They regrouped and pushed forward.
This time, Jin stayed positioned between Lan Xue and Old Qiao, senses extended outward while the others formed a loose forward line. Monsters kept approaching in staggered waves, forcing them to move while fighting.
Jin spoke quietly without turning his head.
"Old man… are you sure you're really four-star?"
Old Qiao blinked, then placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "How cruel of u to ask that. I'm just a humble four-star who failed in life and settled for being a butler." He wiped an imaginary tear. "Such a tragedy."
Jin stared at him. "Stop faking it,I know your not a four star"
Yan Feiyu glanced back briefly, clearly listening.
Old Qiao smiled pleasantly. "Oh? And why would you think that?"
"Your aura," Jin replied flatly. "It's stronger. Stronger than hers."
And also "You aura is same as my uncle," Jin said. "And he's definitely not four-star either."
Old Qiao waved a hand. "aura u say,maybe because of my Experience. Or It can be because of my Charm to ." He winked.
Jin felt a chill crawl up his spine. "If you don't want to tell me, just say so."
Old Qiao said nothing.
Yan Feiyu cut in. "Focus. More monsters coming."
The deeper they went, the worse it became.
Swamp Watchman appeared in organized groups now—some wielding spears, others short blades. Archers emerged from elevated ruins, firing barbed bolts coated in swamp toxin.
"Ranged units," Jin said immediately. "Left and high ground."
Yan Feiyu responded without hesitation. "Han Rui, shield line. Zhou Kang, break left. Mu Chen—archers."
Mu Chen vanished again.
Han Rui activated [Iron Bastion], bracing as multiple spears struck him at once. Zhou Kang roared and charged, fists smashing through shields with [Muscle Surge] active.
Lan Xue maintained [Life Thread], her breathing already heavier.
Jin stayed close to her. "Two strong aura's are approaching, maybe Elite Spearman."
The ground shifted.
Two larger lizardmen emerged, armor thicker, eyes glowing faintly.
"Elites," Yan Feiyu said. "I'll take one. Old Qiao, the other."
They engaged the elites head-on.
Feiyu's fire clashed violently with water-augmented strikes. Her [Solar Fire Lance] tore through one elite's shoulder—but it didn't fall.
Old Qiao raised a hand, several glowing orbs forming [Condensed Cinder Spheres].
The rest of the team handled the remaining mobs—but slowly now.
Han Rui's stance wavered. Zhou Kang's strikes lost sharpness. Mu Chen reappeared breathing hard. Lan Xue's healing slowed.
Jin watched carefully.
Everyone was exhausted.
Except Feiyu, Old Qiao And himself—though he made sure not to show it.
The elite with the cleaver roared and surged forward.
Old Qiao stepped in, eyes narrowing.
[Condensed Cinder Spheres— Rare++] activated.
The compressed fire detonated point-blank.
The elite collapsed.
Old Qiao exhaled, visibly spending gene energy.
He turned to Jin. "Why aren't you helping them?"
"I'm a two-star," Jin replied. "If three and four-stars are struggling, what do you expect me to do?I'm not going there."
Old Qiao's smile thinned. "Situations changed after dungeon mutation."
Jin snapped back, "Didn't I tell you not to enter at the start? You guys didn't listen to me. Now we're facing the consequences."
Old Qiao's face was still smiling.
But his expression twitched—veins popping, across his forehead.
Jin paused. …Maybe I shouldn't push my luck more.
Old Qiao inhaled slowly. "Yes. You warned us. We didn't listen."
Then he looked straight at Jin.
"So now go help them."
Jin shook his head. "I'm not a brawler, I'm sensory-type."
Old Qiao stepped closer and placed a hand on Jin's shoulder.
Pressure surged.
Jin felt it immediately.
"We're fighting elite monsters now," Old Qiao said calmly. "I can't waste my strength on every encounter. There's still a boss ahead. I need to conserve gene energy. So does Miss Feiyu."
His gaze shifted briefly toward the others, panting and wounded.
"They're already exhausted. That leaves only you."
Jin clenched his jaw.
Old Qiao continued, voice low. "I know you're not normal two-star. Your gene quality may be low, but your aura says otherwise,u can't control it properly and always leaking it.. "I've been guarding against you since the start. Your aura doesn't match your star level at all."
Silence.
"So," Old Qiao finished, "will you help us?"
Jin looked at the battlefield. At Lan Xue barely standing. At Han Rui forcing his legs to move.
"…Fine," Jin said. "I'll help."
He glanced at Old Qiao. "But you owe me one."
Old Qiao sighed in relief. "Alright."
Old Qiao's hand was still on his shoulder when Jin added quietly, "Also—protect Lan Xue."
Old Qiao's brows lifted a fraction. Then he nodded. "Understood."
Jin stepped forward saying
"Then tell them to don't get in my way."
Jin moved.
[Swift Step] activated.
It was a common skill—nothing flashy—but the moment he used it, his body shot forward faster than anyone expected.
Han Rui was holding the line, knees bent, shield arm trembling as two lizardmen hammered at him from the front while another circled behind.
Jin cut in first—hard.
He shoved Zhou Kang sideways without slowing. "Move."
"What the hell—" Zhou Kang snapped, stumbling.
Jin didn't answer.
[Focused Strike] activated.
A short, precise motion. Jin's fist slammed into the Swamp Watchman's exposed joint. The second strike followed immediately, angled low.
Two clean impacts.
The Swamp Watchman Jin had hit froze—then collapsed a second later.
They fell straight toward Zhou Kang.
Zhou Kang's eyes widened. "—?!"
The bodies slammed into the ground at his feet.
Zhou Kang stared. "What…?"
Jin was already gone.
He finished the remaining monsters around Han Rui with the same efficiency—no wasted movement, no hesitation. Han Rui barely had time to register it before the pressure vanished.
Jin didn't stop.
He pivoted and sprinted toward Mu Chen.
Mu Chen was surrounded—three lizardmen pressing him from the front while another raised a spear behind him.
Jin arrived from the side.
One strike to the neck. One to the knee. A third to the spine.
The ambusher dropped before the spear could descend.
Mu Chen blinked. "…Huh."
Jin moved again.
Now only one elite remained—the last one still battling Yan Feiyu.
Feiyu's fire flared as she forced it back, but Jin could see the strain. Her breathing wasn't steady anymore.
Jin stepped in beside her. "Save your strength. You need it for the boss."
Feiyu turned sharply. "What?"
She hadn't seen what happened behind her.
She looked past Jin.
Han Rui standing upright. Mu Chen unharmed. Zhou Kang staring in disbelief. Lan Xue safe. Old Qiao watching—calmly.
Old Qiao met her eyes and gave a single nod.
Feiyu's jaw tightened.
"…Fine," she said. She pulled back without arguing. "Don't die."
Jin stepped forward.
The elite lizardman snarled, lifting its weapon.
Jin's posture shifted.
And then he advanced.