Chapter 162: Covert Struggle

Nobus suppressed his pain and quickly retreated. The Ship-breaking Blade extended layer by layer, but its maximum limit was only ten meters.

Li Yu retracted the Ship-breaking Blade with a hint of regret. Blood continuously spilled from Nobus's palm. Fortunately, the troll's reaction had been fast; otherwise, the blade would not have merely slashed his abdomen, but completely severed his lower body.

Boom!

A deafening roar echoed from the other side. Kansa struggled out of his armor, covered in bloody gashes and panting heavily. Gripping his Purple Crystal Short Blades, he warily surveyed his surroundings.

The four members of the Sun-Hunter Squad approached step by step, advancing and retreating as one synchronized unit.

Li Yu quickly withdrew his gaze. A puddle of white liquid extended from beneath his feet, blending inconspicuously into the battlefield's ruins as it slowly crept toward Kansa's position.

"Are you a Two-Blood Giant Demon?" Li Yu suddenly asked, looking at Nobus with curiosity. He had unexpectedly remembered Tu Rui mentioning something about a Three-Blood Giant Demon.

This Nobus had two alternating skin colors, so he had to be the so-called Two-Blood Giant Demon.

Naturally, Nobus did not reply. His gaze was chilling. He had been injured due to a moment of carelessness; although the wound was not extremely severe, it still somewhat impaired his combat strength.

Kansa wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, watching the Sun-Hunter Squad steadily draw closer.

"That troll is about to bite the dust. Aren't you going to help him?" Kansa attempted to Divert Trouble to Others. These guys were a massive headache for him, but Li Yu could easily finish them off.

"Our mission is to capture you!" one of them replied coldly. It was not that they strictly adhered to orders without flexibility, but rather that Nobus's injuries had not yet reached a critical, life-threatening point.

Kansa gritted his teeth and charged at one of them. The Purple Crystal Dagger in his hand erupted with dazzling light as he attempted to carve a bloody path out of this desperate situation.

In a mere instant, the four figures moved in unison. Kansa looked as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer; his head snapped back, and blood sprayed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth simultaneously. He tumbled backward and collapsed onto the ground, unmoving.

"Who struck so hard just now? If we end up killing him, we will be in huge trouble," one of the squad members complained.

No one answered. Kansa staggered to his feet, his face entirely coated in crimson. Blood dripped steadily from the elegant curve of his jaw.

"Such tenacious vitality. I will play with you for a bit," a teammate said in an excited tone, unable to resist stepping forward.

Another squad member reprimanded him, "Enough, Sanchez! Stop playing around. Capture him, then coordinate with Vice-Captain Nobus to deal with the enemy. Once Captain Boiling Blood arrives, that guy will be at a dead end too."

Sanchez was slightly dissatisfied but did not argue. He simply shook his head at Kansa. "Running into us is your bad luck."

He walked forward and pulled out a Gene Suppressor, ready to apprehend Kansa.

Boom!!

The next moment, Sanchez heard a tremendous blast right next to his ear, echoing endlessly like a struck bell. His body felt as though it had been violently smashed by a sledgehammer. While Fordin remained completely motionless, Sanchez was sent flying through the air.

'What is going on?!'

Sanchez was still bewildered when he crashed onto the ground. As he raised his head, he saw his three teammates looking equally shocked, staring at the space right in front of Kansa.

A suit of white armor had appeared out of nowhere. It looked bizarre, with its head section resembling a fluid substance that was slowly solidifying.

The back plate of the armor split open and directly swallowed the stunned Kansa. Darkness engulfed him. Kansa was still reeling in confusion when his surroundings suddenly lit up. The Combat System interface and armor diagnostic information appeared one by one.

"Your Excellency Kansa, in accordance with my master's orders, I have come to save you," Claptrap's voice rang out.

"This is..." A look of profound excitement surged onto Kansa's face. Having experienced such wild emotional extremes, he almost wished he could turn into a female just to bear a few children for Li Yu.

