Chapter 60: Healing

As evening fell and the sun's last rays faded away, Su Hao walked back towards the academy with a satisfied smile on his face.

Suddenly, on the edge of his [Radar], he detected a familiar and eerie fluctuation of Blood Qi. It was scattered and unsettling.

"The killer?" Su Hao's eyes widened as his Blood Qi surged, instantly expanding his [Radar]'s range.

There was no doubt about it—it was same signature.

Su Hao was astonished. Not only had the man survived his severe injuries, but he also had the audacity to be out again, causing more trouble. Su Hao couldn't help but feel a tinge of admiration.

'He's a tough one!'

To be precise, it wasn't the killer himself, but one of the puppets controlled by him.

Moreover, Su Hao not only sensed the eerie Blood Qi of the controller but also another familiar Blood Qi on that person's body.

"Mei?" Su Hao's mind conjured up the image of Mei sitting quietly by the window, absorbed in a book.

Su Hao's face darkened. This timid little girl, who should have been safely at the academy, was now in the killer's clutches. If Su Hao hadn't stumbled upon them tonight, this future scholar might have met a tragic end.

Scratching his head in disbelief, Su Hao muttered, "So, it's not just me who has bad luck. Others run into life-threatening [Disasters] as kids too."

Su Hao wasn't in a hurry. Since he had stumbled upon them, this would be the end of the killer.

During their previous fight, Su Hao had thoroughly understood the Killer's capabilities. Tonight, he had no intention of letting the killer escape.

A person like this, devoid of any humanity, was too dangerous to let live. Who knew what kind of catastrophe he might cause in the future? Su Hao didn't care about many people in this world, but there were still a few he cared about.

With a mask now covering his face, Su Hao kept his [Radar] active, following the puppet from a safe distance.

Unlike last time, the puppet was much more cautious now. He wasn't heading straight for his lair but carefully avoiding crowded areas, zigzagging through the town. After several twists and turns, they finally arrived at their destination.

Su Hao sensed the presence of the killer's true body.

"Isn't this the high-ranking residential area of Lingyun Town?" Su Hao confirmed the location. It was where the town officials lived.

He recalled the man who had saved the Killer before—Jin Datong. Could there be a connection to him?

Circling around the mansion where the Killer was hiding, Su Hao came to the front gate and saw the large characters on the plaque: Jin Residence.

'So it is connected to Jin Datong,' Su Hao thought, frowning as he expanded his perception further. Jin Datong wasn't nearby.

Apart from the Killer, there were no other Masters in the mansion.

Without any hesitation, Su Hao drew his long blade, vaulted over the wall, and charged straight for the Killer. He was concerned that if he delayed too long, Mei might not survive.

Su Hao sprinted ahead, leaping over any obstacles in his path. Before long, he reached a luxurious building.

Inside, he could sense the Killer, the puppet, and Mei.

Without slowing down, Su Hao took a few quick steps and slashed at the door.

"Shing∼!"

The door shattered, splitting apart and crashing inward with a deafening thud.

Su Hao stormed inside.

Before him stood a mummified man, trembling, hunched over a pile of corpses as he greedily absorbed the blood crystals from the fallen.

Their eyes met.

The ghoul-like figure shrieked in a raspy, hoarse voice, "It's you! The dwarf!"

His voice was filled with rage, yet his trembling hands betrayed the fear that had taken hold of him.

Su Hao narrowed his eyes, silent and composed. His Blood Qi surged, and without hesitation, he charged at the Killer.

As he closed the distance, Su Hao swung his long blade in a deadly arc.

The Killer barely had time to react, raising his own blade in a desperate attempt to block.

"Clang∼!"

The two blades clashed. The Killer's pupils shrank—something was off. The force behind Su Hao's strike wasn't heavy, but light.

«Shadow Step»

Su Hao's body shifted like a ghost, twisting low as he moved behind the killer.

«Ghost Stab»

The tip of Su Hao's blade arced upward in a deadly strike.

Fear flashed in the killer's eyes. He hastily activated his life-saving rune.

‹Barrier!›

Just like last time, a faint red glow enveloped his body.

Su Hao's blade tip aimed for the killer's head but couldn't penetrate. As the killer counterattacked, Su Hao swiftly jumped back.

But then, something unexpected happened.

The killer threw his head back and screamed at the top of his lungs, his voice shrill and piercing—louder than a banshee's wail,

"Bro—ther—save—me!"

The voice shattered the stillness of the night, tearing through the air like a broken alarm.

Su Hao almost cursed aloud. 'What the hell? Not only does this guy fight poorly, but he calls for help? '

Without wasting a second, Su Hao lunged forward again.

«Shadow Step»

He circled to the side and brought his blade down in a heavy slash.

The killer thought Su Hao was feinting again, preparing to change tactics and block. He was determined to hold out until his brother arrived to save him.

But he miscalculated. Su Hao's strike wasn't a feint. It was a powerful blow, and with one swing, the Killer was sent flying, crashing into the wall.

It looks like the killer's old wounds weren't completely healed. The impact caused them to open up again, and the killer coughed up blood.

At that moment, Su Hao sensed a surge of strong Blood Qi approaching rapidly.

It was Jin Datong.

'Jin Datong is the Killer's brother!'

