As Wang Quan arrived, the flying raindrops scattered as if they had seen a ghost, leaving a rainless space centered on him.
Lin Qiye turned to look. The silver figure was reflected in his black pupils, silver hair stirring without wind as rings of energy rippled outward.
Wang Quan clenched his fist and punched the invisible barrier. In an instant, [Boundless Domain] became a sky full of fluttering butterflies, like dark crimson sprites.
Standing within that blood-red vortex, he exuded an imposing presence, as though-
At this moment, in this rain, in this world, he alone reigned supreme!
Lin Qiye stared blankly into the distance. Amid the suspended downpour, a black sphere stood silently, countless white ghost faces flowing across its surface.
Forbidden Ruins sequence 176, [Ghost Face World].
Within its range, it could deceive the senses of every creature whose realm was equal to or lower than its own, reversing their perception of space.
Of course, Zhao Kongcheng had no idea what had happened. He was still trapped in the Ghost Face King's domain, drenched in blood, with no telling how many wounds he had suffered or bones he had broken.
Clearly, he could not hold out much longer.
"Hahaha!"
"I never thought I'd finally live to see this day!"
"You bastard, get ready to die!"
Zhao Kongcheng laughed and immediately pulled out his Emblem.
An Emblem was every Night Watcher's life. Those words were both an oath and a fact.
On the back of this Emblem was a tiny needle. Pressing the switch would make it spring out, and its tip was coated with a drug called the Ghost God Inducer.
Using the Ghost God Inducer would unleash the power hidden within the source of one's life, granting Forbidden Ruins to those without them and strengthening those who already had them.
Unfortunately, it was a means of taking the enemy down with oneself.
But when fighting for dignity and conviction, a brief moment of brilliance was enough.
Just then, [Ghost Face World] shattered!
Both the Ghost Face King and Zhao Kongcheng froze in bewilderment.
"Uncle Zhao, it's not time to stake your life yet!" Wang Quan had appeared beside Old Zhao without him noticing and pushed the tiny needle back in.
"You little..." Zhao Kongcheng smiled in relief, pretending to be annoyed. "It was just about to be my time to shine!"
"I'm not bragging, but my Forbidden Ruins would definitely be badass!"
"I know, I know!"
"Save it for another day!"
To avoid getting in the way of the fight, Lin Qiye hurried over to support Zhao Kongcheng.
Sensing that something was wrong, the Ghost Face King did not hesitate. It twisted its massive body and ran frantically in the opposite direction. Its instincts told it that if it fought this human who had suddenly barged in...
It would definitely die!
With one hand in his pocket and the other holding a cloth bag, Wang Quan strolled over unhurriedly. Wherever he passed, the rain froze for an instant.
The Ghost Face King?
What a piece of trash.
He was utterly dismissive. What did it matter if he gave such a weakling a head start?
"Come on, man, it's getting away!"
"Why are you still taking a stroll?"
Even Lin Qiye could not stand watching anymore and urged him on.
"Relax!" With his back to them, Wang Quan waved a hand, leaving them a striking view of his retreating figure.
The moment he finished speaking, he vanished.
By the time Lin Qiye reacted, the Ghost Face King, with one arm sliced off, fell from the sky and slammed into the ground, blooming like a flower of blood.
Wang Quan stood upon empty air, floating above the Ghost Face King like a god.
"Y-you... How many inhuman monsters like him do you Night Watchers have?"
The scene completely exceeded Lin Qiye's understanding. His entire worldview crumbled. This was damn well not something a human could do.
"Uh!"
"The Special Squad is one of the Night Watchers' strongest fighting forces. Not everyone is that powerful!"
Zhao Kongcheng explained. In terms of sheer flair, he reckoned few among the Night Watchers could rival Wang Quan.
"Um, aren't you supposed to be heroes hidden in the darkness?"
"Are you sure he... uh... won't be seen by other people when he's shining that brightly?"
The question stumped Zhao Kongcheng. After a moment, he added, "It's probably a matter of personal style!"
"Wang Quan is a little different."
While the two whispered over there, Wang Quan stopped attacking.
The Ghost Face King lay sprawled in a muddy puddle like a heap of rotten flesh, only one expression remaining on its pale ghost face-
Despair.
"Little Ye!"
"Huh?"
"My name is Lin Qiye, you bastard!"
"The rest is yours. Kill it!" Wang Quan turned away without looking back and appeared beside Lin Qiye and Zhao Kongcheng in the blink of an eye.
"Me?"
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. With me here, what are you afraid of?" Wang Quan assured him confidently.
"What if Uncle Zhao weren't here? What if I weren't here..."
As he spoke, Wang Quan looked toward Lin Qiye's home and continued, "Could you protect your family?"
"The world is that cruel. When you're part of it, you don't get a choice!"
Lin Qiye fell silent.
Wang Quan was right. He possessed Michael's power. He was a god's agent. All of this was like Pandora's box-once it was opened, there was no turning back.
Someone had protected his family for him this time, but what about the next time, and the time after that, and the time after that...
This time, Lin Qiye neither avoided it nor backed down. If Zhao Kongcheng could risk his life to protect strangers, then he, too, had to pick up a blade.
"Sir, let me borrow your blade!"
"Kid, you haven't had any formal training. Don't push yourself!"
"Uncle Zhao, he's a god's agent. He's not that fragile."
"If a dying Ghost-Faced Man kills him, then that's all he amounts to!"
Wang Quan placed a hand on Zhao Kongcheng's shoulder and activated Reverse Cursed Technique. Warm, gentle light enveloped Zhao Kongcheng and healed him.
"All right!"
"Be careful!" Like a fussing mother, Old Zhao earnestly reminded him.
"Yeah!"
Lin Qiye picked up the Straight Saber and shot forward with a whoosh. Michael had granted him many abilities, such as extraordinary dynamic vision and perception that almost amounted to foresight, along with the blessing of Nyx's Starry Night Dancer.
Strictly speaking, he was an agent of two gods.
"Ghost Face King, right? Kill him, and I'll let you go!"
"I always keep my promises!"
Wang Quan tore open a candy wrapper and put a strawberry lollipop in his mouth as he made his promise.
Faced with absolute power, the Ghost Face King had no choice. It let out a defiant roar and struggled to its feet.
The pale ghost face roared, and eternally burning golden eyes shone brilliantly.
The rain continued to fall. The pale blue Straight Saber tore through the curtain of rain and met the sharp claws.
Click!
A tiny flame sprang from the lighter, and wisps of smoke rose from the lit cigarette.
Zhao Kongcheng took a deep drag. Not only was he alive, but he also got to watch a god's agent fight. One word summed it up-
Awesome!
As the Straight Saber clashed with the sharp claws, a mechanical voice rang out in Wang Quan's mind.
[Mission three: Save Zhao Kongcheng. Complete!] [Congratulations, host. You have obtained Heavenly Restriction!] [Blood that never fades, fiercely burning mental power, a body elevated to its ultimate form!] [Convert all mental power into physical strength, with additional enhancement. The Sea Realm limit is tenfold!]
Before you continue