sisteruo¡¯s silhouette. The sharp blade, wrapped in a moon-like gleam, spread the color of embers outward as the rain at the blade tip took on the same hue.


    However, at that instant, an arrow enveloped in a blood-red glow was shot from a distance.


    Hearing the piercing whistling sound, Magic Girl Ash immediately turned her head, catching a glimpse with the corner of her eye of the arrow almost too close to dodge. Her pupils shrank to the size of grain tips, reflecting the rain-wrapped arrow tip.


    In less than half a second of reaction time, she activated the skill ¡°Random Flash¡± that she held in her palm.


    As the card shattered into glimmers, the gothic-dressed girl¡¯s figure vanished in an instant from the rain curtain; the arrow then swept through her previous location, stirring a scream of rainwater and air.


    ¡°That was¡­¡±


    Ash appeared at a corner of the street, half-kneeling on the ground, looking up towards the source of the arrow¡ªan office building¡¯s glass curtain wall, where a rain coat-clad archer and a ninja-dressed swordsman darted through each other like gale and thunder.


    With her eyesight, she couldn¡¯t even see their movements clearly, let alone the details of their combat, only catching glimpses of their afterimages on the street.


    In that instant, the disaster dragon rose from the nearby asphalt surface, spreading its cracked wings and roaring as it burst from the ground, suddenly pouncing on Flint¡¯s silhouette, dragging him more than ten meters away, creating a shocking trench in the ground.


    ¡°Well done schoolkid!¡±


    The gothic-dressed girl thought to herself.


    Seeing Flint being carried away by Ke Yongzhu, with Black Wukong engaging Howard riding a phantom horse, Sisteruo was left unsupported. Thus, Ash, with sword in her left hand and umbrella in her right, leaned forward and rushed towards Bai Ziling¡¯s direction.


    Her face lowered, the grim reflections in her eyes displayed Sisteruo raising a dagger, digging towards Bai Ziling¡¯s chest; she lifted the tip of her umbrella, growling lowly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡±


    However, just as she was about to pull the trigger, Howard casually flipped the guns around, one barrel aimed at the flaming staff wielded by Black Wukong and the other at Ash, who was charging from behind.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Two gunshots followed in quick succession, bullets hurtling from Howard¡¯s gun barrels.


    The first bullet skimmed past Black Wukong as he slid to evade; the second bullet intercepted Magical Girl Ash in her path, a blue flame engulfing her field of vision and forcing her to raise her right arm to block the intense heat from her face, blinding her.


    ¡°Xiao Ling!¡±


    Magical Girl Ash roared, without hesitation plunging into the curtain of flame obstructing her way.


    But her figure was shaken back several meters in an instant, her right arm burned to resemble a charred stick, bone exposed, bereft of any blood color.


    She clutched her almost cracked right arm, knees weakened, and fell to the ground. Her face turned deathly pale in that moment, lifting her eyes from her disheveled hair. After a long moment, she opened her mouth, silently screaming at the blue flame curtain as if about to tear her throat apart, about to rupture her own chest.


    ¡°Xiao¡­ Ling¡ª¡ª!¡±


    Tears overflowed from her bloodshot eyes, sliding down her pale cheeks.


    The hysterical screaming pierced through the rain and reached everyone¡¯s ears.


    Ke Xiaomo and Lin Ke sprung back a short distance and, upon hearing the cry, slightly startled, they abruptly turned their heads toward the source of the scream.


    Black Wukong jabbed upward, overturning the horse beneath Howard with his staff, then, in a swift change of attack, his Jingu Bang, coated in flames, came crashing down from above onto Howard¡¯s right arm. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, his whole arm burst into flames from the Samadhi True Fire and flung away. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having repelled Howard, Black Wukong did not pursue the attack but instead turned his gaze toward the source of the scream.


    Together with Ke Xiaomo, he followed the gaze of the kneeling Magical Girl Ash, looking towards the blue flame curtain raging in the heavy rain.


    However¡­


    When the flame curtain dissipated, the scene that met their eyes was not the girl with her heart gouged out and white hair.


    Just as Sisteruo was about to gouge out the heart, her figure suddenly vanished on the spot, the knife slipping from Bai Ziling¡¯s chest and falling through the rain curtain.


    In her place, in that split second, was a teenager wearing a gray T-shirt and sports pants, his shoulder bearing a ferocious wound, appearing in front of Bai Ziling.


    He breathed heavily, his hair wet from the rain, his sharp eyes obscured by his bangs.


    Sisteruo, appearing not far away, slightly raised her eyebrows, staring at Ke Mingye¡¯s figure. After a long moment, she realized what had just happened in that split second, ¡°Spider Man, he used that switch position skill on me¡­¡±


    At that moment, the Gothic skirt girl still had tears lingering in her eyes as she knelt on the ground, staring blankly at Ke Mingye¡¯s profile, her pale lips trembling slightly.


    ¡°Old¡­ brother?¡±


    Meanwhile, both Black Wukong and Ke Xiaomo were taken aback. Their pupils contracted, their expressions uniformly shocked.


    It seemed that neither had ever imagined¡­ that Ke Mingye would appear at this moment.


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 Chapter 350 - 204: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eight)

    Chapter 350: Chapter 204: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eight)


    July 21, 3:25 PM, Old Jingmai District.


    Ke Mingye bent forward slightly, standing tall in the torrential rain, protecting Bai Ziling in front of him. He took a few breaths and then lifted the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his cheek.


    At this moment, aside from the Calamity Dragon and Flint locked in battle, he had become the center of attention on the battlefield.


    The gothic-dress girl slowly sank to her knees, cradling her charred, nearly severed right arm with her left. It was as if she had forgotten the pain, slowly opening her eyes wide to look ahead.


    In her mist-covered pupils, the blurred silhouette in the curtain of rain was reflected.


    ¡°¡­Big brother?¡±


    ...


    The girl murmured absentmindedly, with the remnants of tears lingering at the corners of her reddened eyes.


    Seeing Ke Mingye appearing to save Bai Ziling filled her with joy at first, but she quickly remembered something: With this idiot¡¯s strength, showing up here meant he would be beaten to a pulp, and this time it was real trouble¡­


    But at this very moment, her magic power had depleted, and now she couldn¡¯t even stand up, let alone help Ke Mingye.


    So, she immediately changed her mind, wishing Ke Mingye would run far, far away.


    The gothic-dress girl opened her mouth, but then slowly bit her lip, her eyes brimming with tears.


    She thought, if Ke Mingye left there now, who would be able to protect Bai Ziling¡­ How could she tell him to ¡°run away¡±?


    Wouldn¡¯t that be tantamount to giving up on Xiao Ling¡¯s life?


    How could she¡­


    Meanwhile, at another corner of the street.


    As the boy in the gray T-shirt appeared in his line of sight, Ke Xiaomo hesitated for half a second. He opened his mouth and murmured the name softly.


    ¡°¡­Mingye?¡±


    At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief, all the while keeping an eye on Lin Ke, who was also observing the scene, assessing the situation.


    The magic girl who came to help was seriously injured, and judging from her condition, she had likely lost her combat effectiveness; Qiuwu was facing off against the cowboy man, and it seemed she had a slight advantage; Yongzhu was stalling the giant, although outmatched, she was temporarily keeping him occupied;


    So Mingye should be able to take on the player one-on-one. Ke Yinzhi had said that the player¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t exaggerated at this stage, so thinking about it¡­ Mingye might have a decent chance of winning.


    In that instant, Ke Xiaomo felt a sudden sense of relief that his little brother was a superhero.


    He thought, ¡°It seems that letting Mingye be a superhero was the right choice; he must have gained some combat experience fighting those criminals, otherwise¡­ facing this player now would likely be disastrous.¡±


    ¡°But no matter what, I must deal with this Blood Clan Hunter immediately, the sooner the better¡­¡±


    Having this thought, Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath, looking up at Lin Ke with a firm grip on the shadow sword in his hand, which became even more solid.


    Meanwhile, Black Wukong looked at Ke Mingye, lost in thought: ¡°Mingye, wasn¡¯t he said to be captured by the Dice Monster on TV?¡±


    As she pondered, suddenly a figure appeared atop a streetlight and crouched down.


    Black Wukong raised her face, peering up from behind the monkey mask at the figure that radiated a gray luminescence.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Miss Sun Wukong, you must be thinking ¡®wasn¡¯t our owlet boy captured by the Dice Monster, how come he suddenly popped up now¡¯.¡±


    While saying this, the Dice Monster shook its head: ¡°The fact is, that¡¯s complete defamation, lies. You know, these unscrupulous media really are shameless. Last time, it¡¯s true I attacked Superhero Tower, but that doesn¡¯t mean I did it this time. The boy who cried wolf was ostracized by the villagers after the third time, but me¡­ I did it just once, and I¡¯ve already lost the public¡¯s trust. What a decline in public morals.¡±


    After finishing, it sighed dejectedly.


    Black Wukong was taken aback at first, then ignored its rambling and asked succinctly.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to protect your little brother?¡± The Dice Monster grinned, ¡°So I¡¯m here. Really had no choice, who made me value our friendship so much.¡±


    It paused, then raised its hollow eyes to glance at Howard, whose right arm was severed.


    ¡°It seems you don¡¯t need my help here, so I¡¯ll go help the owlet boy first¡­¡±


    After saying this, the Dice Monster lowered its right hand, shot out a thread towards a traffic light, grabbed the thread, and swung toward Ke Ming.


    At this particular moment, in front of a billboard on the street.


    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t come.¡± Sisteruo gazed at Ke Mingye¡¯s face, saying emphatically, ¡°Indeed, we are the same.¡±


    Ke Mingye lifted his gaze from his rain-soaked forehead, silently meeting Sisteruo¡¯s gaze.


    Then he turned his head to survey the area, using his superhuman panel to check the opponent¡¯s combat level.


    Firstly, he looked towards the seven-foot giant entangled with Ke Yongzhu.


    [Character Name: Flint]


    [Danger Rating: A++ level]


    [Character Codename: Blood Clan Hunter ¡°F¡±.]


    [Background Introduction: One of the remnants of the Hunter organization ¡°Hell¡¯s Hymn¡±, they are Blood Clan Hunters who grow stronger by feasting on blood clan members¡¯ blood. However, during the extermination of the vampire progenitor ¡°Queen Icaria¡±, the members of Hell¡¯s Hymn were almost completely wiped out.


    As the number one combatant of ¡°Hell¡¯s Hymn¡±, Flint¡¯s physique is extremely robust, ranking him at the peak of A-level superhumans.]


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    Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 351 - 204: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eight)_2

    Chapter 351: Chapter 204: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eight)_2


    And then he looked at Howard, who had one arm severed.


    [Character Name: Howard]


    [Danger Rating: A-level]


    [Character Code: Blood Clan Hunter ¡°H¡±.]


    [Character Background: A member of the blood clan hunter organization ¡°Hell¡¯s Hymn¡±, a superpower user, once known as ¡°The Western Phantom Gunslinger¡±.]


    Last is the archer draped in a green raincoat from afar.


    ...


    [Character Name: Lin Ke]


    [Danger Rating: A+ level]


    [Character Code: Blood Clan Hunter ¡°L¡±.]


    [Character Background: As the second strongest combatant in ¡°Hell¡¯s Hymn¡± after Flint, Lin Ke has honed her reflex nerves and battle experience to the peak over decades of fighting against the Blood Clan. She is proficient in using all sorts of unconventional weaponry and knows how to handle each one.]


    Finally, Ke Mingye glanced sideways, catching a glimpse of Bai Ziling¡¯s injuries out of the corner of his eye.


    ¡°Good thing I made it in time¡­¡±


    Thinking this, he turned around, a streak of deep blue arc light flashing across the corner of his eye.


    Raising both hands, despite the roaring inferno, he gripped the arrow that had pinned Bai Ziling to the billboard. With his left hand bracing the tip and his right hand at the middle, he pulled with all his strength to remove it.


    Even as his hands were roasted red, with flames spreading over the backs, he still didn¡¯t let go.


    Ssst¡ª!


    The next moment, as the arrow was pulled out, fresh blood splattered, staining Ke Mingye¡¯s hands which were charred black and seared red.


    He took a long breath, creating a mist of white fog in the cold rain.


    Then he picked up Bai Ziling and entered a nearby clothing store, randomly taking a brown windbreaker from the display to wrap it around her slender body.


    At this moment, amid the wind and rain, a swarm of parasitic puppets flooded into the clothing store. Sisteruo¡¯s figure was among the puppets, her silhouette drowned by the shadows they cast along with the sunlight from outside.


    Ke Mingye walked to a wall at the back of the clothing store, leaning Bai Ziling against it to sit down.


    He glanced down at her face for two seconds and then slowly rose, turning his head to face the horde of puppets.


    ¡°Bro¡­ ther?¡±


    The girl¡¯s voice came from behind him, slightly hoarse, soft like snowflakes brushing against the cheek.


    Hearing her voice, Ke Mingye was slightly startled, then turned his face sideways, casting a sidelong glance at her bloodstained face.


    Bai Ziling tilted her head, the white strands of her hair tilting along.


    She vaguely lifted her red eyes, scrutinizing his face as a blind person might, as if to confirm if this was indeed her brother¡¯s face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sleep anymore, I¡¯m here to take you home.¡± After a moment of silence, Ke Mingye said softly.


    Hearing the familiar voice, Bai Ziling paused, then gently curved her bloody lips.


    She opened her mouth slightly, mutely saying, S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    As she spoke, the wave of puppets edged closer. Simultaneously, Sisteruo¡¯s tranquil voice emerged from among them: ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t come¡­¡±


    [Hint: The player ¡°Gastella¡± has sent you a friend request. Do you accept?]


    [The friend request has been declined.]


    Ke Mingye stared at the approaching wave of puppets, trying to locate Sisteruo amid them, and said, ¡°This time¡­ we are truly facing each other in the flesh.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡± Sisteruo quipped.


    The moment her words fell, she had already maneuvered three parasitic puppets to charge at Ke Mingye from different directions.


    Ke Mingye ducked beneath one puppet¡¯s lunge and punched it in the gut, sending spittle flying, then he picked up its body and slammed it into another puppet, knocking it to the ground.


    Last, he lifted his right elbow and struck the puppet that was attacking him from the right side, repelling it while swinging his scorched left fist down onto its head.


    The puppet was flung several meters away, crashing into a wooden cloth rack.


    ¡°With your hands burned like that, you can still fight so well?¡± Sisteruo¡¯s taunting voice came through.


    ¡°It does hurt a bit; seems the feeling of burning yourself is a bit different from burning others,¡± he responded.


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye charged forward, activating his ¡°Solar Punch,¡± transforming the stored hundred percent solar energy into thermal and kinetic energy, his fists blazing with seething flames, unleashing a gust of hot wind wrapped in a flurry of punches. With a swipe through the air, several oncoming parasitic puppets were blasted away.


    More and more parasitic puppets flooded from the entrance of the store, a dark mass nearly submerging Ke Mingye¡¯s vision like a tide.


    But at that moment, his other field of vision had already located Sisteruo hiding among the puppets.


    In that instant, the Dice Monster that had been lying in wait on the ceiling suddenly released its ¡°Night Belt¡± invisibility, plunging down from above at high velocity like a phantom.


    The four Mechanical Spider Legs behind it whirled in the air, striking at Sisteruo¡¯s head like scythes.


    But the next moment, Sisteruo¡¯s figure suddenly vanished.


    Immediately after, she reappeared in the air of the shop as a set of ten huge mirrors. Each mirror, dangling inverted, showed her reflection and looked quite eerie.


    If it weren¡¯t for the cooldown of the Anchor Sunglasses, Ke Mingye would¡¯ve already pulled them out to lock on Gastella¡¯s position.


    The Dice Monster did not act rashly.


    The moment it landed, it swept away the surrounding parasitic puppets with its mechanical legs, then shot a web at one of the mirrors, activating its ¡°Electric Shock Function.¡±


    Electricity traveled up the web towards that mirror, causing it to shatter instantly.


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 Chapter 352 - 204: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eight)_3

    Chapter 352: Chapter 204: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eight)_3


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Ke Mingye frowned slightly, thinking, ¡°Did he use a Skill to hide his body in one of these ten mirrors?¡±


    At that moment, the Sisteruo in the remaining nine mirrors spoke simultaneously.


    ¡°Lethal Lie.¡±


    As the words were spoken, Ke Mingye shuddered and a series of system prompts sounded in his mind.


    [According to the rules of the C-level Skill ¡°Lethal Lie,¡± you will become aware of the Skill¡¯s effect.]


