Through the rainy night, Black Panther arrived.
Liu Long's eyes were cold. Looking from a distance, he saw the black dog bobbing its head.
Over there!
Found them!
Even without Black Panther, Liu Long would have had ways to find them; this was his home turf, after all. But with Black Panther, locating them was much simpler.
The target's position was confirmed!
Liu Long cast a sidelong glance into the distance—the cathedral.
It had been built in Silver City years ago and later abandoned. Originally, the cathedral was intended to provide the citizens with a place for leisure, but the locals had little interest in it. Rather than spend time in a church, they would rather cool off under the shade of a big tree.
As a result, the building had already been slated for demolition, scheduled to be torn down soon.
*A fine place!* Liu Long silently commended. They had chosen well. With demolition pending, the surrounding residents had moved out long ago, and given tonight's rain, almost nobody would linger anywhere near here.
It was an ideal battleground!
He abruptly halted. Behind him, more than twenty members of the Law Enforcement Team came to a stop.
Several looked at their formidable captain with confusion. Why had they stopped?
Heavy breathing echoed in the rainy night. Some were already winded from running, yet Liu Long carried immense authority, and none dared voice an objection. The Law Enforcement Team held their captain in deep reverence—even if his divided attention over recent years had left the team a bit chaotic.
Rainwater washed over the group.
With Liu Long silent, no one dared utter a peep.
So the men stood in the rainy night, soaked to the skin, looking up at the tall man ahead of them. There was no resentment, and even if any felt it, they dared not show the slightest hint.
Liu Long looked over them one by one. All were old hands.
Tonight, those at his side were brothers who had followed him through life and death for years. They hadn't been inducted into the Demon Hunting Squad, though all knew of its existence.
Every member of the Demon Hunting Squad was a madman, a gambler, someone backed into a corner, or possessed by a fierce desire to grow strong. Otherwise, Liu Long would never have recruited them.
After all, for mortals to kill supernaturals was a gamble with a nine-in-ten chance of death.
Now Liu Long studied each face as the rain washed down his cheeks. His cold voice rang out: "You're all my brothers who've braved life and death with me. I, Liu Long, haven't mistreated you, and none of you need to force my death!"
At these words, expressions shifted. One man replied in a low, heavy voice, "What does the Captain mean? Who would harm you?"
"It doesn't matter!"
Liu Long's voice remained detached. "None of that matters. Maybe money blinds the eyes, but... remember one thing: supernaturals are supernaturals, and mortals are mortals. Those people will never look at you as equals! Money will run out sooner or later, and anyone mixed up in this will meet a violent end!"
The squad fell silent.
"I won't drag you into the mire, but... you will follow orders!"
He glared at them and barked coldly, "Listen up, everyone! Split into two groups, watch each other one-on-one, and nobody moves! Not a single gesture, no whispering! Wait for me right here! No running off! Maybe someone among you is keeping tabs on me... that doesn't matter; I won't pursue it! But if anyone makes a move right now... kill without mercy!"
Everyone held their breath.
"I refuse to believe every single person would turn traitor. Darkness is, after all, only darkness!"
Someone among them might have been tagged to track his movements, which would explain why the enemy was so well-informed that they knew his location the moment he arrived.
Their intelligence was simply too prompt!
Therefore, of the twenty-odd men present, someone was certainly serving as a lookout, likely carrying some supernatural marker that allowed the enemy to sense their whereabouts.
Liu Long had deduced this long ago.
Only these trusted subordinates knew his exact location at all times.
Now, keeping them frozen here might buy him a little time.
There were clever men among the ranks. A moment later, someone spoke in a low voice: "Captain, what's happening tonight isn't simple, and the brothers aren't fools—we've caught on to some of it! You've been led by the nose the whole time, Captain... Maybe one of our brothers was tagged by accident! If you trust us, we won't put you in a bind... Standing around here waiting forever won't do, either. If you trust us, Captain, Captain Two, Captain Three, and I will keep each other under watch and lead the team to the crime scene!"
They were veteran inspectors; who among them lacked sharp instincts?
He didn't claim anyone had betrayed them; it might have been unintentional.
