Unexpected Reinforcements and a Hero’s Return

The newcomers mean trouble,” Li Yue declared, yet a flicker of excitement danced across her features.

Turning to Mo Linyu, she added, “Still, it’s only two people. That shouldn’t pose much of a challenge for you, should it?”

“Aren’t you overestimating the combat prowess of an active high school girl?” Mo Linyu retorted, though she betrayed no sign of tension.

At least, this situation was far less heart-stopping than riding pillion with Li Yue while she sped.

However, Li Yue’s demeanor suggested she had no intention of lending a hand.

‘Fine, I’ll handle this myself,’ Mo Linyu thought.

While they were currently cooperating to hunt down those otherworldly souls, Mo Linyu hadn’t forgotten their true identities as the Demon Lord and the Hero.

It seemed she would have to rely solely on herself here.

Mo Linyu braced herself for a confrontation, but the two men in suits showed no urgency.

Instead, they merely pulled out walkie-talkies from a distance and began calling for something.

Moments later, two more black sedans rolled into the rest area, positioning themselves behind the first black car and effectively blocking the exit.

The car doors swung open, revealing another six or seven individuals similarly clad in suits.

Among them were two women, though they appeared equally unapproachable.

“Oh? The crowd’s growing denser~ This situation seems a little grim, doesn’t it?” Li Yue commented, her tone still that of a detached spectator.

Mo Linyu rose to her feet, her gaze sweeping around as if searching for a suitable weapon.

“Beg me, why don’t you?” Li Yue challenged, standing up and tossing her empty drink can into a nearby trash bin.

She then gestured towards her beloved motorcycle.

“Beg me, and I’ll get you out of here.”

“Get out?” Mo Linyu echoed, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you were planning to beat them all into submission?”

“You have to pick your battles,” Li Yue replied. “These guys don’t look like your typical street thugs; their depths are unknown.

Acting rashly might lead to trouble… especially since I don’t possess the Hero’s power anymore.”

As she had stood, her hand instinctively reached for her side, but her Holy Sword was conspicuously absent.

Without the Hero’s power, no matter how skilled she was in a fight, she was still just a high schooler… a high school dropout, at that.

The men in black were already closing in.

“If we’re going to leave, it has to be now,” Mo Linyu urged. “Once they surround us, we won’t be able to get out.”

Li Yue grit her teeth. “Alright, get on! We’re leaving!”

She swung her leg over the motorcycle, and Mo Linyu quickly settled onto the back seat.

Just as Li Yue prepared to start the engine, the lead man in the suit rushed forward, blocking the front of the bike and attempting to wrestle the handlebars from her grip, preventing her from igniting the engine.

“Get lost!” Li Yue roared, slamming her elbow with brutal force into the face of the suited man who had approached the side of the motorcycle.

The suited man, clearly unprepared for such ferocity from the blonde girl, was caught off guard.

His nose took the full impact, sending him stumbling back several steps.

Seizing the opportunity, Li Yue revved the engine.

This three-hundred-horsepower beast was not something mere human strength could impede.

Although the main exit was blocked, the wide green median strip offered an alternative.

Before she could even burst out of the rest area, however, a car suddenly swerved out, blocking Li Yue’s path.

“Damn it,” Li Yue cursed under her breath, forced to slam on the brakes.

Crashing would send them flying, and besides, she couldn’t bear to damage her precious motorcycle.

These people were clearly well-prepared, swiftly encircling the two of them.

“Miss Mo, we kindly request you accompany us,” the lead suited man stated, his tone respectful yet brooking no refusal.

“…Hmph, who sent you?” Mo Linyu scoffed, demanding an answer.

The suited man spared a glance for Li Yue before replying, “You don’t need to know. We are simply following orders to bring you back.”

Mo Linyu had suspected they were after her father, and it seemed her hunch was correct.

Li Yue narrowed her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the group.

These individuals were clearly trained fighters, far from ordinary thugs.

Bodyguards? Agents?

The situation was dire for them.

While Li Yue excelled at fighting, without the boost of the Hero’s power, her “expertise” had its limits.

What’s more… given their attire, it wouldn’t be surprising if they produced handguns from beneath their suits.

“Hey, if you don’t move, we’re calling the police,” Li Yue warned, but her threat seemed to fall on deaf ears.

The men in black didn’t even acknowledge her.

