Captain Zhao’s eyes snapped toward the source of the sound, her pupils shrinking into sharp pinpoints.

  ?Shing!

  ?With a fluid, practiced motion, she drew her sword from its scabbard, the cold steel gleaming under the dim light of the Black Wolf Mountain Range.

  ?The members of the Iron-Fist Mercenary Group didn't hesitate for a second.

  ?They fanned out, their boots crunching on the dry leaves as they took up defensive positions.

  ?Su Han cursed silently under his breath, his heart hammering against his ribs.

  ?"What a terrible time for this..." he thought, his jaw tightening until his teeth ached.

  ?He had just barely survived a life-and-death struggle with the Four-Colored Snake, and his body was still screaming in protest.

  ?He reached for his Wolf-Tooth Dagger, his fingers gripping the hilt so hard his knuckles turned white.

  ?Click!

  ?The small blade was ready, and Su Han directed a gaze filled with pure, unadulterated rage toward the trees.

  ?The mocking laughter grew louder, echoing through the hollows of the forest.

  ?"Lucy, you’re here too? Now, isn't that a pleasant surprise!" a voice boomed from the shadows.

  ?Four or five figures emerged from behind the thick trunks, moving with a predatory grace.

  ?The leader of the pack was a man who looked to be around twenty-five years old, but his appearance was repulsive.

  ?He had a dark, swarthy face and narrow, slit-like eyes that darted around like those of a cornered rat.

  ?He looked filthy, carrying an aura of rot and malice that made the air around him feel heavy.

  ?Behind him stood his followers, each looking just as crooked and dangerous as their leader.

  ?Captain Zhao’s brow furrowed deep, her face clouding over with a mix of recognition and pure disgust.

  ?The Iron-Fist mercenaries didn't lower their guard; instead, they gripped their blades even tighter.

  ?The newcomers were dressed in striking red robes, and each held a wicked, curved blade that caught the light.

  ?Anyone who knew the power dynamics of the Blue Sky Continent would recognize them instantly.

  ?They were from the Shadow-Blade Sect.

  ?Su Han’s eyes flickered with a dangerous light, his mind racing through past memories.

  ?He had encountered people from this sect before—and he had ended them.

  ?Though he was sure he had left no witnesses, he couldn't help but feel a pang of worry.

  ?"Did I leave a trace? Do they have some secret method to track their dead?" he wondered.

  ?The Shadow-Blade Sect was no joke; they were a massive organization with branches and headquarters in almost every major city and country.

  ?But more than that, Su Han was worried about why they were here at this exact moment.

  ?Ping!

  ?Su Han mentally summoned the blue System Screen, his eyes scanning the digital interface to gauge the enemy's strength.

  ?As the data appeared, his heart skipped a beat, and his breath hitched in his throat.

  ?The leader with the dark face and narrow eyes had reached the 9th Level of the Body Refining Realm.

  ?The others weren't weak either; two were at the 8th Level, and the remaining two were at the 7th Level.

  ?Su Han had only recently stepped into the 7th Level of Body Refining.

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  ?While he wasn't afraid of a 7th or 8th-level fighter in a fair match, this was different.

  ?A 9th-level leader backed by four high-level warriors meant the odds were stacked heavily against him.

  ?"Fighting them all at once... it’ll be a suicide mission," he realized, his survival instincts screaming at him to find a way out.

  ?"Liu Ba... what are you doing here?"

  ?The voice that cut through the tension was cold and sharp, yet carried a strange, melodic sweetness.

  ?It was Captain Zhao.

  ?The man, Liu Ba, let his gaze wander over Captain Zhao—no, over Lucy—from head to toe.

  ?His narrow eyes crinkled even more, and a slow, oily smile spread across his face.

  ?Schlurp.

  ?He actually licked his lips, his eyes lingering on her curves with a filthy, shameless hunger.

  ?"Ah, Lucy... you just keep getting more beautiful every time I see you," he drawled.

  ?His eyes roamed from her boots to her chest, finally settling on her face with a disgusting, lewd grin.

  ?The way he spoke, punctuated by that revolting tongue-flick, showed exactly what kind of trash he was.

  ?The Iron-Fist mercenaries looked at him with pure hatred, their fingers twitching on their hilts.

  ?If they weren't so outnumbered and outmatched in power, they would have charged him already.

  ?Su Han’s eyes narrowed into slits, his disgust for the man growing with every second.

  ?Captain Zhao was visibly trembling, not out of fear, but out of a white-hot, simmering rage.

  ?However, she kept her voice as cold as a mountain glacier.

  ?"You have no business here, Liu Ba."

  ?She pointed her sword toward the path they came from.

  ?"Take your dogs and get lost. Now!"

  Liu Ba didn’t care about her words. His filthy, greasy eyes continued to roam over her body, lingering where they shouldn't.