Now was indeed not the time to investigate.
Hearing this, Liu Long gave the group a long look and nodded. "I trust you. But heading to the crime scene... if the rioters are still there, you might be in danger."
"Captain, we're inspectors!" someone chuckled softly. "Since when do inspectors fear rioters?"
Liu Long said no more. With a heavy wave of his hand, the twenty-odd men moved swiftly through the rainy night, keeping one another under strict watch, not even the squad leaders excused.
The Law Enforcement Team, in the end, had not been completely corrupted.
The next instant, Liu Long sprinted into the rain.
Li Hao and the others had moved out!
The enemy had lost their patience and acted. Now that their hiding spot was exposed, he had to strike immediately.
As he dashed forward, a sharp, subtle whistle sounded from his lips.
In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen figures clad in deep black military uniforms emerged into the rainy night.
Yes, military uniforms.
Silver City had no garrisoned troops, but it was home to retired veterans. Liu Long had been one of them years ago before joining the Inspectorate upon his discharge.
"Follow me!"
Without a wasted word, the dozen-odd men fell in behind him.
Every one of them was agile and fit. Some carried mortars on their backs, others shouldered heavy rocket launchers, some carried packs of high explosives, and others lugged crates of grenades...
Liu Long had not been idle these past few days.
These old comrades-in-arms, for instance, were men he had contacted in secret.
The group dashed alongside Liu Long, their footfalls muffled by the pounding downpour.
A moment later, the cathedral loomed into view.
Liu Long did not draw too close; supernaturals had formidable senses, and getting too near might alert them.
Without a word, Liu Long raised a hand!
The men behind him rapidly established a firing position. A small mortar was assembled in seconds and loaded with an artillery shell.
Machine guns were set up on mounts.
There was no chaos whatsoever; several men darted into nearby buildings. Within a single minute, everything was in place.
The entire process was terrifyingly silent.
There was no need for shouted commands. Liu Long's previous successes in slaying supernaturals had been achieved with the aid of these very men, kept entirely under wraps. Few knew that beyond the Law Enforcement Team, he had trusted confidants willing to help him hunt supernaturals.
Standing tall in the rainy night, Liu Long gazed at the distant cathedral.
A glint of cold resolve surfaced in his eyes.
Supernaturals were hard to kill—he knew that well. Even with an ambush tonight, they might not take down many. But Liu Long was never one to sit back and take a beating; striking first was always better!
A mighty dragon struggled against the local snake.
And he, Liu Long, was Silver City's local snake.
He raised his right arm high, then brought it slashing down!
*Boom!*
A shell smashed directly into the cathedral. The next instant, grenade after grenade was hurled inside, along with bundles of explosive charges.
The roar drowned out the rain.
Liu Long roared fiercely, "Law Enforcement Team on duty! Surrender, or resist and be executed!"
*Rumble!*
Before the words even faded, explosive blasts tore through the building.
*Crash! Boom!*
The old cathedral had its outer walls blasted apart almost instantly, the roof beams collapsing in ruins.
Liu Long produced a short axe from beneath his soaked trench coat, discarded the garment, and bellowed as he swung the axe toward a Ghost Face operative who had just burst from the ruins!
"Keep firing!"
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
It was as if no one cared whether Liu Long lived or died, unconcerned by the risk of friendly fire. A volley of shells continued to pound the cathedral, the chattering roar of machine guns overwhelming the downpour.
***
Inside the shattered cathedral.
Having received word that Li Hao and his escort had left the Law Enforcement Team headquarters, the Ghost Face operatives had been about to mobilize when they were caught completely off guard.
Fortunately, there were numerous supernaturals among them.
One Ghost Face operative roared as mysterious energy surged forth, forming a protective barrier. Yet in the blink of an eye, an explosive shell punctured the barrier. As the others scrambled backward, the operative holding the barrier was instantly shredded into a sieve by machine-gun fire from outside!
Another operative, in his panic, rushed out of the cathedral, only to be met by a silver short axe.
A single axe strike!
Sevenfold stacking!