"I have been suffocating from this anger! Watch me slaughter you all!" Kansa cursed furiously. He had been relentlessly hunted this entire time, and an immense well of rage had built up inside him.

'Huh? Why am I not moving?'

Kansa tried to move his body, but there was absolutely no response.

"Why can't I move?" Kansa asked in bewilderment.

"I apologize, but you do not possess operating Authority," Claptrap responded indifferently. A Mechanical Arm extended from its back, and a Light Blade flickered to life.

The four Sun-Hunter Squad members wore grim expressions. They never expected such an unforeseen variable to intervene.

Nobus silently cursed them as useless trash. He had naturally noticed the commotion in the distance; that platinum-white armor was clearly the handiwork of the man standing in front of him.

"We can continue now," Li Yu declared as he charged forward once again. Nobus grimaced, forcing himself to endure the searing pain as he met Li Yu's fierce assault.

A B-Class Lifeform inherently possessed astonishing vitality. However, the wound on his abdomen had only just begun to heal before it was violently torn open again by his intense movements, sending fresh blood spraying outward.

Left with no other choice, Nobus used his frost abilities to freeze the surrounding blood vessels, preventing the hemorrhage from completely ruining his combat effectiveness.

But even so, the injury heavily impacted his performance. Previously, wielding the Red and White Twin Blades, he had almost been able to suppress Li Yu completely. Now, he was being forced back step by step.

Sparks scattered everywhere as Nobus staggered backward. To his horror, he saw Li Yu raise the Energy Cannon in his hands, which was already beginning to charge.

He desperately attempted to interrupt Li Yu's charging sequence, but he simply could not find an opening. He could only watch helplessly as the Energy Cannon fired at full power.

Nobus panted heavily, his crimson eyes fixed intensely on Li Yu.

There was no need for hesitation when firing, but at that exact moment, Claptrap issued a frantic warning:

"Ultra-high Energy Fluctuation detected!"

"Ultra-high Energy Fluctuation detected!"

Li Yu's expression shifted slightly. He immediately adjusted the cannon's muzzle and, following the targeting trajectory provided by the Combat System, fired at a forty-five-degree angle upward.

Boom!

The scorching blue Light Beam surged toward the heavens. Yet, in the next second, it collided with something and was directly cleaved down the middle.

Only then did Li Yu see it clearly—it was actually a black feathered arrow!

It possessed none of the characteristics of Sci-Martial Arts technology. It was simply a standard arrow, yet it effortlessly pierced through the full-power blast of the Energy Cannon. Its speed had only decreased slightly as it continued its relentless trajectory toward Li Yu.

Li Yu's face fell as he swiftly dodged to the side. However, the feathered arrow actually swerved sharply in mid-air, possessing a tracking effect, and slammed squarely into Li Yu's back.

Boom!

A tremendous force impacted him, accompanied by an eruption of purple light. The black arrow clashed fiercely against the purple energy shield coating the surface of the Titan Symbiotic Armor.

Bang!

His body was sent tumbling backward, crashing into a nearby building. The arrow fell to the ground, only to strangely float up and lazily drift back toward its point of origin.

Using the detection playback of the Titan Symbiotic Armor, Li Yu discovered that the feathered arrow was densely inscribed with crooked, peculiar Runes.

"This is a weapon from The Council," Li Yu muttered, tasting metallic sweetness in his mouth. The full-power Energy Cannon had somewhat mitigated the attack, weakening the black arrow's destructive force.

Otherwise, even with the protective purple energy shield dulling the impact, Li Yu would have suffered severe injuries, or perhaps even worse...

Tracing the arrow's return trajectory, the combat vision of the Titan Symbiotic Armor rapidly zoomed in. Finally, it locked onto a figure in black armor standing atop a distant skyscraper, wielding the Mechanical Giant Bow.

