Even blind box hunters don't choose their partners? I got Su Daji from my blind box!

five meters.

This is the last absolute view before the forced exposure of the eternal day ends.

It is also the dividing line between life and death.

The golden short sword in Ye Chen's hand emitted a trembling sound like a dragon's roar.

Before the sword even arrived, the chilling sword energy had already pierced the skin on Lin Xiao's neck, raising a string of fine goosebumps.

This sword strike is a killing technique passed down for centuries by the Ye family of Beijing's elite circle.

They disregard martial ethics and only seek to kill.

"die!"

Ye Chen's eyes were blazing with murderous intent.

At the critical moment, a stream of golden data flashed rapidly through the depths of Lin Xiao's pupils.

[High-energy reaction detected...trajectory prediction complete.]

[Suggestion: Turn 15 degrees to the left, lower yourself into a prone position, and charge in aggressively!]

retreat?

This character is not in Lin Xiao's dictionary.

Amidst the astonished gazes of millions of viewers in the live stream, he took a sudden step forward to meet the deadly sword strike!

This step crushed the rotten soil on the ground, and also disrupted Ye Chen's rhythm.

"court death?"

Ye Chen sneered inwardly, flicked his wrist, and prepared to change the direction of the sword and slash horizontally.

However, it was too late.

Under the prediction of the all-knowing eye, Ye Chen's movements were incredibly slow, frame by frame.

Lin Xiao shifted to the side like a ghost, the sharp golden short sword grazing his nose and severing a few strands of hair.

next second.

boom!

A dull thud that made your teeth ache.

Lin Xiao's physical strength, with the power of an armored vehicle, crashed heavily into Ye Chen's arms.

At the same time, his right hand shot out and gripped Ye Chen's wrist holding the sword like an iron clamp.

Click.

The sound of bones rubbing together is crisp and pleasant.

Ye Chen's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

An overwhelming force came from my wrist, not like a human hand, but more like being gripped tightly by industrial hydraulic clamps!

The protective inner energy that he was so proud of shattered the moment it touched Lin Xiao's skin, proving to be incredibly fragile.

In the blink of an eye, the two quickly countered three moves.

Elbow strike, knee strike, grappling.

The movements were so fast that the live stream camera only captured a series of afterimages.

boom!

It was yet another unpretentious physical encounter.

The shockwave rippled outwards, pulverizing the surrounding withered branches and leaves.

Ye Chen felt a numbness in his hand, and half of his body was shaken and lost sensation.

He took three steps back, each step leaving a deep footprint in the ground.

Lin Xiao merely swayed his shoulders, his posture relaxed and carefree.

"Is this the rising star of Beijing's elite circle?"

Lin Xiao glanced at the data above Ye Chen's head in his field of vision.

Ye Chen (Peak First-Tier Ancient Martial Artist)

[Status: Blood surging, minor bone fracture, questioning the meaning of life.]

[Review: Showy but lacking in strength; recommended to be taken to a factory for screw tightening.]

"That's all there is to it."

Lin Xiao sneered inwardly.

If he wanted to, with his physical strength and all-knowing eyes, he could twist Ye Chen's head off and use it as a ball within ten moves.

But at that moment...

The blinding red beam of light overhead began to flash and count down.

[Highlighted countdown: 3...2...]

Lin Xiao glanced at the edge of the map out of the corner of his eye.

There, several lurking presences sensed the stench of blood and were rapidly approaching from all directions.

Killing Ye Chen is easy.

But killing someone while the entire image is highlighted is something only someone with a stroke would do.

If Ye Chen manages to hold them off for more than fifteen seconds, the other four cunning old foxes will swarm in.

In that case, even if he were made of iron, he could be crushed into a nail.

"Use this momentum, let's go!"

Using the recoil from the collision, Lin Xiao's figure traced a strange arc in mid-air.

No hesitation.

No harsh words were used.

In the last second before the countdown reached zero, he moved nimbly and disappeared into the surging endless darkness without looking back.

The beam of light dissipated.

Darkness descends.

