No one could have predicted Shen Wuxiao would already be so close. He suddenly leapt into the air, arms bent, elbows raised, and brought one down toward Lin Fan’s head with terrifying force.
It was an ancient Muay Thai technique—using the elbow to suppress and overwhelm the enemy. If it connected, it could shatter a skull.
In this pure contest of combat skill, Lin Fan was stunned to find himself at a disadvantage. His techniques actually fell short. It was hard to accept.
He quickly raised both arms to block the strike above his head, using all his strength to push upward in an attempt to counter the blow.
Bang!
The collision was intense. Both fighters were knocked backward at the same time, momentarily locking the fight in a deadlock.
Lin Fan knew he couldn’t win relying on brute strength alone. Without hesitation, he pulled his crescent-shaped scimitar from the wall.
At the same time, Shen Wuxiao retrieved his own weapon—the deadly Judge’s Pen.
The real battle had only just begun.
“Lin Fan, you’ve disappointed me,” Shen Wuxiao sneered, lifting his left thumb only to slowly turn it downward in contempt.“Arrogance leads to defeat,” Lin Fan responded seriously. His aura began to rise like flames surging through his body.
He unleashed the full power of a fifth-grade, eighth-level master.
Shen Wuxiao swung his weapon, and the Judge’s Pen suddenly extended in length. A wave of true energy surged out of him.
Sixth-grade, fifth-level!
Lin Fan’s eyes widened. He’s actually at the sixth-grade, fifth-level—level sixty-five?
But shock only lasted a moment. His fighting spirit surged even higher.
This time, Shen Wuxiao made the first move.
With tremendous force, he unleashed the third technique of the Judge’s Pen—”Tampering with the Book of Life and Death.”
Each swing sent out waves of air like invisible blades slashing toward Lin Fan.
Lin Fan dodged by rolling across the floor. Each gust of energy that missed him carved deep marks into the walls.
But the pressure only made Lin Fan fiercer. He swung his crescent scimitar with deadly precision, delivering a powerful counterattack.
Shen Wuxiao twisted sideways to dodge, then immediately closed the distance.
The two weapons clashed again—Judge’s Pen against Scimitar.
Fists and feet flew in between strikes, their bodies weaving and dodging in close combat. Every move was sharp, fast, and explosive.
Their weapons glinted, fists sliced the air with force, and their footwork blurred with speed.
Each clash echoed like thunder, as if two dragons were battling.
Power gathered and collided, shaking the floor of the building violently.
Though Lin Fan was strong, the gap in their levels was clear.
Shen Wuxiao hadn’t even used his full strength and was already suppressing Lin Fan so heavily that he couldn’t breathe.
But Shen Wuxiao understood well—this was the protagonist’s moment of adversity. He didn’t plan to go easy… just to control the flame.
Literally.
During the intense fight, a worn-out sofa caught fire. In the next second, flames lit up the living room.
With one hand still wielding the Judge’s Pen, Shen Wuxiao used his other to control the spreading fire.
Fire manipulation was one of his special abilities. And tonight, he planned to roast Lin Fan alive.
In the chaos, Lin Fan saw his chance. He flipped the crescent scimitar in his hand and slashed it toward Shen Wuxiao’s chest!
But Shen Wuxiao abruptly positioned the Judge’s Pen upright in front of him, blocking the blow. Then he burst out laughing.
This isn’t good! Lin Fan thought. He tried to retreat—but it was too late.
A blaze of red filled his vision. A fireball exploded toward his face!
“Ahh—!”
Lin Fan screamed as Shen Wuxiao followed up with a kick straight to his chest, sending him flying.
Lin Fan hit the ground hard, frantically slapping at the flames licking his face.
Though the fire burned only for an instant, his eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, and even some of his hair had curled up like singed pig bristles.
He was lucky it didn’t last longer—he could’ve been permanently disfigured.
Furious, Lin Fan’s anger surged.
But before he could act, Shen Wuxiao lunged again, the tip of the Judge’s Pen thrusting straight at him!
