Chapter 34

Chidao had a gut feeling that although the young man in front of him looked no different from the one he had seen that day, something was off. This feeling led him to use threats to bring Xu Dong within a twenty-meter range.

For Chidao, twenty meters was the optimal attack distance—close enough to avoid giving the opponent too much time to react, yet far enough to prevent a sudden counterattack.

Once Xu Dong was within twenty meters, old and new grudges surged in Chidao's heart, and he could no longer hold back. He let out a long howl and charged at Xu Dong with incredible speed. As a seasoned Awakened, Chidao had a deep understanding and control of his strength, and in an instant, he reached his maximum speed. Each step he took covered more than three meters, and the mud on the ground flew backward from his heels, creating a fierce and imposing scene.

Everyone's vision blurred as Chidao's figure darted forward in a flash.

A cold light burst from Chidao's hand, revealing the menacing triangular bayonet. Chidao was called Chidao partly because of this bayonet.

Gripping the weapon, Chidao rapidly struck three times in quick succession. As the saying goes, "An inch longer is an inch stronger, an inch shorter is an inch more dangerous." Once the bayonet pierced the body, it would cause terrifying wounds that were hard to heal, and blood would gush out uncontrollably.

Xu Dong sensed the impending danger and knew its severity. Whether it was fear or panic, he hastily drew the small iron knife from his waist and blocked it with a reverse grip.

With a "ding," sparks flew where the iron knife and the bayonet met. The powerful force, combined with the acceleration, surged through the small iron knife, causing Xu Dong to be thrown backward. This inadvertently made him dodge the next two attacks.

As he was thrown back, Xu Dong's body tensed, allowing him to maintain a stable posture. However, the impact was so strong that he rolled on the ground, flipping over and over, and a mouthful of blood spurted from the corner of his mouth. Then, with a loud cry, Xu Dong sprang up from the ground.

The faint sense of danger in his heart dissipated somewhat, and Chidao's face lit up. He thought to himself, "This kid seems even weaker than before. Right, his right arm was broken by me, so he must be injured and lacking in strength!"

This thought flashed through his mind, and Chidao, seizing the advantage, lunged forward again.

His attacks were direct and efficient, typical of someone trained in the military. The angles and power were honed to perfection, making his strikes swift and decisive. As Chidao approached, his eyes turned cold, and the hidden weapon in his hand emerged from under his armpit, giving the impression of a venomous snake striking its prey.

Xu Dong couldn't dodge in time, and the triangular bayonet grazed his clothes, tearing a large piece of flesh and fabric. A red mist of blood sprayed into the air, a result of the force shattering the blood.

Xu Dong grunted in pain but remained resolute. He didn't retreat but instead roared, "Do you think you're the only one who can wield a dagger?"

Holding the small iron knife in a reverse grip, Xu Dong slashed upward viciously.

Chidao's reaction was swift and experienced. Almost the moment Xu Dong raised his hand, Chidao had already predicted the point of impact and the trajectory.

With a sneer, Chidao extended his hand, fingers spread like a knife, and slashed diagonally across Xu Dong's arm, precisely at the spot where it had been broken before.

The precise strike was excruciating, and even the resolute Xu Dong's face turned pale, and he drew a sharp breath. He quickly retreated, covering his arm in a panic, trying to create some distance between them.

Seeing this, Chidao became even more confident that Xu Dong's old injury had not fully healed and that his strength had not been fully restored. His spirits soared, knowing that this time, Xu Dong would not escape his grasp. The thought of avenging himself filled him with a sense of satisfaction, and his attacks came like a storm.

Chidao, an Awakened with enhanced agility, had greatly improved his movement speed, reaction time, and attack speed. Seeing Xu Dong retreat, he immediately closed the distance again.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

The triangular bayonet in his hand moved like countless silver threads, and even the onlookers could only see the flashing cold light, a continuous and impenetrable barrage.

Xu Dong had no choice but to dodge, once again enveloped in the storm of blades.

In an instant, a stream of blood splattered from his arm, and under the tattered clothes, a bloody wound was revealed, the torn flesh and exposed muscles a shocking sight!

Xu Dong gasped in pain and had to rely on instinct to defend himself.

Ding, ding, ding...

A rapid series of metallic clashes echoed, like a drummer in a rock band, passionately striking the snare drum. The onlookers felt a chill run down their spines, and they couldn't help but imagine themselves in Xu Dong's place: if they were him, how many attacks could they withstand?

