Chapter 889: Ace

—No!

Bound by Psychic Shackles, Zhong He could only stare upward as he fell, his widened eyes locked on Yellow Lotus. Not even a cry escaped his lips.

Yellow Lotus gazed down from the pier, her smile not one meant for a friend but a lover—tender, filled with unspoken feelings and bittersweetness.

A heartbeat later, she turned to face Qilin. As her fists rose, Qilin's Black Gold cane flashed like silver lightning, piercing her chest. Blood trickled from her lips as her eyes widened in shock. She reached for Qilin with trembling hands, desperate to buy Zhong He more time to escape, but even this final act was denied.

The moment the cane penetrated her chest, Qilin's psychic power washed over her. Her hands fell limp as she died quietly, head drooping forward.

Qilin withdrew his cane and prepared to pursue Zhong He in the river below.

A blue shark erupted from the water toward him. Qilin pivoted, his cane cutting a golden arc through the air that split the creature in two. It dissolved into a splash of marine life, seaweed, and river water.

His attention snapped back to the river where a figure wrapped in pale blue energy transformed into a dolphin, carrying Zhong He to safety on its back—Raven Shark.

Though Raven Shark's swift retreat remained within range of his psychic power, before Qilin could cast Psychic Shackles, three golden spears of light elements rained from above.

Clink, clink, clink—

Qilin deflected them with his cane, eyes narrowing. A hundred meters away, White Rabbit descended onto the bridge's remains, Fat Jun in her arms.

Abandoning his pursuit of Zhong He and Raven Shark, Qilin reversed course, closing in on the new threats while casting Psychic Shackles.

White Rabbit wouldn't let him near. She immediately launched skyward with level 6 Jump, soaring a hundred meters high to escape his reach.

Qilin had anticipated this. As he jumped, he tucked his right fist against his side, channeling his power. At the apex of his leap, he unleashed A Serious Punch toward White Rabbit's predicted position.

A golden shockwave streaked toward White Rabbit and Fat Jun as they reached the peak of their ascent.

Shit!

Terror twisted White Rabbit's features as golden light washed over her pale face. Her wide eyes reflected the approaching wave of energy.

"Sacred Shield!" Fat Jun's cry rang out as he summoned a half-meter-thick barrier of light elements, protecting them both. But level 3 Light stood no chance against A Serious Punch empowered by level 7 Limitless Evolution, even from a hundred meters away.

Boom!

The collision of energies birthed an explosion, painting a massive golden flower of light and shattered elements against the night sky. For two seconds, the blast turned darkness to day, illuminating the bridge and surrounding area.

Fat Jun and White Rabbit survived, but plummeted toward the river like fighter jets getting shot down.

As Qilin prepared to finish them, he sensed a surge of energy beneath his feet.

Thud.

A figure burst from the river—the Blonde Grim Reaper, Wang Zikai, with Zhang Wei clinging to his back.

Unable to match Wang Zikai's extreme speed, Zhang Wei had secured himself to the blonde's waist with a binder, ensuring they couldn't be separated.

"We will share our fate," Zhang Wei had declared. "If we die, we die together!"

Though puzzled by their unlikely partnership, Qilin didn't dare underestimate the duo who had successfully attacked his substitute. He immediately unleashed his most potent psychic assault.

As Wang Zikai and Zhang Wei entered Eidos's range, invisible rays of psychic force shot from Qilin's eyes, meant to pierce through body and brain alike.

Qilin froze.

It didn't work!

His psychic power barely affected them. Zhang Wei, particularly, seemed completely immune.

How?!

Before Qilin could process this impossibility, he raised his cane, attempting to drive them back with arcs of energy.

Wang Zikai seized this opening. His right fist snapped forward, launching three bone stings wreathed in crimson.

The attack's speed left Qilin stunned. Only the enhanced awareness from Eidos and Azure Dragon's borrowed physical power allowed him to react at all.

He twisted aside. The bone stings whistled past, one scoring his left shoulder.

An alien coldness spread from the wound. Something malevolent seemed to caress his energy pathways, sending ice down his spine.

They must not hit.

The thought consumed him.

Clink.

Energy surged through his Black Gold cane as he batted the bone stings away, desperate to keep them at distance.

Wang Zikai recalled the bone stings—their power came at too high an energy cost for repeated use.

Having failed his surprise attack, Wang Zikai let gravity pull him toward Qilin for close combat.

Qilin met his gaze and channeled everything into Brain Formatting at point-blank range. The technique was nearly impossible to resist at this distance, especially with his Willpower amplified by Puppeteer. Anyone with Charisma below 500 should die instantly.

It works.

Wang Zikai's eyes glazed over, his punch freezing mid-formation as he continued to fall toward Qilin.

Qilin raised his Black Gold cane at Wang Zikai's heart.

"God Kai!"

Zhang Wei's shout pierced the air.

Wang Zikai's eyes sparked to life as if reconnected to power. His consciousness rebooted, soul snapping back into place.

Already within Qilin's guard, Wang Zikai's left hand caught the Black Gold cane effortlessly, stopping its thrust. His smile radiated confidence bordering on arrogance, matched by Zhang Wei's own assured expression.

Absurdity hit Qilin instead of shock or panic.

No one had been able to resist Brain Formatting from such a close distance. No one! And it was now enhanced by the Willpower bonus granted by Puppeteer!

Yet Zhang Wei remained unaffected, and Wang Zikai had shaken it off in seconds.

My turn!

Bam!

Finally, Wang Zikai managed to use the combo Nine Frost taught him. His concealed right fist crashed into Qilin's left cheek, catching him completely off guard.