How Am I the One Being Pursued? Chapter 24

But there was no other choice. That was the essence of fate.

Just as a farmer toiled all year, sowing in spring and plowing in summer, only for a natural disaster to leave him with nothing at harvest, he would not cast labor aside because of it. The following year, he would still calmly sow in spring and plow in summer, regardless of what autumn might bring.

No matter what, I would write this book properly to the end.

That was all. Finally, I hope everyone can support the first-day subscriptions. It'd be even better if you could turn on auto-subscribe. (muttering quietly)

Primordial Flame (4.8k)

Zhan Guang suddenly realized that he seemed to be the only one left now.

Just moments ago, he could still hear shouting and cursing behind him, but in the blink of an eye, it had gone silent. He only remembered a short sword flying at him, followed by a rope suddenly binding his legs.

"Damn it! When did that happen?!"

Realizing things had gone badly, Zhan Guang hurriedly tried to break free. Fortunately, the rope was not made of any special material. He only needed to exert a little force to...

"Zhan Guang, male, from eastern Yaoqing."

Hearing the newcomer speak, the bound criminal fixed his eyes on him. A silver-haired young man dressed in black stood alone atop the roof, carrying a long case at his side. "You colluded with the Remnants of Abundance, stole confidential information, and plotted wrongdoing... As the ringleader, do you know what punishment the law prescribes for your crimes?"

"Pah! Another wet-behind-the-ears little judge acting high and mighty in front of me? It doesn't matter how many of you come. I'll kill every last one of you!" Zhan Guang spat viciously.

The thin fog dispersed, and moonlight illuminated the long case at Bai Jun's side. Zhan Guang recognized the insignia on it at a glance.

"Damn it! You... you're a Vanguard from Shence Mansion?!" Cold sweat instantly broke out all over Zhan Guang's body.

"A Vanguard? Well, close enough. But since you know Shence Mansion, then you should also know..." Bai Jun stepped forward, his expression icy. "For a madman who colluded with the Remnants of Abundance, bears multiple murder charges, and stole Xianzhou Alliance top-secret intelligence, Shence Mansion may conduct judgment on behalf of the Ten Lords Bureau and execute him on the spot."

Whoosh—

Zhan Guang was no ordinary man. Gritting his teeth, he waited until the young man was close before kicking out the dagger hidden in his boot. The sharp blade carved a vicious arc through the air!

Bai Jun merely shifted slightly aside. The dagger howled past, grazing his throat by a hair.

The burly criminal had already shattered his bindings and drawn the broadsword from his back. "You heartless, bloodless monsters, will you only stop after taking everything from me?! I have my reasons for needing to leave this place too!"

"That's enough. I'm not interested in your past. Surrender now, and you'll suffer less." Bai Jun impatiently cut him off. He had seen more than enough of these boring little backstories.

"Suffer less? Arrogant bastard, it's still anyone's game!"

Zhan Guang suddenly exhaled with a shout and charged forward like lightning. With a swing of both hands, his broadsword came crashing down at Bai Jun's face with a speed like thunder before one could cover one's ears. It was hard to imagine such a massive blade could move with a speed resembling an iaijutsu draw.

Yet this strike was far faster than iaijutsu! Far more forceful! Every ounce of strength was concentrated into that single blow, wide and unrestrained, as though it left no room for change.

Bai Jun shook both arms, and the case slung at his side solidly received the massive blade.

The broadsword struck the case with astonishing force. Spiderweb cracks instantly spread beneath Bai Jun's feet, and the ground sank deeply.

Yet strangely, not the slightest ripple appeared on the case's surface, just like Bai Jun himself, calm and unruffled.

His killing move blocked, Zhan Guang showed no fear. Instead, a triumphant smile curled across his lips. As if he had anticipated this all along, he stepped forward with his right foot, shifted his center of gravity, released the sword hilt, and drove his left fist savagely toward Bai Jun's face.

That heavy punch was scarcely weaker than the broadsword's slash. More importantly, it could exploit an opponent's ingrained expectations and catch them off guard. Zhan Guang had defeated countless formidable enemies with this move. He believed this time would be no different.

