Half an hour later, City Y Civic Park.
Outside the park, black-and-yellow tape stretched for hundreds of meters, holding back curious citizens and press.
Several Association support vehicles with flashing lights idled nearby; new claw-marks marred their doors.
The air was tense.
The A-Class heroes—Spring Mustachio, Golden Ball, and Stinger—kept order with their teams.
All were scuffed and bandaged; their crisp battle suits looked bedraggled; fatigue and frustration etched their faces.
Their joint raid half an hour earlier had failed.
These monsters, seemingly just mutated beasts, had shown uncanny cunning and pack coordination, teaching these battle-hardened heroes a hard lesson.
A black sedan bearing the Association's highest badge rolled up under everyone's gaze and stopped at the tape.
Conversation died. Every eye turned.
A tall, burly figure stepped out—the trademark three vertical scars slashed down his left cheek, adding unbearable pressure to his cold face.
"I-it's Mr. KING—S-Class rank six!"
"He really came… for a Tiger-level disaster?"
"Quiet! Don't disturb Mr. KING!"
Ignoring the reverent stares, Lin Mo walked straight to the entrance.
From deep in the trees, he heard vicious snarls and low growls.
"Mr. KING!" Spring Mustachio hurried up—nervous, but professional. "The beasts are entrenched near the central lawn. Initial scouting puts them at a little over twenty."
"They're extremely fast with sharp claws and fangs, and… their leader is particularly crafty. It uses terrain and its pack to set traps. We have three B-Class heroes seriously injured."
"No need." Lin Mo cut him off and walked in alone.
If you're going to act cool, commit.
The moment he stepped inside, a thick reek of animal musk hit his nose.
Eyes glowed green in the shade of the trees, fixed on the "intruder."
Lin Mo drew a deep breath and willed it.
"[Intimidation]—activate."
"THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP—!"
The King Engine roared louder than ever, and in that instant an invisible, monstrous aura blasted outward from him like a clear shockwave.
"Grr…?"
The pack's roars cut off.
A chorus of whimpers rose.
"Whine… whine…"
The two dozen dogs—each the size of a lion—tucked their tails, fur standing on end, legs jellying as they collapsed flat. They trembled like sieves, some losing bladder and bowel control.
The especially crafty leader rolled its eyes back and foamed at the mouth, fainting on the spot.
Silence fell over the park. Only the King Engine's rumble echoed through the trees.
Even Lin Mo was startled by the effect. That was… it?
Outside, the heroes and staff watching the drone feed turned to stone.
On screen, KING walked into the park, and… did nothing.
Then the Tiger-level pack that had stymied A-Class heroes lost all fight, groveling like pet dogs in a thunderstorm.
"…What happened?" a young hero whispered.
"It's ki…" an A-Class beside him explained, voice shaking.
"Pure 'ki'! His existence alone crushed their will… Is this… the realm of the strongest man on the surface?"
[Detected intense emotion source: A-Class "Spring Mustachio" (extreme shock)]
[Converted Energy: +120!]
[Detected intense emotion source: Association staff (awe)]
[Converted Energy: +30!]
A new cascade of prompts rolled by, netting Lin Mo several thousand more points.
Satisfied, he walked out, leaving behind a pack of completely defanged "junk dogs."
…
Back home, looking at his replenished Energy balance, Lin Mo exhaled.
"Power is fundamental—but luck… might be important too." He thought of KING's absurd luck in the original.
"System, open the gacha."
A giant wheel divided into E through S tiers appeared in his mind.
Only E and D were lit; C and above were grey.
[Note: B-rank and above require higher permissions or special tickets.]
"Let's do a ten-pull to test the waters." Feeling flush, he chose the D-rank pool. E-rank stuff just didn't tempt him.
"System, D-rank ten-pull."
[Energy −3000. Rolling D-rank…]
[Congrats: Energy × 500]
[Congrats: Basic Spirit Restorative ×1]
[Congrats: Skill Shard "Martial Arts (Beginner)" ×3]
[Congrats: Special Item "Coin of Misfortune" ×1]
The first nine were standard fare. Only the last gleamed with an ominous purple light.
[Coin of Misfortune]
[Type: One-use consumable]
[Effect: After tossing, designate a target (not yourself). For the next hour, the target will suffer a powerful "misfortune" appropriate to their strength.]
[Note: The form of misfortune is randomly judged by world law. Could be slipping on a banana peel at the door, choking on water, or even getting hit by your own move mid-battle. Use with caution. Cause and effect are unpredictable.]
Huh!? A good drop?
He'd only wanted to burn off the high. D-rank had good stuff, but the odds weren't great.
He eyed the description. A conceptual weapon? Perfect for screwing someone over…
He could already see some arrogant enemy at a critical moment—feet flying out, or his weapon leaping from his grip in slapstick fashion.
Lin Mo's lips quirked. This tiny coin might just save his life one day.
-------
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