96: Chapter 96 Male Aura Combination Bomb and Double Copyright Warning

Su Wan's lips moved as she chanted in a low voice. Before she could finish, Lin Rui immediately activated [Charge].

His heavy armor, carrying the weight of his entire body, barreled toward Dalton like a moving tank.

The edge of his shield slammed hard into Dalton's chest, the dull thud echoing through the empty warehouse.

Three numbers popped up above his head: -8, 12, -16.

This three-hit combo shaved off nearly a tenth of Dalton's health.

Dalton staggered back half a step, his feet scraping two white marks into the concrete floor. He reflexively raised his right arm to [Block], but before he could steady himself, Su Wan's chant ended.

[Crown of Madness] manifested as an invisible force, wrapping around Dalton's head like a cold snake slithering into his consciousness.

His expression twisted, and his body turned toward Lin Rui against his will. Clenching his fists, he swung at the tin can in iron armor before him.

Su Wan had won the first round of the battle of wills.

Judging by her relaxed demeanor, she was even humming a tuneless melody. Maintaining control for at least two or three more rounds shouldn't be too much of a burden.

She even had the energy to wink at Hu Jinsi, signaling him to attack freely.

Dalton's first punch slammed into the [swill lid].

The layer of dried residue on the shield's surface shook loose, raining down as fine debris onto the ground between them and kicking up a cloud of dust visible to the naked eye.

Immediately after, an indescribable stench surged straight into Dalton's face.

The smell was like a trash can left in the summer sun for three days, or like spoiled swill mixed with rotting vegetable leaves. It was so intense it felt almost tangible, like a greasy film coating the inside of Dalton's nose and mouth.

As a martial artist, Dalton's senses were far sharper than an average person's, which only made this torture worse.

His features twisted instantly, his eyes widening until they nearly split, and a suppressed whimper escaped his throat.

Subconsciously, he wanted to turn and flee, but the [Crown of Madness] in his mind gripped his nerves tightly, clamping onto his thoughts like a pair of cold iron pliers.

His body, like a marionette, was forced back toward Lin Rui. He raised his fist again and smashed it into the shield that was still emitting the foul stench.

When he landed the second punch, tears were already welling up in the corners of Dalton's eyes—not from pain, but because the stench was so irritating he could barely keep his eyes open.

Fortunately, the shield's trait only triggered an active eruption once per minute.

But even just turning his head toward Lin Rui made every breath feel like torture.

His lungs were burning, his trachea was spasming, and every inhalation felt like swallowing a mouthful of putrid mud.

He would rather smell gasoline or sewage than face this shield again.

Hu Jinsi had originally planned to flank him, but seeing Dalton looking so utterly overwhelmed, he immediately changed his mind.

Standing on the same side as Lin Rui, he shouted from afar, "Lin Rui! Step back a few paces! I can't get past your side! If I walk over there, I'll be too nauseated to keep my eyes open! I just put on these new clothes, and I don't want them to soak up that stench!"

Lin Rui paused for a moment before realizing what he meant.

They hadn't considered the area of effect of the [swill lid] during their tactical discussion.

He used a [Tactical Roll] to retreat, then stuffed the [swill lid] back into his backpack and equipped the [Rock-Solid Tower Shield] to protect himself.

The shield was significantly heavier than the [swill lid], causing Lin Rui's left arm to sink under the weight, but he quickly adjusted his stance and stabilized his center of gravity.

Dalton finally breathed in fresh air.

He gasped heavily, his shoulders relaxing for a split second, his chest still heaving as he tried to purge the lingering stench from his lungs.

Hu Jinsi closed in from the side, moving as lightly as a cat, giving Dalton no time to react.

Hu Jinsi's attack strategy was clear. Dalton's right fist was his primary source of damage; crippling his right shoulder would cut his combat effectiveness in half.

Once close, Hu Jinsi immediately unleashed [Flurry of Blows].

Three claw shadows cut through the air with a sharp whistling sound, landing precisely on Dalton's right shoulder.

Afterward, the clothes around Dalton's right shoulder were soaked in blood, his flesh torn open, and beads of blood dripped down his arm, blooming into dark red flowers as they hit the concrete floor.

Dalton's right arm hung limply, his fingers twitching uncontrollably.

