Ling Chen's stood in the dim alley, Mei Lin's warning echoing in his head: The elders are watching you now. And Jian? He's not letting that herb theft slide.
The Villain Overlord System's latest alert didn't help—Jian had ratted him out to the elders, and now an investigation was looming like a final boss fight he wasn't leveled for.
Mei Lin's offer to help was a lifeline, but that "high risk of betrayal" warning from the system? Yeah, that kept him up at night.
He slipped through the outer disciple quarters, the muddy paths lit by flickering lanterns.
His new Deceptive Aura skill buzzed in his chest, like a sneaky superpower waiting to be unleashed.
The system said it could mask his qi and intentions, making him seem weaker or trustworthy.
Handy, considering he was a Qi Condensation nobody in a sect full of sword-happy lunatics.
Ling's plan was simple: keep a low profile until his meeting with Mei Lin at the training pavilion tomorrow. But this was Sword of the Heavenly King, where plans went to die.
A rough voice cut through the quiet, stopping him cold.
"Well, well, trash boy's back for round two,"
Wei Gang sneered, stepping out from behind a hut.
The bully from the courtyard fight loomed larger than Ling remembered, his face bruised but grinning.
Two goons flanked him, cracking their knuckles like they'd rehearsed it.
"Thought you'd hide after mouthing off to Jian Hao?"
Ling's stomach twisted. "Seriously, Wei? Didn't I already put you in the mud?"
He kept his tone light, but his hand crept to the rusted dagger in his belt. His gamer instincts screamed ambush, and he wasn't about to get jumped without a fight.
Wei's grin turned nasty. "You got lucky. But Jian's got the whole sect watching you now. You're done, Ling Chen."
He lunged, faster than last time, his fist aimed at Ling's face. The goons charged too, one swinging a wooden staff, the other cracking his knuckles like he thought it was intimidating.
Ling's heart pounded, but the Deceptive Aura skill kicked in like a reflex.
He focused, letting the qi flow, and a strange calm settled over him. To the outside world, his aura dimmed, making him look like a scared, scrawny nobody. Perfect.
"Aw, guys, three on one? That's not fair," Ling said, dodging Wei's fist with a clumsy sidestep.
The qi in his veins sharpened his senses, thanks to that spirit herb boost. He wasn't strong, but he was fast enough to make them think he was panicking.
The staff-wielding goon swung, aiming for Ling's ribs. Ling ducked, letting the staff whiz over his head, and tripped the guy with a quick foot-sweep he'd seen in a kung fu movie.
The goon hit the mud with a satisfying splat. Wei roared, charging again, but Ling activated Deceptive Aura fully, his qi masking his next move.
To Wei, it looked like Ling was stumbling back, defenseless. But Ling spun, slamming the dagger's hilt into Wei's gut.
The bully doubled over, gasping, and Ling followed up with a knee to his chin. Wei crumpled, cursing through a bloody lip.
The second goon hesitated, eyes wide. Ling didn't give him a chance to recover. He darted forward, using his qi-enhanced speed to tackle the guy into a hut wall.
The wood creaked, and the goon slid down, out cold. Ling stood, panting, his hands shaking but his grin wide.
"Not bad for trash, huh?"
The courtyard was quiet, save for Wei's groans. Ling's chest buzzed with adrenaline and that faint qi hum. He'd actually won.
His first real fight in this world, and he'd taken down three guys with a rusty dagger and a sneaky skill. Maybe being a villain wasn't so bad.
[Mission complete: Defeated rival disciples. Reward: 150 Villain Points, Rare Technique Scroll (Shadow Strike). Current Villain Points: 600. New mission: Survive elder inquiry. Reward: 200 Villain Points. Failure: Punishment hall or death.]
Ling's grin faded as the system screen popped up. "Shadow Strike? Sweet," he muttered, but the "elder inquiry" part hit like a brick.
Before he could process, a deep voice boomed across the courtyard.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Ling spun, heart lurching. An elder stood at the courtyard's edge, his black robes embroidered with silver clouds.
His beard was long enough to trip over, and his eyes were sharp enough to cut glass.
The air around him felt heavy. As disciples peeked from their huts, whispering.
"Uh, just… settling a disagreement?" Ling said, his gamer charm faltering. Wei groaned in the mud, not helping his case.
The elder's gaze swept over the scene—Wei and his goons sprawled out, Ling standing with a bloody dagger.
"Ling Chen," the elder said. "You've been accused of theft, and now you're brawling in the sect's quarters? Explain yourself, or you'll face the punishment hall."
Ling's mouth went dry. The system's warning flashed red: Survive elder inquiry. Failure: Punishment hall or death.
He'd just fought his way out of one mess, only to land in a bigger one.
Wei Gang smirked from the ground, blood on his teeth, like he knew Ling was screwed. And somewhere out there, Jian Hao was probably laughing.
How the hell was he getting out of this?