There was no time to evade. Lin Fan had to defend.
He grabbed the front end of the Judge’s Pen with both hands.
Exactly what Shen Wuxiao wanted.
He instantly pushed forward with all his strength, muscles tensed. Lin Fan was forced backward, step by step, until his back hit the wall. Still, he didn’t let go.
It became a contest of pure strength.
Shen Wuxiao held the pen with one hand and pressed his other against its base, trying to drive the tip into Lin Fan’s chest.
Lin Fan struggled against the pressure, slowly shifting his body aside.
Just then, with a click, the tip of the Judge’s Pen blossomed open like a flower.
Not good! Lin Fan realized and turned his head instinctively.
But it was too late—the poison needle at the pen’s tip pierced clean through his earlobe.
The needle embedded itself into the wall behind him, nailing his ear in place.
“Ahhh!” Lin Fan cried out in agony, gritting his teeth.
He turned his hand over and struck out with a desperate slash of his scimitar.
Shen Wuxiao had to retreat quickly to avoid being hit.
Lin Fan touched his ear and snarled, “A poison needle? You shameless bastard!”
Shen Wuxiao sneered, “I came to kill you. And you expect me to follow rules? How naïve.”
Lin Fan knew that if he didn’t act fast, the poison would start spreading.
Without hesitation, he gripped his wounded ear and raised his scimitar.
Slice!
He let out a muffled groan as he cut through his own earlobe.
When he looked down, part of his ear was in his hand. Blood poured down his face.
But he had no time to mourn the loss. His instincts were clear—if he stayed, he would die.
So he chose survival.
Of the thirty-six stratagems, fleeing was the wisest choice.
As a fifth-grade, eighth-level expert, if he really wanted to escape, it would be hard for anyone to catch him.
Without a second thought, Lin Fan turned and smashed the window—leaping from the eighth floor!
Using the strength in his arms, he grabbed onto an exterior protrusion to slow his fall.
He dropped two stories, hit the ground hard, rolled to absorb the impact, and bolted into the night.
His figure vanished in seconds.
Shen Wuxiao had no intention of chasing after him.
He walked to the window, watched Lin Fan disappear, and slowly removed his mask.
Under the moonlight, his handsome face appeared, a faint smile on his lips.
“The lucky protagonist really is impressive… but you clearly don’t understand what happens when the black halo neutralizes the protagonist’s aura.”
“With both cancelled out—neither of us has plot armor.”
But Shen Wuxiao still had something even better—a system.
[Ding! Mission complete. 100,000 points awarded!]
“…What? Doesn’t it have to be a full ear to count?”
[Nope! The protagonist’s ear is damaged. That’s enough!]
[Mission Completion Rating: Excellent. Additional reward granted: Grade-6 exclusive pink artifact—‘Duke of Destruction’ revolver.]
[Bullets infused with true energy can ignore normal protective auras. However, master-level defensive energy may require multiple shots to penetrate.]
[Six bullets per reload. Specialized ammunition required. Ordinary bullets will not work.]
[Each shot costs 100 points.]
Shen Wuxiao was ecstatic. The system knew him so well—it delivered exactly what he wanted!
And at just 100 points per bullet, with hundreds of thousands of points in his account, how could he not crush the so-called “lucky protagonist”?
Soon, a revolver appeared in his hand—strange carvings wrapped its surface, the ghostly glow pulsing faintly through the metal.
It was stylish. Menacing. Beautiful.
Unable to resist, Shen Wuxiao took aim at the wall and fired.
Bang!
The shot was as fast as a flash of light—impossible to track. The bullet punched through the wall, leaving a clean hole that let moonlight in.
Ordinary bullets would’ve chipped concrete. This one penetrated.
If such a shot hit a person, they’d explode on the spot.
Satisfied with tonight’s haul, Shen Wuxiao put the mask back on, left the apartment, and descended the building.
He got in his car, and disappeared into the darkness.