Claw of the Blood Wolf

The evening in Tianhai City was shrouded in a layer of hazy industrial exhaust.

The setting sun, like a giant, red-hot iron ball, hung heavily in the western sky, casting an ominous bloody hue over the dilapidated factory buildings and rusted pipes of the abandoned industrial zone in the west of the city.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of rust, machine oil, and the burning of some chemical waste.

Lin Xiao walked alone on a secluded path swallowed by immense shadows.

This path connected the school to the abandoned factory in the depths of the western industrial zone where he was temporarily staying. It was rarely used, and at this moment, it seemed even more desolate and silent.

The wind whistled through twisted steel frames and broken windows, like the wails of vengeful spirits.

His pace was not fast, his right arm still hidden within the wide sleeve of his school uniform, and every movement carried a subtle stiffness.

The wound on his back, slashed by a dart, ached faintly as it was soaked with sweat.

The heaviest burden was the shackles in his mind, the [-1.4] and the constant, low hum of depletion from the depths of his soul.

Muddled energy flowed restlessly through his meridians, bringing waves of heat and a sense of stagnation.

Qin Bing's cold, sharp eyes seemed to still be staring at him from behind.

The theft of the Body Tempering Fluid, the attention from the Special Operations Ninth Division… these were like invisible threads, entangling him and making his steps heavy.

He had to get Source Energy Points as soon as possible! That "Old Ghost"...

Just as he rounded a corner piled with discarded oil drums—

Whoosh!

Several figures, like hyenas emerging from the shadows, instantly blocked his path forward and backward!

Ahead, three burly men in black elastic tank tops, their muscles bulging and eyes fierce, spread out in a fan formation, blocking the way.

They held no weapons, but their knuckles cracked as they clenched them, radiating a strong killing intent. All of them were at least mid-stage One-Star Martial Artists!

Far stronger than Ah Qi before!

Behind him, three equally imposing thugs blocked his retreat. One of them carried a short club wrapped in chains and studded with spikes, his eyes like those of a bloodthirsty beast.

A total of six people! Forming a tight encirclement!

Trapping Lin Xiao firmly in the middle!

A killing intent far more intense and violent than ever before, like a tangible, viscous mire, instantly enveloped the small space!

The very air seemed to freeze!

"Lin Xiao!" a hoarse voice, like sandpaper scraping against rust, filled with undisguised ferocity and mockery, came from the shadows of a pile of discarded machinery to the side.

Scarface Qiang!

He strode out slowly, his tall figure like a moving iron tower. The ferocious scar on his face appeared even more menacing in the bloody light of the setting sun.

His hands were shoved into his pockets, his eyes fixed on him like a cat toying with trapped prey, full of cruel, feline pleasure.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time," Scarface Qiang grinned, revealing his tobacco-stained teeth. "Your debt with Ah Qi, we'll settle it all today, principal and interest!"

He didn't give Lin Xiao any chance to speak, not even bothering with pleasantries!

With a sudden wave of his hand!

"Go! Cripple him for me! Just keep him alive!"

Following Scarface Qiang's cold command, the six thugs, like starving wolves, their eyes blazing with ferocity, launched their attacks simultaneously!

Their movements were swift and their coordination seamless, clearly practiced many times!

The three in front charged forward, one stomping the ground, his fist the size of a sand pot whistling through the air towards Lin Xiao's face!

Another ducked low and swept a leg, like a steel whip, aiming for Lin Xiao's lower body!

The third moved like a phantom, cutting in from the side, his five fingers forming a claw, whistling as they tore through the air, lunging fiercely at Lin Xiao's injured right arm!

Their target was clear: to completely disable his remaining combat ability!

The three behind also surged forward at the same time!

The thug with the chain-wrapped club swung the heavy weapon, bringing it down with a whistling wind towards Lin Xiao's back!

The other two, one on the left and one on the right, sealed off any possible escape routes for Lin Xiao!

Six martial artists of considerable strength attacked in unison!

The assault was like a storm, instantly engulfing Lin Xiao! There were no blind spots! No mercy whatsoever!

They were clearly aiming to beat him into a complete cripple!

Lin Xiao's pupils constricted!

A sense of mortal danger, unprecedented, seized him instantly! The hairs on his entire body stood on end!

Dodge? Nowhere to run! Block? His right arm was injured, and his two fists couldn't fend off six attackers!

Not to mention six of them!

Buzz!

At the brink of life and death, Lin Xiao's will surged like a burning meteor, erupting with speed beyond his limits, violently colliding with the deep blue light screen in his mind!

"Target scan! Environment scan! Maximum power!" he roared in the depths of his soul!

The light screen fluctuated violently, its light flickering, as if it could collapse at any moment! The warning "[Source Energy Points: -1.4]" rang like a death knell in the depths of his soul!

"Target locked: Six Blood Wolf Gang thugs (Threat level: Medium)"

"Environment scan: Abandoned oil drums (flammable), rusted steel frame (structurally weak), suspended metal beam overhead (severely rusted connection points)..."

"Modifiable items: ...Detected severe rust and metal fatigue at connection points A and B of the suspended metal beam overhead (Model: I-beam, Length: approx. 8 meters) (critical point)... Forcefully modify structural parameters?"

