Chapter 159: 158、Puppeteer (Added for Penguin Golden League)
The next moment, just as Cao Wei had instinctively thought the youth would continue to dodge the trajectory of his dagger and counterattack with his own blade,
he saw his opponent advance instead of retreating.
In the forbidden land of the night, only a very sparse moonlight cast down.
Cao Wei watched as the youth's cold gaze got closer and closer; his right hand already moving towards the lower left, subconsciously wanting to reverse the dagger to slash through Qing Chen's throat.
But Qing Chen suddenly accelerated and approached, switching the dagger to his left hand while using his right hand to hold down Cao Wei's wrist and the dagger, which was intended to slash the throat.
At the same time, the dagger in the youth's left hand plunged into the enemy's spleen.
Cao Wei froze, knowing where the dagger in his chest and abdomen had struck and that his death was certain, but he was unwilling to die alone.
Suddenly, Cao Wei used the last of his strength to try to free his restrained right hand.
But before his arm could break free, the youth ferociously bit down on his wrist, again clamping it down.
Qing Chen charged forward with all his might, his expression ferocious as he bit the wrist.
With a thunderous crash, Cao Wei's whole body slammed against the tree behind him.
This Federation soldier weakly looked at the eyes close at hand, those fierce, beast-like eyes staring intently at him, very close.
Then those eyes gradually calmed.
Cao Wei's arm wound bled, staining the youth's face with blood.
A dozen seconds later, Qing Chen slowly relaxed his grip, allowing Cao Wei to slump to the ground.
Cao Wei struggled to look up at him, then towards the depths of the Taboo Land.
Qing Chen then explained, "I came to kill you first because I feared you might escape. Before I have the ability to help my teacher, I cannot let my Knight identity be publicly known."
Cao Wei nodded with difficulty, signaling that he understood, and after a long silence, he mustered his final strength to ask, "Is the scenery atop Qing Shan cliffs beautiful?"
Qing Chen thought for a moment and replied, "It is beautiful."
"Thank you," Cao Wei closed his eyes.
It was not until this moment that Qing Chen finally let out the breath he had been holding for many hours.
This time, killing a C-Class had been exceedingly difficult.
First, he made the opponent withstand an anti-infantry landmine blast, then the opponent lost the will to fight due to witnessing the Knight's challenge, and ultimately, Qing Chen had to spend more than ten hours exhausting the opponent completely.
The most crucial element was still that anti-infantry landmine; without it causing severe injuries to Cao Wei, Qing Chen could not have outlasted him.
Yet Qing Chen was puzzled, why had Cao Wei chosen to withstand that landmine?
Originally, he had only planned to make the opponent call for backup to delay their pursuit rhythm.
At this moment, although Qing Chen had killed a man, he had not triggered the rules of the Taboo Land.
In fact, the moment he had climbed the cliff, he had realized that this place was a stronghold for Knights; naturally, a Knight could do whatever he desired here.
Therefore, his teacher could introduce the rules without restraint also because of his Knight status.
Uncle Li Dong had said that all Taboo Lands also have a second set of passage rules.
At that time, he did not mention what those rules were.
But now, Qing Chen had guessed it: it was that if you meet certain conditions of a Taboo Land, that Taboo Land will become your stronghold.
Even if you are merely a newcomer.
Find more to read on empire
It's just that this was so difficult to achieve that no one had ever tried to "contain" a Taboo Land.
Qing Chen slowly sat down next to Cao Wei, this pursuit that lasted over ten hours was not easy for him either.
...
Countdown 24:00:00.
"Teacher, you must be nearby?" Qing Chen asked tiredly to his surroundings, "I have some questions."
"Cough cough, I am here," Uncle Li Dong emerged from the western woods below the cliff, still with some embarrassment.
Despite saying he would accompany Qing Chen only a part of the way, he ended up sneaking into the nearby woods and secretly watched his own disciple.
He clearly wasn't as composed as he seemed!
If Qing Shan Falcon knew about this, he would definitely despise him in his heart.
