Chapter 102: Counterattack

Indeed, extremely cautious! Not once did he lower his guard, despite being severely wounded and powerless to resist.

Truly flawless! Had he not sensed something amiss, he might have fallen right into their trap.

They aimed to divert his attention and launch another psychic assault, intending to stun him instantly. With Dai Wu, the super assassin, nearby, his life could have ended in an instant. Yet, they were unaware that even without protective gear, as long as his head wasn’t severed in one blow, death was not so easily dealt. Moreover, in that fleeting moment, Liang Jing had already discerned their sinister scheme.

Understanding their plan, Liang Jing was ready to strike and kill immediately! But he quickly abandoned the idea of confronting them head-on. Since they had not called for reinforcements or signaled to relax, he saw no rush.

...

Yu Supu, seeing that Liang Jing showed no overly tense expression as he approached, assumed that Liang Jing had not recognized him as a psychic awakener. The chaotic scene, the throng of people – perhaps Liang Jing hadn’t clearly seen the psychic attack Yu Supu had unleashed, which had momentarily dazed him. Yet, Yu Supu was unaware that his own distinctive appearance had already been noted by Liang Jing. Clutching his gleaming dagger-like leg knife, he continued to advance cautiously. He had to be careful. The things Liang Jing had done over the past days left a deep, terrifying impression on Yu Supu’s mind. Even crippled and unable to move his hands, he dared not relax.

Watching the two draw closer, Liang Jing’s heart curled into a cold smile. “Come on, come closer, a little closer still. If you don’t get within range, I might be afraid you’ll dodge away. If you survive and send a signal, that would be trouble.”

“Dai Wu, this time you won’t be so lucky. Come, come to your doom.”

Liang Jing held back from striking immediately to lure Dai Wu closer. This time, he couldn’t allow any chance of escape. Dai Wu, trained professionally, had excellent reflexes and evasive skills. Liang Jing’s own mobility was compromised; if he didn’t kill Dai Wu in one strike, there would be no second chance. So he feigned ignorance and helplessness.

Stepping forward into Yu Supu’s psychic stabbing range, Yu Supu’s face lit up with joy. Suddenly, his face flushed red as though suppressing something, and with a fierce shout, “Chi!”

An almost invisible psychic needle shot toward Liang Jing in an instant. Almost simultaneously, Dai Wu, hidden to Liang Jing’s left rear, exploded into action. Holding a broken blade, he aimed at the gap in Liang Jing’s neck armor. At the same time, the fine cowhair darts in his mouth were poised to fire again. Dai Wu was extremely cautious; the more skilled he was, the more he knew that the final moments were when unexpected reversals were most likely. He could not afford to be careless.

In that instant, if Liang Jing were struck by the psychic needle, he would lose consciousness and be stunned. Facing Dai Wu’s sudden attack, the timing would be perfect—and for most people, survival would be nearly impossible.

“Finally, it’s coming! Let’s start with you! Die! The flames of my vengeance await…”

A smile appeared in Liang Jing’s eyes. His physical strength now was more than double what it had been when he last fought Dai Wu. His psychic energy was at least twenty-seven times that of an ordinary person. Though Dai Wu was invisible, Liang Jing’s astonishing senses and incredibly sharp psychic power allowed him to perceive every movement within a certain radius—dust, air currents, scents—all escaped his detection.

As Yu Supu launched his psychic needle, Liang Jing’s skill, “Ferocious Ghost Face,” activated almost simultaneously, unleashing a psychic blade wave. While Yu Supu’s attack was a concentrated single-target strike, Liang Jing’s psychic blade wave was an area attack—less focused but covering a wider range. Bolstered by his immense psychic energy, Liang Jing’s blade wave instantly erased Yu Supu’s psychic needle and then struck Yu Supu himself.

At the same time, four steel beads in Liang Jing’s left hand burst forth—

“No!”

Dai Wu’s face changed drastically when he saw the smile in Liang Jing’s eyes—a look like a cat playing with a mouse. His hair stood on end; panic surged through him. His eyes hardened, and he decisively abandoned all attack motions, preparing to leap aside and evade.

