Hell Slaughter Arena, the stench of blood filled the air. Hu Liena knelt on the ground, leaning on a broken dagger.
This was her twentieth battle. Although she survived to the end, she was seriously injured. Fortunately, she was not in immediate danger of dying, but she would not be able to continue fighting for a while and would need to go back to recuperate.
The iron gates of the Hell Slaughter Arena slowly closed behind us with a heavy thud.
Hu Liena left the Hell Slaughter Arena.
She looked down at her abdomen, where she had just pulled the sharp blade that had pierced her body. The flesh at the wound was torn open, and scalding blood was gushing out between her fingers, staining the stone pavement beneath her.
The surrounding air instantly became viscous and dangerous.
Shortly after she left
Dozens of eyes peered out from the shadows, like vultures eyeing their dying prey.
At the left alley entrance, two burly men with menacing faces licked their lips, their gazes lingering on her blood-soaked clothes. Their undisguised lewdness was almost tangible—they remembered this woman, radiant and ruthless in the Slaughter Arena, but now, she couldn't even stand properly.
"Tsk tsk, that figure... I'd die happy just to sleep with her for one night..."
"Don't rush, let's see if she still has the strength to move."
On the other side of the roof, three dark figures lay in wait, their short crossbows aimed at her back.
Those were friends of her former adversaries who had died at her hands, coming to seek revenge. In the past, when Hu Liena was at her peak and powerful, they were naturally afraid of losing their lives. But now, Hu Liena was covered in wounds, and if she attacked now, she definitely wouldn't survive the night. However, as long as this woman had a breath left, she might turn into a vengeful ghost, so caution was needed.
Hu Liena slowly raised her head, her golden pupils clouded with blood loss, yet still sharp and cold. She wiped the blood from the corner of her lips, the broken dagger spinning half a circle in her palm, its tip scraping the ground and sending sparks flying.
"Trying to get a bargain?" Her voice was hoarse, yet laced with laughter. "Then try it and see if your necks are tougher, or my knife is sharper."
Amidst the stench of blood, a murderous intent suddenly surged. The menacing figures hesitated at her words, but none of them truly retreated—a severely wounded phoenix is ultimately no match for a chicken; everyone wants to be the one to reap the rewards.
Hu Liena took a deep breath; the excruciating pain in her abdomen made her vision blur, but she gripped the hilt of her knife tightly. The first lesson the Slaughter City had taught her was never to show true weakness in front of the enemy. She knew that what lay ahead might be even more dangerous than the bloody battle she had just fought.
Fortunately, before arriving in the Slaughter City, his teacher Bibi Dong had given him a way to save his life, and now it was time to use it.
The wind in the inner city streets of the Slaughter City suddenly turned fierce.
Hu Liena's fingertips had already touched the token at her waist—the last trump card her teacher Bibi had left her, which she was to never use unless her life was in danger. But just as she was about to crush the token, a silver-blue figure appeared in front of her like lightning.
Yu Tianheng stood with his back to her, the dark patterns on his black robes swirling in the moonlight, and the aura emanating from him was as unfathomable as an abyss, several times more terrifying than when she was at her peak.
He didn't look at Hu Liena behind him, but instead glanced around. His phoenix eyes, which always carried a hint of arrogance, were now as cold as ice.
The burly men who had been shouting just moments before suddenly changed their expressions. Several of them recognized the face— Yu Tianheng, the newcomer with the fastest winning streak in the Hell Slaughter Arena. His combat power was terrifying; none of the people who participated in the Hell Slaughter Arena with him had lasted more than three moves against him.
To date, no one has even seen Yu Tianheng injured; he has always maintained his full fighting strength.
Unexpectedly, he would step in to protect this woman.
Is there some kind of affair going on?
"It's Yu Tianheng... Let's go!" someone growled through gritted teeth, turning and disappearing into the shadows, not even bothering to pick up their weapons. In just a moment, nearly half of the figures had vanished into the depths of the alley.
But seven or eight people remained motionless. The crossbowmen on the left rooftop raised their arrows again, and the two burly men from before grinned menacingly, their bravado masking their fear. "In this Slaughter City, we don't care who you are, I'm taking this woman today..."
Before he could finish speaking, Yu Tianheng moved.
No one saw how he made his move. There were only a few crisp "crack" sounds, accompanied by shrill screams. The arms of the two burly men were twisted at bizarre angles. The next second, blue-purple lightning bolts shot out like snakes, instantly turning the two men into charred corpses.
Just as the crossbowmen on the roof were about to fire their arrows, they were blasted off the roof beam by an invisible pressure. Yu Tianheng kicked over their hands holding the crossbows, the sound of bones cracking mixed with muffled groans, which was particularly clear in the quiet alley.
In just a few breaths, the remaining people lay on the ground, all dead!
Yu Tianheng shook the blood off his hands, remaining silent. He simply bent down and, to Hu Liena's astonishment, scooped her up in his arms. His movements weren't gentle, but he steadily supported her bleeding abdomen, preventing a second tear.
"You..." Hu Liena tried to speak, but choked and coughed.
Yu Tianheng glanced down at her, his eyes devoid of emotion, but he didn't stop. He carried her straight through the mess and headed into the deeper shadows of the Slaughter City. His back was as straight as a pine tree, exuding an undeniable power, as if what he had just casually crushed were not people, but merely a few ants blocking his way.
Hu Liena leaned against him, and the excruciating pain in her abdomen seemed to lessen somewhat. She gazed at Yu Tianheng's cold, hard jawline, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
Hu Liena only breathed a sigh of relief when the stench of blood was shut out by the heavy wooden door.
This is a house that is cleaner than most buildings in the Slaughter City, and it is Yu Tianheng's residence in the inner city of the Slaughter City.
Yu Tianheng placed her on the bed, turned his back to her, and pretended to be looking for something, but in reality he was searching for healing medicine in his System Inventory.
Hu Liena curled her fingers; the blisters on her palms from the broken dagger had burst, mixed with dried scabs, a horrifying sight.
"I can handle it myself." She turned her face away, her voice still carrying an unyielding stubbornness. "Those bastards, even if you don't lift a finger, I can take care of them one by one."
Upon hearing this, Yu Tianheng paused for a moment, then chuckled softly. The laughter was very light, without any hint of sarcasm; rather, it seemed as if he found her stubbornness somewhat laughable.
He didn't reply or refute, but simply took the dark green medicine bottle and walked straight to the bedside.
This bottle contains healing medicine that Yu Tianheng purchased from the System Shop.
The Flesh-Congealing Jade Marrow can quickly stop bleeding and stimulate skin and flesh regeneration. It is extremely effective for external injuries caused by swords and knives, and is especially suitable for Hu Liena's penetrating abdominal wound.