Chapter 823
Chapter 823
“How unexpected. To think that we would meet like this.”
Chen Xiaolian was not wearing any protective clothing. Instead, he was simply wearing a normal T-shirt and a pair of jeans. However, he walked across the hot lava without showing any signs of abnormality.
Aderick’s heart sank.
He was originally an [S] class leading figure of Zero City. After obtaining the core embryo of the alien species and the regenerative power from the Bug Armour, his strength had risen by more than just a level.
In his opinion, even Shen, who was part of the invading force attacking Zero City back then, was not as strong as him now.
At this moment, however, facing the completely unarmed Chen Xiaolian, who was not even assuming a combat stance, Aderick suddenly found himself feeling…
A trace of dread.
A dread that went far deeper than when he had seen nuclear bombs rain down from the sky.
How was this possible?
Aderick stared at Chen Xiaolian.
He had witnessed Chen Xiaolian’s skills before. On that day, during the Blood Verdict, Chen Xiaolian had used but one slash to kill off Jacob, an [A+] class member of his guild with the same level of strength as Theodore.
It meant that Chen Xiaolian had most likely reached the strength of an [S] class.
However, he should – at most – only be at the threshold of [S] class. It was impossible for him to face Aderick. Even more so, there was no way he could, with his body alone, withstand the might of a nuclear blast.
He… what happened to him?
“You might not know this, but the ones fighting you just now are my guild members.” Chen Xiaolian sounded very calm. “Thankfully, I entered this instance dungeon just in time. I managed to save them.”
Those words once again rocked Aderick’s and Theodore’s minds.
The weight of the information within the words Chen Xiaolian uttered just now was simply too great.
Firstly, him entering this instance dungeon was an impromptu decision from him. Only high-levelled Players with their own Exclusive Accounts should possess such authority.
Secondly, he had actually withstood the nuclear blast earlier. Not only that, he even saved his guild members.
Aderick looked straight at Chen Xiaolian’s eyes, which were as clear as water, and found not a single sign that he was bluffing.
However, how could an Awakened possess the authority that only a high-level Player should have?
When did he reach such a terrifying level of strength?
Aderick’s body slowly transformed. His left hand transformed into the big eyeball capable of firing out thermal blasts while his right hand transformed out a bone blade.
Even though his Soul Eater Sword had long since met its destruction alongside his body just now, Aderick could still inflict damage upon his opponent’s soul through close combat.
“There’s no need to show such hostility towards me, Mr Aderick.” Chen Xiaolian smiled.
“We once fought side by side in Zero City. Even though there was a minor unhappy incident between me and the Knights of Darkness Guild, that has long since become irrelevant.”
Aderick snorted coldly, ignoring Chen Xiaolian’s words. A beam of light shot out from the eyeball on his left hand, heading straight towards Chen Xiaolian.
Naturally, he was not hoping to kill off Chen Xiaolian with the thermal blaster alone.
However, if he were to dodge this attack, Chen Xiaolian would surely end up creating an opening.
The real killing move was the bone blade on Aderick’s right arm.
A skill that could directly kill the soul. No matter how strong the opponent may be, there was no way they could completely avoid it.
After having received so much genetic enhancements, Aderick had absolute confidence in his speed.
Not to mention, his current physical body’s regenerative ability had practically reached that of a true unkillable body.
That sudden feeling of dread must be an illusion!
The very moment the organic thermal blaster opened fire, Aderick charged forward.
Theodore, even though he had yet to fully recover, also pulled out his dual blades and he rushed towards Chen Xiaolian from a different direction.
To his surprise, Chen Xiaolian continued to stand there, not making a single move.
When the beam of light arrived before him, an unassuming bracelet on his wrist suddenly unfolded. Moving even faster than the beam of light, it encased his whole body, transforming into a set of armour that shone with multi-coloured radiance.
The beam of light then struck Chen Xiaolian’s body before silently disappearing, failing to inflict any damage upon him. It was as though someone had just shone a flashlight on him.
What a formidable defensive equipment!
Aderick’s heart thumped. However, at this point in time, he could no longer change his tactics.
Facing the charge of these two opponents, all Chen Xiaolian did was stretch his hand out, placing it right before him.
At the same time, both Aderick and Theodore sensed a strange distortion in the distance between them and Chen Xiaolian.
Chen Xiaolian was clearly very close to him. And yet, he also seemed to be far away, a figure in the horizon. Aderick did not stop. He was still rushing forward, but the distance between him and Chen Xiaolian was not reduced in the slightest.
All of a sudden, the short distance of several metres had seemingly become infinite. No matter how hard he tried to rush forward, he could not make it to the end.
Then, Chen Xiaolian stretched his hand out again.
From Aderick’s perspective, Chen Xiaolian was clearly far away from him. And yet, with a simple swing of his fist, Chen Xiaolian was able to punch him in the face.
It had seemed like a casual action from Chen Xiaolian, but Aderick was thrown back by the punch and his body fell onto the ground.
The same was true for Theodore, who was easily punched away with just one punch from Chen Xiaolian.
“Like I said before, there is no need for us to be hostile towards one another.” Chen Xiaolian shook his head helplessly and looked at Aderick, who flipped himself up from the ground. “The way I see it, given your strength and perceptivity, you should already know that you are no match for me, right?”
