Chapter 253: Cunning Tactics
After surveying the entire warehouse, they were well-prepared, everything was sufficient.
Except for the salt, which seemed insufficient to Ding Ning.
After severing communication, Ding Ning couldn’t help but sigh. Despite Xiong Jie’s promise to find more salt, she felt that this matter was quite troublesome for him.
After all, Xiong Jie was only at the fifth power level, which was considered inferior among humans.
To compete for precious human salt with such strength seemed like wishful thinking.
She silently contemplated, thinking that Xiong Jie probably desired freedom and thus fought so desperately.
She did not place much importance on human life, but if they were around her, she would care to some extent.
Ding Ning returned to her newly built small kitchen, where Hua was standing in front, holding a bowl of noodles that were left over and uneaten.
"How is it?" Ding Ning curiously looked at her, hoping she would offer some substantial advice.
"In terms of texture, there’s no problem."
"The taste, you can’t really tell." Hua shrugged.
Ding Ning rolled her eyes; this wasn’t helpful at all. She had tasted it herself, carefully controlling the cooking time, ensuring there was no issue whatsoever.
"There shouldn’t be any mistakes, adding more of a precious item is always right." Hua casually said, "The intention is what counts; the rest doesn’t matter."
Ding Ning agreed inwardly; humans always say no one is perfect.
There isn’t the best-tasting dish, only the most suitable palate.
Some things, especially tastes, need to be adjusted over time.
After realizing this, Ding Ning didn’t dwell on the matter any longer.
Jiang Che was undergoing a trial; in the illusion, he was drenched in blood, his hand holding a rusted Saw Meat Knife.
Ding Ning rested her chin on her hands, observing Jiang Che. In the illusion, weapons could morph according to one’s needs.
This was meant to hone combat skills, with all types of weapons available.
Jiang Che looked at the wooden puppet in front of him with a heavy heart.
This puppet was far more formidable than he had imagined.
The combat puppet’s movements and other aspects weren’t as stiff and mechanical as one might expect.
On the contrary, the puppet was incredibly agile, holding a large, blood-stained hammer, dragging it on the ground; it needed both hands to lift it.
Initially seeing its movement, Jiang Che involuntarily relaxed his vigilance.
As wielding an unwieldy weapon always appeared cumbersome during usage.
Jiang Che’s first death in the illusion had resulted from complacency.
Since then, he realized one could never be careless in battle.
No matter how clumsy the enemy seemed, one must exert their full effort.
Jiang Che had not received a formal education; his understanding of the world came from watching the television in the central hall of the Red Pearl Mental Hospital.
Sometimes cartoons played; occasionally, nurses conveniently played some dramas.
He had almost never seen news broadcasts.
The television was merely hung there; when mobile phones became widespread, the old television lost its internet functionality, and the hospital ceased paying for cable services.
Sometimes, he’d turn on the television, only to find a snowy screen.
Yet even so, patients often gathered before it, staring at the snowy display.
If Jiang Che had studied, he’d surely recall the phrase "a lion slaying a rabbit exerts full strength." in his mind.
Jiang Che didn’t know the puppet wasn’t automated, but controlled by Blood Slaughter behind it.
Battle emphasized flexibility and change; automation was too mechanical, easily predictable.
Enemies wouldn’t attack meticulously like puppets.
Blood Slaughter controlled the puppet, subtly imparting cunning combat techniques to Jiang Che.
Taking hits was always the fastest way to grow.
He controlled the puppet, wielding a large hammer; the puppet’s limbs were incredibly thin, struggling to maneuver the big hammer.
Jiang Che retreated a step, vividly recalling being smashed from head to toes into mincemeat.
Because it was an illusion, he could clearly understand the process.
Even the pain accompanied him constantly.
"This time, I won’t be careless." Jiang Che eyed the puppet laboriously hoisting the great hammer.
In his hands was a similarly massive Saw Meat Knife he held like the puppet, struggling to drag it beside him.
The puppet wielded the weapon with difficulty; he showcased even greater difficulty.
The Saw Meat Knife was huge, with a robust handle leading to a thick, damaged blade marred with blood stains.
Within the illusion, weapons morphed according to his needs.
When he exited, weapons would be plentiful.
He could even create weapons identical to his imagination.
This was inspired by the puppet, noticing each time it struggled with its weapon, he’d feel a tinge of contempt.
Though he told himself to treat it seriously.
Yet a lion facing a rabbit—a rabbit remains a rabbit.
Just like the laws of nature dictate, there’s innate disdain towards the weak, towards ants.
He mimicked wielding the weapon. Facing enemies henceforth, irrespective of their perception of him, he’d feign difficulty without undermining his strength.
Why not play along?
Blood Slaughter watched Jiang Che copying him and chuckled secretly from behind the scenes.
This kid indeed had a sly intelligence.
But this was precisely what he intended to teach him.
That is, feign weakness to mislead the enemy.
"Haha, still too young." Blood Slaughter controlled the puppet, exerting effort as it attacked Jiang Che.
This effort was only superficial, but calculating it, his speed and force were no different from normal attacks.
Jiang Che lifted the Saw Meat Knife, blocking horizontally.
Straight away, he deflected the hammer before him.
Bang—
The metallic crash numbed his ears; Jiang Che’s hands grew numb.
Last time, without countering, he was hammered to death.
This time, he resisted fully and acutely sensed the puppet’s power.
His arms trembled, joy in battling hadn’t arose when he felt a heavy pain in his chest.
Jiang Che grunted, glancing at his chest to see a puppet’s hand added there, clutching a long knife, stabbing towards his heart.
This time, Jiang Che saw clearly.
Under the puppet’s skin, the weapon-wielding hand was a dried fake; the real one emerged from its chest.
Why did the puppet need two hands for the weapon, why did his own two-handed grip seem so real, because its one visible hand was fake!