162: Chapter 163 First, unleash a set of skills.

Even Lin Muyang hadn't expected things to develop so "smoothly." The so-called "Gods Chosen One" was actually William Preston, codenamed "Eagle." He played two roles by himself—the organization's manager, "Eagle," and the mysterious, high-and-mighty "Gods Chosen One"—playing the entire Oracle organization like a fiddle. This maneuver both displayed his desire for control and caution, while also exposing the deep-seated fear of revealing his true identity in his heart.

And at this moment, this deeply hidden mastermind couldn't possibly know that the Disguise he thought was flawless had long been stripped bare before Lin Muyang's [Arachnes Fate] and [Eye of God]. He was like a flying insect on a spiderweb that thought it was well-hidden, unaware that the spider weaving the web had already locked onto him as prey.

"As long as I wish, I can make him stay in this forest forever right now," Lin Muyang thought indifferently. With the power he currently possessed, combined with the young ladies' encirclement, instantly subduing or even killing this "Gods Chosen One" would not be difficult.

But...

"This guy's appearance is more like a grand gift delivered to my doorstep," Lin Muyang's lips curled slightly as a new plan formed in his mind. Killing William directly would certainly solve a potential trouble, but the returns seemed too low. A living William who held absolute control over the organization was worth far more than a corpse.

The Oracle organization, a secret society that had developed in the shadows for quite some time and recruited three sub-god level geniuses along with a group of elites in specialized fields like Beatrice, was a ready-made force that Lin Muyang could take over. Although its top combat power currently didn't seem to include William himself—only Chiba Ruri and that never-before-seen "Dragon"—and its overall strength couldn't be said to be world-shaking, its value lay in its concealment, unique structure, dispersed members, and various special talents.

Most importantly, the organization's structure was extremely beneficial to Lin Muyang. All members only knew of the existence of the "Gods Chosen One" and three "Apostles" (Eagle, Dragon, and the third identity Chiba Ruri was impersonating, which might also be a Disguise of William's). Lower-level members had strictly one-way contact with the upper levels. This meant that as long as he controlled the "Gods Chosen One"—William—and the special channels he used to contact core members, he could basically take control of the entire organization's framework and most core members in a very short time.

"This guy has operated for so long, he must have some foundation and connections. Although this organization isn't particularly strong right now, it's very suitable for running errands, gathering intelligence, and especially searching for epic-grade, legendary-grade, and even mythic grade Dungeon and secret realm resources worldwide," Lin Muyang mused. His own growth required a massive amount of high-tier Dungeon resources; relying solely on himself and the summoned young ladies to find them slowly was too inefficient. Having a ready-made organization with global operational capabilities search on his behalf would save a lot of time and energy.

Of course, to smoothly take over this organization, the prerequisite was to dig out all key information from William's mouth: the organization's full roster, structural chart, detailed profiles and control methods of core members, secret bases, stockpiled resources, funding sources, and most importantly—the special token or method used to issue "Oracles" and contact core members.

"This guy's attributes are too high; the effect of the [Absolute Command] Aura will be greatly diminished, and might even be ineffective. Getting him to speak willingly will be a bit troublesome," Lin Muyang analyzed calmly. William's high level of 193 and powerful mental attributes gave him extremely high resistance to mental control skills. Forcing [Absolute Command] wasn't entirely impossible, but the consumption would be huge, and it might trigger a violent mental backlash, potentially leading to soul damage or memory confusion, which would be more loss than gain.

"However..." Lin Muyang's gaze fell on William's face, which, though masked by a Disguise, could not hide his uncertainty and alarm. "This guy's personality is so cautious, taking every step carefully and valuing his own safety above all else. People like this are usually very afraid of death."

Faced with absolute power that cannot be resisted and a choice between life and death, no matter how cautious or cunning a person is, their psychological defenses are the easiest to collapse. As long as he was convinced that non-cooperation meant immediate death, while cooperation offered at least a glimmer of hope or even unexpected benefits, prying his mouth open would not be impossible.

"Before finishing him off, I have to squeeze out every bit of his remaining value. Only then will this trip be worth it." Lin Muyang's goal was very clear. As for the safety of Chiba Ruri's parents? That was merely the bait to lure William out. Whether William lived or died was irrelevant to Lin Muyang; however, the organization and intelligence William possessed were tangible resources. How to maximize the gains from this "fishing" trip was his primary concern.

