The Overlord

The Skinner suffered a massive mental shock. From his perspective, everything that had just happened was extremely bizarre.

After uttering a certain sentence, Li Yèlái, who had been heavily injured and on the verge of death, suddenly burst forth, his face simultaneously manifesting a bizarre mask and growing a terrifying pair of double pupils.

Moreover, he launched an attack against him with terrifying might.

This fellow seemed like a different person entirely, suppressing the Skinner with an aura that struck fear into his heart.

As a hunter, the Skinner felt as though he had suddenly become the prey!

Looking closely at those terrifying double pupils, the Skinner felt as if he were being gazed upon by a demon god.

The Overlord of Western Chu? What was the Overlord of Western Chu? Some figure from before the Calamity?

The Skinner had no time to speak; his entire body's muscles tightened, and his hands crossed to stubbornly block the hand-blade.

Even though Li Yèlái had previously hacked at him with an axe and he had been able to catch the blade bare-handed, now facing the hand-blade, he dared not harbor any carelessness whatsoever.

The moment the hand-blade slammed down, the Skinner felt a wave of numbness in his hands, the skin taken from Doctor Wang instantly splitting apart on his arms, his bones making a faint grinding sound, and his flesh mangled!

It felt as though he were not being struck by a mere hand-blade, but by a massive halberd capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.

His bizarre air barrier had not worked—or rather, it had been erased or neutralized by another force.

This gave the Skinner a jolt in his heart.

That was his Psychic Barrier. As a psychic, after initially mastering his power, one would unconsciously condense a Psychic Barrier around their body.

His Psychic Barrier could even defend against handgun bullet attacks. This was also why he did not fear any resistance; as long as the Psychic Barrier was present, the prey could not harm him. This was the greatest characteristic that set psychics apart from ordinary people.

However, the barrier had now been neutralized, which meant he was facing one of his own kind!

The Skinner rapidly retreated, horror showing on his skinless face.

"You actually became a psychic?" The Skinner could not believe it.

That was right, only a psychic could counter a psychic, and only a Psychic Barrier could neutralize a Psychic Barrier.

This prey had become a psychic! In such a short time and without any warning, he had become a psychic, becoming one of his own kind?

How absurd was this!

Yet Li Yèlái felt a wonderful sensation. He did not know what a psychic was, but after reaching a certain deal with the black shadow.

His soul world seemed to have opened up an aperture, allowing Li Yèlái to peer through it into a brilliant sea of stars. The mysterious power gushing forth from the star sea poured into his body, making his perception sharper, and it seemed as though an invisible force was surging within him.

At the same time, he had acquired a wondrous ability.

Myriad Faces? For some reason, he wanted to call this ability by that name.

This ability seemed to allow him to witness heroes of the past and mimic their powers.

Perhaps the wound on his neck had guided him to see that Matchless General who had ultimately taken his own life by the Wujiang River!

Thus, allowing him to mimic that Hegemon!

As an employee of the Antique Shop, Li Yèlái naturally knew of the existence who had led twenty-eight horsemen to charge through several thousand cavalry!

That Overlord of Western Chu, Xiang Yu, whose might could pull up mountains and whose spirit could conquer the world!

Now, through Myriad Faces, Li Yèlái was mimicking—or rather, using mimicry to display—the Hegemon's might!

His entire body's bones and muscles quivered; his physique, strength, and speed were all enhanced.

He gained explosive power far surpassing that of an ordinary person!

And when those double pupils opened, many black lines appeared within Li Yèlái's perspective.

Those black lines connected to various objects: vehicles, walls, pillars, and even twisting black lines were present on both the Skinner and Li Yèlái himself.

What are these black lines? Are they an ability of Myriad Faces? Or an ability of the Hegemon? Li Yèlái thought thoughtfully as he looked at the black lines.

He reached out to touch a nearby black line, only to find that it was not a physical entity.

Then, he instinctively followed the black line and struck the wall from which it extended. Although he used very little force, he saw the wall instantly crack. This punch seemed to strike the wall's 'weakness', shattering the concrete wall with a single blow. A half-meter-long crack appeared on the wall, spreading outward bit by bit like a spiderweb.

Li Yèlái understood the ability of these double pupils: these black lines were the weaknesses or flaws of various objects, the most fragile set of points on an item. As long as he attacked along the black lines, even without exerting much force, he could shatter the target!

And on the Skinner, who had been completely impervious to all means of injury earlier, there were several black lines. To Li Yèlái, he was no longer invincible!

In the Skinner's eyes, however, Li Yèlái had raised his hand and shattered the wall with a light punch.

Shit, what kind of strength is this? Shattering concrete with a light punch?

This unbelievable strength made the Skinner even more vigilant, prompting him to quickly back away and widen the distance.

"Li Yèlái, perhaps we can talk! We are both wild psychics, we're of the same kind! As far as the megalopolis authorities are concerned, we are in the same camp; we are natural allies and there's no need for conflict to break out. I'll leave right now and will never disturb your life. I can make amends for my offense, and I know some fellow psychics. I can bridge the gap for you. Don't be rash, we're both—" The Skinner spoke thusly on the surface, but inwardly, he was rapidly calculating Li Yèlái's strength and pondering which psychic path he belonged to.

