After parting with Ye Junhan, Gu Xi thought for a mont and decided to go find Li Ming.
Li Ming opened the door for her from his wheelchair. "Xiaoxi, you were too reckless today."
Clearly, nothing that had happened outside escaped the notice of the forr vice-captain of the Doomsday Squad.
"It wasn’t that bad." Gu Xi pushed his wheelchair, turning to head inside. "Back then, weren’t you the one who taught that even though we should keep a low profile, we can’t hold back when it’s ti to make a scene..."
Li Ming glanced back at her with a helpless expression, then changed the subject. "Have you seen the imposter?"
Gu Xi raised an eyebrow. ’Does that even count as an imposter? They could have at least found soone of the sa gender.’
"If they really intended to introduce another Blood-colored Asura, I don’t think... that man today was their choice." Standing behind Li Ming, she briefly explained the situation with the man.
Li Ming had already heard about it once from Ye Junhan, but now, hearing Gu Xi’s account, he instantly grasped the key point. "Are you saying that the Crystal Core Fragnt of yours inside his body is still intact?"
"I find that strange, too." Gu Xi nodded. The man had her Crystal Core Fragnt transplanted into him, but he hadn’t refined it, nor had he used any of his own energy on it.
She had thought it was strange at the ti.
That was why she’d made the snap decision to have Yabao act.
Gu Xi walked over to Li Ming and took out a Crystal Core.
Li Ming frowned slightly. "This is the man’s Superpower Core?"
Gu Xi nodded.
Li Ming took the Crystal Core and examined it for a mont before frowning. "There’s sothing wrong with this Crystal Core."
He was right.
Gu Xi lowered her gaze. "Ming, don’t you find this strange? If soone really wanted to impersonate , shouldn’t they have done it before I returned?"
’Now that she was already back, what was the point of creating another Blood-colored Asura?’
’The timing was wrong, and it would be too easily exposed...’
’Besides, today’s... let’s just call him an imposter for now, was a man.’
Li Ming lowered his gaze to the Crystal Core in his hand and mused, "I considered the possibility of an imposter years ago. I suspect the reason another Blood-colored Asura hasn’t appeared until now is because it wasn’t possible."
’Why not?’
The two of them exchanged a look.
Because anyone who knew of the Blood-colored Asura also knew they were a Divine Rank superpower user.
The face under the mask could be faked, but superpowers couldn’t.
A Blood-colored Asura mask alone wasn’t enough to intimidate anyone.
Because the only thing people truly feared was power—absolute, overwhelming power.
"So...?" A thoughtful expression crossed Gu Xi’s face.
"Xiaoxi," Li Ming said, turning and handing the Crystal Core back to her. "I think your return is what gave them hope."
"What hope?" Gu Xi raised an eyebrow, completely baffled. "Hope to create an imposter?"
Li Ming looked out the window. "It’s likely your return, combined with the current state of your powers, that made certain people think they could finally have their long-prepared replacent advance to Divine Rank."
Gu Xi understood. ’So, this is about my powers after all, isn’t it?’
She lowered her gaze to the Crystal Core in her hand. ’So this man was just an experint?’
’Or more accurately... just one of many experints?’
’As for what they were trying to test... It was probably so special thod to use her own power to fully activate the energy of her Divine Rank Crystal Core Fragnt within this other Crystal Core.’
’This would allow the Crystal Core’s owner to possess power comparable to the Divine Rank, even if only for a short ti.’
’That would be their proof that the person under the mask was, in fact, the original Blood-colored Asura.’
’After all, everyone knows you can’t fake superpowers.’
’As for who was actually under the mask... what did it matter?’
’To certain people, as long as their goals were t, it didn’t matter who it was.’
Gu Xi suddenly recalled her video call with Zhou Jinyu that morning. He had deliberately brought up the topic of the Blood-colored Asura.
’It seed Zhou Jinyu knew sothing. So, what exactly was he trying to hint at?’
Just then,
"Xiaoxi." Li Ming suddenly looked over. "If it were you..."
His gaze shifted down to the Crystal Core in Gu Xi’s hand as he mused, "...how confident would you be in stimulating this Crystal Core to release power comparable to the Divine Rank?"
Gu Xi’s eyes narrowed. "One hundred percent."
Li Ming’s pupils contracted sharply, but they returned to normal just as quickly.
He looked up at Gu Xi. "And how would you do it?"
