RPDH Chapter 19.1

When did this happen?!

Yue Lan whirled around the moment he heard that voice. He warily surveyed his surroundings.

He was gone.

The only person he saw was that gloomy black-robed man. The young man was gone!

He saw the masterpiece created by him and Qing Yuchen. The bronze walls that surrounded them on all sides. The winter landscape he had crafted.

Every part worked together to blot out the sun, sealing they away in a black box.

Yes, yes! This couldn’t have been the work of a domain-type!

No domain-type, who was restricted by space, could have resisted his freezing ability!

So what if he wasn’t a domain-type? The gulf between individual Rank A’s could still be as vast as the ocean. Yue Lan, with all his battle experience, would prevail. He still looked down on that young man even now. After all, he was the president of an entire branch of the Ability Association.

Yet when he glanced back once more, the dark-haired young man was smiling faintly at him a meter away.

The red mark by his eyes only accetuated the sharpness of his eyebrows. His sudden appearance by Yue Lan’s side only confirmed once mroe that he was not affected by spatial restrictions!

Yue Lan could see himself reflected in those pitch black orbs.

Instincts made him subconsciously mobilize the icicles to stab at the young man.

“You can’t escape at this distance!” He wanted to laugh at his opponent’s misstep.

But the air around the young man seemed to ripple just before the attack made contact.

The icicles passed through the ‘young man’, who still had that irritating smile playing on his lips!

“An illusion?!” Yue Lan exclaimed.

Yue Lan told himself this was just another inconsequential, harmless parlour trick.

It didn’t matter if he had been caught off guard.

“Hmph. You only know how to scurry around like a rat.”

That figure appeared before his eyes again with the same laissez-faire expression.

The young man leaned over to whisper by his ear, “Look what you’ve done, ah. Aren’t you two on the same side?”

What?!

Yue Lan didn’t understand at first.

He scanned his surroundings. The only people around him were the young man next to him and the ‘illusion’ that had yet to fade.

It was just the two of them and an illusion.

However, Yue Lan hadn’t been alone before.

Then it dawned on him.

That wasn’t an illusion, it was the person who had been standing right next to him this whole time, the black-robed man from Tarnished Bronze!

The illusion faded away in the blink of an eye, revealing the Rank C black-robed man he had run through with an icicle.

A mixture of blood and water flowed down from the icicles nailing the man to the floor. His entirely white eyes stared at Yue Lan with a look of wide-eyed betrayal and hatred.

The Rank C whose word was law in Tarnished Bronze, the ability user who had killed countless people on Qing Yuchen’s orders.

Died such an ignoble death at the hands of the helper Qing Yuchen personally requested.

Yue Lan seemed to suffer a heavy blow.

How did he mistake this black-robed man for the dark-haired young man?!

“It’s not good to suddenly attack your comrades, right, branch president sir?” The young man drawled.

His pitch black eyes pierced deep into Yue Lan’s soul.

“You deceived my eyes…” His blue hair gradually grew damp with sweat despite the arctic temperature of the room.

He couldn’t even trust his own eyes now!

“What’s the matter? Not attacking me anymore?” The youth circled around him in no particular hurry. “Didn’t you say I wouldn’t be able to escape at this distance?

His tone was both mocking and amused. His relaxed eyebrows exuding ease.

That black trenchcoat flicked through the air. The steady rhythm of those boots Death coming to knock at his door.

“Dun, dun, dun.”

Yet Yue Lan stayed his hand.

There was a problem here, he thought.

Illusion, that had to be another illusion! His opponent was trying to bait him to act!

Cold sweat trickled down the side of his face as inspiration struck him like lightning.

The illusion of the young man did not speak. He just stood there, smiling at Yue Lan. Eyes, ears. Although his eyes were being deceived, his ears were not! The illusions could not make any sound!

Perhaps his opponent was bluffing, having anticipated his reluctance to act.

The person strolling behind him right now was the real deal, the person himself!

Yet hesitation struck Yue Lan once more.

