C20 Shadow Art

Lee Kai was unfazed by his momentary distraction. He approached Yu Han from behind and delivered a kick to the bend of his leg—a spot that, truth be told, would normally feel somewhat weak unless one was deliberately bracing it.

Yu Han, though he had gained considerable strength from entering the platform, hadn't undergone much physical change. Consequently, when Lee Kai's attack landed, Yu Han's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

As a person falls forward, their body instinctively leans back, and Yu Han was no exception, especially after being struck by Lee Kai. Yu Han's head jerked backward as Lee Kai's hands shot out silently, swift as pythons, and gripped Yu Han's head with an iron-like hold. A sickening crack echoed from Yu Han's neck.

Yu Han's body tensed abruptly, and Lee Kai couldn't be sure if he was dead. With a spring in his right leg and a downward push of his hands, Lee Kai's knee slammed into the back of Yu Han's head. Releasing his grip, Yu Han pitched forward. Lee Kai then drew the dart he had used to assassinate Wang Xin from his waistband, leaned forward to press down on Yu Han's head, and without concern for whether Yu Han was already dead, he plunged the dart into the back of his neck before swiftly retreating.

Blood gushed from Yu Han's neck, and despite Lee Kai's efforts to avoid it, his sleeves and the back of his hand were splattered. Hidden once again, Lee Kai inwardly cursed the inconvenience. The faint scent of blood, though weak, could still be detected by those remaining—a significant threat to his own safety.

Having issued a command to the black cat in his mind, Lee Kai charged forward, stepping onto a tree trunk and vaulting upwards. He reached out to grasp the branch of the tree where Yu Han had previously concealed himself. With a powerful pull, he hoisted himself up into the tree, his eyes scanning the surroundings with caution.

Despite the minimal noise from before, he couldn't afford to let his guard down. He would only depart once he was certain of the area's safety; otherwise, he would be an easy target for anyone nearby.

After waiting for roughly twenty minutes, Lee Kai carefully parted the leaves before him and peered down, thinking to himself, "It seems clear." But at that very moment, the black cat he had summoned let out another piercing cry and bolted frantically from beneath the tree.

Perched in the tree, Lee Kai's eyes narrowed as he sensed the fear emanating from the black cat in his mind, a slight heaviness settling in his heart.

"The black cat was summoned by me, enhanced by my own attribute. It's not common for it to feel such intense fear, which suggests that the newcomer might be one of the strongest among those left," Lee Kai mused, finally hearing the sound of his body brushing against the branches.

Remaining still in his arboreal hideout, he peered through the small opening he had created to survey the scene below. A tall, muscular man with a bare chest came into view. Seemingly unconcerned about the possibility of an ambush, he began to examine the body of Yu Han, who had been dispatched by the field.

To Lee Kai's astonishment, the man bit into the corpse's neck, the sound of his swallowing echoing loudly.

As time ticked by, Lee Kai's sweat dripped steadily, his fear intensifying. It was a chilling sight for anyone—to witness a person dismembering and consuming a dead body right before their eyes.

Watching the man drink the blood and eat the flesh from the chest of the corpse, Lee Kai swallowed hard. He decided it was best to stay hidden and avoid an encounter with this individual who exuded such a disturbing aura.

Suddenly, the man ceased his gruesome meal and scanned the surroundings, sniffing the air. Lee Kai, who had been watching closely, stifled the fear rising within him, suspecting that he had been discovered.

"Strike first, or risk being overpowered," he thought. With resolve, Lee Kai began to etch a summoning circle onto the tree, but was immediately alerted to a problem.

"There must be some surveillance that can detect me, making it impossible to call for reinforcements. I'll have to rely on myself," he concluded, not abandoning his intention to attack.

Considering the man's formidable physique, Lee Kai knew he couldn't match him in strength or stamina. Instead, he would have to capitalize on his superior agility. The clear advantage of agility was reaction speed. By leveraging his strengths against the man's weaknesses, he believed he had a fighting chance.

