Chapter 145: 139, Ten steps away, spear fast (seeking subscription monthly ticket)
What?
A vein throbbed on Bai Lang’s forehead.
It had been a long time since anyone dared to speak to him like this.
Are all young people nowadays this brazen?
Bai Lang turned around, his eyes locked on Lu Lin, his voice seeping from between clenched teeth.
"Kid, do you want to fucking die?"
Lu Lin nodded, revealing eight white teeth with a grin.
"Yeah, come at me."
Bai Lang was caught off guard, suddenly feeling a terrifying force propelling him toward Lu Lin.
Damn it, I’m not ready yet! Bai Lang cursed silently.
Despite being a seasoned fighter, Bai Lang still hastily drew his D-Class Alloy Curved Knife and, leveraging his forward momentum, slashed at Lu Lin.
This slash lacked any proper form, but Bai Lang didn’t believe Lu Lin could dodge it.
Die!
A ferocious look appeared on Bai Lang’s face.
Continuing the excitement from the robbery, Bai Lang unconsciously licked his lips; the red dot between his brows grew even brighter.
Lu Lin made no attempt to dodge.
Seeing Bai Lang charge, he tightened his grip on his broken knife.
Seize the Gap.
A black gleam of the knife flashed.
Bai Lang stumbled seven or eight steps forward before stopping, clutching the stump of his right wrist.
"AH—"
The red dot between Bai Lang’s brows seemed to glow.
All this happened in an instant. When Mi Yan and Jin Dun, still in the car, saw Bai Lang’s severed right hand lying on the ground, they couldn’t believe their eyes.
"What the fuck!"
Jin Dun immediately threw open the car door and rushed toward Lu Lin and Bai Lang.
Mi Yan, on the other hand, sat motionless in the car, his face gloomy, lost in thought.
Jin Dun’s red hair fluttered in the wind, his fury beyond measure.
The three of them had been committing crimes in nearby cities for more than a day or two. Masters disdained dealing with them, and ordinary Detective Departments were powerless against them. Over time, the trio had developed an inflated sense of self-importance. It was fine for them to murder and commit crimes. Anyone who tried to stop them would die.
But now... now...
Jin Dun stared at the approaching Lu Lin, his heart filled with rage. Someone had dared to cut off Bai Lang’s right hand! No matter who this person was, or what his Identity was, he was a dead man.
"Die!" Jin Dun roared, leaping into the air and aiming a kick at Lu Lin.
According to their intelligence, Bai Lang was of the Fire System attribute and skilled in the Thirteen Strokes of Flame Blades. Jin Dun was of the Gold System attribute, excelling in Fatal Leg Chains and Earthshattering Fist.
Indeed, that’s formidable. Lu Lin couldn’t help but silently admire the fierce kick.
However... Inch Step.
Lu Lin took half a step forward, narrowly avoiding Jin Dun’s kick. Before Jin Dun could react, Lu Lin’s right hand, gripping the broken knife, shot up.
Seize the Gap.
SCRAPE—
A harsh sound tore through the air as the broken knife ripped Jin Dun’s pants, leaving a trail of sparks on his thigh.
This was the first time Lu Lin had encountered such a situation. He had clearly struck his opponent, yet it felt like hitting metal. No, it *was* metal.
As Jin Dun landed, his Hardened legs were visible through his torn pants.
Lu Lin discarded his underestimation, gripped his broken knife, and braced himself.
Jin Dun smirked maliciously. Hardening was his life-saving trump card. In all his years as a Star Core Warrior, he had spent over 60% of his effort on this Star Skill. Thanks to his continuous efforts, Hardening had steadily improved, often producing miraculous effects in battle.
Except... damn it! This kid looks like he hasn’t even finished puberty, yet his strike actually pierced my Hardened skin and injured the muscle and bone beneath! Luckily, it’s just a minor injury.
"Kid, who are you?" Jin Dun demanded. "I don’t kill nobodies."
"Heh." Lu Lin laughed out loud.
He looked at Jin Dun with curiosity. Is this guy’s brain addled? Who still says stuff like that these days? Did he just finish reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms or something?
"Idiot."
Lu Lin wasted no more words on Jin Dun. He used Inch Step, and in a flash, he was right in front of him.
Jin Dun had never encountered anyone with such incredible speed. Seeing Lu Lin approach, he hastily tried to dodge. But he had underestimated Inch Step at the Inch Realm. Just as his feet touched the ground, Lu Lin was already on him like a shadow.
