A Contest

Although visibility was poor and there was no sound, Sarah had far more than one or two ways of locating enemies. Through other means, she still noticed from the soldiers' subtle movements that she had been discovered.

Sarah was not one to sit and wait for death. The instant she realized she had been exposed, every cell in her body sprang into action. Her camouflage layer peeled away, and the Negative Energy Blade extended. With a light swipe, she cut off half of K2N9's drill bit. The severed half continued spinning at high speed, and with a flick from Sarah, it was knocked aside and buried itself in the mud.

Then the blade struck again, dismembering K2N9 in just a few blows. Sarah delivered a savage kick, so fast it even produced a sonic boom. A chunk of K2N9 wreckage shot out like a cannonball under the high-speed impact, directly sending an Epoch Clan soldier behind it—still dreaming of promotion and riches—flying several meters before he sank deeply into the earth.

Annoyed that the soldier had spotted her, Sarah put extra force into that kick. Only after seeing his miserable state did the displeasure in her heart ease slightly.

She tossed or kicked away other conveniently placed K2N9 wreckage, clearing the metal constructs blocking her path while also taking out several quick-footed Epoch Clan soldiers.

This tunnel had been dug out in haste and had not yet been reinforced. Staying inside was like being trapped in a jar. But Sarah was not trying to escape from here. She was trying to stall for as much time as possible.

"Ah!!!!!!" A scream burst from Sarah's mouth. The sound quickly shifted from piercing to inaudible, but its destructive power multiplied severalfold.

The unreinforced tunnel could not withstand such an ultrasonic attack. Dirt