97: Chapter 97 A Journey Intertwined with Delicious Food and Hardship

"Which dungeon is it specifically? Tell us about it."

Su Wan was intrigued by Hu Jinsi's topic; she leaned against a bluestone, hugged her knees with both hands, and looked up to ask.

Hu Jinsi squatted on the ground, turned his backpack upside down, and said without raising his head: "Street Fighter."

Hearing this name, Lin Rui and Su Wan exchanged glances. Both understood what Hu Jinsi was worried about.

[Street Fighter] is a classic single-player dungeon that has existed on Water Blue Star for over thirty years. Its entrances are spread across the entire Water Blue Star; it is not just in the country where the three are currently located, but many countries have challenge entrances for it. The challenge level of this dungeon spans from nearly level 30 all the way to level 60, making it a dungeon with a considerable span.

Lin Rui frowned and asked with some doubt: "Are you sure you saw such a character? I remember there are only 12 challengeable targets in [Street Fighter], and that person isn't among them."

Hu Jinsi stopped what he was doing and looked up at him seriously: "I am very sure I didn't remember wrong. This face didn't appear among the challengers, but among the background characters. This face is too distinctive; I won't forget it after one look. I'll point it out to you guys after we go out, and you will see."

Seeing Hu Jinsi so certain, the two didn't press further. Although he usually likes to joke around, he never jokes about key information. If he said he saw it, then he must have seen it.

During the intermission of the three's chatting, Li Moumou's corpse also turned into Light spots and disappeared. This time, no skill stone was left behind, only the pair of pants he was wearing remained on the spot.

Hu Jinsi stepped forward to pick up the pants, held them in his hand, and the attribute description popped up before his eyes.

[Li-Style Kung Fu Pants (Introductory Version)]

[Type: Leg Equipment]

[Jeet Kune Do Footwork: When you use an evacuation action or dash action in combat, your movement speed increases by 3 meters/second for 5 seconds. This trait has 2 Charges, and Charges recover after a short rest.]

[Item Description: A pair of loose black lantern pants, with the cuffs narrowed at the calves with elastic bands. The fabric is wear-resistant coarse cotton cloth, which has become slightly soft after repeated washing. Two faint wear marks from frequent kneeling and high kicks are visible on the knees, and there is a small faded sweat stain on the outside of the left thigh. After putting them on, the fabric fits the legs without being tight, as if it comes with a certain Light resilience.]

Hu Jinsi took a look and threw the pants to Su Wan: "These pants are for you to use in an emergency. To a certain extent, they can increase your displacement speed during combat, and the trait Charges can be recovered after a short rest, so they can be used frequently in battle. Of course, the style might not be suitable for you, so ask Mother Su to help you modify them after we go back."

Su Wan took the pants and looked at the style first. The two pant legs were puffed up like lanterns, the black coarse cotton fabric felt a bit rough, and the wear marks and sweat stains on the knees were clearly visible.

She couldn't help but frown, but after seeing the attributes, she found that it could indeed make up for her shortcomings to some extent. Displacement speed is too important for a Bard; after all, she is not as tanky as a warrior, nor can she run as fast as Hu Jinsi. So she didn't say anything more, just stuffed the pants into her backpack.

"Thanks," she said.

After finishing the battle and the loot, the three were just at the junction of the bamboo forest and the Great Wall. The surrounding wind carried the fragrance of bamboo leaves, and in the distance, the outline of the Great Wall could be seen stretching across the pale blue sky. The scenery was not bad, so they decided to start lunch on the spot.

The food stalls left by those dragon-tiger martial artists were set up not far away. A washed-out blue cloth was spread on the stone table, with a pile of food neatly arranged on it. The three walked over and took a look; the variety was so dazzling that it made them dizzy.

Char Siu Bao, Pineapple Bun with Butter, Stocking Milk Tea, Luncheon Meat Instant Noodles, Wife Cake, Put Chai Ko, Curry Fish Balls, Iced Lemon Tea, Pork Chop Bun, Mango Pomelo Sago.

