Chapter 125: The Lie Unraveled

Eight people, eight faces, five different types of weapons, and one singular gaze. They were dispersed in four directions—front, back, left, and right—all staring at him simultaneously.

Finina already had her sword in hand; the blood on it had yet to dry. It was the result of a journey spent carving through monsters, culminating in a powerful ultimate skill that had cleared the surrounding area.

Saya, the little ice phoenix, had grown silent. Her bright, intelligent eyes darted left and right, appearing quite amused. She would nod her small head from time to time, then use her sharp beak to preen the snowy white feathers on her body.

Zhao Nan reached out to block Finina, signaling her not to act rashly. He smoothed the expression on his face and said calmly, "You are all here. Could it be that you have some sort of mission?"

"Zhao Nan, we came today just to ask you one thing."

Only one person spoke; the others remained silent. Their arms, gripping their weapons, did not move; only their eyes shifted.

Zhao Nan looked at the man who had spoken. It was Huang Kun. The other seven were leaders of various safe zones within Tingfeng City, excluding Lin Yu and Fu Yun. They were the heads of some of the more powerful guilds currently in the city—though their membership numbers were a far cry from what they had been before the fall.

The fact that these eight people appeared here suggested they had a scheme in mind. The question was, how had they tracked him down?

"Ask," Zhao Nan said casually. Internally, however, he was calculating their classes and anticipating the skills they might use if a battle were to break out.

Huang Kun let out a cold snort. "The Heart-Eating Worm—it’s just a lie!"

Zhao Nan chuckled. "Who told you that?"

Another man sneered, "Tingfeng City has recovered, and the Mage Hall is operating normally. You’re a mage; you should know that the Mage Hall has a skill-experience function, right?"

Zhao Nan replied in a low voice, "So what?"

The man said disdainfully, "Unluckily for you, I am also a Dark-type mage. Two days ago, I happened to try a 25th-level Dark-type skill experience. Guess what I experienced?"

Zhao Nan shrugged. "I suppose I wouldn't be able to guess that."

"Zhao Nan, let’s not play games," Huang Kun interrupted. "We’ve checked every medical clinic in Tingfeng City, big and small, and none of them could detect this so-called Heart-Eating Worm! Hmph, while items like the Heart-Eating Worm exist, how could such a high-level item possibly appear?"

Zhao Nan said indifferently, "You’ve done your research quite thoroughly, haven't you?"

Huang Kun said furiously, "Good! To think you’d use such despicable means to control us! We won't find peace until we kill you today! Attack!"

Zhao Nan reached out and shouted, "Who wants to test the effect? You’re all just guessing, aren't you? Would you like me to prove it once more?"

The eight of them had just raised their hands, their weapon-based skills not yet activated, when they all froze. Cold sweat poured down Huang Kun’s face. He squeezed a raspy voice from his throat: "Fine! If you have the guts, try it on me! If it really still has an effect, then as you said, you can control my life and death at will—I, Huang Kun, will accept it! Today’s incident will be my fault, and from now on, I promise to be more loyal to you than a dog... but if you can’t do it, don't blame us!"

Zhao Nan waved his hand, extended a finger directly at Huang Kun, and shouted, "As you wish. If you die, don't blame me."

He pointed steadily. A red light suddenly flickered at the tip of his finger. Huang Kun’s throat bobbed, and his heart hammered so loudly he could almost hear it.

Suddenly.

"Don't let him trick you!" someone roared.

Huang Kun shuddered. His body moved to the left by instinct—likely the fastest reaction of his entire life. A beam of red light shot past his cheek, striking the ground in the distance and blasting a small crater into the earth.

"You really were just bluffing!" Huang Kun gritted his teeth.

Zhao Nan sneered, "If you want to blame someone, blame your own guilty conscience. If you weren't cowardly, you wouldn't have been fooled by my lie... Besides, who gave you the courage to intercept me? Do you really think that, just by yourselves, you can take me on?"

Huang Kun laughed coldly, "The two of you are indeed strong, but surely there’s a limit?"

At that moment, all eight of them produced a vial of purple liquid, quickly bit them open, and swallowed the contents. Simultaneously, a layer of purple armor manifested over their bodies.

Zhao Nan sighed, "You really were willing to pay a high price to deal with me, spending your contribution points at the Tingfeng City Temple for something like this."

This layer of purple armor provided 20 seconds of invincibility. During those 20 seconds, no skill or direct weapon strike would have any effect—it was an incredibly overpowered item. Of course, such a purple invincibility potion was expensive; exchanging for one likely drained their contribution points from the last monster siege to rock bottom.

Naturally, while the item was powerful, it had its drawbacks. Once the potion's effect faded, the user’s character level would drop by one.

Since they only had 20 seconds, the eight of them were not about to waste time. With invincible armor, no skill could harm them; all skill effects would simply dissipate upon contact during their charge. If they didn't rush in like wild bulls to slaughter their enemy, it would be a disservice to the fortune they had just spent.

The eight charged from four directions. Zhao Nan and Finina split up, heading in opposite directions.

The Dark-type mage let out a savage laugh and unleashed a barrage of thorny vines, which instantly wrapped around Finina’s body.

She was rendered immobile.

Relying on his Wings of Flashing Wind, Zhao Nan dodged left and right amidst the siege of the other four, appearing unable to spare a moment.

Five seconds had passed; 15 seconds remained before the invincibility effect wore off!

The four attacking Finina wore wild, frantic grins. They were about to finish one of them off. With over ten seconds left, surely their combined strength could deal with a single mage?

Just as their weapons were about to strike Finina, she smiled.

Zhao Nan also let out a low chuckle.

The weapons poised to pierce Finina’s body suddenly fell from the hands of the four attackers of their own accord.

It wasn't just them; the four attacking Zhao Nan, including Huang Kun, found their weapons dropping to the ground as well.

The change left them completely stunned.

They were genuinely bewildered!

At that exact moment, a golden light flashed over Finina. Under its radiance, the vines binding her were shattered, and she was suddenly clad in a dazzling suit of battle armor.

Pandora’s Transformation!

All negative effects were instantly cleared!

"Why!" Huang Kun roared in utter shock.

Zhao Nan said dismissively, "Unfortunately for you, while the weapons I gave you are quite good, you only have the right to use them..."

In that moment of hesitation, another six or seven seconds had ticked away.