The stench of money, huh…

Ye Thirteen’s gaze held a tangled mix of emotions.

He’d been one of the decision-makers behind the Alliance team bringing in sponsors.

Back then, he’d voted yes.

Because Demonhunters were barely scraping by.

Even he had endured lean years, borrowing just to survive—others fared far worse.

After sponsors arrived, life for the team genuinely improved.

But over time… the Alliance team gradually lost its soul.

Changes in structure. Masked anonymity giving way to fame-chasing celebrity players. Missions now weighed against profit margins…

Qu Xuelin was right.

Of old rivals and comrades still in the Alliance? Maybe two or three in ten remained.

Even he had left.

Sour mood tightening his chest, Ye Thirteen reached for his pocket again—

Then froze. Head tilting sharply. Eyes widening.

Demonic aura!?

Impossible!

This was the city center!

*Beep beep beep!*

The cute charm at Qu Yi’s waist blared an alarm.

“Trouble! Demons nearby! Uncle, go home first!”

She was already sprinting toward where he’d looked.

Her crimson twin tails streamed in the wind, pulling his gaze.

Could it be… Qu Yi was truly protecting this city?

Just a sixteen-year-old girl. A Tier-3 Elite Demonhunter.

Only after she vanished did Ye Thirteen snap from his stunned daze.

Demons in the city—utterly unforeseen.

He rose. An icy aura radiated from him.

“Damn it! Weren’t we told humanity’s situation improved? Weren’t cities supposed to be safe?

Is *this* their ‘safety’? Their ‘progress’!?”

Rage burned.

Ten years in Jinling City had convinced him progress was real.

People smiled freely now, unburdened by old fears.

He’d seen no demon incursions here in a decade—assumed all Dragon Realm cities were secure.

But clearly not.

Qu Yi moved without panic, purposeful toward the chaos.

This wasn’t her first time. Not coincidence.

Peace was a painted lie.

Unrest festered not just beyond Southgate Garrison—but within its walls too.

Betrayal flared. He crushed it down.

Anger solved nothing.

A sharp breath. His figure vanished—reappearing a kilometer away.

Moments later, perched atop a skyscraper, he watched Qu Yi sprint below.

He needed truth.

Was a low-tier Demonhunter like her truly guarding this city?

Why *her*?

Were Southgate Garrison’s Demonhunters truly this scarce?

To Ye Thirteen, she seemed a fledgling eaglet. To civilians, she was wind itself—

No human moved like that.

She’d shed her jacket, tied it at her waist. Crimson twin tails whipping behind her.

Parkouring the urban maze with practiced ease, she reached the disaster zone in seconds.

Ye Thirteen’s eyes locked on the scene: green-skinned creatures over two meters tall, long ears, sharp fangs, crude weapons wrecking the streets.

Goblins.

He barely glanced at them. His focus fixed on the spatial rift sealing behind the horde.

A small Sky Rift…

No wonder demons appeared inside the city.

Thankfully tiny—only goblin-sized.

As the rift vanished, he exhaled.

A flick of his wrist. Scattered goblins—even those lunging at civilians—vanished mid-motion.

Before his emotionless eyes, a dozen goblins compressed silently, crushed to pulp and bone.

He tossed the remains into a blazing wreck. Murmured:

“Even half would be over a dozen Tier-2 monsters… Kid. Can you handle it?”

Below, Qu Yi flashed past the building’s base, moving against the fleeing crowd. Her delicate face set in fierce resolve.

Granddaughter of the Garrison Commander—protecting Southgate Garrison’s interior was her duty.

Crimson armor now sheathed her arms and ankles. Twin tails bound into a single, practical ponytail.

Spotting the Tier-2 goblins, light flared from her foot armor.

She shot forward—a crimson meteor.

Civilians saw only a fiery blur. The chasing goblin flew backward.

Ye Thirteen watched, a hint of surprise in his voice:

“Mana-Powered Armor… and that move—Superman Punch?”

Not shocked she had the armor. Starlight Feather Squad developed it years ago.

But it was rare. Unique. Even he owned none now.

No compatible unit. And retired members couldn’t keep issued gear.

Too expensive. He couldn’t afford it.

This world wove game and reality together.

Goblins: monsters. Mana-Powered Armor: stat-boosting gear. Demonhunters: players with combat classes.

Yet calling it a “game” felt trivial.

This was reality.

A bloody, brutal reality.

Beyond Southgate Garrison, hundreds of millions of souls still wailed, waiting for their bones to be gathered.

No one looked away from *this* truth.

Watching Qu Yi repel foes and calmly guide civilians to safety—so mature for her age—Ye Thirteen’s lips twitched into a faint smile.

But the goblins, shaken by their comrades’ sudden vanishing, were regrouping. Charging straight for her.

The real test began now.

In close chaos, reckless moves like Superman Punch left her exposed.