Weipotian turned his head and saw that the rookie Angels with Broken Wings were mostly battered and bruised. Though only four of the blood clan’s warriors remained, the situation was still perilously one-sided. One of his companions had fallen, whether dead or alive, unknown. All of them, including himself, had already used stimulants, and he seemed to be the last one with any fighting strength left; the other rookies couldn’t even break through the encirclement.
Weipotian clenched his fists and let out a roar like a wounded beast. He charged over, forcing the blood clan warriors back, and then heaved the unconscious rookie onto his shoulder and dashed towards the expeditionary army camp. The other rookies from Angels with Broken Wings glanced at Qianye with complex expressions before following Weipotian away from the battlefield.
Qianye, who had attracted most of the blood clan warriors, changed his previous style of trading injuries for lives and began moving and shifting positions. With his agile movements and speed, he narrowly evaded several attempts to intercept him. After a few exchanges, neither side had managed to land a hit. Finally, a blood clan warrior, unable to contain his frustration, clumsily lunged at Qianye. With a dull thud, the warrior staggered back, while Qianye was sent flying.
However, the blood clan warriors quickly realized something was wrong: Qianye had rolled into a narrow alleyway. Enraged, the deceived warriors howled like a pack of wolves and chased after him into the dark streets.
The Blood Knight started with a sinister grin, but suddenly felt dizzy and almost fell. Startled, he looked down and discovered that the blood flowing from his wound was black and reeked of putrefaction!
The Blood Knight paled and desperately channeled his blood force to suppress the poison in his wound, temporarily preventing it from worsening. But he knew he couldn’t afford to delay any longer; he needed to return for immediate treatment.
Though the human was badly injured and had avoided direct confrontation, ten blood clan warriors were still pursuing him. The Blood Knight felt certain that this disruptor would not escape. He glared hatefully at the alleyway before turning and disappearing into the night.
Qianye gasped for breath, his wounds burning painfully, and a constant sense of emptiness washing over him. In his mind, he had a map, and the chosen battleground was not far ahead. However, his blood force and origin power were nearly depleted after the short but intense battle.
Qianye took a leap, twisting in mid-air to fire the second shot with “Butcher.” The blood clan warriors behind him slowed, but he knew they would only become more enraged and chase him relentlessly. This was his goal—to keep these blood warriors occupied long enough for Weipotian and the others to reach the expeditionary army headquarters and possibly find reinforcements in time to return.
Thinking of this, Qianye couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Reinforcements? It was wishful thinking.
A towering, cloud-piercing tower loomed before him, constructed from countless deep gray metal pipes of varying sizes, each section punctuated by large gears the height of an adult, intricately meshed, with even the thinnest parts as thick as elephant legs. This was the giant steam mechanism known as the “Kuafu’s Arm,” which had been used in the construction of the Dark Blood City walls. Now, this behemoth had lain dormant for years, rusting in many places.
This was where Qianye had chosen to make his stand, a terrain complex enough to disrupt the encircling forces. Yet, Qianye knew that even if he could take out a few more blood warriors, he would never last until Weipotian returned.
When the Eagle Strike roared, Qianye had anticipated this outcome. He couldn’t explain why he had acted, or why he had risked his life for Weipotian and the rookies he barely knew.
Perhaps it was the influence of Bailongjia, or perhaps the image of the Red Scorpion Captain still lingered in his mind. Standing on the great battlefield against the dark races, many thoughts seemed to change involuntarily.
Qianye had always disliked Bailongjia, who was arrogant and condescending, focusing only on lineage and talent. In short, the faults of a noble scion were magnified in Bailongjia. Apart from his formidable strength, there was almost no reason to like him.
Qianye still remembered the comment Bailongjia had written in his file: “Trash from the garbage dump is still trash.”
Yet, despite his flaws, Bailongjia had single-handedly held off two powerful opponents to allow the rookies to escape, standing firm on the long street, refusing to retreat. Just that one figure was enough for Qianye to forget all past grievances.
In Qianye’s eyes, Weipotian and the other young ones were still rookies. These rookies might become the backbone of the empire’s military in the future! Since they were rookies, it was natural for Qianye, as a veteran, to protect them from the enemy, just as the Red Scorpion Captain had done with his own body to push back the Black Tide.
When the Eagle Strike roared, Qianye forgot that he was no longer a soldier of the empire and that if he were still in the army, he would still be a rookie.
Qianye reached the base of the tower, crouched, and leapt onto the bluestone pedestal. Grabbing a horizontal bar, he swung up, and in a few leaps, he climbed to the first platform. Pressing his back against a giant gear, he checked the “Butcher” in his hand, which held one last solid bullet. Below, the blood clan warriors were accelerating towards him.
