Chapter 88: The Power of the Heavy Blade
Chapter 88: The Power of the Heavy Blade
Within the highland fort, Fang Dawei and his group of thirteen individuals were either sitting or lying down. Aside from the one doctor who needed protection, nine of them still had some fighting capability. The remaining three, having suffered more severe injuries, lay there with barely any consciousness.
Initially, they had a total of sixteen members, but the missing ones had either gotten lost or been gunned down along the way.
Fang Dawei had fair skin and wore a white shirt with its sleeves rolled up. His hair was parted to one side, and he wore a pair of glasses. Despite his robust build, his face didn't resemble that of a fierce bandit but rather a typical office worker.
However, on the exposed skin of his arms, there was a layer of scaly membrane that also covered his face.
Sitting not far away from him sat Tong Baotao, a tall and sturdy man. His damaged clothing revealed a grayish-black shell armor with bullet scratches. Behind him, his shoulder blade protruded, suggesting something was hidden there, but it was concealed by his clothes, making it hard to discern what it was.
In front of them was a small radio, and a short man wearing headphones crouched nearby, listening to the signals and constantly writing down codes. After finishing the transcription, he quickly removed his headphones, grabbed a notebook, and translated the codes. Finally, he looked up and said, "I've got it."
"What did they say?" the group asked anxiously.
The short man replied, "They asked us to hold on a little longer. The Ink Orchid Corporation's security team is on its way and will arrive in about forty minutes. By then, we'll at least be able to save our lives. The Ink Orchid Corporation won't let us die."
"The Ink Orchid Corporation?" Tong Baotao's eyes flashed with hatred. Their current predicament was closely tied to the Ink Orchid Corporation, but he also knew that the corporation was their only hope for survival.
Fang Dawei remained calm and said, "It's not like we don't have a chance. The Resistance Organization provided us with so many resources; they didn't do it out of the goodness of their hearts. They must be planning something big in the city."
"Once chaos erupts in the city, those patrol officers won't be able to stay here. That's when we'll have our opportunity. The Ink Orchid Corporation is just our last resort. If we can avoid leaving, we should stay."
"Big Brother is right!" The bandits were invigorated by his words, which made perfect sense. The city was where the Patrol Bureau should focus its efforts. If trouble broke out there, the patrol officers outside wouldn't be able to spare any attention for this place.
Just then, a rustling sound came from above, and a man crawled over the wall, sticking to it like a spider with limbs resembling the appendages of an arthropod.
Fang Dawei looked up, squinting as sunlight streamed through a large hole above. "Lao Qi," he said, "I told you not to crawl around on my head."
"Oh," Lao Qi replied, quickly scurrying down the wall like a spider and crouching on the ground. "Big Brother, I've checked everything below. There's a secret passage here, probably dug by the locals long ago. Should we block it?"
Fang Dawei pondered for a moment, then said, "No, leave it open. Have a brother keep an eye on it; we might need it later."
He turned to the doctor examining the injured bandits and asked, "Lin Yisheng, can our brothers be saved?"
Lin Yisheng, a middle-aged man in his forties with white hair and a lean build, was wearing a stethoscope as he examined the bandits lying there. "The medicine provided by the Resistance Organization can keep them alive, but don't expect miracles. Even if we go to a proper hospital, they won't recover anytime soon."
After a pause, he added, "As long as they don't die now, it's fine. The severed parts will be fine too. Once we get to the Ink Orchid Corporation, they'll give you better replacements."
As Lin Yisheng mentioned this, Fang Dawei's face twitched, as if remembering something unpleasant.
Just then, his pupils dilated, and blue veins popped out on his face and forehead. His eyes turned bloodshot, and he began panting and scratching himself. The scaly membrane on his body seemed to harden.
Tong Baotao, seeing his condition, exclaimed, "Oh no, the boss is having an episode! Quick, Lin Yisheng, the awakening pill!"
Lin Yisheng quickly took out a pill box, broke open a capsule, and threw it to Tong Baotao.
Tong Baotao caught it and hurried to Fang Dawei's side, supporting his body. "Here, boss," he said.
Fang Dawei grabbed the pill and swallowed it with effort. After a while, his breathing gradually calmed down, and the strange symptoms on his body also disappeared.
Lin Yisheng looked at him and then at the others. "One pill can last for three days, but that's without any intense physical activity. If you use your implanted combat bodies, you might need one pill every half-day. We only have enough medicine for that."
