49 Apocalypse Rules

Chapter 270: Chapter 256: Reason, Ability, and Battle

’They didn’t follow me?’

Desperate ran to the other side of town and looked back, only to find no one was chasing her.

She let out a small sigh of relief and muttered to herself.

’Looks like their target is the Commander-in-Chief. They don’t care about a small fry like me... I need to get out of here, fast. Once they capture the Commander-in-Chief, they definitely won’t let me go.’

’...I can’t go to any big cities. My identity must be compromised; I’ll get flagged by facial recognition. Damn it, if I’d managed to get that guarantee, I wouldn’t have to worry about this.’

Just as she finished speaking, a young voice suddenly rang out from behind her.

"They may not care, but I’m quite curious."

The sudden voice made her turn pale. She quickly spun around, assuming a combat stance, only to see a figure entirely encased in pitch-black armor standing there. She had no idea how long he had been there.

"Who are you?!"

"The one you asked for a guarantee. You’re Desperate, aren’t you."

The woman’s eyes widened in shock. "You’re Shadow?!"

While controlling Shadow earlier, Guan Tong had seen this woman abandon Jiang Lanying and flee. He had suspected then that she might be the one called ’Desperate.’ Only a traitor would have done such a thing.

Hearing her muttering to herself just now had confirmed it.

After her initial shock, the woman saw his black armor and thought, ’It really is Shadow.’ The intelligence files on Shadow mentioned this set of ’Shadow Armor.’

"You... how did you find me? I never gave you my location!"

"Did you think I couldn’t find you just because you didn’t tell me?"

"...What do you want?"

The woman didn’t try to run. She knew she couldn’t escape from Shadow. No matter how fast she was, could she possibly outrun a shadow? Besides, she had already used her speed-boosting item to escape the enemy’s encirclement.

She felt that now, she was truly desperate.

"I’m just a little curious," Guan Tong asked. "Why did you betray Jiang Lanying?"

Through Shadow, Guan Tong had just seen those women—the ’Han Lings’—give their lives for their Commander-in-Chief, Jiang Lanying, some even madly taking their enemies down with them.

’Why doesn’t this woman in front of me have that same fanaticism? What makes her so different?’

After hearing Guan Tong’s question, the woman was silent for a moment before saying, "If I tell you, will you let me leave?"

"No."

Even without the rules compelling him, Guan Tong wouldn’t have lied.

"Did you really think I’d let you walk away after all the evil you’ve done for Jiang Lanying?"

The woman’s expression hardened. "Then why should I tell you anything, just to satisfy your curiosity!"

Guan Tong shrugged. "It doesn’t matter if you don’t. But I have a feeling you will, because the need to unburden oneself is a very human desire... especially right before death. People always seem to have a lot to say then."

The woman was stunned for a few seconds before she spoke. "It’s nothing special. I’m just afraid of dying. So even though the Commander-in-Chief adopted me when I was an orphan, I have no intention of dying for her like a disposable pawn. You think that’s ridiculous, don’t you?"

"No, I think that’s how a normal person would think."

Bound by the rules, the woman knew Guan Tong couldn’t be lying; he was speaking his true thoughts.

She said, clearly surprised, "I didn’t expect you to understand. Most people would just call me a selfish, ungrateful traitor."

"If the only reason to adopt orphans is so they can die for you one day, then that’s what’s truly selfish."

"Thank you... Just get it over with."

Guan Tong raised his hand, then paused. "I know you people hide poison in your teeth. Take it, and you die instantly, without much pain."

Han Ling, and the short-haired woman who had led the attack on him before, had both died by taking poison. They died the exact same way. It meant they all carried it.

The woman gave Guan Tong a strange look, then suddenly flung her hand forward, tossing a Psychic Power Bomb at him.

BOOM!!!

After the bomb went off, the woman stared intently, her gaze trying to pierce the billowing dust.

But in the next moment, she felt a sharp pain in her chest as a Shadow Thorn pierced through it and was swiftly withdrawn.

