Infinite Horror: The Strongest Zhongzhou Team

The transparent, slender dagger seemed to come alive in an instant, splitting into countless illusory, deadly, space-tearing phantoms!

A portion of the phantom image met Zheng Zha's long sword, which had turned blood red, and performed extremely precise thrusts, parries, deflections, and neutralizations.

It can be said that every strike was perfectly timed.

The other part of the phantoms seemed to have eyes in the back of their heads, and they turned back like lightning!
It slashed towards Neos's neck.

Meanwhile, a third direction.

A series of crisp, continuous clanging sounds suddenly rang out not far away!
These rapidly vibrating dagger shadows accurately blocked the ice crystals released by Gungnir from behind.

Each impact released tiny wisps of ice mist, each strike relying on near-perfect perception and skill.

In the face of impossibility, he accurately located the weakest point of the ice crystal and single-handedly blocked countless attacks with unparalleled skill.

This moment.

One right hand is divided into three sides.

This textbook-perfect, meticulous demonstration caused everyone facing Zhao Zhuikong to change their expressions.

His left hand, out of everyone's sight, was somehow gripping another dagger of the same style but slightly shorter.

Without even looking, it was as if he casually tossed it to the empty space to his right!
"Ding--!"

Another exceptionally crisp, loud, and powerful clang of metal striking metal rang out!
The dagger that was thrown did not miss its target.

Instead, Zhao Zhuikong flew into the surface of the Mirror of Eris with extreme precision, as if he had eyes.

Mirror world.

Zhao Yingkong, who was attempting to attack the magic mirror, quickly straightened her body in mid-air.

The Zanpakuto in his hand had just materialized and appeared.

However, just when she thought she had hit the target...

A small dagger, yet possessing immense penetrating power, shot out from the magic mirror without warning.

It cleverly collided with the Zanpakuto in Zhao Yingkong's hand.

The two are instantly separated.

The dagger was once again bounced into the mirror and disappeared by the reaction force.

this moment.

The precision of the impact point and the subtlety of the timing were so great that Zhao Yingkong paused in her tracks!
However, this person reacted quickly.

The moment she was blocked, Zhao Yingkong turned her body while muttering to herself:
"Swastika!"

"Annihilate..."

A series of white lights suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

However, what's strange is that these lights didn't come from Zhao Yingkong's hands.

Instead, another one appeared not far away.

When the white threads, possessing the property of annihilation, become imprisoned.

Zhao Zhuikong had to pause for a moment.

At the same time, there was no gap.

A cloud of blood mist burst from this person's body.

A bloody hole, shaped like a palm and extending from front to back, appeared out of nowhere in the abdomen and chest cavity.

Through this bloody hole, Li Xiao then withdrew his hand.

Outside the mirror.

The shockwave from the clash between the black fist and dagger had not yet dissipated.

The crimson blade light corroded a deep, bone-revealing wound onto Zhao Zhuikong's body.

From his right shoulder down to his waist, Zhao Zhuikong was instantly covered in blood.

This is the most serious injury Zhao Zhuikong has suffered in the battle so far.

After the attack, Zheng Zha's entire figure fell into the air.

With a kick that pierced the air, a dazzling white crescent moon was sent flying.

After blocking Chen Zilong's horizontal slash, Zhao Zhuikong lunged to the side.

The cold current that was spreading rapidly across the stone slab instantly froze, and the crystal-clear ice block transformed into a large hand that quickly grabbed Zhao Zhuikong's calf.

Neos Honda witnessed this scene.

His already tall body suddenly began to boil.

One by one, the black spikes, with their metallic sheen, clashed together.

It could be said that if Neos were to make a solid impact...

Zhao Zhuikong was almost riddled with holes, if not completely destroyed.

After all, this one doesn't have the same defensive capabilities as Neos.

However, all of this is happening now.

All of this happened within a second before the sound and energy shockwave from Neos Honda's earth-shattering punch and the dagger collided and exploded completely dissipated!
The battle between them had lost all its fancy moves.

There are only three elements: speed, strength, and nerve response.

And these three individuals, to some extent, have all reached the pinnacle of their respective fields.

Zhao Zhuikong's nerve reactions were no less than his own speed.

But Zheng Zha's power and vampire characteristics.

Neos Honda's defenses and the versatility of Venom.

Chen Zilong's cunning and his almost instinctive moves.

And Gunnir's ability to be both a support and a controller.

In addition to these, there are also Zhan Lan and Xiao Honglu from the Zhongzhou team.

Kanna Hashimoto of the Japanese team.

Richard from the Nanyanzhou team.

There are four that are watching closely, ready to strike at any moment.

