Shi Lang learns the trick behind the puppet and his methods to counter. He began to focus and meditate while reacting to the attacks dealt at himself. His strategy was to let his thoughts scatter and not to think about Long Shuyan. The more he thought about it, the more this Array will attack him.

This was not a sure way to score a win, but it was an experiment to ask see if this formation worked the same way as he thought or was it something different. As he got deep into meditation the battle slowed down. He could sense it all, the puppet was slowing down, however, just when Shi Lang thought that the end was close, the puppet picked up the pace again.

Shi Lang gave up on meditation and began to fight against the puppet. Although he was still defending the attacks, he was not getting pushed back. The phantom of Long Shuyan had evaporated, and the body of a metallic puppet was moving around him.

Opening his eyes, Shi Lang found the puppet attacking him with a spear, the body of this puppet was metallic, one look and he could tell that this puppet was the best work of the old civilization. The joints and the movements of this puppet were matchless. However, at this moment, this puppet was set on killing him, and not wanting to die, the young man shifted focus from admiring this clockwork, to fighting it off.

During the battle, Shi Lang noticed a few loops, the puppet was now fighting him with a set of moves, some were quick, some were slow, yet the devastating force behind these attacks was anything but simple. Shi Lang was scared for a moment when he charged in to intercept the attack but the puppet slowed down exponentially and then stabbed with an even quicker motion.

After an hour of battle, the observing puppet said, “You can still go back alive if you give up now.”

Shi Lang was too committed to this battle and he had no thoughts of giving up. The puppet began to thrash him, and in the next half hour, his body was covered with bruises. Yet, he did not want to back down. He thought of treating these attacks as a method of tempering. But there was a limit to how much beating he could take.

The irregularities in the attack pattern were quickly degrading his stamina, the boy did not seem like a warrior who could stand against thousands of people, but like a punching bag for the puppet. His spear has long left his grip, all he could do was to keep defending himself with his body. On the other side, the opponent did not seem to be a mechanical tool for testing the courage and skills of a person, but a sadistic machine that was meant to torment others.

Shi Lang moved around but his speed was obviously slower than before. His ribs were cracked and his left hand was already fractured. Yet, his eyes were focused on the puppet.

…

Jenkins said, “His vitals are dropping, I am going in. You cannot stop me, Hayley.”

Hayley sighed and said, “Fine, I will come along.”

Jenkins was not surprised, he was aware that Hayley had better skills than he did because she was the Quinn of the Card Class. She was the only one who could tackle Shi Lang among the five of them.

The technician asked, “Sir, Ma’am, if both of you left, who will hold the command chain?”

The question tripped them both. Quinn said, “Jenkins, you will hold the command chain, I know you want to save him, but we both know, I have a better chance at even reaching the end of this maze.”

Jenkins was hesitating, Hayley said, “The more you hesitate the fewer chances we will have.”

“Fine! Go!”, snapped the young man.

Hayley sighed and then she went to the side room to get dressed and depart from this room.

…

Shi Lang was in a bad state, the puppet has broken his leg, however, the attack was not made on the joints so he will not be disabled, that was if he lived. At this moment, he was lying on the ground, with blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. He did not have the strength to stand up and fight against the puppet.

The puppet observing him shook his head, if only Shi Lang had taken the advice to admit defeat, he would have survived. The puppet inside the formation raised the tip of the formation and it was charging toward, Shi Lang to deal the killing blow.

On the ground, Shi Lang was recalling his life, watching the tip of the spear coming right at him, he recalled how he did not want to live a life with any regrets. It was as if a dam had broken inside him. The spirit energy from the surroundings was being sucked by him. The process was so fast that the rushing puppet seemed to have entered slow motion.

Shi Lang calmed down, he did not have the time to find the logic behind what was happening, he had to heal up and get out of the pinch. He quickly controlled the spirit energy entering his body and used it to connect his broken bones. The speed was blinking fast as if the bones were made of wax and the spirit energy was connecting them together using heat.

As soon as the bones were connected, the young man moved and vanished from his spot. The next moment, Shi Lang was standing with his spear in his hand. During all this time, he had forgotten the motto of his life, he was becoming more hesitant, burying his instincts to use his reasoning.

He was not this sort of a person, hesitation brought regrets. He did not want regrets, thinking about it, he made up his mind to beat this puppet. The observation puppet did not show any reaction, indicating surprise or something, it had a metal face.

Shi Lang kicked the shaft of his spear and swung it a few times in his hands. He channeled the spiritual energy inside him through the spear and charged at the enemy. This time he fully committed himself to battle.

The spirit energy was running through his eyes, and he could see the smallest of changes inside the body of the puppet. His movements became sharper, along with his body, his brain was also channeling the spiritual energy, this was the reason his body was keeping up with the thoughts. He was not thinking and just following his instincts.

The body was being nourished with spirit energy on a cellular level, every neuron and every synapse was connected with spirit energy and they were all working faster without degrading, giving Shi Lang the power to deal damage to the puppet. Every attack was sharp and decisive. There was no hesitation when Shi Lang thrust forward.

His spear seemed to have come alive, it was unstoppable. Shi Lang was using everything that his weapon could offer, the elasticity, and the sharpness. He was using different angles to attack the puppet, yet every time the attack will land on a vital point.

It would be wrong to say that this puppet had no organs, this clockwork was made on a design of human anatomy, and Shi Lang was going to dismantle it. He was going to break down the joints of the puppet first. Thus the multi-angled barrage.

The puppet that was so overpowering, seemed to have become a child’s toy. Shi Lang was relentless, his attacks turned into a combination of close combat and spear duel, and his speed was increasing constantly. In the end, he closed the distance and stabbed the spear right through the chest of the puppet.

The spearhead was covered with spiritual energy, and Shi Lang aimed right through the abdomen, pushing the weapon through the back of the puppet. however, the machine still did not stop, so, giving up on the spear, Shi Lang jumped in the air, grabbed the head of the puppet, and placed his feet on the shoulders of the puppet. Then with a grunt, he exerted all his strength and pulled off the head.

When his arms were raised high, Shi Lang was holding a mechanical head, and a few long rods sticking out of it. The puppet below him seemed to have frozen. The young man was panting very hard, this was the toughest battle of his life, and he almost died. However, this fight also made him understand what it feels to be alive.

In life we face problems, and sometimes we give up. It is another issue if you cannot succeed after trying your best, maybe it is fate, but never stop before you have exhausted yourself to the core.

Shi Lang jumped to the side of the puppet, and sat on the ground.