Chapter 407: Concert (Two in One)

Tianquan climbed out of a pile of twisted machinery. Throwing off the conveyor belt draped over her body, she ignored the pain wracking her frame and dialed the number Yaoguang had given her as she sprinted toward the cave entrance.

"Beep—beep—beep—"

She stared at the Holographic Screen, burning with anxiety.

At the same time, the Information Component on her right wrist spawned hundreds of windows. Thousands of programs linked together, initiating a search for the number's location.

Tianquan had tried to track Luo Sheng's location before. But since Yaoguang had never mentioned giving her Luo Sheng's number back then, she could only rely on the biological wave emissions from when the two of them had met.

The results had not been promising.

It was as if Luo Sheng had vanished into thin air.

She hadn't held out much hope this time, either.

But to her surprise, a new window popped up on the Holographic Screen a few seconds later. It displayed a map with a striking red dot moving rapidly.

Found him! Tianquan's spirits soared.

A second later, she froze.

Right next to the red dot was a green one.

And according to the program she had written, the green dot represented her own location.

At that exact moment, the call—which had been stuck on a busy tone—suddenly connected.

"Hello?"

Two identical voices reached Tianquan's ears at the same time.

Dumbfounded, Tianquan turned her head. The sight made her shudder.

A curly-haired man in a black suit stood right behind her, smiling. She had no idea when he had arrived.

His suit was ironed perfectly, without a single wrinkle, yet the dark red splatters across the fabric were unmistakably bloodstains. Judging by their appearance, they were fresh.

Even the lock of hair falling over his forehead carried a trace of crimson. Paired with eyes that narrowed into thin slits when he smiled, the sight sent a chill down Tianquan's spine.

Is he even human?

That was the only thought in her mind.

"Did you need me for something?"

Yan Jing smiled.

Hearing his voice, Tianquan finally snapped out of her terror and hurriedly explained everything, including what Yaoguang had told her.

"I see."

Yan Jing nodded. "You want to buy your lives, yes? Ms. Tianquan?"

"Yes."

Tianquan nodded emphatically, showing no trace of embarrassment.

"I can help, but the price you're offering isn't enough."

Yan Jing shook his head. "To be honest, Mr. Yaoguang doesn't have much credit with me. He still hasn't killed the person he promised to kill last time."

That's because you set him up.

Tianquan thought to herself.

But she certainly couldn't say that out loud. Listening to the distant roars and explosions, she knew Yaoguang wouldn't last much longer under the siege of two Sixth Tier combatants. She quickly said, "Name a price we can afford, and we'll pay it."

"Frankly, neither of you holds much value in my eyes. Only your lives are worth a bit of money."

Yan Jing said with a smile.

He was telling the truth.

Since his main body hadn't exited the Dungeon yet, if he really wanted Tianquan and Yaoguang's abilities, it would be much simpler to just have his main body kill them and take their Seven Stars Tokens.

"From now on, our lives belong to you!"

Tianquan didn't hesitate. "If you have any items to form a contract or place restrictions on us, bring them out now."

Yan Jing spared the girl a second glance. "You are very smart," he praised with a smile.

He turned and walked toward the source of the rumbling.

"There is no need for a contract."

His voice carried an indescribable confidence. Tianquan paused, then followed him.

Yaoguang was sent flying into the air by a pair of massive horns. He crashed heavily into the dirt, spreading spiderweb cracks across the ground beneath him.

A Fifth Tier fighting a Sixth Tier was difficult enough—let alone fighting two of them at once.

Taking a deep breath, he didn't even have time to think before pouring all his strength into a desperate roll to the left.

Several small artillery shells trailed exhaust plumes through the air, landing exactly where he had just been.

A chain of explosions erupted. Despite being several meters away, Yaoguang was caught in the blast and sent tumbling even further.

"You're pretty good."

A semi-mechanized figure emerged from the dust. Dressed entirely in black, the man pulled a cigarette from his pocket, sparked it against the scalding gun barrel on his right chest, and placed it between his lips.

"I thought you'd be just like Yuheng—all flash and no substance."

"But to my surprise, you take a beating much better than he did."

"Stop wasting time on him," a bionic species with a bull-like upper body interrupted impatiently. With a casual wave of his hand, he scattered the billowing dust. "If we let that woman get too far, who knows how long it'll take to track her down again."

