You Thanked Too Early

Everyone was stunned as they watched Xiao Ran run off carrying the old man.

"No... wait, why did he just run?!"

Zhao Jiguang's eyes widened as he watched the figure carrying the old man and running away, almost popping out of his sockets. He had just drawn his sword, and the other party turned and ran. It was one thing to run, but why did he take the old man with him??

"Damn it! Chase him, chase him!!"

Zhao Jiguang's face darkened. The old man wasn't much, but when that Night Ghost ran just now, he felt like the other party was smiling.

A Night Ghost with sentience was at least a Tier 3, and it needed to be eliminated in the cradle as soon as possible.

Shouting for everyone to chase, he took out his walkie-talkie from his pocket. After adjusting the channel, he pressed the transmit button: "Radish, Radish, this is Cabbage. There's a Tier 3 Night Ghost on the sixth floor. Don't just stand there, hurry up and get over here!"

"Zzzzt, zzzzt..."

"Garlic Sprouts, Garlic Sprouts, this is Tomato. I'm still busy, Cabbage, you handle it yourself."

"Pickled Cabbage, Pickled Cabbage, this is Leek. Tier 3 is too low. Didn't we agree? Don't call me unless it's Tier 6 or higher." The sound of male and female breathing came from the walkie-talkie. Clearly, Leek was currently busy studying the character 'Kun' with some junior students.

"Handle it yourself. You're on duty, don't bother us."

"Cabbage, you can't even handle a Tier 3?"

Listening to the voices from the walkie-talkie, Zhao Jiguang's face darkened. He cursed into the walkie-talkie, "A bunch of animals!"

After speaking, he angrily switched off the walkie-talkie.

He pulled up the large saber by his side: "Get out of the way!"

As his voice fell, two horizontal bars, like Curse Marks, appeared on his shoes. Immediately, his figure leaped past everyone. They only felt a violent gust of wind sweep past their ears, and some who were close were even blown into the air by this strong wind.

"The Commander is truly the Commander!"

Yang Kai, lying on the ground, looked up at the Commander's retreating back with emotion.

They, the small captains, did the dirty and tiring work, and no one dared to resist, all because of the Commander's inhuman strength. They were on a completely different level.

"Big Brother, are you okay?"

The other two subordinates saw Yang Kai get up and immediately crowded around him, asking, "Big Brother, you... you weren't unconscious just now?"

"Pah, what do you know? This is called putting yourself in a desperate situation to find a way out."

Yang Kai pursed his lips and said.

"Then what about now..."

"Of course, we're going to chase after them and see. The Commander has already made a move, what are we afraid of?"

Yang Kai pushed away his subordinates, picked up the axe on the ground, and chased after them.

Xiao Ran, carrying the old man, didn't slow down at all, leaping five to six meters forward with a single step.

The old man was initially quite happy. He didn't know who this fellow creature was who was saving him, but at least he had escaped the trap.

However, soon, the expression on the old man's face became strange.

"Heh, quite firm!"

Xiao Ran patted the old man's butt, pinching it with his fingers, his face almost splitting into a smile.

This wasn't an embroidered shoe; the feel, the elasticity, this was a real corpse. Although not a zombie, its body was in excellent condition.

Hearing Xiao Ran's 'ya ya ya' laughter, the old man's anus tightened. His gaze towards Xiao Ran became strange.

He waved his hands, wanting to break free from Xiao Ran's grasp.

But before he could break free, a violent gust of wind struck. The old man looked up, and a saber flashing with cold light grazed his scalp as it swung past.

"So fast?"

Xiao Ran glanced back, also startled. He hadn't expected them to actually chase him, and their speed seemed even faster than his.

Xiao Ran immediately noticed the shoes on Zhao Jiguang's feet. They were adorned with flashing Curse Marks, clearly a Cursed Object, and judging by their luster, its grade seemed quite high.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Zhao Jiguang roared, his eyes flashing with angry flames. His steps were like thunder. With a single stride, his saber swept through the clouds, bringing down a slash from above.

"Blade Draw Slash!"

As the blade edge descended, Xiao Ran's expression changed slightly. The black saber hidden beneath his cloak met the incoming attack.

With a "clang!", sparks flew. Xiao Ran's saber collided with Zhao Jiguang's great saber, emitting a piercing metallic sound.

"Ouch!" The moment the blades met, Xiao Ran felt a massive force transmit along the blade. His internal organs felt like they had been kicked hard, almost suffocating him.

Clearly, the opponent's strength far surpassed his, numbing his arm and almost making him drop his saber.

Zhao Jiguang was also slightly obstructed by Xiao Ran's counterattack, and he looked at Xiao Ran with some surprise.

He seemed not to have expected this Night Ghost to also know Blade Draw Slash.

