Chapter 100: Alpha’s overpowered buff
Lin Fang’s expression remained steady. He looked like the most innocent person ever and was wrongfully accused. "I don’t know. I’ve never even seen her before."
Adam, however, frowned deeply at the exchange. His gaze shifted between his sister and Lin Fang, his voice turning serious. "Cousin, are you saying Lin Fang is the one who intruded into the bathroom while you were showering?"
Vivian snapped her head toward Adam, her finger stabbing the air at Lin Fang like a dagger. "Yes! He’s the one. I’ll never forget that face."
The weight of her words made the gym go a little quieter, the sound of fists hitting sandbags slowing down as people strained to listen.
Adam’s frown deepened, his jaw tightening. He turned back toward Lin Fang, his tone sharp as he addressed him with his full name. "Lin Fang... is this true?"
Lin Fang met his eyes calmly. "I have no idea what she’s talking about. I’ve never seen your sister in my life."
Then, he looked at Vivian, his tone firm but not harsh. "Miss... it’s not good to frame someone innocent. As a foreigner, it’s understandable you might mistake someone’s face for mine. For you people, we probably all look the same to you."
Vivian’s eyes flared with fury. His response not only angered her but also insulted her intelligence. She immediately shouted back at his face, "Don’t you dare spout nonsense! I still remember your face. It was you who teleported into my shower that morning around nine. And you..." she jabbed a finger at him, "you even had the shamelessness to say it was an accident!"
Her voice echoed through the gym, drawing even more eyes.
Both Zhi Yan and Adam turned toward Lin Fang at once. Adam’s brows knitted together, his expression serious. Zhi Yan’s gaze, however, was sharper, searching.
Lin Fang exhaled slowly, then replied, his tone calm but firm. "While I cannot prove my alibi that morning—I was alone in the guild district—what I can say is this: it wasn’t me. You just said ’teleport,’ didn’t you? Teleportation is something only those born with the space element can do. Forget about space element—I don’t even have mana."
For a beat, silence hung in the air.
Adam’s frown eased slightly, considering the logic.
But Zhi Yan... her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. She knew. She knew very well that Lin Fang had awakened mana just yesterday. Still, she kept her mouth shut, lips pressing into a thin line. Perhaps he was only saying this to shield himself from false accusations... or perhaps, he was hiding something deeper. However, she did believe that there was no way Lin Fang could have a space element.
At Lin Fang’s stern but firm reply to defend himself, Adam lifted a hand toward his sister, his tone calm but resolute. "Cousin, had you said this from before, I could have cleared these misunderstandings right from the start. I can assure you that Lin Fang was a plainfolk all this time. There’s no way he could teleport. He’s quick, yes, and a bit stronger than most hunters... but let’s be real—he wouldn’t even be able to stand against that fiancé of yours."
Vivian folded her arms, glaring. "You’re underestimating him."
Before Adam could say more, Lin Fang let out a faint chuckle. "I don’t know about her fiancé... but you’re wrong about me, Adam. I’m not the same as before. I refined the Spirit King I had with me earlier and absorbed its strength. While I cannot use mana, I can use some of its skills, too. At the very least, I’m now way faster and stronger."
The words made Adam raise an eyebrow, a glimmer of interest flashing in his eyes. He leaned forward slightly, almost grinning. "Is that so? Then let’s see if you’re not just talking."
He pointed to the ring in the center of the gym. "Come on, Brother. Get in. Let’s find out." As the address once again changed back to Brother, Lin Fang smiled within, realizing that at the very least, he managed to fool his friend.
Lin Fang smirked faintly, stepping forward. "Fine by me."
Meanwhile, the people in the gym stirred with anticipation, whispers spreading all around.
*Ting
Soon, the bell rang, signalling the start of their spar.
But Lin Fang didn’t waste a second—he darted forward, slipped behind Adam, and locked his arm around the man’s neck in a swift Krav Maga chokehold.
Vivian’s eyes narrowed at that move. That move—she had seen it before. She recognized it easily.
Her lips curled into a scoff. "Hah. And you dare say you don’t know me... You used that trick against my fiancé, too, except that you didn’t have a dagger now. What a load of crap."
She crossed her arms, muttering coldly, "But if you think it works on my cousin, you’re a fool."
Her words came true in the next instant. Adam’s expression hardened. With a sudden twist of his body, he gripped Lin Fang’s arm and—like tossing a ragdoll—hurled him clean off.
Lin Fang flew through the air and crashed against the ropes, his back thudding hard. Before he could recover, Adam was already on him, slamming a fist into his abdomen like a cannonball.
"Ugh!" Lin Fang’s breath burst out as he dropped, his body crumpling against the mat.
From ringside, Vivian smirked with satisfaction.
But then, Lin Fang’s body scattered into tiny specks of light as a notification appeared on the holographic screen.
*Ding!
[Divine Blessing is Activated]
[The user’s fists’ strength is increased by 500%. 10% mana is consumed every second.]
Even Lin Fang couldn’t help but blink in surprise when he saw the notification. He didn’t waste any more time getting back to his feet.
The smirk froze on Vivian’s face in the next second as Lin Fang turned into a blur. "What..."
Lin Fang charged forward and passed behind Adam’s defense to reach behind again, but this time, not even Adam could see through his speed. Reaching his position, he then lowered his stance in the next moment. In one smooth motion, he drove his fist straight into Adam’s gut just as the latter was about to twist his body.
BOOM!
Adam’s body shot backward like a fired shell at once as the punch landed, blasted clean out of the ring before smashing into the far wall a dozen meters away. Dust rained down as the wall cracked under the impact.
"Adam!" Vivian shouted, rushing forward in shock. Her cousin was slumped on the ground, unconscious already.
For a beat, the entire gym became silent. Then the trainers who had been lounging around shot to their feet, eyes wide in disbelief.
Zhi Yan’s gaze locked on Lin Fang, her face pale with shock. Even Vivian’s fury was smothered under sheer confusion.
Lin Fang himself blinked at his fist, stunned. "Alpha, don’t you think your blessing is a bit too much? I thought it only worked on the weapons," he muttered under his breath.
Alpha’s voice echoed coolly in his mind. "Everything in the world is a weapon, from a glass blade to even an ocean. It all depends on one’s imagination. And I imagined your hands are a weapon, and since the system cannot bend my will, my logic prevails. Your hands ended up becoming weapons."
"Then, what about my own will? I didn’t ask for your help, though." Lin Fang hit back at the mythical beast guardian spirit. He was happy but annoyed at the same time.