A Desperate Fight

Mei Ye tightened his grip on the cold hilt of his blade. Having just experienced a betrayal, he trusted no one now but his own sword.

Seeing that the brat remained silent, Epstein's patience ran out.

He sneered, stepped forward, and arrived before Mei Ye in an instant, casually striking out with one hand.

Mei Ye drew his blade to resist. Epstein's body was incredibly tough. Those at higher realms were all like that—their bodies were comparable to steel.

Seeing this, Mei Ye could only pull back and adopt a defensive stance.

[Wind-Treading Step (Minor Mastery)]

[Current remaining merit points: 5498]

While withstanding Epstein's attacks, Mei Ye desperately poured merit points into his martial arts.

[Wind-Treading Step (Complete Mastery)!]

[Evil-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Art: Early Stage Complete Mastery!]

Mei Ye's stamina brimmed over, and true qi flowed through him without end.

Epstein noticed the change. He raised a brow, assuming the kid had used some secret technique.

But as the battle continued, he discovered that the brat's skills had improved greatly. His movements were agile, and his saber techniques were astonishing.

Epstein threw a punch. Mei Ye let out a muffled grunt and retreated, grabbing the Qing Dynasty Zombie and moving away from Epstein.

"Kid, I think you've got potential. Why not abandon darkness for the light and join our Holy Sect?"

Following behind Mei Ye, Epstein spoke in a half-joking tone. After their exchange, the kid had only fought more fiercely, and Epstein had begun to appreciate his talent.

"Sure. Turn yourself in first. Once you do, I'll join you."

Mei Ye spoke as he ran.

"Terms can all be negotiated, kid. Our Holy Sect has never been stingy with resources when it comes to talent."

"I want to become the Grand Commander of the Demon Suppression Bureau. Can you make that happen?"

"Stop joking around, kid."

Epstein's expression turned cold. If they could become officials, why would they become cultists?

"Since you refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit, I won't be polite anymore."

Epstein's face grew stern. True qi coiled around his limbs as a terrifying aura poured forth. He glared furiously at Mei Ye and appeared before him in the blink of an eye.

"Don't blame me for bullying the young!"

Epstein threw a punch, shattering the wall of an entire streetfront.

"I've lowered my realm to match yours. Let's see how many minutes you can last."

The sight of a worthy opponent excited Epstein. He wanted to see just how strong this brat could become under the threat of death.

If this fellow proved capable, he would capture one more person today.

After all, the Holy Sect had always struggled with cultivating talent.

Clang—!

Mei Ye deflected Epstein's fist with a strike, using every ounce of his strength and focus to contend against him.

Although Epstein was holding back, a higher realm was still a higher realm.

Every movement he made was beyond what ordinary people could match.

Mei Ye slid past him, arriving behind Epstein. He spun and slashed, tearing a gash through Epstein's clothes.

But Epstein's skin was smooth and gleaming, and that slash had not hurt him at all.

Mei Ye leaped up, stepped on Epstein's shoulder, and then plunged down with a slash!

Clang—!

Epstein blocked it, then grabbed Mei Ye by the shoulder and viciously flung him aside.

Mei Ye reacted in time, shifted his center of gravity, landed on both feet, and swung his blade, forcing Epstein to release him.

Epstein grinned. This was getting more and more interesting.

He swung both fists, red light swirling around them. With a howling rush, he charged before Mei Ye and smashed apart everything around them.

Seeing the overwhelming power of that move, Mei Ye's expression turned grave. He pushed Wind-Treading Step to its limit and opened up distance from Epstein.

But Epstein's movement technique was clearly superior. He kicked off with both legs and arrived in an instant, his fist about to descend.

Mei Ye clenched his teeth and sprang like a leopard, but Epstein remained close on his heels.

At the crucial moment, Mei Ye grabbed the zombie and held it before himself.

The red light swept across it, striking the zombie squarely in the chest.

The formerly indestructible zombie was instantly torn apart by Epstein's punch, blasted into pieces.

The zombie let out a furious roar as its greenish head flew backward.