Dalton roared, wanting to deal with the guy who kept making him bleed, but as he took half a step, the [Crown of Madness] in his mind tightened abruptly, like an invisible rope strangling his consciousness.

His body was forced back toward Lin Rui, his joints popping with reluctant creaks.

He could only smash his fists against Lin Rui's shield, each blow filled with resentment and fury. His knuckles struck the tower shield with a dull thud, making Lin Rui's arm go numb.

Lin Rui just stood there, holding his shield, occasionally counterattacking with a [Shield Bash].

The edge of the tower shield left bruise after bruise on Dalton.

With a stance that practically invited his opponent to hit him, Lin Rui kept his feet firmly planted on the ground, like a steel stake driven into the concrete.

He carefully controlled his footing, [Block]ing while stepping through the healing mist left on the ground by Hu Jinsi's attacks.

Those specks of light rose from beneath his feet, swirling around his ankles like fireflies before seeping into the gaps in his armor, bringing a warm, itching sensation.

Whenever his cooldown was up, Hu Jinsi would toss a [Renewing Mist] over.

A cloud of milky white mist would envelop Lin Rui, carrying a faint scent of herbs.

His wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye; torn flesh knit itself back together, and bruises gradually faded.

With the two healing sources stacked, Lin Rui's health remained above the safe threshold of eighty percent, his health bar as steady as an unmoving flag.

The first [Crown of Madness] lasted for forty seconds.

Dalton's right hand was clearly unable to be lifted; his arm hung limply at his side, his fist unable to clench, his knuckles turning white.

Every time he tried to raise his arm, the wound on his right shoulder would tear with agonizing pain, causing his movements to become severely distorted.

Beads of sweat covered his forehead, dripping down his chin and pooling into a small puddle on the concrete floor.

Seizing the opportunity, Hu Jinsi shifted his footwork and turned his attacks toward the left shoulder, continuing his assault.

His claw shadows flew once more, and soon Dalton's left shoulder was also a bloody mess.

After the first [Crown of Madness] ended, Su Wan began chanting the second one, her speed slightly faster than before.

Dalton snapped back to his senses.

He gasped for air, his eyes clearing from madness, his gaze refocusing.

He immediately realized that the one truly controlling him was the girl nearby who hadn't moved—the girl standing by the door who looked the least threatening.

He turned and took a step toward Su Wan, his gait staggering but determined, leaving a bloody footprint on the concrete with every step.

But Lin Rui had already moved. He had been observing Dalton's movements and had slightly adjusted his angle.

Dalton had only taken five steps when he stepped right into the minimum range of Lin Rui's [Charge].

His heavy armor activated again, slamming into Dalton's side like an out-of-control truck.

Dalton staggered from the impact, his body tilting to the side, his foot slipping, nearly bringing him to his knees.

His left hand reflexively braced against the floor, but before he could steady himself, Lin Rui slid up to follow, the edge of the [Rock-Solid Tower Shield] slamming hard into Dalton's chest with a teeth-gritting thud.

Dalton's body was forced back to the front, facing Lin Rui's shield, and he watched helplessly as Su Wan's second [Crown of Madness] took shape.

It was such a simple obstruction.

By the time Dalton stood steady again, Su Wan's second [Crown of Madness] had finished chanting.

The invisible force wrapped around Dalton's head again; his gaze went blank, he gritted his teeth, and his body turned toward Lin Rui against his will, a desperate roar escaping his throat.

The battle returned to its previous rhythm, but Dalton's health had bottomed out.

His right shoulder was crippled, his left shoulder was bleeding, his movements were becoming slower, his punches softer, and every swing felt as if it drained all his strength.

His breathing became intermittent, his lips cracked, and his eyes unfocused.

Before Su Wan's second [Crown of Madness] could finish, Dalton's body swayed, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

He looked up at the three of them, his eyes filled with resentment.

His lips moved as if he wanted to curse, but in the end, no sound came out.

Then his body began to disintegrate, starting from his fingertips, turning into fine specks of light that slowly dissipated into the air.

The light specks floated toward the ceiling like fireflies before vanishing.

Three minutes later, the last speck of light disappeared.

All that remained on the ground was a dusty-looking skill stone, glowing faintly under the dim light.

Hu Jinsi picked up the skill stone, examined it in his hand, and shook his head.

He tossed it to Lin Rui: "Take a look. This thing is a bit of a dud for us. The name is so… well, just see for yourself."

