Chapter Twenty-One: Welcome to the Night

After the man with the umbrella closed his black parasol, several sharp blades appeared along its edge. Rather than calling it an umbrella, it was more like a greatsword! With a powerful swing of his right arm, the umbrella wielder sent a fierce gust howling toward Chenqi.

Fortunately, Chenqi had consumed the Bloodblade Fruit; his strength and dynamic vision were both enhanced. He stepped back just in time to evade the blow and quickly widened the gap to ten meters. His phone's New Sun Game had already popped up with new text!

Taking advantage of the enemy's brief pause, Chenqi glanced at his phone.

[In the pouring rain, you encounter a player who is coming to kill your real body!]

[Reminder: Only when both players are close enough in the real world and sufficient interaction occurs will this text appear.]

The word "player" was highlighted, meaning their levels differed by no more than five. Chenqi could now examine the opponent’s stats, so he swiftly tapped the word.

[Known Information:
Codename: Umbrella Wielder
Level: 7
Class: ???
Alignment: Blade Shadow
Strength: 31
Agility: 17
Inspiration: 20
Spirit Power: 18
Charisma: 14
]

Chenqi frowned. The opponent’s stats were barely acceptable. Level seven—one higher than the traveling merchant he’d encountered before. In terms of basic stats, their agility wasn’t much greater than his own; what was truly terrifying was the sheer strength.

The enemy codenamed "Umbrella Wielder" had an obvious goal: cripple, capture, or perhaps even kill him. Players and NPC monsters in the game were ultimately different; he couldn’t treat a traveling merchant as a combatant.

A cold glint flashed in Chenqi’s eyes. Should he flee, or wait for death?

No! He gazed toward the sky at the edge of darkness, thinking perhaps there was a chance to resist...

At the same time, Umbrella Wielder could also check Chenqi’s stats. He paused his attack, intending to examine this newcomer’s panel.

Strength 22, Inspiration 35, Agility 14.

Is this a beginner’s stat line? Did he randomly get a brawny character? But why is his Inspiration so high too? He’s a musclebound mage with extraordinary magical talent! Going for a physical-mage hybrid?

No wonder Crowgrassman said he could defeat disaster.

Umbrella Wielder’s previously nonchalant face turned serious. He’d misjudged Crowgrassman—this newcomer was even stronger than expected.

Still, it wasn’t too bad. Adding the six attribute points from leveling up, plus stat-boosting talents, these numbers weren’t monstrous; he’d had similar stats at that stage. The truly absurd thing was that the newcomer had already reached level three in half a day—what kind of exploit was that?

But the panel didn’t reflect Chenqi’s real-life attributes. The game character’s stats took time to affect the user’s body—in terms of health and strength, Chenqi at this moment was far from matching the numbers on his panel.

Umbrella Wielder smiled. Even if those numbers were real, the other man was no match for him.

A hint of chill rose in his heart, but it quickly faded into excitement:

“Interesting, interesting. As expected of a rare-talent newcomer. If I can fully control you, it’ll be a great advantage. I’m really lucky to get this mission.”

But just as he spoke, Chenqi had already vanished from his sight.

With the sun set and the rain pounding down, the environment had grown extremely dim for both of them. The patter of rain echoed all around.

Is it the rain and darkness that dulled my senses? Umbrella Wielder turned his head left—just as a sharp stone shot straight for his eye.

Bang!

He blocked the sneak attack with his giant black umbrella, shouting harshly, “Trained with throwing knives? Not a bad aim, but don’t get too cocky, Nightdrifter. I didn’t kill you with my first attack because I wanted to teach you a lesson, not because I couldn’t hit you.”

Now! In the instant the enemy blocked, Chenqi hurled another stone.

With the Bloodblade Fruit’s talent, “Extreme Martial Adept,” his accuracy in ranged attacks was extremely high.

Faced with this sudden strike, Umbrella Wielder instinctively shielded his vital spots with the umbrella.

Bang—

“A hit!”

“Hm?” Umbrella Wielder looked at his swordless hand as glass shards from his phone’s screen tumbled to the ground. The target was his phone...

Chenqi thought: to defeat this high-level player and seize the initiative, he must destroy his phone and thus his “Anchored to the Real World” function.

He twirled a knife playfully. “Umbrella Wielder, did you bring a backup phone?”

For most players, the phone was essential—it meant access to “Anchored to the Real World.”

My phone... Umbrella Wielder gritted his teeth. “Of course I did. Besides, even if the phone’s out of power, I can still launch New Sun Game.”

“But more importantly, I need to tell you something vital.” He exhaled a plume of scalding black smoke. “You’ve pissed me off, you little bastard!”

Danger!

Chenqi’s agility and strength were inferior. Umbrella Wielder’s leg muscles bulged with black veins as he charged, black umbrella in hand, his massive frame surging toward Chenqi like a speeding locomotive.

This was the gap in speed and power! The umbrella came crashing down, razor blades mere moments from Chenqi’s eyes.

In that instant, Umbrella Wielder felt both delight and regret. If he killed Nightdrifter here, the latter would just respawn somewhere safe, and Crowgrassman’s mission would fail; Umbrella Wielder himself would lose a valuable slave. But he couldn’t restrain his murderous urge!

“Die!”

The umbrella slashed horizontally!