Gu Xi t his gaze. "I wouldn’t need any special thods. I’d just have to let Yabao get close to it and give it a little nudge. It’s no trouble for , but it would leave the person with severe side effects."
Li Ming raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"
"For example..." Gu Xi said bluntly, "after just one use, their Superpower Core would be shattered to dust, completely beyond repair. If they’re lucky, they might be left half-dead. If they’re not, they could die on the spot."
’So using that thod for an impersonation would be a complete suicide mission.’
Gu Xi looked directly at Li Ming.
’Li Ming’s own situation was remarkably similar. He must have also used so special thod to forcibly break through to a higher rank, but the resulting side effects caused his powers to collapse and his life force to drain away. Now, he was just barely clinging to life.’
Li Ming t her gaze and said earnestly, "Xiaoxi, don’t worry. I won’t do anything stupid."
"That’s good." Gu Xi’s gaze fell. "Ming, you’ve always been the smartest and most rational one among us. You once taught that feelings are the cruelest thing in this world..."
Gu Xi looked forward, but her eyes stared into nothingness.
After a long mont, she let out a barely audible sigh. "Back then, I didn’t really understand what you ant, but now..."
"Don’t overthink it," Li Ming said suddenly. He raised a hand and tapped the Crystal Core in her hand, smoothly changing the subject. "I’m wondering, why would they have this imposter show up now, of all tis?"
"To test my reaction?" Gu Xi replied instinctively. "Or to test whether I actually have the ability to stimulate it to a Divine Rank level?"
But Li Ming slowly shook his head. "But wouldn’t that expose their intentions prematurely?"
’Then why?’
At the sa ti, they both considered a possibility—that the appearance of the Blood-colored Asura today wasn’t the enemy’s intention at all. Soone had deliberately pushed him out in front of them.
Soone was warning them from the shadows.
’But who could it be?’
...
When Zhao Qingxiao and the other two pushed open the door, Yang Liu was in the courtyard tinkering with his drone. Zhou Qian, who had been leaning against a tree and basking in the sun, lazily lifted his gaze to look at the trio. "You’re ten minutes late for your scheduled return."
Zhao Qingxiao tried to change the subject. "Where’s the Captain? I heard we caught a big one this ti..."
’That Zhou Qian was always as sharp as a whip. His timing was impeccable. They had only been delayed on the road for a mont while arguing over how to split the loot, and the kid had already figured it out.’
Zhou Qian shot them a knowing smirk. "You guys fought. Don’t bother lying, I can tell."
Zhao Qingxiao and the other two exchanged a look. ’Great. As expected of brothers who’ve been through so much together. No point trying to fool each other.’
’Luckily, they’d already planned for this when they were fighting over the spoils.’
Zhao Qingxiao and Dongfang Yu both looked at Liu Hao at the sa ti.
But Liu Hao still wanted to try and get out of it.
While the three of them were locked in a silent battle of wills, Yang Liu put away his drone and turned to face them. "Alright, spit it out. What happened? Are our own guys fighting now?"
Defeated, Liu Hao reluctantly pulled a small plastic bag from his pocket, a look of pure agony on his face.
Inside the plastic bag lay two fried fruits.
At the sight of them, Yang Liu’s and Zhou Qian’s eyes instantly lit up, and they both walked over.
’Aren’t those the sa fruits the Captain was holding the other day? The ones he treasured so much he couldn’t bear to eat them?’
"Where did you get them?" Zhou Qian asked.
"These..." Liu Hao said smugly, practically drooling. "A girl gave them to ..."
After tasting the fruit, Liu Hao had wanted to keep it all for himself.
But unfortunately, he couldn’t win a fight against these brutes. On the way back, they had ganged up on him two-on-one and given him a sound beating, rcilessly snatching a third of his prize.
’The fact that he still had these two left was a testant to his ’brotherly love’.’
’Too bad there were only two left...’
’—he wondered if he’d ever run into that girl again, and if she would give him any more.’
The thought filled Liu Hao with anticipation, and he started praising Gu Xi to the skies. "You guys have no idea. That girl is the real deal..."
Just then, Zhao Qingxiao let out a pointed cough.
Liu Hao froze. When he turned around, he saw their captain walking out of the house. ’How much did he hear?’
Ye Junhan pulled off his tactical gloves, wiped his hands, and walked straight over to Liu Hao. His gaze fell on the... fruits in his hand.
After a mont of silence, he looked up at the three n. "Which girl?"
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