Boiling Blood raised his hand and retrieved the black arrow. He gave the Mechanical Giant Bow a sharp shake, its internal gears whirring continuously. However, he did not immediately nock another arrow; instead, he leaped down from the towering building.

Li Yu's expression darkened. While he did not know why Boiling Blood refrained from firing again, he assumed the weapon had some sort of limitation.

But if that man arrived here, given Li Yu's current strength, dealing with him would be exceptionally difficult.

"Time for a tactical retreat..." Li Yu glanced at Kansa, who was currently engaged in the brawl. He darted forward at blinding speed, grabbing Kansa to drag him away from the battlefield.

Nobus wanted to intercept them, but a fresh wave of agonizing pain flared from his abdomen. He lacked the strength to stop them and could only watch helplessly as his targets escaped.

A short while later, Boiling Blood arrived. He showed no surprise at the state of the scene. Nobus lowered his head in utter shame.

"Let us withdraw for now." Boiling Blood scanned the perimeter. Numerous Flying Vehicles were hovering on the outskirts observing the area, and an Amethyst Civilization fleet was already approaching the low-orbit airspace.

"It was those Prismatic Yellow-Eye Remnants!" Nobus declared, gnashing his teeth.

Since Boiling Blood was clad in his armor, his expression remained hidden. The six members of the Sun-Hunter Squad swiftly evacuated, leaving behind nothing but a devastated battlefield.

Li Yu dragged Kansa through the Inuit Hub, ducking into various hiding spots. After stepping into several camera blind spots Mangu had informed him about, their trail vanished completely, leaving their pursuers empty-handed.

The exterior appearance of their armors had been completely altered. As they strolled through the bustling streets of the Inuit Hub, they could still overhear pedestrians animatedly discussing the recent battle.

Although the skirmish had been brief, video clips were already circulating wildly across the local network.

Back in the Villa, Gelo stared at the combat footage in sheer terror. When he heard Li Yu roar, "Prismatic Yellow-Eye Remnants will Never Be Slaves," all color drained from his face entirely.

"No... no, I am completely dead now... We are all dead..." Gelo muttered to himself. Then, as if grasping at straws, he hastily opened his Smart Terminal and dialed Rui Jin's Communication Link.

Because he had needed to coordinate with the Sun-Hunter Squad's operations, Gelo had luckily been given Rui Jin's contact information.

Since the Titan Symbiotic Armor on his body had already vanished, there was no longer anyone present to stop him.

It did not take long for Rui Jin to answer Gelo's call. Before Gelo could utter a single syllable, Rui Jin barked, "You actually have the nerve to contact me? Gelo, what the hell is going on!"

In the modern Interstellar Society, the dissemination of news was rarely hindered by distance. Furthermore, since Saster had been continuously monitoring the situation in the Inuit Hub, he naturally learned of the battle the moment it occurred.

"Rui Jin..." Gelo began, but before he could finish a single coherent sentence, a violent explosion abruptly erupted from his very body, instantly sweeping through the entire Villa.

None of the Prismatic Yellow-Eye Remnants had any time to escape. They were immediately engulfed by the energy blast, their bodies reduced to scorched husks. Gelo suffered the most gruesome fate; his body was blown to bits, scattering fragments all across the floor.

On the other end of the line, Rui Jin sat with a dark expression, listening to the static crackling through his Smart Terminal.

The Sun-Hunter Squad, having previously split up to cover their tracks, had just arrived in the vicinity when they witnessed the sudden inferno rising into the sky.

Nobus's face darkened further. "Such swift and ruthless execution."

"Since they chose to betray us, they should have prepared themselves. The Prismatic Yellow-Eye Remnants..." Boiling Blood's voice was hollow and apathetic. "They were probably sick of living as a Remnant Race and sought their own extinction."

"Once this matter is resolved... we will gladly grant their wish!"

...

Li Yu felt the faint connection to the explosive bead shatter and did not pay it much mind. Since he had usurped Gelo's Identity, he had to eliminate any loose ends that could expose him.

