Chapter 98
Chapter 98
“Aaaagh!”
The terrifying heat tore agonized screams from the assassin who had fired the shot. He aimed his rifle at Zhou Ming and unleashed a frantic barrage.
Rat-a-tat-tat!
Gunfire rang out without pause, yet its target did not move an inch.
Armor formed from flame enveloped Zhou Ming’s body. Black matter flowed across its surface, radiating a sinister aura.
In the blink of an eye, the assassin stopped struggling and burned into charcoal.
Zhou Ming’s face was savage with fury, his hair standing on end. The God-Demon Orb revolved rapidly around him.
“Monster!”
The same thought flashed through the minds of the other four assassins. Horror twisted their faces as they raised their rifles and opened fire. But their bullets were stopped by the extraordinarily resilient Demonic Flame Armor and fell harmlessly to the floor.
Swoosh!
Zhou Ming moved like a bolt of lightning. He swept both parents into his arms and leaped directly from the fifth floor like a cannonball.
Several seconds later, he returned. Charging straight through the bullets, he threw a crushing punch.
Boom!
The assassin’s chest caved in. The blow sent him flying like a lump of mud, splattering him against the wall.
ROAR!
Zhou Ming surged forward again, taking the form of a vicious dragon head as he roared. The third assassin vanished into ash in an instant, completely erased from the world.
“How could they send me to fight a monster like this?!”
Yamagami Yusai trembled in terror. His rifle had already run out of ammunition, yet he had failed to harm a single hair on Zhou Ming’s head.
Zhou Ming casually hurled a fireball and blasted the fourth assassin to death. Then he stood before Yamagami Yusai, rage burning in his eyes so fiercely it threatened to erupt as flame. “Who sent you to kill me? Who was it?!”
Clang!
Above the abandoned building, a Blazing Sun Greatsword more than ten meters long materialized. Flames coiled around it and burned furiously. Rain could not extinguish them; every drop that touched the blade turned instantly to steam.
Yamagami Yusai’s lips twitched as he struggled to speak. “I see. So this… is the secret hidden within Destiny!”
He pulled a dagger from his waist and drove it into his own throat without hesitation. His body collapsed limply to the floor. “Zhouyou Shijie, this time… you win!”
With no target remaining, the Blazing Sun Greatsword slowly dispersed.
“Even if you won’t tell me, I’ll find the mastermind sooner or later!” Zhou Ming stood motionless for a long while, fists clenched as he fought to suppress the fury threatening to strip away his reason.
Calm down!
Calm down!
He repeated the words inwardly, but his anger only surged higher. Even killing all five men had done nothing to ease it.
“Once the Sin of Wrath manifests in reality, restraining it is no easy task.” The taxi driver appeared on the fifth floor from nowhere.
He walked over and tossed something to Zhou Ming.
Zhou Ming caught it, and a fragrant aroma immediately reached him.
Was this…
Wine?
“You treated me to barbecue last time, and I promised the next round would be on me. Naturally, I keep my word,” the bronze-skinned young man explained. “Of course, if you’re afraid it might be poisoned…”
Gulp! Gulp!
Before he could finish, Zhou Ming lifted the wine jar and drank deeply.
The wine was richly fragrant, mellow, and left an exquisite aftertaste!
Without question, it was superb wine!
After Zhou Ming drained the jar, the wine was like a merciful rain extinguishing the fury that had nearly spun out of control.
“Only now have you truly passed your Sin of Wrath,” the young man said with a smile.
“Thank you!”
Zhou Ming drained the final drop. His mind cleared, warmth spread throughout his body, and he felt as though he had been reborn.
By now, he had already formed an idea of the man’s identity.
Ning Wushen!
The man Zhou Ming could only fight to a draw during the Talent Trial.
Back then, Ning Wushen had promised to buy him a drink someday. Zhou Ming had never expected him to fulfill that promise in this fashion.
“No need to thank me.” Ning Wushen waved it off, then abruptly changed the subject. “Actually, I came here not only to return the favor, but also to bring you a piece of bad news.”
