I'm Staying Too

The Bone-Cracking Centipede he had been unable to stop even with everything he had—this young man had crippled it with a single punch?

How was this mid-stage Martial Apprentice? He was at least late-stage Martial Apprentice!

No, even a late-stage Martial Apprentice couldn't possibly possess such terrifying punching power and precision!

Lin Yun ignored everyone's shock.

Without slowing, he moved again.

With Wind-Treading Step unleashed, he became like a gust weaving through the battlefield, striking only at the gaps between the Bone-Cracking Centipedes' thoracic segments.

The second one, then the third—every punch landed precisely in the same spot, heavy and fierce, from viciously tricky angles.

In barely a dozen seconds, all three Bone-Cracking Centipedes had their central nervous systems severed and lost the ability to move. Only their legs continued to twitch futilely.

Without the Bone-Cracking Centipedes' cover, the remaining dozen or so Swift Mantises were even less of a match for him.

Lin Yun's fists flew like the wind. Every time he raised a hand, a mantis fell.

The wind from his punches howled as the sound of shattering shells rang out one after another. Blue-gray mutant beast corpses lay scattered across the ground, and a foul stench quickly filled the air.

Only three minutes had passed.

The mutant beast squad that had charged out was completely wiped out.

Lin Yun stood in the middle of the battlefield and took a slight breath before his breathing quickly steadied.

He shook the bodily fluids off his fistguards, then turned to look at the stunned crowd with a slight frown. "What are you standing around for? Move!"

Only then did everyone suddenly snap out of it.

The bearded man's face burned. Just moments ago, he had been talking behind the boy's back about how he was holding them back, yet the boy had resolved every problem by himself.

He hurried forward and cupped his fists toward Lin Yun, his tone full of awe.

"Little brother, thank you. I, Old Bear, failed to recognize greatness when I saw it. I offended you earlier, so please don't take it to heart."

The other hunters nodded as well. The way they looked at Lin Yun had changed completely, turning from their initial contempt to genuine reverence.

Someone who could cripple a Bone-Cracking Centipede with one punch and moved so fast they could not even see him—he was definitely a ninth-stage Martial Apprentice expert!

A ninth-stage Martial Apprentice at eighteen or nineteen?

What kind of monstrous talent was that? Even the top scorer of Azure City's martial exam probably wasn't this outrageous!

"Get the people out first."

Lin Yun said nothing more and stepped aside to clear the way.

No one dared delay. They quickly urged the civilians to pick up their pace.

The group hurried through the breach in the western wall and retreated to an abandoned storefront two kilometers away.

This was a temporary shelter the City Defense Army had selected in advance. It was easy to defend and difficult to assault.

They counted heads. All ninety-seven civilians were present.

At the result, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Several elderly people repeatedly thanked the soldiers, their eyes red as they kept muttering that they had been saved.

Lin Yun leaned against the wall, unscrewed a bottle of water, and took two drinks. His gaze remained fixed in the direction of Huimin Residential Compound.

He had a feeling things were not that simple.

A mutant beast pack capable of forming a nest could not possibly have only this much strength.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, a deep beastly roar suddenly came from the direction of Huimin Residential Compound.

ROAR!

The sound was thick and muffled, like rolling thunder passing over the ground. It made everyone's eardrums buzz, and even the ground beneath their feet trembled slightly.

The storefront windows rattled, shaking loose a layer of dust.

The martial artists present instantly changed expressions.

"What kind of mutant beast is that? That roar is so loud!"

One soldier went pale.

The bearded man's expression turned grave. He listened for several seconds before abruptly recalling something and crying out, "It's a Black-Belly Scaled Snake! A peak first-tier Black-Belly Scaled Snake! I heard before that a snake king was hiding in Huimin Residential Compound, the core of this nest. I didn't expect it to be true!"

Before he finished speaking, a collapsed wall in the distance came crashing down.

