NOVEL ONLINE FREE XVII – The Mafia Boss
"That sound... could Suo Gang and the others be alright?" Ye Lan murmured, her animal ears twitching as the noise echoed clearly in the distance. Her sharp hearing, a defining trait of her race, allowed her to pick up even the faintest sounds from far away.
To put it into perspective, humans can hear sounds up to about 20,000 Hz, while dogs can detect frequencies as high as 38,000 Hz—though they struggle to accurately pinpoint the sound’s origin. Cats, however, are even more impressive; not only can they hear frequencies between 50,000 and 60,000 Hz, but they can also pinpoint the exact source of these sounds with remarkable precision.
That's why, if a rat scurries about 20 meters away, a cat can pinpoint it with near supernatural accuracy. Ye Lan, inheriting both human and feline traits as a beastkin, possessed the same precision, further amplified.
They weren't that far from the collapsed building, but even if it had been over 10 kilometers away, Ye Lan could have heard the sound clearly if she focused.
Mu Xuetong, standing beside her, hadn't heard the collapse herself but quickly understood from Ye Lan's reaction. It seemed Plan Z had succeeded.
Before the two level 30 opponents appeared, the group had devised a total of 27 plans, from A to Z. But since this wasn't a video game, relying on overly complex tactics wasn’t realistic. When the powerful foes of level 30 and above arrived, only one plan remained viable by elimination, Plan Z.
"Of course Suo Gang and the others are fine. Did you forget? Dying now doesn’t mean dying in the real world!" Mu Xuetong teased with a smirk.
Ye Lan nodded, piecing together what must’ve happened. Most likely, they’d collapsed the building on top of themselves and the level 30 enemies, bringing down everyone in a single move. A wild plan, but considering the odds, sacrificing three level 20s to eliminate two level 30s seemed a fair trade. Still, something about it didn’t sit well with her. If she had stepped in, maybe her teammates wouldn’t have had to fall at all.
Pouting slightly, she thought. Is this what they call ‘pretending to be weak, only to actually end up weak’? No, she couldn’t keep holding back! It was time to step up and dominate the fight!
"So, what’s our next move?" she asked, her tone bright with anticipation, looking to Mu Xuetong for guidance. But before she could answer, she stretched out her arm, stopping Ye Lan abruptly.
"I was thinking of setting an ambush for them, but… seems they’re more cautious than I expected. This could be tricky" Mu Xuetong muttered, her eyes narrowing as she unsheathed the sword from her side.
Around them, shadows moved in, revealing a dozen figures in black, each level 20 or above.
"Xuetong, leave this to m…" Ye Lan began eagerly, ready to prove herself. But Mu Xuetong shot her a quick look, cutting her off.
"Xiao Lan, you don’t need to get involved. These pests are mine, I can handle them just fine" Mu Xuetong declared, her voice cool and unwavering. Hearing this, Ye Lan felt her cheeks warm, her heart racing.
Damn it! Did she have to be so cool?
Around them, the men in black, finally realizing they were being completely ignored, scowled in anger and advanced as a group. But Mu Xuetong, with a slight smirk, stood her ground, facing them with fearless confidence.
[Icy Radiance: Manifestation]
In an instant, a burst of icy energy surged from Mu Xuetong. Her movements became a blur as she wove between her opponents like a phantom, striking with precision.
[-100 HP]
[-120 HP]
[-250 HP (Critical!)]
"What the hell…? How is she dealing that much damage? Is she hacking or what?" one of them stammered, exchanging horrified glances with the others.
"Try my attack!" shouted a man wielding a staff, charging at Mu Xuetong. But with a calm, confident smile, she raised a finger and snapped.
The man froze mid-step, his body locked in place, his expression quickly turning to terror.
"W-why can’t I move?" he whispered, panic spreading in his eyes. Mu Xuetong chuckled softly, giving him a light slap on the cheek. "This is my spell, [Magic: Freeze]" she replied smoothly. "A chilling mist to immobilize anyone who gets too close. Now, this battlefield is entirely under my control"
At Mu Xuetong’s words, everyone around cast nervous glances at each other, taking note of their surroundings. She was right, the air had grown noticeably colder than before.
With her sword in hand, Mu Xuetong continued to clear the battlefield with swift, deadly precision, while Ye Lan, watching from the sidelines, stomped in envy. Those were experience points... and a lot of them! Seeing Mu Xuetong level up as she fought, reaching level 23 in a matter of minutes, made Ye Lan bite her lip with anticipation. For a moment, she almost wanted to set aside her pride, jump in, and shout, "Leave them to me!"
Mu Xuetong wiped out the ten level 20 enemies in less than five minutes, gaining three whole levels in the process.
Three levels? That was nearly three-fifths of a level for her...
As the last enemy fell, Mu Xuetong didn’t relax. Instead, she turned sharply toward a shadowy corner, her voice cutting through the silence with authority.
"Stop hiding, I know you’re there"
Ye Lan whipped her head around in surprise, watching as a stout, chubby man emerged from the shadows. His face wore a soft, innocent smile, giving him the look of a harmless 'otaku'.
"Ha ha ha, Xuetong! Long time no see! I never expected to see you alive, I’m honestly moved!" he said, his nostalgic grin widening. Mu Xuetong sighed deeply, shaking her head as if she could barely believe it herself.
"Cut the act, Yan Xi. I know you're not the same person you used to be. What do I call you now, the leader of the Wild Wolves?" Mu Xuetong crossed her arms, her voice heavy with resignation.
The chubby man’s face shifted immediately, abandoning the innocent façade. He smirked, lifting his head with a cold, arrogant laugh.
"That’s right. I’m not who I was before. But honestly, I wanted you to join me. You’re all talented, geniuses even, the kind of people who are nearly impossible to find these days. But if you refuse..." His expression darkened as he clenched his fists. "I won’t hesitate to take other measures."
Mu Xuetong stared at him, recalling how he’d once been a harmless, good-hearted friend.
"Yan Xi, I’ll be clear, neither I nor the others will ever join you. Don’t hold out hope" she replied, her tone firm and unyielding.
Yan Xi’s smile twisted into something darker, and he slowly raised his hand, menace in his gaze.
"I knew you’d say that. So... I guess this is goodbye."
As she tightened her grip on her sword, ready to move, Yan Xi suddenly uttered something unexpected and cryptic.
"Banshō Ten'in!"1万象天引] written in pinyin results in [Wàn xiàng tiān yǐn], which translates to 'universal attraction' but if we translate it from Japanese, in katakana it becomes Banshō Ten'in
Mu Xuetong: "What…?"
Ye Lan: "Meow, meow?!"
