Chapter 44

This kind of moment, where trillions of people are paying attention simultaneously, is probably rare even in the New World, let alone in the modern world with less than 7 billion people. Throughout history, no celebrity or person of power has ever had such attention.

Zhuo Chuan couldn't help but let his imagination run wild. According to the modern world's standards, he should not just be described as extremely popular, but rather as black as night, absorbing all those countless gazes.

If someone wanted to show off, this would truly be the best stage.

Deep down, everyone harbors a desire to show off. Unfortunately, Zhuo Chuan wasn't in the mood for it now. He just waited silently. Of course, he didn't feel much pressure. He had already planned everything out, and there was no room for improvisation. That's why he agreed to the broadcast. After all, winning would make him a trillionaire, and he would gain even more benefits in the underground society.

Time ticked by, and ten minutes before the duel, the doors of the sports training hall finally opened again.

Zhuo Chuan immediately saw the person he had been remembering for the past three months: Jie Cheng, citizen number E3488432, an E-class citizen.

This was the person who had forced him to agree to this duel three months ago. Perhaps the other party had other motives, which is why they chose this time for the duel.

But as soon as Zhuo Chuan looked into the other's eyes, he knew the other had no good intentions. The expression in his eyes was like looking at a dead person.

Why did Zhuo Chuan immediately understand this? Because over the past two months, while absorbing the soul power released by the dying in the modern world, he had seen this look from doctors many times.

The other's next words confirmed his suspicions: the other party wanted him dead, to make room for a new successor.

Jie Cheng walked over step by step, stopping ten steps away from Zhuo Chuan. His expression was as stern as ever, with a few more wrinkles on his forehead. He looked at Zhuo Chuan, and suddenly his lips curled into a smile, but the cruelty in his laughter was unmistakable.

"You really came, just as I said. You do have some courage. This is good. Dying in a duel will at least ensure that your soul successor won't erase this memory."

Zhuo Chuan had anticipated this and wasn't surprised. "Of course, if you still have a soul successor, I believe he will cherish this memory of the duel."

When Jie Cheng said this, Zhuo Chuan's resolve to kill him was only strengthened.

He had never killed anyone, but he had seen death many times and was no longer afraid of corpses or blood. The blood in the emergency room was no different from the dead bodies on the battlefield, and seeing intestines and organs was a common occurrence.

"Hey, it seems the citizen combat training has given you some confidence?" Jie Cheng indeed knew about Zhuo Chuan's previous combat training. "But do you really think I'll be as foolish as that old man and let you hit me?"

Zhuo Chuan didn't want to answer, but he suddenly felt that the other was talking too much, which didn't seem like the attitude of someone about to die.

He remained silent, waiting for the moment when the Earth Mother would announce the start of the duel.

No matter how fast the other reacted, he couldn't escape the effect of time stopping.

Jie Cheng also stopped talking, but his entire body was now covered in gold, like a statue, more majestic and solemn than the clay idols in temples.

At this moment, the Earth Mother's voice rang out.

"The duel will begin in five minutes. According to the previous agreement, citizen E3488432 has submitted a high-quality soul crystal as a bet. The loser will forfeit it to B47995. The duel will end when one party concedes or dies."

Zhuo Chuan knew he couldn't concede. If he did, the other party would use the soul crystal to have the Earth Mother open the underground arena and take him there, leading to an even more miserable death.

"Five-minute countdown begins, 00:05:59."

As the Earth Mother counted down, Zhuo Chuan focused his mind, keeping a close eye on the other's movements, waiting for the last second to arrive.

...

"00:04:53"

...

"00:00:59"

Finally, the last minute countdown began. Zhuo Chuan's heart raced. He forgot everything around him—the stands, the arena—feeling as if he were standing in a dark, vast universe. His eyes were fixed on Jie Cheng's head, not his whole body.

Zhuo Chuan's obvious focus couldn't be hidden from Jie Cheng, who sneered. A person who was so nervous as to reveal his attack direction had only reached this level in three months.

A layer of even more intense golden light immediately appeared on Jie Cheng's head, several times more concentrated than before.

"Final ten-second countdown, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, …"

"The duel begins!"

"Time Lament!" Zhuo Chuan immediately activated the skill, a soul skill he had risked his life to understand, a top-tier soul attack that even a citizen's soul power couldn't defend against. It was activated the moment the Earth Mother declared the start of the duel.

At that instant, Jie Cheng had already moved several meters away from his original position, his hand glowing with golden light, aiming for Zhuo Chuan's chest. His palm was only a few centimeters away from Zhuo Chuan's chest.

But that small distance was enough to prevent him from ever reaching it. After Zhuo Chuan activated Time Lament, time around him had stopped, and he was fixed in mid-air.

To Zhuo Chuan, this was the perfect soul attack skill, combining attack and lock. No matter how fast the target moved or how strong their reaction, they couldn't avoid it under the effect of time stopping; they could only take the hit.

Three seconds of time stopping were enough for Zhuo Chuan to relock the spatial teleportation position on the vital points of the person in front of him.

In the next second, his body didn't move, but his right hand had already pierced through the person's head. The person's eyes and nose were pushed to the side by the suddenly appearing arm, his face contorted in a grotesque manner.

Zhuo Chuan stirred, but just like last time, he couldn't stir.

The three seconds passed quickly, but Zhuo Chuan knew he didn't need to activate Time Lament again.

He saw streams of golden liquid flowing from Jie Cheng's body, like sweat or blood.

After a moment of thought, Zhuo Chuan realized this was Jie Cheng's soul power. Unlike the mist-like soul power he had seen from ordinary people on the brink of death, Jie Cheng's soul power was so concentrated that it had formed a liquid, flowing everywhere.

The liquid flowed from Jie Cheng's body, but Zhuo Chuan couldn't absorb it. However, he was more concerned about the fact that Jie Cheng, whose brain he had just stirred, was still speaking.

"You, you think I really lost?" he said in a broken voice, a miracle in itself with his features pushed to one side.

"This is just the beginning of a new era, and I, I am just a pioneer."

"Only death, only death, can extend the soul path that has been stagnant for a hundred years. You are the final proof!"

After shouting this with all his might, Jie Cheng's head drooped.

At this moment, the soul power in his body flowed out completely. Zhuo Chuan remembered Jie Cheng's last words and silently withdrew his right hand. Without the protection of soul power, the other's physical strength was far inferior to his.

A white and red spray splattered onto his face.