A burst of sparks flew from the cable at his fingertips. Ye Mo used the recoil to flip himself up, his feet slamming hard against the broken metal beam. He was thrown forward half a step like Slingshot, just in time to meet Ronan's cascading purple flame waterfall.
He stopped hiding.
His shoulder sank, Steel Bone instantly activated. A metallic gray light emanated from beneath his skin, his skeletal structure nested layer upon layer, as if an alloy scaffold had grown inside his body. Purple flames slammed into his shoulder with a deafening clang, like a hammer striking a bell, causing the entire corridor to vibrate. Spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the ground, spreading all the way to the base of the walls, and rubble fell down in a shower.
But he didn't move.
They didn't even retreat a single step.
With his left arm crossed to protect his chest and his right fist planted on the ground, he took the blow in a half-kneeling position. As dust rose, he remained in that posture, like an iron statue welded to the ground. Only a thin line of blood seeped from his forehead, slid down his nose, dangled on the tip of his chin, and dripped onto the knee of his work pants.
"Oh." Ye Mo coughed twice, spitting out a mouthful of saliva tinged with blood. "With that kind of energy, you could work as a rammer on a construction site."
Ronan stood three meters away, his scepter still in the position it had been swung in, the purple flames beneath his helmet bobbing slightly. He clearly hadn't expected to catch the blow, much less that the other party would make a sarcastic remark.
Before he could react, Ye Mo pushed off with his right leg, shifting his weight forward and straightening his back like a spring. The Steel Bone supporting his body emitted a slight metallic scraping sound, like rusty gears meshing again. He raised his face, a wide grin revealing a set of white teeth. "Was that a warm-up? Let's get serious."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Ronan roared and swung his scepter at him.
This attack was even faster than before. The purple flames drew an Arclight, striking directly at Ye Mo's neck. But Ye Mo didn't move. He simply turned his right shoulder slightly to the side, instantly adjusting the Steel Bone, causing a deeper metallic luster to emanate from his shoulder blade area. The purple flames grazed his neck, severing a few strands of hair, and struck the wall behind him. The entire alloy plate vaporized, revealing exposed pipes and rock layers behind it.
The shockwave made the hem of his hoodie flutter loudly, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot, remaining completely still.
"You hit me," Ye Mo gasped, his voice a little hoarse, "It's like hitting a stainless steel basin with a hammer—it makes a sound, but if you really want to break it, you'd have to put in more effort."
Ronan didn't answer, instead unleashing three heavy blows in quick succession. Each strike was accompanied by Shockwave, the sound of air being torn apart like cloth being ripped. The first blow landed on his chest, causing Ye Mo to stumble backward, his shoe soles carving two shallow furrows in the ground, but he immediately bounced back. The second blow swept across his thigh, and he squatted down to absorb the force, his Steel Bone weight-bearing area automatically strengthening. The third blow was aimed straight at his face, but he suddenly looked up, his forehead instantly hardening, and he forcefully smashed the tip of the purple flame with his forehead.
Thump!
That muffled thud sounded painful just to hear.
But he didn't even blink.
A piece of ceiling debris finally gave way, crashing down with Mars, heading straight for his head. Ye Mo caught a glimpse of the dark shadow looming overhead, but instead of dodging, he raised his head to meet it, his forehead tensing again. The metal plate shattered on his head with a loud crash, sending fragments flying. He merely swayed, wiped the dust off his face, and muttered under his breath, "These days, even houses are trying to scam people?"
Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, the two stood facing each other.
Less than five meters apart, yet it felt like a line between life and death. Ye Mo stood beside the Power Stone support, his right hand outstretched, palm facing the suspended Crystal. Though he didn't touch it, his position was firmly in place—as long as he didn't move, Ronan wouldn't be able to get even half a step closer.
Ronan slowly raised his scepter, purple flames condensing into a sphere at its tip, growing larger and larger until it illuminated his entire distorted face. He began to move forward, each step causing the ground to tremble and cracks to spread like vines.
Ye Mo also moved.
Instead of retreating, he spread his feet apart, assuming a standard horse stance. The Steel Bone system was operating at full power, with his entire skeleton emitting subtle "clicking" sounds, as if it were recalibrating. He took a deep breath, his nostrils filled with the smell of burning and metal, his lungs burning, but his mind was unusually clear.
He knew he couldn't maintain this state for long.