"Let's go. Subdue this guy first, but don't be in a hurry to kill him. I have some questions I need him to answer personally," Lin Muyang issued instructions to the young ladies beside him through the soul link.

Before his voice had even faded, he tightened his grip around Shen Muyao. Feeling the strength from his arm, her body stiffened slightly before she leaned closer to him. Their figures were like a silent bolt of lightning, instantly diving down from high altitude, aiming straight for the flawlessly disguised coniferous forest below! Elabess, Lilia, Elena, Feng Ling, Seraphina, Ao Qingyan, and Gui Wanwan—the six young ladies followed closely behind like the most loyal guards and sharpest blades, their perfect formation cutting off all paths of retreat in that area.

Two seconds, just two seconds! Lin Muyang had already brought everyone to appear like ghosts directly above William Preston's head, looking down from a high vantage point at the "empty" forest below.

At this moment, William was fully focused on controlling the magic reconnaissance tools he had scattered. His gray eyes reflected images of the small town and Chiba Ruri's home sent back from different angles. His skin, which simulated environmental colors, was nearly perfect under the mottled sunlight filtering through the forest leaves. His heartbeat, breathing, and even body temperature were adjusted by the power of magic scrolls to synchronize with the surrounding environment. He had absolute confidence that unless a legendary-grade powerhouse specializing in detection deliberately searched this area, it would be impossible to discover his presence.

Unfortunately, he was facing Lin Muyang. Locked on by the dual combination of the [Energy Detection] Aura and Gui Wanwan's "Nether Eye," he was like a soldier in camouflage under a spotlight—thinking he was hidden when he was actually fully exposed. The energy field formed by that Disguise magic was as clear as a lighthouse in the night to Lin Muyang's perception.

Shen Muyao, held in Lin Muyang's arms, felt her heart racing. Although she couldn't see through William's Disguise, she could feel the direction of the target Lin Muyang had locked onto, and she could sense the murderous intent that suddenly condensed in the surrounding air. She knew the battle was about to break out. The opponent was a terrifying existence near level 200 with a sub-god level talent! He would be among the top powerhouses even in the Xia Kingdom! Could Lin Muyang... handle it? Would she become a burden to him?

She had no idea that what Lin Muyang was considering right now wasn't whether he could win, but how to perfectly control the opponent with the least commotion and effort. This was Japan's territory; causing too much of a stir and attracting official attention would be troublesome. Moreover, what he needed was a live capture—a prisoner who could be interrogated.

In the blink of an eye, several powerful control and debuff God-Tier Auras were silently and precisely applied to the "invisible" target below.

[Silence Domain (God-Tier)]: Within a five-hundred-meter radius, all enemy units' skills and equipment special effects are forcibly silenced. No active skills can be released, and passive effects attached to equipment are temporarily disabled!

[Space Interruption (God-Tier)]: Powerfully interferes with and blocks all spatial energy flow within the area. Spatial skills, scrolls, and item effects are significantly weakened or directly invalidated!

[Time Stagnation (God-Tier)]: Forms a powerful time-delay field, greatly slowing the thinking and movement speed of enemies within range and interfering with any time-based skill effects.

[Weakness (God-Tier)]: Reduces the base attack power of all enemy units within range by 90%.

[Power of Corrosion (God-Tier)]: Reduces the base defense of all enemy units within range by 90%.

That wasn't all. To prevent the opponent from forcibly breaking through with high attributes, Lin Muyang added several more potent negative status effects:

[Gravity Suppression (Epic)]: Applies several times the normal gravity, affecting movement and jumping abilities.

[Mental Disturbance (Epic)]: Interferes with mental concentration; spellcasting (if still possible), perception, and judgment are decreased.

This set of combined strikes could be called a luxury "crowd-control until death" package. Especially [Silence Domain] and [Space Interruption], which directly neutralized William's most likely escape methods—skills and spatial teleportation items.

At the exact moment the Auras took effect!

In the forest below, William Preston, who was carefully controlling a mechanical flying insect to approach the outpost on the edge of town, suddenly trembled violently!

[part:deepseek-chat]

What's going on? My spiritual power... it's flowing sluggishly? My skill icons... they're grayed out?