It's unseen; heaven knows what other tricks each team has up their sleeve.
-
The entire underground palace is a small space.

A silent dagger emerged from the mirror.

In the blind spot of most people's sight.

The dagger shot towards Zheng Zha's back and heart in mid-air, as if it were fixed on a target.

Having fought this far, Zhao Zhuikong knew the truth.

In reality, one's only enemy is always just one person.

That's Zheng Zha.

As long as we can solve the problem of the captain of the Zhongzhou team, who is also a fourth-order gene lock.

For him, the remaining people are only a matter of time.

It's like soldiers fighting soldiers, or kings fighting kings.

Only the fourth-order gene lock can solve the problem!
Zheng Zha, who unleashed the Vacuum Slash, immediately withdrew from the Destruction, but still maintained the state of the fourth-tier gene lock.

There are no ordinary people in this underground space.

This is one of the reasons why Zheng Zha was able to start the fourth stage of gene lock without any restraint.

Most importantly, the state of the fourth-order gene lock is extremely special, unlike destruction and explosion which have time limitations.

Especially when facing Zhao Zhuikong, an enemy and a madman, the semi-killing state of the fourth-order gene lock is just the right thing to do.

Zheng Zha, who was in the air, did not feel anything when the dagger appeared.

But the next moment.

When one's life is in danger, instincts awaken instantly.

That is, in that very instant.

Zheng Zha somehow received a piece of information.

"An attack is coming from behind; the target is in danger!"

"There is an ice crystal at the three o'clock position on the right. It's too late to enter destruction or explosion again."

"But sacrifices can be made!"

"Just do it!"

The thought that flashed through my mind happened in an instant.

When you realize that the crisis behind it is unavoidable.

Regardless of whether the thoughts in one's mind are correct or not.

He had already used it subconsciously.

Zheng Zha's ferocious wings closed behind him, while at the same time, the flesh and blood on his right foot exploded open.

Zheng Zha felt as if he were stepping on his own flesh and blood.

The figure leaped upwards.

With his other foot, he stepped directly on an ice crystal that was shooting towards him, thus gaining leverage for the second time.

Only then did he finally turn around.

He swung his blood-red broadsword in a downward slash.

The two are perfectly aligned and on the same track.

clang!
A crisp sound with a sonic boom.

Until this moment,
Zheng Zha then realized what had happened to him.

Into details!

This is a special ability that can only be controlled within the fourth-order gene lock! Zheng Zha was certain of it.

Even if I had known this method before, I definitely wouldn't have been able to do it or wouldn't have had enough time.

Now all of this seems normal, as natural as breathing.

It was only at this moment that Zheng Zha understood why Zhao Yingkong, a fourth-tier cultivator, had looked down on them so much.

They also understood why Zhao Zhuikong had been so fearless from beginning to end.

It can be said that unless there are special props or a plot-driven death, it is impossible to kill the character.

Those above the fourth rank and those below the fourth rank are from completely different worlds.

After the mid-air tremor, Zheng Zha landed and looked up at the person in front of him with a serious expression.

At that moment, his right foot, which was covered in blood and flesh, grew back with bright red flesh and tendons in just a few breaths.

Although it was still bloody, at least it wasn't bones that fell directly to the ground.

Moreover, at this speed, it should be fully recovered in about a minute.

As Zhao Zhuikong faced this sure-fire attack, a hexagonal yellow light screen appeared in front of him.

It took the full force of this unavoidable blow.

this moment.

For once, everyone stopped attacking.

Whether it's Gungnir in the corner or Neos Honda in his combined form.

They all looked solemn.

In contrast, Zhao Zhuikong...

Compared to before, he was naturally in a sorry state.

But here's the thing.

Compared to Zhao Zhuikong, who was seriously injured.

Zheng Zha and the others turned their gaze to the other side of the mirror.

Because there, a Zhao Zhuikong also appeared.

A figure that just stepped out of the mirror.

That's why everyone present tacitly stopped their attack.

Despite this, Zhao Zhuikong's condition is still not good.

Even below his heart, there was a large, bloody hole in his abdomen, about the size of a palm, from which blood was flowing.

The problem is that facing one fourth-order is completely different from facing two.

"This wound... Where are Li Xiao and the others?"

Xiao Honglu, who had been sitting cross-legged on the ground in the corner, suddenly opened his eyes and asked directly.

Upon hearing this, both Zhao Zhuikongs smiled and spoke simultaneously:
"Did you notice? But it's not important!"

“Five minutes. The Mirror of Eris can trap them for at least five minutes.”

"Come on, you can't kill me in these five minutes."

"I will be the one to kill you all!"

