Chapter 45: Reunion

“Dare to bully Xiao Fengyu, and you can go die.” The masked man spoke coldly, his tone icy beyond compare. Qi Xi frowned at those words—why did this voice sound so familiar? Who was it?

He couldn't recall at that moment; the man was already attacking, moving so swiftly that he seemed to appear beside Qi Xi in an instant.

Qi Xi’s pupils contracted sharply.

Such speed!

This man was truly a master.

He’d underestimated them; never expected such a figure to exist among the Taiping Army.

Bang!

The masked man’s fist came so fast Qi Xi could barely defend, striking his abdomen. Despite Qi Xi being an advanced genetic commander, half a step into the threshold of the Human King, the man sent him flying with a single blow.

His organs churned, and Qi Xi coughed as he crashed into the ruins of a collapsed structure. As he landed, he saw a hand reach out, grabbing him fiercely. This man wasn’t a Human King, yet so easily overpowered him? What a joke!

Qi Xi activated his repulsion ability, flinging the man away—a fleeting opportunity he would not let slip. His palm spun, and a cube of spatial slicing appeared in his hand. This attack seemed almost alien to the world, an overwhelming strike that defied all defense.

In this world, his attack was as if a sheet of paper faced a pen from outside: a casual stroke left a mark, and no matter how the paper’s contents resisted, it was futile—it wasn’t even on the same level.

This was spatial slicing.

The masked man saw the attack, waving to block it, but every defense was cleaved by spatial slicing, unable to stop it at all. As he unleashed this attack, Qi Xi focused on the masked man, employing his sleep manipulation ability. Though he couldn’t make the man fall unconscious, it still had some effect.

Sure enough, as Qi Xi used the skill, the masked man trembled, his speed visibly slowing. Yet, as spatial slicing was about to tear him in two, he suddenly vanished into thin air.

Qi Xi felt his hair stand on end, eyes wide with disbelief as he looked behind him. Somehow, the man had already appeared at his back, his hand raised high, glowing with a unique energy: a binding ability. If struck, Qi Xi would be unable to use his inner energy.

Damn it, was that just a feint attack? Truly cunning—Qi Xi couldn’t tell where he left or started the feint. That must be one of his abilities. As the fight raged, Qi Xi understood: this man too possessed devouring abilities, wielding a variety of powers.

Few in this world possessed devouring abilities, though they existed among some genetic humans and commanders. Devouring powers absorbed too many chaotic energies, making advancement difficult. In truth, Qi Xi and Watermelon were exceptions, a special favor in this ‘rookie dungeon’ world. To suddenly encounter a devouring advanced genetic commander—no, half-step Human King—Qi Xi cursed his luck and wondered: could this be Watermelon?

“Stop! Watermelon!” Qi Xi suddenly shouted, trying to use telepathy to read his thoughts. But at this level, he only received a jumble of noise.

The man heard the shout but didn’t halt his attack, his fist landing on Qi Xi’s skull.

Though the blow didn't splatter Qi Xi’s brains, it sent him tumbling to the ground, his mind buzzing so hard he couldn’t think, his only thought before the strike—so, it wasn’t Watermelon? His vision blurred again; Qi Xi’s head throbbed, nausea rising—a lingering effect of the blow.

The masked man approached step by step, confused by Qi Xi’s words but undeterred in his killing intent. The Thorn Blossom, on the other hand, frowned at Qi Xi’s mention of Watermelon—why did the name sound familiar? Who exactly was Rockefeller? Judging by his attack, possessing myriad abilities, he was likely a devourer like Xi Hongchen. He shouldn’t be Rockefeller, so who was he, and what was his purpose?

“Wait to kill him!” Thorn Blossom was about to say, when Qi Xi struggled to his feet, swinging his fist recklessly.

‘Ridiculous fool—your energy is sealed, you have no advantage at all, and you dare to challenge me? Laughable!’ The masked man—Xi Hongchen—sneered inwardly. He had no memories from before the wasteland era, just as Qi Xi hadn’t before awakening; both their memories and energies were sealed, only their genetic instincts remained. He had met Thorn Blossom by chance, and, with her help, grown to this point.

Xi Hongchen threw his punch, his strength twenty percent greater and speed thirty percent faster than Qi Xi’s. With Qi Xi’s energy sealed, he stood no chance.

The fists collided.

“Boom!”

Even without energy, the shockwave was immense—this was the attack of a half-step Human King!

At that moment, Xi Hongchen felt an overwhelming force on his fist—his arm instantly reduced to mush, bone exposed, a symptom caused only by an utterly overpowering strength. How could it be? How did Qi Xi possess such power? It was beyond belief!

“Ah!” Xi Hongchen screamed instinctively, then felt a greater force—his body was violently thrown, and despite trying to resist, he crashed through a wall, landing in the ruins.

Qi Xi managed to produce this irresistible power because he used the skill... [Thirty Years Focused on Singlehood].

A fifty percent boost in strength—this skill was nearly miraculous. Despite its rather questionable name, it truly was divine; purchasing it had been a superb deal.

“Haha!” Qi Xi sneered, shaking his head, which still buzzed angrily. That damn bastard! Twisting his body, Qi Xi charged, raising his right hand to strike mercilessly.

On top of half-step Human King strength, a fifty percent increase brought him close to the threshold of the Human King.

“Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang!”

In forty seconds, Qi Xi landed over three hundred punches, pounding the masked man into a pulp, seemingly dead beyond return.

Even so, Qi Xi remained vigilant—this enemy was formidable, and his attack might only be the beginning.

There was one benefit: the enemy’s energy seal on him was broken. Qi Xi felt his energy flowing freely again and immediately used it to treat the internal bleeding in his skull—a grave injury. If untreated, he might die, which Qi Xi would not allow.

Soon, Qi Xi healed the internal bleeding and turned his gaze to the battered body, stunned.

He saw Xi Hongchen’s body regenerating endlessly, countless tumors sprouting, bursting into fleshy blossoms that melted into blood, seeping into the pulp, then bubbling and breeding new flesh. The self-recovery was astonishing; had Qi Xi suffered such wounds, he’d be dead, but this man kept reviving.

Qi Xi prepared to deliver a finishing blow, only to notice the not-so-mangled face—it looked oddly familiar!

Wasn’t that Watermelon?!