Two gunshots rang out abruptly. As the gunshots rang out, one of my men, who was at the back of the group, fell to the ground. The gunshots were fired just before he fell!
I instinctively turned around, but before I knew it, a cold wind blew from behind! In the thick smoke, a sharp blade, like a venomous snake, was already slashing towards my neck!
This strike was clearly from a master; the blade hadn't even touched my skin, but the chilling aura already stung! By the time I realized it, it was too late to dodge! At that moment, the results of my years of martial arts training, and the tutelage I'd received from my senior brother in recent years, finally came into play! I exhaled a long breath, kept my lower body still, and then forcefully twisted my waist to turn around, my shoulder sinking! The blade finally grazed my neck, a flash of blood! I still hadn't completely dodged it; my shoulder was sliced, and a piece of clothing, along with flesh and blood, flew off.
I snorted. Always the type to get stronger after setbacks, I ignored the excruciating pain and roared as I kicked the man with the knife who was right next to me!
I couldn't make out the other person's face through the thick smoke. But the cold glint of the blade gave me a clue! The person seemed to let out a "hiss," and then with a muffled groan, I kicked the other person's wrist. Then, I pressed my advantage and pounced on him, my elbow hitting the other person's chest, followed by three quick and powerful blows!
flutter!
The man who attacked me with the knife spat out blood, and a cracking sound came from his chest; clearly, I had broken several of his ribs! But he wasn't weak either; in the heat of the moment, he punched me in the lower back, causing me to black out in pain. After we quickly separated, I could barely make out his face!
He was of medium build, but his features were obscured because he was wearing a gas mask!
The man staggered to his feet, but his gaze remained fixed on me. Although he was wearing a gas mask, preventing me from seeing his eyes, I could almost feel the venomous glint in his eyes!
Although he was severely injured by me, he was clearly a strong man. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled out a short knife from somewhere!
This man is very skilled! But if we met under normal circumstances, I certainly wouldn't be afraid of him. However, we're in a dangerous situation now, surrounded by thick smoke, and I can barely open my eyes, so I'm suffering greatly. And from within the thick smoke, I can vaguely make out how many of their men have crept up on us!
"Don't fight! Run!" the fat man's voice rang out, and I immediately snapped out of my daze. Then I heard a few muffled groans, followed by the sounds of blows.
In the chaos, my men and the enemy had already clashed. I gritted my teeth and quickly took two steps back, darting to the side. I saw one of my men being strangled, clutching his stomach, which was covered in blood. Enraged, I rushed over, grabbed the man's wrist, lifted him up, threw him to the ground, and twisted his neck with one hand, snapping it with a crack.
"Run! They have gas masks! We'll be at a disadvantage here!" I yelled, then ripped the mask off the corpse's face, only to see that my subordinate beside it was already dead. My heart bled, and suddenly I heard Fatty groan...
Through the smoke, it was unclear how many of the enemy had arrived. The melee lasted for about half a minute, with my men suffering repeated losses. Hearing the fat man's groan, I knew he was in danger. I rushed towards the sound and saw the Vietnamese guy forcefully hugging someone from behind. The fat man was already lying on the ground, and the person being hugged by the Vietnamese guy was being repeatedly struck in the Vietnamese guy's chest with his elbows. The Vietnamese guy was spitting blood, but he wouldn't let go. I rushed over and punched the man in the chest. The man cried out in pain and finally broke free from the Vietnamese guy. I was about to kick him again when the man dodged with unusual agility and even managed to grab my wrist in the midst of the chaos!
I was filled with shock and anger. I was angry that my men had bled, and shocked that the other side had so many highly skilled people today!
The guy who jumped onto the roof of the car to ambush us, the guy who attacked me with a knife in the fog, and this guy now—they are all highly skilled fighters!
The situation was critical, and I was desperate to fight back. Even though the other person grabbed my wrist, I pushed against them and quickly pulled out a dagger from my body with my other hand!
The man grabbed my wrist, seemingly surprised, and was about to twist it to dislocate my arm when he suddenly felt a chill in his heart!
The dagger was plunged into his heart at the hilt. He groaned, swayed, and finally collapsed in despair!
That was incredibly dangerous! I risked the thick smoke making it impossible for him to see the dagger in my hand! Otherwise, given his skill, if he had dodged even slightly, my attack might not have succeeded! And he already had my wrist in his hand; if he had dodged my dagger and then twisted it, my arm would probably be gone!
This guy is very skilled. Under normal circumstances, although I could beat him, it would be a tough fight, and I definitely wouldn't have won so easily!
