A Calculated Gambit

Earlier, in a secret room beyond the clamor of a bar.

“Checkmate.”

Uncle Long’s gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s. A piece landed on the board with a resounding click, devoid of hesitation. The chess match was decisively concluded.

Who would have thought that in such a vibrant, bustling place, someone would calmly engage in this ancient game?

“I lost.”

Li Qiuyu shook his head helplessly. “You truly show no mercy.”

“On the chessboard, there is no mercy. Speaking of victory and defeat… can that Investigator truly win? As you said, his opponent is a Bronze-tier Paladin with a stable rank. Their mastery of Authority should be considerably more skilled than his, a mere beginner, right?”

“Hmm, the Investigator might lose, but to say he *will* lose, that’s unlikely.”

Having lost the game, Li Qiuyu simply sank into the sofa, closing his eyes to rest.

A mental question mark seemed to appear above Uncle Long’s head. ‘Have you taken too much medicine?’ he wondered.

“Uncle Long, as an ordinary person, there’s something you might not know…”

Li Qiuyu’s voice grew steady. “Whether it’s a ‘Wild Knight’ or a ‘Goblin,’ when they first awaken an Authority, they all experience a ‘burst period’ of power.”

“The duration of this period varies from person to person, but the higher the Authority’s tier, the shorter the burst period.”

She paused, then continued to explain, “For a Bronze-tier, it might last up to two days; for a Silver-tier, less than a day. As for a Gold-tier, it could be a matter of only a few uses.”

“However, they all share one commonality: during this time, the Authority’s power receives an explosive boost. A newly awakened Bronze-tier can, for a short period, even reach the threshold of a Silver-tier.”

“Investigator Liao himself is already at the peak of the Black Iron-tier. This awakening, in all likelihood, means he’s reached Bronze-tier, doesn’t it?”

“Therefore, if his opponent is truly just an ordinary Bronze-tier, I find it hard to imagine him losing. What’s more…”

A faint smile played on Li Qiuyu’s lips.

“That man is cautious to his very core; he would never make a mistake due to carelessness.”

“I see.”

Uncle Long nodded, then leisurely raised his teacup to sip. Yet, his mind was filled with countless thoughts.

‘[Then the only reason for defeat would be encountering an unexpected situation beyond his capacity to handle… such as a higher-tier opponent…]’

‘A Gold-tier monster, perhaps?’

****

Now, returning to the park that had become a battlefield.

A hint of hesitation now flickered across Investigator Liao’s usually cautious face.

Though it felt somewhat awkward to praise himself, he could distinctly feel that, at this very moment, he was terrifyingly strong.

Even so, he had not shown the slightest complacency since the battle began.

Li Chunsheng was a Paladin, and heaven knew how long he had been entrenched in the Bronze-tier. His development and understanding of Authority undoubtedly far surpassed that of a newcomer like Investigator Liao.

Although the opponent’s displayed attack power was suspiciously low, the strength of an Authority was never solely determined by its destructive force.

Just like now, the phenomenon of time reversal permeating this space was utterly subverting Investigator Liao’s worldview.

Could this truly be a miracle that mortals could wield?

What immense power would be required to drive such a miracle?

And if this power were used for an attack, how bizarre and terrifying would it be?

Precisely because he couldn’t imagine it, from the very beginning, he had firmly encased himself within a black cocoon, preventing any chance of being ambushed.

However, the anticipated ambush never materialized.

‘[Strange, is the opponent toying with me? Or are they hiding some lethal move?]’

‘[Their attacks have been far too weak compared to mine… Even as fellow Bronze-tiers, and with different Authority focuses, could the disparity in attack power truly be this vast?]’

Investigator Liao was still unaware that he was in an Authority’s ‘burst period.’ Judging solely by the Authority’s power, he was currently comparable to a Silver-tier, far exceeding what an ordinary Bronze-tier could achieve.

‘[Is my hit-and-retreat fighting style perhaps too overly cautious?]’

‘[Perhaps… the opponent truly is as I perceive them: strong on the outside, but hollow within?]’

With this thought, Investigator Liao decided to take a gamble.