"Fair enough. You finish him off; I'll finish my smoke." Huang Xun stood up and stepped aside.

The bionic species advanced on Yaoguang, radiating blinding light. The golden patterns on his horns were actively growing; originally the thickness of a wrist, they had stretched several meters long, weaving across his bare upper torso to feed him power.

Yaoguang tried to summon his strength and stand, but he simply couldn't. His injuries were too severe.

His once-proud strength augmentation gear was almost entirely destroyed, and even his backup energy system was completely severed.

"Cough, cough—"

Ultimately, he spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed back into the dirt.

Countless fragmented memories flashed through his mind before settling into tranquil silence.

He had nothing to regret.

When he first set foot on this path, he had already thought everything through.

Searching his soul, he knew he hadn't done anything worth regretting over the years. He might have made mistakes, but he had never felt regret.

It was just a pity... that he wouldn't get to see this world change for the better.

Perhaps he had walked down the wrong path—

Embracing that final thought, he closed his eyes.

The bionic species reached him. The creature raised its massive upper limbs, preparing to deliver the final blow.

Bang!!!

A heavy impact rang out.

The bionic species' eyes shot wide open. It stared at Yan Jing, who had suddenly appeared and effortlessly blocked the blow.

A short distance away, Huang Xun hadn't anticipated this turn of events either. His fingers twitched, nearly dropping his cigarette.

"A pleasure to meet you. My name is Luo Sheng, and I heard you were looking for me."

Yan Jing smiled.

His entire body was enveloped in a dense, pitch-black mist. Winged tentacles extended from his flesh, and faint traces of white drifted around him, coalescing on his right arm into a gauntlet of Thorns that easily deflected the bionic species' attack.

The first stage of the Fear Stance, plus the Power of the White Stone, plus the Fear Bird Stance—this was Yan Jing's basic combination for fighting opponents above his tier.

But today, he wanted to try something different.

Countless threads surged from his right eye and sank into Yaoguang's body on the ground.

Instantly, Yaoguang felt waves of warmth well up from his limbs and circulate through his body. His severed neural lines and torn muscles mended at a visible rate under the warmth. In just a second or two, he felt like he had recovered to his absolute peak.

"Your friend has already sold both your life and hers to me, Mr. Yaoguang."

Yan Jing lowered his head and smiled, showing no sign that his arm was currently bearing an immense, crushing weight.

Yaoguang stood up. Without a word, he gave a slight bow, then threw his right fist directly at the bionic species.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh— Almost simultaneously, a barrage of missiles shot into the air from nearby as Huang Xun let out a sinister grin.

He hadn't expected to get so lucky today. The target they were hunting had actually delivered himself right to them.

As Yaoguang's fist came crashing down, the bionic species lifted the right arm it had been pressing against Yan Jing and took a slight step back.

Clearly, however, Yaoguang's raw strength was still lacking in comparison. That step back was merely an adjustment to gather momentum, and in the next instant, the bionic species' right arm smashed forward again.

Yaoguang surged forward once more, intending to block the blow for Yan Jing.

But right then, the sound of a Piano—playing a melody unlike anything he had ever heard—fell into his ears.

The notes were like a clear spring beneath the moon, flowing downstream through the veil of night, crashing against boulders to spray high into the air before cascading into a lake with a pure, crystalline resonance.

The next second, endless weird energy erupted from within him. A terrifying surge of power caused his physical size to skyrocket as billowing black mist poured from his facial features.

His pair of massive mechanical fists looked as though they had been parasitized by flora. Pitch-black Thorns replaced the internal wiring, and writhing tentacles sprouted from the mechanical seams. Crimson eyes opened on each tentacle, half-concealed beneath black feathers.

Not only that, but a pair of mechanical wings sprouted from Yaoguang's back.

The next moment, the bionic species' double-fisted strike slammed into Yaoguang's right arm. Instead of crushing him, the bionic creature was sent flying backward to crash heavily into the dirt.

Simultaneously, watching the volley of missiles hurtling toward them, Yaoguang had an inexplicable sensation:

They were too slow.

Casually reaching out, he caught the missiles and crushed them right in his palm. Aside from a slight tremor running through his body, he suffered no damage.

