What a hard head

"Slap, slap, slap!"

Listening to Xiao Nian's analysis, the masked girl in front of her gently clapped her hands.

"Impressive, impressive, truly impressive, Count Arase Nian, your analysis is truly insightful."

"But is there any possibility...?"

"I did come for Lady Joe Solence —however, I was merely investigating anyone who might be in her way?"

"After all, she is a 'Royal Nobles' —assassinating a Royal Nobles would certainly require an absolutely meticulous plan."

Xiao Nian said in a low voice, "Don't joke around. You didn't intend to kill her anyway... With the skill you showed just now, silently taking down Good Night and dislocating my hands in one or two rounds, if you really wanted to kill her, she would have been dead at least seven or eight times by now."

She glanced back; Joe Solence was still surrounded by several ferocious beast specimens, locked in a fierce battle with them.

"But now... Lord Joe wasn't even injured, which is enough to explain things."

"You even noticed her shield level dropping and that she was consciously reducing the Alchemy Energy of those beast specimens... Well done, but unfortunately, I've already seen through it."

A girl's soft laughter came from beneath the mask.

"Ha, you were right... Count, your observation skills are very keen—I thought that when I stood in front of you and put pressure on you, you would overlook the changes in Lord Joe Solence's Miss."

"Now it seems that details truly determine success or failure."

Xiao Nian said, "So, you don't need to waste your energy anymore—let those specimens stop, and let the irrelevant people know that you no longer need to maintain this 'excuse and pretext'."

The girl shook her head. "No, you misunderstood... Although Joe Solence was indeed a 'decoration,' and my real target has always been you, it doesn't mean that sending those beasts to besiege her was pointless."

"I do have some personal grudges against her."

The girl said softly.

Xiao Nian raised an eyebrow. "You don't actually love animals, do you?"

"No, it's just... I personally really dislike this guy," the girl tapped her mask. "You know, a young Alchemy of my caliber can only come from Noble or the Three Great Corporations."

Xiao Nian said calmly, "It's not hard to guess... and you're very likely Royal Nobles —your attitude towards her was too 'equal.' In the City That Never Sleeps, personal feelings like 'dislike' can only be directed at peers and subordinates."

"The Noble the City That Never Sleeps, especially those closer to the center of power, are often the most gifted and tend to have the utmost respect for Royal Nobles... They would never use 'assassinating Royal Nobles' as an 'excuse to cover up their true intentions'—it's not that they wouldn't dare, but rather that they simply wouldn't think of it."

The girl nodded and said, "That's correct—in short, this guy is the biggest contributor to the Solence Family in the 'Barren Realm,' while I also have investments and businesses in the Barren Realm, so we're competitors... and her business skills are outstanding, so naturally she's a bit of a hindrance to me."

"So, although I can't really kill her like that, I can at least disgust her... It's really satisfying to watch her get bitten and bruised by these wild beasts during the lulls in our fight."

Xiao Nian stared at the girl. "So, why did you come looking for me? Which family do you belong to?"

"The Nightless Sky Family," the girl tugged at her clothes, "Can't you recognize these clothes that are so distinctly Nightless Sky Family style?"

Xiao Nian said, "Anyone can wear clothes, but the aura of alchemy is what can't be faked... But the problem is, the aura of alchemy on you is terrifyingly mixed, as if you know every kind of Alchemy."

"The Nightless Sky Family... I've never heard of such a person."

The girl asked curiously, "You've heard of other families? Who are they?"

Xiao Nian shook his head. "I haven't heard of the other families either... It's not uncommon for Alchemy to have skills that cross three Alchemy Lineage, but to have alchemical auras from all three Alchemy Lineage that are roughly equal... I've only heard of such cases."

"There's a rumor that the Founder of 'Supreme Evolution,' that madman codenamed 'Creator,' actually mastered three Alchemy Lineage of Alchemy —you wouldn't happen to be a descendant of 'Creator,' would you?"

The girl pouted, "What a strange idea, Count Arase Nian. Just because you're investigating 'Supreme Evolution,' do you assume I'm here because of that?"

Xiao Nian stared at the girl and said, "Oh, so you even know what I'm investigating right now?"

The girl nodded. "Yes, there was a traitor among your companions who betrayed you—I only learned about your Alchemy Component through the traitor."

Xiao Nian sneered, "What a low-level attempt to sow discord... Darcy Morstan."

"After all, if one of my companions had truly betrayed me, you shouldn't have thought it was time to proceed with a 'peaceful conversation' after dislocating my arms and disrupting the balance of Alchemy Energy within me."

As Xiao Nian finished speaking...

