Zhang Ding coldly stared at Wu Hai, then pointed at him, hooking his finger in a disdainful manner, displaying a contemptuous attitude towards Wu Hai. However, Wu Hai remained calm and adjusted his mindset to a steady state. He had no concerns about the killings around him, focusing entirely on the formidable enemy in front of him.
Seeing that his little trick had no effect, Zhang Ding couldn't help but abandon the deliberately scornful posture. It was his usual tactic, attempting to provoke the opponent, disrupt their composure, and increase the chances of victory by pushing them into irrational actions fueled by anger. However, Wu Hai seemed immune to this strategy, demonstrating strong self-control. Individuals like him, capable of maintaining composure, were often challenging opponents.
Zhang Ding smirked coldly and said, "So, you're Wu Hai?"
Wu Hai's expression turned gloomy as he replied coldly, "Zhang Ding."
Zhang Ding laughed heartily, "They say you're the number two figure in the Qinghong Gang. Heh heh, watch me take you down in a moment and then capture Wei Qinghong." Unconsciously, he employed his own tactics again, attempting to infuriate Wu Hai, disrupt his composure, and increase his chances of victory. However, Wu Hai didn't take the bait, responding with a disdainful snort, "You must be dreaming."
Seeing his tricks failing once again, Zhang Ding put away the intentionally contemptuous posture. With a broad-bladed chopping knife in hand, he executed a diagonal swing towards Wu Hai. Although the speed was fast, the force was not overwhelming.
Wu Hai, anticipating the direction of the blade, swiftly stepped back. Simultaneously, he swung his steel knife at Zhang Ding's blade, delivering a powerful strike. A "clang" echoed, and Zhang Ding shuddered, stepping back noticeably, indicating a disadvantage in strength. However, there was no sign of discouragement on his face. With a quick shake of his knife, he charged forward again.
Wu Hai engaged in a direct confrontation with Zhang Ding, realizing that Zhang Ding's strength did not lie in raw power. Considering Zhang Ding's physique, his advantage likely lay in agility. Indeed, Zhang Ding, upon approaching, utilized the agility of his small stature, avoiding direct clashes with Wu Hai. He moved like an agile mole, skillfully deflecting Wu Hai's attacks. Subsequently, he kicked towards Wu Hai's abdomen and threw a well-timed punch as Wu Hai evaded.
Although the punch narrowly missed Wu Hai, it caused him to break into a cold sweat. Furthermore, Wu Hai was periodically distracted, glancing towards Wei Qinghong, which affected his concentration during the fight. This divided attention significantly compromised his strength, and Zhang Ding's rapid attacks left him panting, with nearly half of his stamina depleted.
Zhang Ding grinned coldly, denying Wu Hai any chance to catch his breath. His knife cut through the air, leaving a bright trail, swiftly sweeping towards Wu Hai. Steeling himself, Wu Hai shouted and countered with a powerful swing. The clash produced a resounding sound, and Wu Hai felt a sharp pain in his tiger's mouth, staggering several steps backward. Surprised, he looked at Zhang Ding, who wore a smug expression despite also stepping back.
Wu Hai was shaken; Zhang Ding's strength was not inferior at all. In the previous exchange, Zhang Ding intentionally displayed weakness to shatter Wu Hai's confidence. Wu Hai realized that he couldn't match Zhang Ding's agility in footwork, and if he didn't surpass him in strength, the battle would be challenging. Finally understanding why Zhang Ding could survive encounters with numerous skilled opponents, Wu Hai acknowledged Zhang Ding's strength and his adeptness at concealing it.
With a sinister smile, Zhang Ding arrogantly said, "Wu Hai, with your limited skills, lasting this long against me is a prideful achievement in your life. I'll send you on your way soon, and when you meet King Yama, feel free to complain about me. Hehehe." Finishing his words, he took two steps forward, swung his large knife, and aimed a fierce blow at Wu Hai's head.
With no retreat, Wu Hai resolved to fight even if it meant death. He shouted, engaging Zhang Ding in combat. Zhang Ding held the advantage in strength but demonstrated more agility in his footwork compared to Wu Hai. In a short time, Wu Hai took two punches and a kick from him. The punch to the chest was particularly powerful, causing Wu Hai's blood and qi to surge, almost leaving him breathless.
