Chapter 22

The X Field was originally developed by the World Government's military specifically to counter ability users. Within an X Field, their abilities were heavily restricted, and they also suffered the debilitating effect of weakness in their limbs.

However, after Zero and a large number of superheroes appeared, the X Field gradually faded from public memory. These days, it was generally used in prisons for superpowered criminals.

"I can't believe you'd actually use something like this!" Under the effects of the X Field, Dong Xiaoye dropped to one knee. The field's range wasn't very large, extending only five or six meters from its center.

"Ouyang Rui got it for me," Hunter replied.

"I can't believe that guy would let you use something like this." As she spoke, Dong Xiaoye struggled to inch toward the edge of the field. "You're a hero too, aren't you? Do you know what Ouyang Rui is up to?"

"I do," Hunter said. "So what?"

"What you're doing isn't something a superhero should do!" Dong Xiaoye said. "He's making a dangerous drug deal with the supervillain organization Evolution Company! And you're helping him attack us at a time like this!"

"I said, so what?"

"Aren't you a superhero?" Dong Xiaoye asked. "Helping a criminal pull off something like this doesn't make you feel ashamed?"

"Heh heh heh." Hunter chuckled. "I was never a hero to begin with. I registered as a superhero purely for the money. Ouyang Rui was willing to pay me a hefty sum, so I agreed to do the job. Simple as that."

"You're scum," Dong Xiaoye cursed.

"Call me whatever you want." Hunter raised the Light Energy Gun in his hand and aimed it at Dong Xiaoye inside the X Field.

"Go to hell!" Glasses suddenly appeared behind him and swung his stun baton hard at Hunter. But the next instant, he took a solid kick to the stomach.

"Do you think I'm bad at hand-to-hand combat?" Hunter said contemptuously, glancing at Glasses, who lay on the ground, twitching. Then he turned back to Dong Xiaoye.

"How much is Ouyang Rui paying you? I'll pay you double!" Dong Xiaoye said.

"Sorry, I have professional integrity." Hunter raised his gun.

Dong Xiaoye was already close to the edge of the field. She used all her strength to roll toward the outside, but the next instant Hunter appeared beside her.

"You think I'd let you leave the field?" Hunter said, then kicked Dong Xiaoye back into the area affected by the X Field.

"Time to say goodbye." The Energy Gun in Hunter's hand lit up.

A pair of glasses flew to his feet. The next instant, Glasses appeared beside him and wrapped his arms around Hunter. The two of them grappled with each other.

"Run, Glasses! You're no match for him!" Dong Xiaoye shouted at Glasses as he tried to drag Hunter into the X Field with him. They were in completely different leagues when it came to close combat. Glasses couldn't budge him at all, and before long, Hunter had beaten him until he was covered in injuries.

Fortunately, the Energy Gun in Hunter's hand went flying as Glasses struggled with all his might to wrench it away.

"I told you, I won't leave someone behind and run off by myself." As he spoke, Glasses clung tightly to the man in front of him. Then the two of them vanished from where they stood.

The next instant, they appeared in a peach tree not far away.

"You bastard!" Hunter and Glasses both crashed to the ground. The next instant, Hunter drew the Laser Dagger in his hand and slashed at Glasses.

Glasses had only just gotten to his feet. He struggled to leap backward, dodging Hunter's dagger.

Seeing this, Dong Xiaoye seized the opportunity to crawl beyond the X Field's range.

Hunter saw it too and immediately ran toward Dong Xiaoye. Just then, Glasses grabbed him from behind and clung to him.

"You damn flea!" With both hands held fast, Hunter angrily flipped the dagger around and stabbed backward. The blade sank into Glasses's lower back.

"Ah!" Glasses groaned in pain, and his grip on Hunter began to weaken.

Hunter wrenched himself free and ran toward Dong Xiaoye. But after just one step, he felt someone grab his trouser leg.

"You annoying little flea!" Hunter stomped hard on Glasses's hand, but Glasses showed no sign of letting go.

"You annoying flea! Let go!" Hunter kicked Glasses's hand again, this time with such force that Glasses's grip on his trouser leg was knocked loose.

But when Hunter looked back toward the X Field, Dong Xiaoye was already standing outside it.

"Cross Execution!!"

That was the last thing Glasses heard before his consciousness faded.

The next instant, a giant Ice Cross rose in Peach Grove, with Hunter frozen at its center.

In an open area in Peach Grove, Lin Jie looked at Ouyang Rui and said, "I just need to take him down, right?"

"That's right." Dong Xue'er nodded. "He's A-Class. There's no way the two of us can handle him. I'll find a way to restrain him, and you need to use that chance to break through his Protective Golden Light."

"No need to make it so complicated! I'll just go up and beat the hell out of him!" Lin Jie said.

"This isn't the time for you to play the hero." Dong Xue'er's expression was unusually serious.

"...All right. Have it your way." Lin Jie glanced at Dong Xue'er's expression before answering.

