Push and pull

This exceptionally large Blizzard Monster was the mate of the pair of ferocious beasts that had just perished.

It wandered and hunted in the outer forest area, returning a moment late. The first thing it saw upon entering the valley was a scene of utter devastation. Large patches of dark red blood had seeped into the surface of the snow, which had already partially frozen and turned black in the low temperature, no longer able to penetrate deep into the snow. Two faint afterimages of energy remained on the ground, unique traces left after the Wristband disintegrated its body.

Their constant companions and their still-young cubs have all vanished without a trace.

There was no unnecessary probing, no hesitant observation.

The rage and hatred rooted in his animalistic nature instantly overwhelmed all instincts.

Thick layers of fur bristled, and frost clinging to the folds fell away in a flurry. Its massive body pressed low, hugging the snow, its powerful limbs stomping and crushing chunks of snow. Its charge was devoid of fancy movements, relying solely on pure weight and speed; the short burst of momentum was brutal and clumsy, carrying a tangible sense of crushing, locking the only human figure at the bottom of the valley.

Lu Heng saw it all clearly.

The brain reacted quickly enough to instantly weigh all the pros and cons. A giant beast was rapidly approaching in front of him, a straight and hard rock wall was behind him, and the snow under his feet was soft and slippery, offering no solid foothold.

I can see it, I want to avoid it, but my body just can't.

The physical gap cannot be bridged by prediction or skill.

They were so close, there was no way to avoid it.

Lu Heng immediately cleared his mind of all distractions, raised his arms, gripped the Bronze Hunting Blade tightly with both hands, held the flat blade horizontally against his chest, his knuckles gripping the hilt tightly, tensed all the muscles in his body, and prepared to take the impact head-on.

The next instant, the immense force crashed to the ground.

There were no exaggerated effects like being thrown into the air or making a loud explosion.

Only a dull, heavy, and overwhelming force pressed down on his center of gravity.

The snow beneath my feet slipped instantly, my legs went weak, and I slid backward half a foot with the force of the impact. My back slammed against the rock wall, the rough, cold stone pressing against my spine, the chill penetrating my clothes, flesh, and reaching right to my bones. My chest caved in, my internal organs shuddered instantly, and a thick, sweet, metallic taste surged from my abdomen to my throat, stuck there, impossible to spit out or swallow.

The body's balance was utterly shattered.

The beast's charge hadn't subsided when its head slammed down, the movement swift and brutal. Without any unnecessary probing, it precisely aimed its bite at the neck, its fangs carrying the cold, damp air accumulated in the forest, lunging at the face at close range.

This is the most instinctive and efficient killing move of a wild beast.

Lu Heng's neck hairs stood on end, a completely instinctive reaction at the brink of life and death. He twisted his waist and abdomen forcefully, sliding half an inch to the side while pressed against the rock wall.

Sharp fangs grazed the shoulder armor, biting away fiercely, the dull thud of teeth colliding was jarring and clear. A strong wind swept through the fabric, making it stiff and tight.

It was just a hair's breadth away from a fatal neck fracture.

After narrowly escaping death, the situation remained unchanged.

The enormous beast's body completely enveloped him, trapping him firmly between the rock wall and the giant beast. His vision was obscured by the thick fur, and he had no room to move left or right, completely locked in.

Lu Heng immediately changed his tactics.

Abandoning horizontal parrying, he rapidly flipped his wrist, his fingertips locking the hilt of the knife, pressing the sharp blade straight forward against the thick fur on the beast's chest.

He had no illusions of retaliating or crushing the beast; he only sought to inflict wounds and force out pain, hoping to make the enraged beast instinctively retreat slightly and create a sliver of space for escape.

The blade tip pierced the frosty, hardened skin, cutting smoothly into the muscle. Tiny, warm blood slowly seeped out along the blade's grooves, quickly cooling and congealing in the low temperature.

The anticipated obstacles and setbacks did not materialize.

The Blizzard Monster had completely lost its sense of pain. The hatred from the deaths of its mate and cubs drove it into a completely obsessive rage. The wounds from the blades tearing its flesh were insignificant to it. Its massive body continued to press forward, its heavy weight constantly exerting pressure, the blade tip digging deeper and deeper, yet it could not even budge its momentum.

Suppression is absolute suppression, without any suspense.

Immediately following, heavy beast claws slammed down one after another.

There was no sharp pain like tearing flesh, only a series of dull, solid impacts.

Thump, thump, thump.

The force penetrated the outer layer of armor, crushing into the muscles and bones. The armor protected the surface skin, preventing it from breaking and bleeding, but the dull pain inside was excruciating. With each strike, the shoulders and arms went numb a little more, the waist and back stiffened a little more, and the tightness in the chest increased layer by layer.

In just a few seconds, several heavy blows were delivered in succession.

Lu Heng's hands, gripping the knife, began to tremble. His tiger's mouth ached and went numb, and the muscles in his arms remained tense, already filled with fatigue and pain. His body was pressed tightly against the rock wall, and even the slightest rise and fall of his breath caused discomfort in his trembling internal organs.

Every judgment, every action, and every response he made was flawless.

However, in the face of absolute differences in size, weight, and brute strength, all techniques seem pale and powerless.

He was well aware of the current situation.

Continuing to resist will only cause the blade to jam, resulting in continuous blunt force trauma that damages internal organs, eventually leading to exhaustion and paralysis, leaving you vulnerable to being slaughtered. A head-on fight will only hasten your death.

In dire straits, one's mind becomes completely calm.

Lu Heng abandoned his defensive stance and suddenly relaxed his arms.

The taut blade instantly lost its grip, and the tip, deeply embedded in flesh, dipped slightly. The behemoth, which had been pressing forward with all its might, suddenly lost its resistance. Its immense inertia caused its body to lurch forward violently, its center of gravity completely off balance, and it plummeted straight towards the snow.

It was this fleeting flaw.

In an instant, Lu Heng collapsed, hunched his shoulders, and pulled in his stomach, sliding half a foot down the rock wall and quickly squeezing out of the blind spot where the giant beast had pressed him down. He used his waist and back to push off, rolling backward along the snow and completely escaping the confinement of the rock wall.

Fine snowflakes clung to my sleeves, and a biting chill permeated my limbs.

The massive beast crashed into the snow, creating a huge crater in the thick snow, sending snowflakes flying everywhere.

Taking advantage of the moment when it lost its balance and landed, and was unable to get up for a brief period of time, Lu Heng pushed himself up and staggered backward, retreating several meters in one breath.

He steadied himself, his chest heaving rapidly. The dull pain in his muscles and bones lingered, and a metallic taste remained in his throat. His arms were numb, his fingertips trembled slightly, and his muscles, which had been tense for so long, were now feeling sore and tired.

Looking up, he saw the enraged Blizzard Monster supporting itself on the snow, slowly raising its massive body. Its murky, crimson eyes remained fixed on his position, ready to pounce again.

Even at a barely safe distance, Lu Heng's tense nerves didn't relax for a second.

Those few seconds of close-quarters crushing were a true life-or-death struggle.