Chapter 166: Did You Really Think I Was Just Playing Around? - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

Chapter 166: Did You Really Think I Was Just Playing Around? The combat system in "God's Descent" is quite liberal, especially in its VR version where the brain-machine interface replicates combat to an almost realistic extent. This level of realism is why it's a restricted game. Although the battles are virtual, the shared sensory impact can sometimes lead to instability, causing mental issues and even physical problems like photosensitive epilepsy, with many cases reported annually. A closer look reveals that there are clauses akin to a life-and-death agreement upon account registration. When the game first launched, some speculated that its mysterious developer might be "Prism," hoping to boost revenue through such daring means. Even today, marketing accounts echo these theories. Experiencing the game's mechanics thoroughly for the first time, Xu Shi felt an exhilarating impact and found it immensely enjoyable. It's often said that art imitates life yet transcends it. This holds true; the feeling of light sabers clashing feels akin to wielding ascension-based abilities. Yet, Xu Shi himself lacks such talents, which is why the game captivates so many—allowing them to achieve the impossible feats of reality. Who wouldn’t be intrigued? Moreover, Xu Shi was controlling a character with cheat-like enhancements, essentially having everything he desired at his fingertips. On the other hand, Shen He appeared quite beleaguered. His attempt to leverage this method to attack Xu Shi only resulted in his own downfall. The shattering of his protective aura left him visibly distressed, with his mask crumbling away, stripping him of his prior enigmatic charisma. "You!" he exclaimed, pointing at Xu Shi in shock and rage. Shen He never expected Xu Shi to reach such a level—not only detecting his secretive moves but also preparing so meticulously? Damn it, why? "Because you’re no match for me, darling," Xu Shi laughed openly. "You think your little tricks scare me?" "What's there to be proud of with cheats?" Shen He retorted, gritting his teeth. "Come on, don’t act like you don’t have any," Xu Shi countered. Really, how could Shen He accuse him without feeling any shame? All those deceptive acts during his "sermon"—can he honestly claim he wasn’t using cheats too? An average account couldn’t perform those feats. Clearly, Shen He had made similar preparations, securing talents in technology to forcefully obtain certain privileges. Otherwise, how could he influence so many players so easily? It all boiled down to neither Xu Shi nor Shen He entering the game just for play—they had no such concerns. However, it became apparent that Shen He's hacker team was inferior to Gu Yi's, or his arrangements wouldn’t have crumbled so easily. Since they both used cheats, it simply came down to whose was superior. "Don't get cocky!" Shen He shouted, venom in his eyes, as he gathered light in his hands, "Die!" Even with his usual composure, Shen He struggled to maintain it in Xu Shi's presence. Regardless of what he did, and no matter how well-prepared he was, Xu Shi effortlessly obliterated his plans. Forget about staying calm—it's impressive his mentality hasn't completely broken down. "Again?" Xu Shi teased, picking his ear with his pinky. "After ten attempts, you still won’t match up, Baby Shen He." As Xu Shi spoke, his "Yujing" weapon seemed to come alive, releasing dark lightning from the serpent’s head to clash with Shen He's lightsaber, resulting in a tsunami-like explosion. Being in-game, "Yujing" allowed for feats different from reality—its equipped firearms functionality and defensive fields weren't as evident, but the support it provided to spirit and psionic strengths remained undeniable. In these virtual battles, aside from cheats, what truly mattered was the combatant's mental power. Shen He's lightsaber, wings, and Xu Shi's own lightning were manifestations of their mental power. Xu Shi could tell that Shen He's mental strength had significantly improved since their last encounter at headquarters. Considering Shen He's "United Front" ability to amplify himself through influencing others, impacting tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of players naturally granted him a qualitative boost. Of course, these effects were manageable within the virtual scope; if this were reality, he could have transformed into a Super Saiyan fighter. However, still within a reasonable range, as any excessive increase in strength would render such elaborate setups unnecessary—why resort to elaborate tactics if he could already demolish targets as easily as flicking away a fly? Unburdened, Xu Shi's use of "Yujing" outperformed Shen He's intricate preparations, handling the situation effortlessly. Truthfully, with such support, any fool could succeed, possibly even an actual pig... But Xu Shi was no fool; he relished playing with his prey like an ultimate hunter. "Try again, you can do it!" Xu Shi encouraged, punching Shen He to the ground, "Remember to be gentle, I’m almost beaten," he mocked. Infuriated beyond belief, Shen He felt like spitting blood. But he was indeed out of options—this was an undeniable show of strength, his attacks couldn’t even breach Xu Shi's defenses, while Xu Shi easily left him faltering with casual strokes. "What're you waiting for? All of you, attack him together!" Shen He barked to the bystanders, hoping to leverage sheer numbers. The crowd hesitated, unsure of how to react, glancing between Xu Shi and Shen He, confused by the situation... Just who was this devil-winged, lightning-wielding demon facing Shen He? A divine war? Another DLC? "I advise against it," Xu Shi smiled gently, waving his staff to release a black aura. "You