At the clearing, Chen Gu was the first to rush forward.
He had always had a fiery temper, and now his eyes were bloodshot.
Chen Gu pointed a finger at Pan Ya's nose and cursed him.
"Pan Ya! You piece of trash! Did your Tiger Tooth Squad ever think this day would come?"
"Back in County 0201, you used underhanded tricks, took potshots at us, and lured monsters to us."
"When you were trying to get us killed, did you ever think retribution would come?"
"Look! Look at Luo Feng!"
"The rookie you once drove into a dead end is now a powerhouse you can only look up to! Do you regret it?"
Through his agony and despair, Pan Ya heard Chen Gu's furious scolding.
A flicker of twisted malice gathered in his unfocused eyes, like a dying man's last burst of life.
He coughed up bloody froth. His voice was hoarse and grating, yet carried a chilling obstinacy.
"Regret? Damn right I regret it!"
"What I regret most is that, back in County 0201..."
"I didn't do whatever it took to slaughter every fucking one of you in the Fire Hammer Squad!"
"Not leave a single one alive! Then leave your families to spend the rest of their lives drowning in grief."
"You're beyond redemption!"
"Beast!"
His words completely ignited the suppressed fury of the Fire Hammer Squad.
New grudges and old hatred erupted like a volcano!
"This punch is for Zhang Ke!"
Wei Tie roared, his bowl-sized fist whistling through the air.
It slammed into Pan Ya's stomach, doubling him over and making him spray blood.
"This kick is for the bullet Luo Feng took back then!"
Wei Qing lashed out with a kick, striking Pan Ya in the ribs.
The sound of breaking bones rang out once more.
"This one is for every fighter you've ever harmed!"
Chen Gu picked up a broken brick from the ground and smashed it into Pan Ya's face.
His nose caved in at once, leaving a bloody mess of flesh.
Gao Feng stepped forward too. He said nothing, but every kick he delivered landed with immense force.
He vented the guilt and anger he felt as the captain who had failed to protect his teammates.
Luo Feng stood a short distance away, watching coldly.
He did not strike again, but the icy killing intent in his eyes had not diminished in the slightest.
Every venomous word from Pan Ya made the killing intent in his heart grow more solid.
Punch after punch, kick after kick, they poured out years of pent-up hatred.
At first, Pan Ya could still let out faint screams and curses.
Later, all that remained were involuntary twitches and faint groans.
Who knew how many bones in his body had been broken?
He had become a blood-soaked mess, clinging to his last breath.
At last, they stopped, their chests heaving as they gasped for air.
They looked at Pan Ya, who lay on the ground, no longer recognizable as human.
Gao Feng looked at Luo Feng, who gave a slight nod.
"Drag him away," Gao Feng said in a low voice.
Wei Tie and Wei Qing stepped forward.
They seized Pan Ya by his tattered collar and ankle, as if dragging a dead dog.
They dragged him out of the clearing and deeper into the nearby ruins, where the faint roars of monsters could be heard.
A thick stench of blood spread from Pan Ya's body.
To monsters with their keen sense of smell, it was an irresistible temptation.
They came to a broken wall and tossed the dying Pan Ya away like garbage.
They threw him into a hollow filled with broken bricks and tiles, but bearing clear traces of monster activity.
Almost the moment Pan Ya hit the ground,
Several pairs of bloodthirsty crimson eyes lit up in the shadows.
The Fire Hammer Squad stood by the broken wall, watching and listening in silence.
They stayed until the unsettling sounds gradually died away.
The dust settled, and their great vengeance was fulfilled.
They returned to the enormous carcass of the Double-Headed Black-Line Snake.
Looking at the valuable Advanced Beast General Level monster,
The members of the Fire Hammer Squad felt a complicated surge of joy.
It was a trophy they had won by fighting for their lives, and it had also borne witness to a long-overdue act of vengeance.
Wei Tie crouched down and prodded a cut near the Black-Line Snake's head with his dagger.
That was where its venomous fangs should have been.
Now only two bloody holes remained.
He sighed, his voice somewhat heavy.
"The snake gallbladder and its two most valuable fangs were all snatched by those three Indians in the chaos. They were fucking quick."
"Forget it. None of that matters."
Wei Qing came over and patted his broad shoulder, sounding quite open-minded.
"Wiping out the Tiger Tooth Squad was worth more than anything."
"The remaining materials-the snakeskin, sinews, bones, and everything else-are still worth several hundred million altogether."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the corpses of the Tiger Tooth Squad members on the ground.
Then he looked toward the nearby ruins, a flash of satisfaction and relief in his eyes.
Chen Gu nodded too and spat fiercely.
"That's right! Pan Ya, that piece of trash, has finally been fed to the monsters."
"We've finally collected for Zhang Ke and for our brothers today, principal and interest both!"
He paused and looked at Luo Feng, who had been silently examining the snake's carcass.
His tone grew wistful and complicated.
"Thanks to Luo Feng, it's just..."
He did not continue, but everyone understood what he had left unsaid.
It was just that the strength Luo Feng had displayed had gone far beyond what one would expect of a Fire Hammer Squad member.
Gao Feng sheathed his saber and walked into the midst of the group.
His gaze swept over each teammate before finally settling on Luo Feng.
His voice was steady, with a trace of barely perceptible emotion.
"In that fight, Luo Feng showed he had genuine Advanced Warlord strength, and..."
He paused, his tone growing emphatic.
"He also exposed the secret that he's a Spirit Reader."
The words made the atmosphere grow slightly tense.
Wei Tie, Wei Qing, and Chen Gu all looked at Luo Feng. They all knew what it meant.
"Once we get back to the Base City, I'm afraid this news won't stay secret, and there's no need to keep it secret anymore."
"Luo Feng, you're destined to soar to the heavens."
"The Dojo of Limits and the various powers around the world will never let a fighter with your talent remain unknown."
"The Elite Training Camp, maybe even more exclusive training programs, are probably waiting for you."
Chen Gu scratched his head and tried to force a smile, but it came out a little strained.
"Hey, so this trip to City 003..."
"Might be the Fire Hammer Squad's last time working alongside Luo Feng?"
"You, Luo Feng, will probably be rubbing shoulders with Wargods, or even beings Beyond War God, from now on."
Wei Tie and Wei Qing said nothing, merely watching Luo Feng in silence.
Their gazes held both well-wishes and deep reluctance to part.
Feeling his teammates' gazes on him, Luo Feng stopped what he was doing and stood up.
His face was still smeared with blood and grime, but his eyes were clear and resolute.
He looked around at the older brothers and comrades who had trusted and supported him early in his career as a fighter.
They had shared life and death with him.
Luo Feng spoke slowly, his tone carrying unmistakable sincerity.
"No matter how strong or weak I become, no matter how near or far apart we are,"
"One thing will never change. We'll always be brothers."
"I, Luo Feng, will never forget that I was once a member of the Fire Hammer Squad."
"It was the Fire Hammer Squad that truly brought me into the world of fighters and taught me what friendship between comrades means."
Gao Feng took a deep breath and patted Luo Feng heavily on the shoulder.
Everything was said without words.
Chen Gu's eyes were a little red. Wei Tie and Wei Qing nodded hard too.
"Good!"
Gao Feng pulled himself together and waved a hand.
"Let's get to work first! Gather the materials and get out of this godforsaken place."
"We can talk about the rest when we get back."
"Our Fire Hammer Squad has had a great haul today. It's worth celebrating!"
"Right! Let's celebrate!"
Everyone echoed him in unison, putting aside their sorrow at parting for the time being.
They began skillfully cutting apart and processing the Black-Line Snake's remaining valuable parts.