Chapter 28

One strike missed, and Xu Dong was injured, immediately turning to flee at high speed.

Saber sneered and his figure sprang up, chasing after him closely. Even when he strolled leisurely, his speed was extremely fast. Now, with the intention to pursue, his speed became even faster, his left calf muscles bulging like rocks, tightening his loose pants. Even the ground where his left foot stepped left a series of marks, as if branded into the earth.

Xu Dong turned his head for a quick glance and felt that the other's speed was unbelievably fast! He thought he had already dashed forward, escaping a distance of twenty to thirty meters, and it would take the other at least one or two seconds to catch up. Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, the other had already overtaken him, and with a splash of mud, he was right behind. Saber stretched out his hand, grabbing for Xu Dong's collar.

Just as he was about to grab him, Xu Dong suddenly leaped up.

At the moment Xu Dong leaped, Saber felt a surge of joy and couldn't help but sneer coldly, "Only by standing firm can one achieve the greatest speed!"

The next second, Saber felt his foot step into empty air.

"Trap?!" Saber's expression changed slightly!

Walking, from a physics perspective, is a process of constantly shifting the center of gravity. With his foot stepping into empty air, Saber's center of gravity had already tilted forward. Due to his excessive speed, he couldn't change direction and could only rush straight into the pit trap that Xu Dong had deliberately set up.

The trap wasn't just filled with soil; it also contained numerous sharpened wooden stakes, evenly distributed over an area of about ten square meters. If it weren't for Xu Dong's confirmation that there were no wild beasts in the vicinity, this trap would have long been ineffective.

Saber sneered coldly, his brows showing disdain, "Trivial tricks!"

He was indeed a seasoned scout who had been tested by blood and fire. In this critical moment, as he was falling, he saw that he was about to plunge headfirst into the sharp stakes. He suddenly let out a roar, and with a reverse thrust of his triangular dagger, he accurately hit one of the sharp stakes. Using the counterforce, his waist twisted sharply, and he somersaulted in mid-air, leaping up like the world's top gymnast!

If nothing went wrong, he would land steadily on the opposite side of the trap in two seconds, as if nailed to the ground, to use a CCTV commentator's term.

Xu Dong leaped up, his right hand reaching out to grab a vine hanging between the branches. Then, like Tarzan, he swung skillfully in mid-air. At the highest point of the arc, he let go and smoothly crossed a distance of about fifteen to sixteen meters.

He landed on the opposite side of the trap before Saber did!

He pursed his lips and turned his head sharply, his eyes blazing with fierce determination.

Seeing this, Saber's heart trembled involuntarily! "Why do I have a feeling of unease? He's just an ordinary person, not yet awakened. What am I afraid of?"

This was the first trap set by Xu Dong. If the other fell into the trap, the sharp stakes would pierce his body in seven or eight places, leaving him either dead or severely injured. If the other managed to avoid it...

Xu Dong, being a skilled strategist, naturally wanted to maximize his advantage. His expression was cold and ruthless, but his eyes burned with a wild and reckless fire.

Swinging his arm, he thrust an iron dagger upward at Saber's chest and abdomen, simultaneously activating a powerful strike skill. The dagger cut through the air with a whistling sound, striking with great ferocity!

The angle and timing were perfect!

Saber drew a sharp breath!

He was in mid-air with no support, caught off guard, and Xu Dong, being prepared, had the upper hand. Faced with the vicious thrust, Saber felt a sense of dread, as if facing a series of interconnected attacks. His face turned pale, and he broke out in a cold sweat, his scalp tingling.

In this critical moment, Saber roared again, his voice terrifying.

Then, the fabric of his pants at his calf tore, revealing a thick, muscular leg. In the sunlight, the leg would show large, blocky tendons, thick veins, and tough, blood-red flesh, giving a sense of ugliness, bloodiness, and power!

The strength of this leg was evident from the start, displaying astonishing power.

A force surged from the leg, propelling Saber's left leg to kick out in a bizarre manner. Xu Dong could hear the crackling sound of muscles and joints straining from the misuse of force!

Saber's expression was distorted, his eyes blazing with evil fire—damn it, he, a first-rank soldier, was being forced into such a desperate situation by an ordinary person?!

The kick was swift, precise, and powerful, striking Xu Dong's arm with a whoosh.

The arm, hit hard, snapped with a crisp crack, twisting into a grotesque shape. Xu Dong screamed in pain and used the force to pull away.

He gritted his teeth, drenched in cold sweat, knowing that this move would be futile. He immediately turned and ran, not even looking back, without any hesitation.

