C17 Late at Night Assassination

"Ah Shuai, take your sister-in-law and Little Lee deep into the mountains," Gao Xiong commanded as he seized a wooden stick and charged out the door.

Gao Shuai protested urgently, "Brother, let me stay and help you."

"Get out of here!"

In the courtyard, Gao Xiong's eyes bulged with rage as he faced the mysterious intruder who had kicked in the door, his expression twisted with fury.

Gao Shuai, with a frustrated stomp, yanked Mrs. Gao toward the back exit.

Lee Cha, clutching a training stick, was right on their heels.

Mrs. Gao fought back, insisting, "I'm not going."

"Sister-in-law, if you stay, you'll only slow down Brother Gao. We need to leave now. He'll have a better chance to get away on his own," Lee Cha urged.

With no other choice, Mrs. Gao quickly followed them out.

Once outside, Gao Shuai launched himself at two mysterious figures brandishing torches.

Lee Cha, meanwhile, shielded Mrs. Gao as they dashed in the opposite direction.

They hadn't gone far when a killer wielding a large machete charged at them, shouting, "Kill!"

Lee Cha swung the wooden stick with all his might, only to have it snap with a crack, as a blinding flash of light whizzed by.

Shit!

Lee Cha dove to the right, the ground tearing at his cloak.

Scrambling up, he scooped up a handful of dirt and flung it behind him.

"Son of a bitch! That's low," the assassin cursed, dodging the debris.

Lee Cha seized the moment to sprint ahead. Another assassin charged from a different direction, and Lee Cha bellowed, "Take this!"

He feigned a throw of the stick like a javelin.

The assassin flinched and swerved aside.

Lee Cha bolted forward, seizing the moment.

The first assassin, seething with rage, lunged at him again. Lee Cha knew he was outmatched and made a desperate dash into the darkness.

In this life-or-death chase, he unleashed a burst of speed like never before, widening the gap between himself and the killers. Just as he was about to dive into a thicket, his face lit up with hope.

But in that instant, a flash of white sliced through the underbrush. Instinctively, Lee Cha threw himself to the right, thrusting the wooden stick with all his might.

With a sharp rip, his clothes were torn once again.

He tumbled across the ground and swiftly disappeared into the shadows.

Minutes later, Lee Cha crouched in the underbrush, gasping for air, a searing pain shooting through his left shoulder.

Gazing at the distant flames, he could only let out a weary sigh.

The recent chaos had been overwhelming. He was barely able to fend for himself, let alone spare any effort to look after Mrs. Gao.

He wondered about their fate.

In that instant, the desire to become a martial arts master resurfaced in his heart with unprecedented intensity.

Without strength, he was at the mercy of Evolvers, and even the lowliest street animals could push him around.

He gritted his teeth with resolve... He was determined to master advanced martial arts. If anyone dared to bully or threaten his life in the future, he would make sure to twist their neck.

Just then, footsteps drew near.

"Quick, I saw that kid head this way."

Lee Cha looked up to see a knight on horseback, torch in hand, rapidly approaching, with two others in tow.

Damn it, I've done nothing to you. Why this relentless pursuit?

He kept low, edging toward the forest...

But he quickly realized he was still over a hundred meters from the trees, and the area was sparse, mostly low-lying shrubbery.

If he made a break for it now, he'd surely be spotted. Then, if the knight charged at him on horseback, his chances of survival were slim.

Even if the knight didn't finish him off, a few minutes of delay for his comrades to encircle him would seal his fate.

Yet if he didn't run, he faced two grim options: stay hidden here and face them in close combat once they found him, or somehow take out the horse and make a dash for the forest.

But without a suitable weapon, and only a small utility knife effective at close range, neither plan seemed viable. The knight's cautious use of the torch meant he'd likely be cut down before he could even get close.

Should he surrender to his adversary?

But considering the other had tried to hack him to death without uttering a word upon seeing him, surrendering now would likely end in his own demise.

If both fighting and surrendering spelled death, then his only sliver of hope lay in dashing into the forest.

He had just lifted his foot when he suddenly stumbled, nearly tripping over something that felt like a stick.

Reaching down, he grasped it—it was the harpoon he'd once stashed here.

"A harpoon? You truly are my lucky star."

In a split second, he made another choice.

He hunkered down behind the underbrush, his anxiety mounting as the horse drew nearer.