Hu Jinsi picked up a Char Siu Bao, broke it open to see, and the oily and shiny Char Siu filling inside was steaming, with the aroma drilling straight into his nose. He took a bite, and the meat juice exploded in his mouth—salty in the sweetness, fresh in the saltiness—and the outer skin was so soft that it felt like biting into cotton. This taste made him freeze for a moment.

Lin Rui picked up a Pineapple Bun with Butter; the golden, crispy pineapple bun held a piece of cold butter, and the alternating hot and cold texture made his eyes narrow. He took a bite, the butter melted on the tip of his tongue, and the sweetness of the bread mixed with the milky fragrance of the butter, as if someone had set off a small firework in his mouth.

Su Wan held a cup of Stocking Milk Tea, the brown tea body gently sloshing in the transparent cup. She took a sip, the silky texture slid down her throat, and the bitterness of the tea and the sweetness of the milk swirled on the tip of her tongue, then merged into an addictive mellowness. She couldn't help but take another big sip, and the corners of her eyes and brows relaxed.

The three people each picked their favorite food and devoured it. For a time, no one spoke, all immersed in the dream woven by the gourmet food. The wind blew from the bamboo forest, carrying the fragrance of bamboo leaves mixed with the aroma of food, making people feel drowsy.

Although the food in this world is 80% similar to the world Hu Jinsi was in his previous life, the two have diverged since the dungeon descended 500 years ago.

These seemingly ordinary foods today actually have no prototypes in this world. What Su Wan and Lin Rui tasted were brand-new flavors, and for Hu Jinsi, these were all flavors full of memories.

The sweetness and saltiness of the Char Siu Bao, the crispy fragrance of the Pineapple Bun with Butter, the silkiness of the Stocking Milk Tea... every bite was like chewing up a memory from his previous life and swallowing it into his stomach.

After a while, Hu Jinsi suddenly spoke, his voice carrying an unspeakable indignation: "I hate this!"

The other two were immersed in their own food and didn't pay attention to him at first. But immediately after, Hu Jinsi let out a second roar, louder than before: "Why didn't these mobs drop a single recipe! They are too stingy!"

This sentence immediately resonated with Lin Rui and Su Wan. Indeed, after tasting such wonderful food, knowing that they could not continue to enjoy it was indeed a bit cruel to them.

Su Wan was biting a Put Chai Ko, the red bean filling inside was sweet and sticky, she looked at the half-piece in her hand, then looked at the rest on the stall, a trace of disappointment flashed in her eyes.

But Lin Rui was the calmest of the three after all. He took a sip of Iced Lemon Tea, the cool, sweet and sour taste making him a little more sober.

He put down the cup and said calmly: "Even if we got a recipe, none of us have the Cooking skill. Even if we learned it, we wouldn't be able to achieve the best results, we could only stare at it and drool, what's the use?"

Hu Jinsi pouted, wanting to say something. He actually had a chance to acquire the Cooking skill, but he chose [Speed Runner]. So he swallowed the words that came to his lips.

Su Wan suddenly thought of a point at this time, she put down the Pork Chop Bun in her hand, her eyes lit up: "Instead of fighting for recipes and letting chefs make them, why don't we just bring a chef into this dungeon?"

"These foods are not special foods with attributes, many chef professions can replicate at least 70% of them according to their professional abilities."

"That's right!" Lin Rui and Hu Jinsi turned their heads at the same time, their eyes lighting up. Such a simple method, they hadn't even thought of it.

But Hu Jinsi quickly frowned again, and began to count on his fingers: "It's not difficult to bring them in, but bringing them requires starting from the first level. With their physical strength, I guess they can only reach the second level and it will end. The subsequent Great Wall climbing, the physical strength of life professionals probably can't hold up."

Su Wan rolled her eyes, her tone carrying a bit of helplessness: "Your brain just can't turn around. Have you forgotten that there is a special chef profession in Class 4, [Adventure Chef]? Although his combat power is negligible, at least in conventional dungeons, there is no need to worry about him falling behind."