The lead suited man addressed Mo Linyu once more.

“Miss Mo, please don’t make things difficult for us.”

He then cast a glance at his companions on either side, and the two suited women stepped forward, ready to forcibly escort Mo Linyu into a car.

Their movements, however, were relatively polite, essentially using their bodies to flank Mo Linyu and pressure her into the vehicle.

The other suited men did not lay a hand on her, a stark contrast to their treatment of Li Yue.

After all, she was a crucial hostage.

Though she was the Demon Lord, skilled in magic, that didn’t mean she was entirely ignorant of hand-to-hand combat, nor did she have any intention of surrendering meekly.

She sidestepped the hand reaching for her, then deftly seized the wrist, using the momentum to swing her attacker into another individual.

Mo Linyu’s resistance caused the suited man to frown.

He clearly hadn’t anticipated such a turn of events, merely furrowing his brows and barking, “Seize them!”

“Ah, if we’re going to fight anyway, count me in!” Seeing the conflict was unavoidable, Li Yue surged forward, placing herself in front of Mo Linyu.

She unleashed a powerful straight punch aimed at the suited man’s chest.

He instinctively raised an arm to block, but Li Yue had anticipated this.

Her straight punch suddenly arced upwards, transforming into a vicious uppercut that connected squarely with his jaw.

“Bang—” The suited man reeled backward, staggering from the blow.

Li Yue pressed her advantage, following up with a flying knee strike to his abdomen, successfully bringing him down.

Yet, just as one opponent was dealt with, Mo Linyu, outmatched by two pairs of hands, found herself embroiled in a fierce struggle.

In this critical moment, a streak of golden light sliced through the night sky, hurtling from a distance and precisely striking the back of the suited man’s head who was grappling with Mo Linyu.

The suited man collapsed, instantly unconscious.

The golden light circled once in the air before settling firmly into Li Yue’s grasp.

“Huh?”

Although it brought none of the Hero’s power, a handy weapon could sometimes be enough to turn the tide.

Simply holding the metal baseball bat, Li Yue’s entire demeanor transformed.

Moreover, the sudden appearance of a metal baseball bat, seemingly out of thin air, was somewhat intimidating.

At the very least, the suited individuals were taken aback, retreating cautiously… their attention now shifting more from Mo Linyu to Li Yue.

These men then produced personal weapons like collapsible batons and brass knuckles, quickly regrouping and closing in on Li Yue and Mo Linyu…

Still, the fact that they hadn’t drawn guns was a small mercy.

Despite having lost the Hero’s power, and with the “Holy Sword” no longer radiating holy light, appearing now as a mere baseball bat, in Li Yue’s hands it became a whirlwind of motion, swung with such wide, powerful arcs that every impact promised a broken bone.

Unable to inflict fatal blows, and compounded by her slightly shorter stature, she instinctively aimed for her opponents’ lower bodies.

When the bat connected with a suited man’s shin bone, he cried out in pain and crumpled to the ground.

Another suited man seized the chance to tackle Li Yue from behind, attempting to restrain her movements.

However, she was prepared.

With a sudden jerk of her head backward, her skull slammed forcefully into his jaw.

The suited man released his grip, stars dancing before his eyes, allowing Li Yue to break free.

She spun around, delivering a swift kick to his vulnerable spot.

Mo Linyu, on her side, was far from idle.

The two suited women continued to circle her.

When one rushed forward, attempting to lock her in a bear hug, Mo Linyu turned the tables, deliberately crashing into her embrace.

Using the momentum, she seized the woman’s arm and executed a textbook over-the-shoulder throw.

In just a few exchanges, the number of people lying on the ground surpassed those still standing.

Li Yue stood, the baseball bat resting on her shoulder.

“I might not be good at much else, but I’ve never been afraid of a fight… Anyone else want to try their luck?”

She intended to flash an arrogant grin, but the bruising at the corner of her mouth prevented it.

In the end, she managed only a wry, half-smile.

Li Yue was clearly getting carried away with the fight, but Mo Linyu seized the moment, pulling her onto the motorcycle.

This time, it was Li Yue who found herself in the back seat.

“Let’s go! If we don’t leave now, they’ll call for more reinforcements!”

“Huh? Can you even ride this thing?”

“I can ride a bicycle,” Mo Linyu replied.

“How the hell is that the same thing!”