I quickly went over and pulled the fat man up. He was ashen-faced and coughing incessantly. I glanced at the Vietnamese guy again. This dark-skinned, thin man opened his mouth at me, blood gushing from it; he was clearly dying.
Looking into his eyes, I understood what he meant. I whispered, "Don't worry! I'll get Fatty out of here!"
The Vietnamese guy finally closed his eyes. I turned around, grabbed the fat guy, and slung him over my back, yelling, "Run! Run!!"
The fat man lying on top of me suddenly said in a weak voice, "Jump...jump into the river, jump into the river!"
The fat man's reminder immediately jolted me!
Although the path is blocked by roadblocks, preventing cars from passing, and the other side has set up smoke grenades and deployed so many skilled ambushes, don't forget that this path runs right along the riverbank!
In the thick smoke, the enemy outnumbered us and were in much better condition; they were even wearing gas masks. We were in a much tougher situation; forcing our way through was nearly impossible. Our only chance of survival was to jump into the river!
I yelled, "Jump into the river! Everyone in the Big Circle, jump into the river!!"
In the chaos, I carried the fat guy and figured out the direction, rushing towards the river. Along the way, I kicked away a guy blocking my path and took care of him...
In the short distance of less than ten meters, when I emerged, I had two more knife wounds. Fortunately, since the enemy had set up this smoke screen, they were afraid of injuring their own men with guns in the fog, so the guys ambushing us here were all using melee weapons. I shouted all the way to the riverbank, only to see that only three of my men in large circles had followed me, all of them wounded, while the others…
I resisted the urge to turn back and yelled, "Jump!"
With a few splashes, water flew everywhere as I carried Fatty and jumped into the river! The strong tear gas had already made my mouth, nose, and throat sting, and I almost couldn't breathe. But the cool water helped. Although I gulped down several mouthfuls, it actually made me feel much better.
I was carrying Fatty on my back when I jumped, and I almost sank to the bottom of the river. I kicked hard with my feet and then desperately clung to Fatty, swimming frantically towards the other side of the river.
The other side caught up from the bank behind us. Amidst shouts, someone pulled out a gun and started shooting at the river. I quickly pulled Fatty underwater and swam for a while. My lungs were almost torn apart from lack of oxygen before I surfaced. Looking around, I saw that one of my three men had been shot, but fortunately, the other two held him off.
The river was only about 20 or 30 meters wide. After swimming across, I heard people on the other side shouting, but they didn't immediately jump into the water to chase after me. Although I was slightly surprised, I also breathed a sigh of relief.
The fat man choked on a lot of water. After I pressed his stomach hard a few times, he coughed up the water. Given his already serious injuries, he quickly passed out.
I glanced at the three brothers again. It would have been better if I hadn't looked. The sight of them made my vision go black and my heart ache.
One of my brothers had been shot in the river. Although the other two dragged him ashore, he was already dead. The other two brothers looked grief-stricken. Enraged, I stood up, despite my wounds and unsteady gait, and roared at the opposite bank, "Listen to me! If I get out of here alive, I'll pay for this blood debt tenfold! If I fail to do this, I swear I'm not human!!"
Two of my men grabbed me from behind, saying anxiously, "Fifth Brother! Let's go! Let's go!"
The other one was already in tears: "Fifth Brother, only by getting out alive can we avenge our brothers!"
I was so angry I felt like my chest was about to explode, and my whole body was trembling...
My loyal, long-time subordinates! They've been with me for years, ever since I started making my mark in the big circle! But when we charged out just now, there were seven of them... but now only these two are left!
These brothers, who usually drank, gambled, and boxed together, lost five of them in just a few hundred meters!
My blood was boiling with anger, but surprisingly I calmed down. A chill ran through me, yet I bit my lip, which was already covered in blood...
"Let's go!" I said fiercely.
But just then, a sinister voice came from the side: "Leave? I'm afraid you won't be able to leave."
Part Three: The Pinnacle, Chapter Eighty-Five: The Road Back to the Jianghu
My face changed drastically! My heart was filled with shock and anger. I looked to my left and saw a man standing by a tree on the riverbank, a sinister smile on his face, a triangular military dagger in his hand. His eyes were like those of a wild beast in the jungle, staring at us as if he were about to devour us at any moment!
Looking into that cold, sinister gaze, I immediately recognized him as the expert who had jumped onto the roof of the car to ambush us earlier! But this guy suddenly appeared here, and even with my skills, I didn't notice when he got close!