*Boom!*
A Lunar Nether supernatural, comparable to a Hundred-Breaker, was hacked in two in his panic, his blood spraying across the street.
"Liu Long!" a piercing screech rang out!
At that exact instant, Liu Long felt danger—an intangible danger. Something seemed to appear beside him, burrowing toward his insides.
Had Li Hao been here, he would have seen three Red Shadows clinging to Liu Long's sides.
Not only that, but several Red Shadows were also shooting toward the distant soldiers.
Those men knew nothing of it.
Firearms and munitions could deal no damage to these Red Shadows.
*"Woof, woof, woof!"*
Black Panther's sharp barking cut through the rainy night.
Liu Long knew the spiritual threat he had sensed last time had arrived. As a Hundred-Breaker, he could at least resist it somewhat, but his brothers on the perimeter would have no defense!
Right now, those soldiers on the perimeter were suppressing the supernaturals inside with shells, explosives, and machine guns.
That was why Liu Long had found the opening to charge in and split one in half with his axe.
Once those men died and the heavy weapons were silenced, Liu Long alone would be vastly outmatched. He could already sense the supernatural auras—not just one, but many!
At least seven or eight remained, and that was after he had cleaved one apart and machine-gun fire had shredded another.
*A ten-man squad?*
Even Liu Long was shaken. Ten supernaturals?
A force of this scale exceeded all expectations.
Even the Night Watchers would struggle to deploy ten members to Silver City at once, given how many cities they had to guard.
Inside the cathedral, someone bellowed in fury, "Liu Long, you're courting death! Tonight we only want Li Hao! You dared interfere and kill our men—did you think we wouldn't dare slaughter the entire population of a speck of dirt like Silver City?!"
They were utterly unhinged!
They had planned their moves and knew Liu Long well. Right now, he should have been at the other site handling the arson cases. How had he suddenly appeared here?
Furthermore, they had moles within the Law Enforcement Team.
The team hadn't checked out heavy weapons today, nor had the armory been touched... Of course, as captain, if Liu Long quietly gathered a stash and the director turned a blind eye, ordinary people would find it hard to notice.
Still, they had never imagined Liu Long would dare open fire directly within the city limits!
And with such devastating firepower!
He had even brought mortars. If time had permitted, Liu Long might well have hauled in siege artillery.
"Never compromise with evil!"
Liu Long offered only that single line.
Slaughter the city?
No matter what, there would be no compromise with evil. The Night Watchers' repeated compromises had brought not peace, but escalating chaos.
Creatures like these would only feel fear once they were beaten bloody.
"Final volley!" Liu Long roared, rapidly pulling back from the cathedral grounds.
The next instant, Ghost Face figures emerged from within the ruins. Some took to the air to flee, some burrowed into the earth, and others turned incorporeal, like empty phantoms.
Now prepared, the supernaturals displayed unimaginable abilities.
When Liu Long called for the final volley, everyone who could escape scattered from the scene.
A single man with a gun posed little threat to them.
However, when over a dozen elites coordinated an organized barrage with heavy machine guns and mortars, even supernaturals had to steer clear of the brunt.
Of course, given a little time, they could easily slaughter those mortals to the last man!
The moment Liu Long yelled his order, the sky was dyed red.
Every remaining shell, explosive pack, and grenade was hurled inward simultaneously.
A Ghost Face operative roared as mysterious energy surged, instantly whipping up a gale. The hurricane swept up everything, blasting the shells and explosive charges skyward.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Deafening blasts tore through the air without pause.
The supernatural who had summoned the hurricane staggered, clearly pushed past his limits by exerting such an overload of supernatural power on short notice.
Right then, Liu Long suddenly spun around, short axe in hand. Veins bulged along his arms as the axe vibrated seven consecutive times.
Sevenfold stacking!
"Die!"
His vitality surged like a dragon. Liu Long kicked off the ground and shot through the air, hurtling straight for the operative who had just cast the gale.
Killing intent spilled forth, cold as frost!
The rainwater was blown aside as the axe cleaved down. The gale-wielding supernatural looked up, horror flashing across his eyes. He was at the Lunar Nether level, but having just overextended his power, he was caught between his old momentum and new strength.
