Chapter 2103: Time Item Failure
Fifty meters away, when Wang Ling and the others saw the clocks around Xu Huo suddenly reverse uncontrollably and the passersby returning to their starting points, they were stunned and couldn't snap out of it for a long time. They weren't Temporal Evolvers and couldn't sense the changes in time power within the space; they could only see what was happening before their eyes. Because Xu Huo's control range was limited, they didn't forget what had happened like that passerby did—instead, they witnessed the passerby's disappearance and reappearance firsthand.
Even the relatively slow-witted Feng Hui and Hong Chen felt this was probably no simple illusion, so no one rashly interrupted. But there was an exception: Tang Ming.
He was the first to realize who was controlling the time power. So when the clocks around Xu Huo began to stutter and fluctuate, he could barely hide his jealousy and hatred, wanting to strike while Xu Huo was focused. Unfortunately, Meng Wenguang stopped him.
"Stabbing someone in the back isn't the act of a real man," Meng Wenguang said, blocking Tang Ming's path and deploying a defense barrier between himself and Xu Huo. "If Mr. Xu succeeds, we might all get out. What good does sabotaging him do you?"
Tang Ming sneered, too disdainful to even speak to him, and instead looked at Wang Ling. "There are things left by Dr. Wu here. Are you willing to let someone else take them all?"
Wang Ling stepped forward silently, then said after a moment, "I do covet the time item in his hands, but compared to my life, the item matters less. I'd rather live. You might want to spend the New Year in Pumpkin City, but I want out as soon as possible."
"I'd advise you to think it over too. We both have time items and know some information about Temporal Evolution. With Xu Huo's player level, directly controlling time to kill might be impossible. But don't forget—this is a special venue. Time power is already chaotic here, and the number of people gets reduced periodically. Can you guarantee Xu Huo can't use the venue's special properties to manipulate time power?"
"You want to kill, but others might be waiting for a chance to kill you too."
It was still Shen Liang's point: no one had a way out, and Xu Huo was their only hope.
Seeing everyone standing against him, Tang Ming showed no fear. He twisted the rings on his fingers, and a two-meter-long blade-like object flew out, spinning to cut down Long Jianfeng and Meng Wenguang, while he himself charged straight at Wang Ling—the only one present with a time item who wouldn't be affected by frozen time.
"Boom!" The collision of items erupted with a violent impact. Both combatants were sent flying into buildings from the sheer force. Wang Ling smashed through a mall's glass window, while Tang Ming stabilized himself using a metal sign. But before he could launch another attack, a figure suddenly flashed beside him, followed by a cold gleam swinging toward his face:
"Take this back!"
The one who appeared beside him was Meng Wenguang, who should have been dead. Using his immense physical strength, he gripped the corner of the metal sign with one hand, hanging in midair, while the other hand wielded a long blade item that wasn't his, cutting through the air with a whistle. The speed was so fast that the eye couldn't keep up!
"Boom!" Tang Ming, along with his defense barrier, was smashed into the sign. Then Meng Wenguang flipped the sign and slammed him toward the ground, where Long Jianfeng and the others were waiting!
"Devout Believer!" Yue Rui shouted at him. Tang Ming, who had just pulled himself out of the twisted metal, couldn't control himself as his legs buckled, forcing him to his knees. Kong Ying and the others coordinated their items from a distance to restrict his movements, while Long Jianfeng and Shen Liang attacked from front and back—one aiming for the head, the other for the chest—crisscrossing to block his escape routes.
Under such tight encirclement, the man who was half-kneeling and about to stand suddenly dropped downward, vanishing from everyone's sight!
Long Jianfeng and Wang Ling hadn't forgotten the tactics of the player who had ambushed them earlier. Seeing the deep pit left in the ground, they immediately warned the others to watch out for underground attacks!
"Ah!" Yue Rui screamed. The next second, Meng Wenguang was already beside her, grabbing the person who had half-sunk into the ground and forcibly pulling him out.
In terms of pure strength, Tang Ming might not be Meng Wenguang's match. But Tang Ming's goal was to kill, so he didn't need to win this contest. With a twist of his hand, he directly snapped Yue Rui's knee!
Her face contorted in pain, Yue Rui held back the scream that threatened to escape. Looking down at Tang Ming below, she said, "Divine Light Shines!"
A faint glow immediately enveloped her body. This thin light blocked Tang Ming's follow-up killing blow. As Meng Wenguang slammed the ground with a heavy strike, cracking it open, Tang Ming let go.
After successfully rescuing Yue Rui, Meng Wenguang's face was full of killing intent. "Since you think hiding underground is safe, then sleep there forever!"
With that, he clenched both fists, his muscles bulging all over. After a second of charging, he began hammering the ground with alternating fists. The street cracked from under his feet. His attack power, boosted by items, didn't just shatter the stone slabs—it affected the city's underground foundation. First the street, then the surrounding buildings. With each punch he threw, the entire block shook. Some places began to collapse. Street signs and building signs fell one after another, sealing off Tang Ming's underground passage.
In less than half a minute, Tang Ming was forced to emerge from underground. He tried his old trick of freezing time, but just like before, neither Meng Wenguang nor Shen Liang nor anyone else was affected by the time item's power.
"Stop spinning that piece of junk!" Long Jianfeng shouted while attacking. "Can't you see your time item is useless!"
Tang Ming's face twisted with rage as he looked toward Xu Huo's position. With a flash, he disappeared from his spot and reappeared behind Xu Huo, his sweeping item aimed precisely at Xu Huo's temple!
Xu Huo didn't turn around. He simply raised his right hand and gently flicked it in the air. The item about to touch him, along with Tang Ming holding it, vanished from behind him. In the blink of an eye, they reappeared next to Long Jianfeng, still in the same posture as when they had left.
"Hey! You're back!" Long Jianfeng mocked.
Tang Ming's forehead veins bulged. Although he had been affected by Curved Time, for some reason he hadn't lost his memory. He clearly remembered the entire ambush process, including the absurd experience of being back in place in an instant.
Dodging attacks from Wang Ling and Long Jianfeng, he changed direction and charged toward 12th Street.
"What's he doing!" Long Jianfeng roared.
"Stop him!" Wang Ling chased after him immediately.
But at that moment, as the Curved Time ray successfully broke through to 12th Street, the entire city's time suddenly froze!
(Chapter End)