Free Web NovelChapter 426: Chapter 156: The Chase
After being thrown, Xu Xianwen slithered across the ground like a snake, darting away from his original position. A stream of bullets landed where he had been, sending sand and gravel flying.
The Motie Mountain security guards were highly competent, their marksmanship precise. One by one, they activated their Implants, which secreted compounds and injected drugs into their systems. This caused their physical attributes to surge in a short time, allowing them to barely track the figure ahead as they constantly readjusted their aim.
However, Xu Xianwen was simply too fast. Coupled with the surrounding fog obstructing their line of sight, they quickly lost track of him.
This had no effect on Chen Chuan, however. He could clearly pinpoint Xu Xianwen’s position using his Biological Domain. One didn’t have the luxury of concealing such a signature during combat and high-speed movement. Thus, he accurately launched himself in pursuit.
After escaping the gunfire, Xu Xianwen didn’t linger. He didn’t turn back to continue fighting Chen Chuan either, but instead made a swift retreat.
’Now that Motie Mountain’s security team is here, their Third Limit Fighters will be on their way. The Processing Bureau will also get the alert and send people to encircle me.’
’They could trap me here. Luckily, the heavy fog prevents the small Airships overhead from getting a clear view. Otherwise, I might not have been able to escape.’
’As for the team... since Old Han is dead, the others must be gone too. It took a lot of effort to assemble this team. A shame they’re all dead.’
’But at least the money is still in the account. Besides, as long as my employer keeps providing resources, I can always pull a new team together.’
’This failure might disappoint my employer, but I’m their main enforcer. They can’t do without me, especially not now. In fact, they’ll probably try to appease me after this.’
As he sprinted, he could feel Chen Chuan in hot pursuit. ’This is a nuisance,’ he thought, deciding to deal with him once he was clear of the area.
Just then, he lifted his arm. He’d noticed a moment ago that it felt limp and weak, as if it had lost some of its vitality.
This was because Chen Chuan had just killed three more of his men, which counted as sacrificing three offerings for a ritual. One of the ritual’s effects was to continuously drain the Life Force of anyone who had come into close contact with him.
This included contact via their Domains. However, Xu Xianwen’s Life Force was so abundant that the Domain’s drain had been negligible—so faint he hadn’t even noticed it. It was only after their direct physical contact moments ago that the effect became obvious.
Xu Xianwen was from the Secret Snake Sect, after all. A few glances were enough for him to figure out the cause. He scoffed, then released the Essence Blood stored in his heart. Clenching his fist, he felt the vitality quickly return to his arm.
He then leaned forward and suddenly accelerated. A gale seemed to roar in his wake, sweeping up dead leaves and dry twigs. He smashed directly through small shrubs blocking his path, as if plowing a channel through the woods.
Chen Chuan kept his focus on the man’s Domain and pursued him relentlessly.
’I’m not too worried about the manor’s defenses,’ Chen Chuan thought. ’The arrival of Motie Mountain’s security means Wubei has successfully linked the Processing Bureau with their security system. The Third Limit Fighter in charge of security for Motie Mountain will be mobilized immediately.’
’As long as Meng Shu stays hidden in that fortress of a basement and doesn’t face any heavy explosives from the outside, she’ll be fine for now.’
’Besides, I made it clear when we planned this: as long as I don’t return, they are not to deactivate the internal defenses or leave the basement.’
Just then, the Realm Token by his ear burst with static before various clear sounds returned. He knew he had left the jamming zone; communications were back online.
At that very moment, an emergency call from the Processing Bureau flashed on his display. A voice came through: "Mr. Chen, what is your location?"
Chen Chuan replied, "I’m in pursuit of Xu Xianwen."
The voice on the other end grew tense. "Mr. Chen, can you handle him alone?"
Although Chen Chuan had a record of killing Wei Wusheng single-handedly, the latter couldn’t compare to Xu Xianwen in terms of either martial prowess or destructive power. The two were not on the same level.
Chen Chuan said, "He’s fast. Let’s talk later." He then ended the call.
Back at the Processing Bureau, a Resonator immediately reported up the chain of command. The operation’s commander, Captain Guan, instantly gave an order: "Track Mr. Chen’s Realm Token and pinpoint his location! Now!"
"Confirmed. We have his location and are tracking."
The Resonator immediately projected Chen Chuan’s location onto the Processing Bureau’s main display. A map of the area around Motie Mountain appeared, with a single point of light moving rapidly across it.
He glanced at it and said in astonishment, "He’s moving too fast! At this rate, he’ll be out of the Motie Mountain area in under three minutes."
Captain Guan studied their route. They were moving along the forests and rolling hills, where the terrain was complex and the vegetation dense. A normal vehicle couldn’t get in, and an ordinary person would find it nearly impossible to traverse. He glanced at their direction of travel, his eyes landing on a specific spot. ’Is that where they’re headed?’ he thought.
He immediately used his Realm Token to contact his superiors. "This is Guan Ziyang. I’m requesting the stationed Executioners from Sectors 25 and 23 to converge on the Lu Lan Lake area to assist in the capture..."
