Facing desire

"Hostage?"

Chongming looked at Lin Yu with a puzzled expression.

"Where... did you get this Hostage?"

Lin Yu said, "Not here... but the 'Director' of 'Order'."

"I have a way to end the life of a 'Director' at any time—I can make the 'Director's' soul fall apart at any time."

"If you can pretend nothing happened and leave here, I might spare the 'Director's' life."

Lin Yu said earnestly.

Even without using [Tooth of Prophecy], his tone was so sincere that it made everyone present realize that Lin Yu was not joking.

Chongming narrowed his eyes. "Remotely destroying another person's soul... That's not an ability that a 'Tier 2' character should have."

Lin Yu calmly said, "You can bet on whether I have the ability."

"I believe you have the ability, but... even so, we will not accept threats," "Tengshe" said. "I've heard of the 'Director,' he's indeed a great young man... I really don't want to see him die."

"However, we cannot abandon our mission simply because of your empty threats."

The middle-aged man, who looked like a homeless person, spoke with a firm tone and resolute eyes, without the slightest hint of confusion.

After "Chongming" and "Tengshe" conveyed the message that Lin Yu's threatening intentions had been ineffective.

"Robin" said somewhat anxiously, "But... if she really can kill the 'Director,' we still need to notify 'Order' immediately and be on guard!"

Chongming said helplessly, "Don't worry, I don't think the 'Director' is that fragile..."

Robin was about to say something, "Mountain Sparrow" beside her sneered.

"Hmph, this guy is just bluffing!"

Lin Yu tilted his head and looked at the Mountain Sparrow.

"Oh? You don't believe I can do it, do you?"

The Mountain Sparrow shook her head. "I believe it or not... You might have the ability to kill the 'Director,' but I know you won't do it!"

"You might fool the three of them, but you can't fool me," Mountain Sparrow gestured as if adjusting his glasses, even though he wasn't wearing any. "Because before the forum shut down, I spent two hours every day browsing the latest news and discussion threads, sifting through the relationships and news of various organizations... plus my powerful intelligence network, so I know your background very well, Miss Beast Master!"

"As far as I know, you must be very fond of 'The Director,'" the Mountain Sparrow said smugly. "The reason you're confident you can kill 'The Director' is because your relationship with Director is unusual!"

"Based on my years of experience reading strategy and romance comics, you might threaten us with the 'Director's' life at a moment like this... but you would never actually kill him—because your subconscious act of threatening the 'Director' already shows that his life is... very important to you!"

"After all, no one else would think that the life of a Tier 2 member of the Order could threaten the Tier 4 or Tier 3 members of the Night Watcher!"

The Mountain Sparrow analyzed the situation and finally came to a conclusion.

"So... Robin, no need to worry, this guy is just bluffing!"

Robin somewhat shocked. "Is... that so?"

Tengshe exclaimed in shock, "Oh, oh, there's such a thing... She also has a crush on the 'Director'?"

Chongming kicked Tengshe: "What do you mean 'also'? What nonsense are you talking about?"

Lin Yu clapped softly.

"What a brilliant analysis... The Night Watcher's 'Mountain Sparrow,' is it? You certainly know a lot about gossip and such."

The Mountain Sparrow shook its head. "This isn't gossip, this is winning 'intelligence'!"

"Call me whatever you want, but you're right about one thing: I really didn't intend to kill 'The Director'... or rather, I didn't really think 'The Director's' life could stop you," Lin Yu paused, "I was just stalling for time—thank you for your long-winded explanation, 'Mountain Sparrow'."

As Lin Yu spoke, the Mountain Sparrow paused, then asked, "What? What time are you stalling for?"

"This guy is stalling for time for 'Fishing Man'," Chongming's gaze drifted past Lin Yu to Chen Le and Li Nian behind him, "'Fishing Man' looks like he's fishing for something!"

Behind Lin Yu, Chen Le had already taken out a Folding Stool, set up a small Sunshade, and arranged all the equipment, including fishing rods, Fishing Rod Stand, and Keepnet, before sitting down and concentrating on fishing.

The fishing line disappeared into the ground, as if turning the ground into water.

After Chongming's reminder, the others also noticed Chen Le's actions.

"Isn't it a bit too early to reveal the answer now? This 'Fishing Man' looks like he's still preparing," said Mountain Sparrow. "But... Teacher Tengshe, you should go and stop him now!"

Tengshe nodded and was about to set off when Lin Yu's voice rang out again.