Tong Baotao cursed, "Damn, we should've gotten the medicine before setting off the detonator."
A younger gang member said, "Brother Tong, we don't have that guy in our hands anymore. He exposed us as soon as we met, so it's better to take out a few more of the commission company's men. Those patrol officers only know how to use their guns, so they're less of a threat."
Tong Baotao glared at him, "That's true, but how many did you take out in the end?"
The younger member looked embarrassed. It wasn't his fault that they had to leave in a hurry and pressed the detonator when they saw the opportunity. Besides, the patrol officers had retreated, so it wasn't his fault.
As Tong Qianjiang sat atop the fort, he suddenly stood up, drawn by a commotion below. He peered downward, then turned to his brother and said, "Big Bro, Fang Dawei, there's something going on down there!"
"What are these scoundrels up to now?" The group immediately became vigilant, each crowding around the broken opening and the original crack, gazing downward. They saw the patrol officers below aiming their guns upward, and among them stood a young man in a student uniform, a long sword in hand, his clear and cold gaze fixed on those above.
"Big Bro, he looks like a student from Wu University," one of them remarked.
Tong Qianjiang nodded, "I've seen him before. It was that night when I went to trade with Tian Yaozu's little brother. I felt something was off, so I left early."
Tong Baotao looked on, astonished. "Am I seeing this right? Just one person?" He turned to survey the group, raising his voice, "Just one person? Are they all scared off by his audacity, sending just a kid?"
The robbers inside the fort burst into raucous laughter, not out of disrespect for the Wu University student, but because there was only one of him, armed with just a sword. What could he possibly do?
But at that moment, the group felt a blur before their eyes, and the young man vanished from his original spot. Only the quick-eyed Lao Qi, like a spider, caught his movement, exclaiming, "He's coming up! So fast!"
Below, a barrage of gunfire erupted, bullets striking the fort above. They had to duck back inside to avoid the onslaught.
They had tried exchanging fire with the Patrol Bureau before, but it had been a losing battle. From a distance, their aim was off, and with so many officers, even if they took down a few, it made little difference. Their ammunition was dwindling, so they hunkered down inside the fort, relying on its remaining protective capabilities.
The Patrol Bureau, too, knew they couldn't breach the fort's walls, so they had been quiet for a while. But now, they opened fire again, clearly coordinating with the young man.
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After taking his medicine, Fang Dawei remained seated, seemingly recovering. He took a few deep breaths, and the scaly membrane on his body seemed to relax. He raised his head and said, "Old Four, keep watch."
A burly man drew a pistol and stood up without a word, heading outside.
Wearing a helmet that left only a slit for his eyes, he stepped out of the fort onto a relatively spacious platform. He took a few more steps, aiming his gun downward at the figure racing upward.
Below, bullets flew, but whether they struck his torso or limbs, they were deflected harmlessly. One grazed his forehead, causing him to tilt his head, tearing open the helmet to reveal a dark outer shell beneath.
Chen Chuan fixed his gaze ahead. From below to the top of the fort, there was a straight-line distance of over a hundred meters, with three narrow bends along the way.
This meant that no matter how fast the climber was, they'd have to slow down at the turns, exposing their side to the gunmen guarding the fort for a stretch.
But Chen Chuan maintained his speed through the bends, only briefly slowing at the final turn to stomp his foot and create a divot in the ground. He then sprinted sideways, crossing the gap in an instant.
The burly man couldn't keep up with Chen Chuan's lightning-fast movements, and his shots all missed, landing behind the agile youth.
As Chen Chuan approached the third bend, the burly man drew another pistol from his waist, holding one gun in each hand. He aimed at the final bend, the guns slightly apart, covering both the front and back. Chen Chuan couldn't possibly dodge the bullets if he passed through.
But just before reaching the third bend, Chen Chuan made an unexpected move. Instead of continuing forward, he twisted mid-stride, stamping his foot down hard and leaping into the air. He soared over the wide, six-meter-deep gorge and landed on the final straight stretch. As he raised his head, the fort entrance was just five steps ahead.
He shook his wrist, causing the blade to vibrate, and slowly walked towards the entrance.
Behind him, the burly man stood for a moment before his upper body, severed at the waist, toppled over. His lower body followed, collapsing in unison.
In that moment, the implanted protective armor, modified bones, and protective clothing were all cleaved in two by Chen Chuan's single stroke!
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(End of Chapter)
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