But before his fist could even draw near, Bai Jun suddenly shot into his chest like a bullet. The case in his hand borrowed the momentum and swung down at Zhan Guang's completely unguarded face like a gigantic ruler.

With a deafening bang, Zhan Guang was sent flying several meters by the case. If he had not been naturally insensitive to pain, he would have long since been lying on the ground, unable to fight.

"Is that it?"

Bai Jun slung the case back over his shoulder, looking disappointed, as though an anime adaptation he had anticipated for ages had been served up by the production team as a steaming pile of crap.

"Damn it... don't... don't push me too far!"

The injured Foxkin spat out fragments of broken teeth and let out a crazed howl. Bai Jun assumed a defensive stance. Against an enemy who had lost his reason, he only needed to wait for the right opportunity. The next exchange would surely end the battle.

However, after getting up, Zhan Guang dashed desperately toward the distant skiff sea.

Run! There was no fucking way he could beat this guy!

There was no shame in running away, either. No one took pride in dying head-on against a natural disaster!

The rooftops ended in an instant, leaving only empty space beneath his feet.

In the next moment, Zhan Guang leaped from the rooftop and grabbed onto an automatonic bird from Heyun Logistics. The bird grumbled an prerecorded warning message in displeasure, swayed a few times, then steadily caught him and flew toward a starskiff docked in the distance.

"Hahaha! You think you can catch me? Keep dreaming, asshole!"

Turning around and seeing Bai Jun still far away on the rooftop, Zhan Guang laughed triumphantly. Then he leaped down onto a sightseeing starskiff passing below in the skiff sea and seized the captain.

"Start the ship! Move it, now!"

The captain had never seen anything like this. Faced with Zhan Guang's terrifying appearance, he could only obediently start the engine and accelerate the starskiff away from Liuyun Crossing.

Having escaped death under that monster's hands, the criminal could not resist turning back with another smug look.

This time, aided by the lights at the stern, Zhan Guang saw clearly—after taking a slight breath, the silver-haired young man used the force of his descent to swing through the air for over twenty zhang in the blink of an eye, like a black leaf swept in by a gale, landing silently on the deck.

The case opened, and the young man lightly tapped the scabbard.

"Shence Mansion official business. Compensation will be provided afterward according to the law."

"You—"

Just as Zhan Guang opened his mouth, the lights along both sides of the ship were simultaneously sliced apart by sword flashes too quick for the eye to catch.

The straight, razor-sharp blade swept up shards of glass in the darkness, sealing Zhan Guang's wildly pounding heart—so recently elated at his escape—back inside an icy abyss.

With a crack, the broadsword in Zhan Guang's hand was cleanly cut in two.

"Not bad. You're quick-witted, a smart man. So let me advise you not to try some boring hostage-taking stunt. Otherwise, next time, it won't be your sword that gets cut off—it'll be your head." Bai Jun kindly reminded him.

Zhan Guang's face twisted. No longer hesitating, he threw aside the broken broadsword, grabbed the medicine pouch at his side, and popped the precious pills he had stolen from the Medicine King's Legacy into his mouth like beans.

He knew full well that taking the Medicine King's Legacy's drugs would hasten his death. But he knew even better that without paying some price, there was no way he could escape from a Shence Mansion Vanguard.

After swallowing the pills, it looked as though tiny rats were scurrying beneath the Foxkin's skin. His muscles constantly rippled, and a nearly crazed light flashed in his eyes.

The next second, he began panting rapidly as if seized by a sudden illness. Amid a howl that closely resembled that of a Buli person, dense fur sprouted across his body, his muscles bulged high, his bones shattered and then fused back together, and his limbs and frame seemed to be forcibly stretched open by some power.

Beneath the night sky of the realm, a werewolf stood tall. Its bloody maw split open, and an aura fierce enough to make one's heart burst with terror erupted from its body.

"What the hell, you can transform too? But this is kind of disgusting. I'd suggest growing some armor or something at least, so I can compliment you." Bai Jun still could not muster much interest. He boredly dug at his ear and complained in disgust.