Suddenly, Qianye sensed something and leapt aside, half-concealing himself behind a metal plate. Looking up, he saw a tall, slender figure on the upper platform, long limbs making him unforgettable.
Qianye recognized this person. That night, he had seen him pass by and witnessed his brief but fierce battle with the werewolf. This was a sixth-level expert, and Qianye could smell the strong scent of blood on him. His pale, predatory eyes reminded Qianye of many beasts, both powerful and cunning.
Whether facing dark races or beasts, Qianye was confident. But this man made him extremely wary. The most dangerous enemies of humans are often humans themselves.
“Are you Qianye?” the man asked.
Qianye’s heart sank slightly. “Yes, I am.”
“I’m Yu Renshen, and I’m here specifically for the matter at Blackstream City.”
Qianye paused, then calmed himself, slowing his breathing and adjusting his injured and exhausted body to the best fighting condition. Although Yu Renshen outclassed him in every way, Qianye was not one to sit and wait for death.
Yu Renshen slid a short blade from his sleeve into his left hand and drew an old-fashioned, double-barreled origin power pistol from his waist. He activated a mechanism, and a blade emerged from under the barrel.
Qianye’s heart sank further. Just by looking at the weapons, he knew this man’s fighting style was similar to his own, making him a very difficult opponent. Moreover, many blood clan warriors were still chasing him.
A blood clan warrior burst out of the dim alleyway. Spotting Qianye, he grinned wickedly and sprinted full speed, leaping onto the bluestone pedestal. He was about to climb higher when he sensed something amiss and detected Yu Renshen’s presence. When Yu Renshen didn’t conceal himself, the stench of a carrion eater clung to him, making even the fiercest blood clan warriors feel unease. It was the feeling of one predator encountering another.
One by one, the blood clan warriors appeared, closing in slowly.
Yu Renshen didn’t wait for Qianye to speak. Instead, he moved to the side, clearing the path upward, and said, “I should kill you now, but since there are so many blood vermin here, I’ll have to change the order. I’ll deal with these bloodsucking zombies first, then I’ll come for you. Come up; we’ll finish them on the top level. You take three, and I’ll take seven.”
Qianye narrowed his eyes, nodded, and said, “Fair enough!” Then he leaped, flashing past Yu Renshen and heading for the top of the tower.
Yu Renshen faced off against the blood clan warriors, slowly retreating until he reached the rooftop.
As the blood clan warriors rushed onto the rooftop, the battle erupted!
Qianye swung his axe, cutting down three blood clan warriors with a flurry of blows, not bothering to defend himself. At the same time, he saw Yu Renshen holding the last blood clan warrior, slicing open his throat with a knife.
Yu Renshen was indeed a master, having killed seven blood clan warriors nearly as fast as Qianye. This wasn’t just due to the difference in levels; in combat skills, Yu Renshen was almost on par with Qianye, who had trained in the Netherworld and the Red Scorpions.
Qianye leaned against a metal crate, struggling to stay on his feet. His body burned inside and out, and his blood force and origin power were completely drained. New wounds added to the pain, and his left arm was numb, and he wondered if it was still attached.
Yu Renshen was also injured, but his wounds were shallow and minor, just flesh wounds.
“Now it’s our turn,” Qianye said.
He couldn’t hold the axe anymore, gripping a short blade taken from a blood clan warrior in his right hand.
Yu Renshen examined Qianye, saying, “You’re the one responsible for Qi Yue, aren’t you?”
Qianye was about to admit it, but Yu Renshen waved him off.
“No, say nothing. If you do, it will only make things harder for me. Though I dislike the military’s ways, I’m still a soldier.”
Yu Renshen put away his weapons, looking at his wounds, and said, “I saw your battle… anyway, I’m injured too, and I can’t kill you now. I’ll let it go this time. But next time, I won’t show mercy. So, remember my face and pray, kid, don’t let me find you again!”
With that, Yu Renshen walked to the edge of the rooftop. As he passed Qianye, he said, “These guys’ blood is still warm; drink it while it’s hot, or you won’t survive the night.”
Qianye met Yu Renshen’s gaze, his eyes widening, then calmed, realizing that his blood force was no longer concealed.
Yu Renshen saw the stubborn light in Qianye’s eyes. His pupils, still unsteady, flickered between black and white twice, revealing a mocking expression. “Staying true isn’t a bad thing, but sometimes it’s out of place.”
Qianye’s vision was a haze of red, growing blurry. He was still mulling over Yu Renshen’s words when he heard the sound of wind rushing towards him. With no strength to dodge, he was knocked to the ground by a heavy object. Warm droplets splashed over him, and the sweet energy enveloped him like a web.
Yu Renshen’s voice came from far away, “On the battlefield, to survive and kill more werewolves, I ate my comrades’ corpses.”
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