Armor: After finding the Demon-Sealing Box, I won't eat beef.

"You're unlucky to have met me today."

Jersey stood on the rooftop, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

He deliberately provoked them, his aim being to provoke Evil Gold.

They've got a good plan.

Once the other party is provoked, Evil Gold will completely lose his composure.

They won't turn and run away as easily as before when they're slightly outmatched.

That damn Jin had no intention of running away today.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have deliberately exposed themselves.

Evil Gold's face was cold and stern: "Hmph, anyone can talk big."

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."

"You always bully the weak with your numbers and act arrogantly because of your superior numbers."

"Why are you the only one who came up today?"

Jersey held his chin up, exuding arrogance.

"I am more than enough to deal with a defeated and fleeing bandit like you."

"Since you're looking for death, then come on." Evil Gold stopped wasting words.

With feet firmly planted on the ground, he instantly assumed a fighting stance.

Jersey is impetuous and extremely concerned with saving face.

Therefore, he summoned the Thunder Cudgel, the exclusive weapon of the Snow Mastiff Armor.

The two short sticks have a peculiar shape; they are short, round, and look exceptionally slender.

This type of short stick is best suited for dealing with opponents who are armed with daggers or engage in hand-to-hand combat.

Using it to block heavy battle axes is extremely disadvantageous.

But Jersey didn't take it to heart.

In conventional wisdom, Evil Gold is a cowardly good-for-nothing who only knows how to run away.

Even without using his full strength, he could easily crush his opponent.

He never imagined that this arrogant decision would soon bring him a terrible price to pay.

The next second, the evil metal suddenly launched an attack.

Its body shot out with explosive speed, leaving a trail of afterimages.

He raised the massive black axe high above his head, gathering the power of shadow from his entire body.

With the force to split mountains and shatter rocks, it slashed fiercely down towards Jersey!

Jersey, still underestimating his opponent, didn't dodge at all.

He instinctively raised both sticks, holding them horizontally above his head, intending to take the blow head-on.

Boom-!

boom!

Two loud explosions followed in quick succession.

The first loud bang was the sound of the giant axe slamming into the Thunder Cudgel.

The powerful force instantly made Jersey's arms go numb and his bones crack.

The second crisp sound came from the Thunder Cudgel being directly shattered by the brute force of the giant axe.

The axe blade cut through the snow mastiff armor with unstoppable force, striking the breastplate of the snow mastiff armor fiercely!

"ah--!"

A sharp pain instantly swept through his body, and Jersey couldn't help but cry out in agony.

The force of the impact sent him staggering backward, and he barely managed to regain his footing after several steps.

A burst of blinding sparks exploded on the chest area of ​​the armor.

It was only at this moment that Jersey finally came to his senses.

I really underestimated my opponent.

Evil Gold's strength far surpasses that of the other three Shadow Guardians.

I thought the Snow Mastiff Armor's physical strength was unmatched among the Five Elements Armors, enough to withstand the opponent's attacks.

Unexpectedly, the power of the evil gold was extremely domineering, completely comparable to that of the snow mastiff.

"Looks like I need to get a little more serious."

Jersey gasped for breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart.

He was too proud to admit that he had been hit, and simply attributed it to a moment of carelessness.

He nimbly twirled his hands, skillfully executing a set of staff techniques, and adjusted himself into a fighting stance.

This time, Jersey took the initiative to launch the first attack.

He feinted an attack, pretending to forcefully break through the opening, but in reality, he struck with both sticks simultaneously.

It slammed straight at the vital spot on the head of the evil metal!

Evil Gold has extremely rich combat experience and can see through moves instantly.

He raised his hand and swung the axe to parry steadily, then suddenly unleashed a powerful horizontal sweep.

The immense force instantly threw Jersey off balance.

Taking advantage of his unsteady footing, the evil golden battle axe lunged forward, precisely cleaving towards Jersey's chest!

boom!

Another dull, metallic clang rang out.

Jersey was hit head-on again.

In a short period of time, they suffered a series of losses and setbacks.

"hateful!"

Jersey finally lost his temper; his arrogance was shattered, and his face was slapped repeatedly.

His mentality completely collapsed, and he no longer dared to be arrogant and hold back his strength.

He quickly put away the disadvantageous Thunder Cudgel and summoned his main weapon, the Thunder Axe.

Only when the cold, giant axe was in his hand did he regain his confidence.

"Again!"

