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墨書 Inktalez
The situation on the field had not improved. While Fang Zhengqing was relieved to be alive, Xu Hang and the others were still in shock over their failure to save Qi Huan, with no one paying attention to He Min, which was exactly what He Min wanted.
Soon, the five of them could no longer maintain their current position. The relentless attacks seemed intent on trapping them here, wearing down their stamina and patience.
Meanwhile, Chi Xiaoming was locked in combat with Sheng Chao. The former was stronger than the latter, but it was clear that Sheng Chao knew where Chi Xiaoming was injured and targeted that very spot. Instinctively, whenever Chi Xiaoming attempted any move, he had to accommodate his wound, inadvertently exposing his weakness.
He concluded that there was a traitor within their ranks; someone had leaked information about their recent activities. However, this realization could not save them at this moment.
Sheng Chao moved with remarkable agility. Whenever Chi Xiaoming defended against an attack from above, Sheng Chao would strike at his lower body. As Chi Xiaoming struggled to respond, Sheng Chao would unexpectedly change his attack direction. Moreover, Sheng Chao was cunning, managing to trap Chi Xiaoming for a moment—something Chi Xiaoming did not want to happen.
Glancing at the fallen trees scattered around, he noticed Xu Nuan was nowhere to be seen. His gaze shifted to Gu Ze, who was fiercely attacking the source of the traps, each punch drawing blood.
A figure remained hidden in the shadows, orchestrating a group of people to confront them. They had reached this point unscathed, but what they had previously perceived as Zhang Xiao's strength had now been starkly contrasted by Zhang Xiao's true abilities.
Frustration surged within him as Chi Xiaoming's eyes grew colder. At that moment, Sheng Chao dared to provoke him further.
"Oh, are you angry now? I thought you were just a Facial Paralysis case with only one expression."
Despite knowing this was Sheng Chao's tactic to rile him up, Chi Xiaoming couldn't help but take the bait. However, his reaction only made him more formidable rather than revealing more vulnerabilities for Sheng Chao to exploit.
With a swift sidestep, Chi Xiaoming twisted his right hand and aimed directly for Sheng Chao's throat. This move was one he hadn't used before, catching Sheng Chao off guard and causing him to stumble slightly as he lost his balance.
A perfect opportunity!
Chi Xiaoming's eyes lit up as he forced himself to pivot quickly. He bent his right knee forward, intending to strike Sheng Chao in the abdomen while reaching out with his left hand to grab Sheng Chao's collar. In his right hand, he drew a short knife, ready to deliver a fatal blow.
At that moment, he had no thoughts of mercy. Killing Sheng Chao was all that occupied his mind; there would be no letting the tiger return to the mountain. When facing an enemy, one must show no mercy.
As victory was within reach, Chi Xiaoming caught sight of Sheng Chao's sly smile, and the glint in his eyes was thick with a nauseating emotion.
Suddenly, a sound sliced through the air behind him, the unmistakable sound of a blade cutting through. However, Chi Xiaoming's hands were already occupied; he had no way to counter the attack coming from behind him. His body, propelled by inertia, moved forward, and he could see that Sheng Chao had drawn a knife.
If he fought back against the ambush from behind, he would be injured by Sheng Chao. If he continued to take Sheng Chao's life, his own would likely come to an end as well.
He had always schemed against others, never expecting to be outmaneuvered by Sheng Chao at this moment.
The situation was dire; he had no time for further analysis. Gritting his teeth, he decided to take a gamble. His left hand shot backward while his right hand flung the short knife away, and his left hand quickly reached up.
The moment he grasped the knife, Chi Xiaoming extended his right hand to block Sheng Chao's attack. His arm was already cut, but it was still a favorable outcome given the circumstances.
Being sandwiched between two attackers was no pleasant experience; Chi Xiaoming remained at a disadvantage. The humiliation made it hard for him to think of anything else. Just as he gritted his teeth and held on, a flash of light appeared in his line of sight—coming from directly in front of him, behind Sheng Chao.
Wu Yue, responsible for ambushing Chi Xiaoming, suddenly shouted.
"Sheng Chao, watch out!"
Sheng Chao turned around in haste, but it was too late. A short knife pierced his chest with an unstoppable force. Had he not turned back, perhaps he could have avoided this fate; the one who threw the knife had clearly calculated Sheng Chao's reaction.
"Gu Ze!"
Sheng Chao gritted his teeth, but the blade lodged in his heart swiftly took away his life. Just a second ago, he thought he could complete his mission; in the next moment, he collapsed with a thud.
This turn of events stunned both Chi Xiaoming and Wu Yue. They instinctively halted their movements, and then Chi Xiaoming heard Gu Ze's roar.
"Quick! Go find Nuan!"