He turned to look at Yan Jing, who was now seated behind a Piano that had materialized out of nowhere.

Yan Jing's eyes were closed. The thick black mist had shifted, morphing into a long tailcoat that draped over him. Unlike a traditional tailcoat, its wide sleeves and black-patterned coattails fluttered in the wind, giving him a distinctly Eastern flair. Petals rained down in time with his pale, dancing hands, painting a scene like the grand finale of a majestic concert.

It was this very Piano—pouring out music like a clear spring—that had granted him such an immense boost.

Yaoguang wasn't ignorant of the piano. On the contrary, as a piano tuner, he had seen his fair share of exceptional pianists. But Yan Jing's performance was on a completely different level from anyone he had ever encountered.

A magnificent movement resonated across the clearing. Aside from elegant , he couldn't find a single word to describe it.

He turned back and took a deep breath. Propelled by his new wings, his feather-covered fists shot forward, smashing directly toward the bull-headed bionic species as it climbed to its feet.

"Roar!!!"

The minotaur let out a furious bellow. The golden patterns all over its body blazed with light as it stomped heavily forward.

To the beast, being overpowered just now was nothing more than a fluke. In terms of true strength, it believed it still far surpassed its opponent.

At least, that was what it believed—right up until their raw might clashed once more.

Boom!

The outcome was exactly the same as before, only this time, it was sent flying even further.

Huang Xun's face darkened. Throwing his arms wide, he unleashed a barrage of lasers at Yaoguang, but the winged man dodged every single one.

The tentacles writhed and grew wildly alongside dense currents of electricity, fueled by his whirring mechanical core. Yaoguang could feel the power inside him continuing to climb.

It was only at this moment that he truly understood Yan Jing's strength.

It was like walking down a winding jungle path and emerging from a towering canopy, finally catching a glimpse of a supreme mountain peak—vast and magnificent.

His twin fists fell like hammers, slamming squarely into the minotaur's giant horns.

"Roar!!!"

The minotaur's eyes were completely bloodshot.

The fact that a piece of trash it had been casually tossing around was now suppressing it drove the beast completely mad. Its weird energy spiked exponentially, materializing into the phantom projection of a terrifying monster.

It looked like a bull with horns pointing skyward, but its body bore tiger and leopard stripes. It constantly absorbed the ambient light, and its roar sounded like a hurricane sweeping past its towering frame.

Yaoguang, however, unleashed his ultimate peak of strength as well.

Thick black mist and scalding steam swept across the battlefield. A dark radiance burst from every mechanical joint and seam. With his mechanical core roaring like thunder, he leaped high into the air. Boundless lightning seemed to encircle him, making him look like a descending Deity.

Or more accurately, a Divine Envoy standing before a Deity.

In that instant, the world changed colors as light and darkness collided. Yan Jing's hands increased their intensity, and the originally elegant melody transformed into a tempestuous concerto of howling winds and crashing waves. Tianquan watched from the cave entrance in absolute awe.

She felt she would never forget this scene. Compared to this, the missions they used to carry out were pathetically weak. It was like parting the plastic flaps of a small street diner in the dead of winter and drinking a piping-hot bowl of mutton soup; synthetic bread wasn't bad, but it couldn't even begin to compare.

After a flash of extreme, blinding radiance...

The two figures crossed paths.

Tianquan held her breath.

Crack—

Accompanied by a miserable shriek, the minotaur collapsed heavily. Its proud horns snapped completely, tumbling into the dirt.

The golden patterns etched into them faded into dullness, losing all their might, leaving behind nothing but the wreckage of past glory.

Huang Xun stared at the scene in disbelief.

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined the minotaur would lose.

Only then, staring at Yan Jing playing the Piano, did he finally figure it out.

In a split second, the mechanical body parts on his right side rapidly shifted. Countless metal components extended and assembled into a massive cannon barrel, aiming straight at Yan Jing, who was still fully absorbed in his playing.

Yan Jing seemed entirely oblivious to the impending danger. With his eyes closed, his fingertips continued to dance, letting the music flow.

"Mr. Luo!"

Yaoguang's expression darkened, and he immediately tried to rush over. However, the fallen minotaur suddenly reached out and hugged Yaoguang's leg with desperate, reckless strength. The beast knew that as long as Yan Jing died, victory would still belong to them.

