Chapter 1543: An Encounter with a Super Player
This extraordinary spatial ray was not only visible to super-evolved players like Xu Huo, but ordinary advanced players could also sense it to some extent, though not as intuitively.
Thus, when the spatial rays randomly descended, a large number of players hidden within the city suddenly emerged and began fleeing outward. With space teleportation items failing, some players opted for short-range teleportation items or simply relied on their own legs.
But this did not mean safety. Since the colored flowing light expanded after the spatial rays hit the ground, players dared not touch or approach them. Most chose relatively open high-altitude areas. Once airborne, it was easy to see others' movements. In just three to five seconds, several players had already collided with spatial rays—because short-range teleportation items mostly traveled in straight lines. Though invisible to the naked eye, they didn't vanish from the air. Some less clear-headed players, failing to assess the situation, abused their items and charged straight into the spatial rays, throwing away their lives.
"Everyone be careful! New lines appear at any moment—don't touch them!" someone shouted to warn their companions. "Especially those lines with cutting power!"
In reality, only a few of the airborne rays possessed cutting abilities. The occasional player who inadvertently passed through one and got sliced apart was a shocking sight, but in Xu Huo's eyes, it was far less impactful than the rays that could pass through bodies.
He personally witnessed two players accidentally touch a ray, and their bodies began to change from the point of contact—at his current level of evolution, he couldn't see the rays inside a human body, but once touched by the colored spatial rays, the body began to "objectify," with tiny specks of colored light seeping out from within.
Like cracks in porcelain, the parts of those people penetrated by the spatial rays also "cracked" from the inside. Of course, those struck directly in vital areas like the head or heart died instantly, while others with limb injuries could still move. Some clever ones immediately severed their hands or feet, while those who gambled on luck and left it alone were soon completely covered by the "cracks."
Xu Huo felt a chill in his heart.
The method Ms. Gong had previously demonstrated—controlling spatial rays to kill—was similar to this scene, but the difference was that Ms. Gong needed one-on-one control. Her operation produced very subtle effects, assimilating the rays within a person's body and directly turning their blood into mist. But overall, the rays were still under her control.
The colored spatial rays were different. Even after leaving a person's body, they could still affect their state, like a piece of glass struck with a crack. Because of that crack, new cracks appeared, eventually covering the entire glass. This seemed like another level of ray manipulation: one contact could trigger a chain reaction!
He looked up at the sky, where colored lines constantly appeared and disappeared, uncertain whether they were always under someone's control. But whether fully controlled or left free, whoever could achieve this effect was certainly someone surpassing Ms. Gong.
The rays in a certain area ahead suddenly became sparse. Sensing the flow of spatial power—though not particularly strong—Xu Huo accelerated against the flow of most players and charged back into the city. Under the astonished gazes of others, he narrowly dodged a dense rain of spatial rays!
A torrent of rays scattered down, almost brushing his back as they poured from the sky. The density left no room to stand, and in an instant, over a dozen players were hit—they had no time to move to a slightly clearer area, nor could they escape into a game instance. Pierced by the rays, half of them died on the spot!
The remaining half fared no better, but no one cared about their condition anymore. The entire city's colored rays suddenly intensified, especially around the edges, forcing some players who had already escaped to turn back.
Like other players, the four people tracking Xu Huo also moved toward the city center. Whether due to a malfunction in their spatial instruments, one of them vanished into thin air again when the rays descended, just like before, but only for a second.
This change made the four's expressions shift slightly, losing their previous aloof coldness.
But they still hadn't given up their target.
With an opportunity right before him, Xu Huo deliberately paused, waiting for the four to catch up before moving toward the northwest corner of the city, where spatial power was most concentrated.
Without relying on items or instruments, he could move quickly through the air. In comparison, the four were much slower—each time they moved, they had to measure with the terminal instruments on their wrists, as if confirming the distribution of spatial rays.
Xu Huo's eyes flickered. He suddenly accelerated, then abruptly turned back, flashing behind one of them. He swung his black blade toward the man's neck—but there was no sensation of cutting something solid.
In fact, the moment the blade swung, the man in front had already disappeared. Xu Huo couldn't adjust his movement in time and was ambushed by another on his left, blasted dozens of meters away by a burst of force!
Ordinary defense items couldn't block the colored spatial rays, and even spatial items, though not completely suppressed, might not protect their users. In crisis, Xu Huo could only keep opening doors in the air, using circular rebounds to reduce the impact.
Fortunately, there was still enough space nearby. If the colored rays were any denser, they would also affect his spiritual realm—at least he wouldn't be able to open portals at will anymore.
But as he emerged from the last spiritual portal, the few people who hadn't attacked him along the way finally made their move. However, they didn't use items—they pulled out energy weapons!
Their appearance was somewhat similar to the one Xu Huo had obtained from the Platinum Eye, but judging by the embedded ores and the seemingly significant carved patterns, their power might be even greater!
Xu Huo narrowed his eyes. Before he could react, a massive shadow suddenly swept over them from above. He caught a glimpse of something drifting past, and the next moment, a person appeared in his field of vision:
The newcomer wore a black coat, a top hat unmoving in the strong wind. Leather-gloved hands steadily carried a suitcase, and blue eyes fixed on the player holding the energy weapon.
"This toy is nice," the man said with a hint of amusement. Without making any move, he caused the three players to freeze in place.
Then, Xu Huo watched as he slowly reached out and took the energy weapon, then flicked the lock on his suitcase:
In an instant, Xu Huo's vision went completely black. He vaguely felt his body moving uncontrollably, and when light returned to his eyes, he was standing in a magnificent yet eerie castle corridor.