Chapter Nineteen: Who Is the Victor

“What… what is going on here?” When Simons finally took in the sight of the battlefield, he was so shocked he could barely speak. A human boy, a mere sixteen-year-old child, was holding his own against a seasoned Guardian. In other words, his strength was at least on par with Simons himself—perhaps even superior!

“How can he be so strong?” Simons’ face turned pale. He glanced toward Qingxia, who was standing far from the fray, looking as if she wished to hide away completely. That alone showed just how wary she was of the human youth.

“That damned woman! She should have told me more about this boy’s strength. If I had known, I’d never have accepted this mission.” Simons gritted his teeth. “This boy is only sixteen, yet his power rivals a veteran Guardian. If my assassination fails and he discovers me, I’ll have made a terrifying enemy. It would be dangerous in the future.”

Although Simons was furious, he understood the gravity of the situation. He had already accepted the mission; backing out now would bring its own troubles. But he made up his mind: he would only attempt one ambush. Regardless of the outcome, he would flee immediately.

“I need to be careful, not let the boy realize I’m from the Angelic race.” Simons’ eyes grew cold as he watched Xia Yan. “Strike without warning, then escape in an instant. He won’t have time to pursue me. I can’t fly, though, or I’ll reveal my identity!”

If he activated his bloodline, the white wings on his back would betray who he was. The risk was simply too great.

“Now!” Simons clenched his teeth. With a thought, he summoned an extremely faint energy in the void, almost invisible, which shot toward Xia Yan with the speed of a whirlwind.

This was his ability called “Invisible Needle.” It was much faster than a bullet and could be guided by the user’s will.

“Mind Bind!”

In the next moment, Simons unleashed his second ability—Mental Bind. It was a psychic power that could blank a target’s mind, dramatically dulling their reactions.

These two abilities made Simons a terrifying assassin; countless geniuses had perished under his sneak attacks.

On the field, Xia Yan and He Changlou were still locked in combat. As mentioned before, Xia Yan had been holding back, never going all out for fear it would limit his options. But the instant Simons struck, Xia Yan, with strength in reserve, immediately reacted.

One of his trump cards had to be used, or he’d fall into a disadvantage. Xia Yan’s smile was tinged with bitterness—he truly had no other choice.

This trump card was supposed to be his ultimate play, reserved for a decisive moment.

His left hand gripped his 402 Adjudicator. Without even looking, he aimed and fired a bullet at a certain point.

Invisible Needle and the bullet collided, both vanishing without a trace.

It was worth noting: though the Invisible Needle was a powerful surprise attack, the actual force behind it wasn’t particularly overwhelming.

“Impossible!” Simons’ eyes widened in disbelief. What was happening here? Just how fast did one’s reactions have to be to shoot down his Invisible Needle mid-flight? Was the boy toying with He Changlou the whole time, just waiting for this moment?

Now he was truly afraid—truly terrified. Simons, who had assassinated so many prodigies, had never failed, never felt so helpless. Nor had he ever seen such a fearsome prodigy.

This boy was only sixteen—and yet he could hold back against a seasoned Guardian!

This was unnatural, even monstrous! How could anyone possess such strength at this age?

Simons dared not linger another moment. He immediately fled into the distance. To say he was frightened out of his wits would be no exaggeration; the sheer power he had witnessed sent tremors through his heart.

Back on the battlefield, Xia Yan was still entangled by He Changlou, unable to break free for the moment.

“Xia Yan!”

A figure darted onto the field—a young woman wielding a shadowy black sword, energy swirling furiously along its blade. She swung her sword, splitting the battle in two.

Dust and sand sparkled in the air, wild winds surged, and in an instant, He Changlou was forced to retreat step by step!

Without hesitation, Xia Yan fell back as well. In that brief exchange of glances with Lan Xin, they both understood each other’s intentions. Their plan had been made in advance.

Lan Xin’s ability was not suited for pursuit; her job was to keep He Changlou occupied.

Xia Yan, thanks to his high physical strength and stamina, was the best suited for the chase. There was no way the hidden enemy would escape.

He shot forward like a bolt of lightning, chasing after the would-be assassin.

Simons dared not fly and relied solely on his physical strength to escape. It was clear he simply couldn’t match Xia Yan’s speed.

With Xia Yan in pursuit, he closed the gap quickly.