"Modification direction: Instantly amplify rust effect, causing connection point failure (Estimated effect: Beam fall)"

"Required Source Energy Points: 0.3 (Energy consumption increased by 200% due to core limitations and target complexity)! Warning! This operation will lead to severe overdraft of Source Energy Points! May cause uncontrollable consequences!" The prompt tone was sharp, on the verge of collapse!

0.3 points! Deducting 0.3 from [-1.4] makes it [-1.7]! A severe overdraft!

But at this moment, Lin Xiao had no other choice!

The falling beam was his only chance to create chaos and break through the encirclement!

Otherwise, he would be torn to shreds in the next second!

"Modify! Break for me!" Lin Xiao roared hysterically from the depths of his soul!

"Command received! Deducting Source Energy Points: 0.3!"

"Source Energy Points: -1.4 - 0.3 = -1.7"

"Modifying parameters... (Light screen flickers and distorts violently!)...1%...(Extremely slow)...20%...(Warning! Core overload!)...50%...100%...Modification complete!"

The prompt tone carried a sense of impending doom!

The instant Lin Xiao confirmed with his will!

An indescribable, immense emptiness and tearing pain from the deepest part of his soul surged through him!

His vision instantly turned blood red!

He felt as if a piece of his consciousness had been forcibly ripped away!

In the real world, the flow of time seemed to stretch!

The heavily rusted I-beam hanging seven or eight meters above everyone's heads, at its two critical connection points A and B with the support frame, seemed to be gently plucked by an invisible, cold hand from the very fabric of rules – the "string" that had long been stretched to its limit and covered in cracks!

Hum!

A faint, almost imperceptible groan of metal!

Immediately after!

Crack! Crack!

Two chilling, brittle snaps, like decaying wood breaking, echoed from overhead!

Under Scarface Qiang's astonished gaze, at the very moment his six thugs' ferocious fists and weapons were about to land on Lin Xiao—

The heavy I-beam, like a guillotine whose ropes had been cut, tore through the air with a terrifying shriek and unparalleled weight, crashing down towards the battling crowd below!

"Careful!" Scarface Qiang roared, his eyes bulging, his voice cracking!

The six thugs surrounding Lin Xiao were so focused on their prey that they hadn't anticipated such a catastrophic disaster descending from above!

Hearing Scarface Qiang's roar and the terrifying wind pressure from overhead, the sinister smiles on their faces instantly turned to extreme terror!

Rumble—!

A deafening roar, like the sky collapsing and the earth cracking!

The massive I-beam, carrying tons of earth, rust, and shattered concrete, like a hammer of divine retribution, slammed down into the crowd!

Dust billowed into the sky! Debris shot out like bullets!

"Ah—!"

"My leg!!"

"Help me—!"

Piercing screams instantly replaced the earlier killing intent!

Two of the six men who had been surrounding Lin Xiao reacted a fraction too late and were directly crushed by the heavy beam!

Their flesh and blood were mangled, a gruesome sight!

The other four, relying on their martial artist instincts, dodged desperately, but were still violently thrown back by the flying debris and the immense shockwave!

Like tattered sacks caught in a gale, they crashed heavily onto the ground more than ten meters away, each spitting blood, their bones broken!

The moment the beam snapped, Lin Xiao used the last of his strength, ignoring the searing pain in his right arm, and lunged forward, rolling onto the ground while curling his body and shielding his head with both hands!

The massive shockwave and debris hammered down on his back and arms like heavy hammers!

The intense pain made his vision go black, and a sweet taste rose in his throat; he almost spat out a mouthful of blood!

But he gritted his teeth, enduring it with all his might!

The main body of the beam landed less than half a meter behind him, and the splashing debris rained down on him!

The dust shrouded his vision.

The entire ambush site was a mess, as if bombarded by artillery shells!

Cries, groans, and the sound of falling debris mingled together, like a symphony from hell!

Lin Xiao struggled to lift his head from the rubble and dust, his face smeared with dirt and blood, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. His eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion and intense pain, filled with a beast-like ferocity and the madness of survival!

He had won his gamble!

But the cost was immense! Source Energy Points: [-1.7]!

The soul-tearing sensation from the severe exhaustion was more intense than ever before!

It felt as if his entire consciousness was burning and scattering! His body felt like it had fallen apart, every bone groaning in protest!

The dust gradually settled.

Scarface Qiang stood about ten meters away, having avoided the epicenter of the collapse.

The scar on his face twisted like a living thing due to his extreme rage and disbelief!

He stared intently at the center of the chaos, watching his meticulously planned kill zone being smashed to pieces by a mysterious falling beam!

Watching his elite subordinates either dead or injured!

And the prey that should have been torn to shreds – Lin Xiao – was actually struggling, staggering to his feet from the ruins!

Although he was in a sorry state and covered in blood, those bloodshot eyes stared at Scarface Qiang like a wounded lone wolf! Filled with defiance and madness!

"Lin! Xiao!"

Scarface Qiang's voice was like the roar of a wounded beast, filled with brutal killing intent!

He was utterly enraged! Forget Su Qingxue! Forget the Special Operations Ninth Division!

All he wanted now was to personally tear this bastard, who repeatedly ruined his plans and was as resilient as a cockroach, to shreds!

He suddenly took a step forward, his burly physique creating a gust of foul wind!

Earthy yellow True Qi suddenly flared around his body, far more condensed and violent than before!

A powerful aura belonging to a peak two-star martial artist erupted like a slumbering ferocious beast!

It locked onto the swaying Lin Xiao!

"Today, I'll send you on your way myself!"