C16 Killing Intent

"I propose a toast to the five classmates of Ma Yu," suggested a student as we settled into the private room and the dishes were served. He stood and lifted his glass.

The casual chatter among the students quieted, their expressions dimming. They were young, unaccustomed to the finality of life and death.

Even those who had been at odds with a classmate felt a pang of sorrow upon learning of their death in the Warzone. Tears welled up in the eyes of those who had been close to Ma Yu.

"Come on!"

"To our classmate!"

The entire class, over forty students, rose to their feet, glasses held high.

With the toast complete, everyone sat down, and within minutes, the mood warmed up again. The focus of the group subtly shifted towards Lin Feng, Liu Fei, and Chiang Yu.

Adversity had forced them to grow up quickly. These sixteen and seventeen-year-olds understood who had the most promising futures and the importance of planning for what lay ahead.

"Brother Lin, let me offer you a toast!"

"Brother Lin, I apologize for any past offenses. I hope you can be generous and overlook my minor mistakes. Here's to you, and please, drink at your leisure!"

...

Before we knew it, Lin Feng, once an inconspicuous member of our class, had become the life of the party. He welcomed each toast and didn't leave a single glass unfinished.

Two hours of feasting and toasting later, the gathering wound down.

"Who knows if we'll ever meet again," Lin Feng mused as he stepped out of the Treasure Pavilion, watching the dwindling groups of classmates. Leaving Zeffari City for the University of Norbury meant he might never cross paths with many of his high school peers again.

But he wasn't overwhelmed with sadness—just a touch of nostalgia. After all, his closest friends, Liu Fei and Chiang Yu, would be joining him at the University of Norbury.

"Hey, you three, stop right there!" A sharp call from nearby snapped Lin Feng out of his reverie. He paused at the entrance of the Treasure Pavilion, his curiosity piqued as he looked towards the source of the voice.

Three middle-aged men in trench coats, heads bowed, were briskly walking toward the Treasure Pavilion. Trailing behind them were two members of the law enforcement team in uniform.

"Hmm?" Lin Feng's brow furrowed.

A sudden sense of alarm gripped him, and he sensed danger.

"Run!"

The trench-coated trio abruptly lifted their heads for a brief glance at Lin Feng, sending a chill through his heart as he bellowed the warning.

Liu Fei and Chiang Yu, at his side, hesitated for a split second before quickly turning on their heels and dashing into the Treasure Pavilion.

These were the same middle-aged men Lin Feng had seen on TV as wanted criminals when he stepped out of his home!

It was two in the afternoon, and the University of Norbury graduates had just finished dining at the Treasure Pavilion, laughing and chatting as they dispersed in small groups.

Lin Feng's shout sent them scattering in panic.

But Lin Feng had no time to consider their alarm; the three men were charging at him with explosive speed.

"You want to kill me?" Lin Feng's limbs turned to ice.

He couldn't recall ever crossing paths with them.

Yet, he was certain he hadn't misread their murderous gaze, as they looked at him like he was already a corpse.

In that moment, Lin Feng felt a shiver down his spine.

Instinctively, he drew the Feather Blade from his back and activated the Thunder Breathing Technique, his strike as swift as lightning.

Rip!

The Feather Blade, enshrouded in Blood Essence and crimson as blood, crackled with blue electric arcs. It sliced through the air, emitting a hair-raising sound.

The three men, unarmored, didn't dare face Lin Feng's attack head-on and nimbly evaded.

Simultaneously, they unsheathed their short blades, fixing their deadly stare on Lin Feng.

Lin Feng's pupils shrank.

Three warriors of Fifth Level or higher!

Without a second thought, he tapped into triple the usual Mana Ignition. But instead of confronting them, he spun around and bolted toward the main street.

Boom!

As Lin Feng sprinted away, the air echoed with the sounds of sonic booms.

Cries of alarm echoed from behind him.

Liu Fei and Chiang Yu's voices joined in, yelling, "Lin Feng!"

At that moment, Lin Feng was moving at a blistering speed of 150 meters per second, yet the three middle-aged men were hot on his heels, matching and even surpassing his pace.

Within a mere two seconds, they had caught up to him.

Bang!

In the split second where life hung by a thread, a gunshot pierced the air.

The law enforcement team, stationed in the distance, had opened fire. The trio of middle-aged men, caught off guard, instinctively dodged.

Lin Feng executed a swift roll, narrowly avoiding the swipe of a blade.

Bang!

Another shot rang out.

It missed, deflected by the short blade of the man to the left, sending sparks scattering from the metal.

But the bullet's impact caused the man to falter, throwing off his balance.

His movements were compromised!

A fierce glint flashed in Lin Feng's eyes. Instead of retreating, he surged forward, slamming unexpectedly into the chest of the middle-aged man.

A look of sheer astonishment flickered in the man's eyes, quickly followed by panic.

"Puff!" Lin Feng's Feather Blade ruthlessly pierced through the man's abdomen.

The two remaining middle-aged men were aghast, their faces contorted with rage.

Now, they were less than two meters from Lin Feng.

Bang! Bang!

As they readied themselves to strike at Lin Feng, several more bullets whizzed in from afar.

"Die!" Lin Feng's expression was ferocious as he swept his Feather Blade to the left.

He cleaved the middle-aged man before him in two.

Yet, in that same instant, his opponent managed to land a stab with his knife.

"Die!"

With one of their own felled by Lin Feng, the last two men's faces twisted with fury.

In that moment, they abandoned all attempts to dodge or block the incoming bullets from the distant law enforcement team, lunging at Lin Feng with reckless abandon.

"Kill!"

Lin Feng's face mirrored their madness.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bullets flew, splattering blood in a gruesome arc from the bodies of the two middle-aged men.

Lin Feng, like a demon possessed, brandished his Feather Blade with wild abandon.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Sparks erupted as the men's blades were battered and pitted under Lin Feng's relentless assault.

The three of them were dangerously close, driven to madness, no longer evading attacks. Lin Feng severed their arms and legs, yet even in their final moments, they managed to stab him three times.

It seems like a lengthy tale, but in reality, only five seconds had passed since Lin Feng's escape.

As the three middle-aged men collapsed,

Lin Feng stood drenched in blood, with two blades protruding from his abdomen and another from his left shoulder.

From afar,

the students of the Treasure House watched in stunned silence, a cold dread creeping up their spines, leaving their scalps tingling.

They had never witnessed such fierce and savage combat!

"Lin Feng!"

Chiang Yu and Liu Fei, their eyes wide with horror, dashed towards him.

The two law enforcement officers holstered their weapons and quickly made their way to the scene.

It was only then that the other students began to come to their senses, their sharp intakes of breath filling the air.

"Student, are you alright?" The law enforcement officers reached Lin Feng just as he was about to collapse, steadying him.

The combined toll of Mana Ignition and his injuries hit him all at once, leaving Lin Feng feeling extraordinarily weak.

He gave a slight shake of his head. "Not really..."