Chapter 212: Risk Hedging! I'm Going to Dismantle This Machine!

Before the words fell, Su Ming was already like a phantom, again lunging before Shen Qing.

Shen Qing sidestepped, barely evading that streak of black blade.

But Su Ming's change of technique was extremely fast; that knee strike, brimming with force, headed straight for the face.

Can't dodge!

"Hm?"

In a flash, Su Ming's gaze hardened.

Something's off!

A strange red‑black dual‑colored aura surged from Shen Qing's body.

It didn't disperse like mist.

Instead, it was like a swarm of starving parasites that instantly opened wide mouths and clamped onto Su Ming's knee.

Bang—!

The knee indeed struck Shen Qing's face.

But…

There was no solid, flesh‑to‑fist impact.

Nor the crisp sound of bones shattering.

That terrifying kinetic energy, enough to demolish a load‑bearing wall…

was like a mud ox sinking into the sea!

Or rather, like crashing into a lump of cotton.

All the force was completely dissipated!

"What the hell is that?!"

Su Ming's pupils narrowed slightly.

Seizing the opening, Shen Qing tapped the ground with his toe and, once again, floated away, widening the gap.

The gold‑threaded glasses on his nose reflected faintly in the light, not even a hint of misalignment.

This time, he emerged completely unscathed!

Bang—!!!

Suddenly, the entire hall shuddered violently.

A few meters behind Su Ming, that solid wall instantly caved in, forming a shocking deep pit, with dust and smoke billowing.

"This damn…"

Su Ming glanced back, then turned his gaze toward the faintly smiling Shen Qing.

The red‑black aura swirled…

It's real!

This is the embodiment of the Qualified ability!

"Another Qualified Person…"

Su Ming traced a blade flourish, his gaze playful, yet his heart grew wary.

His intuition told him this guy was a bit hard to deal with!

Although Eye of Truth can see the essence behind phenomena to parse the rules behind this red‑black aura.

But… there's no time for that!

When masters clash, life and death hinge on a hair's breadth!

Even if Shen Qing's pressure didn't reach that level.

But parsing the Qualified Sequence…

requires focused calm, stripping away appearances, and consumes massive mental energy!

In the current situation, it's clearly unsuitable!

"Since there's no time to read the manual…"

Su Ming's gaze hardened, and his body surged upward again.

"Then I'll just dismantle the machine directly!"

Snap—!

Facing Shen Qing's Bone Whip, Su Ming twisted his waist mid‑air and sidestepped.

Gripping the Soul Dagger in reverse, he drew a jet‑black death line in the air!

Change of technique!

It can immunize against physical blows like elbow strikes, right?

It can redirect impact force, right?

Then this soul‑cutting, All Laws Unpenetrable blade of mine—try to immunize against that again?!

"Die, you!!!"

This slash, as fast as Jinglei, was extremely ruthless!

It surged straight for Shen Qing's throat and major artery!

However.

Facing this killing blow, Shen Qing's smile didn't even waver a bit.

He simply raised his hand at a leisurely pace, elegantly nudging the glasses on his nose.

Su Ming also smiled.

Not dodging?

You really despise the Soul Dagger!

Then be more careful in the next life!

Snort—!

The blade met no resistance and sliced through Shen Qing's neck.

But…

In the next second, Su Ming's smile froze instantly.

The feel is off!

So disgusting!

It's like cutting a clump of Rotting sludge with a knife, and also like hacking into a void black hole.

Slippery, yielding, as if a punch landed on cotton—a hollow sensation…

On Shen Qing's neck, let alone a bloodstain…

Not even a faint white mark was left!

On the contrary—

Pfft!

A few meters away from the two, the gambler, already tormented and curled up on the ground,

suddenly split open a terrifying gash on his body without any warning.

Fresh blood gushed out, staining the floor red!

"This damn…"

Su Ming withdrew his hand, staring at the bleeding unlucky soul, his brows knit tightly.

What on earth is happening?!

He seemed to have grasped a bit, but it still felt off—one could even say it's absurd!

"I kicked his face with my knee, and the wall collapsed into a pit…"

"Using the All Laws Unpenetrable Soul Dagger to slash him, the one who got hurt was the gambler…"

"It's a bit like my Calamity Water Eastward Pull ability… but far more perverse!"

