Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat--!!!
Half-meter-long tongues of fire spat from the muzzle, and a dense hail of bullets poured out like a torrential storm, instantly covering the fan-shaped area ahead.
This wasn't a Soul Skill at all. This was the Metal Storm, firing at 800 rounds per minute!
Pfft-pfft-pfft-pfft!
Bullets tore into tree trunks, sending wood chips flying, and struck the ground, kicking up dirt.
"Three to the left! Two up!"
Tang San shouted out the targets from the side, using his Purple Extreme Demon Eye to predict where the rat would land.
Su Yun adjusted the muzzle slightly and swept the linked belt of bullets across.
However, the Void Shadow Rat's spatial talent was on full display at that moment.
It actually managed to dodge most of the lethal shots by repeatedly teleporting short distances through the dense rain of bullets.
Though several bloody holes had been shot through its body, it still hadn't fallen!
Ten meters!
Five meters!
The Void Shadow Rat let out a piercing shriek. Its body abruptly folded in midair, dodging the final sweep of gunfire as it charged straight at Su Yun!
Its gleaming claws were less than half a meter from Su Yun's throat!
"It's over!"
Red Hair shut his eyes in despair.
Even Tang San felt his heart sink.
In that split second.
Su Yun made an unexpected move.
He let go of the AR-15 in his hands, leaving the rifle hanging from its tactical sling.
Rather than retreat, he surged forward, snapping up his left hand and aiming his palm at the charging rat.
He wore what looked like an ordinary black tactical glove.
But at that moment, dazzling blue arcs of electricity suddenly burst from the glove's palm!
High-Voltage Pulse Tactical Stun Glove, output voltage—50,000 volts!
"Sit down!"
Bzzzt—!!!
The blue high-voltage arc struck the Void Shadow Rat in midair.
The powerful current couldn't kill this four-hundred-year-old Soul Beast, but the terrifying numbness made its body seize up in midair!
Its claws hung inches from Su Yun's nose, unable to move any closer.
And this was the moment Su Yun had been waiting for—the perfect finishing blow.
"Truth is only within range."
Su Yun's right hand moved with incredible speed, drawing a gleaming silver giant pistol from the quick-draw holster strapped to his outer thigh.
A Desert Eagle, Mark XIX, chambered in .50 AE.
A howitzer among handguns—a monster that could blow up a car engine at close range.
The icy muzzle pressed directly against the frozen Void Shadow Rat's forehead.
The barrel even sank into its flesh.
Su Yun looked into the rat's terrified eyes and curled his lips into a cruel smile.
"Next time, remember not to mess with people from Earth."
Bang—!!!!
A deep gunshot like rolling thunder shook the entire forest.
The .50-caliber Magnum round unleashed its force at point-blank range. It didn't need to pierce through.
It was pure destruction.
Pfft!
The Void Shadow Rat's head burst apart like a watermelon smashed by a sledgehammer!
Blood and brains splattered everywhere.
The force hurled its headless corpse backward. It slammed into the ground, twitched twice, then lay completely still.
A faint yellow Soul Ring slowly rose from the corpse.
Su Yun held his gun steady, lightly blew the smoke from its muzzle, then flicked the blood off his glove with a look of disgust.
"That's a wrap."
The entire scene fell deathly silent.
Tang San stared at the smoking silver giant gun in Su Yun's hand, his eyes wide with shock.
What kind of mechanical Hidden Weapon was this?
The power it had unleashed just now...
It was a thousand times stronger than his Sleeve Arrow!
The Red Hair's Group crawled out of the dirt mound and stared at the figure who looked like the God of Slaughter. Their legs gave out, and they dropped to their knees in more perfect unison than ever before.
Up in the tree, Yu Xiaogang swayed gently in the breeze.
His hair had been blasted into a spiky, unruly mess, and his face was streaked black and white, as if he'd just crawled out of a coal mine.
He struggled to open his smoke-stung eyes, which had narrowed to slits. He looked at the headless rat on the ground, then at the smoking gun in Su Yun's hand, and fell into deep thought.
Though it might have looked as if he'd been blasted away and nearly bitten to death,
as a theoretical master, Yu Xiaogang was best at one thing—
Reframing defeat as victory after the fact!
A tight chain of logic rapidly took shape in his mind:
"First, who discovered the rat? Me! Sure, I was a little off with its location, but I identified the species correctly. That's a victory in the intelligence war—one point for me!"
"Second, who used the crucial control skill during the fight? Luo Sanpao. If it hadn't sprayed that swamp gas, could Red Hair have lit it on fire? No. So I supplied the key ingredient for that earth-shattering explosion. That's a victory for tactical teamwork. Red Hair was nothing but my pawn. That's two points for me!"
"Finally, Su Yun may have gotten the kill, but what did he rely on? Outside tools. Money. That kind of victory is dishonorable and beneath the dignity of a Soul Master!"
"And what about me? I used myself as bait to lure the enemy in. I even sacrificed my dignity by hanging from a tree, all to create a chance for my teammates to land the finishing blow. That's a victory of spirit—a great victory!"
"In conclusion..."
Yu Xiaogang solemnly announced the results to himself:
"Su Yun relied on equipment. His victory was dishonorable. No points."
"I relied on wisdom, tactics, and a spirit of sacrifice. Three points for me."
"Three to zero. The winner is obvious!"
This round, Yu Xiaogang had won big!
At the thought, the dull look in Yu Xiaogang's eyes brightened again.
He was certain that Tang San, a genius boy, would see past appearances and recognize the tactical brilliance and greatness of his teacher.
Now he was sure to take Tang San as his disciple!
Just then, a rustling sound came from the bushes below.
Tang San walked over with a blank expression and looked up at Yu Xiaogang, who was hanging from a branch.
Yu Xiaogang's heart leaped with joy. He tried to maintain the bearing of a great master.
He took a deep breath. Even with soot still stuck in his throat, he forced himself to speak in the rich, magnetic voice of a mentor:
"Xiaosan, you're here."
"Did you understand? This is the first lesson your teacher has taught you. A Soul Master's battle isn't about brute force in the moment, but about understanding the situation and... Ngh—!"
Before he could finish, Yu Xiaogang suddenly sucked in a breath, his features twisting in pain.
He instinctively tried to cover his butt, only to find that his hands wouldn't move.
"Ahem... Xiaosan, don't rush to reflect on the lesson just yet."
Yu Xiaogang grimaced in pain, cold sweat pouring down his face.
"Quick, get me down first. I don't know if the explosion injured my bones, but... my butt really hurts..."
Tang San stood beneath the tree without moving.
He tilted his head slightly, his Purple Extreme Demon Eye glimmering as his gaze passed over Yu Xiaogang and looked higher into the treetop.
After a two-second silence, Tang San raised a finger and pointed to the branch directly above Yu Xiaogang's head:
"Grandmaster, your butt doesn't hurt."
Tang San said expressionlessly, "Your butt... is up in the tree."
Yu Xiaogang strained to crane his neck and followed Tang San's finger upward.
Between the branches two meters above his head, Luo Sanpao's round body was wedged tight between two limbs, unable to move.
Its enormous, rounded butt hung directly above Yu Xiaogang's head.
Perhaps it had eaten too many turnips earlier. Perhaps it was a stress reaction.
Just as Yu Xiaogang looked up,
Luo Sanpao's tense sphincter finally relaxed.
Pfft—
Pfft-pfft—
A string of rhythmic, pale-yellow gas burst out with an awkward sound, spraying Yu Xiaogang right in the face.
"..."
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