Lin Rui took it and checked the stats. His brows furrowed, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

[Skill Stone: Mans Ki Blast]

[Effect: Upon use, learn the skill Mans Ki Blast, or enhance similar skills.]

[Mans Ki Blast: You take a deep breath, condensing your brute strength and street fighting spirit into a visible, scorching burst of energy, and blast it forward with one palm. A linear shockwave, approximately 0.3 meters in diameter and 10 meters in range, tears through the air with a low roar. Upon impact, it deals 12 to 36 points of combined force and fire damage, and the target is knocked back 1 to 3 meters.]

Hu Jinsi shrugged: "Nothing I can do, that's how the dungeon wrote it. When I checked it, it showed that converting it costs 2 points of Ki. 2 points of Ki for 36 damage sounds high, but it's actually not worth it."

"My [Flurry of Blows] costs 1 Ki and can deal close to 30 damage. This damage is inconsistent, and the Mans Ki Blast might even miss. A 10-meter range is honestly worse than just walking two steps to get into melee range. When you can reach them in a second in melee, having to stand there and Charge up a shot is just stupid."

Lin Rui nodded, taking the skill stone: "My prompt says that after conversion, each shot consumes 50% of my stamina, and I can use it at most twice a day. After the second shot, I'll be completely exhausted and will need a long rest to recover. 50% stamina for one shot—after firing, I'd be like a cripple, unable to even lift my shield."

He tossed it to Su Wan: "Take a look and see if you can convert it into a magic version."

Su Wan took it, scanned it, and said: "It can indeed be converted into a second-circle spell, and the name changes to [Southern Ki Flame Blast]. But Jinsi is right; a 10-meter range spell is too useless for a caster. My spell slots are already tight, and it's not worth taking up a spot for a single-target second-circle spell. Unless it's those melee-style mages who might find the high damage attractive, for me, it's just a waste of a spell slot."

The skill stone made another round, being shunned by all three of them.

Hu Jinsi took it back from Su Wan and stuffed it into his backpack, saying: "Fine, hopefully, this thing can sell for a good price. At least the damage numbers look intimidating; someone should be willing to buy it."

Su Wan had only consumed two spell slots, and Lin Rui's health had barely dropped.

While the three of them were talking, Hu Jinsi tossed two more [Renewing Mist]s. The milky white mist enveloped Lin Rui, healing the last few minor wounds on his body, and Lin Rui's health bar was brought back to full.

"Let's go, to the next level." Hu Jinsi patted his backpack and shouldered his iron-wood staff. This first level had gone smoothly enough; hopefully, the second level wouldn't throw any more bizarre bosses at them.

— Unlike the previous dungeon, there was no portal in [Double Dragon III]. The three of them held hands and mentally recited their intent to proceed to the next stage.

Their vision went black, as if someone had covered their eyes with a black cloth. Their bodies felt weightless for about half a second.

When they opened their eyes again, they were standing in the middle of a bamboo forest.

The ground beneath their feet was soft soil, carrying the fresh scent of bamboo leaves, completely different from the smell of machine oil in the warehouse moments ago.

The ground beneath their feet was soft earth mixed with light yellow grass stalks, feeling spongy underfoot and damp with morning dew. With every step, they could feel the blades of grass bending beneath their boots.

On both sides stood dense groves of tall, deep-green bamboo, their thick foliage obscuring most of the sky above. Sunlight only leaked through the gaps, casting mottled patches of light onto the ground.

Those patches of light swayed gently with the breeze, looking like scattered gold across the ground.

The surroundings were quiet and serene, with only the rustling of wind through the bamboo leaves, like a gentle piece of background music—not noisy, just enough to fill the void in their ears.

In the distance, there were unknown bird calls, intermittent and melodic, as if someone were whistling.

The three looked ahead.

The gaps between the trees slowly widened, and in the distance, they could see the undulating, gray-green walls of the Great Wall stretching across the distant mountains.

The silhouette of the bricks and stones stood out sharply against the pale blue sky, layer upon layer, like a slumbering giant dragon coiled along the mountain ridge.

Set against the mountains behind it, the landscape was vast and expansive, with layers of green ranging from light to dark, stretching to the horizon.

The air held a fresh fragrance of earth and bamboo leaves, cool as it entered their lungs, with a hint of sweetness.

