Chapter 19

The moment Chen Mo accepted the death match, the entire Sector 7 Shelter seemed as if a massive stone had been thrown in, sending ripples that quickly swept every corner. One side was the leader of a rising battle team that had been making waves and repeatedly scoring remarkable achievements; the other side was the captain of a strong team from Sector 3 Shelter, with deep roots and a fearsome reputation abroad. This confrontation was no longer merely a personal grudge; it also involved the subtle power struggle between the two shelters, and the scrutiny of many onlookers over the true strength of the 'Echo' battle team.

The death match arena was set in the temporarily cleared open space at the center of the shelter's plaza, personally overseen by Zhang Zhen to maintain order. The simple rule—no restrictions, until one side dies or voluntarily concedes (but conceding in a death match gives the opponent the right to refuse).

The light of the Blood Moon seemed to focus here, dyeing the arena a deep crimson. Heads crowded around, survivors tiptoed to look, whispering discussions, and the air was thick with tension and bloodthirsty excitement.

Luo Heng bared his upper body, revealing his muscular build and several ferocious scars, his whole body wreathed in visible crimson flames of fire, releasing the pressure of his LV9 without reservation; the scorching airflow made those near the arena feel short of breath. He gripped a long blade wreathed in blazing flames, his eyes fierce like a beast's, locked firmly on Chen Mo opposite him.

"You little bastard, I'll burn you to ashes and make you know the cost of offending the Blazing Flame!" Luo Heng's voice, distorted with excitement.

Chen Mo still wore his bloodstained combat uniform, holding the freshly forged tactical axe. The axe body was dull, only the blade flowed with a cold gleam and hidden energy patterns. His face was calm, his eyes deep as an ancient well, as if what was about to happen was not a life‑and‑death battle but an ordinary practice. He lightly stroked the blade, feeling its perfect resonance with his own energy.

"Too much talk."

Those three simple words completely ignited Luo Heng's fury!

"Die!"

Luo Heng roared, the ground beneath his feet scorched and cracked, his form turning into a blaze of fire; his flaming long blade, accompanied by an explosive roar that tore the air, came straight for Chen Mo's face! The assault was savage, holding nothing back!

Chen Mo's eyes narrowed, he advanced instead of retreating! Activating 【Shadow Step】, his form slid like a ghost, narrowly dodging the flaming blade's edge while his tactical axe silently swept toward Luo Heng's ribs! The speed and tricky angle drew gasps from the onlookers.

Luo Heng, rich in combat experience, turned his blade and blocked with the hilt.

"Clang!"

Sparks flew everywhere! A scorching surge of energy traveled along the axe blade, but was easily dispelled by Chen Mo's internal 【Metal Hardening】 and 【Thick Skin】 passives.

The strike missed, and the two instantly separated.

"Not bad! But that's as far as you go!" Luo Heng growled low, his whole body engulfed in flames; as he swung his long blade, several fireballs the size of washbasins howled toward Chen Mo, cutting off all his escape routes!

Area attack!

Chen Mo's pupils contracted slightly; 【Bone Armor Technique】 instantly covered his whole body, while he applied his newly grasped energy‑control skill to 【Energy Shot】, no longer seeking a single beam's penetration but instead instantly diffusing it before the axe blade to form a fleeting incandescent energy shield!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The fireballs struck the energy shield and exploded in succession, flames roiling, scorching heat waves sweeping the surroundings! The shield shuddered violently, finally shattering, but it managed to cancel most of the damage.

Chen Mo was shaken by the blast's aftershock, stepping back two steps, his arm slightly numb, but his eyes remained calm.

"How is that possible?!" A flicker of disbelief crossed Luo Heng's face—his explosive fireballs had actually been blocked like that?

Seizing his momentary shock, Chen Mo moved! 【Shadow Step】 was just off cooldown, his form blurred again, like a shadow merging with the ground, as he swiftly closed in on Luo Heng!

"Playing tricks!" Luo Heng shouted angrily, his long blade dancing wildly, laying down a curtain of flames around himself!

