Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Death of Luo Hou

Under the relentless assault from the Double Dragon brothers, the broom-headed dwarf, and the brutish strongman, Brunov’s life force dwindled, teetering on the edge of oblivion; even the health bar hovering above his head was reduced to a thin sliver. In a frenzied panic, this formidable boss unleashed another cannonball attack—not at those besieging him, but aimed at the platform’s edge.

He intended to leverage the intimidating momentum of this skill to break free from the platform. With his monstrous stamina granting near-impenetrable defense, a fall to the floor below would not kill him. If he could escape and run at full speed, perhaps he might survive; but if he lingered on this platform, he would surely be worn down and perish.

After activating his skill, Brunov lowered his head and charged forward with such velocity that the entire platform quivered, as though struck by an earthquake. Over five hundred pounds of bulk thundered forth, like a boulder rolling at breakneck speed—unstoppable! Billy and Jimmy, whose own health was running low, paled at the sight and hurriedly stepped aside.

Yet at that moment, one figure steadfastly stood in Brunov’s path.

The brutish strongman!

Relying on a towering forty points of strength, this mutated, evolved dark warrior tightened his iron-like muscles, planted himself directly in the cannonball’s path, crouched and braced, taking a deep breath, and thrust his arms forward to block!

The massive, ball-shaped body collided with a pair of powerful arms, and the strongman let out a muffled grunt, pushed backward three steps, each footfall leaving a small, cracked depression in the cement floor.

This was a clash of pure power!

“Ahhh—!” The strongman growled through clenched teeth, his legs bent like a stevedore hauling a ship, feet rooted firmly into the ground. Veins stood out like serpents on his bulging arms, bones creaked under the strain, and his body trembled with exertion. This muscle-mutated dark warrior actually managed to block the boss Brunov’s cannonball skill!

Yet, the strain cost him dearly—his health bar plummeted by more than half. Had Brunov not been grievously wounded, his strength diminished, the strongman would have either been sent flying or killed outright, for his other attributes were not nearly as high as his strength.

Seeing the two locked in stalemate, Jimmy rushed in, unleashing a flying knee. He launched himself like a missile, the air crackling, his bent knee smashing into Brunov’s right side.

With a sickening splatter, Brunov spat a mouthful of blood skyward, his massive body lifted two meters into the air by the blow. Billy leaped after him, spinning midair, and swept his outstretched right leg in a devastating arc, executing the Double Dragon’s signature move:

“Tornado Whirlwind Kick!”

Five consecutive kicks sent Brunov crashing into the platform’s inner wall, the impact shattering it in a thunderous collapse. He struggled, clawing his way out from the rubble, half-kneeling, head bowed, vomiting blood in great gulps.

He had been badly injured in previous battles, his body battered and bruised, his life points plummeting to the brink of death. Now, struck by this ferocious killing blow, the once swollen and bruised flesh on his upper body was reduced to a grisly, mangled mess—terrifying to behold.

“It’s time,” flashed through Luo Hou’s mind. In his hand appeared a red firecracker-shaped object, a tool gained from a chest after slaying the hippie in this world: the Burning Flame Bomb!

Luo Hou hurled the bomb, striking the ground before Wang Ling. At the same instant, he surged to his top speed, inhaling deeply as he ran, his cheeks puffed out, and then a torrent of crimson fire erupted from his mouth, engulfing the half-kneeling Brunov in the rubble!

The fire-breath, at level five, sent waves of heat so intense that even the Double Dragon brothers, five meters away, felt scorched. Luo Hou spared no expense of mental energy, determined to kill the dying Brunov and snatch the fallen boss key.

The burning flame bomb was meant to create a wall of fire, barring Wang Ling’s approach!

Having experienced several mainline quests, Luo Hou knew: as soon as Brunov died and the key was claimed, mainline quest four would instantly conclude. He could then choose to return directly to the Dreamspace. No matter how strong Wang Ling and his companions were, they would be powerless to stop him.

Brunov’s health bar was now empty, barely a trace of red visible to the naked eye. Luo Hou understood that this boss possessed immense stamina—even with an empty bar, he would retain some life, and stamina was tied to defense; Brunov’s defense was monstrous.

