novelraw Chapter 36 : Holographic Competition
Chapter 36 : Holographic Competition
The scarecrow extended its hand downward, enveloping the winged person.
The winged person's body sprouted sharp metal spikes, but they couldn't cut through the straw ropes at all, causing it to roar angrily in frustration.
This cry affected its companions, gradually making the energy bodies both inside and outside grow increasingly anxious.
As the winged person screamed, the scarecrow's dried branches penetrated its hard scales.
The scarecrow entangled the winged person's limbs. Energy from the front penetrated its chest, a layer of green light covering its wings.
He Chigui gritted his teeth, green energy from his fingers completely entwining the scarecrow's dried branches. The energy followed the dried branches, extending all the way to the winged person's body.
The winged person's vertical pupils stared fixedly at him, but its body turned involuntarily. Its wings trembled desperately as it opened its mouth to reveal conical teeth, roaring in anger, but to no avail.
The scarecrow's dried branches controlled the winged person, directing it toward another fire-attribute winged person. Then it raised its hand, metal energy gathering from beneath the church floor, condensing into spikes that thrust toward its own kind.
Jing Yao observed from the corner of his eye, quickly disengaging from battle.
Meanwhile, his companion was penetrated from behind by familiar energy. Metal spikes pierced through the membranes of its wings, causing it to howl miserably. It suddenly turned its head and charged toward He Chigui. Its injured wings trembled as it abruptly took to the air. A blaze spread from its body, a curtain of burning fire rain pressing down toward He Chigui and the scarecrow.
Jing Yao and the Blood Drop Tiger rushed past with lightning speed, arriving just in time at He Chigui's side. A wild wind rose inside the church, blowing away the fierce flames.
At this moment, He Chigui seized the opportunity, tightening the energy threads in his hand. The controlled winged person turned and lunged toward the midair flames.
"ROAR------"
The winged person struggled, but compelled by the resolute-eyed analyst, its body moved uncontrollably toward the flames.
Fire wrapped around its body. Seeing its companion being burned, the fire-attribute winged person froze momentarily. Before it could react, it saw its companion raise its hand.
It didn't understand how this could happen, but nearby, He Chigui and the scarecrow exchanged a glance.
The short-haired young man nodded, his innocent face showing a hint of reluctance, his eyes compassionate, yet his actions completely merciless.
His hand gripping the energy threads tightened, all his energy controlling the winged person's movements.
The metal-attribute winged person raised its hand. The fire-attribute winged person confusedly looked at the flames climbing to its companion's waist; half of its body was already gradually melting.
"Roar roar......"
The metal-attribute winged person opened its mouth wide, slime flowing out, its vertical pupils constricting. Unable to control itself, it placed its hand on its companion's shoulder.
Energy gathered, and a golden blade from its palm violently pierced into the winged person's body.
"ROAR!!"
The fire-attribute winged person cried out, flames surging again. Its legs blazed with fire as it kicked the opposing winged person.
The straw branches entangling the winged person slowly curled as they burned in the flames.
The metal-attribute winged person briefly regained control of its body and was about to withdraw the blade. Its head turned toward He Chigui, but behind it, gathered straw branches gradually entwined together. Countless dried branches inserted into its body from behind.
Then they penetrated through, dancing violently in the flames before piercing into the metal-attribute winged person's shell.
Two energy crystals fell, wrapped in straw branches, as the winged bodies slid to the ground.
He Chigui panted heavily where he stood. Jing Yao extended a hand for him to lean on. The analyst hunched over, taking several deep breaths.
Looking up again, he said in a trembling voice: "We need to get the device quickly."
Reminded, Jing Yao hurriedly walked toward the evil god statue.
Just as they were about to approach the statue, a black shadow emerged from the open mouth of the evil god, rushing straight at Jing Yao's face.
The combat unit flashed aside, but the black shadow changed direction in midair, hammering down on his back. Black gas attached to the mecha like invisible hands. The massive mecha, like a toy, was twisted by the great palm and hammered into the ground.
Outside the church, Puluo's cannon fire hammered against the iron gate, leaving layers of smoke marks. Chen Sui, having killed her way through the corpse group, turned to see the door unmoved and wondered:
"What's wrong, can't blast it open?"
