Chapter 56 - Role Playing the Dark Horse Character

Chapter 56: Natural Counter A silence descended upon the scene, as if everyone instinctively held their breath. All eyes turned to the black-haired youth strolling forward with a nonchalant smile. The silver-edged mask seemed to catch a glint in the sunlight. Who is that?! On the high platform, as everyone focused on the black-haired man, An Heyu struggled to resist glancing back. Wasn't there an agreement to act prudently? Why does an illusion appear there? Or is this one the illusion? Truth and falsehood blurred beyond recognition. His movement to turn around was halted by a gentle hand. Realizing that he might be overreacting, he restrained himself, his golden eyes shifting slightly to catch a glimpse of the stern-faced youth behind him. "Shh." Her red eyes narrowed slightly, as though seeing right through his decisions. She mouthed silently, "Borrowing your ability." No one noticed this brief exchange; almost everyone's focus was drawn to the illusion ahead. Yes, an illusion. The fictitious image wore a smile, appearing utterly unaffected by Qu Yan's provocations. Iciness emanated from the sculpted ice, as nobles and the bustling commoners alike stared at this fearless, audacious figure who suddenly appeared, more audacious than even the high-ranking nobles. In a flash, An Heyu understood what the person behind him intended to do; it could only be an illusion. He didn't know whether to feel relieved or remain tense about Hei Ge's next move. With his ability, Requiem of the Departed, any deceased human within his domain could be analyzed mentally, their bodies controlled by him. They could use abilities as if alive. If he desired, he could command an army of the dead. An Heyu pursed his lips, understanding that Hei Ge expected him to comply obediently. And indeed, he would follow Hei Ge's plan. When he chose to board Hei Ge's ship, he knew he might be used as a tool. But as Hei Ge had once said, he had no choice. An Heyu closed his golden eyes and then opened them again. The domain expanded silently and invisibly, capturing a shell he had already analyzed. The shell disappeared from its original place, reappearing here, hovering in the air where the illusion stood. An Heyu could freely alter the position of the shells he controlled, and making them float was the least of his concerns. He focused intently on the illusion, maneuvering the shell to follow its actions. At the same time, the shell's blood began to circulate—not naturally, but through the shell's innate ability. Since this shell was Qu Ran's, An Heyu could use Qu Ran's ability to simulate blood flow. This way, if Qu Yan's ability could verify bodies through blood flow, this 'Hei Ge' would be mistaken for the true one. Meanwhile, Li Li used her illusions to conceal everything under the guise of phantoms. From the special audience seat, she observed the unfolding events as if watching a play unconnected to her. Li Li had stated that she acted spontaneously but never intended to challenge both an S-ranked and her own ability's nemesis alone. She wasn’t a fool—she knew she was no match for them. Against an A-rank, she might have a chance, but S-rank was utterly beyond her. The gap between mid-tier and high-tier wasn't just a matter of nomenclature; even when provoking Yue Qing, her intent was always to escape safely. But with Yi Ming present, she could afford some tricks... Li Li: Beginning to feel excited. At the forefront of the high platform, a purple-haired noble looked across at the black-haired youth on the same level, withdrew his hand holding a round canister, and bent forward, laughing softly. "I like the shape of your skull, your eyes, and your temper suits me perfectly too." He straightened up, the canister hidden back under his cloak, continuing with unabashed condescension, "What a pity. If it weren't for the fringe characters on this side reaching out to me, I wouldn't even be aware of your existence." "The so-called prophecy of the former Ability Guild has no believers in Floating City—only in this backwater would anyone take it seriously," Qu Yan remarked. "Do you really think a bunch of you remnants can topple the empire’s millennia-old rule?" He extended his hand towards the illusion before him, "Give up the ruins of the former Ability Guild, abandon those unrealistic dreams, and become part of my collection. How about it?" Beside him, Yue Qing's expression froze. The surrounding commoners couldn't grasp the context of his words, nor did Yi Ming, mingling among them with past dealings with Tides, know about the 'former Ability Guild' and 'prophecy.' Unaware that Tides was the former Ability Guild. Yet they could see the black-haired youth in the air chuckle. It wasn't a laugh of anger or offended pride; it was a carefree chuckle, as if finding amusement in the situation. "Former Ability Guild?" He stepped forward, the hem of his coat fluttering in the wind. "Sorry, I've never joined such an organization." "And... I'm more interested in the head on your shoulders right now." "You'll regret this," Qu Yan declared. A conversation with no reconciliation possible, now concluded! The purple-haired noble extended both hands from beneath his cloak. Six red lines shot