With a roar, flames ascended. Thick smoke obscured the sun. Only dancing crimson light illuminated every astonished face inside the car windows.

Immediately after, the whinny of a White Horse came from a distant place.

At the end of the highway, everyone saw it: a white figure as agile as a dragon galloped forth, crossing the broken bridge. Its iron hooves trampled down, instantly crushing the shattered car windows and rolling over that grinning face.

Plasma sprayed out.

Upon the White Horse, Huai Shi raised her arm. The immense force of the galloping horse converged on her wrist. The Spear of Compassion thrust forward, tearing through the Armored Vehicle's outer barriers as if cutting paper. It penetrated deeply, leaving behind the seed of an iris flower before dissipating into the air.

Right there on the highway, the Armored Vehicle—now rampaging wildly—suddenly turned to give chase again. But it quickly began to falter at high speed, tiring out like a Giant Beast being bled. Finally, it stopped by the roadside. The Armored Vehicle then suddenly shook violently, succumbing to a sudden burst of flames. Ignited by the gushing fire, it cut off the pursuing vehicles behind it.

Countless sharp honks whizzed past.

On the highway filled with howling sounds, Huai Shi pulled on the reins, and amidst the horse's whinnies, she began a gutsy counter-flow.

Iron hooves trampled down, shattering the asphalt beneath.

The White Horse galloped like the wind.

Its long mane fluttered in the wind, proudly as a flag.

"Be careful up ahead," Ai Qing whispered from behind, followed by the massive sound of a huge truck drifting and sweeping across.

Right in front, a heavy giant truck abruptly shed its outer camouflage shell, revealing a body inside painted with graffiti in various shades of crimson.

With rap music blaring, the driver in the cab wildly turned the steering wheel. He stomped on the brakes, swinging the massive rear end like a weapon.

It was like a crude arm sweeping across a playset.

After flipping over several cars that couldn't escape in time, the sideways vehicle blocked the White Horse's path. It then slowly opened up, revealing heavy machine guns welded inside the cargo hold.

"Hey, BRO, taste this!"

The dark-skinned gunner spat out the gum residue from his mouth, smiling sinisterly as he pulled the trigger. With the belt of bullets rolling, a thunderous roar burst forth from his hands.

The red-hot metal screamed out, tearing through the air like an inexhaustible Whip of Thunderfire. It swept instantly towards Huai Shi.

Immediately after, he saw... the White Horse leaping into the air.

As if truly soaring on the wind.

It made an unreasonable leap of several meters, deftly jumping up and down amid the intersecting web of gunfire. It was so fast that even the machine gun's swiveling couldn't keep up.

In just a few seconds, they covered the distance of more than a hundred meters in one leap.

Iron hooves landed inside the vehicle.

Facing that dumbfounded face, the White Horse snorted disdainfully, almost human-like, and spat.

Following that, the Axe Blade swept from atop the horse, cleaving off an entire cranial cap. In one fluid motion, it chopped the still-firing machine gun in two.

Amidst the flying shrapnel, the White Horse spun on the spot. The Spear of Compassion swept through, effortlessly slicing the vehicle's shell and sending two dumbstruck Border War Dogs to Huangquan.

The roar of a Source Substance explosion flashed by.

Ai Qing lowered her hand. Through the thick Armor, a figure that lunged at her was sent flying backward, brains and entrails smearing the ground.

"They're all small fry; don't get entangled with them," she said. "The Eye of Nightmare must have mobilized by now. Those guys love to exhaust their prey's strength with cannon fodder before easily capturing them..."

As she spoke, the White Horse once again leaped from the torn vehicle shell. It landed on the ground, agilely hopping from one car roof to another, and then sprang up, landing on the overpass.

Looking back, the highway behind them was a scene of devastation.

As the fire spread and thick smoke billowed, the scattered bodies of the War Dogs were enough to distress even the most stoic pacifist.

Thankfully, due to the rapid response and traffic control of the Social Security Bureau, this area had already been blocked off. None of those who broke in were innocent.

Suddenly, a roaring sound descended from the sky.

Before that, amid the persistent clouds in the Sky Dome, a crimson blaze was the first to light up, sketching out the curve of a bloody eye symbol.

Then, a massive Steel Ship broke through the clouds.

That was a distant Phantom.

A reconnaissance vessel, equipped with the latest Depth Diving engines, barged into the Current Circumstances from the nearest Border transit station. It maintained a safe distance from Dongxia Genealogy's external defenses, opening only a sliver of the gateway to the Current Circumstances.

After that, from the slowly opening stern, the light of an ejector flashed and disappeared.

Thus, from within the distant Phantom, real steel fell from the sky, rubbing against the air and igniting scorching flames.

Meteors plummeted.

Raucous roars spread in all directions.

Suddenly, the falling iron chunk sprayed out brake flames, much like a rocket landing. Metal plates were flung from its body, falling into the wind and burning into crimson liquid iron that splashed all around.

Until at last, the heavy iron shell finally fell from the sky, disintegrating amidst the roar.