Saber fell to the ground, splashing mud and leaves, looking utterly disheveled. As he was about to get up, he drew a sharp breath due to the pain from his torn left leg muscles. He stared in the direction Xu Dong had gone, his expression uncertain, "This kid has a heavy heart and a ruthless nature!"

This was not an unfounded observation. Just seeing the traps Xu Dong had set was enough to show his strategic thinking. Being kicked and having his arm broken, he knew the attack would be futile and decisively turned to flee without hesitation, demonstrating his resilience and ability to endure.

Saber couldn't help but think, to his own surprise, "If given time, this kid will surely become a great talent. If not eliminated today, he will be a future threat!"

With this thought, he gritted his teeth and got up, continuing to pursue!

Xu Dong, running frantically, had many thoughts flashing through his mind. After the lightning-fast battle, his goal had been achieved. He never intended to take out this first-rank soldier, nor was it possible. In fact, he only wanted to gather firsthand data to plan his next move.

"If my estimation is correct, it seems that the power of the flesh armor also comes in different types, such as strength, agility, or others. Clearly, this Saber has mastered the agility type of flesh armor power. For agility-type soldiers, the focus is mainly on speed and reaction, although strength and sensory abilities are also enhanced, but to a lesser degree."

Xu Dong ran and thought, "Fortunately, my target is to master the agility type of flesh armor power. Engaging with a similar type of soldier before mastering this power is only beneficial and has no drawbacks... In fact, the strength of a first-rank soldier is not as formidable as I imagined!"

As he was thinking, a wild roar sounded from behind, and Saber was closing in. The man's eyes were filled with ferocity, evoking the image of a venomous snake that had locked onto its prey. Despite his injured left leg, he was still a first-rank soldier.

Xu Dong pursed his lips and, as he passed a certain spot, subtly lifted his leg by ten centimeters, a movement that was hard to notice while running, even for Saber.

Saber, in hot pursuit, followed Xu Dong's path. But as he passed between two trees, his toes seemed to touch something. Recalling the previous encounter, Saber's heart sank, and he immediately threw himself to the ground, rolling to the side.

Behind him, a thick log crashed toward him, its diameter large enough to be hugged by a person. One could imagine the impact if he failed to dodge in time—it would be like being hit by a galloping horse at high speed.

Saber was enraged beyond measure. In just a few seconds, Xu Dong had increased the distance between them. Initially, he had approached the chase with the mindset of a cat playing with a mouse, but it had turned into this chaotic situation. How could he not be furious?

Enraged, Saber got up, using his hands and feet. He casually cut a branch from a nearby old tree and, with a swift motion, sent the sharp branch flying toward Xu Dong like an arrow.

Hearing the fierce wind behind him, Xu Dong instinctively bent over. The branch, moving at incredible speed, grazed his shoulder, tearing off a large piece of flesh, and blood flowed freely.

Xu Dong grunted, his breath catching, and he was drenched in cold sweat, secretly fearing: "So accurate! If I hadn't bent over in time, that branch would have pierced my back!"

The two continued their chase, running up the hill. During this time, Xu Dong used pre-set traps and simple mechanisms to slow Saber down, maintaining a distance of about fifty meters. However, Saber continuously attacked Xu Dong with branches and stones.

In this short six-kilometer journey, one was enraged, and the other was covered in injuries. Finally, they entered a cliff.

This was the most famous One-Blade Peak on the outskirts of Nangjiao Village. From the side, it looked as if the mountain had been split in half by a falling blade. The cliff between the two peaks was about a hundred meters high and forty meters wide. Saber had been here before and couldn't help but sneer, "Don't you know this is a cliff? You ran here, and at the end, I bet you'll cry!"

On the other hand, Saber had a strange feeling. This kid was cunning and had set numerous traps along the way. How could he possibly lead himself into a dead end? It didn't make sense! He wanted to speed up, but the traps left a deep impression, and he was worried about falling into another one.

A minute later, Saber finally reached the peak. When he saw the scene before him, he knew he had been thoroughly outmaneuvered.

A sturdy rope stretched from this peak across the cliff to the opposite peak. Since this side was higher, he only needed to use a sturdy branch as a pulley to slide quickly to the other side.

In fact, by the time Saber saw the rope, Xu Dong had just landed and glanced back.

The dark clouds had dissipated, and the bright moonlight illuminated the scene. The two, who had been in darkness, now faced each other. Xu Dong pursed his lips, while Saber's teeth ground together with a crunch.