However, Chen Mo's aim was not a head‑on assault. In the moment of closing in, he suddenly opened his mouth and let out a low, soul‑shaking howl—【Furious Roar】!

The invisible sound waves mixed with mental impact slammed hard into Luo Heng's mind! He felt his brain buzz, his consciousness went blank for an instant, and the dancing blade curtain likewise showed a slight, negligible hesitation!

For Chen Mo, that sliver of hesitation was enough!

The eerie glow of 【Corrosive Venom Saliva】 on the tactical axe intertwined with the white light of the highly compressed 【Energy Shot】, like a poisonous dragon bursting from its hole, piercing with pinpoint accuracy the fleeting gap in the flame blade curtain, straight for Luo Heng's heart!

At the moment of life and death, Luo Heng's beast‑like instinct saved him! He forcibly twisted his body, avoiding the vital spot!

"Pfft!"

The tactical axe sank deep into his right chest! The enhanced corrosive toxin and highly compressed energy instantly exploded inside his body!

"Ah—!" Luo Heng let out a piercing scream, his whole body flying back like a torn sack, crashing heavily to the ground; his chest a blur of blood and flesh, scorched black and sickly green intertwined, continually eating away at his vitality.

He struggled to get up, but the deadly poison and energy destruction made his whole body spasm, his strength rapidly draining.

Chen Mo gave him no chance, following close like a shadow, he raised his icy tactical axe high, aiming at his neck.

"No… don't kill me! I surrender! I…" Luo Heng's eyes filled with fear, tears and snot streaming down, all his former arrogance gone.

Chen Mo's eyes were icy, without the slightest waver. Mercy toward the enemy is cruelty to oneself and one's teammates. What's more, this is a fight to the death.

"I said I would use your blood to sharpen my new axe."

Before his words even finished, the axe blade, carrying a cold arc of light, came down fiercely!

【Successfully killed LV. 9 player "Luo Heng"; as the victor of the death match, you obtain his death drop: system points x1500, skill scroll 【Fireball Technique (LV. 2)】, equipment 【Flame Longsword (Excellent Quality)】.】

【Death Echo triggered! Successfully copied skill: Fire Affinity (LV. 1 passive)!】

【Fire Affinity (LV. 1): Passive skill. Slightly increases perception and resistance to fire-element energy, and mildly enhances one's own fire-element skill effects (if any).】

Luo Heng's corpse turned into white light and vanished, leaving only a few drops of loot and a silent square.

Everyone was shocked by this clean and swift, even crushing, outcome. An LV8 defeating an LV9 so thoroughly! Chen Mo's displayed calm, precision, and endless strange abilities sent chills down the spines of all spectators.

"Echo" team members burst into repressed cheers; Su Yu clenched her fists, her eyes shining with excitement.

Lin Wei and the members of the 'Flame' squad had ashen faces; looking at Chen Mo, their eyes were full of hatred, but under Zhang Zhen's icy gaze they dared not move, only awkwardly picking up Luo Heng's dropped Flame Longsword and fleeing in disgrace.

Zhang Zhen walked up to Chen Mo, looking at his tactical axe unstained by blood, his eyes mixing admiration and gravity: 'It seems my Seventh Shelter has truly gotten a fierce dragon crossing the river.'

Chen Mo put away his spoils, feeling the newly acquired 【Fire Affinity】 passive and the power within him, now more abundant from the victory and the large amount of experience from leveling up (LV9 to LV10). He raised his head, gazing at the faintly visible regional barrier in the sky.

The countdown to the barrier's disappearance continued to tick mercilessly.

"Not a dragon." Chen Mo withdrew his gaze, looked at Zhang Zhen, his tone calm yet undeniable: "I just want to bring my people to survive, to live better."

He turned and walked toward his teammates.

"Clean up the battlefield, then return to rest. Before the barrier disappears, we still have one last thing to do."

The victory in the death match was merely sharpening our fangs. The true test lies beyond the barrier. And the sound of 'Echo' will surely spread farther.