Chapter 141 - 140: Long Jiu and the Pitch-Black Knight
Wearing his helmet, Yang Shen’s gaze went past the wretched-looking Ye Qingyao to the unfamiliar young woman.
’Is this... an opportunity?’
’If I don’t intervene... or if I "try my best but fail," am "outmaneuvered by a single move," or am "helpless to do anything"... and Ye Qingyao ends up losing her way, wouldn’t that solve a lot of problems?’
Once the thought surfaced, it was hard to suppress.
’She’s a Ghost Mother. If her bad luck gets her killed, isn’t that a happy ending for everyone?’
’As long as my acting is good enough...’
Before he could finish the thought, the unfamiliar young woman extended her right hand, and a metal object dropped into her grasp.
SHING!
With a sharp swing, it transformed into a bizarrely shaped scythe, and she lunged into action!
It was completely sudden. Without a word, and without even glancing at Ye Qingyao, she went straight for the guy in the helmet!
Yang Shen: ???
’Holy crap, she’s coming for me?!’
’You’re passing by, and you don’t even bother to take a swing at her? You’re not even giving me a chance to put on a show!’
In a flash, a pitch-black spear had already materialized. Yang Shen held it horizontally to block, feeling a tremendous force slam into it!
With her strength unknown, Yang Shen opted for a cautious, probing defense. His rich combat experience allowed him to make a quick assessment.
’This level of Power... Innate!’
’This masked girl, who looks about my age, is actually in the Innate Realm?!’
’Her cheat-code is even bigger than mine!’
The young woman pressed forward relentlessly, her immense strength pushing Yang Shen back. The hardwood floor splintered and buckled as if it were being plowed.
Long Jiu flicked her wrist. Instead of continuing the contest of strength, her scythe slid down the spear’s shaft, aiming to sever Yang Shen’s fingers.
This girl not only possessed an exceptionally high realm, but she was also a veteran of life-or-death combat!
Fortunately, with a mere thought from Yang Shen, a "side branch" materialized from the middle of the black spear to block the attack.
He then turned the tables, using the principle of leverage to gain a momentary advantage in strength. He stomped the scythe down with his foot and twisted the black spear to thrust at her eye socket.
This just goes to show, even Martial Artists need to be educated!
Long Jiu tilted her head slightly, dodging the dangerous thrust, but the tip of the black spear began to warp mid-motion, continuing to pursue her eye socket like a Spiritual Snake.
This was an advantage of the "Curse-Engraving Spear"—it could transform at will during combat, greatly increasing its lethality.
Unfortunately, in that split second, the transformation of the "Curse Engraving" wasn’t quite fast enough. It only left a shallow, bloody scratch on Long Jiu’s face.
Her mask fell, revealing an exquisite, stunningly beautiful, yet impassive face.
In just one second, both had faced a life-and-death crisis and simultaneously realized how formidable the other was.
They both decided to pull back at the same time, each delivering a powerful front kick.
Powerful Qi scattered in all directions, the impact like two cars colliding at forty miles per hour.
They flew apart, one to the left and one to the right!
Long Jiu retreated three steps. Yang Shen retreated seven.
’Early Innate Stage? Or Mid-stage?’
’And she’s a true Martial Artist, honed in deadly combat, not some greenhorn who’s been softened by society...’
Yang Shen hoped she was the only expert on their side... If they were all at this level, he and Zhuzi would probably have no choice but to run.
Among all the girls Yang Shen had ever seen, her looks definitely ranked in the top two. She was on par with Xu Bamboo, and her ethereal aura might even give her a slight edge.
’At her age, with her strength and her looks... shouldn’t she be adored by all, a rising star?’
’What is she doing working as an assassin?’
This also meant she wasn’t normal. There was a bigger problem behind her.
Meanwhile, Long Jiu spoke into her earpiece, "Encountered... Tattooed Guest... very strong..."
An old man’s voice came through her earpiece, "You can’t take him down? Does that Tattooed Guest have strength beyond the Innate Realm?"
Long Jiu: "Unclear... helmet..."
Her thought process seemed extremely simple. Her speech was clipped, coming out in short bursts, and she seemed incapable of expressing complex ideas.