It was completely different from the clamor and oppression of the American city just now. This expanse of mountains and plains was open and gentle, filled with the quiet, vast feeling unique to Eastern forests. There was no noise from conveyor belts, no smell of engine oil, and no roaring enemies. Su Wan couldn't help but take a deep breath, closing her eyes to savor it for a moment. "This place... if there weren't any enemies, I'd really like to lie down and take a nap."

Of course, besides the bamboo forest, a strange Tai Chi martial arts gym appeared before them. It had a red-lacquered gate, and two stone lions stood at the entrance, their eyes painted gold, looking a bit comical.

Faded red lanterns hung under the eaves, with holes in the paper, swaying gently in the breeze. Hu Jinsi stepped forward and pushed the gate, but it didn't budge; not even a sliver of light could be seen through the door crack.

He took a few steps back, got a running start, and vaulted over the wall. Inside, it was completely empty—just a shell without any buildings. There was no echo when he stepped on the ground; it felt like walking on cotton. Having lost interest in exploring, he climbed back over the wall.

This second stage was less of a combat scene and more suitable for a spring outing. It was the most normal forest the three members of the Jack-of-All-Trades Squad had seen since starting the dungeon. It was so normal that they felt a bit uncomfortable. Hu Jinsi even suspected whether this was a trap set by the dungeon, using a beautiful environment to lull intruders into a false sense of security.

According to the walkthrough, after walking out of this forest, they would still have to climb a section of the Great Wall that would take a day and a night. Therefore, the three of them weren't in a rush to push forward; they simply slowed their pace, taking advantage of their first visit to enjoy the surrounding scenery.

Lin Rui took off his helmet and hung it at his waist, letting the wind blow through his sweat-dampened hair. Su Wan walked along, gently brushing the bamboo leaves by the roadside with her staff, watching the dew drops roll off.

But the good times didn't last long. Before they had gone very far, they saw enemies rushing toward them from not far away. Those figures darted out from the depths of the bamboo forest, approaching rapidly across the grass. Clad in white clothes and black pants, they moved as nimbly as a troop of monkeys.

Lin Rui made a rare joke, his mouth twisting into an unnatural arc. "Look, at least the enemies in the second stage aren't riding motorcycles anymore, but running over. At least they are more eco-friendly than us and cherish the environment. No exhaust, no noise pollution."

Su Wan and Hu Jinsi didn't laugh. This dad joke was too cold—as cold as the metallic temperature of Lin Rui's shield. Su Wan even shuddered. "Your joke is even more unbearable than a swill lid."

Hu Jinsi had initially had some expectations for the enemies in these stages. But as they ran closer, the expression on his face turned from expectation to despair. That attire, that stance—it made his heart sink.

In the eyes of Su Wan and Lin Rui, these people were martial artists full of traditional Chinese style. White clothes fluttering, black pants with cinched cuffs, thin-soled cloth shoes on their feet, tiger-striped sweatbands tied around their waists, holding bamboo staves in their hands, and shouting "hey-ha" sounds.

But in Hu Jinsi's eyes, this was clearly the style of the Shaw Brothers film sets from the 1960s and 70s of his previous life. Loose white clothes, black harem pants, thin-soled cloth shoes; some even had tiger-striped sweatbands around their waists, their hair combed meticulously, and strange makeup painted on their faces.

Wasn't this just the attire of the stuntmen in Hong Kong martial arts films back in the day? They were all living fossils who had walked right out of the film reels.

Seeing their attire, Hu Jinsi no longer had any expectations for loot. What could a stuntman from a Shaw Brothers film set drop? A roll of film?

Sure enough, as the group of stuntmen approached, they began their "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" style of attacks. Some slid toward the three of them, their shoe soles carving two mud tracks into the grass, their form as standard as if they were shooting an action movie. Others charged with a shoulder-check posture, shoulders lowered, the whole person slamming into Lin Rui like a cannonball.

A few others stopped in place, widened their stances, and struck "hard bridge, hard horse" poses, fists clenched, trying to intimidate the three of them while shouting incomprehensible chants.

Facing these stuntmen who didn't have much combat power, Lin Rui and Hu Jinsi went up and beat them up. Lin Rui's shield sent a sliding stuntman flying, and the man spun twice in the air before turning into points of light.

