Thug 13

Chapter 23: Thug 13

The instant Wen Li was kicked away, a violent force engulfed the spot where she had been standing.

Fu Qian watched with his own eyes as Wen Xiuxian's head swelled like a balloon, then his entire body exploded into a cloud of red mist.

Everything happened in a flash. After kicking Wen Li away, Fu Qian stepped forward to block the angle, taking the brunt of the flesh-and-blood storm head-on.

A deafening roar and intense impact made his internal organs tremble.

Not only that, but the storm seemed to contain countless tiny spikes, tearing at everything around with powerful kinetic energy.

Three seconds later, the storm dissipated.

Fu Qian lowered his head and raised his left hand.

From his shoulder down, his skin had completely vanished. The flesh beneath was riddled with holes, and in some places, stark white bone was visible.

I've never been this badly injured even in Mortal Kombat!

This thing's power is quite something!

Within the range of the flesh-and-blood storm, nothing remained intact. Even the half-wall that was caught in the blast was now riddled with holes like a honeycomb.

These assassins are truly resourceful, to be able to create something with such destructive power!

Still, even though the injuries are severe, they aren't fatal.

Fu Qian expressionlessly tidied up the exposed muscle and bone.

The next moment, he kicked through the teetering wall.

Gathering strength and using the recoil from the violent force, he instantly passed through the gap and appeared beside an individual outside, launching a kick.

It's you!

Whether it was Wen Xiuxian or not, the attack just now was not something a hypnotized ordinary person could perform.

Fu Qian didn't believe these assassins would be so dedicated as to risk their lives to complete a mission; someone must be controlling them remotely nearby.

Therefore, while enduring the flesh-and-blood storm, he had his senses on full alert, not missing any traces, and ultimately succeeded in locking onto a particular aura.

The owner of the aura was currently blending in with the bodyguards who had rushed over, making their way out.

BOOM!

The kick, carrying violent force, was as fast as lightning and terrifying in its momentum.

The target could no longer pretend. Twisting his body, he instantly elongated, then dodged the fatal blow in a bizarre posture.

However, what greeted him was a bloody, mangled hand.

Splat!

Like a crushed tomato, Fu Qian's left hand, now almost devoid of flesh, struck the opponent with a true "Nine Yin White Bone Claw."

[Thug: Digestion Progress 1/3]
[Aggressive as fire, powerful as thunder, congratulations on beginning to master the essence of the Thug]

As the target in his hand ceased struggling, a notification sounded in Fu Qian's ear.

Simultaneously, a surge of warmth flowed through his entire body.

The sensation he felt when first using Thug Form returned, but this time, it was even more intense.

After a surge of violent blood and qi, the exposed bones faintly gleamed with a metallic luster.

The next moment, flesh and blood grew, the wounds healed rapidly, and the bones were re-covered in an instant.

Digestion progress of one-third?

Fu Qian took a deep breath. He was absolutely certain he had undergone a new transformation.

If he had to do it again, he was confident he could send Mr. Ji to his demise within ten seconds.

But according to this, my Thug Form is just getting started, and even now, I've only digested a portion?

Aggressive as fire, powerful as thunder – does this refer to how I just dealt with this killer?

Or perhaps it refers to all my previous actions.

And these are called the essence of the Thug.

So, the method to digest Thug Form is to become the Thug.

Interesting!

With just 1/3, I've been strengthened this much. I wonder what I'll become after achieving 3/3 complete digestion.

Fu Qian silently began to anticipate it.

He dropped the corpse on the ground and retreated back into the house the way he came.

He glanced at Miss Wen Li, who was struggling to get up from the floor.

The range of the flesh-and-blood storm wasn't too large, and with him blocking the front, she hadn't sustained any significant injuries.

However, there seems to be blood on her forehead. Did she hit it when I kicked her away?

Your expectations can't be too high; I'm not a professional nanny, so I can't guarantee you'll come out unscathed every time.

I have to admit, the one who died outside was quite professional, and their methods were extremely stealthy.

I just felt that Wen Xiuxian was acting a bit strange earlier, so I took an extra look at Wen Li.

This girl's ability allows her to sense the emotions of those around her, and being father and daughter for many years, she should be able to notice something unusual more easily.

As expected, perhaps Wen Li didn't even realize it herself, but her confused expression indicated that she subconsciously felt something was off with Wen Xiuxian.

"Are you alright?"

Wen Li leaned against the wall, supporting herself as she asked Fu Qian with a trembling voice.

"That was..."

"It should be an assassin."

"But it looked like Father."

"It's not impossible that it was actually your father."

Considering that assassins are skilled in techniques like hypnosis and disguise, it's quite probable that the Wen Xiuxian who left in the morning was captured and replaced.

Wen Li isn't stupid; there's no need to help her self-comfort.

"No... Father shouldn't be back this soon..."

Wen Li muttered subconsciously, then suddenly froze in place, stiffly bending down to pick something up.

It was a deformed watch, blown apart, with countless tiny honeycomb-like holes.

A pained wail echoed, and a familiar notification sounded in Fu Qian's ear.

[Containment Failed]

[Mind Shattered, Wen Li loses the possibility of advancement]

This is unbelievable!

Back in the warehouse, Fu Qian looked up at the sky for a full minute, feeling the joy of leveling up somewhat diminished.

Wen Li didn't die, yet it still failed?

Discovering that the deceased was indeed Wen Xiuxian, an emotional breakdown is understandable.

But mind shattered, did she go completely insane?

Silently choosing to replay the event, Fu Qian quickly watched his entire journey at high speed, ultimately reaching a conclusion.

Escort missions really can't be taken!

Looking back, this mission seemed to lack the werewolves and Evil Gods of the past, but its danger level was even greater.

The Wen family appeared prosperous on the surface, but they were actually fraught with peril, and Wen Li herself was as fragile as glass; surviving was truly not easy.

Now there's even a possibility of failure without dying.

Protecting both of them at the same time was much more difficult than protecting just one person.

Moreover, neither Wen Li nor her father were characters who could be easily manipulated; getting them to follow orders wasn't easy.

The situation was complex.

Fu Qian stared at the black and white cocoons on the Mist Door.

When a matter is a tangled mess, with twists and turns full of pitfalls, the best solution isn't to push forward headlong, but to change your approach.

For example, the Asura Mode.

[Consume 1 Sanity Value, attempt Containment again]

[...1%...3%...10%...50%...98%...100%, Containment scene loading complete]

"Don't look around!"

Captain Gu's familiar voice echoed.

Looking at the intact Wen family mansion, Fu Qian took a deep breath.