The Unveiling of Hidden Hands

“I suppose this is the plan we’ve set for ourselves,” Liuxia stated, laying out her deductions. Her voice remained so calm that not a ripple of emotion could be detected.

Li Chunsheng listened, utterly dumbfounded, before a wide smile blossomed across his face. He couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle Liuxia’s hair.

“Senior is truly amazing…”

“W-what are you doing!” Liuxia’s hard-won composure shattered instantly. Her face flushed crimson as she slapped Li Chunsheng’s hand away.

“I’m your Senior! Have some respect!”

‘[Ahhh… Chunsheng’s sense of personal space is getting stranger and stranger. How embarrassing…]’

“Ah, my apologies,” Li Chunsheng mumbled, retracting his hand awkwardly. “I just couldn’t help myself.”

“Honestly.” Liuxia rolled her eyes at him.

‘[But haven’t I been the same? Several times, I’ve crossed the line myself… I’m certainly acting a bit strange lately…]’

“Oh, right, what was it you wanted to tell me earlier?”

“Ah? N-nothing…” ‘[Perhaps now isn’t the right time? These feelings…]’

“You’re lying. Tell me, I’m really curious…”

“If I tell you, you promise not to hit me?” Li Chunsheng chuckled lightly.

“You first?”

“I lo— I’m your dad! Of course, I’ll always love you!”

“Hmph, still acting like a child…” For some reason, a flicker of imperceptible disappointment crossed Liuxia’s heart.

Just then, Li Chunsheng abruptly embraced Liuxia, using the momentum to roll sideways.

Almost in the same instant, another beam of light violently struck the spot they had just occupied. The ground instantly melted, turning into what looked like molten glass.

“Hey, hey, hey, am I being underestimated here? Flirting right in front of me…” A deeply displeased complaint emanated from within the black cocoon.

“Chunsheng, let’s stick to the plan,” Liuxia whispered, nestled in Li Chunsheng’s embrace.

“Alright.”

The trajectory of the battle was strikingly similar to the previous round. After a series of maneuvers, Li Chunsheng once again prepared to feign death and escape. Meanwhile, Liuxia mounted the black mountain bike, ready to break through the encirclement at any moment.

This time, however, the outcome was entirely different.

The moment Li Chunsheng and Liuxia’s fake dummies were obliterated by the scorching light beams, Investigator Liao was not deceived by the elaborate ruse. He instantly emerged from the black cocoon, leaving only an afterimage in his wake, and materialized beside the wreckage to confirm the results.

Consequently, the two, who had been hiding fifty meters away and emitting feigned screams, were easily exposed.

The subconscious influence of time reversal wasn’t exclusive to Liuxia and Li Chunsheng. Having been fooled once, Investigator Liao was evidently far more cautious this time.

This newfound caution allowed him to discern a truth he had overlooked in the previous loop.

“What crude disguises… Do you truly believe such a thing could fool me?”

“Could you tell me, what exactly are you trying to achieve?”

“Hmm? Miss Liuxia, are you truly planning to abandon your Paladin Lord like this? How cold-hearted…”

Investigator Liao’s voice echoed through the desolate park, yet Liuxia and Li Chunsheng were utterly unable to visually pinpoint his location.

‘[Is it some kind of optical stealth ability?]’ Li Chunsheng wondered.

‘[If that’s the case, then there must be an invisible entity nearby.]’

Unlike his attempts at verbal communication, Investigator Liao’s actions were devoid of any superfluous words. The instant he confirmed his target, a concentrated beam of light came whistling towards them.

Yet, Li Chunsheng, as if he had already anticipated it, casually pulled Liuxia aside, dodging the attack with ease.

“You can see me?!” An irrepressible gasp of surprise echoed through the air.

“Heh heh, who knows?” Li Chunsheng chuckled, offering no direct answer.

In reality, ever since he learned of the timeline reset, he had suddenly realized he could “see” Investigator Liao’s location; he had simply been feigning ignorance.

Everyone present had been holding back.

