Help?
No.
For one reason, just as Han Qingyu had asked Rusty Sister earlier: help whom?
Ninety-nine percent of the time, this was two groups from the Self-Preservation Faction hacking away at each other. So even if he was on his own and at a disadvantage, that didn't mean the young man in black was the one who deserved help.
The logic of this world worked like that: others killed him, and he killed others. In conflicts like this, there was rarely any righteousness or evil to speak of.
Han Qingyu didn't represent righteousness either. He was merely an insignificant nobody struggling to survive in this brutal world.
As for the second reason, Han Qingyu didn't believe someone would end up on their own so quickly in a trial ground built around teams.
Seeing how the man in black held his ground without retreating, one could tell there were definitely others in that direction, which meant his side ought to have a card up their sleeve.
If they really didn't... then even his teammates didn't care about him, and he was resigned to it himself, so why should I risk getting hurt to help out?!
The fight below continued.
"Doesn't look like there'll be a result anytime soon. Are we really not going to help? If not, how about we first..."
Not helping was reasonable. After watching for a while, Shen Yixiu wanted to say they should withdraw. As she spoke, she carefully turned her face, only to freeze.
Rusty Sister realized Han Qingyu had already vanished from her side.
Where did he go?
It was only when Yin Caixin pointed it out that Shen Yixiu noticed him. Down in the bushes on the slope ahead, Han Qingyu was crawling forward on his belly...
And in the direction he was heading, about a dozen meters behind the Sha'ah fighters' battle line, two bodies lay among the shrubs and weeds.
"Is he going to scavenge stuff?" Yin Caixin watched below, asking with some worry, "Does he really have to go, even in a situation like this?"
"Yeah." Shen Yixiu paused, explaining on Han Qingyu's behalf, "If he waits until the fight is over, they'll pick them clean themselves."
Nodding, Yin Caixin pondered seriously. "Then wouldn't that be called risking his life for money... blinded by greed?"
"It's not that. It's just... he can't help himself."
As Shen Yixiu spoke, she felt a bit helpless, both annoyed and amused, yet at the same time a quiet wave of emotion welled up in her heart.
It felt as if the greedier he appeared, the heavier the weight of everything he gave away became.
Taking a deep breath, Shen Yixiu dug her toes into the solid earth and stone, bending one knee slightly, preparing to plunge down the mountain to the rescue at any moment.
Seeing this, Yin Caixin also carefully positioned her war saber at her side, thinking that if a fight broke out, she would just drop down with an Invincible Wind-Fire Wheels. After all, there were plenty of enemies down there.
Slowly drawing in a deep breath, Han Qingyu temporarily held his breath. He was already very close. The fight ahead was still raging, and he was extremely confident he wouldn't be spotted.
He was skilled at this.
The first corpse was in an excellent position, lying sideways with its back facing outward.
Crouched beneath the bushes, Han Qingyu reached out. First, he made sure the person didn't have any spare source energy blocks on him, then slowly pushed open the latch on the war box and flicked out the source energy block inside.
Weighing it in his palm, the remaining reserve was over two-thirds. Not bad. He pocketed the source energy block with satisfaction.
Then he slowly crawled toward the other one.
The clash of weapons and the shouts of men locked in combat remained dense and close at hand. While this might rattle an inexperienced rookie, to Han Qingyu, it served as excellent cover to mask the sound of his movements.
*Clang.* A sudden sharp ring.
The black spear in the hands of the man in black was knocked flying by several dead iron scimitars flicking up together with the backs of their blades. It landed to the side, striking rocks with a prolonged clatter.
The man himself seemed unsteady on his feet, nearing the end of his tether, yet he still drew a short blade and held his ground there.
Han Qingyu paid no attention to this, taking the opportunity to reach for the second corpse's war box.
Repeating the trick, he extracted the source energy block.
Next, he reached toward the pocket at the corpse's waist...
And then,
"Aaah—"
The corpse suddenly leapt up.
Han Qingyu: "..."
*Damn it, he was playing dead.*
This was a contingency Han Qingyu hadn't even thought to watch out for.
Thinking that his cover was blown anyway, and thoroughly annoyed, Han Qingyu instantly sprang up as well, dragged the man back in a firm grip, pinned him down, and ignoring everything else, first dug out the source energy block from the man's pocket and shoved it into his own.
Only then did he let the guy go.
Just like that, his sudden appearance brought the battle ahead to a temporary halt.
The man in black gained a moment of respite, staggering two steps and barely keeping his feet.
The Sha'ah men all looked back, immediately leveling their blades at Han Qingyu, jabbering something in an unintelligible clamor.
Yet they did not charge forward right away.
With one hand behind his back, Han Qingyu signaled Rusty Sister and Yin Caixin not to move, then simply stared at the opposition without drawing his blade.
Because he noticed they had suddenly started conferring among themselves.
Prince Adubu's first instinct was naturally to order this intruder killed. He was just about to complete a hunt when he was suddenly interrupted, putting him in a foul mood.
However, an attendant beside him immediately grabbed him, looking tense.
"He is the one who made a move in the hotel that day," the attendant said solemnly.
"..." Adubu paused. "Are you sure?"
"Beyond a doubt."
"He..." Adubu hadn't personally witnessed that Rusty Sister Dimple Slash back then, but he had heard detailed descriptions several times afterward.
Therefore, he now had to worry that once hands were laid, he would become the enemy's primary target.
He considered asking what the intruder wanted.
The other party obviously wouldn't understand.
"Is he alone?" Adubu was still reluctant to let it go.
His hawk flew overhead.
The attendant cautiously observed where the falcon was circling, peering closely... Just then, a beam of sunlight glinted off the war saber exposed as Rusty Sister straightened up out of concern.
"That potentially even more terrifying iron armor is there too. There might be an ambush."
............
All at once, every single one of the Sha'ah men departed.
To be honest, due to the language barrier, Han Qingyu was completely baffled inside. But his expression was under perfect control—utterly impassive, as though he had known that just by standing there, the other side would be forced to retreat.
Inexplicably, only he and the man in black were left on the scene.
Seeing how weak the other party was, Han Qingyu naturally felt no concern. Stepping slightly closer, he asked calmly, "Do you understand Chinese?"
The other man nodded.
"Huaxian?"
The other man nodded.
"Mute?"
"No."
"Azure Coalition?"
"No."
"Mhm. I have no interest in killing you."
The other man nodded.
"To be precise, I just saved your life."
"Yes... Thank you."
Bestowing a favor naturally called for repayment, but this guy looked dirt poor. Han Qingyu thought for a moment and asked, "Can you use a blade?"
The man in black said, "Yes."
"Good. There are two corpses over there on the ground with two blades beside them. See them?"
For the first time, Han Qingyu saw a flicker of emotion in the eyes of the man in black—a look that was probably bewildered and confused.
The man in black was indeed bewildered, because he couldn't fathom the intention behind this person suddenly saying such things. What was he getting at?
Soon enough, he understood.
Because by the time he came back to his senses, that person had already walked away carrying his black spear.
Leaving behind a silhouette that took it all as a matter of course.
Chapter 130