But Luo Hou trusted in his own skills. The damage of elemental skills depended on intelligence, and he was a dreamer focused on intelligence. Elemental resistance also correlated with intelligence, and this stamina boss surely lacked in that attribute. Luo Hou was at least eighty percent sure he could finish off this dying boss.

With a triumphant smile, Luo Hou watched as the raging flames engulfed Brunov, burning flesh with a sizzling hiss; the boss, unable even to raise a hand in defense, was clearly at the end of his rope.

Yet suddenly, a small figure darted in from the side at unbelievable speed, fists flashing, raining a rapid barrage of blows that thudded against Luo Hou’s flesh.

High-speed boxing!

Wang Ling and the hippie had been blocked by the fiery wave from the burning bomb; the strongman, after blocking the cannonball, was momentarily stunned from overexertion. But the broom-headed dwarf was still free to move—this dark warrior, with high agility, swift movement, and lightning-fast strikes, rushed in from ten meters away as Luo Hou was breathing fire, using a skill to pummel him.

The broom-headed dwarf’s strength was only fourteen, but skill use made up for it. The flurry of punches not only interrupted Luo Hou’s fire-breath but sent him staggering sideways—straight toward the strongman.

The strongman’s stun wore off; seeing Luo Hou knocked his way, a cruel smile curled on his lips. He extended his muscular arms, placing them firmly on Luo Hou’s shoulders.

Luo Hou panicked, struggling in vain. His shoulders felt as though gripped by iron, the bones threatening to shatter under the crushing pain. He opened his mouth, unleashing another skill: “Fire-Breath!”

A thick column of flame roared toward the strongman’s head. Luo Hou believed that faced with such terrifying fire, the muscleman would surely dodge—it was, after all, his last sliver of life; the flames might instantly kill him.

But the strongman did not dodge, for he was a summoned creature wholly under Wang Ling’s control, without fear or sense of self-preservation.

As the flames struck him, the strongman ignored the burning pain and, using his remaining spiritual energy, activated “Ultimate Bomb.” He tightened his grip on Luo Hou’s shoulders and, like slamming a rag doll, smashed the fire-breathing dreamer hard into the ground!

The platform shuddered violently again. Luo Hou’s eyes widened in shock and fury, blood rising in his throat as he struggled to swallow it. His stamina was low, and taking a powerful slam from a strength-specialist skill left him gravely injured.

After executing the skill, the strongman finally collapsed—his health reduced to zero by the lingering flames, utterly dead.

At that moment, Wang Ling strode out from the fire wall. The burning flame bomb was potent, but nowhere near enough to kill someone with over a hundred health points. Moreover, when the flames surged, the hippie blocked most of the damage with his own body.

Wang Ling raised his left hand, tossing the meteoric spearhead to the broom-headed dwarf. He lifted his right hand, fired, and an iron bullet spiraled out of the white metal barrel, aimed at Luo Hou’s head.

Bang!

The bullet struck a transparent shield, sparking a few drops of phantom light. Luo Hou had finally used the trump card he’d refused to deploy even against Brunov: a life-saving item bought from the free market, originating from the GBA game Digging Kid—a mysterious bubble.

Once used, a bubble-like transparent shield enveloped the user, granting absolute defense against any attack—though only once. In the Digging Kid game, this item was typically used to block falling bricks.

Luo Hou had twenty-one health points left; even if the bullet struck, it likely wouldn’t have killed him. Yet few can stay calm with so little life remaining. Thus, the precious item was wasted, expended for minimal effect.

The moment the shield vanished, Luo Hou scrambled to his feet. He had healing items in his space pouch, but none were off cooldown. In desperation, he adopted the tactic Brunov had attempted: leaping off the platform to the floor below, then fleeing.

But as Luo Hou turned to run, a red-hot bullet struck his back, detonated, and its shrapnel and spreading fireball depleted his remaining twenty-one health points. He staggered a few more steps out of habit before finally collapsing, his body engulfed in flames, reeking of burnt flesh.