When Pardofelis stepped into the security passage leading from level L19 to L20, the live broadcast footage suddenly underwent a violent fluctuation and distortion, with eerie snowflake noise appearing at the edges of the screen.
"Attention, viewers!" Lin Ran's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unprecedented gravity. "The area Miss Cifera is currently entering is the potent superpower suppression field deployed by our Apex security system on the periphery of L20!"
Subsequently, complex energy spectrums and field structure diagrams rapidly popped up on the main screen.
One could see that the entire passage and the L20 entrance area were covered by a deep blue energy field. The field generators were hidden deep within the walls and ceilings, emitting a mysterious aura.
"The principle of this field is to form high-frequency interference waves by simulating anti-superpower wavelengths," Su Xiaowei followed up with a professional explanation, her tone also exceptionally serious. "It creates an environment similar to an energy swamp. When Superpower Users inside it attempt to mobilize their own energy, they will feel resistance a thousand times greater than normal, and their mental will will suffer continuous strong interference. Even if an A rank powerhouse enters, their superpower efficiency will be suppressed to less than thirty percent, accompanied by intense mental stagnation and physical heaviness!"
As she spoke, she pointed to Pardofelis's figure in the footage.
"Look! Even for Miss Cifera, the moment she stepped into the field, her movement trajectory clearly showed a tiny pause. This proves the field is indeed taking effect!"
(But in reality, it was because Pardofelis had received a message from the system.)
[Superpower suppression field? How did Apex Entertainment move AMA's stuff over here?]
[I heard this thing is terrifying; even A rank Superpower Users become like cripples once they go in.]
[Cifera slowed down! She really is being affected!]
[As expected! Even the strongest have limits! Apex has finally brought out the real deal!]
However, just as the bullet comments thought they had finally seen hope for Cifera to be disciplined—
In the footage, that slender figure's movements showed a subtle lag of less than 0.1 seconds only at the moment she stepped into the field.
Then—
Everything returned to normal!
In the very next instant, not only did Cifera's movements regain their previous fluidity, but she also acted as if she completely didn't feel the field capable of suppressing an A rank Superpower User. Instead, she maintained that extremely fast speed, traversing the passage as if strolling through a garden.
Those guard robots hidden in the shadows, attempting to launch a sneak attack while she was weak, remained as fragile as toys before her.
Crack! Sizzle! Boom!
With a casual claw, she tore through alloy plating; with a flick of her tail, she pierced a core; with a kick, she sent one flying to become scrap metal against the wall. The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, with an appallingly high level of efficiency.
"It's actually useless?" On the broadcast stage, Lin Ran looked at the figure in the screen who was moving through the superpower suppression field as if it were unoccupied territory. After letting out a sigh, a look of 'as I thought' appeared on his face. "Although the peak suppression intensity of the superpower suppression field is theoretically designed according to the standard of interfering with the energy circulation of A+ rank Superpower Users, even if it cannot fully suppress them, it should absolutely cause significant lag and mental burden."
"But currently, not even a single sign of being suppressed has appeared..."
"Then, the only explanation..." Speaking to this point, Lin Ran took a deep breath, then looked at the camera and said word by word, "...there is only one truth!"
[It's S rank! (Voice cracking)]
[S! It's definitely S! Only a true S rank big shot can treat this kind of field like a walk in the park!]
[It's confirmed! A suppression field that can turn an A rank into a cripple is like air to her! If this isn't S rank, what is?!]
[Apex Entertainment, what kind of deity did you guys even provoke?!]
The bullet comments were instantly exploded by exclamations of S rank! All previous guesses and doubts were completely crushed at this moment!
Pardofelis (Cifera) used the most direct method to announce her power level.
That was a terrifying existence that surpassed conventional understanding and was enough to ignore all of Arasaka's core security technology!
"That's right." Lin Ran nodded and quickly admitted it. "To be able to ignore the suppression of the superpower suppression field and even reduce its influence to a negligible degree... Miss Cifera's superpower level is, at minimum, S- rank, or perhaps... even higher!"
He deliberately emphasized higher, leaving behind a heart-palpitating space for imagination.
"Of course," Su Xiaowei quickly added, "we cannot completely rule out the possibility that she is 'forcing her way through' or using some unknown countermeasure... but in any case, the strength she is displaying right now has already far exceeded our previous highest expectations."
[Pretending? How can she still be pretending?! Look at her dismantling robots as easily as dismantling Legos!]
[An S rank big shot is bored enough to be a thief? This world is too surreal!]
[Can an S rank just do whatever they want? Apex, hurry up and invite your own big shots out!]
[Arasaka security's face must be swollen from being slapped, right? Your products are just like paper in front of an S rank!]
Just as the bullet comments were boiling again because of Cifera's S rank identity, Pardofelis had already swept away the last defensive forces of level L19 like clearing away trash.
She didn't even look at the mechanical wreckage scattered across the floor or the potentially existing classified filing cabinets. Her small nose first twitched slightly, and then her figure flashed as she dashed into the final passage leading to L20 without hesitation.
"Everyone does not need to be overly concerned about the defensive capabilities of Apex or Arasaka." Seeing the bullet comments starting to doubt the defensive systems of Apex and Arasaka, a professional smile returned to Su Xiaowei's face, but within this smile was a trace of an indescribable... mystery and anticipation?
"As for the true upper limit of Miss Cifera's strength that you are all concerned about..." Her voice trailed off slightly, carrying an engaging sense of suspense, "Your confusion and expectations might... soon be answered."
[Eh? A turn of events?!]
[What does that mean? Does Apex still have a trump card?]
[It couldn't be that they're going to stack more robots, right? Is human wave tactics useful in front of an S rank big shot?]
[Be bolder! I bet Apex is finally willing to send an A+ rank Superpower User to test the waters!]
[A+? Is that enough to look at in front of an S rank? Why not just be direct and have Apex invite the S- rank they've been worshipping!]
[Are you joking! Can an S rank big shot be invited just like that? Just to catch a thief?]
Facing the various guesses from the bullet comments, the mysterious smile on Su Xiaowei's face became increasingly obvious. She shook her head gently and didn't answer directly, but instead threw out an even more tempting bait:
"Please stay calm and watch patiently." She reached out and pointed at the main screen. At this moment, the camera was tightly locked on Pardofelis as she rapidly traversed the passage toward the core area of L20. "When Miss Cifera truly steps into the core reception area of L20... the answer will reveal itself."
These words were like a massive boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up even greater waves!
[Core reception area?! What's there?!]
[Riddler, get out of Gotham! No, get out of the livestream!]
[I'm dying of impatience! What exactly is Apex hiding?]
[I bet fifty cents! There's absolutely an S rank big shot waiting! Otherwise, this plot can't be resolved!]
[The market is open! Bet on what Apex is using to host the S rank big shot! 1 to 100 odds on Cifera winning!]
The bullet comments were instantly submerged by curiosity, speculation, and betting. All attention was firmly attracted to that brown figure about to reach the destination and that tightly closed alloy door of the L20 core area.