Chapter 28

Across the street, the Demon Hunter Squad made their own vow, solemn and yet absurd.

All of this, Li Hao was unaware of.

If he knew, he might find it somewhat amusing.

Righteous hero... in his eyes, this was nothing more than Liu Long and his ilk deluding themselves, truly believing they were the guardians of Yincheng?

When Li Hao shouted the slogan, he was merely trying to occupy some moral high ground.

...

In the room.

Li Hao had finished his boxing practice, and Black Panther had also completed its dog-style boxing.

Both man and dog were now thoroughly exhausted.

Li Hao sat on the ground, panting, while Black Panther lay flat on the floor, seemingly without the strength to even lift its head.

Black Panther felt it had been tricked!

After resting for a while, Li Hao, despite the soreness all over his body, got up and started cleaning the room.

The smell was too unbearable!

It was mixed with a hint of blood.

The stench of sweat, blood, and Black Panther's dog odor made the small room truly unbearable.

Li Hao quickly tidied up, also being cautious in case the red shadow suddenly appeared.

To avoid being seen by the red shadow.

After a while, the room's smell had diminished significantly.

A moment later, Li Hao sat on the sofa, his gaze slightly unfocused as he looked at the three treasures in front of him.

Two swords, one stone knife.

All were extraordinary items!

For an ordinary person to possess three extraordinary items, and none of them simple, who else should die if not him?

Possessing treasure invites disaster!

"Teacher... Liu Long..."

Li Hao muttered to himself.

The teacher was a good person, at least to him, and he naturally understood this.

Additionally, Liu Long... was actually not bad.

If this guy didn't try to seize Li Hao's sword and knife, Liu Long might actually have a bit of a righteous heart.

Liu Long knew that Li Hao had treasures, perhaps not the full extent of their power, but he knew Li Hao had them, and even knew the knife might be with Li Hao. Apart from Yuan Shuo and Li Hao himself, the red shadow side might not know anything, making Liu Long the third person to know the knife was likely with Li Hao.

However, Liu Long never mentioned these things. His sole focus was on slaying superhumans and acquiring mystic energy.

Even the weakest extraordinary item was a treasure to Liu Long.

He might not be able to use it, but he could easily trade it for some mystic energy.

If Liu Long truly wanted to advance to superhuman status and fall into darkness, using Li Hao and his sword and knife to trade with the red shadow side for mystic energy might also work.

At this moment, Li Hao's thoughts gradually became clearer.

"Teacher, perhaps it's not wise to show up easily. He has his own troubles and pursuits as a superhuman."

"Liu Long..."

"If this trouble with the red shadow is resolved, what path should I take next?"

"..."

Thoughts flashed through his mind.

If there was a chance this time, maybe he should help Liu Long advance to superhuman status.

With this thought, Li Hao put on his patrol uniform.

Black Panther looked up, showing a hint of confusion.

Why put on clothes in the middle of the night?

"Come with me!"

"Woof!"

Black Panther's eyes were full of doubt. Why?

"Let's go to the ancient courtyard. You still do your job and keep an eye out for me."

"Woof woof woof..."

Black Panther whined, seeming somewhat reluctant.

Li Hao laughed. "Afraid of that thing? Don't be! The more it appears, the less I'll fear it, and the more I'll understand it!"

At this moment, he even hoped the red shadow would appear.

Each encounter would diminish its mystique.

It would no longer be an invincible existence!

Although Li Hao could only hope that the teacher and others could resolve the trouble, he felt he couldn't always rely on others to solve all his problems.

The red shadow side might not be able to resolve everything in one go.

This was his intuition!

"Woof woof!"

Black Panther resigned itself, somewhat unwilling, but knowing it had to follow Li Hao, it obediently complied.

...

A moment later.

Man and dog set out into the night.

To the ancient courtyard!

...

Across the street.

Wu Chao, who was still monitoring, suddenly changed his expression. "Boss!"

Inside the room, the others looked at him.

"Li Hao has gone out!"

Liu Long was somewhat surprised. What is Li Hao doing out so late at night?

Doesn't he know he's in danger now?

What is he up to!

"Follow him!"

Liu Long quickly whispered, and the Demon Hunter Squad members efficiently followed.

Though it wasn't raining, going out alone at night was still a dangerous thing for Li Hao. Superhumans generally preferred to act at night.

Superhumans appeared less during the day to avoid too much contact with ordinary people.

The boundary between the superhuman and the mundane had already been drawn.

With the Night Patrol behind them, disrupting the ordinary world would invite retaliation from the Night Patrol.

...

At the same time.

In a corner of Qiming Community.