He tried to channel mana to activate a scouting skill, only to be horrified to discover that the mana within his body was as if trapped in a mire. The skills that were normally as easy to use as his own limbs were now completely unresponsive! The mana attached to his equipment, which maintained the Disguise effect at all times, was also instantly severed. The environmental camouflage on his body faded away like a receding tide, revealing a tall figure clad in a black jacket.

"Silenced? Area-of-effect silence? How could it be so... so silent?" William Preston's face changed drastically. His rich combat experience instantly made him realize he had fallen into an ambush—an extremely sophisticated and highly targeted one at that! He didn't hesitate for even a moment. His left hand shot into his chest pocket like lightning, reaching for a silver metal piece engraved with profound space runes that he kept close to his body. This was one of his life-saving trump cards—a triggered legendary-grade spatial teleportation scroll, capable of instantly transporting him to a pre-set safe point thousands of miles away.

However, when he injected that imperceptible wisp of triggering mana, the silver metal piece merely flickered faintly before its glow rapidly dimmed. The runes on its surface seemed 'frozen' by an invisible force, and not a single spatial ripple was generated!

"The space is sealed too?!" William's heart sank into an icy abyss. To so swiftly and thoroughly seal the space of an area, rendering a legendary-grade scroll useless—what kind of terrifying strength and comprehension of spatial laws would that require? Japan absolutely did not have such a powerhouse! Globally, those capable of such a feat could be counted on one hand, and each one was a renowned, awe-inspiring titan guarding their own domain!

"Who is targeting me?" Panic, like a cold serpent, instantly seized his heart. He forced himself to calm down, rapidly scanning his surroundings to locate the enemy while simultaneously checking his own status. This check sent his soul flying in terror!

Attack Power Reduced by 97%!

Defense Power Reduced by 97%!

All Skills and Equipment Effects Unusable!

Movement Speed Sharply Reduced! His body felt as heavy as if filled with lead!

Even his thoughts seemed to have slowed down slightly!

"This level of debilitation... this familiar combination of negative statuses..." A name exploded in his mind like a thunderclap! That mysterious super-genius from China! The one who, at the India border, single-handedly slaughtered a horde of Epic-Rank Monsters, and in India's capital, robbed the national Magic Crystal Bank through unbelievable means! According to limited and costly intelligence, that mysterious genius excelled at using large-scale silence, attribute reduction, and other control skills, with effects that were extremely domineering!

"How could he be here?! What's his relationship with Chiba Ruri... no, with Lin Muyang? Could he be an ally Lin Muyang hired? Or... are they actually the same person? No, impossible! Lin Muyang is only in his fifties..." William's mind was in chaos, with all sorts of conjectures wildly surfacing. But regardless of the truth, one thing was certain: he had kicked an iron plate, a super-heated one at that, capable of melting him in an instant!

The instinct for survival overwhelmed everything. Skills unusable, scrolls ineffective, attributes reduced to a despairing degree... He had only one path left: relying on his physical strength, which, even after being debilitated, far surpassed that of ordinary people, to force a breakthrough! The base attribute bonuses from his level 193 were substantial. Even after a 97% reduction, the remaining 3% still far exceeded that of ordinary level 100 powerhouses. Perhaps there was still a sliver of hope!

He pushed off with his feet, blasting a small crater in the ground as his body shot towards the depths of the forest like a cannonball! His speed was still astonishingly fast, leaving only an afterimage in the eyes of ordinary people.

Unfortunately, what he faced was Lin Muyang.

[Sluggish Domain (God-Tier)]: Movement Speed and Attack Speed of enemy units within range reduced by 90%!

[Nether Prison (Gui Wanwan's skill, enhanced by Lin Muyang's Aura)]: Countless pale, translucent bone spikes, emanating a chilling soul fluctuation, rapidly grew and interwove from the void. Instantly, they constructed an airtight, ghastly white cage ten meters in diameter right in front of William's charge! The tips of the bone spikes flickered with an eerie light. Just a glance at them caused a piercing chill and pain in one's soul.

William's pupils constricted to the size of pinpricks! He recognized this skill! In the recordings of the recently concluded Tianhai City global Summoner Competition, he had repeatedly studied Lin Muyang's battles! The short-haired ghost girl Lin Muyang summoned had used a similar pale bone cage to trap opponents! And that Three-Eyed Martial Monk who forcibly passed through the bone cage ended up a direct idiot, his soul seemingly severely wounded!

