Wretched tactics

A long, long time ago, when Su Chen dabbled in the mobile game "Eating Chicken," he had ventured into a unique mode of combat known as pan warfare. In this variant, firearms were forbidden, and players could only engage in combat using their fists, pans, or grenades.

Once, Su Chen found himself in a dire situation where all his teammates had fallen, leaving him to confront a formidable duo. These two individuals employed a cunning and devious strategy to torment Su Chen. One of them stood at a distance, hurling grenades in his direction, while the other relentlessly pursued him with a pan. If Su Chen engaged the nearby assailant, he would be caught in the blast of a grenade thrown from afar. Should he attempt to chase down the grenade thrower, he would be relentlessly pursued and pummeled by his nearby foe. Caught in this deadly trap, with an abundance of grenades at their disposal, Su Chen felt suffocated, unable to fight back or escape.

At that moment, he harbored a profound sense of injustice. However, as time went on, he adopted the mentality of "if you can't beat them, join them." He began employing this underhanded tactic with his friends, duping numerous adversaries. But that was all in the past—distant memories. Now, in a sudden revelation, he recalled this stratagem.

Especially now that he had gained some insight into the operational mechanics of the dry shadow's "spherical shell," Su Chen realized the viability of this approach.

Drawing closer to Lin Mo, seizing the opportune moment when his companion shifted between the realms of reality and virtuality, Su Chen swiftly conveyed his plan. "I have devised a potent strategy," he began, his voice filled with urgency.

"However, it is not an eternal motion machine. Its sustained power primarily hails from the dark energy within this space. If we confine it to this constrained battlefield and persistently harass and assail it, we need not exhaust ourselves. Instead, we shall compel it to squander its dark energy recklessly. As the available external dark energy diminishes due to a temporary respite, the inflow of dark energy from other directions will wane, causing its spherical shell to dissipate... and that shall be our moment to seize victory!"

Without hesitation, Su Chen proceeded to elucidate his unorthodox play style once more, as the dry shadow loomed into focus yet again.

Locking eyes with unwavering determination, Lin Mo and Su Chen shared an unspoken agreement. Seizing the moment when the favored adversary advanced towards Su Chen, he swiftly unleashed a barrage of stones, each imbued with a unique enchantment. Simultaneously, Lin Mo closed the distance with calculated precision.

The stones, undergoing unpredictable transformations, detonated in the air one by one. The resulting explosions were not cataclysmic, but the ensuing dust obscured the battlefield. Seizing this opportunity, Su Chen distanced himself from the chaos, while Lin Mo relentlessly assaulted the dark energy shell of the dry shadow.

Su Chen, cradling a crane gun in the distance, balanced it effortlessly with one hand while relentlessly unleashing a torrent of fire.

Lin Mo's agility was exceptional; he strategically targeted the dry shadow from a different angle, ensuring Su Chen remained unharmed.

The might of Su Chen's magically-modified heavy machine gun was no laughing matter. Its concentrated onslaught could topple a seven-story building with a single sweep. The dry shadow was forced to allocate a significant portion of its energy to withstand Su Chen's assault while simultaneously maintaining its protective "shell." This precarious situation compelled it to personally intervene, preventing Lin Mo from delivering a fatal blow.

However, as Lin Mo continued to hinder its progress, the dry shadow struggled to approach Su Chen at high speed. Moreover, due to Su Chen's relentless barrage, it found it exceedingly arduous to focus on directly injuring or eliminating Lin Mo.

Although Lin Mo's maneuvers served as a diversion, should the dry shadow underestimate the threat and expose a vulnerability, the feint could instantaneously transform into a devastating blow!

Individually, the dry shadow possessed superior abilities compared to both Su Chen and Lin Mo—perhaps even surpassing their combined strength. However, due to the constraints imposed upon it, coupled with Su Chen's cunning rogue tactics, it was forcibly embroiled in an aerial stalemate, unable to advance or retreat.

Meanwhile, Liao Chengdong perused the analysis report submitted by the scientific research department. Its contents explicitly underscored the extraction of dark energy by the favored adversary. Witnessing the ongoing battle, a faint sense of unease gripped his heart.

