Chapter 270 - 269: Soul Phantoms

Admiral Yan was an Admiral, after all. He had long since studied the techniques of Ling Yanzhi and the others.

Although he was at a disadvantage, it was a back-and-forth fight.

Gu Qi craned his neck like a giraffe. "He’s so tough. They’re not going to lose, are they? I don’t know how to pilot a Mecha."

Jian Yu pursed her lips.

She didn’t know how to pilot a Mecha either; she’d never learned.

Jian Yu corrected him in a low voice, "It’s not that they can’t win. It’s that Ayan and the others don’t have enough energy."

She sniffed the air, feeling as if she’d smelled something strange.

Looking around, she only glimpsed a few rotten wild fruits.

Gu Qi suddenly ducked his head. "Hiss! Ow, ow, ow, my neck!"

’Holding that neck-stretching pose for so long was bound to cause problems.’

He rubbed his sore, stiff neck. "How do you know if they have enough energy or not?"

Jian Yu was half-squatting, idly fiddling with the small blades of grass on the ground. She glanced up at him. "Can’t you tell?"

They’d been fighting for too long; neither side could finish the other off.

The worry in Jian Yu’s eyes gradually faded into calm. She had changed her viewing posture several times, from standing, to hopping, to her current squat.

"?" Gu Qi was speechless. ’If I could tell, would I even need to ask?’

’He hated 3S Awakeners, especially the ones who loved to show off so casually!’

Jian Yu belatedly realized that Gu Qi’s Level wasn’t high, so he probably really couldn’t tell.

"Yan Tianba came here with full energy. Even after fighting for this long, he still has two-fifths left."

Jian Yu’s voice was soft and gentle. Squatting there, she looked like a small, innocent bundle.

Gu Qi’s ears tingled, and his heart felt a little fluttery.

He felt like she was coaxing him.

’Hm. Maybe not all 3S Awakeners are annoying jerks.’

"Ayan and the others have used their ultimate moves twice, fought several consecutive battles in one day, and now they only have a tenth of their energy left." Jian Yu’s heart ached a little.

She turned her head. "Gu Qi, have you smelled anything strange?"

’Oh~ she actually remembers my name.’

That was Gu Qi’s first thought.

Coming to his senses, he wrinkled his nose. "A smell? You mean the smell of grass, wild fruit, gunpowder from the explosions, or the dusty smell of Soul Power erupting?"

Jian Yu shook her head. "It’s none of those."

Gu Qi said, "Hold on, maybe we’re not smelling the air on the same level."

He squatted down, positioning himself just ten centimeters away from Jian Yu.

He exhaled, then took a deep breath.

Jian Yu: "..."

’Why does he seem a little nuts?’

Gu Qi was a little over 1.7 meters tall, so he was slightly taller than Jian Yu even when squatting.

But strangely, when Jian Yu stood up, she didn’t have to look up at him; a level gaze was enough.

Gu Qi stood up with her. "What is it that you’re smelling?"

The scents in the air were too jumbled for Jian Yu to describe clearly.

Gu Qi raised his finger high. "Hey, hey, hey, Chief Sheng!"

Jian Yu had seen him too, a bit earlier than Gu Qi had.

Sheng Yue dove down, shattering the battle lines between Yan Tianba and the three others.

He grabbed Xi Yu’s shoulder with one hand and Ling Yanzhi with the other. "Go!"

Yin Jiu’s body swelled to several times its size, carrying the three of them away in a swift escape.

Yan Tianba tried to stop them but failed.

He stood his ground, his eyes vicious, a smug smile of assured victory on his face.

Sheng Yue was as cool and aloof as ever, not even offering a single word of explanation.

Ling Yanzhi lay down lazily, pillowing his head on his hands behind his neck.

Yin Jiu’s long, fluffy fur brushed against his face, making him sneeze.

Red Snake coiled itself into a ball to serve as his pillow, propping up his head to avoid Yin Jiu’s snow-white fur, which kept swaying to the side as it ran wildly.

A question had been brewing in Xi Yu’s mind for a while, and his thoughts were becoming so tangled he felt like his brain was tying itself in knots. He wished he could just find a place to squat and sort everything out.

Sitting on Yin Jiu’s back, the cold wind cleared his head. "Ayan, don’t you think the Five-star Admiral’s brainwashing tone sounds a bit like a Soul Ghost Body?"

Ling Yanzhi’s expression changed slightly.

