Chapter 50 Steel Front Flow
Chu Hengkong felt strangely confused for a moment. He didn't expect that the enemy would report his origin and name at this time, as if they were not at the scene of a fight but sparring in a martial arts arena.
"No school. Chu Hengkong."
But he also responded, as naturally as breathing. The two men, facing each other with knives, moved their feet slightly, gestures, pace, center of gravity, expressions... observing with their eyes, listening with their ears, even smelling, feeling and guessing the true face of the enemy under the blade, and then both drew their swords at the same time!
Chu Hengkong launched his attack with a powerful, heavy horizontal slash. The gust of wind from the swing alone caused the chips on the surrounding gambling tables to topple. Amid the clash of metal, Du Muyan, maintaining his upper stance, stepped forward, firmly blocking the initial strike. Chu Hengkong's strike missed, so he swung his blade for another strike, shorter but more swift. Du Muyan, however, only slightly longer, advanced further.
The scene looked strange. Yan was clearly the one defending with the knife, but he seemed to have a significant advantage in terms of pace, pressing forward. Chu Hengkong retreated half a step, his eyes growing more serious. He made a move for the third strike, but just as it was about to make contact, he pulled his wrist back and thrust towards Du Muyan's throat.
But Yan's knife also moved, pressing the tip downwards like a knock. His movements were slower, but he achieved the result faster, because they were aiming at different targets. Before Yan's throat was pierced, his knife would first sever Chu Heng's empty knife-gripping hand.
A white blade flashed up like a streak of silk. Chu Hengkong released his right hand and leaped back, using only his tentacle to curl his blade upwards. Yan's sword arced in a smooth U-shape, then he blocked from the side, his defense impeccable. Behind Chu Hengkong was a broken gambling table. He stepped on it and leaped up, his tentacle holding the blade to meet his blow. Du Muyan, below him, countered with the same vertical strike. His blade carried incredible power, and with a single touch, it sent the white blade flying!
The blade flashed into a black disc. Du Muyan reversed his grip and slashed diagonally, a streak of blade light grazing Chu Hengkong's waist. Chu Hengkong dodged it with a scimitar-like movement, leaning back. With a flick of his finger, two water bullets shot straight at Du Muyan's eyes. Using his sunglasses to block the water bullets, Du Muyan charged forward and slashed again. Chu Hengkong suddenly stood up and swung his blade back!
The moment their blades clashed, both men retreated half a step. Chu Hengkong's right hand went numb, the recoil tingling deep in his bones, reminding him of his childhood training, pounding rocks. He looked into his enemy's eyes beneath his sunglasses.
"Strike back first, good swordsmanship."
The enemy lacked Ji Huaisu's extraordinary strength, yet he was always able to block his attacks. This wasn't simply due to a superior sword. The formidable recoil seemed to be the product of some profound sword technique, a skill that, along with judgment and physique, constituted this man's strength. He hadn't yet displayed any special abilities, but Chu Hengkong was certain he possessed a deft hand. Neither the glimmer nor the foundation stone could wield such a delicate sword. Only a deft hand could wield such a skillful sword.
"You're amazing. You're still unharmed." Du Muyan said calmly, "How many flowing pearls did they pay you for taking such a huge risk sneaking in alone?"
"It's free." Chu Hengkong smiled, "I'm a senior detective!"
He kicked the scattered chips off the floor, his tentacle blade lurking in the chaos, stabbing three times. Yan parried the thrust with a firm defensive stance, but the flash of the blade was followed by a powerful kick. Chu Hengkong seized the opportunity and spun with a kick, his instep striking directly at Yan's blade. This time, his rock-hard defense was shaken, and Yan, blade and all, was sent careening into the side corridor. Chu Hengkong spun, blade in his right hand, and pursued, but he had barely stepped into the corridor when he was met with a sharp sword thrust.
The sword came so fast that even he had no time to dodge, as Yan had deliberately used this killing move to show his enemy's weakness. Chu Hengkong didn't dodge either. He tilted his head and clamped the blade with his shoulder, then raised it again with a desperate momentum!
