“It’s me.” Ge Shenghao’s eyes reflected the moonlight, resembling two shining stars.
Their luck had run out; they arrived just after the battle had concluded, missing the fierce struggle between Yu Hong and the Multi-Eyed Bird.
At this moment, Ge Shenghao kicked hard, forcing Yu Hong to take three steps back.
Instantly, he charged forward again, his right leg striking like a venomous snake, relentlessly whipping at Yu Hong’s side.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
His kicks were incredibly fast, delivering more than ten strikes in just a few seconds, all landing on Yu Hong’s blocking left arm.
Not only that, the two behind him moved in close, one wielding a stick and the other a hammer, pummeling Yu Hong repeatedly, causing his body to tremble as he struggled to defend himself.
However, what left the three feeling uneasy was that, no matter how hard they attacked Yu Hong, he simply wouldn’t fall or lose his balance.
They managed to push him back, but an unexplainable dread quietly rose in their hearts.
Suddenly, one couldn't hold back any longer and swung the stick with all his might, seizing the chance to strike Yu Hong's left side at the back.
Crack!
The stick snapped like a twig, but Yu Hong remained rooted to the spot.
He lifted his gaze from under his helmet and stared at the trio.
“Had enough?”
His voice was calm, as if their earlier skirmish had been nothing more than a warm-up.
Boom!
Ge Shenghao suddenly raised his leg high and smashed it down on the left side of Yu Hong’s neck.
A heavy blow struck the outer layer of Yu Hong’s suit, sending up a puff of light gray dust, which caught the moonlight brilliantly.
But shockingly, Yu Hong stood still, only his helmet wobbled slightly before there was no further reaction.
He didn’t even bother to block, remaining perfectly still.
“What else?” he asked.
“...!!?” Cold sweat broke out on Ge Shenghao.
Suddenly thinking of something, his pupils constricted, and he tried to withdraw his leg.
But in that very moment, Yu Hong shot his leg up and fiercely swept it toward Ge Shenghao’s supporting left leg.
A low kick!
This was a heavy kick technique he had practiced for many days.
Utilizing it now, it was executed flawlessly, and his reflexes were swift, almost like a conditioned response.
What he didn’t expect was for Ge Shenghao to leap into the air, avoiding the low sweep, and then thrust his leg back down toward Yu Hong’s chest, using the momentum to flip backward and land smoothly.
Yu Hong stepped forward to pursue, but unexpectedly, a hammer came crashing down on his shoulder from the side.
Bang!
A dull thud resounded as Yu Hong didn't even glance at his opponent.
With one hand, he grasped the hammer and pulled forcefully.
The man was yanked forward, unable to regain his balance, and Yu Hong embraced him tightly, wrapping his arms around him like a lover.
“Ah!!”
With a series of cracking sounds and a blood-curdling scream, the man’s bones buckled under the pressure.
Even though he was also wearing a bulletproof suit, when faced with this kind of blunt-force grappling, the armour was utterly useless.
Blood and flesh erupted from the man’s mouth and nose in a gruesome display.
Once he let go, Yu Hong strode forward in pursuit of Ge Shenghao.
Bang!
Another shot rang out, a bullet striking his right knee, piercing through the metallic plate and bringing a slight sting.
Seizing the opportunity, Ge Shenghao charged in again, daring to attack.
His right leg suddenly revealed a silver metal shin guard, powerfully sweeping at Yu Hong’s wounded knee.
If he managed to connect, it would surely break through the suit’s tough protection.
But it seemed they were thinking along the same lines; Yu Hong also lifted his leg for a low sweep, mirroring his opponent’s movements.
Both used techniques derived from military Miersig fighting arts, and their angles aligned perfectly, culminating in a head-on clash.
Boom!
Both legs collided, sending up a cloud of dust.
Ge Shenghao was overmatched, being knocked back, yet it seemed to ignite a fierceness within him.
“I’ll waste you!!”
He howled angrily, forcing his right leg to strike down toward Yu Hong relentlessly.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
They exchanged low kicks, neither yielding, delivering over a dozen kicks back and forth.
Just seconds later, a crack echoed out.
Ge Shenghao, clutching his leg, jumped back, drenched in cold sweat, his face twisted in pain, veins bulging.
He stared intently at Yu Hong, gritting his teeth in disbelief, unable to accept that his years of training in combat arts had led to such a swift and humiliating defeat.
“Liu Zi! Run!! Don’t look back!” Ge Shenghao suddenly shouted.
Amidst facing Yu Hong, who seemed unchanged from before, he finally understood how Yu Hong had managed to emerge unscathed during the Multi-Eyed Bird’s attack while protecting two frail women.
But at that moment, it was far too late for him to comprehend.
“Who would’ve thought this place...” Before he could finish his thought, he turned and bolted.
He hadn’t gotten far when Yu Hong grabbed the suit, lifting him off the ground effortlessly.
As he was about to be crushed again, a figure rushed close from behind and struck fiercely at the back of Yu Hong’s helmet with a hammer.
Bang!
The helmet cracked with several lines, caving in at one point.
But the inner cushioning absorbed the impact well, and while the remaining force could have given any average person a concussion, it felt like a mere feather lightly tapping the back of Yu Hong's head, causing him no true discomfort.
Having been hit, his head dropped forward momentarily, but then he furrowed his brow and spun around to seize the attacker’s arm, delivering another low sweep! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!
