Chapter 86

The Sky Serpent Gang had been operating in Dark Blood City for many years and naturally would not leave any potential threats around their headquarters. All the high vantage points in the vicinity that could be used for sniping were under their control.

However, the sniping distance referred to here was based on the Dawn Handheld Steel Cannon produced by the Empire's Blackstone Heavy Industries, which was basically the most powerful single-soldier weapon that various factions within Dark Blood City could obtain. The Sky Serpent Gang was mainly concerned about gang wars; as for adventurers, mercenaries, and hunters, no matter how powerful they were, they were not taken seriously. Dark Blood City had its own rules, and too much trouble would invite military intervention.

However, now the Sky Serpent Gang was sniped from an impossible location, one that was twice the predetermined safe distance.

What kind of firearm could hit and severely wound the Sky Serpent from such a distance? It was well known that the power and accuracy of force bullets decreased sharply with increasing range, unlike ordinary sniper rifles.

Most of the people present had started as gangsters, born in the slums and raised on the streets, each with their own unique experiences, and had trained to their current levels. They were most familiar with machetes and daggers, and had never handled sophisticated weapons like sniper rifles.

Many of them carried guns mainly for show, as Dark Blood City was a mix of all sorts, and there were more places than just Bronze Street where guns could not be used. For them, military-standard firearms were certainly prestigious, but powerful homemade guns were also good. A firearm with a range of a kilometer was something the Sky Serpent's subordinates had never even heard of, let alone seen.

There was another question: What kind of person could have fired such a shot?

The answer to this question was easy, and most people had already figured it out.

Only a special shooter trained with a large amount of resources by the Empire's military could hit at such a distance!

Such a shooter would have to be at least a lieutenant colonel in rank!

Those who started from the bottom of society and trained themselves through talent and effort might achieve remarkable success in force, combat, or even assassination, but it was particularly difficult for them to become ultra-long-range snipers.

The Sky Serpent now understood the reason for the unusual expressions of his gang members and why Wild Bee had left the Sky Serpent Gang at this time.

Qian Ye, that seemingly underage kid, who had been forcibly taken the Golden Rose by the Sky Serpent and had a death warrant issued against him, was very likely a top shooter of the Empire's main army! In the rigidly hierarchical Empire, such a person would not have appeared out of nowhere; he must be backed by a powerful military force.

The Sky Serpent's mouth was full of bitterness, and he felt a strange resentment in his heart. That resentment was directed at Qian Ye and also at the big shot who had hinted that he should force Yu Yingnan to the death arena. If it weren't for forcing Yu Yingnan to the arena, he wouldn't have encountered Qian Ye. If Qian Ye had revealed even a hint of his military background earlier, the Sky Serpent would never have stolen from him.

The Sky Serpent suddenly remembered a small detail he had almost forgotten. He had once heard someone mention a few words about the Yu family's background, which was why he didn't feel too wary of the Hunter's House as long as they stayed within the rules. But now, how could someone like Qian Ye, who might have a military background, appear?

The Sky Serpent's not-too-complex mind turned, and he felt a chill run down his spine. Whether or not he was being used as a pawn, he was now in a dangerous situation.

The Empire's military had been in direct conflict with the dark races for over a thousand years, and it was a place where dragons and tigers lay in wait, and talents emerged. Any military officer with a rank could sweep away a gang like theirs. A top shooter like Qian Ye was even more terrifying; with a gun in hand, everything within a kilometer of him was a death zone!

The Sky Serpent could already imagine his future days, always on high alert, not daring to go out, not daring to show his face, not even daring to appear at the window, and even sleeping in a room without windows! If he had to be like that, what about the others? Even if Qian Ye could only fire one shot a day, who knew who his target would be today?

Feiniao's forehead was drenched in cold sweat. He moved two steps to the side, quietly moving away from the open area in front of the window. He clearly remembered that Qian Ye had said he would never let him off.

Seeing his subordinates in this state, the Sky Serpent suddenly felt disheartened and said heavily, "What are your thoughts? Speak up now!"

The group looked at each other, and finally, the elder was pushed forward. He said, "Boss, our Sky Serpent Gang cannot possibly stand up to the Empire's army, unless... unless the big shot behind you is willing to speak up for us."

Everyone knew that the elder's last sentence was just a waste of words.

The Sky Serpent smiled bitterly and said slowly, "Revoke the death warrant immediately, and tell everyone not to go out. Then, tomorrow morning, I will personally go to Second Master. That's it, everyone, you can go!"

The high-ranking members of the Sky Serpent Gang left silently, leaving only the Sky Serpent and the elder. The elder was a second-level warrior, but he had been a brother who had fought with the Sky Serpent from the beginning, so he was more daring to speak in front of him.