Despite his words, Bai Jun's attitude had clearly grown more serious. He could smell something ominous from Zhan Guang—something extremely familiar. It seemed to be...

Before his thoughts could continue, Zhan Guang's massive eyes widened, and he roared:

"Get the fuck out of my way!"

As the words fell, every inch of his massive muscles answered his fury, swelling like small mountains and generating even greater force. Then an enormous fist abruptly expanded before Bai Jun, filling his entire field of vision.

Bai Jun calculated the distance and shifted slightly aside. His body was unharmed, though the gale from the passing fist slightly tore his clothes.

When the next punch came, the longsword slipped precisely into the gap between knuckle bone and flesh, slashing out instantly through that fleeting opening!

Even steel bars and iron plating could not withstand the blade's slash, much less a mortal body made of flesh and blood. The longsword embedded itself in the fist and, using the punch's momentum, effortlessly sliced across the entire arm. Then the blade tip turned, neatly carving off half of Zhan Guang's arm.

Such a grievous wound should have rendered any creature incapable of fighting, yet Zhan Guang roared before Bai Jun's eyes. The spurting blood immediately boiled and evaporated like mist.

The temperature around the wound rapidly rose, and flesh began to regenerate. In the blink of an eye, his entire arm was restored to perfect condition. Even the fur returned exactly as before, leaving not the slightest trace of the horrific injury.

Now Bai Jun understood. He immediately realized what Zhan Guang had eaten—it was most likely a spiritual medicine containing the power of "Abundance."

The air also carried a faint scent like Buli wolf poison. This guy was practically like a Buli person caught in lunar frenzy.

Bai Jun gravely glanced at the terrified captain. He knew this could not be dragged out any longer, or an ordinary person would surely die after the wolf poison invaded his body.

"Is that it?"

Zhan Guang sneered, returning Bai Jun's earlier words to the seemingly frightened-stiff young man without changing a word.

"Lend me some of your power."

Bai Jun could not be bothered responding to the mockery. Instead, he lowered his head and said something to someone unknown, then casually kicked the case aside. As Zhan Guang's expression turned terrified, a biting radiance suddenly gathered on the longsword in Bai Jun's hand.

The blade's pale color faded, replaced by fiery crimson patterns and a translucent gleaming gold.

Its sharp aura surged dozens of times over in an instant, and the air temperature soared with it. The wolf poison surrounding them was incinerated clean in the blink of an eye like willow fluff.

The longsword swept horizontally, and scarlet fire shot into the sky.

Zhan Guang instantly understood Bai Jun's intention, but the speed was simply too fast. He could only watch helplessly as the miraculous glowing blade splashed a brilliant crescent arc of sword energy through the air like ink.

Flames swept through Zhan Guang's body. The next second, his massive head slid from his shoulders, and not a single drop of blood fell throughout the entire process.

Zhan Guang cursed in terror, but he soon calmed down. After all, the formidable vitality bestowed by the Aeon of Abundance would not allow him to die in such a short time. He barely managed to move his body, pick up his head, and place it back where it belonged, silently praying for Abundance's power within.

Yet the expected rise in body temperature and the mighty restoration of flesh never came. He closed his eyes, but could still feel the pain at the wound growing more intense, as though flames were burning there.

If he could have seen the wound on his neck, he would have witnessed an even more despairing truth.

Within the mangled wound, tiny buds of flesh were indeed desperately multiplying, spreading and twitching as they tried to repair the horrifying injury. But golden flames of unknown origin continuously destroyed those growing buds from within, sizzling as though they were being roasted.

The golden flames clung to him like gangrene in the bone, continuously obstructing the growth of flesh while slowly invading deeper into his bones and muscles, spreading new wounds.

All strength left Zhan Guang's body. Although his head was indeed still resting on his neck, he could feel himself losing control of his body, and his consciousness was gradually fading.

He understood. He was going to die.

Before losing consciousness, something like a montage of memories seemed to flash through Zhan Guang's eyes. There was nothing in his life worth remembering, nothing worth cherishing... no, perhaps there was.

"Damn it... I really want... to see... Yaoqing's... moon... again..."

"Sorry, but that is one wish I cannot grant."

