Chapter 801: "Referee"

Chapter 801: "The Referee"

Static crackle...

"Number 6, what happened to Participant Lin Yan?"

"...Nothing. The guy was playing dead; luckily, I saw through it."

On the scorching ground, a charred figure slowly put on a fluorescent robe, bent down to pick up the walkie-talkie, and walked step by step into the distance.

His parched lips parted, but the voice of Referee Number 6 came out:

"He tried to ambush me again, so I taught him a lesson... He's gone now."

"This Lin Yan is quite something," the walkie-talkie on the other end snorted.

The figure in the fluorescent robe did not respond. He simply walked on his charred feet, slowly ascending the steps of a clock tower, climbing higher towards the myriad stars.

A faint aurora shimmered deep within his pupils; the entire old district's signal network, like a single rope, began to converge on the walkie-talkie in his hand!

Static crackle...

"This is Number 12. That Young Sect Master Huai Mang is on a rampage in Xingdou Street; send more medical teams over..."

"This is Number 19 from Nanyu Street. Four A-class participants are fighting here. Among them, a participant named Li Yu is very strong, withstanding the siege of three people alone. Pay close attention to him and report this to the high-ranking officials of the Five Great Domains."

"In the east of the city, two people are about to be chased out of the old district. Send someone to intercept them and issue a warning."

"A seven-person melee has broken out in the south of the city, including an S-class participant. I'll specifically report on the situation here..."

"How is this Jian Wubing getting stronger and stronger with each kill? I need to apply for special authorization from the higher-ups; this guy's A-class rating is definitely too low. Immediately raise his rating to S!"

Everything happening in the entire old district, with its nearly two hundred participants, was channeled through the referees' communication network and compiled into a single walkie-talkie.

At this moment, the figure holding the walkie-talkie was slowly ascending to the highest steps of the clock tower.

He exhaled deeply. Under the super self-healing ability provided by the Blood Robe, the surface of his skin was gradually regaining color.

Chen Ling casually pulled a participant list from his robe. He unhurriedly scanned every name on it, every path, every resume, and the ratings assigned to them by the Five Great Domains...

This list, this walkie-talkie, and the fluorescent robe he was wearing allowed Chen Ling to quietly escape the infighting among "participants" and oversee everyone from a nearly omniscient and omnipresent perspective.

He would be the only participant on this battlefield with the identity of a "referee."

A slight smile touched Chen Ling's lips.

A gentle breeze swept across the night sky, causing the list and fluorescent robe to flutter. Chen Ling lightly tore at his chin, and a face peeled silently vanished into thin air.

Audience anticipation +4Current anticipation: 60

Chen Ling, having completely transformed into Referee Number 6, spread his arms like a director in control of the entire scene, and softly whispered to the struggling masses in the dim light:

"The show... begins."

Boom—!!

A steel bar tore through the night sky, instantly piercing through five adjacent buildings. A thunderous roar, accompanied by palpable murderous intent, soared into the clouds!

Sun Bumian, who barely avoided it, stumbled in mid-air and landed on the ground rather clumsily.

"...Seriously? Is this guy really that resentful?"

Sun Bumian wiped sweat from his brow and looked back. He saw a figure, wreathed in a divine ring of murderous aura, holding a blood-red sword, slowly approaching like a demon god.

"Today, you won't escape," Jian Changsheng said in a deep voice. "It's time we settled our score..."

"I already said, it was just a misunderstanding..." Sun Bumian retorted. "Besides, have I ever treated you to candied haws before?"

Sun Bumian extended his five fingers and grabbed at the air. Four brightly colored candied haws appeared as if by magic, and he held them together, offering them to Jian Changsheng:

"Here, have four more as compensation!"

"...Jian Changsheng's eyes widened. "Who wants your candied haws?!"

"Then what do you *really* want?!"

"Fight me. If I lose, I'll admit defeat. If you lose, I'll kill you once, and then we'll be even."

"No way..." Sun Bumian protested. "I spent several meal's worth of money just to get in here! I can't leave until I make my money back." Sun Bumian's heart ached at the thought of the thirty copper coins he had spent.

"Who lives and who dies will be decided by strength!"

Jian Changsheng realized his remaining spiritual energy was low and stopped arguing with Sun Bumian. Instead, he gripped the blood-red sword in his hand tightly, preparing to kill his opponent within the duration of his domain.

Just as he was fully focused and preparing to strike, he suddenly seemed to sense something. The blood-red sword in his hand swiftly twirled into a sword flower, and he struck lightning-fast behind himself!

Clang—!!

A crisp clang resonated in the air.

From nothingness, a nearly invisible shadow, holding a short sword, emerged, its blade mere inches from piercing Jian Changsheng's nape.

"Who?!" Jian Changsheng's furious roar was like thunder. Under the ninefold amplification of the Endless Purgatory, his perception had already reached a terrifying level.

It's worth noting that even the Fifth-Tier Young Sect Master, who was engrossed in eating at the time, couldn't detect the assassin's ambush!

His assassination attempt exposed, a rare look of shock appeared on the assassin's face. The moment he clearly saw Jian Changsheng turn his head, he suddenly froze on the spot...

Jian Changsheng snorted coldly. The blood-red sword in his hand moved so fast it left afterimages, directly deflecting the assassin's short sword. The terrifying force almost sent the blade flying!

A sense of crisis surged in the assassin's heart. He retreated without hesitation. Almost simultaneously, the blood-red sword's edge grazed his nose, slicing off a drop of crimson blood.

He took several steps back before steadying himself. His gaze towards Jian Changsheng was filled with extreme astonishment!

"It's you?!"

"It's you?!"

The two spoke almost simultaneously.

The assassin recognized Jian Changsheng; he was the one who ate king crab with "Jian Wubing" at Comet Restaurant that day. Jian Changsheng also recognized this assassin, having personally witnessed this very neck ambush move before.

"Are you Jian Wubing?" The assassin's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I am."

Chen Ling's face appeared in the assassin's mind, and his expression turned somewhat strange... He had already guessed what was going on.

Jian Changsheng's gaze grew colder. He no longer focused on Sun Bumian. Instead, he raised his sword and walked towards the assassin... Although he wanted to settle scores with Sun Bumian, with this "variable" present, he would absolutely not feel at ease.

Although this assassin was extremely powerful and Fifth-Tier, Jian Changsheng, in his ninefold amplification state, did not fear him.

In fact, he wanted to use the assassin as a whetstone, to test his own limits!

Seeing this, Sun Bumian slightly pulled down his small round sunglasses. He finally sighed in relief, watching the two people at daggers drawn... As he quietly shuffled his body to move away, he secretly fanned the flames in his mind:

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"