Chapter 123: Consciousness Surges, Bane of Evil

Inner Landscape?

This little brat has an Inner Landscape!

Like a covert current infiltrating, silent thoughts, resembling ice blocks solidified in an extreme cold environment.

The Gray Viper's originally struggling body instantly stiffened.

He made "heh heh" sounds from his throat, as if choked by a fish bone, those triangular eyes bulging outward, filled with bloodshot veins.

Until he took a heavy fall, he still couldn't figure out why a high school student could have a Spirit Residing in the Inner Landscape!

"If you could see your own appearance right now, you'd probably like it very much."

Qin Shi's palm clamped onto the Gray Viper's face like iron pincers, and as his five fingers closed, it seemed he would crush the hard skull alive.

"So this is what it feels like to appreciate the expression of fear on others."

He effortlessly lifted the Gray Viper's head, like tossing a burlap sack, flinging him toward the Ox-Head who had reacted and raised his gun to shoot.

A heavy body of one hundred seventy or eighty jin served as an obstacle, blocking Qin Shi's figure.

Bang!

But Ox-Head's expression didn't change, he still pulled the trigger.

The Thunder No. 4's large-caliber firearm roared, spewing muzzle flame, blasting a large hole in the Gray Viper's back.

Like a water-filled balloon stomped and burst, it sprayed out a gorgeous crimson blood color!

"Ah!"

The intense pain of being shot allowed the Gray Viper's fear-filled heart to regain a few traces of clarity, and he subconsciously unleashed a Mental Shockblast!

Like a flashbang exploding in mid-air!

Inside the entire beverage shop, everyone's Brain Sea simultaneously heard a violent shrill cry, vision went black, as if a turbulent torrent slammed into an utterly defenseless fragile spirit.

Bearing the brunt were the hypnotized customers!

They seemed like trampled grass, collapsing east and west all over the floor; the sudden spiritual damage, like a heavy hammer striking skulls, smashing them to pieces!

An extremely realistic near-death experience made the "puppets" carefully selected by the Gray Viper roll their eyes, vomit and groan; the worse ones lost bladder and bowel control, completely losing bodily control.

Facing an Esper, an ordinary person's Brain is like an antique computer; stuff just a little something inside and it's enough to burn it out.

Ox-Head and Snake Kid weren't faring well either; although they had fifty-plus points of Qi Life Force, strong wills far exceeding the ordinary, caught off guard they still felt chest tightness, dizziness and trance.

Espers are considered the most disgusting opponents and the most needed teammates among the three major main-system pathway Occupations, and not without reason.

The only one unaffected was Qin Shi.

In the Stele Panel, the Symbolic Emblem belonging to 【Taiyi】 lit up slightly.

Junior Achievement 【Order】 trait passively triggered.

High Mental Resistance made him completely immune to this Mental Shockblast of not-high energy level.

"In team fights, deal with crowd control first, then burst down the damage dealers."

Qin Shi took a deep breath, Qi Life Force surged out, blood flowing rapidly like rolling beads, filling the Hundred Bones.

Flesh Vitality instantly mobilized, the surging Qi momentum like a tidal wave directly Spiritually Field Locking onto Ox-Head.

The latter felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, cold intent assaulting his whole body.

When the Gray Viper's body smashed into the glass Wall nearby, that tall figure standing up from across the way had already stepped forward.

Like a mad wind howling!

As Qin Shi sprinted forward, Hundred Aspects Refining Force abruptly operated; strands of airflow attached and coiled, the power of intent driving strong winds, propelling his body like lightning and shooting stars, pressing in close!

"I only need 0.21 seconds to draw my gun……"

Ox-Head almost lightning-fast raised his hand again, aiming at Qin Shi.

He was very confident; this uninvited guest who looked like a high school student absolutely had not broken through to Professional Level, and could not handle Hot Weapons.

Bang!

Trigger pulled, firing again!

At such close range, impossible to dodge……

Wait!

Where's the person?

The next instant.

That tall figure appeared on the other side.

Crack!