Then, the Alchemy Energy within her body suddenly increased dramatically!

The Alchemy Component that had been forcibly taken offline and disabled were forcibly reactivated under the impact of this massive Alchemy Energy.

Although forced activation under normal circumstances would directly damage this Alchemy Component...

However, when [Exclusive item - Theseus’s Self] was activated, those Alchemy Component were redefined and redefined at this moment - they were no longer modified implants, no longer isolated [Item], but truly became... a part of Xiao Nian's flesh and blood.

The experimental prototype from the Divine Power Group, the counterfeit products from folk Alchemy Master on the black market, the custom-made goods from the Universal Trade Association... regardless of their origin, at this moment they are no longer "external objects," but rather... "Xiao Nian."

Each of them embodies the concept of the Xiao Nian, and each one is itself a "Xiao Nian".

All alchemical rejections and operational delays were reduced to zero. At the same time... these Alchemy Component also began to enjoy the overall buffs from the [Item] in Other Worlds of Xiao Nian.

The Night Valley Potion taken before setting off, the Black Marsh Shaman's blessing, and even the [Profession Item] and the "Profession" itself, all began to apply to the Alchemy Component.

"Round two... Miss Darcy —this time, your cheating tricks won't work."

In just a moment, the re-launched Alchemy Component were operating at overload.

Alchemical steam billowed from the gaps in Xiao Nian's body, and the Alchemy Blade condensed again. She pounced on the girl like a predator, more so than those beast specimens.

"Rub--!"

This time, the Alchemy Blade wasn't aimed at the traditional vitals like the throat and heart, but rather at the opponent's "hands!"

After all...

When the other party forcibly invaded my Alchemy Component just now, it relied on releasing Alchemy Energy with both hands.

This means that... whether the opponent uses "Alchemy" to release Alchemy Energy or some kind of output plugin, her hands cannot possibly be equipped with a very strong shield—that would inevitably affect the output intensity.

As expected, this time, Xiao Nian 'Alchemy Blade's attack trajectory received the respect it deserved.

The girl took a step back to dodge Xiao Nian's attack and raised her hands, further widening the distance between herself and the blade in Xiao Nian's hand as he lunged forward.

Xiao Nian immediately followed suit, then raised both hands and aimed at the other's palms again.

"What a ruthless tactic."

As the girl spoke, this time she didn't dodge anymore, but chose the riskier option—parrying.

Her hands reached out to meet Xiao Nian's twin blades, but just before they made contact, they sank downwards.

"Whoosh--!"

The blade of Xiao Nian's knife also changed its rhythm, but ultimately it was still a little too slow.

The girl's fingers traced an S-curve in the air, bypassing the blade and landing on Xiao Nian's wrist.

"This time you can't stop my Alchemy Component!"

Xiao Nian said coldly.

"I know, I was just... grabbing your wrist."

The girl responded, her ten fingers gripping Xiao Nian's wrist like a lock, preventing Xiao Nian from continuing to wield the blade.

Xiao Nian immediately raised his foot, and a new Alchemy Blade materialized on his toes, slashing towards the girl's shinbone.

"Bass!"

The girl's dress was ripped open, and she kicked Xiao Nian's ankle. Then, the two of them quickly changed direction and kicked each other, with dull thuds coming one after another.

Just as the two men's attacks on their lower body were also at a stalemate.

"Whoosh--!"

From within the girl's wide sleeves, a Metal Grappling Claw snapped open and struck Xiao Nian's chin with a powerful blow, like a heavy punch or a pendulum.

"Bang!"

Xiao Nian leaned back, slightly losing his balance, but quickly regained his footing with the help of the Alchemy Component.

Her chin flushed red, but her whole demeanor exuded... a certain excitement.

"Great—we've finally forced out your Alchemy Component."

"An 'alchemy facility' I've never seen before... You made this yourself, right, with such precision and completion?"

As Xiao Nian spoke, he had clearly begun to investigate the identity of the person in front of him.

The girl said, "No, you're wrong. I picked it up from the trash can!"

The Metal Grappling Claw swung its fist at Xiao Nian's cheek again, but this time Xiao Nian was prepared. He turned his head, opened his mouth, and bit the Metal Grappling Claw's iron chain, holding it firmly in his jaws.

Then, Xiao Nian didn't stop. He turned his head back to square one and delivered a powerful headbutt to the girl's face!

"Snap!"

Blood trickled down Xiao Nian's forehead.

However, the silver metal mask the girl was carrying also developed fine cracks.

At the very spot where the girl's left eye was struck, a silver fragment of the mask peeled off, revealing the girl's astonished, jet-black eyes.

"Wow... it's so hard!"