    [Lethal Lie (within a certain range, throw a sentence to a human target with normal judgment and language abilities, and the target must determine whether the sentence is a lie within 5 seconds: if the target answers correctly, the Skill caster loses half of their health points and suffers a 30% loss of maximum life; if the target answers incorrectly, then the caster immediately refreshes the cooldown of this Skill, and the target¡¯s body will suffer damage based on the number of seconds taken to answer calculated from their maximum health.)]


    ...


    [If the time taken to answer exceeds 5 seconds, then the target loses the chance to answer and directly suffers 25% damage of their maximum life value.]


    ¡°What kind of bullshit is this¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye raised an eyebrow, and while fending off the puppet-like assailants with his Solar-Powered Punches, he thought to himself.


    ¡°Anyway, according to the Skill rules, the faster I answer, the better. That way I can avoid the penalty brought on by taking too long to answer.¡±


    Before he had time to think, the Sisteruo reflected in the nine mirrors simultaneously said.


    ¡°I have already exposed your identity to your family.¡±


    [The Skill caster has spoken a sentence, please determine whether this is a lie.]


    Listening to the system prompt, Ke Mingye, while swinging his Flame Fist to smash a puppet, blurted out.


    ¡°Truth.¡±


    Honestly, he couldn¡¯t think of any reason why Gastella would have delayed for so long without revealing his identity to his family.


    If he were Gastella, he would reveal the evidence that he was a player to his family, in order to disturb their will to fight.


    [Answer incorrect, the spoken sentence is a lie. The time taken to respond was 3 seconds, you will suffer 3 seconds x 5% damage of your maximum life value, and the Skill caster will instantly refresh the cooldown of ¡°Lethal Lie.¡±]


    The next moment, thin slits suddenly cracked open across Ke Mingye¡¯s chest, spilling blood from within, staining his T-shirt red.


    He hesitated, touched one of the wounds on his chest. The scent of blood reached his nostrils, and his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed.


    ¡°Then, the second sentence¡­¡± Sisteruo curved her lips and continued to speak.


    However, before she could finish her sentence, the Dice Monster shot a spider thread towards the first mirror from the left to the right, bouncing up after grabbing the thread and simultaneously smashing three mirrors with its Mechanical Spider Legs.


    There were six mirrors left floating in mid-air.


    ¡°Just smashing all the mirrors as quickly as possible should do it, Sisteruo must be hiding behind one of them¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye thought, while rolling to the side, avoiding a dive from a puppet.


    He immediately followed up with a sweeping leg kick to flip the puppet¡¯s body over and stretched out his right hand to drag it sideways, tripping up over ten other puppets in the process.


    In the midst of the glass shards raining down, Sisteruo¡¯s indifferent voice came through, ¡°I had no intention of exposing your identity to your family¡­¡±


    [The Skill caster has spoken a sentence, please determine whether this is a lie.]


    Ke Mingye grabbed the arm of a puppet, whirls it around like a windmill, smashing the incoming horde of puppets from all sides as he instinctively replied.


    ¡°Lie.¡±


    [Answer incorrect, the spoken sentence is not a lie. The time taken to respond was 2 seconds, you will suffer 2 seconds x 5% damage of your maximum life value, and the Skill user refreshes the cooldown of the Skill.]


    As the system prompt concluded, a huge gash suddenly split open across Ke Mingye¡¯s waist. Clutching at his side, he knelt, his blood dyeing his scorched fingertips red.


    At the same time, the Dice Monster shot spider threads towards the remaining six mirrors in mid-air. Swinging upward, it smashed four consecutive mirrors with punch after punch.


    Boom!


    Four crisp sounds followed, and shattered glass scattered across the floor. Of the mirrors floating in mid-air, only two remained.


    Ke Mingye gazed at the remaining two mirrors, the Sisteruo reflected within them still calm.


    ¡°So this is the third sentence,¡± she began, her mouth opening slightly as she softly said, ¡°I want to kill you.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Truth.¡±


    The instant he spoke, Ke Mingye¡¯s pupil shook; his left arm snapped with a sound, hanging limply like a kite with its string cut.


    [Answer incorrect, the spoken sentence is a lie. The time taken to respond was 2 seconds, you will suffer 2 seconds x 5% damage of your maximum life value, and the Skill user refreshes the cooldown time of the Skill.]


    He inhaled sharply, lifting his head, the puppet swarm was already closing in on him.


    At the same time, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a few puppets deliberately bypassing him, attacking Bai Ziling in the corner of the clothing store.


    He pushed off the ground, flipping backward, widening the distance between him and the advancing puppets.


    He then positioned himself in front of Bai Ziling, his right fist and elbow alternating in a barrage, knocking away two puppets that had been diving toward her.


    Ke Mingye sighed in relief, lifting his eyes to the two mirrors suspended in the air.


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 Chapter 353 - 204: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eight)_4

    Chapter 353: Chapter 204: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eight)_4


    ¡°Gastella is hiding behind those last two mirrors¡­¡±


    As he thought this, the Dice Monster had already grabbed a web and flew towards the two mirrors suspended in mid-air. Its body spun around, and it used the sharp ends of its Mechanical Spider Legs to shatter both mirrors at the same time.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    However, as the last two mirrors shattered, with glass falling all over the floor, Sisteruo¡¯s voice still echoed in the clothing store.


    She said, ¡°If possible¡­ I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±


    ...


    All the mirrors were broken, but she was still alive.


    Had she never been hiding in those mirrors from the start, just a deception?


    Ke Mingye paused for two seconds, then looked up to the throng of puppets before him, unable to find Sisteruo among them right away, so he bit down on his bloodied teeth.


    ¡°Lies,¡± he said.


    [Answer incorrect; the statement is not a lie. The response time was 2 seconds, you will receive damage worth 2 seconds X 5% of your maximum health, and the skill user¡¯s cooldown for this ability will be reset.]


    A cut opened up along Ke Mingye¡¯s temple, from which blood spread, staining his right eye red.


    His head spun.


    In a flash of lightning, the Dice Monster fell from the sky, its empty eyes scanning the area.


    It could see the puppets densely clustered in a corner, as if they were concealing someone¡¯s figure. It raised a Mechanical Spider Leg and kicked against a bookshelf, propelling itself forward violently, ramming through the puppets in its way.


    Soon, it found Sisteruo hidden behind one of the pillars.


    Retreating, Sisteruo said, ¡°The reason I didn¡¯t expose your identity was to keep it as leverage to threaten you into letting me go.¡±


    ¡°Truth.¡±


    As soon as the words fell, a chasm opened up in Ke Mingye¡¯s right leg, and blood gushed out.


    At this moment, he had become a bloodied figure from head to toe, not a single part intact.


    [Answer incorrect; the statement was a lie. The response time was 2 seconds, you will receive damage worth 2 seconds X 5% of your maximum health, and the skill user¡¯s cooldown for this ability will be reset.]


    ¡°The last statement¡­¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the Dice Monster rapidly approached, Sisteruo, while controlling the puppets to obstruct it, said,


    ¡°Actually, I quite like you, in various ways.¡±


    In his dazed state, Ke Mingye, supporting his bloody forehead, said slowly,


    ¡°Truth.¡±


    [Answer correct; punishment for the user: lose half of stamina and 30% of health.]


    As the system notification sounded, half of Sisteruo¡¯s face split open instantly, revealing stark white bone underneath, with blood splashing through the air and scattering everywhere.


    She covered her cheek, the other half of her face still calm, and whispered,


    ¡°What a pity, you guessed it right. You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you? I made it so obvious, yet you acted as if you didn¡¯t want to accept my goodwill¡­¡±


    At this moment, Ke Mingye, nearly out of breath, was surrounded by parasitic puppets with no way out. He knelt down, holding Bai Ziling in his arms.


    If it had been a second later, he would have been the one to die.


    But¡­ on the other side of the clothing store, the Dice Monster had already swooped down like a tempest onto Sisteruo. It raised a Mechanical Spider Leg to her throat.


    The sharp tip traced a bloody line across Sisteruo¡¯s neck.


    She calmly raised her neck, her red hair waving in the wind and rain blowing in through the window, her gaze fearless.


    In that instant, in the entire clothing store, and even throughout Huanjing, all parasitic puppets ceased their movements. It was as if time had abruptly stopped, though the clock on the wall kept ticking steadily.


    ¡°I left a clue to your identity. Once I die, someone will send the evidence to your family¡¯s email.¡±


    In the silent world, Sisteruo spoke slowly.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡± Ke Mingye said expressionlessly, ¡°I came to you under the assumption that my identity had already been exposed. I could not let you go.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Sisteruo lowered her eyelids and chuckled softly.


    ¡°Ke Mingye, we really are the same,¡± she said.


    Then she paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°So, this is my request: I won¡¯t expose your identity, and I will destroy all evidence. And you¡­ will you bury me and my family¡¯s bodies together?¡±


    Ke Mingye was stunned for two seconds, then he lowered his eyelids and thought for a moment.


    Finally, he nodded slowly.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°A lie,¡± Sisteruo stated flatly, ¡°You didn¡¯t actually plan to do it, just giving me lip service, right?¡±


    Ke Mingye remained silent, not lifting his eyes to look at her.


    Sisteruo turned her head and stared at his face from across half the clothing store, whispering, ¡°I didn¡¯t leave evidence. I think I am Sisteruo, and you are Ke Mingye¡­ There¡¯s really nothing to expose. For your family, you are you; for my family, I am me.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡­ what exactly do you want to do?¡±


    Ke Mingye took in a deep breath, his lips twitching slightly.


    ¡°The moment you appeared, I knew I had already lost,¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°We were never your match to begin with. My only chance of winning was to use you and that nuclear bomb to divert some of your family, take the chance to steal your sister¡¯s heart, and then make a quick escape. But, it¡¯s too late now¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she glanced out the window at the fallen Azure Flame Steed and Howard, who was kneeling on the ground.


    Sisteruo fell silent. She mustered a smile, her hand covering the intact half of her face. But tears couldn¡¯t stop trailing down from the half that was only bones.


    ¡°What about you, what will you choose in the end?¡± she asked, her gaze returning from Howard, whispering.


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡±


    ¡°Will you stand with your family, or will you stand with the players?¡±


    Sisteruo asked further.


    Ke Mingye lowered his eyes and remained silent for a while before saying, ¡°I am a player. You want to kill all the players, so you are my enemy¡­¡±


    ¡°A lie,¡± Sisteruo interrupted him, and continued, ¡°You are Ke Mingye, I want to kill your family members, so¡­ that¡¯s why I am your enemy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kind of funny¡­¡± Ke Mingye, leaning against the wall, looked down at the white-haired girl in his arms and said deeply, ¡°A dead person. What you say has no meaning.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to make a choice sooner or later anyway¡­¡± Sisteruo lowered her eyelids and said casually, ¡°Self-deception is never a choice, just a display of cowardice.¡±


    She paused and then said: ¡°Are you a coward, Mr. Spider Man, or is it more fitting¡­ to call you Ke Mingye?¡±


    At these words, Ke Mingye fell silent for a long time.


    After a while, he lifted his blood-red eyes, reflecting the darkened sky outside in his pupils.


    ¡°You say¡­ is there a chance I could find another way?¡± he asked.


    ¡°How would you find it?¡± Sisteruo asked, ¡°Do you plan to use the power given by God to defy God? You know how foolish that sounds.¡±


    Between their words, a torrential downpour was still falling outside the window, the rushing waters on the streets as if wanting to drown the entire world. Thunder roared, abruptly splitting the world into black and white.


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡±


    At that, Sisteruo withdrew her gaze from the window, looking down at the tip of the Mechanical Spider Leg pressed against her neck.


    She went quiet for a moment, then softly said, ¡°Kill me before I have to watch them die¡­ as a return for my not exposing your identity, can you do that?¡±


    Ke Mingye slowly lowered his face, his eyes hidden under his bangs.


    The next moment, the Dice Monster raised the tip of the Mechanical Spider Leg, instantly piercing through Sisteruo¡¯s jaw. Blood splattered out, staining the pillar.


    Sisteruo¡¯s body tilted, slowly falling to the floor. Her red hair spread out like blooming petals, her hollow eyes reflecting the spattered ceiling.


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath, knowing that Gastella was not dead yet and that the play he had been performing within the clothing store with her was about to come to an end.


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 Chapter 354 - 205: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Nine)

    Chapter 354: Chapter 205: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Nine)


    When Ke Mingye came to his senses, the myriad wounds on his body had already disappeared. He looked up at the Blood Clan Oath on the back of his hand, glowing with a bloody light, confirming it was indeed the thing Bai Ziling had left behind, and it was this very thing that healed most of his wounds.


    Just as Ke Mingye was carrying Bai Ziling on his back, stepping out from the blood-splattered Sisteruo beside the fashion store, he suddenly heard a ghostly voice close by.


    ¡°Surprised?¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sisteruo stood by the entrance of the clothing store, lifting a cold handgun aimed at his head. Her face bore a mocking smile, and her gaze was playful.


    Seeing this, Ke Mingye slightly paused his steps and said without turning back.


    ¡°You¡­ are already dead.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Have you been scared silly?¡±


    With a slight smile, Sisteruo began to explain the origins of this peculiar sight, ¡°In the clothing store, I could never have killed you because the Blood Clan Oath your sister left on you had not yet been triggered¡­ So, while I used the ¡®mirror¡¯ skill to disguise myself as still inside the clothing store, I had already left and had a puppet disguised as me enter the store with the crowd.¡±


    She paused, ¡°And when the penalty effect of ¡®Deadly Lies¡¯ was triggered, the micro bomb hidden behind the facial mask went off, blowing off half of her face. From your perspective, this reinforced your belief that the Gastella you saw was real, right?¡±


    At this point, she raised her lips, showing off a vicious bloodstain that stretched up to her shoulder on her left wrist.


    ¡°This is my punishment.¡±


    Ke Mingye remained silent, his expression eerily calm.


    Seeing Ke Mingye¡¯s silence, Sisteruo smirked, ¡°Old tricks again. Just like that time in the abandoned building, you fell for the same tactic again, foolishly mistaking my puppet for my real body.¡±


    Speaking, she lowered her eyelids while rolling up her lifted sleeve, continuing, ¡°Now, since the effect of the Blood Clan Oath has been triggered, it¡¯s unlikely to save you a second time soon. So¡­ as I pull the trigger aimed at your head, your life will end at this moment.¡±


    Ke Mingye suddenly laughed.


    ¡°What I meant by ¡®you are already dead¡¯¡­ is not a tone of surprise or shock, but a statement of reality. If you cannot understand it with your intelligence, then you might as well pull the trigger and see.¡±


    He spoke calmly, his gaze fixed on a billboard straight ahead, not even glancing at Gastella.


    Sisteruo tilted her head, her index finger gradually tightening on the gun¡¯s trigger.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll return your words exactly, you¡­ are already dead.¡±


    As she spoke, Sisteruo pulled the trigger aimed at the side of Ke Mingye¡¯s head. However, at that moment, no bullet was discharged as the muzzle was completely blocked by layers of snowflakes.


    The layers of snowflakes tightly sealed the muzzle.


    Following that¡­ the handgun exploded.


    Bang¡ª!


    As the gun¡¯s chamber burst open, the remnants of the handgun flew out of Sisteruo¡¯s palm, her right hand utterly destroyed in the blast.


    ¡°How is this possible¡­¡± Sisteruo knelt on the ground, cradling her bloodied right hand, and looked up at a Magic Girl in a Christmas costume hovering midair, ¡°Where did she come from¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye slowly explained.


    ¡°You know, in addition to the identities you already know about ¨C Blue Owl, Spider Man, Ke Mingye, Dice Monster ¨C I have another identity¡­¡±


    He paused: ¡°This identity is called ¡®Magic Girl Xiaohongmao¡¯.¡±


    ¡°And just now, while I was fighting with you in the clothing store, this Magic Girl was quietly observing from outside, so all your little movements, all your self-righteous disguises and tricks¡­ I saw them all. And I¡¯ve been going along with your act, yet you never realized it for a moment.¡±


    Hearing this, Sisteruo was stunned for a long time. She tried to struggle, but her body was wrapped tightly in layers of snow, immobilized.


    ¡°Impossible¡­¡± she murmured.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s voice, calm and devoid of any fluctuations, kept entering her ears, like a reaper sentencing a mortal.


    ¡°Moreover, you never used any gadgets during our fight, and you used very few skills. I could tell you were holding back, aiming to lower my guard, then to attack me after the activation of the Blood Clan Oath on me.¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­ Actually, my greatest confidence comes from the fact that you, Gastella, would never surrender to me before your companions die in battle, since you are willing to betray all players for the sake of your own family. Hence, you will fight alongside them until the very last moment, I have confidence in you,¡± Ke Mingye said, pausing momentarily before taking a deep breath and continuing.