Are you a fucking ghost?! Jin Dun cursed inwardly, attempting to evade Lu Lin once more. He couldn’t believe it. He, who had always relied on his elusive movements to evade opponents, was now being relentlessly pursued by Lu Lin.
But reality was not as he hoped. Lu Lin even arrived at Jin Dun’s landing spot faster than he did.
The broken knife swept out.
Earth Shattering.
For this strike, Lu Lin used his Earth Shattering technique.
Jin Dun can defend against surface attacks, can he? Let’s see if he can withstand my Earth Shattering, Lu Lin thought. Earth Shattering was a force that could directly penetrate and destroy an object from within. His skin is Hardened, but I doubt his liver is.
PFFT.
Jin Dun spat out a mouthful of blood as his body was flung backward. His face turned deathly pale in an instant. He clutched his abdomen, the pain so intense he couldn’t even make a sound.
Lu Lin glanced at Jin Dun, then turned his attention to Bai Lang. By now, Bai Lang had retrieved his severed hand and alloy warsword, preparing to attack Lu Lin from behind. But he had no idea that his every move was crystal clear to Lu Lin’s Perception.
"Fire Snake!"
The moment Bai Lang unleashed his Star Skill, he saw Lu Lin turn and smirk at him.
I’ve been discovered!
Bai Lang’s heart lurched.Instead, he saw Lu Lin move like a phantom, not only easily dodging his Fire Snake attack but also weaving through it to appear right in front of him.
Earth Shattering.
Lu Lin’s mission was to intercept these three for half an hour, not to kill them. That being said, facing three opponents alone, Lu Lin knew he had to inflict heavy damage.
With this move, Lu Lin feinted with his right hand. The real attack came after a swift turn, his left fist clenching.
Kidney shot.
Bai Lang gasped, his breath catching in his throat, and his entire body pitched forward, slamming rigidly onto the ground, motionless.
Though it takes time to describe, it all happened incredibly fast.
Watching from the car, Mi Yan’s pupils constricted slightly as he saw his two companions defeated almost instantly by Lu Lin.
He muttered, "Sir, I will deal with this kid."
There was no response, not that Mi Yan cared.
Opening the car door, Mi Yan retrieved a... Double-Barrel Shotgun from the trunk. Its elongated barrel would grant bullets greater acceleration. The muzzle was black, the stock silver.
Mi Yan held the shotgun, muzzle pointed down, and looked at Lu Lin.
"Kid, regardless of who you are, leave now," Mi Yan warned. "Otherwise, you die."
He said this because Lu Lin’s skills and youth indicated an extraordinary background. To so easily defeat both Jin Dun and Bai Lang at such a young age meant Lu Lin’s origins were anything but simple. Mi Yan wasn’t afraid of Lu Lin himself, but of the power backing him. Whether Lu Lin was an outstanding student from some school or a talent nurtured by a major power, the force capable of producing someone so exceptional had to be formidable. Mi Yan’s words were both a concession and a threat.
"Heh heh."
"Enough talk," Lu Lin said, adjusting his breathing slightly. He regarded Mi Yan gravely.
Intelligence indicated Mi Yan was the trio’s strategist—sinister, cunning, and prone to unexpected moves. Facing Jin Dun and Bai Lang, two straightforward martial artists, Lu Lin had been relatively at ease. But with Mi Yan, he had to discard any complacency.
"Fine. In that case, I’ll grant your wish," Mi Yan sneered, raising the Double-Barrel Shotgun and aiming it at Lu Lin.
Lu Lin’s hairs stood on end. Before his brain could even process, he used Inch Step, instantly appearing five paces away.
BANG!
The gunshot roared.
Lu Lin’s heart trembled as he glimpsed a crater over thirty centimeters deep in the ground where he’d just stood. This mission... seems a bit more dangerous than I thought.
The shotgun in Mi Yan’s hands was clearly custom-made, specifically designed to counter Star Core Warriors with Defensive Type Star Skills. No matter how fast his Inch Step was, it couldn’t outpace a bullet at this close range.
Beyond ten steps, the gun is fast. Within ten steps, the gun is *both* fast and accurate.
Lu Lin had no intention of testing his Stone Skin against those bullets.
He focused his Perception on Mi Yan’s movements, his back arching slightly, ready to spring.
Mi Yan raised the shotgun.
Lu Lin instantly judged the trajectory. Dodge!