"Zheng Zha, are you really ready?"

As he spoke, no one knew what Zhao Zhuikong had done.

Raise your right hand upwards.

A beam of white light suddenly appeared and enveloped the entire underground palace.

The original flame barrier had long since disappeared due to Gunnir's presence, and a layer of cold white ice crystals had climbed onto the ground and the surrounding stone pillars.

But as the light enveloped everything, the entire underground palace fell silent.

At that moment, all the chirping of insects vanished without a trace.

It was as if they had suddenly arrived in another space.

Seeing the stunned enemy, Zhao Zhuikong explained with a smile.

"A small prop!"

"Inside here, you can't get out or get in, and the time limit is five minutes!"

"The most crucial point is that you also cut off all external influences!"

"Zheng Zha, tell me, how did you manage to unlock the fourth-order gene lock?!"

"Hahaha!"

"I knew it all along, I knew it all along!"

"I only realized your weakness, your fatal weakness, the very first time you used 'Subtlety'!"

He watched as the two Zhao Zhuikongs burst into wild laughter.

Apart from the members of the Zhongzhou team, the members of the other three teams, as well as the combined Neos Honda, all looked at Zheng Zha with a sudden change in expression.

Just as Zhao Zhuikong said.

Zheng Zha was enveloped in white light for a fleeting moment in the underground palace.

It directly broke free from the fourth-order gene lock state.

In addition, this person also said that...

They all understood what was going on.

That means the captain of the Zhongzhou team probably hasn't fully and completely entered the fourth tier.

Zhao Zhuikong looked at the people in the other teams whose expressions changed.

"Are you wondering?"

"It seems your deal wasn't completed; at least you still don't know anything about the fourth-order gene lock."

"Since that's the case, then I'll kindly tell you."

"Entering the first stage of the fourth-order gene lock is the inner demon stage."

During this stage, beings lose their reason and awaken a frenzied killing intent.

"Once they reach the fourth tier, they will kill everyone they see and are around them, launching indiscriminate attacks!"

"Only by completely overcoming such inner demons can one reach the middle stage of the fourth level."

"That's exactly who I am!"

“Zheng Zha, you were actually in the first stage before.”

"I don't know what method Chu Xuan used, but it seems that you can no longer enter the fourth-tier gene lock, no, you're afraid to, right?"

"Otherwise, everyone in this palace except me will probably die!"

“Hahaha, this is so funny!”

"If you don't enter the fourth tier, I will kill you all within five minutes. Now you must enter the fourth tier."

"You may live, but they will all be buried with me!"

"And now that they know this, do you think they'll still attack me?"

"After all, at least I can still communicate, but once you reach the fourth tier, you are a complete beast."

Looking at the tangible smiles on the faces of the two Zhao Zhuikongs.

Zheng Zha took a deep breath.

He looked at the Mirror of Eris, which no longer reflected any light.

He spat out a mouthful of blood foam.

They tacitly accepted the fact that Zhao Zhuikong had stated.

That's right. Although Zheng Zha learned how to stop the rampage from Zhao Yingkong, knowing it doesn't mean he can actually do it.

How could Zheng Zha suppress his deep-seated instincts of killing intent in a short period of time?

Fortunately, there was one among them who was exceptionally intelligent.

That's Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan was able to barely reach the fourth tier and maintain his rationality by relying on his own λ-drive ability and the half-baked Zheng Zha.

But the problem now is that Zheng Zha, who took the shortcut, has been discovered.

Discarding the random thoughts in his mind, Zheng Zha said in a deep voice:

"Someone once told me that strength is strength!"

"It can only be strength!"

"It's not about the six attribute points on the main god's list, nor can it be explained by unlocking gene locks a few times or simply enhancing skills."

"True strength is the ability to kill your opponent, regardless of how many genetic locks you've unlocked. No matter how enhanced you are, if I can kill you, that's all!"

"Zhao Zhuikong, if this is all you're capable of, then there's no need for Li Xiao and Zhao Yingkong this time. Be prepared for the possibility of failure!"

"As long as there are enough strong enough people, there's no need to use a fourth-order gene lock to kill you!"

After Zheng Zha finished speaking, he gripped his long sword and stepped forward.

He walked up in front of Chen Zilong.

Then Chen Zilong put one of the earrings in his hand on his ear.

Xiao Honglu, who hadn't made a move yet, also took out a red earring from his pocket, doing the same thing.

The pupils of both Zhao Zhuikongs who witnessed this scene contracted.

He subconsciously looked toward where Neos Honda was.

The two gemstone earrings, one red and one blue, that this person wore had mysteriously disappeared sometime during the chapter. (End of Chapter)