"No, I wasn't buying time for the 'Fishing Man'... Well, although my ultimate goal was indeed to buy time for the 'Fishing Man,' the conversation just now was merely a delaying tactic for myself."

A pale golden light emanated from Lin Yu's body.

Then... these golden rays scattered in all directions.

The scattered golden light quickly solidified again, transforming into golden threads that wrapped around Lin Yu's ten fingers.

He tugged at the golden threads, and soon a commotion arose outside the door.

During the brief moment of conversation between Lin Yu and the "Night Watcher"...

He has already gained access to the Authority "Desire".

This Undersea Ruins, this city where a Previous Civilization sank, is indeed the domain of "Desire".

Every resident here is a puppet and Projection created by the Authority "Desire".

And now...

Having obtained the Authority over "Desire," Lin Yu could naturally mobilize all the puppets formed from these Desire!

Now, all these puppets have poured into the building and climbed the stairs to the door of the [Azure Sea Sky Dome] room!

Then...

"Go."

Lin Yu's ten fingers moved in the air, drawing graceful arcs, like a conductor leading Orchestra.

The entrance to the top floor was instantly breached, and a tidal wave of puppets rushed towards the four "Night Watcher"!

"What the hell is this? What utter nonsense!"

"Tengshe" exclaimed in surprise, but quickly responded.

He swiftly moved to stand between the puppets and the other three, took a drag of the E-cigarette hanging around his neck, and then exhaled a large amount of smoke through his mouth and nose.

Rather than "spitting," it was more like "pouring out"—the smoke emitted by the "Tengshe" had already spread more than ten meters in a fraction of a second, and its concentration was extremely high, so highly condensed that it was almost tangible.

This is practically a violation of the laws of physics!

But that's not all of Tengshe's moves.

The dense smoke that was spewed out churned violently in the air, quickly transforming into twelve giant hands that hooked together horizontally and swept towards the puppets!

"Bang!"

The giant hand of smoke slammed the leading puppets to the ground and then began to crush them—the heavy palm pressed down, and the puppets made a crisp "crackling" sound as their bones shattered.

"That's impressive. To be 'Tier 2'... that's certainly an exaggeration, but it's nothing special!"

"Tengshe" praised it, then took another puff of the E-cigarette and exhaled more smoke.

But...

Before the smoke could fully form, "Chongming" cried out in alarm as he watched the golden light bursting from the puppets crushed by the giant hand.

"Tengshe, stop—don't destroy these puppets!"

But...

It's too late!

After the first puppet shattered, it burst forth with a faint golden light—and this golden light touched the other puppets, as if triggering Chain Reaction!

The numerous puppets, already cracked from the crushing force of the giant hand of smoke, exploded one after another, turning into brilliant golden light!

The golden light quickly enveloped the giant hand of smoke and rolled backwards towards the "Tengshe"!

The brilliant golden light instantly engulfed the "Tengshe"!

"Tengshe!"

"Teacher Tengshe!"

"The Night Watcher!" came the other screams.

Within that golden light, the "Tengshe's" maniacal laughter rang out.

"Hahahaha--hahaha!"

Interspersed among the maniacal laughter was the joyful sound of Tengshe.

"So much meat! It's meat!"

"Can we eat all this meat for free?"

"Oh my god, you mean I can stay in this room for free?! You're so kind!"

"And I can even take a free hot shower!"

"You can smoke in this room?!"

"Holy crap... there are even Beauty Magazine —bro, just tell me, who do you want me to kill?"

Tengshe's delighted voice rang out repeatedly. Chongming looked at Lin Yu, whose hand was wrapped in golden silk threads, and said angrily.

What did you do to Tengshe?

"It's amazing you can still look so resentful after hearing him say all that," Lin Yu said with a smile. "He's so happy... what do you have to worry about?"

The Mountain Sparrow spoke coldly, "Whatever you've done, you'd better stop—we don't intend to kill you, members of the 'Freedom Alliance,' we're just here to stop the 'Fishing Man' from taking the Nine Treasures!"

"Do you perhaps intend to fight us to the death?"

Lin Yu shook his head and said, "How could I have done this... How could I, a mere 'Tier 2', possibly use any techniques to affect a 'Tier 4' 'Tengshe'?"

"That's just too far-fetched!"

As Lin Yu spoke, behind him, pale golden light condensed into a blurry, doll-like phantom with a heart-shaped head.

"Yes, I did it -- but don't worry too much, it's all 'harmless'."

"I simply made him... confront his own Desire!"