At his mental command, the black cocoon enveloping him receded like a tide, completely exposing his form to the open air.

However, the instant the black cocoon dissipated, a strong sense of dissonance enveloped him.

‘[No! The black cocoon has receded, so why is the surrounding light… still so dim?!]’

‘[Could it be—!]’

Investigator Liao abruptly looked up, his pupils contracting sharply.

Simultaneously, a furious shout echoed from afar:

‘Take this!’

‘Black Prison!’

‘Cover him!’

A colossal, jet-black bowl, nearly ten meters in diameter, its edges swirling with ominous dark smoke, descended from the sky the moment he appeared, poised to cover him.

A premeditated strike against an unsuspecting foe, and the ambush was faster than lightning! Investigator Liao was instantly covered completely.

From a distance, Li Chunsheng’s triumphant laughter echoed without restraint:

“Hahahahahahaha… You actually fell for it!!!”

“After wasting so much time with you, I’ve pretty much figured out your capabilities!”

“Black Casket, paired with Black Prison, doesn’t that sound like a perfect match?!” Li Chunsheng sneered.

“Your Authority must be related to controlling light, correct? The Black Casket is a byproduct of you gathering light energy, and only by generating such vast darkness can you condense that destructive, scorching pillar of light.”

“Now, with ‘Black Prison,’ I’ve cut off all light around you. How do you plan to attack now?!”

‘[Indeed, you’re not wrong.]’ Trapped, Investigator Liao gazed levelly at the Black Prison covering him.

But unfortunately, this body was merely a false ‘him.’

‘[Since you know my Authority is controlling light… do you also know that light… can create illusions?]’

‘[The real me is already elsewhere. What you’ve covered is merely an illusion projected by light.]’

‘[My true body, along with the Black Casket, shifted to another position from the very beginning.]’

‘[Didn’t that fake woman, who experienced this once, tell you about this application?]’

‘[Or perhaps… you naively believed that this kind of move also required lengthy preparation, like the Black Casket?]’

In the darkness, the real Investigator Liao’s lips curved into a confident arc.

‘[It seems the opponent’s methods are nothing more than this.]’

‘[It’s time… to end this farce.]’

His thoughts concluded, the Investigator Liao, hidden in the shadows, no longer concealed himself. The Black Casket unfolded around him with astonishing speed.

Next, a pillar of judgment light, thicker and more scorching than any before, blasted out fiercely, following the direction from which the voice had come!

The previously unrestrained laughter abruptly ceased, instantly transforming into a bloodcurdling scream.

“How can this be? Weren’t you covered by me?!”

“No… no, I don’t want to die. Ugh, ahhhhhhh—”

“Chunsheng—!!!” The scream, high-pitched at first, gradually faded into nothingness.

However, just as Investigator Liao had been trapped by an illusion, the target he now attacked was also merely an illusion.

It was a fake dummy, temporarily created by Li Chunsheng using ‘Golden Particles,’ possessing only an outward appearance.

If Investigator Liao hadn’t been so cautious, choosing to attack from a closer distance, he might have immediately seen through this crude disguise.

But it was precisely his caution that gave Liuxia and Li Chunsheng the opportunity to execute their plan.

Thus, in a blind spot unseen by Investigator Liao, fifty meters behind the fake dummy, the two real individuals, while emitting realistic screams, exchanged a resolute glance.

Li Chunsheng pointed towards the distant highway and nodded firmly.

‘[Go… Senior!]’

Liuxia had already mounted a mountain bike constructed from black particles, and the young woman clutched tightly to the message intended for her future self.

At this moment, her eyes were filled with worry and reluctance to part from Li Chunsheng.

Li Chunsheng, however, winked vigorously at her, flashed a wide, white-toothed grin, and gave a thumbs-up.

‘[Don’t worry! I’ll hide myself well!]’

Seeing this, Liuxia could only press her lips together and nod forcefully, then forced herself to turn her head and quickly rode the bicycle towards the road.

Her next task was to reach the roadside as quickly as possible, catch up to a reversing car, then climb aboard and head towards the South City Inner Ring!

As for everything else, and the potential outcomes—

She could only trust Li Chunsheng… and her future self.