Chapter 128: The Reality Illusion

The Great Boss is here. He is watching you, observing the parts of your body: your arms, your legs, your nose, your eyes, and your internal organs.

Are you afraid? This creature is a man-eater.

After the distortion of the rules descended, he was the first in the apartment complex to become an Evolver. However, he did not lead everyone toward a better life; instead, he acted as a petty tyrant within these walls.

He seized control of all the women and resources in the building. Those who were cuckolded dared to be angry but dared not speak, and he lived quite lavishly—until the very last scrap of food was consumed.

With everyone starving, he set his sights on newborn infants, then on various men, and finally on the women. He devoured the entire building, not even sparing the putrefied corpses of the children on the seventeenth and eighteenth floors.

An Eighth-Rank Corrupted One with perfect mutation abilities: Mental Barrier and Reality Illusion.

Fang Tang and Wang Gang locked eyes, sizing each other up in their peripheral vision.

Wang Gang was burly, though not quite matching Ta Meng, yet he still carried enough of a physical presence to be imposing. His muscles were corded; the physical strength of an Eighth-Rank Corrupted One is formidable in its own right. In a pure contest of power, likely no one in the squad could stand against him.

His Mental Barrier was a defensive ability capable of blocking even physical attacks. Furthermore, Wang Gang’s offensive means were mental in nature, making them nearly impossible to guard against.

*I can’t beat him!*

Fang Tang immediately assessed the disparity in their strength. Despite his own arsenal of sequences, it remained to be seen whether he could even breach that mental barrier.

Having reached this conclusion, Fang Tang flickered, turning into a black shadow and vanishing into the stairwell.

He found his captain and spoke urgently, "I’ve spotted the Guardian."

"Where?" Liu Yiran’s expression tightened as he strode toward the exit.

"In the stairwell. An Eighth-Rank Corrupted One. His mutation is mental-based; it took everything I had to break free from his control."

Fang Tang bluffed. He couldn't reveal his eyes, so he had to put himself in danger; either way, the intelligence had to be provided.

Liu Yiran looked serious. "Take me there."

Hearing this, Fang Tang grabbed Liu Yiran, activated Shadow Step, and returned to the stairwell.

Wang Gang had not left. Seeing Fang Tang return, he turned his gaze toward Liu Yiran.

"You are strong!"

Do experts possess an intuition for one another? Fang Tang was puzzled.

The moment Liu Yiran saw Wang Gang, he tucked his hands into his sleeves and smiled thinly. "I know."

Wang Gang: ...

"Heh, interesting. I’ll give you a chance to survive: become my subordinate, and I will spare your life."

Wang Gang stood arrogantly on the stairs, looking down at Liu Yiran with contempt, completely ignoring Fang Tang.

Liu Yiran smiled slightly. "That’s a fine proposal, but first I would have to become a Corrupted One, wouldn't I?"

"Indeed!" Wang Gang agreed wholeheartedly. "Then I shall assist you. No need to thank me."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the smile on Liu Yiran’s face froze, and his eyes grew vacant.

Fang Tang’s brow furrowed. *The boss is already caught in an illusion?*

*An Eighth-Rank Corrupted One is truly terrifying!*

Fang Tang tried to pull Liu Yiran away from the spot. As he reached out, before he could even activate Shadow Step, Liu Yiran grabbed his hand in return.

Liu Yiran was panting heavily, his eyes bloodshot as he locked gazes with Fang Tang.

"What’s wrong, Captain?" Fang Tang asked with concern, glancing at where Wang Gang stood.

Liu Yiran shook his head. "His illusions are powerful. Go quickly and bring everyone here."

Fang Tang: "...?"

*Something is wrong!*

Fang Tang scrutinized Liu Yiran. "You said we had to move separately to avoid a total wipeout. Have you forgotten?"

Liu Yiran frowned and said, "I haven't forgotten, but I cannot handle this Eighth-Rank Corrupted One alone. I need help."

Fang Tang smiled faintly. "Perfect mutation abilities are indeed strong. You almost fooled me."

"What do you mean?" Liu Yiran looked at Fang Tang with a dark expression.

Fang Tang pulled his hand away and turned to look at Wang Gang on the stairs. "I have seen right through you. I know exactly what your mutation abilities are, so don't bother acting in front of me; it’s useless."

"Although a 'Reality Illusion' looks real, it is still just an illusion. You might be able to trick others, but you cannot trick me."

"Your only offensive method must be to use 'Reality Illusion' to twist our senses and force us to kill each other, right? After all, your other mutation ability is defensive."

*Clap! Clap! Clap!*

Wang Gang and Liu Yiran both raised their hands and clapped, casting admiring glances at Fang Tang.

"I didn't expect to have misjudged you. I thought you were just an ordinary Fifth-Rank Evolver, but you have brought me a pleasant surprise. Very good."

Wang Gang licked his lips. "Looking at you, your flesh must be delicious. I’ve forgotten how long it’s been since I’ve eaten meat, especially the meat of an Evolver."

Fang Tang tightened his grip on the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow. "The illusion can only hold me; you can’t actually do anything to me, since you lack offensive means."

Wang Gang nodded, fully agreeing with Fang Tang’s words. "That is why I need you to be my subordinate, to be my enforcer. How about we conquer the world outside together?"

Fang Tang sneered. "Are you dreaming? Forget about the regional restrictions outside—you can’t even leave this building. What kind of dreams are you talking about?"

Guardians cannot leave their designated areas; this is a recognized fact. After all, a Guardian carries the gift of that region.

Wang Gang seemed to have been struck at a sore point. His face twisted as he glared at Fang Tang. "If you will not submit, then die."

Suddenly, the scene shifted.

Fang Tang was instantly transported into a blood-red world.

The surroundings were littered with wreckage. A river of blood surged past Fang Tang’s ankles, and a pungent, fishy stench assaulted his nose.

Wang Gang stood atop a mountain made of severed limbs, reached out toward Fang Tang, and then abruptly clenched his fist.

Countless remains seemed to come to life, crawling densely toward Fang Tang, grabbing his trousers, his clothes, his arms, his hair, and swallowing him instantly.

But Fang Tang did not struggle. Although the cold bones felt very real, he knew it was an illusion.

As long as it is an illusion, it is merely visual deception. No one can perform a real physical attack through the creation of an illusion.

The remains gnawed frantically at Fang Tang’s limbs, but he possessed the Steel Guardian ability. Each of these skeletons and putrid corpses shattered their teeth against him, failing to inflict the slightest injury.

In the darkness, Fang Tang sighed.

*I cannot just wait here; I must strike back.*

*I wonder if the Captain has broken free from the illusion.*

The strength of a bear—twice his normal power—suddenly erupted. Countless skeletons and corpses were flung away, exposing Fang Tang’s upper body.

Immediately after, Fang Tang drew the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow. His body flickered, and he tore an opening through the thick mass of skeletons beneath him.

In a flash, the black shadow appeared right in front of Wang Gang.

But Wang Gang merely smiled slightly and waved his hand. Fang Tang was sent back to his original spot.

Fang Tang: "..."

*Damn it, I'm being countered!*

Fang Tang’s brow furrowed. He slashed at the encroaching skeletons with the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow, his mind racing to find a solution.

If his talent sequence was being countered, he would have to gamble on luck.

As long as he could trigger the "Sixth Attempt Success" [Note: referring to a lucky probability mechanic], there shouldn't be a problem.