C14 The Time to Counterattack!

This whole situation seemed to have nothing to do with me, right?

So why did I run all this way?

Chen Mo's face showed utter disbelief as he looked up at the sky and gradually stopped running. The pursuers behind him had been left far behind.

Turning around, Chen Mo realized he was at the entrance of a small alley, resembling a T-intersection. The terrain around him was getting more complex, and somehow, he had ended up at a convoluted crossroads of alleys and lanes.

"Damn, what now? I don't recognize any of these streets!"

At that moment, the pursuers caught up, their breaths ragged and their curses loud. They were visibly exhausted, sweat drenching their faces, yet they persisted, not showing any intention of giving up.

Chen Mo stood calmly in the middle of the road, no longer the desperate fugitive who had been sprinting away moments earlier.

He had realized that these men were likely after the man who had briefly been in step with him, not him personally.

His flight had been a reflex, a psychological response. Chen Mo had to admit he felt a bit guilty.

He was worried that someone had anticipated his arrival and set a trap in this old district, ready to eliminate him in this lawless land.

But now that he had thought things through, Chen Mo was no longer scared.

He was confident he could convince his pursuers. His advantage wasn't merely psychological; he knew what they were anxious about, what they were hoping for. Chen Mo had their weaknesses in his hands, so he had no reason to fear.

Seeing Chen Mo standing still, the group instinctively slowed down. They were about to come closer and throw some intimidating words around when...

Chen Mo spoke first, "You know, it's fine to stop. The person you're looking for has already gotten away."

Taking control of the situation and disrupting their attempt to create an intimidating atmosphere, Chen Mo noticed the quiet and added, "The one you're after has escaped. Look, down that road. If you chase now, you might still catch him."

The leader at the front frowned, his face occasionally showing signs of anxiety.

"How do we know you're not lying? What if you're working with that guy, deliberately sending us on the wrong path so he has more time to escape?"

"Heh, the longer you take to decide, the more likely he is to get away," Chen Mo said with a laugh, pointing to himself. "I'm a stranger to all of you. I doubt you have any recollection of me. I have no ties to either party, so what reason would I have to cover for someone else? Whether you trust me or not is up to you, but if he does escape, it's not my problem."

"Fine, let's all remember his face. If there's any trouble, we'll take care of him next time we cross paths!" The man ordered his followers, while Chen Mo stood aside indifferently, making it clear he was stepping away. He only needed to pinpoint Black Jason's location and time his departure. He didn't expect to have any further involvement with these people. Whether they remembered him or not didn't matter to Chen Mo.

Despite their indirect threats, Chen Mo's expression remained unchanged.

"Let's go, keep chasing!" The man eventually gave up on further confrontation with Chen Mo and started running in the direction Chen Mo had indicated. However, at the last moment, Chen Mo's arm was grabbed, and with a strong pull, he was dragged into a nearby alley.

"Good job, brother. But I can't let your loyalty get you in trouble. Let's go, I'll help you get out of here."

A strange voice, not quite familiar, rang in Chen Mo's ear as he found himself being dragged into the depths of an alley by a tall, muscular man dressed in a simple short-sleeved shirt and sweatpants. As Chen Mo turned his head, he was met with the sight of a group of people, their eyes red and fixed on him with the ferocity of a pack of wolves ready to pounce.

The opposing leader barked, "Well, well, looks like you're in cahoots. Everyone, attack and take down those two scoundrels!"

Chen Mo pleaded, "Calm down, calm down, I really don't know him!"

The muscular man said, "Big brother, no need to cover for me. I consider you my brother now. We'll face this trouble together; I won't just save myself."

The leader sneered, "Since you're so keen on loyalty, I'll let you die together!"

Chen Mo protested, "Wait a minute, I truly don't know him, and I wasn't trying to shield him. I just got here from out of town. Please, listen to me."

The man insisted, "Stop talking. I can't possibly abandon you after you've stood by me."

The leader scoffed, "Ha! You can be brothers in hell then!"

Chen Mo muttered, "...System, is there any medicine that can improve intelligence? I think I might need to buy some."

The System replied, (Sorry, there's really nothing like that.)

"Go ahead and kill him..."

Chen Mo felt a wave of despair. He realized he had been too optimistic. Given his streak of bad luck, such as getting hit by a car whenever he left the house or choking on cold water, it was foolish to think he could avoid trouble on this trip.

Life or death, escape or confrontation—it wasn't even a choice. Chen Mo saw that the muscular man still had a lively spirit, as if he were a formidable force that no one could stop. Unfortunately, despite the alley's narrow confines, facing dozens of enemies was too much for even the strongest man.

Chen Mo quickly grabbed the muscular man's arm and gestured towards the shadows, "Don't be a hero, let's get out of here!"

The burly man's face showed a moment of hesitation, but faced with Chen Mo's resolute and undeniable gaze, he eventually scratched the back of his head and, spreading his legs, sprinted off alongside Chen Mo.

The alley was dimly lit, not pitch black, but the limited visibility still posed a challenge as they ran.

Chen Mo felt his way along, scanning his surroundings for any potential hiding spots as he moved swiftly down the alley, soon coming upon a crossroads.

Relieved to find it wasn't a dead end, Chen Mo let out a sigh. Although the sounds of shouting and footsteps continued relentlessly behind them, the twists and turns of the labyrinthine alleyways sparked a somewhat crazy idea in him.

He glanced at the burly man, who seemed to still have plenty of energy, his pace suggesting he could go even faster. Chen Mo himself, aided by the Life Pendant, didn't have to worry about running out of stamina, nor did he experience the fatigue and soreness that would normally plague others.

The Life Pendant, capable of neutralizing all negative states, wasn't just for healing.

"Can you go faster?" Chen Mo asked.

"No problem!" the burly man assured him.

With that affirmative answer, Chen Mo didn't hesitate. His legs moved with increased frequency, and his speed surged dramatically.

The group that had been doggedly tailing them was quickly left in the dust. Taking advantage of the moment, Chen Mo pulled the burly man into a side path at the next fork, where three separate routes diverged.

Without overthinking it, Chen Mo led the burly man down the rightmost path, and they disappeared from view. It wasn't long before their pursuers reached the fork, gasping for air and looking around in confusion.

The leader of the group made a swift decision, shouting to his subordinates, "Split up and search. If you find them, don't engage. Either shout out or come back to report. I'll stay here with some men to hold the fort."

In no time, the group of twenty-odd men divided into three and vanished down the separate paths. Chen Mo and the burly man hadn't gone far; they were concealed in the shadows, listening. After overhearing the leader's orders, Chen Mo once again guided the burly man away.

They reached another junction, prompting their enemies to divide their forces even further.

The original group of twenty-plus had now split into groups of seven or eight, which then further subdivided into groups of two or three.

What followed was relatively straightforward. Chen Mo and the burly man stopped midway, lying in wait for the approaching pursuers. By the sound of their footsteps, they discerned there were only three of them and prepared their ambush.

As the trio drew near, Chen Mo burst from hiding, his grimace serving as a distraction.

Completely fixated on Chen Mo, the three men didn't have time to react before they felt a sudden pain at the back of their heads, and they collapsed, unconscious.

Chen Mo picked up the fallen weapon, considering its heft, and turned to the burly man, "Now, it's our turn to strike back..."