Jersey gritted his teeth and growled, charging forward again with his battle axe in hand.

In the ensuing fierce battle, Evil Gold fought with extreme composure and skill.

His movements were measured and controlled, combining offense and defense, leaving no openings.

If you can dodge, dodge to the fullest extent; if you can block, block with all your might.

After more than a dozen rounds, all of Jersey's fierce attacks were steadily neutralized.

Moreover, Evil Gold always manages to exploit his impatience and launch frequent counterattacks.

Jersey grew increasingly frustrated and angry as the fight progressed.

What made him lose even more face was that his four teammates downstairs were filming the whole thing with their phones.

He originally intended to finish the job quickly and film the video of sealing away the evil gold.

Posting it online would be a huge slap in the face to those netizens who mocked the second team for only being able to act and having zero seals.

But reality was quite the opposite; he not only failed to suppress his opponent, but was also completely overwhelmed.

Impatience and resentment intertwined, completely disrupting the rhythm of his attacks.

As a result, his moves became increasingly chaotic, and his weaknesses became more and more numerous.

Throughout the entire process, they were led by the nose by the steady and methodical evil gold, and immediately fell into a disadvantageous position.

Swish!

A dark shadow flashed by, and the evil golden battle axe swept across, accurately striking Jersey in the back.

Another devastating blow!

Throughout the entire series, Jersey didn't even encounter Evil Gold.

The scene was extremely awkward.

Fang Zhong, who was watching the game downstairs, silently put down his phone.

"I can't stand it anymore, they're dragging their feet when it comes to beating up the evil Jin Protector."

Bei Kai slowly put away his phone and spoke with a solemn expression.

"Damaged metals are indeed difficult to deal with."

"Among the Five Elements, Metal governs killing and warfare; it is the most powerful of the Four Guardians."

"There's definitely a reason why they survived to the end."

Fang Zhong immediately raised his hand to summon the Earth Tiger Summoner, preparing to take over the battle.

"Who cares what its origin is, let's seal it first."

"etc."

Wen Dong, who always wore glasses and tried to appear calm, quickly stopped him.

He slowly put down his phone.

"Don't rush."

As the old saying goes, there are too many monks and not enough porridge.

"If one less person takes credit and tries to grab attention, the rest of the people can have a better harvest."

The "fullness" he talks about is never about material goods, but about online traffic and public adoration.

"We agreed beforehand that the winner would be determined by rock-paper-scissors, and the winner would go up and take credit."

"Jersey has the opportunity, but not the ability to win."

Ultimately, it's because he's just too incompetent.

"The food should just leave the stage, don't you think?"

Wen Dong's few casual words instantly enlightened everyone.

Fang Zhong and Bei Kai were both stunned, and subconsciously looked at the two people fighting on the rooftop.

There was no camaraderie among the five members of the second team.

Only merit, popularity, and fame.

Selfish and utilitarian thoughts led them to make a decision instantly.

The two turned their heads at the same time to look at Dian Nan, who was standing silently to the side.

At this moment, Dian Nan was too lazy to film any videos.

He simply squatted by the roadside, idly picking up small stones and throwing them around.

Noticing the gazes of the crowd, he slowly stood up.

He casually brushed the dust off his hands, his tone indifferent and nonchalant.

"I have no objection."

Those three simple words sealed the fate of the matter.

The four reached a consensus and publicly abandoned Jersey, who was deeply embroiled in a difficult battle.

The battle continues on the rooftop.

After a few more minutes of stalemate, Jersey's physical strength and armor energy were already past half.

Throughout the entire battle, he couldn't even touch the hem of Akujin's clothes.

The difference in their one-on-one fighting abilities is so great that it's despair-inducing.

"Hey! Are you guys just standing there watching the show?!"

Jersey caught a glimpse of several people watching coldly downstairs and couldn't hold back any longer.

In a state of panic and anger, he immediately shouted downstairs for help.

No matter how much he roared, the four people downstairs remained motionless.

They all watched him fight alone with cold expressions.

They had already made up their minds to wait for Jersey to be defeated.

There's only one piece of bad gold; the most important thing is to reduce the number of people vying for it.

Just as Jersey's mentality completely collapsed, Evil Gold suddenly stopped his attack.

It halted all its attacks and coldly looked down at the disheveled Jersey.

"After all this trouble, it seems that's all you're capable of."

As the mocking voice faded, a dark cloud instantly unfurled behind Evil Gold—the Black Domain.

