Chapter 65: Close-Quarters Combat Value
Yulia’s smile was radiant, exuding a beauty as if she had stepped out of a painting.
But at this moment, no one cared about her beauty, and no one felt any warmth from her smile.
After she spoke, the entire corridor plunged into a bizarre silence.
Guido was truly dead—killed by his own people, not part of some act coordinated with Yulia.
Because the moment he collapsed and Yulia spoke, every Player who had attacked Guido, including Bai Fu, received a game notification.
【Guido has died. Contribution: 37.1%. After level adjustment, you have gained 12,243 XP】
It was a game-certified death—undeniable.
No one had expected this outcome.
Even though Guido’s death brought Bai Fu over ten thousand experience points, she couldn’t feel happy at all.
There were two reasons for that.
The first was, of course, because her kill had been stolen. She could have earned much more experience.
The second reason was the overwhelming sense of danger she smelled from Yulia.
She cast a 【Psionic Vision】 on Yulia.
【Skill check successful. You have acquired partial information on the target】
【Name】: Yulia (Doppelgänger) (Elite)
【Template】: Special - Child of True Spirit (Unawakened)
【Main Class】: Nascent True Spirit Lv11 [Lower-tier Class Psionic Apprentice Lv10], Defender Lv9
【Sub Class】: Doctor Lv5
【HP】: ?
【Psionic Value】:
【Stats】: Strength 14, Agility 13, Constitution ?, Intelligence ?, Spirit ?, Inspiration 54
【Skills】: Possessed, Intermediate Psionic Specialization, Substitution Game Lv4, ?, ?……
【Talents】: Child of True Spirit, ?, ?
【Affinity】: Mouth-watering (21)
【Threat Level】: Red
The returned data was completely different from their last encounter.
Bai Fu’s eyes widened.
Another doppelgänger?
This doppelgänger already had 54 points in Inspiration. How high must her original body's stats be?
But that wasn’t even the most shocking part.
The most shocking part was the “Unawakened” tag clearly listed under Template.
That was absurd.
If this was her unawakened state, what would she become after awakening?
Judging by this status panel, Yulia was either an NPC even more important than Xia Shi or one of the big bosses of Origin Star, this Newbie village planet!
Bai Fu’s mouth twitched.
On second thought, she really didn’t need to worry about Yulia’s identity.
The danger rating for this doppelgänger alone was already 【Red】, meaning it was a life-threatening opponent.
The only problem was—
"What's up with this Affinity?!"
Affinity 21.
Bai Fu doubted her own eyes for a moment, and the description beside it was even more alarming.
Mouth-watering?
So you learned how to treat people from Hannibal?
Bai Fu understood now.
No wonder Yulia's gaze felt so off—not the excitement of wanting to kill, but the thrill of finding a new toy to torment.
She recalled what Yulia had said to her back at the Abandoned Cooling Plant.
This woman was definitely a psychological maniac!
As everyone’s nerves were stretched taut, a startled cry broke the silence.
"Dr… Dr. Yulia, what are you doing? Why did you attack Lord Guido, you…"
A member of Bagaros Base who had witnessed Guido's death collapsed to the floor in fright, shouting incoherently.
The shout wiped the smile off Yulia’s face, replacing it with a thick frown of displeasure.
‘I’m talking with Bai Fu. What are you barking for?’
She didn’t even turn around. Suddenly, a suffocating pressure filled the corridor.
In an instant, a semi-transparent veil of white silk dropped onto that person, crushing their chest inward.
Puh puh puh——
Blood gushed out wildly. In the blink of an eye, the man fell silent forever.
The scene made everyone nearby flinch.
‘Damn, what kind of ability is that?’
It looked like a tough battle was inevitable next.
The hearts of the Players, Division Four Special Agents, and Bai Fu all sank.
Yulia thought for a moment and ordered the Players under her control to deal with all the obstructive individuals nearby first.
In fact, she could have arrived here earlier, but before making a move, she had visited the Surveillance Room and destroyed all the equipment inside to prevent anything that happened here from being transmitted back to the Truth Society Headquarters, which would alert them to her true intentions.
By the time she finished and came out, Guido was already fleeing in panic.
To be honest, this outcome was a bit unexpected for Yulia. When she last fought Bai Fu, Bai Fu’s strength was definitely not at this level. Who would've thought that after just a month, the Psionic Power inside Bai Fu’s body had increased severalfold?
If she could combine Bai Fu’s powers with her own, she could surely break free from the Truth Society’s control and launch the ultimate revenge against them!
Hiss——
A tingling sensation rose from the soles of her feet to her crown.
Yulia felt like she was losing control.
She had had enough of being bound by that special device, and she didn’t want to see her loved ones held hostage by the Truth Society anymore.
"Bai Fu, do you know how hard it’s been for me to find you?"
A blush crept onto Yulia’s face.
