The Siege!

"Skinny Dog!"

Li Yèlái swept his gaze over the dense crowd nearby. Cold sweat had already formed on his forehead, yet he opened by taunting the stranger he had never met before.

At the same time, he lowered his left hand and pressed it hard against his thigh. After holding the pressure for several seconds, the communicator on his left wrist emitted an emergency signal.

However, Li Yèlái's taunt had actually been very precise. He needed to conceal his Psychic Weapon, the Crimson Longsword.

The official Equipment Department had specially prepared an oversized Sun Umbrella for him to use as the sword's sheath and disguise.

It was the kind usually used by street vendors, with a height of over two meters. Never mind the Crimson Longsword—even the Fangtian Painted Halberd could be hidden inside it.

The guy holding the black umbrella, however, had one of ordinary size.

Compared to Li Yèlái's Large Black Umbrella, wasn't he just a Skinny Dog?

But in truth, Li Yèlái already knew that this visitor meant trouble.

The first time he had heard about the black umbrella was from Wang De.

According to Wang De, it was a young man who liked holding an umbrella on sunny days. Wang De had already encountered that mysterious existence back when he was young and still a Scavenger.

According to the official investigation that followed, Wang De and the Black Umbrella Youth had come into contact many times over the decades.

Moreover, the Ghost Immortal altar and the Silver Bell that summoned the knight had both been provided by the Black Umbrella Youth.

Toward the Black Umbrella Youth, Wang De had shown fear, obsequiousness, and wariness.

He had even warned his relatives and subordinates to "beware of people who hold umbrellas on sunny days."

That alone was enough to put the authorities on alert.

One had to understand that Wang De had been nearly ninety years old when he was alive. He had encountered the black umbrella when he was young.

After all these years, Wang De had already become old and decrepit. Yet the black umbrella had not changed in the slightest.

Time seemed to have left no trace on him.

Furthermore, he could casually produce the Silver Bell and a knight's ashes.

Psychic Weapons were weapons forged by extracting mysterious substances from the Soul Wells of Suffering Ones or psychics after their deaths.

The technical difficulty was extremely high, and it also required excellent luck. After all, what ability one obtained depended largely on one's luck.

As for Undead Summoning, it was an ability that could be mastered only by Nether Path psychics who had undergone at least their Third Awakening.

This meant that the Black Umbrella himself, or the organization behind him, had killed a Third-Awakening Nether Path psychic. They also possessed the technology to forge Psychic Weapons.

Another point was that there had originally been two knights inside the bell. Both were bizarre creatures from the Calamity Forbidden Zone, and both possessed the strength of a Fourth Awakening.

Yet now, they had been made into psychic ashes and turned into summoned creatures!

From this, it was clear that the strength of the Black Umbrella himself or the organization behind him was unfathomable. They had either obtained the knights' corpses from the Forbidden Zone or directly entered the Forbidden Zone and killed them. Either possibility was extremely dangerous.

Thus, the authorities immediately began investigating throughout the Mega City.

After several days, they dispatched many Handlers with tracking abilities, but all they found were the apartments and hotels where the other party had once stayed. There was no further progress.

Who could have imagined that this fellow would now appear directly in front of Li Yèlái?

He had even asked whether Li Yèlái was the one who had destroyed the Ghost Immortal altar.

Damn, was this guy really that bold?

This place was less than two kilometers from the East City Branch, only two streets away.

Moreover, Li Yèlái's current identity was that of an official Handler. How could an unidentified wild psychic with numerous cases attached to him dare to stop a Handler and question him?

Wasn't this as bold as a fugitive stopping a police officer to ask questions not far from the Security Bureau?

Thus, while decisively taunting him, Li Yèlái had directly called his teammates and colleagues.

Once the emergency signal was triggered, every nearby Handler would receive the message and hurry over as quickly as possible.

But Li Yèlái was indeed nervous.

This place was close to the Ring District and had a considerable flow of people. It was a busy urban area.

If he fought the black umbrella here, there would likely be many innocent casualties.

Moreover, he might not even be able to win. The authorities estimated that the other party was a powerhouse at or above the Fourth Awakening.

Although Li Yèlái had defeated the Lancer Knight and accomplished an underdog kill, he could not fight an enemy of this level head-on. He had to run!

"Come on, chase me!" Li Yèlái thought. If the other party pursued him, he could lead him away from the crowds and use his Luck E to try to stall him for a while.

This place was very close to the branch. Reinforcements would arrive soon.

At that thought, Li Yèlái tightened his grip on the Large Black Umbrella. The Crimson Longsword was about to leave its sheath, while his other hand also closed around the bell in his chest pocket.

The Black Umbrella Youth was not angered by Li Yèlái's taunt, however. Instead, he continued looking at him and said, "Don't be so hostile~ I'm just curious. How did you destroy the Ghost Immortal altar and still survive? Why did the Ghost Immortal spare you?"

