Chapitre 14: Chapter 14: The King of Short Distances (3)
The horse had no chance to resist; with a single agonizing cry, it collapsed, blood splattering across the ground. The suddenness of this scene caught Zhou Longyun off guard, sending him tumbling forward, looking somewhat clumsy.
Thud…
The four Meridian Opening Realm warriors closely following Zhou Longyun also stumbled as their horses tripped, throwing them forward in an awkward cascade.
Whoosh!
In a flash, Hunter Liu moved behind Zhou Longyun and his group, blocking their path once more. His gaze was cold and indifferent, as if their struggle meant nothing to him. So long as they didn't cross the bridge, it was as if they were strangers to him.
"You little punk! You dared to kill our mounts—that takes some guts." Zhou Longyun steadied himself, his face filled with rage. "Everyone, attack with all you've got! We're not crossing this bridge until we tear this brat limb from limb."
Even though Zhou Longyun knew they were on a tight schedule, with someone on the other side still hacking at the ropes to destroy the bridge, he couldn't hold back. He wouldn't be satisfied until he crushed Hunter Liu completely.
"Kill me? Ha, I'd like to see if the Skeleton Gang's bite is as fierce as its bark," Hunter Liu scoffed, watching Zhou Longyun's anger with a hint of disdain. Without hesitation, he swung his blade, taking the initiative to attack.
Clang…
Hunter Liu swiftly advanced toward Zhou Longyun, thrusting his blade with a precise, almost sword-like finesse. Zhou Longyun, though, as a Meridian Opening Realm warrior, read Hunter Liu's attack trajectory and blocked it with ease.
Swish…
With his attack thwarted, Hunter Liu immediately retreated.
This was a classic assassin's tactic: if one strike fails, flee a thousand miles away.
Zhou Longyun's expression turned grim. He realized that Hunter Liu's short-distance movement speed was so fast that catching him, let alone landing a hit, seemed nearly impossible.
It wasn't that Zhou Longyun was slow, but rather that his short-distance speed simply couldn't match Hunter Liu's.
Hunter Liu's past life as an assassin had honed his speed and killing skills. In this world, his speed was even ten or a hundred times faster, rivaling that of ordinary Meridian Opening Realm warriors.
"You brat, all you do is rely on speed to escape! Do you really think you can delay us here with that one trick? What a joke," Zhou Longyun yelled. "Everyone, surround him. I refuse to believe that five of us can't take down one of him."
As Zhou Longyun finished, the other four enforcers positioned themselves in a semicircle, closing in on Hunter Liu.
Hunter Liu stood still, calm under pressure. He knew he was on the wooden suspension bridge, barely three meters wide, and all he needed was a few minutes for Huihui on the other side to finish cutting the ropes, severing the bridge entirely.
The calm lake below awaited them. Once the bridge snapped, they'd plunge straight into the water.
This was exactly what Hunter Liu was counting on. His job now was simply to delay Zhou Longyun and his men for a few minutes.
Seeing Zhou Longyun and his men moving to surround him, Hunter Liu grew uneasy. Facing a single Meridian Opening Realm warrior, he could hold his ground. Against five of them working together, however, blocking them—even delaying them—would be a challenge.
"Five against one, huh? Fine, then I'll target just one of you at a time. Let's see you villains learn what true killing intent looks like."
Hunter Liu's gaze turned from detached to icy. He lunged forward again, his movements blurry, his speed swift like an illusion.
Slash…
Suddenly, his blade pierced the defenses of one of the enforcers, slicing into his waist, drawing a stream of blood.
"Huh? How did he break through my guard? I didn't even notice it!" The wounded enforcer clutched his side, desperately trying to stem the bleeding, his face filled with shock and disbelief. He had prepared his defenses, yet somehow, Hunter Liu's unexpected attack had broken through, leaving him injured.
"Be careful, everyone! He's not that strong, it's just his short-distance speed. Focus on defending against his attacks. I'll take the lead so he can't reach me," Zhou Longyun said, quickly positioning himself at the forefront of the semicircle, advancing on Hunter Liu.
"They've already seen through my tactic. Looks like there's no choice but to face them head-on. Sigh, seems I'm in for some serious injuries," Hunter Liu thought. He knew his own limitations well. While his speed rivaled that of typical Meridian Opening Realm warriors—especially for short distances, where he could even match third- or fourth-stage warriors—his attack power was pitiful in comparison. It was barely on par with a tenth-stage Body Refining warrior, making any direct confrontation difficult.
Creak…
But just as tension mounted, and the two sides were about to clash, the wooden planks beneath their feet began to creak, vibrating slightly.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone