Turtle in a Jar

Absolute darkness.

Unable to see even one's hand in front of one's face.

Inside the cave, the air felt as if it had solidified, leaving only the heavy, suppressed breaths of the One-Eyed Boss and Black Bear.

"Boss... we're trapped!" Black Bear's voice trembled uncontrollably.

Fear magnified infinitely in the darkness.

An unknown enemy, deadly traps, and the despair of being buried alive clutched his heart like an invisible hand.

"Shut up!"

The One-Eyed Boss roared, forcefully suppressing his shock.

He was much calmer than Black Bear.

As a mercenary leader who had lived by the blade for many years, he had faced far more life-or-death crises than this.

He knew very well that at times like these, one must not panic.

"Light a fire!" he commanded.

Black Bear fumbled in his pocket for flint and steel, but his hands trembled so violently from nervousness that he failed to strike a spark several times.

"Useless!"

The One-Eyed Boss snatched the flint and steel, striking it forcefully.

"Screech!"

A faint flame flickered to life, barely illuminating a small area around them.

In the firelight, both men's faces turned extremely grim.

The cave entrance was completely sealed by a massive rock, fitting perfectly. Half of another companion's body was crushed beneath the boulder, mangled and bloody—a gruesome sight.

And Monkey's corpse lay quietly not far away, a bloody hole in its chest, long since silenced.

"Something... is in here." Black Bear's voice was dry, his hand gripping his saber tightly as he scanned the dark corners warily.

"Not something. Someone."

The One-Eyed Boss's eyes were cold. He stuck the torch into a crack in the rock, holding his massive Mountain-Cleaving Axe across his chest.

"A hunter who knows how to use the environment and is meticulous in his planning."

He couldn't understand how the young master, described as a severely injured, dying good-for-nothing by the Wang Family, could have become such a terrifying opponent.

The intel was completely wrong!

Just then.

"Whoosh!"

A faint sound of air being cut came from the darkness.

A stone the size of a fist, carrying a sharp gust of wind, shot precisely towards the torch stuck in the rock.

"Crack!"

The flame was extinguished instantly.

The cave was once again swallowed by endless darkness.

"Ah!"

Black Bear let out a terrified scream, instinctively swinging his saber.

"Calm down!" the One-Eyed Boss roared, but his back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.

The enemy was right beside them!

And they were like blind men with their eyes open!

Chen Chen's figure moved like a phantom, sticking close to the cave walls, silent and stealthy.

After breaking through to the Body Tempering First Layer, his night vision wasn't yet comparable to daylight, but in this low-light environment, he could vaguely make out the silhouettes of the two enemies.

While they, on the other hand, could see nothing.

This was his greatest advantage.

He didn't rush to attack.

The One-Eyed Boss was a Body Tempering Second Layer martial artist, with more abundant Blood Essence and greater strength than him. If he got entangled, he would surely lose.

What he needed to do was to harass them continuously, keep applying pressure, and wear down their stamina and spirits.

Let them collapse on their own amidst fear and suspicion.

"Whoosh!"

Another stone shot out from a different direction, grazing Black Bear's ear and hitting the rock wall with a dull thud.

"Ah! It's over there!"

Black Bear, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, madly swung a saber in the direction of the sound.

"Clang!"

The crude saber struck the hard rock, splashing a string of sparks and making his tiger's mouth go numb.

However, no one was there.

"Don't move recklessly! Conserve your strength!" the One-Eyed Boss roared. He could feel that the enemy hidden in the shadows was like a venomous snake, patiently waiting for them to expose a weakness.

This feeling made him incredibly frustrated.

He had strength but nowhere to use it.

Time passed, second by second.

For the two men inside the cave, every second felt as long as a year.

Chen Chen was like the most experienced hunter, occasionally harassing them with pebbles but never revealing himself.

Every whistling sound was like the scythe of the Grim Reaper, slicing across their taut nerves.