During his mad dash, Xu Xianwen increased his speed and changed direction several times, but he couldn’t shake Chen Chuan.
He knew perfectly well, ’As long as Chen Chuan is on my tail, the Processing Bureau can track my every move. I have to either kill him or find a chance to destroy his Realm Token.’
’But not here in the Motie Mountain area. The security presence is too strong. Once I’m outside their jurisdiction, they’ll have no reason to chase me.’ He looked ahead. ’Almost there.’
One chasing the other, the two sprinted through the mountain range. Obstacles on the path were no hindrance at all. They scaled high cliffs with a few effortless bounds and leaped across wide ravines. It was as if the complex terrain didn’t exist. Looking down through the mist, one could see two thin lines being carved through the vegetation on the ground, rapidly extending forward in their wake.
Before long, the two arrived on a small, rather high hill. It featured a large, man-made clearing. Nestled among the ancient trees behind it stood a sizable ancient temple, though it appeared extremely dilapidated.
Upon reaching this spot, Xu Xianwen stopped running. He turned around, not a single drop of sweat on his body despite the long chase.
He raised the Staff Sword, gripped the end of the hilt, and pulled. Another section shot out, transforming the weapon into something resembling a long spear. He gave it a twirl, then settled it in a two-handed grip, the tip pointing toward the newly arrived Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan halted, his eyes sweeping over their surroundings. ’We’ve been running north this whole time. According to the Realm Token, we’re outside the Motie Mountain border now. This area doesn’t have a specific name.’
He shifted his Long Blade into a ready stance but did not immediately advance on Xu Xianwen. Instead, he reached inside his cloak for the Thunder Shock Spear.
Xu Xianwen’s eyes narrowed. Before Chen Chuan could draw his weapon, Xu Xianwen swept his spear sideways, flicking a toppled bronze censer that lay before the temple. In an instant, the object, which weighed over a thousand pounds, was tossed forward as easily as a piece of straw.
Chen Chuan casually deflected it with a flick of his Long Blade. But right behind the censer, the spear-like Staff Sword thrust forward, its momentum so fierce that it tore through the air with an audible rip.
Chen Chuan’s gaze sharpened. He raised his blade to parry, but the impact still forced him to a brief halt. The initial strike having failed, the spear tip retreated for a split second before lunging forward once more.
Chen Chuan retreated, twisting his wrist to drop the edge of his blade and wrench the spear aside. But Xu Xianwen advanced, spinning his weapon. Spear and blade locked and twisted against each other for several exchanges. Then, with a final CLANG, they crashed together. A ring of dust exploded outward from the point of contact, and the flagstones beneath their feet shattered. Both weapons were flung wide. The two men retreated several steps to bleed off the momentum before simultaneously raising their weapons again, tips aimed at each other.
Xu Xianwen stared at Chen Chuan. ’During that exchange, our Power was in constant contention,’ he thought. ’But no matter how much Power I unleashed, he was able to neutralize and disperse it. He wasn’t at a disadvantage at all. In fact, his strength seems to have increased slightly since we first clashed.’ This was both alarming and troublesome.
’Winning a straightforward fight like this will take time, and I don’t have time to waste here.’
His eyes narrowed. With a light tap of his feet, he shot backward toward the entrance of the old temple. He crossed more than ten meters in just two steps, his figure vanishing into the temple in a flash.
The moment Xu Xianwen moved, Chen Chuan lunged after him. But as soon as he stepped inside the temple, he discovered that in that brief instant, his opponent’s Domain had been completely concealed.
It was not yet dawn, and the faint light from outside revealed a floor littered with shattered roof tiles and the remnants of offerings.
The temple was exceptionally dark and damp, likely because it was enveloped by trees. Pale slivers of light filtered down through gaps in the roof.
Just then, a premonition struck him. He tilted his head, and the tip of the Staff Sword shot silently past his ear. He raised his blade to block, but the weapon was instantly retracted, only to reappear in a low thrust aimed at his feet. As Chen Chuan brought his blade down to parry, the spear tip spun and lunged at his face. He leaned back sharply, blocking two rapid thrusts with a CLANG! CLANG! that sent sparks flying in the gloom.
As the Staff Sword pressed its attack, the continuous CLANG CLANG of metal on metal echoed throughout the space, shaking dust from the ceiling and causing unstable parts of the structure to tremble.
Chen Chuan felt that his opponent’s Spear Technique was fast and vicious; every strike targeted his heart or his face. ’His body seems to be twisting and turning, constantly shifting position, giving me no opening to counterattack. He definitely has the advantage in this darkness.’
To avoid being put on the defensive, he retreated beneath a fissure in the roof, using the faint light to observe his opponent and match his rhythm.
In the next few moments, he parried dozens of Xu Xianwen’s thrusts. He was gradually adapting. He could feel a faint twitching at the center of his brow.
’Even without being able to perceive his Domain, it seems I can still discern his movements through some other, more spiritual sense. The vertical crimson line on my mask seems to be amplifying this effect, as if a third eye has actually opened there.’
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