Stronger with More Jobs

The next morning.

Every main road leading to the Central Arena was completely blocked by people.

Sounds of commotion, shouts, and the roar of engines mixed together, forming a deafening torrent.

"Thunder God! Thunder God will win!"

"Devil Muscles! Tear him apart!"

"Move! Don’t block the way! I want to watch the match!"

"Why squeeze in? The tickets sold out long ago!"

Countless people waved homemade flags and banners, their faces painted with the colors of their respective supporters, flowing towards the arena like a pilgrimage.

The air was filled with excitement and an almost frenzied anticipation.

Today is the semifinals.

A match many see as the final played ahead of time.

Thunder God Fang Qingyu versus Devil Muscles Shi Hao.

This will determine the ownership of hundreds of pure crystals and who is the true king of Tier Three!

Fang Qingyu and his group walked amidst the crowded tide of people.

Chu Kuanglan, Wei Banmeng, and others surrounded Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei.

Wherever they went, the crowd parted like the Red Sea for Moses, automatically creating a path.

Countless eyes focused on Fang Qingyu’s iconic Thunder Pattern Mask.

Filled with awe, admiration, and fervor.

"Thunder God! You can do it!"

"Beat Shi Hao!"

"We support you!"

Cheers and shouts echoed one after another.

Finally, the group broke through the sea of people.

Arriving at the entrance of the special players’ tunnel in the arena.

"Qingzi, Sister Jiang, good luck!"

Chu Kuanglan vigorously patted Fang Qingyu on the shoulder.

Wei Banmeng, Lu Jiuyuan, and others also cast encouraging glances.

Fang Qingyu nodded to the crowd.

Jiang Wei also softly responded with a "hm" sound.

The two no longer lingered, turning to enter the relatively quiet players’ tunnel.

...

The resting room for the four semifinalists.

Much quieter than before.

A promotional video played on the screen in a loop.

Rousing music and an inflammatory commentary echoed inside.

No one paid attention.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei pushed the door open and entered.

Two people were already seated in the resting room.

Thousand Threads sat on a sofa to one side.

She still wore that same elegant moon-white long dress, her face covered with a silver mask depicting intricate thread patterns.

And in the corner on the other side of the resting room.

Shi Hao stood quietly against the wall.

Wearing that simple black sleeveless outfit, his face covered with a dark gray metal mask.

His arms hung naturally, feet slightly apart.

The whole person resembled a lifeless metal statue.

Terrifyingly still.

As Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei entered.

Liu Rumei’s gaze immediately shot over.

Lingering on Fang Qingyu for a moment.

Her eyes complex.

Full of scrutiny, seriousness, and a hint of barely perceptible fear.

And Shi Hao...

He didn’t even turn his head.

As if only two wisp of air had entered.

His gaze hollowly cast at the smooth alloy wall of the resting room.

Lacking any focus.

Fang Qingyu’s melted gold vertical pupil paused on Shi Hao for several seconds.

An extremely subtle but incredibly uncomfortable cold sensation emanated from Shi Hao.

This feeling... was entirely different from yesterday in the resting room.

If yesterday’s Shi Hao was like a dormant volcano, harboring a terrifying explosive power within.

Then today’s Shi Hao...

More like a piece of cold metal buried deep underground for countless years.

Hard, heavy, lifeless.

Bereft of vitality.

Fang Qingyu’s brow imperceptibly furrowed.

Jiang Wei’s clear red pupils also instantly locked onto Shi Hao, her delicate eyebrows tightly knit, showing obvious disgust and wariness for the first time on her small face.

She instinctively moved closer to Fang Qingyu.

Fang Qingyu gently shook his head at her, indicating to remain calm.

The two walked to a position a little further away from both Shi Hao and Liu Rumei and sat down.

The resting room fell into a suffocating silence.

Only the music and commentary from the promotional video on the light screen echoed noisily.

Liu Rumei also seemed to notice the disturbing change in Shi Hao, her gaze becoming more serious.

Time ticked away minute by minute in the silence.

Finally.

The heavy alloy door of the resting room was pushed open.

An arena official in uniform walked in, announcing formally:

"Semifinals First Match, Bail Huo versus Thousand Threads, players please prepare to enter the arena."

Jiang Wei and Liu Rumei stood up simultaneously.

Liu Rumei nodded slightly at Jiang Wei.

Jiang Wei made no response, only looking at Fang Qingyu.

Fang Qingyu gently nodded at her: "Do your best."

"Hm," Jiang Wei replied, her crimson hair gently swaying as she turned to follow the staff out of the resting room.

Liu Rumei followed closely behind.

The resting room was left with only Fang Qingyu and Shi Hao.

Deathly silent.

Oppressively deathly silent.

Shi Hao remained like a metal statue against the wall, motionless.

Fang Qingyu sat on the sofa, resting with his eyes closed.

Though his melted gold vertical pupil was shut, Shenxiao Power coursed through his body, adjusting his state.

At the same time, his perception enveloped the entire resting room.

He could distinctly feel Shi Hao’s presence.

An exceptionally strange sense of existence.

Heavy, cold, carrying an inhuman texture.

As if it wasn’t a human being.

But a piece of metal forcibly given mobility.

Fang Qingyu’s brow furrowed tighter and tighter.

Already felt Shi Hao’s aura was off.

And today that feeling was magnified countless times.

What on earth happened to this guy...?

...

The enormous Central Arena.

At this moment, already turned into a boiling ocean.

As Jiang Wei and Liu Rumei’s figures stepped onto the massive main ring from the player tunnel.

Waves of sound rushed to a peak like mountains and seas.