“What exactly is this thing?”
Lin Yuan stared at the crystal, muttering to himself, but the crystal gave no response.
He didn't bother to spare the Imperial Prince another glance. A loser with no combat experience who had been utterly crushed wasn't worth his attention.
For the Shadow Abyss Wolf King to send his own child on a suicidal mission into Hangzhou, accompanied by three Royal Shadow Abyss Wolves, just to reach the Hexagon Building—this crystal had to be a peerless treasure!
Just as Lin Yuan flipped the crystal over to examine it more closely!
A massive pillar of dark purple light suddenly descended from above the Hexagon Building.
It wasn't a beam of energy.
It was a giant Shadow Abyss Wolf!
Its size far exceeded the three Royal wolves combined. Golden patterns densely covered its dark silver fur.
The terrifying pressure of a Tier 5 Peak monster slammed down.
The already precarious Hexagon Building shook violently. Shattered glass rained down, clattering across the floor.
A cold roar echoed through the night sky of Hangzhou:
“Human! Hand over the Imperial Prince, and I shall spare your life!”
Lin Yuan stood by the edge of the pit, fiddling with the dark red crystal he had just snatched from the Prince. It was about the size of a fist and irregularly shaped.
He could clearly feel that this crystal was anything but simple.
“Interesting.”
Lin Yuan examined it for a moment before slowly looking up.
Most of the building's roof had already been torn away. The Tier 5 Peak giant wolf hovered over the ruins, shadow energy condensing to its limit on its claws as it swung them toward Lin Yuan with great force.
Lin Yuan gave it a flat look and immediately did two things.
First, he stowed the crystal away, tucking it into the same pocket over his chest.
Second, he reached down and grabbed the dying Imperial Prince by the back of the neck with one hand, hoisting him up like a human shield.
The Prince was severely wounded. His limbs hung limp, blood seeped from the corners of his mouth, and the golden patterns on his body were dim and lusterless. He didn't even have the strength to struggle.
Lin Yuan held the Prince up, staring directly at the giant wolf in the sky.
“Wait.”
He raised his free hand and casually dug his pinky into his ear, speaking nonchalantly, “What did you just say? My ears were a bit stuffed just now. Mind saying that again?”
Seeing this, the Tier 5 Shadow Abyss Wolf’s pupils shrank!
The shadow attack it had been preparing to unleash was forced to swerve mid-air!
The energy grazed Lin Yuan’s side and slammed into the ruins behind him with an earth-shattering boom!
Instantly, the ground shook violently. The remaining half of the building's wall collapsed, sending clouds of dust swirling upward and obscuring most of the moonlight.
And this was the result of the wolf deliberately holding back its power.
As rubble and dust rained down, Lin Yuan remained standing in place, still holding the Prince with one hand.
Fist-sized stones bounced off his body. His Ten Rounds of Bone Tempering physique was completely unfazed by the impact.
“I thought so,” Lin Yuan said.
He lowered his hand and grinned at the giant wolf. “You talk a big game, but you're quite sensible when it comes down to it.”
The Tier 5 wolf trembled with rage, the shadow energy around it churning wildly.
But it didn't dare to strike again.
The Imperial Prince possessed the pure bloodline of the Imperial Clan and was the King’s own kin. It wouldn't dare risk accidentally harming him; it couldn't bear the consequences.
The dust slowly settled.
In the streets surrounding the Hexagon Building, pairs of eerie green wolf eyes lit up one after another.
At least twenty Shadow Abyss Wolves appeared, every single one of them at Tier 3 or higher!
Wolf silhouettes were everywhere—on rooftops, street corners, ruins, and in underground passages.
Every gaze was locked onto Lin Yuan, staring intently at the Prince in his hand.
Yet not a single one dared to step forward. They were all wary of their leader's hesitation and dared not act.
Lin Yuan scanned the surroundings and marveled casually:
“Man, quite the reception. All this for one pathetic Imperial Prince? Your wolf tribe really puts on a show, huh?”