Hu Jinsi's staff struck the head of a stuntman who was posing, and the opponent dissipated without even a groan. The two worked in perfect coordination, using fists, kicks, and swinging staves to send them back to the film set where they belonged. Su Wan didn't even have a chance to attack; she just stood in the back and used her hand crossbow to snipe a few stragglers.

The loot left behind after they were gone confirmed their former profession. Hu Jinsi squatted down and rummaged through it, his mouth twitching: Dragon-Tiger Leg Wraps, tiger-striped sweatbands, iron balls, patched training uniform (damaged), bamboo stave (broken), old copper whistle, worn-out wrist guards—all useless junk.

He picked up the patched training uniform; the fabric was as thin as paper, patch upon patch, and it emitted a sour smell of sweat. None of the items had stats; they were all white-tier trash. Their appearance wasn't remarkable either, and the patterns on the tiger-striped sweatbands had faded and mottled. He figured they would eventually have to be handed over to the squad leader and passed on to a crafting profession to be broken down into raw materials. They couldn't even be sold; they were too old.

However, Lin Rui stared at the shoulder-check one of the stuntmen had just used, deep in thought. The posture and force-generation method of that shoulder-check—shoulders lowered, center of gravity shifted forward, using the weight of the entire body to slam into the target—made him feel it would be a great addition to his own combat system. He tried to imitate the movement, but always felt something was missing.

Currently, no corresponding skill stone had dropped, so he would just have to wait and see if he could acquire it later.

Since the intensity of the enemies along the way was truly not high, the three of them didn't spend too much time walking along the bamboo forest. Just past noon, around 12:30, they arrived at the junction between the bamboo forest and the Great Wall.

The grass gradually thinned here, revealing the gravel and soil beneath, and the terrain began to slope upward. At the foot of the Great Wall stood the first mini-boss of this stage. The figure stood motionless, like a wooden stake driven into the ground, but the aura of oppression radiating from its body made the three of them pause simultaneously.

As for the name of this mini-boss, Hu Jinsi opened his mouth but really couldn't bring himself to say it, so he decided to just call him Li Moumou. This was no longer just a copyright warning issue; it was a double copyright warning.

Hu Jinsi was very puzzled; how did the game that this dungeon was based on dare to give the boss such a blatant name? If this were in his previous life, the lawyer letters could fill a room, and the legal department would probably have to work overtime until dawn. The game company was way too bold.

The Li Moumou in front of them had a lean and sturdy build, a head of black hair with bangs, and was shirtless, revealing a dark, muscular chest and abs.

He wore black kung fu harem pants, thin-soled kung fu cloth shoes, and a dark cloth belt tied around his waist. He maintained a high-guard stance throughout, one hand reaching forward, the other fist clenched and tucked at his waist, his eyes sharp, with a provocative smirk on his lips. The sunlight shone on his dark skin, creating a layer of oily sheen; the whole person looked like a piece of pig iron that had been tempered a thousand times.

But the three members of the Jack-of-All-Trades Squad were clearly not the type to talk about martial virtue. Facing such a top-tier martial arts master from Hu Jinsi's previous life in the film industry, they had no intention of exchanging blows with him properly. Hu Jinsi silently said "sorry" in his heart, then gripped his staff tightly.

Just like when dealing with Dalton, Lin Rui initiated with a Charge. But this time, an accident occurred. The moment Lin Rui's Charge activated, his heavy armor slammed forward with tremendous inertia, but Li Moumou, facing the Charge, didn't foolishly take it head-on like the previous enemies.

He quickly stepped onto the Great Wall rampart beside him, pushed off the bricks with his feet, and his whole body soared into the air like a leaf. He performed a wall-kick jump, flipped in the air, and landed steadily behind Lin Rui. The moment he landed, he started with a poking kick, aiming straight for Lin Rui's waist, his toe creating a sharp whistling sound.

Fortunately, Lin Rui's equipment was different from ordinary people. Li Moumou was halfway through his kick when he realized that Lin Rui was actually carrying a shield on his back as well. That police riot shield was embedded on Lin Rui's back like a black iron plate.

He couldn't retract his leg in time and had to let the attack hit the shield. With a dull thud, like a hammer hitting a steel plate, it shook Li Moumou's ankle until it went numb. Lin Rui was kicked forward by the force, his armor scraping against the ground with a harsh sound, kicking up gravel and dirt that splattered everywhere. He rolled on the ground twice before stopping, his helmet nearly flying off.

