*Chapter 27: Smug Little Brat Silver Wolf Trampled Underfoot (Part 3 )*

Meanwhile, the utterly provocative words had just left her mouth, their echoes still fading in the air. "...Just this much? Too arrogant, aren't you?"

Not good !

Silver Wolf strained to lean back, arching her body to its absolute limit, her waist nearly snapping. Her black shorts clung tightly to her hips, outlining their round, tempting curves. The torn clothing revealing her fair side waist gaped even wider due to this extreme backward bend, almost offering glimpses of the skin texture underneath.

She tried to evade the fatal upward slash, rapidly raising her right hand, fingers spread, fingertips emitting streams of pale purple data. This time, there was no time to construct a complete energy shield; she could only gamble, attempting to directly interfere with the opponent's weapon or attack trajectory using Aether Editing.

Must interrupt him !

Countless calculation formulas and countermeasures flashed through Silver Wolf's eyes. Deep within her pale gray pupils, data streams surged at an unprecedented speed. She could even feel her brain slightly overheating.

Now !

Aether Editing activated again !

The interference command was successfully sent, but the symbol of Aether Editing, usually invincible, only flashed twice around the pitch-black figure before completing its activation.

The editing was slower than usual. However, the pitch-black blade arrived too quickly.

By the time the activation completed, the cold blade edge was already right before her eyes. Silver Wolf could even feel the wind generated by the blade grazing her chin, raising goosebumps on her skin.

Tsk !

An extremely faint sound, yet one that sent a jolt through Silver Wolf's heart.

Aether Editing, delayed by something unknown, had finally activated, but the blade ultimately scraped past the edge of her chin.

Now !

A pixelated blade appeared in Silver Wolf's hand, slashing directly towards Jiang Liang.

But just as she focused entirely on counter-attacking, trying to seize this opening, an extremely dangerous premonition shot through her spine like an icy current.

Not from the front !

Silver Wolf abruptly sensed the suddenly coalescing data turbulence behind her. She didn't even have time to turn her head completely, relying only on the corner of her eye and a hacker's instinctive intuition for data anomalies to catch the sight behind her.

A white-haired, blue-eyed youth held the pitch-black tachi, slashing towards her back.

Another one !

A figure identical to the transformed Stelle – same expressionless face, same ominous black-glowing tachi – had appeared silently right behind her, extremely close.

This suddenly appearing figure didn't hesitate for a second, its movements fluid like a preset program. It raised the Jizo Mitama high, the blade glinting with a chilling light, and swung down towards her defenseless back with a sharp whistle that seemed to tear space itself.

Damn it ! Is it a clone? Or some kind of teleportation?
But...

Silver Wolf's peripheral vision glanced forward.
In front of her, Stelle, whose hair had reverted to gray at some point, was holding a baseball bat, blocking her attack.

Neither.

This was Jizo Mitama's second ability: projecting the soul into reality. After his attack was interfered with by Aether Editing, Jiang Liang directly activated this ability, instantly appearing behind Silver Wolf.

In that split second, Silver Wolf didn't even have time to ponder if this was logical. The instinct for survival made her dive forward desperately, trying to dodge the fatal backstab in the most ungainly manner possible.

She fell heavily, now lying somewhat wretchedly on her side on the cold, constantly peeling ground. Her long silver hair fanned out messily, a few strands sticking to her cheeks, damp with sweat from pain and exertion. Her stylish jacket, already torn by the previous slash, was now ripped even further by the fall and her struggles to get up.

"Wah ! I was wrong !"

Crawling forward while crying – this most embarrassing action saved Silver Wolf's life.

Jiang Liang's gaze clearly saw the large patch of skin exposed beneath the torn purple inner wear at her waist, dazzlingly fair and delicate, contrasting sharply with the slight dust and debris clinging to it.

Due to the angle of her fall, the contour of her flat abdomen and a corner of the tight curve of her hips under the shorts were vaguely visible. For a top hacker who valued her image, this level of exposure, especially in front of an enemy, was undoubtedly shameful.

The cut on her chin from the blade wasn't deep, but the dot of crimson stood out starkly against her pale skin. She bit her lower lip hard, small pearls constantly falling from her pale gray eyes.

She tried to prop herself up with her still functional right arm, but the impact from the earlier upward slash was clearly far greater than she anticipated. Her movements were strained, almost futile. Every attempt to exert force caused the exposed skin on her side to tighten, her breathing becoming more rapid, her chest rising and falling slightly with suppressed gasps.

The struggling silver-haired girl on the ground, her fair skin exposed due to torn clothes, her wretched state – all of it was clearly reflected in Jiang Liang's eyes, yet failed to stir any emotion within him.

"Being willful is a child's prerogative. You're long past the age where saying sorry and admitting fault grants forgiveness, aren't you?"

Jiang Liang held Jizo Mitama. He was now in a tangible state. He gently lifted his foot, the movement unhurried, almost deliberately demonstrative.

Silver Wolf's pupils contracted sharply. She watched his foot lift, alarm bells screaming in her mind. She tried desperately to push herself up faster or roll aside, but the lingering impact and numbness from the upward slash still hampered her movements, making every action feel like struggling through mud.

What is he going to do? !

Her gaze followed the rising foot intently, her heart pounding violently with ominous foreboding.

Then, the foot descended.

It wasn't a heavy, forceful stomp, but landed precisely, with a certain insulting intent, on the area at the top of her thigh, near her lower abdomen.

The hard tip of the boot pressed down firmly through the fabric of her shorts.

"Ngh !"

A suppressed, short gasp, mixed with pain and shock, escaped Silver Wolf's throat.

The force wasn't enough to cause physical injury, but the position, the action itself, carried a contempt far more humiliating and chilling than a direct blow.

An unfamiliar heat, thick with intense shame, rushed to her face, instantly dyeing her fair skin crimson with anger and embarrassment.

The pressure Jiang Liang applied wasn't great, just enough to prevent her from getting up, pinning her firmly in place. She could clearly feel the texture of the boot through the fabric, and beneath it, the instantaneous stiffening and subtle trembling of her body.

"Whoops, stepped here? Sorry," Jiang Liang said flatly.

Damn it ! He's pretending it was an accident ! And that robotic apology without a hint of remorse ! You bastard !

Jiang Liang ignored Silver Wolf's inner turmoil and instead waved at Stelle, who was watching the show from the side. "Got your phone? Come take a picture. I searched for her before, but didn't expect to meet a Stellaron Hunter so soon."

"Got it ! Taking a picture for remembrance? Can I join in too? I want to lift her up for the photo op !" Stelle replied eagerly.

"Wha-? !"

Silver Wolf could no longer maintain her forced composure. A sharp gasp, mixed with indescribable shame, escaped her throat.

This wasn't mere suppression anymore; it was the lowest, most direct form of humiliation.

A wave of heat, even more intense than before, surged into her brain, making her vision momentarily darken, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Author’s Note: This is the third update. Started an unlimited recommendation ticket bounty. Will add more chapters for recommendation tickets. Currently accumulated two extra chapters.
As the title says. O Lord Readers who get free recommendation tickets daily, please give some, oh please, I beg you for my whole life.