That was indeed the truth. The destruction of the Ghost Immortal altar was no secret among psychics.

The disturbance had been too great. Every psychic in the Mega City had been able to sense it.

What puzzled the black umbrella was that the enraged Ghost Immortal had suddenly fallen silent afterward. It was one thing that he had not forcibly entered the world, but why was the Handler who had destroyed the altar still alive?

The black umbrella had obtained quite a bit of help from Wang De at the Ghost Immortal altar. He had also figured out most of the Ghost Immortal's temperament. Now that the altar had been smashed, the Ghost Immortal should have taken revenge.

What was going on? Had his personality changed? Why had he spared this Handler?

What secret did this Handler possess?

Could it affect his future plans?

It was precisely this curiosity that had brought the black umbrella in front of Li Yèlái. He intended to make contact with him.

Unfortunately, the other party was not giving him any face.

"You want to know? Then I'm afraid you'll have to die by my hand once to experience it." Li Yèlái was all about sincerity, and he told the truth.

That was genuinely what had happened. Why had the Ghost Immortal not attacked Li Yèlái? Because he had already been eaten by "Mr. Shadow."

If this guy wanted to investigate, he would have to face "Mr. Shadow" directly.

And once he died at Li Yèlái's hands, he would automatically become a sacrifice offered to "Mr. Shadow." Wouldn't that count as seeing the truth?

To the black umbrella, however, this sounded like yet another provocation.

Still, he seemed not to be angry. He merely walked toward Li Yèlái step by step and said calmly, "You seem to be trying to provoke me and lead me away from here. But like I said, don't be so hostile.

"We can talk things over. The fact that I didn't follow you directly to your home is the sincerity I'm showing you.

"If it had been one of my other 'friends,' they might already have threatened you with your family's limbs. But I didn't do that. That is my sincerity."

"But I don't have much patience. Wang De was an old friend I had known for over sixty years, yet you pinned him to a wall with a single slash." The black umbrella passed through the crowd without attracting anyone's attention. "I can avenge my old friend at any time, and I can also help the Ghost Immortal eliminate you. So please don't waste my goodwill."

His words already carried a threat.

Li Yèlái's gaze gradually turned indifferent, and the Large Black Umbrella in his hand slowly lowered.

From his perspective, his shadow began to twist, expand, and swallow the light.

The shadow twisted in a strange yet vast manner, like the entire universe. But Li Yèlái alone could see it.

After sensing Li Yèlái's killing intent, "Mr. Shadow" finally appeared.

It seemed to be waiting for Li Yèlái's choice.

At the same time, the black umbrella stopped approaching. He faintly sensed a certain danger.

What was it? What did this young man possess that could threaten him?

A Forbidden Item? Or something else?

The black umbrella smiled expectantly. "Come on. Let me see the secret you're hiding."

He had deliberately used Li Yèlái's family to threaten him precisely to make Li Yèlái attack, thereby allowing him to glimpse whether Li Yèlái possessed the power of some Void Realm existence.

Some people were brave and resolute, but they ultimately had weaknesses.

It had to be said that the black umbrella was very clever, and his plan had succeeded!

When the black umbrella threatened his family, Li Yèlái could not control the killing intent that arose within him. He wanted to kill this Black Umbrella Youth.

"Mr. Shadow" sensed Li Yèlái's thoughts and reacted accordingly.

But soon, Li Yèlái heard a soft snort. "You're quick."

Then the presence vanished, and from Li Yèlái's perspective, his shadow returned to normal as well.

Li Yèlái noticed this and understood.

He was safe now. It seemed his colleagues had arrived.

But Li Yèlái was not particularly happy. The information revealed by the black umbrella was already clear enough: some organization had taken notice of him.

He had gotten himself into trouble after all.

Thus, Li Yèlái did his best to suppress his hostility and pointed toward the nearby alley. "Let's talk inside."

Then he actually turned and walked toward the alley.

He didn't attack? And that sense of danger has disappeared. Did he give in?

The Black Umbrella Youth felt disappointed, but raised his brows and followed him. "That's more like it. We don't necessarily have to be enemies. We could even become friends. I'm very good to my friends. You're only making a few thousand Mega City Coins a month as a Handler. Why risk your life? Become my friend, and you can gain many benefits."

"Like Wang De?" Li Yèlái asked disdainfully. "Become a monster that devours its own descendants and struggles to live on?"

"That was Wang De's wish. Naturally, I supported my friend." The Black Umbrella Youth revealed a friendly smile. "So, can you tell me what happened after you destroyed the altar?"

"What can I get after I tell you?" Li Yèlái asked.

"If we become friends, potion materials, Psychic Weapons, and anything else you want can all be negotiated." The Black Umbrella Youth noticed the bell in Li Yèlái's hand and smiled. "For example, your summoning bell. I can even provide you with more powerful summoned creatures. The prerequisite is that you tell me the answer I want."

