CLANG!!!
Lin Ye's seemingly unstoppable strike was met head-on, parried in an incredibly domineering fashion!
The immense rebound force caused the momentum of Lin Ye's strike to falter for the first time.
Zhou Kai let out a low roar, his eyes shot with blood as he transformed into what looked like a crimson bolt of lightning.
The combat blade in his hand trailed a blinding glint as he brought it down with crushing force!
Too fast!
Lin Ye had no time to dodge.
He could only hastily raise his staff to block.
But the next moment, the blade's glint descended with unparalleled power, and Lin Ye failed to block it.
SCHLICK!
His vision went black, and his consciousness returned to the matchmaking space.
[Battle Over!]
[You have been defeated!]
Lin Ye frowned, staring at the grayed-out results screen.
'The opponent's final burst... it wasn't normal.'
'That wasn't the kind of boost you get from a breakthrough in a Cultivation Technique or martial skill. It was more like... an external force.'
[The despicable adventurer used a wicked potion to temporarily enhance his own power!]
[A true pity that you lost, but such is the fate of a BOSS.]
[Friendly Reminder: Any methods available to the adventurer are also available to you.]
At that moment, the system seemed to mock him as it revealed the truth of the situation.
Lin Ye was taken aback.
Then, realization dawned on him.
'Doping?'
'Humans really are more troublesome than beasts. He could outwit a mutant beast, but he couldn't predict what outrageous things a person would do just to win.'
...
「In the real world.」
Zhou Kai ripped off his CR wristband, gasping for breath. His face was an unnatural shade of flushed red.
He had won.
But his face held no trace of a victor's joy. Instead, there was a hint of lingering fear and vexation.
He looked down at the small porcelain vial beside him.
On the vial, three characters were inscribed in a flamboyant seal script: Blood Burning Elixir.
Just moments ago, he had taken advantage of a brief window of distance from his opponent to exit the virtual state and swallow the elixir in one gulp.
Peak Martial Artist battles were a perfect 1:1 reflection of one's real-world strength, and even though this sudden power-up might later be flagged by the system as cheating, Lone Wolf had wanted to win this match!
The pressure had been immense—so suffocating that he had instinctively pulled out the trump card his father had spent a fortune on to save his life.
For Zhou Kai, and even for the true top students of Dongjiang Experimental Middle School, a Blood Burning Elixir probably didn't even count as a cheat.
Like a Cultivation Technique or a martial skill, it was simply another part of one's combat strength.
It was a legitimate resource for a Martial Artist and a reflection of their foundation and backing.
But to use it in a virtual battle, and against a rookie he'd always looked down on...
Zhou Kai felt like he was losing face.
He had used a Blood Burning Elixir just to win a virtual battle—a match he had considered a total stomp.
The whiskey beside him and the elegant string music playing in the room now felt like the ultimate mockery.
Zhou Kai turned off the music and the ambient lighting, ran a hand through his hair in frustration, and opened his CR wristband interface.
He was going to unfriend him.
He would completely erase this guy named [Goblin Grunt] from his world and pretend today had never happened.
But the next second, Zhou Kai discovered that while he hadn't said a word, the guy called Goblin Grunt had just spammed him with a barrage of messages.
Zhou Kai opened them, bracing himself for a torrent of curses.
However, the content of the messages left him completely stunned.
[Goblin Grunt: I can't believe it!]
[Goblin Grunt: I still couldn't do it!]
[Goblin Grunt: I even used Blood Boiling Powder, and I still couldn't beat you!]
[Goblin Grunt: This is pissing me off!]
'Blood Boiling Powder?'
Zhou Kai's pupils dilated slightly, and his mind went blank with a buzz.
That was a banned substance, even lower-grade than the Blood Burning Elixir, with far more violent side effects. It granted a short burst of power at the cost of exhausting one's martial foundation.
But it was also much cheaper.
'He... used a drug too?'
The thought struck him like a lightning bolt, instantly clearing away all the gloom in his heart.
'So that's how it is!'
'No wonder he improved so much today! He was using such underhanded methods!'
All of Zhou Kai's prior frustration, vexation, and guilt vanished in that instant.
In their place came the relief of sudden understanding, along with an imperceptible trace of pity.
Since his opponent had used a drug as well, his own use of the Blood Burning Elixir wasn't a case of a senior bullying a junior, but a fair and square duel between equals!
And he'd even won!
This proved that even when they were both doped up, his own foundation and strength were still a cut above!
The corner of Zhou Kai's mouth curved up once more.
He picked up his glass and drained the remaining whiskey. The fiery warmth that flowed down his throat left him feeling utterly refreshed.
With the magnanimity of a superior addressing an inferior, he slowly and deliberately typed out a reply.
[Lone Wolf: No wonder. I was wondering why you suddenly got so much stronger.]
[Lone Wolf: You must be from a humble background, right? To have come this far is already quite impressive.]
[Lone Wolf: But let me give you a piece of advice. You should use things like Blood Boiling Powder less in the future. On the path of a Martial Artist, your foundation is the most important thing. It's not worth ruining your future for a momentary victory.]
Reading the "kindly advice" from his opponent, Lin Ye let out a long sigh of relief.
'Thank goodness for the system.'
'If the system hadn't pointed out that his opponent had used a drug after the defeat, he never would have thought of using this method to give the mentally unstable "expert" a perfect way to save face.'
If his opponent had actually deleted him as a friend out of shame and anger, the system's mission might have changed, but the variables would be too great, and the difficulty would likely increase rather than decrease.
Now, this mission target was, for the time being, stabilized.
Lin Ye stood in the Battle Hall, lost in thought.
'To beat him, I'm just one step away.'
'Since you used a drug, don't blame me for using one too.'
'You started it.'
Lin Ye didn't really have any psychological resistance to the idea of using performance enhancers.
As long as it could be converted into tangible combat power, he would welcome it.
Of course, he did have one absolute bottom line.
He would not do anything that damaged his foundation.
He would never make the foolish choice to sever his future prospects for a moment of power.
Lin Ye's mind was already starting to form a plan.
'Tomorrow, I'll have to make a trip to the school's logistics exchange office.'
Coincidentally, he still had 100,000 Federation Coins he hadn't touched, and his father, Lin Tao, had also sent home the first stipend of 50,000 Alliance Coins.
Lin Ye didn't plan on using his father's money, but the 100,000 from the scholarship should be fair game.
Just in time to see about buying some tonics.
Just then, another message from Lone Wolf arrived.
[Lone Wolf: You seem like you have potential, and today's fight was pretty satisfying.]
[Lone Wolf: How about this? I happen to need a sparring partner lately, and your skills are decent.]
[Lone Wolf: Let's say three days from now. You spar with me for two hours in the evening, and I'll pay you at a rate of 5,000 Federation Coins per hour. How about it?]
Lin Ye stared at the message, stunned at first.
Then he smiled in relief.
'I was worried this fish would get away.'
'I didn't expect him to be thinking the same thing.'
'He's even adding more bait to the hook himself.'
'Getting paid, and having the mission target actively cooperate? Where in the world could you find a deal this good?'
Lin Ye replied immediately.
[Goblin Grunt: Yes! Thank you so much, Lang!]
The five words and two exclamation points perfectly painted the picture of a student from a poor, lower-class background. Lone Wolf smiled freely.
His mood improved once again.