Chapter 26

Under Da Lang's instructions, the blue ghost fruit powder he placed, both in quantity and position, was just right, easily creating a mysterious and unpredictable atmosphere. At the same time, the most critical point was that once the first blue flame went out, it meant that this ghostly performance must come to a complete end, allowing no delay whatsoever.

The reason he timed everything down to the second was because he predicted that there would be complications tonight. In fact, when he secretly infiltrated the camp, he had already confirmed that many members of the self-defense team were missing. Where had these people gone? Could they have spontaneously decided to play a game of Landlord?

Even a fool could tell that they must be secretly preparing to capture the instigator of the white fox incident as soon as they were discovered! They might have already formed a包围圈 around this high slope.

Xu Dong, who was already mentally prepared, naturally saw through the situation at a glance. Therefore, while putting on the ghostly act, he had to speed up slightly, striving to instill more ideas in the limited time, standing his last watch, setting the final fire, and fanning the last gust of wind!

Da Lang had already quickly left after lighting the blue flames. This young man was very clever and resourceful, and it was unlikely that he would run into any problems. As for Fadao, the dog, he could move freely in the mountains and even ambush to bite a tiger. In the pitch-black darkness, he would be even more at ease, probably escaping faster than a rabbit, so Xu Dong didn't need to worry about him.

In other words, under the current circumstances, Xu Dong was the one bearing the greatest risk.

When the first blue flame went out, the second and third quickly followed, and soon, the numerous blue flames vanished, returning the high slope to darkness and eerie silence.

Without waiting for Xu Dong to signal, Fadao had already turned and fled. Despite his small size, his limbs moved so swiftly that even with Xu Dong's "Small Steps" skill, it would take several attempts to catch him! At the same time, Xu Dong threw down his tools and ran along the predetermined route.

However, at that moment, a flame suddenly rose, a torch was lit. As if in response, one after another, several more torches were lit, and at a glance, there were at least a dozen, immediately illuminating the base of the high slope.

The self-defense team from Nanjiao Village had finally arrived!

As soon as the self-defense team members appeared, they immediately dispatched a small group to control the illegal gathering. What happened next, whether they used violence or other means, was beyond Xu Dong's control. The main force, holding torches high, quickly dispersed and pursued Xu Dong.

Throughout the chase, their shouts and calls could be heard, each one brimming with energy, as if they were confident they would capture the instigator.

Fortunately, Fadao had already disappeared, and Xu Dong had managed to run a considerable distance. However, during his escape, he took a moment to look back and noticed the excited expressions of the self-defense team members, which caused a fleeting sense of unease. But he quickly calmed down, as he had considered the worst-case scenario when choosing the final location. According to his habit of planning before acting, he had also set up several escape routes.

However, Xu Dong had overlooked an important fact: even among the local residents of Nanjiao Village, there were a few "extraordinary individuals." Here, "extraordinary" means people with physical abilities far exceeding those of ordinary people, approaching the limits of human capability.

There were three of them. If Xu Dong's information was correct, their names were Da Fei, Xiao Fei, and Man Niu. They were cousins, not much older than twenty. Originally, these three were not considered "bullies," but after the village chief appointed them to the self-defense team and promised to recommend them to the military, they sold their lives to the village chief.

Not everyone has the good fortune of encountering a powerful being like Beijiao Daxiong, and not everyone is content to live a peaceful life in the countryside. The greatest benefit of joining the military is that with enough effort, one has the chance to obtain a divine fruit, and once they grasp the power of a blood-flesh armor, even becoming a first-stage, one-star armorer, their living standards will improve dramatically.

These three brothers were known for their speed and strength.

Ten minutes later, they had closed the distance to within twenty meters of Xu Dong. The three torches flickered wildly in the wind but remained lit.

If Xu Dong activated his "Small Steps" skill, he could easily outpace them, but he had to conserve his energy because the person named Chidao had yet to appear. With this sword hanging over his neck, Xu Dong dared not reveal his true capabilities!