Without a hint of hesitation, Su Hao charged toward the killer again, refusing to give him a moment to recover.

His blade aimed directly at the Killer's face.

The killer raised sluggish his blade in defense, but then Su Hao's left hand opened.

‹Blinding Flash›

A burst of intense light exploded from Su Hao's palm, blinding the Killer. He let out a terrible scream, one hand covering his eyes, the killer tilted his head just in time to avoid Su Hao's fatal strike.

But that was the end for him.

Su Hao's blade, now positioned beside the Killer's ear, twisted and sliced cleanly through.

"Splat∼!"

With a dull yet crisp sound, the Killer's head tumbled to the floor, blood splattering across the wall.

With a quick flick of his foot, Su Hao sent the killer's precious blade flying into his own hand. He gave it a test swing—it felt pretty good.

"Boom∼!"

The nearby wall exploded, and a figure burst into the room amidst the debris. The figure immediately locked eyes on the decapitated Killer. It was Jin Datong.

"Damoooor!!!" Jin Datong howled in grief, his face twisted with rage.

His eyes bulged with rage, bloodshot and wild, as he glared at Su Hao with murderous intent.

"It's you! It's you again! You damn dwarf! You monster!!" Jin Datong's voice cracked with fury.

Standing over two meters tall, Jin Datong's body began to swell with muscle, tightening the once-loose clothing around him, transforming him into a small giant.

With a flick of his wrists, a pair of steel gauntlets appeared, covering his fists.

Jin Datong's massive frame loomed over the barely 1.5-meter-tall Su Hao, exerting immense pressure.

"Die!" Jin Datong roared, his enormous body lunging forward like a tiger, his fist aimed at Su Hao's head.

It was clear he intended to smash Su Hao straight into the ground.

Su Hao leapt to the side, dodging nimbly. He wasn't sure if he could withstand a punch like that, but he didn't want to find out. Jin Datong's oppressive presence wasn't just due to his size—it was also his overwhelming Qi.

"Boom∼!" Rubble scattered as Jin Datong's fist slammed into the ground. The entire room shook, dust raining down from the ceiling.

Su Hao had already begun drawing the ‹Blinding Flash› rune on his left hand the moment he beheaded the Killer, completing it just as Jin Datong's fist struck the ground.

Feigning a retreat, Su Hao baited Jin Datong into giving chase. At the perfect moment, he opened his palm.

‹Blinding Flash›

Jin Datong, caught off guard, was blinded by the flash of light.

Seizing the opportunity, Su Hao hurled his long blade straight at Jin Datong.

"Shunk∼!"

The blade pierced through Jin Datong's chest, the tip emerging from his back.. Jin Datong narrowly avoided a fatal hit to his heart.

Jin Datong's physical durability was extraordinary, but Su Hao's strength, combined with his immense Blood Qi, was even greater.

Without pause, Su Hao's feet erupted with energy as he dashed forward, wielding the broad blade he had taken from the Killer.

Jin Datong grunted in pain as the long blade pierced through his chest. Tears streamed from his eyes as he gritted his teeth and forced himself to open them, raising a fist to block Su Hao's incoming strike.

"Clang∼!"

Their weapons clashed, and Jin Datong pressed forward, trying to overpower Su Hao.

"«Bone Crusher!»"

His other fist flew toward Su Hao's face with immense force.

Su Hao swiftly leaned backward, narrowly avoiding the blow. He then kicked the hilt of the blade embedded in Jin Datong's chest.

"Shing∼!"

The blade sank deeper into Jin Datong's body. With a pained groan, Jin Datong staggered back two steps, while Su Hao used the opportunity to retreat and gain some distance.

Jin Datong's tear-filled eyes blazed with fury as he locked his gaze on Su Hao. He no longer rushed in recklessly, realizing that despite Su Hao's small stature, he was not easy to deal with. A single misstep, and he might very well meet his end here.

Both of them panted heavily, their breathing labored from the intense, rapid exchange. Su Hao needed more oxygen after such a fierce battle in a short span of time.

Jin Datong, too, was gulping for air. He glanced at the long blade still lodged in his chest, fresh blood trickling from the wound due to his exertion. Grimacing, he reached up and grabbed the hilt, slowly pulling the blade from his chest.

Su Hao winced slightly as he watched the painful sight.

Jin Datong tossed the extracted long blade aside with a metallic clang.

"Clang∼!"

His fists clenched tightly as veins bulged on his forehead.

"‹Heal!›"

Suddenly, Su Hao witnessed something unbelievable.

The wound on Jin Datong's chest visibly began to stop bleeding and close up, healing at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye. Within moments, all that remained was a shallow scar where the blade had pierced him.

Su Hao couldn't help but curse internally, 'What the hell? He can heal himself?!'

Seeing Jin Datong's miraculous recovery, Su Hao realized this fight was going to be even harder than he had anticipated. Not only was Jin Datong overwhelmingly strong, but he also had the ability to heal his wounds mid-battle, making him an even more formidable opponent.

'Looks like I need to end this quickly before he fully recovers,' Su Hao thought, tightening his grip on the stolen broad sword from the Murderer.

With a renewed sense of urgency, Su Hao gathered his Blood Qi, preparing for the next onslaught. He knew he had to find a way to outmaneuver Jin Datong and strike decisively blow before the man's healing could give him too much of an advantage.