Although ability users had already begun to appear all over the country, they seemed to have agreed not to meet each other. Each kept to their own territory, as if they had made a pact to avoid any interaction. Now, after finally encountering each other, it had escalated into a major confrontation, with fighting breaking out at the slightest disagreement. The audience was naturally thrilled, with some even placing bets on who would win.
"I think Liu Chang will win. Liu Chang has been using his ability consistently and has become very proficient. In contrast, Zhou Haimai, on Xu An's side, appears clumsy with her ability, like a beginner. The difference is clear." Many shared the sentiment of those watching from above. Only a small minority were die-hard fans of Xu An, steadfastly supporting him regardless of the circumstances.
Liu Chang had initially worried about what would happen if all the people on the opposing side were wiped out. In fact, the moment Liu Chang made his move, he had a flicker of regret. Thinking back, it was their side that had acted inappropriately, being the first to boast and provoke the other. Such individuals, lacking true capability and relying on Liu Chang's influence, wouldn't be missed even if they died. However, being out in the open, harming Liu Chang's people was equivalent to slapping Liu Chang in the face.
But now that the fight had occurred, they had unexpectedly discovered that the other party was also an ability user. Although Hong Ying's words had angered him, Liu Chang had to admit that he was indeed not as powerful as the opponent. If it came down to a real fight, even with Hong Ying, he might not come out on top.
On this side, Xu An protected everyone. Although the opponent's flames appeared ferocious, they were somewhat like a paper tiger, all show and no substance. Thanks to Xu An's ability, everyone remained unharmed. Li Xin didn't even know what was happening.
"An'an, why aren't these flames affecting us?"
Xu An waved his hand, dissipating the protective shield. "Perhaps the fire isn't that strong." After he spoke, both Xu An and Zhou Haimai saw a knowing look in each other's eyes. While the flames seemed grand and powerful, they lacked the solidity of Zhou Haimai's flames, giving off a feeling of weakness.
After the protective shield was removed, Zhou Haimai stepped directly in front of Xu An. "What, you still want to fight?" Zhou Haimai asked, her tone carrying an undeniable chill.
Liu Chang said, "We didn't intend to fight at first; my subordinates were too presumptuous. You're so skilled, have you considered joining my team? We ability users should help each other."
Xu An watched as the other person rambled on incessantly, seemingly driven by a frenzy. Zhou Haimai's expression, however, grew darker, her impatience evident. Xu An knew Zhou Haimai too well; when she got that look on her face, it usually meant bad things were about to happen to others.
Liu Chang's group wasn't small, numbering around twenty people. These individuals had previously been living in hiding, but following Liu Chang had improved their situation somewhat. Compared to Xu An's group's lavish feasts, their lives could be described as living in dire straits. The moment they saw the abundance of food drying at Xu An's camp, almost all of them regarded this place as their stronghold.
Zhou Haimai found Liu Chang's words almost laughable. "You barge into someone's home, injure the owner, and then ask if they want to join you? Is your brain not working properly?"
Faced with Zhou Haimai's unvarnished exposure, Liu Chang's expression turned grim. "All five of your team members can join us, provided you share your food."
Hearing Liu Chang's words, Zhou Haimai almost burst out laughing. The person was himself in a precarious situation, yet he was still scheming against them. Did he really think that being an ability user meant they could do whatever they pleased? Zhou Haimai shook her head, looking at Liu Chang with a trace of impatience.
"What do you want? If you have nothing to discuss, please leave." Liu Chang remained unfazed by Zhou Haimai's dismissal. However, the people behind Liu Chang looked at Zhou Haimai's prepared food, their feet rooted to the spot.
Not just in the extreme cold arena, but even normally within the lighthouse, the food at Xu An's camp was not something they could casually partake in. Moreover, they hadn't eaten properly for a week, and the entire area was covered in snow. Their team was relatively fortunate. Normally, they could rely on Liu Chang's ability to find non-poisonous wild animals to fill their stomachs. But that food was far less tempting than what was at Xu An's camp.
"Boss, stop wasting time with them. Let's just rob their camp and make them hand over all their food."
Zhou Haimai listened and couldn't help but smile. "It seems you've done this sort of thing quite a bit." Actually, Zhou Haimai's statement was entirely unfair to Liu Chang. He hadn't done such things himself, but his subordinates often did. Liu Chang was now speechless, his words failing him. The people around him kept egging them on, seemingly eager for chaos.
But only Hong Ying, standing beside them, saw clearly. This group clearly intended to escalate the situation and take advantage of it. Thus, as the two sides were locked in a dispute, Hong Ying stepped forward.
"Hello, my name is Hong Ying. Our team was also formed on the fly, so some people's character is uneven. Please forgive us. We came from the north. Have you experienced any rat infestations here?"
Zhou Haimai looked at the girl before her. The newcomer had politely introduced herself, stating where she came from and where she was going. This greatly increased Zhou Haimai's favorable impression, and she found the girl more agreeable.
"Yes, we've also had rat infestations. Are they large rats with white fur and short tails?"
Upon hearing Zhou Haimai's description, Hong Ying quickly nodded. "Yes, that's right, those are the rats. We've been chasing them from the north."
Zhou Haimai showed a look of understanding. "So, these things ran in this direction because they were afraid of you?" Zhou Haimai sized up the group. It was clear that the person who had made the move earlier was the leader among them. Like herself, he was likely an individual with fire-element abilities. For some reason, his fire ability, despite its grand display, seemed to lack sustained power.