In a straight sprint, Onigumo was much faster than Ye Chen. But Ye Chen darted aside like a wily mouse and somehow slipped behind him.
"Ye Chen!"
Though Ye Chen wore a mask, Smoker's sharp eyes picked out his distinctive movements, and he recognized him at once.
Smoker had fought Ye Chen before. He knew what the man could do.
Ye Chen's kung fu was one of a kind. No one else in the world could perform such strange, unpredictable Lightness Skill.
"White Gale!"
Ye Chen had barely run a dozen steps when a cloud of white smoke billowed up behind him. Cigar in his mouth, Smoker surged forward through the smoke and cut him off. He closed in and brought his Jitte down toward Ye Chen's head, trailing a cold gust.
Ye Chen twisted aside. He had only just found his footing when Onigumo turned and charged him too.
"Ye Chen? That's Ye Chen?"
Onigumo sounded unconvinced.
Smoker nodded firmly. "Yes. It's him."
"Heh... Smoker. Who would've thought we'd meet again? How have you been? Doing well lately?"
Since he had been recognized, Ye Chen simply took off his mask and started chatting with Smoker as though they were old friends.
Smoker glared at that all-too-familiar face, grinding his teeth. "Shut up! Are we friends? You won't escape this time. Give yourself up."
Ye Chen shook his head in disappointment. "That's cold. You've gotten stronger by now, haven't you? Shouldn't you thank me?"
Ye Chen wasn't wrong. Smoker had grown stronger because Ye Chen had forced him to. Last time, Ye Chen had nearly killed him.
"What, two against one? Onigumo, you're a Vice Admiral at Marine Headquarters."
Ye Chen turned to Onigumo with a smile.
Onigumo waved Smoker back. "Stand down, Smoker. Leave him to me."
One Vice