Silence.
That was all Li Cheng could hear after the shadow's disappearance — the kind of silence that pressed against his mind, cold and heavy, as if the entire realm was holding its breath.
The words "Devourer of Codes" still echoed inside his skull like a curse.
Mu Yuxin stood a few steps away, her face pale, her usual confidence replaced by something that almost looked like fear. "Li Cheng… what he said—"
He cut her off sharply. "Don't. Not now."
His tone was low, edged with exhaustion and anger, but beneath it was something darker — something old.
[Warning: Emotional instability detected.]
Calming protocols active… ineffective.
"System," he growled, "shut up."
[Denied.]
A faint pulse of red code flickered under his skin, then vanished.
He clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked. Devourer of Codes. The phrase made no sense… yet it felt carved into his very bones.
The city around them began to shift again — the hexagonal floor trembling, streams of code rising from the ground like mist.
Mu Yuxin took a careful step toward him. "The Lost City reacts to memory… to truth. If what that shadow said was real—"
"Then the truth just became our enemy," Li Cheng muttered, forcing a grin that didn't reach his eyes. "Figures."
A Sudden Disturbance
[Alert: High-energy fluctuation approaching.]
A roar split the sky — mechanical, primal, and furious.
From above descended a creature made of pure light and data — a Code Beast, its form a chaotic fusion of dragon and machine. Golden wings stretched wide, its body etched with divine symbols.
Mu Yuxin's face hardened. "That's a Celestial Security Construct. It only activates when a trespasser's danger level hits the maximum."
Li Cheng exhaled slowly. "Meaning me."
"Meaning us," she corrected.
[Combat Sequence Initiated.]
Target: Celestial Construct – Seraph-09.
Authority Rank: Divine Guardian (Tier 8).
The creature's roar shook the data pillars.
Then it spoke in a thunderous, cold tone:
"Unauthorized Entity 'Li Cheng.' Verdict: Extermination."
"Extermination, huh?" Li Cheng smirked. "You sound like my college ex."
The beast launched forward, wings slicing through the digital space like blades. Li Cheng barely dodged, the impact behind him turning the ground into molten code.
He summoned his crimson energy — the infernal script glowing across his arms.
[Skill Activated: Reverse Encode – Phase 2.]
Red runes spiraled into a vortex around him, colliding with the golden aura of the Seraph. The explosion lit up the city, turning darkness into a storm of data fire.
Mu Yuxin joined him instantly, her golden energy flaring like a second sun.
"Keep it distracted!" she shouted.
"Define distracted!" he shouted back, dodging another swipe. "Because it's trying to kill me!"
[Notice: Host sarcasm detected.]
[Encouragement Bonus: +5% Defense.]
"Did… did the system just encourage you?" Yuxin asked mid-flight.
"Apparently, it's learning bad habits!"
They moved as one — her arrows of light piercing its armor while Li Cheng's crimson code carved through its shields. Every clash sent ripples of ancient power through the city.
[Damage Dealt: 23%]
[Warning: Enemy still at 77% capacity.]
The Seraph opened its mouth — gathering light into a massive sphere of divine energy.
[Skill Detected: Heavenfire Protocol – Absolute Purge!]
"Not good," Mu Yuxin muttered. "That'll erase everything in a hundred-meter radius."
"Then I'll erase it first."
He raised his hand, and the crimson code within him twisted violently.
Pain seared through his veins — but along with it came a rush of something ancient, almost sentient.
[Host Power Exceeding Safe Threshold.]
[Warning: Forbidden Protocol forming…]
"System," he whispered, voice shaking. "Release the limiter."
[Denied.]
[Authority Level Insufficient.]
He grinned, half-insane. "Then I'll do it myself."
He tore open the code shard from earlier — the Lost Code Fragment — and crushed it in his palm.
It dissolved into red-gold light that bled into his body.
The world went still.
[Forbidden Code Assimilation Detected.]
Initiating Emergency Sequence… Override!
A shockwave of power burst from Li Cheng, shattering the beast's Heavenfire sphere before it could explode.
Crimson lightning and gold flames spiraled together around him, forming the shape of a winged sigil behind his back — ∞.
Mu Yuxin stared, stunned. "That symbol… it's the mark of the Devourer!"
"Guess the name's starting to make sense," he said, eyes burning with crimson light.
[New Ability Unlocked: Devourer Script – Absolute Rewrite.]
Effect: Absorbs divine code to reconstruct host's authority.
He pointed at the roaring construct."Let's test it."
He clenched his fist, and the space around the Seraph distorted — its golden form unraveling like a glitch, threads of divine code being sucked into Li Cheng's aura.
The beast screamed.
