For a day and two nights, they waited. Many villagers reached level 3 or 4 and their unique skill was awakened. Meanwhile, Huang Wen reached level 21 and improve his mastery over the passive skill Bloodlust to another level.
For Yao Ming and his wife, for several other people of the village, it was felt like years. Waiting for that day was an arduous moment, times filled with mental strain.
Today, very early in the morning when the sky still dark, from the roof of the tallest building of that village, Huan Weng lighted a torch. Some people still slept by that time, some other already got up but now busy with their activity inside their own homes and some who were outside, they couldn't see the light unless they were standing in a place higher than the roof of that house, such as on the small hill near that village, where Zhang Tian Yi, Chen Wu Xuang, Ma Heng, Liu Wang Yun and Tian Zhong watched over the village.
It was Liu Wang Yun turn, when he saw the flickering torch suddenly appeared somewhere inside the village. He was sleepy before, but now his eyes were wide opened.
He waited and kept watching, the torch moved from east to west, once, twice, thrice... and then it moved from north to south three times. Liu Wang Yun waited, he wanted to make sure that he didn't make any mistake when he finally confident that this was really a sign from Huang Wen, he picked his torch and used it to give the signal to Huang Wen.
Liu Wang Yun moved the torch as agreed before for several times, before Huang Wen turned off his torch. As soon as Huang Wen turned off his torch, Liu Wang Yun turned off his too.
Dark reined once again but hid within the village there were anticipation burning like an ember, ready to burst at the right moment and turned into an inferno.
That morning a scene was drawing the villager's attention. Yao Ming and Chen Xiu Min were begging in front of the village hall, where the leaders of the criminal group reside.
The guard outside the village hall was circling them to prevent them from entering the village hall but waited for instruction from their leader before they took harsher action. Mean while several other villagers watched from a far, people see the commotion and one by one the number of people who watched the scene was getting larger.
As Yao Ming and Chen Xiu Min's voice getting louder, begging to see their daughter, the voice of the guards was getting louder as well. At first they thought, the couple would leave after few shouts and perhaps a bit beating, but it wasn't as they expected, the couple braved through the insults and beating. They didn't dare to take harsher action because Yao Ming's daughter for now was their leader's favorite.
When one of the leaders came out from the village hall, the commotion died at once.
Huang Wen who watched from among the crowd watched carefully, the one who was coming out at this moment must be at least two meters in height, simply with that height he could intimidate people, but not only he had the height he also had the muscular body and the face that would make people's blood grew cold from facing him.
From the information he gained, this man was named Fei Hou, the fifth leader, he talked little and rarely bother with the villagers, but once someone angered him, he would kill that person without any regard to anyone, even to his big brothers and not one of his big brothers willing to make an enemy out of him.
In strength, it could be said that he was the strongest among them, only second to their eldest brother.
He was just standing there silently and no one had the courage to speak.
Fei Hou waved his hand in a motion, gesturing them to leave the place, "Screw off..."
The commotion began to disperse, everyone unconsciously started to leave the place, but right at that time someone running hard from the direction of the village's border.
"Boss !! Boss !! Boss Fei! Someone is challenging us!", he yelled as hard as he could when he saw Fei Hou.
Everyone stopped in their track and curiously waited to see. Even the stone face Fei Hou seemed taken aback with the incident. They were ruling in the village for about a week now and so far the only threat to their existence in that village were zombies. Since each one of them was used to violence, it was a rare scene to see one of his men running out of his wit.
"Shut up!", Fei Hou grumbled, it calmed his man.
"Now talk.", said Fei Hou after he saw his man calmed down.
"There are five men coming to our village. At first we thought nothing of them and our men began to secure them five.", the guard reported, of course when they said secure, it means they were ready to beat them up and robbed them, before bring them in.
"... but they suddenly attacked us as soon as we approached them. They moved so fast and their strength aren't normal either. No one can beat them."
"Why don't you shoot them?", Fei Hou asked.
