Chapter 49: This Guy Really Has a Unique Style

Chapter 49: This Guy Really Has a Bizarre Painting Style

The bureau chief had remarkable organizational skills.

And perhaps his actual combat strength was formidable as well.

This was Lu Li’s guess, considering he had truly managed to summon Transcendents from North America, Europe, and Asia within a mere three days.

As for Africa and South America...

Ahem, following the exceptional matchmaking mechanisms of those major regions, they were already struggling to keep their own houses in order. How could they possibly spare the time to attend some sort of First Annual Transcendent Martial Arts Tournament?

That was asking far too much.

In fact, in Lu Li’s understanding, even the Anglo-Saxon gangsters of North America and the progressive saints of Europe would find it difficult to reach a decision in such a short period.

Between endless partisan bickering and constant idling and slacking, managing to settle everything within three days was ample proof of the transcendent bureau chief’s capability.

Meanwhile, Huai Xu’s side showed tacit cooperation by ordering the dead to halt their slaughter and conversion of the living. Instead, they quickly gathered the required ancient legendary transcendents and immediately rushed toward Luocheng.

The Paranormal Bureau did not obstruct them, nor did the other side cause any destruction. Both parties maintained a tacit understanding of mutual non-interference.

The final venue was chosen at the ruins of Old Huai Village.

The state did not refuse, though it requested that the arena be constructed by their side. Lu Li delivered the message, and Huai Xu agreed.

Thus, within five days, the state had constructed a stage the size of a football field.

The surrounding spectator stands were densely packed with ultra-high-definition cameras, connected directly to the offices of heads of state across the globe.

Lu Li and the other selected transcendents gathered in the contestants' lounge, quietly waiting to take the stage.

The rules for this battle determining the survival of the world were one-on-one, conducted in a gauntlet format.

Both sides would send out ten fighters each, engaging in sequential bouts until all ten members of one side were defeated.

As the host nation, China held four slots, occupied by Lu Li, Pan Shuai, Li Guoping (the bureau chief of the Paranormal Bureau), and the remarkably unfortunate Xing Tian.

The remaining six slots were left for Europe and North America to fill.

Those six individuals certainly projected the aura of experts at a glance, but Lu Li couldn't help feeling...

"They don't look very friendly."

Earlier, when he walked over to greet them, he was met with cold stares.

One person even muttered a racially discriminatory remark and pulled at the corners of their eyes in a mocking gesture.

To be honest, if not for the sake of winning the match to stay alive, Lu Li would have gladly switched sides on the spot and started hacking people down.

"Three Anglo-Saxons, two Aryans, and one Caucasian. Hmph, white skins are still as disgusting as ever."

Li Guoping maintained his usual smiling, veteran-cadre demeanor. "Pay them no mind. As long as we can win, that’s all that matters. They’ve suffered heavy blows this time; we can settle accounts with them after this is all over."

***

By the way, among the two Aryans, one was an upper-caste Indian.

Truth be told, China had actually faced relatively little danger this time around.

Perhaps it was because the ancient legends resurrected on Chinese soil were not the bloodthirsty sort, or perhaps because they possessed their own pride, they had barely disturbed the ordinary populace at all.

Foreign countries, however, were a different story...

After all, those who became legends on Chinese soil usually achieved renown through a combination of strength and admirable qualities, rather than relying solely on brute force.

Lu Li smiled without a word.

Regardless, if they won, Huai Xu had promised him that the world would be reset.

By then, things like transcendents would naturally cease to exist, and this Li Guoping might genuinely just be an ordinary civil-service veteran.

Pan Shuai could simply go back to his regular office job.

Events within this worldview would only be remembered by Lu Li himself.

No, wait—there was also Xing Tian.

It truly was fate to run into this guy twice in a row.

He hadn't expected the guy to be the only survivor yet again.

Did this fellow possess some kind of teammate-killing curse aura?

He would have to ask about that later.

Soon, a deafening bell chimed across the sky.

Everyone’s spirits peroused; they knew the great battle was about to begin.

Divided into three groups, the ten fighters filed out of the lounge.

The four Chinese members walked as a group, the Caucasian man walked alone, and the remaining five formed another group.

However, that upper-caste Indian fellow seemed somewhat ostracized.

That wasn't important, though. What mattered was that the ten selected opponents had also appeared.

Lu Li rubbed his chin as he looked at the ten undead warriors clad in tattered armor yet radiating an overwhelming aura, and asked in a low voice, "Can you tell who any of them are?"

"Some of them." Li Guoping jutted his chin toward the other side. "The one in white with the silver spear and silver armor goes without saying—that’s naturally Zhao Zilong. The one holding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade is definitely Guan Yunchang; after all, I refuse to believe the mastermind behind the scenes would send out someone like Guan Sheng.

"That fellow holding the long halberd, if I’m not mistaken... is probably Xiang Yu.

"I can't guess the first Black man who walked out. He looks like a foreigner—do you guys know of any famous Black heroes? From ancient times, I mean."

Lu Li and the others looked at each other in dismay, shaking their heads one by one.

Ancient times, Black, foreign, hero.

If you separated those four conditions, you could think of quite a few, but combined... such figures certainly existed, but honestly, they had no idea.

***

"So, who’s going up first?"

Lu Li lowered his voice. "As long as the others can hold out until the last three, I can manage a complete sweep. Any more than that, and I won't be able to handle it."

When he fought that Lü Bu earlier, he had roughly sensed his own limits.

Against opponents of that tier, he could handle at most one at a time, and for three consecutive rounds at most.

After that, he’d be completely drained.

So if the other nine people couldn't deal with at least seven of them, it would basically spell GG for the human side...

"If no one else will, I'll go first. I can use my ability to test whether the opponent retains consciousness." Pan Shuai volunteered, eager to step up.

Xing Tian, meanwhile, had firmly decided to play the ostrich.

"Wait a moment." Li Guoping pulled him back, nodding toward a nearby figure. "Someone’s already going."

The group looked over and saw a middle-aged white cowboy wearing a cowboy hat and sporting a handlebar mustache.

"It's him?!"

Pan Shuai’s expression shifted.

Lu Li was baffled. "Is he strong?"

"The first match should be secure," Pan Shuai breathed a sigh of relief. "He's not particularly strong against ordinary people, but his ability reaches a causal-law level when used against specific targets."

That made Lu Li even more curious. "What's his ability?"

"..." After hesitating for a few seconds, Pan Shuai said, "His nickname is 'The Black Reaper'..."

"The Black Reaper? What's next, Grasp of the Undying and Conqueror? Ah? Wait—" Lu Li trailed off mid-complaint as realization suddenly dawned on him.

He opened his mouth to speak, then stopped, hesitated, and stopped again.

After muttering incoherently for a good while, he finally asked quietly, "The Blackman Hunter?"

"...Don't put it so bluntly." Pan Shuai sighed. "Indeed, he's from Texas in the US, and also a member of the 'Proud Boys.' The ability he awakened is a causal-law targeting Black people.

"As long as the target is Black, the moment he fires his gun, the bullet is guaranteed to blow through the opponent's head, and they are certain to die—even invulnerability can't stop it.

"However, the premise is that he has to aim in the general direction. Also, the faster the target moves, the more accurate his shot and the greater the power, especially if they are running away with their back turned to him. He claims this is the hunting instinct attached to his ability."

Lu Li: "..."

That ability was truly absurd.

***

*Thanks to tips from A Jiang Huo Shui, H Ling Dian Ling Yi Fen, Ni Men Hao Qi guai Ya, Yan Jing qwq, and Book Friend 20210116075743491.*