Was he real? Or another example of the young man’s deception?

The first time, he inferred the young man was a domain-type from the way he used his ability and the fact that he showed signs of being suppressed.

However, he wasn’t. He could move freely in the frozen space.

The second time, he subconsciously assumed the youth had teleported to his side, because that’s how he avoided attacks until now.

But ‘he’ turned out to just be an illusion.

The third time, he thought it was just an illusion.

Yet it turned out to be the Rank C on his side.

Three consecutive blunders dropped Yue Lan’s confidence in his own judgement to an all time low.

The young man was like a ghost, an unpredictable illusionist, an invincible gamer playing a game of cat and mouse.

And he, Yue Lan, was said mouse.

Deep regret surfaced inside. He shouldn’t have come here. He should have stayed put in Nexus City and continued to be a proper branch president.

There were insurmountable gulfs between Rank A’s as well, so why did he assume he would be the stronger one?!

Was the person beside him real or fake? An illusion? The real thing?”

He decided to act despite his doubts. After all, there was no harm in striking an illusion.

The floating icicles and jutting spikes reacted instantly. Yue Lan’s eyes widened as he watched his attacks connect with the ghost-like young man.

A hint of something metallic reached his nose as the icicle pierced the young man’s body without him putting up any resistance.

Yue Lan’s first reaction was disbelief.

Did he actually hit him? No, how could this be?!

It must be another illusion! His eyes must be deceiving him!

How could that young man die just like that? This must be another one of his tricks!

Sure enough, the voice of the devil himself echoed in his ears at that moment.

“Aiya, my dear branch president. What have you done?”

The dark-haired young man before him narrowed his eyes, causing the red mark by his temple to distort. The hems of his black trenchcoat were dyed red. Being run through by an icicle did not affect the irreverent air about him.

Even as tiny crimson flowers bloomed, the abyss stared back at Yue Lan and devoured his soul whole.

“Why did you kill yourself, ah?” He asked unhurriedly.

Yue Lan froze.

Ah, that’s right. The person ran through by an icicle, the person fusing together with crystalline ice, the person staring wide-eyed up at the dark-haired young man before him.

Was himself, ah!

And standing where he once was, staring down at him, was his nightmare.

A dark nightmare from which there was no escape.

Yue Lan tried to commit the young man’s appearance to memory in his final moments.

He was the devil.

The devil who would bring change to this world.

…

Someone in the manhua once summarized the types of ability users.

Mimic-types tended to be optimistic. Spell-types were aloof and introverted. Domain-types would always cheat at games to everyone else’s detriment. And concept-types were all lunatics.

Li Li never thought she would be categorized as a lunatic one day.

The path she chose had been one plagued with thorns, hardship and madness from the start. For the sake of her true world, she would stake the life she had worked so hard for on the gambling table.

This moment was no different.

Li Li’s dark eyes flicked away from the blue-haired man she had run through to the Red Dot Map. She turned to go after the only red dot remaining.

She started humming a tune.

A maelstrom of emotions assaulted her mind as chaotic lines emerged before her once more.

Were they real or fake? She smiled faintly at the lines.

Illusory Truth, her ability.

She toed the line between reality and illusions, overturning truths and supplementing them with lies.

The red dot representing Qing Yuchen was fleeing towards the back of the Tarnished Bronze compound.

The HQ had already been cleared out at this point. The off-tune melody was the only sound echoing down these empty halls.

The bloodstained corners of the trenchcoat swayed around her calves.

Of course Li Li wasn’t a Rank A. Her luck only took her as far as Rank C.

The rank suppression was also in effect. Illusory Truth had a 100% success rate against lower ranked ability users, but only 5% on higher ranked ones.

However, Illusory Truth belonged to the most unique category of abilities. It acted primarily on the subjective human mind.

Therefore, as long as the target believed her lies, the success rate would increase.

If they completely believed her lies.

The success rate would be 100% regardless!

Lies, deception… She used words to destroy his self-confidence.