In just a few seconds, he unleashed over ten rapid kicks, and while the assailant could withstand a couple at first, the cries soon gave way to a softer, more pathetic body, crumbling under the assault.
Finally, the lower half was completely mangled, both the suit and the flesh turning into a soggy mess, leaving only a small section linking to the upper body.
Blood and bits of armor scattered across the ground.
Only when he noticed the opponent had fallen silent did Yu Hong let go, tossing him aside.
Despite only using one hand, the difference in strength was staggering; they weren’t even on the same level.
Coming back to his senses, Yu Hong hoisted Ge Shenghao up.
“What were you thinking?”
At this point, Ge Shenghao had completely broken down.
He gasped in disbelief, contorting in pain as if cramping, unable to voice a sound.
He could only watch as his companions were crushed by Yu Hong with minimal effort, like chicklings being easily dispatched.
The gap between them was far too great; it was undeniable that Yu Hong was a monster strengthened by the brilliance of the stone!
Indeed, only such monsters could achieve such outrageous feats in combat.
With that modification enhanced gray lizard suit, their defeat was no surprise.
In this gamble, they had completely lost.
Either they would die at the beak of the Multi-Eyed Bird or in this very brawl; the choices had hardly ever been numerous for them.
But he never imagined Yu Hong wasn’t relying on any trick to dodge; he likely endured it all through sheer strength.
Yu Hong shook Ge Shenghao, realizing he had no will to resist left.
He didn’t bother saying much more, suddenly bringing his hand down hard.
Crack! Crack!
With a series of snapping sounds, Ge Shenghao’s remaining limbs were broken.
Then Yu Hong dragged him towards the yard.
Of the four attackers, there was still one more—a gunman hiding in the shadows—who was likely long gone.
As for the man in his grip...
He pondered for a moment, standing at the entrance of the yard.
Since they could no longer fully seal off the news, leaving a survivor might yield some intel.
He didn’t kill Ge Shenghao; instead, he tossed him into the yard, found a wooden stake to drive into the ground, and then bound him in a corner of the yard.
After that, he moved the brilliance stone to cloak him from view, forming a corner comprised of the brilliance stone and the hillside wall.
With everything settled, he returned to the cave, finally having a moment to rest soundly.
This time he didn’t dare wholly let down his guard.
Until the door was properly repaired, he wasn’t planning on sleeping deeply.
After using a wooden board to block the hole in the door, he covered it with fabric.
Fortunately, there were no threats that night; finally, in the late hours, the door became vague before returning to its original state.
With Ge Shenghao now hidden from view, Qiu Yanxi and her daughter dared not move in their stone cave, remaining unseen.
Once he confirmed there was no problem, Yu Hong finally felt safe enough to drift off to sleep.
He was utterly exhausted.
Time passed, he couldn’t tell how long had gone by, but in a haze, Yu Hong thought he heard the communicator crackling with voices, likely Li Runshan talking.
He kept the communicator on, so as not to miss any vital news.
But he was simply too tired now, his internal energy completely depleted.
He ignored some trivial sounds happening around him.
At the post office stone house.
In the open area outside the yard, a peculiar dark green vehicle, resembling a small train with three compartments, quietly parked.
The morning light was bright yet cool, shining on three masked officers standing beside the strange vehicle.
These three individuals were completely bundled in thick tactical bulletproof gear, but one could discern from their body shapes that the leader was a woman, while the other two were men.
Inside the post office, trembling relatives of high-ranking joint forces officers emerged from the basement, faces brimming with emotion as they hurried toward the strange vehicle, shielded by guards, rushing through the door.
Li Runshan let out a sigh of relief and approached the lead female officer.
“Why did you come in person?” he whispered.
“With manpower being so tight and this place being so crucial, I had to come myself,” the masked woman replied.
She surveyed the scene, noting the serious mismatch between the number of guards and those reported.
“Where are Ge Shenghao and the others?”
“... I don’t know. According to his people, they went out last night, but no one knows what for.” Li Runshan shook his head.
“Investigations show that there are a dozen Multi-Eyed Birds roaming nearby, and the environmental hazard level is still on the rise. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes,” the woman stated solemnly.
“...” Li Runshan fell silent, pausing for a moment, before revealing a carefree smile. “No worries, we’ll find a way to survive.”
He chatted with the woman for a bit longer until nearly everyone from the basement had emerged.
But with no message from Yu Hong, he excused himself and returned to the room to reconnect the communicator.
“Yu Hong! Are you there!? The rescue team has almost completed their mobilization, if you don’t come soon, we’ll have to leave without you.” He raised his voice sharply.
This was his third time reminding him via the communicator.
Fortunately, this time, there was a response.
A yawn and a stretch came through the line.
“You aren’t sleeping, are you?” Li Runshan’s expression darkened.
“I’m just too tired; give me a break from last night,” Yu Hong sighed.
“Take care of yourself. Isn’t fighting one against two a bit too much?” Li Runshan replied with a hint of helplessness.
“What one against two? It’s one against four!” Yu Hong corrected him. “Forget it, you wouldn’t understand. So, the rescue team has arrived, right? I’m bringing my people over now.”
As long as he handed over Qiu Yanxi and her daughter to the rescue team, the deal with Wei Shanshan’s father, Wei Hongye, would be fulfilled.
“Yeah, hurry up. Director Wei brought you something, but you need to bring people over to get it.” Li Runshan urged.
“Okay.” Thinking about possibly resolving the energy issue, Yu Hong felt a sense of anticipation.
(End of Chapter)