Su Wan and Hu Jinsi seemed to have a trend of continuing to argue about this matter, and the topic gradually drifted from bringing a chef into the dungeon to various anecdotes about that adventure chef in Class 4.

Seeing the situation was not right, Lin Rui hurriedly reached out to stop the two: "Although we don't have anything too urgent now, is it a bit too much of a loss to delay at least a week of progress just for a bite of food?"

He paused and continued: "There is no need to make this matter so troublesome. We definitely can't finish so much food, we will have some left when we go back, just give it to those chef professionals."

"Let's see if they can replicate it first. Even if they can't replicate it, facing these brand-new cooking recipes, they will pay to hire other adventure professionals to bring them to this dungeon to farm it. Therefore, we don't need to be anxious at all. Just wait slowly, and I believe that corresponding finished products will appear on the market in a while."

After listening to Lin Rui's explanation, Su Wan and Hu Jinsi also recovered from their momentary heat. The two looked at each other and smiled embarrassedly. Indeed, making a big fuss for a bite of food really didn't fit their consistent pragmatic style.

"Makes sense." Hu Jinsi scratched his head, "I was impulsive."

"Me too." Su Wan stuck out her tongue, "IQ goes offline in front of gourmet food."

Taking advantage of the fact that the food in their hands was still at its best, the three continued to eat what was at hand. Hu Jinsi stuffed the last Curry Fish Ball into his mouth, the spicy curry sauce exploded in his mouth, and the fish ball bounced between his teeth.

Su Wan held the Mango Pomelo Sago, the sweetness of the mango and the slight bitterness of the grapefruit mixed together, making her unable to stop taking bite after bite. Lin Rui drank the soup of the Luncheon Meat Instant Noodles clean, and in the end, he even fished out every single noodle.

After eating, the three patted their stomachs and organized their equipment respectively. The backpack was buckled up again, the weapons were checked, and the dents on the shield flickered in the Light and shadow of the bamboo forest. Everything was packed, ready to continue the Great Wall journey.

Before stepping into the Great Wall, Hu Jinsi suddenly remembered something. He took out the [All-Terrain Vehicle] from his backpack, wanting to see if there was a possibility of skipping this level. The all-terrain vehicle gradually grew larger in his hands, and the metal body shone with cold Light under the Light of the bamboo forest.

But when he tried to start the engine, the vehicle remained motionless. There was no reaction under the hood, not even a buzz. Hu Jinsi patted the car body and twisted the key again, but there was still no movement. He tried several ways, and finally could only helplessly put the all-terrain vehicle back into his backpack.

"It seems that since this level has already given such wonderful food as a reward, the difficulty is reflected in testing physical strength and endurance." Hu Jinsi shrugged.

Fortunately, the three of them had previous experience climbing mountains in [Dragon King Warrior I], where they spent an entire day scrambling and crawling up steep trails, so their stamina had long since been built up.

Climbing the Great Wall for a day and a night this time was merely a repeat of that previous experience, so it wasn't particularly terrible.

At least on the Great Wall, there were walls to lean on and beacon towers where they could rest.

But the experience of climbing the Great Wall was truly not great.

Not only were the steps very steep, but they were also extremely narrow.

For most of the steps, they could only just manage to place the front of their feet, leaving their heels hanging in the air; they couldn't plant their entire foot on the step.

Therefore, walking was very strenuous, and every step required their calves and ankles to be constantly tensed to prevent slipping or misstepping.

After walking for a while, their calves would start to ache and swell, as if someone had stuffed a ball of cotton inside them.

Hu Jinsi simply suggested that Lin Rui take off all the useless equipment he was wearing and put it in his backpack.

It would be enough to just keep a simple weapon and his strongest shield on the outside.

The less weight carried, the easier the climb.

Lin Rui fully agreed with this suggestion.

He decisively removed all equipment from his body except for his basic weapon and shield, stuffing them all back into his backpack.

The metal plates of his armor collided with each other, emitting a clattering sound.