The frigid sensation of being run throuhg only made her more excited.

She didn’t bother resisting because she knew she would be the final survivor.

The other party had already been convinced of her words.

The cold seemed to linger around her as she tracked the red dot through the lengthy corridors and out the back door.

A salty, moist breeze greeted her as she stepped outside once more.

Li Li blinked as her eyes readjusted to the light.

“Found you~” She smiled.

She and this troublesome Rank B were natural enemies, even if you set aside their irreconcilable differences.

Moreover, she could not resist his mind control now that she had become a Rank C ability user. She had to dispatch him while she could still use items.

[300 popularity has been deducted. Remaining balance: 2282]

[Item [Immunity Ability] purchased successfully. Countdown 3:00]

…

Qing Yuchen was fleeing.

He realized the severity of the situation as soon as the Rank C under his control was killed by Yue Lan. When he saw Yue Lan’s untimely fate through the surveillance system, he immediately chose to flee.

“That branch president, Yue Lan, who could freeze even time, actually failed!” He muttered increduously to himself.

Yue Lan was no mere branch president. The Ability Association was under the thumbs of the aristocracy. He was also an aristocrat.

Someone like him died just like that?!

A spell-type Rank A, the strongest ability user in an entire city, died just like that in some nowhere bordertown like Desolate Dragon.

The Yue Clan ruled over more than just Nexus City. The four cities to the north were also considered their ancestral lands.

Their vengeance would be swift and relentless. Even the aristocracy treasured their Rank A ability users. Yue Lan’s death would also mean losing control over the Nexus City Ability Association branch.

Qing Yuchen, who asked Yue Lan to come to Desolate Dragon as a personal favour, would not meet a good end either.

Yet there were more pressing issues at hand. He had to escape the clutches of that young man first!

Qing Yuchen knew that person would not let him off. Not after he courted death by repeatedly offending him!

“That lunatic, lunatic!” Qing Yuchen scrambled to get to the harbour. “They’re all lunatics in that damned former Ability Association! And that guy is the biggest lunatic of them all!”

The ominous gray sky weighed down on him like nothing else. He forced his legs to keep moving as he arranged for the subordinates under his control to prepare his escape vessel.

Just 500m to the harbour.

That familiar raspy voice sounded by his ear at that point.

“Where are you going?”

His nightmares came to life as the young man clad head to toe in black appeared before him. With hands in the pockets of his trenchcoat, he greeted Qing Yuchen warmly like they were acquaintances who happened to run into each other.

Qing Yuchen shivered despite today being a mild spring day. Not even Yue Lan’s ability could instill a chill of this magnitude inside him.

His body also froze still.

“No need to be in such a hurry, ah.” The young man’s eyes crinkled slightly as he gradually closed the distance. A hint of red stained the corner of his eye. He raised his head slightly, smiling faintly as always. “We haven’t finished our conversation yet.”

Qing Yuchen made the subordinate under his control activate his ability from the shadows. Flames licked at the dark-haired young man.

Qing Yuchen swiftly retreated, only to see a dark shadow emerge unhurriedly from the flames, heading in his direction.

The young man raised his hand and snapped casually.

The inferno around him froze like someone had hit pause.

Real flames instantly transformed into illusions. All doubts cleared as the sound rang out. The burning straw rose into the air as embers, circling around the young man’s black trenchcoat and illuminating his pitch black eyes.

Dark clouds dyed the sky behind him black, leaving the embers as the only source of light in the darkness.

A beautiful magic show unveiled itself before Qing Yuchen.

Yet his terror only deepened, whether due to the other party’s muted reaction or his evident ease.

“Just what kind of ability do you have?!” Qing Yuchen trembled from head to toe.

He thought the other party was a domain-type, but that hypothesis had already been disproven.

Could it be…

“I told you already.” The young man raised an eyebrow and casually stated, “I’m a concept-type, ah.”

Ah, that’s right. He did mention that when Qing Yuchen inquired if he required any merchandise.

