Strangely, on the way out of the ravine forest, Cheng Shi didn't spot a single animal.
Although most creatures on the Land of Hope were naturally hyper-alert and might have sensed the approaching storm of war, the two sides hadn't even clashed yet. Running off this early seed a bit excessive, didn't it?
Besides, even if every real animal had fled, what about tad beasts? Wasn't Xiao Qi, who'd been planning to reap the benefits, going to at least check on how the fight between Cheng Shi and Lin Xi had turned out?
Without knowing the battlefield, how could he seize the right mont? And without the right mont, how could he strike?
Or had Vice President Sun from the History School actually followed through on her idea and already taken Xiao Qi's life, preparing to trade it for the intelligence she wanted?
At this thought, Cheng Shi frowned slightly. Even if Sun Miao wanted to kill, he doubted his childhood acquaintance was easy prey.
Sure enough, barely had the thought crossed his mind when Sun Miao ca sprinting toward him from another direction. The Mi Master's face was as expressionless as ever, but the visible displeasure in her eyes made it abundantly clear that her "assassination" plan had failed.
Cheng Shi found this entertaining and asked offhandedly: "What, tough nut to crack?"
Sun Miao didn't answer for a long while. Only when the two of them had returned to the left-flank camp at the Boro Highlands did she silently produce her electronic beeper and type:
"The cunning rabbit has three burrows...
Today, a Beast Tar gave
quite the education."
"Do tell." Cheng Shi stopped in his tracks, a smile of genuine interest crossing his face as he looked at Sun Miao.
Sun Miao's eyelid twitched. Another long silence passed before she finally recounted the "embarrassing" affair.
"Care to guess how many tad beasts I killed?"
Cheng Shi blinked: "How many?"
"Seventeen. Not counting actual animals, just humans. Seventeen.
This Beast Tar is an expert. A hidden expert. His vigilance is extrely high, and his control is absolutely superb. I estimate he still has at least five or six humanoid tad beasts on hand. And when I say humanoid, I don't an the native races of the Land of Hope. I an..." Sun Miao paused, pointing at herself and then at Cheng Shi. "People like us."
"Players!" Cheng Shi's gaze sharpened instantly.
"Exactly. Players. This old friend of yours seems to enjoy company. He has quite the entourage of 'followers.'
And he loves dressing up his tad beasts. All of these players have been disguised to look like him, used as decoys and for counter-ambushes.
I tracked a bird from the periter of your battle, followed it back the other way, and killed dozens of tad beasts of all sizes. But I still couldn't find his true body...
Cheng Shi, no wonder you didn't want to make that deal with . You knew all along he'd be difficult, so you didn't want to pay intelligence proportional to the effort. Am I right?"
"..."
'I didn't know a damn thing. But given that Xiao Qi has been a liar since childhood, it'd be weird if he were easy to handle.'
Cheng Shi smiled awkwardly and offered no response.
He was still processing the revelation that Xiao Qi used players as tad beasts. A Beast Tar wasn't the sa as a necromancer. Their behavioral logic was closer to a class like Lord of Desire. They had to ta living beings to use them.
And the fact that Xiao Qi had this many "body doubles" ant he'd accumulated who knew how many lives along his journey.
No wonder he'd dared to partner with the ill-reputed Lin Xi. A venomous snake paired with a rat. A perfect match.
But wait. A Beast Tar who delighted in controlling people... why did that sound like the one Xie Yang had ntioned?
At this thought, Cheng Shi's expression gradually turned cold. He still rembered that the Beast Tar who'd abducted Xie Yang had once killed Torchbearers.
So... could that person have been Xiao Qi?
It seed... not quite right, though.
Even if Xiao Qi claid to have 2,600 points, anyone with eyes could see that at least 800 of those points were inflated.
True, he'd evaded assassination by a History School Vice President, but that might simply an he had so unique trick for counter-tracking and escape. After all, the skill required for passive survival and active offense were entirely different. The Beast Tar Xie Yang described was undoubtedly a formidable expert. That image still differed significantly from the Xiao Qi before him now.
Then again, what were the odds of encountering two people-controlling Beast Tars in such a short span?
For the mont, Cheng Shi couldn't be sure.