Epstein was startled. Then he kicked off a wall and went after the zombie's head.

After catching the head, he took out a tube of blue liquid from his pocket and poured it over the zombie's face.

The liquid seemed filled with magic. It washed away the zombie's ignorance, and its eyes became clear, no longer savage.

"I'm alive again...!"

The zombie cried out joyfully. But upon seeing Epstein holding its head, it froze for a moment, then realized it could no longer feel anything below its neck.

"What?"

The zombie's eyes darted around. When it saw that its body was gone, a flicker of shock and fury flashed through its gaze.

"Damn Han Chinese, how dare you treat me like this! Let me go! I'm from the Niohuru clan!"

The zombie snarled and bit at him, fangs exposed in a terrifying display.

But Epstein disgustedly held the zombie's head farther away while covering his nose and mouth.

Epstein looked toward Mei Ye and sneered.

"Thanks to you, little genius. This zombie would probably have needed many lives and materials to recover its full strength."

Mei Ye's gaze lingered on the zombie. He was surprised that this cultist had the means to restore the zombie's mind.

"Why did you capture this zombie?"

"If you want to know, why not come to our Holy Sect and see for yourself?"

Epstein spoke as red light once more wound around his hands.

Mei Ye became vigilant as well. It seemed this man intended to continue fighting.

But at that moment,

A chilling killing intent swept toward them.

Epstein turned his head and looked into the distance. Moments later, he realized he no longer had the opportunity. He released his grip and glanced back at Mei Ye.

"You got lucky and kept your life, kid."

"Han dog! Let go of your grandpa!"

The zombie in Epstein's hand shouted wildly, like a rabid dog.

Epstein glanced at the zombie, picked up a stone, and stuffed it into its mouth.

Meanwhile, several auras were rapidly approaching from nearby.

Epstein did not dare linger. He turned, bounded across walls and rooftops, and vanished into the darkness.

Carrying the Qing Dynasty Zombie's head, Epstein left afterimages across the tops of the buildings.

Not far away, a miserable-looking man with blood streaming beneath his pale skin rushed quickly toward him.

"Did you catch that zombie?"

Huo You clutched his nearly crippled shoulder, stopped before Epstein, and asked through gritted teeth.

"Right here."

Epstein shook the zombie head squirming in his hand.

Seeing this, Huo You relaxed slightly. "Why is there only a head left? Did the Demon Suppression Bureau have some expert there?"

"I accidentally hit it wrong."

Epstein gave a perfunctory answer, since the truth would be rather embarrassing.

"What about you? Was that Wei Wushuang really that formidable?"

Thinking of it, Huo You grabbed at his shoulder, gritted his teeth, and said unwillingly, "I couldn't beat him. Wei Wushuang's Stacked Peaks Sinking Sand was too strong..."

"Really that strong?"

A trace of wariness appeared on Epstein's long face. "When I heard Bai Jiaming had been defeated by one palm strike, I thought Wei Wushuang had been bragging."

"Bai Jiaming's martial arts are too sinister to begin with, and he was naturally countered by Wei Wushuang..." Huo You panted, his eyes falling on the Qing Dynasty Zombie. Annoyed, he said, "Forget that. Let's go. I held Wei Wushuang off for so long; the other side should have succeeded by now."

Wei Wushuang had beaten him until he had nearly lost all confidence. Right now, he only wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

Epstein also knew time was short. He nodded, seized the Qing Dynasty Zombie's head, and swiftly vanished across the high-rises.

Huo You drew in a breath of true qi and followed after him.

Watching Epstein depart, Mei Ye let out a breath of relief.

He supported his exhausted body with his blade when hurried footsteps suddenly sounded beside him.

Turning around, he saw Captain Wei Wushuang approaching menacingly with several Demon-Suppressing Guards.

Wei Wushuang's clothes were somewhat tattered, but his muscles bulged and his eyes were bloodshot. He was clearly in a furious rage.

"What happened here? Where's the zombie?"

Seeing the devastation before him, Wei Wushuang immediately asked.

"Captain..."

