Chapter 129: The Hand of God (Part One)

"Dad, it's a barrier!" Alice and Guo Lang stood outside the final skyscraper. This was the building where Alice had first sensed the enemy's mental probe. In truth, Guo Lang wasn't certain the target was still here, especially since the undead factory was located in a different building.

However, he had a gut feeling. Since the enemy had chosen this location previously, there had to be a reason. Guo Lang didn't know the specifics, but he sensed that the opponent wouldn't easily relocate.

When Alice mentioned the barrier, Guo Lang felt a sense of relief. In the early stages, such things were highly precious. Since one had been set up here, the main target was surely inside. Yet, Guo Lang couldn't help but marvel at the enemy's opulence. Barriers required vast amounts of magic-conducting materials and a constant supply of energy points to maintain; it was essentially burning through energy every single day. Although it appeared to be only a low-level barrier that consumed relatively little, it still spoke volumes about the enemy's wealth.

"Ugh..." Alice's face twisted in annoyance. Generally, believers didn't master all their skills immediately upon changing classes; they needed time to learn. Assassins and mages were forever at odds in their training: mages learned to set up magical traps and barriers to prevent infiltration, while assassins learned how to dismantle them.

Which side was stronger? It was like asking whether hackers or security experts were better—it was impossible to generalize. It always depended on the individual.

Alice was immensely talented, but she rarely wanted to study the art of dismantling. She preferred learning how to fight. Being a child, she had little interest in the theoretical knowledge required to dismantle wizard barriers. However, the class hall's curriculum was comprehensive, so she had been forced to learn some. But as for how well she learned... well, what do you expect from an incredibly talented person who loves to slack off?

"Can't handle it?" Guo Lang teased, looking at her.

"Ugh..." Alice stuck out her tongue, feeling sheepish, and cooed, "I'll try harder next time!"

Guo Lang gave a wry smile and stepped forward. Ideally, they would have snuck in quietly to launch a surprise attack, but thanks to Alice's habit of slacking off, they were stuck. He was mimicking her shadow; if she hadn't learned the technique, he couldn't either—unless... A sharp glint flashed in Guo Lang's eyes. He could release his "reverse side," but he really didn't want to do that unless absolutely necessary.

Guo Lang's expression shifted. His eyes remained a crystalline purple, but beneath the surface, the intricate patterns of the Blood Elf Spellweaver family began to emerge—the very same patterns possessed by Jiang Liuying.

"Arcane Analysis!" Purple light flickered in his eyes, and the runes on the barrier became clearly visible.

"Using arachnid silk from tunnel monsters as conductive material—not a bad idea," Guo Lang thought with a hint of admiration. He then reached out and hooked his fingers slightly. "Dissipate!"

The air distorted visibly. The discordant energy shield shattered, and the previously sealed building was suddenly swept by a gale caused by the chaotic discharge of energy.

At that same moment, on the top floor in a familiar conference room, Ian was resting with his eyes closed. Suddenly, he snapped them open. His eyes, a striking, bewitching "imperial green," glowed with intensity. He stood up, frowning. "They're already here? That was fast. Did they arrive via airdrop with those cannon fodder? I assumed the others were just sent to gather data. That doesn't add up. If they arrived at the start, why didn't they attack with the other warriors?"

He paced the room slowly. This was the tallest of the four buildings, and this room was his favorite spot. He activated the floor-to-ceiling windows to observe the outside, and then... he saw Ye Zhiqiue fighting a Tyrant in the plaza!

"This person... I've never seen him before. Was he here all along, or..." Suddenly, he saw something even more startling. The building to the left—the entire structure—vanished into thin air right before his eyes. Then, he saw a woman covered in red scales stomp his most powerful bio-creature into a pulp.

These people definitely hadn't existed on this plane from the beginning! He recalled the system notification from a while back, indicating that someone had established a teleportation point and returned to the main plane. His eyes lit up as the confusion cleared. If the intruders had had more than two teammates this powerful, they would have tried to kill him the moment they gained the upper hand. He had judged them to be only two people back then.

As for these monsters before him, each one required massive resources to reach their current level of evolution. If they had evolved on this plane, he would have noticed, as such a massive expenditure of energy would have caused cataclysmic events—like the extinction of humanity he had wrought himself.

"Daydreaming?" A faint voice echoed in the room. Ian stiffened. He looked over and saw Guo Lang, dressed in grey.

"So it's you? The guy who was shooting from the back!" Ian's face was cold.

"How are you so sure it's me?" Guo Lang asked with a smile.

"I remembered your scent, and you taught me a lesson back then!" Though his expression was calm, Ian was searching for something.

"What are you looking for?" Guo Lang asked.

"Where is the little girl who was with you?" Ian asked bluntly.

"You're so nervous... does that mean you're afraid of her?"

"Ha!" The man shrugged. "Honestly, I am quite afraid. Can you believe a little girl like that had those abilities back then? That kind of talent is terrifying. After all this time, who knows how much she has grown?"

"So, all those messy barriers and traps outside are meant to keep her out?"

"Yes!"

"Tsk, tsk, you're quite thoughtful!" Guo Lang clapped his hands. "Since you know that mages use barriers to guard against assassins, why are you looking around? Do you think you'd be able to see an assassin with your naked eye if they got close?"

The remark made Ian's pupils shrink. Unbeknownst to him, Alice had already ghosted behind him, so close she was almost touching his back. Her eyes burned with a brilliant purple, indicating her bloodline was fully active. A cold glint flashed on her dagger. She didn't attack immediately; instead, she narrowed her eyes and activated her secret art: Weakness Analysis!

In the assassin's training manual, her instructor had solemnly taught her that when facing a mage, one must strive for a one-hit kill. Many mistakenly believe that assassins are the natural enemies of mages, but that isn't true. While they are fragile to us, we are equally fragile to them. In gaming terms: both are "glass cannons," and it's all about who strikes first.

Assassins are actually terrified of mages. With their bizarre spells and unknown techniques, one moment of carelessness can lead to disaster. Compared to the tanky warriors, mages are far more dangerous to an assassin.

Therefore, once an opportunity presents itself, one must ensure the lethality of the attack, because most skilled mages won't give you a second chance!

But as Alice initiated the secret art, she froze. She couldn't see any weaknesses!

Guo Lang, watching from afar, was stunned. What was going on?

"Tch!" After a hesitation of barely 0.1 seconds, Alice lunged directly at the cervical spine at the back of his neck. If the secret art was useless, she would rely on experience; for ninety percent of creatures, that spot was a weakness.

But the moment her dagger pierced the target, Alice was shocked. She felt no resistance—the target was an illusion!

"Illusion!" Guo Lang and Alice both realized it at the same moment. Then, they watched as the smiling Ian simply dissipated before their eyes. Simultaneously, a circular runic seal appeared beneath Alice's feet.

How is this possible! Guo Lang was stunned. An undead mage capable of casting an illusion that could deceive both his and Alice's eyes!