Chapter 10: System Update: "Face-Slap Mode Activated"
The crimson fireball hurtled toward us, its heat searing the air as it closed the distance in an instant. Lin Wei reacted first, shoving me out of the way just as the flames exploded against the wall where we'd been standing moments earlier. Shards of plaster rained down, filling the room with smoke and debris.
"Well," I muttered, brushing dust off my hoodie, "that escalated quickly."
Lin shot me a glare. "Focus, Jin Hao. This isn't a game."
"Could've fooled me," I quipped, though the adrenaline coursing through my veins told a different story.
Xiao Liang smirked, his eyes glowing faintly with Qi energy. "You should've stayed hidden, trash. Now you'll learn why messing with the Liang family is a death sentence."
I stepped forward, cracking my knuckles. "Funny—you're the one who looks scared right now."
His smile faltered for a split second before returning, colder and sharper than before. "We'll see about that."
Xiao Liang wasn't alone. Behind him stood half a dozen mercenaries armed to the teeth with high-tech weapons and cultivation-enhanced gear. They fanned out, forming a semicircle around us, cutting off any chance of escape. The odds weren't exactly in our favor—but then again, when had they ever been?
Lin glanced at me, her expression grim. "Stick close. These guys are no joke."
"Got it," I replied, already channeling Qi into my palms.
Before either of us could make a move, Xiao Liang raised his hand, summoning another sphere of crimson flames. But this time, something strange happened. As he hurled the fireball at us, a mechanical voice echoed in my mind—a familiar yet unexpected intrusion.
**"System Alert: Face-Slap Mode Detected. Description: Humiliate arrogant foes for bonus rewards. Current Target: Xiao Liang."**
"What the hell?" I blurted, freezing mid-step.
Lin turned to me, her brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"
"The System," I said, shaking my head. "It just… activated some kind of weird mode."
Her eyes widened slightly. "You mean like a gamified feature?"
"Yeah, but specifically for slapping people. Apparently, it thinks Xiao Liang needs a reality check."
She stared at me for a moment, then sighed. "Of course it does."
As the fireball streaked toward us, I decided to roll with it—literally. Ducking under the attack, I darted forward using *Ghost Shadow Steps*, closing the gap between Xiao Liang and me faster than he could react. His cronies raised their weapons, but Lin intercepted them with lightning-fast precision, her dagger flashing like silver lightning.
"You idiot!" Xiao Liang snarled, throwing a punch infused with Qi energy.
Instead of dodging, I caught his fist mid-air, gripping it tightly. He tried to pull away, but my grip was unyielding. Channeling Qi into my free hand, I delivered a sharp slap across his face—hard enough to leave a bright red mark but not enough to knock him out.
**"Achievement Unlocked: First Slap. Reward: 500 XP. Bonus: Increased Agility (+5%)."**
Xiao Liang staggered back, clutching his cheek, his expression a mix of shock and outrage. "You—you hit me!"
"No kidding," I said dryly. "What gave it away?"
He lunged at me again, this time unleashing a flurry of strikes. Each blow was precise, calculated, designed to overwhelm. But thanks to *Ghost Shadow Steps* and the agility boost from the System, I evaded every attack effortlessly, countering with another slap—this one even harder than the last.
**"Achievement Unlocked: Double Slap Combo. Reward: 1,000 XP. Bonus: Enhanced Reflexes (+10%)."**
The mercenaries paused, watching in stunned silence as their boss stumbled backward, humiliated. Even Lin seemed momentarily distracted, raising an eyebrow as she dispatched another attacker.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered under her breath.
"You're telling me," I replied, grinning despite myself.
By the third slap, Xiao Liang was livid. Crimson flames erupted around him, forming a swirling vortex of energy that illuminated the entire room. His lackeys backed away cautiously, clearly aware that their boss was losing control.
"Enough!" he roared, launching himself at me with reckless abandon.
This time, I didn't dodge. Instead, I met his charge head-on, channeling all my Qi into a single strike. My palm connected squarely with his chest, sending him flying backward into a pile of overturned furniture. The impact knocked the wind out of him, leaving him gasping for air.
**"Milestone Achieved: Ultimate Slap. Reward: 5,000 XP. Bonus: Mastery of Face-Slap Mode (Permanent)."**
Xiao Liang groaned, struggling to sit up. His arrogance had vanished, replaced by raw fear. "Please… don't kill me…"
I crouched beside him, meeting his gaze with cold determination. "Tell your father something for me. Next time he sends someone after me, make sure they're better prepared. Because if I see you again, I won't stop at slaps."
He nodded frantically, too terrified to speak.
Behind me, Lin finished off the last of the mercenaries, wiping her blade clean on her coat. "That was… theatrical," she said, raising an eyebrow.
"It worked, didn't it?" I countered, standing up.
She shrugged. "Fair point. Let's go before reinforcements arrive."
As we slipped out of the apartment and into the labyrinth of alleys below, I couldn't help but reflect on what had just happened. The System's quirky update had been both absurd and surprisingly effective. Not only had it given me tangible rewards—XP boosts and stat increases—but it had also provided a much-needed morale boost.
Still, there was no denying the underlying danger. Xiao Liang's attack hadn't come out of nowhere. Someone higher up—his father, CEO Liang—was pulling strings, orchestrating these assaults as part of a larger plan. And judging by the resources they were throwing at us, we were running out of time.
"We need to act fast," Lin said, echoing my thoughts. "Liang Enterprises HQ is our best bet. If we can expose their ties to the Crimson Veil, we might be able to turn public opinion against them."
"And if we fail?" I asked.
"Then we fight until we can't anymore," she replied simply. "Survivors don't have the luxury of giving up."
Just as we reached the edge of the marketplace, a holographic screen flickered to life above one of the stalls. A news anchor appeared, her expression grave as she delivered a breaking report.
"In shocking developments tonight, anonymous sources claim that prominent corporate leaders—including CEO Liang of Liang Enterprises—are secretly linked to illegal underground dueling rings and cultivation sects. Evidence suggests widespread corruption within Neo-Aurion's elite circles…"
Lin froze, her eyes narrowing. "They're moving faster than expected."
I clenched my fists, feeling the fiery symbol on my palm pulse faintly. "Good. Let them come. We're ready."
Or at least, I hoped we were.