Lin Xiao disappeared completely, leaving only a dashing silhouette.

……

Outside, in the live broadcast room.

After a brief silence, the comments section exploded instantly.

The screen was filled with boos.

"They ran away? They just ran away like that?"

"I already took my pants off, and this is what you show me?"

"Weren't you pretty fierce just now? Why did you chicken out as soon as we started fighting?"

"Hilarious! This is what a dark horse is? This is the true value of a contestant in the colorful blind box game? They immediately show their true colors when they encounter a real tough opponent!"

Gu Qinghe sat in the conference room, watching Lin Xiao's disheveled escape on the screen, and finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.

She elegantly picked up her teacup, blew away the foam, and her eyes and brows were full of mockery.

"Minister Qin, is this the saint you spoke of? This is the genius you're so determined to protect?"

"They crumble at the slightest touch, utterly devoid of any martial spirit."

"This kind of person only knows how to scheme against others with their petty cleverness. When it comes to a real fight, they're just a coward."

Qin Weiguo remained silent.

He stared intently at the screen, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

He didn't believe it.

How could that boy who manipulated three grandmasters at the negotiating table be so pathetic?

"wrong!"

Lei Laohu, who had been silent all along, suddenly slammed his hand on the table, causing Gu Qinghe to spill the tea in his hand all over himself.

"Old Lei, what's wrong with you!" Gu Qinghe glared angrily.

Lei Laohu completely ignored her, his tiger eyes flashing with a terrifying light.

"He's in control!"

"What?" Everyone was stunned.

Lei Laohu pointed at the screen replaying the video, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

"Look at the time!"

"From the start of the fight to the retreat, it all took two seconds!"

"If he covets the golden item on Ye Chen and tries to kill him by force, how long would it take? At least five seconds!"

"Plus the loot, another three seconds!"

"Those eight seconds are enough for him, highlighted across the entire map, to become an easy target for the remaining four!"

Lei Laohu took a deep breath, his eyes filled with amazement and admiration.

"He resisted greed in the face of absolute temptation."

"He used Ye Chen as a shield to test his physical strength, and then used the retreat to put the situation back into a state of mystery."

"This isn't running away!"

"This is clearly a textbook example of strategic maneuvering!"

"This kid's temperament... is unbelievable!"

These words shocked everyone present.

Gu Qinghe's smile froze, his expression becoming comical.

……

Deep in the dark forest.

A deathly silence.

Ye Chen remained standing still, sword in hand, without moving.

A night breeze blew by, swirling up a few withered leaves.

To an outsider, he would look like he's terrified.

But only Ye Chen himself knew the turmoil raging within him at that moment.

He slowly lowered his head and looked at his right hand.

His hand was split open, and blood dripped from his fingertips.

His entire right arm was trembling violently and uncontrollably.

"Pure flesh..."

Ye Chen's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was dry.

"Without using a single trace of blood or qi, he relied solely on his physical strength to withstand my family's inherited sword qi."

Recalling that brief exchange.

Lin Xiao's calm, almost indifferent eyes sent a chill down Ye Chen's spine.

"When he grabbed my wrist just now, he clearly had a chance to break my joint."

But he didn't.

He just used the force to push me away.

Why?

Can't do it?

No.

Ye Chen is an arrogant person, but he is not stupid.

That kind of power could crush his wrist bones more easily than crush a cookie.

"He didn't kill me because..."

Ye Chen suddenly looked up in the direction where Lin Xiao had disappeared, his pupils contracting sharply.

"Is it because he felt killing me wasn't worth the effort?"

"Or is he trying to keep me around to keep others in check?"

An unprecedented sense of humiliation welled up inside me.

In Lin Xiao's eyes, did he, a prodigy from Beijing's elite circle, not even qualify as prey?

Just a whetstone used to test strength?

"Lin Xiao..."

Ye Chen took a deep breath and sheathed his sword.

The initial contempt vanished, replaced by a serious expression—the kind one would only show when facing monsters of equal or even greater power.

"You are very strong."

"But I won't lose either."