don't even know who he is, don't sacrifice yourselves for him." Realizing his words rang true, those affected by the aura snapped out of their reverie. Suddenly, they understood—the logic made sense. Though Shen He tried to seem imposing, ultimately, they were still online. No gamer, not even for a moment, would forget the line between virtual and reality. Who wouldn't second-guess taking up arms for an in-game speech, risking repercussions? "But why would we kill for you?" "Yeah, who are you to make these demands?" "What’s your goal in saying all these? And you don’t even pay us game currency, why did I ever listen to you!" Anger mounted as they questioned Shen He, sparking a cacophony of condemnation. Seeing this unfold, Xu Shi couldn’t help but smirk. Unsurprising. Even if he lacked the depth to dig through Shen He's manipulations like he could with someone like Xia Wuyou, dispelling Shen’s influence was straightforward. In truth, while brainwashed, the resolve of these city folk wasn’t stable—they were far removed from Shen He's original loyal followers. Those earlier subordinates, part of groups like "Star Fire" or "Disguised," were desperadoes, inherently suspicious of corporations, thus fiercely loyal under Shen He's influence. But these ordinary citizens—experiencing relative stability and rarely embroiled in violence—could easily be swayed. It's akin to netizens nowadays. Jumping at breaking news with keyboard warrior gusto, yet reversing stance as clarifications arise. With Xu Shi's current mental prowess, exceeding Shen He's, even if it wasn’t... managing this situation was certainly within reach. Yet, this reversal struck Shen He hard. Among the sea of condemnations, he stumbled back involuntarily, coughing up blood. "Wah!" His complexion turned pale, even worse than when Xu Shi had been pummeling him into the ground earlier. The blood wasn't real, rather a manifestation of broken control chains—as was previously the case, when "United Front" fails, he suffers a backlash. Though this time there was a slight difference: rather than deep connections being severed, the current ones were shallower. In theory, the impact should've been less. However, in reality, the quantity was much larger. It's like comparing the damage of a big hammer hitting eighty times with a small hammer hitting a thousand; the latter incurs greater damage. "Can you still speak?" Xu Shi pressed his advantage, darting to Shen He’s side. Raising his staff, he struck hard at Shen He’s chest, "Die!" "Gah!" Shen He flew backward like a kite with a cut string, slamming heavily into the ground and struggling futilely to stand. "In my personal capacity, I hereby sentence you," Xu Shi chuckled, summoning lightning with a flick of his finger, ready to annihilate Shen He completely. "... It's not over yet, don't celebrate too soon," Shen He murmured, but the initial panic on his face soon faded, replaced by a defiant smile. He realized they were in a game—even if Xu Shi chopped him into a thousand pieces, he wouldn’t truly die. With his mental strength, the damage wouldn’t be substantial, allowing him to continue the battle. "Oh, really?" Xu Shi feigned surprise and whispered just before the lightning fell, "Why do you think I'd play with you for so long when I can easily defeat you here?" "Why... damn!" Shen He wasn’t a fool; understanding quickly dawned. The problem lay in it being a game! The longer the delay, there’s the risk—beyond potentially losing real-world battlefield control—that his hideout might be uncovered. Tracing through the network could inevitably reveal his location, leaving no room for luck. But there was no time to gamble on it—the lightning struck mercilessly. As the dust settled, Shen He was gone, leaving only a sense of powder wafting in the breeze. Reduced to ashes, the surrounding crowd was shocked. The duel had already been impressive, and this finale was unprecedented—could anyone else truly eliminate someone like this? No way! "Alright, alright, everyone, stay calm," Xu Shi ascended and gestured soothingly to the crowd below. "Clearly, that guy was here to mess things up and destroy our gaming environment, which is why I acted." "Who... who exactly are you?" asked the guy who had initially brought Xu Shi to watch Shen He's sermon, his head buzzing with confusion. "Me? I’m... I’m an administrator," Xu Shi thought up an excuse. Revealing his true identity would be disastrous. Truth be told, he wasn't the most popular figure, and who knew how they’d react if they knew who he was. Better to avoid additional complications; they never solve anything. "If anyone else tries to disrupt the game environment, report them promptly, and I will deliver swift justice." As he said this, Xu Shi’s form began to waver, "Crisis averted, everyone have fun, though I suggest logging off for a rest." Although his explanation was simple, it effectively fooled the others. By the time they came to their senses, Xu Shi was already gone. "...Yeah, let's take a break." "What a ride. I need a breather." "Messing around won't do ya any good." ... "Whoo..." Xu Shi disconnected and slowly awoke, exhaling deeply. Even through it all, it was quite exhausting—mental fatigue often outweighed physical exertion. "How are things?" Xia Ke'an trotted over, attentively wiping the sweat off his forehead. "Terrible, I lost the fight. It’s the end," Xu Shi replied, putting on a pitiful expression. "...Really? Should I tie you up and turn you in for safety?" Xia Ke'an's teasing showed she knew he was fine, rolling her eyes at him, "Worried for nothing." "You dare?" Xu Shi playfully threatened, reaching to pinch her cheek. Yet, the communication device on his wrist rang. Glancing at the screen, it was Yu Xingchuan. "Mr. Xu, the task you assigned... it's done successfully!" (End of Chapter)