193: Chapter 193 Closing the Net, Fishing
Alone?
Qi Mao was stunned for a moment, followed by a somewhat twisted smile. For the sake of caution, he stared at the doorway again, confirming no one else was outside.
This wasn't enough.
After confirming no one else was coming, Qi Mao didn't lash out immediately. Instead, with a stiff smile on his Face, he strode toward Li Yu.
"What do you want with me?" Li Yu asked. "Surely you're not here to apologize?"
Qi Mao didn't care what Li Yu said, merely responding with "Yeah, right, right," as he quickly approached Li Yu.
They were about five meters apart.
Li Yu stopped in his tracks, took out his phone to record, and said, "Right here is fine. You can apologize now."
Qi Mao froze.
Apologize?
Apologize for what?
"You were being sarcastic toward me online and let your brainless fans cyberbully me. Coming here now, isn't it to apologize to me?" Li Yu blinked.
Qi Mao realized what was happening, but he didn't apologize. His expression twisted, something squirmed beneath his skin, and in the next second, with a "rip" sound, he tore through his skin to reveal his true form.
In the monstrous form of a half-Merman, he arrived before Li Yu in an instant.
Water elements condensed into a cyclone, gathering in his webbed palm. After being intensely compressed, he slammed it heavily toward Li Yu's head.
As a member of the Outworld Race, they possessed intelligence no inferior to humans. Although they didn't quite understand some human technology, he had watched TV dramas.
Many villains lost because they talked too much.
He, a vanguard of the Outworld Race, must never make such a low-level mistake.
Li Yu, die!
As the palm struck down, the violent water elements exploded, and the Outworld Merman wore an excited smile.
However, in the next second, his expression froze.
Li Yu's body vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a crisscrossing, deep black pattern on the ground, like... a spider web?
The Outworld Merman was bewildered.
At that moment, the cry of a sword rang out in the air. He looked up to see Chen Qing appear out of nowhere, her long sword cleaving out a giant blade of energy that swept toward the Outworld Merman.
How is this possible?
How did they recognize me...
Before he could think further, the attack was already upon him. The Merman retreated rapidly. That flash of sword light hit the ground, carving out a bottomless trench. Immediately after, a sharp Killing Intent surged from behind him.
The mutated Merman was terrified and hastily lunged forward. With a "pfft" sound, a burning sensation hit his back. He reached back with a webbed palm and felt it; it was bloody.
"Damn it! You're ruining my business again!"
The Outworld Merman roared in anger.
Chen Qing looked at him calmly, slowly raised the sword in her hand, and turned into an afterimage, stabbing straight forward. In his rage, the Outworlder only had the thought of reclaiming his Face, roaring as he charged at Chen Qing.
Bang bang bang...
The battle was triggered instantly. On one side was a sharp blade, on the other were webbed claws. In the midst of the chaotic fighting, flashes of sword light and water shadows flickered.
"I didn't expect this Merman to be quite powerful, able to Face Chen Qing head-on." Li Yu squatted in a corner of the gymnasium, munching on an apple.
Crunchy and delicious.
"Your Chen Qing hasn't even used her full strength. Otherwise, this Merman with a severed arm wouldn't last more than a few rounds." Liu Zhanxing held a papaya, digging into it with a spoon, his voice muffled as he spoke.
"Chen Qing is that badass? I really didn't know." Li Yu was surprised.
"Just be happy in secret."
Liu Zhanxing watched the battle on the field grow increasingly intense, his brow furrowing slightly as he said, "But this situation is a bit troublesome."
"The appearance of the Outworld Race?"
"Yeah."
Liu Zhanxing's Face showed none of the joy of a successful ambush; instead, it grew more serious.
"This Outworld beast wore Qi Mao's skin yet came for you. This isn't without reason. I suspect it's related to tomorrow's Blood Refining Ruins."
"You know it too; the identity of the ruin's captain is more like a key—a key to open the ruin's core and take control of it."
Li Yu nodded deeply.
He had heard plenty of this information from Ming Yueguang, Director Wang, and President Wu. He knew he was currently like a piece of Tang Monk meat.
"Normally, at this time, the nations and races that have obtained slots should be preparing their forces and conserving energy for the ruins. There has never been an instance of attacking an opposing captain."
"But this time is different."
"This Outworlder broke the rules and exhausted every means to eliminate you before the ruins. This proves one thing..."
Before Liu Zhanxing could finish, Li Yu took over, "These ruins are very important to them."
"Correct. I even suspect these aren't ruins left by humans, but by them. In short, you must be more cautious."
Li Yu nodded after listening.
"Don't worry, I value my life very much."
Liu Zhanxing nodded slightly.
At this point, the battle on the field had reached a white-hot stage—or rather, a one-sided white-hot stage.
Chen Qing didn't use any major Moves, relying entirely on ordinary sword techniques to hack at the Outworld Merman. In the time they were speaking, she had already hacked him into a bloody mess.
Pfft!
Chen Qing struck again, ruthlessly severing the Merman's arm. As blood sprayed, the Outworld Merman let out a roar of agony.
He suddenly erupted his Aura, forcing Chen Qing back. His survival instinct made him abandon the fight and charge toward the pool in the gymnasium.
The situation was bad.
He was no match for this crazy woman at all.
He had to escape!
He rushed toward the pool with Chen Qing hot on his heels, hacking wildly. Every time the sword fell, a spray of blood flew. But strangely, she didn't block the Outworld Merman's path.
The Merman was bleeding profusely from Chen Qing's strikes. He didn't dare stop, nor did he have time to wonder why there was a pool in the gymnasium.
"Time to close the net. No empty-handed fishing today." Liu Zhanxing casually tossed away the papaya and spoon, clapping his hands.
"Heh~ sounds good." Li Yu smiled.
Finally, after being struck by Chen Qing's sword another 37 times, the mutated Merman dove headfirst into the pool.
Splash—
Water sprayed up, and the Merman immediately swam toward the depths.
Just then, the floor of the gymnasium seemed to be seared by flames, revealing crisscrossing patterns. These patterns materialized into a giant net.
With a "whoosh," the net tightened rapidly, targeting the pool.
Splash—
In a flurry of splashing water, the Outworld Merman, who had been diving deep, was suddenly netted up. His hideous Face held three parts confusion, three parts embarrassment, and four parts utter bewilderment.
What happened?
Where's the water?
"What a big fish." Liu Zhanxing sneered. "A fish that escaped from Qiansui Lake into the city to kill the innocent."
"Estimated to be 200 pounds, comes with a 'lost in the residential area' BUFF."
Li Yu rubbed his chin, pondering whether to put this fish in an iron cage and take it for a few laps around the neighborhood. Or maybe around the company.
What?
Old Song, how did you know I caught a 200-pound fish?
President Ming, I'm here to report on work. Eh? How did you know I caught a fish? It's not big, not big, just 200 pounds.
Zhou Ya, are you here to admire the 200-pound fish I caught?
As Li Yu thought, he looked at Liu Zhanxing, whose eyes were shining with the same light as his.
It seems...
This fish will have to be paraded in turns.
I'll take Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Vice General Liu takes Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Chen Qing on Sundays—no, Chen Qing will help watch the fish.
Great idea.