Kapitel 72: Their Stance

Stepping out of the university and into the open, Lucas followed the trail of fresh green blood that Lucy had mentioned. The wind rustled through the overgrown grass, and the distant sound of birds and rustling leaves created an eerie backdrop for his thoughts.

'Where are you, Meri?'

As he followed the trail, he kept a sharp eye on his surroundings. The area beyond the barrier was rife with dangers – zombies lurking around every corner and potential threats from other survivors. He tightened his grip on the jian by his side, his senses on high alert.

The blood trail led him down a narrow alleyway between two buildings. The walls were stained with graffiti, and the ground was littered with debris. Lucas navigated the path with care, his footsteps cautious and deliberate. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this situation than met the eye.

His mind raced with thoughts – was Meri in trouble? Had she encountered hostile survivors? Or had she ventured out of her own accord for some reason? He couldn't afford to jump to conclusions, but he had to be prepared for any possibility.

'An opened door?'

At the end of the alley, he noticed a door slightly ajar. The fresh green blood was more pronounced here, and it was evident that this was the place the trail had led. His heart pounded in his chest as he pushed the door open slowly, jian raised and ready.

The room beyond was dimly lit, and an unfamiliar scent hung in the air. He stepped inside cautiously, his senses on overdrive. The scene before him was unexpected – a room filled with tattoo artwork.

'Could this be related to Meri's disappearance? Or was it something entirely different?' Confusion clouded his thoughts.

Lucas's mind raced as he tried to piece together what he was seeing. He scanned the room for any clues, any sign of her presence. But there was nothing – no indication that Meri had been here.

Seeing no sign of Meri or anyone else, Lucas stepped back into the alleyway, his mind spinning with thoughts. The trail had led him here, yet it seemed to have gone cold. He needed more information, more clues.

As he continued to search the surrounding area, his thoughts were consumed by the room he had discovered. 'Someone has been here, but who?' He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't immediately notice the faint rustling of leaves and the subtle shift in the surrounding air.

"Bang, Bang, Bang-"

Suddenly, a sharp sound pierced the air – the distinct click of a gun being cocked. Lucas's instincts kicked in, and he dropped to the ground, narrowly evading a hail of bullets that whizzed past him. He rolled behind a nearby abandoned car, the jian still tightly in his hand.

With his heart racing, he glanced out from behind the car and saw three figures stepping out from the darkness. One of them gripped a firearm, another wielded a knife, and a different approach altogether was seen in yet another one, where bare hands were the only weapons involved.

Lucas's mind raced as he assessed the situation. These might be the people connected to Meri's disappearance, whether she had gone outside willingly or not. If he wanted answers, he needed to get them from these individuals.

Recognition flashed in their eyes as they spotted Lucas. They didn't know his name, but they clearly remembered his face from their encounter at the gym. The memory of that meeting was etched in their minds, and they associated him with danger.

"Hey, you!" one of them shouted, his voice dripping with hostility. "You're that guy who barged into our base, the one who came and left without even an apology."

Lucas remained hidden behind the car, a sinking realization dawning on him. Why did it seem that every other human he encountered had ill intentions? His mind raced to find a way out of this perilous situation. He hadn't anticipated a confrontation like this, but he couldn't afford to let his guard down. He glanced around, searching for any potential escape routes.

Lucas's grip on the jian tightened. He knew he had to stay calm and focused, even as the odds seemed stacked against him. He couldn't let these individuals harm him, especially not when he was the only one who could potentially bring back answers about Meri's disappearance.

"Look, I don't want any trouble," Lucas called out, his voice steady. "I'm just looking for someone – a woman. She came this way. Have you seen her?"

The trio exchanged glances; suspicion evident in their eyes. Lucas's words seemed to have caught them off guard, momentarily shifting their focus.

"So, what if we did?" the first one sneered. "What are you going to do about it? Besides, a dead guy can't harm us." He laughed.

As if on cue, he opened fire once more, bullets tearing through the air toward Lucas's hiding spot. He reacted quickly, using the abandoned car as cover and using his jian to deflect any bullets that came too close.

Lucas's mind raced as he tried to formulate a plan. He knew he couldn't stay trapped behind the car forever, and he needed to find a way to incapacitate these individuals without causing unnecessary harm to himself.

It would be better if it were just one person, but no, there were three people. Even if he were to fight the guy with the gun, the other guy with the knife would have a chance to kill him. He needed to think fast and quickly.

With a deep breath, Lucas lunged forward, his jian raised high. The assailants reacted with a mix of surprise and panic. The one with the gun stumbled back, fumbling to reload as Lucas closed the distance between them.