The overpass vibrated violently.

The sharp sound of steel rubbing echoed. The towering figure in the middle slowly lifted his head. His face, covered by a fearsome Mask Armor, revealed only a pair of gray eyes.

The arrival was clad head-to-toe in thoroughly tempered full-coverage Armor, wielding a Flame-shaped sword and Duel Great Shield that would be excessively heavy for an average person. He took a step forward with ease.

Towards Huai Shi, he revealed the eye-shaped insignia on his Shield.

It signified the arrival of the Eye of Nightmare, one of the most famous mercenary groups from the Border and Hell.

"Though it seems unsporting to challenge an opponent who has been through such strife, I hope you understand," the Steel Knight said in a muffled voice, "this is war."

Huai Shi dismounted, glanced around, and finally looked up at the ephemeral shadow in the sky, full of doubt. "If it's just you, can that be called a war?"

"It was I who requested this," the one shrouded in steel said. "If I can handle this bounty alone, then the Legion Leader will personally mark the pupil of the Eye of Nightmare on my Shield."

By his side, the Duel Great Shield was large enough to cover his entire being. It bore the emblem of the Eye of Nightmare, hollow and empty, signaling his 'immature' status.

Only by being personally granted the insignia of the Eye of Nightmare by the Legion Leader could one become an official member of this Hell Legion.

Until then, no matter how long one served, what wars they fought, or how many enemies they reaped, if their abilities went unproven and unrecognized, they would forever be unable to shed that mark of naiveté and weakness.

"If you're still insistent on not backing down, then bring it on, young man!"

The Sublimator from the Abyss took up his Flame-shaped sword and decreed sternly, "Beneath the witness of this single eye, we shall duel. There will be no interference from others, and no other outcome, as we shall fight to the death."

"If you defeat me, it means my trial has failed, and the Eye of Nightmare will no longer meddle in this affair."

"I'll come over, but unfortunately, the horse is ridden by someone else, so it's not too convenient to use…" Huai Shi shrugged nonchalantly, stepping forward and called out, "What should I call you? I mean, at the very least, I should be able to give you a tombstone afterward."

"Richard," he said, "—Exiled Richard."

The Third Stage Sublimator revealed his name, displaying the breath constrained within his shell, as the phantom of a Griffin rose up behind him.

In that moment, his iron boots crushed the concrete beneath.

The Duel Great Shield shuddered and surged forward.

It was as if a chariot was advancing. When the non-human form beneath the Armor exerted force, brutal Power burst forth, propelling the super-heavy Armor. It thundered ahead, creating a roaring gust of wind.

Huai Shi retreated step by step, pushed by the wild force of the great shield. She plowed two furrows through the broken concrete beneath her, feeling the Terrible Power contained within the brief collision.

The shock made her palms tingle.

Against such an enemy, I should skirmish and deplete him using my own specialty. Richard could never catch up with my speed. But now I cannot flee. If I keep backing off, Richard, probably losing patience, might go straight for Ai Qing. I can't retreat. So then… I'll use the method of not retreating.

She inhaled deeply, her face turning red, then immediately pale with a hint of cyanosis.

Scorching sweat evaporated into a mist, rising from her bared hands and visage, as her muscles visibly and fiercely pulsed.

As if they had been scorched red hot.

Huai Shi heaved a long sigh, exhaling the burning breath from the depths of her chest. The Mountain Ghost's flames rose from the split in her chest, shrouding her form once again.

The advance of the Duel Great Shield came to an abrupt halt just before Huai Shi's raised and outstretched fingers.

Behind the Armor, Richard lifted his eyes in surprise, and then understanding flashed. "Is this the move you showed in the rookie competition? What a formidable technique…"

The Flame-shaped sword whooshed down, carving a deep fissure in the ground as Huai Shi evaded.

Following that, Richard swung, and the weighty Longsword struck against the Duel Great Shield.

Sparks flew.

Like the drumbeat of an advancing army.

"You truly are a worthy adversary to fight against." Richard looked at Huai Shi with eager anticipation. "Come then, Lord Prince!"

"—Win, or die!"

Amidst the Griffin's screech, its wings unfurled. A dazzling radiance enveloped Richard's Armor as the enemy advanced step by step toward the burning Mountain Ghost, launching an assault.

Huai Shi responded with the Axe Blade unfolded in her hand, friction causing hot sparks to fly.

Wielded against the descending Flame-shaped sword.

The sharp sound of steel collision burst forth again.

Huai Shi stepped back once more, but this time, she wasn't overwhelmed by that terrifying force.

With the Mountain Ghost Stigma, which allowed for the continuous repair of her physique, and the Overload State, which temporarily sacrificed her constitution to boost her strength, Huai Shi's own muscle Power had finally crossed into the realm of Third Stage·Ether.

She felt volcanic power coursing through her pulses like molten lava.

The Mountain Ghost smirked. The Axe Blade in her hand shifted, and with a reverse grip, she drew the Sword of Virtue, charging forward.

"—Come at me again!"

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