Fortunately, the items in the backpack didn't count towards their weight; this was one of the few mercies and benefits that Water Blue Star granted to these Awakened ones.

Otherwise, the weight of the heavy armor alone would be enough to exhaust even a warrior with abundant stamina.

The three began their climb.

The stone steps of the Great Wall stretched out beneath their feet, one after another, like an endless gray serpent.

Lin Rui walked in front, his pace steady but not fast.

Su Wan followed behind him, her hands occasionally bracing against the bricks of the wall.

Hu Jinsi brought up the rear, occasionally looking up to check the condition of the two in front.

After nearly half an hour of climbing, they finally arrived at the first flat beacon tower.

Before Lin Rui and Su Wan could even catch their breath, a group of enemies who had been waiting at the beacon tower swarmed them.

Those figures in white clothes and black pants darted out from every corner of the beacon tower, shouting "Hey-ha!"

Seeing the state of Lin Rui and Su Wan, Hu Jinsi knew he couldn't count on them for the moment.

Su Wan was gasping for air, her face pale, and her chest heaving violently.

In this situation, it would be a miracle if she could chant a spell.

Although Lin Rui's condition was slightly better than Su Wan's, he was also panting heavily, and the inside of his clothes was soaked with sweat.

It would be barely acceptable for him to rush up and fight now, but if he had to protect Su Wan, neither of them was in their best condition.

"You two rest here, I'll take care of it." Hu Jinsi said, then leaped forward.

The only advantage of this section of the Great Wall was that it really wasn't wide.

The width of the wall was only about five meters or so, with towering battlements on both sides and steep slopes below.

Hu Jinsi stood his ground, took a deep breath, and activated [Spinning Crane Kick].

His figure leaped high into the air, his legs tracing an arc before landing heavily.

The attack diameter reached up to 8 meters, completely sealing off this section of the path.

Every enemy that entered the attack range was kicked away, falling off the wall or crashing into the battlements like kites with broken strings.

Those swarming enemies were still primarily Dragon-Tiger Martial Artists.

They had no serious weapons or equipment, and their bamboo sticks couldn't even break through Hu Jinsi's defense.

But occasionally, there were a few new types of enemies mixed in, whose weapons were mostly strange equipment like iron rulers.

Those people stood in the distance, and with a flick of their arms, the iron rulers would spin toward him like throwing darts.

Fortunately, with Hu Jinsi's agility, such large "hidden weapons" were quite easy to dodge.

He only needed to lean slightly to the side or jump lightly, and the iron rulers would fly past his body, clanging against the brickwork of the wall.

After dealing with such a large group of people, even with Hu Jinsi's agility and stamina, he felt a bit exhausted.

His breathing became rapid, sweat beads seeped from his forehead, and his calves trembled slightly from continuous exertion.

He retreated to the beacon tower and joined the panting ranks of Lin Rui and Su Wan.

The three decided to rest for 15 minutes at the first beacon tower, which had already been cleared of enemies.

They leaned against the battlements of the wall, and Lin Rui took a water bottle from his backpack, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to Su Wan.

Su Wan took a big gulp, then handed it to Hu Jinsi.

The three also ate some of the dry rations they carried with them to replenish their stamina.

Su Wan looked up at the next beacon tower, which seemed to be still in the clouds.

The gray brick building appeared and disappeared in the mist, like an isolated island floating in the sky.

Her spirits were at an all-time low; the short rest had made her realize that the rate of stamina recovery was far behind the rate of consumption.

At this pace, there were still 11 beacon towers waiting for them ahead.

Hu Jinsi saw her frustration and leaned over to comfort her: "Think of the bright side. It's a total distance of 12 beacon towers, and you've already finished one-twelfth of it."

"We don't plan to finish it all today either; finishing 6 today would be a victory for us. Besides, not all sections of the Great Wall are climbing upwards; look at that winding road ahead, there's a section that goes downhill."

Su Wan rolled her eyes at him and said testily: "Do you think I'm stupid? Going downhill on the Great Wall is clearly more dangerous and strenuous than going uphill."