"Mr. Luo!!"

Yaoguang roared, violently kicking out and snapping the minotaur's arm. But he was too late.

A hideous grin spread across Huang Xun's face. The massive shoulder cannon had finished charging in a mere second. All that was left was the final step—fire—

Suddenly, he felt his perspective plunging. His line of sight could no longer lock onto Yan Jing.

Unable to comprehend what had happened, he forced his eyes upward as best he could—only to see his own body.

A body missing half its head.

Behind his body hovered an enormous, archaic pair of scissors, snapping open and shut. The cold, murderous snip-snap echoed through the air.

When did that happen...?

A cold sweat broke out over him. Switching rapidly to his backup power, the mechanical core in his chest spun wildly, transferring his main consciousness into his remaining half. He immediately blasted backward, retreating from the terrifying scissors' attack range.

"Do you have any idea who we are?!"

Driven by sheer terror, he screamed frantically at Yan Jing, who was still playing the Piano. "We are from the Presidential Security Department!!! The Security Department! Do you understand?! You filthy peasants! Killing you is a direct order from the president!!!"

"By daring to attack the Presidential Security Department, you are making an enemy of the entire Heavenly Kingdom!!!"

Knowing that he had no chance of winning, he could only drag out the president's name.

His hand hovered over his Information Component, desperately trying to contact headquarters for reinforcements.

But just then, the Piano music came to an abrupt halt.

Startled, he looked up. The next instant, blood exploded from the remaining half of his face.

His entire body was pinned to the wall.

He looked exactly like a criminal from ancient times hung above the city gates—except this time, he had been pinned directly to the wall.

Next, two long spears materialized, driving straight through his chest and abdomen.

As the hum of his mechanical core ground to a halt, peace finally

Tianquan climbed out from a pile of twisted mechanical devices. Throwing off the conveyor belt draped over her body, she ignored the pain wracking her frame and dialed the number Yaoguang had given her while sprinting toward the cave entrance.

"Beep—beep—beep—"

She stared fixedly at the holographic screen, her heart burning with anxiety.

At the same time, the information component on her right wrist spawned hundreds of windows. Thousands of programs linked together, initiating a search for the number's location.

Tianquan had actually tried tracking Luo Sheng's position before, but Yaoguang hadn't offered his number at the time. She had been forced to rely on the biological waves emitted when the two of them had met.

The results had been far from optimistic.

It was as if the identity of Luo Sheng had vanished into thin air.

Tianquan hadn't held out much hope this time, either.

But to her surprise, a new window popped up on the holographic screen a few seconds later. It displayed a map with a striking red dot moving rapidly across it.

Found him! Tianquan's spirits soared.

The next second, she froze.

Right next to that red dot was a green one.

And according to the program she had written, the green dot represented her own location.

Right at that moment, the call that had been stuck ringing suddenly connected.

"Hello?"

Two identical voices reached Tianquan's ears at the exact same time.

Dumbfounded, Tianquan turned her head. The sight made her shudder.

A smiling, curly-haired man in a black suit stood right behind her. She had no idea when he had arrived.

His suit was perfectly ironed, without a single wrinkle, yet the dark red splatters across it were unmistakably bloodstains. Judging by their appearance, they were fresh.

Even the lock of hair falling over his forehead carried a trace of crimson. Paired with eyes that narrowed into thin slits when he smiled, the sight sent a chill down Tianquan's spine.

Is he even human?

That was the only thought in her mind.

"Did you need me for something?"

Yan Jing smiled.

Hearing his voice, Tianquan finally snapped out of her fear and hurriedly explained everything, including what Yaoguang had told her.

"I see."

Yan Jing nodded. "You wish to buy your lives, yes? Ms. Tianquan?"

"Yes."

Tianquan nodded emphatically, showing no trace of embarrassment.

"I can help with this, but the price you're offering isn't enough."

Yan Jing shook his head. "To be honest, Mr. Yaoguang doesn't hold much credit with me. He still hasn't killed the person he promised to kill for me last time."

That's because you set him up.

Tianquan thought to herself.

