31: Fierce battle

Lu Jianchuan's roar and the crash of his landing were like pressing a pause button, instantly halting White Star's savage charge. Its scarlet, hate-filled pupils immediately locked onto the sudden silver obstruction.

With virtually no hesitation, the moment Lu Jianchuan landed, White Star's thick foreleg swept across like a giant hammer, accompanied by a shriek that tore through the air! The speed was astonishing!

Lu Jianchuan dared not slacken in the slightest. The reflexes granted by the armor made him suddenly duck down. The giant claw, capable of smashing concrete, barely grazed his helmet, and the wind pressure it generated caused the armor behind his neck to subtly vibrate, emitting a low hum.

I can't fight head-on! The disparity in strength and size is too great!

This thought was crystal clear. Using the momentum of his duck, he rolled forward, not to attack, but to dart swiftly like a leopard toward the Event Host who was sprawled near the edge of the stage, pants soaked, unable even to groan. He grabbed the Event Host by the back collar, gave a low shout, "Get out of here!" and simultaneously exerted force through his core and arm armor, flinging him far away like a lifeless sandbag toward the police cars in the distance, which were attempting to set up a perimeter and flashing red and blue lights!

The Event Host let out a short, high-pitched shriek, drawing a pathetic arc through the air before crashing heavily onto the plastic track a dozen meters away. Although he likely sustained fractures, he had fortunately escaped the giant beast's reach.

This action, however, was like lighting the final fuse, completely igniting White Star's fury!

"ROAR!!!"

Seeing its "enemy" snatched from its jaws, it let out a deafening roar that nearly tore its vocal cords! Its mutated tail club, tipped with savage bone blades, was no longer just a physical weapon; it was like a terrifying living whip imbued with will, striking with the power to tear the earth. It came biting like a viper from Lu Jianchuan's blind spot—low and to the side, hugging the ground! Its range and speed virtually sealed off all his conventional evasion routes!

Lu Jianchuan's nerves instantly tightened to their limit! In the nick of time, he stomped his feet hard on the ground, leaping not backward, but upward and sideways with all his strength! The Bio-armor erupted with powerful thrust, allowing him to narrowly avoid the sweeping tail club, which was strong enough to deform tank armor!

"BOOM!!!"

The tail club slammed viciously into the spot where he had just been, not only tearing the sturdy composite stage floor as easily as paper but also smashing the buried wiring and metal framework beneath, twisting and breaking them apart, exploding in a dazzling shower of electric sparks!

It absorbs and fears electricity... Lu Jianchuan briefly hung suspended in the air, his brain analyzing every detail like an overclocked processor. Last time in the warehouse, my bio-electricity was devoured and counteracted by it. Pure electrical attack is equivalent to aiding the enemy. But that fear, carved into its very bones... that is the only emotional weakness I might exploit.

He landed heavily, his knees slightly bent to absorb the massive impact, causing fine cracks to appear in the ground where he stood.

What about superheated molten iron? His gaze swept rapidly around like a radar—the large decorative fountains used to set the mood, the fire hydrants pulled open for easy water access... No! Absolutely not! He immediately rejected the idea. There are too many usable water sources here! If it draws a large volume of water to wash over him, like it did last time in the warehouse, the scorching armor would instantly cool. Not only would the defense capability plummet, but the bio-structure of the armor itself might weaken or even crack due to thermal expansion and contraction! The risk far outweighs the reward!

White Star clearly had no intention of giving him any breathing room. It let out a muffled, oppressive growl, its limb muscles bulging. Its massive body started moving again, no longer charging in a straight line, but advancing with a more menacing, step-by-step pressure. Its gigantic shadow completely enveloped Lu Jianchuan, blocking his possible escape routes. Its sharp claws swung continuously, forcing Lu Jianchuan into constant, small, efficient evasions, like dancing on a knife's edge. Every gust of wind from a passing claw caused ripples of energy to appear on the surface of his armor.

