Chapter 116: The Ice Wall

Yi Chen smiled slightly; this girl was quite interesting.

It seemed she did not fully adhere to the instructions of the Lurker.

From the Puppeteer and the Hypnotist, Yi Chen had learned of the Lurker’s plan. It forced these infected individuals to do whatever it took, at any cost, to target those around him, aiming to break his spirit and cause him suffering.

However, Xu Man did not do this; she had her own style and approach.

"The space here is too cramped. You wouldn't want to cause a scene and attract the attention of ordinary people, would you? Let's go somewhere where we can stretch our legs. How about by the lake?" Xu Man suggested.

"Please," Yi Chen responded.

The opponent was honorable, and he would be the same. There was no personal grudge between them, only differing stances. Since this battle was inevitable, it would be best to compete fairly and squarely to determine the victor.

"Choosing the lakeside might not be wise... Her ability involves ice and snow; that place puts us at a disadvantage," Ling Lan whispered, cautioning Yi Chen.

"Nothing to worry about. Water molecules are everywhere in the air; even by the lake, it won't make much difference," Yi Chen did not consider it a problem.

The group left the residential area and headed toward the artificial lake.

It was quiet by the lake, with few people around. The area was lush with vegetation and drooping willows; even if a passerby happened to pass through, they would hardly notice the situation here.

"Have you looked at our files? This is Chang Qing, code-named Laser Eye, a lecherous creep. The young ladies had better be careful; he has X-ray vision, so it doesn't matter how many layers of clothing you wear." Xu Man did not forget to introduce the companion who gave her such a headache.

"X-ray vision?!" Everyone looked at each other, instantly feeling uneasy, their skin crawling... Did that mean they had already been seen through by that onion-head?

"That’s right, Chang Qing is yours truly. If you ladies have any concerns regarding your figures, you can discuss them with me privately later," the onion-head chuckled, looking utterly lecherous, not for a moment considering Xu Man’s words a criticism.

Xu Man rolled her eyes at him, chose to ignore him again, and directly invited Yi Chen to battle.

"Aren't you all going to attack together?" Yi Chen asked, surprised. Did they not know what his strength was?

"Who would want to team up with him? It's one-on-one between us," Xu Man said, her face darkening.

Yi Chen found it somewhat amusing; this girl was perhaps a bit too confident in herself. If she lost, wouldn't she be crying?

"Let's get this straight: I have no grievances with you, but we are currently controlled by the monster. If you lose, don't blame us for being ruthless," Xu Man stated firmly.

"And what if you lose?"

"Do whatever you want with me, kill me or carve me up," Xu Man answered proudly.

"The Lurker’s orders to you weren't like this, were they?" Yi Chen couldn't help but ask.

"I resisted that monster before, but I failed. That is why I am following its instructions now. However, it wants me to target those around you and torture your spirit—I won't do such underhanded things."

She actually dared to resist the Lurker?

Yi Chen was quite shocked and began to see Xu Man in a new light.

Setting aside the result, this spirit and courage were commendable!

"Do you know how strong I am?" Yi Chen asked again.

"I've heard, but I have to try it to know just how powerful you really are." Xu Man put on silk gloves and drew an exquisite short rod from her sleeve.

The rod looked somewhat like a magic wand from an online game, but in this world, there was no magic—only science that Yi Chen did not understand.

Seeing that his opponent had taken a stance, Yi Chen didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It seemed this girl would not turn back until she hit a wall.

Bai Ge and the others retreated to the sidelines to watch. Unexpectedly, Chang Qing sidled up to them and said with a grin, "Ladies, let them fight their fight, why don't we find some amusement of our own?"

Bai Ge raised her fist, her face cold, and warned, "I'm warning you, don't come near us!"

Fearing that Bai Ge might stir up trouble, Ling Lan quickly pulled her back and advised, "This person is an infected individual after all. Although we don't know how powerful his ability is, it's best not to provoke him."

"This bespectacled lady is clearly well-read; the way you speak is truly extraordinary!" Chang Qing chuckled and leaned toward Ling Lan, craning his neck.

"Hmm... your figure is the best among them. Even though your clothes are loose, it can't fool my sharp eyes. 36D, right?"

Ling Lan released Bai Ge, calmly took off her glasses, tucked them into her pocket, and rolled up her sleeves.

Bai Ge’s mouth twitched, knowing Chang Qing was about to meet his doom. Ling Lan was their "big sister"; she might seem serious and proper, but when provoked, she was like a different person—utterly violent!

In the next second, Ling Lan charged. She hadn't learned any fancy combat techniques; she simply landed a straightforward flurry of punches and kicks directly onto Chang Qing!

"I won't fight back. If I can fall into your arms, it would be my honor... Ouch, sister, don't hit the face! I need my looks to pick up girls!"

"Damn! How can this guy be so disgusting? If he can rely on his face to pick up girls, wouldn't that make me a legendary heartthrob?" Zhu Youzheng, standing nearby, couldn't listen anymore and shouted in indignation.

Self-awareness is a virtue, a quality Chang Qing completely lacked.

Bai Ge soon joined the fray as well.

Chang Qing had just declared he wouldn't fight back against women. Taking him down quickly would end the battle sooner, save them the trouble, and ease the burden on Yi Chen.

The two women exchanged blows, Chang Qing howling in pain—the scene was quite lively!

Liang Bing sat quietly to the side. The bustle belonged to them; she had nothing.

She felt extremely cold; her blood seemed as if it were about to freeze.

The sights and sounds before her grew ethereal, and her body could hardly hold on any longer.

Just hold on a little longer... she gritted her teeth, thinking, Yi Chen’s side should be wrapping up soon, right?

The wind by the lake grew stronger, whipping Xu Man’s white robe about.

She looked like a character who had stepped out of a fantasy world. As she waved her weapon, ripples suddenly appeared on the once-calm lake.

With a splash, a water column several meters high was drawn toward the shore by some strange force!

Water droplets sprayed, and the temperature plummeted!

Within seconds, Xu Man had created several ice walls between herself and Yi Chen.

These ice walls were about four or five centimeters thick, their surfaces incredibly smooth, reflecting Yi Chen’s figure from every angle.

Just as he was carefully observing the ice walls, he realized with a start that Xu Man had disappeared. Unnoticed, he had been isolated from the others, and he could no longer accurately sense their presence.

An illusion? An interference field?

Yi Chen dared not be careless.

His opponent surely had some formidable skills, or she wouldn't be called the "Ice and Snow Queen."

He wasn't particularly worried about the safety of the others.

Xu Man was not the type to launch sneak attacks on others while in the middle of fighting him; he was certain of that. What he needed to watch out for was what kind of offensive move she would make from within this strange array of ice walls.