Chapter 61 - Role Playing the Dark Horse Character

Chapter 61 Just a wall apart, the ice still lingered, and the piercing cold it left behind seemed to seep deep into Yi Ming's bones. It froze the soul hidden within his shell. The brown-haired young man was half-covered in pure white frost, with his eyelashes and brown hair dusted in white. Even his breath seemed to carry a chill. In the beginning, he had shielded his two companions, taking the brunt of the attack and drawing closest to death. "Yi Ming!" It was Tang's shout. But he couldn't move. With his remaining half-ear, he captured the voice of Yue Fu, the nobleman who remained completely unfazed as he continued to execute the command of the family head. "It won't be long before the family head comes out, so don't run off during this time, alright?" Vines grew, tightly encircling the still-mobile Tang and An Huyu. Yi Ming heard An Huyu trying to hold back tears with a muffled sob. "Rao Yue, do you think I should just kill them right now?" The A-rank ability user didn't feel even a hint of threat from them, his tone still nonchalant, laced with contempt. He glanced at Rao Yue, still kneeling in the corner and not having risen, "Earlier, too, don't know who dared to make a move on the family head." "For their sake?" Yue Fu sneered, spinning in place as he looked at the three weak young men and women, "Whatever, it's just a matter of sooner or later for them." "In the entire Four-Way City, few have survived the family's head hands." He remarked, "The family head is an S-rank powerhouse." High-ranking, positioned at the top of this society governed by abilities, capable of crushing them as easily as an ant. Must history repeat itself? Yi Ming asked himself. Must he again watch helplessly as Li stands before him, unable to even protect himself?! Must he again let that person endure pain for him!? His body trembled, the frost connecting them showing cracks that expanded like a spider web, growing wider and wider. The icy shards fell from his not-so-innocent face, piece by piece, revealing his eyes, his nose, and his resolute face biting down with unwillingness. He clenched his eyes shut, lunging forward as if attempting to run, breaking through the thin membrane that confined him. "I don't... want to run anymore." A hoarse voice came from his trembling throat. In the face of the bronze ruins, running in the rain, when all he could do was pray for a miracle only to have it shattered by reality. He swore, he would not run again, he would not abandon anyone again. No matter who. And for this, he would stake his life! Metal surfaced on his skin, peeling away the frost to reveal a solid silver shine, constructing an iron armor for him. The ice melted and fell away, revealing within him donned in iron armor, his body enveloped in metal, a man who had broken through his limits. The ability, Metal Heart, unleashing its utmost potential! His level escalating! The arm transformed into a long blade, severing from the limb, slicing through the air to aim at Yue Fu behind him. "How is he still moving?!" The blue-haired youth jumped, startled by the sudden turn of events, vines shot up before him, weaving into a shield. However, the blade passed by his side, cutting a parabola and slicing through the two vines suspending Tang and An Huyu. "Tsk, troublesome." Yue Fu remarked, the shield of vines he wove before him remained unchanged, protecting him. Meanwhile, more vines sprouted from the ground, stabbing toward the armored man! Vines danced in the air, their green foliage laying an unsettling black in the dim basement. Yue Fu's eyes met that iron-clad face, a sense of anger from being taunted by a lower-ranked ability user. Metal was heavy, and wearing such an outfit made his movements ring with crisp and clear metallic clangs, the footsteps ponderous, burdensome. Meanwhile, the agile vines could weave in and out of any nook, binding a person tightly. "You can't possibly escape—" Yue Fu could almost foresee the certainty of his attack's success. But. "What?!" This armored man was agile beyond belief! He was like a nimble monkey in the mountains, deftly maneuvering in the small space, easily evading Yue Fu's proud vines. "Too slow," Yi Ming's voice echoed from beneath the metal. "Compared to Yan Changxiao, you're too slow!" The experience of fighting the combat fanatic, Yan Changxiao, allowed him to keep pace with, or even surpass, the speed of the A-rank ability user here! Under his command, the long blade spun in the air, reconnecting to his arm and slicing through the vines before him! "Well, well." Yue Fu smirked with frustration. He wielded his identity, his strength, to look down upon everyone, utterly dismissing the inner hearts of others, acting as a high-and-mighty noble son. In the Yue family, the only one worth his attention was his cousin, while everyone else were mere servants, freely manipulated pawns catering to his whims. Yet now, he was scorned by an ant whose name he deemed unworthy of knowing. Before him, vines burst forth in the confined space, surging forth as he spread his arms, forming an impenetrable wall, leaving not a single gap. The basement's light seemed to flicker momentarily, then dimmed. Rendering that verdant into an even deeper gloom. "I am an A-rank!" he declared, as the vines once again rushed toward Yi Ming. "My vines cannot be severed by you!" The armored figure hopped agilely, hands transformed into gleaming long blades. Reinforced vines became thicker, harder to cut. As the blade struck, the recoil produced a resonant hum in everyone's ears. Starting near, fanning out. In the next instant, a thick vine struck Yi Ming's waist, hitting with full force. "Ugh!" Blood oozed from beneath the armor. He was hurled backward, crashing against the wall on the left side of the corridor. "Your resistance is futile!" Yue Fu's eyes widened, staring as the cracks on the wall widened like a spiderweb under the force, trailing across. Vines again raised their tips, the robust plant