"The steps are narrow and steep, and it's harder to control your center of gravity when walking down; one careless move and you'll slip. You trying to comfort me by saying going downhill is easy isn't cheering me on, it's throwing cold water on me."

Seeing that Su Wan was in a state where she wouldn't listen to reason, Hu Jinsi couldn't use words to persuade her any further.

He moved over to Lin Rui's side, and the two discussed in low voices how they should proceed with the rest of the journey.

Su Wan continued to lean against the battlements, staring blankly at the clouds in the distance.

The final decision was: Hu Jinsi would be responsible for scouting ahead for the group.

He would walk in front, clear the next beacon tower, and wait for the other two to arrive at the next beacon tower.

After the three reunited, they would discuss whether to continue pushing forward.

In this way, Su Wan and Lin Rui could walk slowly at their own pace without having their rest rhythm disrupted by the appearance of enemies.

Meanwhile, Hu Jinsi could maintain his own combat rhythm without being limited by the speed of stamina recovery.

After resting, the three set off together.

Since Su Wan and Lin Rui still had decent stamina for now, Hu Jinsi didn't rush off on his own.

The three walked side-by-side for a while, and when the second section began to noticeably steepen, Hu Jinsi quickened his pace and ran ahead.

After the straight, upward climb of the first beacon tower, the stretch between the first and second beacon towers clearly didn't have that kind of straight, steep slope.

Instead, it became a section that rose and fell along the mountain range.

Although it was quite different in terms of straight-line distance, in terms of stamina consumption, the two were almost on par.

Going downhill required constant control of the center of gravity, and the pressure on the knees was even greater than going uphill.

Sometimes, if one accidentally misstepped by half a step, their body would tilt forward, and they would need to quickly adjust their posture to stabilize.

This repeated control and correction consumed no less stamina than going uphill.

The three walked and stopped like this, with Hu Jinsi clearing the way in front and Lin Rui and Su Wan slowly following behind.

Each beacon tower was a small resting station, allowing them to catch their breath, have a drink, and eat something.

By evening, the sun began to tilt toward the west, and golden sunlight spilled onto the stone steps of the Great Wall, dyeing the gray bricks a warm yellow.

By 6:30 PM that day, the three had only reached the 6th beacon tower before they stopped moving forward.

It wasn't that Lin Rui or Su Wan couldn't walk anymore.

Actually, given their stamina, they could have continued for another 1 or 2 beacon towers.

It was mainly because, on this steep Great Wall, the visibility was not very good after losing sunlight.

Even with the assistance of Su Wan's [Light], the illumination range was limited, and faced with such steep slopes and somewhat slippery steps at night, for the sake of safety, the three decided to rest early.

After all, falling off the Great Wall was no laughing matter; the height was enough to cause serious injury to anyone.

The three's dinner was a roast goose that Hu Jinsi had obtained at the fourth beacon tower.

That dropped from a martial artist wearing an apron; Hu Jinsi initially thought it was ordinary white-tier equipment, but when he picked it up and looked, it turned out to be a whole, steaming roast goose.

Its skin was red and shiny, overflowing with oil, and the subcutaneous fat shimmered with a golden luster under the Light.

Faced with this oil-scented roast goose, everyone suddenly felt that the day's fatigue and effort were all worth it.

Su Wan's eyes went straight, Lin Rui's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and Hu Jinsi directly took the roast goose out of his backpack and placed it on the stone table in the center of the beacon tower.

At this moment, no one cared about their posture or appearance.

The three sat around the stone table, placing the roast goose on it.

They didn't care about their image; Hu Jinsi tore off a roast goose leg with his hands, the skin crispy and the meat tender; taking a bite, the grease flowed down the corners of his mouth.

Lin Rui used a knife to cut off a piece of breast meat, dipped it in the sauce that Hu Jinsi had dug out of his backpack, stuffed it into his mouth, and closed his eyes with satisfaction.

Su Wan wasn't to be outdone, she tore off a wing of the roast goose and gnawed on it until her mouth was covered in oil.

