The sharp broken shaft punched through the monster's brain and snuffed out every spark of life in it—but the momentum of its leap remained.
Its massive body plunged like a cannonball, slamming Lin Qiye, still gripping the broken shaft, flat to the ground.
In truth, Lin Qiye had killed this monster purely on the strength of his freakish dynamic vision and the seraph's majesty. His body itself was no stronger than before, and the monster weighed two hundred kilograms if it weighed anything. With his strength, there was no wrestling free of it anytime soon.
Worse, having just forced out the seraph's majesty, Lin Qiye felt utterly hollowed out—not a scrap of strength left anywhere in his body, and his head swimming besides.
And it was at that moment that the second monster, lurking all this time on the other side, moved.
This hunter, hidden and biding in the distance, finally bared its ghastly fangs!
Its four limbs tore across the ground, weaving beneath the flickering, dim streetlamps, its cast shadow swaying like some seductive phantom, one scarlet tongue writhing eerily.
Lin Qiye could see its every movement—but in his current state he had no way to dodge. He could only watch, helpless, as that dense wall of fangs swelled at terrifying speed before his eyes!
At the instant the monster closed within two meters of Lin Qiye, his pupils suddenly contracted!
Inside his field of perception, something faster than the monster was closing in at breakneck speed!
It seemed to be... a person?
An actual, human person.
SWISH—!
Lin Qiye's vision blurred, and a figure dropped out of the night sky, both feet landing rock-steady on the ground. The wind of his landing whipped up his dark-red cloak, revealing the profile of a middle-aged man.
Not handsome. Not ugly, either. The kind of uncle you'd pass on any street corner and forget on sight.
But the killing intent blazing in his eyes was as glaring as a naked blade!
He sank into a half-crouch, eyes nailed to the monster less than a meter away, right hand closing steady around the hilt of the blade at his back.
"SHING—!"
A crisp cry rang from the scabbard. A pale-blue edge mirrored the dim moonlight, cleaving the sluggish air, slashing forward without a sound!
It was a straight blade, without a single flourish!
The blade's edge traced a crescent of moonlight and met the monster's claws head-on, striking out a string of sparks.
Zhao Kongcheng growled low, every muscle in his body cinching tight, and stamped half a step forward!
The monster—a creature no smaller than a brown bear—was actually forced back several steps!
Lin Qiye's eyes went wide with disbelief. He had traded blows with these things; he knew better than anyone how terrifying their strength was. And this man had just shoved one back?
Who on earth was he?
Having driven the monster back, Zhao Kongcheng's feet began to flow in some peculiar pattern, gluing him to the monster like a maggot to bone, the straight blade in his hand slashing again and again, carving one savage gash after another across the monster's frame!
The monster screeched. Glaring at Zhao Kongcheng with venomous hate, it raised forelimbs long and sharp as spears, intent on killing this insufferable human.
Two arcs of blade-light flashed—and its forelimbs were simply severed!
Before the monster could even scream, a burst of cold light exploded in Zhao Kongcheng's eyes, and his straight blade swept out at its neck like lightning!
The pale-blue edge parted the monster's flesh with ease. The next moment, its head arced high into the air...
and rolled, tumbling, across the ground.
"CLACK—!"
The blade returned to its sheath. The dark-red cloak was soaked in the monster's blood, but the colors ran so close that you'd never notice without looking hard.
Zhao Kongcheng didn't spare the monster's corpse a single glance. Unhurried, he fished a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, dragged deep, and pulled out his walkie-talkie.
"The two escaped Ghost-Faced Men have been purged. Send the logistics team to clean up the site."
With that, he put the walkie-talkie away and walked straight up to Lin Qiye, who had just dragged himself free.
Lin Qiye looked at him in silence. He looked back at Lin Qiye in silence.
Under the night sky, beside a pool of blood, the two men simply gazed at each other...
After a long, long moment, Zhao Kongcheng finally couldn't hold it in any longer, and spoke first:
"Was I cool just now?"
Lin Qiye: ...
Lin Qiye stared into his eyes for a moment, realized the man was completely serious, and could only answer, wearily: "Cool."