"I won't run."

"If you're really capable, come in with me."

"Let's fight another three hundred rounds in the Dark Realm!"

Done.

The evil metal entered the dark domain directly.

After it entered, the dark domain slowly rose into the air, and stopped moving when it reached a certain height.

Simultaneously.

The entrance to the Black Domain was wide open, inviting people into its trap.

A blatant provocation.

This completely ignited Jersey's pride.

They were already feeling frustrated because of their prolonged losing streak.

If I back down and run away today, I will be ridiculed by the four of them for the rest of my life and I will never be able to face anyone.

Her status within the team, her popularity across the internet...

Regardless, we must win this battle against the scoundrels today and save face.

"You dare look down on me? You just wait!"

Jersey gritted his teeth and roared, immediately summoning the Snow Mastiff.

The silver mecha mount landed with a whoosh, and he mounted it without hesitation.

Riding the snow mastiff, he plunged headlong into the deep, dark black domain.

Inside the dark domain, chaos reigned, with black mist churning and billowing across the sky.

It was pitch black all around, with extremely low visibility; you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

The black mist beneath their feet was not an illusion, but a viscous substance.

It feels soft and fluffy underfoot, like stepping on a soft cushion.

Jersey leaped off the snow mastiff and gripped the Thunder Axe tightly in his hand.

His whole body was tense, on high alert, and he was alert to any movement around him.

He looked around, but the entire dark area was empty; there was no sign of Evil Gold.

"Hehehe—"

A chilling, eerie laugh echoed from the black mist all around.

It is everywhere, and its exact location is impossible to discern.

"You're really stupid and easily fooled."

Immediately following, a soft yet icy female voice quietly rang out.

It wasn't Evil Metal's voice; it was unfamiliar and eerie.

"Let's get started."

"The child is hungry."

As soon as the words were spoken, two figures emerged slowly from the black mist, one after the other.

The person ahead was none other than Liu Ruyan, who had undergone a complete transformation.

She had already transformed into a superhuman, surrounded by an eerie aura.

Standing behind him was none other than the evil Jin Protector who had just provoked and lured him inside.

"There's one more?!"

The moment Jersey saw the two of them clearly, his scalp tingled.

He never knew that Liu Ruyan possessed the ability to transform into a superhuman.

At this moment, they are in the opponent's home turf, facing two powerful enemies.

The anger and resentment that had been building up were instantly extinguished, leaving only regret in his heart.

Even fighting alone, he was no match for the evil gold.

Now, having been tricked into the dark side, they have to face two enemies at the same time.

This is a complete disaster.

Despite being in dire straits, Jersey did not surrender.

Try to resist.

However, the gap in strength cannot be bridged by willpower alone.

A brief, intense struggle ensued, lasting only a few minutes.

Under the combined attack of Evil Gold's domineering axe techniques and Liu Ruyan's bizarre supernatural abilities.

The snow mastiff armor completely exhausted its energy and disintegrated with a crash!

Jersey crashed heavily into the black mist, his body wracked with pain and utterly exhausted.

Liu Ruyan and Ejin exchanged a glance, their understanding perfectly aligned.

The two did not deliver the final blow, but silently turned and disappeared into the depths of the black mist.

Jersey was left lying on the ground, completely bewildered.

He slowly got up, his body aching, filled with doubt.

My mind kept asking myself: What's going on? Why don't they just kill me?

I waited for more than ten minutes.

There was no movement.

Jersey couldn't help but drag his weary body forward, groping his way through the pitch-black darkness.

Wandering aimlessly, I could only rely on my intuition to move around randomly.

As I was walking, I suddenly stepped on something soft and thin.

He instinctively bent down and picked it up.

The moment Jersey saw the whole picture in the dim light, he shuddered.

It was a human skin that had long since dried up and lost all moisture!

"Holy crap—!"

He was so terrified that he flung the human skin away violently.

But when he looked up, the scene in front of him filled him with utter terror.

Scattered across the entire black fog-covered ground were countless dried human skins.

Like deflated inflatable dolls, shriveled and wrinkled, they were incredibly terrifying.

The skins of the elderly, children, men, and women—people of all ages and genders—are readily available.

A sinister and terrifying atmosphere enveloped his entire body.

"Brother~"

Just as Jersey was deeply shaken and fear was spreading.

A soft, innocent, and childlike voice came from the black mist to the side.