Chi Xiaoming blinked slowly, his gaze falling upon Gu Ze, who was cornered like a trapped beast. In the midst of helping Chi Xiaoming, Gu Ze had dodged several attacks, but he still hadn't managed to break free.
A life for a life; Chi Xiaoming understood that he wasn't in a position to demand Gu Ze's all-out effort. The woman who was also trapped was Gu Ze's true objective.
Gu Ze was once again in danger, and Chi Xiaoming quickly regained his composure. He turned and elbowed Wu Yue. As she bent over in pain, he grabbed her hair and delivered a knee strike to her abdomen.
Wu Yue was no match for Sheng Chao; her behavior was even more childish than Deng Yinyin's, and her strength was lacking. After just two moves, she was demoralized and no longer wanted to struggle. However, Chi Xiaoming didn't have time to waste on her. He tossed her aside and dashed into the fallen trees.
Not hearing Xu Nuan's cries made him uneasy. What kind of situation would cause someone to fall silent?
At that moment, Chi Xiaoming had to prepare for the worst. He felt a sense of despair—not because he couldn't help Gu Ze in time, but because of Xu Nuan herself.
It was an emotion that erupted at an inopportune moment. Before he could sort through his feelings, he spotted Xu Nuan pounding her leg.
A wave of immense relief washed over him, yet it felt inappropriate.
This woman was different; Chi Xiaoming realized that her way of handling things always caught him off guard.
As his heart settled back into place, Chi Xiaoming buried those unclear emotions behind his usually stoic face. He hurried to Xu Nuan's side and halted her movements.
"If you really want to end up with a limp, then keep going."
His words were as sharp as ever, though only he understood the emotions behind them.
"Chi Xiaoming?"
Lost in her own emotions and acting purely on instinct, Xu Nuan slightly came to her senses. Upon confirming that the person before her wasn't an illusion, she immediately disregarded her injured left leg and tugged at Chi Xiaoming's sleeve, urgently asking questions.
"How is Ze? What happened to Ze?"
Gu Ze had saved him in a moment of crisis, hoping he would save Xu Nuan. The only time Gu Ze's expression faltered was when Xu Nuan was in danger. In this critical situation, all Xu Nuan wanted to know was about Gu Ze; her concern had always been solely for him.
Between these two, there was no room for anyone else to intervene.
His heart sank again for reasons he couldn't understand, and Chi Xiaoming maintained a serious tone.
"He’s fine for now and plans to leave that circle. I’ll take you out first."
Xu Nuan didn’t notice the stiffness in Chi Xiaoming’s words. Once she learned that Gu Ze was safe, her worries dissipated, and she finally realized that her own leg was what she should be concerned about.
"Can you help me move the tree?"
She managed to force a smile.
"It seems like my leg has lost all feeling."
Fear flickered in her light-colored eyes, her face showed signs of worry, and the twitching of her lips indicated her unease.
Chi Xiaoming had never imagined he could so accurately gauge another person's emotions. Yet it felt futile; the woman before him was holding on, pretending to be strong. He wasn’t Gu Ze; there was no need to expose such a facade and express concern.
"It’s probably just a pinched nerve. It should be fine once it gets some circulation."
But he found himself uttering insincere words. In the end, he didn’t know whether his mouth was deceiving his heart or vice versa.
However, upon seeing the momentary relief in Xu Nuan's eyes, he decided not to dwell on it any longer.
The tree was heavy, but Chi Xiaoming had plenty of strength. After choosing a suitable angle, he found a sturdy stick and effortlessly pried the tree up.
Xu Nuan's left leg still had no sensation, so she had to use her hands to drag it out, pulling it to a safe distance before wiping the sweat off her face.
However, the awkward situation arose; with one leg immobile, she couldn't stand up on her own, and the only person nearby was Chi Xiaoming.
To be honest, Xu Nuan was not a delicate person, but she instinctively rejected any contact with men other than Gu Ze. In the game, at such a critical moment, she knew she shouldn't be concerned about these things. She understood this logic but couldn't bring herself to act on it.
Before she could come up with a solution or gather her thoughts, Chi Xiaoming stepped forward to help her up, placing her hand on his shoulder as they moved forward.
In that moment, Xu Nuan felt her entire body stiffen and instinctively resisted. However, Chi Xiaoming's words—whether intentional or not—stopped her in her tracks.
"Aren't you supposed to be looking for Gu Ze? Hurry up."
His tone held a hint of impatience. Xu Nuan didn't delve deeper into it; she simply forced a dry smile and muttered a thank you.
The tree and the center of battle were not far apart, but with Xu Nuan's left leg completely useless, Chi Xiaoming didn't quicken his pace, worried that moving too fast would worsen her injury.
By the time they returned to the center of battle, most of the traps had already been triggered. The remaining attacks were not perilous, and the situation seemed to have improved.
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