The three ate while pairing it with milk tea and lemon tea that had dropped along the way.

These drinks were much more generous than what was given in the first level; almost every time a beacon tower was cleared, a few cups would drop.

The silkiness of the milk tea neutralized the greasiness of the roast goose, while the sweet and sour taste of the lemon tea relieved the fattiness in their mouths.

After a hearty meal, Hu Jinsi patted his stomach and stood up.

He told Lin Rui and Su Wan to rest first, while he set up warning bells and warning ropes around this beacon tower.

He strung up the rope at the entrance and windows of the beacon tower, hanging the bells in the most conspicuous positions.

After doing all this, Hu Jinsi climbed to the top of the beacon tower.

The platform at the top was not large, but it was enough for one person to sit cross-legged.

He found a sheltered corner and began meditating and keeping watch.

The night wind blew across the Great Wall, carrying the chill of the wild mountains, blowing his hair and making it rustle loudly.

The distant mountains appeared as dark blue silhouettes under the moonlight, and stars emerged one by one from the clouds, dotting the black canopy of the sky.

Hu Jinsi closed his eyes, his breathing gradually steadying.

His consciousness sank into his body, feeling the flow of Qi through his meridians.

Keeping watch and meditating at the same time was already a familiar, practiced routine for him.

As long as there was the slightest movement, the warning bells would immediately wake him from his meditative state.

The next day, just as the sky was beginning to brighten and the sun had only just peeked over the mountain, the Light was still very weak.

The three had already finished washing up and began their continued journey along the Great Wall today.

No one had eaten breakfast yet; they all planned to climb to the next beacon tower, where they would rest and discuss it. The three of them organized their equipment, Hu Jinsi once again took the lead to scout ahead, while Lin Rui and Su Wan followed behind.

The morning air carried the dampness of dew, feeling cool and refreshing as it was drawn into their lungs. The stone steps of the Great Wall took on a faint, bluish-gray hue in the morning Light, and the battlements on both sides were rimmed with a golden edge.

Their climb today was much smoother than yesterday. Having adapted to the physical exertion from the day before, the three of them had found their rhythm. They were no longer as tense when going downhill, nor as impatient when going uphill.

Hu Jinsi's efficiency in clearing enemies ahead was also increasing; he could resolve combat at almost every beacon tower in just a few minutes. Although there were many Dragon-Tiger Martial Artists, their strength was truly limited, and they had almost no power to fight back against Hu Jinsi's [Spinning Crane Kick] and [Flurry of Blows].

Finally, at nearly 3:00 PM that afternoon, the three arrived at the 12th beacon tower. They stood at the top of the tower and looked down. Only the last stretch of downhill road remained; this painful and exhausting, yet incredibly rewarding journey of climbing the Great Wall was about to end.

The terrain below gradually leveled out, and the slope of the stone steps became much gentler. They could vaguely see an open flat area, and at the far end of the flat, a blurred figure seemed to be waiting for them.

Su Wan was already becoming impatient; she held onto the battlement, panting heavily, wanting to start walking down along this side of the Great Wall. Hu Jinsi quickly reached out and grabbed her arm: "Don't be in such a rush. Catch your breath and relax for a moment. Take a close look below; once we go down, we will face the second mini-boss of this level, Chen Qingming. If your breathing isn't steady now, how will you use magic to control him later?"

Su Wan paused, looking down. Indeed, on the flat ground in the distance, a short and stocky figure was standing with their back to them, seemingly doing some warm-up exercises.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm her heartbeat. The several hours of continuous climbing had left her lungs burning, and her throat felt as dry as if it had been polished by sandpaper. If they rushed down now, it would indeed be unwise.

After immediately dissuading Su Wan, Lin Rui and Hu Jinsi began to verify the strategy for Chen Qingming. Hu Jinsi pulled out the guide he had downloaded from the forum from his backpack and quickly scanned it in the sunlight.

