Apocalypse Gachapon

Chapter 1723: Spare the rod, spoil the child (3)

Four cables extended from the shoulders and legs of the close-combat robot, now firmly latched onto Death King Tree. Every attack from Ye Zhongmingʼs control sent her flying, only to be yanked back by these cables.

Smacked away, dragged back.

Smacked away again, dragged back again...

Death King Tree was like a punching bag, battered back and forth by Ye Zhongming’s robot without any chance to retaliate.

Neither of them were flying lifeforms. No matter what tricks they used to stay airborne, they would eventually fall.

When Death King Tree crashed to the ground, nearly buried by a brutal kick from the robot, both sides finally stopped.

Death King Tree’s vines stood rigid around her, ceasing their flailing. Ye Zhongming’s robot stood motionless, head lowered, arms hanging limp. The surrounding soldiers held their weapons, breaths held—

The scene was eerily tense.

Everyone knew the truth: despite the ferocity of the fight, neither side had used their trump cards. Death King Tree’s World Nature had been interrupted, and she hadn’t even resorted to her other abilities, let alone her true form, which should have been her ultimate state.

In other words, both had been holding back.
Death King Tree’s vines could counterattack at any moment. Ye Zhongming’s fists could drop at any second.

”Are you trying to kill me?”

”Do you think I can kill you?”

The two exchanged words in an instant. The robot’s massive foot slowly lifted.

Death King Tree climbed out of the crater, staring up at Ye Zhongming.

The cockpit opened. Ye Zhongming leaped out. Everyone expected the two powerhouses to face off directly—

But the moment his feet touched the ground, he blitzed forward, appearing in front of the black cat in a flash—and punched down.

”I hate your eyes. Learn respect. Learn fear.”

Cloud Peak’s King spoke calmly, but his aura sent a surge of adrenaline through every Cloud Peak fighter.

Only their king could—and would—dare speak like this to a level-nine lifeform.

Neither Talking Lady nor her black cat had expected Ye Zhongming to turn on them after fighting the Death King Tree.

Didn’t he fear provoking two level-nines at once? No—three!

Even if Cloud Peak were strong, facing three level-nines simultaneously would be a nightmare.

Even if they won, half of Cloud Peak would die.

Talking Lady firmly believed her living value to Cloud Peak far exceeded her dead one.

Yet Ye Zhongming attacked anyway.

”Prepare!”

The order didn’t come from Xia Lei—but Le Dayuan.

Not overstepping, but out of sheer concern.

The close-combat robot was a weapon of immense versatility and power, amplifying the pilot’s strength.

But the toll it took was equally immense.

Stamina, mental energy—drained like a vampire’s feast.

The state of previous high-sync pilots after use was proof enough.

Ye Zhongming was different—his physique surpassed theirs, and his sync rate was near-perfect.

But that fight, though brief, had been brutal.

The exhaustion had to be severe. What condition was he really in?

Le Dayuan understood Ye Zhongming’s reasoning. If these two level-nines weren’t broken now, they’d become unstable variables—a potential catastrophe for Cloud Peak. Ꞧ𝒶𐌽o͍ΒÈ𝙨

He had to act.

But whether it would work? Le Dayuan had no confidence—hence his desperate order.

Not that Cloud Peak’s fighters needed prompting.

A sea of targeting lasers already covered Death King Tree’s body, dots and lines painting her in crimson.

More weapons—without laser guides—were also locked onto her.

Cloud Peak would not allow Death King Tree to join Talking Lady.

”Damn you all,” Death King Tree cursed—but stood perfectly still.

Neither had gone all-out earlier, but she knew: Ye Zhongming had made his point.

Twice during that fight, she’d felt death’s touch—once when pinned underfoot, and earlier, when hit by those four projectiles.

She didn’t know how, but she was certain: if Ye Zhongming had wanted, she’d be dead now.

It defied logic, yet Death King Tree wasn’t surprised. She remembered—he’d beaten her before, back in her city, while weaker. So doing it again? Not strange at all.

The only thing she didn’t understand was why, mid-fight, her body had suddenly felt heavy, her strength incomplete, as if something was suppressing her.

And Ye Zhongming’s strikes—so damn hard. Even now, certain prominent areas throbbed painfully.

She tugged her torn leather outfit aside, checking.

…Still intact. Good.

Meanwhile—

Ye Zhongming’s fist descended toward the black cat, his body a blur. At two meters away, he vanished, reappearing right where the cat had been—

BOOM!

The ground cratered.

A miss.

Even with Ye Zhongming exiting the cockpit close to Talking Lady and attacking at full speed, the cat had just barely dodged, the fist grazing its fur.

Talking Lady, now enraged, opened her mouth—a sonic attack gathering—

But Ye Zhongming’s foot stomped down first.

A dull thud reverberated.

Talking Lady’s attack was choked off. Her face flushed, her body hunched as she staggered back.

Then she saw them—black orbs rolling at her feet.

Magic crystal grenades.

The explosion came instantly, followed by a mountain-sized shadow crashing down from above.

Its target?

The black cat, mid-leap, screeching as it coiled for a counterattack.

The mountain slammed onto it, burying it alive.