"We don't have the chance to shoot them, as soon as some of our men moved, they closed in really fast and we didn't dare to shoot, afraid to shoot our own people.", the man answered.
"And now you're still fighting?", Fei Hou asked.
"Yes, after many of our brothers came to help, we could surround them and contained them but we can't beat them yet. They're too strong. One could fight ten people or so without losing their ground."
"Fool... brings me to them.", Fei Hou sneered.
The two of them, soon disappeared. Those who were left on the village hall were lost in thought and discussed about the invaders among themselves. Since Yao Ming and his wife didn't make any commotion, no one paid any attention to them anymore.
They didn't notice that some of the villagers were looking at Huang Wen as if they were waiting for some instruction, but Huang Wen silently shook his head.
Few minutes later something even bigger happened, the same man was running toward the village hall once again, this time he brought even crazier news, "Boss Fei Hou lost! Boss Fei Hou was losing! They're beating him right now! Hurry! Hurry! Inform the other bosses!"
Everyone stood with their mouth opened when they heard it, one of them regained his composure faster than his friends and wasted no time, he ran and entered the hall.
Few minutes later three people moved so fast that no one could see them clearly. They moved like spirits or shadows. Everything happened so fast, it left the bandits group reeled, while at the same time, many among the villagers were watching with anticipation. There were some of the villagers who weren't told of Huang Wen's plan, since they were in a questionable position, but more than half knew and now were spread in several groups around the key position within the village.
Their plan was to secure those who were held as hostages, women who were captured and forced to serve the bandits; and those who were forced to work as slaves.
A moment later another group of people charged out from the village hall.
"Everyone follows!", the leader of that group shouted.
Huang Wen watched all these scene with pounding heart, almost everything was according to their plan, with Zhang Tian Yi and the others drew the attention of the leaders, the villagers would be able to free their families and neighbors who were under the threat of the bandit group.
Now four of their leaders had been drawn and even those with level 2 or 3 seemed to be drawn as well. However, their number one leader, the chief, he wasn't came out. Huang Wen was ready to follow them from behind but now he waited. Even the villagers who were prepared to charge in, now were standing there, unsure with their next move. They turned to look at Huang Wen, but Huang Wen hesitated as well, because the leader still inside the village hall.
Another moment passed by when one man appeared to be in his thirties walked slowly out of the village hall. He only wore his pants and left his upper body bare, showing muscular body filled with scars and tattoos. Once he stepped out Huang Wen instinctively knew that this man was the leader. No one knew his real name. He was called Shi Long due to his dragon tattoo. From his body, a chilling death aura exuded.
In one of his hands, he carried a machete and his other hand was dragging one young girl on her hair.
"Lin Lin... Little Lin!", both Yao Ming and his wife shouted.
They leaped but freeze on their place as soon as the man lifted his head. His eyes pierced their heart, even other people who weren't stared at could feel something chilling emanating from the man.
"Yao Ming... hmm.... it seemed you collaborate with people from outside, you planned to draw everyone and then charging here to help your daughter.", he spoke slowly and as he spoke he began to lift the girl by her hair.
"Stop !!!", Yao Ming shouted, his worries for his daughter broke out and he courageously charged but the man moved even faster.
His machete moved in an arc. Within split of seconds, it would cleave Yao Ming's head in half but Huang Wen who was watching the scene moved almost at the same time and he leaped at full speed. Within that split of seconds, he pushed Yao Ming away from the machete. At the same time, he drew his bastard sword and slashed with such a precision, cut Yao Ming's daughter's hair.
Huang Wen didn't stop at that point, his sword flashed, turned it direction and now thrust at Shi Long's neck in lightning speed.
Shi Long didn't seem surprised at all, he calmly leaped and avoided Huang Wen's sword thrust.
"Yao Ming! Get your daughter away!", Huang Wen shouted while his sword moved like lightning and sent another attack.
