Chapter 57

The flight Miss held down her skirt with both hands, revealing a sweet smile, giving off a very idol-like vibe.

"Don't listen to her nonsense, it's too exaggerated. I just finished my work today and was thinking of coming over to pay a visit. I didn't even have time to attend Mister Shi Lei's housewarming party, I'm really sorry. This is just a small token of my appreciation, I hope you won't mind."

Shi Lei accepted the gift and, by the light of the street lamp, discovered that it was three tickets to a live concert on New Year's Eve.

The seat numbers are A1-05, A1-06, and A1-07, which should be front-row tickets if I'm not mistaken.

"Haha, Miss, you're too kind. I'll definitely come and support you. Come on, don't just stand outside. I bought a lot of wine today. Let's have a good drink."

Nian stood next to Exusiai and asked in a low voice:

"His name is Shi Lei, and it's also Zhongli. Which one is his code name?"

In Terra, only people who are very close to each other use each other's real names; they are usually addressed by nicknames.

"Zhongli is a code name, and Shi Lei is his real name."

Croissant noticed the white-haired, Dragon Horn older woman, finding her very unfamiliar, and asked:

"And this is...?"

"Hello, you can just call me Nian. I'm passing through Lungmen recently and stopped by for a few days. I'll be leaving once Rhodes Island's This Ship arrives."

The flight Miss stopped in her tracks upon hearing this and recalled:

"I remember this one; it seems to be a newly established pharmaceutical company, right?"

"That's right, there are several Doctor on board."

Shi Lei had heard of this organization, but had never actually been in contact with it. He never expected to encounter someone from Rhodes Island today.

"I heard there are many infected people on the island?"

"Yes, and no. If you're interested, come with me for a stroll."

Tourism, in essence, is about leaving behind familiar scenery to see scenery that others have also grown tired of.

Shi Lei had no plans to visit Rhodes Island, and it wasn't advisable to travel around during the Chinese New Year. Unless it was a business trip required by an order, in which case he could use work as an excuse to visit, staying in Lungmen was the safer and more secure option.

"Me? I think I'll pass. It's more comfortable to stay at home in the dead of winter. I don't really want to go on a trip."

Texas and Exusiai share the same thoughts. If they wanted to travel during the holidays, they should have gone back to Laterano or Columbia a while ago.

Seeing that the group generally didn't seem very interested in visiting Rhodes Island, Nian turned his attention to Lin Yuxia:

"Miss, and you?"

"Me? I don't know, let's talk about it later."

The seven men entered the warehouse, first carrying a case of beer, and popping the bottle caps open.

As the year's tail drooped down, it proposed:

"Drinking like this? That's so boring. How about we have a size contest? Let's play a couple of rounds."

With that, she reached into her white Qipao and pulled out two iron dice from somewhere.

"Okay, I'll go first!"

Exusiai volunteered to challenge her to a match. Unexpectedly, she was bad at the game but addicted to alcohol. After winning the first two games, she lost 32 games in a row and quickly vomited.

Croissant, seeing how badly she lost, spoke up indignantly:

"How come you always get such high scores? It's suspicious. Why don't we just have a drinking contest?"

Undeterred, he accepted the challenge with a smile:

"Okay, you said it yourself."

Of the four Messenger at Penguin Logistics, Croissant the best alcohol tolerance. However, after quickly finishing 35 bottles of beer, he couldn't drink anymore and voluntarily conceded defeat.

"My alcohol tolerance is only average among my sisters. If you can't even outdrink me, you're really asking for trouble."

Seeing his two colleagues suffer defeats one after another, Texas stood up and stood in front of Shi Lei:

"I'll compete against you."

092 Mouse

Enlightenment

Like Croissant, they drank straight from the bottle, yet showed no signs of intoxication despite consuming the same amount of alcohol.

Seeing the other person's serious expression as they issued the challenge, she naturally couldn't ignore their enthusiasm and chose to accept:

"No problem, shall we continue the drinking contest?"

Texas sized up the white-haired woman with Dragon Horn before her, realizing she would likely lose again if they continued the drinking contest.

"Shall we have a duel?"

With that, she drew her lightsaber from its sheath.

After several hours of contact, Texas's Sixth Sense told him that this woman was no ordinary person. Her exact strength was unknown, and her true extent was currently unknowable.

"If you want to compete in this, I'll play along with you."

Although the room for the party is large, the space available for fighting is no more than fifty square meters.

Nian had absolute confidence in her abilities and accepted the challenge from Texas. She reached behind her back and drew an antique Bronze Sword from the other side of her Qipao.

Hey hey hey!

Where did you hide this weapon?

The Bronze Sword has a simple and elegant design, and the patterns on the blade are clear and exquisite, making it clear that it is not an ordinary weapon.

Shi Lei squinted, slightly surprised. Could it be that Nian, like him, could create summoned creatures out of thin air?

"I'm sorry."

After apologizing, Texas struck first, appearing before her opponent like a gray flash. She started with a vertical slash, then smoothly transitioned into a diagonal strike.

With his red arms, he picked up the Bronze Sword and effortlessly deflected the successive attacks.

"Ta-da!"

The two swords clashed, producing a metallic clang.

Texas noticed that the lightsabers had developed tiny cracks upon impact. Her expression grave, she continued her high-speed run around the year.