forth—not towards the youth ahead, but downward, aimed at the unprepared commoners! Simultaneously, the black-haired youth extended his hand, gloved fingers tracing an arc in the air. Snap. A sharp snap echoed, an identical pattern of blood lines spreading from his feet, slicing through the path of Qu Yan's ability like a cross-section! "Ah!" Finally, the commoners reacted, shoving and running toward safety. All eyes focused on the duel between the two blood-red forces in the air, unnoticed was Li Li withdrawing her hand from An Heyu’s shoulder. "So it's an illusion that can inflict real damage," Qu Yan observed, having heard from Yue Qing about Hei Ge's ability. Approaching this realization, he categorized the identical ability as illusion, "But how about this?" With those words, the red lines appeared to have pierced the five inverted bodies behind them. Except for Yu Xiao. Blood sprayed, the bright red followed Qu Yan's line of sight, expanding like broad blades of fabric. These extensions spread and extended. Their area far surpassed the six initial red lines. The tip of the red fabric gleamed coldly in the sunlight, lunging forward like a beast in the next instant. They traced arcs through the air, converging on the youth standing there with a smile! A fierce wind blew, rustling the canopy behind him like a wailing cry. The red lines retreated, but he remained, composed as if he could see through the crimson chaos to its origin, Qu Yan. Amidst the swaying crowd, Yi Ming looked up, watching everything with his own eyes. This was a side of Hei Ge he hadn’t seen before, facing a mighty opponent with such reckless defiance and flair. For some reason, Yi Ming believed Hei Ge wouldn't lose, even against such a formidable high-tier adversary. In his heart, it seemed like Hei Ge could never be defeated. The hovering black-haired youth flexed his arm, his hand pausing near his ear, and casually snapped his fingers. Snap. The crimson sheets collided, transforming into a spray of liquid. But amidst that scarlet rain, there was no trace of black. Where is he? Nearly everyone present harbored this question. In the next instant, the black fabric appeared overhead on the high platform. Underneath the wide crimson fabric, tiny red droplets dripped like rainfall. And amid this crimson rain, a dark silhouette coalesced mid-air, the smile beneath the silver-edged mask widening. Sleek, slender fingers moved like swift fish, plucking a dagger from beneath his coat. A swift motion brought forth a silver crescent of light! In an instant, the S-ranked red lines stabbed at his position, but it was only an illusory shadow! Yet the illusionary attack was rendered real. Qu Yan's head flew off. The suspended crimson fabric, without its master’s control, reverted to liquid, cascading down onto the commoners below. "Ahhh!" The commoners' cries rose like waves, their escape attempts still mired in chaos. Yet as a few glanced back at the high platform, their screams grew even louder. "The noble's been killed!" "Who is Hei Ge?!" "That's a monster!!" With no obstruction, the commoners frantically sought to leave the square. The crowd scattered, but in the chaos, Yi Ming and his companions were unintentionally pushed out of the square, even as they wished to stay. The noise barely reached the high platform. Yue Qing stood with furrowed brows, and the ice sculpture seemed to come alive with outspread wings. However, he soon sat back down. An illusion reappeared, immediately taking shape on the platform, standing before the severed head. In a flash, Qu Ran's corpse replaced the interior of the illusionary figure. A red line sprouted from the ground, lifting the head until it was level. "I told you," the black-haired youth remarked, glancing slightly towards Qu Yan's eyes, his crimson pupils curving with amusement. Just then, Qu Yan spoke. "I like your attitude," he said. A barely visible red line reattached his neck, "Killing you with that expression will be quite the collectible." He wasn't dead! The black-haired youth lowered his gaze. Upon receiving the signal, Qu Ran’s red lines shot out from below, transforming into blades aimed at that fine line. The line stretched but didn't sever! Simultaneously, flames ignited in the air. When the involved parties believed them real, the illusory flames became reality, scorching the bloodline. "Hahaha, hahahahaha..." Qu Yan erupted into a wild laugh, bloodlines beneath his severed neck surged, instantly breaking Qu Ran’s ability, flames helping to fixate the head back onto his neck! The red lines stitched the severance like writhing maggots. The flames extinguished. Qu Yan then turned to the illusory black-haired youth, "You cannot defeat me." The illusion lingered, but another phantom distanced itself to appear at the previous spot. The illusion began to solidify. Qu Yan's hand brushed over his neck, sliding down to his torso. "Illusions grant you a realm, assassinating those you wish dead, but you can't kill me," Qu Yan laughed softly. "However, I can easily kill you." "Because of my ability, Bloodline Connection, I can directly attack the ability user through their power!" A red fabric, under his command, descended to intercept the lingering red lines at the illusion's feet.