Under a large tree, a ghostly face suddenly appeared in the shadows.

The ghost-faced man!

Beside the ghost-faced man, a red shadow appeared.

The ghost-faced mask had a pair of deep blue eyes, looking into the distance with some confusion.

Li Hao had gone out at night.

"Before the rainy season arrives, he cannot leave Yincheng!"

This thought surfaced in the ghost-faced man's mind. This was the requirement and order from above.

The ghost-faced man's task was not to kill, not to deal with Li Hao, but to ensure Li Hao did not leave Yincheng. Li Hao's movements must remain within Yincheng!

"Trap?"

This thought crossed the ghost-faced man's mind. He knew the so-called Demon Hunter Squad had been following Li Hao, but he didn't care.

Demon Hunter Squad?

The extraordinary and the mundane were already two different worlds.

Liu Long of the Demon Hunter Squad had some fame, a martial artist who had broken the hundred barrier.

However, the martial arts had long declined.

The once mighty Yuan Shuo was now just a worker, serving the Night Patrol to gain their protection.

The era of martial artists had long passed!

"Follow and see!"

The ghost-faced man instantly disappeared into the darkness, while the red shadow remained, floating in the air and quickly chasing after Li Hao, openly and boldly.

The ghost-faced man didn't seem worried about the red shadow being discovered.

Even if the red shadow faced a martial artist who had broken the hundred barrier, the ghost-faced man wasn't too concerned, because these ordinary people simply didn't understand that the extraordinary were no longer ordinary!

...

Under the night sky.

Li Hao, with a dog, walked toward the ancient courtyard, not too far, a few kilometers, about a half-hour walk.

At this moment, he still had the three treasures on him.

When it was time to be bold, Li Hao was very bold.

He was certain the red shadow wouldn't kill him now, so he hoped it would appear. If it did, he could better understand the red shadow and also gauge whether the Demon Hunter Squad could see it.

He knew the Demon Hunter Squad was definitely following him.

Could these martial artists see it?

Li Hao was unsure!

The red shadow seemed to lack mystic energy, and Liu Long had said that martial artists detected the extraordinary through faint mystic energy fluctuations. Without mystic energy, could Liu Long see it?

If he couldn't... that was the greatest danger.

If Liu Long couldn't see it, what about the teacher?

If the teacher couldn't see it either, that would be a problem. Li Hao could see it, but what if seeing it was useless, and the teacher and others couldn't even attack the red shadow? That would be the greatest danger.

"I hope you appear!"

Li Hao thought, longing to encounter the red shadow again.

He was even prepared to take some bold actions... this time, maybe he could try to act, relying on the fact that the red shadow wouldn't kill him now, his boldness was growing!

Five minutes, no one followed.

Ten minutes, still no one.

After 15 minutes, Black Panther, beside him, suddenly became restless, biting Li Hao's trouser leg.

Li Hao's heart was set.

It's here!

His boldness was real, the red shadow had appeared, indicating some terrifying things. The existence behind the scenes was either certain that Liu Long and the others couldn't see it, or that even if they did, it wouldn't matter, as Liu Long and the others were insignificant.

After all, according to the teacher, Liu Long could deal with some newly advanced superhumans at the Moon Shadow level.

Li Hao's face was expressionless as he continued walking.

But in Black Panther's eyes, a terrifying scene unfolded.

In front of Li Hao, a red shadow suddenly appeared!

Blood red!

Blocking Li Hao's path.

However, Li Hao seemed to see nothing, walking straight through it. The red shadow slightly swayed, trembling slightly.

At this moment, Li Hao suddenly took out a small sword from his chest.

A small sword!

The sword faintly emitted some mystic energy, and Li Hao frowned, looking around with a cautious expression.

...

In the darkness.

Liu Long frowned slightly, his voice barely audible. "What's going on? Did he sense danger... what about you?"

None of the people present felt anything unusual.

Even Liu Long didn't feel anything.

He just had a vague sense of something being wrong!

It wasn't until Li Hao took out the small sword, and a faint mystic energy flickered, that Liu Long sensed something unusual. Did Li Hao discover something, or did the sword sense something?

That sword... is it the Li family's sword?

From a distance, he couldn't feel much, but it was definitely an extraordinary item!

...

At the same time.

The ghost-faced man's shadow appeared in the darkness, his deep blue eyes looking in Li Hao's direction with some surprise.

An extraordinary item!

Is this the treasure they want?

"The sword... has appeared!"

"Did he discover it?"

The ghost-faced man was somewhat surprised and puzzled. Li Hao couldn't see the red shadow, he knew this.