Among the seven psychic paths he knew of.

A psychic capable of displaying bizarre forms should be a Myriad Psychic, the same as him.

Among the abilities of the Myriad path, quite a few involved mimicking living creatures. This was also the reason he could imitate others.

However... that pair of double pupils seemed to possess a different kind of ability, appearing to belong to the Spirit Eye Path.

Which path did he actually belong to?

The Skinner's thoughts raced. As a psychic, he was much more willing to wield his blade against the weak than to engage in battle with his own kind.

Therefore, facing Li Yèlái at this moment, a chill spread from his spine, and retreat had already taken root in his heart.

He was no one of consequence to begin with. Otherwise, he wouldn't have indulged in the enjoyment of life by wantonly killing humans, stripping off their skins to enjoy their lives, and running amok using their identities.

Not only did he kill the victims, but he also made them shoulder unforgivable crimes.

Just a few hours ago, wearing Doctor Wang's face, he had violated a hospital nurse, depriving Doctor Wang—a man of exemplary medical ethics—of any peace even in death by burdening him with an unwashable crime. He had even been immensely pleased with himself, setting his sights upon Li Yèlái next.

He relished the thrill of manipulating everything and toying with all living beings, which made him feel like a deity!

And how could such a petty villain dare to brandish a blade against someone even stronger?

Now, encountering a greater monster, he had only one thought: to run.

I have to open the garage door and escape straight out. Damn it, I don't even have a face right now; I can't even hide on the streets! This bastard, it's all this bastard's fault! The Skinner thought rapidly, growing increasingly resentful toward Li Yèlái in his heart, even plotting to exact revenge after fleeing. As for speaking out just now, it was entirely to distract Li Yèlái's attention.

Amidst the gap in the Skinner's retreat, Li Yèlái stooped down and grabbed the axe he had previously discarded.

The current himself was stronger than ever before.

Yet what was the price?

What was the black shadow's identity and intention?

When all the chains on the black shadow shattered, what kind of disaster would ensue?

Li Yèlái knew none of this, nor was it a question for him to consider right now.

His churning anger had not subsided; he would absolutely not let the Skinner live—this monster that had threatened his weak point!

Was he supposed to keep this monster, who knew his personal information, alive for the New Year?

Such a threat had to be eliminated!

Cut the weeds and root them out!

Thus, without any words or hesitation, Li Yèlái grabbed the axe and charged at the Skinner with maximum speed!

The Skinner could only suppress the panic in his heart, rapidly brandishing the Meat Knife in his right hand. Although he was not skilled in combat, as a psychic facing a newly awakened peer, even if he was outmatched, he at least had a chance to run!

At least, that was what he believed.

Yet as Li Yèlái swung his axe, the Skinner heard the synchronized roaring of thousands upon thousands of troops and horses! He saw the Hegemon charging forward and swinging his halberd amidst that sea of corpses and blood!

The next instant, the axe followed the spreading black lines and directly slashed into the 'weakness' of the Meat Knife.

With a crack, the sharp Meat Knife shattered directly. Several blade fragments sailed through the air, reflecting the Skinner's end.

The sudden fracture of his weapon filled the Skinner's eyes with bewilderment.

The next second, the axe heavily smashed into the Skinner's skinless face.

The axe blade tore through muscle, shattered bone, and cleanly cleaved off half of the Skinner's head.

Escape? Survive? Revenge?

Ridiculous, who did he think he was facing?

An older brother, an elder brother protecting his last remaining family! An elder brother who did not hesitate to trade with the bizarre to protect his kin!

An invincible, wrathful elder brother!

Facing such an existence, he couldn't even withstand a single blow!

Cleaved in two, both blade and head, by a single axe blow!

Having succeeded in a single move, Li Yèlái did not stop, continuing to swing the axe until the Skinner's head was entirely hacked off. Only after crushing the skull with a kick did he ensure that the target was thoroughly dead.

Li Yèlái felt no joy; instead, he leaned powerlessly against the wall. The mask on his face gradually dissolved and vanished.

His body had endured an immense burden; his heart beat violently, and his bones and muscles groaned. Even breathing became extremely painful.

Was he... going to die? Was this the price the black shadow demanded?

In a daze, Li Yèlái heard the sound of sirens and saw the garage door being violently forced open.

A group of people arrived by his side, seemingly performing emergency rescue on him.

Li Yèlái widened his eyes, yet his vision was blurred and he could not make out anything clearly.

He could only ask with arduous effort, "Am I going to die?"

"Do you have any last words?" someone nearby asked in a low voice.

"Just say I left the city; don't scare my younger sister, she's very timid," Li Yèlái said in a low voice before plunging into unconsciousness.

The current Li Yèlái did not know that when he spoke those words.

The guns pointed at him slowly lowered.

They looked at the Skinner's corpse and fell into a dead, sepulchral silence.