Strength, defense, size, environment... I am at a complete disadvantage. Conventional methods are almost useless. I must find the key to breaking this deadlock! The intense sense of crisis spurred his thoughts. Magnetism! The ability unexpectedly triggered during training flashed in his mind like a spark. But simple discharge cannot generate Magnetism... I need iron! I need a medium!

His vision pierced the gaps between White Star's swinging claws, locking onto a heavy cast-iron base nearby—one used to secure a large sun umbrella, which had been overturned during the previous collision... What if I could adhere that iron block to my hand... then use a weak electrical surge, insufficient for it to absorb in large quantities, to instantly generate a powerful magnetic field... Perhaps I could turn it into an unexpected weapon? A blunt object capable of bypassing its thick exterior and attacking its internals or joints?

This concept was like finding an extremely narrow crack in a dark maze that might lead to salvation. But how could he precisely execute the complex sequence of "adhering the iron block" and "controlling the current to generate Magnetism" amidst these lightning-fast, fatal attacks? How could he ensure this rushed strike would hit a vital point capable of changing the tide of battle?

Everything was an unknown.

All he could do now was desperately maneuver through this suffocating storm of attacks, using continuous movement and evasion to buy himself time to think, struggling like a petrel in a tempest, searching for that single lightning bolt that might pierce the clouds and illuminate victory.

Lu Jianchuan, struggling like a petrel in a tempest, desperately maneuvered through White Star's fierce and unparalleled storm of attacks, using continuous movement and evasion to buy himself time to think, searching for that single lightning bolt that might pierce the clouds and illuminate victory.

I cannot match its strength; I must outwit it! But where is the method?

As his thoughts raced, his gaze swept the ground, locking onto a cracked cement block the size of a washbasin. He sharply flicked it with his toe, simultaneously bending down to scoop it up with his hand, lifting the heavy block and hurling it fiercely toward White Star's head!

Whoosh—! The cement block flew out with a dull rushing sound.

White Star didn't even dodge. It merely tossed its head impatiently, striking the block hard with the thick, bony ridge of its forehead! "Bang!" The cement block immediately exploded into countless fragments, doing no harm whatsoever.

As expected, physical throwing is ineffective! This was within his expectations; the move was merely for interference and testing.

Without pausing his movements, he took advantage of White Star's momentarily obstructed vision after smashing the cement block. He pushed off the ground, his body rocketing forward like an arrow, instantly closing the distance! His right fist clenched, the muscle power beneath the armor exploded, and a heavy, unadorned punch, gathering all his strength, solidly slammed into the mutated protrusion on the side of White Star's forehead!

"CLANG!!!"

The violent rebound force from the punch left Lu Jianchuan's arm numb, but White Star merely had its head knocked slightly askew. It shook itself and recovered, the thick hide where it was struck not even showing a white mark.

Close combat can't break its defense either!

He used the force to backflip, narrowly evading White Star's subsequent furious claw attack. White Star was completely enraged by the continuous "harassment," letting out a suppressed roar. Its massive body surged forward like an out-of-control heavy tank!

Lu Jianchuan rapidly dodged. Unable to stop its momentum, White Star slammed headfirst into a temporary metal framework erected for the event at the edge of the plaza!

"CRACK! CRASH—!" The fragile structure instantly twisted and broke! A hollow steel beam, the thickness of a bowl and serving as a main support, let out a mournful sound as it snapped from above and spiraled downward. With a loud "CLANG," it smashed heavily onto the ground, bounced a few times, and finally lay diagonally among the wreckage, less than ten meters from White Star's back.

Lu Jianchuan, who was preparing to adjust his stance, had his gaze instantly locked onto the fallen steel beam! Its cold metallic texture and long, slender shape seemed so abrupt, yet so... fatal, amidst the chaotic surroundings!

Magnetism! The ability unexpectedly triggered during training, combined with the vague concept he had just been considering, suddenly merged with this ready-made, perfect "weapon" right before his eyes!

An extremely daring, yet not fully clear, tactical prototype suddenly lit up in his mind like a lighthouse piercing the fog—What if... what if I could control it using Magnetism... But the thought was still too vague. How to achieve it? How to ensure its power?