Last time, he didn't see it, and this time, it was the same. Otherwise, he wouldn't have walked through the red shadow and then sensed something abnormal, making Li Hao react. It must have been the sword that made him react, it was indeed a treasure!

"Even if you discovered something... what can you do?"

The ghost-faced man thought, not too worried.

Even if you discovered it, what can you do?

The red shadow is right in front of you, what can you do?

Fewer and fewer people can see the red shadow now, and he had killed many of them.

As for those who survived, they were probably holed up in the Night Patrol headquarters, and might not even be seen in the Silver Moon Province.

...

On the roadside.

Li Hao held the sword, frowning, looking around, and suddenly said coldly, "Don't hide anymore, I've found you!"

Silence.

Li Hao suddenly swung the short sword, slashing around with a fierce expression, gritting his teeth. "If you want to kill me, you'll have to pay a price! Don't think hiding will keep you safe, I've known where you are for a long time!"

A show of bravado!

"My teacher is a martial artist who has broken the hundred barrier, the top martial artist, about to reach the Thousand Struggles level. If you touch me, you'll offend a Thousand Struggles martial artist. Is it worth it?"

"Some things can be discussed! It doesn't have to end in a fight to the death!"

"..."

Li Hao's words echoed in the darkness.

He himself held the sword, continuously swinging it.

Several times, he passed through the red shadow!

The more Li Hao swung, the more he felt a chill.

Why?

What is this red shadow?

He unintentionally slashed a few times, smoothly passing through the red shadow without any damage. Why was this happening?

Even the extraordinary aren't immortal!

What is this thing?

The next moment, Li Hao sighed, sheathed the sword, and said, "Boss, come out! No one is following me, are you there?"

A moment later.

In the darkness, Liu Long, dressed in a windbreaker, stepped out, frowning slightly.

He looked in Li Hao's direction, his eyes cold.

Not because of Li Hao!

But because... he had a vague sense that something was wrong, really wrong. Near Li Hao, something seemed to exist.

He tried his best to see, but still found nothing.

"There must be something there!"

He thought, stepping forward.

A moment later, he walked up to Li Hao, who had already seen the red shadow quickly disappear.

Li Hao's heart stirred. Was it unwilling to confront Liu Long directly?

Was it wary, or did it think it unnecessary?

Liu Long seemed to sense something, suddenly looking in a direction, his eyes full of killing intent. After a long time, until the red shadow completely disappeared, Liu Long's voice was cold and low. "Interesting... what a pity!"

"Pity?"

Li Hao was puzzled.

Liu Long frowned, coldly saying, "Pity I'm not at the Thousand Struggles level! It seems to be a form of mental energy... breaking the hundred barrier gives momentum, reaching the Thousand Struggles level gives spirit! No wonder he's so bold, my momentum can't detect him... that means, perhaps only reaching the Thousand Struggles level can lock onto him with spirit!"

He snorted coldly. "So arrogant!"

And he had the reason and strength to be arrogant.

He sensed it but couldn't lock onto it. Encountering such an existence was a great test for Liu Long, hard to deal with, and even a setback.

Li Hao's eyes changed slightly.

Momentum, spirit!

The teacher had said this too.

Reaching the Thousand Struggles level gives spirit!

Can spirit see the red shadow?

Or can it not see it, but lock onto its position?

This trip wasn't in vain!

The red shadow didn't take Liu Long seriously, thinking Liu Long couldn't see it and didn't care much, but Li Hao had gained an important piece of information.

Mental energy!

Perhaps the Thousand Struggles spirit can lock onto it!

At this moment, Liu Long looked at Li Hao again, silent for a moment, then said, "You came out on purpose to draw out the hidden guy for me to observe?"

"Yes."

Li Hao nodded.

Of course, this wasn't the main purpose. He just wanted to see if Liu Long could see it, and if he had any way to approach the red shadow. Now it seemed martial arts wouldn't work, and superhuman abilities might not either.

But Li Hao knew one thing: the sword and knife could!

Yes, the jade pendant and stone knife in his chest had both faintly emitted some energy, which Li Hao suppressed. He resisted the urge to take them out and use them.

Liu Long didn't say anything, looking at the short sword in Li Hao's hand, his eyes flickering, and he said after a moment of thought, "Knowing your enemy and yourself, though this was a bit risky, it has given me a better understanding of the danger..."

He thought for a moment and added, "Involving the mental level... this might be a real problem! It could even be a Thousand Struggles level existence..."

Reaching the Thousand Struggles level didn't necessarily mean he couldn't match it.

The key was that he couldn't see it.

Liu Long didn't dwell on this, changing the subject. "Go back early, don't wander around!"

With