    ¡°And now¡­ let me repeat that sentence again¡­ ¡®You, are already dead¡¯.¡±


    The moment his words fell, Magical Girl Xiaohongmao crushed a magic card in the palm of her hand. Subsequently, a magic array appeared in midair, and a massive fireball descended from the heavens, heading straight for Sisteruo¡¯s body.


    Boom¡ª!


    The fierce blaze evaporated the fine raindrops into a mist of turbid white vapor. When the dazzling firelight dispersed, Gastella¡¯s figure had already transformed into ghastly white bones, suffering from the corrosion of the drizzling rain amidst the ashes.


    Ke Mingye, with Bai Ziling on his back, walked expressionlessly past the wreckage.


    Meanwhile, the Dice Monster flew out from the clothing store on spider threads, hastening to the battlefield between the apocalypse dragon and Flint;


    Magical Girl Xiaohongmao then came to the aid of Magical Girl Ash, who had been incapacitated for a long time.


    The rain was still falling.


    Ke Mingye drew a deep breath of the chilly air, exhaling a turbid white mist, and looked up from his damp forehead. In his sight, all the parasitic puppets throughout the city had lost their will to fight, lying on the ground, vomiting the pitch-black worms that parasitized their hearts onto the floor.


    This meant¡­ Gastella was truly dead.


    This fellow deceiver, adept at self-deception and deceiving others, just like him.


    He was dead¡­


    He had once thought, whether he really resembled Gastella as she had emphasized, whether one day he would pull the trigger on the players, wielding a butcher¡¯s knife towards those who trusted him like Fan Quan, Cai Bing, Ju Zipi.


    But at least not now, he was different from Gastella.


    He was still alive, and that meant there was still a chance to resist.


    To find the real answer within this year.


    While thinking, a slight movement suddenly came from his back. Bai Ziling had woken up, she opened her eyes and quietly snuggled against him. A denim jacket was still draped over her head, shielding her from the fine rain falling from the sky.


    ¡°We¡¯re going home¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye slightly turned his face, looking at Bai Ziling on his back, and said softly.


    ¡°You came to pick me up.¡±


    Bai Ziling gently wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her white hair tickling his neck.


    Ke Mingye slightly opened his mouth, seeming hesitant to meet those red eyes, and looked away.


    He lowered his eyes and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ for letting you get so hurt, it must have been painful, right?¡±


    Bai Ziling shook her head and said softly, ¡°I knew you would come, I¡¯ve been waiting for you¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye remained silent, carrying her into the entrance of the duplex apartment building.


    However, just as he stepped into the entrance, he suddenly halted his steps, his figure slightly stunned. Then, he slowly turned his head and looked towards the sky outside the building.


    He saw thousands of crows forming a dark lake in the sky¡­


    And above the swarm of crows, a missile with a propulsion device attached to its tail was approaching the city at a visibly rapid pace.


    ¡°Old man¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye looked up at the nuclear bomb and the crows covering half the sky, and muttered hoarsely.


    ¡°You still couldn¡¯t make it in time, could you?¡±


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 Chapter 355 - 206: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Ten)

    Chapter 355: Chapter 206: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Ten)


    July 21, 3:28 PM, corner of Old Jingmai District.


    Magical Girl Ash stared blankly through the glass display window, watching the battle unfold in that clothing store from a distance. But no matter how she looked from left to right, she couldn¡¯t comprehend the scene. Inside the store, the scene was too chaotic, with puppets, Sisteruo, Dice Monster, and Ke Mingye mixed together in a wild dance of demons.


    But finally, just when she thought that the damn strange thing had grown a conscience, helping her brother win against Sisteruo, Sisteruo suddenly walked out on the street, raised her pistol at Ke Mingye, who was carrying Bai Ziling out of the clothing store, aiming at the side of his head.


    At such close range, even if Ke Mingye¡¯s skull were harder, the bullet would still be enough to penetrate his head. Moreover, he had already used his superpower to switch positions and save Bai Ziling, and he couldn¡¯t use it again so soon¡­


    It¡¯s all over, all over, Brother is going to die¡ª!


    No, at this rate, Zi Ling will be done for too!


    ...


    ¡°What to do¡­ what to do what to do what to do¡­¡±


    Ash whispered softly, her pupils constricted, intently watching the unfolding scene.


    Her scalp tingled, every cell in her body seemed to be screaming, and it felt like millions of tiny people were kick-kicking and tap-tapping along her veins, making her feel almost as if her spirit was about to leave her body.


    She leaned against a supermarket¡¯s glass wall, trembling as she lifted her charred right hand. Tears nearly fell from her eyes, but her body was frozen, only her left hand could move.


    Ash, her eyes reddened, bit her lip and furiously hammered her own legs. She stared fixedly at the floor, not even daring to keep looking up. Finally, this proud girl bit her lips, hung her head, her eyes hidden by her bangs, and tears squeezed from her eyes, running down her face marked with a line or two of blood, and plopped onto the skirt spread on the ground.


    ¡°I¡­ did nothing¡­¡±


    After a long while, she lifted her head, only to find that the situation had not developed as she had thought¡­


    Just then, a graceful figure in a Christmas dress appeared in mid-air.


    ¡°That is¡­¡±


    The goth-dressed girl stood frozen in her tracks.


    She watched quietly as Xiaohongmao first froze Sisteruo¡¯s gun muzzle with snowflakes, then threw a fireball at the immobile Sisteruo, and flew towards Ash without even looking back to check Sisteruo¡¯s demise.


    Ash was shocked for a long time, swallowed, and glanced at the slowly approaching Xiaohongmao, then back at the figure of Mingye.


    He trembled as he carried Bai Ziling toward the end of the street, apparently wanting to get her as far away from there as possible¡­


    They survived.


    Brother and Zi Ling both survived¡­


    Ash watched the retreating figure of Mingye, lost in thought.


    ¡°Senior, I saved your brother¡¯s life, remember?¡± Xiaohongmao said, ¡°Can you be less cold to me now, maybe like not ignoring my messages for a week, it would be great if things like that happened less often¡­¡±


    With that, she landed in front of Ash, her snow-packed body dispersing layers of snowflakes.


    Xiaohongmao approached Ash and leaned over.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    After saying this, Xiaohongmao paused slightly, lifted her gaze briefly to Ash¡¯s reddened eyes, then lowered it to Ash¡¯s right arm, which was almost nothing but bone from being burned, then softly said.


    ¡°Senior¡­ why are your eyes so red? I get it now, you¡¯re a crybaby, aren¡¯t you?¡± she lifted her hand and gently caressed Ash¡¯s cheek.


    Hearing her words, Ash took a moment to react, avoided her gaze, and asked in a slightly hoarse voice.


    ¡°How¡­ did you come here?¡±


    ¡°The strange thing said you needed me.¡± Xiaohongmao spoke calmly, ¡°It also wanted me to give you this.¡±


    She then pulled out the Rebirth Medical Bottle she had used on Ash previously in Wanxiang City from her skirt.


    On hearing this, Magical Girl Ash stared at the bottle, hesitated for a half second.


    Truth be told, she didn¡¯t want to use the strange thing¡¯s stuff, but seeing the primary school students getting beaten up, she decisively lifted her still-functional left hand, took the bottle offered by Xiaohongmao, and gulped the contents down her throat, then wiped her mouth with her hand.


    As the Resurrection Medical Liquid went down, her injuries eased. Although not fully healed, even her charred black right arm developed a new layer of skin, which was quite magical.


    ¡°You lied to me last time, saying it was your grandmother¡¯s magic tool.¡±


    ¡°My grandmother is the strange thing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re unbeatable!¡±


    Ash said grumpily, shifting her position from the ground as she got up, taking hold of the magic umbrella again. The usually weightless umbrella now felt heavy in her hand.


    ¡°My magic power¡­¡±


    As she was about to ask Xiaohongmao for a couple of ¡°Magic Power Supplements¡±, Xiaohongmao had already dug out all her stock from the Magic Book, holding them in her palms, and sweetly offered them to Ash.


    ¡°I told you to keep a few extra cards on hand, now you regret it, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Xiaohongmao lifted her eyes from her golden bangs, staring fixedly at Ash.


    Ash was taken aback and was about to say ¡°What are you, a worm in my gut?¡±, but Xiaohongmao spoke first: ¡°Why won¡¯t Senior accept my cards, I get it now. Senior must think that us girls brought up in filth have dirty magic cards too, sure¡­¡±


    Magical Girl Ash, upon hearing these words that could usually infuriate her to the point of vomiting blood, didn¡¯t know why, but she really wanted¡­ really wanted to cry.


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 Chapter 356 - 206: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Ten)_2

    Chapter 356: Chapter 206: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Ten)_2


    So, she slightly turned her face away, lowering her gaze. Barely holding back the tears welling up in her eyes, she interrupted with a crying voice, mixed with laughter and exasperation, ¡°Enough¡­¡±


    As she spoke, Ash raised her hand to ruffle the girl¡¯s hair, then took the three [Magic Power Supplies] from her hand.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ you¡¯ve been a huge help,¡± she continued, perhaps expressing honesty that was hard to come by in her lifetime, her tone full of gratitude.


    Without Xiaohongmao, she might never see her brother again¡­


    At that thought, the eyes of Magical Girl Ash reddened even more. She gently sniffed, crushing the three Magic Power Supplies in her hand while lifting her eyes from her forehead to look at the somewhat dazed-looking blonde girl.


    ¡°Really¡­ thank you for still being by my side,¡± she said.


    ...


    Xiaohongmao was taken aback, and responded indifferently, ¡°No need for thanks, Crybaby Senior. We are friends. But¡­ can we get sentimental later? I think your teammate is about to get beaten to death.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ash hurriedly looked over.


    Apart from the grade-schooler who was still getting beat up one-sidedly, it seemed like her side had the upper hand in the other two battles, and they were even nearing their end.


    Although the grade-schooler was still taking hits, Ash knew that his dragon transformation state could take a lot of punishment, so she lifted her eyes to look at the situation on the other two fronts, confirming the status for the subsequent moments.


    At that moment, Black Wukong had already knocked Howard off his horse, sweeping away his other silver spear with a swing of his staff, and then knocked him unconscious on the ground;


    She looked up from a pool of blood, her pupils still fierce and cold with a flame of red and gold.


    On the other side of the street, a huge shadow suddenly rose behind the Ninja, soaring into the sky. He merged with the shadow shaped like a raptorial bird.


    Then, amid the resonating cry of an eagle, he rushed violently forward.


    Lin Ke lifted the dagger forged with the blood of the Blood Clan¡¯s progenitor, her face showing a brief startle before finally resorting to a resigned smile, ¡°Facing you, my luck is really bad.¡±


    The next instant, the crimson curtain formed of blood intertwined with the shadow of the giant eagle.


    As they passed each other, blood and black twisted together like two poles of the world, momentarily dyeing the entire street the same color, and then the curtain of blood faded, replaced by tangible blood flowing from the body.


    Lin Ke¡¯s waist had been cleaved open by a deep gash, her eyes empty as her body split in two and collapsed slowly to the ground. Blood gurgled out, pooling into a small lake.


    Just a moment had passed, and the victor was already decided.


    Truth be told, both Magical Girl Ash and Xiaohongmao were stunned.


    The two exchanged a peculiar look, thinking the same thing: What kind of monsters were these two, fighting like gods, this Ninja and the woman in the raincoat¡ªthe fight ended before she even saw a single move clearly!


    Ke Xiaomo, with his face turned to the side, glanced at Lin Ke who had been cut in half at the waist and let out a deep sigh of relief.


    Truthfully, the battle with the Sect Master in Wanxiang City was a fluke. He still hadn¡¯t mastered the art of solidifying shadows into reality, of merging the shadow with his heart to become one; it was only after enduring such high-intensity fights for so long that he gradually began to grasp that feeling. Lin Ke¡¯s strength might have been inferior to his, but the arrows and daggers she used were excessively powerful.


    In the end, Ke Xiaomo and Black Wukong looked at each other from a distance.


    As if reaching a silent agreement, they glanced at each other and then both turned their gaze towards Flint, who was still battling with the Calamity Dragon not far away.


    This was their last enemy.


    At that moment, the Dice Monster came swinging over on a spider silk and landed in front of Ke Xiaomo.


    ¡°Oh, I knew you¡¯d win, Mr. Ninja,¡± it said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your brother and sister, they¡¯re safe now.¡±


    It paused, ¡°By the way, I gave your brother a hand. You¡¯re welcome. If it weren¡¯t for the grace of Mr. Strange Thing, maybe your brother would have been toyed with by that bad woman and died.¡±


    ¡°You never told me they were on to Qing Ya,¡± said Ke Xiaomo, his face cold, enunciating each word.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that keeping the mystique?¡± replied the Dice Monster, ¡°We all like a bit of mystique, without it, communication between people is utterly bland.¡±


    ¡°Our cooperation is over¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, this is just the beginning. You will need me more later on,¡± the Dice Monster said as it glanced at Ke Yongzhu and Bai Qiuwu, ¡°It¡¯s not easy having such a brother and sister, right?¡±


    Before the strange thing could finish speaking, Ke Xiaomo¡¯s figure transformed into a splash of ink and seeped into the ground. He then appeared beside Black Wukong.


    Black Wukong raised the Jingu Bang in hand, protecting the grievously wounded dragon before her, her gaze fixed coldly on Flint.


    She asked, ¡°Who are you really?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo answered, ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. We have a common enemy.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you,¡± Black Wukong said, ¡°I was asking him.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s fine,¡± Ke Xiaomo said.


    Flint lifted his hollow eyes, turned his head, glanced at Sisteruo¡¯s body in the distance, then at Howard who had lost both arms, and finally at Lin Ke who had been cut in half.


    He was uncontrollably furious, every muscle in his body bulging, every inch of tissue on his face twitching.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    He raised his great sword and plunged it into the ground to support himself as he stood up again.


    ¡°I will never forgive¡­¡±


    Not far away, Magical Girl Ash managed to restore some of her magic power after using three ¡°Magic Power Supplies.¡±


    She stood up from the ground, lifted her Magic Umbrella Cinderella, and unfurled its majestic canopy.


    Ash calculated silently in her heart: With the magic power left in her body, she could at least unleash one magic-guided light column without a problem. Although that big guy was strong, even he wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand her magic-guided light column.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come over here. This is not a battle you can meddle in,¡± Ash said without turning her head.


    ¡°Please, as if you could really meddle¡­¡± Xiaohongmao muttered to herself in her mind.


    Just as the highly uneven battle was about to start, a thunderous noise came from the sky.


    Everyone looked up and saw a sky filled with crows and a missile hurtling towards them. Then, a man wearing a black tailcoat and a black and red V-shaped mask stepped onto a black bar-shaped staircase and ascended upwards.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    At this very moment, thousands of meters above Huanjing, atop the city¡¯s skies.


    Black Judge adjusted his gloves and, while climbing the staircase formed of dark matter, bantered with the person in the heart of the crow storm, ¡°With so many S-class heroes at the association, they pick an outsider like me at such a critical time?¡±


    ¡°First, you were closest to Huanjing¡­¡± Qing Ya paused, ¡°And second, those heroes have other jobs to do. The electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear detonation in the stratosphere could affect planes within 4,000 kilometers that aren¡¯t fitted with anti-EMP devices. But making them descend so quickly in such a short time is impossible¡­ so I mobilized senior heroes from various branches, including General Lingdong.¡±


    ¡°I see, so those superheroes all went to rescue the planes and helicopters without anti-EMP devices,¡± Black Judge said while stroking his chin, ¡°It¡¯s no wonder then, I guess being called in isn¡¯t so bad after all¡­¡±


    Qing Ya looked up through the howling wind and rain at the falling nuclear bomb, ¡°If the bomb explodes at this location, although it won¡¯t directly damage city buildings, it¡¯ll indirectly paralyze the city¡¯s functioning. And possibly¡­ for a long period, we¡¯ll revert to an era without electricity. Therefore, we must minimize the impact of the nuclear bomb as much as possible.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No need to beat around the bush. You already had a plan in mind when you informed me, right?¡±


    A metallic laugh echoed from behind Black Judge¡¯s mask.


    ¡°You¡¯re responsible for detonating it in the stratosphere,¡± Qing Ya said calmly, ¡°Then together we¡¯ll resist the force of the nuclear blast and its magnetic field, minimizing the damage to the city as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a daunting task¡­ but I understand,¡± Black Judge said.


