The days grew hotter. I spent half the day wandering in the forest near the new camp of the Kasa tribe, memorizing the surrounding terrain.
I remembered a general once saying that war is a war of intelligence, and victory or defeat often hinges on who possesses the more comprehensive information.
As I walked, I suddenly heard the sound of flowing water ahead.
It was fortunate, as I was feeling rather thirsty.
Hm?
I could vaguely see a small stream ahead, but suddenly I stopped.
Was that Bulu?
Bulu looked utterly pathetic. His exposed upper body was crisscrossed with bloody gashes. Only one stone axe remained in his hand, and the Du'an tribe warriors who had surrounded him were nowhere to be seen.
He was in a sorry state, now hunched by the stream, like a wild beast, thrusting his face into the water and drinking greedily.
Had he encountered a wild beast?
I was puzzled. I had explored this area extensively and hadn't encountered any formidable wild beasts. When Bulu retreated, he had at least twenty warriors with him. How could he have ended up like this?
"Who's there?"
Unexpectedly, Bulu's hearing was exceptionally sharp. I accidentally stepped on a twig, causing a faint snap. He turned back sharply, staring intently in my direction, his hand instinctively reaching for his stone axe.
Since I had been discovered, I decided to walk out from the bushes openly, appearing before Bulu.
When Koyan and the others were buying me time, I had thought Bulu wasn't very bright. Perhaps now I could extract some intelligence from him.
"Don't be nervous. I mean no harm. I am merely a stranger who has ended up here."
I spoke fluently in the savage tongue, attempting to ingratiate myself with Bulu, extending my hands to show friendliness.
To my surprise, Bulu's expression changed drastically upon hearing my words. He brandished his stone axe and glared at me menacingly.
"You are the one who ambushed us in the forest yesterday! You are speaking the language of the Kasa tribe!"
Damn it, I miscalculated!
I cursed inwardly. These island savages had dialects too!
Bulu looked slow-witted, so why had he suddenly become so perceptive!
I knew Bulu was now like a bird startled by a bowstring; no matter what I said, he wouldn't believe me. So, I drew my alloy knife.
Words are useless; life and death are decided by the blade!
The alloy knife was wide and long, its twenty-centimeter blade a culmination of modern technology!
Bulu's stone axe was crude and rough, still stained with the blood of some unknown animal.
*Hummm!*
A cicada chirped from a nearby tree. Like a leopard hunting, I instantly lunged at Bulu.
Holding the knife in my left hand and forming a claw with my right, I swept outwards. With a *clang*, I slashed towards Bulu's neck. This first strike was meant to be fatal!
It must be said that Bulu was indeed a seasoned Du'an tribe warrior. He raised his stone axe to block, managing to parry my seemingly inevitable attack.
What surprised me was the stone axe itself. I didn't know what kind of stone it was made of, but it was incredibly hard. It only chipped slightly and wasn't broken by my alloy knife!
My first attack failed. I smoothly continued the descent of the alloy knife, the blade scraping against the stone axe, emitting a piercing screech. After separating, I flicked the blade upwards and fiercely thrust it towards Bulu's abdomen!
If this knife had pierced Bulu's abdomen, his intestines would have been churned to pieces!
In the face of death, Bulu's eyes widened with fury. Relying on his greater height, he intended to trade injuries, disregarding his own safety and swinging his stone axe horizontally towards my head.
Damn it, why were the people of the Du'an tribe one crazier than the other!
I couldn't afford to perish with Bulu, so I halted my offensive and blocked Bulu's stone axe.
In just a few seconds, Bulu and I had exchanged several blows, neither gaining an advantage.
Although we were locked in a stalemate, the difference in our conditions was evident.
I had rested and conserved my strength all night, while he was clearly exhausted.
After a few more exchanges, I seized an opening as Bulu retracted his guard. My right arm shot up, and the alloy knife, held in a正手 (zhèngshǒu) grip, soared like a dragon ascending to heaven. The cold tip of the blade fiercely chopped towards Bulu's arm!
*Slish!*
Bulu's skin was easily cut by the blade, and the sharp edge left a wound on his forearm that exposed bone.
The might of the alloy knife was terrifying!
This wasn't the end!
Having landed a killing blow, I smoothly transitioned to a downward slash, using all my strength. My arm acted like a jack, pressing down on the blade and smashing it fiercely onto Bulu's left shoulder.
In the throes of life and death, hesitation means death!
Bulu quickly raised his stone axe to block!
*Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!*
My killing intent surged. I delivered four consecutive slashes, each with full force. With every downward strike, his guard was forced to angle lower, giving Bulu no chance to breathe. I was as ferocious as a demon god!
Strike him while he's down, take his life!
The final slash was blocked by Bulu.
However, this played right into my hands!
I abandoned the knife and spun my body. My waist tightened, using my right foot as a pivot, I twisted and turned, then brought my elbow around. The dark, whistling elbow tip fiercely struck Bulu's left cheek. He reeled backward, almost falling into the stream!
It had been so long since I had fought such an exhilarating battle!
I panted, my chest heaving like a fiery furnace. Though only one of us would survive, the thrill of the fight still made my blood boil!
Bulu, opposite me, hung his head, battered and bleeding from my assault!
The bone between his eyebrows had split from my elbow strike, blood flowing out and down his eyes, like honey frosted over!
"Heh..."
Instead of pain, Bulu let out a laugh. He took a sharp breath and fiercely wiped the blood from between his eyebrows with his hand, staining half his face red!
He looked like a demon crawling out of hell!
This was not all. During our fight, his little finger had been hit, and it was now broken.
Looking at his misshapen little finger, Bulu directly used his stone axe to chop it off!
*Hiss!*
With his maimed hand, he couldn't exert any force.
Rather than let it impede his punching, he might as well discard it!
My expression grew grave. Although I had injured Bulu, a cornered beast still had a chance to turn the tables as long as it wasn't dead.
"Great Shepherd, above!"
Bulu charged at me first, swinging his stone axe fiercely at my chest.
At this moment, I became remarkably calm. I flicked my right wrist, which held the knife, then suddenly leaned sideways to parry with the blade and, with a backhand motion, thrust it precisely onto Bulu's wrist!
Bulu cried out in pain, but instead of retreating, he advanced and slammed his right hand, missing a finger, hard onto my shoulder.
Even with my extraordinary physique, I felt the impact. I quickly retreated, creating distance between us.
Bulu had descended into madness, his every move aimed at mutual destruction, with no regard for defense.
I now held the advantage, and I proceeded cautiously, giving Bulu no opportunity for a trade of injuries, inflicting several wounds on him from time to time!
I knew well that in his current state, Bulu would eventually expose himself to a fatal weakness!
Finally!