Liao Chengdong comprehended Su Chen and Lin Mo's strategy, but... the favored adversary drew power from the extracted dark energy within the space. If it were to be depleted in such a manner, the first casualties would undoubtedly be Su Chen and Lin Mo!

The dry shadow appeared to grasp this realization. Though trapped in a deadlock, its gaze remained fixed on Su Chen, aloof, emanating an air of unwavering confidence—its pride befitting the ruling elite in the pantheon of the evil gods' civilization.

Yet... could Su Chen endure indefinitely?

Su Chen possessed over thirty charging devices in his possession. When combined, their stored energy could replenish hundreds of units. Moreover, the energy he expended through continuous firing paled in comparison to that of the dry shadow. At worst, he might exhaust the ammunition for his heavy machine gun. To counter this eventuality, Su Chen would halt his onslaught every time the adversary phased back into virtuality, utilizing those precious seconds to retrieve batteries and magical grenades from the Anova Ring. This seamless transition from reality to virtuality deprived the dry shadow of any opportunity to strike, ensuring the relentless assault continued unabated.

In this somber, lightless realm, Su Chen deliberately concealed the charging devices in the deepest recesses of his attire. To the casual observer, he appeared to wield the heavy machine gun with both hands. Yet only Su Chen himself knew that nestled between the weapon and his arm, concealed from view, lay a shimmering power bank. The charging indicator on that device remained obscured by the heavy machine gun's imposing form and the fiery explosions it unleashed.

As time wore on, the dry shadow remained trapped, its feeble attempts to break free thwarted by Su Chen and Lin Mo's relentless onslaught. With each passing moment, their stranglehold on the enemy grew fiercer, their determination unyielding.

Su Chen, brimming with an ample supply of ammunition and boundless energy, could wage this battle until the break of dawn. Lin Mo, having recently sated himself, possessed a monstrous physique capable of enduring prolonged combat, especially when Su Chen acted as his vanguard while Bai Mo Tong provided unwavering support. Every attack unleashed by Lin Mo was executed with unwavering intensity and unwavering resolve.

Across the military's aerial formations and ground talent squads, a hushed silence reigned. The emergence of these two extraordinary talents, unaffiliated with any official military organization, surprised many. While their formidable strength elicited admiration, it also unsettled some. After all, they were talents born from ordinary backgrounds, a fact well-known to all. The strength exhibited by most talents at this stage was primarily determined by the fortunate acquisition of a powerful ability. Due to inherent disparities, many talents possessed limited combat prowess despite their exceptional abilities.

Thus, when Su Chen and Lin Mo made their appearance, most observers held this perspective, feeling a slight sense of imbalance that they had not joined the military earlier...

However, as time elapsed and the relentless nature of their offensive persisted, Su Chen and Lin Mo's fighting acumen and unyielding spirit silently transformed the perceptions of those around them, garnering newfound respect.

Some whispered in awe, "These two are incredibly formidable... How could they have been regarded as high-priority targets by the favored ones, ultimately falling victim to their attacks?"

Another mused, "But... the way they fight, there's an innate sense of significance in their every move..."

Amidst the chaos of battle, the space's dark energy grew increasingly depleted. The dry shadow, finally succumbing to a hint of panic, appeared ready to abandon its post and retreat, inadvertently exposing a glaring weakness.

Yet, neither Su Chen nor Lin Mo seized upon this vulnerability; they continued their relentless stranglehold.

Su Chen, perceptive to the ebb and flow of dark energy, discerned that the dry shadow had not reached the tipping point of desperation that would spur it to retreat. This was undoubtedly a trap—a meticulously crafted ruse.

The likeness in which the dry shadow feigned vulnerability was uncanny. Had it not been for Su Chen's profound insight at the very essence of the situation, even another individual might have fallen prey to its deception.

Lin Mo, unable to perceive the subtle intricacies as acutely, remained steadfast, unruffled by the absence of a signal or change in tactics from Su Chen. In the midst of battle, he could only maintain a semblance of consciousness and a fragment of his cognitive abilities. As the engagement dragged on, his cognitive faculties faltered. Thus, he chose to place unwavering trust in Su Chen, an unspoken bond forged between them.

In the next breath, the dry shadow retreated—its momentary vulnerability morphing into a conspicuous trap in the blink of an eye.