Otherwise, she should have reported first that this "Tattooed Guest" was very different from the one they had been hunting before...
"You mean his mask! Reinforcements are almost there. Just hold on."
——————
As the situation at Jinshui Villa took a strange turn, with three factions vying for control around a secluded villa, Long Jiu’s report was interpreted as a call for help, and the Rebel Species began to mobilize forces from all over.
The Moon Gu and the Dragon Jade—they were determined to obtain them both, no matter the cost!
The Main Altar was already extremely displeased with the Jianghuai Sub-temple for losing the Dragon Jade. If they failed to resolve this situation, their Sub-Altar Master would likely face extreme punishment.
At almost the same time, in a deserted alley in Jinshui District, a young man with an earring emerged from an underground bar and received a call from his organization.
"Night Owl, head to Jinshui Villa for support. We’ve run into a tough one..."
"Jinshui Villa? What kind of tough one?"
"The ’Tattooed Guest’ who’s been hunting our members recently."
"Shit... I don’t want to run into a dangerous guy like that."
The young man cursed under his breath, but he still obediently took out his motorcycle key.
He was a peripheral member in the Jinshui District. Ever since the Training Camp incident, the Rebel Species had suffered heavy losses in the area. Most members had gone completely underground, and they hadn’t received orders in a long time.
But when an order finally came, refusal was not an option.
The young man with the earring, dressed in a stylish riding suit, straddled his motorcycle and slowly drove toward the dark end of the alley.
He wasn’t in a hurry. He planned to take his sweet time getting there. It would be best if he could just show up without having to do any real work—as long as he had an excuse, it would be fine.
He didn’t want to risk his life, but he also didn’t want to experience the "Heart-Drilling Gu" ever again...
However, just as his motorcycle was about to exit the dark alley, the young man’s vision blurred. A thin black line had appeared in front of him.
’What is that?!’
Before he could react, the thin line sliced across his neck with astonishing toughness!
He was sent flying, yanked up into the air, while his motorcycle was flung away.
Just as the motorcycle was about to crash to the ground and make a huge noise, a massive, pitch-black hand several meters long appeared out of thin air. The giant palm caught the motorcycle and placed it gently on the ground without a sound.
From the shadows of a corner, a figure in a hooded sweatshirt slowly emerged, head down, hands in his pockets.
The young man with the earring hung suspended in mid-air, blood streaming from his neck. He struggled desperately, but there was nothing he could do; he couldn’t even let out a scream.
His eyes were filled with terror...
’Tattooed Guest! The Tattooed Guest isn’t at Jinshui Villa! He’s right here, hunting me!’
Over the past month, this madman had already hunted and killed more than a dozen members of the Rebel Species! And his methods were exceedingly cruel!
Each time, he would leave one person alive, torturing them to extract information about his next prey...
Some suspected he possessed a special ability to detect "Witchcraft," which allowed him to always find his next target with pinpoint accuracy.
This was an unreasonable madman bent only on revenge!
The lone wolf from the Exotic Realm, "Black Rope"... His footsteps sounded like a death knell. Compared to his battle with Yang Shen under the bridge, he had changed a great deal.
A black, tar-like substance covered more than half of his face, like a form-fitting mask. This had become his signature look among the members of the Rebel Species.
In reality, beneath his sleeves, this black substance covered half of his body.
He had been too gravely injured that night, especially the damage to his heart and brain. Although he had survived by relying on his family’s Secret Technique and the unique properties of the "Dragon Jade," half of his body was paralyzed, and he could only move by using a Curse Technique.
But he was stronger than before... much stronger...
Black Rope gestured with his finger. The black thread around the young man’s neck loosened slightly, lowering him from the lamppost until he was at Black Rope’s eye level.
The grotesque mask, the yellowed teeth... a savage gaze filled with hatred.
Using the Yanhua language with a strange accent, Black Rope spoke in a low voice, "Your phone call just now..."
"Jinshui Villa... who is there?"
His throat had also suffered a fatal injury, and his voice sounded like coarse gravel grinding together, mixed with a faint hissing of air.
Like a demon...
The young man knew that the "Tattooed Guest" left no survivors, but the intense pain and suffocation still made him answer frantically, desperate to grasp at even the slightest illusion of survival.
