Although my body had evolved and greatly strengthened, the neck is the most vulnerable part of a person. If Ke Zhu had succeeded, I would have died before him!
With no other choice, I had to retract my blade and lower my stance to evade his attack.
While Ke Zhu and I were locked in a life-or-death battle, the savage warriors he brought had all been shot dead by Ke Xin and Ke Ya. Ke Zhu was now a lone wolf!
Ptooey!
Taking advantage of a brief opening in Ke Zhu's assault, I stepped back a large pace, temporarily retreating from his attack range, and spat fiercely onto the ground.
The desperate fear the reckless. Ke Zhu, having lost the will to live, was now intent on dragging me down with him, completely abandoning defense and seeking to trade blows.
I fought at a severe disadvantage. In the heat of combat, even my alloy knife was knocked to the ground!
Just as I caught my breath, Ke Zhu lunged forward again, giving me no chance to recover.
Ke Zhu's tall stature and powerful fists and kicks were both his advantage and his weakness.
I used my agility to weave around him, wearing down his stamina.
In a fight at our level, both offense and defense were incredibly swift. Even if Ke Xin and Ke Ya wanted to shoot Ke Zhu, it was difficult to aim, so they could only wait for an opportunity from the sidelines.
This couldn't go on. I grew anxious, realizing Ke Zhu was like a ferocious beast. His onslaught showed no signs of weakening with time; instead, it grew more intense. I had to find a chance to strike a fatal blow!
Ke Zhu threw another punch at me. I deliberately let my legs go weak and stumbled to the ground. Ke Zhu fell for it, his towering shadow completely engulfing me, plunging me into darkness!
It was at this precise moment that a shot rang out!
A burst of white erupted on Ke Zhu's back. He cried out in pain and stumbled backward.
This was the opportunity I had been waiting for.
Strike when the enemy is weak!
I quickly got to my feet and charged forward.
Straight punch, hook, swing, whip kick, sweep kick!
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang!
I poured all my strength into my attacks, aiming to inflict maximum damage on Ke Zhu in the shortest possible time!
Even with Ke Zhu's tough hide, he could only barely hold on under my relentless assault. The tide of battle instantly turned!
At first, Ke Zhu could still mount some defense, but as my strength increased, he gradually lost consciousness, instinctively only able to protect his head and face.
After being on the defensive for so long, the anger that had been building inside me finally erupted. Seeing Ke Zhu's consciousness begin to blur, I sidestepped, closed the distance, and wrapped my left arm around his neck. With a spin, I pulled him into my embrace.
Ke Zhu instinctively swatted at my head, but his arms couldn't fully extend, greatly diminishing the force of his blows. Enduring the pain, I tightened my grip.
"Aargh!"
Veins bulged on my face as I exerted all my strength, pushing backward and twisting my waist to slam Ke Zhu's head backward.
"Crack!"
With a loud thud, Ke Zhu's massive body crashed to the ground like a collapsing pillar.
Blood flowed from his nose and mouth, his pupils dilated. He was clearly on his last breath.
I gasped for air, my eyes bloodshot, and flipped over to straddle Ke Zhu, punching his face again and again.
"You dared to hunt me!"
"You dared to set a trap for me!"
Only when my hands were covered in blood and my knuckles were raw and red did I stop.
Looking at Ke Zhu, there wasn't a single intact piece of flesh left on his face. Only the slight rise and fall of his chest proved that this savage was still alive.
What tenacious life force this beast possessed!
After a brief rest, regaining some strength, I pushed myself up from the ground with my hands and walked over to a tree, picking up the alloy knife.
"Killing a beast like you is an insult to my blade!"
I walked up to Ke Zhu and, with a single, clean stroke, severed his neck, beheading him.
Ke Zhu, dead!
Blood splattered all over me, making me look as if I had crawled out of hell.
Ke Xin and Ke Ya cautiously approached, looking me up and down. Ke Xin gently said to me, "Master, you're covered in blood. Do you want to clean up first?"
I shook my head, merely tidying my clothes to appear less terrifying.
"We don't have much time to waste. Luo Yaqin is in grave danger. Now that Ke Zhu is dealt with, we must hurry to find the antidote."
I let out a long breath. Ke Zhu had been a thorn in my side, a constant source of unease. With his death, my focus now turned to Luo Yaqin's safety.
At the same time, a new thought began to form in my mind...