The damage wasn't high, but it served the purpose of wasting time. Before Li Moumou could continue his attack on the others, Su Wan's [Crown of Madness] had already landed on him. His expression suddenly turned frantic, his muscles tensed all over, yet he remained motionless in his kicking stance, like a statue that had been acupressure-paralyzed.

Seeing this, Hu Jinsi, regardless of the potential damage he might take, immediately rushed up and engaged in a desperate counter-attack against Li Moumou. Claw shadows flew, staff winds whistled; he was outputting damage almost pressed against Li Moumou's body, every claw strike aimed at joints and vital points, giving the opponent no room to breathe. His fingertips slashed across Li Moumou's shoulders, ribs, and thighs, leaving streaks of blood.

Hu Jinsi cursed inwardly while outputting damage frantically. He knew the background of this Li Moumou better than anyone. This entity, based on a double-copyright-warning character, had projections in too many games in his previous life. Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Fatal Fury—all of them had this face.

He didn't want the game to cross over while he was fighting; if this projection suddenly connected its consciousness to the original prototype, it would be a huge joke. Therefore, he had to finish the fight quickly and empty the health bar before the opponent could react. Every second could be fatal.

Lin Rui climbed up from the ground, shook his head, and straightened his helmet. He used a [Tactical Roll] to rush toward Li Moumou, joining the encirclement. He glanced at Hu Jinsi, a flash of doubt crossing his mind. This kid was usually as sharp as a monkey and never did a losing business. He was fighting so desperately today; there must be something fishy.

Since he wasn't holding back, he shouldn't hide anything either. Lin Rui directly unleashed a skill combo, throwing all his skills at once. The shield smashed into Li Moumou's back, his military knife slashed at his thigh, and he fired his pistol at close range—bang, bang, bang—muzzle flashes blooming on Li Moumou's body.

With the joint efforts of the three, Li Moumou didn't last until the end of Su Wan's second [Crown of Madness]. But his first [Crown of Madness] didn't last the full 60 seconds either; it was forcibly broken at the 45th second. Li Moumou's eyes suddenly regained clarity, his body shook, and an invisible burst of energy erupted from his body, knocking Hu Jinsi back half a step.

Fortunately, because Hu Jinsi and Lin Rui's melee entanglement left him no time to split his focus, just as Li Moumou broke free from control and hadn't had time to make an effective counterattack, he was smashed back by the two of them.

Lin Rui's shield slapped him in the face again, and Hu Jinsi's staff struck the back of his knee. Li Moumou staggered and knelt on one knee. Only then did Su Wan safely chant the second [Crown of Madness], the invisible power wrapping around Li Moumou's head once more, his eyes losing their calm again, his body trembling.

... The battle ended. Li Moumou's body swayed, then collapsed like a statue made of sand, turning into points of light and dissipating.

Lin Rui took off his helmet and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He looked at Hu Jinsi, his eyes filled with questions. "What was up with you just now? You weren't this desperate even when we met Dalton. You were still at ease back then with Dalton, so why are you acting like a madman this time?"

Su Wan also leaned over, her staff propped on the ground, looking curious. "Yeah, you were practically acting like you had a vendetta against him. I even thought you had some past grudge with him in your previous life."

Hu Jinsi didn't need to find any deliberate lies. He said directly, "When I was checking holiday walkthroughs before, I saw an identical face in another dungeon. The intensity of that dungeon is clearly not comparable to this one; it's a dungeon dealing with combat intensity close to level 30."

"My first reaction just now was the fear that there might be some connection between the two dungeons. If the combat consciousness from the other dungeon descended here, the three of us might just get wiped out. At that point, it wouldn't just be a matter of not being able to beat him, but a matter of not even being able to run away."

Lin Rui and Su Wan exchanged glances. Su Wan frowned. "So you were racing against time just now? Trying to pin him down and kill him before he could potentially awaken?"

"Yes." Hu Jinsi nodded, his expression serious. "I didn't want to give him any chance. That wouldn't be a laughing matter. We are level 14 now; fighting a level 30 boss is just serving ourselves up on a platter."

Lin Rui was silent for a while, then strapped his shield back on, checked the buckles, and said, "Next time you have intelligence like this, tell us in advance. Don't wait until we're fighting to go all out. We can coordinate better."