The blade ripped through flesh, and both sides simultaneously retracted their blades. A deep wound, deep enough to see the bone, pierced Chu Hengkong's shoulder. A moment later, his throat would have been slit. Yan's sunglasses slashed down, a shallow cut marring his otherwise ordinary face.
The failed killing move marked the end of the testing phase, and the two men, no longer holding back, unleashed their full might to meet the enemy. The sharp clash of long swords echoed like a torrential downpour, the flash of blades filling the corridor, and the slashes in the wall resembled the claws of a giant beast.
The one retreating was Du Muyan. Chu Hengkong's attacks were sudden and intense, each of his strikes as fast and ruthless as possible. He was clearly the one infiltrating the assassination, yet his attacks carried the frenzied fighting spirit of a cornered beast. This was a deliberate move by Chu Hengkong, as Yan was even better at defending and counterattacking.
When fighting against an opponent who's been late to the game, you can't be slow. If you're slow, you'll fall completely into the enemy's rhythm. You can only be fast, attacking with reckless ferocity, smashing through the rock with brutal force. Only then will a chance of victory emerge.
The fight continued into the 20th round, the two men fighting and moving until they reached a road junction shaped like a Chinese character "卜". Yan, realizing his enemy's intention, shifted his strategy to a lower stance with his backhanded blade, conserving energy with minimal sweeps and thrusts. Chu Heng's powerful, heavy strike was easily blocked, and the recoil force returned. He suddenly lifted his feet from the ground, extending his tentacles, carrying the blade, to block the attack, while he himself dashed sideways, stepping on the wall.
Du Muyan's defenseless upper body was completely exposed. Chu Hengkong, mid-air, clenched his fist and struck Yan's head. Yan suddenly released his left hand from the knife and raised it upwards. His palm flashed with brown light! His left palm, transformed into rock, slashed towards Chu Hengkong's fist!
A dull thud echoed through the corridor, like a shovel colliding with rock. Chu Hengkong pulled back his tentacle and rolled to the ground, his shattered nails scattering in the blood. Du Muyan's left hand cracked, and his petrified index finger broke off and fell to the ground.
The clash was a mutually devastating one. Yan lost his crucial index finger, but Chu Hengkong also suffered two broken finger bones. Du Muyan wordlessly grasped the blade, allowing a brown glow to spread across the blade. His dexterity ability, "Rockification," transformed the weapon into an indestructible rock blade.
Chu Hengkong raised his eyebrows: "You failed to trick me."
"I was too confident," Du Muyan admitted frankly. He had intended to use his sleight of hand only for the decisive moment, but Chu Hengkong's sneak attack forced him out. "But you don't have to be so happy. Or is it the fighting itself that brings you such pleasure?"
Chu Hengkong was stunned for a moment before he realized that he was smiling, with the corners of his mouth raised high, as excited as a wolf that had found its prey.
"It's just my nature," he said. "You're such a good swordsman, it's a shame to be a killer."
"I'm just a bodyguard, you're the killer." Du Muyan looked at his knife. "Your bloody scent is terrifying. Even a new knife feels rusty. Can someone who has killed countless people be a detective?"
"Want to hear a story?" Chu Hengkong smiled, "Forget it. I'm not used to telling it to a third person."
They turned simultaneously, looking at the unremarkable fork at the side of the zigzag intersection. It was a blindingly long dead end, with nothing but the door to the tea room. The dead end was harmoniously quiet. But their gazes were filled with murderous intent, radiating colorless ripples across the dead end.
A piece of "cloth" that blends into the environment is peeled off from the wall, and the man in a white suit behind the invisible cloth waved awkwardly.
"I'm just a small vendor passing by." Kanin said, "You two continue, don't mind me."
Chu Hengkong picked up a piece of gravel and threw it at him. Kaning took out a talisman and shook it, transforming it into a large aquamarine flag to protect him. The stone hit the flag but bounced back. Du Muyan caught it with one hand and threw it again. Kaning was surprised to see Du Muyan's stone attack: "Master Yan, look carefully, you hit the wrong person!"
Du Muyan didn't bother to waste time talking to him. Just because someone relied on swords and fists didn't mean they were brainless. He'd long felt the attack on the City Lord's Mansion was going too smoothly, and now it looked like Kanin was definitely behind the scenes. The rubble crashed into the water flag again, shattering itself into pieces.
