Chapter 43: A Fiery Diversion

As they traveled along the wide road, the magic imbued in the vehicle ensured a remarkably smooth ride, devoid of any jolts. Zhang Luan sat comfortably, sipping a delicious, spicy rice porridge that had been simmered to perfection.

The seven-member Guardian squad, including Yanate, responsible for his protection, sat nearby, whispering amongst themselves.

Yet, with Zhang Luan present, they dared not delve into anything beyond mundane topics, limiting their conversations to uninteresting trivialities. This made Zhang Luan’s journey incredibly dull; he found himself almost wishing for some brave heroes—or rather, some mountain bandits—to launch an attack.

As if fate itself conspired, no sooner had the thought crossed his mind than a tremendous explosion erupted before the magic-powered vehicle. A towering pillar of fire now stood directly in their path.

The seasoned driver swiftly engaged the brakes, bringing the magic-powered vehicle to an abrupt halt.

It was crucial to remember that this custom-built vehicle could reach speeds of up to 500 kilometers per hour. Had it not been for the driver’s exceptional skill, they would undoubtedly have crashed directly into that inferno.

Yanate’s brow furrowed, and he exited the vehicle with the others. Zhang Luan remained inside, observing the pillar of fire with a peculiar expression.

Possessing the All-Star Flames, he could clearly discern that the fire pillar was nothing but an illusion. Its appearance in this location was, naturally, intended to halt their progress.

Having disembarked, Yanate naturally sensed this as well. Just then, a flurry of arrows rained down from the sky.

Yanate stomped his foot, instantly deploying an ultra-gravity net. The arrows immediately lost their trajectory, plummeting harmlessly to the ground.

Rustling sounds emanated from the forests bordering both sides of the road. A barrage of various low-tier spells assailed Yanate’s position, but their potency was so negligible that they were suppressed and vanished by the ultra-gravity net before even making contact with his body.

“Charge! Capture those scoundrels!”

Gripping his battleaxe, Yanate roared, his tower shield merging with his form as he slammed into the left side, propelled by a super-gravity charge.

The others split off to the opposite side, as the attack was two-pronged, coming from both sides of the road.

Yanate swiftly located a group of bandits clad in shoddy leather armor. Their eyes gleamed with avarice as they brandished their weapons and charged towards him.

Watching their close-quarters combat, Zhang Luan flashed onto a branch of a large tree to observe the spectacle. These brigands were clearly not ordinary thieves; they were organized.

Their equipment, though not refined, appeared to be standardized gear from the same workshop. Moreover, there were even a few mages and ability users among them.

It was well-known that compared to the qi-force professions, which almost anyone could cultivate, magic-based and ability-based professions were considerably rarer in the World of Other Gods.

After all, their growth required significantly more resources than qi-force professions, even for players. The vast majority of players favored the qi-force professions with their multitude of grandiose, chuunibyou-sounding skill names.

Before the world’s fusion, the ability to revive infinitely emboldened these players, and countless instances of them suicidally charging into monster hordes were common. Had it not been for severe death penalties and a daily limit of ten revivals, those madmen would likely have boldly challenged high-level NPCs directly.

However, those lunatics sometimes disregarded such concerns; their greatest pleasure lay in charging headfirst into battle.

Consequently, most factions in the World of Other Gods developed a plethora of abilities to deal with these players. Things like banishment, sealing, and petrification were considered minor inconveniences.

But I digress. Observing the Guardians, who were not holding a clear advantage, Zhang Luan drew the Bow of Finality, conjuring an energy arrow and firing it into the bandit horde.

Amidst a crackle of crimson lightning, a violent explosion erupted among them. Subsequently, the bandits who hadn’t been directly hit by the blast spontaneously ignited with beautiful star flames. They desperately tried to extinguish the fires, but could only watch in despair as the flames grew larger on their bodies, ultimately consuming their very existence.

This terrifying display struck fear into the hearts of the remaining bandits. Their already wavering fighting spirit shattered, and they scattered like startled birds.

It was no laughing matter; their pillar of fire was merely an illusion with no lethal power. But those beautiful flames were real and inextinguishable. To be touched by them meant certain death.

Watching the fleeing figures, Zhang Luan did not pursue. These individuals couldn’t even trigger the lowest-tier quest; they merely served as a minor diversion for his otherwise boring journey.

Moreover, perhaps these scoundrels would return with more numerous and stronger bandits, finally triggering a proper quest for him.

“Your subordinate has been ineffective, allowing the Holy Son to act personally.”

Yanate bowed his head in apology, as if he had truly committed a grave error.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Let’s just go. By the looks of it, there will be plenty more attacks. This is getting interesting.”

Zhang Luan waved his hand, and the pillar of fire immediately vanished. Its principle was simply to magnify a small flame; finding the source of that flame would easily resolve it. With the All-Star Flames, locating a single flame was no challenge at all.

The magic-powered vehicle continued its journey, soon arriving at their first resting place: a river. They had been traveling and sitting for nearly three hours, so it was high time they stretched their legs.

Zhang Luan sat on a rock by the riverbank, tying a thin line to an arrow and beginning to fish.

A young Guardian, who had been following Yanate, covertly observed Zhang Luan before hesitantly walking over.

“Holy Son…”

Hearing the voice, Zhang Luan turned back indifferently. The Guardian removed their mask, revealing a youthful face beneath.

“Senluo?”

Zhang Luan was somewhat surprised. This young man was indeed Senluo, whom he had encountered before. He hadn’t expected him to be part of this Guardian squad.

At this, Yanate noticed him, frowning as he approached.

“What are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you not to come? Where is the person who was supposed to be in your position?”

“Uh… I… I have something I want to tell the Holy Son.”

“What is there to say? Go back yourself! You are truly the worst Guardian I’ve ever led.”

Senluo tried to explain further, but Zhang Luan waved a dismissive hand.

“Let him speak.”

At Zhang Luan’s words, Senluo looked at him gratefully. Yanate nodded, saying nothing more. He hadn’t truly intended to punish Senluo; ever since the boy began his Guardian training, he had displayed a talent that rivaled Lin Jiu’s, and he was exceptionally diligent, which greatly pleased Yanate.

However, he hadn’t anticipated Senluo secretly following them. It seemed he would need to significantly enhance the young man’s ideological education.