“How dare you!”
“Don't shout.” Lin Yuan raised the Prince slightly higher, using him as a shield.
“Let's talk this through properly. I'm not an unreasonable person.”
The Tier 5 Shadow Abyss Wolf clenched its claws so hard its knuckles cracked. It was fuming at Lin Yuan.
It truly couldn't understand.
How could a Tier 2 human crush the Imperial Prince and kill three Royal wolves?
And now, while holding the Prince hostage in a standoff, he still had the audacity to act so nonchalant and relaxed.
Just as the two sides were at a deadlock and Lin Yuan was about to speak again!
A steady, powerful voice with immense penetration echoed from the hall entrance, drowning out all other sounds!
“Who gave you permission to touch my Hangzhou examinee on my Hangzhou turf?!”
Everyone turned to look!
Meng Hao stood atop the ruins at the entrance, holding a heavy sword. His uniform was covered in dust and blood, but his posture was upright and his aura was awe-inspiring!
A Tier 5 human powerhouse—the Chief Instructor of the Hangzhou testing grounds!
Behind him followed dozens of City Defense Army elites, all Tier 3 or higher. Fully armed, they instantly formed a battle array and aimed their weapons at the Shadow Abyss Wolf pack!
“Lin Yuan, can you still hold on?”
Meng Hao’s gaze was fixed on the Tier 5 Shadow Abyss Wolf. He didn't look back as he asked in a deep voice.
Lin Yuan, dangling the Prince in his hand, grinned and replied in a relaxed tone:
“I can hold on. I'm just a bit hungry. Chief Instructor Meng, is dinner on you after the fight?”
The corners of Meng Hao’s mouth curled slightly as he said solemnly:
“Once we're done, you can eat your fill!”
In the next second, every Shadow Abyss Wolf in the square stood up, their shadow energy surging!
The City Defense Army unsheathed their blades, their auras skyrocketing!
The standoff was at its breaking point; a massive battle was about to erupt!
Lin Yuan stood firmly atop the ruins, his left hand gripping the Prince tightly.
This once-haughty member of the Shadow Abyss Imperial Clan was now breathing his last. His body was limp, his strength entirely spent, with only a final thread of life remaining.
Lin Yuan looked up, scanning the entire street block outside the Hexagon Building.
Under the full moon, dozens of cold, green wolf eyes were locked onto him.
Tier 3 and Tier 4 Shadow Abyss Wolves were everywhere—on the streets, rooftops, and ruins. Their collective aura was overwhelming.
And then there was the Tier 5 Peak Shadow Abyss Wolf hovering in the air.
It was trembling with fury, its immense pressure washing over the entire area.
Nearby, Meng Hao and his twenty-odd City Defense Army elites held a tight battle formation, their expressions grim.
Though they stood tall and no one retreated, everyone knew the truth.
If a fight to the death truly broke out, their small numbers wouldn't stand a chance against this pack of ferocious Shadow Abyss Wolves. They would likely be torn to shreds in a matter of moments!
Lin Yuan’s brow furrowed slightly as he tightened his grip on the Purple Lightning spear.
He wasn't afraid of the fight, nor was he unable to defeat these wolves.
However, from the moment he was ambushed at the hotel, he had been fighting non-stop. He had slain Royal wolves, broken clones, and toyed with an Imperial Prince without a single moment of rest.
The string he had kept taut this whole time hadn't dared to slacken. He was exhausted to the core, his body radiating a fatigue he could no longer hide. All he wanted was to take a breath.
Standing right beside Lin Yuan, Meng Hao saw through his exhaustion at a glance.
The gray-haired, blood-stained Chief Instructor of Hangzhou didn't offer any cheesy words of encouragement.
He simply stepped to the side, shielding Lin Yuan with his body, and spoke in a steady, powerful voice:
“Don't worry. As long as I'm here and the Hangzhou guards are still standing, you will never have to fight alone.”
Rate on N.U.