Puluo backed up a step, bracing against the cannon's recoil to fire several more shots, his tone resigned: "It's no use. The door has energy protection; cannon firepower is weakened!"
As shells approached the door, a layer of black energy appeared, rippling outward. The cannon immediately dimmed by a third, its power seemingly devoured, ultimately producing only a slightly muffled boom.
Seeing this, Chen Sui swept her long spear, clearing away corpses. Her mecha quickly stepped forward. "Let me try."
Puluo switched positions with her, turning his cannon toward the energy bodies behind.
Before charging his cannon, he glanced back.
Chen Sui held her long spear in one hand, raising her other fist high, swinging it in midair.
"BOOM!!"
The tremendous impact sounded like bells and drums ringing together.
The iron door shook as expected, the ground trembling with it.
Puluo's mouth opened slightly, looking at her in surprise.
I knew you could smash energy shields, but I didn't know you could even smash an SS-level energy field's iron door.
What kind of monstrous strength is this?
"BOOM!"
"CRASH!"
The sound of fist striking metal brought surging earth tremors, drawing the attention of those in battle.
They watched the green mecha hammering its fist against the iron door.
It's hard iron fist struck the center of the door, spider-web cracks spreading across the iron surface.
White light from inside the church shone through.
Chi Buyu, struck directly by Zhou Chen's lightning, had his hair standing on end. A black line seemed to appear faintly between his eyebrows, running down his high nose, across his lip, and winding to his chin. His pupils dilated and contracted, making him look cross-eyed.
Watching Chen Sui's actions, his tone was somewhat shocked: "Your school team's... member is really amazing."
Uncertain of Chen Sui's position, Chi Buyu paused.
As his lips closed, his entire being suddenly became lightning-tempered, his expression stern, lightning flashing around him.
Zhou Chen felt a powerful lightning-attribute energy, the immense pressure making the Black Arrow Eagle's wings flutter uneasily.
In the pitch-black night sky, lightning spread everywhere.
At the bottom of the stairs, the two Commanders engaged in water-attribute combat both looked toward the church.
Seeing this, Song Yuan brushed aside the black hair on her face, tightening her half-finger gloves, her lips pressed firmly together.
"Zhu Jing Fu's new analyst seems to perfectly meet Commander Xie's requirements."
She said softly.
Xie Chunshi's expression remained unchanged as blue water mist built a high wall in midair before him.
The number of corpses continued to increase. Other teams had arrived at the periphery, witnessing the confrontation between two powerful teams at the forefront.
Blocked by layers of battle, no one noticed the church doors ahead.
The green mecha's heavy fist swung down, accompanied by the crisp sound of metal breaking.
She withdrew her fist and stood up.
Puluo noticed Chen Sui's movements from the corner of his eye. Seeing her rise, he quickly shook off the energy bodies in front.
Chen Sui stepped back, raising her foot------
"BAM------"
"CRACK!"
The iron door split open.
"BAM!"
Another kick.
The iron door was pierced by one foot, a large hole blasted in its center, white light instantly shining through.
Through the hole, Chen Sui saw a black shadow rushing toward He Chigui.
Hearing the heavy noise behind him, He Chigui turned in panic. The black shadow passed his side, and another shadow lunged directly at him.
Chen Sui's pupils contracted. She swept her long spear, her mecha rushing through the hole and leaping into the church.
Where the black shadow obscured, corpses emerged from the ground.
Her figure, fast as lightning, rushed from the church door, leaping toward the steps. Her long spear swung heavily downward in front of her, sweeping aside the obstructing corpses.
"Watch out."
Chen Sui warned tersely.
He Chigui only felt an energy high-pressure head-on, and before he could turn, he knew he was about to be heavily hit. Bound firmly in place by dark-attribute energy, he instinctively closed his eyes.
However, a wind carrying lush vitality blew past his side.
The green mecha's palm blocked in front of him. From the giant tree shadow behind, a thick vine extended toward the black shadow.
At its end, a pink flower bud suddenly spread its petals, fully blooming, then snapping shut as it contacted the black shadow.
It devoured the dark-attribute energy completely.