He suggested that when the battle began, Lin Rui should switch to the [Shipwreck Steering Wheel Shield]. The shield's special trait allowed it to disarm an enemy's weapon when using [Block], which was perfect for countering the tiger claws in Chen Qingming's hands. Once the tiger claws were disarmed, the remaining unarmed attacks would not be as difficult to handle.

After hearing Hu Jinsi's suggestion, Lin Rui clasped his hands together and cracked his knuckles. He, too, wanted to test the actual combat effectiveness of this shield. Ever since he had acquired the [Shipwreck Steering Wheel Shield], it had not yet appeared in a boss-level encounter. This battle was the perfect opportunity to test just how strong its disarming effect was.

"Alright, let's do as you said." Lin Rui nodded, took the [Shipwreck Steering Wheel Shield] out of his backpack, and replaced the [Solid Rock Tower Shield] he was holding. The steering wheel shield was heavier than he had imagined, and the metal hoop on the edge of the wooden wheel glimmered coldly in the sunlight. He hefted it in his hand to gauge the weight and adjusted his grip.

With all tactics discussed, the three were confident that their coordination would not have any lapses this time. The three of them slowly walked down the stone steps, their footsteps echoing in the empty valley.

At the end of the stone steps was a flat area of bluestone pavement, covered in moss, making it a bit slippery to step on. The three walked cautiously, their eyes locked on the figure ahead.

The boss before them was a short, stocky, middle-aged martial artist. He wore a dark blue sleeveless Chinese-style button-up jacket, matching bloomers, black cloth shoes, and a cloth sash around his waist. His black hair was combed into a full, round bun, tucked under a dark skullcap; he sported a short, drooping mustache, and his complexion was ruddy with a smile.

His appearance made the three somewhat displeased. This image was clearly a stereotype depicted by certain unfriendly nations. Even Lin Rui and Su Wan, who had no experience in this regard, felt that his appearance was overly off-putting.

Beneath that faint smile, it did not reveal gentleness, but rather a hint of spite and contempt. His eyes were narrowed into slits, as if he were sizing up three overconfident prey, and the curve of his lips carried an uncomfortable arrogance.

"This person's smile is really uncomfortable," Su Wan said in a low voice.

"Get ready," Hu Jinsi said, gripping his iron-wood staff reinforced with iron. "Those tiger claws in his hands are nothing to joke about."

As Su Wan's chanting began, the battle unfolded once again. Her voice echoed in the empty valley, like a song without lyrics, the melody melodious yet carrying a certain irresistible power. The musical notes transformed into invisible threads, drifting toward Chen Qingming.

Lin Rui initiated the [Charge] first, his heavy armor carrying the weight of his entire body, rolling toward Chen Qingming like a chariot. Chen Qingming did not dodge, but instead raised the tiger claw on his right hand to meet him. That pair of tiger claws was forged from refined steel, the five sharp claws glistening with a cold Light in the sunlight, like five miniature daggers.

In the first exchange between Lin Rui and Chen Qingming, the tiger claw fiercely raked across the center of the [Shipwreck Steering Wheel Shield]. Metal clashed against metal, emitting a harsh, grating sound.

According to Lin Rui's expectations, the disarm trait on the shield should have triggered at the moment of the [Block], stripping the tiger claw from Chen Qingming's hand.

But to his surprise, the strength of this middle-aged fat man was actually on par with his own. The tiger claw was stuck in the gap of the shield's wheel, the five claws firmly gripping the edge of the wheel. Chen Qingming's wrist tightened, his muscles bulged, and he didn't budge an inch.

For a moment, Lin Rui was unable to strip the fat man's tiger claw from his hand. And Chen Qingming clearly had no intention of letting go of his weapon just like that; he grabbed his own wrist with his other hand, leaned backward, and used his weight and strength to stalemate Lin Rui.

The two sides remained in a stalemate, like two bulls locking horns, neither willing to yield a single step.

Beads of sweat seeped from Lin Rui's forehead, and the muscles in his arms trembled violently from the exertion. Although the steering wheel shield was heavy, the opponent's strength was simply too great, and the tiger claw's blades were stuck too tightly.