Kanin strode forward, holding a water flag for protection in one hand and throwing a silver metal sphere with the other. The sphere bounced off the ground, extending eight sharp claws and transforming into a vibrant spider. The metal spider opened its mouth and spit out a beam of light at Dumuyan. Yan slashed the beam with a single blow and engaged the agile spider in a fierce struggle.
Chu Hengkong seized the opportunity to strike at Kanin's body with his sword, but the blade was deflected by the water flag. Kanin flipped his hand and produced a revolver, firing three shots in quick succession. Chu Hengkong turned his head to dodge, and the bullets flew by the tip of his ear.
"You must be the famous new inspector." Kanin put away his revolver and took out a handkerchief. "My name is Kanin, and I'm a businessman. Nice to meet you."
"I can recognize you even without fire." Chu Hengkong swung out his tentacle whip, "You brought the glowing corpse into the swamp, didn't you?"
Kanin remained composed, his smile unfazed. With a flick of his wrist, the handkerchief transformed into a cloth-like rapier. He engaged Chu Hengkong's tentacle whip with the rapier, then unleashed two new metal insects to join the attack on Du Muyan. This man possessed an astonishing number of relics, a walking arsenal. Relics cherished by the city's many ranks were treated as disposable, to be discarded after use.
"Of course, it was me," he admitted nonchalantly, "but I was also the one who delivered that bottle of blood. Shouldn't you consider stopping? We're on the same side this time!"
Chu Hengkong hadn't expected the other party to directly explain his actions. His attitude was so calm that it bordered on insolence, and he genuinely disregarded the two people present. But they truly had no way to deal with him. Du Muyan was surrounded by metal insects and couldn't spare a single blow, and Chu Hengkong had no means of breaking through the water flag's defenses.
"I have no intention of interfering in your duel. Can you please stop?" Kanin took off his hat and dusted it off. Protected by the water flag, he looked unusually relaxed. "The battle is so tense, I don't recommend wasting your time here. Your tactics are useless to me..."
Before he finished speaking, Du Muyan sheathed his sword with his backhand. The sound of the blade re-sheathing was as clear as flowing water. He stared deeply at Kanin behind the water flag, murderous intent etched in his eyes like a scar.
He drew out the knife filled with murderous intent!
The bright blade pierced their eyes, its rough blade gleaming with the sharp edge of steel. The blade instantly cleaved three metal insects, piercing through the water flag's defenses and severing the flagpole, severing Kanin's legs in half!
Kanin opened his eyes wide and touched the wound on his lower body with his hand, as if he was not aware of the fact that he was injured.
"It was really scary." Kanin said, "I was almost cut in half..."
He suddenly laughed, as if telling a very satisfying joke. A scorching wave of air surged with his laughter, surging like a storm. Chu Hengkong and Du Muyan were forced back. They saw the severed lower body transform into a ball of green fire.
Kanin laughed and raised his arms, sending sparks flying towards the sinful high-rise building. He raised his hand and put on his top hat.
"I underestimated you, Master Yan! I'm not in a position to wade into this mess, so I'll leave first!" Kanin's voice was high. "Finally, I'd like to offer a friendly suggestion to Inspector Chu - Maivia's summoning circle is at the very top. If you continue to waste time, you'll be swallowed by the Black Moon!"
He burned through the floorboards as easily as breathing, descending through the blazing flames. His azure flames spread at an incredible speed, as if all material objects were being fueled by the flames. Chu Hengkong wanted to wait for an opportunity to go upstairs to investigate, but Du Muyan blocked his way, his sword drawn, the murderous intent in his eyes as hard as cast iron.
"Leave now and I won't kill you." Du Muyan said.
Chu Hengkong grinned: "It seems that Kanin did not lie."
In an instant, the battle resumed, and the two men, who had temporarily stopped fighting, began to clash once more. Burning wood fell from above them, and the blue flames burned through the floor, revealing the scene above. Also surrounded by the flames, the blond knight fought against the demons!
(End of this chapter)
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