“Hmm?”
Zhou Ming did not understand.
He came here specifically to bring me bad news?
“Zhouyou Shijie… No, Zhou Ming!”
Ning Wushen’s expression turned completely serious. “Have you… ever lost?”
“Brother Ning, what makes you say that?”
Zhou Ming did not understand why Ning Wushen had suddenly asked such a question.
Surely he was not about to challenge Zhou Ming to a match?
An existence beyond god-tier, capable of moving freely between the game and reality, was likely powerful beyond imagination. Zhou Ming was certainly no match for him now.
“You may feel that I’m being presumptuous by bringing this up so suddenly,” Ning Wushen said frankly. “Think of it this way: I read your fortune, and the result showed that you are certain to die.”
“…”
Zhou Ming frowned, his expression gradually turning grave.
He would never have readily believed such a claim from anyone else, but Ning Wushen was an exception.
Ning Wushen possessed both temporal and spatial abilities, and his strength was unfathomable. His “fortune-telling” had likely glimpsed something real.
“Not even the slightest chance of survival?” Zhou Ming pressed.
Ning Wushen shook his head.
“…”
The atmosphere grew heavy.
After a long silence, Zhou Ming asked, “Can you tell me where I will die?”
“I’ve heard that you enjoy making wagers and have never lost one!” Ning Wushen’s words carried a deeper meaning. “How about a wager between us? If you win, I’ll give you this wonderful item!”
With a flip of his hand, a skill book with a fiery red cover appeared.
This was…
Zhou Ming focused on it. The words across the cover were perfectly clear.
Forbidden ยท Flame of Eternal Calamity
Zhou Ming did not care about the skill book right now. He immediately asked, “What is the wager?”
“I wager that you will die one month from now.” Ning Wushen turned and walked away. “Of course, I hope you can change that ending. But… I am sorry. I cannot see any path to victory for you.”
No path to victory!
He was telling the truth.
If the present Zhouyou Shijie had ten thousand possible futures, all ten thousand ended in his death.
Even warning him in advance would change nothing.
Zhou Ming watched Ning Wushen leave, then withdrew his gaze with complicated emotions.
Even someone as powerful as Ning Wushen believes I’ll die defending Juyan City?
The current matter was not yet resolved, leaving him no time to dwell on it. He hurried downstairs.
“Dad, Mom, are you all right?” Zhou Ming asked anxiously.
“We’re fine!”
Zhou Ming’s father supported his wounded mother. Seeing his son safe, he visibly relaxed. “Ah Ming, why were those people trying to kill you?”
“Because… I awakened superpowers.” Zhou Ming made up an excuse and placed a hand on his mother’s thigh.
Since he could use his in-game power in reality, surely he was not limited to offensive skills.
Holy Flame Purification!
Whoomph!
A gentle flame shone in the night.
Within a few breaths, the gunshot wound on his mother’s leg vanished without a trace.
Zhou Ming’s father stared at his son in disbelief. “Ah Ming, this is… This is…”
“Dad, let me explain!” Zhou Ming thought his excuse had been far too flimsy.
“This is unbelievably cool!”
Zhou Ming: “…”
“Did you offend those villains while fighting for justice?” Once she recovered from the shock, Zhou Ming’s mother looked proud of him.
What mother did not hope her son would be extraordinary?
“That’s right!” Zhou Ming nodded.
It was technically true.
He had fought for justice in the game and offended every villain on the server as a result.
After calming his parents, Zhou Ming personally took them home. He repeatedly warned them not to reveal what had happened, then hurried back to his rented apartment.
He had no time to experience what it felt like to bring his in-game power into reality, nor to inspect the God-Demon Orb that had materialized there. He hurriedly put on his gaming helmet.
He would never allow today’s events to happen again. He needed to learn a skill capable of protecting others as quickly as possible, ensuring that his family could not be harmed.
Yet the moment he logged into the game, a rapid succession of system chimes rang in his ears.
“Ding!”
[You have consumed Heart-Cleansing Wine. You have gained…]
…