Chapter 182: Cracking

Ji Chen's brows were locked tight, those few words like a red-hot branding iron, burning repeatedly in his mind.

"Project X initiated?" He muttered in a low voice, his tone filled with confusion.

This sudden message was like a deep-water bomb dropped into a calm lake, instantly disrupting all his thoughts.

The surrounding cheers stopped abruptly, as if a mute button had been pressed.

The Ability Users who had originally been immersed in the joy of victory saw Ji Chen's suddenly grave expression and instantly quieted down. The tense atmosphere spread like an invisible tide, wrapping everyone in it.

Ji Chen's gaze was deep as an abyss, his brain operating at high speed, attempting to analyze the meaning behind this mysterious signal.

"Project X? What exactly is this thing?" He muttered to himself, feeling like he was playing a puzzle game, and he hadn't even touched the first clue.

The mysterious signal seemed to possess life, echoing in his mind like a low drumbeat, tapping on his nerves.

"Buzz buzz..." A strange frequency fluctuation, like some kind of unknown summons, made him feel a trace of unease and curiosity.

He took a deep breath, attempting to stabilize his mind. A powerful force surged within his body; he wanted to trace the source of the signal and unveil this mysterious veil.

However, he discovered that the surrounding space seemed to be interfered with by an invisible force, like a giant net, binding him firmly and making him unable to move.

"Holy crap!" Ji Chen cursed inwardly, "What kind of ghost operation is this?" He attempted to break through this layer of obstruction, but it was like a clay ox entering the sea, with no effect.

This made his inner anxiety spread like a wildfire, as if an invisible giant hand had tightly choked his throat.

The surrounding Ability Users looked at each other, watching Ji Chen anxiously, but they couldn't help at all, and could only be anxious on the side like a group of headless flies.

The entire atmosphere became even more mysterious, as if it were the calm before a storm, so oppressive that it made people unable to breathe.

Ceng Yue felt the restlessness and unease emanating from Ji Chen. Her brows arched slightly, but she maintained her ice-beauty posture, only a trace of worry flashed in her cold, clear eyes.

Suddenly, Ji Chen felt the Supernatural Ability energy within his body begin to surge uncontrollably, as if it had produced some kind of resonance with this interference force, and an indescribable feeling surged into his heart.

He suddenly raised his head, his hand slowly raised...

Ji Chen's hand slowly raised, not to attack, but to feel.

He discovered that the restless Supernatural Ability energy within his body had actually produced a wonderful resonance with that invisible interference force!

Like two tuning forks with the same frequency, they produced a harmonious vibration when they approached each other.

"Holy crap, what kind of flashy operation is this?" Ji Chen was overjoyed; just a moment ago he was like an ant on a hot pan, but now he was like finding a password to clear the level.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and his eyes shone with excitement, like a child who had discovered a new toy.

He no longer resisted, but followed this resonance, guiding the Supernatural Ability energy within his body like a skilled surfer riding the waves.

He carefully felt the laws of the interference force, attempting to find a breakthrough from it.

The surrounding Ability Users saw Ji Chen's expression turn from grave to excited, and the oppressive atmosphere eased slightly.

Like drowning people finally seeing a straw to save their lives, their tense expressions were mixed with a trace of expectation.

"It seems Brother Chen is about to unleash a big move again!" An Ability User said in a low voice, his tone carrying a trace of excitement, as if he had already seen the dawn of victory.

However, just when Ji Chen was about to grab the tail of the interference force, a more powerful energy, like a tsunami, suddenly impacted.

Ji Chen was hit like a high-speed train, his body shaking violently, almost falling to the ground.

His expression instantly turned pale, the veins on his forehead popped, and he frowned in pain.

The surrounding air seemed to become heavy because of this powerful energy, making it suffocating.

"Damn, this power, do you have to be so perverted!" Ji Chen gritted his teeth, his body trembling slightly, and the Supernatural Ability energy within his body ran around like a wild horse that had broken its reins.

"Ji Chen!" Ceng Yue exclaimed and quickly came to his side, supporting him.

Her cold face was now filled with worry, and she carefully supported Ji Chen, her eyes full of heartache.

Ji Chen raised his head. He opened his mouth, but before he could make any sound, he saw that in Ceng Yue's cold, clear eyes, they were filled with encouragement, like a tranquilizer, making his restless heart gradually calm down.

"Don't worry, I'm fine..."

Ceng Yue's cold fingers gently brushed Ji Chen's cheek, and a trace of imperceptible tenderness flowed in her eyes.

"Brother Chen," just five simple words, but like a warm current, injected into Ji Chen's restless heart.

An inexplicable power surged from the bottom of his heart; just a moment ago he was like Sun Wukong pressed by the Five Finger Mountain, but now he was instantly fully revived!

"Hehe, my little Yueyue still understands me!" Ji Chen grinned, grasping Ceng Yue's hand back, feeling the cold touch from her palm, and a sense of heroism surged in his heart.

"Brothers, watch closely, Brother Chen is going to perform a special skill for you—Breaking the Barrier!"

Ji Chen took a deep breath, concentrating all the restless Supernatural Ability energy within his body, like a spring compressed to the limit, accumulating powerful explosive force.

"Boom!" With a loud noise, Ji Chen's body erupted with dazzling light, like a small sun, illuminating the entire space.

Powerful energy fluctuations spread like a shockwave, and the surrounding Ability Users retreated one after another, their faces filled with shock and excitement.

"So powerful! Brother Chen is mighty!"

"This is the real man! Too handsome!"

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Ji Chen shot toward the direction of the signal source like an arrow off the string.

The space behind him cracked like a broken mirror, and then quickly healed, as if nothing had happened.

The invisible force that had bound everyone like a spider web just a moment ago had now disappeared without a trace.

"Brother Chen, must be careful!" Ceng Yue's voice sounded from behind, carrying a trace of worry.

Ji Chen didn't look back, just gave a thumbs up, indicating that everything was fine.

His speed became faster and faster, and the surrounding scenery flew backward like streaming light.

He felt as if he were traveling through a time-space tunnel, the howling wind in his ears like ghosts crying and wolves howling, making one's heart palpitate.

Finally, he arrived at the location of the signal source.

However, what appeared before his eyes was not some mysterious device or person, but a giant energy barrier!

This barrier emitted a deep blue light, like a canopy of heaven, spanning before him, emitting a suffocating pressure.

"Holy crap! What kind of ghost thing is this again?" Ji Chen couldn't help but curse, a bad premonition rising in his heart.

"Brother Chen..." Ceng Yue's voice came from the earpiece, carrying a trace of anxiety.

Ji Chen didn't speak, just stared tightly at the energy barrier before him, complex light flashing in his eyes.

He slowly stretched out his hand, wanting to touch this mysterious barrier... ===== CHAPTER 183 =====