But in the blink of an eye, the target had vanished!

Texas's heart pounded, and she stopped running to try and confirm the other person's location.

The next second.

The Bronze Sword, drawn years ago, thrust out from the side and rear, intending to end the fight quickly with a mere touch. But just as the blade was about to touch Texas's pale neck, it was abruptly blocked by a light brown shield that appeared around her!

The sword seemed to be stuck in the mud, and no matter how hard it tried, it could not advance even an inch.

"Oh?"

Although his attack that year failed, the smile in his eyes grew stronger.

Is this shield Lupo's Originium Arts? No wonder he was so confident in issuing the challenge.

Texas also discovered the Jade Shield and knew that Shi Lei was protecting her.

His off-court support allows him to drop defensive and evasive maneuvers, focusing all his attention on offense and patiently finding his opponent's weaknesses.

The previous year's counterattacks were ineffective, and they also had to contend with Texas's reckless playing style. They were forced to switch to a defensive strategy to avoid an unexpected upset.

The two exchanged more than twenty moves, with neither gaining the upper hand.

Lin Yuxia watched the battle in astonishment, feeling as if she were reading a battle record and gaining a great deal of knowledge.

I really didn't expect that...

Miss Nian is so amazing, she can fight Texas to a standstill.

It's rare to encounter someone with such strength under normal circumstances. But she met one today when she went to find Shi Lei.

Is there a mutual attraction among the strong?

"Interesting."

After blocking the lightsaber attack, he took two steps back, made a pause gesture, and suggested:

"This place is too small, we can't really fight properly. Why don't we go outside and fight?"

Texas had no objection and glanced back at Shi Lei. Seeing him nod, she strode outside.

The two women found a secluded spot outside the warehouse and continued their contest.

The flight Miss stayed behind to take care of the sleeping Exusiai and Croissant, while only Shi Lei and Lin Yuxia went out to watch the game.

This spectacular duel is not to be missed.

"Ta-da! Ta-da! Ta-da!"

The frequency of the metal collisions increased, and the cracks on the lightsabers grew larger. The onlookers, however, remained oblivious, engrossed in enjoying the spectacular sight.

This was the first time Lin Yuxia had witnessed such a powerful opponent in combat, and she stared wide-eyed, not wanting to miss a single detail.

Nian's power was beyond everyone's imagination; even his own father, Lin Gerei, would probably be wary of him.

In battles between strong individuals, victory or defeat can often be decided by a single move or two. But... what if one focused on defense like Shi Lei?

If the enemy tries everything but cannot break through the defense, you will be invincible.

Being undefeated means there is still a chance to win.

In a battle to the death, only the surviving side has meaning; the dead are nothing.

Lin Yuxia had considered imitating her father's sandstorm technique to create a large-scale sandstorm attack. However, while that kind of magic was terrifying, it wasn't as simple and direct as cultivating a defensive strategy.

Watching the match between Nian and Texas live was like reading a martial arts manual. She was like a young girl with a dream of becoming a martial arts hero, unable to resist wanting to try out the moves herself.

Lin Yuxia gleaned some insights from this valuable observation. She placed her hands behind her back and used the sand gathered at her fingertips to create a small 'Sand Shield'.

This level of defense is far from what Mister Shi Lei has achieved. It's insufficient, far from enough.

Texas's attacks were precise and deadly, posing a significant threat to Nian. She was forced to defend herself, and was compelled to reposition herself by the lightsaber's diagonal thrust.

While moving out of position after the New Year, she accidentally bumped into a tree as thick as a fist. Her red palm barely supported the trunk, and in that instant, the tree burst into flames.

Fortunately, each tree remained

Maintaining a safe distance and with no flammable materials nearby, the fire will extinguish once it finishes burning.

"Never mind that tree for now, let's finish it first. At this point, I should get a little serious."

Nian reached behind his back and pulled out a shield that was half his height. The shield had a unique design, unlike any shield sold on the market, as if it were custom-made.

Shi Lei didn't believe that she could hide such a thing under her white Qipao. Either she conjured up weapons and armor out of thin air on the spot, or she had the ability of a time-travel bag.

Ke Nian's body doesn't show Originium fragments. Could it be related to the dragon race?

Texas moved with lightning speed, launching a surprise attack from the flank. However, this attack was blocked by her shield.

With a clang, the lightsaber shattered!

Shi Lei used the shield and quickly called for a halt:

"Stop, stop! The contest ends here! Texas's weapon is broken. Nian, you win."

"No, she won. I used several weapons, while she only used one."

It's just an impromptu game to have with drinks, so there's no need to care too much about winning or losing. "If I take it seriously, it'll be unfair to you. You're really good. What's the punishment if you lose?"

Texas knew that her victory was dishonorable and voluntarily conceded defeat. Seeing Nian's confusion, she confessed that Shi Lei had secretly helped her and that she should accept the punishment.

"How about I punish you by making you drink ten bottles of wine?"

"Hahahaha, okay."

Lin Yuxia frowned, staring at the tree that was about to be completely consumed by the flames. As if possessed, she moved the Sand Shield over. The sand, scorched by the intense heat, transformed into a glass-like substance, resembling crystal.

Lin Yuxia's eyes lit up.