Chapter 201: The True Monster

Just like when he was a child?

Chen Kong stared at the figure appearing on Brass Path—‘Ink’—straining to dredge up any memory connected to the man. But no matter how hard he searched, whether in the memories of Yujin Base or later in Deep Blue Metropolis, he was absolutely certain: there had never been anyone named Ink in his past.

So...

Who the hell are you?

Facing Chen Kong’s question, Tian Dao simply smiled.

In the next instant, his form vanished without a trace.

Before Chen Kong could even react—his pupils contracting sharply—and before Vivian’s loose strands of hair were swept up by a sudden gust of wind, Tian Dao had already materialized directly in front of them.

The sight of Tian Dao so close, his voice so calm and composed, sent a chilling wave through Vivian. Her entire body locked up instantly, like a small herbivore frozen in the presence of a predator. Every instinct screamed danger.

No answer was given to Chen Kong.

Instead, Tian Dao remained expressionless as he placed a single finger on Chen Kong’s chest—just above the heart.

“Vector… Reverse.”

In that serene tone, Chen Kong’s Kong energy flared violently—then seized, crushed, and exploded outward.

Boom!

A thunderous crack echoed as the fabric of Chen Kong’s chest tore open from the force of the internal detonation. His body launched backward like a broken kite, slamming hard into the brass pillar of the Brass Tower.

Thud!!

The impact was catastrophic. The yellow-brass column cracked instantly, denting inward with a deep, hollow groan. Chen Kong’s body vanished into the crater, buried deep within the metal, motionless—lifeless?

“Kong!”

Vivian screamed, her concern overriding all reason. She lunged toward him, completely ignoring Tian Dao—until, at the moment she passed him, a crushing weight settled onto her shoulder.

Tian Dao had placed his hand there—without moving, without warning—and now held her rigidly in place, her body half-extended, frozen mid-step.

And again, that calm, unyielding voice.

“Miss Knight… your mission isn’t over yet.”

“So… would you mind staying quiet for a moment?”

Vivian turned her head. Tian Dao was smiling at her—softly, kindly.

But behind those black-rimmed glasses, his eyes were like a frozen abyss. And the effortless way he had just shattered Chen Kong… that casual, terrifying power… it sent a shiver down her spine.

This wasn’t a man.

This was a monster—unfathomable, beyond reason.

“Pierce him, Silver Falcon!”

At that very moment, as Vivian’s mind reeled, a silver-tailed bullet streaked through the air.

So fast, it left only a flicker—a silver thread slicing through the sky. Like a Silver Falcon in full flight, it aimed straight for Tian Dao’s forehead.

But then—everyone froze.

The bullet halted abruptly, suspended half an inch from Tian Dao’s face.

Tian Dao’s gaze passed through the frozen projectile, turning toward Yu Chen, who stood at a distance, eyes wide, face grim.

He smiled.

“Deputy Captain Yu… sneaking a shot isn’t very gentlemanly. And besides…”

With a flick, the bullet moved.

As if pulled by invisible strings, its tip pivoted—now pointing directly at Yu Chen.

And then, the silver surface began to change.

Darkness seeped into it—deep, endless ink—spreading across the casing in visible waves, devouring the silver like a stain.

Yu Chen’s pupils contracted violently. Cold sweat broke across his back.

Tian Dao didn’t seem to notice.

He simply spoke, as if reciting a simple truth.

“Bullets… are far more interesting than you think.”

He bent a finger and tapped the bullet’s tail.

Ping!

A clear, ringing sound.

The bullet exploded forward—three times faster than Yu Chen had fired it.

Black as the void, screaming through the air with a shriek that split the atmosphere, it carved a flawless arc of darkness through the sky—straight for Yu Chen’s face.

“Look out!”

In the final instant, Deputy Captain Kong Cheng reacted—yanking Yu Chen backward by the arm.

The black bullet whistled past his shoulder, embedding itself in a nearby brass pillar.

Boom!

The explosion was deafening.

The bullet—just a bullet—now packed the force of a cannon shell. The thick brass pillar shattered instantly, its broken edge spewing scalding copper fragments from friction.

But that wasn’t all.

Behind the pillar, a wall was torn open—ripped apart by the bullet’s lingering fury. A hole ten meters wide split the structure open, revealing the gray, overcast sky beyond.

Through the dust and smoke, the shattered tower’s outer face was visible—empty, exposed.

A single bullet, fired with a flick of the finger—capable of such destruction.

If that one finger had struck a person…

The thought alone made every person on the scene go rigid with dread.

This man was a monster—wearing human skin.

But while some hesitated, others pressed forward.

“Mooooo—!”

A furious roar split the air.

Liu Ma transformed—half bull, half horse—a monstrous hybrid born of Stellar Power.

The Golden Demon Ox’s Stellar Core gave his skin a golden sheen. The Shadow War Horse’s Stellar Source had turned his legs into hooves, his entire body wreathed in eerie blue flame.

No hesitation.

With a thunderous charge, Liu Ma coiled his right arm, veins bulging like cables, and unleashed a punch.

“Feather Force: False Triple!”

The strike was massive—its power clearly exceeding Second Rank, breaking into true Third Rank territory.

Tian Dao didn’t even flinch.

He simply raised his hand.

Boom!

The clash sent a white shockwave erupting from their center.

The ground cracked instantly—spiderweb fractures spreading outward, collapsing into a deep, circular crater.

More than ten meters away, Fifth Squad members staggered under the force of the wave. Their uniforms flapped wildly in the gale. Steam Guards were knocked off their feet, their bodies battered by flying debris—crashing into each other in chaos.

When the dust settled…

Liu Ma—now nearly three meters tall, muscles taut and rippling—was being held effortlessly by Tian Dao with just one hand, his massive fist pinned beneath the man’s slender fingers.

Meanwhile, Liu Ma’s face had turned crimson—his golden skin strained, veins bulging like worms beneath the surface. Every muscle trembled under unbearable pressure.

He had given everything.

Yet he couldn’t break free.

Tian Dao tilted his head, amusement in his voice.

“Liu Ma… you still never learn to think, do you?”

Then, slowly, his fingers began to close.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end