Chapter 3: Clearing the Field
Su Xiao held an Apollo in his right hand and a [Mark Signal Gun] in his left. He planned to use the signal flare to attract the enemy’s attention, thereby increasing the probability of the Apollo hitting someone. The [Mark Signal Gun] had five rounds of ammunition, so using one wasn’t a waste.
Su Xiao pulled the trigger.
Bang!
A red signal flare shot into the sky, exploding high above with a loud boom. A massive Φ-shaped mark appeared, which would persist for a full three hours.
The Apollo activated in Su Xiao’s hand. Detonating it required 25 seconds. As for having Baha drop it from above—if Baha flew too low, the enemy would sense him; too high, and the enemy might spot it directly, allowing them to evade the Apollo’s blast.
When the Apollo had been active for 10 seconds, Su Xiao assumed a throwing stance and hurled it.
The Apollo whooshed out of Su Xiao’s sight, and he began counting down.
Meanwhile, three kilometers away in the forest, Wago, disguised as a Dream Spirit Clan member, halted. Her emerald pupils rapidly contracted as she immediately looked up.
The sense of danger came and went just as quickly. An orange blur whooshed past overhead.
Soon, Wago felt the ground tremble beneath her feet.
Boom!
A blazing white fireball erupted in the distance. Just seeing it, Wago could feel its searing heat and destructive power.
As Su Xiao had guessed, Wago·Mo was indeed a fake name. This so-called “Yin Language Clan” member was actually named Nita. Due to her abilities, she often forgot her own gender, frequently adopting a pure, innocent appearance while behaving like a rough, unrefined man.
Nita belonged to a race called the “Yin Language Clan.” Originally similar to Druids, they lived in forests, attuned to nature, and could mimic various animals. Unfortunately, they could also simulate the appearance, physique, and aura of other humanoid races. Even with special clothing, they could instantly mimic attire and accessories.
This racial talent was deeply resented. Moreover, the Yin Language Clan were considered “valuable commodities,” now banned from trade and capture in the Void. After all, anyone could gain any appearance they desired just by having a Yin Language Clan member look at them, satisfying the bold fantasies of many powerful figures.
If not for choosing to side with the Arcane Eternal Star a thousand years ago, the Yin Language Clan would have long been extinct.
Just as Nita was about to find a hiding spot and disguise herself as a Feather Clan member, she received a regional announcement from the Void Tree.
[Regional Announcement: A participant has obtained more than 3 kill points. The Seventh Battle Zone Leaderboard has been activated.]
First Place: Reincarnation Paradise (5 points)
Second Place: Death Paradise (1 point)
Third Place: None
…
Seeing this announcement, Nita looked at the metal box in her hand and suddenly felt it was extremely hot to the touch.
Five kilometers away, a female Feather Clan member stared at the massive fire pit ahead. The ground inside had turned to glass. Her name was Shangyue, and she wasn’t from the younger generation of the Feather Clan—the youngest generation wasn’t qualified to participate in the Strongest Battle.
“This is… the style of Reincarnation Paradise. A madhouse paradise.”
Shangyue murmured to herself. Not far from her stood a man clad in full-body armor.
“What? Do you want to fight me now? The World Child from Doom Star.”
Shangyue tilted her head slightly, her blue-eyeshadowed eyes narrowing.
“Alliance… Twins… first… eliminate… the madman… of Reincarnation… Paradise.”
The armored man’s voice was hoarse, and faint black smoke drifted from the two rows of vents on his visor.
When Su Xiao had seen the armored man in the abandoned hall, he immediately judged that this guy came from a world with an Ancient God. The armor he wore was imbued with the power of an Ancient God.
“Stop speaking in staccato. This is the Void; no one’s going to flatter you.”
Shangyue’s eyes showed clear disgust.
“Fine.”
Though anger simmered in the armored man’s heart, Su Xiao’s two slashes earlier had genuinely startled him.
“If the Twins from Death Paradise agree, I have no objection.”
Shangyue had barely finished speaking when two identical voices rang out simultaneously.
“We agree.”
Twin brothers appeared beside the fire pit. They looked at the Solar Flame inside the massive crater, their eyes thoughtful.
“Leave here immediately. According to ‘our’ rules, after killing an enemy, that person will come to check.”
The twins turned and left. The armored man silently followed. Shangyue hesitated for a moment before trailing behind the three.
A short while later, Su Xiao emerged from the forest. He stopped before the massive fire pit, seeing no treasure chest or similar items inside.
“Woof!”
Bubu Wang suddenly barked.
“Right around here? Boss, should we chase them? Feather Clan, Death Paradise, Doom Star—all enemies.”
“Chase.”
Su Xiao had a suspicion, as well as a possible opportunity to cooperate with a certain party. After all, someone nearby had deliberately left traces for Bubu Wang to track.
Following Bubu Wang’s trail, half an hour later, Su Xiao stopped in a rocky area. Four figures stood or sat among the scattered stones. One armored man sat on a white rock, holding a black chunk of meat. Black smoke rose from the meat, which he inhaled through the vents on his visor.
Nearby stood a woman in a black feathered robe. She was clearly from the Feather Clan. The Feather Clan’s appearance was like a gift from the heavens—women varied in beauty, men were handsome. Perhaps the Ancient Gods were their mortal enemies, as one reached new heights of beauty while the other plumbed new depths of ugliness.
“We’ve been waiting for you.”
The twin brothers spoke. Bubu Wang, seeing the dense barcodes on their heads, felt an urge to scan them with his phone to see if he could find the manufacturer or something.
“Settle this here?”
Su Xiao communicated through the team channel with Baha and Amu. Amu would handle the armored man, Baha would hold off the female Feather Clan member, and he would deal with the Twins himself. The Twins were strong, and fighting them now might cause serious trouble later.
“There’s no need for us to decide the outcome here. Let’s meet in the later rounds. The left side of Twilight Island is yours, the right side is ours. The chests are up for grabs. Clear the field quickly to end the first round.”
The twin brothers looked at the armored man.
“This World Child is a gift. As for the Feather Clan, do as you please—if you’re not afraid of Feather Clan retaliation.”
The air around the twin brothers began to distort. As one of the top contenders for the championship, their strength was not to be underestimated. They were the strongest sixth-rank contractors in Death Paradise, ranking third in the sixth-rank Paradise Arena.
Hearing the twins’ words, the armored man immediately stood up.
Boom!
A wall of air slammed down from above, blocking the armored man’s path.
On the other side, Shangyue had nearly vanished into the dense forest. She could now confirm that she had run into three old schemers.
“She ran. A pity, isn’t it?”
The twin brothers smiled at Su Xiao.
“The left side of the island is yours. The chests are fair game.”
“That’s what I was waiting to hear. Fighting here would only benefit the others.”
The twins walked toward the left, both raising their hands simultaneously as layers of air walls dissipated.
By now, the armored man knew he had been set up. Su Xiao and the Twins had earned their strength by fighting through countless worlds. The armored man, as the World Child of Doom Star, had enjoyed an incredibly smooth ride in his home world.
The main reason Su Xiao agreed to the Twins’ proposal was that the armored man was indeed a World Child. And Su Xiao had a mission called “Sky-Sweeping Surge,” with its completion stuck at 83%.
If killing the armored man could complete this major mission, it would be a huge gain.