As Chen Kong pulled the trigger, a special bullet infused with the 'Dust Purging Power' left the barrel with a piercing shriek, tearing through the air and heading straight for Euphemia's forehead!
However, just as the bullet reached a certain distance from Euphemia, a series of sharp, almost invisible, silver threads suddenly appeared before her, stopping the special projectile.
Crack!
Blocked by the silvery threads, Chen Kong's 'Bullet of the Void,' which could assimilate, neutralize, and disintegrate most star-energy techniques and items, instantly crumbled into a shower of tiny light particles that scattered between him and Euphemia.
Chen Kong stared at the coldly indifferent Euphemia standing amidst the light particles, and a flash of realization struck him!
"Star Mark... thread attacks..."
Chen Kong muttered these words subconsciously, his eyes fixed on the faint silver threads shimmering around Euphemia and her right hand encased in a white glove.
Not long after, the memory of his battle with Andromeda rushed back into his mind. That mysterious woman with the pipa—Andromeda—had a fighting style that appeared to be 'sonic blades' but was actually 'threads.'
Every time she plucked a string, she was secretly manipulating a large number of threads at a high frequency, creating the effect of 'sonic blades.' Therefore, the so-called 'sonic blades' were a disguise from beginning to end.
And the pipa? It was nothing more than a front to fool people.
The methods Euphemia was now displaying were undoubtedly identical to those of Andromeda. Combined with the information Yuchen had previously revealed—that Euphemia was suspected of being involved with the Hidden Star Society—Chen Kong's mind suddenly cleared.
"The Hidden Star Society's executive, Andromeda, who appeared in the Lower City not long ago... that's you, isn't it? Euphemia, the Saintess of the Gear Church." Chen Kong aimed his gun at Euphemia, his tone filled with certainty. If he wasn't mistaken, there must be a distinct 'Star Mark' on the back of her gloved right hand, proof of a awakened Star Core.
Euphemia neither confirmed nor denied Chen Kong's words. However, the killing intent in her eyes grew even stronger.
"Little boy, sometimes knowing too much isn't a good thing. Curiosity can kill you, after all."
Watching the smirking Euphemia on screen, and the unmistakable villainous aura she was giving off, the dimensional audience was a little surprised.
So Saintess Euphemia is Andromeda from the Hidden Star Society!
Euphemia: Three years and three years, and three more years. If I don't get out of here, I'll become the head of the Gear Church!
No wonder Andromeda's voice always had a saintly quality to it. Now I see it's because she was steeped in the church's holy water!
Golden Knight Fischer: I told you there was a ghost in the house, but none of you believed me!
Seeing that Chen Kong had no way to escape, Euphemia, who believed she had complete control of the situation, activated the classic passive skill of anime villains: talking too much.
The silver threads around her suddenly tightened, and the saintess's dress wrapped around her lithe, artistic figure, constricting it.
"Chen Kong, I've always wondered what that person saw in you." Euphemia, wearing her high heels, walked slowly toward Chen Kong. "In terms of talent, your talent might be decent in Steam City, but across the entire New Federation, there are plenty of people stronger than you."
"In terms of personality, with your naive, goody-two-shoes nature, I can't imagine what benefits it could bring you besides causing trouble."
"So the only thing I can think of that would make that person value you is probably your identity as a Twin-Star."
"But as a Child of the Stars, don't even try to compare yourself to Demon Blade Chen Xing of the Blazing Sun family or Caroline, the new disciple of the President of the Union. Even your friend, Liu Ma, is far more powerful than you."
"Because they have perfectly fused the powers of the Star Core and Star Source, creating a new power that far surpasses any ordinary Star Source or Star Core."
"But you're different..." Euphemia raised her hand, and the once-smooth silver threads on her fingertips became taut and sharp as a massive amount of star energy was poured into them.
"...Your so-called fusion is nothing more than using both powers at the same time. It's a crude, superficial, and unaesthetic way of using Twin-Star power. A pure waste of talent."
"Where do you get the courage to sneak into my nest alone when you can't even unleash your full potential? You're overestimating yourself."
As soon as she finished speaking, Euphemia spread her hands. In the next second, a dense web of silver threads surged toward Chen Kong from all directions. As the threads passed, they sliced through numerous pieces of furniture, cutting them into countless fragments and showcasing their astonishing power.
But just as the threads were about to touch Chen Kong, something unexpected happened!
Boom!
Chen Kong stomped his foot hard, and the Void Mark on his right foot instantly lit up with a white light. The hard bedroom floor shattered like glass hit by a heavy hammer, creating a dense network of cracks centered around Chen Kong before completely breaking open in the blink of an eye.
Swoosh!
In the nick of time, Euphemia's 'spider silk' grazed Chen Kong's scalp, leaving behind a few of his severed black hairs floating in the air.
After landing in the secret passage below, Chen Kong tossed a smoke bomb behind him. The thick white smoke exploded in the passage, completely concealing his figure.
Euphemia pursued him into the secret passage. The acrid smoke was quickly dispersed by the agitation of her numerous 'spider silks.' Watching the figure sprinting away in the distance, a cold smirk appeared on Euphemia's red lips.
"Using your Void Mark to destroy the internal structure of the ground beneath your feet to create an opportunity to escape? Not too stupid, but... still too naive."
It was a fool's dream for Chen Kong to think he could escape unscathed from the 'nest' she had spent so much effort building. Not to mention all the traps she had set up, his unfamiliarity with the environment alone meant he couldn't run very far. Every fork in the road and every mechanism was deeply ingrained in her memory; she could navigate them with her eyes closed.
"Run, little mouse. Run with all your might."
"Because you'll soon discover that every one of those roads that seems to offer a way out is nothing but a grave I've prepared for you."
With that, Euphemia began to pursue Chen Kong with elegant strides, and a game of cat and mouse commenced.