Then, in a flash, it disintegrated — its energy devoured completely.
[Enemy Eliminated.]
[Power Absorbed: +30,000 Experience | Divine Attribute Unlocked.]
Li Cheng dropped to one knee, panting hard. His aura pulsed wildly — half divine, half infernal.
Mu Yuxin ran to him, gripping his shoulder. "You idiot! That ability was forbidden for a reason — you could've destroyed your soul!"
He looked up at her with a crooked smile. "Hey… at least we're alive."
She exhaled shakily, her anger breaking into reluctant laughter. "You're impossible."
[Emotional Resonance Increased to 72%. Compatibility Rising.]
Arrival of the Rival
Just when the tension began to fade, a slow clap echoed from the distance.
Li Cheng and Mu Yuxin turned — and out of the data mist emerged a tall young man in dark azure robes, his eyes shimmering with disdainful amusement.
"Impressive show," the stranger said. "Though I wonder… was all that power really yours, or borrowed?"
Li Cheng frowned. "And you are?"
The man smirked. "Jiang Tian. Inner Disciple of Azure Sky Sect — and rightful heir to the Divine Sequence Nine."
Mu Yuxin's eyes widened. "Sequence Nine… then you're—"
"One of them, yes." He looked Li Cheng up and down. "The system's mistake."
Li Cheng's jaw tightened. "You've got guts calling me that."
"Oh, I've got more than guts." Jiang Tian smirked and flicked his hand, summoning a spear of glowing azure light. "The elders sent me to test you — see if the rumors about an anomaly with a divine signature were true."
He leveled the spear. "Guess they are."
Li Cheng straightened slowly, exhaustion fading beneath a sharp grin. "You sure you want to do this? You just saw what happened to your pet angel."
"I'm not that weak," Jiang Tian sneered. "Unlike you, I actually earned my strength."
He lunged.
The impact shook the ground — sparks of azure and crimson light scattering across the digital horizon.
For a while, it was a blur of speed — spear against fist, arrogance against rage. Jiang Tian fought with precise technique, every move clean and deadly, while Li Cheng fought like a storm — unpredictable, raw, and filled with fury.
"Pathetic," Jiang Tian spat mid-fight. "You rely on chaos because you lack discipline!"
"Maybe," Li Cheng said, dodging a thrust. "But chaos beats arrogance any day."
[Skill Activated: Infernal Script – Mirror Pulse!]
He slammed his palm forward — and Jiang Tian's spear froze midair, the runes on it turning crimson.
"What—" Jiang Tian gasped.
"Your weapon listens better to me," Li Cheng said coldly.
Then he snapped his fingers.
The spear shattered.
Li Cheng appeared behind him in an instant and slammed a kick into his back. Jiang Tian crashed into the glowing ground, face-first.
The system chimed.
[Face-Slapping Event Detected!]
Achievement Unlocked: Public Humiliation (Divine Tier).
Reward: +10,000 credits | +10 Charisma | Reputation Boost in Female Characters +8%.
Mu Yuxin nearly choked. "Did it just reward you for face-slapping him?"
Li Cheng grinned. "Guess the system likes good drama."
Jiang Tian staggered to his feet, trembling with fury. "You— you'll regret this!"
"Maybe," Li Cheng said, walking away, "but you'll regret it first."
As he passed, the digital wind caught his crimson aura — leaving trails of burning light across the ruins.
Aftermath
When Jiang Tian disappeared in a flash of shame and teleportation, Mu Yuxin sighed deeply. "You really enjoy making enemies, don't you?"
"Not really," he said. "They just volunteer."
She rolled her eyes but smiled faintly. "Still… that move. Devouring divine code? You shouldn't even be able to do that."
"I know." His voice grew quiet. "Which means that shadow wasn't lying. I was the Devourer once."
Mu Yuxin stepped closer, her hand brushing his arm. "Then maybe this time, you'll rewrite that fate differently."
[Emotional Resonance: 79%. Link approaching threshold.]
[Warning: Connection instability may trigger fusion event.]
"Fusion event?" he muttered. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Before Mu Yuxin could answer, the system voice echoed again — colder, deeper.
[System Notice: Higher Authority Detected.]
Administrator-level presence inbound.
Both froze.
From the sky above, a symbol appeared — a circle of blinding gold runes forming an eye.
"Unauthorized anomaly. Identification: Devourer Prototype."
"Prepare for forced recall."
The world began to collapse around them — the city trembling violently, code lines unraveling into raw energy.
Li Cheng reached for Mu Yuxin as the ground vanished beneath them.
"Hold on!" he shouted.
[Dimensional Collapse Imminent.]
[Initiating Emergency Evacuation – System Rift Transfer!]
Light consumed everything.