At last, Zhan Guang clearly saw those deep cyan eyes like a dark moon, as well as the tiny gilded words engraved at the base of the blade, visible only when drawing it—Quan Bing Hui Huo.

"Tell... tell me... what... is that...?"

Zhan Guang stared desperately at the longsword that still bore the color of flame. His voice came in broken fragments, unable to form a clear sentence, but Bai Jun seemed to see through his thoughts and calmly replied, "Primordial Flame. Or, more simply put, Primordial Suihuang."

His gradually scattering pupils suddenly focused. Zhan Guang clearly knew what that meant. Trembling, he opened his mouth and made one final, brief sound:

"Fuck!"

"...What the hell?" Though Bai Jun wanted to complain, he still helped Zhan Guang close his eyes.

After finishing all that, Bai Jun stood and retrieved the case. Turning to the captain nearby, he found the man sprawled on the deck in shock, a warm stream flowing between his legs.

"V-Vanguard, sir..."

"Don't call me that. I'm not a Vanguard, just a Sea-patrolling Ranger by hobby... Relax a little... ah, he fainted."

Perhaps because his suppressed, taut nerves had suddenly relaxed, the captain rolled his eyes back and fainted spectacularly once he realized he was safe.

Just as Bai Jun was worrying about how to pilot the starskiff back, the deck gave a slight shake. Then a cold female voice sounded behind him. "By the Ten Lords' decree, surrender yourselves and... Huh? Is it already over?"

Bai Jun turned toward the newcomer. Her face was like a meticulously crafted painting, with clear, elegant lines and a unique, chilly air. Her skin was as white and flawless as snow, while her long hair fell softly to her collarbones like black feathers, outlining an air of noble aloofness.

Like a Hanya, there was no visible emotion on her cool face. Yet at this moment, a trace of adorable blankness seemed readable in her eyes.

"Xue Yi?"

It had to be said, seeing a cute girl who was usually so stern and unsmiling stare blankly for a moment carried a rather charming contrast. But Bai Jun quickly realized they were in the middle of the skiff sea. "Wait... how did you get here?"

"I simply stepped on passing starskiffs and jumped over." After taking in the situation, the black-haired adjudicator blinked, put away her staff, and answered truthfully.

"That is perfectly normal... my ass! Do you have some kind of misunderstanding about what normal means?"

For some reason, Bai Jun suddenly pictured Mario in his mind. But this was not the time for strange thoughts—the starskiff beneath their feet was still unmanned!

Bai Jun suddenly grabbed Xue Yi by the shoulders and anxiously asked, "Xue-rio, can you pilot a starskiff?"

The instant the words left his mouth, Bai Jun realized he had accidentally spoken his thoughts aloud.

"Xue-rio?" Xue Yi adorably tilted her head and looked at the stiff-faced Bai Jun with faint curiosity. Though she had no idea what he was talking about, she understood the latter half of his question. "I am well versed in operating all kinds of vehicles. Naturally, a starskiff is no exception."

"Good. I'll leave it to you, Xue Yi!"

"Mm, leave it to me. My skiff is famously fast!"

Bai Jun hurriedly pushed the confident Xue Yi into the pilot's seat, lest she continue questioning that earlier nickname. Then he plopped down on the floor, fully relaxing the mind that had been stretched too tight all night.

As he rested on the floor, he first glanced at the unconscious captain, then finally turned his gaze to Zhan Guang's corpse.

That guy had been quite troublesome after taking the drugs. That punch had numbed his hand so badly that it still tingled now. In the end, he had no choice but to use the Suihuang's power. Though it had only been a tiny fraction, the price was still steep. At the very least, he would not sleep well again tonight.

Although he had not obtained any information about the Medicine King's Legacy from him, he had resolved one problem no matter what. With that guy's strength, even ten more Xue Yis would have been useless.

After resting with his eyes closed for a while, Bai Jun gradually sensed that something was wrong. The starskiff that should have returned to Liuyun Crossing was still drifting through the skiff sea. Looking up, he realized they seemed to be getting farther and farther from the realm!

"Wait, Xue Yi! Why is this skiff sinking?!"

"I-I really can drive!"