Chapter 78 Hybrid Warfare

The man seemed still under the illusion's spell, completely unaware of the impending danger. His eyes remained fixed on the empty space, and his staff continued to wave incessantly.

However, at that critical moment, the bullet struck him hard. His body jolted violently, as if hit by a powerful force, and he flew backward.

His figure traced a long arc through the air before crashing heavily off the stage. Dust billowed up, and his silhouette was barely visible in the smoke, looking extremely disheveled.

"Congratulations to Luo Qing, Mo Ming, and Qi Ru of the first squad of Huaguo Mountain for their victory!"

As the system's voice echoed across the arena, the audience erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers. Luo Qing and his two companions stood on the arena, beaming as they accepted the congratulations from the crowd.

Qi Ru and Mo Ming celebrated with a high five, while Luo Qing raised her silver dragon spear and waved it to the audience. Her face beamed with the joy of victory, and her eyes shone with unwavering determination.

Below the arena, Tian Ke glared at them, her face ashen, her eyes filled with resentment and anger. But she also understood that the battle was completely over, and she had no chance to turn the tables.

Amidst enthusiastic applause and cheers, Luo Qing and the other two slowly walked off the stage.

As the afternoon sun slanted down, the stone bricks on the arena shimmered with a golden light.

With a command from the system, the third round of the competition finally began.

The ten small arenas that were originally scattered have now merged into a huge circular battlefield, like a giant arena, waiting for the warriors to compete.

All the teams that won in the previous rounds are now standing on this grand arena.

Some of them exuded an imposing aura, while others remained calm and composed; each of them shone with a resolute light in their eyes. Luo Qing's team also stood among them, their gazes sweeping across the crowd, searching for potential opponents.

As the system's voice faded, the numerous teams that had been standing outside the arena suddenly disappeared, leaving only those teams that had successfully advanced.

This change came so suddenly, as if an invisible force had instantly taken them away from the battlefield.

The once crowded area was now empty, leaving only the victorious squad standing alone. Their figures looked particularly lonely in the sunlight, like abandoned warriors.

For a moment, the entire arena fell into an eerie silence. Only a gentle breeze blew by, stirring up a cloud of dust, as if telling a story.

[Ding—Congratulations to all players for reaching the third match! The winner will return to the real world!]

As soon as the system notification ended, a massive melee erupted.

Luo Qing gripped the Silver Dragon Spear tightly, her eyes sharp as an eagle's. Her figure sped across the battlefield, the Silver Dragon Spear flashing with cold light as she wielded it, each strike accompanied by a sharp whistling sound.

Mu Qimeng and Qi Ru stood on either side of her, working together seamlessly to form an impenetrable defensive line.

Fang Tai and Mo Ming moved silently through the crowd like assassins, and one enemy after another fell before them.

On the battlefield, various lights intertwined, and the sounds of magic and martial arts clashing were incessant. Some squads excelled at ranged attacks, their spells streaking across the sky like meteors; others specialized in melee combat, their figures moving swiftly across the battlefield like the wind, each collision sending chills down the spine.

Luo Qing's team weaved through the chaos, searching for their opponents' weaknesses.

Their teamwork became increasingly seamless, each attack precise and powerful. In the fierce battle, their figures stood out brilliantly, as if they had become the focus of the battlefield.

On the fiercely contested arena, Luo Qing's team was like a whirlwind, unstoppable. However, the sharpness of this whirlwind also attracted the attention of other teams.

Suddenly, several sharp gazes locked onto Luo Qing and his group. Then, the teams that had been fighting independently began to slowly converge on Luo Qing's squad. Their movements seemed casual, but their eyes gleamed with the same light—greed and hostility.

Soon, Luo Qing and his group were surrounded. All around them, magical lights of various colors began to gather, forming a giant net that tightly bound them.

"Watch out, they're trying to gang up on us!" Mu Qimeng shouted in a low voice, her weapon already poised to strike.

Luo Qing immediately sensed the tense atmosphere in the surrounding air. She gripped the Silver Dragon Spear tightly, her eyes sharp as knives, and warily scanned the enemies around her.

The surrounding groups began to slowly approach, their steps seemingly slow, yet each one filled with menace. Their gazes were like those of hungry wolves, fixed intently on Luo Qing and his companions, as if they wanted to tear them to shreds.

Suddenly, a blinding light shot out from the crowd and headed straight for Luo Qing.

Luo Qing moved swiftly, firing a bullet from the Silver Dragon Spear that collided violently with the beam of light. A deafening roar echoed across the arena, the air churned, and Luo Qing flipped in the air before landing steadily on the ground.

Qi Ru gripped her long whip, her figure nimbly weaving across the battlefield. Her whip, like a silver serpent, traced elegant arcs through the air, each strike precise and powerful. Her gaze was firm and sharp, fixed intently on the surrounding enemies, searching for the perfect moment to strike.

Mu Qimeng stood at the rear of Luo Qing's squad, bow and arrow in hand, his eyes calm and sharp. His gaze swept quickly across the battlefield, searching for the best target.

Suddenly, he locked onto an enemy approaching Luo Qing. It was a burly warrior wielding a giant axe, exuding a menacing aura.

Mu Qimeng took a deep breath, steadied herself, and slowly drew back the bowstring. The bowstring was taut, emitting a slight hum, as if foreshadowing the approaching storm.

He aimed at the target, released his finger, and the arrow shot out like a bolt from a bow. The arrow drew a graceful arc in the air, rushing straight towards its target with a sharp whistling sound.

The warrior seemed to sense the danger, but it was too late. The arrow pierced his armor precisely and embedded itself deep in his chest. He stared wide-eyed at Mu Qimeng in disbelief, then slowly collapsed to the ground.

Mo Ming and Fang Tai moved silently along the edge of the battlefield like assassins in the night. Their figures appeared and disappeared in the chaotic crowd, like ghosts, elusive and unpredictable.

Fang Tai flashed forward, appearing behind an enemy. The dagger in his hand gleamed coldly in the moonlight. He smiled slightly, and the dagger instantly sliced ​​through his opponent's throat. Blood spurted out, staining his clothes red.

Mo Ming, like a cheetah, searched for the best prey on the battlefield. His gaze, sharp as an eagle's, was fixed on a slender mage.

He moved with lightning speed, rushing towards the mage. The mage tried to flee in terror, but Mo Ming was faster than him.

He grabbed the mage by the collar and slammed him to the ground. Then, he raised his foot and stomped hard on the mage's chest, causing the mage to cough up blood and lose the ability to resist.