The hand gripping the gun was like a crisp noodle; white bone fragments pierced through the Skin.

In the nick of time, the 【Instant Shadow】 Skill proved greatly useful.

Dodged Ox-Head's lightning gun draw!

"Huff!"

Qin Shi suppressed the tension facing the dark gun muzzle; tyrannical Physical Ability erupted from within, bundles of muscles suddenly condensed, effortlessly twisting off Ox-Head's gun-holding hand.

Then seizing that large-caliber Thunder No. 4, five fingers exerting slight force, crushing it into scrap iron.

Immediately after, Qin Shi's knee sprang up, a kick straight to the sky striking Ox-Head's chin squarely.

The rough face full of shock rippled with layers of flesh waves; he seemed like a human top whipped into the air!

Under the explosive force, Ox-Head's mandible instantly shattered, like a watermelon penetrated by a bullet, blasting out the flesh and juice inside; turbid liquid mixed red and white, like scattered water droplets, splattering onto tables, chairs, and walls.

"How…… possible…… dodge a bullet……"

Ox-Head's eyes revealed extremely intense shock, then he fell onto the long sofa fixed to the wall, like a dead dog no longer moving.

From start to finish, less than twenty seconds, two heavy criminals had already fallen in the beverage shop.

Qin Shi lightly exhaled a breath of Heat; scorching high temperature distributed from his Pores, transforming into strands of misty vapor coiling upward.

He planted both feet and gazed calmly at Snake Zai, who was skilled in fighting.

"The hard-control support and the damage-dealing shooter are both eliminated. It's your turn."

"You've only got thirty-something points of Qi Life Force..."

Snake Zai assumed the classic Ergative Frame, a fist technique Hug Frame that Qin Shi had first learned when he started fighting, which Lao Liang had explained to him.

Strongly offensive, like a violent storm, with heavy and fast fists and feet—a vicious Xing Lu capable of beating an opponent to death within seconds.

"Correct, but it's enough to deal with you."

Qin Shi switched his Breathing, using a hurried and short-fast method to make his heart pump out richer Blood and Qi, washing his body wave after wave.

The courses arranged by Lao Liang and Lao Ren were indeed flawless; the Seed condensed from Qi Life Force, as if stimulated, transported rich Vitality to nourish every inch of flesh and blood.

The Transformation of the New Life Stage seemed even more obvious now.

"Let... me... go... I don't care about them."

Snake Zai said hesitantly.

In his Perception, this High School Student was not dangerous; from the contact of Breath, he could tell the other's Sheng Li Fa wasn't that high.

"He's worth a Bounty of six hundred thousand. That mute who keeps saying 'aba aba' is worth five hundred twenty thousand. You, four hundred eighty thousand."

Qin Shi pointed at the mentally deranged Gray Viper who had taken a bullet, and at Niutou whose lower jaw was shattered and who suffered severe concussion, then looked at Snake Zai and grinned:

"How about you transfer four hundred thousand to my account? I'll waive the change; consider it making friends."

Snake Zai's gaze turned a bit colder, like a fierce beast cornered against the Wall, planning to fight to the death.

Muscles all over his body twisted like a winch, constantly tightening, presenting a texture like gold and iron.

In just a few seconds, this sturdy and powerful flesh-and-blood body was already emitting a powerful Breath.

As if indestructible, a Wall of copper and iron!

"I'll beat you to death with my own hands."

Snake Zai's feet slid as if gliding, his legs rising and falling like butterfly wings.

Swish!

He seemed to shoot forward in a Flash to Qin Shi's front, a hook punch smashing toward his Tai Yang.

This attack was fierce, as if carrying a strong intention of a one-hit kill.

But intuition told Qin Shi that this was a probing feint attack.

He bent his arm upward at the elbow, raising Snake Zai's hook punch.

Snake Zai's hook punch came to nothing, but his knee bent, his right leg whipping through the air like a whip, ambushing Qin Shi's Shoulder!

Qin Shi defended without letting a drop through, not clashing head-on as usual, but stabilizing his Center of Gravity to resolve the offensive.