Suddenly, a ruthless glint flashed in Zhang Ding's eyes. He raised his knife and executed a forceful downward strike, intentionally directing it towards Wu Hai's right side, forcing him to dodge left. Simultaneously, Zhang Ding swiftly transferred the knife to his left hand, smoothly rotating it while thrusting it towards Wu Hai's abdomen.
This sequence of movements, from a heavy downward chop to transferring the knife and executing a spin, was flawlessly executed without any pause or hesitation. It was Zhang Ding's signature move, known as the "Rotational Assault." Many underworld figures had met their demise under this technique, and judging by the current situation, Wu Hai seemed destined to suffer the same fate.
Wu Hai's eyes revealed a look of despair as he helplessly anticipated the blade piercing his abdomen. In this moment, he thought of Wei Qinghong, regretting not confessing his feelings for her. It was indeed the greatest regret of his life.
As the blade continued its advance, a sinister smile appeared in Zhang Ding's eyes. However, before his smile could fully manifest, he suddenly felt a violent impact on his body. A sharp, unbearable pain shot through his right ribs and reached his brain.
This sudden turn of events caused his blade to veer off course, only grazing Wu Hai without inflicting any substantial harm or threatening his life. Zhang Ding staggered backward, clutching his right ribs. With each step, he experienced a piercing, agonizing pain. Witnessing the person who collided with him writhing on the ground, Zhang Ding was eager to approach and deal with the troublemaker. However, he knew he couldn't, as Wu Hai stood by that person's side, glaring at him.
The confrontation between the two came to a temporary halt, and the cries of battle from the surroundings became clear once again. The moonlight was melancholic, but the combat illuminated by the moon was exceptionally grim.
Initially, the two had engaged in a one-on-one battle without interference from subordinates. However, now, for reasons unknown, Zhang Ding found himself injured, and a group of subordinates immediately gathered around him. This was the advantage of the Steel Spike Gang—numerous followers.
As if guided by some unseen force, the person Wu Hai had collided with sprang up from the ground. Without uttering a word, he picked up the broad knife that had fallen from Zhang Ding and entered the fray.
This individual wielded the knife skillfully, darting left and right, swiftly advancing into the crowd. In no time, he reached Wei Qinghong's side. Those surrounding Wei Qinghong were not ordinary underlings; each was a skilled fighter, though not on par with Zhang Ding. Nevertheless, a few of them joined forces to besiege Wei Qinghong, keeping her in a tight spot. These individuals seemed specifically trained to counter Wei Qinghong, possessing not only strength and height but also extraordinary agility. Armed with multiple knives, they relentlessly confronted Wei Qinghong.
Although Wei Qinghong attempted to avoid direct confrontation, their coordinated attacks forced her into clashes where she had to withstand their blades.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Time passed moment by moment, and Wei Qinghong had lost track of how many exchanges she'd had with the enemies. She felt her stamina rapidly depleting, her surroundings becoming somewhat blurry, and her right hand, holding the knife, growing numb. Brothers around her fell one by one, causing her great distress, but she was helpless to change the situation.
The few individuals surrounding Wei Qinghong exchanged glances, knowing that she was at her limit. If they continued to engage her for a moment longer, she would collapse on her own, making it easy for them to capture her—a great achievement.
Wei Qinghong bit her lip, aware that today she would either die in battle or be captured. She understood her own beauty; the enemy's goal was undoubtedly to capture her alive at any cost. Yet, she would not allow herself to be captured as they wished. Even facing the impending attack on her back, she paid it no attention. Her steel blade flashed, stabbing directly at the person in front of her.
The coordinated attack from the five individuals attempting to encircle Wei Qinghong failed miserably. Trying to evade at the last moment, the person was too late. Wei Qinghong's blade pierced through his chest from the front, exiting through the back with formidable force, instantly delivering a fatal blow.
Blood gushed out, and the person let out a mournful cry, clutching his chest before collapsing backward. Wei Qinghong, ignoring the lodged blade, exerted her maximum effort to dodge sideways. However, she couldn't escape completely, and a fiery pain surged through her back. Despite her determined spirit, she couldn't help but cry out.
The remaining four individuals, seeing their cooperating companion fall beneath Wei Qinghong's blade, were filled with rage and despair. These five had been together since joining the Steel Spike Gang, forming a bond stronger than brothers. Now that one had died, they no longer cared about their leader's orders. Capturing Wei Qinghong alive seemed insignificant compared to the desire to kill her. The four simultaneously swung their knives towards Wei Qinghong, their blades emanating a murderous intent with no room for retreat.
