NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 99
Chapter 99: A Test of Strength
Telekinesis, a powerful ability in Chang Yi’s arsenal, could be utilized in countless ways. His earlier attack on Lu Ming had been a focused burst of pure telekinetic force—a devastating blow if it had connected with a less formidable target.
But Lu Ming had remained unscathed, his stoic expression a stark contrast to Chang Yi’s panic.
This Brother Lu is a monster, Chang Yi realized, the chilling truth sinking in.
[Chang Yi: Threat Assessment Update – Lu Ming: Extremely Dangerous]
His confidence crumbled, replaced by a primal instinct for self-preservation. A wise man doesn’t court disaster, and a hero knows when to retreat.
I’ll back down and rethink this, he decided, his mind racing through possible escape routes.
As he bowed deeply to Lu Ming, a gesture of forced submission, he failed to notice the subtle change in the man’s eyes.
Lu Ming’s gaze drifted toward his house, his beloved sanctuary. The shattered window on the second floor, the twisted metal frame, and the gaping hole in the wall filled him with an icy rage.
Chang Yi, still listening in on Lu Ming’s thoughts, suddenly recoiled in horror as a deafening roar echoed through his mind.
My house! My house! How dare you touch my house! How dare you touch my house!
“Wait, Brother Lu, wait!” Chang Yi pleaded, his voice laced with desperation. “The house can be repaired, it really can! I can personally fix it for you, is that acceptable?”
A wave of absurdity washed over Chang Yi as he uttered those words. What’s wrong with this person? he thought incredulously. Is his dilapidated house that important? I hit him in the face! My telekinetic blast hit him in the face!
Lu Ming’s gaze bore down on Chang Yi, his facial muscles contorting, his features hardening into a mask of rage. Yet, his voice remained eerily calm, each word dripping with chilling intent.
“Repair? I’ve spent so much effort on this house. Can the word repair compensate for the mistake you made?”
Chang Yi was speechless.
Lu Ming’s voice dropped even lower, a menacing edge creeping into his tone. “And I heard you just now. You wanted to kill me, didn’t you?”
“You wanted to kill me,” he repeated, each word a hammer blow. “We have no grudges or enmity, so why do you want to kill me?! Why?! Why?!”
Lu Ming’s body trembled with barely suppressed fury, his incomprehension of Chang Yi’s motives fueling his rage.
[Lu Ming: Rage Meter Increasing]
[Chang Yi: Mental State – Terrified]
A chill ran down Chang Yi’s spine. The air crackled with an oppressive energy, a tangible manifestation of Lu Ming’s fury.
“What did I do wrong?” Lu Ming’s voice, though calm, held a chilling undertone. “Why do you want to kill me? Have I offended you in any way? Why?! What right do you have to kill me?!”
His questions hung in the air, unanswered. But Lu Ming wasn’t done.
“You shot me with a cannon! You hit my face! You broke my window! Why... What on earth is going on?!”
Lu Ming’s voice rose, his composure giving way to the simmering rage within him. He had endured much since the beginning of the apocalypse, but this senseless attack on his home and his person was a step too far.
Zombies chasing and biting me... that I understand, he thought. They’re mindless creatures driven by hunger. But you, a living human, attack me for no reason? Destroy my home? I don’t understand.
Chang Yi watched as Lu Ming leaped from the second floor, landing with a solid thud that shook the ground beneath them. His red eyes, burning with rage, were fixed on Chang Yi.
Chang Yi’s heart pounded in his chest. He could feel the immense killing intent emanating from Lu Ming, a palpable wave of pure, unadulterated rage.
Actually, Chang Yi was bewildered too. He hadn’t expected his full-powered attack to have so little effect.
“Yes, I admit I’m a little arrogant,” he confessed, backing away as Lu Ming advanced. “I can be foolish at times, too. But Brother Lu, you should know that I didn’t break through your defenses! No damage means no attack. There was nothing wrong with that!”
He continued to plead his case as he retreated. “Brother Lu, this has blown up out of proportion. I know I was wrong. Please give me a chance. I’ll repair your house, I’ll kneel and apologize, anything!”
And as he spoke the words, he actually knelt, his head bowed in submission.
But the moment his knees touched the ground, the earth beneath Lu Ming warped and twisted. A thick, sharp spike erupted, aimed directly at Lu Ming’s vulnerable lower body.
It was a sneak attack. Chang Yi’s mind-reading ability had revealed Lu Ming’s true intentions: self-preservation above all else. If Chang Yi posed a threat, he would be eliminated.
Lu Ming reacted instantly, deflecting the earth spike with a powerful sweep of his arm. The spike exploded on impact, but Lu Ming didn’t miss a beat. His thigh muscles bulged as he moved with a speed that defied comprehension.
A sonic boom ripped through the air as Lu Ming appeared beside Chang Yi, his expression cold and resolute.
Those who knew Lu Ming understood one thing: he was a man of peace, but his patience had its limits. Chang Yi’s killing intentions had crossed a line, and now, he would face the consequences.
Those who knew Lu Ming well understood that his kindness had a limit. While he was amiable and approachable, there were two things he would never tolerate: those who harbored ill intentions towards him, and those who dared to violate the sanctity of his home.
Chang Yi, unfortunately, had done both.
As Lu Ming materialized beside him, a wave of icy terror washed over Chang Yi. The killing intent radiating from Lu Ming pierced his very soul, sending shivers down his spine.
When Lu Ming raised his fist, Chang Yi felt the abyss opening beneath him. I’m going to die! I’m going to die! he thought in a panic.
But in the face of imminent death, a strange calm settled over Chang Yi’s mind. With a desperate cry, he activated his Dragon Transformation.
[Chang Yi: Superpower Activated – Dragon Transformation]
In an instant, his body was covered in shimmering scales, a powerful tail lashing out, and his hands morphing into razor-sharp claws. His three-dimensional attributes surged, bolstering his strength and resilience as he braced for the devastating blow.
At the same time, a tremendous telekinetic force coalesced before Lu Ming’s fist, forming an invisible barrier.
A sudden silence fell upon the scene as Lu Ming’s fist connected with the telekinetic shield. In the next instant, the air shattered like a thousand mirrors, layers of sound barriers rippling outwards. The force of the impact slowed Lu Ming’s punch, but it still landed heavily on Chang Yi’s chest.
Chang Yi was sent flying like a cannonball, but he quickly recovered, a manic laughter bubbling from his throat. He dusted off the shattered dragon scales on his chest, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
“So that’s it! You, Lu Ming, aren’t much stronger than me!!”
Chang Yi, as a Level 5 Awakened, possessed base attributes of around 160 points. His Dragon Transformation doubled those attributes, bringing them to a formidable 320. Unlike Bai Tianyu’s Blood Boiling, this transformation didn’t carry any negative side effects, instead enhancing his defense, lethality, and overall power.
Coupled with his telekinetic and elemental manipulation abilities, Chang Yi’s claim of invincibility seemed justified.
He analyzed Lu Ming’s attributes, his confidence bolstered by the numbers he saw.
Name: Lu Ming
Level: 1 Mortal Realm
Age: 25
Strength: 606.7
Physique: 618.1
Agility: 638
Lu Ming’s attributes were less than double his own, and his ordinary punch, weakened by Chang Yi’s telekinetic barrier and blocked by his dragon scales, had failed to inflict significant damage.
Chang Yi’s grin widened. It seemed the rumors of Lu Ming’s overwhelming power were exaggerated. The fight was far from over.
End of Chapter 99