He had already guessed Snake Zai's thought.

The other wanted to force himself to charge wildly, then use the advantage of Qi Life Force to implement frontal Suppression and quickly end the fight.

There was no need to be led by the nose now; just delay for a moment, and the opponent would grow anxious and reveal a Poli.

"You actually didn't take the bait."

As expected, Snake Zai attacked repeatedly without success, and anxiety surged in his eyes.

In a Flash, his lower leg Tightened, like a Spring knife ejecting continuously, kicking the air into violent explosions!

In less than three seconds, his two legs were like cast iron, his ligaments even like steel wires entwined, actually unleashing seventy or eighty attacks in one breath!

Like a storm raging, any obstacle daring to stand before Snake Zai was all shattered!

"This is the benefit of a high Shu Zi value: long-lasting Physical Ability, and tyrannical Physical Body!"

No matter how realistic the Virtual Combat Room was, it could not create this kind of step-by-step pressing sense of oppression.

Combat Retrospection flashed through Qin Shi's Brain Sea one after another, experiences of learning from battle after battle—whether to advance or retreat, how to resolve, how to judge the timing...

If there were an experience bar displayed, his Consciousness would surely be skyrocketing!

Almost a muscle reaction, facing Snake Zai's fierce offensive, Qin Shi first raised both hands to guard his head and block; his tyrannical Physical Body was not beaten back step by step by kick after kick.

Quite the Opposite, he was like a reef standing in the middle of a river, hard-taking this wave of seemingly No Rest offensive rhythm.

Immediately After, seizing the moment his Breath declined, he braced both arms against the kicking lower leg.

Then he grabbed Snake Zai's leg bone, hard as refined iron, wanting to replicate the operation of crippling Niutou, and crush it!

But just as Qin Shi's hand grasped it, at the moment it landed, the solid muscles entwined with steel wires suddenly loosened, like a snake, slipping out from within.

Immediately After Tightening again, kicking toward Qin Shi's Chest!

Such a change of move was beyond expectation!

Showing the extremely crafty side of Snake Zai as a Boxer!

What he learned was Indian Fighting Arts, mixing content such as ancient yoga and jujitsu.

Snake Zai often deliberately exposed a Poli to his opponent, then with exquisite control over his body muscles, suddenly broke free and counter-killed!

This was also the reason he was called "Snake Zai."

Like a venomous snake lurking in a Grass Bush, usually pretending to be harmless.

But once the prey was confirmed, immediately using any means to devour it!

Boom!

This kick could completely cave in the breastbone, but under the connection of the Twelve Black Tendons, it was like kicking several layers of thick cowhide; the force was transmitted and dispersed, removing seventy or eighty percent.

"Learned a lesson; I didn't know there was this kind of fighting style."

Qin Shi grinned, his feet rooted like trees, his body actually not swaying at all.

After withstanding the attack Snake Zai thought had settled the victory, he abandoned his previous defensive posture and tightly wrapped himself around him!

It's my turn now!

Qin Shi, who had more or less figured out Snake Zai's Xing Lu of fist techniques, chose the most dangerous close-quarters melee among his fighting options!

He intended to start exploiting his superior physical body to suppress his opponent's rhythm.

Fists launched like arrows!

The air even erupted with the piercing wave fluctuations of a ferocious bird's shrill cry!

Wind Cry!

Qin Shi firmly gripped the punch eye, swallowing the python-like substantial airflow!

Bang! Bang bang! Bang bang bang——

One fist after another blasted out, sometimes like an axe cleaving, smashing down from above, sometimes like a cannon, clashing head-on!

In the blink of an eye, the person on the losing end had switched to Snake Zai.

He continuously used elbow techniques to block, yet was like a wooden stake hammered by a giant mallet, sinking bit by bit into the ground!

The beverage shop's tiled floor cracked, burst open, chunks lifting up, then crushed to powder by invisible force!

"His stamina, Physical Ability, are above mine!"

Snake's eyes widened, as if he had seen a monster.