While his Steel Bone Body was incredibly resilient, it wasn't indefinitely resilient. The series of hard-hitting attacks he'd just endured had caused slight cracks in his bones, as if tiny ice crystals were spreading inside. The system hadn't given him a cooldown timer, and he wasn't sure where his limits were. The only thing he was certain of was—he couldn't afford to fall now.
Once it's overturned, the gemstone is gone.
Ronan raised his scepter high, and the purple flame sphere expanded to the size of a basketball, distorting the surrounding air and sucking in light. He was about to unleash his ultimate weapon.
Ye Mo stared at the increasingly bright energy and suddenly smiled.
He raised his left hand and beckoned to Ronan with his finger. "Come on, I'm waiting."
Purple flames crashed down.
This time it was a head-on impact. The energy wave spread out in a fan shape, and the entire corridor looked as if it had been ironed, flattening all the protrusions. Ye Mo's feet were firmly planted on the ground, his Steel Bone fully reinforced, extending from his ankles all the way to his skull, turning him into a metal stake driven into the ground. The shockwave struck him, producing a continuous clanging sound, like someone frantically pounding an iron rod on a shield.
His body trembled violently, his teeth chattered, his eardrums throbbed, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Yet he remained standing.
Even though his shoes had sunk three centimeters into the ground, and even though his work pants were ripped at the knees, revealing bleeding skin underneath, he didn't back down.
As the smoke cleared, he slowly raised his head and looked at Ronan through the swirling debris.
The other party was clearly shocked. The scepter lowered slightly, and the purple flames stopped surging. He stood there, as if he were seriously examining this human blocking his way for the first time.
Ye Mo wiped his mouth, spat out a mouthful of blood, and said in a hoarse voice, "Have you hit me enough?"
There was no sarcasm, no provocation, just a simple, unassuming question.
But at this moment, it was more oppressive than any shouting or cursing.
Ronan didn't answer, but simply gripped the scepter tighter.
Ye Mo didn't expect him to answer. He simply took advantage of the pause in the conversation to quietly move his right foot and step on a crack in the base of the gemstone holder. The previous tremor had loosened the holder, and it might slip off if it shook a few more times. His foot was planted precisely, neither moving it nor appearing deliberate, as if he were simply adjusting his center of gravity while standing.
A few seconds of silence followed.
The only sounds were the crackling of an electrical short circuit and the muffled thud of distant walls slowly peeling away.
Ronan finally made a move.
He put away the scepter, held it with both hands, and slowly raised it to his chest. The purple flames no longer radiated outwards, but compressed inwards, condensing into a thin line that wrapped around the surface of the scepter. His movements were slow, as if he were gathering strength, or as if he were observing.
Ye Mo stood still, breathing heavily, but his eyes were sharp.
He knew that the real test had only just begun.
An opponent of this caliber won't give up easily. If that previous onslaught was ineffective, the next move will undoubtedly be even more ruthless. It could be a change in rhythm, psychological pressure, or even a feint to lure the enemy in. Whatever it is, he has to keep up.
As long as he stands, this is his territory.
The Steel Bone was still functioning; the metallic texture within the bones felt heavy, like carrying an invisible suit of armor. Pain was inevitable; every inch of bone was protesting, but it could still hold on.
He stared into Ronan's eyes and said in a low voice, "You said you were going to destroy half the universe, but you couldn't even take down someone like me in a hoodie—isn't this script a bit off?"
Ronan remained silent.
But Ye Mo noticed that his fingers tightened around the cane for a moment.
It works.
He continued, "Your scepter charges pretty slowly, shouldn't you replace the battery? Want me to recommend a service center? It's Rocket Raccoon's shop, they guarantee repairs and replacements."
Before he could finish speaking, Ronan suddenly looked up, and the purple flames surged dramatically.
Ye Mo immediately tensed up, preparing to face the next wave of storm.
But that attack didn't come.
Ronan stood still, his scepter hovering in mid-air, its purple flames flickering uncertainly, as if he were weighing his options.
Ye Mo didn't move either.
The two stared at each other across the smoke and dust, one panting, the other burning.
Time seemed to stretch out.
Until a broken cable dangled from overhead, the light bulb hanging there flickered, casting swaying shadows.
Ye Mo stood at the boundary between light and darkness, his right hand still protectively guarding the direction of the gemstone, his left foot firmly pressing against the crack in the support, his whole being like a leaning but unyielding tower.
He didn't win.
They didn't lose either.
He's right here, standing.