The Muscular Man’s Return

“How many haven’t returned?”

The blue-haired youth stood by the doorway, posing the question to those behind him. His gaze was fixed on the distant horizon, making his thoughts inscrutable.

The sky was already growing dim, and the lingering rays of the setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the ground. They painted the man’s silhouette with an air of profound solitude.

“Six.”

Ji Hua leaned against the wall, her expression languid. She wasn’t particularly concerned with the exact numbers. Had there not been someone she particularly disliked among those who went out, she wouldn’t have been able to state the figure so precisely.

“Let’s wait a little longer,” Xiang Ke said, not overthinking the situation. She simply watched the intersection with a worried gaze.

Something had happened at the stronghold today. It was unexpected that the muscular man, who had already left, would dare to return, leaving them caught off guard and unable to gather enough manpower.

This was how the afternoon’s events had unfolded.

The burly muscular man had suddenly appeared near the stronghold, precisely during the lunch break when several people were most relaxed.

At that time, the four people left guarding the stronghold weren’t paying much attention to their surroundings. They were each engrossed in their own thoughts and activities.

Having seen no trace of any pursuers for two whole days, their taut nerves had inevitably relaxed slightly.

This provided the muscular man with his opportunity.

After he launched a surprise attack, eliminating the driver uncle, their highest combatant, the few remaining individuals couldn’t possibly stop him. Chen Anhe, a mere youth, was a complete liability. Beyond offering a slight distraction, he contributed nothing meaningful to the fight. With a single punch, the muscular man sent him to his knees, clutching his stomach and writhing like a shrimp, clearly incapacitated.

With no other option, Xiang Ke had to intervene personally. Not skilled in combat, she was almost overwhelmed by the muscular man’s relentless assault. Fortunately, Ji Hua arrived upon hearing the commotion and joined the fray.

Employing her decent martial arts skills, Ji Hua caught the burly muscular man off guard. The two women subtly suppressed him, even gaining a slight advantage.

However, this did not mean they could win. Women were, after all, slightly inferior to men in terms of stamina and strength. As time wore on, both women gradually began to tire.

Having gone almost two days without food, they had little strength to begin with. After only two or three minutes of engagement, they were already exhausted and on the verge of collapse.

If the driver uncle had been alive, the situation would undoubtedly have been much better. His equally muscled physique was ample proof of his formidable combat prowess.

Alas, he was dead, a wrongful and inexplicable death. During his lunch break, he was stabbed in the head, ‘a white knife in, a red knife out,’ dying instantly without any chance to resist.

The more she fought, the more alarmed Xiang Ke became. Logically, everyone in this game lacked food and water. After two days, it was difficult to maintain effective combat strength.

She had already prepared to compromise, planning to abandon her useless sense of righteousness tonight and proceed with the plan she had discussed with the blue-haired man earlier. Yet, she had not expected such a sudden turn of events, leaving her momentarily caught off guard and unable to cope.

‘Does this guy never get tired?’ Xiang Ke gritted her teeth, as sharp pains shot through her arms and legs. She was nearing her limit.

Yet, her opponent seemed tireless, launching attack after attack, completely disregarding his own injuries. Ji Hua, assisting in the battle, was also suffering.

Seeing this man, she knew he was trouble, but she hadn’t anticipated such an intractable opponent. As the saying goes, the fierce fear the reckless, and the reckless fear those who don’t care about their lives.

Ji Hua, whose goal was to survive, wasn’t keen on fighting to the death in this place. Sensing that something was subtly wrong, she was preparing to flee.

Anyone who witnessed this kind of ‘trading injury for life’ fighting style would surely flinch. Xiang Ke, seeing this out of the corner of her eye, couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Even with both of them fighting together, they were struggling. If Ji Hua abandoned her and ran, the sudden surge in pressure from the muscular man would likely lead to her complete defeat.

Now, there were only two choices: either abandon Ji Hua and flee herself, or use words to keep her here and gamble on activating her talent.

Her talent was of an excellent type; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been a key training target for the team. However, the more powerful the talent, the greater its cost. After using it, Xiang Ke would likely lose her ability to resist for a short period.

This was her dilemma. The first option would certainly make her safe for a while, but there was no guarantee that the muscular man wouldn’t immediately turn his attention to her after dealing with Ji Hua. There wouldn’t be enough time to hide in a safe place, and the situation then might not be any better.

“Damn it, how did he even find this place?”

‘Had he been following the team all along, observing them in secret?’ Xiang Ke’s face darkened. She prided herself on her reconnaissance abilities, believing she shouldn’t have missed something like this.

‘Then, someone in the team must have leaked information. Otherwise, such a coincidence wouldn’t happen. Moreover, this guy’s state is clearly abnormal. It’s only the second day; even if he‘s after corpses, he shouldn’t be fighting so desperately.’

‘This state strongly resembles a mind-controlling talent, like those from legends.’ Her eyes grew solemn. ‘Wasn’t it said that such talents were exclusive to the system and couldn’t appear in players?’

However, there was no time for further thought. Seeing Ji Hua consciously beginning to conserve her strength, the pressure on Xiang Ke instantly increased, forcing her to make a decision.

“Ji Hua, hold him off for a moment!” Xiang Ke abruptly disengaged from the battle, stumbled back two steps, and urgently shouted.

“I’ll use my talent to deal with him!”

Talents were vital hidden trump cards; even the users themselves sometimes struggled to fully explain their effects. Essentially, everyone subconsciously concealed the specifics of their talents.

This was because such powers weren’t overwhelmingly strong, and if others knew their exact nature, they could easily be countered. The high cost of activation meant they couldn’t be used as regular combat methods, only as last resorts.

Xiang Ke could no longer afford to hide her trump card. If she kept it concealed any longer, she feared she would perish right there.

Upon hearing Xiang Ke’s words, Ji Hua clearly hesitated. That brief moment of hesitation cost her another punch to the face, leaving her head spinning.

But it was enough. The muscular man’s movements noticeably slowed, as if some unseen force in the surroundings was impeding his actions.

The opportunity was now.