But she certainly couldn't say that out loud. Listening to the distant roars and explosions, Tianquan knew Yaoguang wouldn't last much longer under the siege of two Sixth Tier experts. She quickly said, "Name a price we can afford, and we will definitely pay it."

"Frankly, neither of you holds much value in my eyes. Only your two lives are worth a bit of money."

Yan Jing said with a smile.

He was telling the truth.

Since his main body hadn't exited the Dungeon yet, if he really wanted Tianquan and Yaoguang's abilities, it would be much simpler to just have his main body kill them both and take their Seven Stars Tokens.

"From now on, our lives belong to you!"

Tianquan decided instantly. "If you have any items to form a contract or place restrictions on us, you can bring them out now."

Yan Jing couldn't help but spare the young woman a second glance. "You are very smart," he praised with a smile.

Immediately after, he turned and walked toward the rumbling of the battle.

"There's no need for any contract item."

His voice carried an indescribable confidence. Tianquan paused, then followed him involuntarily.

Yaoguang was sent flying into the air by a pair of massive horns, crashing heavily into the ground and spreading spiderweb cracks through the earth beneath him.

A Fifth Tier fighting a Sixth Tier was far too difficult—let alone fighting two of them at once.

Taking a deep breath, he poured all his strength into a desperate roll to the left without even taking the time to think.

Several small artillery shells trailed winding exhaust plumes through the air, landing exactly where he had just been.

A series of explosions erupted. Though several meters away, Yaoguang was caught in the blast and sent tumbling even further across the dirt.

"You're pretty good."

A semi-mechanized figure emerged from the dust. Dressed entirely in black, the man pulled a cigarette from his pocket, swiped it against the still-scalding gun barrel on his right chest to light it, and placed it between his lips.

"I thought you'd be just like that Yuheng—all flash and no substance."

"But to my surprise, you can take a beating much better than he could."

"Stop wasting time on him," a bionic species with a bull-like upper body interrupted impatiently. With a casual wave of his hand, the billowing dust instantly scattered. "If we let that woman get too far away, who knows how long it'll take to track her down again."

"True enough. You finish him off, then; I'll finish my smoke." Huang Xun stood up and stepped to the side.

The bionic species advanced step by step toward Yaoguang, radiating a blinding light. The golden patterns on his bull horns seemed to be constantly growing; from the thickness of a wrist, they had extended to several meters in length, tracing across his bare upper torso and feeding him power.

Yaoguang tried to summon his strength and get up several times, but he simply couldn't. His injuries were far too severe.

His once-proud strength augmentation gear was almost entirely destroyed, and even his backup energy system had been severed.

"Cough, cough—"

Ultimately, he spat out a few mouthfuls of blood and collapsed back onto the ground.

Countless fragmented memories flashed through his mind before settling into tranquil silence.

He had nothing to regret.

When he first set foot on this path, he had already thought everything through.

Searching his soul, he knew he hadn't done anything worth regretting over the years. He might have made mistakes, but he had never felt regret.

It was just a little pity... that he wouldn't get to see this world change for the better.

Perhaps he had walked down the wrong path—

Embracing that final thought, he closed his eyes.

The bionic species had already reached him. The creature raised its massive upper limbs high, preparing to strike and end the battle.

Bang!!!

A heavy sound of impact rang out.

The bionic species' eyes shot wide open, staring at Yan Jing, who had suddenly appeared and effortlessly blocked the blow.

A short distance away, Huang Xun, who had been leisurely smoking, hadn't anticipated this turn of events either. His fingers twitched, nearly dropping his cigarette.

"A pleasure to meet you. My name is Luo Sheng, and I heard you were looking for me."

Yan Jing offered a faint smile.

At this moment, his entire body was enveloped in a dense, pitch-black mist. Winged tentacles extended from his flesh, and faint traces of white drifted around his form, coalescing on his right arm into a gauntlet of thorns that easily deflected the bionic species' attack.

The first stage of the Fear Stance, plus the Power of the White Stone, plus the Fear Bird Stance—this was Yan Jing's basic combination for fighting opponents above his tier.

But today, he wanted to try something different.

Countless threads surged from his right eye and sank into Yaoguang's body on the ground.

Instantly, Yaoguang felt waves of warmth welling up from his limbs and circulating through his body. His severed neural lines and torn muscles mended at a visible rate under the warmth's effects. In just a second or two, he felt like he had recovered to his absolute peak state.

