Chu Tianqiu turned his head instinctively upon hearing Qian Wu’s voice. Almost simultaneously, the several “Earth-level” figures in front of him seized the moment of his distraction to strike.
He had just employed a tactic to divert their attention, yet within less than a minute, he found himself caught off guard too.
Before the thought “I was careless” could fully form in his mind, a powerful hand grabbed his clothes from behind and yanked him backward.
Chu Tianqiu felt his feet leave the ground instantly, as if he’d been hit by a car, sending him flying backward. Fortunately, the sensation lasted less than half a second before Zhang Shan caught him mid-air.
The two of them turned toward the entrance, where the towering Qiao Jiajin now stood facing several “Zodiacs.” However, he was staring at his own right hand in disbelief.
“Hey, tattoo boy,” Zhang Shan called from behind. “Damn, what are you looking at?”
“Dang it…” Qiao Jiajin muttered. “What kind of strength is this…?”
Chu Tianqiu also realized that under such overwhelming brute force, his own ordinary body felt like a mere plaything between these two.
He had once swallowed the eyeball of “Tian Xingjian,” granting him boundless strength, but he was no fighter by nature.
He wondered what effect this power would have on Qiao Jiajin.
One of the Earth Pigs, noticing Qiao Jiajin’s distraction, aimed a kick at his knee.
Driven by muscle memory, Qiao Jiajin blocked the strike with his left hand, intercepting the knee, while his other hand transformed from a fist into an open palm and shoved hard against the opponent’s chin.
This attack was unlike any before—each movement was accompanied by the faint sound of cracking bone.
“Dang it… Sorry about that.”
Before the apology even fully left his lips, the Earth Pig had already hit the ground.
The surrounding “Zodiacs” had never seen a “participant” take down an “Earth-level” in a single move. Silence fell over them.
“Ah, really, my bad…” Qiao Jiajin said sheepishly. “The strength was a bit too much. I’m not used to it yet…”
Chu Tianqiu observed Qiao Jiajin’s state and recalled how Zhang Shan had handled the Earth Ox earlier. With comparable physical prowess, these two could likely overpower every “Zodiac” on the “train.”
Moreover, their physical abilities weren’t truly “comparable”—while the “Zodiacs” had enhanced bodies, they lacked regenerative abilities, proving their power wasn’t derived from “Tian Xingjian.”
But the sheer number of opponents was concerning. Along with the Earth Dog, there were still four “Earth-levels” left. Qiao Jiajin had just gained the power of “Tian Xingjian,” and Chu Tianqiu couldn’t help but feel slightly uneasy.
“Can he handle them alone?” he whispered to Zhang Shan.
Zhang Shan nodded. “One guy might be overkill, huh? Should’ve sent half of him instead.”
“Uh…”
“Relax,” Zhang Shan said. “With ‘Tian Xingjian,’ I never worry about losing—only about when the power will fade.”
The remaining “Earth-levels” assumed Qiao Jiajin had gotten lucky. Maybe he possessed some “brute force” ability that could critically injure one of them, but facing multiple “Earth-levels” at once should leave him helpless.
With that in mind, two of them stepped forward simultaneously, launching fists from tricky angles. Since Qiao Jiajin stood at the entrance with no room to dodge, the converging attacks were bound to deal serious damage.
Qiao Jiajin looked up and realized his body’s transformation wasn’t just about “strength.” In his eyes, even the incoming fists seemed to move in slow motion.
He casually raised a hand, intercepting one punch from the side, then flicked his wrist, redirecting the fist toward the other attacker.
The two fists collided violently right in front of Qiao Jiajin. Though no bones shattered, both assailants winced in pain, clutching their hands as they crouched down.
“Dang it… Still hurts?” Qiao Jiajin gave an apologetic smile. “I thought I went easy…”
“You…” One of the “Zodiacs” stood up slowly, eyes burning with fury. “You ‘participants’… Are you mocking us?”
“Honestly, no…” Qiao Jiajin shook his head. “We’ve got no beef. I really don’t wanna hurt you guys…”
In just two exchanges, the “Zodiacs” had nearly lost all will to fight. This “participant’s” actions felt like toying with toddlers who couldn’t even walk.
It didn’t feel like mercy—it felt like humiliation.
Driven by frustration, the “Zodiacs” attempted a few more attacks, but Qiao Jiajin effortlessly deflected them all.
“I’m actually dying…” The Earth Dog, standing further back, suddenly spoke up. “Not letting me help, not fighting seriously… Against a single ‘participant’? What the hell are you all pretending for?”
The taunt reignited the flickering resolve of the “Zodiacs.”
This man was undeniably just a “participant.” If a “participant” could single-handedly thrash “Zodiacs,” then what was the point of their hard-earned “Earth-level” status?
The enemy had invaded the “train,” turning their sanctuary upside down. Surrender wasn’t an option.
To every “Zodiac” present, this was nothing short of an “invasion.”
“We can’t keep wasting time here…” The scrawny Earth Tiger turned to a “Human-level” subordinate. “Go alert the ‘Heaven-levels’—”
“Hey, no need for that!” Qiao Jiajin interjected. “Can’t we talk this out? I won’t touch you guys, you don’t call in the big shots, and we pretend this never happened.”
His proposal, of course, failed to sway the “Earth-levels.” They shielded the “Human-level” behind them, projecting an air of righteous defiance as they prepared to cover their retreat.
“Dang it… My negotiation skills really need work.”
No sooner had he spoken than the “Earth-levels” charged again. Qiao Jiajin adjusted his force slightly, landing a few straight punches that sent them stumbling back.
He glanced over at Earth Rat, who instantly understood. With a quick sidestep, Earth Rat positioned himself behind all the “Human-levels,” cutting off their escape.
“Listen up, little bosses,” Earth Rat said sternly. “Nobody leaves. I promise you won’t die.” He knew alerting the “Heaven-levels” wasn’t an insurmountable problem, but it would waste precious time.
Trapped between Earth Rat and the ongoing battle, the dozen or so “Human-levels” hesitated, their hopes pinned on their teachers. But could their teachers really defeat that “participant”?
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