"Everyone! Began your attack now! Secure the building! Save the hostages! I'll hold him here!", Huang Wen shouted and like water bursting out a dam, the villagers poured toward the village hall. Chen Xiu Min her daughter to the safe place, they agreed on. While Yao Ming followed the other villagers to clear out their village hall and brought out any prisoners inside.
Seven times Huang Wen attacked and seven times Shi Long avoided his sword attack without even using his machete to block. Shi Long's face slowly formed a smile, then a huge smile and by the end of Huang Wen's attack he laughed maniacally.
"Good !!! Good !!!! After so long I felt alive again !!! Ha ha ha ha haa....! Faster ! Faster! Attack me faster !", he yelled and laughed, hints of madness were in his eyes.
Suddenly Huang Wen could feel an imminent danger came out of Shi Long's body and without gave it a thought, he threw his body away from him. Almost without any other signs, tens of ice spears thrown out of Shi Long's hand that didn't carry the machete.
Huang Wen whirled his sword and formed a shield to block some of the ice spears which he couldn't avoid. As soon as the ice spears touched his sword, he could feel the cold spread through his sword toward his hand, arm and kept spreading toward his body. For a moment, his movement was disturbed but Huang Wen quickly reacted. He started to cast fireball, but he stopped before the fireball was formed in his hand, he used the fire element that moved within his body to fight the cold instead. He could activate fireball once a day and he didn't want to use it too early.
Good thing he did that, because in that split second, Shi Long fought back with his machete.
Huang Wen threw himself down, the machete sliced a few inches above his head and it kept chasing him. Huang Wen desperately bent his body from side to side, while his foot kept moving from place to place. A series of attacks bursted out Shi Long and Huang Wen drenched in cold sweat.
Seconds passed by. Within his consciousness Huang Wen could count the time was drawing closer and closer before the effect of Bloodlust will be automatically activated.
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He forgot to tell the villager to watch for his Bloodlust, if he ever reached the Berserker state, then likely he would kill them all, once they left the building.
Shi Long's attack came like ocean waves, one attack will be followed by the next, it felt like a never ended flowing movement, while Huang Wen avoided each attack in a very desperate manner, each move closely avoid Shi Long's attack without any beauty in it.
Huang Wen might seemed desperate yet he observed the situation calmly, he moved desperately because each of Shi Long's attack was fast, sharp and almost like he knew beforehand where and how, Huang Wen was going to avoid, before he even moved.
At that moment an idea passed his mind, 'Does he read my mind?'
At that second Huang Wen saw Shi Long hesitated, even if it was just for a split of seconds and Huang Wen thought to himself, 'He does read my mind!'
When Huang Wen had that thought, he instinctively watched Shi Long's expression. A moment after he had that thought, he saw Shi Long grinned at him.
For Huang Wen that expression confirmed his suspicion, at the same time Bloodlust was activated.
Sacrifice a limb to break a bone.
Some people might heitate but at that moment Huang Wen had no hesitation at all. He realized that he needed to take an extreme measure. Bloodlust was activated. Once he entered the Berserker state, whether he won the fight or not wouldn't matter. He needed to win before he lost his mind.
Huang Wen leaped and attack. He didn't even bat his eyes as Shi Long's machete flashed toward him. He lifted his hand to block the machete with it, while his sword was moving fast and targeting Shi Long's artery.
Apparently Shi Long read his mind and hesitated.
He was judging whether he should continue his attack and risked himself. Or should he pull the attack to avoid Huang Wen's suicide attack.
It less than a second but both moved so fast that half of second could mean death and life. Within that split of seconds Huang Wen's sword moved faster than Shi Long's machete. If both of them didn't pull their attack, most likely Huang Wen's sword would slash open Shi Long's artery long before Shi Long's machete reached Huang Wen's hand.
Both realized it and Shi Long was forced to pull his attack and move aside to avoid.
Once he took the initiative, how could Huang Wen let it go?