    Saying this, Black Judge lifted his blood-red V-shaped mask and looked resolutely at the nuclear bomb.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start¡­ any later and it¡¯ll be too late.¡±


    ¡°Received.¡±


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 Chapter 357 - 207: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eleven)

    Chapter 357: Chapter 207: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eleven)


    Staring at the nuclear bomb above his head, Black Judge seemed to suddenly think of something, so he raised his hand to his helmet¡¯s chin guard and said, ¡°There¡¯s a question I¡¯m not sure if I should ask, given that this question might sound a bit disrespectful to you¡­¡±


    ¡°With a nuclear bomb hanging over your head, are you still worried about what question might offend me?¡± Qing Ya took a deep breath, thinking this was why he hated the people from the Anomaly Control Bureau, who ironically should be the ones controlled, yet they were controlling others¡­


    ¡°Alright, you said it¡¯s us together blocking the force of the nuclear explosion¡­¡± said Black Judge, pausing slightly before turning to look at Qing Ya, ¡°Uh¡­ so how do you plan to block it? You can¡¯t possibly just use those crows, right?¡±


    Honestly, he had tried to make his tone sound as least mocking of Qing Ya¡¯s superpower as possible, but there was still an inevitable hint of teasing in his words.


    Upon hearing this, Qing Ya quickly explained, ¡°I have devices made by the ¡®Science Tailor¡¯, an S-rank hero from the Round Table Council, each capable of forming an inter-dimensional energy barrier. When these devices are close to each other, they can trigger a chain reaction and greatly increase the thickness of the barrier.¡±


    Saying this, he manipulated a crow to fly onto the back of his right hand, showing Black Judge the bar-shaped metal device held in the crow¡¯s beak.


    ...


    Black Judge raised his eyebrows slightly, looking up at the bar-shaped device from behind his V-shaped mask. The device was engraved with the self-portrait of this dwarfish genius hero from the Round Table Council, who was known nationwide as a prodigy at just 14 years old.


    ¡°I see¡­ I think I saw this thing when I was subduing a certain S-rank criminal. Is it the thing that can form an energy barrier in a short time? But having just one might not be enough. However, it seems¡­ you have prepared more than one.¡±


    As he spoke, Black Judge turned his head to look, and saw the dense flock of crows swirling in the storm, each beak clasping a similar bar-shaped metal device, and each device bore the exclusive LOGO of that annoying kid ¡®Science Tailor¡¯. Qing Ya¡¯s words did seem quite convincing.


    ¡°Shall I start then?¡± he asked.


    ¡°If you waste any more time talking, I¡¯ll use the crows to send you to the face of that nuclear bomb¡­¡±


    Qing Ya said coldly, his voice hoarse and sinister.


    He squinted through his beak mask at Black Judge, thinking that if his child grew up to be someone like him, he might choose to cut ties with him.


    ¡°No need to be so hasty, it¡¯s just a nuclear bomb¡­ and actually, when you mentioned this bomb could potentially damage the entire city¡¯s functions without directly affecting Huanjing, bringing us back to a pre-electrical era, I was quite intrigued¡­ after all, I prefer reading paper books over electronic ones.¡± Black Judge said smiling.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Management Bureau perform a mental state examination on you when they hired you as an executor?¡±


    ¡°Forgot¡­ I only remember that I was underage then.¡±


    As he spoke, Black Judge tilted his head back, the corners of his mouth slightly curled up behind the mask. A kilometer away, he raised his right hand toward the distant nuclear bomb, and a dense, dark matter gradually accumulated into a sphere at the tips of his fingers.


    The sphere did not grow in size but remained the size of a one-centimeter radius. Under the premise of unchanging volume, its color slowly shifted, becoming increasingly rich, like it contained the pitch-black from the very beginning of the universe¡­ eventually, it seemed like a mini black hole, sucking in sweeping rain and instantaneously annihilating it.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    At this moment, above Old Jingmai District.


    In the swaying winds and rain, Ke Xiaomo lifted his head, staring blankly at the two figures under the gray sky. Soon, he recognized one of them as Ke Yinzhi as for the other, his identity was evident from the sky full of crows.


    ¡°¡­Brother?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo swallowed, whispering softly, ¡°What exactly are you thinking?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t figure out why Ke Yinzhi and Qing Ya were standing in front of a nuclear bomb. Could they really be planning to block the bomb¡¯s force?


    ¡°Black Judge?¡± murmuring the name, Magical Girl Ash raised an eyebrow, muttering to herself, ¡°That guy who has a romantic debt with Magical Girl Yuffie, I heard Sister Yuffie was almost enchanted by him, and he¡¯s involved with that terrifying Crow Man? The world is truly declining¡­¡±


    ¡°Senior, your focus is really weird, but this Black Judge is indeed a character. And when I say ¡®character,¡¯ I mean it in two senses,¡± Xiaohongmao paused and added expressionlessly.


    ¡°Are they here yet¡­¡± Flint¡¯s eyes reddened, staring up at the nuclear missile in the sky like a dying enraged beast, and rasped to himself, ¡°Nuclear bomb.¡±


    ¡°Did you guys do this?¡±


    Hearing Flint¡¯s words, Black Wukong came back to his senses and then lowered his face to ask.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Flint said gravely, ¡°Sisteruo determined that someone would block this nuclear bomb¡­ now it seems, they have arrived.¡±


    ¡°You guys really¡­ deserve to die,¡± Ke Xiaomo¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, his eyes cold and fierce.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, we were never the good guys¡­ Even if we wanted to be, this world didn¡¯t leave us that chance,¡± Flint said hoarsely, his bruised right hand lifting the huge sword, charging towards Ke Xiaomo. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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 Chapter 358 - 207: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eleven)_2

    Chapter 358: Chapter 207: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eleven)_2


    The giant sword¡¯s blade was inches away, its wind howling like thunder, explosively resounding. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Xiaomo¡¯s form dissolved into a splatter of ink, as if washed away by wind and rain, vanishing in an instant from the spot. Then, in a flash, he appeared at Flint¡¯s left side. He and Black Wukong attacked Flint from both sides, Flint lifting his giant sword and using the hilt to block Ke Xiaomo¡¯s shadow sword, then using his elbow to block the staff burning with intense flames.


    The next moment, Flint¡¯s elbow shattered. Dark blood oozed out, merging into the torrential rain that almost engulfed the world, disappearing instantly.


    ¡°Arrrgghhhh!!!¡±


    He roared, using his unmatched strength to shake off the two assailants, even stopping the rain in its tracks.


    Black Wukong stepped onto the Somersault Cloud, Ke Xiaomo kept his guard, ready to slip into the shadows. They could see that Flint, after a deadly battle, was far slower than before. Even though the brute was tough-skinned, if they leveraged their speed advantage to wear him down in a war of attrition, they could eventually grind him down to death.


    ...


    Flint knelt on the ground, gasping for breath, as the torrential rain continuously pounded on his back, nearly crushing his body like a waterfall.


    His hands deeply embedded into the asphalt, the blood from his fingertips dyeing the rainwater red.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    He turned his face slightly, staring at Sisteruo¡¯s corpse, his face convulsing violently, his expression both sorrowful and furious, ¡°I absolutely can¡¯t¡­ fall here. I have to¡­ avenge them.¡±


    Flint murmured to himself, clutching at his chest as if it was about to tear apart, slightly closing his heavy eyelids. Memories flooded from the blankness of his brain like tides, trembling every nerve in his brain.


    That girl in the wheelchair hung her head, said with an obscured gaze: ¡°I have no name, children like us don¡¯t need names, we only need to struggle, struggle, struggle, die, and then¡­ be forgotten by the world.¡±


    Lin Ke and Howard fell silent for a while, exchanging glances.


    ¡°Then from now on¡­ you¡¯ll be called Sisteruo, ¡± Lin Ke said, ¡°It¡¯s the name of someone we knew.¡± She paused, ¡°But she died.¡±


    ¡°How could you name her without asking if she agreed?¡±


    Howard stroked his stubbled chin, speaking helplessly.


    ¡°Alright, then I will be called ¡®Sisteruo¡¯ from now on.¡±


    Sisteruo said, pausing briefly then lifting her eyes to look at Flint, who was standing far away in the corner observing them, ¡°May I ask¡­ that person, why doesn¡¯t he speak to me, did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, he just doesn¡¯t want to scare you, ¡± Lin Ke responded with a casual shrug, ¡°Anyone would be startled by seeing such a bulky figure for the first time, let alone a child like you.¡±


    Hearing this, Sisteruo hesitated for two or three seconds, spun her wheelchair around, and slowly approached Flint.


    Flint¡¯s gaze darted away, he slightly turned his face, trying not to be too imposing.


    ¡°Hello, may I know your name is¡­¡± she lifted her head, her gaze fixed on Flint¡¯s grim, somber face without a trace of fear or disgust.


    Flint turned back to her, staring into those clear eyes, momentarily frozen.


    She didn¡¯t blink for even a second, did not avert her gaze, did not show fear, just remained calm, looking intently at his face.


    Flint froze for a long time, for the first time feeling that he might not be as ugly as he imagined, seeing his reflection in those clear, innocent eyes, even his hateful face seemed cleaner.


    It was as if¡­ he was accepted by this girl who was not yet ten.


    After a long pause, he slightly opened his mouth, hoarsely said, ¡°My name is, Flint¡­cs.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Flintcs, ¡± Sisteruo said, ¡°Thank you for letting me stay among you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    At that moment, Flint suddenly opened his eyes, tearing open the torn piece of cloth on his chest. A blood-red emblem engraved on his chest caught everyone¡¯s eyes. Despite the rain beating on his chest, it could not wash away the color of this emblem at all.


    This was the curse emblem carved into his body after he drank the blood of the Blood Clan¡¯s progenitor, making a deal with the demon. Only upon nearing death could he use the curse¡¯s power, offering his soul to the demon, thus becoming a Half Blood Clan member while gaining a part of the power of the Blood Clan¡¯s progenitor, Icaria.


    This power included extreme Self-Rejuvenation Power, reaction speed, and explosive muscular strength.


    Now, with the emblem emitting a red light, Flint¡¯s eyes also glowed with a crimson ferocity. He completely lost his reason, his face overshadowed by dark shadows, his breathing gradually becoming heavier, each inch of his muscles swelling up like small mountains, visibly healing quickly from his previous injuries.


    ¡°You¡­ will pay the price.¡± he rasped.


    ¡°Senior, what should we do?¡± Xiaohongmao asked softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get close, provide long-range support.¡± Ash furrowed his brows, surveying the surroundings, ¡°Where is that strange thing, wasn¡¯t it supposed to be powerful, why has it disappeared now¡­¡±


    ¡°I feel it¡¯s nothing but a riddler otherwise, senior, you¡¯re overestimating it.¡± Xiaohongmao said.


    ¡°Is that how you talk about your grandmother?¡±


    ¡°I thought about it¡­it might be off to find someone to fight its battles, it can¡¯t really do anything else besides getting others to fight for it.¡±


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 Chapter 359 - 207: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eleven)_3

    Chapter 359: Chapter 207: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eleven)_3


    ¡°They¡¯ve all been called over, but it seems like it doesn¡¯t have much of a social network to speak of.¡±


    ¡°Senior, just admit it, I saved your brother, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I take back what I said just now.¡±


    As the two exchanged words, the battlefield was on the verge of erupting. Flint, having gone completely mad after his transformation, snapped his greatsword in half, turning it into two massive blade pieces that he held in his left and right hand, looking ferocious and unstoppable. The thunderous, booming breaths that resounded through the curtain of rain showcased his savagery and wild nature.


    ¡°He¡¯s gotten stronger,¡± Ke Xiaomo remarked.


    ¡°I can see that without you telling me,¡± Black Wukong frowned, her expression grim beneath her mask.


    ...


    In the midst of their conversation, Flint stomped on the ground, creating a spider-web-like huge pit instantly. His figure, like a blood-red cannonball, erupted forth. Accompanied by deafening roars that tore through the curtain of rain, he had already reached the front of Black Wukong. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His rough hand grasping the blade, he smashed it down towards Black Wukong¡¯s head.


    Black Wukong was stunned for half a second, her pupils reflecting the oncoming broken blade.


    ¡°So fast!¡± she thought.


    However, in that instant, Ke Xiaomo became a streak of shadow flitting past, drawing Black Wukong¡¯s figure several meters away. Flint¡¯s blade hit nothing but air, but the residual wind from his swing cracked and trembled the earth, causing rainwater to swirl and scatter.


    ¡°We must make this a quick fight, his wounds from before are healing, and as we continue to fight him, he¡¯s only going to get stronger,¡± Ke Xiaomo quickly stated.


    Black Wukong gasped, nodding with trepidation, reaching a consensus with him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t keep up with his speed¡­ but you can, so you¡¯ll be his target,¡± she declared, whistling for the Somersault Cloud and stepping firmly onto it.


    ¡°No problem¡­¡±


    With that, Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath. To be honest, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could handle it, but he couldn¡¯t let himself down in front of his sister.


    As soon as he finished speaking, Flint was already charging at him. Ke Xiaomo¡¯s form blurred into ink, shuttling back and forth on the rain-drenched streets like a drop of ink leaping around on a watercolor painting.


    He dodged Flint¡¯s pursues over and over again, while Black Wukong, standing on the Somersault Cloud high in the sky, dared not act rashly, only surrounding Flint with Samadhi True Fire, scorching his flesh.


    Yet, Flint, unafraid of flames, burst through the fire curtain without hesitation every time, launching a furious assault on Ke Xiaomo from within a plume of white smoke. As if liberated, his speed became faster and faster, and Ke Xiaomo was struggling more and more to dodge, barely avoiding the blade in Flint¡¯s hands each time.


    ¡°Roar¡ª!¡±


    The giant¡¯s roar echoed through the streets. In pursuit, utility poles, billboards, and traffic light posts were knocked down, creating an endless rumbling sound in the rain, like a long shot dragged out longer and longer.


    The moment Ke Xiaomo appeared at the end of the street, he raised his eyes to Black Wukong in the sky.


    Their eyes met, and it seemed at that moment, they had reached a mutual understanding.


    They had to go big, or within a little longer, Flint would become unreasonably stronger.


    ¡°In such a short time¡­ can I use it a second time¡­ as long as, my body can withstand it.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo thought to himself, slightly closing his eyes. When he opened them again, a vast shadow had unfolded behind him, gradually assuming the shape of a fierce bird.


    In the next instant, he merged with the shadow heart, his figure completely enveloped within.


    Black Wukong leaped down from the Somersault Cloud above, harnessing the positional advantage of the high-altitude fall to charge her strength. Simultaneously, her body rapidly rotated, the tip of her staff pointing downward directly at Flint¡¯s head. The Samadhi True Fire that clung to her staff, during the fall and rotation, gradually transformed into a blazing tempest, enveloping Black Wukong¡¯s entire body.


    In the end, she was like a phoenix soaring inversely in the rain curtain, striking Flint with a bright golden-red firelight.


    In an instant, the shadow fierce bird and the true flame tempest both struck Flint.


    Amidst the deafening scream, Flint raised both arms. His left hand, holding a blade shard, caught Ke Xiaomo¡¯s shadow sword, and his other hand, holding the massive blade shard, intercepted the true flame tempest.


    In a flash, red and black lit up the entire world, engulfing the torrential rain with an unstoppable force.


    The giant howled, his body nearly shattering inch by inch under the onslaught of the dual forces, turning into a spray of blood merging into the rain.


    His feet sank deeper and deeper into the collapsing pits, until it seemed like he was almost buried in the ground.


    Just then, the chunks of Flint¡¯s gigantic swords were nearly burnt to ash by the powerful attacks, but the moves of Ke Xiaomo and Black Wukong were nearing their end.


    Flint, although riddled with countless gaping wounds, a sight of desolation, with not a single inch of intact skin left, just bone and gristle, still stood erect on the earth like an unyielding Buddha statue, unshakable.


    His red heart pumped vigorously within his breastbone.


    Finally, Ke Xiaomo and Black Wukong both retreated from his side in a quick, electrifying moment, creating a significant gap between them.


    Ke Xiaomo lay limp on the ground like a mummy, his form unable to move. The shadow sword in his hand dissipated into thousands of fine black threads into the shadow at his feet. His head drooped as he gasped for breath.


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 Chapter 360 - 207: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eleven)_4

    Chapter 360: Chapter 207: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eleven)_4


    Black Wukong also knelt halfway atop the Somersault Cloud, using the tail end of the Jingu Bang to prop himself up against the cloud surface, forcing himself not to fall.


    Just as Flint thought he could catch his breath, the long-silent dragon suddenly burst forth, shaking its gigantic wings that blotted out the sun, transforming into a curtain of black as it pounced toward him, slamming his body onto the ground from the side and pinning him tightly beneath it.


