Dragon Raises Head!

<Li Yèlái> defeated <Scarred Woman>, and then leaped out the window, just in time to collide with <Male Bodyguard>, who was trying to escape through a hidden passage.

This was the fate of encountering a strong enemy, facing dragons and tigers.

When one enemy is defeated, fate sends another strong one.

This was fate's malice, and also a deadly trap.

If <Li Yèlái> were exhausted now, facing such an enemy would mean certain death.

But now, <Li Yèlái>'s aura was surging, his blood qi churning. His spirit, energy, and mind were all at their peak.

This was a narrow path, where the brave would win!

This curse had instead become a tool to pursue strong enemies!

As Li Yélai landed, he released the Scarred Woman and brandished his Chilong Ji, blocking the vehicle's path. His aura blazed like a rainbow, an overlord standing in the way!

<Male Bodyguard>'s eyes were filled with shock and astonishment. He never imagined that <Li Yèlái> could break out of the factory and block his path.

What kind of luck was this?

Damn it, damn it!

<Scarred Woman> was the strongest <Spirit Ability User> he could control, a second-awakened expert from the <Nether Path>, who also possessed some psionic techniques.

She was far more powerful than those wild <Spirit Ability Users>, a trump card of the <Red Dart Merchant Association>. He felt a pang of regret even discarding her like this.

That's right, <Scarred Woman> was also a discarded piece. She thought <Male Bodyguard> would come to her aid, but in reality, <Male Bodyguard> intended to escape alone with <Greed Gold Coin> and the treasure chest.

But now. She was defeated just like that? And what about those <Scavengers> and wild <Spirit Ability Users>!

How could they not even hold him off for a little while?

Just how strong was this young man? From the pressure of his <Psychic Barrier>, he only seemed to be second or at most third awakened.

Could it be that official handlers were all this powerful?

"I'll ram you to death!" After a brief moment of shock, <Male Bodyguard>'s eyes flashed with malice, and he immediately stomped on the accelerator. The armored vehicle's engine roared, and its speed soared.

Yes, he wanted to directly ram <Li Yèlái>. This armored vehicle, converted from a <Pickup Truck>, weighed several tons. At high speed, even if <Li Yèlái>'s <Psychic Barrier> wasn't shattered, the <Spirit Ability User> would be sent flying by the impact. Unless the barrier was so thick that the vehicle couldn't budge it, and second or third awakened <Spirit Ability Users> didn't have such thick barriers!

He could either endure it, risking the vehicle being damaged, leaving him with no escape and being arrested. Or, the vehicle might continue its charge, escaping the encirclement. And the young man would undoubtedly be sent flying and severely injured.

Or he could dodge, allowing himself to escape!

But as <Male Bodyguard> accelerated for the ramming impact, he saw <Li Yèlái> leap forward, holding his halberd with one hand.

He was actually charging towards the oncoming vehicle!

"A few thousand <Mega City Coins> a month, why risk your life!" <Male Bodyguard> was stunned, then grinned sinisterly.

The armored vehicle lunged at <Li Yèlái> like a prehistoric beast, unstoppable!

But <Li Yèlái> quickly wiped his face with his left hand, the <Hegemon Facial Mask> revealing his <Double Pupils> once more!

His aura turned incomparably domineering, like a <Mountain>, blocking the monstrous beast.

How could <Li Yèlái> let such a person, who disregarded others' lives and forcibly used a <Forbidden Item>, escape!

Such a person, wherever they went, would be a menace, a blasphemy to the sacrificed <Comrades-in-arms>!

It's just a vehicle, watch me slice it!

<Hegemon>'s <Double Pupils>, weakness revealed!

Several <Black Lines> extended from the armored vehicle. As long as the armored vehicle was destroyed, this guy would have no chance to escape!

<Li Yèlái>'s heart pounded like a war drum. The crimson scar left by <Heart of Slaughter> began to glow red.

Holding the halberd with both hands, he leaped forward, charging towards the oncoming off-road vehicle. <Chilong Ji> in his hand thrust out like a viper's strike!

'Bang'

'Hiss'

The two collided with a roar. <Li Yèlái> leaned forward, his legs firmly gripping the ground. He strained to hold back the vehicle, but was still dragged backward by the immense force. His <Psychic Barrier> hadn't shattered and was resisting the armored vehicle, but his psionic energy was being consumed rapidly.

At the same time, a great force still acted upon his body, pushing him back several meters while enduring the impact. His sports shoes were directly shredded by the friction with the ground.

And <Chilong Ji> precisely followed the <Black Lines>, piercing into the armored vehicle's front, tearing through the armor and directly attacking the engine in the front! Under the immense force, <Chilong Ji> bent completely!

