Am I really hallucinating?

Chapter 707 Thunderous Applause
Bai Shi transformed into a bolt of lightning, tearing through the intense water curtain and rapidly piercing through the whirlpool. In the blink of an eye, he had rushed from one end of the whirlpool to the other, repeating this several times. The entire whirlpool was filled with the electric current released by Bai Shi.

For a moment, the turbulent currents of the whirlpool completely failed to hold onto Shiraishi.

"Flow" sensed its existence being compressed. This method was quite bizarre; it didn't directly harm it, but rather halted or even reversed its outward expansion after becoming the master of the world.

The nascent collective symbolized that it had no time to grow properly before being suppressed by this eerie blackness, and it looked like it was malnourished.

It was precisely because of this critical moment that the sudden collision launched by the white stone caught it off guard, and the timing for its burst of power was too perfect.

It felt that its "shape," which it hadn't even had time to expand, was already like a water balloon with a hole punched in it, and it began to shrink rapidly.

The idea of ​​becoming the world's ruler amidst the global upheaval and further invading the train below was already extremely difficult. Suddenly, this interruption, and even encountering the enemy it hated so much, filled "Liu's" mind with violent emotions.

It shifted its attention, and the water flowed towards the white stone, crashing into it and abruptly stopping the lightning.

Gollum-

Numerous bubbles rose from the water, seemingly fragile yet enveloping the white stone and preventing it from being struck head-on by the rapids. It was support from the man in the rain!

Although the logic was invalidated, the power of the factors within him had not diminished excessively due to the loss of the symbol. He had merely degenerated from a representative to a quasi-representative; his pure stats were still sufficient for combat, but he was struggling against the torrents.

The bubble burst under the rush of water and continued to press against the white stone, but the white stone seized this brief gap, and thunder roared underwater as it escaped the encirclement.

The vortex quickly turned its attention to itself, and at that very moment, a beam of white light suddenly tore through one corner of the vortex.

Stab it!

It was just water, yet it made a sound like wood breaking when it was struck.

The vortex trembled again.

"Lin Yilin" seized the opportunity, spread her hands and hooked her fingers, and several black talismans flew out from her clothes and plunged into the surrounding water, further expanding the darkness in the water.

“Your shapeless body is useless now. Water is volatile, but it also easily dissolves other things. Hurry up and get a new one,” “Lin Yilin” laughed.

"Ugh!" A roar came from the center of the vortex.

Lin Yilin's eyes flashed, and she immediately realized that the Great Vortex had been forced to make a choice.

Before that, it quickly mobilized its massive vortex to crush everything in its path, trying to interfere as much as possible with what Lin Yilin and the others were doing.

This caused the vortex to weaken in the central part after its final outward expansion, resulting in a large, relatively safe vacuum area.

Whoa!

The lightning tore through the water curtain, and Shiroshi plunged directly into this vacuum zone. The water on his body was evaporated by the electric current as soon as he emerged from the water, and then he fell from a height, his feet landing on the water's surface.

In this vacuum zone, the water and sky blend into one, with a vast expanse of azure above. Water droplets fall continuously, as if a light rain is falling. All around are rapidly flowing eddies, while the ground beneath one's feet is a level surface with only slight ripples. Apart from feeling unsteady underfoot, it actually provides direct support for a person, just like the ground.

Before the white stone, a figure took shape amidst a mass of foam.

Niu Qianliu appeared.

He was still dressed in his usual unconventional, sewn-up attire, his Taoist robe soaked through and hanging limply on his body. His appearance was largely unchanged, except that his originally dark brown eyes had turned a deep blue, and blue patterns of water droplets and whirlpools clung to his body.

"So that's how it is. This guy was the one who got in my way thirty years ago. How ironic that he ended up being my emergency body now." Niu Qianliu raised an eyebrow and said in a displeased and somewhat suppressed tone.

He spread his arms, and the water beneath his feet immediately began to stir.

"Perfect! Then I'll use this body to send you all down to your deaths, to vent my hatred!"

Bai Shi thrust his white ruler through the air, unleashing a roaring electric dragon; Niu Qianliu flicked his finger, sending a water dragon sweeping across the land.

As the two dragons intertwined and tore at each other, Bai Shi and Niu Qianliu simultaneously leaned forward and charged, approaching each other under the cover of their respective dragons, finally colliding and fighting like two dragons.

……

[Leyang and I finished the factor array formula together, take a look. We anticipate that when implemented on a human, it will produce a conceptual acceleration effect, and the next step after that acceleration is integration… My prediction of the upper limit of this result is approximately that it will allow a person to temporarily integrate the power of several points in their past and future into their current reality, resulting in a surge in power! Baishi, we can begin the experiment!]