At that moment, the burly man's eyes suddenly glowed with a crimson light as he raised his head and locked his gaze on Lee Kai's position. Simultaneously, Lee Kai swooped down from the tree like an eagle. The burly man didn't evade; he noticed that Lee Kai was unarmed, which caused his guard to drop slightly. Having survived three worlds, he possessed both enhanced strength and stamina. Lee Kai had correctly assessed his abilities, but to underestimate his speed would be a grave mistake.

With his hands extended and a whooshing sound accompanying their movement, his arms swung towards the descending Lee Kai like two clubs. Lee Kai instinctively knew he was in trouble; he shouldn't have been so rash.

But he had no choice. The sight of the other consuming blood and flesh had terrified him, prompting his impulsive action. Now, with no way to retreat, Lee Kai could only grit his teeth and press on with his attack.

Just as Lee Kai's feet were about to be hit by the brawny man's fists, a small figure darted out from the bushes behind him. In a flash, the figure closed the distance, and under the night's glow, a dagger gleaming with silver light thrust directly at the brawny man's back.

The strike was clearly the result of meticulous preparation, with both timing and target selection carefully considered. This allowed for such a deadly thrust at the pivotal moment.

However, Lee Kai noticed a glint of awareness in the brawny man's eyes.

"He's ready for this? How is that possible? Or was his earlier behavior not about finding me, but anticipating this unexpected assailant?"

The brawny man's body twisted, one foot lifting while the other anchored firmly to the ground like a nail. His massive thigh cut through the air, swinging towards the attacker behind him. This forceful and weighty blow was not to be taken lightly. If the assailant persisted, they would surely be on the receiving end of this strike. And with the brawny man's maneuver, the initial attack aimed at his heart had been thwarted. To exchange blows now would certainly mean coming out on the losing end.

Upon grasping the situation, the diminutive man halted in his tracks. As he descended, his feet struck the brawny man's torso with such force that he left two deep imprints before catapulting away.

Upon touching down, Lee Kai instantly backpedaled. One adversary was bear-like with formidable offense and defense, while the other possessed lightning speed. Lee Kai had barely caught a glimpse of the latter's velocity. Both were undoubtedly skilled and ruthless, prompting him to retreat lest he find himself in peril.

The two adversaries, however, paid Lee Kai no mind. They didn't see the smaller man as a threat; their focus was solely on each other, their preferred quarry.

"Wang Han, I've known you were lurking around. You're nothing but trash. I failed to finish you off last time, but you won't escape me now!" The brawny man, his mouth dripping with blood and his body smeared with the remnants of a previous kill, was a ghastly sight.

"If you could have killed me, you brute, you would have done it long ago. Why wait until now? When you've got nothing better to do, maybe try covering that repulsive face of yours with your underwear? You're practically contaminating the air," Wang Han retorted, unbothered by the insult, even cracking a smile.

"You seem scared. You're trying to provoke me because you've always relied on your speed to match me in battle. But now that you've noticed my reaction speed has improved, does it frighten you?" Bai Ya taunted.

He was correct; the fear stemmed from his ability to match Wang Han's reaction speed—a speed not of movement, but of bodily reflexes. The rapid response from the moment of attack to the next was not something Bai Ya was expected to possess, making him appear flawless.

"He must have discovered some item or ability to enhance his speed. I have to eliminate him this time; otherwise, our next encounter will spell my doom," Wang Han thought, aware that reconciliation was out of the question. The idea that they wouldn't cross paths again because they were from different platforms was laughable. It was common knowledge among the War Platform that its denizens enjoyed meddling in the affairs of other platforms. Meeting again was not just likely; it was inevitable.

Having resolved to eliminate Bai Ya at this location, he required an advantageous setting to get in close; otherwise, a confrontation would be utterly unfeasible. His hands were concealed within his sleeves. Lee Kai's vision was still sharp, and at that moment, he could discern that Bai Ya's hands, tucked in his own sleeves, seemed to be making some movements. Then, a second later, Bai Ya's hands came to a halt. His gaze was fixed intently on Bai Ya, and a smile began to curve at the edges of his mouth.

On the War Platform, the skills associated with Water Release and Veil of the Mist were not specifically marked as instant, but they could be activated immediately. The trade-off was that their potency was only half of their full strength. Thus, the veterans on the platform were well aware that if time and circumstances permitted, it was best to utilize the skills to their fullest extent.