"Your friend has already sold both your life and hers to me, Mr. Yaoguang."

Yan Jing lowered his head and smiled, showing absolutely no sign that his arm was currently bearing an immense, crushing weight.

Yaoguang stood up. Without a word, he gave a slight bow, then threw his right fist directly at the bionic species.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh— Almost simultaneously, a barrage of missiles shot into the air from nearby as Huang Xun let out a sinister grin.

He hadn't expected to get so lucky today. The target they were hunting had actually delivered himself right to their doorstep.

As Yaoguang's fist came crashing down, the bionic species lifted the right arm that had been pressing against Yan Jing's block and took a slight step back.

Clearly, however, Yaoguang's raw strength was still lacking in comparison. That step back was merely an adjustment to gather momentum, and in the next instant, the bionic species' right arm smashed forward once again.

Yaoguang surged forward once more, intending to block the blow for Yan Jing.

But right then, the sound of a Piano—playing a melody unlike anything he had ever heard—fell into his ears.

The notes were like a clear spring beneath the moon, flowing downstream through the veil of night, crashing against boulders to spray high into the air, and finally cascading into a lake with a pure, crystalline resonance.

The next second, it felt as if endless weird energy erupted from within him. A terrifying surge of power instantly caused his physical size to skyrocket, while billowing black mist poured from his facial features.

His massive mechanical fists looked as though they had been parasitized by some sort of flora. Pitch-black thorns replaced the internal wiring, and writhing tentacles sprouted from the mechanical seams. Crimson eyes opened on each tentacle, concealed beneath black feathers.

Not only that, but a pair of mechanical wings even sprouted from Yaoguang's back.

The next moment, the bionic species' double-fisted strike slammed into Yaoguang's right arm. Instead of crushing him, the bionic creature was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the dirt.

Simultaneously, as he watched the volley of missiles hurtling toward them, Yaoguang had an inexplicable sensation:

They were too slow.

Casually reaching out, he caught the missiles and crushed them right in the palm of his hand. Aside from a slight tremor running through his body, he suffered absolutely no damage.

He turned his head to look at Yan Jing, who was now seated behind a Piano that had materialized out of nowhere.

Yan Jing's eyes were closed. The thick black mist had shifted, morphing into a long tailcoat that draped over him. Unlike a traditional tailcoat, its wide sleeves and black-patterned coattails fluttering in the wind gave him a distinctly Eastern flair. Petal after petal rained down in time with his pale, dancing hands, painting a picture like the grand finale of a majestic concert.

It was this very Piano—pouring out music like a clear spring—that had granted him such an immense buff.

Yaoguang wasn't ignorant of the piano. On the contrary, as a piano tuner, he had seen his fair share of exceptional pianists. But Yan Jing's performance right now was on a completely different level from anyone he had ever encountered.

A magnificent movement resonated across the clearing. Aside from elegant, he couldn't find a single word to describe it.

He turned back around and took a deep breath. Propelled by his new wings, his feather-covered fists shot forward, smashing directly toward the bull-headed bionic species that had just climbed back to its feet.

"Roar!!!"

The bull-headed bionic species let out a furious bellow. The golden patterns all over its body blazed with light as it stomped heavily forward.

To the beast, being overpowered just now was nothing more than a fluke. In terms of true strength, it believed it still far surpassed this opponent.

At least, that was what it believed—right up until their raw might clashed once more.

Boom!

The outcome was exactly the same as before, only this time, it was sent flying even further.

Huang Xun's face darkened. Throwing his arms wide, he unleashed a barrage of lasers at Yaoguang, but the winged man dodged every single one.

The tentacles writhed and grew wildly alongside dense currents of electricity fueled by his whirring mechanical core. Yaoguang could feel the power inside him continuing to climb.

It was only at this moment that he truly understood Yan Jing's strength.

It was like walking down a winding jungle path and emerging from a towering canopy, finally catching a glimpse of a supreme mountain peak—so vast and magnificent.

His twin fists fell like hammers, slamming squarely into the bull-headed bionic species' giant horns.

"Roar!!!"

The bull-headed creature's eyes had gone completely bloodshot.