"A Tattooed Guest... they said there’s another Tattooed Guest over there!"
Black Rope’s expression froze for a moment. A flicker of tension appeared through his madness...
’One of my own people... is still alive?! And they haven’t been captured by the people here?’
Even the slightest possibility was enough to shake the avenger’s resolve.
The young man with the earring pleaded, "Please... let me go... I can lead the way for you!"
"Really... I just want to live... My motorcycle is fast! It’s a long way to Jinshui Villa from here!"
The strange expression on Black Rope’s face gradually faded. He gave a mocking laugh and pulled something from his pocket.
A cell phone.
"I’ve already learned... how to use a cell phone. I don’t need you to lead the way."
"It has... all sorts of functions... very convenient."
The young man with the earring was dumbfounded...
As someone chosen by his clan to carry out an extremely dangerous mission on Cyan Blue, Black Rope was inherently a very fast learner.
He was also a master of reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance. Although the rules of this world were different, after adapting, he was still a qualified shadow-walker.
During this time, he had already gained a basic grasp of the Yanhua language and had even learned many of Cyan Blue’s essential skills: cell phones, transportation... even the internet...
If not for this, he wouldn’t have been able to evade his pursuers multiple times and instead turn the tables, becoming a hunter of the Rebel Species.
According to his usual habit, he would have kept the man alive, slowly tortured him, and squeezed out every last bit of information about the "Rebel Species" to prepare for his next hunt.
This time, however, Black Rope clearly had no patience for that. He had to get to "Jinshui Villa."
With that, Black Rope raised his hand and made a gentle clenching motion.
He said faintly, "All of you who play with bugs... deserve to die..."
"Boss! Boss! I’m just a nobody! Gack... ghh..."
The thin black line tightened. The young man first suffocated, then his eyeballs bulged, red veins instantly crawling across them.
CRACK...
A wet sound, like bone snapping and skin tearing at the same time.
The young man’s head was severed by the line...
Blood sprayed several meters high from the severed neck, splattering the lamppost and dimming its light...
Black Rope turned away, his expression unchanged. All the black substance flowed back up his pant legs, bringing with it the thick stench of blood.
He took out his phone and looked up the location of "Jinshui Villa."
As he was thinking, he noticed the perfectly intact motorcycle by the roadside. The key was still in the ignition, and the engine was even still running...
Black Rope hesitated for a moment... then tentatively straddled the motorcycle.
He had often seen the Cyan Blue Star People riding these things. It seemed simpler to operate than a four-wheeled vehicle... you just had to twist the handle.
He subconsciously twisted it all the way. With a VROOOM, the motorcycle shot up into a wheelie and lurched forward!
But a crisis like this was no challenge for the powerful Black Rope. The black substance immediately surged from his wide sleeves, forming multiple two-meter-long tendrils to maintain his balance.
It looked bizarre, as if the motorcycle had sprouted spider legs.
After getting a feel for it, Black Rope pushed the speed to its maximum and went roaring off.
A portion of the black substance covered the license plate. Black Rope had already gained a good understanding of some of Cyan Blue’s rules, and he didn’t want to leave too many traces.
’But this thing under me is too loud...’ Black Rope had a sudden idea...
The black substance grew thicker and thicker, until, while speeding along, it completely enveloped the motorcycle.
The originally streamlined vehicle was transformed, now looking muscular and mysterious.
He had become a pitch-black rider...
’Hm... something’s still missing...’
Black Rope constructed a safety helmet for himself. He had noticed Yanhua law enforcement officers stopping people on the road who weren’t wearing helmets.
However, having only learned half the lesson, Black Rope constructed a helmet in the style of one for an electric scooter. Compared to the violent, pitch-black motorcycle beneath him, it looked a bit out of place.
VMMMM!! WHOOSH~~~~
Amidst the roar, black tendrils wrapped around a nearby utility pole, using it as leverage to execute an impossible hairpin turn, leaving a crushed, deformed dent in the metal pole.
With an exaggerated drift and a brutally powerful acceleration, the pitch-black rider vanished into the night, speeding toward Jinshui Villa.
==Portal==
[Monthly Ticket]