He couldn't prevent Bloodlust from being activated. Now that it was activated he better used it the best he could. There was no moment of pause at all, one attack followed by the next, now their position was reversed and the longer they fought, the stronger Huang Wen was.
Now Huang Wen raced with time, he should never reach Berserk or he would kill many innocent people. Meanwhile, if Shi Long could defend himself long enough until Huang Wen reached Berserk and spent his stamina, then Shi Long would win.
Huang Wen and Shi Long fought alone at the village hall's front yard. Other battles happened inside the village hall and spread all over the village. Zhang Tian Yi, Liu Wang Yun, Ma Heng, Chen Wu Xuang and Tian Zhong, steadily suppressed their opponent. They have advantages since earlier they managed to kill the fifth leader. Without him and Shi Long, the other three didn't have much chance to win.
Mean while the villagers in many places won the battles, since all the main forces of the gang right now were focused on defending against Zhang Tian Yi and his friends.
No body knew that their fate hung onto the result of one fight. The fight between Huang Wen and Shi Long, both of them had skills and stat, far above the other. Shi Long could read Huang Wen's mind so he knew what was happening within Huang Wen right now. In his sinister mind, he just wanted to push Huang Wen until he entered Berserk state and then ran.
The fight shows that both of them have comparably similar level. Both have speed and power. In term of technique Shi Long's martial art was one or two levels above Huang Wen, but now that Huang Wen had the initiative. Huang Wen's ferocity managed to suppress Shi Long's techniques. Shi Long had the ability to read his opponent's mind, but even if it just took a moment, it actually reduced his speed in defending and attacking. Since Shi Long first read his opponent's mind and then think how to react. Mean while, Huang Wen relied on his sharp instinct, which made him reacted faster compared to Shi Long.
Both of them used to end their fight within a few seconds, but now it dragged longer and longer.
Huang Wen clenched his jaw as he unconsciously watched his spirit point consumed by seconds. Less than two minutes and he would turn into a mindless killing machine. At the same time, Shi Long's expression also changed by seconds, his mocking smile disappeared, turned into anger. Huang Wen grew stronger by each second, each thrust or slash of his sword, was heavier than hundred kg of stones. For the first time in his life after the world changed, Shi Long felt fear. The pressure that came from the sword, squeezed his chest by fear.
Up until that moment he fought elegantly, but suddenly he threw himself backward desperately, rolling on the ground. Huang Wen who felt something was amiss, didn't pursue him but started chanting the fireball spell. Almost at the same time both of them lifted their palm and shot. Another cold chilling ice spears from Shi Long's palm and bright hot fireball from Huang Wen's palm.
Two magic force collision, a small explosion that shook the earth and the air, both of them were thrown away by the explosion.
The collision of two opposite forces formed hot mists, that created an illusionary border for both of them. Huang Wen worried that Shi Long would use this chance to escape, braved himself and shot through the mist.
"STOP !!!", Shi Long shouted.
A wave of chilling aura attacked Huang Wen's consciousness. Suddenly he felt terrible things would happen to him if he didn't follow that order. Huang Wen gritted his teeth and muttered his will.
"Wait, let's stop fighting. Let's have a chat. Otherwise I'll sacrifice myself to keep the fight long enough for you to lose your mind.", Shi Long spoke.
As the mists began to clear, Huang Wen could see him.
"Alright, let's have a chat.", Huang Wen replied.
"Good...so what's your name?", Shi Long asked, the smile returned to his face, now he was controlling the situation again.
"Huang Wen."
"You and your friends want playing hero eh?", Shi Long asked in a mocking tone.
"You and your friends want playing the villain, I suppose.", Huang Wen replied.
Shi Long laughed and Huang Wen coldly smiled. Both of their eyes locked into each other, never lose their concentration. Now that they stopped fighting, slowly the Bloodlust began to cool down.
"I guess so... but they're not my friends. Villain don't have friends, just underlings.", Shi Long answered.