Since they were of the same type, the young man could drain his ability.

“Impossible!” Qing Yuchen shook his head madly, the chain on his glasses jerking around. He refused to accept this answer. “This can’t be!”

“There’s a hunter among the high-rank concept-types! They can’t be any Rank A concept-types right now!” He denied vehemently.

That powerhouse on the hunt for other concept-types to fuel his own grow would not let any Rank A out of his sight!

Even a Rank B like Qing Yuchen had been hunted by him before.

The encounter still haunted his nightmares.

He could recall it as clear as day.

Crushed completely, terror fixing him in place. Even his voice eluded him at that moment.

He met the nightmare that extinguished his hopes and dreams. He still remembered the sheer terror that overwhelmed him as he was overwhelmed.

Bloodstained ruins where nothing remained. The sun was just beginning to rise over the sea.

He couldn’t forget the sight of the sun rising behind that nightmare, how it turned away casually without a second glance after taking everything from him.

In the end, he was only spared due to his inabliity to control ordinary people. The condition he bemoaned countless times had saved his life in front of that high-rank.

And now, he was back before the sea. The sky was overcast behind the black-haired young man. The sun nowhere to be seen today.

Even so, he was once again crumbling in the face of overwhelming pressure. He could almost see a piercing halo of light behind the black-haired young man.

Eventually, he gave up any thought of investigating useless things and stammered, “What would you like, sir? Tarnished Bronze? Information on the Ability Association? I know many things, have many things to offer you. Please, spare me.”

He wanted to live!

“You’re going up against a high-rank concept-type! The Ability Association! The Yue Clan aristocrats! You need someone by your side!” He desperately laid out his own value, gesturing frantically as he bowed as low as he could. “I can help you control many ability users. Everything Tarnished Bronze has to offer is yours! You can have an organization all to yourself, sir!”

When the young man raised an eyebrow in apparent interest, Qing Yuchen redoubled his efforts: “There are low-rank ability users in the Ability Association and the aristocracy as well. I can help you turn them into assets, regardless of which aristocrats or Association branch you wish to target.”

“If that high-rank comes after you, I can even use low-ranks as meat shields for you! The entirety of Tarnished Bronze will lay their life on the line for you! No matter the cause!”

He watched the young man tilt his head, the smile gracing his lips deepening.

Just when  Qing Yuchen thought he had a chance, he heard the young man ask, “Is Tarnished Bronze strong?”

“…..” Qing Yuchen froze.

Arrogance dripped from every one of the young man’s words, “What can an organization with only one Rank B accomplish?”

Realization hit Qing Yuchen like a truck.

Ah, that’s right. Why did he ever think he could offer anything of note to a Rank A as the head of some minor power in a border town?

Why did he forget the pain of being crushed once? When did his fear morph into arrogance enough to go after a Rank A?

Because he got high off doing as he pleased with no opposition in Desolate Dragon for so long?

He positioned himself to exploit others, oppressing the low-rank ability users in Desolate Dragon and disregarding human lives with glee. He put himself on a pedestal and thought himself the ultimate authority.

Yet in truth, he was just a mere mid-rank as well. He was nothing but an ant before these high-ranks.

Just like at this moment. What could he possibly do in the face of this Rank A ability user?

He controlled others, but he was still under the control of those stronger than him.

As was the case in this might made right world.

He stared at the person who held his fate in his hands and prayed, “Please…even if you want my ability for yourself…please spare my life.”

“No need.” The young man remained indifferent.

Qing Yuchen was reflected in those pitch black eyes. The young man’s smile was colder than ever before.

“I’m growing bored of this.” He raised his eyes lightly, casually snapping his gloved fingers. “You’re truly no fun to talk to.”

Darkness instantly engulfed his vision. In his final moments, Qing Yuchen suddenly thought.

This person didn’t care about the Ability Association or the aristocracy. As always, he simply did as he pleased with rampant disregard for everything else.”

He was a fool for even trying to talk his way out.