    ¡°Roar¡ª!¡±


    Then, the dragon opened its blood-toothed maw and exhaled a curtain of red flames onto his face.


    Flint¡¯s face was scorched to a blur of flesh and bone, the bones themselves resembling clumps of mud that crumbled upon touch.


    The dragon breathed heavily, its body slowly degenerated, and soon it reverted back to that emaciated, naked boy. He swallowed hard, wiping the blood from his face while quickly crawling backward, distancing himself from Flint, who was slowly standing up from the ground.


    ...


    Flint staggered to his feet and lifted his face. Under the deluge of rain, his body swiftly regenerated.


    ¡°Elementary kid, move aside¡ª!¡±


    From a distance, accompanied by a low growl from the gothic-dressed girl, she lifted the Magic Umbrella Cinderella, aimed the barrel at Flint¡¯s body, and fired the final magic-guided light column at him.


    Among the swirling gray ribbons in the storm, the girl¡¯s black hair fluttered high.


    The next instant, a gray light column blasted out, heading straight for Flint¡¯s heart.


    Flint bowed his head, the sockets of his eyes reflecting the oncoming gray light.


    He clenched his teeth, his mind flashed with a jumble of images.


    ¡°Lin Ke is from Denmark, Howard is from England, I¡¯m from Egypt, and like you, we¡¯re all kids who walked out of the slums.¡± Flint paused, ¡°Once we were Blood Clan Hunters, but after the ancestor of the Blood Clan died, we¡¯ve been traveling the world, now just an ordinary travel group.¡±


    ¡°Then can you take me to see the Arctic?¡± the girl in the wheelchair asked.


    ¡°Of course¡­ we can.¡±


    Flint¡¯s regenerating brain intermittently pieced together some images, as if his brain was desperately trying to make him remember them the moment they regenerated.


    He and Sisteruo lay among the icy snowy mountains, looking up at the green aurora of the Arctic, the girl marveled at how beautiful the aurora was, why there were such beautiful things in the world, reflecting her pure and flawless profile on the ice;


    Under Big Ben in England, Flint, holding Sisteruo¡¯s hand, danced a clumsy dance, the two-meter tall giant¡¯s body drawing the attention of passersby just as he was saying we should leave here, I¡¯m too conspicuous, the girl hugged him even harder and said, you¡¯re the best;


    On a sailboat drifting in the Pacific, the four of them sat on the railing at the bow, competing who could catch more fish, Sisteruo¡¯s smile gently visible on her profile.


    Lastly, one night, in the woods by the campfire, the girl¡¯s face streaked with tears.


    Flint intended to hand her a skewer of grilled fish but hesitated slightly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°I was just thinking¡­ it would be great if I could live longer.¡± Sisteruo hugged her knees, softly saying, ¡°I want to stay with you guys longer, see more places with you¡­¡± she paused, her eyes downcast, ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, Flint¡­really don¡¯t.¡±


    Flint was silent for a long time: ¡°I won¡¯t¡­let you die¡­never.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the best to me, Flint.¡±


    The girl suddenly threw herself at him, embracing his bulky body.


    In the heavy curtain of rain.


    Flint roared skyward, his body directly facing the impact of the magic-guided light column, until the last inch of flesh on him vanished, and he turned into a fearsome skeleton. The eye sockets of the skull burned with a demonic red glow.


    He stepped forward with steps as heavy as a mountain collapsing, heedlessly charging toward Magical Girl Ash.


    In that instant, Xiaohongmao slipped a ¡°Random Flash¡± card into Ash¡¯s hand. Immediately after, both used the same card, swapping their positions.


    Due to the card¡¯s effect randomly appearing in a nearby corner, the two appeared at different locations on the street.


    Flint¡¯s body slowly covered with a layer of fuzzy flesh, continuously sticking to the whitish bones. Meanwhile, he suddenly raised his left hand, hurling a fragment of a giant sword from his hand at Ash several meters away.


    Boom¡ª!


    Amid the deafening boom, the fragment of the giant sword shattered the air, spinning and hurtling forward at high speed.


    The gothic-dressed girl, already drained of strength, saw her pupils constrict, reflecting the increasingly near fragment. Yet in that moment, a white silk thread pierced the rain curtain sticking to her back, then dragged her up toward the top, hanging below the streetlamp.


    The piece of the giant sword just skimmed past beneath her feet, the pavement cracked under the fierce wind, countless fissures spreading out, as if an earthquake had occurred. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What¡­ thing?¡±


    Ash looked up dazedly, watching at the silk sticking to her and said.


    Above the streetlamp, Dice Monster clapped its hands, eyes downturned, and said to Magical Girl Ash hanging below the streetlamp: ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Miss Ash, I told you you¡¯d need my help.¡±


    ¡°What about that thing?¡± Ash raised her finger, pointing at Flint.


    ¡°Someone will step in, and look, he¡¯s already here.¡± Dice Monster said teasingly.


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 Chapter 361 - 207: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eleven)_5

    Chapter 361: Chapter 207: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Eleven)_5


    As the voice trailed off, a figure dressed in red and blue suddenly dashed out from around the corner of the street, swiftly weaving through the veil of rain. As he charged forward, his right arm whirled around, the clenched fist enveloped in a dazzling golden glow.


    ¡°Brother?¡± The goth-dressed girl blinked in confusion, her eyes widening as she yelled, ¡°Idiot, why did you come back¡ª!¡±


    The next instant, Flint sensed movement behind him and had just turned around when he saw the blue owl at close quarters.


    The blue owl took a deep breath, ceased the rotation of his arm, halted his steps, and then swung his right hand towards Flint¡¯s chest. His aura dissipated outward, making the torrential rain seem to pause for a second, as the focus of the world converged on his right hand.


    [Accumulated rotary arm circles: 20, reaching the limit. The power accumulated in the arm is now¡ª10 times the original strength.]


    [B-level skill ¡°Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill¡± effect two has been triggered.]


    ...


    At this moment, the fingers of the blue owl¡¯s right hand clenched to the extreme, forming a fist, like an unyielding rock amidst the raging tide.


    [The result of this fist-guessing game is ¡°Rock¡±. Skill effect as follows: When you throw rock, the power of the fist is elevated once more, delivering an incredibly fast punch forward.]


    In the blink of an eye, the blue owl¡¯s right fist was shrouded in a brilliant glow that nearly resembled the aurora. Under the terrifying force field, daylight flickered, rain streamed upward, and the air seemed to scream in agony as it screeched wildly.


    His fist moved so fast that it surpassed the limit of the naked eye, trailing golden afterimages in the rain.


    Like a miniature sun, it smashed into Flint¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Boom¡ª!!!!¡±


    With a thunderous blast powerful enough to shatter eardrums, the light covering the blue owl¡¯s right hand slowly extinguished. Subsequently, his right arm completely dislocated and went limp, dangling downwards. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As if the bones were about to break one by one.


    The blue owl looked up at the large hole in Flint¡¯s chest, thinking to himself that he had guessed right; like Bai Ziling, once his heart was gone, he couldn¡¯t regenerate¡­


    The next moment, the two-meter-tall giant collapsed backward onto the ground, splashing up a mist of water.


    ¡°I¡­ am here to see you all.¡±


    He murmured silently, slowly closing his eyelids. His empty eyes lost all color.


    At the same time, a cold voice echoed in the blue owl¡¯s ear.


    [You have successfully killed an A++ level superhuman. Milestone achievement has been updated.]


    [You have completed the main mission: ¡°Destroy the Vampire Hunter Organization¡±¡ªBy using Bai Ziling as bait, attract the vampire hunters to this city and kill all of them.]


    [Please claim your reward in the mission tab and confirm the next node of this main storyline.]


    Silence engulfed the entire Old Jingmai District.


    Ke Xiaomo stared blankly at the blue owl, as did Black Wukong, half-kneeling on the Somersault Cloud; most surprised of all was Magical Girl Ash, who was hung by spider silk underneath a street lamp by the Dice Monster.


    In their gaze remained only the red and blue figure, the only things left in their ears were the cawing of the countless crows in the sky and the sound of the torrential rain lashing the earth.


    ¡°Is it over?¡±


    The blue owl stared at Flint¡¯s corpse, inhaling deeply, thinking.


    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not over yet.¡±


    With that thought, he lifted his head, looking towards the gloomy sky enveloped with a myriad of crows.


    In that instant, the Black Judge fired a beam of dark matter condensed light at the nuclear missile still in the stratosphere, hundreds of meters away.


    It was like throwing a pitch-black spear.


    Sharp enough to pierce the heavens.


    Though the beam was only as thick as a fingertip, the next moment, the missile completely shattered from end to end. Then, the blue owl¡¯s vision turned into broad daylight.


    All things were devoured by the extreme light.


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 Chapter 362 - 208: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (End)

    Chapter 362: Chapter 208: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (End)


    July 21, at dusk.


    Bai Wenna leaned against the bookshelf in the corner of the living room, tilting her head with the red telephone receiver wedged between her shoulder and ear.


    While dusting off the fur left by Yuri with a feather duster, she complained to Ke Youqing on the other end of the phone with a string of curses, ¡°At such a critical time you disappeared for an entire afternoon, completely unreachable, with no sense of responsibility! Mingye¡¯s right arm was injured by those crazed people, his arm is even fractured! It¡¯s lucky no one at home was hurt, otherwise, as a father, you¡¯d have to kneel and apologize¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye slouched on the living room sofa, rolled his eyes, and silently listened to both the news broadcast coming from the TV and his mother¡¯s endless nagging.


    He thought to himself, your husband is busy blocking nuclear missiles, with great responsibility on his shoulders, and it¡¯s just a few missed calls, what¡¯s the big deal? If that nuclear missile had really come down, all of us would have been gone, let alone having the leisure to chat on the phone with you¡­


    Of course¡­ he didn¡¯t rule out the possibility that his alien mother could physically withstand a nuclear explosion, regenerate at a high frequency while under nuclear radiation. But without witnessing it with his own eyes, Ke Mingye absolutely wouldn¡¯t believe it.


    ...


    He felt that even if the Divine Communicator Zeus himself showed up, taking a nuclear explosion head-on would probably turn him to ashes as well; if his mom truly had the ability to withstand a nuclear blast, she might as well have gone from the Arctic to Antarctica to slaughter the entire world, rather than spending over twenty years in this godforsaken place doing thankless undercover work.


    Ke Mingye¡¯s thoughts wandered aimlessly. He yawned, lifting his eyes to the television.


    The news anchorwoman sat elegantly, reporting today¡¯s headlines one by one.


    [Parasite Chaos in Huanjing Ends, Casualties Yet to be Confirmed]


    ¡°The parasite chaos that recently ravaged Huanjing has been fully controlled and has come to an end. At present, the specific number of casualties is still being verified. The Superhero Association and the Anomaly Control Bureau have jointly announced that the chaos was caused by a small superhuman group claiming to be the ¡®Blood Clan Hunters.¡¯ The members of this organization have been eradicated, and multiple parties have announced that Huanjing will not experience parasite incidents again.¡±


    [Superhero Blue Owl Safe, Commander Che Zhengchen Receives Medical Treatment]


    ¡°The well-concerned Superhero ¡®Blue Owl¡¯ has been confirmed safe, and at the same time, Commander Che Zhengchen is receiving necessary medical treatment in the hospital and is out of mortal danger. The Superhero Association clarifies that this incident is not related to the villain ¡®Dice Monster.''¡±


    [Nuclear Missile Crisis Averted, Joint Effort Rescues Out-of-Control Spacecraft]


    ¡°At the time of averting the nuclear missile crisis in Huanjing¡¯s airspace, the Superhero Association and the Magical Girl Alliance took swift action and successfully rescued several spacecraft that had lost control due to the EMP from the nuclear explosion. This operation saved countless passengers and crew members from potential aircraft crashes, for which related departments expressed deep gratitude.¡±


    [Superhero Qing Ya and an Anonymous Agent Stop a Nuclear Explosion, Receiving Official High Praise]


    ¡°In this emergency, Superhero Qing Ya and an anonymous agent from the Management Bureau stepped forward, successfully preventing the nuclear explosion from further affecting the city. On behalf of the public, officials have expressed the highest respect for their heroic actions.¡±


    [Investigation Into Cause of Nuclear Explosion Ongoing, Li Qingyao Detained by Police]


    ¡°Regarding the cause of the nuclear explosion, an in-depth investigation is still ongoing. According to preliminary information, the incident may be related to Li Qingyao, the current president of the Superhero Association. The police have arrested Li Qingyao and will conduct further investigation. According to the Association, Li Qingyao¡¯s erratic behavior may have something to do with being controlled by a parasite. The public is asked to remain patient, and the police will announce detailed results after the investigation is concluded.¡±


    Hearing this, Ke Mingye smirked, thinking why they wouldn¡¯t broadcast the nuclear explosion on TV. But even if they did, it would probably be censored, which wouldn¡¯t be very interesting.


    So, he simply turned on his phone.


    He scrolled through social media with his eyes lowered, searching for related information. He quickly found a video of the atmospheric nuclear explosion on Weibo.


    Being at the scene, he was almost blinded and couldn¡¯t see clearly what was happening in the sky. Now, he finally had the chance to see what it looked like at that time.


    He lifted a finger and hit play.


    On the narrow screen, a dark column of light from above Huanjing pierced the falling nuclear missile, followed by a cloud-like flock of crows screeching in unison, weaving through the rain, flapping their wings and soaring upward.


    The camera zoomed in to reveal that each crow had a strip of metal device clutched in its beak. They enveloped the nuclear warhead from all directions, their bodies gradually disintegrating, then turning into thousands of glistening blue ripples spreading across the lake called the sky, eventually those ripples coalesced into a nearly half-sky-covering elliptical glistening blue barrier. Like the hand of God, it encapsulated the bursting nuclear warhead within.


    Even so, it couldn¡¯t completely stop the force of the nuclear explosion, with the daylight-like white light faintly threatening to breach the barrier. At that moment, suddenly, a layer of dark barrier overlaid the outer perimeter of the blue one, together holding back the force of the nuclear explosion.


    The whole world was left with only red, black, and blue colors.


    Though the barriers eventually dissipated one after another, by that point the power of the nuclear explosion had been greatly diminished, leaving only a mushroom-shaped white smoke rising straight into the sky, lingering on the horizon.


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 Chapter 363 - 208: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (End)_2

    Chapter 363: Chapter 208: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (End)_2


    The sky cleared up, and the view above Huanjing was as serene as the beautiful ending scenes often shown after the young hot-blooded protagonist defeats the villain with all his might.


    It made one want to Photoshop a few big English letters: ¡°HappyEnd!¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, Dad and Big Bro are really awesome¡­ They actually managed to stop that nuke, and here I was thinking at least one of them would die for a classic heroic sacrifice.¡±


    Ke Mingye replayed the nuclear explosion video several times, thinking to himself.


    To tell the truth, when he was carrying Bai Ziling on his back home, and saw that nuclear missile, his heart really sank. He originally thought Dad could stop the launch of the nuke, but in the end, they could only call Big Bro over.


    At the time of the incident, the only ones in the entire Huanjing city who could probably stop that nuclear missile were these two monsters, so if he were Qing Ya, he would have called Black Judge over immediately.


    ...


    Now, Ke Mingye had finished his bath, changed into a black long-sleeved T-shirt and sweatpants, his hair still damp with the scent of lemon shampoo. Because his right arm had suffered a comminuted fracture after releasing tenfold strength in his Fist-Guessing Skill, he had no choice but to wrap it in a bandage and now could only cover the wound by wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt.


    According to his test, he only sustained a fracture in his right arm when he accumulated more than 15 rotations of the Rotary Arm Fist-Guessing Skill, and during the fist-guessing, specifically when he put out ¡°fist¡±; ¡°paper¡± and ¡°scissors¡± didn¡¯t cause this situation¡ªprobably because ¡°fist¡± not only enhanced his strength further but needed a direct hit on the opponent to be effective, making it difficult to avoid the recoil. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, it was only his right arm that was broken. Ke Mingye was truly afraid that if he punched Flint, he might have blown his own right hand off, and then, among his eldest sister, second brother, and younger sister, one would definitely go berserk and literally tear Flint to pieces.


    As for the elementary school student¡­


    The elementary school kid didn¡¯t know he was Blue Owl, so even if he had been slapped to death by Flint at that moment, the kid wouldn¡¯t have felt anything. He would just think this cannon fodder hero was so weak, getting in the way without self-awareness.


    A bit comical was that after the battle with the Blood Clan Hunters, Bai Zini saw his right arm injured and clamored for Xiaohongmao and the strange thing to get another bottle of Resurrection Medical Liquid.


