Shen Lu: I've Mutated into Multiple Game-Breaking Abilities

Chapter 25: The Necessity of Close-Quarters Combat Skills

After the two brothers finished their conversation, Ling Yi suddenly seemed ordinary to them. So they stopped paying attention to him. Ling Yi was quick-witted and easily noticed the change in their attitude. Whereas they had previously shown some curiosity toward him, they now treated him like a stranger—indifferent and unconcerned. He wasn’t sure why they’d changed their attitude so drastically, but he had a rough idea. “They probably think the person who summoned the meteorite is still inside, so they must assume I’m not the one.” Ling Yi was actually quite pleased with this outcome. He ignored the two of them and turned to walk down the grassy slope. As he walked, he glanced at the time remaining. [Time Remaining Until Descent: 16 minutes] The Daily Roulette would be available in 16 minutes, so he’d just wander around casually until then~ ...... Besides the Battle Chickens, there were quite a few Grass Monsters in the cypress grove. These were monsters that usually disguised themselves as bright green blades of grass but would fire sharp leaf arrows to attack players the moment they spotted them. It was actually quite easy for players to spot them. After all, although their appearance was indistinguishable from ordinary weeds, they weren’t exactly small—they stood half a person’s height. A quick glance was enough to tell them apart. When Ling Yi walked from a narrow path into a clearing in the woods, he saw five people not far away engaged in a fierce battle with three Grass Monsters. The three Grass Monsters were lined up in a row; rooted in place, they couldn’t move. Their hard, sharp leaves looked like green blades, whizzing “whoosh, whoosh, whoosh” all over the area. The five people in the middle were too busy dodging attacks to launch their own. They were clearly at a disadvantage. Behind them stood a large, portly man with a menacing expression. The man was nearly two meters tall and was looking around from side to side, as if keeping watch for them or keeping an eye on the surroundings. As soon as he spotted Ling Yi, the fat man frowned impatiently, waved him away, and said, “Get out of here, get out of here.” The Grass Monsters wouldn’t be higher than Level 10. Killing them now wouldn’t earn Ling Yi any experience. Therefore, he didn’t want to—and wouldn’t—waste time fighting them. He simply kept walking forward. However, seeing that Ling Yi not only ignored him but continued walking, the fat man’s expression immediately darkened. “Didn’t you hear me when I was talking to you?” He shouted in a booming voice. No one ever dared to defy this towering figure when he spoke, especially those weaker than him. Having already advanced to Level 3 the very next day, he was absolutely certain that the teenager before him was no match for him. Therefore, the boy’s dismissive attitude infuriated him immensely. Ling Yi stopped in his tracks, casting a casual glance at the five people still pinned down in the center of the arena, then shifted his gaze to the portly man. He sized the man up and down a few times, then smiled and said: “We don’t even know each other—why should I care where I go?” “You can’t go down this path. Go back the way you came,” the fat man said coldly, his face darkening, in a tone that brooked no argument. “Is there any part of the Qingbai Forest that players can’t reach? Besides, I’m not heading toward your combat zone.” “Are you here to cause trouble?” “?” “Get out of here! Or don’t blame me for getting rough!” The big guy bellowed, making a move as if to advance toward Ling Yi. But after taking three or four strides, he hesitated, unable to take that fifth step. ‘This guy… isn’t afraid of me?’ The fat man’s name was Zhang Yuan. Although he looked fierce on the outside, he was actually more sensitive than most of his peers. In the past, whenever he made a move, people would usually run away in fear. And those who didn’t run away were almost always people who had complete confidence in their own strength. Whenever he faced off against such people, he usually ended up on the losing end. ‘Could this guy have reached Level 3 as well?’ He stared at the teenager a few meters away, filled with surprise and doubt, and decided in his heart to test the waters first. “What level are you?” He stood rooted to the spot, as still as a robot, and asked expressionlessly. Ling Yi: “......” He raised an eyebrow, looking at him as if he were an idiot, and said, “You think I’d tell you?” “You’re right.” Zhang Yuan nodded, then took a step back and waved his hand at him. “Never mind, never mind. Go ahead.” This guy’s attitude toward him made him even more reluctant to underestimate him. He certainly didn’t want to offend a player who was very likely a powerhouse over some trivial matter—no sane person would do that. But Ling Yi had no intention of letting him off that easily. Blocking the road without permission in No Man’s Land and picking a fight with him just because he was passing by—did he really think a simple “let him through” would make it as if nothing had happened? “You have to apologize to me.” As Ling Yi spoke, he began to stretch his limbs, already thinking about how he would fight him. Speed is power. With his high Agility, he was confident he could quickly defeat the fat guy in front of him. “Apologize?” As soon as Zhang Yuan heard this, his expression changed instantly. He glared fiercely at Ling Yi, his menacing eyes seeming to shoot out terrifying beams of light. “No way! I’m not—” “Then stop wasting my time.” Ling Yi cut him off and took a step toward him. Seeing this, Zhang Yuan laughed bitterly in anger and snorted coldly, “Fine, so you want to settle this with your fists, huh? Let’s see whose fists are stronger!” No sooner had the words left his mouth. He raised his right hand high, palm facing the sky, and roared, “Fireball!” Immediately, a fiery orange ball about 1. 4 meters in diameter appeared in the palm of his hand. Before he could make his next move, Ling Yi’s figure suddenly appeared right in front of him! “What—” Zhang Yuan’s eyes widened in shock. Before he could even finish his sentence, the fist looming before him grew larger and larger. The next moment! Ling Yi’s fist slammed into his face like a charging hunk of iron, caving his cheekbone inward. Zhang Yuan let out a piercing scream of “Ah!” His mind seemed to go blank in that instant, and his heavy, obese body collapsed to the ground without putting up any resistance! A dull “thud” echoed, scattering the fallen leaves around him and kicking up several centimeters of dust. “Tsk.” Ling Yi furrowed his brow and shook out his hand. ‘It feels a bit strange.’ Perhaps because it was his first time striking someone, or maybe because it had been far too long since he’d last hit anyone, he felt a bit out of his element. Glancing at the fat man lying on the ground with a nosebleed, Ling Yi decided not to continue the attack; instead, he turned and walked back toward the original path. Conflicts between players are extremely common. As long as they aren’t mortal enemies, people usually let it go once they walk away. He didn’t let this minor incident weigh on his mind. However. This incident did make Ling Yi realize once again the necessity of melee combat skills. After all, his [Starfall] not only had a delay but also caused damage to himself. It was fine for farming monsters, but it was completely unsuitable for one-on-one duels. “I really need to get a melee skill.” That said, as soon as he saw that he only had four Star Slots left, Ling Yi couldn’t help but sigh. “I have way too few Star Slots. I don’t even have enough to summon the Ice Emperor—how am I supposed to learn anything else...” Just as he said this, his words suddenly trailed off. He suddenly remembered that after reaching Level 10, he had unlocked the Support System.