The emergency extraction of the remaining Chronos that the gun-snatcher had injected into the firearm had just taken place.
At this moment, how could the opponent still have a chance to control the threads?
Grav-Arc’s black hole tugged at the threads, and within less than two seconds, Yang Zicang could hear a series of startled cries from the far end of the long street.
The threads vanished inch by inch.
–Who’s setting me up?– Yang Zicang burst out of the dust.
At the end of the street, an elderly woman collapsed into the arms of a few young people. With a weak raise of her hand, she pointed at Yang Zicang.
–Ahh, demon!–
–My legs, my eyes…–
Behind Yang Zicang, beyond the other side of the smoke, a chorus of agonized screams erupted from the unruly mob.
The massive shockwave from the car explosion sent two people crashing to the ground, spitting blood and convulsing. Their lifespans were limited, making it impossible to fully defend all their internal organs.
Also quivering were the scattered fragments of the blood-red engine, whose bloodstained shell bore monster scales—this engine was the remnants of a vanquished nightmare.
–The engine feeds on flesh and blood, not gasoline…–
Yang Zicang twisted his head to scan his surroundings.
He finally understood what these cars were burning.
On the empty road, Yang Qian looked somewhat bewildered, his arm holding the golden phantom blade trembling slightly.
–You, you…–
Wasn’t he the one utterly crushed by the rat-men in that battle before? How did he still have so much Chronos? And his attack range was this far-reaching.
Yang Zicang bent down, picked up a small stone, and tossed it outward.
–No, don’t!–
The crowd in that direction instantly burst into tearful screams, scattering wildly in panic.
–He’s a demon! Someone go kill him!–
Clink! The stone hit the ground, bounced a few times, and rolled with a hollow rumble to the middle of the road.
Those who had been grazed by the stone were already scared stiff, their pants soaked—only to find it was just an ordinary pebble.
Yang Qian was knocked to the ground by someone.
–Now that I’ve handed you this spear, do you think you can guard it with these people of yours?–
[Resonance: 50%]
Yang Zicang looked indifferently at Yang Qian.
{Why are you wasting time with him? Hurry up and come to me.}
Yang Zicang ignored Robin Lo’s urging, his gaze fixed solely on the man.
–Get lost. I admit I underestimated you, but next time…–
Yang Zicang shook his head, cutting off the man’s harsh words: –I’ll give you a chance—a real Invest.–
–Huh?– Yang Qian looked at him, a layer of confusion clouding his face.
–Give me back the Invest quota you think someone who possesses both the QuadMoxel and the Cent-Arms should have. I’ll repay you with suitable assistance in the future.–
Investing in the legendary Quad owner was something Yang Qian had never dreamed of.
To him, all Chronos Invest was merely acting on the feedback from the Moxel.
But now, such a rarely-seen figure stood right before him.
And he was the very person he planned to rob.
–You’re trying to fool me.–
–You’ve become one of the decision-makers in this team, so your mind shouldn’t be as dull as theirs. My original intention was never to make enemies, and today’s fault lies entirely on your side. This is the last shred of goodwill I’m showing you.–
Yang Zicang swept his gaze across the surrounding people who glared at him with hostility.
As his eyes brushed over them, they didn’t even dare to take a deep breath, terrified that the stone capable of shifting its trajectory might land on them.
How pathetic. Yang Zicang felt a pang of pity for them.
This place wasn’t at all suited for their survival.
–Forget it, I’m leaving. Goodbye.–
Yang Zicang turned around and strode away quickly, not bothering to look at this man again.
Liang Xi, alerted by her telepathic notification, had already made her escape a long time ago.
Seeing Yang Zicang quickly fading into the distance, Yang Qian scrambled to his feet with a hint of agitation, standing rooted to the spot.
This restlessness grew rapidly with the young man’s departure.
Several times, he wanted to call out to Yang Zicang, to inquire what repayment the other party would offer.
He wanted to ask about Investing—what if Yang Zicang ended up dying?
He wanted to ask, what if Yang Zicang broke his word?
He wanted to ask, what if he, when in need, found that Yang Zicang failed to show up or demanded even more?
But that man simply wasn’t giving him the chance.
Yang Zicang moved too fast; he was about to vanish behind the dusky buildings shadowing the roadside.
–Damn it!–
Beset with anxiety over potential gains and losses, Yang Qian harshly hurled the knife to the ground. But because the knife was strapped to his hand, he failed in the attempt; it merely scraped against the floor, sending sparks flying.
–Second boss, that bastard is just too arrogant! Next time, we’ll put him in his place until he’s docile as a lamb.–
–Qian-ge, don’t fall for it!–
The crowd finally became restless again, everyone spouting curses at the retreating Yang Zicang.
They huddled once more around the vice-captain.
[**0.1R Financier returns. **]
Yang Zicang had never seriously expected his mere words to sway the man—what he meant to do was offer a slight warning to those watching him.
A man wielding a Cent-Arms of QuadMoxel standing was someone that common riffraff had no right to trifle with.
He simply hoped these words would deter some—at least those still capable of rational thought.
–Ha, my esteemed Investor, where am I supposed to find you?– Yang Zicang said half-jokingly, trying to ease the tension.
{From the abandoned residential building on the right, go two hundred meters northwest, there’s a small door. You can dodge the other team coming this way through there.}
–And then? Where do I find you?–
{The Science and Technology Museum.}
Yang Zicang regrouped with Liang Xi and together they arrived at the abandoned public building mentioned by Robin Lo.