Vines from behind her, passing over the mecha, rushed straight at the evil god statue, violently thrusting into the statue's open mouth, shattering it.
The evil god's lizard head was smashed by the penetrating vines, stone fragments flying everywhere.
Black shadows emerged from the cut, but vines surrounded the statue, wrapping it layer upon layer into a thick tree cocoon.
The black shadow struggled inside the cocoon, striking it to create a protruding arc, then bouncing back. Green energy continuously poured into the cocoon. The dark attribute was invaded by lush green, like daylight piercing the night.
Chen Sui flew forward, her mecha's hands grasping the monitoring device in the evil god statue's hands.
Seeing this, Jing Yao hurriedly urged the Blood Drop Tiger forward.
Though Chen Sui had her back to him, she seemed to have eyes in the back of her head. A vine whipped over, smashing the long bench in front of the Blood Drop Tiger to pieces.
She pulled out the device, her long spear drawing a stream of light in the air, its tip pointing downward, striking the ground forcefully.
Wood-attribute energy waves rippled like disturbed lake water.
They spread outward in circles, unleashing a breathtaking force.
The violent energy spread, repelling all surrounding corpses and black shadows.
Chen Sui cleared a circular space three meters in diameter around her.
She quickly retracted the vines from the evil god statue. Her mecha, carrying the energy monitoring device, moved rapidly toward the entrance.
"Puluo!"
Approaching the entrance, Chen Sui reached out through the door.
The combat unit immediately pulled her through the large hole in the iron door.
"Commander Xie!"
As soon as she exited the church, Chen Sui called out to signal those in the distance.
Seeing the device in her arms, Xie Chunshi solidified his ice wall and pushed it forward.
Water-attribute energy overwhelmed the midair snake-turtle composite Black Tortoise phantom.
Caught off guard, Song Yuan was pushed back by the great force, her feet skidding several meters across the ground. Pain from mental damage transmitted to her brain, causing her to clench her palms, her fingertips turning white.
Xie Chunshi disengaged and moved to rendezvous with Chen Sui.
Gu Qinxue and Zhou Chen also quickly broke away from their opponents.
Zhou Chen, covered in electricity, saw the device in the green mecha's arms and couldn't help but praise: "Well done! You actually got it."
Inside the church, He Chigui and Jing Yao shook off the corpses and black shadows.
Chen Sui sensed energy approaching. Xie Chunshi's gaze met hers. "Take the device and go. The team is gathered. Now that we have the device, we've become a live target."
Chen Sui nodded. As the school team prepared to leave, the Xitisi Team Leader called out to her output.
"Little Lu, intercept."
Lu Hang Jiu, just free from licking flames, had barely steadied himself in midair when he heard the command. Somewhat pretentiously, he placed both hands on his chest, making a strange gesture.
"Light's Creed."
Chen Sui saw an immensely huge black shadow condensing in midair, like an opened curtain covering half the sky.
A flash of surprise passed through her eyes. The school team hadn't gone far when they saw Lu Hang Jiu's mecha, as if teleporting, traversing under the shadow. The black shadow served as his positioning point, his powerful agility attribute quickly closing the distance with Zhu Jing Fu.
About to be caught, Chen Sui's hand holding the long spear moved slightly, pushing the device toward Xie Chunshi.
"Commander, I'll go..."
Xie Chunshi blocked with his arm, turning to look at Zhou Chen, still bearing Chi Buyu's lightning.
"Zhou Chen, hold him off," then he pushed the device back, looking seriously at Chen Sui. "You don't need to confront Xitisi yet. Go to the placement point first."
Chen Sui pressed her lips together, her eyes somewhat disappointed, but she didn't contradict the Commander. She silently marked the placement point on the map.
Zhou Chen separated from the team, the Black Arrow Eagle's cry growing distant.
Surrounded by the school team's triangular formation, Chen Sui couldn't help looking back one last time before leaving the church.
Lightning and cannon fire shot everywhere. Thunder coiled, illuminating the sky, leaving the black shadow nowhere to hide.
Her eyes concealed a suppressed fighting spirit.
Then she turned, unhesitatingly piloting her mecha, breaking through the corpse group under Gu Qinxue's fire path clearance.
