A ruthless determination flashed in Lin Han's eyes.
The empty card slot was perfect for inserting a skill card.
[Card Name: Shadow Strike]
[Type: Skill · Illusion]
[Rarity: Rare]
[Energy Level: ?????? (Tier 6)]
[Attributes]
[Agility +5]
[Active Skill: Consumes soul power to instantly teleport to the shadow of a designated target and deliver a swift strike, dealing physical damage based on the user's agility stat. Has a chance to inflict the 'Stun' effect.]
[Description: Beware your shadow.]
This card, though not the rarest, excelled in its lightning-fast activation—perfect for ambushes!
Now was the moment!
While Liu Yuan was still distracted, fiddling with her phone!
How dare she ignore me!
How dare she act so smug!
Lin Han's figure blurred abruptly.
"Whoosh!"
A faint sound of displaced air whispered through the arena.
He vanished like a ghost, reappearing behind Liu Yuan in the next instant!
The distance between them closed in a flash.
At the same time, a dagger-shaped equipment card materialized silently in his grip, its sharp edge aimed straight at Liu Yuan's unprotected back.
His movements were a blur of speed, his eyes burning with the desperate hunger for victory.
If this strike landed—if it triggered the 'Stun' effect—he would win.
Liu Yuan seemed utterly unaware of the danger behind her, her fingers still tapping lazily on her screen.
[Iris: Brother, I feel a bit drowsy. Is this a sign of soul power depletion?]
The commentator's voice skyrocketed in disbelief. "Lin Han—he's activated Shadow Strike! His target… is Liu Yuan herself!"
His words were practically prophetic, anticipating Lin Han's move the moment he saw his subtle shift. "Liu Yuan appears completely defenseless! Her 'Black Knight' stands idle at the far end of the arena—too distant, and far too slow to intercept!"
Yet even as he spoke, Lin Han's attack was already in motion. "Lin Han's speed is terrifying! Shadow Strike is renowned for its instant activation, and paired with his agility, this strike is near-instantaneous! The dagger is—it's about to connect!"
In one corner of the spectator stands, Su Qi's brow furrowed sharply, but he remained still, watching silently.
Back on the arena, Lin Han's vision narrowed to Liu Yuan's seemingly vulnerable back.
Closer!
Almost there!
Victory was within reach!
One hit, one stun, and it would all be over.
His family's status, future resources—
His lips twitched, unable to suppress a smirk.
But just as the dagger's edge was about to pierce Liu Yuan—
Everything changed.
Liu Yuan didn't even turn around.
She merely tilted lazily to the left.
Her movement looked slow, almost careless.
Time seemed to freeze.
Lin Han's triumphant grin stiffened.
His pupils contracted violently, as if witnessing the impossible.
His attack had been dodged.
And the dagger that should have grazed past her—was now caught.
Not deflected. Not knocked away.
But seized, the razor-sharp blade pinched firmly between slender, pale fingers.
The contrast between her delicate hand and the cold, unyielding metal was surreal.
Yet this very hand acted like an unbreakable iron clamp, rendering his dagger utterly immobile!
How did she react so quickly?
Wasn’t she just playing on her phone?
And how… how could she directly intercept an attack enhanced by a sixth-tier skill with nothing but her bare hand?!
What kind of monstrous reflexes and strength would that require?!
The clamor from the audience below the arena came to an abrupt halt.
Every pair of eyes widened, every mouth hung open, staring at the unbelievable scene unfolding in the ring.
One moment, they had been on the verge of erupting in fury over Lin Han’s underhanded tactics—the next, they were struck speechless by Liu Yuan’s effortless yet earth-shattering counter.
Even the commentator’s voice caught in his throat. He had just been hyping up Lin Han’s lightning-fast ambush and Liu Yuan’s precarious situation, only for… this to happen?
Finally, Liu Yuan reluctantly lifted her gaze from her phone screen.
Her brows furrowed slightly, a faint trace of irritation flashing across her face at the interruption.
With a twist of her wrist—the same hand gripping the dagger’s blade—she abruptly shifted her stance, as if preparing to flip Lin Han over her shoulder using the weapon as leverage.
Lin Han realized her intent and instinctively tried to yank the dagger free.
But the slender fingers clutching the blade didn’t budge an inch.
He strained with all his might, muscles trembling, yet the dagger might as well have been fused into her grasp.
Lin Han’s face cycled from red to pale, then from pale to ashen.
An overwhelming, brute force surged through the dagger—pure, unstoppable, defying any technique to counter it.
“No—!”
His panicked shout came too late.
The next instant, his body was wrenched off balance, hurled through the air by the terrifying force transmitted through the blade.
“Whoosh—!”
Wind roared in his ears as the scenery blurred past.
He had zero control over his own trajectory.
“Thud!”
A heavy, dull impact.
Lin Han’s back slammed into the arena’s invisible energy barrier at the edge.
The barrier rippled violently, its glow flickering erratically from the collision.
Agony exploded through his body—his organs felt scrambled, his bones on the verge of shattering. He barely held back a mouthful of blood.
The commentator finally found his voice again: “Unbelievable! Contestant Liu Yuan… she—she just single-handedly flung Lin Han, who had launched a high-tier ambush skill, straight across the arena! That strength… those reflexes… absolutely terrifying!”
Meanwhile, Liu Yuan glanced down at her palm.
A faint white mark from the dagger’s edge marred her skin—just a shallow scratch.
Extremely high defense, resistant to blades and weapons… pretty standard for a dragon’s traits, right?
Her gaze shifted to the dagger still clutched in her hand, its blade gleaming coldly under the lights.
Then, she turned her eyes toward Lin Han, who was slumped at the edge of the ring, staring at her in sheer horror.
With a casual flick of her wrist—
“Swish!”
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