Perhaps sensing what was on Cheng Shi's mind, Sun Miao typed another ssage:
"Oh, and I noticed sothing else.
I suspect this Beast Tar is paying so kind of price to amplify his ability to control tad beasts. Otherwise, soone at his level couldn't possibly manage that many creatures while looking so effortless.
During my pursuit, I noticed that as his tad beasts died, his combat ability kept rising, his tactical judgnt kept improving, and his strategies and counters grew increasingly shrewd. It was like dealing with a completely different person.
If it wasn't a sudden awakening of wisdom or so breakthrough in combat technique mid-hunt, then the only explanation is that his thod of taming isn't like other Beast Tars'.
It seems he distributes his own strength and intelligence across different tad beasts. So as they die, he reclaims a portion of his true power from each one.
Of course, I don't think he does this voluntarily. There's another reason..."
She suddenly stopped typing. She gave Cheng Shi a aningful look, as though the switch to continue her analysis was sowhere on his person.
"..."
Cheng Shi blinked, regarding her with a hint of exasperation.
He had to admit: [Folly] believers were genuinely impressive, able to read an opponent seven-tenths through from a single confrontation. That kind of ability wasn't sothing just anyone had.
But Cheng Shi also knew these observations weren't free. She'd stopped here because she wanted to trade for other intelligence.
Normally, Cheng Shi wouldn't have cared to learn what was wrong with Xiao Qi. But now that a tenuous connection had ford between Xiao Qi and the Beast Tar from Xie Yang's account...
Cheng Shi deliberated for a mont, then offered a piece of intelligence: "Lid Yara was killed by Keinlaur personally, with a blood-colored giant bow called 'Startled Bow.' And that bow is most likely what my old friend is searching for."
"!!!"
Sun Miao trembled all over and imdiately typed: "So you did enter that consciousness exchange inside the dream! I knew you weren't telling the truth earlier!"
'Oh? So she really did have her doubts and hadn't fully bought my lie.'
Perfect. He'd use this intelligence exchange to put that matter to rest once and for all.
Cheng Shi curled the corner of his lips into a coy smirk but said nothing, clearly tossing the ball back to her. The ssage was clear: my turn is over. Now it's your turn to complete your observations.
Sun Miao took a deep breath, suppressed her curiosity, and divulged the rest of her assessnt of Xiao Qi.
"...That's what I an by 'price.'
Because I noticed that as his combat power rose, his emotions also beca visibly more savage and volatile.
By the ti I killed the last tad beast, he was already struggling to control his outbursts. He was spewing profanity, cursing heaven and earth, his fury repeatedly plunging him into danger. If not for his battle instincts keeping him alive that long, what I'd be bringing you right now would be a surprise rather than a warning...
So I suspect he doesn't willingly fragnt his true power across his tad beasts. He does it to suppress emotions he cannot control.
Therefore, the more beasts he tas, the more 'normal' he appears.
Of course, 'normal' is relative. We've both seen his true colors.
Strange, isn't it? And the stranger the player, the more dangerous they are. But I'll say it again: I can take him out for you, as long as you're willing to share more of what interests ."
Sun Miao paused, giving Cheng Shi ample ti to think. Then she extended one hand, typing with the other:
"Now, my paynt?
Did you enter that consciousness exchange and witness that piece of history?"
Cheng Shi shook his head with a smile: "No. Everything I just told you ca from Lin Xi right before he died. As for how he knew... sorry, he's dead. Not even a body left. No one can know now."
"..."
Sun Miao stared at Cheng Shi. Her face was as blank as ever, but the murderous intent in her eyes was barely contained.
She marveled at his shalessness and was equally stunned by how quickly he'd dealt with Lin Xi. After all, the fact that Lin Xi had survived Chun's relentless pursuit and the entire [Prosperity] faction's encirclent to reach the pinnacle of Chosen proved he was one of the absolute best in this ga.
Yet in this short span, she hadn't even managed to finish off Du Qiyu, while Cheng Shi had already eliminated a Chosen. What other trump cards was this Fate Weaver hiding?
Adding in his "track record" of dispatching Zangier, Sun Miao's eyes sharpened as a bold hypothesis ford in her mind.
'Aside from Go Lis, could Cheng Shi have... another Envoy standing behind him?'
...
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