  ?The men behind him were no better. They stood there with twisted grins, looking at Captain Zhao like she was a prize to be won.

  ?Captain Zhao’s patience finally snapped. Her voice turned into a jagged edge of ice, cold enough to freeze the humid forest air.

  ?"Do you want to fight? Because if you do, I am more than ready!"

  ?She leveled her sword directly at Liu Ba’s throat, her eyes burning with a silent, deadly promise.

  ?Liu Ba saw how far he had pushed her and let out a low, mocking chuckle. He didn't look scared; he looked amused.

  ?"Oh, Lucy... why so much anger? I was only praising your legendary beauty."

  ?He puffed out his chest, trying to look imposing, but only managed to look even more repulsive.

  ?"I’m quite the catch myself, you know. Brave, skilled, and handsome. What do you really think of me?"

  ?Standing to the side, Su Han’s eyes widened in total disbelief. He looked at the man from head to toe, wondering if he was delusional.

  ?"Where does this guy get his confidence from?" Su Han thought, feeling a sudden wave of nausea hit him.

  ?Liu Ba was short, swarthy, and had the kind of face only a mother could tolerate. To Su Han, he looked like a heap of walking trash.

  ?Captain Zhao spat on the ground in pure disgust. She didn't hide her hatred for even a second.

  ?"Liu Ba, know your place! Have you ever even looked in a mirror?"

  ?She stepped forward, the tip of her sword trembling slightly from the force of her rage.

  ?"Don't ever call me Lucy again. My name is Zhao Lucy! Keep your filthy eyes off me, or I’ll gouge them out myself!"

  ?Clang!

  ?The steel of her blade hummed as she pointed it right between his narrow, rat-like eyes.

  ?"Woah, woah! Take it easy. You'll ruin that pretty face of yours with all that frowning."

  ?Liu Ba waved a hand dismissively. He looked past her at the snake carcass, his true intentions finally showing in his greedy eyes.

  ?"We were just passing through. Since we're old friends, why not sit down and share this loot together?"

  ?Captain Zhao knew it. These vultures from the Shadow-Blade Sect were here for one thing: to steal what they hadn't earned.

  ?The Iron-Fist mercenaries felt their blood boil. Their knuckles turned white as they gripped their weapons with shaking hands.

  ?"Don't even think about it, Liu Ba! We bled for this. This kill belongs to us, and us alone!" one mercenary growled.

  ?Suddenly, one of Liu Ba’s lackeys stepped forward, swinging a wicked-looking blade in a lazy circle.

  ?Swish!

  ?"Shut your mouth! When our handsome leader is talking, trash like you should stay quiet."

  ?A cold, sharp voice suddenly cut through the tension, vibrating with a mocking tone that made everyone freeze.

  ?"Are you talking about that black crow? That ugly, stinking piece of garbage... is that really your leader?"

  ?The forest went silent. Every head turned toward Su Han, who was staring at Liu Ba with a look of pure, cold indifference.

  ?Liu Ba’s oily smile vanished instantly. His narrow eyes turned into slits of pure malice. No one had ever dared to insult him like this.

  ?Calling him a "black crow" was a slap to his pride that he couldn't ignore.

  ?"Boy... take those words back right now. Get on your knees and beg for mercy, and I might let you live."

  ?Su Han didn't flinch. He let out a short, dry laugh that echoed through the trees.

  ?"I only spoke the truth. Are you guys blind? At first glance, I honestly thought he was a crow. How was I supposed to know he was your boss?"

  ?He looked Liu Ba up and down one more time, his lip curling in a sneer.

  ?"Actually, now that I look closer... I see a tiny bit of human in there. Fine, for your sake, I’ll pretend he’s a person."

  ?The Iron-Fist mercenaries couldn't help it; a few snickers broke out among them. Even Captain Zhao had a tiny, fleeting smile on her lips.

  ?She was impressed by Su Han’s guts, but internally, she was screaming. She knew the Shadow-Blade Sect didn't take insults lightly.

  ?"Boy... you clearly don't know what death feels like," Liu Ba whispered, his voice trembling with a violent urge.

  ?Su Han shrugged, his gaze steady. "To be honest, I didn't. But looking at your face? I think most people would just die of fright."

  ?The laughter from the mercenaries grew louder. Liu Ba’s eyes turned blood-red with fury.

  ?Captain Zhao’s grip on her sword tightened until her palm hurt. She knew Su Han had gone too far this time.

  ?Liu Ba stared at Su Han for a long, heavy moment before letting out a high-pitched, crazed laugh.

  ?"Fine... very well. Since people die just by looking at me, it’s only fair that you die too!"

  ?Squelch!

  ?At his signal, the Shadow-Blade members raised their jagged blades, their killing intent filling the air like a thick fog.

  ?The Iron-Fist mercenaries felt a cold sweat break out on their backs. They knew the real slaughter was about to begin.