A battle-hardened Hundred-Breaker martial master like Liu Long was a master at seizing combat opportunities.
Just as horror gripped the operative, Liu Long's body suddenly seized up. He had been resisting the Red Shadows burrowing into his body, but in pouring everything into this strike, he had neglected his defensive inner force. In an instant, a searing agony scorched his internal organs!
Excruciating pain!
Liu Long could not see it himself, but from a distance, Black Panther's canine eyes were filled with distress. The dog saw three Red Shadows burrowing into Liu Long's flesh, faint flames flickering over them.
They were burning Liu Long from the inside!
Not only that, but several other Red Shadows were rapidly closing in on the soldiers at the perimeter.
*"Woof, woof, woof!"*
Black Panther barked urgently, warning them.
"Is this all you've got?!"
At that moment, Liu Long let out a thunderous roar. Forcing through the agonizing pain, his axe shattered the skull of the gale-wielding supernatural. The next second, the blood within his body boiled like scalding water!
Under this violent boiling of vitality, even the Red Shadows seemed harmed.
Wisps of faint smoke suddenly rose from Liu Long's body!
The Red Shadows were burned by his boiling blood!
Like a lion, Liu Long drove his inner force to its limits, accepting mutual destruction without a second thought.
He was already past forty. Practicing the *Nine Refinements Force* up to seven stacks meant that every battle aggravated his old wounds. If he could not become a supernatural, he would end up just like his father—his arms ruined, reduced to a cripple, dying a pathetic death in a sickbed.
In this single burst, he had slain two supernaturals, while his comrades had brought down another. Three Ghost Face operatives dead—it was worth it!
Naturally, he didn't want to die here and now.
Nobody wanted to die, and he was no exception. Yet there were truly few good ways to deal with the Red Shadows. Unless he could step into the Thousand-Battler realm, this mutually destructive method was the only way to hold them back even slightly.
***
On the perimeter, the soldiers didn't look back. Having fired their final volley, they retreated swiftly.
Years of mutual understanding and experience told them that staying behind meant certain death.
Not only would they fail to help Liu Long handle these terrifying foes, but they would also drag him down.
Yet the Red Shadows pursued them relentlessly! Clearly, after suffering such heavy losses at the hands of mere mortals, the supernaturals manipulating the Red Shadows were unwilling to let them leave alive!
They had to be killed!
These people had to die.
As for Liu Long, others would handle him. Since he had dared charge in head-on, he had to be ready for death.
Outside the cathedral, seven Ghost Face figures gathered.
They had indeed been a ten-man team—a supernatural squad. Losing three members in an instant left the survivors furious and manic, mysterious energy churning around each of them.
All of them had to die!
Watching Liu Long's blood boil to scorch the Red Shadows, one of the Ghost Face operatives sneered, "Liu Long, you think you can hold us down? You've overestimated yourself, and you've underestimated Li Hao's value... Did you really think we were the only ones?"
Liu Long, still resisting the Red Shadows, truly paled this time.
*Not the only ones?*
*This still wasn't all of them?!*
Ten supernaturals, nearly all of them at the Lunar Nether level—he hadn't sensed any mere Starlight Masters among them. In other words, ten supernaturals comparable to the Hundred-Breaker realm... That was already far more than he had anticipated, yet it still wasn't the entire force?
What kind of organization could dispatch so many supernaturals at once?
And what was Li Hao tied to that an ordinary person could draw this many supernaturals to hunt him down?
Were the Eight Great Families truly that important?
His expression shifted violently. Liu Long let out a fierce roar and spat a mouthful of blood, which instantly vaporized in the air.
The next instant, he pulled a small crystal sphere from his waist and crushed it between his fingers.
*Boom!*
Another deafening blast went off as the crystal sphere detonated. Liu Long used the explosion to break away, sprinting into the distance in the direction Li Hao and the others had taken out of the city.
More than one team!
If that was the case, his arrangements might run into trouble.