No, I don’t, and I don’t want to know!
Bai Fu instinctively took a step back.
Meanwhile, the Players who weren’t under control had a sudden glint in their eyes.
Wait a second, something’s up!
【This doesn’t look like a fight is about to happen】
【Could it be that this Dr. Yulia is in cahoots with Fu-fu? That can’t be right—if they were allies, why did she control us?】
【Could she be from the cosmos like Bai Fu?】
Players on-site and in the Livestream Room started heated discussions.
A Excavation‑Princess who thought she had uncovered a big scoop quickly zoomed in on Yulia’s face with a close-up shot.
"Ever since we met at the Abandoned Cooling Plant, I’ve been thinking about you every day. I originally thought we wouldn’t meet again for a long time, but the Truth Society President was overconfident and gave me this chance. I knew it might be my only shot, so I came looking for you right away. Thank goodness we were reunited without any mishaps!"
Yulia spoke while walking forward, her eyebrows practically dancing with excitement.
Seeing her so thrilled, the Players got excited too.
【Something’s fishy—I smell oranges】
【Damn, what is this development? Wasn’t this supposed to be a dungeon run? Why are you suddenly feeding us dog food?】
【Damn it, I object to this marriage! Fu-fu is mine! No one else can have her!】
【I’m confused. Yulia seems to get along well with Bai Fu. If that’s the case, why did they fight at the Abandoned Cooling Plant? Was it all staged?】
【Staged, my ass! Did you forget what Yulia said before she was killed last time? I say she’s just a psycho with a one-sided crush on Fu-fu】
Whatever the truth was, seeing that Yulia didn’t seem intent on fighting, the previously tense Players began to relax.
Not having to fight such a terrifying monster was a blessing. Who wanted to die and lose XP if they could help it?
They gathered around snapping pictures, and some even started circling past Yulia to join the hunt for surviving members of Bagaros Base.
But just as they were about to act, Yulia suddenly stopped.
"Mm?"
Suddenly, a vast sheet of semi-transparent white silk appeared overhead in the corridor.
Holy crap!
The Players below the silk realized something was wrong, but they had no time to dodge.
The silk fluttered down, and those it covered were slammed to the ground like they had been hit with a hammer, blood splattering everywhere.
Aside from two Players with thick HP bars who barely survived, everyone else caught in it was sent straight back to the respawn point.
With a single strike, Yulia had wiped out 14 Players!
The remaining Players were stunned.
Why aren’t you playing by the rules?
Weren’t you just flirting with Bai Fu? Why are you suddenly punching the spectators? Can’t we just enjoy the show?
Bai Fu’s eyes turned red—with envy. Was this the power of a naturally gifted Psionic stream powerhouse?
Possessed + wide-area massacre ability—just drop her on a battlefield and she’s a humanoid killing machine.
"What exactly do you want?" Bai Fu demanded.
She was already planning an escape route. Fighting Yulia in this narrow space was extremely disadvantageous. Drawing her outside and using her agility to kite was a far better bet.
Yulia said, "I need you."
Bai Fu: "?"
"Even though you destroyed one of my doppelgängers at the Abandoned Cooling Plant, I don’t hate you." Yulia kept closing in. "Don’t worry. As long as you cooperate and tell me how you broke free from my control, I won’t hurt you."
Can something like that even be explained?
Bai Fu stayed silent, and Yulia’s emotions grew a bit agitated.
"Not talking? Or do you not know either? It’s fine. If you’re willing to give me your body, that works too. I’ll be as careful as I can not to damage it. Even if I accidentally do, with my medical skills, I can fix most injuries. Come on, I don’t want to hurt you."
Maya, she really is a maniac!
Bai Fu was terrified by Yulia’s words.
You’re already talking about damaging bodies—what kind of perverted tricks do you still have left?
"Get out of here! Get as far away from her as possible!"
She shouted loudly, urging those nearby to escape.
By now, even the densest Player understood that Yulia was bad news.
They quickly backed away, and once they were at a safe distance, they didn’t hesitate to open fire.
Bullets flew.
Then something strange happened.
As soon as the bullets got within two meters of Yulia, they slowed down like they had hit a swamp.
Their speed dropped hundreds of times, and even Yulia, who wasn’t particularly strong or agile, could pluck them out of the air with ease.
What the hell?
Everyone was shocked. Just as they were about to retreat further, the white silk fell on them from above.
Boom!
Another six Players were wiped out on the spot.
Yulia calmly dropped the bullets on the ground and scanned the surroundings. "Are you sure you want to resist, even if it means I’ll make those who came with you kill each other?"
Bai Fu remained silent.
After all, Players could revive. There wasn’t much to worry about. But she couldn’t let that thought show on her face. She had to wait for the Players to speak up on their own.
"Fu-fu, don’t worry about me!"
"Don’t let that pervert succeed!"
In an instant, cries erupted throughout the base from one Player after another.