In an instant, the white ruler unleashed hundreds and thousands of electric sword energies, severing all the fine water columns manipulated by "Niu Qianliu." Finally, it moved forward a little further, and with a crackling sound, several electric balls condensed at the end of the white ruler, swirling around and continuously smashing towards "Niu Qianliu."

Niu Qianliu kicked out continuously, each kick creating splashes of water and forming water rings. With agile movements, he shattered all the electric balls, preventing them from getting close.

……

[Another failure. What factors are best suited for accelerating integration...? Leyang, Baishi, do you have any ideas?]

[How's the electricity? It gives the impression of being very fast.]

[We've already tried the "light" factor, isn't that faster? ...Holy crap! It actually works? Shiraishi, what's wrong with your brain?]

It's just a proposal, don't touch my head.

Niu Qianliu shook his hands, and a vortex formed between them. He then threw a punch forward, causing the torrent to roar. Bai Shi raised his ruler to block, but his body was forced backward uncontrollably. His legs created waves on the water's surface before the torrent was dispersed.

Niu Qianliu grinned, clapping his fists together. The two intense vortexes rubbed against each other, emitting a chilling blue light, which was then released fiercely.

boom! boom! boom!
The continuous torrent bombardment left Bai Shi in a sorry state, but in just one bombardment, Bai Shi's calm gaze seized an opening, and he flicked his hand to send out a tiny, inconspicuous electric current thread that passed through it.

As Niu Qianliu watched the electric current thread approach, he was about to slap it away when it suddenly expanded and exploded. Amidst the blinding light and devastating electric shock, Bai Shi appeared as if teleporting, severing Niu Qianliu's arm with a single stroke of his ruler.

……

[The tests on the fantasy object have been successful several times! We can try applying for live human experiments now!]

[Qianliu, don't rush. Don't forget that the live experiments on the factor can only be done on humans. We need to be more cautious and at least ensure the safety of the test subjects...]

[It doesn't matter, our time is more important. If we keep dragging this out, Shiraishi will graduate soon!]

【Wait a minute! I already said... Sigh, he's in such a rush.】

[I really want me to go to Pure White Academy to be with him... He's under a lot of pressure. But I'm still hesitating.]

Graduation is indeed a very important matter, so I need to think about it carefully. Oh, and here you go with this fantastical ruler made of the best material that can withstand the most experiments. Heh heh, it's pretty cool, isn't it?

Instead of blood, a large amount of water flowed from Niu Qianliu's severed arm. His face was contorted with rage as he forcefully flung his arm. A water blade swept past, and Bai Shi still raised his ruler to defend, but his expression changed drastically upon contact—it appeared slender and lacked impact, but in reality, it was incredibly heavy!

Niu Qianliu quickly closed in, his Water Ring Kick sending Bai Shi's ruler flying out of his hand, followed by a Torrent Fist smashing down on Bai Shi's head.

Transparent, starry tentacles lashed through the vortex barriers surrounding the arena, striking "Niu Qianliu" and forcing him back. The Rain Man swiftly entered the battlefield, grabbing the white ruler that fell from the sky. For a brief moment, the Rain Man's body stiffened, then he flung it away: "White Stone!"

The white ruler was thrown back, and Shiroshi caught it with his backhand without even looking at it, and then slashed at "Niu Qianliu" who had blocked the tentacles.

Niu Qianliu threw out both fists at once, and a water tap suddenly emerged from the water beneath his feet, hitting Bai Shi and sending him flying.

Bai Shi's flying body was caught by the people in the rain, giving him a moment to catch his breath.

"Be careful of the water around you; he's adapting to the human body to fight," Shiraishi shared the information with the man in the rain in a very fast voice.

"I'll cover you, you take the lead." The man in the rain turned around and leaned against the white stone, blurting out the words instinctively, then he was stunned.

After Bai Shi nodded, neither of them delayed and they started the machine together.

Niu Qianliu's expression was quite ugly: "We're getting more and more familiar with each other, you two... die!"

……

【Why do you suddenly want to go to the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics too?! Don't be fooled by Leyang! Even if this project is a bit more difficult than you imagined, it's only because of the issue of our live experiment being blocked from above, otherwise we would have succeeded already! Even so, with our level of expertise, we will succeed sooner or later, just give me a little more time!】

It's a pity we couldn't complete this last club activity. Leyang is already reporting to the authorities, my graduation project has been changed but passed, and there shouldn't be any major problems afterward. That's it, Lao Niu, I'm really not that interested in the Pure White Society.

I really need your help.

What Leyang told me a while ago really made sense to me. You're a genius, and many people will help you, but in the gray neighborhoods, there aren't many who can help them.