As Lan Xin had predicted, the assassin, fearful of exposing his identity, would only act alone.

Xia Yan chased with clarity of mind—once he identified the attacker, the assassin’s fate was sealed.

He would not let him go. If someone tried to kill him, they’d have to bear the risk of being killed in turn.

He Changlou roared, “Xia Yan, don’t think you can run!”

But Lan Xin’s sword flashed like a crack of thunder, as if tearing the world asunder; even space seemed about to rupture. He Changlou could only retreat.

“Xia Yan!” He Changlou’s eyes were bloodshot, his madness unchecked, still wanting to pursue.

“Your opponent is me. Stay,” Lan Xin said coldly, swinging her sword to pin He Changlou down, making it impossible for him to go after Xia Yan.

The balance of the battle was completely overturned. He Changlou’s identity was exposed, and the Angelic Simons, hidden in the shadows, was being chased by Xia Yan.

What had seemed a certain victory now teetered on the edge of collapse.

Yet, the one in the worst state was not He Changlou nor Simons, but Qingxia.

She was stunned, unable to believe her eyes, nearly driven mad.

Such a dramatic reversal shouldn’t have been possible! How could things turn out this way?

She had felt uneasy when Xia Yan was fighting He Changlou—his strength had grown again. How was he not losing ground against He Changlou?

But she still held onto hope, believing Simons’ arrival would tip the scales.

Instead, Simons’ arrival marked the moment her despair began.

With his left hand, Xia Yan drew his sidearm. In a single shot, he shattered Simons’ sneak attack—forcing Simons to flee in terror.

Even Simons, a powerful Angelic, ran for his life from a sixteen-year-old human, not pausing for even a fraction of a second.

How could she not feel despair?

And in this moment, with reinforcements arriving on Xia Yan’s side, she was utterly undone.

Never in her life had Qingxia felt so hopeless.

Pursuit, especially when strength is so unequal, is always swift. In just over ten seconds, Xia Yan closed to within ten meters of Simons.

Simons’ hair stood on end—he couldn’t comprehend how the boy could be this fast. Wasn’t this too much?

He was only sixteen—a child!

How could he possess such combat experience? Why was his physical strength so high?

“Run! I must run! If he sees my face, I’m finished. Not even the Angelic race can save me.”

Simons gritted his teeth and ran desperately, but he was no match for Xia Yan’s speed. The distance between them shrank relentlessly.

“Stay!” Xia Yan called coldly. With his left hand gripping the Adjudicator, he fired several shots at Simons.

“Damn it!” Simons dodged, twisting his body and halting his escape.

Now, the two finally came face to face.

Simons’ features were exposed—he knew there was no avoiding it now. If he didn’t kill Xia Yan, he would die.

Driven by madness and savagery, Simons could only fight for his life.

With a wave of both hands, countless Invisible Needles appeared and shot toward Xia Yan.

He concentrated fully, guiding the needles’ flight, intent on killing Xia Yan then and there.

But it was not so easy. With a thought, Xia Yan conjured a wall of flame to block the oncoming needles. Both were forms of energy, but the wall of flames completely withstood the onslaught; after all, the Invisible Needle was not an especially destructive ability.

“Damn it—fire elemental power.” Simons retreated, shocked.

He could scarcely believe what he’d seen—this youth had been fighting up until now relying solely on his physical strength, not even using any abilities!

Was he truly human? Could a human really possess such terrifying talent?

Simons tried to retreat, but Xia Yan was already upon him, striking with his blade.

“Mind Bind!” Simons, terrified, unleashed his second ability, causing Xia Yan to pause just enough to barely avoid the blow.

“No—his close combat prowess is too great. If he gets close, I might not escape.” Despite his panic, Simons thought quickly about what to do.

Fight? Could he really win? He was never meant for head-on combat; he was much weaker than someone like He Changlou!

“Forget it—run. I have to save my life first.” Simons’ expression hardened. In a flash, he unleashed his bloodline; a pair of pure white wings burst from his back and he took to the sky.

He had two choices: die here, or escape for now.

He didn’t want either, but he had to choose.

So he fled!

“Escape? You think I’ll let you?” Xia Yan’s eyes were cold. He drew the Adjudicator, firing the rest of the magazine.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A volley of bullets cut off every possible escape route for Simons in the sky.