Jersey instantly became alert, his whole body tensed, and he stared intently in the direction from which the sound came.

Soon, a small figure slowly crawled out of the black mist.

It was a little girl who looked no more than three or four years old.

She had cute little braids, wore a bright red little bib, and had chubby cheeks.

She crawled toward Jersey on all fours, a sweet smile on her face.

She kept calling out "brother" in a soft, sweet voice, looking innocent and harmless.

"Why is there a little child here?"

Jersey was completely stunned and couldn't react for a moment.

Looking at the human skin scattered all over the ground, he quickly filled in the blanks with his own mind and figured out the truth.

It must be that Evil Jin and Liu Ruyan captured countless ordinary people.

They used these people as food to draw energy and brutally murdered them.

The little girl in front of me must be a victim who was unfortunately captured.

They were lucky enough to survive, having not yet been harmed.

Upon realizing this, most of the fear in Jersey's heart instantly dissipated.

As someone also trapped in a desperate situation, he rarely felt a trace of pity.

Seeing the small, helpless little girl, he lowered his guard.

"Don't be afraid, little one, your brother is here and won't let anything happen to you."

Jersey softened his voice, bent down, and gently took the little girl into his arms.

But just as he hugged the little girl...

The child, who had been so well-behaved and innocent, suddenly changed his tone.

A strange greed lurked in his childish voice.

"Brother...smells so good."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Jersey's heart skipped a beat; doubt had just arisen, and he hadn't even had time to react.

The little girl in his arms suddenly sprang up, her innocent expression vanishing instantly.

Open its little mouth and bite down hard on Jersey's carotid artery!

Instantly, a strange numbness swept over my entire body.

Jersey's body stiffened, and he completely lost all ability to resist.

His legs buckled and he collapsed to the ground.

The little girl clung to him, greedily absorbing his life force and energy with tiny sips: "Brother, it's delicious!!!"

"How could this happen..."

An overwhelming sense of resentment and despair welled up in Jersey's heart.

He struggled desperately, but his body wouldn't obey any commands.

Consciousness rapidly faded, and life force rapidly diminished.

Eventually, he was plunged into complete darkness and lost consciousness completely.

……

Beyond the dark domain, the pitch-black rift in mid-air had long since vanished.

The four people from Diannan remained downstairs, patiently awaiting the outcome.

"Why haven't they come out yet after going in for so long?"

"Could they be completely trapped inside and unable to get out?"

"Very likely."

Dian Nan scoffed, his tone full of sarcasm.

"This guy is really stupid."

"Knowing they couldn't win, they still dared to bite the bullet and charge into the opponent's home turf."

"They're practically courting death; they have no brains at all."

"Alright."

Wen Dong spoke calmly, delivering a definitive conclusion.

"It looks like he's not coming back."

"From now on, there are only four of us left in Team Two."

The four spoke calmly, without any regret.

For them, losing a teammate is simply losing an opponent to share the credit with.

The so-called fighting side by side is worthless in their eyes.

"The cunning and difficult-to-deal-with 'evil gold' incident tells us that we still cannot be careless."

"Next time we reappear, we can't fight alone anymore; the four of us must surround each other."

"Seal it directly, giving it no chance to escape."

Dian Nan spoke in a deep voice, finalizing the subsequent battle plan.

They have already witnessed the cost of going it alone.

"There's nothing to see here, let's go back."

Wen Dong didn't want to linger any longer and turned to leave first.

"Wait a moment."

Bei Kai quickly spoke up and asked the most crucial question.

"How are we going to explain Jersey's disappearance to Director Bing'er when we get back?"

Wen Dong didn't turn his head, his tone indifferent and cold.

"Just report the facts."

"It was his own overconfidence and arrogance that led him to insist on challenging the evil Jin Protector alone."

"Knowing that the Black Domain is the other party's home ground, they still insisted on forcibly breaking in."

"They eventually went missing and had nothing to do with us at all."

"If anyone's to blame, it's himself for being too weak."

"If you're not strong enough, losing and dying is only to be expected."

Fang Zhong echoed, his face full of sarcasm: "That's right, we won't take the blame for this."

After a moment's thought, Bei Kai finally nodded in agreement.

I had already figured out how to report to Director Bing'er when I got back.

But none of the four of them expected this.

The real nightmare only began on the day Jersey disappeared.

Evil Gold had already set its sights on the remaining four members of Armor Team Two.