A giant black snake slithered out along the fallen wall. It was as thick as a water barrel and nearly twelve meters long. Its scales glimmered with an oily, cold sheen, reflecting dark purple patterns beneath the sunlight.

Its triangular head was enormous, its vertical pupils cold enough to chill the bone. It flicked its forked tongue, and transparent venom dripped from its scarlet tip. When the venom hit the ground, it hissed and corroded small pits into the surface.

It slithered past the breach in the wall, its icy gaze sweeping toward the temporary shelter. Clearly, it was displeased that its penned prey had escaped.

"We're done for... a peak first-tier mutant beast..."

Several hunters went deathly pale and retreated again and again.

Peak first-tier corresponded to peak Martial Apprentice.

Yet even a peak Martial Apprentice might not come away unharmed against it, let alone their group, most of whom were only mid- or late-stage, with a pile of civilians slowing them down.

Zhou Lei clutched his chest as he hurried in from outside.

Blood stained the corner of his mouth, and his uniform had been torn open. Clearly, the bait team had also faced a counterattack, and his injuries were not light.

"Captain Zhou!"

The soldiers hurriedly gathered around him.

Zhou Lei waved them away. His gaze remained locked on the Black-Belly Scaled Snake drawing ever closer outside, his voice heavy.

"The rest of the bait team are holding the rear. They've temporarily held back the scattered Swift Mantises and small centipedes that turned back.

This Black-Belly Scaled Snake is the king of the nest. Someone has to stop it, or every one of us will die here."

As he spoke, he drew the standard-issue combat saber from his waist, its blade gleaming with cold light.

"Everyone listen up. Organize the civilians and retreat south immediately, toward the stronghold! I'll hold the rear!"

"Captain Zhou! No! You're already injured!" A soldier's eyes reddened anxiously.

"I'm the captain. What I say goes."

Zhou Lei's tone was resolute.

"I'm a peak Martial Apprentice. Only I can hold it back. Take the civilians and go. Get as far away as you can. Once reinforcements arrive, you'll be safe."

He knew full well that facing a peak first-tier Black-Belly Scaled Snake while injured meant nine chances of death for every one chance of survival.

But he had no choice.

Behind him were ninety-seven unarmed civilians and the soldiers he had led here.

If he did not hold the line, who would?

Zhou Lei tightened his grip on his combat saber and was just about to step outside when a figure stopped beside him.

"I'm staying too."

Lin Yun's tone was calm.

He had already put on the Armybreaker Fistguards. His fingertips flexed slightly as the alloy scales fitted over his finger bones, and a heavy sense of power spread up his arms.

Zhou Lei froze for a moment and turned toward the young man beside him. "Little brother, you..."

"You're injured. You won't last ten minutes."

Lin Yun stared directly at the approaching Black-Belly Scaled Snake, speaking evenly.

"If the two of us work together, we can hold out longer. We might even have a chance to kill it."

"But..."

"No buts." Lin Yun turned his head and glanced at him. "I can't abandon my comrades and run away alone."

Zhou Lei looked into the young man's clear yet resolute eyes. Then he suddenly laughed aloud, the laughter jarring his aching chest but carrying a measure of exhilaration.

"Good! Good kid! You've got guts! I was right about you!"

He gripped his combat saber tightly, the blade angled toward the ground. His blood and qi slowly rose as the aura of a peak Martial Apprentice burst forth without reservation.

"Listen. In a moment, I'll draw its attention from the front. Your movement technique is good, so find an opening and strike its vital point. Its scales are tough, but its vital point is its weak spot. As long as you break through the scales, you can kill it!"

"Understood."

Zhou Lei took a deep breath, then suddenly grinned. "By the way, I still haven't asked your name."

"Lin Yun."

"Lin Yun." Zhou Lei repeated the name, then said solemnly, "If we make it back alive today, I'll treat you to a drink—the best liquor, as much as you can drink!"

A faint smile touched Lin Yun's lips. "Then you'd better be prepared to spend a lot."