In fact, every Self-Defense Team member who had this thought knew that they would be dead within ten rounds. But as their gazes shifted to Xu Dong, their expressions began to change subtly.

Indeed, facing the relentless attacks, Xu Dong could only struggle to defend himself, occasionally having a piece of flesh cut from his body.

However, to everyone's surprise, this young man was like a weathered seaside rock, seemingly about to fall but never actually doing so, showing a resilience that defied all expectations!

Xu Dong retreated with difficulty, and Chidao pursued relentlessly. The onlookers felt a mix of fear and a sense of absurdity.

How could this young man always manage to dodge Chidao's fatal attacks?

Chidao frowned, "I underestimated you. You've improved a lot in these three days, able to predict my attack patterns! Good, the stronger you are, the more intense the pleasure I'll feel when I pierce your heart. Rest assured, I'll give you a quick death!"

Xu Dong's expression remained unchanged as he defended himself and retorted, "Do you think you're someone special? If you want to kill me, you'd better be prepared to be killed."

Chidao was furious, "Still talking tough at the brink of death?"

At this moment, Xu Dong found an opportunity and used it to break free from Chidao's attack range.

Chidao merely smiled coldly, and in the next second, his leg began to swell as if filled with air. In a short time, this leg had grown much larger than the other. If not for the elasticity of his pants, they would have torn instantly.

Seeing this, Xu Dong's pupils contracted sharply, and he felt a dangerous sensation spreading through his body. He knew that Chidao had activated his flesh armor, significantly enhancing his strength. The moment the sharpness emerged, Xu Dong realized that unless he also activated his flesh armor, he would not stand a chance.

Next, Xu Dong did something that everyone thought possible but impossible to achieve—like a rabbit fleeing, he turned and ran.

"Where are you going!" Chidao's roar echoed from behind, and the triangular bayonet swung down from above. The dagger, which is most effective in unexpected situations, produced a sense of relentless force as Chidao swung it like a large machete.

The force of the blow was immense, and the air whistled sharply as it was compressed!

The speed of the blow was incredible, from the moment it was raised to the moment it landed, it took only a blink of an eye!

The triangular bayonet, encountering no resistance, sliced directly into Xu Dong's back. The first thing to be cut was his clothes, which immediately split open.

The intense pain made Xu Dong cry out, and a terrifying mist of blood spurted from the wound, splattering even the branches four meters above the ground with a thick layer of red. From the cut skin, some places even revealed white bone, a sight that was extremely terrifying!

Although Xu Dong was severely injured by the blow, the force also increased his speed, and he dove forward, breaking free from Chidao's attack range. Then, his feet moved swiftly, like a nimble mountain goat, and he darted into the forest with unimaginable agility and lightness.

Chidao, who was about to defeat his opponent, never expected the "cooked duck" to escape. He immediately pursued with red eyes.

The two chased each other, and soon they reached a dark place.

Chidao glanced around, confirming there were no traps, and felt relieved. He sneered, "Kid, do you think you can escape by running up the mountain?"

"Who told you I came here to escape?"

Xu Dong, who seemed to be cornered, spoke calmly. His face was tilted downward, and his bangs covered most of it, making it impossible to see his expression.

As these words were spoken, a strange feeling washed over Chidao, giving him a sense of extreme danger.

A hint of doubt flashed in Chidao's eyes as he sized up Xu Dong. The latter was covered in blood, with fourteen wounds on his body, some exposing white bone. In such a condition, where did he get the confidence and courage?

At this moment, a cold and fierce light appeared in Xu Dong's eyes, and his expression remained calm as he said slowly, "I lured you here not to escape, but to... defeat you!"

As the words "defeat you" fell, a shallow green, vine-like plant suddenly emerged from his calf. Then another, and another, until they were densely packed. These vines quickly climbed upward, like agile snakes, tightly wrapping around Xu Dong's right leg and forming a biological armor made of green vines.

A powerful aura swept through the air, and Chidao's face changed abruptly. "You broke through your own limitations and awakened in just three days?"

A chill ran down his spine, and cold sweat appeared on his forehead. Xu Dong had meticulously planned to lure him here, and it was clear that he had no intention of chatting or drinking tea. Connecting this with Xu Dong's declaration to defeat him, Chidao suddenly realized that this was no joke...

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