Wei Qinghong, already lacking strength and having suffered a knife wound to her back, was powerless to resist. Furthermore, she was now unarmed.
Four knives filled with murderous intent whizzed through the air, with only a little over a foot of distance separating them from Wei Qinghong. A slight inch closer, and Wei Qinghong would undoubtedly meet her demise. However, for someone, this slight distance was more than enough.
Four knives came slashing from four directions towards Wei Qinghong.
To rescue Wei Qinghong, one must block all four knives at the same time, a task that was extremely difficult.
Xiao Zihan arrived when the battle between the two gangs had already begun. He hid on the second floor of Qinghong Gang's headquarters, secretly searching for Wei Qinghong. Although he didn't know what Wei Qinghong looked like, as Xing Ao had mentioned, the moment he saw Wei Qinghong, he would recognize her without a doubt.
Xiao Zihan's initial plan was to sneak close to Wei Qinghong and provide assistance if necessary. However, the Steel Spike Gang only surrounded Wei Qinghong without making any lethal moves. With his keen eyes, Xiao Zihan could easily see that the Steel Spike Gang intended to capture Wei Qinghong alive.
While searching for important figures in Qinghong Gang, he spotted Wu Hai. Just as Wu Hai and Zhang Ding were engaged in a critical moment, and seeing that Wu Hai was clearly no match for Zhang Ding, Xiao Zihan decided to go and rescue Wu Hai.
Fortunately, he arrived just in time; otherwise, Wu Hai might not have survived. As Xiao Zihan collided with Zhang Ding, he also executed a special technique, infused with the power of "Yuan Dao Wu Ji." This left Zhang Ding unable to figure out what had hit him, experiencing excruciating pain as if being stabbed and punched simultaneously. It was a sensation Zhang Ding had never encountered, leaving him bewildered about where he had gone wrong.
After secretly saving Wu Hai, Xiao Zihan infiltrated the crowd. Without drawing excessive attention to himself, he gradually approached Wei Qinghong. Originally, he thought Wei Qinghong would be safe for a while, but to his surprise, Wei Qinghong chose to fight against all odds. Xiao Zihan was immediately alarmed.
Seeing Wei Qinghong in a precarious situation, Xiao Zihan didn't have time to think. He leaped into the air, grabbing a specially crafted throwing knife about three inches long with his left hand. With a swift flick, a silver light shot out, and his two legs kicked like a whirlwind. Simultaneously, the broad steel knife in his right hand swiftly met the oncoming attackers.
Two crisp sounds of blade clashes and two muffled grunts echoed simultaneously. Xiao Zihan's throwing knife and steel knife hit the two knives attacking Wei Qinghong, while his swift and mysterious kicks struck the wrists of the other two assailants holding knives. In the blink of an eye, Xiao Zihan pulled Wei Qinghong out of the encirclement. Afterwards, he embraced Wei Qinghong's slender waist, spun around, and escaped from the four attackers.
After rescuing Wei Qinghong, she hadn't yet reacted to what had happened. It wasn't until she felt her delicate waist being firmly encircled by a powerful arm that panic filled her heart, and she struggled to break free. Her struggle, however, aggravated the wound on her back, causing intense pain. Tears uncontrollably flowed from her bright eyes, and her usually cool and composed face twisted in agony, losing all traces of resilience, leaving only a vulnerable and beautiful exterior.
Xiao Zihan's arm tightened around Wei Qinghong's delicate waist, and his old habit resurfaced. Just a few days ago, he had presented an appearance of righteousness in front of Xing Ao, but now, witnessing the delicate and helpless beauty of Wei Qinghong in need of protection, all pretenses crumbled, and his amorous intentions resurfaced.
The four members of the Steel Spike Gang, who were about to avenge their fallen comrade, were taken by surprise when an unexpected savior miraculously rescued Wei Qinghong, thwarting their plan to kill her. Their angry eyes stared intently at Xiao Zihan, who was three meters away, holding Wei Qinghong. Although rage filled their eyes, they dared not make any reckless moves. In an instant, Xiao Zihan had successfully blocked the attacks from all four, leaving them deeply intimidated.
As Wei Qinghong escaped the battle, someone shouted "Stop," and the followers of both gangs ceased fighting, gathering around their respective leaders.
The members of Qinghong Gang surrounded Wei Qinghong, with their backs facing the Qinghong Gang headquarters. Among the remaining few dozen individuals, almost all had sustained injuries, their faces marked with exhaustion.