He had tried to overestimate them as much as possible—ten Lunar Nethers to deal with an ordinary person and a Demon Hunting Squad with only a single Hundred-Breaker martial master. Even if one tallied all the Hundred-Breaker martial masters and Lunar Nether Night Watchers in Silver City, there wouldn't be ten.
Was this really necessary?
Liu Long almost cursed aloud!
Did they really have to go this far?
"After him!"
Behind him, the Ghost Face operatives gave chase. Liu Long slammed his foot down with crushing force; the earth caved in with a boom, stomping down an operative who had attempted to ambush him from underground.
It was hardly his first time fighting supernaturals!
There was even an earth-burrower among them.
Meanwhile.
The Red Shadows pursuing the soldiers were closing in on the slowest runners.
Just then, a figure darted out into the rainy night, a petite body sprinting swiftly through the darkness.
Yun Yao!
Yes, the figure who skidded to a halt was the Demon Hunting Squad's Yun Yao.
At this moment, she wore a device resembling a gas mask.
In her line of sight, neither person nor object was visible, but as her gaze shifted, colored blocks appeared before her eyes—a modified supernatural detector.
The Red Shadows were invisible to the naked eye, but that did not mean they were truly undetectable.
Even if the Red Shadows themselves lacked supernatural power, moving or attacking produced faint ripples of energy.
In an instant, Yun Yao locked onto a vivid red zone.
*There!*
The next moment, over a dozen of the same small crystal spheres Liu Long had used appeared in her hand. These spheres were filled with mysterious energy sealed within ice crystals; once detonated, they produced a concussive blast.
The Red Shadows might be immune to physical harm, but Liu Long's group had analyzed them and concluded that mysterious energy had a high chance of countering them.
Unfortunately, time had been too short. Yun Yao had only managed to modify a single pair of scouting goggles. She had initially offered them to Liu Long, but he had declined; as a Hundred-Breaker martial master, he could sense these entities on his own.
Yun Yao and the others had yet to step into the Hundred-Breaker realm. Without these goggles, they would be blind to the threat.
*Boom!*
With a tremendous blast, the red zone was blown apart!
Yun Yao couldn't see the entities directly, only that the red zone had dispersed.
Black Panther, however, saw it clearly. The pursuing Red Shadows had been blasted apart by the mysterious energy, but... they soon coalesced again. Though their speed seemed slightly reduced, they remained intact and had not vanished.
*"Woof, woof, woof!"*
Urgent barks rang out. Without hesitation, Yun Yao turned and ran with Black Panther, and the Red Shadows instantly swarmed after the two of them!
The other soldiers took the chance to escape.
None lingered. This, too, had been part of the plan: if a crisis arose, the ordinary soldiers would retreat first, while Yun Yao of the Demon Hunting Squad covered the rear.
***
Black Panther sprinted madly.
Because it could see the Red Shadows, it was able to evade their pursuit effectively. Yun Yao knew this, and though petite, she moved with surprising speed, panting heavily. "Black Panther, run toward the northern outskirts! Steer clear of those things..."
Run north!
Li Hao and the others were in that direction, and Liu Long was heading there now to rendezvous.
Gathering together was safer.
Besides, they had other arrangements. Everything they had done so far was meant to lure these bastards out of the city... Even though they had nearly died back there, the plan was still in motion. As long as they weren't dead, it was a success.
Yun Yao was running out of steam, and the sense of impending doom grew heavier.
Right then, another figure came rushing in. The lean Wu Chao moved at blistering speed, dropping down from an eaves, grabbing Yun Yao, and taking off in full stride. This time, even Black Panther couldn't outrun him.
"Why are you here?" Yun Yao gasped in shock.
With him here, that left only Liu Yan and Chen Jian beside Li Hao.
Wu Chao was supposed to stay with Li Hao. With his speed, he could carry Li Hao away in a pinch, given how weak Li Hao was.
"Li Hao sent me to back you up... He said he won't die, that his teacher will step in at the critical moment..."
Wu Chao answered hurriedly, not daring to say another word for fear of disrupting his breathing, carrying Yun Yao over his shoulder as he bolted.