He tried to push forward, but Chen Qingming's weight pressed down like a mountain, and he couldn't push him back. He tried to pull back, wanting to extract the tiger claw from the wheel, but Chen Qingming followed by stepping forward, maintaining the locked state the entire time.

"Damn it, it's stuck!" Lin Rui gritted his teeth, squeezing the words through his clenched teeth.

Seeing this development, Hu Jinsi knew this was an opportunity. Since Chen Qingming did not intend to voluntarily give up his weapon, Hu Jinsi would just have to help him. He shifted his footing and circled around to Chen Qingming's right flank. Chen Qingming's attention was entirely focused on the struggle with Lin Rui, leaving a clear opening on his right side.

Hu Jinsi aimed at Chen Qingming's right wrist and elbow, repeatedly inflicting lacerating wounds in that area. The first strike slashed across Chen Qingming's wrist, tearing the skin and causing blood to gush out.

The second strike went deep into the muscle, severing a superficial blood vessel. The third, the fourth... Each strike landed precisely in the same spot, giving the opponent no chance to recover.

Chen Qingming winced in pain, the muscles on his wrist spasming from the intense agony. Blood flowed down his arm, dripping onto the bluestone pavement and pooling into a small red puddle. His complexion turned from ruddy to deathly pale, his lips pressed into a thin line, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

Under the massive blood loss, Chen Qingming finally had to voluntarily give up his tiger claw. His fingers loosened one by one, and the tiger claw slipped from his hand, falling onto the bluestone and emitting a crisp metallic clatter. He stumbled back a step, covering the wound on his right hand with his left, a flicker of anger and unwillingness flashing in his eyes.

But Hu Jinsi did not give him a chance to catch his breath. He pressed forward, continuing to attack Chen Qingming's right side. Chen Qingming was just about to jump up, preparing to pounce on Lin Rui and use his weight and unarmed combat techniques to suppress this armored tin can. But just at that moment, Su Wan's chanting finally finished.

The musical notes of the [Crown of Madness] transformed into an invisible shackle, enveloping Chen Qingming. The clarity in his eyes suddenly faded, replaced by a bloodthirsty and crazed expression. His body muscles tensed, and he began attacking the nearest person, Lin Rui, with stiff, mechanical movements.

Unlike the first mini-boss, Li Moumou, Chen Qingming was not strong in terms of willpower. He tried to break free from the control of the [Crown of Madness], shaking his head from side to side and emitting low growls.

But the invisible shackles were tightly bound around his consciousness; his struggles grew weaker, and his gaze became increasingly unfocused. Finally, his body completely lost autonomous control, and under the drive of Su Wan's will, it turned mechanically toward Lin Rui and threw a weak, powerless punch.

The battle entered its final closing stage. Lin Rui raised the [Shipwreck Steering Wheel Shield] and began to counterattack against Chen Qingming. The edge of the shield slammed into Chen Qingming's shoulder, emitting a dull thud.

Hu Jinsi continued to dish out damage from the flank, his fingertips flying, each strike landing on Chen Qingming's vital points. Su Wan maintained the effect of the [Crown of Madness] from a distance, her singing echoing in the valley, the melody gradually becoming urgent, like thunder before a storm.

Under the control of the [Crown of Madness], Chen Qingming could not use any skills and could only attack Lin Rui with the most primitive of punches. But his fists hitting the shield lacked the force they once had.

The dual blow of blood loss and having his will controlled made his movements sluggish and weak. He was like a marionette, pulled by invisible strings, swinging punch after punch at Lin Rui, only to be blocked back by the shield again and again.

Finally, under the tacit coordination of the three, Chen Qingming's body swayed, his knees bent, and he knelt on the ground. His skullcap slid off his head and rolled to the side, revealing the full, round bun underneath.

A flicker of unwillingness flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a vacant stare. A few minutes later, his body began to disintegrate, starting from his fingertips, turning into fine specks of Light that slowly dissipated into the air.