The rider was cautious, scanning the surroundings with his torch, careful not to rush in.

The two other assassins kept tight on his heels.

This strategy was futile; he needed to divert their focus... Lee Cha's thoughts whirled as he snatched up a stone and hurled it to the side.

The noise caught the assassins' attention.

"Over there!" The rider stayed put, pointing toward the stone's landing spot.

The two men behind him charged in that direction.

Now was his chance!

Lee Cha kept low and lunged.

Only when he closed within three meters did the rider sense him and turn his gaze.

With a fierce roar, Lee Cha thrust the harpoon at the horse.

The animal screamed in agony. Lee Cha withdrew the harpoon and bolted.

"You've harmed my steed; I'll flay you alive! After him!"

Seconds after Lee Cha plunged into the forest, the three killers tore in after him.

The firelight cast a five-meter glow, but the thick underbrush and brambles concealed Lee Cha's trail.

They hacked at the undergrowth and branches with their long knives.

Lee Cha crouched behind a bush, muffling his breath as much as possible.

He could hear every beat of his own heart.

The men were spaced four to five meters apart. If he could take one out with a single strike, the power dynamic would shift, but he'd reveal his position. What to do?

Damn it! They must know I haven't gotten far; they'll widen their search and eventually find me. No time for hesitation.

Lee Cha noticed one of the assailants was a mere three meters away but had stopped, eyeing the surrounding bushes with a cautious gaze.

Had he been spotted?

His muscles tensed, yet the assassin made no move to alert his comrades, continuing his vigilant scan of the area.

It was only suspicion!

Charging out now would mean facing the enemy head-on. Even if he managed to wound the attacker, he'd likely sustain injuries himself.

Lee Cha resorted to his old ruse, tossing a pebble to the side. The man took the bait, turning and moving away from Lee Cha's hiding spot.

Without hesitation, Lee Cha sprang into action, targeting the assassin's lower body with a vicious stab.

"Argh!"

The assassin screamed in agony, leaping forward instinctively, clutching his groin.

The other two assassins glanced over, their abdomens contracting reflexively before they bellowed and lunged at Lee Cha.

Lee Cha yanked out his harpoon and bolted.

The relentless escape and combat were draining his strength. The assassins were closing in.

"Run! Keep on running. I want to see how far you get."

"Soon, I'll flay you and strip your tendons, leaving you begging for death..."

The assassin's taunts echoed behind him.

To hell with it, if they wanted to kill him, he wouldn't go down alone!

A surge of lethal fury rose within him. Whirling around, he thrust with all his remaining might.

The lead assassin, startled by Lee Cha's sudden move, swung his knife instinctively.

Clang! The harpoon snapped, but its tip had already pierced his heart.

Having expended nearly all his energy, Lee Cha clutched the broken harpoon and stumbled backward, leaning against a large tree, gasping for breath.

"Boy, you're out of steam, huh? Surrender now, and I might just recommend you to our boss," the final assassin said, brandishing a torch and a saber, eyeing Lee Cha warily.

Lee Cha replied with a steely tone, "After I've killed your men, you think your boss would welcome me?"

"If they're dead, they're nothing but garbage. Our boss, however, has a taste for the strong," the assassin retorted.

Lee Cha hesitated before saying, "Fine, I'll surrender, but you have to promise no tricks."

The assassin chuckled. "Agreed. If I play any tricks, may lightning strike me down."

Lee Cha feigned a sigh of relief, then suddenly yelled over the assassin's shoulder, "Brother Gao!"

The assassin spun around, finding nothing but empty space.

A whooshing sound came from behind him.

With a slight smirk, the assassin used the torch in his left hand to shield his head while his right hand's saber swung backward in a swift arc.

With a crack, the saber fortuitously split the fish spear from the top, wedging itself midway down.

The assassin's right foot shot out in a powerful kick, striking Lee Cha in the gut.

Lee Cha was sent crashing against the tree trunk behind him.

Grinning, the assassin taunted, "Trying to be sneaky, kid? You've got a lot to learn."

He withdrew his saber from the cleft in the spear and advanced.

It was truly the end this time.

Clutching his stomach, Lee Cha's face contorted in pain, his heart sinking into despair.

Given another chance, he'd choose a life of eating dust in the real world over this cursed transmigration. "Damn system," he cursed.

The assassin lifted his saber, his face alight with the smug assurance of victory. "Any last words?"