Noisy voices of a crowd drifted from afar, as a panicked group dashed past the crossroad ahead.
The last straggler had already scurried across, but then abruptly turned back to glance at the pair.
–It’s that guy!–
–Wow, he’s actually not dead.–
Drawn by the man’s voice, a few people turned back and spotted Yang Zicang’s tattered figure on the other side of the street.
–That gun in his hand—it’s the rodent monster’s weapon. Might be something valuable.–
Exclamations erupted from the opposite crowd; they all saw the bloodstains and medicinal plaster on Yang Zicang’s chest.
–Don’t come into contact with them.–
Yang Zicang, clad in a tattered shirt, said gravely.
He did not yet command this spear, nor was he its master; anyone who drew near would be alerted by Moxel that it was a Chronos Battle Artifact.
The allure of a single Chronos Battle Artifact to these people was far more electrifying than acquiring thousands of years’ worth of Chronos.
A voice rang out from afar: –Don’t run! Come back! This area has been requisitioned by the Arbiters.–
Only a fool would stop running.
The two figures swiftly vanished from view before the crowd’s eyes.
A flicker of light from Moxel rippled through the air.
[Robin Lo wishes to perform a Pro-Invest on me.]
Rejected.
[Robin Lo wishes to perform a Pro-Invest on me for 100N.]
Rejected! Just who does this guy think he is, trying to pin me down?
[Robin Lo wants to propose a Pro-Invest offer to me: 100N, full discretionary Chronos. A full discretionary Chronos cannot be voluntarily revoked; within the term, Elect has full control. Term: one month.]
Though Moxel could, under a mental command, automatically ignore untimely financing requests, faced with this targeted Pro-Invest, it appeared far more excited than its owner.
After another refusal, a faint, shouting voice came from afar:
–Quad, I know you’re over there! I’m Robin Lo! I’ve had my eye on you for a long time!–
In the distance, from an upper floor, a plump figure with binoculars hanging from his neck called out.
Vroom!
The sound of a car engine roared from another distant direction.
–This is bad!–
Behind him were the pursuers, while diagonally ahead stood those eager to invest in him. The sound of cars on the other side of the street was also drawing closer.
No matter how fast his speed was, facing an encirclement from three directions, especially the vehicles, it would hardly make any difference.
As soon as someone approached, they’d discover the existence of the Chronos combat device.
[Robin Lo wants to perform Pro-Invest for me, 100N full authority Chronos.]
[I have obtained 100N Pro-Invest.]
{Oh hehehe, hee hee hee hee, ha ha ha ha ha. I have finally taken that crucial turning step—making contact with you.}
–What do you want?–
–What do you want?– Yang Zicang said, knowing full well that the other party could undoubtedly hear his voice.
–Hey, do me a favor, and I’ll pay you well.–
Yang Zicang didn’t have time to respond to this weirdo who had always wanted to invest in him. He told the teenager to quickly hide to the side, then vaulted over the road railing and sprinted toward the other side.
As the sun set in the west, a fierce red off-road vehicle roared wildly from the end of the road.
–Halt.–
The modified car screeched to a sideways stop, and the overloaded passengers swayed violently from the drift.
–So you really didn’t die.–
Judging by this tone, Yang Zicang figured that among the previous group, someone must have broadcasted the news that he survived.
The driver was about to say something when the people in the car burst into uproar: –Damn, it’s a Chronos War Artifact!–
Among them, one sharp-eyed man stared straight at Yang Zicang:
–Ha, I knew it. A nest requisitioned by the monster camp can’t be without something good.–
–What do you mean, ‘requisitioned by monsters’?–
Yang Zicang dashed into the building and looked out to ask.
–You stirred up that mess and don’t even know? Ha, you did a good deed really—but that deed is only good news for those on Hong Moxide’s side.–
The group was raucous, and one of them shouted out:
–Don’t you know? By letting that marked monster you discovered go, you’ve just given those people the right to know of its existence. This place has already been requisitioned by them—time is accelerated here to nurture that monster’s birth!–
Yang Zicang was suddenly taken aback. So that’s why the councilor had sought to impose sanctions on him—he finally understood the reason.
The crowd clamored as they descended from the modified vehicle, and the man muscled his way to the very front.
–How many years is your Chronos Arm? Fifty, or more?–
–This nest is connected to the struggle between factions. The arms born inside it might be a hundred-year, or even a several-hundred-year Cent-Arms, who knows.–
Listening to the increasingly outrageous speculations, Yang Zicang declared loudly:
–Ha, how many years do you think the weapon that allowed me to survive that attack must have?–
This rhetorical question tempered the crowd’s excited guesses.
Indeed, this newcomer who had just given birth to a Quad survived that storm-like attack, suggesting the weapon might only barely meet the Chronos Weapon standard.
–I see. Still, it’s a great weapon—even our captain doesn’t have one.–
The man’s voice wavered with guilt as he spoke.
After all, those who wielded such weapons belonged to formidable teams; his own scrub of a boss not having one was only to be expected.