She fell, clutching her chest weakly, and managed to gasp, "You were... prepared..."

"I just found it strange that someone with such a strong will to live would say, ’Just get it over with.’"

Guan Tong’s voice drifted through the smoke.

"Still, I admire the sneak attack. Your actions are perfectly aligned with your nature."

"..."

The woman couldn’t speak as her life quickly faded.

Guan Tong looked at her body, then suddenly snapped his head toward the bank vault, his expression changing drastically.

The Shadow he had left at the scene was sharing its vision with him, and he saw something unexpected appear.

’Lucifer? It’s him...’

Guan Tong had come to intercept Desperate because he was sure Jiang Lanying couldn’t escape.

All her subordinates were dead. It was impossible for her to defeat the remaining members of the Official Team on her own.

But he hadn’t expected the mysterious "extraction" to suddenly enter the battlefield, kill several people, and instantly turn the tables.

And this person was none other than Lucifer, the infamous Ascender from the former Soloma Empire.

He was later put on a wanted list for hosting killing games, after which he defected and ran off to the Tulip Federation Region to join the warlord skirmishes there. Rumor had it he even became the leader of one of the factions.

Guan Tong just couldn’t figure out how he had contacted Jiang Lanying, much less become the one to ensure her safe extraction from the country.

Watching the shocking scene transmitted by Shadow, Guan Tong thought, ’I have to get over there. Now.’

...

Dragon Soul stared at Lucifer, who was standing beside Jiang Lanying, and tightened his grip on the Triangular Military Dagger in his hand.

He asked over his comms, "Anyone still alive?"

"Captain, Chen Na and I are still alive," Silver Fox’s weak voice came through. "My right arm was severed. Chen Na is with me. Her earpiece fell out and got crushed when she went down."

"Dragon Team, I’m still alive..." The young voice belonged to You Hao, the team member with the Locking Compass. His voice was faint. "I have to hold on... If I can’t make it... the enemy will use a teleportation... item to escape..."

Hearing those two voices brought Dragon Soul a small measure of comfort. But aside from them, no one else spoke. The implication was clear.

"The target’s backup is Lucifer," Dragon Soul said. "Silver Fox, get Chen Na out of here immediately and report to command. You Hao, you stay on the ground, play dead, and don’t move. I’ll handle Lucifer."

"...Yes, Captain. Take care of yourself."

At that moment, Jiang Lanying glanced at the bodies on the ground and said to Lucifer, "Let’s go."

"Go?" Lucifer’s gaze was fixed on Dragon Soul. "Haven’t you noticed? This man has no intention of letting me leave."

Jiang Lanying frowned. "Don’t get bogged down. From what I know of North Star, their reinforcements will be here soon."

Lucifer said coldly, "You’re not in a position to give me orders. Remember that."

Jiang Lanying’s expression darkened, but she said nothing, merely stepping aside to watch with a cold gaze.

By now, Dragon Soul had already shed his Combat Suit, leaving him in only trousers, combat boots, a brown tactical vest, and the Triangular Military Dagger in his hand.

"He’s the captain of the North Star Official Team, Dragon Soul. His ability is ’Muscle Enhancement,’ which allows him to instantly strengthen specific muscles to perform Body Techniques that would be impossible for an ordinary person. The weapon in his hand is a Psychic Power item, and its effect is—"

Jiang Lanying relayed Dragon Soul’s intel to Lucifer from the sidelines, hoping he would end the fight quickly.

However, Lucifer rudely cut her off. "Shut up, you old hag. Don’t ruin my fun!"

Jiang Lanying’s face turned livid, but she said no more.

Dragon Soul, for his part, showed no anger at Jiang Lanying for revealing his abilities. He simply adjusted his muscles, his entire focus locked onto Lucifer.

"I can tell you’re eager to avenge your squadmates," Lucifer said coldly. "The captain of the North Star Official Team... quite the title. But I don’t think you have what it takes."

SWOOSH!

With a flick of his wrist, Dragon Soul sent the military dagger flying toward Lucifer.