On the other side, the members of the Steel Spike Gang faced the Qinghong Gang headquarters with an intimidating stance, showing determination not to give up until they breached the Qinghong Gang headquarters. At the forefront stood a man in his thirties, with a thin face, straight nose, square jaw, and shimmering eyes. This man, with keen eyes, continuously scrutinized Xiao Zihan, attempting to identify him. However, at this moment, Xiao Zihan's face was covered in bloodstains and dust, making it impossible to discern his appearance, let alone recognize who he was.
He didn't know who Xiao Zihan was, and similarly, Wei Qinghong and Wu Hai had no idea who Xiao Zihan was or why he had come to help them. Faced with the pressure from the Steel Spike Gang, those who dared to lend a helping hand were few and far between, making it impossible to guess their motivations.
Seeing that Wei Qinghong's complexion was getting paler by the moment, Xiao Zihan knew that if her wound wasn't treated soon, she might succumb to excessive blood loss. He intentionally spoke loudly, "Sister Hong, the Ghost Face Special Operations team, trained under my secret supervision, has completed their training. Please allow them to join the battle."
Wei Qinghong's face flashed a momentary expression of doubt. Although she had no idea what Xiao Zihan meant by the Ghost Face Special Operations team, she was an astute individual. Her mind quickly processed the situation, and she followed Xiao Zihan's lead, saying, "Luckily, you arrived in time; otherwise, our gang would have been finished. Now let me see if your training results have met the intended goals."
Xiao Zihan silently praised Wei Qinghong's quick response while maintaining a serious expression. A whistle sounded from his mouth. Suddenly, four shadowy figures appeared on the second-floor platform of Qinghong Gang's headquarters. Swift and agile, they leaped down from the second floor, their synchronized movements bringing them swiftly to Wei Qinghong's side, where they poised themselves without moving.
All four were dressed in black, wearing terrifying masks engraved with devilish symbols. They held knives in their right hands, with slender and straight postures. The glint of their blades emitted an invisible aura of killing intent, making it clear that these four were not to be trifled with.
As Wei Qinghong looked at the four beside her, her expression remained unchanged, but she was internally shocked. Even though the four simply stood there, she could sense that each of them possessed skills not inferior to her own. It was a purely intuitive feeling, but she was confident that her intuition was correct.
Wu Hai couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at the four, his gaze unmoving.
On the opposite side, the members of the Steel Spike Gang, although farther away, also noticed the formidable combat capabilities of the four individuals.
The person standing at the forefront of the Steel Spike Gang was Liu Wei, the leader of the current attack on Qinghong Gang. He ranked third among the Steel Spike Ten Tigers, known for his steadiness and extraordinary martial skills, earning the respect of Fu Chenhe.
Seeing the appearance of the four individuals, Liu Wei became even more cautious. He had initially wondered how Qinghong Gang dared to confront the Steel Spike Gang, and now he understood a bit. It seemed that Qinghong Gang had kept some tricks up their sleeves, possessing several exceptional talents. However, he didn't know the true strength of these individuals. He was not flustered by their appearance, as the four against the hundreds of his gang members were, at most, a drop in the ocean. His concern was how to achieve victory decisively and minimize losses within his gang.
While he was contemplating, Xiao Zihan had already taken action. Pointing at the person standing at the rear among the four, he shouted, "Go and assess Zhang Ding's strength." After saying this, the designated person stepped forward, pointing a steel knife toward Zhang Ding in a challenging posture.
In reality, Zhang Ding, after being struck by Xiao Zihan's inch-sized force, still hadn't recovered and was utterly incapable of fighting. Xiao Zihan was well aware of this and deliberately challenged Zhang Ding. If Zhang Ding couldn't participate in the fight, they would need to send someone else. By doing so, Xiao Zihan intended to make it known to the Steel Spike Gang that Zhang Ding was injured. If Lei Dong could deal another significant blow to an important figure in their opponent's gang quickly, it would severely demoralize them.
Although this was a battle within the underworld, not a military campaign led by generals, strategic cunning was still more effective than direct confrontation. That was Xiao Zihan's current strategy.
Indeed, in response to Lei Dong's challenge, Zhang Ding could only glare angrily, unable to advance alone to accept the challenge. Liu Wei narrowed his eyes, understanding Xiao Zihan's intentions. Nevertheless, he had no choice but to send someone else to confront the situation.