Crushing Gold

The spring afternoons were warm but not too hot, and occasionally, adventurers could be seen wandering across the grass, stepping into the unknown. Most of them were extraordinary people with mediocre talents—either not recruited by their families or simply freedom-loving by nature.

They risked their lives to explore the dangerous wilderness for many reasons: resources, ideals, or the thrill of the unknown.

Bai Yi walked toward the valley slowly, the ring on his left index finger trembling slightly, a subtle reminder that the danger hadn't passed—only that it had moved a little farther away.

It seemed that the shadow assassin, too, was eager to reach a more isolated area, following Bai Yi, though not too closely.

Bai Yi raised his hand, and his space ring flashed. A motorcycle materialized before him. He got on, started the engine, and pressed the accelerator.

Boom!

A blue flame shot from the exhaust, and the motorcycle surged forward, reaching over 100 km/h and continuing to accelerate toward the undeveloped wilderness.

The trembling of his left index finger intensified as he sped away. The city was now behind him, and the population was thinning. The sense of danger was no longer a vague warning; it was a pressing, immediate threat.

With his heart pounding, Bai Yi pushed the accelerator to the limit. The roar of the engine echoed through the wilderness. As he hit a slope, the motorcycle's velocity launched him into the air.

His mental power carried him into the nearby jungle in an instant. The bike crashed through trees with a deafening noise, but Bai Yi had already disappeared.

Sunlight filtered dimly through the thick canopy, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. The motorcycle, now lying atop several broken dead trees, emitted sparks and a faint smell of smoke.

"Sure enough, you know more than we thought," a voice broke the silence.

The clown's face appeared from thin air in the woods, his shadow power spreading and transforming the forest into his domain. His dark attire made him look like a demon from the depths of hell. Despite his laughing mask, his appearance was chilling.

The clown glared at a large tree a hundred meters away, murderous intent flashing in his eyes. His mission had failed once before—because of this damn alchemist—but due to his potential, he was willing to give Bai Yi another chance.

"I believe you've seen this before," the clown continued, a rose-shaped contract materializing in the air. Unlike the black roses on the previous invitation letter, these were bright red. It looked more advanced.

"This is your chance. Sign it, and you can live."

Bai Yi remained calm as he slipped on his gloves and pulled out the Demon Hunting Revolver. Though once considered inferior, the paralyzing effect of this weapon made it invaluable. However, because of his alchemist's physiology, Bai Yi needed to wear gloves to isolate the power source; otherwise, the paralysis would affect him instead of his enemies.

"Night Rose is a dangerous organization," Bai Yi said, aiming the revolver at the clown, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "But why do you think I'd choose to be your slave instead of becoming the city lord?"

The clown's eyes narrowed beneath his mask, and a dangerous aura surrounded him. "It seems you've made your choice. When I cut off your limbs, I hope you can remain as defiant."

With those words, the clown merged into the earth, his shadow power intensifying. His eyes glowed with murderous intent, now fully revealed.

Bang!

The electric arc shot the bullet toward the clown, and—

Ding!

The bullet hit the clown, but with a sharp metallic sound, it fell to the ground flat, having been deflected by some kind of force.

Mockery flickered in the clown's eyes. "You overestimate yourself. I love the grave you've chosen for yourself. Sign the contract before your time runs out. But believe me, you won't get that chance."

The Night Contract drifted slowly toward the ground, while the clown vanished into the shadows.

Bai Yi reluctantly holstered the Demon Hunting Revolver. It seemed this weapon, which had served him for three years, had finally reached its limit. As a pang of nostalgia hit him, a sharp sense of danger surged.

A prickling sensation crawled up his wrist—the clown was about to fulfill his promise and strike.

Buzz~

Suddenly, a burst of azure energy erupted from Bai Yi's body, his mental power pressing down on the approaching shadow with crushing force.

"Hmph~" he muttered as the clown was repelled. Bai Yi's mid-gold level mental power surged like a tidal wave, not targeting the clown's body but his spirit.

The jungle around him began to wither rapidly, its vitality drained as Bai Yi activated his alchemical poisons, a toxic field of death that none could easily endure.

Click, click, click.

Worker bees appeared, forming a massive Barrett rifle over two meters long. This was a gold-level weapon, modified by Sunu, capable of devastating even gold-level opponents.

With a quick adjustment, Bai Yi aimed and fired.

Boom!

The recoil was massive, but Bai Yi pushed through it, firing the weapon with precision. The bullet tore through the jungle and slammed into the shadows, followed by a deadly explosion.

The force of the blast sent Bai Yi hurtling backward, but the worker bees quickly disassembled the Barrett, hovering around him.

He watched the flames and smoke rise, a pleased smile creeping across his face. As long as his physical limitations remained, getting close to him meant death. But if the enemy underestimated him, they would soon learn why an alchemist could be as deadly as a wizard.

With the explosion, the lower-level gold shadow assassin was likely badly wounded. Bai Yi waited, but the shadow assassin didn't appear. Instead, only the darkened ground remained, still seething with shadow energy.

"Why don't you scream?" Bai Yi's taunt echoed through the silence. The flames around him burned hotter, but the cold chill of the clown's presence lingered.

There was no immediate sign of death, which only confirmed one thing—the clown had survived the attack, but just barely.

Ding, ding, ding.

The sound of glass breaking caught Bai Yi's attention. Several transparent test tubes had fallen nearby, their contents shimmering in the firelight.

"Antidote?" Bai Yi mused aloud. "Did you know you were poisoned by sixty-two kinds of toxins?"

He slowly removed his gloves, savoring the moment. "I'm just a silver-level alchemist, and yet you—a gold-level assassin—barely survived my attack. You're pathetic."

With a dismissive wave, he watched as the Night Contract burned away in blue flames. The scorching heat made the edges curl. Bai Yi wasn't concerned with the clown's next move—he was just waiting for the inevitable.

The clown had no choice but to act. If he didn't, Bai Yi's alchemy would finish the job.

A faint sense of danger flared again as the clown's shadow power surged. This time, there would be no mercy.