Free Web NovelChapter 88: The Wounded Predator
Then she saw him.
The Eternal Veil Syndicate representative.
Elara’s heart slammed against her ribs. She froze instantly.
He was pushing away the rubble pressing down on him with visible effort, his remaining arm straining. His left arm was completely gone from the shoulder down — a ragged, cauterized stump where the limb had been severed. Bruises covered almost every visible inch of his skin, dark purple and black swelling mixing with deep gashes that still bled freely. His once-elegant midnight-black robe was torn to shreds, hanging in bloody rags from his body. Blood flowed from his mouth, nose, and multiple wounds. He coughed violently, spitting thick red fluid onto the rubble as he struggled to free himself. His face, usually sharp and aristocratic, was swollen and battered, one eye almost completely shut. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
He was lying down, chest heaving as he tried desperately to catch his breath. His remaining hand trembled as he pushed against a heavy beam pinning part of his lower body.
Elara’s breath caught in her throat. Pure terror flooded her system. If he saw her, she would die. There was no doubt in her mind. A man like him, even in this injured state, could kill her with a casual flick of his hand. She was still only Core Condensation Middle Stage. He was on an entirely different level.
She turned around as quietly as possible, heart pounding so hard she feared he could hear it. Her eyes darted frantically for the closest place to hide. A few meters away, she spotted a partially collapsed section of wall with a narrow gap behind it — just big enough for her to squeeze into. She moved immediately, forcing herself to stay silent despite the panic clawing at her chest. No sudden movements. No sound. She couldn’t warn Lian. There was no safe way to signal him without giving away her position.
She slipped into the narrow hiding spot, pressing her back against the cold, broken wall. Dust and small stones trickled down around her. She held her breath, trying to make herself as small and silent as possible. Her alloy limbs were locked in place. Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs. Sweat beaded on her forehead despite the cool night air.
The representative coughed again, harder this time, spitting more blood. He continued struggling to free himself, completely unaware of her presence for now.
Elara didn’t move.
She didn’t make a single sound.
She couldn’t tell Lian.
The representative pushed himself to sit up with visible effort, his remaining right arm trembling as he braced against a large piece of rubble. His face twisted in pain and fury as he looked to his left side. Where his left arm had once been, there was now only a ragged, cauterized stump from the shoulder down. Blood still oozed slowly from the wound, mixing with the dust and grime covering his body. Bruises painted almost every visible inch of his skin in dark purple and black. Deep gashes crisscrossed his chest and torso, and his once-elegant midnight-black robe hung in bloody, torn rags.
He frowned deeply, then threw his head back and screamed in raw, uncontrollable anger.
The scream carried terrifying power. A violent shockwave erupted outward from his body, shaking the entire ruined area. Rubble shifted and fell. The ground trembled like an earthquake. Remaining broken walls cracked further and collapsed. The air itself seemed to ripple with his fury. Distant fires flickered wildly from the force.
Lian, who had been crouched over another corpse several streets away, felt the shockwave hit him like a physical blow. He staggered, nearly losing his balance as dust and small debris rained down around him. His void eyes widened. He stopped what he was doing immediately and looked sharply in the direction the scream and shockwave had come from.
He recognized the aura instantly.
It was the Eternal Veil Syndicate representative.
Lian’s expression turned cold and urgent. He knew he had to get out of there now.
Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)
Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.
Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.
Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.
Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection.
Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc
Power Scale Reminder
Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Star 1.
Elara Voss: Core Condensation Middle
Keep it as reminders