    Upon hearing this, Blue Owl, Xiaohongmao, and the strange thing froze in place, glanced at each other, and suggested that maybe someone should just buy some Healing Medicine from the mall to make do. The strange thing then rolled its eyes and discovered that the mall wasn¡¯t even stocked with Healing Medicine that day.


    Therefore, the strange thing spread its hands and began to act dramatically: ¡°Oh, sorry, I¡¯m racist. My Healing Medicine is only for cute Magic Girls. Seeing an owl like you use my medicine might just make me vomit last night¡¯s dinner.¡±


    Magical Girl Ash was so angry that she gritted her teeth. She wanted to shoot Cinderella away with a gun, but she thought better of it. After all, the strange thing had truly helped a lot this time.


    In the end, she just tenderly helped Ke Mingye back to the abandoned train station in Old Jingmai District. While he changed out of his battle suit and into normal clothes, she turned her blushing face away, continuously asking him about Bai Ziling and the rest of the family to shift the attention away from herself.


    Ke Mingye glanced at her contemptuously and said that if they weren¡¯t okay, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten into his battle suit to come out and fight with you guys; obviously, protecting them was the priority¡­


    Time returned to the present.


    Bai Zini had also finished her bath, her black hair falling behind her as she walked out of the bathroom in a nightgown-style floral dress. She sat down next to Ke Mingye, watched TV for a while, then turned her face and quietly stared at him.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Ke Mingye, feeling goosebumps from being stared at, couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to meet her gaze and asked.


    ¡°I was just thinking¡­¡± Bai Zini said, pausing briefly, ¡°So, big brother, you¡¯re really that amazing?¡±


    Her mind kept replaying that final moment of the battle, where Ke Mingye, in his Blue Owl Battle Suit, had charged out from around the corner of the street and swung a golden punch at Flint¡¯s chest, crushing his heart directly.


    To know how tough that big guy was¡ªthe Ninja, the Divine Communicator, and the elementary school student had been beating on him for so long and still had not completely pinned him to the ground.


    ¡°Come on, what¡¯s so amazing about that? I was just finishing him off. You guys had already beaten that big lug to a pulp; didn¡¯t you see that he was left with nothing but bones? If I couldn¡¯t finish him off, then what kind of superhero would I be?¡± Ke Mingye retorted.


    ¡°Well, let it be then.¡± Bai Zini shook her head and then asked, ¡°What do you think about Xiao Ling? What is she really¡­?¡±


    Ke Mingye interrupted her question, casually saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Then why did those Blood Clan Hunters target her?¡±


    ¡°Still don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s ask her in person later; she¡¯ll tell us¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye fiddled with his phone, speaking indifferently.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ And what about sister?¡± Bai Zini fell silent for a while, looked around, and asked in a low voice.


    ¡°She went back to her room to rest. She seemed really shaken up,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°Let¡¯s not disturb her for now.¡±


    After that, he casually asked, ¡°What about Big Bro and Second Bro, haven¡¯t they come back yet?¡±


    ¡°Second Bro said he was shopping for clothes at the mall and got stuck outside; he¡¯s dealing with the police now. Big Bro said that when the zombie crisis erupted, he received a plea for help from a friend and ran to save him¡­ He said he¡¯ll be back after taking his friend home, should be soon,¡± Bai Zini reported.


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 Chapter 364 - 208: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Complete)_3

    Chapter 364: Chapter 208: Major Event Two: Blood Clan Hunter (Complete)_3


    Ke Mingye gave her a cold look.


    ¡°The TV already said they¡¯re ¡®parasite victims¡¯, not biochemical zombies. Can you stop joking?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±


    While they were talking, Ke Yongzhu walked down from the upstairs, grabbed a drink from the fridge, sat down next to Ke Mingye, and changed the channel with the remote control while twisting open the bottle cap.


    The TV switched to a Hong Kong channel showing the cartoon ¡°Ben 10¡±.


    ¡°No way, we¡¯ll have a meeting as soon as Xiao Ling wakes up,¡± Bai Zini frowned and suggested, ¡°A meeting¡­ we must have a meeting.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Why bother? You aren¡¯t tired, but I am. I¡¯m going to sleep first¡­¡±


    Ke Yongzhu said languidly, found a pillow on the couch, lay down, and closed his heavy eyelids.


    ¡°Then later in the meeting, don¡¯t call the elementary school student. He won¡¯t be curious about what¡¯s really going on with his sister Xiao Ling, not curious at all¡­¡± Ke Mingye said.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yongzhu¡¯s eyes twitched, and he suddenly opened his eyes, sat up on the couch, clutching the pillow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go upstairs and wait for you guys then. Let¡¯s have the meeting,¡± he said and went upstairs.


    ¡°Big bro, come to my room later,¡± Bai Zini said.


    ¡°OkayOkay, you guys check if Zi Ling is awake yet, call me if she is. I¡¯ll watch TV here for a while,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Bai Zini paused, then suddenly whispered, ¡°¡­reach out your hand.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°Just reach out your hand,¡± Bai Zini wrinkled her nose.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Mingye sighed, then held out a hand to her and turned to look at her.


    Bai Zini lowered her eyes, reached out, and gently shook his hand like a kindergarten child making friends, feeling the warmth from his palm.


    ¡°No, you¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye began to speak but she interrupted him.


    ¡°You¡¯re still alive¡­ that¡¯s great,¡± Bai Zini suddenly said, then paused for half a second, let go of Ke Mingye¡¯s hand, and without looking back, headed upstairs.


    Ke Mingye was stunned, lifted a Coke bottle from the table, sipped it, and watched as her figure disappeared around the corner. Just then, a bubble popped up on the top right of his vision.


    He raised an eyebrow, opened the bubble, and thought if this message was from ¡°Gastella¡± in the chat group right now, he would have fainted on the spot.


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t Gastella.


    [Fan Quan: Still alive?]


    [Failed Man: Dead.]


    [Fan Quan: I was thinking whether I should come back to help you out.]


    [Failed Man: Heh, I was actually thinking about escaping to Japan to become a Cowherd. Good thing Gastella didn¡¯t flip the table.]


    [Fan Quan: So, your identity hasn¡¯t been exposed to your family yet?]


    [Failed Man: Not yet¡­ Rather, not for now. I won¡¯t rule out that Gastella might have another trick up her sleeve: she wanted me to stuff an email titled ¡®Evidence that your brother is a player¡¯ into my family¡¯s inbox, then I¡¯d still be doomed.]


    [Failed Man: But, that woman probably wouldn¡¯t go to such extremes.]


    [Fan Quan: Is she dead?]


    [Failed Man: I killed her myself, you¡¯ll see her death news when the system update refreshes tomorrow morning.]


    [Fan Quan: That¡¯s just like you. I just got back from the Black Tengu Club, and I need to tell you something.]


    [Failed Man: What is it?]


    [Fan Quan: In half a month, we need to head to Bedlam Asylum in London, England, to find someone.]


    [Failed Man: Bro, how did we end up heading to London after not seeing each other for half a month?]


    [Fan Quan: We¡¯ll talk when we meet, gotta go.]


    Ke Mingye pursed his lips, was about to send a message to complain about this person, when suddenly a doorbell sounded.


    He turned his face to look over the back of the couch, and his eyes caught a young man in a black coat with disheeled long hair draping over his shoulders.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m back¡­¡±


    Ke Yinzhi yawned, muttered as he walked into the entrance and took off his shoes.


    No sooner had he spoken than he was scolded by Bai Wenna, basically saying, ¡°With things being that way at that time, how could you have the heart to leave your mother to save your friend? Do you even have a conscience?¡± or something to that effect.


    Ke Yinzhi didn¡¯t intend to argue, just shrugged his shoulders, smiled as he listened to her complaints, and then, with her permission, walked over to the couch in the living room and asked Ke Mingye: ¡°Xiao Mo hasn¡¯t returned yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Ke Mingye replied, turned off the TV, and headed upstairs.


    ¡°That busy?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re having a meeting.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ what¡¯s the meeting about?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s none of your business.¡± Ke Mingye said and went upstairs without looking back.


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yinzhi paused slightly, thinking to himself that last time they had a secret meeting without Mingye, and now he had become the one being excluded.


    He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly.


    ¡°Forget it¡­¡± he shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll just ask Xiao Mo when he gets back.¡±


    Thinking this, no sooner had Ke Yinzhi just sat down on the couch, when suddenly there was a sound of the door opening at the entrance. He turned to look and saw it was Ke Xiaomo who had returned.


    Ke Xiaomo quickly entered the living room, looked around for people, and then sat down next to Ke Yinzhi.


    ¡°I have something to tell you,¡± he said.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo took a deep breath and spoke very fast: ¡°Your younger brother is a superhero, your second younger sister might be a Magic Girl, your third younger sister is a vampire.¡±


    ¡°¡­huh?¡±


    Ke Yinzhi paused for a half-second, turned his face towards him, and spoke in a teasing tone.


    ¡°Xiao Mo, since when did you get such a sense of humor?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo remained silent, his expression solemn.


    ¡°Wait¡­ you¡¯re not actually serious, are you?¡± Ke Yinzhi¡¯s tone gradually changed.


    Ke Xiaomo still remained silent. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The smile on Ke Yinzhi¡¯s face slowly froze.


    Tonight¡­ was destined to be a sleepless night.


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 Chapter 365 - 209 Family Meeting Week Three (Part 1)

    Chapter 365: Chapter 209 Family Meeting Week Three (Part 1)


    Silence briefly enveloped the two on the living room couch.


    Ke Xiaomo¡¯s face was downturned, his expression slightly somber.


    He thought to himself that if it were only about Mingye, he might have planned to keep it from Ke Yinzhi for now, letting his big brother have a peaceful vacation before worrying about it after the holidays were over.


    But with Xiao Ling and Xiao Ni involved, the nature of the matter was different.


    Now, more than wondering why his little brothers and sisters had become like this, he should consider¡­ Was there someone in the shadows manipulating them to be this way?


    Could all this be connected?


    ...


    Ke Xiaomo mused silently, his mind as chaotic as a tangled ball of yarn. The more he thought, the more it seemed like a ball of yarn that had fallen to the ground, rolling and unraveling endlessly with thousands of threads spreading inexorably.


    Next to him, Ke Yinzhi rested the back of his head against the back of the sofa, silently staring at the light bulb on the ceiling. His face was expressionless, revealing nothing about his mood.


    A moment later, Ke Yinzhi broke the silence.


    He sighed softly, straightened up from the back of the sofa, his hands tucked into the pockets of his black coat, glanced at Bai Wenna in the living room from the corner of his eye, and then said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    After receiving the reply, Ke Yinzhi slowly stood up from the sofa. Taking advantage of Bai Wenna still being on the phone with Ke Youqing, he nonchalantly slipped past her and opened the door at the end of the entryway.


    Ke Xiaomo followed closely, also keeping his footsteps quiet, fearing that he would be called out for a lecture by his mother before they could even leave, a state in which Bai Wenna could scold anyone. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, the two stopped in the hallway, their backs against the wall, remaining silent.


    Ke Yinzhi stretched out his right arm, casually closed the door, then lowered his bright eyes and gently squatted down, his hand stroking Yuri, who was dozing at the hallway entrance.


    Yuri meowed, its soothing cries mingling with the chirping of cicadas.


    Ke Xiaomo gazed up at the night sky, silent, his thoughts quietly drifting away.


    The last time the two of them had talked in the hallway like this was after the incident with the Ninja Sect. A stray cat had also made its way to the twelfth floor, circling around Ke Yinzhi¡¯s feet. The big brother seemed always to have been favored by the affection of cats;


    Beyond that, tracing back to the past,


    Their first conversation in the hallway happened when Ke Yinzhi found Ke Xiaomo hanging upside down from the railing of the apartment building¡¯s rooftop, meditating¡ªit was the rooftop of a building more than twenty stories high, a place not even a madman would frequent¡­


    So, that night, Ke Yinzhi stood quietly in the hallway waiting for his brother to finish meditating, then broke the silence by addressing his identity.


    The second time was when Ke Yinzhi encountered a sudden accident during his high school years and became a mutant.


    Then, Ke Xiaomo had rescued him and brought him home.


    But Ke Yinzhi didn¡¯t let Ke Xiaomo take him to the hospital. Instead, he sat in the hallway, his face covered in blood, displaying his powers and saying with a hooked corner of his mouth,


    ¡°We¡¯re the same now¡­¡±


    The blood dripping from his cheek splattered on the floor of the hallway, plop, plop, echoing.


    Ke Xiaomo would probably never forget that scene, the first time he felt that Ke Yinzhi seemed so unfamiliar, alien as if he hadn¡¯t lived under the same roof with him for over a decade.


    ¡°Meow¡­¡±


    The voice of Yuri pulled Ke Xiaomo out of his thoughts.


    Glancing down, he saw Yuri squeezing through a gap beside the door into the apartment and scampering away.


    Ke Yinzhi watched as Yuri ran off, then stood up while asking, ¡°So¡­ what exactly is going on?¡±


    ¡°I just found out today, those Hunters from the Blood Clan were targeting Zi Ling.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment, then spoke softly.


    ¡°Zi Ling, huh¡­¡±


    Ke Yinzhi stuffed his hands in his coat pockets, raised his head, and said nonchalantly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ke Xiaomo nodded, ¡°one of the Blood Clan Hunters said that they wanted the vampire¡¯s heart, and the vampire they referred to was Zi Ling.¡±


    ¡°What about Xiao Ni then, what¡¯s her situation?¡±


    ¡°That Magic Girl Ash, I heard her today referring to the transformed Yongzhu as ¡®elementary school student¡¯, as if she was quite fond of him, even knowing his identity¡­¡±


    At this point, Ke Xiaomo paused for a while before continuing, ¡°Also¡­ when Xiao Ling had an issue, she seemed very anxious, as if Zi Ling was someone very important to her. Finally, she even helped Mingye get home, which shows that she not only has a relationship with Yongzhu but also a good relationship with Mingye and Xiao Ling, so I immediately thought of Xiao Ni.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi raised his eyebrows, asking instinctively, ¡°Could it be that she is a friend of Xiao Ling and Mingye, which is how she knew Yongzhu is a dragon?¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡± Ke Xiaomo was emphatic, ¡°Xiao Ling doesn¡¯t seem like someone who would talk about these things.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ then there¡¯s indeed a high possibility that this Magic Girl Ash is Xiao Ni. Do you remember the time when she brought the brain imaging helmet home?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ke Xiaomo nodded, ¡°that must have been taken from Xizi Yue who covered for her and let you think that Xiao Ni had borrowed the helmet from Magic Girl Feng.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Ke Yinzhi smiled, ¡°Now that I think about it, that Ash and Magic Girl Feng, close as they were, and her identity never being revealed to the public despite my access, Xiao Ni has always been mentioning this Magic Girl¡¯s name under our noses, with so many slips, and yet we never noticed, truly dull of us.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo remained silent.


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 Chapter 366 - 209 Family Meeting Week Three (Part 2)

    Chapter 366: Chapter 209 Family Meeting Week Three (Part 2)


    After a long pause, in a low voice, she asked, ¡°So, what do we do now? Should we talk with Xiao Ni about it¡­? Because of those witches, the situation of the magic girls is even more dangerous than that of the superheroes¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, the Witch Church¡­ Babel Tower,¡± Ke Yinzhi took a deep breath, ¡°I heard that organization is very dangerous, ranking only one level below Diviner Zeus in the Management Bureau¡¯s rating¡­ But with Xizi Yue, Lilai, and Udina, those three powerhouses, their strength is clear for all to see. In some time, the Magical Girl Alliance will also send quite a few reinforcements to the Huanjing Faction, and don¡¯t forget we have a big evil dragon at home. By all accounts, Xiao Ni shouldn¡¯t encounter any trouble, and there¡¯s no need to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo whispered.


    ¡°Really, don¡¯t worry unnecessarily,¡± Ke Yinzhi smiled, ¡°I think this is the second time I¡¯ve said this to you. You can¡¯t be too overprotective, Xiao Mo student.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo hugged her shoulders, sulkily replying, ¡°Every time something happens, you seem calm, but actually you¡¯re more anxious than I am. Now when it comes to comforting me, you have a whole set of lines.¡±


    ...


    Ke Yinzhi chuckled lightly, neither admitting nor denying.


    ¡°And what about Mingye?¡±


    ¡°Blue owl, have you heard this name before?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Yinzhi¡¯s expression subtly changed, he raised a finger signaling Ke Xiaomo not to continue, and after pondering for a moment, said, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re not going to tell me¡­ Mingye is that superhero who debuted imitating Qing Ya?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, Mingye has already admitted it to me, and I even know where his secret base is. He always stores his suits there,¡± Ke Xiaomo said.