What better way to do that than by erasing the original owner?

Kansa was still suffering from lingering palpitations. After all, based on the recent crisis, a single misstep would have resulted in his capture.

Li Yu turned to Kansa. "If anyone asks who I am, just tell them I belong to the Prismatic Yellow-Eye Remnants. As for exactly how you secured my help, make up your own excuse."

Kansa nodded, silently offering a brief prayer for that unfortunate remnant faction.

Suddenly, his Smart Terminal began to vibrate frantically. It was his old device. Due to the rapid succession of chaotic events, he had turned it on to gauge the High Echelon's reaction.

'An unknown communication request?' Kansa was somewhat puzzled.

He accepted the call anyway. Before he could speak, the person on the other end fiercely demanded, "Who was that man just now! Was it Li Yu?"

Li Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. Kansa shot him a quick glance and, instead of answering, countered, "Who are you?"

"I belong to the Star Glory Empire. Answer my question immediately!" The caller sounded extremely impatient, evidently placing zero value on Kansa's Status.

"Who is Li Yu? Why does that sound slightly familiar?" Kansa feigned confusion. To his genuine knowledge, he had no idea the person who rescued him was Li Yu; he only knew his savior by the title God Slayer.

The caller fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "Never mind him. Who was the person that just helped you?"

"They are the local Prismatic Yellow-Eye Remnants. They have harbored deep grievances against Saster for a long time. I promised them a heavy reward to secure their assistance," Kansa smoothly provided a seemingly flawless cover story.

"Prismatic Yellow-Eye Remnants? What proof do you have?" the caller pressed.

Kansa considered for a second before pretending to be highly offended. "You people should be prioritizing my safety, not obsessing over who that guy was."

"Proof? What kind of proof do you want? Does taking a selfie with him count as proof!?"

The person on the other end snorted coldly, then shifted the topic. "Do not run around blindly. We will arrive at the Inuit Hub very soon."

"Do not run around blindly? Turning on this Smart Terminal has already broadcasted my location! Those bastards are going to hunt me down any second now," Kansa complained loudly, shouting for them to hurry over.

Without sparing Kansa another word, the caller abruptly terminated the connection.

"They are desperate to get their hands on you..." Kansa noted with a frown. This was not good news for him either. The people from the Star Glory Empire did not care if he lived or died; they only wanted to use him to track down Li Yu.

Li Yu pondered deeply. "These people belong to a different faction than the ones backing Saster."

There were numerous factions within the internal affairs of the Star Glory Empire, so this was hardly surprising.

What caught Li Yu's attention, however, was that the opposing party clearly knew Saster wanted Kansa, yet they still dispatched their own people. This indicated that they did not fear Saster's backers. At the very least, the powers backing both sides belonged to a similar echelon.

"Your value is not high enough," Li Yu said, shaking his head. "If the backers on both sides reach a compromise, you will most likely be abandoned by the Amethyst Civilization."

Since the string-pullers for both sides hailed from the Star Glory Empire and shared the same social stratum, they possessed a solid foundation for negotiation.

Hearing this, Kansa's expression shifted drastically. He clenched his fists tight. He hesitated to speak several times, yet swallowed his words in the end.

Even his royal Amethyst bloodline was useless. His Status was not high enough, and the Amethyst Civilization would not go out of its way to protect him.

Li Yu glanced at him and calmly advised, "Tell your father the news about the Amethyst Core. That will increase your value and force the Amethyst Civilization to protect you at all costs. At the very least, it will prevent both sides from reaching a mutual agreement."

This strategy was not merely to ensure Kansa's survival, but also to protect himself. If the two factions brokered a deal and initiated a carpet search across the Inuit Hub, Li Yu would find himself in a tremendous amount of trouble as well.

Kansa's eyes widened in shock as he stared at Li Yu with immense excitement.

'That's right, I still have that piece of information! Saster, since you didn't use it yourself, I will gladly take advantage of it!'