turned, aiming at Yi Ming, who was supporting himself with one hand, seemingly unable to rise. The wounds from Yue Qing's earlier attack were too severe. "Killing you here, the family head wouldn't be mad." Yue Fu smirked, "After all, I am his most praised subordinate." Vines surged towards Yi Ming, as his eyes followed the closing distance. In almost an instant, it seemed about to pierce through the armored person's body! "Ugh!" The sound of a blade piercing flesh. Yue Fu let out a nasal gasp. "Hmm?" He lowered his head, a silver dagger's tip protruded from his chest, where his heart lay. "You idiot, at least look behind you." Behind him, the red-haired boy he had called a 'small waste' still had teary eyes, but his hand gripping the dagger was steady. Those golden pupils revealed an unusual sharpness. "You couldn't even handle a waste like me, who are you to badmouth my big brother?" An Huyu, who Yue Fu deemed completely non-threatening, delivered a decisive blow! "You damn Ability-less!" Yue Fu coughed twice, trembling as he reached out to grasp the dagger's tip. He suddenly lifted his head, shouting at Rao Yue, who had yet to move in the corner: "Rao Yue! What are you standing there for?! Kill them! Kill them all!!!" And Rao Yue moved. Still seated in the corner, Yi Ming, An Huyu who had withdrawn the dagger, and Tang who was vigilantly prepared to use their abilities, all turned warily toward her. They knew she was also an enemy. And then— "I will endure." The woman with moon-white long hair and a uniform stood up, speaking to Yue Fu. "Huh?" Yue Fu didn't understand her words, "You're blaming me for calling you violent? What's going on with you, earlier too—" "That's why I endured until now." Rao Yue raised her hand, a gun materializing in her palm. Cold intent surfaced in her deep blue eyes. "To kill you." She pulled the trigger. "Bang!" A-rank ability with an additional attribute, fully penetrating. A single bullet passed clean through the head, shooting straight behind. The glimmer of the bullet flickered briefly. Yue Fu fell. The three young men and women were stunned for a moment, but quickly turned back to vigilance towards Rao Yue. However, Rao Yue showed no inclination to attack them further, instead fixing her gaze on the suddenly risen wall. Yi Ming, supporting himself on the ground, leaned against the wall and gritted his teeth to stand once more. He too watched that wall. "Brother," he murmured. In their view, the wall finally moved. From top to bottom, it transformed into illusory light points. Revealing the light shining from the top of the tunnel and, within that light, the fallen body. A long blade stood upright, piercing through Yue Qing's heart. The circular halo of light illuminated his face, one of extreme terror, as if having endured tremendous fear before death. "Yue Qing, that S-rank, is dead?" The first to voice his disbelief was An Huyu, who looked ahead incredulously, unable to accept the reality: "He was an S-rank!" Like his big brother, an S-rank! S-ranks are rare across the entire Empire! He had just been trying to kill them, the noble head of the Yue family! In just a few minutes, what had happened?! "Who killed him?!" He didn't notice as he stood with them, Rao Yue, who was also looking towards the light, seemed to have her own eyes ablaze. His gaze was filled with a fervent and excited intensity, akin to witnessing the rise of a flag that symbolized his faith. It was as if he had seen the very embodiment of his beliefs coming to life. Leaning against the wall, Yi Ming deactivated his ability. He tried to take a step forward but stumbled, his hands making a frantic sweep in the air. "It's our leader," Rao Yue declared, her voice no longer cold and indifferent. Instead, it was bursting with an emotion that seemed ready to break free from her chest. "The leader who guides us!" she exclaimed with increased fervor, "It must be him!" Spurred on by her words, Yi Ming gritted his teeth and chased after the figure. He stumbled his way up the stairs, racing towards the sunlight. He lunged into the light, catching sight of the person's departing figure amidst the blinding brightness. Yi Ming ran out of the passageway, past the vault, and into the corridor, where he finally caught sight of the person walking steadily, their back turned to him. "Wait!" he called out, reaching his hand forward. His eyes felt hot, a simmering urge to cry surged as he saw that figure walking away unscathed. "Are you avoiding me?" he asked, "Li." Like an abandoned puppy, he yearned to return to his master’s side, tail wagging hopefully for acknowledgment. Yet, the dark-haired youth in front of him continued walking, the blue at his earlobe swaying with each step. "I'd rather you yell at me instead of ignoring me," Yi Ming pleaded, his mind flashing back to that dark apartment where survival was uncertain, but at least he could hear Li’s voice. Through the window, sudden flickers of lightning-like red erupted high above the main hall, branching out like twisting serpents. The red streaks descended, slicing through the ceiling before Yi Ming, leaving a crack at his feet. The red tendrils spread, painting the entire sky in crimson light. Confronted by this sudden threat, Yi Ming's already weary body collapsed to the ground. But he didn't notice his own fall. Instead, he instinctively worried about the dark-haired youth ahead. "Brother, it's dangerous!" Even amidst the incessant downpour of crimson, the youth with black hair walked calmly forward, one step at a time. It was as if he were strolling through a crisis, taking a leisurely outing in the most perilous of places. It seemed to say that Yi Ming's worry was misplaced. Just when Yi Ming thought he wouldn’t receive a response, the youth finally spoke. "You’ve mistaken me for someone else." Amidst the red streaks, the youth’s stride didn’t falter. "You’re too weak. These matters..." The youth turned his face slightly, seemingly gazing at the main hall bathed in crimson light. "You shouldn’t interfere."