    Ke Yinzhi held his forehead and exhaled softly.


    He said, ¡°Do you know, every day when I flip through my work files and see the list of strange management tasks, my brain has never been so overloaded.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s put Xiao Ni aside for the moment and summarize the situation first¡­¡±


    Saying this, Ke Yinzhi lowered his eyelids, raised a finger to his chin, rubbing it as he thought aloud, ¡°Magic girls can be considered a stroke of fortune, chosen by the remnants of a comet fragment left on Earth, awakening power naturally; Divine Communicators could also be said to be a stroke of fortune, perhaps Qiuwu encountered some ancient relic left by Sun Wukong while traveling with our mother, thus naturally becoming a Divine Communicator;¡­¡±


    He paused, ¡°As for Yongzhu¡¯s disaster dragon bloodline, and Mingye¡¯s superpower, both of them are adopted. If it¡¯s just a coincidence, that¡¯s acceptable, but Xiao Ling¡­ she wasn¡¯t adopted, but originally a member of our family, with blood relations to us¡­ If it¡¯s true as you say, that she¡¯s a vampire, then isn¡¯t that a bit strange?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it is very strange.¡±


    Ke Xiaomo pondered.


    Ke Yinzhi said, ¡°In the Management Bureau¡¯s abnormal records, there is documentation of the Blood Clan¡¯s existence. The Blood Clan possesses exceptionally high physical fitness, powerful regenerative abilities, and control over blood¡­ but the vast majority of Blood Clan members become so because their parents or ancestors were of the Blood Clan. Do you think it¡¯s possible that our mother or father look like they could be from the Blood Clan? Of course¡­ it¡¯s also possible that Zi Ling¡¯s Blood Clan gene didn¡¯t come from her parents but from a recessive gene from the ancestors; but tracing any further back makes the scope too broad¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ke Xiaomo seemed to associate it with something, so he spoke up, ¡°I think there¡¯s another possibility.¡±


    ¡°What possibility?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo thought aloud, ¡°Today, during the fight with that group of Blood Clan hunters, I noticed one of the hunters used a kind of mark inscribed on his body to obtain regenerative and explosive powers similar to a vampire. It¡¯s as if¡­ he didn¡¯t feel human anymore.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi raised his eyebrows slightly, turning to look at him.


    ¡°You mean¡­ Someone used some method to artificially turn Xiao Ling into a vampire, just like the Blood Clan hunter you encountered?¡± S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ke Xiaomo nodded.


    ¡°Oh¡­ If such a person exists¡­ then they are really audacious.¡±


    Ke Yinzhi muttered under his breath, his pupils swirling with a profound light.


    ¡°Do you think¡­ someone is targeting our family, and they¡¯ve tinkered with us?¡± Ke Xiaomo asked, ¡°Whether it¡¯s Yongzhu¡¯s case or this time with Xiao Ling, it¡¯s always targeting our family members, as if¡­ someone is deliberately arranging it, which is strangely coincidental.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ke Yinzhi shook his head, leaning the back of his head against the wall at the stairway entrance, gazing up at the brightly lit night sky, ¡°Have you ever thought about who adopted Mingye and Yongzhu?¡±


    Ke Xiaomo fell silent for a moment, taking a deep breath.


    He said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it¡­ To be honest, since knowing that Yongzhu is the descendant of the disaster dragon, I¡¯ve been considering the possibility.¡±


    After a pause, he continued, ¡°At the time, I didn¡¯t want to think in that direction and treated it as a coincidence. So¡­ you think the problem lies with mom?¡±


    ¡°Nine times out of ten,¡± Ke Yinzhi said softly, ¡°But since there¡¯s no evidence yet, let¡¯s not jump to conclusions¡­ After all, she is our mother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find a chance to observe mom for a while.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Ke Yinzhi took a deep breath, ¡°I know it¡¯s tough on you, but resolving this matter is for the best for all of us; if mom isn¡¯t the problem, then it means someone else is involved. That person should know mom, and then guide her to adopt Mingye and Yongzhu, and afterwards, meddle with us¡­ even with our younger brothers and sisters, guiding us to become who we are now.¡±


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 Chapter 367 - 209 Family Meeting Week Three (Part 1)_3

    Chapter 367: Chapter 209 Family Meeting Week Three (Part 1)_3


    ¡°What is his purpose then?¡±


    ¡°Still unclear¡­¡±


    Ke Yinzhi¡¯s face drooped, his eyes hidden under his bangs, his lips curling up slightly, ¡°But we have plenty of time, we can follow the clues and bring this person out step by step. Since he¡¯s here, we should give him a proper welcome.¡±


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    At the same time, in a room on the second floor.


    ...


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    As Ke Mingye spoke, he walked into the room, casually closed the door, and then sat down beside the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Bai Ziling was squatting on the bed, leaning against the corner of the wall. She had a sketchbook in her lap, her right hand holding colored pencils doodling on it. Beside the pillow was the denim jacket Ke Mingye had snagged from the clothing store.


    She had already taken a bath, her skin as pale as ever with no signs of blood or burns. Her snowy white hair was tied into a ponytail behind her head, her red eyes drooping as they fixated on a rabbit drawn in her sketchbook. Holding the pencil, she was adding a red and blue owl next to the rabbit.


    Ke Mingye glanced at the denim jacket beside the pillow.


    Given Ke Mingye¡¯s zero-dollar shopping habit, he definitely didn¡¯t plan to return it. After all, looting a piece of clothing during troubled times wasn¡¯t too much, and if someone had to blame, blame it on the strange thing. The strange thing has stolen plenty of children¡¯s clothing, one less won¡¯t matter;


    Bai Ziling, however, she might wait until that clothing store reopens to go and pay the clerk, of course, it¡¯s just a possibility.


    ¡°Should I take this jacket back to them tomorrow?¡± Ke Mingye asked. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I want to keep it.¡±


    Bai Ziling paused her pencil, her eyes drooping to the jacket as she said softly, ¡°It¡¯s from my brother¡­¡±


    ¡°Then keep it,¡± Ke Mingye sighed softly, ¡°If you like it, let Dad take you to pick out a couple more. You never like to say what you want, no one can guess.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, are you surprised?¡±


    Ke Mingye said, lowering his gaze to the red and blue owl Bai Ziling was drawing, ¡°Your brother is a superhero.¡±


    He remembered that afternoon when he brought Bai Ziling home, had her rest in his room, and then took a spare battle suit from under the bed, planning to leave the room with it. Bai Ziling grabbed his sleeve from behind and said, ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡±


    He said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, your brother is a superhero,¡± and then left with the battle suit without looking back, even ignoring Bai Wenna trying to stop him.


    Back to present, Ke Mingye was deeply embarrassed, his face flushed, thinking that he had really been acting out a farce then, this kind of juvenile drama was okay to perform undercover daily, just pretending to be in a role-playing game, but doing it in reality was truly difficult without cringing.


    ¡°Surprised¡­¡± Bai Ziling began, then imitated his tone, quietly asking, ¡°What about my brother, isn¡¯t he surprised?¡±


    ¡°Surprised by what?¡±


    ¡°I am a vampire.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought to himself that it was obvious from the glowing sign above your head that you are a vampire, what¡¯s there to be surprised about¡­


    He sighed and said, ¡°Last time you told me, ¡®I am a vampire, will you take me home?¡¯ I didn¡¯t take it seriously. I didn¡¯t think you were serious¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really think much,¡± Ke Mingye said calmly, ¡°Still the same words¡­ even if you are a vampire, you are still my sister.¡±


    He paused: ¡°Also, thanks to you, you saved my life, I would have been dead otherwise.¡±


    As he spoke, he raised his right hand and placed it on his knee, the back of the hand still bearing a faint blood-colored mark.


    ¡°Did you know?¡±


    Bai Ziling put down the sketchbook and looked at him sideways.


    ¡°I know,¡± Ke Mingye asked softly, ¡°When did you draw this on my hand?¡±


    ¡°A long time ago.¡±


    ¡°A long time ago, how long ago?¡± Ke Mingye resignedly pursued.


    ¡°When I was a child, there was a voice in my head saying ¡®this mark will protect the person you love most.¡¯ After hearing that Third Brother was being bullied at school, I drew this on your hand.¡±


    Ke Mingye was stunned for a while, recalling those days. Back in kindergarten, Bai Zini was holding onto him and loudly proclaiming she wanted to be a Magic Girl, and not just her¡­ Bai Ziling had also drawn a Blood Clan Oath on his hand. Absolutely incredible.


    He thought for a moment and said, ¡°Please, I was just being bullied, it¡¯s not like they were going to kill me.¡±


    The Blood Clan Oath that Bai Ziling left on his hand could transfer blood into his body when he was on the verge of death, giving him the Blood Clan¡¯s regenerative abilities momentarily.


    After the battle with Sisteruo at the clothing store, it was this mark that made the wounds on Ke Mingye¡¯s body disappear.


    Of course, Ke Mingye had never been in such a near-death state before, so naturally, he was unaware of this. All he knew was that with this mark, he had an extra life.


    Blood Clan Oath, combined with a second artificial heart, would surely give the Timekeeper a surprise¡­


    Blue Owl and the grey pigeon were different, as he was a superhero with three lives.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s for,¡± Bai Ziling said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ke Mingye said, ¡°is the drawing done?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Bai Ziling turned the sketchpad in her lap around, tilted her head slightly, pale strands of hair fell across the board, touching the little white rabbit and the sharp-eyed red-blue owl¡­ hmm, this owl even had a pair of sunglasses on its face.


    Ke Mingye glanced at it, unable to suppress a smile.


    He said lightly, ¡°You could post this online, my fans will like it.¡±


    ¡°Does brother have many fans?¡±


    ¡°Quite a few.¡±


    ¡°So that means not many.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me, I¡¯ll be a hero of the Round Table Council chasing after Zeus one day,¡± Ke Mingye said seriously.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cheer for you, brother, as Blue Owl¡¯s official artist.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, if I ended up doing terribly, you wouldn¡¯t even be able to afford food.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t eat.¡±


    ¡°By the way, do you need to consume a lot of blood?¡±


    ¡°Not much, only when I can¡¯t find villains, then I need to sneak into a hospital for blood bags.¡±


    ¡°Stop stealing blood bags. The blood of villains is dirty; don¡¯t go after them anymore. There will be superheroes to catch them, like the plump owl in the drawing¡­ Besides, if you really can¡¯t restrain yourself, you can drink my blood.¡±


    Ke Mingye said softly, extending his arm and rolling up his sleeve to reveal his wrist.


    Bai Ziling paused a moment, staring at him motionlessly, like a vigilant kitten.


    ¡°Oh, are you accustomed to drinking blood from the neck?¡±


    Ke Mingye asked as he raised his hand, pointing to the side of his neck.


    They remained silent, Bai Ziling looked at him for a while, then slowly, with her eyes downcast and red, she moved closer to his neck.


    Ke Mingye closed his eyes, ready for the vampire bite, but no pain came from his neck. So he opened one eye halfway, and saw that Bai Ziling merely raised her arms, gently embracing his back, then rested her head on his shoulder.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ brother,¡± she said as she hugged Ke Mingye, whispering in his ear.


    Ke Mingye was taken aback, feeling the coolness of her hair and ears, and asked softly.


    ¡°You won¡¯t drink my blood?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Bai Ziling gently shook her head, her pale hair lightly tickling Ke Mingye¡¯s neck, causing it to itch slightly.


    ¡°Alright¡­ let¡¯s go home,¡±


    Ke Mingye said, also giving her a hug, whispering through her pale hair into her ear,


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you get hurt anymore.¡±


    ¡°Mhm¡­¡± Bai Ziling paused, ¡°I won¡¯t let you get hurt either.¡±


    Their words were interrupted by Bai Zini¡¯s voice from outside the door: ¡°Elder¡ªbrother! Are you done yet, it¡¯s time for the meeting!¡± Her tone was clenched, as if she was about to kick the door down.


    ¡°So slow,¡± Ke Yongzhu¡¯s voice followed.


    ¡°¡­Meeting?¡±


    Bai Ziling glanced, her face turning towards Ke Mingye.


    Ke Mingye let go of her, coughed twice, and said seriously, ¡°Yes, a meeting. I nearly forgot, that¡¯s why I came here, now it¡¯s¡­ meeting time.¡±


    ¡°Last time big brother didn¡¯t take you with him,¡± Bai Ziling thought for a moment, whispered a complaint.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t take him this time,¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just have the meeting in your room,¡±


    Ke Mingye suggested as he got out of bed, walked to the door, and turned the doorknob, glancing at the chilly-faced Bai Zini and Ke Yongzhu.


    ¡°Anyone else?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, just the four of us,¡± she responded.


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 Chapter 368 - 210: The Third Week of the Family Meeting (Part 2)

    Chapter 368: Chapter 210: The Third Week of the Family Meeting (Part 2)


    Bai Qiuwu woke up from her bed, and it was already deep into the night.


    She sat up, raised her hand to rub her nose, sighed leaning against the bed head, then opened her eyes.


    Her pupils still hurt slightly, sometimes bright red, sometimes pitch black, with glimpses of golden-red flames flickering on and off, the side effects of overusing her Eyes of Golden Flame persisted.


    Moonlight streamed through the clean white curtains, casting hazy shadows on the floor covered with a cool mat.


    A night breeze brushed her cheek, and she thought again of the strange thing that had appeared in the Old Jingmai District today.


    ¡°I thought it was the one who had kidnapped my brother¡­ but it turned out it wasn¡¯t, I guess I owe it a thank you,¡±


    ...


    Bai Qiuwu thought quietly, turning her clear eyes toward the brightly lit residential building opposite, she suddenly felt like checking out the No. 7 overpass, perhaps the strange thing was waiting for her there, but on second thought, she checked her phone first.


    The screen lit up, illuminating her graceful face in the darkness.


    There was no message from it.


    Bai Qiuwu felt somewhat disappointed for some reason, she sighed softly, propped her hand against her throbbing forehead and shut her eyes to rest for a while.


    After a while, the strange feeling finally faded. She opened her eyes and gazed at the swaying shadows of the curtains on the floor, her eyes as calm as a deep gorge.


    She suddenly remembered, today in the nick of time, the strange thing had used its silk to hang Bai Zini from a streetlight, dodging the severed blade thrown by the giant. She dared not think what would have happened if Xiao Ni had collided with that blade¡­


    After hesitating for a while, she took out her smartphone and sent a message to the strange thing.


    [Bai Qiuwu: I misjudged you. Today, you really saved my sister.]


    Waited for a while.


    Still no message from it.


    ¡°Forget it¡­¡±


    Bai Qiuwu muttered to herself, sore all over as she got out of bed, walked out of her room, and just happened to bump into Bai Zini and Ke Yongzhu in the hallway.


    The two were standing in front of Bai Zi Ling¡¯s room door, quietly talking to Ke Mingye inside.


    Bai Qiuwu glanced at the three, and asked, ¡°What are you three whispering about here?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much,¡± Ke Mingye said.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have a meeting,¡± Ke Yongzhu said.


    ¡°Elementary school kid, really roll off as far as you can,¡± Ke Mingye glared at him.


    ¡°Am I bothering you?¡± Yongzhu met his gaze.


    ¡°Another meeting?¡± Bai Qiuwu thought and asked curiously, ¡°Like the last time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern, big sister,¡± Ke Yongzhu scratched his nose and said straightforwardly, ¡°You weren¡¯t home today.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ so did I miss something big?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu asked in annoyance, flipping her hair at her temples, hearing the exchange of voices between the eldest brother and second brother from downstairs, she continued, ¡°What about eldest brother and second brother then, were they left out by you guys too?¡±


    ¡°Right, they¡¯re OUT too,¡± Ke Yongzhu said, ¡°Those two are always unseen all day, what do we need them for? This stinky cat even has more presence than them.¡±


    Saying this, he kicked Yuri, who was about to sneak into Bai Zi Ling¡¯s room. The cat did a somersault, meowing loudly, but did not give up on its intention to sneak into the room of the silver-haired beauty and settle down for a lazy nap, still aiming for the gap under the door.


    ¡°Ke Yin Zhi and dogs not allowed inside¡­ oh wrong, you¡¯re a cat, but still, roll downstairs and play.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu slightly bowed his head, his pupils briefly sharpened, casting a golden-red hue as he softly commanded.


    Under the effect of his dragon¡¯s presence, Yuri immediately calmed down, his spine arched and his fur trembled, screeching as he ran towards the first floor.


