C31 Fighting Head On!

Zhang Ze's strength was formidable, allowing him to hurl the dead chicken a great distance. The Devil Cave Monster, lured by the scent, gave chase, providing the group a narrow escape from danger.

"This is the true power of the Devil Cave Monster," Zhang Ze mused to himself.

After running for over an hour, they finally paused to catch their breath. Lu Kai glanced back at Madman and Laoba, concern etched on his face. "Laoba, are you okay?"

Laoba's arms were grotesquely contorted, and his forehead glistened with beads of sweat. Yet, he managed a smile and said, "I'm fine. I'm not going to die!"

Madman, however, wore a look of deep sorrow. He realized that Laoba's future was now one of disability.

"Don't let your guard down! We've got a long trek ahead to Tianfeng City. We need to stay alert!" Lu Kai warned, scanning their surroundings. He pondered, "Devil Cave Monsters seldom venture out in daylight. What's different about today?"

Suddenly, eerie laughter echoed from every direction. This time, the sounds suggested that five or six Devil Cave Monsters were closing in on them.

"We're incredibly unlucky today!" Lu Kai spat out in frustration. It was their worst luck yet, stumbling upon so many Devil Cave Monsters.

"Let's make a break for it before we're encircled," Lu Kai urged. But before he could issue the command, Madman interjected, "Boss, we should split up. It might give us a fighting chance."

Lu Kai hesitated, then after a brief silence, he nodded in agreement. "Alright. Madman, Laoba, look after yourselves! Zhang Ze, you're with me!"

Without another word, he sprinted off.

Zhang Ze cast a bewildered look back at Laoba and Madman, only to see them standing resolutely in place. In that moment, he grasped their intent.

"Go now, and don't look back!" Laoba's voice was steady.

Madman, supporting Laoba, drew a grenade from his belt.

"We may not have been born on the same day, but we can embrace death together. There's a strange happiness in that," Madman said with a sudden smile.

That was the last image Zhang Ze saw before Lu Kai whisked him away.

They had covered a few hundred meters when a thunderous explosion erupted behind them, sending a plume of smoke skyward.

Lu Kai muttered curses under his breath as he walked, his face streaked with tears. Zhang Ze caught sight of this and sighed inwardly, unsure of how to console him, so he chose to walk in silence beside him.

After covering more than a thousand meters, Lu Kai came to an abrupt halt. Zhang Ze glanced to the side and spotted a Devil Cave Monster perched atop an abandoned car, its head cocked as it fixated on them.

Without warning, Lu Kai tossed his backpack to Zhang Ze, his voice grave, "The scrolls are in there. Keep going down this road and you'll see the northeastern wall of Tianfeng City. I'm not going any further with you."

Zhang Ze protested, "No, we stick together!"

But Lu Kai shook his head, his tone serene, "Take care of my sister from now on."

With those final words, he charged at the Devil Cave Monster.

"Die, you beast!" Lu Kai bellowed, sprinting forward and blasting the creature with his shotgun. The Devil Cave Monster cowered under the barrage, clutching its head in terror.

Seizing the moment, Lu Kai pulled a grenade from his belt and lobbed it at the monster's feet.

The explosion sent both the Devil Cave Monster and the decrepit car it stood on soaring into the air!

"Run!" Lu Kai yelled back at Zhang Ze. They hadn't made it far when, to their horror, they came face-to-face with two more Devil Cave Monsters.

"We're really done for this time," Lu Kai panted, his legs shaking. In the face of death, even the bravest soul can't help but succumb to fear.

Zhang Ze's hands were slick with sweat. Having never battled a Devil Cave Monster, he couldn't gauge his own strength against them. With no better plan, he steeled himself for the fight of his life.

Suddenly, another Devil Cave Monster sprang out from the side. Lu Kai didn't have time to react before he was sent flying by the beast's powerful charge.

Luckily, he landed on a pile of soft clutter, sparing him a fatal fall. Yet, blood still trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Brother Lu Kai!" Zhang Ze bellowed. As the Devil Cave Monster lunged at Lu Kai once more, Zhang Ze darted to his side, shielding him from the creature.

"Get out of here!" Lu Kai gasped, clutching his chest, struggling to speak as blood spilled from his lips.

Zhang Ze ignored Lu Kai's plea.

They were now surrounded by four Devil Cave Monsters. Escape was not an option.

The Devil Cave Monster, intrigued by Zhang Ze's defiance, cocked its head and scrutinized him. Suddenly, it unleashed a shrill scream, the sound piercing the air at a staggering two hundred decibels. Both Zhang Ze and Lu Kai winced in pain, clutching their ears.

With a roar of his own, Zhang Ze swung a punch at the oncoming Devil Cave Monster.

The monster didn't flinch but met Zhang Ze's fist with one of its own, ready for a direct confrontation.

The clash echoed through the air.

Their fists, one large, one small, met with a thunderous impact. Both the Devil Cave Monster and Zhang Ze staggered back, evenly matched.

The Devil Cave Monster inspected its fist, now marked with a deep imprint.

Meanwhile, Zhang Ze massaged his tingling arm, thinking, "I can still punch, but I've only got two or three left in me. Going toe-to-toe with the Devil Cave Monster is a losing game!"

Beside him, Lu Kai's eyes widened in realization of the monster's formidable strength.

A single punch from the Devil Cave Monster could shatter both of Laoba's arms, meaning its power was easily over a thousand pounds.

Yet, Zhang Ze had just traded blows with it. Remarkably, he seemed relatively unscathed.

"Could Zhang Ze's punch be as powerful as the Devil Cave Monster's?" Lu Kai wondered aloud, astounded.

Zhang Ze's greatest concern at the moment was the presence of several Devil Cave Monsters nearby. If they decided to launch a joint attack, he knew he stood no chance at all.

But it seemed that the Devil Cave Monsters had no intention of engaging. They squatted silently to the side, showing no sign of aggression.

"Don't worry," Lu Kai reassured, struggling to contain the churning blood in his chest as he spoke to Zhang Ze in fits and starts. "Devil Cave Monsters have a unique trait—they don't steal their companion's prey. They won't join in an attack on the same target unless their companion willingly relinquishes it."

Zhang Ze gave a nod of understanding. With this knowledge, he could breathe a little easier.