Seeing his superior arrive, Mei Ye's taut nerves relaxed somewhat. He slowly told Wei Wushuang what had happened.

After hearing him out, Wei Wushuang clenched his fists in extreme fury. But looking at the dead and wounded brothers around him, he ultimately said nothing harsh. He sighed deeply. "The Holy Sect planned this thoroughly. It isn't your fault. You did your best."

After speaking, he looked at Mei Ye, and a trace of satisfaction flashed through his eyes.

"You've got some skill after all. You haven't disappointed my high expectations of you."

Mei Ye shook his head. "Maybe it was just luck."

The cultist had held back against him. Otherwise, he might have been beaten to death in an instant.

"No matter what, you've contributed so much for Jiangbei City. The Demon Suppression Bureau won't mistreat you."

Wei Wushuang offered reassurance.

The Demon-Suppressing Guards around them felt slightly better upon hearing that.

They were supposed to be paid for killing enemies. Giving them some credit afterward was not exactly mistreating them.

"Captain! We caught a deserter."

At that moment, Wei Wushuang's subordinates arrived, dragging Tian Mao over. His hair was disheveled, and his legs had gone weak.

"Captain..."

Tian Mao's face was deathly pale, and his entire body trembled.

When Mei Ye saw this Oscar-worthy actor, he raised a brow. Caught already? What bad luck.

"Captain!"

Faced with Wei Wushuang's cold and disappointed gaze, Tian Mao could no longer hold himself together and burst into tears.

"I'm not a deserter! I was just separated from the group! I'm not a deserter!"

"I know."

Wei Wushuang gestured for him to be quiet, though the veins bulging on his forehead made it clear that he was enraged.

By the rules, anyone who fled during battle could be executed by the frontline commander.

"Who were you with just now?"

Tian Mao's mind froze for an instant. His gaze shifted toward Mei Ye, who was watching coldly from behind.

"It was... it was Mei Ye and the others."

Wei Wushuang narrowed his eyes. "Then why are they dead or wounded while you alone were running away?"

"Captain... I..."

Tian Mao stammered. Beads of sweat rolled down his face, and his eyelids twitched nonstop.

"Was he with you just now?"

Suppressing his rage, Wei Wushuang asked Mei Ye.

"Yes." Mei Ye nodded, his voice calm. "Though he ran away afterward."

"He's lying! He's abusing his authority for personal revenge!"

Tian Mao jumped up and screamed. The Demon-Suppressing Guards behind him hurriedly grabbed his shoulders.

"I'm not a deserter! I... I... he's lying!... He's targeting me!"

Tian Mao was covered in tears and snot, his face filled with grief.

Wei Wushuang's face darkened. What kind of man cried and wailed like this?

Fortunately, Mei Ye was not the only surviving Demon-Suppressing Guard here. Wei Wushuang looked toward a barely conscious guard being carried over and signaled his men to give him an injection.

After the guard, who had been nearly beaten to death by Epstein's strike, regained his senses, Wei Wushuang pointed at the disgraceful Tian Mao and asked,

"Did you see this man? Did he run away too?"

The man's eyelids drooped as he glanced at Tian Mao. Disgust and contempt passed through his eyes.

In the end, he weakly nodded.

Wei Wushuang sighed. "Good. Rest peacefully."

Then he turned back, looking coldly and disappointedly at Tian Mao. The saber at his waist had long since been drawn.

"Captain!"

Tian Mao still struggled, writhing like a caterpillar. He crawled to Wei Wushuang's feet, kowtowed, and cried,

"I'm not a deserter! I had no choice, Captain..."

"I have an eighty-year-old mother at home, an eight-year-old child, two girlfriends... I can't die! I haven't even paid off my loans!"

Wei Wushuang ignored Tian Mao.

If he did not deal with this coward, he would have no way to answer to his brothers.

Crack.

The crying stopped abruptly.

A thin line of blood appeared across Tian Mao's neck, and a drop of blood fell from it.

In an instant, Tian Mao's head hit the ground!

Wei Wushuang sheathed his blade without even looking at the ugly head. His voice was low and firm.

"Let's go back to headquarters."