The man with the knife reacted quickly, lunging at Lucas with a vicious swipe. Lucas deftly sidestepped the attack, narrowly avoiding the blade. He countered with a swift strike of his jian, aiming for the man's wrist to disarm him. The blade made contact with the man's forearm, causing him to drop the knife with a grunt of pain.

Meanwhile, the woman, armed only with her bare hands, moved with unexpected agility. She feinted towards Lucas before sidestepping, attempting to get behind him. Lucas's senses were on high alert as he pivoted to face her, keeping both the remaining assailants in his field of vision.

The man, nursing his injured arm, made a desperate grab for his fallen knife. Lucas seized the opportunity and unleashed a controlled burst of fireball from his free hand, sending a stream of flames towards the blade. The intense heat caused the knife to sizzle and warp, rendering it useless.

The woman, however, was relentless. She closed the distance between them in a flash, her movements fluid and controlled. Lucas swung his jian in a defensive arc, but the woman's strikes were precise and relentless. Despite his efforts to parry, a sharp pain radiated from his side as her strike landed, grazing him.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Lucas retaliated with a series of rapid strikes. The woman's mastery of martial arts became evident as she expertly deflected his attacks, her movements blending seamlessly into a defensive dance.

Their clash intensified, each move calculated and executed with precision. Lucas managed to land a glancing blow on her shoulder, but she retaliated with a swift kick to his chest, knocking him back. He stumbled, his breath coming in ragged gasps as the pain from his side flared.

Seizing the opportunity, the man holding the gun surged forward, hoping to take advantage of Lucas's temporary weakness. "Bang, bang—" Lucas's instincts kicked in, and he deftly avoided the speeding bullet, narrowly escaping its trajectory. Reacting swiftly, he responded with a forceful punch that landed accurately on the man's jaw.

As the punch connected with the man's jaw, Lucas didn't relent. He unleashed a flurry of fireballs aimed at the man's head, each one crackling with intense energy. The fiery orbs streaked through the air with purpose, homing in on their target. Explosions of heat and light erupted as the fireballs impacted the man's head, creating a chaotic display of flames and smoke.

The assailant staggered backward, disoriented by the barrage of magical fire. His grip on the gun loosened, and his attempts to defend against the onslaught were in vain. The repeated impacts of the fireballs wore down his resistance, leaving him vulnerable and struggling to regain his footing.

Lucas pressed his advantage, maintaining his focus as he conjured more fireballs, sending them whirling toward the disarmed and bewildered man. The intense heat radiating from the fireballs made the air shimmer around them, creating an otherworldly spectacle.

With each impact, the man's resolve weakened, and his attempts to counter the magical assault grew feeble. The combination of precision and power in Lucas's attacks left no room for the man to recover or retaliate effectively. The crackling flames and explosive bursts created a mesmerizing yet perilous environment as the battle raged on.

However, his moment of triumph was short-lived as the woman seized the opportunity to strike once more. Her fists connected with Lucas's abdomen, sending a jolt of pain through his body. Gritting his teeth, he fought through the discomfort and swung his jian in a sweeping arc.

As the blade cut through the air, Lucas hoped his desperate gamble would pay off, providing him with the opening he needed to turn the tide of the battle.

The blade cut through the air, and the woman managed to evade the strike by a hair's breadth, her movements fluid and graceful. She countered with a lightning-fast kick to Lucas's injured side, causing him to falter and stumble to one knee.

Despite the pain and exhaustion, Lucas refused to yield. He summoned his remaining energy, channeling it into one last surge of power. With a fierce battle cry, he launched a devastating fireball towards the woman. The flames engulfed her, and she cried out in pain as her clothes caught fire.

In the midst of the chaos, the woman's focus wavered for a crucial moment. Lucas seized the opportunity, lunging forward with his jian. The blade struck true, cutting through the air and finding its mark. The woman's eyes widened in shock as the jian pierced her side.

She stumbled back, her movements growing sluggish as the flames continued to lick at her body. Lucas watched as she collapsed to the ground, defeated but not without a fierce determination still visible in her eyes.

Breathing heavily, Lucas stood his ground, his body aching and his breath ragged. He surveyed the scene before him, his heart racing with a mixture of triumph and exhaustion. Two of the assailants had been dealt with, but one had managed to escape, leaving him with a trail of unanswered questions.

With a deep sigh, Lucas allowed himself a moment to catch his breath. The pain in his side throbbed, a reminder of the fierce battle he had just endured. As the adrenaline began to fade, he realized the magnitude of his injuries. It was clear that he, too, would need medical attention and time to recover.