"Are you two finished discussing?" Ouyang Rui said from the side. "You don't really think the two of you can beat me, do you?"

"We won't know until we try." As Dong Xue'er spoke, a flurry of snowflakes swirled around her. In an instant, the scenery around them seemed to be shrouded in mist.

"You think a trick like this will work on me?" A faint golden glow emanated from Ouyang Rui's body. The next instant, he vanished from where he stood.

As Ouyang Rui moved at high speed, the Flying Pens around him shot out in every direction.

"Dong Xue'er! I gave you a chance. Since you didn't take it and insisted on making trouble for me, then even if I kill you here today, the Dong Family won't have a thing to say about it." Ouyang Rui spoke toward a certain direction. "You think a trick like this can limit my movement?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the force within Ouyang Rui erupted in every direction from his body. In moments, it had dispersed the ice mist Dong Xue'er had created. Ouyang Rui then swiftly turned and reached out, grabbing Dong Xue'er by the neck just as she tried to attack him from behind.

"That's all you've got?" Ouyang Rui glanced contemptuously at the Energy Gun in Dong Xue'er's hand. "If it were Dong Xiaoye attacking me, she might have a chance of hurting me. But an Energy Gun like that can't hurt me at all."

"I know." Dong Xue'er managed to get the words out with difficulty. Then the other hand she had clenched into a fist slowly opened. A lotus made of frost blossomed in her palm.

"What's this?" Ouyang Rui hadn't finished speaking when both his body and Dong Xue'er's were covered in a layer of frost.

"You think you can freeze me? Impossible." Ouyang Rui summoned his inner force, and the frost began to fall away from his body.

"Now!" Dong Xue'er shouted.

The next instant, Lin Jie had somehow already leaped to the two of them.

"Impossible! My Flying Pens should have been focused on attacking you!" Ouyang Rui said.

"Those little things? I knocked them all away!" Lin Jie swung the Wolf Fang Club in his hand at Ouyang Rui with all his might.

The blow forced Ouyang Rui back several steps, his blood and energy churning. He had concentrated all his golden light at a single point to withstand Lin Jie's strike, but the blow had directly shattered his Protective Golden Light.

Without giving Ouyang Rui a chance to catch his breath, Dong Xue'er fired her Energy Gun, shooting through his stomach.

Ouyang Rui clutched his stomach and dropped to his knees with difficulty.

"So that's it. An A-Class Strength Enhancer. No wonder you went to such lengths to restrict my movements," Ouyang Rui said.

"You've lost, Ouyang Rui." Dong Xue'er walked over.

"Do you know what the consequences of this will be?" Ouyang Rui asked. "Even if you win, you'll be bringing a lot of trouble on yourself."

"That's none of your concern," Dong Xue'er said with a bright smile.

"True, I didn't expect this E-Class kid to be an A-Class Strength Enhancer, but you still haven't won." As Ouyang Rui spoke, he pulled out a syringe and plunged it into his neck.

"That thing looks awfully familiar," Lin Jie remarked from the side.

"It's T-3 Evolution Liquid!" Dong Xue'er said in shock.

The next instant, red stripes appeared on Ouyang Rui's body, and the wound in his abdomen began to heal.

"I admit, I underestimated this kid's strength." Ouyang Rui slowly rose to his feet. A powerful gust of air swept out from him in every direction. Dong Xue'er, who was closest to him, was blown away and slammed hard into a peach tree.

"So this is the power of an S-Class? Even you can't hurt me now." Ouyang Rui looked at Lin Jie, who was still standing before him.

"How did you get your hands on that? The deal hasn't even been completed yet!" Dong Xue'er said, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Ever heard of inspecting the goods?" Ouyang Rui suddenly appeared beside Dong Xue'er. "Let me think about what I should do with you now."

Dong Xue'er looked toward Lin Jie and silently signaled for him to run.

"Do you really think he can get away?" Ouyang Rui said, then punched toward Lin Jie from a distance.

Faint golden light accompanied the force of his punch as it tore a trench into the ground and shot straight toward Lin Jie.

When the force of the punch dissipated, a trench stretched straight to the edge of Peach Grove. The earth and peach trees in its path had vanished beneath the attack. The trench was ten meters wide. Lin Jie had disappeared too.

Watching this, Dong Xue'er couldn't help closing her eyes.

"To think the force of a casual punch could reach the power of a High-Level Electromagnetic Pulse Cannon. If I threw one with all my strength, wouldn't I be able to wipe out an entire city block with ease? No wonder S-Class heroes generally don't fight in cities." Ouyang Rui said in surprise. "This drug is really useful, though. It can raise someone's level by one for a short time and comes with powerful healing effects. No wonder even SSS-Class heroes can't wipe out Evolution Company."

As Ouyang Rui marveled at the power he'd gained, Lin Jie's voice suddenly came from behind him. "Tch, another guy who relies on drugs. And what a shame you had to destroy so many peach trees."