Long before the police car carrying Lu Yunze arrived at the abandoned factory, a Black Cat was already crouched on the rooftop, its golden eyes overlooking everything happening below.
From this angle, you could see the entire battlefield perfectly it was the best seat for spectating.
“Didn’t expect you to be so good at picking your spot, Senior.”
As a crisp voice rang out, the Black Cat turned its head to look behind.
A mass of black mist crawled up from the back of the factory, stopping behind her, then condensed into human form.
“The wind tonight is really nice, not too cold, not too hot. If only the weather could always be like this.”
“Is this really the time to be talking about the weather?” The Black Cat couldn’t help but speak up.
“Lu Yunze is going to win anyway. A fight with no real danger is just boring.”
Jiang Sui’s ash-brown long hair fluttered in the evening breeze. She straddled the railing, her long legs dangling in midair, tapping her heels against the bars, her gaze down below looking utterly relaxed.
“Those small fry can’t do anything to Lu Yunze, but that guy… he’s clearly way too dangerous.” The Black Cat spoke again.
“Yeah, definitely dangerous.”
Jiang Sui’s eyes locked onto the new enemy, or more accurately, the scythe in his hand.
You’d expect to see worry on her face, but in the next second, Jiang Sui tilted her head and flashed the Black Cat a brilliant smile.
“But the more dangerous it is, the more it brings out his potential, right? Senior, neither of us have that much time to spare. The faster he grows, the better.”
“I’m just worried you can’t control the difficulty.”
“At times like this, please trust our dear Young Master Lu Yunze.”
Jiang Sui pressed her fists together, lifted her chin and puffed out her chest, like a devout nun, with Lu Yunze as her god of faith.
If he can’t even get through this level of danger, what right does he have to be the protagonist?
Her burning gaze fixed on Lu Yunze, her pink tongue licking her lips, as if anticipating a feast.
Completely unaware of the two spectators above, Lu Yunze was still staring intently at the enemy before him.
The instant this man appeared, every cell in his body screamed a warning, this guy was nothing like the previous thugs, he was extremely dangerous!
Lu Yunze’s gaze shifted to the long-handled scythe the enemy had planted on the ground. The handle was slender and pure black, while the blade shimmered with a bewitching purple. Even with blood staining it from beheading a deserter, that purple couldn’t be hidden.
“Pretty, isn’t it?”
The new enemy chuckled.
“This scythe has been with me since I was born far more reliable than any other weapon.”
It was clearly a long-handled weapon, yet in his hands it spun with agility.
“You’re the boss they mentioned?”
“My name is Li Ren. I’m the squad leader in charge of handling this incident. Didn’t expect you to be just a pretty boy, and yet you’ve caused us so much trouble.”
As Li Ren spoke, he tapped the scythe against the headless corpse on the ground.
“But I guess it’s these guys’ fault for being useless.”
“Is that how you treat your subordinates?”
“How else?” Li Ren shrugged. “Useless people are just a hindrance. There are no second chances with me.”
Aside from the Butler defeated by Lu Yunze, the strange uncle who tried to abduct Jiang Sui last week, and tonight’s Secret Arts Practitioner even if you managed to escape Lu Yunze, Li Ren would hold you accountable and execute you on the spot.
“After all, what we do is no joke. We have to be cautious. Otherwise, how could we live up to the Black-Robed King’s favor?”
Huh?
That sounded like a pretty serious name. Lu Yunze searched his mind for any related information, but found nothing.
But there was one thing he was sure of the group behind this missing person case was a full-fledged Secret Arts organization. No wonder the Police Station couldn’t handle it.
Li Ren didn’t say any more. He kicked up the scythe and took a battle stance, the cold gleam on the blade making his bloodthirsty smile all the more terrifying.
This enemy was not one to take lightly a single slip and you’d lose your head.
Lu Yunze braced himself. Even if all he had was an iron rod, he wasn’t afraid!
Li Ren drew a breath, body tilting forward, legs tensing and in a flash, he became a streak of black, charging straight at Lu Yunze!
So fast!
Lu Yunze felt a murderous aura rush at him. He retreated while raising his iron rod.
A cold flash cut through the air the sturdy rod was sliced in two, and even Lu Yunze’s shirt at his chest was torn open, leaving a shallow cut.
“Hm?”
Li Ren, having stopped, opened his eyes a little wider.