But he quickly adjusted his stance, preparing to attack again.

This time, Xiao Ran dared not play around anymore. He immediately activated [Spirit Walk], his body instantly enveloped in black mist, and he rapidly leaped down the stairs.

At a corner turn, he saw the beggar limping up the stairs, leaning on a white banner.

With a single glance, the beggar's face contorted into a ferocious expression. He raised the white banner in his hand, ready to strike.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Ran raised his hand and tossed something towards the beggar. The beggar looked closely and saw it was his own gourd. Fearing it would break, he quickly raised both hands and caught it.

Xiao Ran seized the opportunity, flashing past the beggar.

Looking at his recovered gourd, the beggar's face finally showed a hint of joy. He glared fiercely at Xiao Ran's retreating back, as if to say, You're wise to know your place.

However, as soon as the beggar hung the gourd on his waist, he suddenly felt something was wrong. He looked around, then at his hands.

"Where's my banner??"

In that moment of confusion, a scorching heat washed over him from behind. Zhao Jiguang had just leaped down the stairs. He hadn't expected a Night Ghost at the stairwell's turn. With no time to dodge, he simply raised his saber and slashed at the beggar.

The beggar had just gotten his gourd back, only to lose the item in his hand. He was about to lose it, and then Zhao Jiguang's saber came at him out of nowhere.

If he had his white banner now, it would be a different story. But without it, he had no power to resist and was instantly cleaved away.

The blade seemed to carry some special power. The beggar's flesh, which Xiao Ran's claws had struggled to wound, was easily sliced open. He tumbled down the stairs.

Zhao Jiguang, having landed a blow, didn't intend to tangle with the beggar further. But the beggar flipped up like a carp and opened his mouth towards Zhao Jiguang.

The beggar's maw opened wide, revealing countless fingernail-sized human faces. He blew forcefully at Zhao Jiguang.

"Hoo!"

Zhao Jiguang felt an icy chill spread through him. His bones felt stiff and sore, an unbearable sensation.

He was instantly alarmed. He had thought it was just an ordinary Night Ghost, but this beggar was far more troublesome than he'd imagined.

His expression darkened. He bit the tip of his tongue and sprayed blood onto the beggar.

"Pfft!"

The mouthful of hot blood, like molten iron, splashed onto the beggar. His flesh sizzled and smoked, causing the beggar to writhe in pain. He quickly unhooked his gourd, bit off the cap, and gulped it down.

"Gulp, gulp, gulp..."

No one knew what was in the gourd, but it emitted a pungent, foul odor.

Soon, the beggar's flesh began to crackle like splitting wood. With a "crack," the beggar's body trembled, his back bulged high, and a massive eye snapped open beneath his skin.

Immediately, the surrounding temperature plummeted. A mournful song began to echo from nowhere.

Pairs of eyes materialized around the beggar. Some held a bloodthirsty urge, others contained suppressed despair, and still others were filled with cold killing intent.

"Swoosh!!"

The embroidered shoe on the beggar's left foot seemed unable to bear the pressure. With a flash of red light, it detached from his foot like a mouse and darted down the stairwell.

"Damn it, why did I run into this thing!"

Zhao Jiguang frowned. Sensing something was wrong, he reached for the walkie-talkie on his waist, only to find it gone from his pocket.

Seeing this, Zhao Jiguang snorted coldly. He wiped his hand across the blade of his saber, and blood dripped down. The great saber seemed to gain a peculiar luster after being stained with blood.

"Kill!"

Zhao Jiguang swung his great saber, charging like a tiger unleashed. The blade's movement ignited a massive flame in the air.

"Impressive!"

Xiao Ran hadn't run far and was watching from the corner.

Seeing Zhao Jiguang's display, he couldn't help but feel envious. From Xue Hongling's memories, he knew that in other sequences, there were Body Cultivators who, upon advancement, became Martial Monks.

At the Martial Monk level, they possessed not only a strong martial foundation but also a bloodline capable of dispelling evil.

The effect Zhao Jiguang was displaying now was clearly stronger than what Xue Hongling's memories described of Martial Monks. Perhaps this captain's rank was even higher than that of a Martial Monk.

As the battle raged, Xiao Ran suddenly felt something. He turned his head and saw the old man leaning against the wall, trying to walk.

As if sensing Xiao Ran's gaze, the old man turned around. The flesh that had been dissolved had recovered considerably; at least his facial features were discernible.

He gave Xiao Ran an ugly smile and clasped his hands together.

Xiao Ran could sense a feeling of gratitude from the old man's emotions.

Is he thanking me?

Xiao Ran scratched his head and walked over to the old man. A cold glint flashed from beneath his cloak, and he brought his saber down on the old man's neck: "You're thanking me too soon."