The Sky Serpent looked at him and sighed, "We're getting old."

The elder was taken aback and immediately said, "No! As long as we get through this, the Sky Serpent Gang will thrive again!"

The Sky Serpent's face gradually brightened, and he grinned, "That's right! This is just a small hurdle! Back in the day, we brothers could build such a large empire, and we can rise again!"

The two former brothers left the room one after the other. However, as the Sky Serpent watched the elder's silhouette, a barely noticeable killing intent appeared in his eyes. Yes, the big shot's words were very effective, but they weren't free. If he didn't want to be thrown out as a scapegoat, he had to prove his worth.

Qian Ye was following the planned route, approaching the Sky Serpent Gang's headquarters, when he suddenly saw a figure flash by in the distance. He felt a slight stir in his heart and recognized it as Wild Bee. Qian Ye didn't know that Wild Bee had already left the Sky Serpent Gang, but even if he did, it wouldn't stop him from killing this person.

Qian Ye turned and quietly entered a parallel alley, paying attention to Wild Bee's direction on the adjacent street as he walked. Wild Bee seemed preoccupied and was walking hurriedly. Soon, the South Pond District was left behind, and the road ahead opened up, but the number of people on both sides gradually decreased.

This was the no-man's land where the slums, South Pond District, and East Lake District intersected, and it was also the location of a thriving black market. In the past, more than a dozen bodies would be left here every night. However, during the time when the expeditionary force was suppressing the order in the city due to the storm in the Steadfast Territory, this place had become somewhat quiet.

Qian Ye saw Wild Bee step onto the street leading to the East Lake District from the gap between two buildings and prepared to turn at the next intersection. In less than fifty meters, he would be on the same street as Wild Bee.

However, Qian Ye had only taken two steps when he suddenly stopped, his figure rising without any hesitation. He landed on a low wall to the left, lightly leaped onto the flat roof, and crouched down, blending seamlessly into the night.

Not far away, a few young men dressed as mercenaries suddenly walked out of a bar. They were all drunk, staggering as they walked.

These young men sang off-key songs, shouted laughable boasts, and occasionally raised their bottles to their mouths for a hearty drink.

Qian Ye recognized a familiar figure among them, though his physique was more robust and his face was different. But Qian Ye still recognized him immediately; the most boisterous mercenary was Wei Potian.

Wei Potian, the most promising genius at the Xiangyang examination site, had been chosen by the Fallen Angel. He indeed had extraordinary talent and potential, breaking through to the third level soon after joining and now appeared to have ignited his fourth node.

Watching Wei Potian stagger and collide with a companion, then grab his shoulder and start a wrestling match, Qian Ye couldn't help but think of the military competition he had missed and the three promises Wei Potian had made to him, as well as the silver bullet he had made himself, which he had stepped on and buried in the mud.

Now, Qian Ye was no longer burned by ordinary pure silver, and the past seemed like a distant memory. However, he could not reveal himself; he estimated that he had already been listed as deceased in the Empire's military records.

After saving the Red Scorpion's rookie, Qian Ye realized that the Evernight Continent would also be a mission area for elite units and had often thought about whether he would meet his former comrades, but he never imagined he would see Wei Potian in Dark Blood City.

This scion of a noble family and rising star of the elite army would not appear here for no reason. In fact, although the young men were drunk, each of them had an unusually steady gait, with condensed and powerful force, and none of them were weak, all at the fourth-level warrior level. These were Fallen Angel warriors, and when facing adventurers or mercenaries of the same level, they had overwhelming strength.

Qian Ye did not move, watching the group of young men walk and play on the street. The sudden appearance of the Fallen Angel in Dark Blood City, and their disguise, clearly indicated that they were not here for a vacation.

After a few steps, a faint white mist suddenly appeared in front of the young men, blocking all paths. Wei Potian and his wrestling companion were still shouting and pretending to be drunk, but the other young men had noticed the change in the environment and stood up straight, adopting defensive stances.

A tall, slender man slowly walked out of the mist, wearing a metal mask and holding a two-meter-long sword with black mist swirling around the blade, as if it were solid!

As soon as he appeared, an almost invincible aura enveloped the entire area! Black flames seemed to rise around the man, rising several meters high!

At this moment, even the thick-skinned Wei Potian realized something was wrong and stared in shock at the mysterious man.

He stood in front of the young men, emitting a hoarse and deep laugh, and said, "Little ones of the Fallen Angel, you have great courage, but your luck is not so good."

Wei Potian's face turned pale, and the overwhelming aura made his face lose all color, his bones cracking. The other young warriors were in even worse condition, with one of them starting to bleed from the nose.

The mist did not affect Qian Ye's night vision. He watched from a distance, extremely shocked. Force manifestation! The mysterious man was a war general-level powerhouse!