But in the very moment of the strike, Umbrella Wielder’s pupils contracted in shock—the Chenqi before him was but a shadowy afterimage, dissolving into black flames.

Behind him, a cold voice sounded—

“Not bad strength and speed, but you hit only my shadow.”

Chenqi’s eyes had become those of a ruthless predator. His right hand drove the Shadow Dagger straight into Umbrella Wielder’s back!

With a sickening squelch, the blade’s shadow extended like roots within the enemy’s body, the shadow spike spreading as dark red blood spattered.

“Ah!”

Umbrella Wielder howled in pain.

Chenqi retreated. In the gloom, he’d used the Nightdrifter’s Garb’s “Shadow Affinity” to hide himself and leave a black afterimage, thus deceiving his opponent. It wouldn’t work a second time—he’d need further attacks to pin him down.

Something’s not right... Chenqi darted back and glanced at his phone.

[You have attacked “Umbrella Wielder.” Shadow Strike dealt 15 damage. Enemy has 80% health remaining.]

Seventy-five HP! This guy’s a tank! Chenqi was shaken.

Dark blood mingled with the rain on the ground.

Thud-thud-thud! Umbrella Wielder hammered the earth with his fists. He was a veteran of the Holy Calamity Association, yet he’d just been humiliated by a newcomer!

“Ritual: Body of Black Blood!”

His shirt burst apart, revealing a body packed with terrifying muscle, crisscrossed by thick black veins exuding an aura of malice.

In this form, his strength increased by five, his pain tolerance rose, bleeding was suppressed, and his focus sharpened!

Dead man! Umbrella Wielder turned back, now fully intent on making sure the newcomer didn’t leave in one piece:

“Listen, Nightdrifter! I’ll break all your limbs and keep you alive, so you’ll only be able to play New Sun Game with your tongue. Everything you gain from the game will belong to me!”

“Is that so? That’s truly terrifying...” Chenqi had widened the distance, but due to city light pollution, his silhouette couldn’t vanish entirely into the night.

This was a close-quarters monster. Letting Umbrella Wielder get close would be suicide.

Anchored to the Real World.

A pitch-black Crowfeather Staff and a vial of elixir appeared in his right hand.

The moment he gripped the staff, Chenqi felt its intricate patterns, as well as the emotions and incantations required to use it.

“O ravens, heed my call—block his path!”

Spirit power surged from Chenqi into the Crowfeather Staff. After a brief chant, shadow after shadow appeared, coalescing into swift shadow ravens.

After two castings, his spirit power plummeted to two.

Now wasn’t the time to save potions. Chenqi drank the elixir.

A unique vitality spread through his body.

[Current spirit power: 12. Excess detected. Please use spirit power promptly, or you will suffer the negative status "Spirit Overflow."]

Two more times.

Chenqi cast “Call of the Ravens” four times in succession, and as his opponent transformed, he smashed a street lamp with a stone, shrouding himself in complete darkness.

From the staff, forty shadow ravens emerged like ghostly flames.

Chenqi’s gaze was icy as he watched his foe.

All forty ravens sped toward the enraged Umbrella Wielder.

“Crowgrassman’s spell?!”

How did this newcomer know such an advanced ritual? And how could he cast it four times in a row?

The tension of battle left Umbrella Wielder no time to think.

Faced with ravens swooping from all directions, he staggered backward, parrying desperately.

But against forty shadow ravens, he could only defend his front. With Chenqi’s form hidden in darkness, he couldn’t lock on to his position and had to guard against sneak attacks at any moment.

The shadow ravens pecked at him relentlessly.

“Damn it!”

Freshly transformed, Umbrella Wielder could only fight off the ravens.

This could work. Chenqi kept his distance, using the ravens and his own concealment to compensate for the stat gap.

Death by a thousand cuts.

Too passive! As the ravens wore him down, Umbrella Wielder’s anger faded into helplessness.

“Damn it, how does a newcomer know this spell?!”

He had to use Anchored to the Real World, retrieve his items, and turn the tide!

But to his shock, his backup phone had fallen in the rain along with his torn clothes during his transformation.

Riiing—Crowgrassman called again. Umbrella Wielder chased after the lit-up phone while fending off the ravens.

“I must use Anchored to the Real World!”

Bang!

Chenqi’s sneaker came down hard, smashing the black phone to pieces.

With a faint smile, Chenqi said, “Looks like your flame’s been snuffed out, Umbrella Wielder.”

Despair flickered in his eyes.

“……”

He was nearly finished. Umbrella Wielder pounded the ground, eyes filled with the helplessness of prey.

Just as he was about to surrender, a raven jabbed his skull, drawing blood.

Chenqi melted back into the night. Though he seemed to have the upper hand, a single blow could still turn the tide against him.

If he kept his cool, victory was within reach. He readied his Shadow Dagger, searching for an opportunity.

The scales of victory now tipped toward him!

At that moment, a wave of heat brushed the back of Chenqi’s neck, sending his heart racing.

There was someone behind him...

Did this guy have backup? I’m just a fresh newcomer—no way I can handle two at once.

Chenqi turned slowly. A young man with a police dog stood there, watching the scene, a tiny flame burning on his fingertip, swelling into a blazing fireball.

Breathing heavily, the newcomer stared in astonishment, confusion all over his face, and muttered softly to himself:

“What the hell is going on here?”