Huang Wen nodded and replied, "Heroes on the other hand, have many friends and rely on them as much as on relying on his own strength. That's why, we're winning all the time."
"Puiih... friends? Friends? Don't tell me you're that naive... Today they're your friend, but tomorrow? Next month? Next year?", Shi Long sneered.
"As long as we held the same dream, we would be friends and we all want peace. We all want to bring it back, to find a place where there are laws and orders.", Huang Wen replied calmly.
Shi Long's eyes shot a sharp pure hatred, "Laws and orders are for the weak!"
Huang Wen nodded, "Yes, they're for the weak. For those who don't have the strength to protect themselves. Strength is relative though. You think you're strong, but could you fight against three or four people as strong as you? You think it is impossible that some incident happened and you lose your strength? Or maybe, you will meet someone who is stronger than you?"
Shi Long snorted, "You're a wimp, a coward."
"Perhaps... so what?", Huang Wen calmly replied.
Shi Long didn't answer for a long time and Huang Wen didn't say more words either.
"I've been neglecting my training..., that's why people like you could stand so high and mighty in front of me...", Shi Long spoke.
"So now, you're going to leave this place and train?", Huang Wen asked.
"Yes, I'll leave this village for you and your friends, but one day I will return.", Shi Long answered.
"You will train, don't you think I won't train either?", Huang Wen asked again.
"Hmmph... wimp like you. Once I train seriously you would not be able to catch up. So let me leave this village now. If you insist on fighting, then I will surely kill several people along the way.", Shi Long answered.
Huang Wen was thinking for a moment and asked, "You promise?"
Shi Long laughed disdainfully, "Do I care for ants? I let them live today, but the next time I come again I will kill them all. I'll kill every one of them for betraying me."
"What if I refuse? You obviously a dangerous person, the next time I met you, I might not be able to beat you. Right now, I can see you're having a hard time to defeat me as I grew stronger by seconds when I enter the Berserk state, you have no chance at all. Isn't it okay to sacrifice several people in order to get rid of a greater danger in the future?", Huang Wen asked.
"Ha...ha...ha..., you already knew I can read your mind. How could you ask such thing? We've talked too long. I'll leave now.", Shi Long laughed and he casually walked, leaving Huang Wen behind him.
Huang Wen hesitated for a while, but then he followed Shi Long closely. He didn't dare to let Shi Long out of his view. Both of them walked as if nothing happened between them a few moments ago. They walked past some fight and didn't bother to interfere at all. Their appearance surprised some people, with only a stare Shi Long could make people fell, trembled in fear.
Since Huang Wen knew that Shi Long could read his mind, he never gave a thought to attack him from behind. This man terrified him and the sooner he left the village, the better he would feel.
Soon they reached the border of the village.
Shi Long turned to Huang Wen and asked, "Are you going to follow me all day?"
Huang Wen didn't know how to answer. It would be easy for Shi Long to return and create a problem.
Shi Long sighed, "What a pain in the a**! I promise you, okay? I'll leave this village and it will take at least 5 years before I would seek to find you."
Somehow Huang Wen felt he could trust him. He could trust him, because Huang Wen felt that Shi Long was similar to him, the only difference was that he met with Zhang Xuan, Chen Yao and Xia Yue.
"Five years from now on? In this village?", Huang Wen asked.
"Hmm... I guess, I might take more than 5 years. By the way. Those girls... how pretty are they?", Shi Long suddenly asked.
Huang Wen expression darkened, he unconsciously thought about them. He forgot that Shi Long could read his mind.
"Ha ha ha ha, don't worry. I won't even touch them. I just felt what a pity. How could you change your mind after seeing three girls? You could have tens of them. Hundred of them. All you need is power.", Shi Long laughed and mocked him.
"I'll see you in five years.", Huang Wen answered coldly.
"Ouch... angry aren't we? Well, fare well hero.", Shi Long grinned, waving his hand, he left Huang Wen behind him.