His Calamity Water Eastward Pull doesn't have such a long detection range!

Using a Soul Dagger with an ignore mechanism to slash that Jade Pendant couldn't possibly trigger Calamity Water Eastward Pull!

The ability on Shen Qing's body is even more perverse and complex!

Opposite side.

Seeming to notice Su Ming's confusion, Shen Qing adjusted his sleeves, his tone warm and smooth as jade.

"Mr. Su, I suppose you have also seen it…"

"In our financial circle, this is called… Risk Hedge."

He extended his slender finger, pointing at Su Ming, then at the still-twitching gambler nearby.

"You are an uncontrollable risk."

"And he…"

Shen Qing's mouth twitched slightly, a hint of cruelty appearing in his eyes.

"He is my Bad Debt Reserve."

"As long as my Reserve is sufficient…"

"Then each of your attacks helps me clear Non-performing Assets."

"Heh!"

Su Ming let out a light laugh, disdain in his eyes.

He spoke as if saying nothing; it's not like he couldn't see it.

He just couldn't fathom the other's exact operating mechanism.

Telling him that…

It's purely to show off!

Frankly, isn't it just preparing scapegoats?

"Fine! Risk Hedge, right?"

Su Ming's murderous intent deepened, the Soul Dagger in his hand spun again, emitting a hum, yearning for fresh blood.

"I'll see how many bad debts you have enough to hedge!"

"As long as you kill all these expendable pawns around you…"

"Then it'll be your turn!"

Bang—!

Su Ming surged up again, his movements a few degrees more ruthless than before!

Fast relocation?

Damn it, I slash faster than you move!

…

Swish swish swish!

Inside the hall, black blade flashes instantly merged into a sheet.

This time, Su Ming completely let loose, with no sense of martial virtue!

Stabbing eyes, locking throats, gouging hearts, pulling yin!

Each move aims to cut off someone's bloodline!

However…

What seemed like a one‑sided crushing was so bizarre that it made one's scalp tingle.

Shen Qing was like a hologram existing in another dimensional plane.

No matter how ferociously Su Ming slashed, or how intricate the angles.

That shadow‑like red‑black breath always stayed one step ahead.

Like the most loyal guardian spirit, it greedily devoured and redirected all damage about to strike.

Rumble—!

Crack—!

His hair remained untouched, yet the surroundings were devastated!

Every miss of Su Ming's blade sparked a small disaster nearby!

The grand crystal chandelier overhead crashed down with a roar, shattering into glass shards, and the ambient light dimmed considerably.

Cracks spread across the sturdy load‑bearing wall.

Even the distant Blue Sea Core seemed on the verge of losing stability, emitting an uneasy hum.

But only a few short minutes.

This office, representing the highest authority of the Golden House…

Was brutally torn apart by Su Ming into a ruin!

Snap—!

Shen Qing's Bone Whip snapped forward, and Su Ming, quick‑eyed and swift, sidestepped backward.

Huff… huff…

He gasped heavily, his chest heaving, sweat streaming down.

Something's wrong!

Very wrong!

Although his recent burst was fierce and unreserved.

But the rate of physical consumption…

Completely contradicts his current physical condition!

With his present physique, even a full‑speed assault for a day and night wouldn't tire him.

Yet how long has this burst lasted?

Bone‑deep fatigue surged up like a tide.

It was as if an invisible funnel inside his body was wildly flooding outward!

Strength, stamina, even spirit…

All were inexplicably draining!

"Mr. Su, are you tired from fighting?"

The smoke and dust slowly cleared.

Shen Qing strode out.

Aside from the slight disarray at the start and a single slash from his blade aura…

This guy's body didn't even have a torn hem!

He stood in the center of the ruins, pushing his glasses.

Behind the lenses, his once‑gentle eyes had completely vanished.

Only a cold glint remained.

"Mr. Su, just now…"

Shen Qing raised his right hand.

In his palm, a gold coin danced nimbly on his fingertip, emitting a crisp clink.

Su Ming fixed his gaze.

The coin's obverse and reverse bore a bizarre crying face and a smiling face.

That cost quite a bit!