*"Woof, woof!"*
Behind him came Black Panther's frantic yelps. Without a second thought, Wu Chao spun, scooped up Black Panther, and, carrying Yun Yao on one side while tucking the dog under the other, sprinted toward the city outskirts.
Moving as if the wind carried his feet, his speed was astonishing.
A moment later, two Ghost Face figures appeared behind them. By now, only two Red Shadows remained in pursuit.
"They're trying to regroup!"
"Wu Chao and Yun Yao of the Demon Hunting Squad... What a squad! Every last one of them is mad!"
Mere Ten-Slayer realm fighters dared to stick their noses into this.
"Catch them!"
The two growled in unison, chasing after Wu Chao's retreating figure.
Tonight, all of these people were marked for death!
***
At the same time.
North City.
Chen Jian took the front, Liu Yan covered the rear, and Li Hao was in the middle.
The three were not on foot; they were in a car, speeding toward the outskirts.
Liu Yan gripped a small dagger, her face cold and alert.
Ahead, Chen Jian drove with little regard for the road conditions, barreling forward aggressively toward the edge of town.
Li Hao had heard the violent explosions inside the city.
He had even seen the firelight lighting up the sky!
He had been astonished to realize that the Captain had arranged for heavy weaponry inside the city and quickly pinpointed the enemy's hiding spot.
Yet... Li Hao knew that firearms were not omnipotent!
Unless one used massive artillery to carpet the entire city... but doing so would destroy Silver City and claim countless innocent lives. That was simply impossible.
Unless supernaturals were encountered in the wild, the effectiveness of conventional weapons inside a city was drastically reduced.
The Demon Hunting Squad could not be so callous as to shell the city and drag countless civilians down with them.
Just as the car was speeding along, a thunderous boom erupted ahead!
The next instant, the bridge in front of them blew apart!
In the darkness, through the rain, several figures materialized. Li Hao peered at them and froze slightly... martial masters!
Yes, not supernaturals.
Blocking their path right now were martial masters!
He knew they were martial masters because, like Liu Long, they had faint traces of mysterious energy clinging to the surface of their bodies without penetrating inward. That meant they had absorbed mysterious energy, yet had failed to break through to the supernatural realm.
"Ghost Face?"
The car screeched to a halt. Liu Yan and Chen Jian scrambled out, assuming combat stances. Liu Yan glared at the group. "The Ghost Face organization? Ambushing an Inspecting Commissioner of the Inspectorate—do you take the Night Watchers for useless decorations?"
The organization Zhou He belonged to was Ghost Face, an outer affiliate of a supernatural organization.
This time, Ghost Face had mobilized martial masters as well.
"Hand over Li Hao!"
A shrill voice spoke from the opposing group. Likely to avoid being recognized, they all wore hideous black ghost masks, and the voice was distorted, not the speaker's true tone.
"Fine!"
Liu Yan agreed so readily that the enemy hesitated for a split second. The next moment, she drew the handgun from her waist and fired off a rapid burst. *Bang, bang, bang!*
"Run!"
Firing as she moved, Liu Yan dragged Li Hao along.
They couldn't afford to be delayed here, and besides... she was no match for them.
The one leading the enemy appeared to be a Hundred-Breaker martial master!
A handgun would be virtually useless against him.
Sure enough, the ghost-masked martial master darted forward, dodging the bullets with ease. Spreading his arms like a swooping eagle, he closed in on Li Hao and the others!
The rest deployed their own techniques, giving chase in unison!
They had only one mission: Li Hao must not leave the city!
Of course, there was one condition—they could not kill Li Hao. But anyone else... was to be slain without mercy!
The leader of Ghost Face didn't understand that command, but supernaturals had their own motives and wouldn't disclose everything to him. He didn't ask questions; he only knew that upon completing this mission, he would be granted three opportunities to channel energy into his body.
His superiors would provide sufficient mysterious energy. If three attempts still failed to make him a supernatural... he would have to accept his misfortune. But at least the odds were high. For a Hundred-Breaker martial master, channeling energy required tens or hundreds of measures of mysterious energy each time.
If even a Hundred-Breaker martial master like Liu Long, who had killed multiple supernaturals, struggled to advance, someone like him had an even lower chance on his own. He could only place his hopes on his superiors.