"Can't touch it! Absolutely cannot touch this ghostly thing!" William forcibly halted his forward momentum. The powerful inertia caused his feet to plow two deep furrows in the ground. He stared at the ominous bone cage before him with shock and doubt, then rapidly scanned his surroundings again.

Could it be that Lin Muyang and that mysterious Chinese genius were friends, joining forces here to ambush him? This possibility made his heart sink to the bottom. One was a deadly star capable of robbing a national Magic Crystal Bank and slaughtering hordes of Epic-Rank Monsters. The other was a monstrous talent who displayed unbelievable potential in the Summoner Competition... What had he, William, done to deserve both of them targeting him simultaneously?

Just then, something even more despairing happened. An invisible force enveloped him. He felt as if he had been cast into another dimension, his connection to the surrounding real world becoming blurred and distant. The scene before his eyes hadn't changed, but he could sense that he seemed to have been 'hidden'.

Immediately after, the scenery around him twisted slightly. Several figures appeared around him as if emerging from rippling water, completely sealing off all his escape routes.

Directly ahead was Lin Muyang, holding a graceful young lady, his expression terrifyingly calm. To the left was Ao Qingyan, with a waterfall of golden hair, a giant sword on her back, and indifferent eyes. To the right was Feng Ling, with fiery red hair and dangerous flames dancing at her fingertips. Behind him stood the Elf Princess Lilia, holding a staff with a cool demeanor, and the indistinct figure of Gui Wanwan, who seemed ready to melt into the shadows at any moment. On the flank, Seraphina stood quietly.

William's gaze swept over these young ladies one by one, finally locking onto Lin Muyang's face, especially on the girl in Lin Muyang's arms—Shen Muyao—the very girl he had ordered Beatrice to kidnap, who was now safe and sound. An absurd yet bone-chilling thought uncontrollably surfaced.

"These... could they all be your summons?" William's voice was dry beyond measure, filled with incredulous horror. If that were true, then what Lin Muyang had displayed in the Summoner Competition was probably just the tip of the iceberg! He could summon far more than just one or two powerful combat units!

Before Lin Muyang could answer, Feng Ling, who was standing nearby, took a step forward. Her crimson eyes coldly regarded William, her clear voice carrying an unquestionable authority: "You are not qualified to ask questions of the Master. Now, the Master asks, you answer. Otherwise, you die."

Simple, direct, filled with an overwhelming declaration of power.

William shuddered, the last trace of color draining from his face. What he felt wasn't just the powerful, undisguised Auras emanating from these young ladies, but also that absolute, condescending sense of control. The way they looked at him wasn't like looking at an opponent of the same level, but more like looking at prey that had fallen into a trap, its life and death no longer its own. And Lin Muyang, that youth they called 'Master,' had been watching him calmly all along, his eyes as deep as an abyss, seemingly capable of seeing through all his inner fears and schemes.

Since his class advancement, William Preston, relying on his sub-god level talent [High-Spirited Battle Intent] and his own cautious cunning, had sailed smoothly through life. He had secretly formed 'Oracle,' gathered geniuses, and considered himself the future spokesperson of the gods. When had he ever suffered such humiliation and faced such a desperate situation?

Even in the most dangerous mythic grade Dungeons, he could carve a path of survival relying on his talent's burst and ample preparation. But now, the very talent he was famous for, [High-Spirited Battle Intent], under the absolute disadvantage and the onslaught of fear and despair constantly breeding in his heart, had already plummeted from its peak five-fold boost to a pitiful 1.2-fold, almost negligible.

All his trump cards—skills, equipment, scrolls, even his talent—had become a joke in the face of the opponent's bizarre and powerful silence, debilitation, and control methods. Escape? Space was locked, speed reduced, and that strange soul bone cage was watching intently. Fight? Attributes reduced to less than a tenth, the opponent had numbers and each one looked formidable. Negotiate? The opponent had clearly come prepared with a definite target.

Death, the outcome he had meticulously planned and desperately tried to avoid, had never been so close at hand.

The moment Feng Ling's words fell, under Lin Muyang's calm yet seemingly pressure-filled gaze, William Preston—the founder and mastermind behind the 'Oracle' organization, the double-faced man with the codenames 'Eagle' and 'Gods Chosen One'—finally, completely, broke down.

*Thud.*