The three brothers clung to Xu Dong's heels, and five minutes later, an inevitable collision occurred.

Da Fei, catching up to Xu Dong, without a word, swung his torch and hurled it at Xu Dong.

Feeling the wind rush past his head, Xu Dong sighed inwardly, knowing that unless he dealt with these three, he had no chance of escaping. If Chidao appeared and attacked, it would be a four-on-one situation. With that in mind, he steeled himself and decided to confront them head-on.

As he ran, he turned his head, and the torch grazed his cheek, the smell of singed hair filling his nostrils.

At the same time, Xiao Fei and Man Niu, in perfect sync with Da Fei, suddenly roared and accelerated, attacking from both sides. One aimed at Xu Dong's calves, the other at his lower back, making it impossible to dodge.

The torch, though fragile from prolonged burning, shattered upon impact, sending sparks and charcoal flying. The heat was more painful than the physical damage, and Xu Dong's calf and lower back were seared, his clothes charred. In pain, he let out a muffled groan, his speed slowing. But Xu Dong, a man who had faced life and death, reacted instinctively, bending his elbow and striking backward without looking.

He felt his elbow hit something hard, followed by a faint crack and Man Niu's agonized scream. Man Niu, caught off guard, had his nose broken, blood streaming from his nostrils and fingers, a scene made more brutal by the scattered torchlight.

Seeing his companion injured, Da Fei's eyes turned cold. "You dare to hit someone?" he growled, discarding his torch and drawing a thick chopping knife. The knife was not sharp, more like a blunt piece of iron, but Xu Dong did not want to be hit by it.

The chopping knife whistled through the air, and at the critical moment, Xu Dong drew his small iron knife and blocked it.

A spark flew as the iron knife met the chopping knife, and Da Fei was forced back three steps, his face filled with disbelief. "What strength!" he exclaimed.

Xu Dong, also shaken by the impact, felt a pain in his chest. Just as he was about to counter, Xiao Fei, seeing his brother's opening, charged in, compensating for the gap.

It seemed the brothers had a preference for heavy weapons, and Xiao Fei also wielded a chopping knife!

The advantage of a chopping knife was that with brute strength, it could be swung with great force.

Xu Dong dodged the first strike, then, instead of retreating, charged forward, colliding with Xiao Fei. He bent his elbow and struck Xiao Fei's chest, causing him to double over in pain, exposing his chin.

Xu Dong, showing no mercy, pulled back his arm, clenched his fist, and delivered a powerful uppercut.

Xiao Fei's body lifted a few inches off the ground before collapsing, his legs limp. Blood mixed with saliva gushed from his mouth, and his eyes glazed over, on the verge of unconsciousness.

"Die!" Xu Dong shouted.

Smack!

Suddenly, a wooden stick struck Xu Dong's head, breaking in half, the broken end smashing into his nose. His head spun, his nose stinging, and warm blood flowed freely.

It was Man Niu, who had recovered and picked up a thick branch, striking Xu Dong from behind. Thanks to his enhanced physique, Xu Dong was only dazed and bleeding, but an ordinary person would have been knocked out. Even so, Xu Dong looked quite disheveled.

Without hesitation, Da Fei, his face contorted with anger, swung his chopping knife again.

Xu Dong cursed inwardly, grabbed Man Niu, and pulled him in front of him.

Man Niu, not expecting Xu Dong to still be standing, let alone use him as a shield, screamed, "Brother, it's me!"

The chopping knife sliced through Man Niu's sleeve and struck the ground, mud splattering. Da Fei, both shocked and furious, was about to curse when a black shoe sole appeared in his vision, striking his face.

Xu Dong had kicked Man Niu in the groin, and the kick hit its mark.

Kicking Da Fei unconscious, Xu Dong sneered, "You hit me with a stick?"

He grabbed Man Niu by the neck and slammed his head into a nearby tree, repeating the action until Man Niu was completely out.

Xu Dong cursed, "Damn, you wasted seventeen seconds of my time! If I hadn't held back, you three would have been dead in ten seconds. You really don't know when to quit!"