***
Li Hao was gasping violently for breath, barely maintaining his breathing technique to steady his pace and keep up with Liu Yan.
The muddy path slowed their progress.
In the darkness, this also worked to their advantage; at least the pursuers couldn't catch up immediately.
*Rat-tat-tat!*
A burst of gunfire erupted behind them. Li Hao couldn't help but curse under his breath. *Fuck!*
Weren't these guys martial masters?
Using firearms too... did they have no shame?
*Clang, clang, clang!*
Behind them, bullets struck Chen Jian's small shield countless times. Protecting his vitals, Chen Jian used his massive frame to shield Li Hao and Liu Yan, saving Li Hao from being shredded by the stray rounds.
Even so, if this chase continued, they would never make it out of the city.
Liu Long had yet to appear, and his status remained unknown.
Wu Chao and Yun Yao had gone to assist the rear. Right now, Liu Yan was their strongest fighter, yet she wasn't a Hundred-Breaker, while a Hundred-Breaker was hot on their heels.
"Sister..."
"Shut up!" Liu Yan snapped, telling him not to speak.
Talking during a desperate escape ruined one's breathing and broke the rhythm. Once they were caught, they were done for.
"Drop me... they won't kill me right now!" Li Hao forced the words out between ragged breaths.
He feared death, but he knew that at this rate, they would be overtaken sooner or later.
The pursuers were only martial masters; there were no Red Shadows in sight. They weren't looking to kill him immediately.
There was still a chance!
His teacher had yet to appear, so they weren't out of trump cards either.
Liu Yan ignored him completely, cold ferocity gleaming in her eyes.
"Fatty!"
At her low bark, Chen Jian, who had fought beside her countless times, understood her meaning without a single extra word.
The next instant, to Li Hao's shock,
Liu Yan flung him forward, while Chen Jian turned, raising his shield, and charged straight into the Hundred-Breaker martial master who was almost upon them!
Liu Yan followed like a shadow. With a deafening *thud*, the Hundred-Breaker punched the shield, knocking Chen Jian back several paces without breaching his defense. In that split second, Liu Yan darted out like a wraith, thrusting her dagger toward the enemy's fist!
*Squelch!*
The short blade sliced across, missing any vital spot but carving a bloody gash across the man's fist.
The Hundred-Breaker was about to throw another punch to crush Liu Yan... when his arm suddenly went numb!
In the blink of an eye, dark matter spread across his arm. Behind his mask, his face changed drastically. He retreated rapidly, slapping his right arm with his left palm as blood surged from the wound, dark and tainted.
"You poisoned your blade?!"
The martial master was enraged. Using poison was even more loathsome than using guns.
Liu Yan ignored him completely. Having checked his advance, she leaped through the air, caught hold of Li Hao, and sprinted away once more.
Li Hao was utterly stunned.
Liu Yan and Chen Jian possessed terrifying nerve.
To dare strike back under these circumstances—and succeed!
They truly were martial masters capable of hunting supernaturals; their combat experience was on a level Li Hao couldn't hope to match.
The pursuit continued!
Li Hao stopped resisting now, letting Liu Yan pull him along while he constantly glanced over his shoulder, his mind racing... *How can we kill these bastards?!*
He was weak, and he knew it. But he knew something else even better... they knew he was weak, and they didn't dare kill him!
That was his advantage!
"Sister, use me as a shield later!"
Li Hao threw out the sentence. Liu Yan didn't answer, and he didn't know if she had heard.
Chen Jian, however, heard it clearly. His only thought was that Li Hao was completely insane.
*Use you as a shield?*
He vaguely understood what Li Hao meant, but... what if they misjudged, and the enemy dared kill him after all?
Could a little rookie really survive a strike from a Hundred-Breaker?
The three continued to sprint through the dark. Three fighters at the Ten-Slayer realm were actually plotting whether they could turn the tables and kill the Hundred-Breaker martial master behind them, while more Ten-Slayer pursuers trailed further back.
The rain fell heavier and heavier!
Chapter 37