But this also allowed <Li Yèlái> to successfully stop the vehicle with one strike!

<Male Bodyguard> watched this scene in shock. He had never imagined someone would be so bold as to destroy the engine with one strike, stopping the armored vehicle. Why would anyone take such a risky action? What a madman, no, such arrogant confidence!

But.

Unfortunately, this vehicle had more than one engine!

<Male Bodyguard> roared and stomped the accelerator to the floor.

<Scavengers> encountered all sorts of dangers in the wilderness, so every modified vehicle had a backup engine.

You destroyed the front engine with one strike and stopped the charging vehicle, that's impressive!

But what about the backup engine in the rear? Get out of my way!

Thus, the stationary armored vehicle roared to life again, intending to drag the <Li Yèlái> who was inches away under its wheels.

Li Yelai dug his heels into the ground, roaring.

His heart pounded like a war drum, every muscle tensed to its limit, the wound on his chest glowing crimson.

The next second, the coiled Chilong Ji twisted abruptly. Facing the armored vehicle at close range, Li Yelai actually twisted his body and exerted force.

He roared in fury, swinging his Halberd.

"Pulling mountains and rivers, unmatched power!"

Single-Handed Eighteen Thrusts: Dragon Ascends!

Then, the Male Bodyguard felt himself flying. No, it was the vehicle that was flying.

The Male Bodyguard's eyes were filled with confusion. What happened? This vehicle couldn't fly.

The next second, he and the vehicle crashed into the factory wall.

The handlers and combat personnel from the West City Branch, who had rushed to support, watched this scene in disbelief.

From their perspective, they saw Li Yelai stop the armored vehicle with a single shot from afar.

Then, Li Yelai twisted his body, his waist exerting force, and the Chilong Ji swept upwards, twisting.

He actually lifted the entire armored vehicle into the air, then smashed it down onto the factory wall more than ten meters away, the vehicle's body crashing into the wall.

Lifted an armored vehicle with a single shot?

The West City handlers were dumbfounded, unable to believe their eyes. Was this something a Second Awakening could do?

From the ruins of the crashed vehicle, the Male Bodyguard crawled out of the now-burning vehicle, staggering.

He saw a pair of Double Pupils up close, like those of a demon.

Li Yelai, holding his Halberd, stood before the Male Bodyguard.

Behind him stood several official Spirit Ability Users.

"We... we can perhaps discuss an acquisition," the Male Bodyguard said with difficulty, but was kicked in the chest and immediately knocked unconscious.

Li Yelai retracted his right foot, looking at his ruined shoes with some heartache. He'd only worn them for two years.

But he still turned to the West City handlers behind him and asked, "I couldn't help it just now, I had to flip his vehicle. I won't have to compensate for it afterward, right? The factory and the wall..."

"No, no! We'll cover it!" several West City handlers repeatedly shook their heads.

"That's good, that's good." Li Yelai breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, "Also, I knocked out a lot of people just now, and seriously injured several wild Spirit Ability Users. Their medical expenses..."

Seriously injured several Spirit Ability Users?

"We'll treat them, we'll handle it, you don't have to be responsible." The West City handlers shook their heads again.

More than ten minutes later, the Scavengers of the Red Dart Merchant Association were completely controlled, and the wild Spirit Ability Users were also arrested and suppressed.

In terms of results, the Forbidden Item was successfully recovered, and there were no casualties on either side.

It could be considered a perfect operation.

But... the West City handlers, while watching Li Yelai being treated, were discussing animatedly.

"This Night General is too strong, is he really a Second Awakening?"

"What's his ability? Double Pupils?"

"Too strong, lifting an armored vehicle with a single shot. As a fellow Second Awakening, I feel like I'd be sent flying ten meters."

"Do you think we can poach him to our West City?"

"He's good-looking too, maybe the girls in the branch can try their luck?"

"Aren't you afraid of a meat bun fighting a dog?"

"Right, isn't our captain good friends with the captain of the East City Branch? Let him try to see if he can arrange a marriage for the Night General."

The handlers chattered, while Li Yelai was completely unaware.

At this moment, he was receiving treatment.

The one treating him was a handler from the West City Branch, True Martial Path. Codename: Qi Bo.

She was also the team leader of this group of handlers. A Third Awakening Spirit Ability User.

Using her ability, she could disperse the blood stasis within Li Yelai, check for internal injuries, and even break up kidney stones.

"Fortunately, it's all superficial wounds. Your internal organs were a bit displaced, I've moved them back for you. You just need a few days of rest," Qi Bo said with a smile. "Your physique is very strong. Have you been strengthening your physique?"

