Chapter 286: Lu Mu: I'm Voluntary (Grinning Teeth.jpg)

Chi Jinan's eyes had completely lost their spark of interest; after dismantling so many Co-Absorption strongholds, there was still little satisfaction.

The opponents were too weak, weak to even count as a warm‑up.

He began to suspect that the Butterfly Speaker was toying with him, scattering some junk strongholds to waste his time.

Min Tianyou was already adept at combing the ruins for any lingering clues or evidence, but the haul was clearly scant.

Ying Duo crouched beside the wreckage of an unknown device pierced by Blood Crystals, prying a still‑intact energy circuit board with a small knife, and began scavenging the world for scrap.

After all, he couldn't snatch any heads; the mission forced him to follow without reward, so he could only find something to do to pass the time.

It was at that moment that the long‑silent Team Channel finally popped up a new message.

【Cai Mao】: They said they're about to act.

Finally, it arrived—no wonder he'd been lurking (going idle) for so long.

Yang Yixie perked up, checked the durability of the little robots in his pack, and simply released them all.

Originally he had kept those little robots outside, but after discovering they couldn't snatch any heads and would waste durability due to Chi Jinan's stray hits, he recalled them.

"Whoosh—!"

A shadow shot out from behind a pile of rubble to Chi Jinan's side‑rear; the shadow solidified mid‑air into several sharp‑beaked, clawed Ravens, diving straight for Chi Jinan's nape.

The attack angle was unusually cunning, and the timing hit precisely when Chi Jinan was bored and his mind most lax.

Chi Jinan's perpetually indifferent eyes suddenly flared at that instant—not with caution but with delight, like a traveler finally finding rain after drought, or a beast finally meeting a worthy opponent.

"Hm?"

Seeing this, Chi Jinan neither dodged nor fled; he even charged forward, blood light surging around him, countless tiny Blood Crystals instantly coalescing and firing at the Raven flock!

"Ding ding dong dong— Boom!"

Blood Crystals and Raven shadows collided and exploded wildly; Lu Mu's figure flickered in the shadows and vanished, reappearing aloft. More shadow Ravens surged forth at his summons like a tide, attempting to overwhelm by numbers.

At that moment, those Ravens were no longer his cute little pets; after all, he could barely protect himself.

Lu Mu's smile was tinged with bitterness, sweat faintly beading on his forehead; he was well aware of the huge gap between him and Chi Jinan—this was truly dancing on the blade's edge.

If it weren't for that bastard Fang Zhiyan impulsively suggesting that, since he was so worked up, he should go face‑to‑face with Chi Jinan for a few moves to draw attention, he wouldn't have wanted to tangle with this deadly star!

Yang Yixie, while distractedly directing the little robots to optimal output positions, muttered silently to himself:

When did Lu Mu become so brazen? Dare to go head‑on against Chi Jinan? The two are several ranks apart.

What about Bai Mu Yun? Lu Mu doesn't even mind handing over heads?

And his so‑called free‑handed teacher? He's just counting on Fang Zhiyan to carry him.

As if answering his doubts, another figure swooped like a wraith toward Min Tianyou and the others searching the ruins.

Bai Mu Yun's face remained veiled by an illusion, obscuring his expression, but his strike was fierce; a short blade of condensed energy surged toward Min Tianyou's neck.

"Careful!" Shen Zexi barked low, just as he was about to act.

Another figure darted even faster to block in front of Min Tianyou, ripples spreading through the air as if invisible threads wove together, attempting to hinder Bai Mu Yun's movement.

"This path is closed, Co‑Absorption friend," the Butterfly Speaker said.

Bai Mu Yun's assault merely paused; Gold Horizontal Pupil coldly stared at the Butterfly Speaker, "Undercurrent, are you about to completely break the face with Co‑Absorption?"

"Don't phrase it so harshly,"

The Butterfly Speaker kept smiling, movements unceasing, stepping back half a step to dodge Bai Mu Yun's thrust.

"Undercurrent only cares about profit, and your Co‑Absorption's fireworks in Tianmian City last night caused us considerable loss, not to mention the time you dismantled our auction house—you haven't forgotten, have you? These accounts need settling, right?"

"So you're protecting those Little Ghosts?"

Bai Mu Yun naturally saw the Butterfly Speaker's vague intention to shield those behind him, sneered, and wondered who had given the Butterfly Speaker such nerve.

The Butterfly Speaker, as an illusionist, was quite famous—though not for a good reputation.

Bai Mu Yun flicked his wrist, the short dagger in his hand lunging toward Ying Duo's position.

Not to mention, Ying Duo's evasion was maxed out.

When Bai Mu Yun's attack came, he took a risky step back to narrowly evade, and with the distance now close enough, Yang Yixie decisively clicked the symbol above Bai Mu Yun's head, sending a team invitation.

【System Prompt: Player "Ying Duo" is inviting you to join the party, accept?】

The initiating Bai Mu Yun seemed undisturbed, thrusting again toward Min Tianyou.

【System Prompt: NPC "Bai Mu Yun" has joined the party.】

Although he had already guessed what Ying Duo might do, when Ying Duo's message popped up in his view, Bai Mu Yun couldn't stop his mouth from twitching twice.

【Ying Duo: How can I also mix into output? I need experience.】

Bai Mu Yun: "……"

His temples throbbed, and he forced himself to suppress the urge to slam the kid into the nearby scrap heap. What era is this, still thinking about "mooching experience"?!

However, before Bai Mu Yun could contemplate how to "let Ying Duo mix into output," the Butterfly Speaker's voice rang out again.

"Rushing to strike at the kids, isn't that a bit unkind?" the Butterfly Speaker said softly, though his eyes lacked warmth.

"Undercurrent only cares about profit? So you stand before me because aiding the Supervision Bureau against us serves a greater interest?"

Bai Mu Yun counter‑attacked swiftly, trying to draw out Undercurrent's stance.

"Profit, of course, is multi‑faceted," the Butterfly Speaker shrugged, giving an ambiguous answer while honestly shielding the few kids.

"Undercurrent may have a few… minor grievances with Co‑Absorption, but we never intended to completely break the face. Speaking of which, we've known each other so long, and I've never seen you without a disguise,"

Bai Mu Yun's gaze hardened; ignoring the kids beside him, he charged straight at the Butterfly Speaker.

"Could it be that you actually look terrible? That's why you never…"

"That truly disappoints you, at least my taste is far superior to yours."

Both kept talking while their fists kept moving.

Bai Mu Yun and the Butterfly Speaker had indeed known each other for years, aware that the Butterfly Speaker's Aberrant Arts were bizarre and unpredictable, and even he could sometimes unknowingly fall into his path.

But in close‑quarters combat, the Butterfly Speaker would fear even a casually trained one for a year or two could flip him outright.

Bai Mu Yun immediately changed strategy, forcing the butterfly speaker to engage in close‑quarters grappling that they are not good at.