"Brother Chen, you don't have to explain. I totally believe you."
Liu Qiang stared at Wang Chen with a face that clearly said the exact opposite.
Between them, Lian Yunxi walked quietly, wrapped in Wang Chen's jacket. Her cheeks were still slightly red, and she seemed unsure what to say after everything that had just happened.
They walked in silence for a short distance.
Finally, Liu Qiang could no longer suppress the burning curiosity in his heart.
He leaned closer to Wang Chen and whispered excitedly, "I never expected this, Brother Chen. So you're actually into that kind of thing?"
Smack.
A clean slap landed on the back of Liu Qiang's head.
"Where exactly is the cave where you two were being held?" Wang Chen asked calmly.
"Ah... right."
Lian Yunxi snapped out of her thoughts. Her face flushed again as she hurriedly answered.
"It's just ahead. Maybe ten meters or so. There were a few goblins guarding it."
Soon the three of them arrived at the cave.
Just as she said, several goblins stood at the entrance, each around Level 15.
Wang Chen did not waste a single word.
He stepped forward and eliminated them quickly and efficiently.
The fight ended almost before it began.
Lian Yunxi stared in disbelief.
Turning toward Liu Qiang, she asked quietly, "Is a mutated mechanic really this strong?"
Then she suddenly remembered something.
"Oh right. What's your class?"
Liu Qiang scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I'm... a healer."
"But I also had a small mutation."
Lian Yunxi's eyes lit up.
"If Wang Chen is this powerful, then you must be incredible too, right?"
Liu Qiang forced an embarrassed laugh.
"Well... incredible might be an exaggeration. I'm just... a little different."
"A little different?"
Lian Yunxi blinked, confused.
At that moment Wang Chen walked over and handed her another jacket.
"Liu Ningning should be inside. Take this to her."
"Thank you."
Lian Yunxi nodded and walked into the cave.
Inside, a girl was tied tightly to a stone pillar.
"Yunxi?"
Liu Ningning froze when she saw her friend.
Then she frowned in confusion.
"That was fast. Did the Goblin High Priest finish already?"
She looked her friend up and down nervously.
"Did it hurt? How was it?"
Lian Yunxi's face turned bright red.
"What are you thinking about!"
"I just got lucky. Someone powerful saved me."
"Someone powerful?"
Hope immediately appeared in Liu Ningning's eyes.
"So we're saved?"
"Hold on. Let me untie you first."
Lian Yunxi quickly untied the ropes and helped her friend up.
Then she handed her the spare jacket.
Liu Ningning put it on and adjusted her thigh-high white stockings.
Seeing this, Lian Yunxi suddenly grinned mischievously.
"Ningning... you look way too cute like this."
Before Liu Ningning could react, Lian Yunxi reached out and pinched the soft fabric of her stockings.
The silky material slid smoothly under her fingers.
Liu Ningning gasped in embarrassment.
"What are you doing! Stop!"
Her entire body trembled slightly as if struck by electricity.
Lian Yunxi stuck out her tongue playfully before turning toward the cave entrance.
"You can come in now."
Wang Chen and Liu Qiang stepped inside.
The moment they saw Liu Ningning, even Liu Qiang was stunned.
No wonder she was known as the most beautiful commoner student at Luo Hai No.2 High School.
She was breathtaking.
Her clothes were torn from the struggle earlier. Wang Chen's jacket hung loosely around her shoulders. Her long black hair was messy, and faint red marks from the ropes still lingered on her pale skin.
Her cheeks carried a soft blush, and her fragile appearance stirred a strange protective instinct.
Liu Ningning's beautiful eyes brightened the moment she saw Wang Chen.
"Wow. He's handsome."
Liu Qiang had just finished fixing his hair and preparing to greet her confidently.
The moment he heard those words, his heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
Liu Ningning continued staring at Wang Chen with sparkling eyes.
"Wait. A mechanic and a healer?"
She suddenly turned to Lian Yunxi.
"Don't tell me the 'powerful expert' you mentioned is these two?"
Lian Yunxi nodded enthusiastically.
"That's right. They both have mutated classes."
She pointed at Liu Qiang first.
"This is Liu Qiang."
Then she smiled while introducing Wang Chen.
"And this handsome guy is Wang Chen. He literally punched goblins to death earlier."