Bai Fu’s eyes sharpened. "I don’t have time to play games with you. Unless you can defeat me, you won’t get anything from me!"
Yulia’s skills were powerful, but at her level, there was no way she could use them in quick succession. Finding the gaps between her skills was the key to victory!
"Since you won’t listen, I’ll just have to use force!"
A flash of silver-white light glimmered in Yulia’s eyes.
【You were attacked by [Possessed]. Skill check in progress. Your Inspiration exceeds 30. You have successfully resisted the attack】
A game prompt appeared.
Bai Fu didn’t stay idle.
She immediately drew a 【Battle Etiquette】 card.
The reason she frequently used Prayer Cards instead of her own skills was because Prayer Cards didn’t consume extra Psionic Power and didn’t interfere with her own skill cooldowns. Very convenient.
【You used Battle Etiquette on Yulia (Doppelgänger). Skill check in progress. Yulia's Inspiration is 5 points higher than yours. Skill failed】
"Useless. The Psionic techniques you know can’t possibly affect me," Yulia said with a smile.
Bai Fu tossed the spent card to the ground.
If Battle Etiquette didn’t work, then stealing buffs with Chain Reaction or reducing stamina with Power Surge (Inferior) definitely wouldn’t either. Fortunately, that wasn’t her trump card at all.
"Looks like I have to use my ultimate move," Bai Fu said seriously.
Yulia looked intrigued. "You have an ultimate move?"
Bai Fu gave a cold chuckle.
It was a move she had trained for years.
Run!
Just as Yulia was guessing what her trump card could be, Bai Fu turned and bolted.
Yulia: "……"
Bai Fu didn’t get far because she found the exit door of the base had been shut.
That was Yulia’s doing too. To ensure she could catch Bai Fu, Yulia not only destroyed the Surveillance Room but also secretly closed all the exit doors of the base.
Fine, you’ve left me no choice!
Bai Fu didn’t flinch.
Ever since she learned that Yulia’s goal was to understand how she had broken free from Possessed’s control, her confidence in victory had increased dramatically.
She raised the shotgun in her hands and sprayed Yulia wildly.
All of her shots were blocked by the force field, but she didn’t stop.
Once the shotgun was empty, she switched to a handgun. When that was done, she picked up another weapon from the ground.
Shrill gunfire echoed through the base. Yulia’s expression remained unchanged.
"Pointless."
We’ll see if it’s pointless soon enough.
Bai Fu kept closing the distance to Yulia. She could already hear the rush of footsteps—Yulia had recalled the Players she had sent out earlier.
Those Players surged toward her like a tide, and the others not under control responded immediately.
【Shoot his balls! Shoot his balls!】
【Damn it, if you're playing dirty, don’t blame me for being inhuman too】
Both sides clashed in chaos.
Despite being outnumbered, the controlled Players held their own thanks to Yulia’s support.
Bai Fu patiently used bullets to drain Yulia’s Psionic Power.
This was where her speed advantage came into play. Under her barrage, Yulia had no way to dodge, relying entirely on her force field.
Seeing Yulia start to pant slightly, Bai Fu knew her chance had come.
She pulled a grenade from her belt. Just as Yulia made to hide behind the Players, Bai Fu suddenly smiled.
"What do you think will happen if I detonate this grenade in my own hand?"
"Stop!"
Yulia’s playful demeanor vanished, and her face twisted with anger as she roared.
Along with her shout came a wave of white silk falling from above, striking down half the Players who had been locked in battle indiscriminately.
Bai Fu gave a slight nod. So it was confirmed—Yulia wasn’t just interested in her; she saw her as irreplaceable.
If she could learn Yulia’s true purpose for studying her, then this Yulia might be...
Bai Fu yanked the pin from the grenade.
Yulia’s face changed dramatically. She roared and lunged at Bai Fu.
The grenade exploded thunderously in the narrow corridor, stripping paint from the walls and kicking up clouds of dust.
Yulia choked hard, and the shockwave nearly flung her away, but she didn’t care. She groped through the smoke, terrified of seeing Bai Fu’s shattered body when the dust cleared.
"I was wrong. I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard. You can’t die. You absolutely can’t die!"
Yulia was in a panic.
Never in her wildest dreams had she expected Bai Fu to detonate herself so decisively.
Just like she couldn’t imagine how a close-range grenade blast had caused Bai Fu no harm at all.
"Used another Psionic Shield card."
Behind Yulia, Bai Fu stood, her face dark.
Thankfully she had prepared some Prayer Cards in advance.
Otherwise, she would really have ended up in Yulia’s hands today, becoming a lab subject.
Now, the tide had turned.
Long-range skill duels were not her strength—but this kind of point-blank melee was another story. She’d grind Yulia down if she had to!
Bai Fu stepped forward, swiftly wrapping her arm around Yulia’s neck.
Rear naked choke!