–Hehe, old-timer, join our Red Iron Gang and this war implement can belong to our team—no need to hand it over. How about that? You can use it anytime from now on.–
–You probably don’t realize that such a precious thing needs to be turned in. But each squad can keep one or two Chronos war implements and molding items. As long as you join the Red Iron Gang, little brother, we’ll all be family. Then, naturally, you can use this weapon whenever you want.–
A cold sneer curled within Yang Zicang’s heart. The headquarters’ indoctrination really runs deep.
Yet the man spoke honeyed words, but the greed in his eyes hadn’t slackened in the slightest.
The silver-white threads from the Invest person refracted through the air.
{Don’t waste words with them. Based on experience from previous years, after this place is requisitioned, hordes of monsters from the opposing factions might be driven here. Headquarters personnel will also rush over—if they run into you, there’s no way you’ll keep that Chronos war implement.}
That was Robin Lo. Damn, he knew about the Chronos war implement all the way from over there. Do these people have nothing better to do than constantly blast their Moxel radios like loudspeakers?
Yang Zicang shot Liang Xi a glance and turned to walk away.
–Stop. I’m telling you to come back. Didn’t you hear me?–
–Killing isn’t allowed here—that’s your headquarters’ rule. So what can you do to me?–
–‘Your headquarters?’ Ha, kid, I bet you don’t know the rest of the line.–
Without even needing that man to shout, a crowd surged forward like a routed army, clamoring noisily.
Facing a Chronos weapon—one that could deliver at least fifty years of Chrononic energy per strike—no one would easily let it slip through their fingers right before their eyes.
But Yang Zicang still felt a trace of helplessness. Although he knew that once order descended into chaos, people like this would be everywhere in the world, it still baffled him that among so many heads here, not one had questioned why they were set on doing something so utterly pointless and harmful to all.
Right now, shouldn’t everyone be focused on escape? Was it really worth it for a gun they wouldn’t even get to use?
And if all these people applied for its use, who would actually end up with the weapon in the end?
Yang Zicang swiftly circled around a square concrete pillar, his hands gripping the Lance as its thrusting speed turned lightning-fast thanks to Moxel’s ability. With a flick of his wrist, the spear tip bloomed into two phantom petals.
–Who’s first! Don’t blame me for breaking the no-killing rule if you end up dead.–
Yang Zicang threatened, brandishing his lance with an imposing stance.
But the rowdy crowd paid no heed to the young man’s warnings.
Many jeered and cheered, shouting for the mob to grab the spear and drag it over.
Thwip!
The silver Lance flashed, and in an instant, a flurry of large, bloody holes was pierced through the arms of the three eager young men rushing forward.
–Ah, this gun took a hundred years off my life!–
–Same here, goddamn it. I only prepared defenses for sixty-some years.–
The hole in his arm where it was pierced through was massive, with blood gushing out.
As for the third and final injured person, it was as if he suddenly realized what he was facing; his head snapped to attention, clearing the fog.
–This, this…– He found it hard to believe, eventually refraining from uttering the words that it might be a Cent-Arms.
To him, the Cent-Arms were far too distant, something that shouldn’t appear in his life.
[**Liang Xi wants to add 50N for me. **]
Bang! Bang!
Yang Zicang refused the young man’s new Investment, switching from thrust to sweep—lashing out with his spear across the ground, striking another person squarely on the leg.
–Ahhhh! This bastard… his Chronos seems to be a lot after all.–
That person clutched his leg and jumped up.
Yang Zicang thought helplessly that sometimes, a ragtag mob was the hardest to deal with.
They had no clue what was going on, arrogantly believing that numbers alone spelled strength, never truly thinking that the spearhead might actually land on them.
–I killed the rat-man leader; guess how much Chronos I got?–
Yang Zicang bluffed loudly.
Upon seeing that someone was actually injured, several people ahead halted their steps in guilt. Suddenly, two of them were pushed aside, and a figure with a plump physique charged forward.
Yang Zicang aimed at the head of this fierce-eyed, butcher-like man and thrust his spear straight in.
Swish! The spear tore past his ear like a thunderbolt, and with a bang, blood splattered.
Not just his ear—half the skin on this menacing man’s face instantly shattered into bloody foam.
Not only had he failed to protect his ear, even his face had only held out for a few decades.
–Ahh, you actually killed someone!–
–You’re not dead yet, get lost!–
The silver spear slammed into his legs with two dull thuds, and his kneecaps exploded instantly.
The fat man’s whole body crumpled, falling to the ground with agonized wails.
From menace-filled menace to utter despair, it took less than two seconds. This was a true brute, relying solely on intimidating momentum.
–Heh, I know the second half—it’s up to each one’s skills. So bring it on. My ability is speed. Let’s see if I’m faster in breaking your limbs, or you’re faster in snatching my weapon.–
The effect of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys was achieved.
The remaining few stood frozen in terror; no one dared to be the first to step up.
–He really doesn’t care about Chronos canceling at all.–
–This is what it means to have the backing of a Chronos weapon—damn it.–
At first, no one believed that gun’s strike would land on them—they were merely bystanders drawn to the spectacle.
But when it began to pose a real threat, everyone suddenly realized this was no joke; it was a reaper that would snatch decades of life with a single touch.
If they were unfortunate enough to encounter it, it would be a calamity out of nowhere.
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