When is a firearm most dangerous in battle? When the enemy exposes their back!

Simons was terrified—he felt the chill of death.

Dodge—he had to dodge. If he didn’t, he would die.

He twisted desperately, body nearly torn apart in the effort.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bullets pierced his body, torrents of blood flowing from three wounds. Yet Xia Yan saw that he had not landed a fatal shot.

“Run!” Simons fled across the land like a wild bird, mad with hate.

“Damn you, human boy! You’ll pay for this! You’ll die a terrible death!”

But his words were nothing more than the venting of a defeated man.

“He got away,” Xia Yan said with a hint of regret. “This Adjudicator is just too weak. If he’d been hit by a laser round, half his body would be gone.”

But he understood—the laser pistol would overheat; he could only fire one shot at most, and it might not hit.

There are pros and cons to everything.

Though Simons had escaped, Xia Yan had seen his face and knew his race. The assassin could only live a few days at most. With such heavy wounds, he might not even make it back—he could easily bleed out and die on the way.

Xia Yan hurried back to where he’d fought He Changlou. Lan Xin and He Changlou were still battling.

Perhaps Lan Xin was powerful, but one mustn’t forget: He Changlou was no ordinary Guardian, but a veteran. Even with Lan Xin’s second ability and a power boost, she was hard-pressed to win.

“Not good!”

Xia Yan dared not hesitate and jumped back into the fray. He flashed past Lan Xin, their eyes meeting.

Three minutes were almost up.

Maybe not even a few seconds remained.

Would Miss Lan Xin be able to retreat safely?

He swept Lan Xin up in his arms, slashing out with his right hand to force He Changlou back.

Lan Xin was breathless, unable to move in his embrace.

Indeed, three minutes had passed—she could no longer act. The sword of Eternal Night in her hand vanished.

The swamp ability still suffused the area around Xia Yan, slowing his movements considerably.

“Xia Yan—die! Die!” He Changlou raged, slashing at Xia Yan with his emerald blade.

“Xia Yan…” Lan Xin’s face was flushed; she wanted to break free but was too weak. “Let me go. You’re at a disadvantage if you keep holding me while fighting.”

“I can’t.” Xia Yan’s expression was calm. “With the swamp ability here, you’d be killed if I set you down. Please bear with it, Miss Lan Xin. We’ll deal with He Changlou first, then I’ll let you go.”

“You’re insane!” Lan Xin said irritably.

“You told me yourself—if you’re outmatched, you’ll consider retreating. If I hadn’t returned quickly, your life would have been in danger.” Xia Yan looked puzzled. “Are you worried I’d be beset by both of them? In any case, I must put your safety first.”

Lan Xin simply snorted, her face reddening further as she buried herself in his arms.

Still, in a prolonged fight, Xia Yan feared no one.

So, five minutes later, the battle was over. He Changlou was left with his tendons severed, barely alive but still wild-eyed.

Xia Yan paid him no mind. He didn’t kill He Changlou because he wanted the truth. The same reason applied to Qingxia.

Not killing them didn’t mean they would survive.

He set Lan Xin down. She pursed her lips, composure returning, but she seemed slightly indignant. “Xia Yan, I never thought you’d be stronger than me. Half a year ago, when we met, even with your abilities, you couldn’t beat me.”

“People have to improve,” Xia Yan replied with a wry smile, noticing the unwillingness in Lan Xin’s eyes.

“Both of you—” Qingxia wiped sweat from her brow. She knew that survival meant playing her part well.

“That was close just now. That He Changlou—has he gone mad? Why did he attack you, Xia Yan?”

She tried to feign innocence, hoping to deceive them, but Xia Yan would never fall for it.

“Qingxia, we suspect you of colluding with nonhumans. Come with us.” Xia Yan’s tone was icy. “Of course, you can resist, but if you do, I’ll kill you on the spot.”

Qingxia’s face went deathly pale, fear gripping her heart.

He’d really kill her.

He actually dared.

But she was human!

Xia Yan, you lunatic among humans!

“I—I don’t know anything, Xia Yan, you misunderstand, it wasn’t me!” Qingxia feigned innocence, squeezing out tears.

“Qingxia, are you coming or not?” was all Xia Yan said. “If not, I’ll kill you right here.”