Chapter 362: Weak

Jiang Ke’er certainly hadn’t forgotten one of her main purposes for participating in the Shenzhou Cup—the Identity Badge of the Dao Seat.

However, there were too many Honored Ones guarding this place.

It would be clearly inappropriate to use the Stealing Technique right under everyone’s noses, so she needed to take a slightly roundabout approach.

A violent explosion suddenly rang out from the distance.

The Honored Ones responsible for guarding the competition grounds hurriedly focused their Divine Sense to investigate the direction of the blast.

It was from the direction of the Northern Beijia Demon Kingdom’s embassy.

For some reason, it had just exploded.

Seizing this opportunity, Jiang Ke’er nonchalantly withdrew her hand into her sleeve.

Using her Divine Sense to isolate the area around her sleeve from external perception, she used the sleeve’s cover to activate the Divine Theft Technique, reaching into Jing Lie’s Qiankun Bag.

There were many things inside the bag.

Jiang Ke’er didn’t bother to be picky; she grabbed whatever she touched and pulled it out, emptying the bag as quickly as possible.

Although several Honored Ones realized this might be a feint to divert attention, and kept their Divine Sense focused on the arena, Jiang Ke’er had concentrated her own Divine Sense around her sleeve.

With the Power of Houtu enhancing it, even a Honored One’s Divine Sense found it difficult to penetrate.

Her speed was fast. Before those Honored Ones could notice anything amiss, she had already finished her actions, extending her hand back out.

“Referee, what are you standing around for? It’s time to announce the result.”

“…”

The referee’s face was grim. He didn’t want to believe the reality unfolding before his eyes, even fearing that his announcement would make him a criminal in the eyes of his entire race.

But, that famous Wasteland War Team had been wiped out, not a single member left.

Even if he wanted to insult everyone’s intelligence by forcing a fake result, he could only declare the empty air the winner.

“I announce… this match… Bagpipe Squad is victorious…”

The Wasteland War Team, that legendary team that had captured everyone’s attention and won countless championships, had been defeated.

Most of the audience hadn’t been distracted by the distant explosion.

With the referee’s listless announcement, the arena fell into another deathly silence.

Jiang Ke’er was long accustomed to this kind of quiet.

At the end of every match, they would go from cursing and shouting to wearing faces like corpses.

And this was the source of her happiness.

Jiang Ke’er waved towards the spectator stands.

Even though not a single person was cheering for the Bagpipe Squad, she smiled brightly and said loudly, “Thank you for the cheers, everyone! Thanks for your support! Thank you!”

In her view, this deathly silence was already the loudest praise for the Bagpipe Squad.

Of course, in the eyes of those spectators, it was the complete opposite.

The defeat of the long-supported legendary team was already hard to accept… and with Jiang Ke’er’s finishing blow, their mentality just shattered!

[Acquired 3000 Villain Points from…]

[Acquired…]

Jiang Ke’er gleefully watched the stream of system notifications, continuously bowing in all directions to express her thanks as she and the other members of the Bagpipe Squad slowly left the arena.

“Tomorrow is the finals.”

“Mm.”

The sword fell, and the System Dummy dissipated into light.

[Evaluation: SSS]

From the moment of her unsealing, Jiang Ke’er had already possessed the strength to defeat the System Dummy.

She just hadn’t used her realm to overpower it, instead continuing to maintain Spiritual Power reserves and speed equal to the dummy’s for the fight.

If she won by simply overpowering it with her realm, she would always feel unsatisfied deep down.

But she had finally won.

Nearly thirty thousand deaths weren’t in vain. Even though Jiang Ke’er knew she was still very weak… she could feel her own growth.

She had been training here for nearly ten years. Ten years, day in and day out. The memory of being completely thrashed when she first entered was still vivid.

Looking back at herself from ten years ago, who couldn’t withstand a single move, to now being able to fight the System Dummy to a draw, with roughly a fifty percent win rate…

Jiang Ke’er felt a satisfied sense of fulfillment at her gradual growth, while simultaneously cursing herself for being dull-witted, unteachable, and hopelessly incompetent.

It took ten years to barely pass the dummy training for the second realm, and this was only the difficulty for the Three Talents Stage.

“Sigh…”

She had completely accepted the reality that she was a big idiot. Although she still often felt downcast, envying those geniuses who understood everything with a single hint, she didn’t lose heart.

She constantly told herself—a clumsy bird can only make up for the gap in talent through diligence.

Keep going, not a moment of slack.

“Thank you.”

Jiang Ke’er suddenly said to the miniature Protagonist System phantom beside her.

The little loli was taken aback.

She shook her ponytail, sat cross-legged on the grass, and looked at Jiang Ke’er with confusion.

“You guys chose me back then, surely because I was too stupid, right.”

“…”

“Trash like me, who takes ten years to pass one level of training… if it weren’t for the System, who knows what kind of state this terrifying world would have twisted me into.”

“…Ahem.” The little loli coughed guiltily. “This… Host, you’re being too hard on yourself… really.”

“No need to comfort me, I know my own limits,” Jiang Ke’er smiled bitterly. “Everything I have today is merely because of luck…”

“Host!” The Protagonist System little loli suddenly flew in front of Jiang Ke’er, widening her lively, cute eyes, looking at Jiang Ke’er seriously.

“Please do not doubt the System’s judgment ability! The System’s role is merely to guide, to ensure you, Host, do not stray onto the wrong path! Your achievements depend on your own choices and talent!”

“Thank you,” Jiang Ke’er smiled and virtually patted the Protagonist System’s little head, taking the other’s words as well-meaning but insincere comfort.

“I might lose this match,” Jiang Ke’er admitted frankly.

“If I die, what will happen to you?”

“I will accompany you, regardless of life or death. But that selfish old hag, the Villain System, might not,” the Protagonist System little loli pouted.

“I will perish with you,” the Villain System’s voice sounded by Jiang Ke’er’s ear.

“If you die, I have no reason to exist either… You are our last chance.”

“You? The Ancient Gods?”

“Mhm.” The Villain System admitted openly and honestly.

“What virtue or ability do I have,” Jiang Ke’er smiled bitterly. “How about… you guys go hide somewhere first?”

“Host has no confidence in winning?”

“No confidence,” Jiang Ke’er didn’t need to hide in front of the Systems.

“Five Dao Seats. The Bagpipe Squad’s chances of winning are less than ten percent. Considering it rationally, I should know when to retreat, plan for the long term, endure hardships and train until I can crush everyone in the world before showing my face… But I’m always so pretentious, unable to hold back for even a second.”

Jiang Ke’er’s expression dimmed. “I know this is just stupid behavior meant to move myself, but I still can’t control myself… I’m too stupid. Ridiculously stupid. A fool like me is destined to never accomplish anything great.”

“If you’re stupid, then there are no smart people in this world…” the Protagonist System said weakly, hesitating about whether or not to confess that the dummy’s difficulty had been increased by n times.

But in the end, she didn’t confess.

Because before she could decide, Jiang Ke’er had already suddenly stood up and started operating on the System Panel.

[Summon Five Elements Realm Dummy!]

Both the Protagonist System and the Villain System paled.

Heavens! They hadn’t had time to adjust the difficulty multiplier back!

This wasn’t any Five Elements Realm dummy…

This was a Seven Luminaries Peak Realm one!