He would rather believe that Admiral Yan was blinded by greed and ambition than accept that he had sided with the Soul Ghost Bodies.

So many citizens held such high hopes for Yan Tianba; their rose-tinted glasses were thicker than anything the Alliance could inspire.

’Is he worthy of the people who believe in him?’

Ling Yanzhi grabbed a handful of Yin Jiu’s fur. "Jiu, steady on."

Yin Jiu braked with its face, its round face skidding along the ground.

Ling Yanzhi leaned forward and flew off, landing steadily on his feet.

Xi Yu was lurched forward by the sudden stop but didn’t fall off.

His eyes went soft. He leaped down and gave Jian Yu a big bear hug. "Babe, I missed you so much."

He nuzzled the corner of Jian Yu’s lips, stealing a couple of small pecks.

Sheng Yue activated his Mecha. "Gu Qi, get in."

Gu Qi, cherishing his life, scrambled and tumbled into Sheng Yue’s Mecha.

His voice was choked with emotion, his "green tea" nature vanishing completely. "Chief Sheng, thank you! You’re the normal one here. I’ll never try to one-up you, steal your jobs, or fight you for girls again."

’Those two lunatics outside, what time do they think it is? Still kissing and hugging and lifting each other up.’

Sheng Yue’s expression was indifferent. "Don’t thank me. This is all my retribution."

Sheng Yue was good friends with Pei Yin, after all, so his sharp-tongued side would pop out from time to time.

It was an eye-opener for Gu Qi. He didn’t dare provoke him again.

’I thought he was an aloof "ice prince" on the outside and a soft, quiet pushover on the inside. I didn’t expect his venom to be so choking.’

Gu Qi behaved himself for a few seconds.

Then he turned his head and saw Xi Yu was still pecking at Jian Yu’s cheek.

Gu Qi couldn’t take it anymore.

He couldn’t help but shout, "Are you guys trying to get us all killed?!"

’If we don’t run now, there won’t be a later!’

’Are you possessed by a pervert demon or something?’

’Do you really have to be kissing right now?’

Jian Yu gently patted Ling Yanzhi on the head, then squeezed Xi Yu’s palm.

She looked at them quietly.

Ling Yanzhi shrugged and was the first to return to the Mecha’s cockpit.

Xi Yu released his embrace.

Jian Yu was satisfied. It felt exceptionally good.

It was... very fulfilling, like she was raising two obedient wolfdogs.

Xi Yu thought Gu Qi had a point.

He picked up Jian Yu and activated his Mecha.

Yin Jiu darted inside and leaped into Jian Yu’s arms.

It bared its white teeth in a wide grin, looking incredibly happy as its tail wagged furiously behind it.

Xi Yu hesitated for a moment but didn’t interfere.

’Father said I have to be generous. No matter what it is, I should let my babe choose for herself.’

’I have to be a proper partner.’

His fingers swiped across the control console.

Xi Yu grew excited. "Babe, I built you an underwater castle. I’ll take you there to live when we get back."

Jian Yu stroked Yin Jiu, feeling a little bad for Xi Yu.

’We agreed they’d take turns, but one after another keeps cutting in line.’

Jian Yu could guess what Xi Yu was thinking, but she wasn’t opposed to it. In fact, she was a little expectant. "Okay."

The Mecha ascended into the air.

The airflow began to shake violently. The ground quaked, the mountains swayed, and the Netherworld Energy surged.

A thick stench spread through the surroundings.

Soul Ghost Bodies.

It looked like there were quite a few of them, and their Levels weren’t just ordinarily high.

Ling Yanzhi sneered. "That lunatic!"

’Making a deal with the devil. He probably won’t even know what hit him when he dies.’

Jian Yu narrowed her eyes. Was there anything she didn’t understand now?

She tapped her bracelet to check their energy levels.

[Today’s scan complete————

Cyan. Remaining Soul Power: 320, soul domain value: 400+40.

Pink. Remaining Soul Power: 280, soul domain value: 295+65

Purple. Remaining Soul Power: 560, soul domain value: 590

Black. Remaining Soul Power: 100, soul domain value: 117.

Red. Remaining Soul Power: 100, soul domain value: 100.]

Jian Yu finally felt a surge of confidence.

"Ayue, open the link channel."

Xi Yu did as she asked.

Jian Yu’s voice transmitted into Sheng Yue’s and Ling Yanzhi’s Mechas. "How much time do you need to retreat?"