Xie Chunshi observed her actions, his dark eyelashes trembling slightly, his lips pressed together without comment.
The team had prioritized going to the church to obtain the energy device, then changed direction to place it at the lowest energy point.
Now most surviving teams had gathered outside the church. Countless corpses pushed like a stampeding crowd, surrounding the church area completely.
Chen Sui's group of four broke free and quickly progressed unhindered. Corpses along the way were swiftly dispatched by the outputs, presenting almost no obstacles.
Upon reaching the lowest energy point, teams were already waiting in ambush. Without even needing Chen Sui to act, Xie Chunshi and Gu Qinxue joined forces. In less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the system announced the elimination.
Chen Sui, supporting Puluo's energy shield, checked energy fluctuations somewhat disinterestedly. After the opponents were eliminated, she carried the monitoring device and, in complete silence, gently placed it in the center of the monitoring tower at the outskirts of the black forest.
The energy monitoring station's lights blazed brightly, dazzling light spreading outward, illuminating the rising protective barrier around the perimeter.
[Placement successful, competition ended]
The system's cold announcement sounded.
Within the City of Deception energy field, the holographic image began to shake.
[Holographic battlefield cleanup in progress......]
[Scoreboard refreshed, viewable]
[The winning team for this match is: zbhsjlsj]
A white light flashed before Chen Sui's eyes. When she opened them, she had already separated from her mecha and was in the virtual battlefield-competition hall.
The system displayed a popup.
[Your competition [Event-Five Person Team] has ended]
[Congratulations, you have successfully lit the SS-level totem [City of Deception]]
[Congratulations, you have successfully obtained the [City of Deception] competition reward]
As Chen Sui accepted the popups from the holographic system, she received a message from Xie Chunshi in the channel.
Feeling exhausted, she exited the virtual battlefield.
After regaining consciousness, Chen Sui climbed out of the holographic pod and headed to the school team building.
The sun shone brightly overhead.
At the top of the ancient building in the center of Zhu Jing Fu, strange totems were carved, emitting rings of light halos in the sunlight.
When Chen Sui pushed open the school team conference room door, the other four were already seated around the circular metal conference table.
Gu Qinxue sat with her back straight, her hand holding a nutrient solution trembling slightly.
Zhou Chen showed no posture at all, sprawling directly on the table, displaying complete exhaustion. He weakly tore at the nutrient solution's seal, and finally unable to open it, passed it to the person beside him.
Puluo shook his head and sighed helplessly, accepting it, opening it with a pop, and returning it to him.
Hearing the door open, all four looked toward the entrance.
Gu Qinxue pulled out the chair beside her. Xie Chunshi nodded in acknowledgment: "Please sit."
The wolf tail behind him was somewhat curled. A pair of silver-rimmed transparent glasses sat on his handsome, straight nose, with some blue characters on the lenses, likely a special data analysis device.
In his hand was Chen Sui's information report, printed from the academic affairs office.
"First, congratulations on passing the trial training."
Xie Chunshi looked up, his nod revealing a smooth jawline. His slender neck was wrapped in a high-collar shirt, looking extremely serious. Chen Sui instinctively sat up straight.
"Next, you can submit your school team application to the academic affairs office, then receive the training plan."
Chen Sui nodded and quickly completed a series of procedures under his guidance. Just before the final submission, her fingers paused, then she set it down.
Xie Chunshi looked over somewhat puzzled: "What's wrong? Do you have any questions?"
The other three rolled their eyes, looking over with curiosity.
Chen Sui recalled the final scene in the energy field and felt it necessary to clarify with the school team.
"Commander Xie, I know what an analyst in the team should do, but I also hope the school team trusts me. Many times when I choose to take the initiative, it's not recklessness but confidence. I won't let myself be eliminated and drag down the team. I also hope the team can give me the opportunity to contribute enough output."
Chen Sui sincerely made her request.
She knew what it meant for an analyst to ask for enough output.
The Star Alliance wasn't without aggressive-flow analysts.
However, one had left the Border Army years ago, deeply immersed in various energy fields, not participating in any analyst affairs, always regretful over the deaths of teammates.
