Chapter 81: Connection Successful

All the color drained entirely from Lu Qi's face.

That usually arrogant and domineering face was now as stiff as plaster.

A scorching wave rushed towards him, carrying the scent of charred wood and earth, making him cough uncontrollably.

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed with difficulty.

The scene before him completely subverted his understanding.

One strike, merely a single strike.

That dense forest in the distance had turned into a burning purgatory.

Where on earth did this man, no, this monster come from?

What grade of profession was he?

S-rank?

No, even if he were S-rank, it couldn't possibly be terrifying to this extent!

He only felt his legs go weak, his knees buckling, and he almost knelt on the ground.

The towering arrogance from just a moment ago was smashed to pieces by these five meteors falling from the sky.

A smile uglier than crying was squeezed onto his face as he waved repeatedly at Gandalf.

"It's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding!"

His voice trembled with a hint of flattery.

"Gandalf… Big Brother! With such powerful strength, you are undoubtedly the captain of our team!"

"Right, right, right! You are the captain!"

"Just now, I was blind and failed to recognize Mount Tai, and spoke foolishly!"

"Please don't lower yourself to my level!"

Watching his hypocritical expression, Zhou Huai only found it amusing in his heart.

Usually acting tyrannically in the Zhou Family, he didn't expect to be such a soft-kneed coward deep down.

With just a little scare, he turned into this fawning, tail-wagging state.

Controlling Gandalf, Zhou Huai's eyes showed not the slightest ripple.

"Since you all listen to me."

His voice was flat.

"Then you should leave this team."

The smile on Lu Qi's face instantly froze.

He reached out and pointed at his own nose, thinking he had heard wrong.

"You… what did you say?"

"Make me leave the team?"

Zhou Huai nodded.

He originally wanted to directly eliminate Lu Qi.

Since the rules did not allow attacking teammates, he would just make him scram on his own.

Lu Qi's complexion turned from white to red, and then from red to green.

"Why?!"

He shrieked.

"By what right do you make me leave the team?! I also worked hard to pass the National Examination!"

"Aren't we teammates? Is this how you treat your teammates?"

Zhou Huai couldn't be bothered to talk nonsense with him.

"Who is a teammate with you?"

"Ask them, is anyone willing to be teammates with you?"

He looked at Ye Xi as if seeking help.

Ye Xi, as if she hadn't seen it, turned her head away, looked at the distant sea, and playfully whistled.

He looked again at Shen Fuhai and Yuan Kai.

Those two likewise maintained silence.

They originally had no good impression of Lu Qi, and now they even less wanted to run afoul of Gandalf.

Zhou Huai controlled Gandalf to continue speaking:

"If you don't want to quit the team, that's fine too. Then from now on, you will act alone."

Lu Qi clenched his back molars tightly.

Act alone?

Triple Island was fraught with danger, and he might encounter teams from other provinces at any time.

By himself, wouldn't he just be moving points?

Looking at everyone's cold expressions, the last shred of hope in Lu Qi's heart was also shattered.

Despair and anger intertwined; instead, he grinned and laughed.

That laughter was somewhat deranged.

"You tell me to leave the team, and I'll leave?"

"I refuse!"

He puffed out his chest, looking completely shameless.

"Today I insist on following you! What can you do to me?"

"If you have the ability, make a move and eliminate me directly!"

"Otherwise, wherever you go, I will follow!"

He was no fool.

This Gandalf possessed unfathomable strength; he must be a major trump card hidden by Dongning Province.

As long as he shamelessly clung to him, even if he did nothing, he could still freeload a share of the credit in the end.

Anyway, the rules did not allow harming teammates.

He was betting that Gandalf could do nothing to him.

Zhou Huai sneered.

"You really think I wouldn't dare make a move?"

Lu Qi stiffened his neck.

"Today I bet you don't dare!"

The next second, the smile on his face solidified.

He saw Gandalf raise the staff in his hand once again.

The red crystal at the top of the staff lit up once more, emitting a dangerous light.

A chill surged straight from the soles of Lu Qi's feet to his crown.

This guy…

He wouldn't really dare to attack him, would he?

Does he want to perish together with him?!

"Don't… don't be impulsive!"

"Gandalf, let's talk things out nicely!"

Seeing this, Shen Fuhai and Yuan Kai were also startled and hurriedly stepped forward to dissuade him.

Ye Xi also grew anxious.

"Gandalf! Do not violate the rules!"

However, it was already too late.

Gandalf spat out a few low syllables from his mouth.

Lu Qi only felt an irresistible, terrifying pressure descend from the sky!

That feeling was as if an invisible mountain had smashed fiercely onto his body!

"Thud!"

His legs went soft, and he heavily knelt on the beach.

This wasn't the end yet.

That pressure grew greater and greater.

His knees and calves both began to slowly sink into the soft sand beneath his feet.

Followed by his waist, his chest, his neck…

"Uh… uh…"

He wanted to struggle, wanted to cry out, but found he didn't even have the strength to move a single finger.

His whole body was as if poured with cement, unable to budge.

Mud and sand poured into his mouth and nose, making it impossible for him to breathe.

In the end, only the upper half of his head remained exposed outside.

[Forbidden Spell: Geocentric Gravity Field].

This was merely a pure control skill that caused no damage whatsoever.

Naturally, it didn't count as violating the National Examination rules either.

But to Lu Qi, this was even more painful than killing him directly.

Ye Xi and the other two looked at this bizarre scene before them and simultaneously drew a sharp breath.

Their gazes looking at Gandalf were filled with awe and wariness.

This man not only had terrifying strength, but his methods were also endless.

Fortunately, he was only targeting Lu Qi.

Zhou Huai withdrew his staff, not even glancing at Lu Qi struggling in the sand.

"Let's go."

He calmly spat out those two words and turned to walk towards the depths of the forest.

How could Ye Xi and the other two dare to have half a word of complaint? They immediately and obediently followed behind.

Soon, the figures of the four people disappeared at the edge of the forest.

Leaving only Lu Qi, with half his head exposed outside, still futilely wriggling.

Humiliation!

Unprecedented humiliation!

Ever since he was young, when had he, Lu Qi, ever suffered such an insult!

First was that damned Yasuo!

And now it was this Gandalf who popped up out of nowhere!

Why!

Why was there always someone going against him!

By what right!

A venomous hatred frantically bred within his chest, like a prairie wildfire.

As this emotion expanded infinitely, those microscopic black threads deep within his body began to frantically spread.

Like greedy vines, they wrapped around his bones, invaded his flesh, and devoured his sanity.

A moment later.

The half of Lu Qi's face exposed outside the ground suddenly split open, revealing a ferocious and bizarre smile.

Following that, a burst of weird laughter, "桀桀桀", came from his throat blocked by mud and sand.

"Boom!"

A majestic surge of black Qi suddenly erupted from his body!

That gravitational field sufficient to crush a small mountain was actually forcibly blasted open by this black Qi!

His body rose abruptly from the sandy ground!

Standing there, his entire body was entangled in black Qi, and two ominous crimson flames burned within his eyes.

Sinister and terrifying.

Laughing strangely, he once again took out that ferocious ghost-face mask from his space ring.

Slowly putting it on his face.

"Click."

The mask and his face fit together perfectly.

He stiffly twisted his neck, his bones making crisp "crack, crack" sounds.

After a long while.

A hoarse, low, and completely unfamiliar voice slowly transmitted from beneath the mask.

"Finally…"

"Connection successful…"

"Hehehe… even smoother than expected…"