"Yes, in a previous incident, I used the Heart of Slaughter in the Black Prison." Li Yelai nodded.

"I knew it," Qi Bo suddenly turned to look not far away and shouted, "Get a new set of clothes and shoes over here! Do you plan to let the Night General wear this back? Anyone who didn't know would think we, the West City Branch, are poor!"

This made the handlers who saw this scene complain. The team leader had been the most suspicious of the Night General before, and had even worried that the Night General would drag them down.

But the more suspicious she was before, the more enthusiastic she was now.

Li Yelai took the clothes and shoes. His clothes had a few holes in them from the fight, and his shoes were completely ruined.

"Thank you!"

"What's there to thank? We're all Comrades, even if we're not from the same branch, we're still Comrades-in-arms." Qi Bo smiled. "And, thank you for your help this time. Without you, that guy might have escaped the encirclement. We would have lost face big time then."

That was just politeness. Li Yèlái had seen them, over a dozen snipers outside.

Even if Li Yèlái didn't stop the Male Bodyguard, he probably wouldn't have escaped the encirclement.

Even if he escaped the encirclement, what then? Could he escape Giant City?

"Don't blame me if I interfere with your operation; I just have bad luck," Li Yèlái replied. He was actually worried he might disrupt the West City Branch's operation, given his luck. He'd just been hit by several hanging lamps, and even the floor tiles would lift up to trip him.

If he interfered with the operation, it would be a serious offense.

Qì Bō, however, said, "We just discovered a Secret Passage. It's in the alley between the two factory buildings, invisible from the outside. Inside, it's just wide enough for a car. That might be his escape route. Once he's out of the encirclement, it'll be like finding a needle in a haystack. So, we have you to thank. You'll definitely get credit for this operation. We'll apply to headquarters for appropriate Merit Points for you."

Li Yèlái nodded. Merit Points, that could work.

The curse of encountering strong enemies had actually delivered the escaping Male Bodyguard right to Li Yèlái. It was a good thing, in a way.

Afterward, Li Yèlái handed the Greed Gold Coin he'd hidden in his chest to the handler.

Qì Bō took the gold coin and sighed with emotion, "When we learned it was this kind of Forbidden Item, we were all prepared for a loss of control. Fortunately, you were lucky enough to get in."

Lucky?

Li Yèlái's expression immediately turned strange.

Being inexplicably dragged into a Forbidden Item incident wasn't exactly luck, was it?

But on second thought, although it was dangerous, it had prevented a loss of control.

"How are my Boss and the others?" Li Yèlái asked. It happened so suddenly, and Li Yèlái had faced the enemy directly, so he hadn't had time to pay attention to the Boss's movements.

"That Antique Shop Boss?" Qì Bō chuckled. "He's involved in this incident now and knows your identity. He's signed a non-disclosure agreement. He's already been sent home."

I see. I wonder if he'll still take me as an employee. Li Yèlái mused. He was a Spirit Ability User; that shouldn't conflict with his identity as an Antique Shop employee, right?

At this moment, Qì Bō shouted to a few teammates in the distance, "What are you standing around for? Bring the car over and send Night General back! Be sharp!"

Those West City handlers immediately drove over to Li Yèlái, acting overly enthusiastic.

"Uh, no need, I'll wait a bit longer," Li Yèlái said, waving his hands. "I have bad luck, so I won't ride in the car for now."

"Don't worry, our driving skills are excellent."

"Exactly. It's getting dark. Why don't we treat you to a meal?"

"Since we're having a meal, why not have a drink?"

"Since we're having a drink, why not stay overnight in West City?"

The West City handlers thought he was just being polite and ended up pushing him into the car. They also kindly packed up his Chilong Ji and brought it along.

They really wanted to build a good relationship with Li Yèlái and see if they could poach him from the East City Branch. They were naturally unwilling to let such an opportunity pass.

After witnessing Li Yèlái's strength, they absolutely didn't want to let him go.

However, as soon as Li Yèlái got into the car...

Various malfunctions plagued the off-road vehicle. It wouldn't start, and the tires went flat. When they tried to change the spare tire, they found the jack was broken too. That wasn't a big deal; with so many Spirit Ability Users present, any two could lift the car.

But before they could lift it, the airbags inexplicably deployed, covering everyone in the car with dust.

The West City handlers were greatly shocked and stared at Li Yèlái, dumbfounded.

Li Yèlái shrugged helplessly.

He knew his reputation as a "vehicle killer" was probably going to spread to the West City Branch.