Theodore, who had only just gotten up, gnashed his teeth and made ready to charge forward once more.
“Don’t move!”
Before Theodore could even take a step forward, Aderick’s hand had already appeared before him, stopping him.
“Guild Leader…” Theodore frowned.
Aderick did not say anything. All he did was look at Chen Xiaolian, his mind in utter turmoil.
That power just now had exceeded his imagination.
He was originally the leader of a resident guild from Zero City, an [S] class powerhouse.
Then, in this instance dungeon, he had first obtained the alien genes granted by the hidden quest before stealing the genetic sequence for regeneration from Xia Xiaolei’s Bug Armour. When compared to before, his strength had increased greatly.
And yet… Chen Xiaolian had so easily knocked him down with just one punch.
Moreover, it was obvious that he was not giving it his all.
Just what kind of power is this?!
The last time Aderick saw Chen Xiaolian fight was during the fall of Zero City. Back then, he had utilized a golden-coloured blade energy to destroy a high number of Electronic Guardians.
That was the power of Skyblade.
Aderick did not know how Chen Xiaolian had obtained Skyblade’s power. But even if he were to completely inherit all of Skyblade’s power, not missing a single portion, he would only be on par with Aderick’s former self.
But now…
This rate of growth was simply terrifying.
“Alright, listen to me first.” Seeing the lack of desire to continue attacking from Aderick, Chen Xiaolian smiled. “After we get out of this instance dungeon, I need your help with something.”
“Out of this instance dungeon?” Aderick sneered. “You…”
“I know about this instance dungeon’s quest.” Chen Xiaolian interrupted Aderick.
“Due to the hidden quest, you have now become this instance dungeon’s BOSS. You have to either be killed or kill off all the other participants of this instance dungeon. Am I right?”
“Yes.” Aderick stared right at Chen Xiaolian and replied slowly.
“That might be a problem for you, but not for me.” Chen Xiaolian waved it off with a nonchalant look. “I can remove the BOSS status that the hidden quest gave you… naturally, that includes your newfound powers.”
“WHAT?!”
If Aderick had been surprised earlier, he was now shellshocked.
“Is there anything that you are dissatisfied with, Mr Aderick?” Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “Surely, you’re not actually planning on bringing this monstrous gene out of this instance dungeon, are you? If you really do, I believe that, in less than one month, the entire planet would be filled with the mutants that you created. Seriously, the Development Team is being too whimsical in setting up the hidden quest.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about!” Aderick clenched his fists tightly. “Just now, you said, you can remove the BOSS status and power that this instance dungeon gave me? Where did you get this kind of authority?!”
For a moment, Aderick actually thought that this person before him had had his body taken over by the Development Team.
However, looking at Chen Xiaolian’s composed demeanour, Aderick could not help but feel that Chen Xiaolian was being serious.
If it was simply ‘becoming stronger’, no matter how outrageous it may be, Aderick would be more or less able to understand.
But for him to be able to change even the instance dungeon’s settings, this had gone beyond Aderick’s comprehension.
And yet, Chen Xiaolian… how could he be a member of the Development Team?
“No need for wild guesses.” Chen Xiaolian could see Aderick’s shock and uncertainty. “If there’s no other questions, it’s agreed then. Like I said, I need your help.”
“But, earlier, you said… those fellows who fought me just now are your guild members.” Aderick calmed himself down. “Amongst them, there was one who used a Bug Armour. Back when he was fighting me for control over the mutants, he ended up dying. Additionally… if you are truly as strong as you appear to be, possessing even the ability to modify an instance dungeon’s settings, I don’t think there’s anything I can help you with.”
“About my guild members, there is no need for you to worry about it.” Chen Xiaolian shook his head and continued calmly, “As for whether or not you can help me, that’s up to me to decide.”
“What do you want me to do?” Aderick took a deep breath. In his heart, he had come to more or less believe Chen Xiaolian.
At any rate, even though the previous fight had been a short one, he could already sense the terrifying power of this young man before him.
Even if he were to attack again, he was likely incapable of winning.
“Take this.” Chen Xiaolian brought out a communication device and tossed it to Aderick. “After leaving this instance dungeon, I will contact you.”
“After leaving this instance dungeon…?” Aderick accepted the communication device with a dazed look on his face. “Then now…”
“Right now, I’ll first help you get the Species Lord out of you.”
After saying that, Chen Xiaolian suddenly stretched his hand towards Aderick, who was in front him.
Aderick’s feet were still on the ground, but he felt a humongous suction force coming from the front. Before he could even think about resisting it, he had been pulled over, appearing directly before Chen Xiaolian.
Chen Xiaolian’s left hand was already pressing on his neck.
“Chen Xiaolian! What are you doing!”
Seeing Chen Xiaolian suddenly gripping his Guild Leader’s neck, Theodore roared and pulled out his dual blades once more as he made to rush forward.
But Chen Xiaolian merely stretched his right hand, pressing against thin air in Theodore’s direction. Next, a great force appeared out of nowhere to press down on Theodore, making him incapable of moving in the slightest.
“It’ll hurt a little. However, I think you should be able to endure it…”
After restraining Theodore, Chen Xiaolian’s right hand abruptly inserted itself into Aderick’s chest.