THUMP, THUMP, THUMP...
The sound of numerous footsteps echoed from the distance. A look of delight appeared on Hong Jiu’s face when he heard them.
Lin Li, locked in fierce combat with Hong Jiu, also heard the sound of numerous footsteps, but not a hint of panic showed on his face.
Over twenty Red Blood Gang members who had rushed to the scene saw the two men fighting fiercely in the courtyard and immediately shouted.
"Gang Leader..."
Hong Jiu looked at the men who had just arrived, but he didn’t order them to immediately draw their blades and help him take down the assassin.
Having exchanged blows, he knew the assassin was formidable. To have his men charge in recklessly would be to send them to their deaths. In a situation like this, long-range attacks were the best strategy.
"Hurry, go get bows and arrows! Shoot this guy!"
Hearing this, the Red Blood Gang members immediately turned and ran to get ranged weapons.
SHK.
Just as Hong Jiu was shouting to his men, Lin Li’s hands suddenly sped up. The Spiritual Artifact Dagger in his hand, glowing with a faint golden Spiritual Light, left a gash on Hong Jiu’s face.
Blood flowed from the wound, the pain jarring Hong Jiu’s nerves.
He was lucky to have reacted so quickly. Otherwise, Lin Li’s Spiritual Artifact Dagger would have done far more than just leave a shallow cut on his face.
"You’re not getting away today! In a little while, all my men will be here. Then there will be no escape for you..." Hong Jiu said, even as he swung his Nine-Ring Saber—glowing with a faint golden Spiritual Light—forcefully at his enemy’s neck.
CLANG.
Lin Li used the dagger in his hand to parry the Nine-Ring Saber, then twisted and kicked out at Hong Jiu’s abdomen.
THUD.
Unable to dodge, Hong Jiu was knocked back, retreating a good ten meters. Lin Li gave him no time to breathe, immediately pressing forward and unleashing a relentless barrage of attacks.
As the fight dragged on, the continuous exertion left Hong Jiu gasping for air. It was then that he realized the assassin was in far better shape than he was.
Although the assassin’s breathing was no longer as steady as it had been at the start, compared to his own gasping state, the assassin’s condition was far too good. It seemed completely unreasonable to him.
THUMP, THUMP, THUMP...
Just as Hong Jiu was starting to feel a sense of dread, realizing his stamina was draining faster than the assassin’s, the sound of numerous footsteps echoed once more.
Hearing the footsteps, he knew his men who had left earlier had returned. Joy flooded his heart; he felt the opportunity to turn the tables had arrived.
The Red Blood Gang members, following Hong Jiu’s order to retrieve ranged weapons, returned to the outskirts of the battlefield.
Over twenty Red Blood Gang members holding Spiritual Longbows raised their weapons, drew their bows, nocked their arrows, and took aim.
They were ready at a moment’s notice to unleash a fierce barrage on the audacious assassin who dared to try and kill their Gang Leader.
Noticing his men were about to loose a volley of arrows, Hong Jiu swung his saber to force the assassin back, then quickly retreated himself.
After pulling away from the assassin, he was looking forward to watching his men turn that detestable assassin into a human hedgehog with their volley of arrows. But just then, something completely unexpected occurred.
FWOOSH.
Just after being forced back by the saber strike, a blazing, orange-red Fireball appeared in the assassin’s hand. In the blink of an eye, the Fireball rapidly expanded to the size of a watermelon.
WHOOSH...
After quickly creating a Fireball with his Superpower, Lin Li immediately launched his attack.
The blazing, orange-red Fireball shot from his hand with astonishing speed, flying straight toward the cluster of Red Blood Gang members who were preparing to loose their arrows.
"This assassin actually awakened a Superpower!!!" Hong Jiu was stunned. He immediately shouted a warning to his subordinates, "Get out of the way—"
Unfortunately, his men were not strong. They were only Tier One and had no ability to dodge the Fireball Lin Li had thrown.
BOOM.
The incredibly fast Fireball struck a Red Blood Gang member. Upon impact, the blazing Fireball exploded on the spot.
"AHHH..."
Limbs flew everywhere as several Red Blood Gang members were killed instantly by the blast. The heatwave from the Fireball’s explosion spread outwards, scorching many others.
WHOOSH...
After the first Fireball exploded, before the Red Blood Gang members who had been thrown into chaos could even recover, another Fireball was already on its way.
"Spread out! Quickly, spread out! Don’t clump together!" Hong Jiu roared anxiously at his men when he saw Lin Li rapidly launch a second Fireball.
Although Hong Jiu was frantic, desperately screaming for his men to spread out and not cluster together, it was useless.
The Red Blood Gang members, dazed and confused by the first explosion, couldn’t even hear Hong Jiu’s shouts over the ringing in their ears. Now, the second Fireball landed and exploded among them once more.
BOOM.
The second Fireball Lin Li created was clearly much more powerful than the first. The casualties from its explosion were also far greater.
Two Fireball Attacks had all but annihilated the twenty-plus clustered Red Blood Gang members. The few who were left clinging to life were missing limbs and had no combat strength left. They lay on the ground, wailing endlessly—a truly miserable sight.
"BASTARD!" Hong Jiu roared in fury, seeing his twenty-plus men reduced to such a pathetic state.