Investigator Liao had pretended that he couldn’t distort the true location of the black cocoon with light. He meticulously deployed the black cocoon with each attack and gave Liuxia visual warnings, which was a display of caution. He never believed that his hiding spot behind the black cocoon could be discovered.

As for Li Chunsheng, after the first loop, he had gradually mastered the Authority of omnidirectional perception.

This wasn’t a newly awakened Authority, but rather a development of his “Extreme Black, Lancelot” transformation ability.

This transformation typically manifested as a suit of jet-black armor on his body. Yet, until now, he had maintained his normal attire.

So… where was the armor?

The answer was that the golden particles forming the armor had already been unconsciously disintegrated by him, scattering into the surrounding air. These particles became Li Chunsheng’s extended “sense of touch” within space. Initially, this perception was quite vague, but as he continuously expended golden energy, the concentration of particles in the air grew higher and higher. Now, he could finally perceive everything within a hundred meters of him, down to the minutest detail.

Since Investigator Liao had dropped his pretense, Li Chunsheng saw no reason to conceal his own abilities any longer.

“Senior… you should go.” Li Chunsheng’s eyes were fixed on an empty spot in the air, yet a confident smile played on his lips. “I can handle the rest of this battle on my own.”

The conviction in his voice instantly instilled an inexplicable confidence in Liuxia. She nodded firmly, no longer hesitating, and pedaled with all her might towards the city where she had awoken.

“Did I tell you to leave?!” A furious roar erupted from the air. But Li Chunsheng’s hand had already conjured a black blade, and his form, swift as lightning, dashed towards a specific location. The roar abruptly ceased.

“I want her to go, and I’d like to see who dares stop her!” Li Chunsheng’s voice was not loud, yet it carried an undeniable, intimidating power.

‘[Good, the deterrence has been established.]’

‘[Now, to see how much time this will buy Senior…]’

‘[Though I know his location, I have no way to deliver a fatal blow.]’

‘[I currently possess a Bronze-tier physique, but lack a Bronze-tier Authority… Even if I enhance my attacks with the Tritium Gold transformation, the damage will ultimately be limited.]’

‘[With my high defense and low offense against his high defense and high offense, he can afford to lose countless times, but I can only lose once. The initiative is entirely not on my side.]’

Just then, a cold chuckle suddenly emanated from Investigator Liao. “Heh heh heh… My dear Paladin Lord, you’re merely bluffing now, aren’t you?”

“Oh? And would you like to test that?” Li Chunsheng retorted, not yielding an inch outwardly.

“A test it is! As a fellow Bronze-tier, I’ve been eager to experience your esteemed techniques myself!”

Before the words had even finished, a beam of light struck from behind Li Chunsheng! Yet, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, he swayed and effortlessly dodged it.

“Indeed… you can see me.” Investigator Liao’s voice grew serious.

“How did you manage that? Is it related to the ability you used before, covering me with that pitch-black bowl?”

Li Chunsheng remained silent, merely standing tall with an air of arrogance, perfectly embodying the posture of a master.

‘[That’s obviously because my precise perception range is only about 200 meters around me.]’

‘[If I scare you away, what good is my perception then?]’

‘[Oh, Senior, Senior, you really need to reach your destination quickly!]’

‘[My life is in your hands now!]’

Li Chunsheng prayed frantically in his heart.

Suddenly, an idea sparked within him.

‘[Wait, maybe there’s a way to escape directly…]’

‘[But if I do that, my surrounding perception will drop to its lowest point… Should I risk it?]’

‘[Otherwise, even if the plan over there succeeds, if Investigator Liao and I remain together and return to the normal timeline, I’ll still have to confront him head-on…]’

‘[Sigh, if only the feigned death plan had worked, I wouldn’t have to take such a risk.]’

As his thoughts raced, Li Chunsheng suddenly broke the silence. He let out a long sigh, as if growing impatient, and said, “Honestly, just standing here is quite boring. Investigator Liao, why don’t we settle this right here, right now?”

“Hmm?” A soft sound of surprise came from the air; Investigator Liao was clearly taken aback. But in the next instant, an invisible sense of oppression abruptly intensified, and Investigator Liao’s expression sharpened.

The atmosphere had completely shifted.