Uncle Li Dong looked at Qing Chen, "What do you want to ask?"
"I want to ask, after unlocking the Genetic lock, is my DNA still the same as before?" Qing Chen asked curiously.
"Of course not," Uncle Li Dong shook his head, "Every Knight, when unlocking each layer of the Genetic lock, undergoes significant changes in their DNA."
"Does it still fall within the category of humans?" Qing Chen pondered.
"Of course, you are simply evolving towards more perfect genes, still human," Uncle Li Dong explained, "After unlocking the first Genetic lock, the hidden benefits are a longer lifespan and the genetic repair of familial hereditary diseases. For instance, if a male elder in your family had bald genes, that wouldn't happen to you anymore. There are actually many genes like that."
"That sounds pretty down-to-earth and practical," Qing Chen remarked, at least he wouldn't have to worry about balding anymore.
Uncle Li Dong continued, "Right now, you've just unlocked the first Genetic lock, so only your muscles have been enhanced. Later, as you unlock more, it will sequentially be the bones, skin, organs, until the fifth unlocking of the Genetic lock, then there will be 'qi'..."
At this moment, the teacher realized something was amiss, because Qing Chen had 'qi' even before unlocking the Genetic lock, so could they still judge his unlocking sequence by the usual logic?
Qing Chen looked at his teacher and said, "Teacher, I can clearly feel that my bones, skin, organs have already changed from before, and my 'qi' has also grown much stronger... You've seen that I can now pluck leaves and whisk flowers, though I can only do it a few times and the force isn't as fierce."
Uncle Li Dong seriously examined Qing Chen, then reached out to grasp the young man's wrist, feeling his bones, "How strange, why are you so different!"
In the teacher's tone, there was some astonishment and even some resentment...
Honestly, Uncle Li Dong was already considered extremely talented within the Knight Organization, as every Knight who unlocked the Genetic lock would vary in strength, and he had always been among the strongest.
But now, the potential shown by Qing Chen was much greater than his.
Prior to this, he had never heard of any senior who could use the Autumn Leaf Knife at the first Genetic lock!
Since Qin Sheng invented the Breathing Technique, there hadn't been such a special case!
As Uncle Li Dong was pondering, he suddenly heard heavy and rapid footfalls coming from deep within the Taboo Land.
The sound was loud like drumming, getting closer and closer.
Qing Chen looked at Uncle Li Dong, only to see a hint of surprise on the latter's face, but no hostility.
The sound was coming from the heart of Taboo Land. Could it be some giant beast had broken through?
The next moment, a muscular man over four meters tall parted the canopy and came before them, his hair disheveled, with an unusually naive face.
However, Qing Chen noticed that this naive giant had two pupils in each eye socket.
Double pupils!
Uncle Li Dong curiously asked the giant, "Ding Dong? How did you come here?"
Qing Chen was surprised; such a tall and strong giant had such a delicate and playful name!
The naive Ding Dong didn't speak; he slowly squatted down in front of Qing Chen, opening his giant hand, as big as a chair, and extending it towards the young man.
There was nothing in his palm.
Qing Chen asked in confusion, "Teacher, what does this mean?"
But Uncle Li Dong did not answer him. Instead, his expression changed as he questioned into the darkness of the deep Taboo Land, "What do you mean by this? I haven't given him the Taboo because it's not time yet. Why are you so eager to give it, showing off? A bit of Taboo and you think you're incredible, huh? I have them too!
I've said it, skipping generations tends to spoil children, don't you understand?"
Qing Chen's eyes widened as he looked at his usually gentle and friendly teacher, unaware why he suddenly lost his temper.
Moreover, there was nothing in the giant's palm!
But Ding Dong smiled at Qing Chen, gesturing for him also to open his hand.
Then, the giant carefully poured a bundle of transparent threads from his palm into Qing Chen's hand.
"Teacher, what is this?" Qing Chen asked.
Uncle Li Dong, clearly annoyed, said, "Taboo ACE-019, 'Puppeteer'!"
...
Chapter Eleven, always feels like it's cut off at the wrong place!
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