Liu Ningning looked skeptical.
"Seriously? Are you sure you didn't see wrong?"
She tilted her head.
"Did he defeat them with his looks?"
Lian Yunxi rolled her eyes.
"Stop asking so many questions. If Wang Chen hadn't shown up, I would already be under the Goblin Priest by now."
Her tone suddenly became serious.
"Anyway, we should leave this place as soon as possible."
But just as she finished speaking, the cave suddenly began to tremble violently.
Roars echoed through every tunnel.
Goblin war cries.
Lian Yunxi's face instantly turned pale.
"Oh no! The goblins are coming!"
Tears immediately welled in her eyes.
"There's no time to escape! Am I really going to end up farting for the rest of my life?"
She burst into panicked sobbing.
Liu Qiang rushed outside to check.
Seconds later he ran back in with a terrified expression.
"Shit! There are goblins everywhere outside!"
Liu Ningning immediately forced herself to calm down.
"We defend the cave entrance."
Her voice was steady despite the fear in her eyes.
"We'll rotate attacks and hold them off as long as possible until someone comes to rescue us."
She truly deserved her reputation as the school goddess.
Even in danger she could think clearly.
She and Lian Yunxi both possessed A-rank classes.
One was a Holy Light Knight.
The other was a Flame Mage.
If they combined forces with Wang Chen and Liu Qiang, they might survive long enough.
But after a brief discussion, they realized something strange.
Wang Chen had no intention of cooperating.
Instead, he calmly walked toward the cave entrance alone.
Liu Ningning's eyes widened in shock.
"Wang Chen! What are you doing? Come back!"
She shouted urgently.
"We can form a defensive formation! You're not planning to face all those goblins alone, are you?"
Wang Chen stood at the entrance and smiled slightly.
"They're just goblins."
"What's there to be afraid of?"
The trembling grew louder.
From every tunnel, thunderous footsteps echoed.
Then they appeared.
Dozens of goblins rushed forward like a green tidal wave.
Seeing this terrifying sight, both girls turned pale.
There were simply too many.
"Wang Chen, come back!"
Liu Ningning and Lian Yunxi shouted desperately.
"If the four of us rotate attacks, we might survive! This isn't something you can handle alone!"
Even Liu Qiang grew nervous.
"Brother Chen... maybe we should fall back."
But just as the goblin army charged toward the cave entrance...
Wang Chen took a deep breath.
"No need."
"I alone am enough."
The next moment, something unbelievable happened.
A layer of black and gold mechanical armor suddenly formed over Wang Chen's right arm.
The sleek exoskeleton gleamed with futuristic energy.
Mechanical systems hummed to life.
A surge of power flooded his body instantly.
His attributes doubled in an instant.
From four hundred.
To eight hundred.
The three behind him stared in complete shock.
"What... is that?"
Their eyes widened.
Then they saw Wang Chen pull back his arm and unleash a punch forward.
The air itself screamed as the force tore through it.
Boom.
A deafening explosion erupted.
The charging goblins were blasted backward by the terrifying shockwave.
The dense formation instantly split open as if struck by an invisible hammer.
The remaining goblins skidded to a halt, staring at Wang Chen in pure terror.
Not only the goblins.
Even Lian Yunxi, Liu Ningning, and Liu Qiang were frozen.
"Is... that really the power of a mechanic?"
Both girls covered their mouths as their pupils trembled violently.
Their minds went completely blank.
Beside them, Liu Qiang gasped repeatedly.
"Oh my god... oh my god... this is insane!"
He stared at Wang Chen like he was witnessing a legend.
"Brother Chen is amazing!"
"No... Grandpa Chen is amazing!"
At that moment the remaining goblins finally began retreating in fear.
Wang Chen raised his hand slowly.
"You think you can leave?"
Light gathered in his palm.
A mechanical hum filled the air.
Then several beams of dark green energy shot forward.
The rays exploded inside the goblin horde.
Screams filled the tunnels.
Any goblin touched by the glowing green liquid instantly began melting.
Within seconds.
Less than ten seconds.
The once overwhelming army of goblins had completely disappeared.
Not a single one remained alive.
And in the silent cave behind him, three stunned witnesses stared at Wang Chen as if they had just seen the birth of something terrifying.