Looking at the suddenly appeared Lin Mao and Wan Yuyan at the cave entrance, Boss Huang narrowed his muddy eyes dangerously.
He first looked Lin Mao up and down before revealing a mouthful of yellow-stained teeth.
“So you’re Lin Mao?” he sneered coldly. “Since you’re standing here, I guess the two men I sent after you are already dead.”
His gaze shifted toward Wan Yuyan behind him, and his expression darkened further.
“Looks like… the others I sent aren’t coming back either.”
Lin Mao let out a mocking laugh as he slowly stepped into the cave.
“If you’re talking about those useless trash underlings of yours,” he said casually, “then yes, they’re dead.”
The moment those words fell, Boss Huang’s eyes turned icy.
Without another word, he signaled for the men surrounding Lin Mao to attack.
However, none of them moved.
Everyone had clearly received the order, yet they all stood frozen in place.
So many people had been sent out, yet not one had returned alive.
The young man standing before them had silently wiped them all out.
Could they really beat someone like that?
No one wanted to be the first fool to charge forward and die.
The cave fell into an awkward silence as the men exchanged nervous looks.
Seeing their hesitation, Lin Mao chuckled softly.
Boss Huang’s face turned black with rage.
“You useless cowards!” he roared furiously. “What are you standing around for?! Kill him!”
His furious shout echoed throughout the cave.
Terrified of Boss Huang’s usual brutality, the men finally forced down their fear and charged toward Lin Mao while screaming wildly.
Seeing the overwhelming crowd rushing forward, Wan Yuyan’s heart tightened with fear.
Just as she opened her mouth to warn Lin Mao—
His teasing voice rang out first.
“So many people… how scary.”
Lin Mao smiled lazily and casually waved one hand.
Several dazzling bolts of blue lightning instantly tore through the air and struck the leading awakeners directly.
Crack! Crack!
The moment the lightning hit them, those men didn’t even have time to scream before their bodies exploded into ash.
The remaining men were instantly terrified.
They turned around and tried to flee.
But how could they possibly outrun lightning?
More thunderbolts descended one after another, striking every single person with perfect accuracy.
Within only a few breaths, the once crowded and noisy cave became deathly silent.
The ground was a complete mess, yet not even a full corpse remained behind.
Wan Yuyan stared blankly at Lin Mao’s back, her eyes filled with shock.
“The person standing in front of me…” she muttered softly. “Is he really Lin Mao?”
She couldn’t help recalling the scene when Lin Mao had once been driven out of the shelter by Song Leyi.
Back then, he had been isolated and powerless.
But now—
With a mere wave of his hand, he had annihilated an entire group of enemies like a god passing judgment.
The difference was so overwhelming that Wan Yuyan could only smile bitterly.
On the other side of the cave, Song Leyi’s expression had turned incredibly ugly.
She glared at Lin Mao with jealousy, hatred, and murderous resentment burning in her eyes.
One of her friends carefully moved closer and whispered nervously:
“Leyi… Lin Mao seems… really dangerous. What do we do now?”
Before she could finish speaking, Song Leyi suddenly turned and shot her a vicious glare.
The poisonous look frightened the girl so badly that she instantly shrank back in fear.
Song Leyi clenched her fists tightly and stared at Lin Mao with hatred.
“Damn you, Lin Mao!” she screamed inwardly. “If you had shown this kind of power earlier, why would I have driven you away?!”
At that moment, she suddenly looked toward Boss Huang again.
All her remaining hope rested on this supposedly strongest man.
…
Meanwhile, Boss Huang looked at the piles of ashes on the ground and unexpectedly burst into loud laughter.
“Interesting! Very interesting!” he shouted. “I never thought a broken place like this would have a Level 2 Awakener! No wonder my useless subordinates couldn’t handle you!”
He snorted coldly.
Suddenly, the muscles across his entire body began swelling violently.
“Transform!”
As he roared, his originally fat body rapidly expanded.
His skin became rough and hardened, and in only seconds, he transformed into a nearly three-meter-tall giant radiating savage power.
“Die!”
Boss Huang roared furiously as he charged toward Lin Mao.
Lin Mao merely curled his lips in disdain.
He slowly raised his hand and flicked it downward casually.
Several lightning bolts crashed onto Boss Huang immediately.
BOOM!!!
Thunder exploded across the cave.
When the smoke finally cleared, everyone froze in shock.
The lightning powerful enough to instantly kill awakeners had only left several shallow white marks on Boss Huang’s body.
Boss Huang glanced at the harmless injuries before bursting into arrogant laughter.
“That’s it?” he mocked. “Your attacks feel like scratches!”
Lin Mao raised an eyebrow slightly.
His expression remained calm, but his eyes slowly turned colder.
“Scratches?” he said quietly. “Then try taking this—”
“Thunder Annihilation.”
The moment the words fell, terrifying blue lightning gathered violently within Lin Mao’s palm, condensing into a massive thunder sphere nearly half a meter wide.
The dazzling light illuminated the entire cave.
Terrifying pressure swept through the area as electricity crackled wildly through the air.
Everyone present could barely breathe under the overwhelming power.
Boss Huang’s arrogant smile instantly froze.
His pupils shrank in horror.
He hurriedly raised both arms in front of himself, desperately trying to defend against the attack.
BOOOOM!!!
A deafening explosion erupted.
The entire cave shook violently.
Thunderlight swallowed everything.
Boss Huang released a miserable scream as his gigantic body disappeared within the raging lightning.
When the dust finally settled, everyone gasped sharply.
Boss Huang’s arms had been completely blown apart.
His entire body was charred black as he collapsed onto the ground, twitching and screaming in agony.
Not even a trace of his previous arrogance remained.
Lin Mao calmly walked toward him step by step and looked down at him coldly.
Only now did Boss Huang realize the terrifying truth.
Lin Mao was not a mere Level 2 Awakener.
He was a Level 3 powerhouse—
One of the rarest existences in the entire region.
Terrified beyond belief, Boss Huang immediately slammed his head against the ground while begging desperately:
“I was wrong! I know many secrets! I can become your informant and help you gather intelligence! Please spare my life! I’ll tell you everything!”
Lin Mao slowly shook his head.
“You’re not worthy.”
The next second—
He stepped down hard.
Crack.
A dull sound of bones breaking echoed through the cave.
Boss Huang’s struggles stopped instantly.
Dead silence followed.
After eliminating every threat, Lin Mao calmly withdrew his foot and brushed off the nonexistent dust on his pants.
Then—
He slowly raised his head.
His cold gaze locked directly onto the trembling Song Leyi hiding in the corner.