Looking at this man up close, he has short hair, a stocky build, and wears a camouflage vest that reveals his amazing muscles. He also has a long scar on his face that runs from his left eye to the right corner of his mouth, almost cutting his face in two!
Enemies meeting are bound to be furious! I just witnessed his ghostly skill instantly kill two of my men, so at this close range, I certainly won't hesitate any longer!
Without further ado, I charged forward, leaping into the air, already gripping the dagger in my palm!
Seeing me lunge at him, the man's expression hardened, and he thrust his military dagger towards my chest! I merely shifted my body slightly, dodging the vital spot in my chest, and let his dagger pierce my shoulder. I only frowned slightly as my dagger was already slicing across his throat!
This man was indeed exceptionally skilled. Seeing me fighting so desperately, he was startled and exclaimed, "What a ruthless kid!" He shrank back, his military dagger flashing horizontally. *Clang!* My dagger struck the bayonet, sparks flying!
That shows how powerful my lunge was! The man blocked it, then retreated, circling behind a tree. We quickly became locked in combat. His weapon had the advantage in length, and he was in better physical condition and overall better than me, who was currently injured. Several of my desperate thrusts failed to hit him. This guy was as cunning as an eel, yet he refused to engage me in a direct confrontation, instead launching a few surprise counterattacks that nearly inflicted new wounds on me.
Two of my men tried to come to my aid, but I knew this man was incredibly skilled, and my men would be useless if they rushed in. They would only get in my way. So I quickly shouted, "Protect Fatty! I'll handle him myself!!"
The more I fought, the more alarmed I became. In a moment of desperation, seeing the enemy's bayonet swinging towards me, I instead risked my left arm to meet it!
flutter!
The bayonet plunged deep into my arm. The pain made my vision go black, but I bit my tongue hard. The sharp pain in my tongue instantly brought me back to my senses, and then, with a savage grin, I squeezed my left arm tightly. The bayonet was embedded in my arm, seemingly brushing against my bone... The guy struggled, but the bayonet was stuck in my arm, and I couldn't pull it out.
My face contorted, my eyes bloodshot, the dagger already plunged deep into his body. He cried out in pain, staggering backward, dropping his bayonet. In his haste, my dagger remained embedded in his chest. I raised my foot and kicked him in the knee. The man swayed, staggering backward, but miraculously didn't fall. His forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Good! What a formidable kid!"
He clutched his chest hard, then suddenly turned and ran, circled a big tree, and disappeared. I was about to chase after him when my legs gave way and I finally couldn't muster the strength.
My body went limp, and I almost sat down. One of my henchmen rushed up from behind and grabbed me. Blood was gushing from my left arm. I gritted my teeth and yelled, pulling it out with all my might. Immediately, everything went black, and I passed out.
When I woke up, I saw Fatty sitting next to me...
Well, to be precise, I woke up in pain. The fat man was holding a needle and carefully stitching up the wound on my arm where a military dagger had pierced me.
I opened my eyes. The fat man, panting, his chubby face covered in sweat, whispered, "Kid, bear with it. I know it hurts, but you're too reckless. This isn't just any knife! It's a military bayonet! A triangular military bayonet! Damn it, do you know that wounds from a triangular blade are the hardest to stitch up..."
I managed to lift my head, only to find myself lying under a large tree, its branches and leaves lush and green, surrounded by the damp smell of earth.
"Where are we?" I swallowed hard, only to find my throat burning. "How long have I been unconscious?"
"Not long, only an hour." The fat man looked unwell, his breath weak and his voice clearly lacking strength. His fingers were as thick as carrots, yet he handled the thin needle with remarkable dexterity. He carefully stitched up my wound: "All done!"
He sighed, clearly exhausted: "For now, just make do. You're lucky this penetrating wound isn't too severe, but you're really ruthless... This wound is not only difficult to stitch, but also hard to stop the bleeding. The bleeding from your arm was terrifying a while ago."
After saying that, he carefully picked up a leaf with a little bit of ointment on it: "Here, this is the medicine. I'll put it on for you. It will hurt a little, but bear with it."
After saying that, he pressed the leaf onto my wound. I winced in pain and took a deep breath: "Where...where did you get this medicine?"
"It's from my body." The fat man's face was a little pale, but he laughed heartily. "The Vietnamese guy just applied some medicine to my wound this morning. Now that your injury is more serious, I have no choice but to scrape some off from my wound and share it with you... Haha. You're not worried that this fat guy might give you some kind of AIDS or something, are you? Haha..."