Although I know you two have good intentions, is this really something friends should say? ...I'll miss you both.

Hey, Old Niu, keep in touch.

[Hmm... Fine, I can't do anything with you two. If you change your minds, just let me know. I'll definitely mold the Pure White Society into the way I like. Anyway, the Society and the Disposal Bureau have quite a few collaborations. When you two have free time, we can finish this project together.]

【Um. 】

Three figures moved rapidly in the center of the vortex. Among them, "Niu Qianliu" and Bai Shi were moving in ways that could not be described as simple movement. They chased each other and would occasionally enter a super-physical state and then teleport like teleporters.

Boom boom boom!
A series of water jets and bolts of lightning exploded in all directions on the water's surface as two figures swiftly crossed paths.

"Niu Qianliu" held an absolute advantage. Even though Bai Shi's factor array had been operating to its limit and had far surpassed the ranks of the representatives, with its pure power directly entering the level of the Lord of the World and constantly breaking through, it was still somewhat powerless against the Lord of the Water World.

He was rescued from the brink of death several times by people in the rain.

Although the man in the rain couldn't keep up with them, he could sense everything on the battlefield by following the water around him and provide timely assistance.

With the two joining forces, "Niu Qianliu" was helpless against them for a short period of time, just like thirty years ago!
……

"Old Niu, do me a favor. I've already spoken to Leyang."

[Shiraishi!? What are you doing here? Your department should be on the front lines dealing with the Water World impact!]

The situation deteriorated far too quickly than we anticipated. There's not much I can do to help from the front lines, so I came back. But you, Lao Niu, look so haggard. You were doing so well before.

[Shiraishi, I... the Gray District will most likely be abandoned because my previous assessment of the situation was flawed and I failed to control the situation in time...]

"...You've done enough, that's why I came. Didn't you need my and Leyang's help?"

【what are you up to?】

Let's finish that project we didn't complete back in college. If we succeed, I'll also beat up the guy who's making you unhappy, how about that?

[Stop joking! That research project hasn't even undergone a single live human experiment. Have you thought about the consequences of using it on yourself? At worst, you'd die; at worst, you'd suffer serious long-term effects! The Gray Street area is gone, so be it, but you two don't want that...]

Don't say that to Lao Niu. You speak carelessly when you're anxious. You've reached this position; you should be more composed. The three of us are actually quite similar, otherwise we wouldn't have gotten along. You'll help us, won't you?

【…】

Niu Qianliu directly pressed down on the white ruler that Bai Shi was slashing at. Bai Shi's expression turned solemn as he unleashed lightning throughout his body, but it was countered and neutralized by the torrent that swept from his arm to his fingertips, making it impossible for him to break free!
The person in the rain appeared from the other side and reached out to try to rescue him, but "Niu Qianliu" turned his head and waited for a long time, then raised his other hand and grabbed the person's arm directly.

The two were forcefully lifted up by "Niu Qianliu," and the torrents in his hands converged into one, directly engulfing them.

"Hahahaha!" Niu Qianliu laughed heartily, feeling extremely satisfied with his revenge. Suddenly, a tentacle wrapped around his hand. It turned out that the man in the rain, who had been baptized by the flood, had managed to hold on thanks to the water's affinity. He was holding onto the white stone with one hand and using the tentacle to pull him back, but he himself was almost torn apart.

“Qianliu!” Xu Leyang, the man in the rain, blurted out.

Niu Qianliu's body suddenly froze, and the torrent released in the instant his pupils contracted and dilated created a gap, allowing Xu Leyang to immediately escape with Bai Shi and create distance.

Niu Qianliu quickly recovered, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty, before letting out a furious roar...

The water beneath my feet suddenly became murky, and in the next instant, a sense of oppression enveloped me—

boom!
Beneath the surface, the giant whale leaps out, displaying its invincible and majestic body, the ultimate embodiment of giant waves and rapids!

The colossal whale, which blotted out the sky, flipped over and fell back into the water, but the direction from which it crashed down was precisely where Xu Leyang and Bai Shi were.

……

[Shiraishi, please say goodbye to Chiru for me. He did a good job...]

Old Niu, you did nothing wrong. You've done enough.

【…】

"..."

Niu Qianliu stared blankly at the calm water surface after the giant whale sank back into the water, his body unable to move. This stiff feeling was both strange and familiar to him.

Even though I was breathing air, it felt like I was sinking to the bottom of the sea, suffering from invisible water pressure, almost suffocating and unable to breathe, and I doubted why I was still alive.

Why is it always someone else who bears the consequences, instead of him?

Clap clap clap! Clap clap clap! Clap clap clap clap—!
Deafening applause erupted from all directions.

The applause was in praise of him—

well done.

(End of this chapter)