Lu Yunze had also stopped, managing to put some distance between them—barely. Any slower and he’d be “Lu Yunze” by now.
“You dodged?”
That last strike from Li Ren had been aimed to cut him in half, but Lu Yunze had managed to keep up with his speed.
Was it his Secret Art?
The spot where Lu Yunze had just stood was dented from his forceful push-off, anchoring himself with his feet and using power to trade for a split-second burst of speed.
Li Ren’s expression quickly turned bloodthirsty again, even breaking into a grin.
Dodge once, but can you dodge every time?
After watching Lu Yunze’s fight with his subordinates, and that brief exchange just now, Li Ren had already figured out what Lu Yunze’s Secret Art did.
It was just brute force nothing special.
Not even as good as his scythe.
Li Ren attacked again, and this time it wouldn’t end in a single strike. He wouldn’t stop until Lu Yunze was split in two.
With a blade this sharp, he could swing it recklessly anything it touched, trees or the factory walls, was sliced with ease.
From the start of the fight till now, Lu Yunze could only retreat.
This scythe was too much of a hindrance—there was no chance to counterattack. Even if he picked up a new iron rod, it would be chopped in half instantly.
These sticks were enough for beating up thugs, but against Li Ren’s scythe, they were useless—just dead weight.
Sometimes the blade would cut Lu Yunze’s skin, and each time it would glow briefly with a purple light, looking even more bewitching and sinister.
But what unsettled Lu Yunze most was Li Ren’s expression.
He was taking lives, yet still smiling like a madman. Were all the members of that Secret Arts organization like this?
Bang.
His back hit something and Lu Yunze’s heart sank.
Behind him was an old tree, its thick roots twisting underfoot, nearly making him lose his balance.
His agitated heart only skipped for a second before a flash of inspiration calmed him.
Lu Yunze raised his hands, assuming a self-defense stance. It looked like he had no intention of dodging anymore.
Seeing this, Li Ren’s eyes grew even more crazed. He raised his scythe and charged.
Here he comes this is the distance!
Just as the scythe closed in, Lu Yunze ducked and dodged, then thrust his hands into the dirt, yanking out the tree’s roots with force.
The sudden move caught Li Ren off guard. Not only did his footing become unstable, but he was whipped in the face by the roots Lu Yunze swung.
Before he could even feel the stinging pain, Lu Yunze’s fist followed up, smashing straight into his abdomen.
Taking two hits in a row, Li Ren burned with rage, swinging his scythe wildly and chopping all the roots into pieces.
But Lu Yunze didn’t attack further. Instead, he stomped the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust to block Li Ren’s vision.
By the time Li Ren swept the dust aside with his scythe, Lu Yunze was already gone.
At that moment, he couldn’t smile anymore.
Prey escaping his grasp just the thought was humiliating!
“Hmm, a little clever.”
Jiang Sui, watching from the rooftop, swayed even while sitting on the rusty railing.
“But it’s still not enough. How can you just run away?”
“I think he did pretty well. If he kept fighting despite being outmatched, he’d just be throwing his life away, wouldn’t he?” The Black Cat flicked her tail. “Don’t play him to death. If he really needs saving, then save him.”
“If it comes to that… it’d be too disappointing.”
Jiang Sui looked up at the moon.
“The Lu Yunze I’m looking forward to isn’t someone who gets out of trouble only because a woman saves him.”
“What exactly do you see him as?”
“Hmm~ Of course, as a strong, gentle, and measured good man!” Jiang Sui stuck out her pink tongue, looking completely playful.
“Didn’t think you liked that type.”
“Senior, you’re so mean. I never said I liked him.” Jiang Sui immediately cupped her cheeks, puffing them out in protest. “We’re all using him. Feelings are just another tool, aren’t they?”
“Of course I understand, Senior. I’ll step in if it’s really necessary.”
The Black Cat said nothing more, turning to leap away.
Once she’d gone, Jiang Sui finally withdrew her sidelong glance, murmuring to herself:
“Someone’s there to save him, but who’s going to save me?”
In her previous life, struggling alone, no one ever came to save her.
Even after coming to this world and becoming a woman, no one came to save her.
“If I could get through it, you can too, Lu Yunze. And I’ll never fall for you. Never, ever.”
Suddenly, she felt a chill on her forehead. She raised her palm, lips slightly parted:
“It’s going to rain.”