Another, due to a decision error, perished in an energy field, causing the entire team to be annihilated.
With such precedents, Chen Sui's request would normally face opposition from the school team.
Chen Sui herself was even prepared to challenge each output one by one to prove she had the qualifications to share output tasks.
However, Xie Chunshi merely glanced at her, observing her somewhat thin face and the surging fighting spirit in her turquoise eyes, then slowly nodded.
"I understand."
He explained: "In [City of Deception], I stopped you because you couldn't show this side in front of other teams yet."
"I believe in aggressive-flow analysts, and I believe you will be the biggest surprise for the school team entering the Star League Competition. So I hope to keep this surprise for the Star League Competition battlefield."
He spoke softly, without any intention of stopping Chen Sui or persuading her otherwise.
Showing that aggressive-flow was as common and unproblematic as mainstream.
Seeing his decisive response, Chen Sui was somewhat confused and opened her mouth: "Huh?"
Is it that simple?
Zhou Chen, seeing the surprise on her face, snorted from the other side.
"What are you surprised about? You're just an aggressive-flow analyst. Everyone here has a rebellious streak. Yours is just more pronounced. Rest assured, we'd love to have someone share output tasks. An analyst who can fight? That makes me extremely happy."
Zhou Chen gulped down nutrient solution. Chen Sui noticed he had to switch hands every few sips, pressing the other hand on the table. It seemed the lingering effects of the virtual battlefield's electric current still made him twitch.
Seeing the school team's good acceptance, Chen Sui decisively pressed the agree button.
From this moment, she officially became a member of the school team, honored as the school team analyst.
Immediately afterward, Xie Chunshi brought up an interface and pushed it in front of the team members.
"These are the rewards from ranking first in [City of Deception]. According to the scoring system, the highest scorer chooses first."
On the light screen, on one side was a silver-white treasure chest about to open, and on the other side was a team ranking list.
Chen Sui saw her virtual battlefield nickname in first place.
A huge [grassgrassgrass], with a suffix score of 92.
"Who is grassgrassgrass?"
Zhou Chen looked around at the others.
Gu Qinxue remained motionless, Puluo looked confused.
Only Chen Sui, her toes gripping the floor for a second, grew colder in expression the more embarrassed she felt.
She raised her right hand: "It's me."
Zhou Chen let out a "ha," seemingly complimentary but more like sarcasm, "You really know how to name yourself, so imposing."
"Better than [Sunshine Rainbow Little Black Bird], right?"
Gu Qinxue said coldly from the side.
Chen Sui scanned downward, discovering the others' nicknames:
[Sunshine Rainbow Little Black Bird]
[BurnYourAshes]
[.]
[AAA Nutrient Solution Wholesale]
Her eyes widened.
Without a doubt, [.] should be Xie Chunshi.
The other two were also easy to match, but there was one question:
"Why... are you called AAA Nutrient Solution Wholesale?"
Puluo scratched his hair embarrassedly, his face immediately turning red.
Zhou Chen laughingly hooked his arm around Puluo's neck.
"Ah, because our Puluo is a young master. The largest nutrient solution manufacturing group on Yuguang Star, [Red Apricot], is one of his family properties."
Chen Sui's eyes immediately dimmed as she thought about the group's enormous daily cash flow, and realized the "one of" in Zhou Chen's words. Her resentment of the wealthy reached its peak.
"You're really rich."
Chen Sui sincerely exclaimed.
She clicked open the silver-white treasure chest, and a mix of gold and silver light flashed.
"What did you get?"
Zhou Chen and Puluo both leaned forward.
Seeing the items on the screen, they immediately exclaimed in admiration.
"Wow!"
"Whoa!"
Their reactions even made Gu Qinxue look over.
After just one glance, the tail of her eyebrow raised.
"Sui Han Bone 50g, [Mechanical Tower] energy field information, one SS energy crystal, Honorary Member of the Repair Technician Association Lan Ruoci's weapon design diagram, one unidentified crystal."
Chen Sui read out the rewards. When Sui Han Bone appeared, her hand started shaking.
From happiness.
Xie Chunshi perked up his ears to listen, only raising his dark eyelashes with interest when he heard the final "unidentified crystal."