    Bai Qiuwu obviously noticed the elementary student¡¯s little maneuver, shrugged helplessly, ¡°Then you guys go ahead and have your meeting, I¡¯ll go for a walk downstairs. Let me know if there¡¯s anything important.¡±


    She turned to leave, Bai Zini suddenly said, ¡°Wait¡­ if it¡¯s to be kept secret, it¡¯s not impossible.¡±


    At this, Bai Qiuwu gently curled the corners of her mouth, thinking to herself that they were still talking secrets, as if anyone doesn¡¯t know you four little ones, one a superhero, one a Magic Girl, one a dragon, one¡­ a vampire.


    Honestly, she was still somewhat reluctant to believe that Zi Ling was a vampire.


    After all, that was only the word of some uninvited guests, who claimed they just wanted to take away the vampire¡¯s heart, and the ¡°vampire¡± they referred to naturally was Bai Zi Ling who was nailed to a billboard with an arrow.


    But even not wanting to believe, the scene that kept replaying in her mind still reminded her, this could very well be the reality.


    At that time, Bai Zi Ling had been burned beyond recognition in front of her, and not long after, when Bai Qiuwu returned home, Bai Zi Ling¡¯s wounds had already healed.


    ¡°What exactly is Xiao Ling¡­¡± she pondered, ¡°Really as they said, a vampire¡­ or rather, are vampires even real?¡±


    Thinking this, Bai Qiuwu turned to look at Bai Zini, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep the secret, can you include me too?¡±


    ¡°Hey hey, that¡¯s not really good¡­ Sister, a normal person, shouldn¡¯t be frightened faint by you bunch of goblins and ghosts,¡± Ke Mingye whispered, glancing at Bai Zini.


    ¡°You¡¯re the monster, your whole family is monsters,¡± Bai Zini puffed up her cheeks and replied softly.


    ¡°You a Magic Girl dare to talk about me?¡±


    ¡°An owl turned sprite has even less right to speak!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s vote. Elementary student, what do you think?¡± Ke Mingye nudged Yongzhu¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu crossed his arms behind his head, looking completely unconcerned, and said lightly, ¡°Everybody already knows what I am, whether or not we have a meeting doesn¡¯t affect me. I¡¯m just here for the show, get it?¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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 Chapter 369 - 210: The Third Week of the Family Meeting (Part 2)_2

    Chapter 369: Chapter 210: The Third Week of the Family Meeting (Part 2)_2


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Ke Mingye sighed, leaned closer to Bai Zini¡¯s ear, and said, ¡°With sister¡¯s serious personality, what if she tells dad and mom?¡±


    He paused, ¡°If mom knew I was being a superhero, wouldn¡¯t she grab a Gatling and storm into the Superhero Association to take out my commander?¡±


    Bai Zini replied, ¡°Sister already knows about the elementary school student being a dragon, and she still hasn¡¯t told mom, so what are you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°Suicidal.¡± Ke Mingye rolled his eyes, ¡°You all held a family meeting last time without me, I feel like you did it on purpose¡­¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No changing the subject!¡±


    ¡°Alright, we can bring sister along, but if anything happens, you¡¯re responsible for the consequences.¡±


    ...


    Upon hearing this, Bai Zini frowned and thought for a while. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was the right thing to do, but since she had already agreed, it was too late to back out now.


    Just then, Ke Yinzhi¡¯s footsteps came from downstairs. Hearing the noise, Bai Zini quickly grabbed Bai Qiuwu¡¯s hand and entered the room, and Ke Mingye immediately shut and locked the door.


    The few of them acted quickly, as if they were avoiding a zombie ascending the stairs.


    Ke Yinzhi sneezed, rubbed his slightly reddened nose, and thought to himself that even mutants catch colds. In my next life, I might as well just become a cyborg, it¡¯s much less of a hassle¡­


    At this moment, inside the room.


    Bai Ziling sat on the bed with her legs bent, burying her face in her knees. She looked up from beneath her snow-white hair, quietly staring at the others like a small animal fearful of being hurt, yet her face was expressionless.


    ¡°Xiao Ling, are you feeling better?¡± Bai Qiuwu asked as soon as she entered.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Bai Ziling nodded her head.


    The group sat around a small table by the bed. Ke Yongzhu¡¯s posture was as if she were about to die, with one hand propping her chin and her face slightly skewed.


    ¡°So¡­ you guys said it¡¯s a meeting, just what is it about?¡± Bai Qiuwu paused, ¡°Aside from those parasites and the nuclear bombs, what else could possibly be more explosive?¡±


    ¡°Me.¡± Zi Ling said.


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°I am¡­¡± Bai Ziling paused, ¡°a vampire.¡±


    Having said that, she gently lifted her finger.


    Immediately, before their eyes, the white-haired girl¡¯s fingernails suddenly elongated, sharp as knives.


    She scratched her wrist with her nail, then showed the wound to the others. The crimson cut rapidly healed over, leaving her skin as pale and flawless as before.


    Bai Qiuwu was stunned, lightly covering her mouth with her hand, the heavy stone in her chest finally dropping. She took a deep breath to calm herself, all the while amazed at her own acting abilities¡­


    Bai Zini¡¯s expression was complicated. She hadn¡¯t expected Xiao Ling to keep this from her for so long¡­ What mattered was that even knowing the cuts would heal, it still hurt to see her injured, especially since this was her own twin sister.


    Ke Yongzhu had known about this all along, so she just glanced briefly and looked away.


    ¡°Any other proof?¡± Ke Mingye calmly said, ¡°Bai Ziling, just fast healing doesn¡¯t make you a vampire, many superpower users have strong regenerative abilities.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Bai Ziling lowered her head to think for a moment, then slightly opened her mouth, tugged at the right corner of her lip, and revealed a sharp little tooth.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a canine tooth?¡± Bai Qiuwu peered at her, whispering, ¡°You¡¯re not tricking us, are you? Was that some kind of magic prop just now?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Bai Ziling shook her head in denial.


    Bai Qiuwu hesitated, ¡°So¡­ our Xiao Ling really is a vampire?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Bai Ziling nodded slightly, her pale soft bangs swaying.


    Bai Qiuwu looked at the others, some averted their gaze, some nodded faintly, some had complex expressions.


    ¡°Oh my¡­¡±


    Bai Qiuwu was silent for a long while, softly musing to herself.


    Sighing deeply as if to comfort herself, she murmured, ¡°But to be honest, I¡¯m not very surprised¡­ maybe because ever since I learned that Xiao Zhu is a dragon, I¡¯ve gradually become desensitized to these things.¡±


    ¡°Then big sis, you really ought to thank me,¡± Ke Yongzhu paused, ¡°for helping you adjust to this world.¡±


    Bai Ziling¡¯s head hung even lower, her voice growing fainter, ¡°Sorry, sister, I never told you.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu opened her mouth but found herself lost for words.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be hard on my Xiao Ling sister.¡± Bai Zini said, furrowing her brows.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it your turn now?¡± Ke Yongzhu glanced at her.


    Upon hearing this, Bai Zini stretched out her right hand hidden under the table, quietly grasping a foldable umbrella also beneath the table, but after hesitating for a moment, she silently pulled it back.


    ¡°I have no secrets.¡± She paused, speaking softly, ¡°Unlike you, I¡¯m just an ordinary person.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu was taken aback, tilting her head, ¡°Really?¡±


    Truthfully, she had hoped that Bai Zini would take this opportunity to confess that she was actually a Magic Girl, so she felt a bit disappointed.


    Bai Qiuwu thought, could it be that she, as an elder sister, had failed so badly that her sister couldn¡¯t even trust her?


    Ke Mingye, for his part, wasn¡¯t surprised; he just glanced at Bai Zini¡¯s profile.


    He knew Bai Zini¡¯s thoughts were probably just like their big sister¡¯s¡­ Both liked to act tough and were afraid of worrying their family with their troubles, so they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to talk about it.


    ¡°Really, look at her, she¡¯s too silly even to be a Magic Girl¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when his shoulder was punched by Bai Zini, so he stopped, ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t say it then.¡±


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 Chapter 370 - 210: The Third Week of the Family Meeting (Part 2)_3

    Chapter 370: Chapter 210: The Third Week of the Family Meeting (Part 2)_3


    Immediately, several people turned their attention to Ke Yongzhu.


    ¡°I¡¯m a dragon. There¡¯s nobody who doesn¡¯t know that.¡±


    He sighed and said, ¡°Why are you looking at me? Is the air conditioning too cold and you want me to breathe some fire to warm up your hands? Careful, or I might just roast you all.¡±


    ¡°I think a performance would be good.¡± Ke Mingye opened a box of chocolate bars on the table. As he spoke, he said, ¡°You can be a clown, a lion, and a fire-breather all at once. Don¡¯t waste your talent; you could totally start a circus and be all the performers by yourself. How convenient would that be?¡±


    ¡°Get lost, who could snatch the clown job from you?¡±


    Ke Yongzhu glared at him.


    ...


    ¡°Big bad dragon¡­ I¡¯ll emphasize it again, just don¡¯t eat your classmates.¡±


    Bai Qiuwu said calmly, rubbing Yongzhu¡¯s hair.


    ¡°They don¡¯t deserve it?¡±


    Ke Yongzhu said grumpily, hanging his head down, letting her mess up his hair further.


    Bai Zini coughed twice, then said, ¡°Next up is big brother.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Mingye has a secret identity too?¡± Bai Qiuwu asked suspiciously, looking toward Ke Mingye.


    ¡°If he does, I¡¯ll eat my phone,¡± Ke Yongzhu mumbled, playing with his phone unconcernedly.


    ¡°I do, why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    Ke Mingye lifted his right hand to his chin, bit a chocolate bar, and said calmly.


    ¡°You have nothing,¡± Ke Yongzhu retorted.


    ¡°Then just pretend I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye said nonchalantly, chomped down the chocolate bar, and then performed a phase transfer to swap places with Ke Yongzhu.


    As the two switched places, everyone in the room was momentarily stunned, seemingly unable to react.


    Ke Yongzhu paused for half a second, glanced at Bai Zini sitting beside him, and then realized he had swapped places with Ke Mingye.


    He squinted his eyes and looked sideways at him: ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    He paused for half a second, then let out an even louder puzzled exclamation: ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Blue Owl,¡± Ke Mingye said. ¡°One of my superpowers is swapping places. Just check out the videos online; there are bloggers analyzing my abilities, no need for me to introduce them, right?¡±


    ¡°Just so you know, I was the first in the family to find out.¡±


    Bai Zini spoke indifferently, emphasizing this point for some reason.


    ¡°My brother is¡­ a superhero.¡±


    Bai Ziling spoke with pride, flipping over the sketchpad in her arms to show her cartoon drawing of Blue Owl.


    ¡°Really¡­ are you serious, no joke?¡± Bai Qiuwu took a deep breath, covered her mouth, and widened her eyes.


    She spoke sporadically: ¡°Ming, Mingye¡­ the Blue Owl on TV, the one that¡¯s been really popular lately?¡±


    Truthfully, she regretted her overreaction right after acting it out, thinking her response might have been too exaggerated¡­


    So her ears turned slightly red, but she was still trying her best to look surprised.


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Bai Zini said softly. ¡°Sis, you have to keep it a secret from dad and mom, okay?¡±


    Bai Qiuwu was stunned again, glancing at Ke Mingye and then at Bai Zini.


    Ke Yongzhu said sarcastically: ¡°No way, I was wondering why that superhero was so lame and mouths off so much, not afraid of death at all¡­ turns out it¡¯s you. That makes sense now.¡±


    Ke Mingye retorted, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with mouthing off? That¡¯s called tactical harassment to confuse the enemy and make them lose their minds and make mistakes. What do you know, you elementary schooler?¡±


    ¡°I can slap them to death with one hand, no need for trash talk. Clearly, the strong ones are the silent ones.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, the ability to trash talk in battle is the mark of a real expert. Ever heard of being effortlessly proficient?¡±


    As they bantered, Bai Qiuwu¡¯s pupils flickered with light, her expression complex. She fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, ¡°I heard online that Qing Ya wants to use Blue Owl as bait to lure out the Timekeeper¡­ Is that true?¡±


    Saying this, she looked worriedly at Ke Mingye, her gaze burning.


    Ke Mingye opened his mouth, at a loss for what to say for a moment.


    Silence briefly enveloped the room.


    ¡°That detestable Crow Man is just vile, doing something like this¡­ If he dares use my older brother as bait, I better not find out who he is¡­ or I swear I¡¯ll bite him to death!¡±


    Bai Zini lowered her face, her expression darkening.


    ¡°Indeed, he¡¯s a beast.¡±


    Ke Yongzhu said calmly, getting straight to the point.


    ¡°I hate him¡­¡±


    Bai Ziling lifted her drawing board, which depicted a smelly crow being kicked away by a little white rabbit.


    ¡°Please¡­ He¡¯s never spoken about me like that, never made a stance, and has hardly ever acknowledged me a few times, how can you guys think he¡¯s using me?¡±


    As he spoke, Ke Mingye picked up a glass and took a disinterested sip of water.


    He shrugged his shoulders and continued, ¡°Besides, the Superhero Association has developed so fast, it¡¯s no longer what it used to be, not easily manipulated by a criminal anymore. So¡­ even if I were to be captured by the Timekeeper, there would certainly be someone to save me.¡±


    Though he said this, he believed more in his own two hearts, the Blood Clan Oath left on him by Bai Ziling, and the ultimate card of Bai Ke¡¯s home ¡ª Comrade Yuri; these were his real confidence against facing the Timekeeper. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Bai Qiuwu hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Ke Mingye cut him off.


    ¡°Anyway¡­ Let¡¯s leave it at this for today, I¡¯ve said all that needs to be said, time to rest.¡±


    With that, Ke Mingye stood up from the table, turned, and walked towards the door, pausing slightly at the threshold, ¡°Don¡¯t come knocking on my room door¡­ I revealed my identity to you not to hear you pointing fingers at me, and¡­ no matter how many times you say it, I don¡¯t think Qing Ya is using me.¡±


    After asserting his persona with these words, he turned the doorknob, exited the room, wiped his face with a towel, and returned to his bedroom.


    He closed the door behind him, locked it, and sprawled onto the bed.


    He yawned, thinking how stiff his older sister¡¯s acting was, probably the stiffest in the family, a downside of being too earnest¡­ At least his second brother has a bit of sly charm, so his acting is passable.


    His older sister truly had no acting skills, fortunately, no one else could possibly guess she was Black Wukong.


    Ke Mingye called up the mission panel in his mind.


    [Completed Main Quest: ¡°Destroy the Vampire Hunter Organization¡± ¡ª Using Bai Ziling as bait, lure all vampire hunters to this city and kill them all (Click here to claim reward).]


    ¡°The next node couldn¡¯t be exterminating all vampires, could it? Though it seems all the vampires are already dead, except for Zi Ling alone.¡±


    Ke Mingye thought this and tapped on the text, claiming the node reward.


    [Node Reward Acquired: 6000 Experience Points, 10 attribute points, 5000 Mall Coins.]


    [Current total Mall Coins: 17,100.]


    [Attribute points allocated, your neurological reaction attribute has been increased: 44 points ¡ú 49 points (¡ü5 points); your mental strength attribute has been increased: 40 points ¡ú 45 points (¡ü5 points)]


    [The next milestone of this main quest is the final node: Kill the world¡¯s last vampire ¡°Bai Ziling¡±, ending the legacy of the Blood Clan Oath.]


    Ke Mingye stared at the mission content for a few seconds, then silently closed the panel.


    ¡°Time for sleep.¡±


    He muttered to himself, turned off the bedside lamp, and closed his eyes. In his mind, the mocking smile of Gastella and her ghostly words began to emerge.


    What will you choose in the end¡­


    Do you want to use the power of a god to defy God?


    Don¡¯t be a coward, Ke Mingye.


    Ke Mingye took a deep breath, lightly lifted his finger, directing all his strength to his fingertips, and pointed it at his head. Immediately, his body passed out.


    A night passed without a word.


    The next morning, when Ke Mingye opened his eyes, he saw exactly what he least wanted to see.


    [Obituary: Yesterday afternoon, the player ¡°Gastella¡± located in Huanjing City was killed by another player ¡°Failed Man¡±, and the system has now marked that player as a red name. All players, please be cautious.]


    ¡°Please, it was clearly Blue Owl who did it, what does this have to do with Spider Man¡­¡±


    Ke Mingye ruffled his messy hair, sat up from the bed, yawned, and murmured.


    ¡°This is bad¡­ I wonder if there are any restrictions for red name players, hopefully it won¡¯t attract a bunch of locals to hunt me down?¡±


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