Lucifer’s wings beat, and he instantly shot high into the air.

But the dagger, having missed its mark, suddenly changed course in mid-air, pursuing the airborne Lucifer.

Lucifer glanced over his shoulder. With a beat of his left wing, several black feathers shot out and knocked the dagger out of the air, sending it clattering to the ground.

He looked down at Dragon Soul on the ground. "A creature bound to the earth... Besides playing these boring tricks, what else can you do? Did you really think you could hurt me with a homing toy?"

Dragon Soul didn’t answer. He bent his right knee, the muscles in his leg rapidly expanding as the ground beneath his foot began to CRACK.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes, recalling what Jiang Lanying had said about Dragon Soul’s ability.

’Muscle Enhancement...’

BANG!

In the next instant, Dragon Soul’s body launched from the ground like a cannonball! A deep crater formed where his right foot had been, a testament to the astonishing explosive power of his launch.

Watching Dragon Soul "launch" himself into the sky, Lucifer finally showed a flicker of interest. "Now this is interesting!"

He beat his wings and swooped down to meet him head-on!

Dragon Soul had used the enhancement on his right leg to achieve that explosive, skyward launch. But the very instant he was airborne, he had already switched which part of his body was enhanced.

Now, it was his arm.

Dragon Soul’s entire right arm transformed. Veins bulged and muscles knotted as it swelled to several times its normal size in an instant, taking on a blood-red, brownish hue, thick and powerful as a legendary beast’s limb.

BOOM!!!

The two collided in mid-air, fist against fist. Lucifer felt as if his knuckles had just smashed against a steel plate. The sharp pain of splintering bone shot through his entire body.

At the same time, he felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his back. It was the military dagger. As Dragon Soul had thrown his punch, he had also directed the dagger to strike from behind, creating a two-pronged attack.

The punch spent, Dragon Soul lost his upward momentum and fell quickly back to the ground. He looked up at Lucifer, who had taken the blow head-on. The man’s entire right arm now hung limp, clearly broken.

Unfortunately, the military dagger hadn’t managed to pierce Lucifer’s heart from behind.

Dragon Soul thought, ’His wings seem to have some kind of ability to automatically defend his vitals. Otherwise, he’d be dead or at least severely wounded right now.’

"Not bad, not bad!" Lucifer, despite his broken right arm, seemed delighted. "So the captain of the North Star Official Team isn’t a completely useless piece of trash after all."

Jiang Lanying watched Lucifer’s broken arm with a deep frown. She was genuinely worried this maniac would get carried away. If he got himself killed, that was one thing, but if he dragged her down and caused her escape to fail, that was unacceptable.

"My turn!"

Lucifer flapped his wings, and dozens of feathers came whizzing toward Dragon Soul at incredible speed!

The muscles in Dragon Soul’s legs bulged, and he dodged by sprinting across the ground. The feathers all landed behind him, not a single one finding its mark.

"You’re good at dodging. So how about this!"

Lucifer let out a low roar, his wings beating furiously.

In the next moment, hundreds, even thousands, of feathers rained down like steel needles, blanketing the area and hurtling toward Dragon Soul from every direction!

The sheer number of feathers covered every possible escape route; Dragon Soul had nowhere to run. He didn’t even have time to use an item. Besides, he felt that now was not the time to be wasting Psychic Power on one.

Dragon Soul lowered his head and arched his back. Activating his ability, his back muscles swelled violently, his shoulder blades and lats merging to form what looked like a large, solid disk.

The steel-like black feathers rained down upon it, making a PING-PING-PING sound as if striking a taut drumhead. They couldn’t fully pierce the hardened muscle, leaving only a back full of bloody welts on Dragon Soul.

Lucifer’s eyes lit up at the sight. "You’ve developed your ability quite well."

Dragon Soul straightened up, looking up at Lucifer in the sky.

He knew that by flying, Lucifer was constantly draining his Psychic Power. ’All I have to do is drag this out until his Psychic Power is exhausted. Once that guy is back on the ground, dealing with him will be much easier.’

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