"I suggest you put it on! At least you'll keep a whole corpse!"
"Otherwise, if you get smashed to bits, we brothers won't even be able to collect your body!"
An Xinghe still refused:
"I don't like wearing armor. It affects my movement."
Seeing this, the soldier tossed the armor aside:
"You can't save a fool from his fate! Either way, your end is death."
"Once you see our Guard Captain, you'll regret your stupidity!"
Chapter 40: Sir, the Times Have Changed!
After refusing the armor, the soldier led An Xinghe into a circular arena.
And by then, a big man was already standing inside!
An Xinghe was 181 cm tall, but the other man reached 2 meters!
He was packed with muscle, his head completely shaved, and his whole appearance was ferocious!
He pointed at An Xinghe:
"You're the challenger?"
"That's right. Are you the Guard Captain?"
The man laughed and said:
"How could someone like me be the Guard Captain! I'm just a Referee!"
"Our Captain is only coming now."
"Thud," "thud," "thud."
Heavy footsteps rang out, like an elephant walking!
The door opposite An Xinghe opened.
A man ducked his head through the doorway and stepped into the arena!
He was over three meters tall, his entire body wrapped in metal armor, and the eyes visible through his helm gleamed with a beast's ferocity.
In one hand, he held a thick spear; in the other, a large shield.
That shield was as wide as an ordinary house door!
And his armor was at least three centimeters thick!
He hardly seemed human—more like a giant from Greek legend!
Even An Xinghe was stunned by the Guard Captain's presence!
No wonder the soldier had said he might get smashed without armor.
With no defensive gear on him now, one thrust from the Guard Captain would definitely tear him apart!
While An Xinghe sized up the Guard Captain, the Guard Captain sized him up too.
Seeing An Xinghe's height, he sneered:
"A little Bean Sprout thinks he can defeat me?! How could you ever marry our great Gray Queen!"
"Let me tear your body and your delusions apart together!"
"My name is Beowulf! The strongest man in Gray Country! Draw your weapon, Bean Sprout!"
An Xinghe tilted his head, looked at the imposing Beowulf, then pulled an F2 Sniper Rifle out of his crotch...
Livestream Room.
[Damn! I was just worried about An Xinghe! I forgot he still had that Fine Grade sniper rifle!]
[With a build like Beowulf's, isn't he just a sitting duck?!]
[Referee! Someone's cheating! Everyone else is using Melee Weapons, and he's using a firearm!]
[Sir, the times have changed!]
[I remember that sniper rifle—it was found in the Lady's Castle, and Cassandra of the three sisters took him to get it!]
[This is another bowl of golden soft rice! Hey, why did I say "another"?]
[The tables have turned instantly!]
Beowulf looked at the sniper rifle in An Xinghe's hand and mocked:
"What kind of weapon is that? No edge, no blade! Calling it a fire poker would be overpraising it!"
"Do you intend to fight me, Beowulf, with that thing?!"
An Xinghe raised the sniper rifle, the muzzle aimed straight at Beowulf:
"Grandson, come on!"
"You dare curse me?! Watch me grind you to dust!"
Beowulf raised his great shield before him and charged straight at An Xinghe!
An Xinghe rolled his eyes.
Charging straight at me like that—are you afraid I can't aim?
An Xinghe's finger pulled the trigger!
Bang!
A sharp gunshot rang out. The 7.62 bullet tore through the air, pierced straight into Beowulf's body, and then punched through!
A heavy suit of armor might fend off blades, but it couldn't fend off death itself like an F2!
Beowulf stared in disbelief at the massive wound in his abdomen, clearly still lost in confusion.
What happened? Why was he injured? That Bean Sprout hadn't even moved from where he stood—how had he attacked him?
Yet this became Beowulf's final thought!
Bang! Bang!
Two more shots rang out in succession. One struck his head, one struck his heart!
Beowulf's mountain-like body crashed to the ground!
The surrounding soldiers were stunned!
They couldn't believe that Beowulf, who in their eyes was nearly invincible, had been killed in just two short minutes!
And killed without taking a single hit himself!
This was utterly baffling! It wasn't something human strength could achieve! This was magic! It had to be magic!
An Xinghe raised his gun again, aiming it at the referee, and said coldly:
"What? Still not announcing my victory?"
"Or do you want to die too?"
The referee's body trembled!
Faced with An Xinghe's unknown and terrifying killing methods, he was terrified!
He quickly scurried over to An Xinghe's side and raised his hand:
"Th-the winner of this match is... An Xinghe! Congratulations on earning the right to an audience with the Gray Queen!"
Chapter 41: I'm Jealous!!
Having successfully defeated the Guard Captain Beowulf, An Xinghe was led to a room inside the castle.
A maid came over and said:
"Mr. An Xinghe, please wait here for a moment. Later, I will take you to see the Gray Queen."
"If you can successfully put on the Crystal Slipper, you will become the queen's husband, and also the king of the Gray Country."
"Good luck to you."
After the maid left An Xinghe's room, she went directly to the Gray Queen Cinderella's chamber.
Cinderella lowered her eyes and asked:
"Did you see clearly?"
"Yes!"
"What size are his feet?"
"Size 45!"
Cinderella smiled cruelly:
"Go, bring that size 33 Crystal Slipper! If he can't put it on, kill him!"
"Yes... but..."
Cinderella noticed the maid seemed to have something to say:
"Is there anything else to report?"
The maid bit her lip, gathered her courage, and said:
"Your Majesty, I think this An Xinghe is quite pleasing to the eye. Why not let him go?"
Cinderella's gaze sharpened, her voice like biting winter wind:
"Do you want to wear a pair of Crystal Slippers too?"
"No, no!" The maid quickly knelt down. "I'll go now! I'll go now!"
An Xinghe waited in the room for about half an hour before the maid came over and said:
"Mr. An, the queen is ready. You may go for your audience."
In the solemn throne hall, the Gray Queen Cinderella sat on the highest throne. Before her sat a pair of delicate Crystal Slippers.