novelraw Chapter 154 - 153: Identity Recognized, You Die or I Die
Chapter 154 - 153: Identity Recognized, You Die or I Die
"He actually dodged my ambush. This Exotic Beast Hunter is no pushover!" A voice full of surprise rang out from the dense thicket where the attack had originated.
THUD.
CRASH.
Two impacts, one light and one heavy, rang out in quick succession.
The former was the sound of Lin Li leaping from his motorcycle, hitting the ground and rolling twice.
The latter was the much louder sound of the now-driverless motorcycle striking a rock, veering off course, and plunging headfirst into a dense thicket of bushes.
"Damn it... You despicable coward, ambushing me like that! Get the hell out here!"
Lin Li scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain, and bellowed toward the spot where the ambush had come from.
"I didn’t expect you to be a Second Rank Initial Stage Cultivator. I misjudged you."
Since the ambush had failed, there was no reason to hide anymore. A middle-aged man with a buzz cut emerged nonchalantly from the grass, his expression calm as he faced the furious Lin Li.
The furious look on Lin Li’s face gave way to surprise as he saw the middle-aged man’s features. ’Wait a minute... This guy is...’
"Wang Jixiong?"
"You actually know me?"
Lin Li was speechless. He hadn’t expected his ambusher to be the very criminal with a bounty on his head from the Superpower Administration Bureau.
Seeing Lin Li’s silence, the deceptively honest-looking Wang Jixiong aimed the small Spiritual Crossbow in his hand at him. In a calm voice, he spoke with chilling viciousness.
"Since you recognize me, you must also know that I’m currently wanted by the Superpower Administration Bureau... My apologies, but this means you have to die here today.
After all, if I let you go, you’ll just report my location to the Superpower Administration Bureau, and that would be a huge hassle for me."
"Hmph..." Lin Li shot him a contemptuous look and scoffed.
"Your ambush just now was clearly meant to kill me. Don’t pretend you’re only trying to get rid of me now because I recognized you."
Wang Jixiong burst out laughing. "Hahaha... Alright, you got me! No point putting on an act for a dead man. You’re right—I was going to kill you whether you recognized me or not."
"You’re awfully confident! Too bad for you, we’ll see who comes out on top!" Lin Li said, his gaze ice-cold as he stared at the wanted man.
"Kid, you don’t even have a weapon. What are you going to fight me with?" Wang Jixiong sneered, drawing a Spiritual Short Saber from his waist in a condescending manner.
"Oh, so that’s it. You’re only this confident because you don’t see a weapon on me," Lin Li said, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smile.
Before his opponent could speak again, a thought flashed through Lin Li’s mind, and the Spiritual Longsword he had stowed away on the Mysterious Small Island instantly materialized in his hand.
"A Storage Spiritual Artifact?!!" Seeing the Spiritual Longsword appear out of thin air in Lin Li’s hand, the arrogant Wang Jixiong’s face twisted in shock as he cried out.
"No, not a Storage Spiritual Artifact... It’s a Superpower! You’ve awakened a Storage Space Superpower!"
"That’s right, I have," Lin Li replied with a smile, going along with him. "So, what now? Still think you can get rid of me so easily?"
Wang Jixiong fell silent. He glanced at the Spiritual Longsword in Lin Li’s hand, listened to the loud peal of thunder in the distance, and sighed.
"Sigh... To be so young and promising. A storm’s about to break. How about we just call it even?"
"Fine by me," Lin Li replied with a faint smile. "I’m in a hurry to get home, so I can’t be bothered to deal with you."
"Excellent. Let’s go our separate ways, then." The deceptively honest-looking Wang Jixiong also broke into a smile.
And just like that, the tense atmosphere turned amicable. Any passerby happening upon the scene would have seen two men smiling at each other and mistaken them for friends.
TAP... TAP... TAP...
Lin Li walked forward, heading for his motorcycle, which had crashed into the bushes.
Wang Jixiong backed away, slowly retreating toward the dense thicket where he had previously hidden.
Both kept a safe distance from each other.
The moment Lin Li reached his downed motorcycle, bent over, and stretched out a hand to lift it, the unexpected happened.
WHOOSH.
A streak of golden light tore through the air with a piercing whistle, heading straight for Lin Li.
CLANG.
The arrow, shimmering with faint golden Spiritual Light, was blocked with a crisp metallic ring.
"I knew you’d pull a dirty trick..." Having been on guard against Wang Jixiong the whole time, Lin Li blocked the incoming arrow with his Spiritual Longsword.
Despite having broken his word and his second ambush being foiled, Wang Jixiong felt not a shred of shame.
With his last two arrows spent, the Spiritual Crossbow was now useless.
"Hmph." With a cold snort, Wang Jixiong stowed the Spiritual Crossbow in his backpack and tossed the bag aside.
"You know who I am, and you’ve found my location. I can’t possibly let you leave here alive. Today, it’s you or me."
Gripping his short saber, Wang Jixiong strode toward Lin Li.
Overhead, brilliant flashes of silver-white lightning flickered through the dense, layered storm clouds.
WHOOSH...
RUSTLE... RUSTLE... RUSTLE...
A fierce wind swept across the plains, violently shaking the flora and making them rustle, heralding the imminent arrival of a torrential downpour.
’Either you die or I die? I have an ace up my sleeve to ensure I survive. The one dying today definitely won’t be me,’ Lin Li muttered to himself, clutching his Spiritual Longsword as he watched Wang Jixiong approach.
"Die!" Wang Jixiong’s slow advance accelerated, and when he was ten meters from Lin Li, he roared.
The short saber in his hand flared with a pale golden Spiritual Light. In the next second, his speed skyrocketed as he dashed forward, closing the distance to Lin Li in an instant.
He swung the Spiritual Short Saber, glowing with faint golden Spiritual Light, straight at Lin Li’s neck.
Facing Wang Jixiong’s ferocious attack, Lin Li remained cool and composed, raising his Spiritual Longsword to block the slash.
CLANG!
The two Spiritual Weapons, both radiating a faint golden Spiritual Light, smashed together with a resounding metallic clang.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
On the windswept plains under a sky of roiling black clouds, two figures clashed in a furious, back-and-forth battle...
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