Looking at the fat man's forced smile, I noticed a hint of sorrow in his eyes when he mentioned "Vietnamese boy" earlier.
I wanted to say a few words of comfort to him, but when I thought of the brothers who had died in front of me just today, my throat suddenly felt like it was blocked by something.
Overcome with emotion, I coughed violently and then spat out a mouthful of blood. The fat man, seeing this, hurriedly pressed me down, saying, "Don't get agitated. Remember, if you die, you'll have no chance for revenge! If you want revenge, you have to stay alive!"
After figuring out our situation, I realized that after we swam across the river, we were on a small hill next to the town.
In the hilly region of Jiangnan, such small hills are common, and they are not large, only a dozen square miles in circumference. Fortunately, there was such a small patch of hills. We plunged into the forest and, relying on Fatty's experience from his time on the battlefield, found a secluded place to hide.
“They’re definitely searching for us now,” the fat man gasped, his voice growing weaker and weaker. He whispered, “But there are four of us now, two seriously injured, and the two men under your command can barely move. But they’re not skilled enough. If we rely on them to carry us out… I’m afraid we’ll all be doomed.”
I suddenly felt a chill and sat bolt upright, looking around. My two men weren't there. A vague thought flashed through my mind, and I stared at the fat man's face: "Fatty! Tell me, where are my two brothers?"
The fat man sighed, his expression complicated, and turned his head away.
Enraged, I struggled to my feet, grabbed the fat man's clothes, and yelled, "Speak! Speak!!"
The fat man's face grew even more ashen after I shook him, and he couldn't help but chuckle coldly, "Little Wu, you already guessed it, so why are you asking me?!"
But I still refused to give up. I gritted my teeth and stared at him: "No! I want you to tell me yourself!"
"Sigh..." The fat man glanced at me, a hint of warmth appearing in his eyes: "Still the same as before, a stubborn kid..."
He shook his head, changed his expression, and said calmly, "Yes, you guessed right! When you were unconscious, I asked them if they wanted you to escape alive! They said yes! I then told them it might be necessary to sacrifice themselves. They said yes again... So..." The fat man looked into my eyes, his tone calm, "I told them that if everyone went together now, they definitely wouldn't escape. The only way out was for the two of them to escape together, and to make as much noise as possible along the way to attract the attention of the searchers! To buy us time!" The fat man's eyes were as cold as... Without any emotion: "These guys can't keep searching here forever! Even if they can manage to get things done with the locals, set up roadblocks, and create this huge scene with random shooting, they can't keep suppressing this matter indefinitely! Besides, didn't you send people out? And your people in Shanghai, seeing that you haven't been heard from for so long, will also send people. We can't run away now; our only way to survive is to hide! Hide until your people come to rescue you!! Until then, the task I gave your two men is to sacrifice themselves to attract the enemy's attention and buy you time!!"
"You..." I was speechless, staring intently at the fat man, never expecting him to do such a thing!
"Let me put it very clearly." The fat man remained expressionless: "I sent them to be 'sacrificial pawns'! Do you understand? If I'm not mistaken, they're probably in grave danger by now."
"Fang...Fang Dahai!" I gritted my teeth, my eyes blazing with rage, blood trickling from my mouth: "You...you bastard..."
Snap!
Before I could finish speaking, the fat man suddenly raised his hand and slapped me across the face!
I was stunned for a moment after being slapped, but the slap didn't hurt at all. The fat man seemed to have no strength left. After the slap, he lay down next to me, breathing weakly, and then muttered, "Kid, kid! Did you think I was just trying to save my own life? Heh! Heh heh!! You stubborn kid... Sigh, still as stubborn as back then... Back then... so stubborn."
He coughed a few more times, but what was somewhat chilling was that he didn't even have the strength to cough anymore. He made a few gurgling sounds in his throat, but he didn't even have much strength left to inhale.
Fang Pangzi's forehead was covered in cold sweat, but he laughed weakly, looking at the sky: "Kid! I... know my injuries... didn't your black-clad henchman say... I... without an ambulance moving around... I'm dead. Heh heh... Damn it, I know, I probably don't have much breath left... I'm not doing this for myself. It's... it's for your life!"
I was speechless, watching the fat man lying there panting weakly. I suddenly found it hard to feel any hatred towards him... but the anger in my heart turned entirely towards myself!
“Kid… don’t blame yourself.” The fat man chuckled weakly. “You’ve never been on the battlefield… On the battlefield, things are much crueler than this… I’m done for, but you have to survive… Otherwise, who the hell will avenge us… avenge us…”
Fatty Fang is done for!