Chapter 415: Pinokangni (94)

"Uh…" San Yueqi was instantly left speechless by her.

Walte crossed his arms and said seriously, "Allow me to remind you, this stage and Xing's identity should have nothing to do with capturing the real culprit."

"No, it is related, of course it is. Otherwise why would I work hard to earn your trust and invite you all here? Because she is the only eyewitness who witnessed three murders, the best candidate to prove that 'no casualties exist in dreams' is just empty talk!"

Jizi frowned, "Three murders?"

"Yes, madam. The third murder is about to happen right here, at Krauk Media Theme Park... a truly grand death."

"You, you, you... and you... everyone will die— and it's all because of you, Miss Star Core... you will become Death yourself here."

——

Silver Soul.

"Xing, do you know how powerful you are?"

Gintoki dug his nose while staring at the bewildered Xing on the sky screen, "Is this guy maliciously hyping him up? That classic pre‑battle act of over‑praising the protagonist, making him puffed up and then exposing a flaw."

"If Miss Huangquan weren't standing beside her, I might still believe a little," Shenle said, perched on Dingchun's neck, cradling its furry head. "The problem is... there's no scene that could threaten Huangquan. Xing would need to instantly obtain power beyond a Command to bring death to Huangquan."

"Instantly surpassing a Command..." Gintoki imagined briefly, "If Xing could transform into a Super Saiyan, it might be possible, even directly evolving to Super‑3 level... maybe a 50‑50 against Huangquan?"

"Hey hey, Gintoki, you're belittling Xing too much," Xin Baj pushed his glasses, his eyebrows forming a V, and began to discuss seriously: "Super‑3 has a normal combat power 400 times higher! Xing, after all, was glanced at by Nanuq, a true‑blood Destruction Fate Walker. If her strike power multiplies by 400, she'll definitely defeat Huangquan!"

"Xin Baj, have you ever seen Huangquan draw a sword?" Shenle suddenly interjected.

"..."

That stumped Xin Baj; his impression of Huangquan was always fighting with a scabbard, and older battles were beyond his memory. Yet he insisted that since Huangquan is a Command, she wouldn't be far off from Jingyuan and the others.

"Never seen, but it should be about the same power as the Divine Lord's Great Slash, right?"

——

"How can you guarantee you'll survive?" Xing asked.

Shajin chuckled, "Of course, don't underestimate Preservation. The Amber King's Foundation Stone will show me the way. Let me be clearer: I will detonate the Star Core inside you, creating a small 'accident' here in Pinokangni..."

"Boom! The entire park will become a shattered dream. Then, after my family reacts, I will become the flagship navigator of the company fleet."

Huangquan didn't believe it at all; she placed a hand on her hip, looked up and said, "Bluffing doesn't work on us. If you can really do it, you already had the chance before."

"You're betting with me? Fine, I'll bet with you. I bet I can win outright, using an unprecedented massive explosion to prove that the Tongxie oath is a complete joke."

"... You can't do it," Huangquan said coldly.

"Of course I can, but it's just another gamble," Shajin's previously lofty tone gradually cooled. "I came from the desert of Cigangniya, for sixty bronze coins, people branded me, shackled me, placed me on the Xingjia, buried me in yellow sand..."

"But the sun can't kill me; the quicksand instead delivered me into the academy and the company's embrace. Remember, I didn't win by chance once; I've never lost."

"Let me share a proverb: Sleep is a rehearsal for death. Why does life slumber? Because we are not ready to meet death. Each night's descent into dreams is no different from marching to death, just as now you and I, with death in our hearts, hide in the land of sleep. And Death... will answer our dream‑murmurs."

"Friends, the game has already begun. You cannot refuse—"

"—No reason, and no room left."

The moment Shajin finished speaking, all spotlights suddenly went out, and the sky was gradually swallowed by lead‑gray clouds. Xing subconsciously grabbed the flame gun and held it before the crowd.

"The dice have been rolled; are you all ready to reveal your cards?"

In the darkness, the stage screen suddenly lit up; Shajin appeared on the monitor, unabashedly scrutinizing the flame gun in Xing's hand, a slight contemptuous smile curling his lips.

"Builder's Inferior Stone, hahaha... worthless."

He casually tossed three dice onto the center of the stage; they rolled and finally settled at everyone's feet—three identical faces, like three mocking eyes staring dead at the crowd.

"I'll bet, I'll gamble, I'll win."

Xing seemed to realize something and jerked his head up—

The darkness, like a pierced curtain, leaked a sliver of golden light. It fell slowly like a drop of liquid gold, hovering in mid‑air above the stage.

The light faded, revealing Shajin's figure—yet entirely different from his usual self.

He wore splendid robes, his face covered by a strange mask, but most striking was the object he held aloft in his palm—a Foundation Stone emitting a faint aura, yet riddled with cracks.

"I command fate's wheel to turn, stake everything, traverse death and be reborn."

The instant he clenched the Foundation Stone, a brilliant golden pillar burst from his body, as if a child imprisoned for years finally broke free of shackles... The light was blinding, like a sword forged from the sun, vowing to slash through Pinokangni's decadent night.

"All to— the Amber King!"

——

The Valkyrie of the End.

"Huh? This is the power of the Preservation Command?"

In the divine side's lounge, Zeus widened his eyes excitedly, his long white eyebrows arched high.

Although he had heard Xingqiri say that the Foundation Stone seals the power of the Preservation Command, he had never seen it himself. He originally thought a Command's power would mostly relate to 'preservation', focusing on defense... but he didn't expect it to manifest so flamboyantly and offensively on Shajin.

"... seems grander than Jingyuan and Huangquan's displays."

"That kid, hiding such power... shouldn't he, on the first day he got the Foundation Stone, have exterminated the Kati Ka people?" Shiva tugged his ear, "As long as he's willing to transform, destroying a world without a Command should be a piece of cake, right?"

"Hey hey, is the eye on your forehead just decoration? If you don't need it, you can donate it to gods in need. How could Shajin possibly share the same nature as a god who specializes in destruction? He restrains his hatred, you know?"