Black Bear's spirit was the first to reach the brink of collapse.

"Come out! Get out here, damn it!"

He roared frantically, wildly swinging his crude saber, stirring up gusts of wind within the cave.

"If you have the guts, fight me fair and square! Hiding around like this, what kind of hero are you!"

The One-Eyed Boss's face turned ashen. He knew Black Bear was finished.

A warrior who had lost his mind was no different from a wild beast.

And Chen Chen was waiting for this very opportunity.

Just as Black Bear was wildly swinging his saber, his old strength exhausted and new strength not yet born...

A black shadow erupted from the shadows behind his flank!

Fast!

Extremely fast!

Chen Chen pushed the strength and speed of Body Tempering First Layer to their absolute limit.

His steel saber drew a cold arc in the darkness. Instead of aiming for Black Bear's vital points, it precisely slashed at the wrist holding the saber!

"Puchi!"

Black Bear felt a chill on his wrist, followed by a sharp pain.

His right hand, the one holding the saber, had been severed at the wrist!

"Ah--!"

A shrill scream echoed throughout the entire cave.

The crude saber clattered to the ground.

Black Bear clutched his profusely bleeding wrist and collapsed to the ground in agony.

"Black Bear!"

The One-Eyed Boss was shocked and furious. He followed the sound and, without thinking, swung his Mountain-Cleaving Axe with immense force towards the direction of the scream!

This axe strike was powerful and heavy, the gust of wind it generated even making the air whimper.

However, Chen Chen, having struck successfully, immediately retreated, not daring to confront him head-on.

The axe once again swung through empty air.

Darkness returned, bringing with it a deathly silence, leaving only Black Bear's pained groans and the One-Eyed Boss's heavy breathing.

"Boss... My hand... My hand is broken..." Black Bear's voice was filled with despair.

The One-Eyed Boss's heart sank bit by bit.

He knew the next one would be him.

He finally understood what kind of monster they had provoked.

This monster was calm, cruel, intelligent, and possessed an extraordinary control over darkness.

"Friend, we are from the Black Wind Mercenary Group!" the One-Eyed Boss suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse. "We have no intention of being your enemy. We just took money to do a job! Let us go, and we'll give you all the reward money the Wang Family offered, not a single cent! We can even help you deal with the Wang Family!"

He was attempting to negotiate.

Or rather, he was stalling for time.

As he spoke, he quietly took something out from his embrace.

It was a small bamboo tube.

As long as the stopper was pulled, it would emit a special smoke. Although it couldn't harm anyone, it could adhere to surfaces and emit a faint fluorescence in the dark.

This was his last resort for survival.

As long as he could mark the enemy's position, he was confident he could finish off this sneak attacker with one axe strike!

In the darkness, Chen Chen's voice rang out for the first time, cold and indifferent.

"The Wang Family, how much did they pay you?"

There was a response!

The One-Eyed Boss rejoiced inwardly and quickly said, "Fifty taels of silver! As long as you let us go, this fifty taels of silver, along with all the savings of my brothers, will be yours!"

"Fifty taels?"

Chen Chen's voice held a hint of mockery.

"My Chen Family, all three hundred and sixteen lives, are worth only fifty taels of silver in your eyes?"

The One-Eyed Boss's pupils contracted sharply.

The Chen Family... kid!

He was really that rumored Chen Family Remnant!

Didn't he die from severe injuries?

How could he...

Countless questions exploded in his mind.

But in the next second, a sense of deadly crisis came from behind him!

Not good! A feint!

The One-Eyed Boss reacted extremely quickly. Without thinking, he turned and swung an axe!

At the same time, he violently pulled the stopper out of the bamboo tube with his other hand.

However, he was still a step too slow.

Chen Chen's voice seemed to come from behind him, right next to his ear.

"I'll take your life too."

The moment he turned, an icy blade had already silently pierced his lower back.

His kidneys were instantly penetrated!