“Savage Throw”—just as Dai Wu was about to launch his final cowhair darts, the steel beads exploded. The distance between them was barely over a meter. Dai Wu tried to dodge, but it was impossible. Liang Jing had been waiting for this moment, waiting to seize the chance when Dai Wu could no longer escape. Dai Wu was caught off guard, unable to react in time, struck instantly—

“Whoosh!”

“Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Amidst the sharp, explosive sounds,

Two of the steel beads tore deeply into Dai Wu’s and Yu Supu’s foreheads and throats. Dai Wu was struck like lightning; his eyes widened in disbelief.

Their foreheads and throats bore bloodied holes, two or three centimeters in diameter, crimson and white fluids gushing out. Their mouths opened as if to cry out, but no sound came forth. Yu Supu, who was about to scream from the psychic blade wave’s impact, was silenced outright.

Thud! Thud!—

Falling to the ground, Dai Wu wasn’t completely dead yet. His eyes were still filled with disbelief. How had Liang Jing discovered him? He had been extremely careful, avoiding leaves and bamboo, yet was found out. How had Liang Jing resisted Yu Supu’s psychic attack? He had been struck once before—why didn’t it work the second time? It was uncanny.

He never expected to be struck down twice by the same opponent. The second blow had surely sealed his fate. Why such a vast gap? Before the apocalypse, he was the world’s top assassin; after, even more so. His strength was unmatched by ordinary awakened individuals. He even considered himself among the very best worldwide. Even against bizarre and mysterious powers, he’d found chances to kill secretly. Why was the difference so great against Liang Jing, a mere former laborer?

Dai Wu had never accepted defeat—until now. He no longer resisted, but his mind brimmed with questions and accusations. He had done his best, carefully masking every scent, sound, and breath. He had overperformed, yet still proved utterly powerless before Liang Jing, like a toddler just learning to walk…

Why, when the opponent was clearly crippled and dying, did he feel like a child with no strength to fight back? He could never accept this outcome. Even though the adversary’s strength was formidable and commanding his respect—Liang Jing was the first he had ever truly respected—he was unaware how utterly crushed he was. The defeat was overwhelming!

He was unwilling to accept it!

Dying in “battle mode,” Dai Wu’s death was bitter and unjust.

Yu Supu, not yet fully lifeless, was filled with regret. Though at a distance, the steel beads had struck before he could react. The searing pain tore through him. Since awakening his talent powers, relying on formidable strength, he had gathered a band of followers, manipulating the wind and rain, living far better than before when he relied on trickery and extortion. This time, merely to curry favor and forge ties with the Tu family, he had been utterly defeated. His men were gone, and now so was his life.

Regret! If only there were a remedy for regret!

Seeing their fates, Liang Jing finally exhaled in relief. Though the exchange seemed simple, if he had mishandled the moment, struck by the psychic needle and facing Dai Wu’s professional assassin’s finishing move, the consequences would have been dire. Furthermore, if he failed to kill swiftly and they sent a signal, his current severely wounded state would have been a grave problem—after all, his bones were injured and would not heal quickly.

To be honest, if not for his current injuries and predicament that invisibly threatened him, Dai Wu could no longer pose any threat with Liang Jing’s rapidly improving strength. Even with invisibility, true disappearance was impossible; traces always remained. Liang Jing’s comprehensive physical upgrades, constantly refined by the life source, nourished his senses—touch, smell, sight, soul, and psychic perception—granting him great control and surveillance over his surroundings. Assassination had become difficult to execute against him.

Chirps! Roars!—

The forest echoed with the cries and howls of mutated beasts. Liang Jing’s expression hardened. The danger was far from over; this place remained perilous. Secretly, he contacted the gray-black zombie, “Brother Huang,” who had been ordered to avoid the crowd and come over after Liang Jing’s breakout. The zombie was now entering the forest, about to arrive.

Only now did Liang Jing truly relax. Jing Hui was dead! Dai Wu was dead! At least so far, things weren’t too unfavorable for him. These two who had once escaped his grasp were finally dead, removing a thorn from his heart.

He despised those cockroaches who wouldn’t die—endless, irritating.

At last, the torment had ended.