Thirty-odd points of Qi Life Force, how could it possibly support such a violent, fierce offensive?

Half a minute, Qin Shi swung nearly fifty fists, each time converging Blood and Qi through the twelve Large Tendons, transporting full power.

Beating Snake Zai, whose Qi Life Force was higher than his, until he could only parry.

Amidst fists coming and elbows going, Qin Shi's explosively growing strength finally reached its peak!

The fifty-seventh fist!

The fist face pressed down, the punch eye like a vortex, like a vast dark cloud pressing overhead, forcing Snake Zai with no path to retreat.

Dark skin bounced in layers, rising with lumps like broad beans.

This was the body's signal of sensing extreme danger!

"Ah!"

Snake Zai roared, two iron elbows like shields, covering most of his body.

As long as he caught this fist, Qin Shi's Breath would inevitably drop.

That would be his last opportunity!

Rip!

Vast power like a hammer strike, shaking loose the force Snake Zai had desperately tightened, turning hard skin into flimsy paper!

Qin Shi's fist smashed down, the fist wind like a dozen-meter-high giant wave striking, forcing Snake Zai to bend his knees, bend his legs, maintain a curled posture, to meet the terrifying offensive!

Thud!

The beverage shop violently trembled, the whole house seeming to shake, floor tiles exploding into showers of dust, then drawn by airflow into rolling smoke and dust.

The overloaded glass wall instantly shattered, blasting outward, scaring random teammates into panicked screams.

Such movement, as if someone had pulled a grenade inside.

"Blocked, it, blocked!"

Amidst the smoke and dust, Snake Zai kneeling on the ground was full of relief, even though his steel-cast arms hung limp, forcibly broken.

But in the end he blocked this guy's strongest strike!

Knees smashed through the floor bounced upward, without a pair of arms, his two legs could still exert combat power!

But thick smoke and dust blew, the originally receding vigorous Breath, instead like a bucket of fierce oil poured into a furnace, suddenly surged high again!

【Frenzy Surge】 activated!

"This fist is the true super finisher. Catch it, and you won't have to die."

Qin Shi's seemingly prankish, teasing tone drifted over, chilling Snake Zai's blood.

He raised his head, looking at the tall figure standing amidst the smoke and dust, eyes full of despair!

……

……

"I am Wei Zheguang of the Cheng Hua District Inspection Branch! Stay away from here! Do not approach!"

Wei Zheguang held up his credentials high, declaring his identity, evacuating innocent crowds still unaware of what had happened, while walking toward that beverage shop.

Thick smoke enveloped the combat center, he held his breath, operating his Qi mechanism to confirm the situation.

Creak creak, the sound of soles stepping on glass shards rang out, a figure seemed to be walking out.

"Raise your hands! Head down, get down! Listen clearly! I want you to raise..."

Wei Zheguang raised his service pistol as if facing a great enemy, then his facial color changed, revealing an incredulous, shocked expression.

Because the figure stepping out of the beverage shop first was precisely Qin Shi.

"Officer Wei, meeting again."

This time, he took the initiative to greet.

"There are quite a few injured inside, trouble you to organize rescue."

Thick smoke and dust blown away by the wind, Wei Zheguang cautiously approaching the beverage shop, the shock in his eyes even heavier.

He saw a corpse kneeling motionless, head pressed into its neck like by a heavy object, a "headless corpse".

That was, the Snake Zai famous for ferocious fighting style?

Gaze shifting, the barely breathing Broken-Arm Ox Head, and the Grey Viper with only half a life left.

Also came into view!

"You..."

Wei Zheguang's usually sharpest tongue, seemed knotted, unable to squeeze out a sentence for a long while.

"I just got my Temporary Inspection Credential, wanted to find a Wanted Order major criminal to practice on."

Qin Shi smiled with sunlight, his attitude polite as he asked:

"Officer Wei, if I settle three bad guys at once, do you think the Sub-district Bureau will give me a banner reading 'Banner of the Bane of Evil'?"

(Chapter End)