"Damn right I was." Zhao Kongcheng grinned. "Want to be as cool as me?"
"No."
"..." The corner of Zhao Kongcheng's mouth twitched. "Why not?"
"Easy way to die."
Lin Qiye's expression was entirely earnest.
For a moment, Zhao Kongcheng was actually at a loss for words. "But you saw it yourself just now—you have the kind of supernatural power ordinary people dream about. Don't you want to be like the movies? A superhero?"
"No."
"...Because it's an easy way to die?"
"Correct."
Zhao Kongcheng rubbed the corner of his eye. This kid was clearly not going to be easy to handle. And yet he'd been dragged into these murky waters all the same—and with power that strong, no less...
"Tell you what—this isn't the place to talk. Let's find somewhere else and have a proper chat." Zhao Kongcheng thought a moment, then added, "Oh, right. I'm Zhao Kongcheng. I'm not a bad guy."
"Lin Qiye." Lin Qiye blinked, nodding obediently. "I believe you. Wait here for me—I'll go grab my backpack. My study materials are still inside."
"...Go on, then." Zhao Kongcheng waved him off helplessly, walked over to the curb, and sat down, feeling somewhat glum.
Any ordinary person put through a night like this would be scared out of their wits by now. This kid was worried about his study materials...
And worst of all... the kid had turned him down flat?
Damn it. I pulled out every trick I had! That flurry of slashes just now—chik-chik-chik—do you know how stylish that was?!
I've never even fought that hard sparring with the captain!
Speaking of which, I wonder how the captain's doing. A Ghost-Faced King is no joke...
Zhao Kongcheng sat slumped on the curb with zero dignity, cigarette dangling, staring into space.
Staring...
Hm?
Something felt off.
Zhao Kongcheng snapped back to reality. It took him half a second to process—then he shot to his feet and whipped his gaze around the scene...
The kid was nowhere to be seen!
Zhao Kongcheng stood rooted to the spot for a solid dozen seconds, mouth hanging open, unable to believe what had just happened to him.
"Fuck me. The brat actually ran?!"
...
"Ge, why are you back so late today?"
Yang Jin looked at the exhaustion written all over Lin Qiye's face and asked, puzzled, "And where's your white cane?"
Lin Qiye changed into his slippers and squeezed out a smile. "Ran into a bit of trouble on the way. Lost it, carelessly."
To keep Yang Jin from seeing the wound by his temple, Lin Qiye had wound the surviving half of the black satin back over his eyes. The cane really was broken, though—and rather than bring it home to frighten his family, he'd simply thrown it away.
"It's fine, we'll just get you a new one... Did the trouble get sorted out?"
"Mm. All sorted."
Little Blackie came panting in from the balcony, rubbed its head against Lin Qiye's calf, then flopped over on the floor and showed him its belly.
Lin Qiye crouched down, resigned, rubbing the dog's belly as he asked, "Auntie's not back yet?"
"Mom's on night shift tonight. She won't be home till morning."
"Right. Finished your homework?"
"Just a little left."
"All this homework in middle school... it's inhuman." Lin Qiye stood and made his complaint, then said to Yang Jin, "Don't force it. If you're tired, leave it—and if the teacher gives you grief, tell your Ge. I'll go argue it out with him."
The corner of Yang Jin's mouth curved up, and he gave an "mm." "I'm almost done anyway."
Lin Qiye nodded. "I'm beat, so I'm turning in first. Sleep early once you're done."
"Okay."
Lin Qiye dragged his weary body into his room and was just closing the door when Yang Jin's voice came again.
"Ge... you're sure nothing happened?"
"Nothing at all. Get to bed early, yeah? ...Oh, and there's milk in the fridge. If you're up early tomorrow, heat some up for yourself."
"Got it, Ge."
"Night."
"Night."
The door shut softly. Yang Jin stood outside, hugging Little Blackie, silently watching Lin Qiye's room.
He rubbed Little Blackie's head gently. "You noticed it too, huh?"
"Woof!"
He raised his eyes to the pale moonlight beyond the window and murmured to himself:
"There's the smell of blood on him."