"Dottore, just as you said…"
"Cloud Retainer" looked at Dottore and slowly spoke:
"These people… they truly never genuinely admired or appreciated my mechanist arts…"
"All their words were nothing but false praise and insincere flattery…"
In that moment, Su Yuan suddenly understood everything…
All of them had been played—by Dottore and "Cloud Retainer"!
The mechanical constructs they had just fought weren't actually created by "Cloud Retainer" at all… they were Dottore's doing!
Su Yuan realized he had let his guard down again…
When he first noticed those constructs were immune to elemental power and driven by Eerie energy, he should have figured it out right then…
Even if "Cloud Retainer" had been corrupted by the Eerie power, there's no way she could've mastered its use to such a degree in such a short time…
As things stood, was there anyone who understood and wielded Eerie power better than Dottore?
All this time, the constructs they had been fighting were, in truth, creations of Dottore!
And yet, they had believed them to be made by "Cloud Retainer" and had gone on to lavish her with praise…
In the end, the more they praised her, the more they inadvertently discredited Cloud Retainer's achievements in mechanist arts…
Well played, Dottore.
To think you'd come up with such a scheme—turning their attempt to talk Cloud Retainer back to reason through mere words into a total failure!
In that case, there was only one thing left to do—fight!
Su Yuan thought, if they truly couldn't defeat "Cloud Retainer" and Dottore head-on, then they'd have no choice but to rely on death rewind…
Now that they knew those constructs weren't created by Cloud Retainer, next time they faced them, they'd know exactly how to counter them…
And right now, it all came down to pure strength.
Let's see whether the strength of their group could truly stand up to "Cloud Retainer" and Dottore in a head-on clash!
"My friends, things have come to this—there's nothing more to be said…"
Realizing the situation, Zhongli also stepped forward and said solemnly:
"At this point, battle is our only option."
Qiqi locked her gaze on "Cloud Retainer" and Dottore, the talisman on her forehead glowing and fluttering as she set a commandment upon herself—to defeat the two of them.
Gaming, however, wore a puzzled expression.
He had been wanting to ask: if the condition for his Eerie corruption was damage to the cargo he was protecting, then why, even after Chongyun had been injured so badly, had he still not succumbed to the Eerie state?
Yanfei also looked puzzled.
According to Su Yuan's explanation, she should have entered an Eerie state as soon as she witnessed an unpunished act of lawbreaking—so why hadn't she?
But now that they were already face-to-face with "Cloud Retainer" and Dottore, why was there still no sign of Eerie corruption?
Could it be that, because Cloud Retainer is an Adeptus, she isn't bound by mortal laws?
And Dottore, being a foreigner, might have diplomatic immunity?
Su Yuan also noticed the strange expressions on Gaming and Yanfei.
The two of them were originally intended to become part of the battle force through their Eerie transformations—but now, they couldn't serve that role at all.
Where exactly had things gone wrong?
"Su Yuan! Chongyun's injuries are getting worse!"
Nearby, Baizhu—who had been treating Chongyun—sounded a bit anxious as he spoke:
"Chongyun's life force is rapidly fading… I fear he won't be able to hold on much longer…"
"Hey, hey, hey, Su Yuan—right now, it seems like the only Eerie corrupted fighter on your side… is Qiqi, isn't it?"
Dottore let out a low chuckle and said:
"With that kind of strength, do you really think you all can stand against me and Cloud Retainer?"
While Dottore was speaking, another piece of bad news came from Baizhu's side...
"Chongyun... due to the severity of his injuries, he has died despite treatment…"
However, the next moment, Gaming beside Su Yuan suddenly erupted with a strong surge of Eerie power, glaring fiercely in the direction of Cloud Retainer...
"Chongyun is a cargo under my Sword Case Escort Bureau's protection — how dare you kill him?!"
Seeing this scene, Su Yuan felt that something was off...
If Chongyun was the cargo Gaming was protecting, then why did Gaming only enter Eerie state after Chongyun died?
Logically, shouldn't Gaming have become Eerie corrupted as soon as Chongyun or any other protected person was harmed, so he could protect them?
Su Yuan recalled the rule prompts related to Gaming and wondered if, after all, Gaming just couldn't regard living people as cargo, which caused this situation to happen.
But no matter what, even though there was now an Eerie Gaming, Su Yuan still felt it wasn't quite enough...
Cloud Retainer's strength was beyond what he had expected, and on top of that, Dottore was lurking nearby with a predatory gaze...
"Cloud Retainer, prepare to die! How dare you harm the cargo I'm escorting — you must pay the price!!!"
Gaming said as the pitch-black and crimson Eerie power condensed into the form of a dancing lion, charging toward Cloud Retainer!
"Well, come on then! Let me see whose beast is stronger — your lion or my crane!"
Cloud Retainer likewise used Eerie power to form the shape of a crane and launched an attack at Gaming!
"Gaming! Don't clash head-on with Cloud Retainer!!!"
Su Yuan quickly shouted a warning.
Cloud Retainer's strength was very formidable, and if they fought head-on, the recently deceased Chongyun was the best example of what could happen...
"One of the most important techniques of the dancing lion is agile footwork!"
Gaming said confidently, "Do you really think a straightforward attack like that can hit me?"
The next moment, Gaming dodged left and right, then leapt high into the air, completely avoiding Cloud Retainer's attack!
With an unstoppable momentum, Gaming launched an attack from above toward Cloud Retainer!
Cloud Retainer, however, spoke calmly and lightly:
"Well, when it comes to combat skills, you do have some strength..."
"But strength is the only thing that truly decides everything!!!"
At that moment, as eerie power erupted from Cloud Retainer's body, Gaming's movements suddenly froze...
Watching this scene, Su Yuan felt a bit hopeless...
Just like a higher-ranking official easily suppressing a lower one, as long as the eerie power is strong enough, it can unconditionally overpower the opponent...
Meanwhile, on the other side, Qiqi also seemed locked in a fierce battle with Dottore...
Qiqi's eerie-powered strength wasn't very strong, and when facing the cunning and sly Dottore, she didn't seem to have any advantage...
Dottore had been playing a defensive game all along, probably waiting for Cloud Retainer to defeat Gaming first, then come over to defeat Qiqi...
"We can't just stand by any longer. Tartaglia, it's your turn to make a move!"
Su Yuan said in his mind to Tartaglia: "Let's go help Gaming deal with Cloud Retainer first!"
"Su Yuan, your opponent is me…"
At that moment, another voice echoed through the cave...
Judging by the voice, it should be Xiangling!
So Xiangling really is at Mt. Aocang!
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