Otaku Xiao Cheng effortlessly parried Chu Long's lightning strike.
This scene utterly stunned everyone present!
"How is that possible?!"
Li Yunwei nearly intervened herself, fearing he'd be killed by his opponent.
Yet who could have imagined he'd so easily deflect the attack...
No, something was terribly wrong with his expression!
This wasn't his own doing—it seemed someone was manipulating him from behind the scenes?
Li Yunwei frantically scanned the area, but how could she spot Chen Nian, who had already activated "Shadow Concealment"?
Qin Yu and her entire entourage stood frozen in utter shock, their mouths agape in disbelief...
"Xiao Cheng is only level 30... He's this strong?!"
"This is beyond belief!"
Only Deng Rongrong and her two companions, after a moment of confusion, felt intense delight.
They knew perfectly well it wasn't his own skill—someone was secretly intervening!
Who could pull off something like this without anyone noticing?
Only Chen Nian, of course!
Chen Nian, using "Void-Slipping Serpent," manipulated Xiao Cheng's body as he slowly raised his right hand.
"Ah... my hand! My hand moved on its own?!"
Spell of Words, Flame Burst!
BOOM!
Where Xiao Cheng's finger pointed, a ball of flame erupted violently.
The target was instantly blown backward, charred black all over, clearly unable to get up anytime soon...
"Holy shit?"
Xiao Cheng stared at his hand in disbelief, three question marks floating above his head.
What the hell? Am I possessed?
Before he could process it, his finger pointed at another target.
BOOM!
Violent flames erupted beneath the man's feet like a volcanic explosion.
Another opponent fell, unable to rise.
"Nice shot!" Qin Yu couldn't help but cheer, thinking his money was well spent—he'd actually hired a pro.
Deng Rongrong and the others were in awe. No Speech was truly formidable!
Without even showing his face, he could manipulate others into battle with his supernatural skills, turning a scrawny nerd into a possessed demon. Terrifying!
"Where the hell is he?!"
Li Yunwei's gaze scanned every corner of the scene.
Yet she still couldn't detect the "mastermind's" presence.
She couldn't confirm if the attacker was Chen Nian, but besides him, who else would meddle in this mess?
"B-boss! This guy's seriously weird!" Yang Yan swallowed hard, sweat already beading on his forehead.
As a powerful fighter, Chu Long naturally sensed something was off too.
He was being controlled!
Could it be the ability of a "puppeteer"?
Or some kind of psychic power?
Fine. So there's a real powerhouse lurking here. If you won't show yourself, I'll start by taking out the one you're controlling.
"Playing tricks? Don't blame me for getting serious."
Chu Long formed a pistol gesture with his right hand.
His left hand clutched his right arm, looking like a typical middle-schooler's dramatic pose.
But suddenly, electricity surged through his entire body, concentrating on his right index finger. A terrifying thunderous energy was about to erupt!
"Holy shit, run!"
"We're dead... we're dead..."
The people around Xiao Cheng scrambled away, rolling and crawling toward the side.
Only Xiao Cheng remained, utterly alone.
He wanted to flee too, but his legs refused to move!
"Holy shit... no way."
As his legs trembled uncontrollably, Chu Long's "Thunder Spear" shot straight toward him.
Focused on a single point, reaching the pinnacle!
The Thunder Spear was an absolutely devastating single-target attack skill, possessing unparalleled penetration. If a normal person were hit head-on, death was certain!
Chu Long was certain this strike would leave his opponent either dead or crippled.
Even if he killed someone, he had nothing to fear. A powerful player like him was a vital asset in Linhai City's fight against the Blood Moon Calamity—no one could hold him accountable.
But what happened next made his pupils suddenly contract!
The thunder spear, as mighty as a celestial sword, was blocked by a transparent wall. Its terrifying energy was completely neutralized, not even grazing Xiao Cheng.
"Impossible!"
Chu Long shouted instinctively.
He was currently Linhai City's highest-level player. No one in the entire city could easily withstand such a devastating strike.
How could he possibly...??
Of course, it was Chen Nian who had intercepted the lightning spear.
He had merely activated "Shadow Concealment," rendering his form invisible to others.
As for how he had blocked it, he had simply stood in front—taking no special measures whatsoever.
With Chen Nian's staggering 500 points of additional defense and 100 points of constitution, the strike felt like a tickle against him—not even a scratch!
Xiao Cheng, however, was crying tears of terror.
Even as he wept, his hand moved involuntarily.
Flame Burst!
Flame Burst!
Flame Burst!
One by one, Chu Long's men were blown away by the erupting flames, utterly defenseless!
In the end, only Yang Yan and Chu Long remained.
Xiao Cheng's raised hand aimed first at Yang Yan—the man who had snatched Qin Yu's gear.
"B-boss!"
"This guy's fucking weird! How the hell do we fight him?"
Chu Long coldly retorted, "What the hell are you scared of? His attack pattern is too simple. It might work on low-level noobs, but do you really think it can threaten us?"
His analysis wasn't wrong.
Flame Burst was one of Chen Nian's most basic Word Spirits, emphasizing only one aspect. Since Chen Nian's attack power wasn't high, its destructive force was limited.
But he wasn't a one-trick pony.
Word Spirit—Flame Burst.
Word Spirit—Flash Lightning.
Spell—Wind Demon Slash.
Fire, lightning, wind.
Three spells intertwined, striking Yang Yan simultaneously.
Yang Yan collapsed to his knees, screaming in agony. His body was charred black, covered in countless gashes from the wind's blades. The sight was gruesome beyond words...
"....."
Chu Long instinctively took two steps back.
Using three elemental attacks simultaneously?!
Elemental mages typically mastered a single element—like him, who only wielded lightning. He'd never witnessed such multi-elemental fusion!
In that instant, he finally grasped the sheer terror lurking behind him...
This was no foe he could hope to challenge!
How had this woman managed to involve such a powerhouse? Linhai City truly harbored hidden dragons and crouching tigers—rank meant nothing.
To continue fighting would only bring shame upon himself.
"I concede."
Chu Long helplessly raised both hands in surrender. "I'll return your gear. I apologize on behalf of our guild."
His gaze swept forward, yet it didn't fix on anyone—instead, it lingered on empty space.
This apology was meant for Chen Nian.
Chen Nian also held back, releasing control of the Ethereal Snake. Without its support, Xiao Cheng's legs buckled, and she stumbled.
"We won?"
Qin Yu was still in a daze.
But when that epic-tier equipment returned to her hands, she couldn't have been happier.
Xiao Cheng became the hero of the hour. Everyone else now addressed him as "Brother," though only those unaware of the truth did so.
The true insiders were the few who knew Chen Nian's identity.
"Quick, let's find Chen Nian!"
Qin Yu exclaimed happily, eager to give the gear to Chen Nian before any complications arose.
"Um... Brother Chen Nian is right here. Where exactly do you plan to find him?"
The others couldn't help but mentally roll their eyes.