The fact that a piece of trash it had been casually tossing around was now suppressing it drove the beast entirely mad. Its weird energy spiked exponentially, materializing into the phantom projection of a terrifying monster.

It looked somewhat like a bull with its horns pointing toward the sky, but its body bore tiger- and leopard-like stripes. It constantly absorbed the ambient light, and its roar sounded like a hurricane sweeping past its towering frame.

Yaoguang, however, unleashed his ultimate peak of strength as well.

Thick black mist and scalding steam swept across the battlefield. A dark radiance burst from every mechanical joint and seam. With his mechanical core roaring like thunder, he leaped high into the air. Boundless lightning seemed to encircle him, making him look like a descending Deity.

Or more accurately, a Divine Envoy standing before a Deity.

In that instant, the world changed colors as light and darkness collided. Yan Jing's hands gradually increased their intensity, and the originally elegant melody transformed into a tempestuous concerto of howling winds and crashing waves. Tianquan, standing at the cave entrance, watched in absolute awe.

She felt she would never forget this scene. Compared to this, the missions they used to carry out were pathetically weak. It was like walking through the plastic flaps of a small street diner in the dead of winter to drink a piping-hot bowl of mutton soup; synthetic bread wasn't bad, but it couldn't even begin to compare.

After a flash of blinding, extreme radiance...

The two figures crossed paths.

Tianquan held her breath.

"Crack—"

Accompanied by a miserable shriek, the bull-headed bionic species collapsed heavily. Its proud horns were completely snapped off, tumbling into the dirt.

The golden patterns etched into them faded into dullness, losing all their might, leaving behind nothing but the wreckage of past glory.

Huang Xun stared at the scene in absolute disbelief.

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the bull-headed creature would lose.

It was only then, staring at Yan Jing playing the Piano, that he finally figured it out.

In a split second, the mechanical body parts on his right side rapidly shifted and collided. Countless metal components extended and assembled into a massive cannon barrel, aiming straight at Yan Jing, who was still fully absorbed in his playing.

Yan Jing seemed entirely oblivious to the impending danger. With his eyes closed, his fingertips continued to dance, letting the music flow.

"Mr. Luo!"

Yaoguang's expression darkened, and he immediately tried to rush over. However, the fallen bionic species suddenly reached out and hugged Yaoguang's leg with desperate, reckless strength. The beast knew that as long as Yan Jing died, victory would still belong to them.

"Mr. Luo!!"

Yaoguang roared, violently kicking out and snapping the bionic species' arm. But he was already too late.

A hideous grin spread across Huang Xun's face. The massive shoulder cannon had finished charging in a mere second. All that was left was the final step—fire—

Suddenly, he felt his perspective plunging rapidly. His line of sight could no longer lock onto Yan Jing.

Unable to comprehend what had happened, he forced his eyes upward as best he could—only to see his own body.

A body missing half its head.

Behind his body hovered an enormous, archaic pair of scissors, snapping open and shut. The cold, murderous snip-snap echoed through the air.

When did that happen...?

A cold sweat broke out over him. Switching rapidly to his backup power, the mechanical core in his chest spun wildly, transferring his main consciousness into his remaining half. He immediately blasted backward, retreating from the terrifying scissors' attack range.

"Do you have any idea who we are?!"

Driven by sheer terror, he screamed frantically at Yan Jing, who was still playing the Piano. "We are from the Presidential Security Department!!! The Security Department! Do you understand?! You filthy peasants! Killing you is a direct order from the president!!!"

"By daring to attack the Presidential Security Department, you are making an enemy out of the entire Heavenly Kingdom!!!"

Knowing that he had no chance of winning anymore, he could only drag out the president's name.

His hand hovered over his information component, desperately trying to contact headquarters for reinforcements.

But just then, the Piano music came to an abrupt halt.

Startled, he looked up. The next instant, blood exploded from the remaining half of his face.

His entire body was nailed completely to the wall.

It looked exactly like criminals from ancient times who were hung above city gates—except this time, he had been pinned directly to the wall.

Next, two long spears materialized, driving straight through his chest and abdomen.

As the hum of his mechanical core ground to a halt, peace finally returned to the clearing.

Yan Jing stood up and crossed his hands over his chest. He offered a polite bow to his remaining three audience members, thanking them for listening to his impromptu concert.