Chapter 53: The King

Outside Liao City East Stadium,

Following the intelligence provided by Hysilens, Ke Lu gradually located a small, inconspicuous door.

The door appeared perfectly ordinary, with ordinary passersby walking right past it.

Yet, according to Hysilens' intelligence, this seemingly unremarkable spot was the optimal entry point for their operation.

Ke Lu and her team remained concealed, finalizing their pre-battle plan.

For ease of reference, Ke Lu bluntly designated them Number One through Number Twelve.

"Hold up," Ke Lu instructed. "Number Three and Number Seven, your job is to get everyone inside, then stay outside, monitoring the entrances and exits and providing backup."

"Number One, Two, Four, and Five, you'll engage in direct combat if we're discovered."

"Number Six, Ten, and Twelve, you'll cut off enemy reinforcements."

"Number Eight and Eleven, you'll provide mobile support."

"Finally, Number Nine and I will rescue the woman."

Ke Lu's gaze swept over each of their faces. "Any questions? Speak up now. I don't want anyone faltering at a critical moment."

Number Nine, Ke Lu's partner, immediately voiced his concern. "Little Ke, why don't I handle the rescue alone? Your Power Level is too low. I'm worried I won't be able to protect you."

"Our primary mission is to ensure your safety. If entering the cave would put you in danger, it's not worth the risk," the guard said.

Ke Lu shook her head, dismissing their concern with a shrug. "I never said I'd go in myself. So there's no risk to my safety."

Not going in personally? Ke Lu's words left the guards completely baffled.

Sensing their confusion, Ke Lu snapped her fingers in the air. A blue chess piece materialized, settling perfectly between her index and middle fingers, as beautiful as her own eyes.

"The King," the leader of all chess pieces.

"What's this thing?" Number Nine, the most outgoing of the group, addressed Ke Lu with casual familiarity rather than formal respect.

He leaned in for a closer look. As Ke Lu's guard, he was somewhat familiar with her abilities. After all, they monitored her cultivation practices. Number Nine knew Ke Lu was skilled with chess pieces and that each piece possessed unique magical properties.

However, he didn't take it seriously. After all, he was a full major realm above Ke Lu, an Expert-level powerhouse with one foot already in the Master realm.

Unconcerned, Number Nine moved closer without hesitation.

However, he paid a price for his recklessness.

The moment he approached, the "King" seemed to come alive in his eyes. Those originally lifeless eyes, crafted from some unknown material, suddenly radiated an aura of majestic authority.

A chill ran down his spine, his hairs standing on end. He felt as if some immense weight was crushing his chest, making it hard to breathe. Instinctively, he recoiled violently.

"What the hell was that?" he gasped, his heart pounding, bracing himself against the others who rushed to steady him.

"That's the 'King'," Ke Lu explained. "You offended its majesty, so it disciplined you accordingly."

Ke Lu elaborated on the "King's" effects, though she was surprised by its effectiveness even against a Martial Artist of Number Nine's caliber.

After attaining Godhood, Ke Lu had noticed her [ Imperator's Majesty ] gradually shifting from mere regal authority toward divine power. Though the change was subtle, it was undeniable.

This suppressive force was truly formidable.

"Through this connection, I can simultaneously share the senses of all of you, and provide assistance to each of you."

"Therefore," Ke Lu raised the King Spirit Power, its aura spreading out to establish a connection with the twelve guards.

In that instant, the senses of all thirteen individuals—including Ke Lu herself—converged upon her alone.

The sheer volume of information threatened to overwhelm her in an instant.

Ke Lu's mind raced, barely maintaining the processing required to handle the torrent.

Only she could have managed this; anyone else would likely have collapsed under the strain.

Instead of absorbing everything at once, Ke Lu paused to acclimate, ensuring she could handle the influx before proceeding.

She placed the King in Number Nine's hand. "Hold this. I can channel my power through it during combat."

"Understood," Number Nine replied. This time, the group of guards voiced no objections, their perception of Ke Lu's abilities fundamentally altered.

No wonder their superiors had insisted on sending so many of them to protect a mere girl—she was clearly no ordinary person.

Ke Lu took a deep breath and issued the command: "Move out."

The thirteen entered the doorway.

Inside, exactly 4.28 meters to the left of the doorframe, a hidden entrance lay concealed.

Originally a normal entrance, it had been filled in long ago when the area was abandoned and was now unusable.

Of course, this held true for ordinary people. But for Martial Artists, would mere earth and stone ever impede their progress?

Ke Lu scrolled through a document on her phone, detailing the abilities of the twelve guards assigned to protect her.

This straightforward method minimized the risk of errors.

"Number Three, open the secret door. Number Seven, conceal this location," Ke Lu commanded. These guards had undergone specialized training, their abilities beyond question, and their coordination flawless.

Both Number Three and Number Seven were Mage Class Martial Artists, but their specializations diverged.

This divergence stemmed from the unique properties of their Spirit Power during Awakening, such as Su Rou's Rainbow Trait and Ke Lu's own Dragon-Phoenix Trait. These traits played a crucial role in shaping a Martial Artist's future path.

Beyond innate traits, personal interests and comprehension of various skills also proved vital.

For example, Number Three excelled in Five Elements Magic, while Number Seven specialized in Light and Shadow Magic. Their combined expertise was crucial for this operation.

To the casual observer, this appeared to be an ordinary wall—no secret door, no Martial Artists standing guard.

The skill was called Chameleon, and its principle mirrored the animal it was named after:

By manipulating the arrangement of matter—its density and spacing—this skill could reflect different wavelengths of light, creating a spectrum of colors like red, green, and blue.

In nature, this was merely an animal instinct for camouflage, but under the refinement of Martial Artists, it became an immensely powerful technique.

If Number Seven so desired, he could even use this skill to visually conjure the myriad things of the world.

Of course, this was merely a visual illusion, not genuine transformation.

"Impressive ability," Ke Lu remarked approvingly, her gaze shifting to Number Three beside her.

He pressed his hand against the wall, channeling Spirit Power and activating a Geo-based spell.

Under his touch, the entire wall instantly tore apart, softened, and peeled away, like layers of clothing being stripped bare, revealing its true form beneath.

In mere seconds, a large hole, wide enough for two people to pass through, had been carved out.

"Number Eleven and Number Eight, go in," Ke Lu ordered.

The two guards dove into the opening, their figures gradually swallowed by the darkness. Only Ke Lu, who shared a sensory link with them, could still perceive their surroundings.

"Continue."

Everything proceeded smoothly according to the meticulously planned strategy.

Everyone took their assigned positions. Ke Lu's gaze followed Number Nine as he ventured deeper into enemy territory.