"Oh." Li Yèlái had maintained a distance of five meters from the black umbrella the entire time. Now, he held out his hand. "Then send me fifty thousand and let me see your sincerity!"

The Black Umbrella Youth paused, then shook his head with a laugh. "I don't have it on me."

"If you didn't bring cash, a few Psychic Weapons or potions will do as well." Li Yèlái put on a greedy expression and rubbed his fingers together. "I think that black umbrella of yours is pretty good. Although it's a Skinny Dog, it should be a Psychic Weapon, right? Give it to me."

The Black Umbrella Youth replied, "That depends on whether your answer satisfies me."

"Tsk." Li Yèlái clicked his tongue after failing to get anything for free, then said, "The Ghost Immortal... I remember he had a body as massive as a mountain, wore a black-and-white Daoist robe, and was surrounded by countless resentful souls. But I didn't see his face clearly."

"You really did see the Ghost Immortal!" The Black Umbrella Youth's eyes lit up after hearing Li Yèlái's accurate description. "What did he say to you, and what did he do? Why didn't he attack you?"

"Oh, after he saw me..." Li Yèlái smiled. "He immediately kowtowed eighteen times, then said he wanted to massage my waist and shoulders. I found him annoying, so I told him to get lost."

The obvious nonsense immediately caused the Black Umbrella Youth's expression to turn cold. "We could have become friends. Since you refuse to tell me, I'll take the answer myself—"

Before he finished speaking, Li Yèlái turned and ran. The black umbrella did not pursue him, however. Instead, his body stiffened as he looked around.

At the end of the alley, a person wearing a panda Doll costume and carrying an advertising board had already reached Li Yèlái's side.

"East City Branch Handler, 'Doll.'"

At the other end of the alley, a handsome man holding a shield and a long-handled saber had appeared at some point.

"East City Branch, Third Team captain, 'Moon Shadow.'"

Above the buildings lining the alley, a muscular man with a bare upper body was looking down at the Black Umbrella Youth from the edge of a rooftop.

"East City Branch, Third Team captain, 'Furnace.'"

More veteran Handlers arrived around them, forming an encirclement.

They had rushed here immediately after receiving the alarm.

After noticing that Li Yèlái had led the person into the alley, they had immediately surrounded it.

The Black Umbrella Youth's expression turned solemn. He could not understand how Li Yèlái had known in advance when even he had failed to sense the Handlers approaching.

At the same time, facing three psychics at or above the Fifth Awakening put considerable pressure on the Black Umbrella Youth.

"You're really shameless!" The black umbrella gnashed his teeth as he looked at Li Yèlái, who had hidden behind Doll.

Li Yèlái ignored him. Doll was teasing him.

Doll raised the advertising board. Words appeared on it.

[Can a person's luck really be this bad? You run into enemies every time you leave the house! Σ(っ°Д°;)っ]

[If you go on a business trip to another Mega City someday, won't you run into the King of the Forbidden Zone? Wow! Then we can try surrounding it! ヽ(￣▽￣)]

For a moment, Li Yèlái did not know whether encountering the black umbrella counted as his bad luck.

He could only nod and say, "Sometimes. Sometimes."

[All right, all right. We'll talk later. Close your eyes.]

After that, Doll stopped teasing him and looked toward the black umbrella.

Then, three powerful Handlers at the captain level attacked simultaneously!

Moon Shadow held a long saber and inserted it into his shield. Then he suddenly pulled the saber free, and dense arcs of electricity flashed across its blade.

He slashed toward the black umbrella from afar! In that instant, bolts of lightning erupted from the ground and shot straight at the Black Umbrella Youth!

At the same time, Furnace leaped down from the rooftop. He reached out with his right hand, and behind him appeared the enormous, ferocious phantom of a dragon's claw. The giant claw grabbed toward the Black Umbrella Youth.

As for Doll, she removed the hood of her panda Doll costume.

She revealed a breathtakingly beautiful face. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, yet her temperament was lively and dashing.

She looked toward the Black Umbrella Youth and smiled.

Her expression clearly said, You bastard, look me in the eye!

However, when the black umbrella subconsciously looked toward Doll, he did not see a beautiful girl. Instead, he saw something terrifying beyond measure.

He let out a horrified scream. The counterattack he had been about to launch was disrupted by it.

As a result, Moon Shadow's lightning and Furnace's Mimicry dragon claw struck him simultaneously.

Li Yèlái, meanwhile, stared at Doll in confusion. From his perspective, the moment Doll removed her hood, the Black Umbrella Youth had reacted as if he had seen a ghost, falling into a state of terror.

Out of curiosity, he could not help asking, "Did you use some ability? What path are you on?"

Doll froze and turned her head blankly toward Li Yèlái.

"Did I say something wrong?" Li Yèlái asked nervously.

But he saw that the beautiful girl's eyes were filled with surprise and excitement.