Though over an hour had passed, the sunset still lingered on the edge of the horizon, having only dropped a fraction since before.
The desolate city, shrouded in purple mist, was bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.
–Need some water?–
The Investor’s voice came from within the musty, dark corridor.
–No, I’m fine. But I could use a drink, actually.–
Yang Zicang answered unconsciously, only realizing after the words left his mouth why he had responded to his own fleeting thought.
–How about beer?–
「……」
Sensing that he was about to blurt out –I don’t really like beer,– Yang Zicang quickly steadied himself, refusing to let the voice lead him into answering.
–Oh, don’t worry, I mean no harm. It’s just my ability—I can’t control it well either.–
A furtive male figure appeared at the stairway, his eyes fixed on the gun in Yang Zicang’s hand, revealing a mixture of surprise and envy.
–Let me officially introduce myself. My name is Robin Lo. Yeah, it’s just a code name. Sounds cool, doesn’t it?–
–I only know one Luo Binwang.–
–Bah, I knew it—you’d guess where I got the inspiration from in a single moment, hahaha. Here, quench your thirst. This stuff is a luxury.–
He flicked on a small lamp on his shoulder to illuminate the corridor, then handed out two cans of beer.
–Kids can’t drink.–
Yang Zicang declined on behalf of Liang Xi.
Liang Xi glanced at him, hesitating as if about to speak but stopping.
–I want to know, what the hell are you trying to do?– Yang Zicang asked.
Thanks to the light now, he could make out the man’s features clearly.
This was a slightly chubby middle-aged man with a bulbous red nose, dark skin, and coarse pores, yet looking gentle and easygoing.
Wearing a blue cloth hat, he resembled an oversized blue dwarf.
Liang Xi stared at him guardedly.
–Heh heh, before we talk about that, let me ask you: in your original world, have you ever read that book?–
–What book?–
–‘In the woods, in some city named Ma, I lived a very solitary life.’ The owner of that book began with these words, which can perfectly describe my own three years here. How about that, cultured, aren’t I? Hmph, but now, I’m about to turn a new leaf in this life, and I hope you’re the key figure who can bring about that change.–
–You’ve been here for three years?–
Yang Zicang’s heart quivered in secret alarm, then began to pound violently. He asked urgently:
–What do you mean by a turning point in life? Going back to Earth?–
Robin Lo abandoned his pretentious tone, shouting excitedly like a drunken sot:
–Don’t dream about it. For now, I can’t see even a shred of hope of going back, not a shred!–
The intense anticipation that had just risen was shattered.
Yang Zicang’s heart was instantly filled with disappointment, and then he forced down his emotions and asked:
–What do you mean by a turning point?–
–I’ll tell you after you’ve helped me out.–
Robin Lo then gave a mysterious smile, his face brimming with the complacent look of a drunkard.
This wasn’t targeted at Yang Zicang, but rather a habitual grin that the man naturally let slip.
It seemed alcohol had already altered his temperament.
[Chronos War Gear Resonance 100%]
[I have gained an additional extractable ability: Grav-Arc. Current Slot: Zero.]
Information regarding the ability’s utilization was transmitted from within my consciousness.
[I invested 9N. Grav-Arc grid expanded, current grid: digit.]
Robin Lo led the two through the sprawling, half-collapsed building.
Not long after, the trio arrived at a concealed pit beside a toilet cluttered with rubbish, which once served as a septic tank.
–Nobody would guess there’s a C-level dimensional space inside a septic tank. Hehe, fellas, just trust me and come on down. In this world, trust is a rarer commodity than Chronos itself.–
With those words, he jumped down.
The two above exchanged a glance. Yang Zicang was about to say something when Liang Xi, a determined look etched on his face and lips tight, leaped down.
–Brother, I’ll go first—if there’s danger you escape.–
Liang Xi’s voice echoed from below.
Thud.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Liang Xi, upon rising, cracked his head on the pit’s manhole cover.
–Ha-ha, you’ve got a truly enviable comrade here.–
Robin Lo poked his head out through a narrow crevice in the wall, barely wide enough for a man to squeeze through sideways.
Yang Zicang, who had jumped down afterward, patted Liang Xi on the shoulder, utterly indifferent to the bloody stench clinging to him, and said:
–I’ll go in first. You wait outside with the weapon and run if there’s danger.–
–Ah, I…–
Liang Xi took the silver Lance that had been shoved into his hands and stood there, a little at a loss.
Watching this older brother slip through the crack in the wall, Liang Xi was deeply moved and secretly resolved not to betray the trust placed in him.
After they both vanished, he couldn’t resist pulling a magic crystal the size of a thumb from his pocket, using its faint glow to examine the silver Lance—his heart brimming with both excitement and envy.
……
This –extra– area was a tunnel, resembling a transport route carved within the mountain.
–You seem quite trusting of your little companion.–
–I suppose so. He trusts me a lot too.–
–Yes, it’d be nice if everyone were like that. But someone always has to shatter that trust.–
The man ahead remarked as he took off his hat, pointing to a horrific wound on his head—it was at the back of his skull.
–Thanks to there being so many bizarre items in this world, I was fortunate enough to survive. And, of course, I owe it to my companion’s help.–
–What a terrible wound.– Yang Zicang let out an earnest sigh.
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