Freezing Ray

Perception check!

The trajectory of the incoming projectile was crystal clear.

His pupils contracted, and Bai Xiaodu rolled aside without hesitation.

It wasn't a close shave; he had completely anticipated the attack.

With a deafening boom, the explosion made his ears ring. The already half-ruined building took a severe beating, a massive hole blasted through the wall as it shook precariously.

Bai Xiaodu clutched his head with one hand.

But there was no time to think. Metal wolf claws tore through the dust, whipping up a fierce wind as they lunged straight for his face.

A grating, ear-piercing screech of clashing metal rang out, and the durability of Bai Xiaodu's armor began to plummet.

Taking a deep breath to suppress the discomfort caused by the game code, Bai Xiaodu swung his right arm. His already-revved chainsword hacked toward the mechanical wolf's waist.

Creations of the machine civilization all had built-in chips that functioned like a human brain.

However, these chips weren't usually located in the head, but rather in the waist or abdomen, where it was easier to coordinate the limbs.

If he could destroy the chip, he would immediately paralyze the mechanical wolf.

He forcefully grabbed the claw slashing at him, ignoring the flashing red warning indicating his health was dropping.

The chainsword roared at full throttle, its spinning teeth sending tiny shards of metal flying in all directions.

The cannon on the wolf's back was instantly ruined, making the fight much easier to manage.

The armor quickly split open, and he was about to reach the chip, but the Mechanical Sentry showed absolutely no intention of fleeing.

Its crimson electronic eyes locked onto Bai Xiaodu's head.

Then, it actually shed the armor around its waist and abdomen, ejecting the fragments like shrapnel with a loud bang directly against the chainsword.

The blade was knocked off course. At the same time, a brand-new, pitch-black barrel popped out from the cracked armor!

The gathering energy was terrifying.

This was likely its transcendent skill.

Though he didn't know its exact power, it would easily blast Bai Xiaodu right out of the game in a single hit.

At such close range, with the wolf pinning him down with its claws, no amount of Perception would save him.

Bai Xiaodu's scalp tingled with fear.

The mechanical wolf's electronic eyes glowed a menacing crimson as it charged up the shot.

In the next instant—

...

Neither fire nor screams followed.

For some reason, the cannon failed to fire.

A surprisingly human expression of bewilderment appeared in the electronic eyes of the wolf.

The machine civilization prided itself on rigor and precision; every potential risk and component damage on the battlefield was factored into their designs.

With its main components intact, a misfire was virtually impossible.

Yet, the impossible had just happened.

Bai Xiaodu peeked out, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

Unbeknownst to the wolf, a tactical glove had been pressed against its waist.

The spell runes on the glove were glowing, indicating they were active.

Having just completed the engraving, he indeed couldn't even fire a proper projectile.

But that didn't mean he couldn't use 【Freezing Ray】.

Layers of fine white frost rapidly spread from the mechanical wolf's waist joints.

The frost, which was supposed to shoot out as a beam, was forced to concentrate and clog up in one spot.

【Freeze】 triggered!

Not only did its cannon fail, but even turning around became a luxury.

Kicking off the pinned mechanical wolf, Bai Xiaodu pushed himself up with his chainsword.

He raised his weapon and sliced into its weakest point, exposing the core, and gave it a hard yank.

A sharp tearing sound echoed.

A shiny chip now rested in Bai Xiaodu's hand.

The Galgame Love System proved its worth once again.

He had to admit it was incredibly comprehensive, offering character routes, combat assistance, identification, and even an inventory function.

【Sentry Chip (White)】

【Category: Consumable】

【Description: The brain organ of a Mechanical Sentry. Its structure is complex, but it possesses high reference and replication value. It is a material required for certain transcendent classes to advance and learn skills.】

【Remarks: Praise the Machine Spirit.】

He tried to put it into his inventory, but the game system wouldn't recognize it.

Bai Xiaodu didn't mind. After all, the chip in his hand was just a string of in-game data.

What truly surprised him was the system's description.

Knowledge regarding transcendents and extraordinary creatures cost real money to acquire, and information on rare species was strictly monopolized by powerful factions.

For instance, while Bai Xiaodu knew that some tech companies liked to buy these chips, he had never heard of any specific classes requiring them.

The system's description essentially meant that as long as he collected materials from a creature, he could obtain the paid or tightly guarded knowledge of elite circles for free.

Keeping this in mind, Bai Xiaodu felt an even greater urgency to increase his strength.

Once a martial art or spell reached the 【Proficient】 rank, one could apply to join the local 【Explorers Association】.

Only then would he, living in the city, gain access to relatively safe, real-combat opportunities.

Shaking off these thoughts, Bai Xiaodu put the chip away and prepared to support Lingxin.

Having been hired so often, he understood his clientele perfectly.

Most were wealthy second-generation kids. Some had decent upbringings and actually knew a few transcendent skills, but the realism of Myriad Worlds was simply too intense.

Without playing hundreds of matches, it was extremely difficult to remain calm and make split-second decisions under high pressure.

With her Smiley rank, she probably couldn't even find her skill buttons.

He hoped she had managed to hold out during the two minutes it took him to kill the wolf.

Otherwise, getting a bad review would be a disaster.

Just as he was about to rush over, Bai Xiaodu stopped in his tracks.

It wasn't because his client had died, making his rescue pointless.

Rather, it was because a mechanical head resembling a bear's came rolling over, bumping right into his leg.

?

If the electronic wolf's eyes had shown bewilderment, this bear's eyes held pure, unadulterated terror.

The tear didn't start at the neck, but from the mouth, indicating that its entire upper body had been ripped apart with extreme violence.

Bai Xiaodu looked up.

The perpetrator of this carnage stood tall on the top floor, not having moved a single step.

The elegantly built butcher brushed back her short hair. Her pale face seemed to relish the metallic breeze of war as she began her post-battle routine.

Holding the bear's corpse aloft with one hand, she formed a blade with the fingers of her other hand and sliced through the complex mechanical components and cables like a hot knife through butter, smoothly extracting the chip.

It was a sight to behold.

As if she had done this a thousand times, Lingxin's movements were as natural as breathing.

Noticing Bai Xiaodu's gaze, she looked slightly embarrassed.

A beautiful face naturally wore a beautiful smile.

That is, if Lingxin would first put down the sparking corpse with its skull ripped off.

“I'm sorry, I'm not very good at these virtual games. Xiaobai, could you tell me how to use the spell list?”

Instead of answering her question immediately, Bai Xiaodu asked a question of his own.

“You didn't use the chainsword?”

Lingxin nodded, looking a bit sheepish.

“Please don't tease me. But since you mentioned it, could you also show me how to equip the chainsword?”

Bai Xiaodu took a deep breath.

So.

What you're saying is...

Without using the spell list, without using the chainsword, and with your level suppressed... you tore apart a bear-type Mechanical Sentry—notorious for its high defense and boasting elite-tier health—with your bare hands, completely unscathed?

What terrifying strength.

Just who on earth was this woman?

Bai Xiaodu had absolutely no doubt that she could pick him up and spin him around like a ragdoll.